banks; but they had expended all their
cartridges, I suppose, for they stood watching him in stupid
astonishment; and no one, for a minute or more, thought of ordering any
of the other soldiers to advance and fire. This gave the swimmer a
great advantage; and as the current was strong, he had soon glided some
way down below the square. At last some hundred men advanced to the
edge of the river, and opened a rapid fire on him; but still he
continued his course undaunted. The Indians on the banks set up loud
shouts, as did those who had swam out to meet him. He was quickly among
them, when it became impossible to distinguish him from the rest. Many,
I suspected, lost their lives in their attempt to save their chief. A
number of soldiers jumped into the canoes on the banks of the river, and
attempted to pursue the fugitive; but long before they could have
reached him, the swimmers had landed, and were seen rushing up among the
trees. Whether or not he was among them I could not tell; for the
bodies of those who were killed floated down the stream out of sight. A
rapid fire was kept up at the opposite bank, which the Indians, as they
landed, had to pass through; but they were soon sheltered from its
effects by the trees, and in a few moments not one of them was to be
seen. Carts came to convey the dead away; sand was strewed over the
spot; the crowd, murmuring at the escape of the principal victim,
dispersed; and the square in a short time resumed its usual appearance.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

A FRIEND IN NEED--OUR ESCAPE.

Pedro and I turned from the window, and sitting down, with our hands
before our faces, endeavoured to shut out the dreadful sights we had
witnessed. It was satisfactory, however, to believe that Manco had
escaped; and I trusted that he would not fall again into the power of
his enemies. When Sancho entered with a supply of provisions, he found
us so employed.

I do not know whether he suspected that we had some hopes of making our
escape, and wished to warn us of the danger. His manner, I remarked,
was more cordial than usual; and perhaps he did not expect to see us
again. As soon as he had left us, we consulted how we should form a
line to let down out of the window, as our sailor friend had advised.
We hunted about, but could not find even the smallest piece of rope. At
last I suggested that we might tear up one of our shirts, and by
twisting the bits and tying them together, we might