The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-07-22

and we rode until heard a great noise
of shouting and of instruments of the
country. This was a fete and fandango.
NY bandage was taken Off and was In
a camp. There we're hundreds of miners
and people of the country. There were
many blacks who i have now no doubt
were slaves, who had escaped from the
royal mines. There were fires of lumi-
nous and resinous wood which made the
camp as light as day. There were tables
of monte and other chances, Mt which
the natives played with all the noncha-
lance of Spanish gamester. There
were booths of goods and trinkets. piles
of native food and fruits, sandals and
earthenware. The merchants were chiefly
natives, men and women. Silver was
abundant, and brokers were there to
deal in diamons, of which there had been
lately considerable distribution from
the mines worked in that neighborhood
l was led to tent, in which / found
food, wine and water for repairing the
fatigue of the journey. In an hour a
messenger said:
You will go to the tent of Ell Pad
ron Joaquin
:" 1t was then midnight On entering
the tent / saw the same man who had
accosted me on the shore ut Rio.
You have Gomez
"'I promised.
"Listen. 1 am Joaquin, the con-
traban dier en- claimants. The people
whom you have seen are my friends and
my soldiers. This camp Is guarded like
fort. 1t cannot be surprised. My
people obey my orders, whatever they
may be. have paid their part of our
gains out of my own share. / have for
years put apart the most valuable jewels.
The vigilance of the Government renders
it impossible for me to send them away.
To be found in possession of diamond,
without satisfactory explanation, is death.
These diamonds are of no value to me.
If in Europe, they would be a fortune.
Not fortune rs you French deem, q
few thousand francs, but fortune for
me, Joaquin, upon which L would live In
Europe like prince.
"'Do you fear?
II felt the peril. On one hand it was
to die. On the other, to return to
France. AUec de quOi viUre de mes
rentes. l repeated that l was ready.
"A strong mule stood ready with u
guide at its side. l received from the
hands of Joaquin small sack of leather,
which was concealed under my cloak
after L had mounted. The man gave me
n large knife with pistolet, and purse
of money. The purse was made of the
fibres of the country. L have it yet
with the knife. The pistolet was lost
by the gunsmith.
'Frenchman!' said the Indian, take
this sack and defend it as your life. 1t
is the same thing as your. life. If cap
tured with the sack you will not have
more than an Ave between you and
eternity. When you shall have travelled
two days aud half the guide will return.
Change clothes with him. Buy carga
of charcoal. Disguise yourself as much
like charbonero as you can, and place
this sack under the charcoal. When you
shall have hidden the sack securely in
Rio, resume your name and employ
ment. Wait In Rio one year. If you
do not see me in that time you will re-
turn to Europe with the sack. L shall
be dead. The sack will be yours
81 offered to give him my name and
the place in which might be heard of.
He had already obtained both from the
colonial agency suppose. / was then
blindfolded and carried beyond the
limits of the camp.
'It was the rule of the band with all
strangers. In the morning the bandage
was taken off by the guide, who had
walked at my side, and with whom [
did not exchange word except to invite
him to take part of my food and wine,
which he did, sparingly. Arriving at
the point indicated, the guide stopped.
l obeyed the command to exchange
clothing, in which, indeed, 1 received
very poor equivalent. The hat of
coarse fibre, the shirt of cotton, the
came no lower than my knees, with
coarse sandals, completed the attire.
The guide produced small gourd con-
tanning the juice OF a plant which gave
brown coloring to the skin. My hair,
which was long and black, was made
straight, and with the slouched hat, gave
me an intermediate air rs something be-
tween tadrOne and muleteer; n good
deal of coal dust grimed around my neck,
face and eyes. completed the disguise.
The guide applied all this himself, step
ping back and regarding me from time
to time as an artist would have done his
work. He then took the saddle and
furniture from off the mule and led him
away into the forest. In due time he
returned with three large sacks of char,
coal bound upon the animal, and gave
me some instructions as to the measures
and prices mt which the coal was to be
sold. I knew well enough the money
and measures of the country. The guide
took final look mt me. / offered him
money, which he declined by gesture.
He then turned into the forest, and
was left with my mule and his precious
burden.
'tI was within three leagues of Rio and
advanced driving the mule before me.
met many of the stolid people who
made signs of salutation with more or
less curiosity. Some seemed to think
was new nterchnnd du Charlton, but
none seemed to doubt my nationality.
OF course l kept the mule between my
self and these passengers as much rs
possible. / began to think it would do.