beneath me. I strengthened myself firmly on my stirrups, to make the
terrified animal understand that his master no longer trembled. I held
him up with bridle and the hams, as every good horseman does in a
dangerous passage, and, with the bridle, the body, and the spur,
together, succeeded in backing him a few paces. His head was already a
greater distance from that of the horse of the colonel, who encouraged
me all he could with his voice. This done, I let the poor, trembling
brute, who obeyed me in spite of his terror, repose for a few moments,
and then recommenced the same manoeuver. All on a sudden, I felt his
hind legs give way under me. A horrible shudder ran through my whole
frame. I closed my eyes, as if about to roll to the bottom of the abyss,
and I gave to my body a violent impulse on the side next to the
hacienda, the surface of which offered not a single projection, not a
tuft of weeds to check my descent. This sudden movement joined to the
desperate struggles of my horse, was the salvation of my life. He had
sprung up again on his legs, which seemed ready to fall from under him,
so desperately did I feel them tremble."

"I had succeeded in reaching between the brink of the precipice and the
wall of the building, a spot some few inches broader. A few more would
have enabled me to turn him round; but to attempt it here would have
been fatal, and I dared not venture. I sought to resume my backward
progress, step by step. Twice the horse threw himself on his hind legs,
and fell down upon the same spot. It was in vain to urge him anew,
either with voice, bridle, or spur; the animal obstinately refused to
take a single step in the rear. Nevertheless, I did not feel my courage
yet exhausted, for I had no desire to die. One last, solitary chance of
safety, suddenly appeared to me, like a flash of light, and I resolved
to employ it. Through the fastening of my boot, and in reach of my hand,
was placed a sharp and keen knife, which I drew forth from its sheath.