pop-guns, (meaning the pistols,) and don't be at all narvous, keep a
steady hand, and drop either man or horse. A man of them shan't escape."
The two remaining robbers were now up with the log, and fired each a
pistol-shot at the hunter, which he escaped by dodging behind a tree
close to, from which he fired with effect. As only one robber was left,
he wheeled round his horse with the intention of galloping off, when the
pistol-bullets of the merchant shot the horse from under him. "Well
done, merchant," said the hunter, "you've stopped that fellow's galop."
As soon as the robber could disentangle himself from the fallen horse,
he took to his heels and ran down a sloping ground as fast as he could.
The hunter drew his tomahawk from his belt, and gave chase after him. As
he was more of an equestrian than a pedestrian, the nimbleness of the
hunter soon shortened the distance between them, and the last of the
robbers fell. Thus perished this dangerous gang of six, by the single
hand of this brave hunter, and, as the "commercianto" informed me, he
acted as coolly and deliberately as if he were shooting tame bullocks
for the market. The affair was rather advantageous to the hunter, for,
on searching the saddle-bags and pockets of the robbers, he pulled forth
some doubloons, and a few dollars, with other valuables they had, no
doubt, a short time previously, taken from some traveler; the
saddle-bags, arms, and accouterments of the four white men, were packed
up, made fast on the saddles of the two horses, and the hunter mounted a
third, the merchant mounted another, his horse being shot, and thus they
left the scene of action, the bodies of the robbers to the wolves, who
were howling about them, and entered San Francisco in triumph.



A STORM AMONG THE ICEBERGS.