The Smuggler Chief

oms of the semi-civilized Indians and the semi-savage Europeans who people the vast solitudes of that continent; for in the age of transformation in which we live, they alone have remained stationary, contending inch by inch against the civiliza

But he need not feel alarmed at the length of the voyage, for he ca

t, but English and French, European or American, through the strange composite of its population, which, is formed o

in the ear like the soft s

Indian maid, at the base of three mountains and at the end of a glorious bay, dipping the tips of her roseate feet in the azure waters of the Pacific,

tion, is the first land which the traveller discovers afte

y of the Playa-Aucha, this charming oasis is perceived, half veiled by a transparent mist, only allowing th

usly expands the chest, and in a second causes the mariner, who comes back to life and hope, to forget the three months of

me of Crevel, long established in the country, at a table on which stood two glasses and a nearly empty bottle of aguardien

covered his shoulders and surrounded his bare neck with an elegant and strangely-designed Indian embroidery. Long boots of dyed wool were fastened above his knees by silk cords, and armed at the heels with enormous silver spurs,

ould be distinguished under the folds each time that a hurried movement on the pa

ed with silver, and the carved boss of a knife

uayaquil straw hat, adorned with an eagle's plume,

gnise by an examination of his features the type of the European under the exterior of the American; his eyes full of vivacity which announced boldness and

onne, which city he left after the loss of an enormous fortune which he inherited from his father, and settled in South Amer

of five-and-thirty years of age, for

me as Delbès, but ther

e to a bird of prey. His projecting cheek bones, his large mouth, lined with white, sharp teeth, and his thin pinched-up lips, imparted to his face an indescribable expression of cruelty; a forest of greasy h

cts of ferocity of which he had been guilty under various circumstances; and as no one knew his real name, it had grown

tains!" the Frenchman exclaimed, as he passionately smot

cargo of raw silver, which we had such difficulty

nd I ought to have expected it, for with the English it is impossible to gain one's livelihood. I am su

ink how the mad idea occurred to us of coming, with

ne, my friend; but we los

n I catch on the sierra pay dearly for our misadventure. I would not gi

seized the bottle, and poured the

ising his glass, he emptied it at a draught, and

et us be off, as nothing

reach the mountains, for my health fails me i

are our

ell hidden that the fiend him

illoh, Crevel!" he shouted, ra

ad not lost a syllable of the conversation between the two smugglers while p

nd his foxy eyes rendered him a complete specimen of one of those men branded in the French colonies by the name of BANIANS, utter scoundrels, who swarm in America, and who, in the shadow of

him at his full value, and had employed him successfully in many ugly affairs; hence he came up to them with

respectfully doffed the cotton nightcap of eq

man replied, as he tapped him amicably

n reals,

l your adulterated

ious look and raising his eyes to he

aid Leon; "but yo

so?" the landl

e Pisco we have just been drinking, and

ed, quickly; "I will not bargain with a customer li

d as he felt in a long purse which he drew from his belt, and took out se

uch money," he continued, after paying the posadero; "a man fee

e you off

e we are going

ot be the f

have to do without us. I have alread

he door, saddl

them something t

sses of

case, g

ichly-harnessed and valuable horses were waiting for them; they lightly leaped into the saddle, and afte

interrupted by the sudden appearance of custom-house officers, who opposed the passage of a string of mules conveying a heav

nce of Leon Delbès, who lost in them the two bravest men of his band. It was a vexatious check; still

ich was beginning to burn his fingers, "I am not sorry, after all, that I came to

his lips disdainfully. "I prefer the mounta

has certainly

addressing a fat Genovevan monk who was

est that he fell on his nose five or six paces farther on, amid the laughter of a group of sailors, who, howe

him. "The streets seem to me to be crowded; I never saw s

indolent, that, in order to have an excuse to dispense them from

iards are religious," Leo

he half-breed added

e old conquerors, but he, moreover, seemed to have vowed, in addition to this old hereditary rancour, a private hatred through mot

when they entered the Governor's square it was impossible for them to take another step, for a countless multitude of people on horseback and foot pressed upon all side

arlands of flowers, were grouped blooming female head

rn back, but it was too late; and they were forced to remain, wheth

bells of all the churches sent their silvery peals into the air, the gates of the cathedral were noisily opened, and a religious chant began,

arched along majestical

umined by a burning sun, whose beams glistened and sparkled like a shower of diamonds, and through the crowd kneeling and praying devoutly, the army of Christ

atues of male and female saints larger than life, some carved in marble and wood, others sculptured in

vevan, and other monks, with their arms folded on their chest,

chments of troops, with their bands at

nts, after the monks the nuns, with thei

ho fell back and touched its head, reared, and in spite of the efforts made by its rider to restrain it, broke into formidable leaps; and then, maddened by th

had only one thought-that of avoiding the mad course of the horse-could be heard all around. Suddenly the horse reached the middle of the procession, at the mom

r perhaps more terrified, had remained motionless, look

ced upon her wi

way, and she fell on her knees, bending h

e maiden under foot, had a sudden inspiration: driving in both spurs, he lifted the animal with such dex

eing the horse, after this exploit, touch the gro

he horse in the hands of Diego, who had joined him with great difficu

er, he took her in his arms, and lif

rible emotion she had undergone; her eyes were

f age, and her face was ravishing in its elegance an

erica produces; long black and silky lashes fringed her downcast eyelids, and admirably

all white teeth. Deprived of consciousness as she was, it

waist yield upon his arm, an unknown emotion made his heart t

r with me?" he asked h

and quickly liberating herself from the young man's arms with a ge

d, in a soft and tremulous voice; "

odious accents of this voice,

osom, she quickly pulled out a small bag, which she wo

farewell

nuns, who, now that the danger was past, hurried up to resume thei

aiden's hand, he t

ce more in the air, as Leon perceived that the nun had returned to her pla

n the smuggler's shoulder

ed asked him, "what

"I love that woman,

ion has passed, and we can move

wo men were galloping alo

end of the bay, and so called from the gr