eaching to
the elbows, permitted to be seen a pair of strong, sinewy arms of
deepest bronze. It was confined round the waist with a thick leathern
belt, while its skirt hung down to mid-thigh. Below this appeared the
legs of a pair of trowsers, wide, but reaching only to the knee. These
were of tanned sheep-skin, and of a reddish brown hue. From the bottoms
of the trowsers, the legs and ankles of the Indian were naked; while the
_chaussure_ consisted of leathern buskins, also of a brownish red
colour. A hat of rush plaiting covered his head, from under which hung
two long tresses of black hair--one over each cheek--and reaching down
to his elbows.

He was a man of tall stature, and with a physiognomy remarkable for one
of his race. Instead of the servile aspect so characteristic of the
_Indios mangos_ (subdued Indians) of Mexico, he had more the air of the
true savage, or _Indio bravo_. This appearance was strengthened by the
fact of his having a slight moustache and beard--a rare distinction
among the aborigines of Mexico.

Over his shoulder he carried a short, thick carbine, somewhat rusty;
while a long _machete_ (half sword, half knife), was stuck behind his
belt.

His companion was a negro, whose clothing consisted of little else than
rags. Otherwise there was nothing remarkable about him--if we except
the air of stupified credulity with which he appeared to be listening to
the discourse of the Indian. From time to time his features assumed an
expression of ill-concealed fear.

The red man, closely followed by the black, was advancing along the bank
at a place destitute of timber and where the ground was smooth and soft.
He was going slowly, his body bent slightly forwards, and his eyes
turned upon the earth as if in search of some object, or tracking an
animal. Suddenly he came to a top--

"Now!" he exclaimed, turning to the negro, and pointing to the ground,
"I told you I should find their traces in less than half an hour. Look
there!"

The Indian spoke in a tone of triumph; but the feeling was far from
being shared by his companion, who bent his eyes upon the earth rather
with a look of dismay. The sight was sufficient to have caused
uneasiness to any one other than a hunter of wild beasts. In the soft
mud was exhibited a number of tracks--twenty of them in all. They were
of different sizes, too; and appeared to have been recently made. The
marks of sharp claws, distinctly outlined in the c