mother with the children and the females of the family down the
secret passage.

So unexpectedly had the events I have described occurred, and so
occupied had we been, that there was no time for leave-taking, scarcely
even to comprehend the full extent of the danger to which we were
exposed. There had been no weeping or lamentation, or any other sign of
alarm; for the women, all looking up to my mother, and seeing her so
fearless, seemed only anxious to follow her directions. I watched them
crowding after her to the door of the passage. Some carried the
children, and others baskets of provisions, and light articles of value
which she wished to preserve. My father led the way, and Ithulpo and
Jose brought up the rear with a bundle of torches.

As soon as they had disappeared, I ran towards the gates, calling on
some of the remaining servants to assist me in opening them. Before,
however, I had reached the gateway, the most terrific shouts and shrieks
I had ever heard assailed my ears. I at once divined the cause. The
Indians had at length understood the purpose of the Spaniards, and had
made an advance to intercept them. The soldiers were now thundering at
the gates, in an attempt to force them open, with the butt-ends of their
muskets. On finding this, I naturally became alarmed, lest, as I
withdrew the bars while they rushed in, they would trample me down, and
perhaps kill me; yet I felt that it would be cowardly to expose others
to a danger I was ready to avoid if I could. I therefore called on the
servants to aid me in removing some of the stout bars and withdrawing
the bolts, knowing that the people outside would quickly force open the
rest.

"We are opening the gates, my friends," I shouted. "Quick, quick!"

Scarcely had the bars been removed than the gates began to give way. We
leaped aside into a recess of the hall, and the soldiers rushed in,
uttering loud imprecations on us for having so long delayed them. Had
they seen us, I believe they would have knocked us on the head; but
fortunately they were in too great a hurry to take possession of the
house to look for us. There were in all not more than a hundred men; a
small garrison for so extensive a range of buildings. The rest of the
troops had, I found, advanced up the mountain, in an attempt to force
the passage across it. From the strong array of Indians I had seen
posted there, I considered that in this they would be disappointed. The
f