22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



north of the mouth of the river Xucar. and to the south 

 of the Albufe'ra, I once conceived the project of establish- 

 ing a station on the high mountains which are in front of 

 it. I went to see them. The alcaid of one of the nei^h- 



C 



bouring villages warned me of the danger to which I was 

 about to expose myself. These mountains," said he to 

 me, " form the resort of a band of highway robbers." I 

 asked for the national guard, as I had the power to do so. 

 My escort was supposed by the robbers to be an expedi- 

 tion directed against them, and they dispersed themselves 

 at once over the rich plain which is watered by the Xu- 

 car. On my return I found them engaged in combat 

 with the authorities of Cullera. Wounds had been given 

 on both sides, and, if I recollect right, one alguazil was 

 left dead on the plain. 



The next morning I regained my station. The follow- 

 ing night was a horrible one ; the rain fell in a deluge. 

 Towards night, there was knocking at my cabin door. 

 To the question '-Who is there?" the answer was. "A 

 custom-house guard, who asks of you a shelter for some 

 hours." My servant having opened the door to him, I 

 saw a magnificent man enter, armed to the teeth. He 

 laid himself down on the earth, and went to sleep. In 

 the morning, as I was charting with him at the door of 



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my cabin, his eyes flashed on seeing two persons on the 

 slope of the mountain, the alcaid of Cullera and his prin- 

 cipal alguazil, who were coming to pay me a visit. Sir," 

 cried he, - nothing less than the gratitude which I owe to 

 you, on account of the service which you have rende. 

 to me this night, could prevent my seizing this occa-ion 

 tor ridding myself, by one shot of this carabine, of rny 

 nio-t cruel enenr . Adieu, sir ! ' And he departed 

 springing from rock to rock as light a.~ a gazelle. 



