24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



and we should soon have to succumb. Allow me to add,, 

 that the gratitude which I owe to you is your surest guar- 

 antee." 



" Very well, I will trust in your words ; I shall regu- 

 late my conduct by your answer. Tell me if I can 

 travel at night ? It is fatiguing to me to move from one 

 station to another in the day under the burning influence 

 of the sun." 



" You can do so, sir ; I have already given my orders 

 to this purpose ; they will not be infringed." 



Some days afterwards, I left for Denia ; it was mid- 

 night, when some horsemen rode up to me, and addressed 

 these words to me: 



" Stop there, senor ; times are hard ; those who have 

 something must aid those who have nothing. Give us 

 the keys of your trunks ; we will only take your super- 

 fluities." 



I had already obeyed their orders, when it came into 

 my head to call out " But I have been told, that I could 

 travel without risk." 



" What is your name, sir ? ' 



" Don Francisco Arago." 



" Hombre I vaya usted con Dlos (God be with 

 you)." 



And our cavaliers, spurring away from us, rapidly lost 

 themselves in a field of " algarrobos." 



When my friend the robber of Cullera assured me thai 

 I had nothing to fear from his subordinates, he inform^ 

 me at the same time that his authority did not exte 

 north of Valencia. The banditti of the northern part 

 the kingdom obeyed other chiefs ; one of whom, aft 

 having been taken, was condemned and hung, and h 

 body divided into four quarters, which were fastened 



