and deprived them of reason. By this
time the government infantry had reached the plateau and was forming
into companies. Their cavalry had seized the heights and the day was
lost.

I saw General Pierola shake hands with the priest and leave the field.
The priest mounted and he, too, was gone. The ground was strewn with
arms; even the discordant musical instruments were discarded.

Thus an army of revolutionists, who, a few hours before paraded
through the streets of Torato, cheered by fair women, and shouting
"Viva Pierola," had won a battle by natural surroundings and lost it
by their cowardice. I, too, thought it was time to retreat, as my
escort of twenty soldiers had long since disappeared. I rode to
Torato.

Along the way I overtook straggling bands of insurgents going into
town to hide, while others were scaling the tallest mountains. I went
to my quarters, and soon the town was surrounded.

The next morning about two hundred insurgents were captured. The
others were hid in some mysterious way and the commanding officer of
the government troops was made to believe that the main body of the
insurgents was in the mountains.

I sought the general of the government troops to inform him of my
presence. He replied that he knew of my being a prisoner, and asked me
to return to Moquequa at once and help to get the railway in operation
to convey his troops and prisoners.

I was glad no other questions were put to me, and after pleading with
the general for my kind host who had treated me with great kindness in
Torato, and who was not in sympathy with the revolutionists, he agreed
to exempt him from the payment of money levied on nearly all the
inhabitants.

[Illustration: THE EARTH BEGAN TO ROCK AND REEL. (Page 33)]

Soon after this a troop ship arrived in Ilo to convey prisoners and
escort to Lima. I felt sorry for the prisoners. Many of them
recognized me and kept calling, "Don Juan, please try and help us,"
but of course I was powerless to do anything for them. I was glad when
they were aboard the transport for I felt miserable in the midst of so
much suffering. But I knew they would not suffer long. Another
revolution would set them free.

The railroad was again in running order and everything progressing
smoothly when one morning at breakfast I was informed that Pierola had
broken out again. This time his party had, by means unknown, captured
the Peruvian ironclad ram, Huascar. He must have been aided by