by G. A. Henty
Produced by Anne Soulard, Charles Franks and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team.
The Treasure of the Incas
A Story of Adventure in Peru
BY
G. A. HENTY
IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO TRANSFER THE SACKS INTO THE BOAT_Page 339_]
PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION
The mysterious loss of a large portion of the treasure of the Incas hasnever been completely cleared up. By torturing the natives to whom thesecret had been entrusted, the Spaniards made two or three discoveries,but there can be little doubt that these finds were only a smallproportion of the total amount of the missing hoards, although foryears after their occupation of the country the Spaniards spared nopains and hesitated at no cruelty to bring to light the hidden wealth.The story of the boat which put to sea laden with treasure ishistorical, and it was generally supposed that she was lost in a stormthat took place soon after she sailed. It was also morally certain thatthe Peruvians who left the country when the Spaniards became masterscarried off with them a very large amount of treasure into that part ofSouth America lying east of Peru. Legends are current that they foundeda great city there, and that their descendants occupy it at the presenttime. But the forests are so thick, and the Indian tribes so hostile,that the country has never yet been explored, and it may be reservedfor some future traveller, possessing the determination of my twoheroes, to clear up the mystery of this city as they penetrated that ofthe lost treasure-ship. It need hardly be said that the state ofconfusion, misrule, and incessant civil wars which I have described asprevailing in Peru presents a true picture of the country at the periodin which this story is laid.
G. A. HENTY.
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. HOW IT CAME ABOUT
II. THE START
III. AT LIMA
IV. A STREET FRAY
V. AMONG THE MOUNTAINS
VI. A TROPICAL FOREST
VII. AN INDIAN ATTACK
VIII. DEFEAT OF THE NATIVES
IX. THE SIGNAL STAR
X. A FRESH START
XI. BRIGANDS
XII. PRISONERS
XIII. LETTERS FROM HOME
XIV. THE CASTLE OF THE DEMONS
XV. INVESTIGATIONS
XVI. THE SEARCH BEGINS
XVII. AT WORK
XVIII. DISAPPOINTMENT
XIX. THE TREASURE
XX. HOME
ILLUSTRATIONS
IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO TRANSFER THE SACKS INTO THE BOAT.
AN INDIAN SPIES THE EXPEDITION.
THEY SAW APPROACHING A PEASANT WOMAN SITTING ON A MULE.
HARRY DROPPED THE BARREL OF HIS RIFLE INTO THE PALM OF HIS LEFT HAND.
Map of Peru
MAP OF PERU]
THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS
CHAPTER I
HOW IT CAME ABOUT
Two men were sitting in the smoking-room of a London club. The room wasalmost empty, and as they occupied arm-chairs in one corner of it, theywere able to talk freely without fear of being overheard. One of themwas a man of sixty, the other some five or six and twenty.
"I must do something," the younger man said, "for I have been kickingmy heels about London since my ship was paid off two years ago. Atfirst, of course, it didn't matter, for I have enough to live upon; butrecently I have been fool enough to fall in love with a girl whoseparents would never dream of allowing her to marry a half-paylieutenant of the navy with no chance in the world of getting employedagain, for I have no interest whatever."
"It is an awkward case certainly, Prendergast," the other said; "andupon my word, though I sympathize with you, I cannot blame Fortescue.He is not what you might call a genial man, but there is no doubt thathe was a splendid lawyer and a wonderful worker. For ten years heearned more than any man at the bar. I know that he was twice offeredthe solicitor-generalship, but as he was making two or three times theofficial salary, he would not take it. I believe he would have gone onworking till now had he not suddenly come in for a very fine estate,owing to the death, in the course of two or three years, of four menwho stood between him and it. Besides, I fancy he got hints that in thegeneral opinion of the bar he had had a wonderfully good innings, andit was about time that younger men had a share in it. What his savingswere I do not know, but they must be very large. His three sons are allat the bar, and are rising men, so there was no occasion for him to goon piling up money for them. But, as I say, he has always had thereputation of being a hard man, and it is practically certain that hewould never allow his daughter to marry a man whom he would regard asnext door to a pauper. Now, what are you thinking of doing?"
"Well, sir, Miss Fortescue has agreed to wait for me for two years, andof course I am eager to do something, but the question is what? I cansail a ship, but even could I get the command of a merchantman, itwould not improve my position in the eyes of the parents of the lady inquestion. Now, you have been knocking about all over the world, I dowish you would give me your advice. Where is there money to be got? Iam equally ready to go to the North Pole or the Equator, to enter theservice of an Indian prince, or to start in search of a treasure hiddenby the old bucaneers."
"You talk Spanish, don't you?"
"Yes; all my service has been in the Mediterranean. We were two yearsoff the coast of Spain, and in and out of its ports, and as time hungheavily on our hands, I got up the language partly to amuse myself andpartly to be able to talk fluently with my partners at a ball."
The elder man did not speak for a minute or two.
"You have not thought of South America?" he said at last.
"No, Mr. Barnett; I don't know that I have ever thought of one placemore than another."
The other was again silent.
"I don't think you could do better anywhere," he said slowly. "It is aland with great possibilities; at any rate it is a land where you couldbe understood, and of course it would be folly to go anywhere without aknowledge of the language. I was, as you know, five years out there,and came home when the war broke out between Chili and the Spaniards. Ihave been more in Peru than in Chili, and as Peru was still in thehands of the Spanish, it would have been impossible for me to go thereagain as long as the war lasted. Knocking about as I did, I heard agreat deal from the natives (I mean the Indians). I gathered from thema number of their traditions, and I am convinced that they know of anynumber of gold mines that were formerly worked, but were blocked upwhen the Spaniards invaded the country, and have been kept secret eversince.
"The natives have never spoken on the subject at all to the Spaniards.If they had, they would have been flogged until they revealed all theyknew--that is to say, they would have been flogged to death, for notortures will wring from an Indian anything he knows about gold. Theylook upon that metal as the source of all the misfortunes that havefallen upon their race. With an Englishman whom they knew and trusted,and who, as they also knew, had no wish whatever to discover goldmines, they were a little less reticent. I never asked them anyquestions on a subject in which I had not a shadow of interest, but Icertainly had some curiosity, not of a pecuniary kind, because thematter had always been a riddle as to the hiding-place of the Incas'treasures. And from what I learned I should say it is absolutelycertain that a great portion of these escaped the search of theirSpanish tyrants.
"Whether the men who were employed in the work all died withoutrevealing the secret, or whether it had been trusted to a chosen few, Iknow not; but the natives believe that there are still a few among themto whom the secret has been passed down from father to son. Anyhow, allhad
heard vague traditions. Some said that part of the treasure wascarried hundreds of miles inland and given over to a tribe of fiercesavages, in a country into which no European can enter. Anothertradition is that a portion of it was carried off by sea in a greatcanoe, which was never heard of again and was believed to have beenlost. I am not for a moment supposing, Prendergast, that if you wentout there you would have the most remote chance of discovering what theSpaniards, ever since they landed there, have been in vain trying tofind, and I certainly should not think of recommending a mad-brainedadventure, but undoubtedly there are many rich gold mines yet to befound. There are openings for trade, too; and I can give youintroductions to merchants both in Chili and Peru. It is not a thing Ishould recommend to everyone, far from it; but if you want to combineadventure with a chance, however small, of making money, I don't knowthat you can do better than go to South America. You are fitted for nocalling here; your income, counting your half-pay, would suffice tokeep you out there, and a couple of years of such a life would do youno harm."
"It is just what I should like," the young man said enthusiastically;"though I don't know how I should set to work if I did find a mine."
"You would have to bring home specimens, with particulars of the widthof the lode. Of course you would crush pieces up and wash themyourself, or get your Indian to wash them; that would give you anapproximate idea of the percentage of gold. If it were rich, I couldintroduce you to men who would advance money for working it, giving youa share of the profits. They would send out a mining expert with you.He would verify your report, and then you would take up the concession.I don't know whether there have been any changes in the regulations,but there is no difficulty in learning how to proceed from one or otherof the men to whom I will give you introductions. The thing would notbe worth thinking of were it not that the man who always went with meas guide and muleteer is an Indian, and has, I am convinced, aknowledge of some of these places. He was with me all the time I wasout there. I saved his life when a puma sprang upon him, and he morethan once hinted that he could make me a rich man, but I had noinclination that way, my income being sufficient for all my wants.Still, on the chance that he is alive--and he was about thirty when hewas with me fifteen years ago, so it is probable that he is still tothe fore--I will give you a letter to him telling him that you are adear friend of mine, and that I trust to him to do any service he canfor you just as he would have done for myself. Had it not been for thatI should never have mentioned the matter to you. These old mines arethe dream of every Peruvian. They have been searching for them eversince the conquest of the country, and as they have failed, it isabsurd to think that an Englishman would have the slightest chance oflighting upon a mine, still less of finding any of the Incas'treasures. But with the Indian's aid it is just possible that you mayfind something, though I should advise you most strongly not to buildin any way upon the chance. I consider that you cannot possibly winMiss Fortescue; that being so, two years of knocking about will notmake your position worse, and by the time you come back, you may haveceased to struggle against fate. It will afford you a remote--butdistinctly remote--opportunity of bettering your position, will giveyou something else to think about besides that young lady's charms, andyou may even come to recognize that life is, after all, possiblewithout her. You may shake your head, lad; but you know children cryfor the moon sometimes, yet afterwards come to understand that it wouldnot be a desirable plaything."
"Well, at any rate, Mr. Barnett, I am extremely obliged for yoursuggestion and for your offer of introductions. It is just the lifethat I should enjoy thoroughly. As you say, the chance that anythingwill come of it is extremely small, but at least there is apossibility, and I take it as a drowning man catches at a straw."
"By the way, you mustn't think only of gold; silver is, after all, thechief source of the riches of Peru, and there are numbers ofextraordinarily rich mines. It is calculated that three hundredmillions have been produced since the first occupation by theSpaniards. Quicksilver is also very abundant; copper and lead are foundtoo, but there is not much to be done with them at present, owing tothe cost of carriage. There is good shooting in the mountains on theeastern side of the Andes, and you will find plenty of sport there."
They talked over the matter for some time before they separated, andHarry Prendergast became quite excited over it. On his return to hisrooms he was astonished to find the candles alight and a strong smellof tobacco pervading the place. A lad of about sixteen leapt from theeasy-chair in which he had been sitting, with his feet on another.
"Hullo, Harry, I didn't expect you back so soon! The maid said you weredining out, and I suppose that generally means one o'clock before youare back."
"Well, what brings you here, Bert? I thought I had got you off my handsfor a year at least."
"I thought so, myself," the lad said coolly; "but circumstances havebeen too strong for me. We were running down the Channel the nightbefore last, when a craft that was beating up ran smack into us. Idon't know that it was his fault more than ours; the night was dark,and it was very thick, and we did not see each other until she waswithin a length of us. Luck was against us; if she had been a fewseconds quicker we should have caught her broadside, but as it was sherammed us, knocking a hole in our side as big as a house, and we hadjust time to jump on board her. Our old craft went down two minutesafter the skipper, who was of course the last man, left her. The otherfellow had stove his bow in. Luckily we were only about a couple ofmiles off Dungeness, and though she leaked like a sieve, we were ableto run her into the bay, where she settled down in two and a halffathoms of water. As soon as it was light we landed and tramped toDover. A hoy was starting for the river that evening, and most of uscame up in her, arriving at the Pool about three hours ago. It is a badjob, Harry, and I am horribly put out about it. Of course nothing couldbe saved, and there is all the new kit you bought for me down at thebottom. I sha'n't bother you again; I have quite made up my mind that Ishall ship before the mast this time, and a five-pound note will buy mea good enough outfit for that."
"We need not talk about that now, Bertie. You are certainly an unluckybeggar; this is the second time you have been wrecked."
"It is a frightful nuisance," the boy said. "It is the kit I amthinking of, otherwise I should not mind. I didn't care for theskipper. He seemed all right and decent enough before we started, but Isoon heard from fellows who had sailed with him before that he was atartar; and what was worse, they said he was in the habit of beingdrunk two nights out of three. However, that has nothing to do with it.I am really awfully sorry, Harry. You have been a thundering good elderbrother. I hated to think that you had to shell out last time, and Ihave quite made up my mind that you sha'n't do it again."
"Well, it cannot be helped; it is no fault of yours; still, of course,it is a nuisance. Thank God that no harm has come to you, that is theprincipal thing. Now, sit down and go on with your pipe, you youngmonkey. I did not think you had taken to smoking."
"One has to," the lad said, "everyone else does it; and there is nodoubt that, when you have got the middle watch on cold nights with foulwinds, it is a comfort."
"Well, go on smoking," his brother said. "I will light up too. Now shutyour mouth altogether. I want to think."
They were silent for fully ten minutes, then Harry said;
"I told you about that business of mine with Miss Fortescue."
Bertie grinned all over his face, which, as he sat, was not visible tohis brother. Then with preternatural gravity he turned towards him.
"Yes, you told me about it; an uncomfortable business wasn't it?--surlyold father, lovely daughter, and so on."
"I will pull your ear for you, you young scamp," Harry said wrathfully,"if you make fun of it; and I have a good mind not to say what I wasgoing to."
"Say it, Harry, don't mind my feelings," the lad said. "You can't say Idid not stand it well when I was here last week, and gave you no end ofsympathy. Go ahead, old fellow; I dare say I shall be taken ba
d someday, and then I shall be able to make allowances for you."
"I'll have nothing more to say to you, you young imp."
"Don't say that, Harry," the lad said in a tone of alarm. "You know howsympathizing I am, and I know what a comfort it is for you to unburdenyourself; but I do think that it won't be necessary to go into personaldescriptions, you know, or to tell me what you said to her or she saidto you, because you told me all that ten days ago, also what hertyrannical old father said. But really seriously I am awfully sorryabout it all, and if there is anything that I can possibly do for you Ishall be only too pleased. I don't see that it would be any advantagefor me to go and give the old gentleman my opinion of him; but if youthink it would, and can coach me in some of his sore points, we mightsee how we could work upon them."
"I always thought you were a young ass, Bertie," Harry said sternly,"but I have not realized before how utterly assified you are."
"All right, Harry!" the lad said cheerfully; "hit me as hard as youlike, under the circumstances I feel that I cannot kick."
Harry said nothing for another five minutes.
"This is a serious matter," he said at last, "and I don't want anytomfoolery."
"All right, Harry! I will be as serious as a judge."
"I am thinking of going away for two years."
The lad turned half round in his chair and had a good look at hisbrother.
"Where are you going to?" seeing by Harry's rather gloomy face that hewas quite in earnest.
"I believe I am going to Peru."
"What are you going there for, Harry?" the lad said quietly.
"I told you," the other went on, "that Mr. Fortescue said that he hadno personal objection to me, but that if I was in a position to givehis daughter a home equal to that which I wanted her to leave, he wouldbe content."
Bertie nodded.
"This seemed to me hopeless," Harry went on. "I told you that she waswilling to wait for two years, but that she couldn't promise muchlonger than that, for her father had set his mind on her making a goodmatch; he has certainly put a tremendous pressure upon her. When I wastalking at the club this evening to Mr. Barnett--you know that he isour oldest friend and is one of our trustees--I told him about it, andsaid that though I was ready to do anything and go anywhere I could notsee my way at all to making a big fortune straight away. He agreed withme. After talking it over he said he knew of but one way by which sucha thing would be at all possible, but the betting would be twentythousand to one against it. Of course I said that if there was even apossibility I would try it. Well, you know he was in Peru for someyears. He says that the natives have all sorts of legends about richmines that were hidden when the Spaniards came first, and that it iscertain that, tremendous as was the amount of loot they got, a greatpart of the Incas' treasure was hidden away. Once or twice there hadbeen great finds-in one case two million and a half dollars. It isbelieved that the secret is still known to certain Indians. When hewent out there he had a muleteer, whose life he saved when he wasattacked by some beast or other, and this man as much as hinted that heknew of a place where treasure might be concealed; but as Barnett wasinterested in beasts and plants and that sort of thing, and had acomfortable fortune, he never troubled himself about it one way oranother. Well, he offered to give me a letter to this man, and heregarded it as just possible that the fellow, who seems to be adescendant of some of the people who were members of the Incas' courtat the time the Spaniards came, may have some knowledge of the richmines that were then closed down, and that he may be able to show themto me, from his feeling of gratitude to Barnett. It is but one chancein a million, and as I can see no other possibility of making a fortunein two years, I am going to try it."
"Of course you will," the lad said excitedly, "and I should think thatyou would take me with you."
"I certainly had not dreamt of doing so, Bertie. But if I have to keepon getting fresh outfits for you, the idea has come into my mind duringthe last half-hour that I could not do better."
"Harry, you are sure to be disappointed lots of times before you hit ona treasure, and then if you were all by yourself you would get down inthe mouth. Now, I should be able to keep you going, pat you on the backwhen you felt sick, help you to fight Indians and wild beasts, and beuseful in all sorts of ways."
"That is like your impudence, Bertie," the other laughed. "Seriously, Iknow I shall be a fool to take you, and if I really thought I had anychance to speak of I should not do so; but though I am going to try, Idon't expect for a moment that I shall succeed. I feel that really itwould be a comfort to have someone with me upon whom I could rely insuch a life as I should have to lead. It certainly would be lonely workfor one man. The only doubt in my mind is whether it will be fair toyou--you have got your profession."
"But I can go back to it if nothing good turns up, Harry. I can visitthe firm and tell them that I am going to travel with you for a bit,and hope that on my return they will take me back again and let mefinish my apprenticeship. I should think they would be rather glad, forthey always build and never buy ships, and it will take them six monthsto replace the _Stella_. Besides, it will do me a lot of good. I shallpick up Spanish--at least, I suppose that is the language they speakout there--and shall learn no end of things. As you know, we trade withthe west coast of America, so I should be a lot more useful to the firmwhen I come back than I am now."
"Well, I will think it over, and let you know in the morning. I mustcertainly consult Mr. Barnett, for he is your trustee as well as mine.If we go I shall work my way out. It will be a big expense, anyhow, andI don't mean, if possible, to draw upon my capital beyond three or fourhundred pounds. I believe living is cheap out there, and if I buy threeor four mules I shall then have to pay only the wages for themuleteers, and the expenses of living. Of course I shall arrange for myincome and half-pay to be sent out to some firm at Lima. Now, you hadbetter go off to bed, and don't buoy yourself up with the belief thatyou are going, for I have by no means decided upon taking you yet."
"You will decide to take me, Harry," the lad said confidently, and thenadded with a laugh: "the fact that you should have adopted a plan likethis is quite sufficient to show that you want somebody to look afteryou."
Harry Prendergast did not get much sleep that night. He blamed himselffor having mentioned the matter at all to Bertie, and yet the more hethought over it the more he felt that it would be very pleasant to havehis brother with him. The lad was full of fun and mischief, but he knewthat he had plenty of sound sense, and would be a capital companion,and the fact that he had been three years at sea, and was accustomed toturn his hand to anything, was all in his favour. If nothing came of ithe would only have lost a couple of years, and, as the boy himself hadsaid, the time would not have been altogether wasted. Bertie was downbefore him in the morning. He looked anxiously at his brother as hecame in.
"Well, Harry?"
"Well, I have thought it over in every light. But in the first place,Bertie, if you go with me you will have to remember that I am yourcommanding officer. I am ten years older than you, and besides I am alieutenant in the King's Navy, while you are only a midshipman in themerchant service. Now, I shall expect as ready obedience from you as ifI were captain of my own ship and you one of my men; that is absolutelyessential."
"Of course, Harry, it could not be otherwise."
"Very well, then; in the next place I shall abide by what Mr. Barnettsays. He is your guardian as well as trustee, and has a perfect rightto put a veto upon any wild expedition of this sort. Lastly, I shouldhope, although I don't say that this is absolutely necessary, that youmay get your employer's promise to take you back again in order thatyou may complete your time."
"Thank you very much, Harry!" the lad said gratefully. "The firstcondition you may rely upon being performed, and I think the third willbe all right, for I know that I have always been favourably reportedupon. Old Prosser told me so himself when he said that I should have arise in my pay this voyage. As to Mr. Barnett,
of course I can't say,but I should think, as it was he who put you up to this, he must seethat it would be good for you to have someone to take care of you."
"I think he is much more likely to say that I shall have quite enoughto do to take care of myself, without having the bother of lookingafter you. However, I will go and see him this morning. You had bettercall upon your employers."
"Don't you think I had better go to Mr. Barnett with you, Harry?"
"Not as you are now anyhow, Bertie. Your appearance is positivelydisgraceful. You evidently had on your worst suit of clothes when youwere wrecked, and I can see that they have not been improved by theexperience. Why, there is a split right down one sleeve, and a big rentin your trousers!"
"I got them climbing on board, for I had no time to pick and choose,with the _Stella_ sinking under my feet."
"Well, you may as well go as you are, but you had better borrow aneedle and thread from the landlady and mend up the holes. You reallycannot walk through the city in that state. I will see about gettingyou some more clothes when we get back, for I cannot have you cominghere in these in broad daylight. Here are three guineas; get yourself asuit of pilot cloth at some outfitter's at the East End. It will beuseful to you anyhow, whether you go with me or ship again here."
"There is a good deal in what you say, Harry," Mr. Barnett said whenPrendergast asked his opinion as to his taking his brother with him."Two years would not make any material difference in his career as asailor; it simply means that he will be so much older when he passes asmate. There is no harm in that. Two or three and twenty is quite youngenough for a young fellow to become an officer, and I don't think thatmany captains care about having lads who have just got theircertificate. They have not the same sense of responsibility or the samepower of managing. Then, too, Bertie will certainly have a good deal ofknocking about if he spends a couple of years in South America, and theknowledge he will gain of Spanish will add to his value with any firmtrading on that coast. As far as you are concerned, I think it would bea great advantage to have him with you. In a long expedition, such asyou propose, it is a gain to have a companion with you. It makes thework more pleasant, and two men can laugh over hardships anddisagreeables that one alone would grumble at; but apart from this, itis very important in case of illness.
"A lonely man laid up with fever, or accidental injury, fares badlyindeed if he is at a distance from any town where he can obtain medicalattendance, and surrounded only by ignorant natives. I was myself atone time down with fever for six weeks in a native hut, and during thattime I would have given pretty nearly all that I was worth for thesight of a white face and the sound of an English voice. As to the factthat it is possible that the lad might catch fever, or be killed in anaffray with natives, that must, of course, be faced; but as a sailor heruns the risk of shipwreck, or of being washed overboard, or killed bya falling spar. Everything considered, I think the idea of his goingwith you is a good one. I don't suppose that many guardians would be ofthe same opinion, but I have been so many years knocking about in onepart of the world or another, that I don't look at things in the samelight as men who have never been out of England."
"I am glad you see it in that way, sir. I own that it would be a greatsatisfaction to have him with me. He certainly would be a cheerycompanion, and I should say that he is as hard as nails, and can standas much fatigue and hardship as myself. Besides, there is no doubt thatin case of any trouble two men are better than one."
"I cannot advance any money out of the thousand pounds that will cometo him when he is of age. By your father's will it was ordered that, inthe event of his own death before that time, the interest was toaccumulate. Your father foresaw that, like you, probably Bertie wouldtake to the sea, and as the amount would be fully two thousand poundsby the time he comes of age, it would enable him to buy a share in anyship that he might, when he passed his last examination, command; but Iwill myself draw a cheque for a hundred pounds, which will help towardsmeeting expenses. I feel myself to some extent responsible for thisexpedition. I somewhat regret now having ever spoken to you on thesubject, for I cannot conceal from myself that the chance of yourmaking a discovery, where the Spaniards, with all their power ofputting pressure on the natives for the past two or three hundredyears, have failed, is so slight as to be scarcely worth consideration.
"I tell you frankly that I broached the subject chiefly because Ithought it was much better for you to be doing something than kickingyour heels about London, and mooning over this affair with MissFortescue. There is nothing worse for a young man than living in Londonwith just enough to keep him comfortably without the necessity ofworking. Therefore I thought you would be far better travelling andhunting for treasure in Peru, than staying here. Even if you fail, as Ifeel is almost certain, in the object for which you go out, you willhave plenty to occupy your thoughts, and not be dwelling continuallyupon an attachment which in all probability will not turn outsatisfactorily. I do not suppose that you are likely to forget MissFortescue, but by the time you return you will have accustomed yourselfto the thought that it is useless to cry for the moon, and that, afterall, life may be very endurable even if she does not share it.Therefore I propounded this Peruvian adventure, feeling sure that,whatever came of it, it would be a benefit to you."
"No doubt it will, sir. I see myself the chance of success is smallindeed, but there is none at all in any other way. It is just the sortof thing I should like, and I quite feel myself that it would be goodfor me to have plenty to think about; and now that you have consentedto Bertie's going with me, I feel more eager than before to undertakethe expedition. The place is in rather a disturbed state, isn't it?"
"If you are going to wait until Peru ceases to be in a disturbed state,Harry, you may wait another hundred years. The Spanish rule was bad,but Peru was then a pleasant place to live in compared with what it isnow. It is a sort of cock-pit, where a succession of ambitious rascalsstruggle for the spoils, and the moment one gets the better of hisrivals fresh intrigues are set on foot, and fresh rebellions break out.There are good Peruvians--men who have estates and live upon them, andwho are good masters. But as to the politicians, there is no principlewhatever at stake. It is simply a question of who shall have thehandling of the national revenue, and divide it and the innumerableposts among his adherents. But these struggles will not affect youlargely. In one respect they will even be an advantage. Bent upon theirown factious aims, the combatants have no time to concern themselveswith the doings of an English traveller, whose object out there isostensibly to botanize and shoot. Were one of them to obtain theundisputed control of affairs he might meddle in all sorts of ways;but, as it is, after you have once got pretty well beyond the area oftheir operations, you can regard their doings with indifference,knowing that the longer they go on fighting the fewer scoundrels therewill be in the land.
"But even were they to think that it was mining, and not science orsport that took you out there, they would scarcely interfere with you.It is admitted by all the factions that Peru needs capital for herdevelopment, and at present that can best be got from this country. Thediscovery of a fresh mine means employment to a large number of people,and the increase of the revenues by a royalty or taxation. Englishexplorers who have gone out have never had any reason to complain ofinterference on the part of the authorities. You will find the averagebetter class of Peruvians a charming people, and extremely hospitable.The ladies are pretty enough to turn the head of anyone whoseaffections are not already engaged. The men are kindly and courteous inthe extreme. However, you would have little to do with these.
"In the mountains you would largely depend upon your rifle for food,and on what you could get in the scattered native villages. The Indianshave no love for the Peruvians. They find their condition no better offunder them than it was under the Spaniards. Once they find out that youare English they will do all in their power for you. It is to Cochraneand the English officers with him that they owe the overthrow andexpulsion of their Spanish
tyrants, and they are vastly more gratefulthan either the Chilians or Peruvians have shown themselves to be."
On returning to their lodgings Harry met his brother, who had been intothe city.
"Old Prosser was very civil," said Bertie. "He said that as their shipswere chiefly in the South American trade it would be a great advantagefor me to learn to speak Spanish well. They had not yet thoughtanything about whether they should order another ship to replace the_Stella_; at any rate, at present they had no vacancy, and would gladlygive me permission to travel in South America, and would find me aberth to finish my apprenticeship when I returned. More than that, theysaid that as I had always been so favourably reported upon they wouldput me on as a supernumerary in the _Para_, which will sail in afortnight for Callao. I should not draw pay, but I should be in theirservice, and the time would count, which would be a great pull, and Ishould get my passage for nothing."
"That is capital. Of course I will take a passage in her too."
"And what does Mr. Barnett say?"
"Rather to my surprise, Bertie, he did not disapprove of the plan atall. He thought it would be a good thing for me to have you with me incase of illness or anything of that sort. Then no doubt he thought tosome extent it would keep you out of mischief."
"I don't believe he thought anything of the sort. Did he say so?"
"Well, no, he didn't; but I have no doubt he felt it in some way a sortof relief."
"That is all very fine. I know, when I have been down to his place inthe country between voyages, I have always been as well behaved as if Ihad been a model mid."
"Well, I have heard some tales of your doings, Bertie, that didn't seemquite in accord with the character you give yourself."
"Oh, of course I had a few larks! You cannot expect a fellow who hasbeen away from England for a year to walk about as soberly as if hewere a Methodist parson!"
"No, I should not expect that, Bertie. But, on the other hand, I shouldhardly have expected that he would, for example, risk breaking his neckby climbing up to the top of the steeple and fastening a straw-hat onthe head of the weathercock."
"It gave it a very ornamental appearance; and that weathercock wasnever before watched so regularly by the people of the village as itwas from that time till the hat was blown away in a gale."
"That I can quite believe. Still, Mr. Barnett told me that the rectorlodged a complaint about it."
"He might complain as much as he liked; there is no law in the land, asfar as I know, that makes the fixing of a straw-hat upon a weathercocka penal offence. It did no end of good in the village, gave themsomething to talk about, and woke them up wonderfully."
"And there were other things too, I think," his brother went on.
"Oh, well, you need not go into them now! they are an old story.Besides, I fancy I have heard of various tricks played by Mr.Midshipman Harry Prendergast, and, as I heard them from your lips, Icannot doubt but that they were strictly veracious. Well, this is jollynow. When are we going to begin to get our outfit?"
"We will lose no time about that. But really there is not much toget--a couple of good rifles and two brace of pistols, with a goodstore of ammunition, those clothes you have just bought, and two orthree suits of duck for the voyage. I shan't get any special kit untilwe arrive there, and can take the advice of people at Lima whether wehad better travel in European clothes or in those worn by thePeruvians. Of course saddles and bridles and all that sort of thing wecan buy there, and we shall want a small tent to use when we get intoout-of-the-way places. I shall take three hundred pounds in gold. Ihave no doubt we can exchange it into silver profitably; besides, it ismuch more handy for carrying about. I shall go down this afternoon andsee Prosser and secure a berth."
"I think you will have to arrange that with the captain. Very few ofour ships have accommodation for passengers, but the captains areallowed to take one or two if they like."
"All right! At any rate I must go to the office first. They can referme to the skipper if they like; that would be better than my going tohim direct."
