was becoming more easy. We followed on a narrow
pathway, and towards evening arrived in front of an Indian cabin,
at the door of which a young girl was sitting, while abundant tears
trickled down her sorrowful countenance. I drew near her, and inquired
into the cause of her grief. On hearing my question she rose up, and
without replying to my queries, conducted us into the interior of the
habitation, where we beheld the inanimate body of an old woman, whom
we learned was the mother of the young girl; the brother of the latter
had gone to the village in quest of the relations of the deceased,
to aid them in transporting the corpse to its final destination.

This scene affected me very much. I did my best to console the
poor young girl, and solicited hospitality for the night, which was
instantly granted. To be in company with a dead body nowise affrighted
me; but I bethought of Alila, so superstitious and so fearful with
regard to ghosts and evil spirits.

"Well," said I to him; "are you not afraid to spend the night near
a corpse?"

"No, master," replied he, courageously; "this dead person is a
Christian soul, which, far from wishing us evil, will watch over us."

I was really astonished at the answer of the Tagaloc, at his calmness
and security: the rogue had his own motives for thus speaking to
me. The Indian huts in the plains, are never composed of more than
one room; the one we were in was scarcely large enough to hold us
all four; however, we one and all managed as well as we could. The
deceased occupied the back part; a small lamp, placed by her head,
threw out a feeble light, and beside her lay the young Indian girl. I
had established my quarters at a short distance from the bed of death,
and my lieutenant was nearest the door, left open purposely to dispel
the heat and foul air.

Towards two o'clock in the morning I was waked up by a shrill voice,
and I felt at the same time that some one was passing over me, and
uttering cries that soon were heard outside the cabin. I immediately
stretched out my hand towards the place where Alila had lain down,
but that place was empty; the lamp was out, and the darkness complete.

This made me very uneasy. I called to the young girl, who answered
me that she had heard, like me, cries and noise, but she was ignorant
of the cause. I snatched up my gun and sallied forth, calling out to
my lieutenant; but to no purpose. No one answered; the stillness of
death reigned all