essed."

"I am grateful," answered Manoel; "for, to tell you the truth, had I
thought you capable of informing against my brother, I might have been
tempted, though much against my inclination, to serve you as he served
the Spaniard; but had I done so, I never should have been happy
afterwards."

I scarcely thought that Manoel was in earnest, and yet I believe that he
was so. His fidelity to his brother sillero would have been paramount
to every other consideration. Manoel was advancing as he spoke, but
when I looked round the sillero had disappeared, though I afterwards
caught a glimpse of him bounding up the rocks on the left, having hurled
his chair over the cliff.

It was some time before I could recover from the horrible scene I had
witnessed; and I debated in my own mind whether or not I should have
given the promise I had made to Manoel. One thing was certain,
however--I was bound to keep it.

When the path became less steep, I insisted on walking. Manoel, too,
though he had boasted of his strength, was obliged to stop and rest; and
at length the peons and Mr Laffan rejoined us. The latter was still
anxious about the rest of the party, and declared that it would be
impossible for the horses to mount the steep path by which we had come.
He thought that even the mules could scarcely do it, supposing that they
had not been overtaken by the Spaniards.

I had not, of course, told him how our chief cause of anxiety was
removed, and that we need no longer fear discovery on our arrival at
Bogota.

"When the Spaniards are driven away, and a Liberal government is
established, we must have a good road over these mountains," exclaimed
Mr Laffan. "It is a disgrace to a civilised country, that no better
means of communication exists between the capital and her most fertile
districts."

At last, as evening approached, Manoel selected a spot for encamping,
and we made the usual preparations. We enjoyed a magnificent scene. As
far as the eye could range were mountains clothed with immense forests,
into which man had never penetrated. About a couple of hundred feet
below us ran a sparkling stream, towards which, while the peon was
employed in collecting wood for the fire, Manoel made his way, to fill a
leathern bottle with water. I accompanied him with my gun, followed by
Lion, hoping to shoot some birds for supper.

We had gone a little way along the bank, when a wild turkey got up. I
fired, and brought it t