ility of the measure, I was
led away in silence.

A very animated little discussion arose in the street as to what I was
to get, where to have it, and who to give it,--difficulties which none
seemed able to solve by any explanation save the usual Mexican one of
"Quien sabe?" or "Who knows?"--having uttered which in accents of very
convincing embarrassment, each went his way, leaving me standing with
an old mule-driver, the only one who had not delivered himself of this
speech.

Now, it chanced that the well from which the village derived its name
of "La Noria" had originally been worked by two mules, who having died
off, their places were supplied by two miserable asses of the prairie
breed,--creatures not much bigger than sheep, and scarcely stronger.
These wretched beasts had been for years past stimulated to their daily
labor by the assiduous persecutions of a fierce English bull-dog, who
with bark and bite made their lives a very pretty martyrdom. Either
worn-out by his unremitting exertions, or that asses' flesh (of which,
from their hocks and hind quarters generally, he freely partook)
disagreed with him, the animal sickened and died, leaving the poor
Mulero to his own unaided devices to drive the donkeys round the charmed
circle. I believe that he did all that mere man was capable of,--in
fact, in everything save using his teeth he imitated closely the
practices of the illustrious defunct. But asses though they were, they
soon discovered that the "great motive principle" was wanting, and
betook themselves to a far easier and more congenial mode of doing the
day's work.

Now, the Mulero was a man of thought and reflection, and it occurred
to him that if asses, however inadequately, could yet, in some sort,
perform the functions of mules, there was no reason why a man, even a
very poor-looking and ragged one, should not replace a bull-dog. There
was that hungry, half-starved look about me, too, that vouched my
temper would not be of the sweetest; and he eyed me with the glance of a
connoisseur. At last Mijo--for such was he called--made the proposal
to me in all form, explaining that my predecessor had had his rations
allowed him like a colonist, and was entitled to sleep under cover at
the house of his former mistress, La Senhora Dias, "who," he added, with
a sly wink, "was my countrywoman." Well knowing a Mexican never boggles
at a lie, no matter how broad and palpable, I took no notice of what I
at once conc