assed
quietly away; even the sounds of the birds from the far interior of the
cavern scarcely reaching our ears. So high was the vaulted roof, that
as we looked upwards it had the appearance of a clouded sky; while the
light from the fire, which fell on the trunks and lower branches of the
trees by the side of the stream, scarcely reached the opposite walls of
the cave.

Soon after daylight Kanimapo appeared. He had climbed to a height from
whence he could look far away along the only path by which the valley
could be approached, and had failed to make out any fire at night or
smoke in the daytime which could indicate a camp of pursuers. As my
father was anxious that we should lose no time, after taking a hurried
breakfast he and Gerald and I set off, Kanimapo and Candela leading the
way up the hill which overhung the valley. After proceeding for some
distance we reached the summit of the hill, on which grew a tree of
considerable size; while opposite to it rose a perpendicular cliff,
surmounted by several pointed rocks. We looked in vain, however, for
the entrance to the cavern, which Kanimapo told us was to be found
farther round the hill. Having left the thick rope and cradle, he
begged us to remain while he descended the valley. A short time
afterwards, he appeared, to our surprise, on the summit of the opposite
side, with his bow in his hand and an arrow to which he had attached a
long thin line. Shouting to us to stand aside, he shot it into the
trunk of the tree; and then desired us to fasten the end of the rope to
the line with his arrow. On this being done, he hauled the stout rope
across, and fastened it to one of the pointed rocks. The other end, I
should have said, had already been secured round the tree. Having told
Candela to fix the cradle, he again shot the arrow with the thin line;
and this being attached to the cradle, by means of the line he drew it
across to him.

The desired communication was now established; so placing himself in the
cradle, and standing upright, with his hands holding on to the rope, he
worked himself backwards till he reached the side on which we were
standing.

"But surely, my friend, you don't expect the ladies to cross over in
this conveyance!" said my father. "And I suspect that the padre, and
even the doctor, would very much object to it."

"No; but by its means we can form a bridge of any size and strength,"
answered the Indian. "Should it be necessary, I