THE GRAVE OF LAFITTE. 431 



and minor event. Our ambiguous friend on the isl- 

 and of Mugeres had told us that at this place Lafitte 

 died and was buried, and I inquired for his grave. 

 The padre was not in the village at the time, and 

 did not know whether he was buried in the campo 

 santo or the church, but supposed that, as Lafitte 

 was a distinguished man, it was in the latter. We 

 went thither, and examined the graves in the floor, 

 and the padre drew out from amid some rubbish a 

 cross, with a name on it, which he supposed to be 

 that of Lafitte, but it was not. The sexton who of- 

 ficiated at the burial was dead ; the padre sent for 

 several of the inhabitants, but a cloud hung over the 

 memory of the pirate : all knew of his death and 

 burial, but none knew or cared to tell where he was 

 laid. We had heard, also, that his widow was liv- 

 ing in the place, but this was not true. There was, 

 however, a negress who had been a servant to the 

 latter, and who, we were told, spoke English ; the 

 cura sent for her, but she was so intoxicated that she 

 could not make her appearance. 



The last of the padre's good offices was procuring 

 a horse for Doctor Cabot, which the alcalde had 

 not been able to do. It was the last time we were 

 thrown upon the hospitality of a padre, and in ta- 

 king leave of him, I do repent me that in my con- 

 fidential intercourse with the reader I have at times 

 let fall what I might better have kept to myself. 



At ten o'clock we set out, and at half past twelve 

 reached Temax, two and a half leagues distant. It 



