ut short, for on several occasions a Llanero was known
to have galloped up to the rear of a trooper, dismounted in an instant,
and seizing the horse by its long tail, by a sudden jerk contrived to
throw it on the ground, and then despatched the rider. Our fellows,
when charging, used to lay their heads and bodies on the necks of their
horses, carrying their lances horizontally in the right hand about the
height of the knee, so that when the Spaniards fired they seldom managed
to hit them.

I was seated with Juan in the hut which formed our headquarters. We had
not troubled ourselves with tents, for our men slept on the ground
during the dry season, except when we were quartered in a farmhouse or a
village. We had been talking over the prospects of the campaign, when
an orderly, riding up to the entrance of the hut, delivered a despatch
to Juan. He read it eagerly.

"We are ordered to ride on to the Pass of Guamoco, as no infantry can
reach it in time to prevent the Spaniards--who are marching towards it--
obtaining possession," he said. "Order the assembly to be sounded,
Duncan."

While I hastened to carry out his order, he hurriedly wrote a few lines
on a rough piece of paper, which had not a very official appearance, and
gave it to the orderly, directing him to deliver it to the general. In
a wonderfully short time we were in the saddle, and moving towards our
destination.

Juan then told me that he had been directed to take possession of a fort
of some strength, which guarded the entrance of a pass through which
Bolivar intended to make his way, but which, if occupied by the enemy,
would be impracticable. It was thus of the greatest importance that we
should take possession of it. "The general orders me to hold the fort
until an infantry regiment arrives to garrison it," added Juan.

"I hope they will put the best foot foremost, then, for I have no wish
to be cooped up in a fort when we should be doing service in the open
country," said Mr Laffan.

We pressed forward at a rate which none but light horsemen such as ours
could have kept up. Nothing stopped us: up hills and across valleys we
scampered; pushed through forests, or waded over marshes; forded or swam
rivers when they crossed our way, without a moment's hesitation. We
ran, indeed, a regular steeplechase. We were obliged to camp at night,
however, to rest and feed our horses; but during the day we halted not a
moment longer than was absolute