wn over his
eyes, and, dressed in a clean blue flannel shirt, he seemed what he
really was, one of the most respectable men on the hacienda. Sitting
down by the side of the grave, he took two sticks which were there for
that purpose, with one of which he measured the length, and with the
other the breadth. This, to say the least of it, was cool, and the
expression of his face was of that stolid and unbending kind, that no
idea could be formed of his feelings; but it was not too much to
suppose that a man in the early prime of life, who had fulfilled well
all the duties of his station, must feel some emotion in measuring the
grave of one who had been his companion when the labours of the day
were over, and who was the mother of his children.

The grave was not large enough, and he took his seat at the foot, and
waited while the Indians enlarged it, from time to time suggesting an
improvement. In the mean time Doctor Cabot arrived on the ground with
his gun, and one of the grave-diggers pointed out a flock of parrots
flying over. They were too far off to kill; but as the Indians were
always astonished at seeing a shot on the wing, and all seemed anxious
to have him shoot, he fired, and knocked out some feathers. The Indians
laughed, watched the feathers as they fell into the graveyard, and then
resumed their work. At length the husband again took the sticks,
measured the grave, and finding all right, returned to the house. The
Indians picked up a rude barrow made of two long poles with
crosspieces, which had been thrown down by the side of the last corpse
it had carried, and went off for the dead body. They were gone so long
that we thought they wished to wear out our patience, and told the
mayoral to go and hurry them; but presently we heard a shuffling of
feet, and the sound of female voices, heralding a tumultuous procession
of women. On reaching the fence of the cemetery they all stopped, and,
seeing us, would not come in, except one old Beelzebub, who climbed
over, walked directly to the foot of the grave, leaned down, and,
looking into it, made some exclamation which set all the women outside
laughing. This so incensed the old woman that she picked up a handful
of stones, and began pelting them right and left, at which they all
scattered with great confusion and laughter, and in the midst of this,
the corpse, attended by an irregular crowd of men, women, and children,
made its appearance.

The barrow was lifted ov