be the crocus, I desired my servant to alight and pull
some of them. He delivered the musquetoon to Joseph, who began to
tamper with it, and off it went with a prodigious report, augmented by
an eccho from the mountains that skirted the road. The mules were so
frightened, that they went off at the gallop; and Joseph, for some
minutes, could neither manage the reins, nor open his mouth. At length
he recollected himself, and the cattle were stopt, by the assistance of
the servant, to whom he delivered the musquetoon, with a significant
shake of the head. Then alighting from the box, he examined the heads
of his three mules, and kissed each of them in his turn. Finding they
had received no damage, he came up to the coach, with a pale visage and
staring eyes, and said it was God's mercy he had not killed his beasts.
I answered, that it was a greater mercy he had not killed his
passengers; for the muzzle of the piece might have been directed our
way as well as any other, and in that case Joseph might have been
hanged for murder. "I had as good be hanged (said he) for murder, as be
ruined by the loss of my cattle." This adventure made such an
impression upon him, that he recounted it to every person we met; nor
would he ever touch the blunderbuss from that day. I was often diverted
with the conversation of this fellow, who was very arch and very
communicative. Every afternoon, he used to stand upon the foot-board,
at the side of the coach, and discourse with us an hour together.
Passing by the gibbet of Valencia, which stands very near the
high-road, we saw one body hanging quite naked, and another lying
broken on the wheel. I recollected, that Mandrin had suffered in this
place, and calling to Joseph to mount the foot-board, asked if he had
ever seen that famous adventurer. At mention of the name of Mandrin,
the tear started in Joseph's eye, he discharged a deep sigh, or rather
groan, and told me he was his dear friend. I was a little startled at
this declaration; however, I concealed my thoughts, and began to ask
questions about the character and exploits of a man who had made such
noise in the world.

He told me, Mandrin was a native of Valencia, of mean extraction: that
he had served as a soldier in the army, and afterwards acted as
maltotier, or tax-gatherer: that at length he turned contrebandier, or
smuggler, and by his superior qualities, raised himself to the command
of a formidable gang, consisting of five hundred