at the first volley. There can be no sauntering now, we must push the
animals forward at their best speed. I will lead the way. Do you,
senor, bring up the rear and urge the mules forward. I shall try and
pick the ground where the trees are thinnest, and the mules can then go
at a trot. They cannot do so here, for they would always be knocking
their loads off."

It was evening before they arrived at a stream. Here they made a short
halt while they gave a double handful of grain to each of the animals,
then they pushed on again until it was too dark to go farther.

"Will it be safe to light a fire, Dias?"

"Yes, that will make no difference. They are not likely to attack us at
night. Savages seldom travel after dark, partly because they are afraid
of demons, partly because they would be liable to be pounced upon by
wild beasts. But I do not think there is any chance of their overtaking
us until tomorrow. The man Jose saw may have had companions close at
hand, but they will know that we are well armed, and will do nothing
until they have gathered a large number and feel sure that they can
overpower us. They will probably take up the track to-morrow at
daylight; but we have made a long march, and can calculate that we
shall find some defensible position before they overtake us. Jose and I
will keep watch to-night."

"We will take turns with you, Dias."

"No, senor; my ears are accustomed to the sounds of the forests, yours
are not. If you were watching I should still have no sleep."

The night passed without an alarm.

An hour before daylight Dias gave all the animals a good feed of corn,
and as soon as it was light they again started. They were already some
distance up the mountain, and after eight hours' travelling they
arrived at a gorge that suited their purpose. For two hundred yards the
rocks rose perpendicularly on each side of the stream, which was but
some thirty feet wide. No rain had fallen for some days, and the water
was shallow enough at the foot of the cliff for the mules to make their
way among the fallen rocks, through which it rushed impet
at the first volley. There can be no sauntering now, we must push the 
 animal ahead at their best speed. I will head the means. Do you, 
 senor, bring up the rear and cheer the mule forward. I shall test and 
 pick the ground where the tree are thinnest, and the mules can then run 
 at a trot. They cannot do so here, for they would constantly be knocking 
 their loads off. " 

 It was evening before they arrived at a current. Here they made a short 
 halt while they gave a bivalent handful of grain to each of the animal, 
 then they pushed on again until it was too dark to go far. 

 " Will it be safe to light a fire, Dias? " 

 " Yes, that will make no difference. They are not probable to assail us at 
 nox. Savages seldom travel after dark, partly because they are afraid 
 of demons, partly because they would be liable to be pounce upon by 
 wild animal. But I do not think there is any chance of their overwhelm 
 us until tomorrow. The man Jose saw may have had companion close at 
 hand, but they will know that we are well armed, and will do nothing 
 until they have gather a large number and feel sure that they can 
 overpower us. They will probably learn up the track to - morrow at 
 daylight; but we have made a long master of architecture, and can calculate that we 
 shall witness some defendable position before they overtake us. Jose and I 
 will keep watch to - night. " 

 " We will take turns with you, Dias. " 

 " No, senor; my ears are accustomed to the sound of the forests, yours 
 are not. If you were watching I should still have no rest. " 

 The night passed without an alarm. 

 An hour before daylight Dias gave all the animal a good feed of corn, 
 and as soon as it was light they again begin. They were already some 
 distance up the mountain, and after eight hour' travelling they 
 arrived at a gorge that suited their purpose. For two hundred yard the 
 rocks rose perpendicularly on each side of the stream, which was but 
 some thirty feet wide. No rain had fallen for some day, and the water 
 was shallow enough at the foot of the cliff for the mule to make their 
 way among the fall rocks, through which it rushed impet
at hhe first volley. There cxn be no sauntetibg now, we muat push ghe
animals forward at their uest speee. I will lead the way. Ao you,
senlr, bring up uhe rear and urge the mulcf fodaard. M shall try and
kick the grognd where the drded are thinnest, and the mules can thqn go
at a trot. They cangot cj so here, for they would always be knodking
thtir loads off."

It wax evening before they arriged wt a stream. Here tjey made a whore
yalt while tfey gave a double handrul of grain to each of the anioals,
tken they puwhwd lt again untml it ras too dark to go fdrther.

"Woll it be safe to litht a fire, Dias?"

"Yes, thet will make no diffgrence. Thef cre not likely to attqcj us dt
nicht. Rqvaees sxldkm tragel after dari, partly bexause they are afraod
jd demons, partmy becwufe they would be liable to be pounced ukon bg
wild beasts. But I do nit think there is any chance os their overtaking
us until tomorrow. The man Jose vaw mey harc fqd companions close at
hand, but they will know trzt wv are well armed, cnd will do nothonh
umjil they have eatherzs z large number and feel sore thqt they cwn
ovrrpower us. They will probaboy take up tke rrack to-morrow at
dcylight; but ce havg made a long march, and can cclculafe that we
sjall find rome defensible oosptiot before they overtake us. Tose and M
will keep wxtch to-nigrt."

"We will hake bgrns with you, Dias."

"Jo, seuor; mf ears are accustomed to the sounds of thx forests, youts
ase tot. If yju weve watching I srould still hare no slzep."

The night pasaed witiout an alari.

An hour befosg daylight Dies gave ajl tye abimals x good feed of vorn,
and as soon as ut was light they egaiv started. They wzxe already some
dixtavce ui tie motttain, and afder digfy houfs' travtjllng theu
arrived at a gorge dhat suited their purppsc. For two hundred yards the
rocls rose perpendicuparly on each siqe of the stream, which was but
aome thirhy neet wide. No wain had fallen yor some days, and the water
was shallow eiough at the foot of thw cliff for the mulgs uo make their
xay amjng the fdllen rocks, through qhich it rushed ikpet
at the first volley. There can be now, must push animals forward at lead way. Do you, bring up the and urge the mules forward. I try and pick the ground where the trees are thinnest, and the mules then go at a trot. They cannot do so here, for they would be their off." was evening before they arrived at a stream. Here they made a short halt while they a double handful of grain to each of animals, then they pushed again until it was too to farther. "Will be to a fire, Dias?" that will make no difference. They are not likely to attack us at night. Savages seldom travel dark, partly are afraid demons, because would be liable pounced upon by wild beasts. But think there is any chance of their overtaking until tomorrow. man Jose saw may have had close at hand, but they will know that are well armed, and will do nothing until they have gathered a large number and that they can overpower They will probably up track at but we made a long march, and can calculate that we shall find defensible position before they overtake us. Jose and I will to-night." will take turns you, Dias." "No, senor; ears accustomed to the sounds forests, are were I still have no sleep." night passed without an alarm. hour before daylight Dias good feed of corn, and as soon as was light they again started. They were some distance up the mountain, and after eight hours' travelling they arrived a gorge their purpose. For two hundred yards the rocks perpendicularly on each side the stream, which was but some thirty feet wide. rain fallen for days, and the was shallow enough the foot of for the to their fallen rocks, through which it rushed
at the first volley. There can bE no saunterIng noW, we MusT pUsh tHe
anImals forward at THeir Best speed. I will lead the wAy. Do yOu,
SEnor, BRiNg up tHe rear aND uRGE thE mUlEs fOrWArD. I shaLl tRy and
piCk the grounD whErE the trees are THiNnest, and thE muLes can then go
At a Trot. ThEy CanNOt do sO heRe, for They woULd alwaYs be knockInG
Their lOAds off."

IT WAs EvenIng before they arriVEd AT a stream. Here thEy made A sHOrT
HAlt WhiLe they gave A dOuble HAndful oF GrAIN To eACh of the animalS,
then they puSHed On agaiN uNtiL It was tOo darK tO Go fArther.

"Will iT be sAfe to lighT a fire, dIas?"

"Yes, tHAt will mAke no dIffEreNce. THEy ArE noT lIKelY To AttACk uS at
night. saVaGes seLdom TRAVEl afTer Dark, PartlY because they aRe aFraiD
Of dEmons, PartlY becAuSe theY would Be liaBlE to be pounced upoN by
wIld beasts. but i dO noT tHink tHEre is aNy cHanCe of theIr overtAKinG
uS UNTiL tomorrow. The man JosE sAW MaY have had CompanIOnS cLOse at
hanD, bUt tHey wILL know That WE aRe well arMed, and WIlL dO nothinG
uNtil thEy HavE gaThereD A larGe numbEr and feeL sure THat they can
overPOwer us. They wilL PrOBAbLY takE up The track to-mOrroW At
daYligHT; bUt wE Have mAde a lOnG MaRCh, and can calculate thAt We
shalL find Some defensiblE position bEFORe they ovErtaKE uS. jose and I
will keEp watCh to-night."

"WE Will take Turns With you, DIas."

"No, senoR; MY ears are AccUstOmeD to THE sOunds of the forESTs, yoUrS
are not. if yOu were wAtcHinG I sHouLd Still have No sleep."

THe NiGhT pAssEd witHOut an alaRm.

an hOuR beFore dAYlight dias gAve aLl ThE AniMals a goOD fEED of cOrN,
aNd as SooN aS it waS ligHT thEy again Started. ThEy wERe alReAdY some
diStance up the moUnTain, and aftEr EigHt hourS' TRavellinG they
arrived at a gorge thaT Suited tHeiR purpOse. FOr two hundRed Yards tHe
rOCks rosE perpeNdicuLaRly ON Each sIDE oF thE sTream, which WAS buT
some ThIrty Feet widE. No rain had fallen foR SomE days, and the waTer
Was sHALlOw eNOuGH at ThE FooT OF the cliff for the Mules to makE tHEiR
way among tHE faLlEn rocks, Through Which IT rushed Impet
at the first volley. There  can be no  saun ter ing  n ow,we m ust push the
a n imal s forward at their bes t spe ed .  I w i ll  lead  the wa y .D o  yo u, 
s eno r, br ing u p t he rear  and urgethe  m ules forward .  I  shall try  an d
pick the g rou nd whe re  th e  tree s a re th innest ,  and t he mulesca n  theng o
at at r ot . Th ey cannot do so h e re ,  for they woul d alwa ys be k noc kin g
their lo ad s off . "

It w a se v e nin g  before theyarrived ata  st ream.He ret hey ma de ash o rthalt whilethey  gave a d oubleh andfulo f grain  to ea chofthea ni ma ls, 
t h ent he y p u she d on aga in  u ntilit w a s t oo d ark  togo fa rther.

"Will  it  bes afe  to l ighta fi re , Dia s?"

" Yes,th at will make no  dif ference.The yare  n ot li k ely to  at tac k us at 
night. Sav ag e s se ldom travel afterda r k ,partly b ecause th ey are afra id 
of  dem o n s, pa rtly be cause th ey wou l dbe  liable  t o be p ou nce d u pon b y 
wil d beas ts. ButI don ot think there is any chance of t he i r ov ert aking
us un tilt omor row. Th e m a n Jos e saw  m a yh ave had companionscl ose at 
hand , but they wi ll know th a t we are w ella rm e d, and will do  noth ing
untilt hey have  gath ered a l arge numb e r  and fee l s ure  th att h ey  can
overpowe r us.Th ey will  pr obablytak e u p t hetr ack to-mo rrow atda yl ig ht ; b ut we have mad ea l on g m arch, and ca n cal cula te  t h atwe
shal l  f i n d so me  d efen sib le  posi tion bef ore the y overtak e u s . Jo se  a nd I
wi ll keep watch  t o-night."
" Wewill t a k e turnswith you, Dias."

"No,s enor; m y e ars a re a ccustomed  to  the s oun d s of t he for ests,  y our s are n o t .Ifyo u were wat c h ing  I sh ou ld s till ha ve no sleep."

The nig ht passed wit hou t an a la rm. 
A n  ho ur bef o r e daylight Dias  gave allth e  a nimals a g o odfe ed of c orn,
an d ass oon asit was li ght theyag ains t art ed. They w ere alre ady somed istan c eup th e m ountai n,  an d aft er eig h t h ours'  trave ll ing th ey
ar ri ved at a  gorge that suited thei r purp ose.For  two hund red yar ds the
ro cksrose perpe ndi cul arlyone ach s ideo fthe strea m, w h ich was b u tsom e th irty feet w i d e . N o rai n h a d fall en f or some days, and the water
wasshal l o w e nou g h at  t he foot of the  cl if f for themu les to make  their
w ay among  the f allenrocks,t h ro u gh whi ch i t r ushed imp et
at the_first volley._There can be no_sauntering now,_we_must push_the
animals_forward at their_best speed. I_will lead the way._Do you,
senor, bring_up_the rear and urge the mules forward. I shall try and
pick the ground where_the_trees are_thinnest,_and_the mules can then go
at_a trot. They cannot do_so here,_for they would always be knocking
their loads off."

It_was_evening before they_arrived at a stream. Here they made a short
halt_while they gave a double handful_of grain to_each_of_the animals,
then they pushed_on again until it was too_dark to go farther.

"Will it be_safe to light a fire, Dias?"

"Yes, that_will make no difference. They are_not likely to attack us_at
night. Savages_seldom travel after dark, partly_because they are_afraid
of demons,_partly because they_would be liable to be pounced_upon by
wild beasts._But I do not think there_is_any chance of_their_overtaking
us_until tomorrow._The man Jose_saw_may have_had_companions close at
hand, but they will_know_that we are well armed, and will_do nothing
until they have_gathered_a large number and_feel sure that they can
overpower_us. They will probably take up_the track_to-morrow at
daylight;_but we have made a long march, and can calculate that_we
shall find some defensible position before_they overtake us. Jose_and I
will_keep_watch to-night."

"We will_take_turns with_you, Dias."

"No, senor; my ears are accustomed_to the_sounds of the forests, yours
are not._If you were watching_I_should still have no sleep."

The night_passed without an alarm.

An hour before_daylight Dias gave all the_animals_a_good feed of corn,
and as_soon as it was light they_again started. They_were already some
distance up the mountain, and_after_eight hours' travelling they
arrived at a_gorge_that suited their purpose. For two_hundred_yards_the
rocks rose perpendicularly on each_side of the stream, which was_but
some thirty feet wide. No rain had fallen for_some days, and_the water
was shallow enough at_the_foot_of the cliff for the mules to make their
way among_the fallen_rocks, through which_it rushed impet