The Treasure of the Incas A Story of Adventure in Peru

ek later they were running smoothly along before a gentle breeze, with the coast of Chili twenty miles away. The heavy wraps had all been laid aside, and although the air was still frosty, the crew

hether in going aloft or in the work of clearing off the ice from

er until you get your next step," the captain sa

lent man myself, and am quite content to eat my meal and enjoy it, without having to stop every time I am putting my fork into my mouth to answer some question or other. I was once six months up in the north without ever speaking to a soul. I was whaling then, and a snow-storm came on when we were fast on to a fish. It was twenty-four

ols, but I admit that the prospect of a winter there was enough to frighten any man. I did not like it myself, but I thought it was wiser to remain there than

a few bits of drift-wood. After that it was easy enough, as I unravelled some of the boat's rope, dipped it in the hot blubber, and made a store of big candles. There was a lot of meat left on the sea-cows, so I cut that up, froze it, and stowed as much as I could in the hut. I was bothered about the rest, as I knew the bears were likely to come down; but I found a ledge on the face of the perpendicular rock, and by putting the boat's mast against it I was able to get up to it. Here I piled, I should say, a ton of meat and blubber. Then

of rope, I used to soak it in rock-oil, set it on fire, and shove it out of the entrance. Twice small bears managed to wriggle up the passage, but I had sharpened the boat-hook and managed to kill them both. One skin made me a whole suit, and the other a first-rate blanket. Not that it was ever unpleasantly cold, for a couple of my big candles, and the thick coating of snow over it, kept the place as warm as I cared for. Occasionally, when the bears had cleared off, I went out, cl

or it," Harry said; "you m

ud a good deal. But I soon dropped that, though I used to whistle sometimes when I was cooking the food. I don't think I should have held on

able to kill them

in before they could get fairly on to their feet and use their paws. I was getting very weak with scurvy towards the end; but as soon

ught for that town, and did some trading at smaller ports; but at last, just four months after leaving England, they dropped anchor off Callao. "W

e. I was sorry all the time I ha

pprentices. I tried at first not to turn out on night watch, as I was not obliged to do so, but I soon gave it up; it seemed disgusting to be lying there

ne is allowed to land, I think everyone on board was so disgusted that we should have liked nothing better than to pitch the fellow overboard. It was rather amusing to watch all those boatmen crowding round shouting the praises of their own craft and running down the others. B

ay to the hotel that the captain had recommended as being the least filthy in the place. They crossed a square covered with goods of all kinds. There were long rows of great jars filled with native spirit, bales of cinchona bark, piles of wheat from Chili, white and rose-coloured blocks of salt, pyramids of unrefined sugar, and a block of great bars of silver; among these again were bales and bo

f thing we shall ha

d not got to look on at the maki

m to expect. However, the dinner that was served to them was better than they had l

been a good dea

ter four months of sal

till next morning. Their meal decided them-they would start at daybreak, so as to get to Lima before the sun became really hot. Harry asked the landlord to bargain for two riding

n by being lazy. There is always something to see

h mud, and painted yellow. As the result of earthquakes, scarce a house stood upright-some leaned sideways, and looked as if they were goi

cross wooden frames, but, as they very speedily found, there were numerous other inhabitants.

s did not appear for another hour, by which time their patience was all but exhausted. The portmanteaux were speedily strapped on to the back of the

d the country uninteresting, being for the most part dried up. Occasionally they saw great mounds of adobe bricks, the remains of the ancient habitations. As they

lid misery of Callao. The city, however, could not be called imposing; the houses were low and irregular,

ral and the palace of the Spanish viceroys, the other sides consisting of private houses, with shops and arcades below them. The hotel to which they had been recommended was a large building with a courtyard, with dining and other rooms opening from it, and above th

y ourselves a couple of good ponchos. Yo

were going to suffer from, but it seems just the other way. To judge from the t

thing streamed with moisture. He said that this had never been satisfactorily accounted for. Some say that it is due to the coldness of the river here-the Rimac-which comes down from the snowy mountains. Others think that the cold wind that always blows down the valley of the river meets the winds from the sea here, and the moisture contained in them is thus precipitated. I believe that a few miles higher up

ey wanted, and the prices, even of the best, were very mode

that Mr. Barnett gave me; but the principal one-that to his former muleteer-is more important than all put together. If anything has happened to him, there is an end of any chanc

be a frightf

of the things that we

once, Harry, and

r Pasquez, to whom I have a letter, will be likely to tell me where he is to be found, for he is often employed by him. However, I am as anxious as you to see him.

mules were waiting to be hired. They engaged two animals, and as the man of whom they hired them

ightly. The heat, however, was by no means too great to be pleasant. Miraflores w

Dias Otero," Harry said to their

yone about here knows Dias. His w

whether he is

from the mountains. He had been away two months, and certainly will n

ith a friend of mine some years ago, and I have brought a message from him. I may b

ouse," the man

the garden was a mass of flowers. They dismounted, handed over the mules to their owner

as Otero?"

ame, s

om England, and bring a

travelled for two or th

is a delight to hear from him. He writes to me sometimes, but in these troubles letters do not always come. I love the se?o

urney of exploration. He is my greatest friend. My brother and I were left under his charge when we wer

ad; I am always obliged to get somebody to

course in Spanis

friend

iend Dias Otero. I believe it is in his power to do so if he is willing.' I also believe that for my sake you will aid him. He will place himself wholly in your hands. He does not care what danger he runs, or what hardships he has to go through in order to attain his purpose. I know that I need not say more to you. He has two years before him; long before that I am sure you will be as interested in him as you were in me. He has sufficient means to pay all expenses of travel for the time he will be out there. I know that you are descended from nobles of h

ian sat for some time with

my life would be in danger, but that my name would be held up to execration by all my people were I to divulge the secret that even the tortures of the Spaniards could not wring from us. I must think it ov

when you know us better to give us a final answer; it is not to be expected that even for Se?or Barnett's sake you would do this immense service for strangers, therefore I pray you to leave the matter open. Make arrangements for your mules and your

bowed his h

hat aside. My wife has been busy since you entered in preparing

leasure

peas, rice, salt, and an abundance of Chili peppers. This had been cooked for six hours and was now warmed up. Two bottles of excellent native wine, a

ng questions of their voyage and telling

r, and Aguero, and Santa Cruz, and Sucre. Bolivar again finally defeated the Spaniards at Ayacucho. Rodil held possession of Callao castle, and defended it until January of this year. We in the villages have not suffered-those who liked fighting went out with one or other of the generals; some have returned, others have been killed-but Lima has suffered greatly. Sometimes th

is make travelli

shrugged hi

cept as fugitives, as they could not find food there for an army. It is these fugitives who render the road somewhat unsafe; starving men must take what they can get. They do not interfere with the great silver convoys from Potosi or other mines-a loaf of bread is worth more than a bar of silver in the mountai

left the cottage, and, mountin

s, Harry," Bertie said

gorges among them. It is certain that nothing approaching an accurate map can ever have been made of the mountains, and I should say that in most cases the indications that may have been given are very vague. They would no doubt have been sufficient for those who lived soon after the money was hidden, and were natives of that part of the country and thoroughly acquainted with all the surroundings, but when the information came to be handed down fr

iew of things, Harry; you certainly see

ng for hundreds of miles, and we know that there is another quite as big lying behind it, I have begun to realize the difficulties of the adventures that we are undertaking. However, we shall hear, when Dias comes over to see us, what he thinks of the

Se?or Pasquez, who recei

Barnett and spend some time in exploring the coun

ill go with us, though he has

n give you much useful advice; he knows exactly what you will have to take with you, the best districts to visit for your purpose, and the best way of getting there. For the rest, I shall be very happy to take

ses we require, and taking fifty pounds in silver, I shall have two hundred and fifty pounds to place in

e them cheaply, or you can buy them. The latter is cheaper in the end, but you cannot be sure of getting mules accustomed to mountains, and you would therefore run the risk of their losing their foothold, and not only being dashed to pieces but destroying their saddles and loads. However, if you secure the services of

ias came t

od. I have no certain knowledge whatever as to any of the lost mines, still less of any hidden treasures; but I know all the traditions that have passed down concerning them. I doubt whether any Indians now possess a certain knowledge of these things. For generations, no doubt, the secrets were handed down from father to son

have done ever since the Spanish came here, without finding them. I am glad that I can lay my hand upon my heart and say, that whatever may have been possessed by ancestors of mine, no actual details have ever come down to me; for, had it been so, I could not have revealed them to you. We know that all who were instructed in these were bound by the most terrible oaths not to reveal them. Numbers have died under the torture rather than break those oaths; and even now, were one of us to betray the secrets that had come down to him, he would be regarded as accursed. No one would break br

nd I am grateful for your willingness to do what y