A LAWSUIT. 



61 



We refused to pay him, and he went away furious. 

 In half an hour an alguazil came to me with a sum- 

 mons to the alcalde. Mr. Catherwood, who was, at the 

 moment, cleaning his pistols, cheered me by threaten- 

 ing, if they put me in prison, to bombard the town. 

 The cabildo, or house of the municipality, was at one 

 side of the plaza. We entered a large room, one end 

 of which was partitioned off by a wooden railing. In- 

 side sat the alcalde and his clerk, and outside was the 

 muleteer, with a group of half-naked fellows as his 

 backers. He had reduced his claim to one dollar, 

 doubtless supposing that I would pay that rather than 

 have any trouble. It was not very respectable to be 

 sued for a dollar ; but I looked in his face on entering, 

 and resolved not to pay a cent. I did not, however, 

 claim my privilege under the law of nations, but de- 

 fended the action on the merits, and the alcalde deci- 

 ded in my favour ; after which I showed him my pass- 

 port, and he asked me inside the bar and offered me a 

 cigar. 



This over, I had more important business. The first 

 was to hire mules, which could not be procured till the 

 day but one after. Next I negotiated for washing 

 clothes, which was a complicated business, for it was 

 necessary to specify which articles were to be washed, 

 which ironed, and which starched, and to pay separ- 

 ately for washing, ironing, soap, and starch ; and, last^ 

 ly, I negotiated with a tailor for a pair of pantaloons, 

 purchasing separately stuff, lining, buttons, and thread, 

 the tailor finding needles and thimble himself. 



Toward evening we again walked to the river, re- 

 turned, and taught Donna Bartola how to make tea. 

 By this time the whole town was in commotion pre- 

 paratory to the great ceremony of praying to the Santa 



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