stop him," thought I; "he must take to the right or left, and
then--"

My thoughts were interrupted. Instead of turning either to right or
left, the Mexican headed his horse at the zequia, and the noble creature
rushing forward, rose like a bird upon the wing, and cleared the canal!

I had no time to expend in admiring the feat; I hastened to imitate it,
and galloping forward, I set myself for the leap. My brave steed needed
neither whip nor spur; he had seen the other leap the zequia, and he
knew what was expected of him. With a bound he went over, clearing the
drain by several feet; and then, as if resolved upon bringing the affair
to an end, he laid his head forward, and stretched himself at
race-course speed.

A broad grassy plain--a savannah--lay before us, and the hoofs of both
horses, pursuer and pursued, now rang upon hard firm turf. The rest of
the chase would have been a simple trial of speed, and I made sure of
overhauling the mustang before he could reach the opposite side, when a
new obstacle presented itself. A vast herd of cattle and horses studded
the savannah throughout its whole extent; these, startled by our wild
gallop, tossed their heads, and ran affrighted in every direction, but
frequently as otherwise, directly in our way. More than once I was
forced to rein in, to save my neck or my horse's from being broken over
a fierce bull or a long-horned lumbering ox; and more than once I was
compelled to swerve from my course.

What vexed me most, was that in this zigzag race, the mustang, from
practice perhaps, had the advantage; and while it continued, he
increased his distance.

We cleared the drove at length; but to my chagrin I perceived that we
were nearly across the plain. As I glanced ahead, I saw the chapparal
near, with taller trees rising over it; beyond, I saw the swell of a
hill, with white walls upon its summit. It was the hacienda already
mentioned: we were riding directly towards it.

I was growing anxious about the result. Should the horseman reach the
thicket, I would be almost certain to lose him. _I dared not let him
escape_. What would my men say, if I went back without him? I had
hindered the sentry from firing, and permitted to escape, perhaps a spy,
perhaps some important personage. His desperate efforts to get off
favoured the supposition that he was one or the other. _He must be
taken_!

Under fresh impulse, derived from these reflections, I lanced the flan