Rebels and Patriots.

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taken in your instance. I am sorry to say,”—he continued, "that the estrangeros have behaved scandalously in this matter. For a little gain they supplied arms and encouraged the disaffection, and even the drunken display of to-day which might have led to serious results, is due to the cupidity of foreign rum-sellers, who, to gain a dollar would ruin a city. I do not quarrel with the justice of the Provisorio cause; but we who are free from the fighting should in honour refrain from meddling. This country," he continued-" is an Eden with its Adam and Eve on the one side to be ruined, and its serpent on the other to ruin; and they exchange characters occasionally, for the rebel of to-day is usually the government soldier of to-morrow. Poor devils! they are not patriots but partisans, always fighting for a faction in power or out of power.'

"And the poor agricultural Indians," I said;"that they should be dragged into this iniquitous fight!"

"Esta te quieta, mi amigo. Mejor guardar silencio sobre esta cosa."

In a few days things began to wear the same quiet aspect as before. The former alcalde who had retired at the first entrance of the Provisorios and came in with the besieging army, resumed his authority which he executed with his usual urbanity. Once, however, I saw him in a dreadful passion, and then he raved in the street like a boastful blackguard. He had met with a pardoned Provisorio, and must needs taunt him with the failure of the rebellion. "If," said the other,"we had had less cowardly traitors, such as you, it might have been otherwise." There was no doubt that the alcalde was living in a glass-house, for he was furious at the retort.

Several persons who had taken a neutral part, by retiring to Trinidad or Saint Thomas, were dropping in to Maturin by twos and threes. They were looked upon very coldly by the two parties; but in their neutrality, they showed wisdom. Decorum est pro patria mori may be quite right in the case of a condemned criminal, not otherwise; but the et dulce is doubtful in any case, it is a pia fraus, and lacks evidence.

Executions.

When Sotillo left Maturin with his army,

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it was

to pursue the retreating Provisorios. Scouts in advance and in the bush, at each side of the road, scoured the country, bringing in prisoners to the main body. All who were taken with arms and accoutrements were treated as in flagrante delicto, and shot, and their heads stuck on poles. A few of the notable ones, who returned quietly to Maturin, were taken away, it was said, to Caracas, to be tried; but it was rumoured that they were taken away to the camp of Sotillo, who made "short work with them."

CHAPTER XVII.

ANSELMO THE SLAVE.

AMONG a group of black women and children, domestic slaves, who passed every day at early morning, to and from the Agua'a, with their taparas of water, I frequently observed a man, with his taparas also, laughing and chatting, and being laughed at and chaffed by his female companions and the children.

I understood that he was a slave.

was Anselmo.

His name

I sometimes amused myself by drifting down, in a corial, with the stream of the Guarapiche and then turning homewards, tested my ability to get back in less than thrice the time expended in drifting. One day, while thus engaged, I was hailed by Anselmo, who stood on the bank of the river. He was very gracious, and invited me to land and look over his place.

An Impudent Slave.

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"Is this your cornuca ?

'Yes; and I am glad to welcome you to it." Come up and see the improvements."

I went up and sat on a log within the house, while he entertained me with an account of some improvements he had made on his property, and the further improvements he contemplated.

It was with some hesitation that I told him that, having seen him with the slaves, I had erroneously considered him to be a slave also.

"O," said he, laughing, "You are not the first that has fallen into that error. I am not particular. I associate freely with all classes, from the family of Don Arnaldo, down to his cook or butler. In this world, a man ought never to be proud, for the fortunes of men are daily changing."

While I continued sitting, a young man came in, who eyed me curiously, and then looked at Anselmo, whose manner entirely changed from the frank air he had observed towards me, to that of a dog at his master's approach, when he feels that he merits a whipping. I suppose a good

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