324 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



Avhich the beams of the setting sun had now for the 

 first time rendered visible, without, however, lighting 

 up its deep and dark recesses. In their haste and 

 alarm, more than one of the freebooters had his tat- 

 tered mantle caught by the thorny arms of some of 

 the bushes scattered over the shore, and turned in 

 terror, thinking himself in the grasp of a foe. A few 

 only had the presence of mind to throw their cloaks 

 over the varied and glittering plunder that lay scat- 

 tered about on the ground ; and strange was the con- 

 trast of the sparkling jewellery, the rich stuffs, and 

 embroidered robes, strewed on the beach, with the 

 mean and filthy garments that partially concealed 

 them, and the wild and squalid figures of their pres- 

 ent possessors. 



A number of the Uzcoques now threw themselves 

 with brutal violence upon the two prisoners, muffled 

 their heads in cloaks to prevent their crying out, and 

 carried them with the speed of light into the cave, in 

 the innermost recess of which they bestowed them. 

 They then rejoined their companions, who were 

 grouped together at the entrance of the cavern like a 

 herd of frightened deer, and gazing anxiously up at 

 the castle. After the lapse of a very few minutes, 

 the bright glow again faded away, the fortress re- 

 assumed its black and frowning aspect, the roofs of 

 Segna relapsed into their dull grey hue, and shadows 

 deeper than before covered the ravine. 



Reviving under the influence of the darkness, so 



