"Know, then, that the day is at hand when the Indian will be on an equality with the white, the Creole with the Spaniard; and when an Indian, such as I, will be the master of both!" The descendant of the Zapoteques delivered this speech with an air of proud exultation. "Yes!" continued he, "the day of our ancient splendour will soon return. That is why I am desirous at present of acquiring gold. Hitherto I have not troubled myself about finding it; since, as you say, it would soon be wrested from the hands of a poor slave. Now that I am to be free, the circumstances are changed; and I want gold, by which I may revive the glories of my ancestors." Clara could not help casting a look of astonishment at his companion. The air of savage grandeur, visible in the countenance of the tiger-hunter--vassal of the hacienda Las Palmas--surprised him, as did also the pretentious manner in which he spoke about reviving the ancient splendours of his race. The look and its meaning did not escape the observation of the Indian. "Friend Clara!" said he, in a confidential tone, "listen to me, while I reveal to you a secret which I have kept for many long years--long enough for me to have seen fifty dry seasons, and fifty seasons of rain; and this fact can be confirmed to you by all of my colour and race." "You have seen fifty seasons of rain?" cried the negro, in a tone of astonishment, at the same time regarding his companion attentively, who in truth did not appear to be over thirty years of age. "Fifty seasons of rain?" "Well, not quite fifty," replied Costal, with a smile, "but very near it." "Ah! I shall see fifty more," continued he. "Omens have told me that I shall live as long as the ravens." The negro remained silent, still held in surprise by the wild declarations which his companion was volunteering to make to him. "Listen, friend Clara!" continued the tiger-hunter, extending his arm in a circle, and designating the four points of the compass; "in all the space that a horseman could traverse between sunrise and sunset--from north to south, from east to west--there is not a spot of ground that was not once possessed by my ancestors--the ancient lords of Zapoteca. Before the vessels of the white men touched upon our coasts, they were sovereign masters of all this land--from ocean to ocean. The sea alone was their boundary. Thousands of warriors followed their banners, and crowded around their plume-bedecked standards of war. In the ocean the pearl-banks, and on the land the _placers_ of gold belonged to them. The yellow metal glanced upon their dresses and armour, or ornamented the very sandals upon their feet. They possessed it in such abundance, they scarce knew what to do with it.