Year: 1859

master, VINO, ne sara, nau gwen up the oiocNauo
altogether-thoy received him without suspicion.
There were eight of them, the women included,
all we'll and in the best condition, making good
cheer indeed. They had venison, mutton, fowl
anything but bread and cheese-for dinner. They
stewed and roasted Some of them climbed, now
and then, down the seaface Of the rock to gather
as much wood and sea-wced as they could get for
their fuel-as to the water, they had a fresh
spring near at hand


But the game How did they get that This
was the very mystery which the spy had to spend
four days in finding out.


Night after night be Jueno leaving the 9th
ers, make for the seaside PLATFORM armed with
large stick but, as he knew pretty well that
shadow of suspicion would have put sudden and
fatal stop to his diplomacy, he dared not follow
him.


When the negro came back, lie to
bring with him a hare or joung roe perhaps
even a whole sheep-at which the others never
testified the least surprise-the supplies being re-
ceved quite as q matter of course, not worth any
particular remark.


AT last, on the morning Of the fourth day, the
spy had chance Of lettering, If by accident,
near tho opposite side of the platform, and was
startled by the sudden fight of great eagle, that
circled rapidly above the top of peak, some tbir
ty or forty feet higher than the common level of
the platform. suspicion then occurred to him,
which he was able promptly to confirm; for on the
same night he succeeded in tracing Juano to the
peak, where, from his own hiding place behind a
block, he could hear the cries of the frightened
and angry birds-the vigorous blows with which
the negro defended himself against their mighty
wings and their powerful talons. The mystery
was revealed The Marrons were feeding on the
eagles pray.


| Those poor birds had to work hard. There was
their own family to be supported and there were,
moreover, eight ertra unproductive boafders TO be
supplied with the necessares Of life ; and, as the
negro took care never to leave any more than was
absolutely required to keep any of the brood from
perishng of hunger, the foraging went on with
activity.


When this incident made known to the
i Spaniards, Don Gomez wrote polite letter to an
old acquaintance, captain of La Iii ia Hermosa q
Spanish clipper-ship, noted for her fast saug and
just then at anchor in the port of ST. Juan de Por-


to Rico, requesting him send over his second
mate for week or SO, as he stood sorely in need
of him and his rifle.


i The mate though sailor was q dead shot.
He was little in the negro trade, just then, but
be had gone through great deal in bis life, and
for three years he had been engaged in the tiger
trade in the Sonora in Mexico, and slow work as
that is, yet he had contrived to make little
ey by it. The Mexican tgers-jaguars, as they
are caed-are very dangerous animals-much
more so than their Asaic kinsfolk, which are said
to be but cowardly beasts after all--frequently
taking to their heels when charged upon by men.
Whenever .jaguar has been seen heard of in
tho neighborhood of a Mexican village, the whole
race--men, women and Children ghtway de-
camp, rather than the risk being exposed to
night attack from this terrible animal There
is only one class Of that seek the jaguar. and
make it q particular business to fall in with as
many of this class of beasts they can trace out
The Mexican government pays rremium of thir-
ty or forty dollars for each head of aguar pres
ented to a magistrate in any part of its vast ter
ritories and, as the delicate fur of this danger
Gus game is worth almost much more it has be-
como trade to hunt them. l have known one of
these tiger hunters, and although he was no talk
er there used to ooze from him strange recollec-
tions of his perils!


AS soon as the mate had arrived, the siege was
re-opened the camp pitched again, sentinels post
ed, and strict vigilance enforced.


1t turned out to be no easy work, even for this


intrepid and daring hunter, who had climbed ma
nv crag in the Rocky Mountains and in the ST.


ezra Nevada to get dcwn that abyss and find an
accessible spot on the rock opposite from which he


might get shot at the eagles. He thought it bes
to make sure of his ball, and not to alarm the ne
q =. 49,, Ed ,la,,
the station which he had chosen, and cause them


to hurl stones down upon him.


He had risked his life, however, many time


for less than the good sum Don Gomez was sure t(
pay, as amateur, for those two splendid birds o.
-. prey, and he went to work with will
After couple of hours, he was seen at q
heighth of six hundred feet, suspended over the


dark precipice beneath him. and sheltered by
prominence over his head against any stones ol


blocks which might be hurled upon him. On the
> platform nothing unusual could be discovered


The Marrons, hidden behind the stony ramparts
which enclosed their place of refuge, remained
4 secure.


Several hours went by, and it was late in the
/ afternoon when, at last the report of the mates
Q rifle was heard for the first time. Many spy
g glass was directed at once to the spot where the
d audacous shooter was stationed but, as nothing


particular could be remarked except, perhaps, the
GOODNESS with which he was re-loading his rifle


most of the cabeleros returned to their tents
+ Those, however, who still watched the daring man
had their reward, when, about half an hour after


wards the steep rocks around re-echoed, onc'
. more, the report of his gun.


y A blackish object, of the sizo of pigeon wa
g seen darng up into the air with the swiitneSs o
4 a cannon ball, then it stopped short on sudden
a remaining suspended immoveable Tor some mo


ments, at enormous hight, then it began to low


er in spiral line, slowly at first, then quicker an
quicker, till at last it disappeared rapidly benin
o tue huge macs Of the rock. --7
!. TWAS the second eagle --the first hal bcen sls-