Lucia Arangoiz. The Hercules answered to the name of Nicolas. There were two huge Mexican bloodhounds, which at first used to be my horror, but they soon understood that we were to be treated as amis de la maison, and I took pains to conciliate Leon and LoboLion and Wolf, as they were respectively termed.

One day, as we were preparing to undertake a gunning excursion against the ciervos of the pradera, a figure appeared on the mainland, and sang out in Spanish for the boat. As soon as the Herculean Nicolas perceived this apparition, he jumped into the boat, sculled across, and the stranger nimbly leaped in, and in a few seconds stood by our side. It was an Indian chief dressed in his paint and feathers, and carrying a light rifle in his hand, a handsome manta was gracefully disposed round his shoulders, and a calico shirt and leggings fringed with plumas, together with calzones reaching to the knee, where the leggings joined them; mocassins protected the feet, and a tomahawk hung from a banda round the waist. He accosted me in good Spanish, and inquired for the Patron. He did not appear at all surprised at seeing strangers, but entered the casa, and I remained outside, wondering at the unexpected arrival, and still more at seeing Wolf fondling the Indian, contrary to his usual custom with strangers.

The chief, I noticed, was a tall, slight man, well-formed, and good-looking despite his painted visage. He was about thirty years, I should think, in age, and was a fine specimen of the Nueva Californian red man.

"El Oso Pardusco!"* quoth Nicolas as the Indian disappeared, and I now recollected the name of this redoubted warrior, of whose prowess I had heard many tales at the Upper Mines. The words half unconsciously escaped from Nicolas's lips, for he immediately looked at me to see if I had overheard them.

This "grisly" gentleman was a very misty sort of individual, and, if he had performed all the deeds related of him, must have been very marvellously gifted with locomotive

powers.

He used to glance from place to place, sometimes cutting off a party of Yankee miners who had managed to incur his displeasure; at others wandered in disguise through their encampments, fighting with hostile tribes, and eluding his pursuers most wonderfully. At one time he had taken a terrific leap over a canon when hotly pressed by his pursuers, and got off quite safe. At another he had fought his way through a party of miners who had surrounded the mouth of a cueva in the mountains and had attempted to smoke him and a comrade out. These kind of tales used to be related by the old trappers and miners at the diggings, and of course they never lost in the telling.

The chief did not make a long stay inside, for he appeared again in about half an hour, and courteously saluting me with the words "Senga usted muy buenos dias, Senor," + he

was ferried across the arroyo and disappeared in the belt of robles.

Dugald now came out and told me that the chief had a consultation with our host in some curious dialect, and that he appeared to be well known to the senoritas and their father. "But come, let's swim the horses across, and see if we can get a shot at the deer."

We accordingly, intending to camp out that night if necessary, procured some provision from our fair hosts and set off into the pradera, directing our course towards a wood in which was a spring, the grand resort of the venadas. To reach this we had to go some fifteen miles, but this we accomplished easily in about three hours, not overpressing our horses, and reached the wood, the scene of our operations.

We dismounted from our horses and walking inwards, “struck" the spring, then fastening our quadrupeds under the trees near it, we sat down to watch for the arrival of the deer.

We had taken care, warned by the danger to which Arangoiz and Nicolas had been lately exposed, to bring a good supply of ammunition with us, and meantime washed down a repast of tortillas with a draught of clear water. I felt rather drowsy, and Dugald undertaking the part of sentinel, I gradually dozed into oblivion, at least as well as the moscas *would allow me, for these bothersome saban-dijas † tormented me incessantly till at last

"Divine Oneiros kissed my wearied brow."
CHAPTER IV.

A SURPRISE!

THE loud noise of my Highland fellowdeerstalker's snoring awoke me. Dugald had imitated my example, and by this time the evening had set in. A deer, accompanied by a pretty little fawn, was drinking at the spring, within shot of my location; but I could not find it in my heart to pull trigger upon her; and I arose, and, proceeding to the verge of the bosque, looked forth on the plain.

I nearly shouted with surprise when I beheld the whole prairie, for the space of a quarter of a mile, covered with a large body of savages marching irregularly towards the wood from the direction of the interior, and two savages, painted in grand style, within a quarter of a mile of the bosque. I instantly rushed to Dugald, shook him most unceremoniously, leaped to the horses, and away we ran through the wood, and, jumping on horseback, left the wood behind us.

Our hope was, that the wood being between us and the line of route pursued by the savages, we would be enabled to push on undiscovered for a long time. On we went at a gallop for the arroyo, and had gained about a mile from the wood, when, on turning round to ascertain if there was any appearance of the Indians on this side of the bosque, I perceived the two savages who were in advance emerging from the shade of the wood, and gazing at our retreating forms. They re-entered the wood in a few minutes, and, in about twenty minutes more, we saw the van of the party defiling

from the bosque, and advancing onwards after us, all on foot.

Dugald, I wonder what mischief these fellows are bent on ?" said I, after a long pause.

"I fear, naething ower good, Steenie. Vera like, from the bold way in which they are pushing on after us, that they are a-minded to attack the island; in which case we'll ha' awful wark, I reckon; for Nicolas is a braw chap in a tuilzie. Well, they ha' try't the matter afore, an', mayhap, they may ha' to get anither sair lesson. Aiblins, tho' we may forgather wi' rough customers ourselves; for gin they be like yon chiel this morning they'll be spunkie lads; yet 1 wadna we had mair fighting, for blude sits awfu' uneasy on the conscience; but whare it canna be helped, we maun just no mind, as in our late case, in whilk we were obliged, by the laws of human kind, to fire on them puir savage bodies. What maun be, maun be, Steenie."

"We're going faster than we came, I think Dugald."

In front of our course a long ridge extended, which hid the plain before our track from our eyes: up this we walked our horses, and then descending, we could see a single figure standing in the plain. It was a mounted man dressed in Californian fashion, a lofty sombrero rising from his head, and, as we drew nearer, we perceived that he was armed with a rifle and pistols, and mounted on a small native horse, from whose flanks a pair of very long legs, clothed in calzones, extended. This figure calmly awaited our approach. We rode up, and he saluted us with,

"I have the pleasure to wish you good evening, sirs. Can you inform me if there's a habitation within a reasonable distance ?"

"I can inform you," shouted Dugald, "that there's a tribe of murdering savages on our trail, and that if you delay here much longer, you will be very apt to meet with what will keep you from ever looking for lodgings again, my friend."

falling in with parties of miners' stores in the gold regions, and native rancheos; encamping at night wrapped in a blanket, and sometimes finding shelter in an estancia.

Our new comrade in personal appearance was thin and sallow; some black lank locks struggled from under the sombrero; his arms were of a great length, and albeit he stooped he was considerably over six feet in stature. His countenance was open and rather prepossessing, his eyes were small, and the brows shaggy and meeting.

Ah!" said he, at last, "this is a strange country, in truth; indeed, Mexico itself is nearly as singular in the appearance presented by her to the stranger's eye. But how lovely is this prairie with the clumps of oaks here and there, and yon bright stream meandering through the wild expanse. Oh! what a delicious morsel for a sketch is yon little island, growing densely wooded from the silvery waters!"

We had by this time reached the arroyo and arrived at the landing-place opposite the island.

"In wi' ye, mon, in wi'ye!" shouted Dugald, as he pushed into the arroyo. Our friend hesitated not; but in he dashed, and I followed him.

"Verily," quoth he, "this is delectable to our beasts after our long ride; but certes, yonder is a man sable in complexion and powerful in stature!"

This was Nicolas, who was standing on the shore of the island awaiting our approach with an appearance of curiosity upon his honest face.

"Hilloa, Senor Nicolas, is the gudeman in the spense? Here, tak' the horses, my amigo, an' gie them fodder, an' then we'll ha' need o' you."

And so we all proceeded into the house where Arangoiz and las senoritas were.

"Lie down, Lobo, you towsie tyke! He's an unco rough customer, friend, so beware o’ him. And noo here we are," quoth Dugald.

"Bless me! but the man's daft. Hallo! I say, turn about. They'll scalp you in a twinkling; they're awfu' fellows."

Ah! is it so? Then, mayhap, I had better defer the sketch, as you are averse to accompanying me, and it is growing dark;" and he turned his horse round.

matter coolly, and asked if we had any idea of what tribe the Indians were, what we estimated their number at, and what course they were pursuing. I told him that they could not be less than three hundred in number, that they were steering right down on our track; but that I was unacquainted with the various tribes, and, of course, could not say what sept they belonged to.

Nicolas was now summoned to our consultation and it was arranged that we should lie close in the casa, bring in Lobo and Leon, and, if an attempt were made upon us, of course to resist to the best of our ability.

Nicolas now brought up his long rifle, and our host took down his from its place. We carefully loaded all the fire-arms, placed the axes near our positions, and got in a good supply of water, besides taking in the two dogs.

Each man had his position assigned him. Mine was to fire from one of the little towers

that flanked the doorway. Arangoiz was in the other; Nicolas, Dugald, and Colville were to fire from loop-holes constructed in the walls of the log-house, whose walls, Arangoiz assured us, were bullet-proof, being lined with sand-bags inserted between a double row of logs. At first, however, we were to fight in the area which was formed by the outermost palisados and the innermost ones, then, if unable to hold this position, to retreat to the corral; if endangered here, to make our final stand in the house in the order I have described.

CHAPTER V.

THE BRIDGE OF THE TREE. "NICOLAS, holloa! Senor Nicolas! barca ! barca! amigo! donde esta la barca!" shouted your humble servant, who had gone down to look after the boat, that we might haul it out of sight of the salvages, as Nicolas denominated the Indians.

"La barca está allá caballero," responded Hercules, as he made his appearance outside the palisados, rifle in hand.

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Carajo! he shouted; per todos los santos de Messico!" which was his favourite expression, "la barca es perdita, Senor Esteban."

To this opinion I was reluctantly obliged to assent: it was evident that the boat had drifted away down the arroyo, where we knew not, and thus that, if the Indians observed it, they would at once obtain a clue to our location as well as the means of invading the island.

What was to be done? That question apparently was much easier proposed than answered; however, on one thing we decided, that the boat must be recovered by all means; and we thereupon re-entered the palisados, and held a junto on this new question.

Nicolas had not fastened the barca when he had returned after ferrying across El Oso, and he had been working in the boat a great part of the day, fixing up in her a sort of wash-boards, as a defence to those who rowed against the flechos of the Indians. I volunteered to accompany Hercules in the expedition, and so did Dugald also; but it was decided that only one should go with him, for fear of weakening the strength of the casa too much: accordingly, we saddled two of our mustenos, and taking our fire-arms swam across the arroyo to the opposite side to that on which los Indios were, and galloped down the orilla de rio.

"Viva! viva!" shouted Nicolas, after we had ridden about the space of a mile and a half.

I gazed down the arroyo, and there, grounded on the opposite bank, I perceived the duckboat.

"In with us now, senor," shouted Hercules, and in we dashed with the mustenos, and quickly gained the opposite bank. Nicolas took my lariat and fastened the lasso to the boat's bow, and then giving me his horse to lead, he jumped into the boat. As soon as we had swum the mustenos back again to the opposite shore, and Nicholas keeping the boat off the bank with his oar, I trotted the horses along the bank, towing the boat up the stream at a quick rate.

We in about a quarter of an hour perceived

the island about the space of a half-mile before us-and now we had reached a curious object which I had often admired before. This was a lofty oak which had fallen across the stream from the opposite bank; it had been cut nearly across some six feet up its trunk, and had caught on a roble-tree's lower branches on the other side of the arroyo, on which side it was about twelve feet elevated over the stream. "Alto! alto, Senor, alto!

I halted accordingly just as we emerged from under this natural bridge.

"I have a notion in my cabeza," quoth Hercules, "that it would be a fine thing to saw this across with the tools in the boat, and so prevent los Indios taking us on both sides of the island at once."

Accordingly Hercules bade me halt the horses, and landing, he climbed up the robletree and mounted on the bridge; he tossed off his mocassins, and thus got a firm gripe with his huge feet of the trunk. His rifle slung around his shoulders, and the saw and hacha in his hands, he ran along the trunk, and arriving at the opposite bank to which I was on, he looked about him for a minute, then retreated a little nearer to me and commenced sawing away most vigorously, almost in the centre of the bridge. In about ten minutes he had sawed the trunk through except a little strip; he then filled up the cut with leaves, and carefully retreated towards me, and then set to work to saw through again.

This too was completed in the same manner, and Hercules gave a hideous grin and a laugh, as he turned towards me and exclaimed,

"Well, Senor, how will they like that when they set about crossing the puente ?" He was just filling up this cut with leaves, when I saw him raise his huge frame from where he was lying lengthwise upon the trunk, and gaze curiously into the trees on the opposite side.

Chiton, Senor! chiton! los Indios! los Indios!"

He unslung his long rifle, and the next instant I heard the hum of approaching voices; and whilst I seized my gun, as if by magic the opposite shore was crowded by the forms of the red men, and the first of their number already were swarming up the tree, and mounting on the bridge. The next moment a savage appeared upon the puente, and caught sight of Hercules, who now had risen to his feet, looming like some demon form in the murky light.

The Indian apparently knew not what to make of Nicolas, for he gave a terrified yell, and fell back on his companions, nearly tumbling them into the arroyo. Meantime, a yell burst from the Indians below; they had discovered me, and several arrows hurtled past me ineffectually. I now drew back behind a tree, and prepared to support Nicolas as best I might.

I now

The opposite orilla de rio now swarmed with redskins, and up the tree they clustered like so many bees, while another party incessantly fired their flechas through the trees where they supposed I was hidden. sighted a tall savage and pulled trigger as he was about firing into the belt of trees; he gave a yell, and leaped convulsively upwards, whilst a shower of arrows darkened the air.

King Brahmanandita sought in vain to change the decree of heaven. No pilgrimage which he could perform, no work which he could accomplish, no vow which he could register, was of the least avail. He must die childless, and none could say who should come after him. The king became deeply melancholy. Nothing could cheer his heart or dissipate the cloud which hung over him. In the vigorous exercise of the body he endeavoured to forget the sorrows of the mind. He arose early; he retired late; he undertook long and hazardous enterprises; he engaged in arduous labours, and spent his leisure in the chase. He hunted tigers and captured elephants, delighted his friends by his wisdom, and confounded his foes by his valour;-but the oracles would give forth no answer of peace-no son of woman born should occupy his throne.

One evening Brahmanandita was returning to his palace after a hard day's hunt. He was alone, for he had parted from his attendants in the excitement of the chase, and those faithful servitors had sought in vain to rejoin their master. It was the decree of fate; it was the will of Buddha. As the king emerged from the mango wood he was astonished to find the road, which was bare and stony in the morning, thickly covered with the most beautiful lotus flowers he had ever beheld. He reined his steed, and regarded the scene with curiosity and interest. How could he account for this sudden change? As a student, he could not reconcile it with the laws of nature lotus flowers grow not in burning sands and out of bleached stones. As a devout man, he was disposed to regard it as a miracle; but prudence suggested the possibility of fraud. Perhaps these flowers had been placed in his path to attract his attention, excite his curiosity, lead him out of the proper track into an ambush set for him by his old enemy, the king of Varanasi. If this were the case, no doubt the flowers were either artificial, or simply arranged in the sand for the purpose of deception. Brahmanandita alighted from his horse, and to his increased astonishment discovered the flowers to be actually growing out of the sand. Not less surprising than the spontaneous productions of these miraculous flowers, was the impression, traceable in the very centre of each, of a hind's foot, while a phosphorescent light played around them, and imparted to them a peculiar and supernatural beauty. While he observed with awe these things, his attention was called to the mysterious light, gliding with a graceful motion toward the neighbouring wood, and changing its colour every moment, from emerald to ruby, from topaz to sapphire. The path it took was that which led to the fountain and grotto of Djanakara, blessed especially of Buddha; and, therefore, the supposition that what he beheld was miraculous was strengthened in the mind of Brahmanandita.

"I will go," said he, "whither the light shall lead me. Who shall say but that the will of heaven may be changed, and my dark destiny reversed ?"

He drew his jewel-hilted sabre, uttered the name of God, and plunged into the recesses of the forest.

II.

Led by the miraculous light, halting when it stopped, following as it went on, Brahmanandita soon lost himself in the recesses of the woods. The sun had long gone down, and the stars were shut out from his sight by the network of branches above him. The road was wild and terrible, and the beasts of the forest glared upon him from the jungle; but he saw nothing but the fluttering light and lotus flowers, which sprang up wherever it went. At last he beheld the entrance to the sacred grotto, and heard the murmur of the Djanakara fountains, and the mystic light stopped in its course. Brahmanandita was a stranger to fear, but a solemn awe crept over him as he drew nearer and nearer to the spot, where the light flickered round the last lotus which had sprung up.

Stretched on a bed of flowers on the margin of the hallowed fountain, Brahmanandita saw a young girl of such transcendent beauty and supernatural glory, that he covered his face with a veil, and uttered an exclamation of surprise.

That cry awoke the sleeper, who, starting from the bank, fled in evident terror; but, rapid as was her flight, Brahmanandita saw that she had the feet of a hind, and that as they touched the earth a brilliant light was emitted, and a lotus flower sprang up.

Reassured by these signs that the fugitive was the same which he had hitherto pursued, Brahmanandita hastened forward, and, like the prince in a fairy story, went on and on and on till the sun rose, attained the zenith, and sank to rest under a canopy of crimson clouds. Brahmanandita felt neither fear nor fatigue, his mind fully occupied with the hind-footed girl and the miraculous lotus.

At length, when the moon was shining and the stars were out, Brahmanandita beheld the fugitive enter a cavern. As he drew near he recognised the spot. It was the cell of a devout hermit, an aged man who had subsisted upon less and tortured himself more than any of his tribe, and was consequently regarded as of immense sanctity. He was deeply versed in the sacred books, and a great authority in all questions of faith and practice.

Brahmanandita bowed lowly before him, as the kings of earth have often bowed to the princes of heaven; and when he was harshly accosted, as indeed he was, he salaamed the lower, and spake in a subdued voice.

"What would you seek, effeminate dweller in palaces, in the wild forests and the hermit's cave? Art jealous of his withered herbs and stagnant water? Speak, and begone!"

So Brahmanandita told his story, and the grim features of the hermit relaxed into a smile. He stretched out his long bony hand, and laid it on the king.

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Heaven is not deaf to prayer," so he spake; "and though its decrees are all unchangeable, they may be overcome by Faith and Patience. True it is that no human being could fulfil thy wish, and but for this wondrous being, whose footsteps you have tracked, childless you must have died. But this is no ordinary woman: she is the child of heaven and earth; those hind's feet and the lotus flowers mark her earthly origin, while the mira