The only striking scene I can recall was our passage on a bamboo bridge over a river in our course. The army had crossed by a ford lower down, where the water was shallow and the current slight. Here it was of great depth, and the banks of considerable height. As I looked at the slight structure, however, it appeared to me incapable of bearing more than the weight of a single man, while a few cuts with a manchette would have sent it into the torrent below. I heard Captain Laffan, who was in advance of me, cry out to his bearers, "You don't mean to say that we are to go over that spider's-web affair! Why! it looks as if it would give way with the weight of that woman going along it." "Have no fears about the matter, senor captain; cavalry have charged over it before now," was the answer. And, in spite of the captain's protestations, his bearers tramped on and crossed in safety. I followed, and though the bamboos creaked ominously they held fast, and no accident occurred to any of the party. It was along such a bridge as this that the gallant Colonel Mackintosh rode at full gallop, when leading on his brave Albions to the capture of La Plata, some time afterwards. The path we took would only allow of one litter passing at a time, and I had no conversation with the rest of the party; so, when we stopped at night, Laffan ordered his litter to be placed alongside mine. He was in excellent spirits, and seemed to feel his several wounds scarcely so much as I did the single one I had received. "You are not so well accustomed to it, my boy, as I am. I have no extra flesh to be annoyed, you see; and my parchment-like skin soon unites," he observed, laughing. At last we arrived at Popayan. My father looked somewhat horrified when he saw me and heard of my narrow escape. "I am sorry I allowed Mr Laffan and you to go," he said. "However, you are here now, and I hope you will soon be brought round." "Faith, doctor, but I'm mighty glad to have seen a little more service; and as soon as you can patch me up I'll be off again to fight for the right cause!" exclaimed our Irish friend. I inquired for my mother and the rest of our relations. "Paul Lobo," said my father, "discovered them in a hut among the mountains. They were all very well, and in tolerable spirits, only somewhat anxious about us. I have sent him back again with a load of necessary articles; and if we receive satisfactory accounts from the army, I trust that they will return as soon as they grow weary of their rough life. Uncle Richard, however, takes very good care of them, and obtains abundance of provisions; but they intend, at all events, shortly to return to the farm, from whence, should the Spaniards again overrun the country, they can make good their retreat."