34 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



the hut, as he said direct from the Pueblo, who croaked 

 in my ears the odious order, and the guard again made 

 objections. I was excessively vexed by this last inter- 

 ruption ; and fairly bullying the new comer out of the 

 hut, told the guard that the thing was settled and I would 

 not be trifled with, took up my gun, and told the men 

 to follow me. I saw beforehand that they were ele- 

 vated by their good cheer, and that I could rely upon 

 them. The guard, and all those compelled to wait, 

 followed ; but we got on board, and my crew were so 

 tipsy that they defied all opposition. One push clear- 

 ed the bungo from the canal, and as she was passing 

 out a stranger unexpectedly stepped on board, and in 

 the dark slipped down under the awning with the mules. 

 I was surprised and a little indignant that he had not 

 asked leave, and it occurred to me that he was a partisan 

 who might compromise me ; but to return might lead to 

 new difficulty, and, besides, he was probably some poor 

 fellow escaping for his life, and it was better that I should 

 know nothing about it. In the midst of my doubts a 

 man on the bank cried out that fifty soldiers had ar- 

 rived from Leon. It was pitchy dark ; we could see no- 

 thing, and my men answered with a shout of defiance. 



In the mean time we were descending rapidly, whirl- 

 ing around and hitting against the branches of trees ; 

 the mules were thrown down, the awning carried away, 

 and in the midst of darkness and confusion we struck 

 with a violent crash against another bungo, which knock- 

 ed us all into a heap, and I thought would send us to 

 the bottom. The men rose with roars of laughter. It 

 was a bad beginning. Still I was overjoyed at being 

 clear of the port, and there was a wild excitement in the 

 scene itself. At length the men sat down to the oars, and 

 pulled for a few minutes as if they would tear the old 



