and this thought inspired us to
proceed.

"We crossed the Pecos and entered upon the sterile plain. We knew not
how far it extended; only that on the other side lay a fertile country
through which we might penetrate to the frontier settlements of your
great free nation. This was the beacon of our hopes, the goal of
safety.

"We travelled in an easterly course; but there were days when the sun
was obscured by clouds; and then, unguided, we had either to remain at
rest or run the chance of getting strayed.

"We toiled on, growing weak for want of food, and suffering terribly
from thirst. No water was to be found anywhere--not a drop.

"Our animals suffered as ourselves. Staggering under the weight of
their loads, one by one they gave out, dropping down upon the desert
plain. Only one held out bravely to the last--the mustang mare that
brought you to our present abode. Yes, Lolita survived to carry my dear
sister, as if she understood the value we all placed upon her precious
burden. The others gave out--first the horses ridden by Don Prospero
and myself, then the pack-mules. Fortunately, these fell near the spot
where we at length found relief--near enough for their loads, and two of
themselves, to be afterwards recovered.

"One day, as we toiled on afoot, in the hourly expectation of death, we
came in sight of this fair spot. It appeared to us a Paradise, as you
say it did to yourself. Under our eyes were green trees and the gleam
of crystal streams; in our ears the songs of birds we had never expected
to hear again. Chance had brought us direct to the path, the only one
by which the valley can be reached from the upper plain. Inspirited by
the fair spectacle below, we gained strength enough to descend. We
drank of the sweet water, and procured food from the branches of the
trees that shaded it. It was the season when fruits and berries were
abundant. Afterwards we discovered game, and were successful in
capturing it.

"Soon with restored strength we were able to go back, and recover the
paraphernalia we had left upon the plain, along with two of the mules
that, after resting, had regained their feet, and could stagger on a
little farther.

"At first we only thought of making this a temporary resting-place;
though there seemed but slight hope of being able to continue our
journey. But as the days passed, and we were left undisturbed, we began
to realise the fact that we had found an asylum, safe