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 

 " grand 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." " I 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 w r ay again." Scarcely 

 had we effected this manoeuvre, which succeeded marvel- 

 lously well, when we heard a lively discussion taking 

 place at a short distance from us. Some were saying : 



2 



