ner, he is
a man of considerable influence also with his fellow-countrymen. To
those in need he lends money on liberal terms out of the pile of
silver dollars buried under the floor of his house. Robbers know
from sad experience that he is not to be trifled with. Once, when a
band of marauders had taken possession of the old adobe church and
were helping themselves to the buried cash of the inhabitants of the
ranches, he rallied the terrorised people, gave the robbers battle and
routed them effectually. He upholds authority against lawlessness,
and wants justice to have its course, except when one of his own
relatives has done the shooting--I was sorry to learn that in this
regard he was probably not beyond rebuke; but his many good deeds to
the needy and oppressed, whether Mexican or Indian, should make us
lenient toward this failing. The Indians appeal to him of their own
accord. Three ruffians once went to the house of a well-to-do Indian,
recently deceased, and told his mourning relatives that they had come
to see to the division of the property among the heirs, and that they
must have good things to eat and plenty to drink while thus occupied;
calling upon the relatives to brew plenty of beer and kill an ox. Their
orders were promptly obeyed; but in addition they charged the heirs
a fee of three oxen, one fanega of corn, and some silver money. This
struck the simple and patient Indians as rather excessive, for what
would then be left to divide between themselves? So they took their
grievance to Don Miguel to be settled. I do not know of any white
man in those parts who would have taken the trouble, as he did,
to protect the poor Indians' rights against the wily schemers.

The old gentleman was not at home when I arrived at his ranch, but
I met one of his sons, who lives at Guachochic.

"I am the postmaster," he said proudly, stepping forward and showing
me, at the same time, his credentials, which he evidently always
carried in his pocket. The mail from the lowlands to the mining
towns passes over this place, and the mail-carrier sleeps in this
house. In the course of the year he may also bring a few letters to
the inhabitants of this part of the country. We soon entered into
a conversation about postal matters, which naturally interested me
greatly, as I was anxious to communicate as often as possible with the
outside world. In spite of the great pride this man took in his office,
his notions regarding his dutie