The place we occupied was among the rocks and drift, within the canon, and below the great gap which formed its mouth. We had chosen the position from necessity, at at this point the bank shelved out and offered a way to the open country, by which our pursuers could outflank us, should we allow them to get so far up. It was necessary, therefore, to prevent this; and we placed ourselves to defend the lower or second narrowing of the channel. We knew that below that point beetling cliffs walled in the stream on both sides, so that it would be impossible for them to ascend out of its bed. If we could restrain them from making a rush at the shelving bank, we would have them penned up from any farther advance. They could only flank our position by returning to the valley, and going about by the western end, a distance of fifty miles at the least. At all events, we should hold them in check until the atajo had got a long start; and then, trusting to our horses, we intended to follow it in the night. We knew that in the end we should have to abandon the defence, as the want of provisions would not allow us to hold out for any length of time. At the command of our leader we had thrown ourselves among the rocks. The thunder was now pealing over our heads, and reverberating through the canon. Black clouds rolled along the cliffs, split and torn by brilliant jets. Big drops, still falling thinly, slapped down upon the stones. As Seguin had told me, rain, thunder, and lightning are rare phenomena in these regions; but when they do occur, it is with that violence which characterises the storms of the tropics. The elements, escaping from their wonted continence, rage in fiercer war. The long-gathering electricity, suddenly displaced from its equilibrium, seems to revel in havoc, rending asunder the harmonies of nature. The eye of the geognosist, in scanning the features of this plateau land, could not be mistaken in the character of its atmosphere. The dread canons, the deep barrancas, the broken banks of streams, and the clay-cut channels of the arroyos, all testified that we were in a land of sudden floods. Away to the east, towards the head waters of the river, we could see that the storm was raging in its full fury. The mountains in that direction were no longer visible. Thick rain-clouds were descending upon them, and we could hear the sough of the falling water. We knew that it would soon be upon us. "What's keepin' them anyhow?" inquired a voice. Our pursuers had time to have been up. The delay was unexpected. "The Lord only knows!" answered another. "I s'pose thar puttin' on a fresh coat o' paint at the town." "They'll get their paint washed off, I reckin. Look to yer primin', hosses! that's my advice." "By gosh! it's a-goin' to come down in spouts." "That's the game, boyees! hooray for that!" cried old Rube. "Why? Do you want to git soaked, old case?" "That's adzactly what this child wants."