iven up among the rocks and still containing the body of the
unfortunate lady. This was some light thrown upon the horrid mystery;
but the cause of the assassination long remained unknown, and the author
of it long unpunished.

The old steward tied black crape upon the vanes of the chateau, and
erected a wooden cross on the spot where the body of his beloved
mistress had been found; but, as everything in this human world soon
wears out, the sea-breeze had not browned the black crape, nor the waves
turned green the wood of the cross, before the tragic event ceased to
cause the slightest emotion in the village--ay, even ceased to be talked
of.

CHAPTER SIX.

SONORA.

Sonora, naturally one of the richest provinces of Mexico, is also one of
the least known. Vast tracts in this State have never been explored;
and others have been seen only by the passing traveller. Nevertheless,
Nature has been especially bountiful to this remote territory. In some
parts of it the soil, scarce scratched by the plough, will yield two
crops in the year; while in other places gold is scattered over the
surface, or mixed with the sands, in such quantity as to rival the
_placers_ of California.

It is true that these advantages are, to some extent neutralised by
certain inconveniences. Vast deserts extend between the tracts of
fertile soil, which render travelling from one to the other both
difficult and dangerous; and, in many parts, of the province the savage
aborigines of the country are still masters of the ground. This is
especially the case in those districts where the gold is found in
_placers_.

Those placers are not to be approached by white men, unless when in
strong force. The Indians repel all such advances with warlike fury.
Not that they care to protect the gold--of whose value they have been
hitherto ignorant--but simply from their hereditary hatred of the white
race. Nevertheless, attempts are frequently made to reach the desired
gold fields. Some that result in complete failure, and some that are
more or less successful.

The natural riches of Sonora have given rise to very considerable
fortunes, and not a few very large ones, of which the origin was the
finding a "nugget" of virgin gold; while others again had for their
basis the cultivation of the rich crops which the fertile soil of Sonora
can produce.

There is a class of persons in Sonora, who follow no other business than
searching for gold _placers