et off again on our wild career,
this time followed not only by the guard, but by the Pombo and all his
men. Once or twice I could not help turning round to look at them. The
cavalcade was a weird and picturesque sight, the riders with their
many-colored dresses, their matchlocks with red flags, their jewelled
swords, their banners with long ribbons of all colors flying in the
wind--all galloping furiously, shouting, yelling, and hissing, amid a
deafening din of thousands of horse-bells.

In order to quicken our speed, a horseman rode by my side lashing my
pony to make it go its hardest. Meanwhile the horseman who held the cord
did his utmost to pull me off the saddle, no doubt in the hope of seeing
me trampled to death by the cavalcade behind me. As I leaned my body
forward so as to maintain my seat, and with my arms pulled violently
backward by the rope, the flesh on my hands and knuckles was rubbed off
down to the bone by the chain of the handcuffs. Every tug brought me
into forcible contact with the spikes and inflicted deep wounds. The
cord eventually and unexpectedly gave way. The soldier who was pulling
at the other end was clumsily unhorsed, and I myself was all but thrown
by the unexpected jerk. This amusing incident at first provoked mirth
among my escort, a mirth which their superstitious minds immediately
turned into an ill omen.

When my pony was stopped, as well as the runaway steed of the dismounted
cavalier, I took advantage of their fears, and assured them once more
that whatever harm they tried to do me would go against themselves.
However, the cord was retied with sundry strong knots, and, after an
interruption of a few minutes, we resumed our breakneck gallop, I being
again sent in front.

Toward the end of our journey we had to go round the curve of a
sand-hill, the track between this and a large pond at its foot being
very narrow. At this point I saw in front of me a soldier posted in
ambush, with his matchlock ready to fire. The pony sank deep in the
sand, and could not travel fast, which, I suppose, was the reason why
that spot had been selected. The man fired as I passed only a few paces
from him; but, as luck would have it, this second attempt also left me
untouched.

Getting clear of the soft sand, and finding harder ground, we resumed
our headlong career. Several arrows were shot at me from behind. Some
passed very near, but not one struck me. Thus, after an interminable
ride full of inc