hearts stilled suddenly in some
senseless quarrel. And so in time I grew to have some considerable
experience in the treatment of knife and gun-shot wounds.

One night I heard a great noise outside my window, and on rising found
a poor boatman moaning piteously, and in a strange jumble of many
languages begging me to help him. At first I was afraid to open the
door, on account of the noisy mob which soon joined him, for villainy
was very shrewd at Cruces; but at last I admitted him, and found that
the poor wretch's ears had been cruelly split by some hasty citizen of
the United States. I stitched them up as well as I could, and silenced
his cries. And at any time, if you happened to be near the river when
a crowd were arriving or departing, your ears would be regaled with a
choice chorus of threats, of which ear-splitting, eye-gouging,
cow-hiding, and the application of revolvers were the mildest. Against
the negroes, of whom there were many in the Isthmus, and who almost
invariably filled the municipal offices, and took the lead in every
way, the Yankees had a strong prejudice; but it was wonderful to see
how freedom and equality elevate men, and the same negro who perhaps
in Tennessee would have cowered like a beaten child or dog beneath an
American's uplifted hand, would face him boldly here, and by equal
courage and superior physical strength cow his old oppressor.

When more than ordinary squabbles occurred in the street or at the
gambling-tables, the assistance of the soldier-police of New Granada
was called in, and the affair sometimes assumed the character of a
regular skirmish. The soldiers--I wish I could speak better of
them--were a dirty, cowardly, indolent set, more prone to use their
knives than their legitimate arms, and bore old rusty muskets, and
very often marched unshod. Their officers were in outward appearance a
few shades superior to the men they commanded, but, as respects
military proficiency, were their equals. Add to this description of
their _personnel_ the well-known fact, that you might commit the
grossest injustice, and could obtain the simplest justice only by
lavish bribery, and you may form some idea of our military protectors.

Very practised and skilful in thieving were the native population of
Cruces--I speak of the majority, and except the negroes--always more
inclined to do a dishonest night's labour at great risk, than an
honest day's work for fair wages; for justice was always