The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-04-09
TAKING THE CHANCES.


The following narrative is from trans |
lation of a Mexican book A Captain of |
the insurgent army, during the war of
Mexican independence, is giving an ae-
count of meditated night attack upon
a hacienda situated in the Cordileras,
and occupied by large force of Spanish
soldiers. After q variety of details, he
continues:
g Having arrived at the hacienda un-
perceived, thanks for the obscurity of
moonless night, we came to q halt under
some large trees at some distance from
the building, and / rode forward from
my troops, in order to reconnoiter the
place. The hacienda, SO far as / could
see in gliding across, formed q large,
massive parallelogranl, strengthened by
enormous buttresSeS of hewn stone.
Along this chasm the walls of the haci-
enda almost formed 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 depths. The place
was known IN the country by the name
of The Valadero.'
Is had explored all sides of the build
ing except this, when ] know not what
scruples of military honor melted me to
continue my ride along the ravine which
protected the rear of the hacienda Be
tween the walls and the principal there
was 8 narrow pathway about SIX feet
wide by day the passage would have
been dangerous, but by night it was o
perilous enterprise The wallis of the
farm took an extensive sweep, the path
crept round their entire basement, and
to follow it to the end in the darkness,
only two PAGES from the edge of a per-
pendicular chasm, was no very easy task,
even for as prachced a hOrseman as my
self Nevertheless, Il did not hesitate,
but boldly urged my horse between the
walls of the farmhouse and the abyss of
the Valadero. I had got over half the
distance without accident, when, all of a
sudden, my horse neighed aloud. This
neigh made me shudder. I had just
reached pass where the ground was but
wide enough for the four legs of a
horse, and it was impossible to retrace
my steps.
risk of betraying myself, which was even
less dangerous than encountering horse
man in front of me on such q road.
There Is Christian passing along the
ravine. Keep back.
ssIt was too late. At that moment a
man on horseback passed around one OF
the buttresses which here and there OBJ
STT1CGoO Lll1S ACGu160O DdI0WdXs I1C ttNA-
yanced toward me.
sssFor the love of God, can you re-
turn 2 exclaimed, terrified at the stu
alton in which we were both placed.
ga impossible z replied the horseman.
T recommended my soul to God. To turn
our horses round for want of room, tc
back them along the path we had travelled
or even to dismount from them-these
were three impossibilities, which placed
II n. - foovf1r1 1f1f
Between two horsemen SO placed upoI
this fearful path, had they been father
and aou. one of them must inevitably
have become the prey of the abyss. Blu
a few seconds had passed, and we were
oIraadv face TO face-the unknown ani
nvseH. Our horses were head to head
and their nostriis, dilated with terror
MINGLED together their fiery breathing
Both of us halted in dead silence
Above was the smooth and lofty wan p Q
the hacienda on the other side, bu
three feet distant from the wall, openet
tIe horrible gulf. Was it an enemy
bal1 before nv eyes The love of m,
f.onnfyv. which boiled at that period II
INV voTsrc bosom, led me TO hope it was
Are Won for Mexico and the Insur
gents ~ / exclaimed IN moment OF 81
citement. ready to spring upon the IN
known horseman, II ne answered IN N
negative. .., .,,.4 = -,
,,asavnrd. replied the cavalier, an
the Col Gardnto.
sssI am the Capt. Castanos;
ss-fe,,r ,a,-Evrraiafence was of long stand
;no ard INT for mutual agitation, ~
aboa,Id have no need 10 exchange on
.naneg The Colonel had LEFT us tw
davs since, at the head OF desacnInenl
which we supposed g g s.ss,e. .s 90 =, :.
Ivan : q al Syolonel. exclaimed, al
.or,v that won are not Spaniard, fc
You perceive that one od us huSs yAel
g 1T1mr horses had the brides ON the
,,aclra ana mt my hands TO the holstt
~ NV sa.7l1le Is draw ont my pistols.
sssI see So plainly, said the Cc!one
,,;tl, alerr,;n1 coofneas, that shoul
aIreae,v hove blown out the brains
vour horse. but for the fear lest mlnes
= Tnr1nent Of terror, should precapata
me. With yourself, to the bottom q Y
abyss. 49, 4,,a fsolon
already held his pistols IN nus naaids.
both maintained alzncst profound MiGnc
Our horses felt the danger IKE ourselye I,
and remained as innnOYabie as = the
feet vere nailed to the grounds My g
citement had entirely gubsldeds
ettWhat are we going 70 90 9
manded Of the Colonel.
50 Draw lots to see when O1 lne
shall leap into the ravine.
ssIt was. IN truth, the sole means
solving the difficulty.
- There are nevertheless, some pl