The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-18

EUeru tribe of Indians zoe met made signs
that they kneaU ManoG
was a myth, will-o'-the wisp or,
worse still, sorcerer who could vanish
at his pleasure?
We canvassed the question often
over our evening campfire. Willie Ire
halion said we were fools and that we
should well deserve Spanish halter
when at last we felt it chatting our
necks. But the rest of us believed
still and SO held sturdily on.
Thus we travelled and travelled for
a year and seven months and week
and two days, till we came to a small
valley, barren as Norfolk sand bank
and cut up by a brawling rivulet,
which sprawled from side to side
across it. The valley was bounded on
either side by tall, frowning cliffs,
which it would have puzzled rat to
climb, and it lay on the western flank
Of range of mountains running north
and south, which we We're trying to
cross. to what rumor said was the
/ certain site of Manoa, on the opposite
side.
For a day and a half we tramped
| up this stony desert and then came to
| q wall of rock at the head, so steep
/ that the stream which leaped over it
was torn by the air fiends to frag-
ments in it's fall and dropped into the
pool at the bottom as n rainbow
stricken shower of shimmering mist.
We looked round in dismay. Willie
j Trehalion took off his skin skullcap, laid
it on rock, sat down beside it, and
screwing his mouth up into knot be-
gan to whistle dolefully. Job, as usual,
grinned.
i Alec went forward to reconnoiter,
hoping to find some practicable spot
. but in vain .sBack again" was the
word, and with frightened belts, too, fol-
our provisions were all consumed and
there was no chance of getting any
more till we came again to the wooded
country we had passed through two
days before.
, Such march, fasting, was enough
to make the cheeriest of us shudder
but no one grumbled; there was moth
ing to be gained by it. So with ar
empty feeling about the waistband ant
the comforting knowledge that thai
feeling would soon become a gnawins
pain back we trudged, until we came
; to the pass where narrow ledge o!
rock, jutting out from the steep cliff
and overhanging the water, had form
ed our path on the way UP. None bu
! sailor or goat could have passed
! along 1t, and as single file was impera
e,t,,
! We were toilfully feeling our wa.
). along this dangerous mouse walk whel
n shout of dismay from in front tolt
!. us that some accident had happened t,
i, the leaders. The jutting elbow O
rock prevented us from seeing wha
y was wrong, but the word was quietl.
q passed down the line that large bod,
q of Spaniards held the open ground ii
!. which the track ended and had captul
; ed Alec (who was leading) with
! noosed cord before he could draw irol
q in his own defense.
Willie Trehalion and l were bringin
a up the rear. The rest struggled bac
: to us and asked what was to be done.
''They call on us to surrender" sal
i the lad who had been close on Alec
II heels
v Knowing that there's no food here
c an knowing we can't come to homes
blows" added Willie Trehalion, polisl
y ing his head thoughtfully, "the don
g have us on the hip, Master Topp."
% what do you advise, Willie?" said
% Don't know" he answered. ''I'
r licfer die, though. than yield to th
Spanish devils
. lro BE cosusunDl