THE PAMPAS. 



237 



wet carriage, I dressed myself, and then rode up to 

 the hut to pay the man for his boat. He demanded 

 twelve dollars, which I knew was too much, and I 

 therefore refused to give it. In a moment, he was 

 in a violent passion ; he addressed himself some- 

 times to me, and sometimes to some Gauchos who 

 were sitting drinking ; and he was approaching me 

 with menacing gestures, when I took my pistols off 

 his table, and before I placed them into my belt, 

 I put the muzzle of one of them against his front 

 tooth, and told him very quietly, that I would 

 pay him what was proper, but that if he demanded 

 more, I would only pay him with that pistol. In 

 an instant, the man desired one of the Gaiichos to 

 saddle him a horse, in order to ride to the Governor 

 of St. Luis, who he said was a relation of his, and 

 he then told me that he was himself a judge. I 

 laughed at him, and telling him that he was a bad 

 judge in his own cause, I left him, and rode after 

 the coach. 



In about half an hour the fellow overtook me, 

 and without speaking he galloped by me. He was 

 dressed in his judicial robes ; that is, he had on a 

 coarse blue jacket, with scarlet culFs and collar, and 



