never accompanied by day or by night. I
traversed without fear all the forests and mountains, and I often even
treated with these honourable bandits, as one power does with another,
by not disdaining the invitations sometimes sent to me to come to a
certain place, where, without fear of surprise, they could consult me,
or even invoke my assistance. This sort of rendezvous was always held
in the night, and in very lonely places. On their side, as well as
on mine, a promise given of not doing any injury to each other was
religiously observed. In these nocturnal conversations, held without
witnesses, I often brought back to a life of peace mistaken men, whom
the turbulence of youth had thrown into a series of crimes, which
the laws would have visited with most severe punishment. Sometimes,
however, I failed in my attempts, and especially when I had to do
with proud and untameable characters, such as are to be found among
men who never have had any other guide but natural instinct. One day,
among others, I received a letter from a half-breed, a great criminal,
who infested the neighbouring province of Laguna; he told me that
he wished to see me, and begged me to come alone in the middle of
the night to a wild spot, where he would also come alone: I did not
hesitate to go to the place appointed. I found him there as he had
promised me. He told me that he wished to change his mode of life,
and to dwell on my estate. He added, that he had never committed any
crime against the Spaniards, but only against the Indians and the
half-breeds. It would have been impossible for me to have received
him without compromising myself. I proposed to place him in the house
of a friar, where he might remain concealed for several years, until
his crimes were forgotten, and then he could enter into society. After
a moment's reflection, he replied:

"No, that would be to lose my liberty. To live as a slave! I would
prefer to die."

I then proposed to him to go to Tapuzi, a place where the bandits, when
hotly pursued, were enabled to conceal themselves with impunity.--(I
shall very soon have occasion to speak of this village.)--The
half-breed, with an insignificant gesture, replied:

"No; the person I wish to take with me would not come there. You can
do nothing for me, adieu!"

He then pressed my hand, and we separated. Some days afterwards, a hut
in which he was seen, near Manilla, was surrounded by the troops of
the line. The bandit then