mountains on either side. The valley was headed in by precipitous
cliffs, and the trail lay through the canon, up the bed of the stream.
The latter was shallow. During freshets it became a torrent; and then
the valley was inaccessible from the east, but that was a rare
occurrence in these rainless regions.

We entered the canon without halting, and galloped over the detritus,
and round huge boulders that lay in its bed. Far above us rose the
frowning cliffs, thousands of feet overhead. Great rocks scarped out,
abutting over the stream; shaggy pines hung top downward, clinging in
their seams; shapeless bunches of cacti and mezcals crawled along the
cliffs, their picturesque but gloomy foliage adding to the wildness of
the scene.

It was dark within the pass, from the shadow of the jutting masses; but
now darker than usual, for black storm-clouds were swathing the cliffs
overhead. Through these, at short intervals, the lightning forked and
flashed, glancing in the water at our feet. The thunder, in quick,
sharp percussions, broke over the ravine; but as yet it rained not.

We plunged hurriedly through the shallow stream, following the guide.
There were places not without danger, where the water swept around
angles of the cliff with an impetuosity that almost lifted our horses
from their feet; but we had no choice, and we scrambled on, urging our
animals with voice and spur.

After riding for a distance of several hundred yards, we reached the
head of the canon and climbed out on the bank.

"Now, cap'n," cried the guide, reining up, and pointing to the entrance,
"hyur's yur place to make stand. We kin keep them back till thur sick
i' the guts; that's what we kin do."

"You are sure there is no pass that leads out but this one?"

"Ne'er a crack that a cat kud get out at; that ur, 'ceptin' they go back
by the other eend; an' that'll take them a round-about o' two days, I
reckin."

"We will defend this, then. Dismount, men! Throw yourselves behind the
rocks!"

"If 'ee take my advice, cap, I'd let the mules and weemen keep for'ard,
with a lot o' the men to look arter 'em; them that's ridin' the meanest
critters. It'll be nose an' tail when we do go; and if they starts now,
yur see wa kin easy catch up with 'em t'other side o' the parairar."

"You are right, Rube! We cannot stay long here. Our provisions will
give out. They must move ahead. Is that mountain near the line of our
course, think you?"