garded as an alien and an intruder residing here without a carta del seguridad" (the card of safety or permit granted by the government); "and that I, a quiet feeble old man, am more than half suspected by the underlings in authority to be a spy upon their administration. But it was predestined: all is predestined, believe me! And now you shall hear the truth.
"It was ordained that I should be a kind of petty governor of a distant district in the neighbourhood of Zonoma, where many years of my life were spent. I lived most happily in the midst of my domestic circle, for I had a beloved wife and interesting little family. I had nothing to do among the residents of the settlement but to superintend my own hacienda (or farm), and in my own way to administer such justice—it was not much—as was required. Ah! those were indeed happy days—days of sunlight and prosperity. Our cattle and horses were healthy and abundant—Heaven smiled upon our labours; and the earth richly rewarded the little pains we bestowed upon its cultivation. Our only fears arose from the liability of the pueblo (hamlet) to be attacked and robbed by the Indians;
