we trust that his spirit ascended to be folded in the embrace
of his Heavenly Father. It is a fundamental principle in the teachings
of Jesus, that in every nation he that feareth God, and doeth
righteousness, is accepted of him. But God's ways here on earth are
indeed past all finding out. Perhaps the future will solve the
dreadful mystery, but at present, as we contemplate man's inhumanity
to man, our eyes are often blinded with tears, and our hearts sink
despairingly within us.

De Soto pressed rapidly onwards, league after league, over sublime
eminences and through luxuriant vales. The road was admirable: smooth
and clean as a floor. It was constructed only for foot passengers, as
the Peruvians had no animals larger than the lama or sheep. This
advance-guard of the Spanish army, all well mounted, and inspired by
the energies of their impetuous chief, soon reached a point where the
road led over a mountain by steps cut in the solid rock, steep as a
flight of stairs. Precipitous cliffs rose hundreds of feet on either
side. Here it was necessary for the troopers to dismount, and
carefully to lead their horses by the bit up the difficult ascent.

The road was winding and irregular, leading through the most savage
scenery. This pass, at its summit, opened upon smooth table-land,
luxuriant and beautiful under the influence of a tropical sun and
mountain showers and dews. About half way up this pass, upon almost
inaccessible crags, several thousand Peruvians had assembled to make
another attempt at resistance. Arrows and javelins were of but little
avail. Indeed they always rebounded from the armor of the Spaniards as
from the ledges of eternal rock.

But the natives had abundantly provided themselves with enormous
stones to roll down upon the heads of men and horses. Quite a band of
armed men were also assembled upon the open plain at the head of the
pass. As the Spaniards were almost dragging their horses up the gorge,
suddenly the storm of war burst upon them. Showers of stone descended
from the cliff from thousands of unseen hands. Huge boulders were
pried over and went thundering down, crashing all opposition before
them. It seems now incomprehensible why the whole squadron of
horsemen was not destroyed. But in this awful hour the self-possession
of De Soto did not for one moment forsake him. He shouted to his men:

"If we halt here, or attempt to go back, we must certainly perish. Our
only safety is in pressing f