OUR GUIDE COMPLAINS OF OUR RAPID PACE--HE LEAVES US--WE MEET CAPTAIN LOPEZ--OUR DOUBTS AS TO HIS OBJECT--IN A DESERTED HUT--WE MEET UNCLE RICHARD AND A BODY OF INFANTRY--WE TURN BACK WITH HIM--A RAPID STREAM-- FINDING A BRIDGE--THE SPANIARDS ADVANCING--A RUSH TO GAIN THE BRIDGE--WE REACH IT FIRST--A FIGHT--THE SPANIARDS DEFEATED--NO PRISONERS TAKEN--WE APPROACH THE FORT--CAPTAIN LAFFAN AND I RIDE ON TO RECONNOITRE--SIGNS OF DISASTER--OUR MEN FIRE--A FLOCK OF GALENACHAS RISES FROM THE FORT, WHICH APPEARS IN RUINS--DEAD BODIES SCATTERED ABOUT--DISCOVERY OF THAT OF JUAN--WE RAISE A TOMB OVER HIS GRAVE--THE ARMY OF BOLIVAR--DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERAL--TREACHERY OF COLONEL LOPEZ--ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE BOLIVAR--NUMEROUS ENGAGEMENTS--PRAISE FROM THE GENERAL--MY RETURN HOME-- AN INTERVIEW WITH DONA DOLORES--SHE JOINS THE ARMY--WAR THE GREATEST CURSE THAT CAN AFFLICT A COUNTRY--CONCLUSION. We endeavoured to make up for lost time by galloping as fast as our horses would go, whenever the ground would admit of our doing so. Every moment might be of consequence. Should the Spaniards again attack the fort, we knew too well that our friends would have a hard matter to hold it. Our guide frequently exclaimed that we should knock up our steeds, or bring them to the ground. "Never fear, my friend," said Mr Laffan; "if we do, we must pick ourselves up again." "But your bones, senors, your bones; you will break them or your necks," murmured our guide. "Never mind--we must do the best we can; you don't know what we Englishmen are made of," said Mr Laffan. "But I may break my neck, and then what will become of my poor Margarida?" cried our guide. "We will do our best to console her, and find her another husband. On, on!" cried Mr Laffan. In vain were all the expostulations of our guide. The dominie lashed his little steed, and up hill and down dale we kept on. Probably Tomaso would have left us to pursue our course alone and find our own way, had not my friend wisely kept back a portion of the price of the horse, lest such a trick might be played us. At last Tomaso pointed out what he called the highroad, and assured us that by keeping straight on we should in time reach the Patriot camp. How far off it was, however, he did not say. He now begged hard for the sum we owed him. "Here it is, my friend; you have well earned it, I own," said Mr Laffan, handing him the amount. He was profuse in his expressions of gratitude. "A fortunate journey to you, caballeros; and may the Patriot cause prove triumphant," he added, as, making a low bow, he turned his horse's head and rode back the way we had come. We had not got far when we saw a horseman galloping in hot haste towards us; by his dress and accoutrements we knew him to be an officer. As he got nearer I recognised him to be Captain Lopez. He pulled up, and began to address us before he recognised either of us.