poisoned by emissaries of the roving bands, who are now assembled
in the neighbourhood. On the first appearance of the disorder,
from which I happily escaped by tasting the water of a private
fountain, which I possess in my own house, I instantly recognised
the effects of the poison of the Gitanos, brought by their
ancestors from the isles of the Indian sea; and suspecting their
intentions, I disguised myself as a Gitano, and went forth in the
hope of being able to act as a spy upon their actions. I have been
successful, and am at present thoroughly acquainted with their
designs. They intended, from the first, to sack the town, as soon
as it should have been emptied of its defenders.

'Midday, to-morrow, is the hour in which they have determined to
make the attempt. There is no time to be lost; let us, therefore,
warn those of our townsmen who still survive, in order that they
may make preparations for their defence.'

Whereupon the two friends proceeded to the chief magistrate, who
had been but slightly affected by the disorder; he heard the tale
of the bookseller with horror and astonishment, and instantly took
the best measures possible for frustrating the designs of the
Gitanos; all the men capable of bearing arms in Logrono were
assembled, and weapons of every description put in their hands. By
the advice of the bookseller all the gates of the town were shut,
with the exception of the principal one; and the little band of
defenders, which barely amounted to sixty men, was stationed in the
great square, to which, he said, it was the intention of the
Gitanos to penetrate in the first instance, and then, dividing
themselves into various parties, to sack the place. The bookseller
was, by general desire, constituted leader of the guardians of the