yet all nature--plants and trees, men and
beasts--seem to quiver and tremble with apprehension. Our horses pant
and groan as they bound along with dilated nostrils and glaring eyes,
trembling in every limb, sweating at every pore, half wild with
terror; giving springs and leaps that more resemble those of a hunted
tiger than of a horse.

The prayer and exclamations of the terrified Mexicans, continued
without intermission, whispered and shrieked and groaned in every
variety of intonation. The earthy hue of intense terror was upon every
countenance. For some moments a death-like stillness, an unnatural
calm, reigned around us: it was as though the elements were holding in
their breath, and collecting their energies for some mighty outbreak.
Then came a low indistinct moaning sound, that seemed to issue from
the bowels of the earth. The warning was significant.

"Halt! stop" shouted we to the guides. "Stop! and let us seek shelter
from the storm."

"On! for God's sake, on! or we are lost," was the reply.

Thank Heaven! the path is getting wider--we come to a descent--they
are leading us out of the forest. If the storm had come on while we
were among the trees, we might be crushed to death by the falling
branches. We are close to a barranca.

"_Alerto! Alerto!_" shrieked the Mexicans. "_Madre de Dios! Dios!
Dios!"_

And well might they call to God for help in that awful moment. The
gigantic night-moth gaped and shot forth tongues of fire--a ghastly
white flame, that contrasted strangely and horribly with the dense
black cloud from which it issued. There was a peal of thunder that
seemed to shake the earth, then a pause during which nothing was heard
but the panting of our horses as they dashed across the barranca, and
began straining up the steep side of a knoll or hillock. The cloud
again opened: for a second every thing was lighted up. Another thunder
clap, and then, as though the gates of its prison had been suddenly
burst open, the tempest came forth in its might and fury, breaking,
crushing, and sweeping away all that opposed it. The trees of the
forest staggered and tottered for a moment, as if making an effort to
bear up against the storm; but it was in vain: the next instant, with
a report like that of ten thousand cannon, whole acres of mighty trees
were snapped off, their branches shivered, their roots torn up; it was
no longer a forest but a chaos; an ocean of boughs and tree-trunks,
that were tossed abo