the advantage they expected.

Frequently the Pastucians were so near that their shot came flying
across the valley; but, their powder not being of the best, the bullets
had by that time expended their force. Among their leaders I saw
several friars; and, mounted on a fine horse, I recognised the bishop.
He and his stalwart secretary had crucifixes in their left hands and
bright swords in their right, which they kept vehemently flourishing.
Now the bishop would hold up his crucifix, and now point with his sword
at the Patriots. Then the enemy, with shrieks and shouts, would charge
right up to our men; but on each occasion they were driven back with
dreadful slaughter. Two or three monks were knocked over; still the
bishop and his lieutenant seemed to bear charmed lives. Perhaps
superstition had something to do with it, and our men were afraid to
fire at a right reverend prelate.

At times I feared that the Patriots would give way, and on one occasion
the bishop and his followers had nearly succeeded in breaking our line;
but the regiment of the Cauca coming up, flushed with their previous
success, charged the enemy and drove them back headlong--the bishop and
his secretary, the ex-captain of dragoons, setting the example, and
scampering off at a rate which made it difficult to overtake them. I
expected to see Juan's troopers in pursuit, but he was meanwhile hotly
engaged with a body of the enemy's cavalry, which after a sharp contest
he defeated,--though they rallied again to cover the retreat of the
bishop.

Soon after this I lost sight of the main body of our army, which had
advanced; but small parties were seen coming to the rear, bringing in
the wounded. I observed one party going towards the cavalry tents,
which were directly below me. The men were carrying an officer on a
stretcher, and as I brought my glass to bear on them I saw, to my grief,
that the wounded man was Captain Laffan. Anxious to low whether he was
much hurt, I immediately began my descent from the position, though in
doing so, in my weak state, I nearly rolled to the bottom. Fortunately
I met one of the camp-followers, who assisted me along, and by his help
I got to Laffan's tent, and found my friend in the hands of the surgeon.

"You are where you should not be, young man!" exclaimed the latter when
he saw me.

"But I want to know how my friend is," I said.

"What, Duncan, my boy!" exclaimed the captain, who recognised my voice.
"I