BUYING A CITY. 



127 



eighty dollars a year ; he was at a loss what to do, but 

 told me that he would reflect upon it, consult his wife, 

 and give me an answer at the hut the next day. I then 

 visited the alcalde, but he was too tipsy to be suscepti- 

 ble of any impression ; prescribed for several patients ; 

 and instead of going to Don Gregorio's, sent him a 

 polite request by Don Jose Maria to mind his own busi- 

 ness and let us alone ; returned, and passed the rest of 

 the day among the ruins. It rained during the night, 

 but again cleared off in the morning, and we were on 

 the ground early. My business was to go around with 

 workmen to clear away trees and bushes, dig, and ex- 

 cavate, and prepare monuments for Mr. Gather wood to 

 copy. While so engaged, I was called off by a visit 

 from Don Jose Maria, who was still undecided what to 

 do ; and not wishing to appear too anxious, told him to 

 take more time, and come again the next morning. 



The next morning he came, and his condition was 

 truly pitiable. He was anxious to convert unproduc- 

 tive property into money, but afraid, and said that I 

 was a stranger, and it might bring him into difficulty 

 with the government. I again went into proof of char- 

 acter, and engaged to save him harmless with the gov- 

 ernment or release him. Don Miguel read my letters 

 of recommendation, and re-read the letter of General 

 Cascara. He was convinced, but these papers did not 

 give him a right to sell me his land ; the shade of sus- 

 picion still lingered ; for a finale, I opened my trunk, 

 and put on a diplomatic coat, with a profusion of large 

 eagle buttons. I had on a Panama hat, soaked with 

 rain and spotted with mud, a check shirt, white panta- 

 loons, yellow up to the knees with mud, and was about 

 as outre as the negro king who received a company of 

 British officers on the coast of Africa in a cocked hat 



