24

A DANGEROUS PROPOSAL.

I found muffled up in one of those ample great coats, formerly known by the name of dreadnoughts, an appropriate one on the present occasion. The man who stood before me was Captain M'Dougall. He was perfectly sober. Grasping my arm, he pulled me a little to one side of the outer wall of the galpon, and then cautiously opening his dreadnought, he displayed to me from under it, a pair of formidable horse pistols. I involuntarily started back, but in the coolest and most deliberate manner, although in an under voice, M'Dougall spoke thus..

"I know your lives are in imminent danger, I have been told you are both to be shot in the morning. These villains will stop at nothing. It is a conspiracy to get you out of the way, not only that they may seize your property, but get the business of the province into their own hands. They are a relentless set, and your only safety is in flight. My boat, manned by four faithful hands, is all in readiness alongside my brig, and I will take the helm. Should any difficulty occur in your getting out from this place (he looked at the door), I am ready to shoot through the head the first man that attempts to stop you; and they are such rascally cowards,"

PROPOSAL REJECTED.

25

(he said this with the most ineffable contempt) "that where they see one yellow' fellow sprawling on the ground, all the rest will promptly make way for you."

This was an astounding proposition, and all the more so to me, knowing, as I did, that there and then M'Dougall was ready to carry his plan of operation into execution. I had patiently heard him out, which I think is always the best way of getting to the end of a man's story; and when he finished, I began by thanking him for his kindness in offering to run such risks as he proposed to undertake on our account. But I assured him that our only danger would consist in making any such attempt as he proposed, and that even if it were necessary to fly, we could not think of implicating him in the matter. "But in fact, Captain M'Dougall," I concluded, “you have been egregiously misinformed; we are as safe here as in our own house, and almost as comfortable, as you shall presently see. But there really is a risk, and a serious one, in your coming here armed; so return to your brig, unman your boat, exchange your pistols for your fiddle, and then come back here and take your supper with us."

The doughty Highlander was disappointed that

VOL. II.

26

THE COMANDANTE'S ALARM.

his scheme was not carried into effect, and still remained dubious as to our safety; yet not pretending to act in opposition to wishes so decidedly conveyed to him, he did exactly as I had requested; and having laid aside his instruments of death for one which imparted so much life, he returned shortly to the guard-house. We took him, as he nautically said, "all a-back," when he saw the poor prison converted into a comfortable sitting room, with many good things on the table; and he was much re-assured by the easy way in which we were taking the whole affair. He gradually, therefore, laid aside his fears as to our being shot next morning, and towards one o'clock, after having finished supper, he was preparing to give us one of his exquisite Scotch airs, when the comandante's servant came running to the guard house, desiring the officer on guard to go and speak to him instantly. The captain soon returned, greatly flurried, and informing us, first, that we were no longer his prisoners, he begged in the next place, on the comandante's part, that I would go over and see him for a moment, he being very ill in bed.

I not only declined going to the comandante, but we both refused to go forth from our imprisonment

THE COMANDANTE'S ALARM.

27

till we were distinctly informed of the cause of our having been treated as delinquents. The Captain carried over this message, and returning, said that if both of us would go over to the comandante, he would give us every satisfaction, and at all events that he earnestly desired we would hear what he had to say. We therefore went over, escorted by two soldiers, (on which we insisted,) and the captain. We found the poor comandante in great distress both of body and mind, exclaiming that he was lost and ruined if we did not drop the affair at once, and return to our own house, as if nothing had happened. He had been shocked beyond measure, he said, on recovering his lost senses, to hear of what had happened; he made a thousand apologies; we knew, he said, that such a thing could never have happened, had it not been for the unfortunate convìte; and, in short, both for his own sake and his uncle's, he was indefatigable in his exertions to get us to hush up the affair.

But we were fixed and resolute to do no such thing; and all we would agree to that night was, that we should retire to my cottage, and there hold ourselves as under arrest till the next morning, when the consideration of the affair was to be

28

INTERVIEW WITH THE COMANDANTE.

resumed. We insisted on having a sentinel placed at our door, which was unwillingly agreed to; and he was to remain there till I went in the morning to the comandante's house. Our furniture was now removed once more to the cottage; and when we said good night to the inmates of the guard-house, we heard a principal spokesman say as we were leaving, "It is certain there is no stranger people under the sun than the English."

Having decided on our ultimatum, then, I was with the comandante at ten o'clock next morning, carrying in my hand a petition, in the usual form, praying for a passport to Corrientes.

"Mr. Comandante," said I, " as I see no possibility of our coming to a satisfactory arrangement of the disagreeable occurrences of last night, more particularly as the party who has offered us the scandalous outrage, of which you are cognizant, is your uncle, (I heard him moving in the adjoining room, having caught a glimpse of him as I entered,) I have to request you will grant me a passport for Corrientes, whither I propose to proceed within an hour to lay the matter candidly before the governor, taking care, however, to exonerate you from all blame."