s and bowmen, although the figures occasionally
exposed above offered but a poor mark, in comparison to that
afforded by the column below.

The men on the ridge were entirely natives, the boys having
selected the negroes, on whose courage at close quarters they could
more thoroughly rely, for the defense of the ravine. The firearms
in those days could scarcely be termed arms of precision. The
bell-mouth arquebuses could carry a large and heavy charge, but
there was nothing like accuracy in their fire; and although a
steady fire was kept up from the barricade, and many Spaniards
fell; yet a larger number succeeded in making their way through the
zone of fire, by taking advantage of the rocks and bushes; and
these gathered, near the foot of the barricade.

The stones which came crashing from above did serious damage among
them, but the real effect of these was more moral than physical.
The sound of the great masses of stone, plunging down the hillside,
setting in motion numbers of small rocks as they came, tearing down
the bushes and small trees, was exceedingly terrifying at first;
but as block after block dashed down, doing comparatively little
harm, the Spaniards became accustomed to them; and, keeping under
the shelter of masses of rock, to the last moment, prepared all
their energies for the attack. The Spanish commander found that the
greater portion of his troop were within striking distance, and he
gave the command, to those gathered near the barricade, to spring
forward to the attack.

The gorge, at this point, was some fifteen yards wide. The
barricade across it was thirty feet in height. It was formed of
blocks of stone, of various sizes; intermingled with which were
sharp stakes, with their points projecting; lines of bushes and
arms of trees, piled outwards; and the whole was covered loosely
with sharp prickly creepers, cut from the trees and heaped there. A
more difficult place to climb, even without its being defended from
above, would be difficult to find. The covering of thorny creepers
hid the rocks below; and at each step the soldiers put their feet
into deep holes between the masses of rock, and fell forward,
lacerating themselves horribly with the thorns, or coming face
downwards on one of the sharp-pointed stakes. But if, without any
resistance from above, the feat of climbing this carefully prepared
barricade was difficult; it was terrible when, from the ridge
above, a storm of bullets swept do