Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/436

 station

10. Several  volleys  flash  against  them  from  the  guns, but pass  over  their  heads,  so  directed,  no  doubt,  out of regard  for  the  governor. The guard  in  pursuit  are almost equally  discriminating.

In this  way  the  main  body  advances  along  the  Corte de Madera  road,  toward  Mount  Tamalpais,  plunderino; the houses  in  their  way  of  everything  portable,  although not without  expressing  regrets  at  the  unavoidable  ne- cessity. Indeed, they  are  polite  enough  to  leave  the governor his  watch,  remarking  that  it  would  be  too mean to  commit  detailed  robbery  after  stealing  his whole person. Their patience,  however,  is  sorely  tried by his  corpulency,  which  is  becoming  an  obstacle  to progress,  despite  the  frequent  reminders  applied  to his  body  in  the  form  of  knife-prods. A wild,  bare- backed pony is  produced  to  accelerate  his  motion,  but either the  weight  or  earnest  entreaties  of  the  governor save him  from  the  dreaded  ride.

At four  p.  M,  a  slough  is  reached,  and  the  panting hostage is  compelled  with  the  rest  to  wade  chin-deep in the  miry  water. On gaining  the  high  fence  beyond, his slimy  corpulency  is  found  too  heavy  to  be  hoisted over, and  is  released. This act  is  suicidal,  for  the guards are  no  longer  restrained  by  his  presence,  and resume firing  with  telling  effect.

By this  time  the  news  of  the  outbreak  has  spread far and  wide,  and  aware  of  the  danger  to  life  and  prop- erty, every able-bodied  man  in  the  San  Rafael  district who can  lay  his  hands  upon  a  weapon  and  a  horse musters for  the  chase. About 200  well-equipped  men close in  upon  the  gang. Being comparatively  unarmed the convicts  find  resistance  useless,  and  the  affair  be- comes a game  of  hide  and  seek. By twilight  nearly the whole  number  is  secured,  and  at  eight  p.  m.  the prison gate  closes  behind  them.

Meanwhile a  side-play  has  been  performed  on  the bay. A party  of  a  dozen  fugitives  or  so,  whose  diluted Viking blood  still  tingles  to  the  harp  of  Necken,  have boarded the  prison  sloop  Pike  County. The hawsers