ng with all his fiery energy to hurry up
reinforcements from Colombia and Chili, but until they arrived he could
not send them on. Then, too, the viceroy had gained over several
Indian tribes, and they had already cut one detachment to pieces. As
far as I could judge, the Royalists had the whip-hand, and unless they
made a mistake we should very shortly be at their mercy.

On the sixth of December we halted at a little village, and a thrill of
joy went through the troops when it was rumoured that our leaders
intended to attack the enemy at all risks. Wearied men, who had thrown
themselves exhausted on the ground, struggled to their feet; starving
men forgot their pangs; the very invalids crawled into the ranks, some
of them so weak that they could barely trail a musket.

"Stand by your horses!" said the colonel, as the enemy were only three
miles off, and we might be required at any moment.

An hour passed and we still waited; the morning wore away; afternoon
merged into evening, and we were ordered to encamp. Something, we knew
not what, had gone wrong.

"I don't know if there was a chance to-day," observed Plaza, "but won't
there be one to-morrow?"

"Why?"

"Because the Royalists will block the road along which we must retreat.
Then we must either throw ourselves against a terribly strong position,
or stay here and starve."

Events soon proved that he had not spoken at random. Early next
morning the enemy moved to an almost impregnable post. Twice our
number of strong men, flushed with victory and well equipped with guns,
might well have hesitated to attack. As for us, it was sheer madness.

Things had come to the worst now. Further retreat was barred; our
provisions, even if we subsisted on the shortest of short rations,
would not last five days, while to move against the foe was simply to
commit suicide.

"Lucky Barriero, sitting in his little hut!" said Alzura; "no fighting,
no starving! The next time we're taken prisoners we'll make the best
of it, Juan."

"I doubt if the Spaniards will make many prisoners--that is, among the
officers," growled Cordova. "The men will be spared, but we shall be
put out of the way of doing mischief."

I think myself Cordova exaggerated the danger; but his opinion was
shared by the great majority of the Patriots, and it was this fear
which made them resolve to fight to the bitter end rather than
surrender.

After breakfast we lounged about on the heights wat