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DON VICENTE ALBINO. 



351 



al with his wife to avoid being taken for a soldier. 

 The meekest possible tenants of a fort, they paid no 

 rent, and seemed perfectly happy. 



The next morning, when we opened our door, 

 we saw a sloop lying at anchor, which we soon un- 

 derstood was the balandra of Don Vicente Albino. 

 Don Vicente was already on shore, and, before we 

 had time to make many inquiries, he called upon us. 

 Yie had heard of him before, but never expected to 

 see him in person, for our accounts were that he 

 had established a rancho on the island of Cozumel, 

 and had been murdered by his Indians. The first 

 part of the story was true, but Don Vicente himself 

 assured us that the last was not, though he told us 

 that he had had a narrow escape, and showed us a 

 machete cut in the arm as a token. 



Don Vicente was the person of all others whom 

 we wished to see, as he was the only one who 

 could give us any information about the island of 

 Cozumel. W^hile he was with us another vessel 

 came in sight, standing in toward the shore ; which, 

 when still two leagues distant, lowered a boat, and 

 then stood off again. Don Vicente recognised her as 

 a Yucatecan brig of war. The commandant came 

 ashore ; we had already invited Don Vicente to 

 dine with us, and feeling it incumbent upon us to en- 

 tertain visiters of distinction, I invited the command- 

 ant to join us. This was a rather bold attempt, as 

 we had but one spare plate, knife, and fork, but we 



