was a cleft, through which a
little stream ran. It was here that the boys had made preparations.
The point could not be turned, without a long and difficult march
along the face of the cliff; and on the summit of this sixty men,
divided into two parties, one on each side of the fissure, were
stationed.

The Spaniards advanced until they nearly reached the mouth of the
ravine. It must be remembered that, although the forest was very
thick, and the vegetation luxuriant; yet there were paths here and
there, made by the constant passing, to and fro, of the occupants
of the wood. Their main direction acted as a guide to the
Spaniards; and the hounds, by their sniffing and eagerness, acted
as a guide to the advancing force.

They paused when they saw, opening before them, this entrance to
the rocky gorge. While they halted, the increased eagerness of the
dogs told them that they were now approaching the point where their
foes were concealed; and the prospect of an attack, on so strong a
position, was formidable even to such a body.

A small party, of thirty men, was told off to advance and
reconnoiter the position. These were allowed to enter the gorge,
and to follow it for a distance of a hundred yards, to a point
where the sides were approached to their nearest point. Then, from
a parapet of rock piled across the ravine came a volley of
musketry; and, simultaneously, from the heights of either side
great stones came crashing down. Such of the party as did not fall
at the first discharge fired a volley at their invisible
assailants, and then hurried back to the main body.

It was now clear that fighting, and that of a serious character,
was to be undertaken. The Spanish commander rapidly reconnoitered
the position; and saw that here, at least, no flanking movement was
possible. He therefore ordered his men to advance, for a direct
attack. Being more afraid of the stones from above than of the
defenders in the ravine, the Spaniards prepared to advance in
skirmishing order; in that way they would be able to creep up to
the barricade of rocks with the least loss, to themselves, from the
fire of its defenders; while the stones from above would prove far
less dangerous than would be the case upon a solid column.

With great determination, the Spanish troops advanced to the
attack. As they neared the mouth of the gorge, flights of arrows
from above were poured down upon them; and these were answered by
their own musketeer