g part of the spectacle.

For more than an hour those on the plain were kept waiting; but they did
not allow the time to pass unimproved. A _monte_ table had been spread
out over which both gold and silver changed hands rapidly, the two
padres of the mission being among the highest bettors; and the senoras,
among themselves, had a quiet little game of their favourite _chuza_. A
"main" between a pair of sturdy chanticleers, one belonging to the
alcalde and the other to the _cura_ (!), furnished the interlude for
another half-hour. In this contest the representative of the Church was
triumphant. His grey cock ("pardo") killed the alcalde's red one at a
single blow, by striking one of his long steel galves through the
latter's head. This was regarded as a very interesting and pleasant
spectacle by all on the ground--ladies included, and alcalde excepted.

By the time the cock-fight was finished, the attention of the crowd
became directed to the movements of the party who had gone up to the
upper plain. These were now seen along the edge of the cliff, and by
their manoeuvres it was evident they were engaged in arranging the
preliminaries of the perilous adventure. Let us join them.

The cibolero, on gaining the ground, pointed out the spot where he had
proposed to execute his daring design. From the plain above the cliffs
were not visible, and even the great abyss of the valley itself could
not be seen a hundred paces back from the edge of the bluff. There was
no escarpment or slope of any kind. The turf ran in to the very edge of
the precipice, and on the same level with the rest of the plain. It was
smooth and firm--covered with a short sward of _gramma_ grass. There
was neither break nor pebble to endanger the hoof. No accident could
arise from that cause.

The spot chosen, as already stated, was a sort of buttress-like
promontory that stood out from the line of bluffs. This formation was
more conspicuous from below. Viewing it from above, it resembled a
tongue-like continuation of the plain.

Carlos first rode out to its extremity, and carefully examined the turf.
It was just of the proper firmness to preclude the possibility of a
horse's hoof either sliding or sinking into it. He was accompanied by
Vizcarra, Roblado, and others. Many approached the spot, but kept at a
safe distance from the edge of the horrid steep. Though denizens of
this land of grand geological features, there were many present