stopped and said, "Sir, you are master, you have only to command
and I shall obey." We dismounted and walked on till we reached the
great road, when we once more seated ourselves.

The family were about a quarter of a mile in advance, and we were
no sooner reseated, than he lashed the mules into full gallop for
the purpose of overtaking it; his cloak had fallen from his
shoulder, and, in endeavouring to readjust it, he dropped the
string from his hand by which he guided the large mule, it became
entangled in the legs of the poor animal, which fell heavily on its
neck, it struggled for a moment, and then lay stretched across the
way, the shafts over its body. I was pitched forward into the
dirt, and the drunken driver fell upon the murdered mule.

I was in a great rage, and cried, "You drunken renegade, who are
ashamed to speak the language of your own country, you have broken
the staff of your existence, and may now starve." "Paciencia,"
said he, and began kicking the head of the mule, in order to make
it rise; but I pushed him down, and taking his knife, which had
fallen from his pocket, cut the bands by which it was attached to
the carriage, but life had fled, and the film of death had begun to
cover its eyes.

The fellow, in the recklessness of intoxication, seemed at first
disposed to make light of his loss, saying, "The mule is dead, it
was God's will that she should die, what more can be said?
Paciencia." Meanwhile, I despatched Antonio to the town for the
purpose of hiring mules, and, having taken my baggage from the
chaise, waited on the roadside until he should arrive.