BRIGANDS OF OROPEZA. 25 
posts, on four royal roads, but not without their having 
previously been boiled in oil, to make sure of their longer 
preservation. 
This barbarous custom produced no effect ; for scarcely 
was one chief destroyed before another presented himself 
to replace him. 
Of all these brigands those had the worst reputation 
who carried on their depredations in the environs of 
Oropeza., The proprietors of the three mules, on which 
M. Rodriguez, I, and my servant were riding one even- 
ing in this neighbourhood, were recounting to us the 
“srand deeds” of these robbers, which, even in full day- 
light, would have made the hair of one’s head stand on 
end, when, by the faint light of the moon, we perceived 
a man hiding himself behind a tree; we were six, and 
yet this sentry on horseback had the audacity to demand 
our purses or our lives: my servant at once answered 
him—* You must then believe us to be very cowardly ; 
take yourself off, or I will bring you down by one shot 
of my carabine.” “TI will be off,” returned the worthless 
fellow, “ but you will soon hear news of me.” Still full 
of fright at the remembrance of the stories which they 
had just been relating, the three “arieros” besought us 
to quit the high road and cast ourselves into a wood 
which was on our left. We yielded to their proposal ; 
but we lost our way. “ Dismount,” said they, “the mules 
have been obeying the bridle and you have directed 
them wrongly. Let us retrace our way as far as the 
high road, and leave the mules to themselves, they will 
well know how to find their right way again.” Scarcely 
had we effected this manceuvre, which succeeded marvel- 
lously well, when we heard a lively discussion taking 
place at a short distance from us. Some were saying: 
2 
