ue_," the soldier who had throttled
me, setting fire to the skirts of his coat, and blowing up his cartouch
box. I believe under Providence, that the ludicrousness of this attack
saved us from being bayonetted on the spot. It gave time for Mr. Splinter
to recover his breath, when being a powerful man, he shook off the two
soldiers who had seized him, and dashed into the burning hut again. I
thought he was mad, especially when I saw him return with his clothes and
hair on fire, dragging out the body of the captain. He unfolded the sail
it was wrapped in, and pointing to the remains of the naval uniform in
which the mutilated and putrifying corpse was dressed, he said sternly to
the officer, "We are in your power, and you may murder us if you will; but
_that_ was my captain four days ago, and you see, _he_ at least was a
British officer--satisfy yourself." The person he addressed, a handsome
young Spaniard, with a clear olive complexion, oval face, small brown
mustachios, and large black eyes, shuddered at the horrible spectacle, but
did as he was requested.

When he saw the crown and anchor, and his majesty's cipher on the
appointments of the dead officer, he became convinced of our quality, and
changed his tone--"_Es verdat, son de la marina Englesa_;" "But gentlemen,
were there not three persons in the hut?" There were indeed--the flames
had consumed the dry roof and walls with incredible rapidity, and by this
time they had fallen in, but Oreeque was no where to be seen. I thought I
saw something move in the midst of the fire, but it might have been fancy.
Again the white ashes heaved, and a half-consumed hand and arm were thrust
through the mouldering mass, then a human head, with the scalp burnt from
the skull, and the flesh from the chaps and cheek-bones; the trunk next
appeared, the bleeding ribs laid bare, and the miserable Indian, with his
limbs like scorched rafters, stood upright before us, like a demon in the
midst of the fire. He made no attempt to escape, but reeling to and fro
like a drunken man, fell headlong, raising clouds of smoke and a shower of
sparks in his fall. Alas! poor Oreeque, the newly risen sun was now
shining on your ashes, and on the dead bodies of the ill-starred Bondia
and her child, whose bones, ere his setting, the birds of the air, and
beasts of the forest, will leave as white and fleshless as your own. The
officer, who belonged to the army investing Carthagena, now treated us
with grea