at it would be impossible for
them to ascend out of its bed. If we could restrain them from making a
rush at the shelving bank, we would have them penned up from any farther
advance. They could only flank our position by returning to the valley,
and going about by the western end, a distance of fifty miles at the
least. At all events, we should hold them in check until the atajo had
got a long start; and then, trusting to our horses, we intended to
follow it in the night. We knew that in the end we should have to
abandon the defence, as the want of provisions would not allow us to
hold out for any length of time.

At the command of our leader we had thrown ourselves among the rocks.
The thunder was now pealing over our heads, and reverberating through
the canon. Black clouds rolled along the cliffs, split and torn by
brilliant jets. Big drops, still falling thinly, slapped down upon the
stones.

As Seguin had told me, rain, thunder, and lightning are rare phenomena
in these regions; but when they do occur, it is with that violence which
characterises the storms of the tropics. The elements, escaping from
their wonted continence, rage in fiercer war. The long-gathering
electricity, suddenly displaced from its equilibrium, seems to revel in
havoc, rending asunder the harmonies of nature.

The eye of the geognosist, in scanning the features of this plateau
land, could not be mistaken in the character of its atmosphere. The
dread canons, the deep barrancas, the broken banks of streams, and the
clay-cut channels of the arroyos, all testified that we were in a land
of sudden floods.

Away to the east, towards the head waters of the river, we could see
that the storm was raging in its full fury. The mountains in that
direction were no longer visible. Thick rain-clouds were descending
upon them, and we could hear the sough of the falling water. We knew
that it would soon be upon us.

"What's keepin' them anyhow?" inquired a voice.

Our pursuers had time to have been up. The delay was unexpected.

"The Lord only knows!" answered another. "I s'pose thar puttin' on a
fresh coat o' paint at the town."

"They'll get their paint washed off, I reckin. Look to yer primin',
hosses! that's my advice."

"By gosh! it's a-goin' to come down in spouts."

"That's the game, boyees! hooray for that!" cried old Rube.

"Why? Do you want to git soaked, old case?"

"That's adzactly what this child wants."

"Well, it