ave chosen, a scrupulous cleanliness, great reserve in speaking,
superstition, industry and intelligence.

The general awakes. Horses are brought bridled and saddled for a ride,
and the two set out in the direction of the mouth of the Rio Confuso,
about five miles distant from the village. The road crosses a vast
plain shaded here and there with a few palms of small growth. After half
an hour's ride they reach a saw-mill, the property of an eccentric
Italian named Perucchino, who had served in his time as an officer of
the Italian volunteers of Montevideo under Garibaldi, at the period of
the latter's residence in South America. Perucchino receives them with
_evvivas_, gestures, and with even more than the usual demonstrations of
the Italian character, and invites them into his house, before which are
planted three cannon mounted on a large piece of timber. His bed-room is
an arsenal, supplied with enough old muskets, veterans of the war of
independence, rusty swords and pikes, to arm fifteen men. He loves
noise, and in proof thereof, after killing two chickens for breakfast
with two separate discharges of a dangerous-looking double-barreled
rifle--dangerous to him who fires it--he announces that the meal is
ready with a discharge of one of the cannon at the door--a noisy
proclamation which causes M. Forgues to jump in his seat. The breakfast,
consisting of chicken and corn and rice omelettes, washed down with
heavy Spanish wine, disappears as if by magic under the eager appetites
of the guests. Perucchino has been dwelling in this solitude of Gran
Chaco for three years with his wife, a Spanish woman. With two
fellow-countrymen to assist him, he has worked indefatigably, and at the
time of this visit his considerable property has greatly improved. In
two years more, when his fields of corn, tobacco and sugar-cane shall
begin to yield a return, the ex-beggar of Montevideo will be in the
enjoyment of a yearly income of fifteen thousand francs.

At noon M. Forgues and the general return to Villa Occidental under a
burning sun, and in the evening they embark for Asuncion on the gunboat,
accompanied by the relieved garrison of thirty men. M. Forgues
regretfully leaves this little colony, so peaceful and verdurous. As he
is about to embark some one runs after him and overtakes him. It is
Auriguau, who asks him for his traveling-bag and his pipe, and takes
possession, without asking, of his tobacco, promising him in return a