He was a man of tall stature, and with a physiognomy remarkable for one of his race. Instead of the servile aspect so characteristic of the _Indios mangos_ (subdued Indians) of Mexico, he had more the air of the true savage, or _Indio bravo_. This appearance was strengthened by the fact of his having a slight moustache and beard--a rare distinction among the aborigines of Mexico. Over his shoulder he carried a short, thick carbine, somewhat rusty; while a long _machete_ (half sword, half knife), was stuck behind his belt. His companion was a negro, whose clothing consisted of little else than rags. Otherwise there was nothing remarkable about him--if we except the air of stupified credulity with which he appeared to be listening to the discourse of the Indian. From time to time his features assumed an expression of ill-concealed fear. The red man, closely followed by the black, was advancing along the bank at a place destitute of timber and where the ground was smooth and soft. He was going slowly, his body bent slightly forwards, and his eyes turned upon the earth as if in search of some object, or tracking an animal. Suddenly he came to a top-- "Now!" he exclaimed, turning to the negro, and pointing to the ground, "I told you I should find their traces in less than half an hour. Look there!" The Indian spoke in a tone of triumph; but the feeling was far from being shared by his companion, who bent his eyes upon the earth rather with a look of dismay. The sight was sufficient to have caused uneasiness to any one other than a hunter of wild beasts. In the soft mud was exhibited a number of tracks--twenty of them in all. They were of different sizes, too; and appeared to have been recently made. The marks of sharp claws, distinctly outlined in the clayey soil, told what kind of animal had made the tracks. It was the fierce jaguar--the tiger (_tigre_) of the Spanish-Americans. "It's not half an hour since they have been here," continued the Indian. "_Mira_!" exclaimed he, pointing to a little eddy on the edge of the stream, "they have been drinking there not ten minutes ago: the water is yet muddy!" "Let us get away," suggested the negro, whose black face was now pale with fear. "I see no use in our remaining here. See! there are many tracks, and of different sizes, too. Lord bless me! a whole procession of tigers must have passed here." "Oh! you are exaggerating," rejoined the Indian, with a sneering laugh. "Let us count them," he continued, bending down over the foot-prints, "one--two--three--four: a male, a female, and her two _cachorros_ (cubs). That is all. _Carrambo_! what a sight for a _tigrero_ (tiger-hunter)." "Ah! indeed!" assented the negro, in a hesitating way. "Yes," rejoined the other; "but we shan't go after them to-day. We have more important business on our hands."