The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-06-23

the mines worked in that neighborhood.
I was led to a tent, in which I found
food, wine and water for repairing the
fatigue Of the Journey. In an hour a
messenger said: m af. f5
You will go to the tent of Ell Pad
ron Joaquin 49,; ~, ,,...-..f .f-.-f
It was then midnight. On entering
the tent saw the same man who had
accosted me on the shore at Rio.
You have GOMEZ?
"'I promised ''> -
-,,ts Listen. I am Joaquin, the con-
traba,, dier en- dianearts. The people
whom you have seen are my friends and
my soldiers. This camp is guarded like
a 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. I 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 fortune.
Not fortune as you French deem, q
few thousand francs, but o fortune for
me, Joaquin, upon which would live in
Europe Like prince. ID, 90 ga.e M
DO you fear?
s.I felt the peril On one hand it was
to die. On the other, to return to
France. AUec, de quoi viUre de mes
rertes. repeated that I was ready
GA strong mule stood ready with a
guide at its side. received from the
hands of joaquin small sack of leather,
which was concealed under my cloak
after had mounted. The man gave me
a large knife with q pistolet, and purse
of money. The purse was made of the
| fbres of the country. have it yet,
with the knife. The pistolet was lost
by the gunsmith. -as{r. st.la
/" 'Frenchmanr 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
atarnity. When you shall have travelled
two days and 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. shall
be dead. The sack will be yours
81 offered to give him my name and
the place in which I might be heard Of.
He had already obtained both from the
colonial agency suppose. 1 was then
blindfolded and carried beyond the
limits of the camp. ---t.s
| stIt 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 I
did not exchange a 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.
I obeyed the command to exchange
clothing, in which, indeed, I received
a very poor equivalent. The hat of
coarse fibre, the shirt of cotton, the
pantaloons of the same material, which
came no lower than my knees, with
coarse sandals, completed the attire.
The guide produced a small gourd con-
tanning the juice of plant which gave
brown coloring to the skin. My hair,
which was long and black, was made
straight, and with the sloi1ched hat, gave
me an intermediate air as something be-
tween lddrone and muleteer;. a 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 at which the coal was to be
sold. I knew well enough the money
and measures of the country. The guide
took final look at me. I offered him
money, which he declined by gesture.
He then turned into the forest, and ]
was left with my mule and his precious
burden. f1at3 &
'I 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 OF
less curiosity. Some seemed to think
I was new mperchaad dt Nchar6on, but
none seemed to doubt my nationality.
Of course kept the mule between my
} self and these passengers as much as
possible. began to think it would do.
My thoughts had indeed escaped from
the peril of my situation and 1 was
beginning to think once more of Paris
} and the Rio Guingette wherein two years
before had left a little girl who I had
thought to marry so soon as l shoulC
have acquired the means to do SO. A
prospect was now apparent. I begar
to retrace her features. It occurred tx
J my mind that in returning to France as
millionaire should embarrass the poo
girl greatly by elevating her to a socia
} class so far above her own. In justic'
to her, then, would not complicate her
or myself. In thus meditating I wa
startled by person who stood in from
| of my mule. To my surprise it was tn
guide, accoutred Just as he had beel
before our exchange of habiliments.
"'Senor,' said he, the road is guarde,
by soldiers. They have heard that
, large value (nauchos reales) has bee
taken from the mines, and they awai
the bearer. Buenos dios Senior. And
9 this impassive messenger turned an
disappeared.
"it was certainly unnecessary for hir
to advise me. turned my mule from
the pathway into the forest, took tn
leather sack of diamonds on my shoulde
r and proceeded to conceal it in som
place in which no one would be apt t
} find it but myself. L had nothing bu
a knife with which to make an excava
I ton. 1 worked for several hours, an
f having food for myself, led my mule t
a water and tethered him to some shrub
! which he seemed to like, and toiled unit
, late in the night. When the day al
E peared marked the way from the patti
i. way in the most prudent manner poss
n BILE, and taking my mule and its cargo