I was awakened by Lion's loud bark, and by feeling him pulling at my clothes. Seeing that I was aroused, he next attacked Uncle Richard in the same way. On sitting up, what was my dismay to find that we were in the midst of a bright blaze! The hut was on fire. Antonio, in order to save himself trouble, had raked the embers close up to the entrance, and had then fallen asleep. Uncle Richard, seizing him by the shoulders, dragged him out; while I caught up his gun and the rest of our possessions, and sprang after him through the flames, followed by Lion, who would not leave the hut until he saw us in safety. The whole, however, was the work of a few seconds. Had we remained much longer, the roof would have come down upon us, and, at all events, have burned us severely. As it was, we got pretty well singed. As we looked back and saw the flames ascending, we had good cause to fear that the trees overhead would catch fire; and if so, a fearful conflagration might ensue. It would be scarcely possible to cut our way through the forest so as to escape it. The danger, therefore, was imminent. Uncle Richard setting the example, we attacked the thatch, and brought it to the ground; while with our swords we cut the grass around wherever we saw the fire creeping along the ground. A few minutes more, and we should have been unable to subdue the fire. Already some of the shrubs were singed in two opposite directions, but fortunately we saw the snake-like flames creeping forward in time to extinguish them. As there was no appearance of rain, we scraped the ashes of the fire together, and placing on them a few unburnt sticks, sat ourselves down close to it to wait until daylight, without which it would be impossible to travel through the forest. CHAPTER THIRTEEN. A HARD STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE FOREST--ANTONIO FINDS SOME CHERIMOIAS--OUR ESCAPE FROM THE WOOD--DANCING AT A MARRIAGE-FEAST-- HOSPITABLE ENTERTAINMENT--GUIDES--DOWN THE RIVER IN A CANOE--THE SPANIARDS AHEAD--WE CAMP, AND WAIT TO PASS THEM AT NIGHT--AGAIN EMBARKED--THE SPANISH CAMP--A NARROW ESCAPE--WE REACH THE CAUCA--WE CROSS TO THE LEFT BANK, AND SEE JUAN WITH A PARTY OF CAVALRY ON THE RIGHT BANK--PACHECO SWIMS ACROSS THE RIVER, AND RETURNS WITH A NOTE-- JUAN COMES FOR ME ON A RAFT--UNCLE RICHARD AND ANTONIO PROCEED TO POPAYAN--WE REACH A FARM ON THE LLANOS, AND CATCH AND TRAIN WILD HORSES FOR JUAN'S TROOP--MODE OF CATCHING WILD HORSES--JOINED BY MR. LAFFAN.