fed him. After passing some
days very pleasantly here, Will made preparations to continue his
journey, when an express arrived bringing intelligence from several of
the surrounding towns to the effect that a sort of revolution had broken
out. It was fomented by a certain colonel in the employment of the
State, who, finding that his services and those of his followers were
not paid with sufficient regularity, took the simple method of
recruiting his finances by a levy on the various towns in his
neighbourhood. He was, in fact, a bandit. Some towns submitted, others
remonstrated, and a few resisted. When it was ascertained that the
colonel and his men were on their way to the town, in which our
travellers sojourned, preparations were at once made for defence, and of
course Will Osten and his comrades could do no less than volunteer their
services.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

IN WHICH TERRIBLE THINGS ARE TREATED OF--THE ANDES ARE CROSSED, THE
ORINOCO DESCENDED AND THE BOOK ENDED.

At the time of which we write it was not an uncommon thing, in the
provinces on the western coast of South America, for dissatisfied
military officers, with a number of malcontents, to get up miniature
revolutions, which were generally put down after much plundering and
bloodshed. These bands of armed men went about like regular banditti,
disturbing the peace of the whole country. They were not much heard of
in Europe, because intercommunication and telegraphy did not exist then
as they do now, and insignificant affairs of the kind were not taken
much notice of.

One effect of the threatened attack on the town about which we write
was, that the people became desperately excited and tremendously
vigorous in their preparations. Arms were sought out and distributed;
chests were opened, and gold and silver--in quantities that amazed Will
and his friends--taken out and buried in the woods. Pistols, guns, and
swords were produced in abundance, with plenty of ammunition, and the
manner in which the men handled these proved that they meant to make a
determined stand. Trees were felled, and the roads leading to the town
barricaded. As the express came along he spread the news around, and
farmers came in from all quarters driving their cattle before them. All
the arrangements for defence were made under the direction of Don Pedro,
a retired officer, who proved to be quite equal to the occasion, posted
his men judiciously, and sent out scouts on