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Having passed the Mattes, we crossed the province of Missiones, directing our course towards Cruz Alta, the chief place of that little province; then, from Cruz Alta, we marched towards St. Gabriel, where the head quarters were established, and where barracks were built for the encampment of the army.

Six years of this life of adventures and dangers had not so much fatigued me whilst I was alone; but now that I had a little family, the separation from all my old acquaintances, the ignorance of what, in so many years, might have become of my parents, gave birth to a desire to draw nearer to a point where news of my father or mother could reach me. I had been able for a time to keep down in my heart all these tender affections; but they had revived, and insisted upon resuming their course. Added to this, I knew nothing, either, of that other mother, called Italy! Family is powerful, but country is irresistible.

I made up my mind, then, to return to Montevideo, at least, for a time, and I asked leave of absence of the president, with permission to collect a little drove of oxen, the sale of which, one at a time, was to provide for my expenses on the road.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A BULLOCK DROVER.

BEHOLD me then a trappiere, that is to say, a bullock drover. Consequently in an estancia called del Cerral di Pedras, with the authority of the minister of finances, I succeeded in getting together in about twenty days, and with incredible fatigue, nearly nine hundred animals, which animals were completely wild. A still greater fatigue awaited me during the journey, in which I met with obstacles almost insurmountable; the greatest of all being the Rio-Negro, where my capital was near being all swallowed up. From the

passage of the river, from my inexperience in my new trade, and above all, from the brigandage of certain mercenary capitaz hired by me as conductors, I only saved about five hundred beasts, which, from want of pasture, the long route, and the fatigue of crossing rivers, were deemed incapable of reaching the place of their destination. I resolved, therefore, to have them killed and skinned and to sell their hides, after which operation, expenses deducted, I had left a hundred crowns, which served to provide for the principal necessities of my family.

It is here I ought to notice a meeting which was given me by one of my dearest, best, and most tender friends. Another, alas! who is gone to a better world to await the deliverance of Italy.

On approaching St. Gabriel, in the retreat we had recently made, I heard speak of an Italian officer of great mind, great heart, and great knowledge, who, exiled as a carbonaro, had fought in France, on the 5th of June, 1832; then at Oporto, during the long siege, which had procured that city the name of the impregnable; and who, forced as I had been to quit Europe, had come to place his courage and his science at the service of the young republics of South America. Traits of courage, coolness, and strength, had been repeated to me till I exclaimed-" When I meet that man he will be my friend." That man was called Anzani. One of those traits in particular had made a great noise.

On arriving in America, Anzani had presented himself, with a letter of recommendation, at the house of two of his compatriots, Messrs. merchants,

at St. Gabriel. These gentlemen soon constituted him their factotum. Anzani was at once cashier, bookkeeper, and man of confidence; let us say better than that, Anzani was the good genius of their house.

Like all strong and courageous men, Anzani was calm and mild. The house, of which he had become the true director, was one of those houses which are

only found in South America, and which contain everything it is possible to imagine, uniting in one single trade almost all the trades known.

Now, the city in which our compatriots resided was, to its misfortune, close neighbour to the forest, which served as a place of refuge to those tribes of Indian Bugres, of whom I said a few words in the preceding chapter. One of the chiefs of these Indians had made himself the terror of this little city, into which, twice a year, he made a descent with his tribe, and which he taxed at his pleasure, without its being able to make any resistance. Coming down at first with two or three hundred men, then with a hundred, then with fifty, in proportion as he saw the increasing terror of his name establish his power, he had ended by feeling himself so much master as to come alone, and, alone as he was, to issue his orders, and, declare his wants, as if he had the whole of his tribe at his back, to plunge the city in fire and blood.

Anzani had heard a great deal said about this bravado, and had listened to all that had been told him, without offering any opinion upon the audacity of the savage chief, or of the terror which his ferocity inspired. This terror was so great, that when the cry, "The chief di Mattes!" was heard, all windows were closed, and all doors were bolted, as at the cry of 66 a mad dog!"

The Indian was accustomed to these signs of terror, which flattered his pride. He selected the door which it pleased him to have opened, knocked, and the door being opened-which was done with the celerity of terror-he might plunder the whole house without either masters, neighbours, or inhabitants, however numerous they might be, thinking of interrupting his retreat.

Now, for two months, Anzani had directed the house of business in its greatest as well as in its smallest details, to the perfect satisfaction of his two patrons, when the terrible cry was heard of,

"The

chief of the Mattes!" As usual, doors and windows were instantly closed. Anzani was alone in the house, occupied in casting up the accounts of the week. He did not think the noisy announcement he had just heard was worth his notice; and consequently, remained behind his counter, door and windows open. The Indian stopped in astonishment before this house, which, amidst the general disturbance caused by his presence, seemed indifferent to his coming. He entered, and saw, on the other side of the counter, a man with a placid countenance casting up his accounts. He stopped in front of him with his arms crossed, looking at him with astonishment.

Anzani raised his head. itself.

Anzani was politeness

"What do you please to want, my friend?" asked he. "What! what do I want?" exclaimed the Indian. "There is no doubt when a person enters magazine," said Anzani, "that he wants to purchase something."

The Indian laughed aloud.

"Don't you know me, then?" asked he.

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"How should I know you? It is the first time I ever saw you."

"I am chief of the Mattes," replied the Indian, uncrossing his arms, and displaying an arsenal composed of four pistols and a poniard.

"Well, chief of the Mattes, what do you want ?” asked Anzani.

"I want something to drink," replied the other. "And what would you like to drink?"

"A glass of aqua guardiente."

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"Nothing more easy; pay me first, and I will serve you with a glass."

The Indian laughed more loudly than before.
Anzani frowned slightly.

"That is the second time," said he, " that instead of answering me a question you have laughed in my face. I don't think that polite. I therefore warn

you that if you repeat it a third time I shall turn you out of the door."

Anzani pronounced these words with an accent of firmness which, to any other but an Indian, might have given the measure of the man he had to deal with. Perhaps the savage comprehended it so; but he had the air of not comprehending it.

"I told you to give me a glass of aqua guardiente," replied he, striking the counter with his fist.

"And I told you to pay for it first," replied Anzani," or else you will not get it.”

The Indian darted a glance of anger at Anzani ; but the glance of Anazni met his-lightning had crossed lightning.

Anzani was accustomed to say: "There is no real strength but moral strength. Look boldly, fixedly, and obstinately at the man who looks at you: if he lowers his eyes, you are his master; but do not lower your eyes, for then it would be he who would be yours.'

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The look of Anzani had an irresistible power. It was the Indian who lowered his eyes. He felt his inferiority, and furious at this unknown domination, he wished to gain heart by drinking.

"Very well," said he, "there is a demi-piastre, serve me."

"It is my duty to serve people who pay me," said Anzani quietly; and he served the Indian with a glass of brandy. The Indian swallowed it.

"Another !" said he.

Anzani served him, and the Indian swallowed it, as he had done the first.

"Another!" said he, again.

As long as there was money enough to cover the libations of the Indian, Anzani made no observation; but when the drinker had swallowed brandy equal to the value of his coin, he stopped:

"Well?" asked the Indian.

Anzani gave him his bill.

"What next?" again said the Indian.

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