The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1851-08-07
THE LOTTERY FOR LIFE.
AN INCIDENT IN TmE WAR or MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE.

>-s''~''S'Ss'Oo SIS Asnsh ~ y ~AeSo-
Zine. A captain in the Mexican insur.
gent army is giving an account of a
mcdi'ated nigh, attack upon 4 hacienda,
situated in the CordiIleras, and occupied
by large force Of Spanish soldiers.
After variety Of details, he continues
Having arrived at the hacienda un-
perceived, thanks to the obscurity of a
:noonless night, we came to halt under
some large trees, at some distance from
the building, and ! rode forward from
my troop in order TO reconnoitre the
place. The hacienda, so far as l could
see in gliding across, formed huge
massive parallelogram, strengthened by
enormous buttresses of hewn stone.
Along this chasm, the wall of the haci-
enda almost formed the continuation of
another perpendicular one, chiseled by
Nature herself in the rocks, to the bot
tom Of which the eye could not pene-
trate, for the mists which necessarily
boiled up from below. did not allow it
to measure their awful depth. This
place was known in the country by the
name Of The Holadero."
had explored all sides Of the build
ing, except this, when know not what
scruple Of military honor melted me TO
continue my ride along the ravine,
which protected the rear Of the hacien-
ia. Between the walls and the prcc-
pice, there was narrow pathway about
six feet wide by day the passage would
have been dangerous, but by night it
was a perilous enterprise. The walls of
the farm took an extensive sweep; the
path crept around their entire basement,
and to follow it TO the end in the dark.
ness, (only two PAGES from the edge of
a perpendicular chasm,) was no very
easy task, even for as practised horse
man as myself. Nevertheless did not
hesitate, but boldly urged my horse be-
tween the walls Of the farm. house and
the abyss Of the Toladero. had got
over half the distance without accident,
when ull Of sudden, my horse neighed
aloud. The neigh made me shudder.
had reached pass where the ground
was but just wide enough for the four
legs Of horse, and it was impossible to
rc,race my steps.
:" Halo ~ exclaimed aloud, at the
risk of betraying myself-.which was
even less dangerous than encountering
q horseman in front of me on such a
road. There is Christian passing
along this ravine keep back"
1t was too late. At that moment a
man on horseback passed around one of
the bu,trtsses which here and there OBJ
s,ructed this accursed pathway. He ad-
vanced toward me. I trembled in my
saddle; my forehead bathed in cold
sweat. For the love of God can you
not return?" l exclaimed, terrified at
the fearful situation in which we both
we're placed.
Impossible" !" replied the horseman,
in n low voice.
! recommended my soul to God. To
turn our horses round, to back them
along the path we had traversed, or even
to dismount from them, for want of room
were three seeming impossibilities
which placed us both in the presence oi
a fearful doom. Between two horse
men so placed upon this fearful path
had they been father and son, one o.
them must inevitably become the prey
Of the abyss. But few seconds were
passed, and we were already face tc
face-,he unknown and myself. Oul
horses were already head to head, anc
their nostrils dilated with terror, mingled
together their fiery breathing. Both o.
US halted in dead silence. Above wa.
the smooth and lofty wall Of the hacieu
da; on the other side, but three fee
distant from the wall, opened the horri
BILE gulf Was it an enemy had be
fore my eyes ? The love of my country
which boiled at that period in my youns
bosom, led me TO hope it was.
"Are you for Mexico and the Insur
gents?" l exclaimed in moment o
excitement, ready to spring upon th'
unknown Loi seman, if he answered mi
, in the negative.
"Merico Msurgente--that is m,
password replied the cavalier. Is,
am the Colonel Garduno."
sand am the Captain Castonas !"
Our acquaintance was Of long stand
!, ing, and. and but for mutual agitation
we should have had no need to exchang
= our names. The Colonel had left u
two days since, at the head of the de
, tachment, which we supposed to be eli
ther prisoners, or cut of, for he had nc
been seen to return to the camp.
$ swell, Colonel" j exclaimed. ] an
sorry you are not Spaniard--for yo
e perceive that one of US must yield tn
IS pathway TO the olhe'."
G Our horses had the brides on thei
It necks, and l put my hands to the ho
O sters of my saddle to draw out my pi'
~ tols.
{ Il see it so plainly" returned III
= Colonel sith alarming eoolness, that
should alresdy have blown out th
g brains Of your horse. but for the fea
II lest mine, in moment Of terror, shoul
l. precipi,a,e me. with yourself TO the 10
ID tom Of the abyss
s, remarked. in fact, that the Colon
N already held his pistols in his ham
4 We both maintained almost profoon
silence. Our horses felt the danger lii
ourselves, aud remained as immoveab