ng through the town, I saw tapers burning in a house, and upon
entering, there was stretched the corpse--still in his bloody
vestments--a bullet had entered behind one ear, and passed out at the
other. A crucifix reposed upon the breast, whilst a common flat-iron lay
on the stomach. Near by, his sister was gazing mournfully at the blue,
pinched face, while close behind her stood an inhuman virago,
anathematizing him from all the saints in the calendar, for having been
a _traidor y espia de los compatriotas_--spy upon his countrymen. The
Mexicans asserted that he had been deliberately assassinated, and
rejoiced that he had received a worthy recompense for his traitorous
conduct.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Towards the close of the year we had become quite domesticated in the
town, and habituated to our new duties: the dullness that ensued upon
the occupation had changed into animation, business, and bustle; the
port was thickening with merchant-ships and coasters, and duties were
rapidly rolling into the Yankee treasury; the merchants themselves had
entered into arrangements with the Mexican officials outside, and the
staple export of the province--logwood--came in on the backs of hundreds
of mules daily, to fill the homeward-bound vessels for Europe. The
laborious task of the garrison still went on, much to the disgust of
Jack, who swore ditching and hod carrying was no part of a sailor's
duty. The fever still continued, in a milder form; but few new cases
ensued, although those who convalesced almost invariably relapsed, and
were never entirely cured until going again upon salt water. The
townspeople began to look less gloomily upon their invaders, and the men
were not averse to finger Uncle Sam's cash; and the women, bless their
sweet, forgiving souls, sought the main plaza in the afternoons, arrayed
in tastefully flowing robes, and graceful _ribosas_, whilst their
surprisingly diminutive feet beat time to the music from our bands. Nor
were they chary of flashing glances, or murmured salutations; and in the
calm nights, when pianos and harps were disturbing the still air, it was
not regarded as a novelty to behold a few blue-jackets, spinning around
in dance and waltz at the fandangos, or, as the more tonnish were
termed, _bayles_.

The native society of Mazatlan cannot certainly boast of a very elevated
tone of morality. Indeed I have good authority for asserting that there
were not fifty legitimately married couples