over, the sound of a Royalist bugle was heard close at hand. Lady
Cochrane sprang to the palanquin, and taking out her suffering infant,
rushed on to the bridge, but when near the centre, the vibration became
so great that she was compelled to lie down, pressing the child to her
bosom--being thus suspended over the foaming torrent beneath, whilst in
its state of vibration no one could venture on the bridge. In this
perilous situation, Pedro, the faithful soldier of whom mention has been
previously made, seeing the imminent danger of her Ladyship, begged of
her to lie still, and as the vibration ceased, crept on his hands and
knees towards her Ladyship, taking from her the child, and imploring her
to remain motionless, when he would bring her over in the same way; but
no sooner had he taken the child, than she followed, and happily
succeeded in crossing, when the ropes being cut, the torrent was
interposed between her and her pursuers.

All travellers agree in describing these torrent bridges as most
perilous. They are constructed of six elastic cane or hide ropes, four
of which, with some sticks laid across, form the floor, and two the
parapet. Only one person can pass at a time, and as the weight of the
passenger causes the bridge to belly downwards, he remains suspended as
it were in an elastic bag, from which it requires considerable skill to
extricate himself with safety. Mules and horses cannot go over at all,
but are hauled through the torrent with ropes.

Having reached the coast in safety, Lady Cochrane came down to me at
Callao. Whilst she was on board, I received private information that a
ship of war laden with treasure was about to make her escape in the
night. There was no time to be lost, as the enemy's vessel was such an
excellent sailer that, if once under weigh, beyond the reach of shot,
there was no chance of capturing her. I therefore determined to attack