the passage would have been dangerous; but, by night, it was a perilous
enterprize. The walls of the farm took an extensive sweep, the path
crept round their entire basement, and to follow it to the end, in the
darkness, only two paces from the edge of a perpendicular chasm, was no
very easy task, even for as practiced a horseman as myself.
Nevertheless, I did not hesitate, but boldly urged my horse between the
walls of the farm-house and the abyss of the Voladero. I had got over
half the distance without accident, when, all of a sudden, my horse
neighed aloud. This neigh made me shudder. I had just reached a pass
where the ground was but just wide enough for the four legs of a horse,
and it was impossible to retrace my steps."

"'Hallo!' I exclaimed aloud, at the risk of betraying myself, which was
even less dangerous than encountering a horseman in front of me on such
a road. 'There is a Christian passing along the ravine! Keep back,'"

"It was too late. At that moment, a man on horseback passed round one
of the buttresses which here and there obstructed this accursed pathway
He advanced toward me. I trembled in my saddle; my forehead bathed in a
cold sweat."

"'For the love of God! can you not return?' I exclaimed, terrified at
the fearful situation in which we both were placed."

"'Impossible!' replied the horseman."

"I recommended my soul to God. To turn our horses round for want of
room, to back them along the path we had traversed, or even to dismount
from them--these were three impossibilities, which placed us both in
presence of a fearful doom. Between two horsemen so placed upon this