o looked upon all men helpless or suffering, whatever their hue, or
race, or religion, as brothers, whom it was his duty to aid and protect.
He received his reward; and my belief is, that no person ever performs
a good disinterested action without being rewarded for it even in this
world. I, at all events, have met with numerous instances which tend to
show that such is the case. The means of crossing the river to the
mines was by a large hanging bridge, called by the Spaniards "_Puente de
Soga_," which could be seen from the windows of our house. On either
side of the river, some fifty feet above the water, stout posts were
driven into the steep bank, to which four ropes, formed of twisted
cow-hides the thickness of a man's arm, were fastened. These ropes were
laid parallel to each other, a few feet apart; and were again fastened
by thinner ropes laid transversely, and forming a sort of network. On
this foundation were spread roots of the Agave tree, branches of trees,
straw, and earth, so that even beasts of burden could walk across. On
either side of the bridge, and about three feet above it, two other
ropes were carried across to serve as a balustrade; but as it had sunk
in the middle, and the ropes were very slack, it frequently swung from
side to side as passengers went across, in a most terrific way. It
formed a very picturesque object in the landscape.

I have now given a sufficiently full description of our house and the
scenery surrounding it, to enable my readers to form a tolerably correct
idea of the picture I wish to present to them.

At the time when the adventures I have resolved to narrate commenced, I
had just attained my fifteenth year. I looked older, for I had grown
rapidly in that warm climate; and, accustomed to exercise and athletic
sports, I was of a well-knit strong frame, and had a very manly
appearance, though possessed of the light hair and complexion of the
Saxon race, somewhat tanned, however, by constant exposure to the sun.
My brothers and sisters, for I had several, all bore the same marked
characteristics of our Northern ancestors, contrasting strongly with the
swarthy hue on the countenances of the people among whom we lived. They
used to call us the fair-haired children of the North; and from the love
and respect with which they regarded us, I believe they associated us in
their minds with the revered race whom their traditions told them once
ruled the country with paternal