certain that they would not retire until
they had solved the mystery, and, if possible, annihilated the
forest bands.

On the fourth day after entering the wood, the Spaniards came to
the point where the barricade of trees had been erected. So
skilfully had this been constructed that they would have retired,
believing that there was no path beyond this little gorge; however,
the restlessness and anger of the dogs convinced them that there
must be something behind. Slowly a passage was cut, with axes,
through the virgin forest on either side; for the lesson they had
received had checked their impetuosity. They came down at the side
of the barricade, and thus having passed it, pressed forward in
steady array until they came to the foot of the great cliff. Here
the dogs were not long before they pointed out to the assailants
the narrow path, scarce visible, running along its face; and a
shout of satisfaction from the Spaniards testified that they now
felt certain that they had caught their enemies in a trap.

Parties were sent off to positions whence they could obtain a good
view of the place, and these soon reported that the ledge continued
to a great opening in the face of the precipice; that in some
places logs had been fixed to widen the path; and that there was
plenty of room, on the plateau formed by the retirement of the hill
face, for a large body to have taken refuge. They also reported
that the cliffs rose behind this amphitheater almost, if not quite
perpendicularly for a great height; and that, still higher, the
bare rock fell away at so steep an angle that it would be
difficult, in the extreme, to take up such a position from above as
would enable them to keep up a musquetry fire, or to hurl rocks
upon the defenders of the amphitheater.

When the reports were considered by the Spanish leader, he saw at
once that this was not an enterprise to be undertaken rashly. Men
were sent down to the plain below to reconnoiter; while others were
dispatched round the mountain, to see whether the path extended
across the whole face of the precipice, and also to discover, if
possible, whether the recess was commanded from above.

Both reports were unfavorable From the valley the great natural
strength of the position was manifest, for half a dozen men could
defend such a path as this against a thousand, by placing
themselves behind an angle and shooting down all who turned the
corner; while the men from above reported