84 



INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL. 



relieved from immediate apprehensions, but our pros- 

 pects were not pleasant ; and, fastening the door as well 

 as we could inside, we again betook ourselves to our 

 hammocks. 



During the night the door was again burst open, and 

 the whole ruffianly band entered, as before, with swords, 

 muskets, machetes, and blazing pine sticks. In an in- 

 stant we were on our feet, and my hurried impression 

 was, that they had come to take the passport ; but, to 

 our surprise, the alcalde handed me back the letter with 

 the big seal, said there was no use in sending it, and 

 that we were at liberty to proceed on our journey when 

 we chose. 



We were too well pleased to ask any questions, and 

 to this day do not know why we were arrested. My 

 belief is, that if we had quailed at all, and had not kept 

 up a high, threatening tone to the last, we should not have 

 been set free ; and I have no doubt that the big seal did 

 much in our behalf. Our indignation, however, was not 

 the less strong that we considered ourselves safe in 

 pouring it out. We insisted that the matter should not 

 end here, and that the letter should go to General Cas- 

 cara. The alcalde objected ; but we told him that, if not 

 sent, it would be the worse for him ; and, after some de- 

 lay, he thrust it into the hands of an Indian, and beat 

 him out of doors with his staff ; and in a few minutes 

 the guard was withdrawn, and they all left us. 



It was now nearly daylight, and we did not know 

 what to do ; to continue was to expose ourselves to a 

 repetition of the same treatment, and perhaps, as we 

 advanced farther into the interior, with a worse result. 

 Undetermined, for the third time we turned into our 

 hammocks. At broad daylight we were again roused 

 by the alcalde and his alguazils, but this time they came 



