CHAPTER XIII
LETTERS FROM HOME
There was some little discussion over the amount of supplies that itwould be necessary to purchase.
"Travelling quietly, the journey will not occupy over fourteen days,"Harry said. "Do not get anything more than is absolutely necessary. Itis evident that the whole country is in a disturbed state, and it is aswell to have nothing to lose. We can buy nearly everything we want inthe way of meat and flour at villages we pass through. Therefore, if wehave enough tea, coffee, and sugar there will be really no occasion tobuy anything more. We have still two or three bottles of spirits left,and you can buy pulque everywhere. There is a proverb two or threethousand years old, 'The empty traveller can sing before the robber'.We are reduced to that condition, except for our tents, bedding, andblankets, and they have done good service and would not cost much toreplace. There remain, then, only the animals. They would certainly bea serious loss to us."
"Brigands would not want to take them. They would not be of the leastuse to them in the mountains. I would not say the same of parties ofdisbanded soldiers making their way down to Lima or Callao, who mightprefer riding to travelling all that distance."
"The brigands might take our rifles and pistols, Dias."
"Yes, they would be sure to do that, senor. But we have had more thanour share of bad luck already, what with the brigands in the Cerropass, and these rascals we have just had to do with. I will enquirewhen the last silver convoy went down. If one has gone during the pastfive or six days, we could overtake it soon, for we can do two days'journey to its one. If no convoy has gone forward later, and there isone starting shortly, it might be worth our while to wait for it, forby all accounts the road down to Lima is infested by dischargedsoldiers, and ruffians of all kinds from Callao and Lima."
"Have the convoys an escort?"
"Yes, senors. The silver mines have always a considerable force intheir pay. They used to have troops from the division stationed here,but what with the constant revolutions, and the fact that more thanonce the escort, instead of protecting the convoys, mutinied and seizedthem, they found it better to raise a force themselves. They do nottake Creoles, preferring pure-bred Indians, who are just as brave asthe Creoles, if not braver, and can be relied upon to be faithful totheir trust. The consequence is that, in spite of the disturbed stateof the country, it is a long time now since one of their escorts hasbeen attacked, especially as the robbers would find great difficulty indisposing of the silver, as each ingot is marked with the name of themine it comes from.
"They might, of course, melt it up again; but even then there would bea difficulty, as the law is very strict as to the sale of silver, and acertificate has to be obtained from the local authorities in everycase, stating where it was obtained. This is hard upon the natives, formany of the little mines are worked among the mountains, and therascals, to whom all official positions are given in reward forservices done to the party which happens to be in power for the time,take good care to fleece the Indians heavily before they will give themthe necessary documents. Nothing can be done here, senors, withoutgreasing the palms of two or three people, and the grease has to bepretty heavily laid on."
Dias went out and made enquiries. "There will be no convoy for anotherfortnight. One went down ten days ago."
"I certainly shall not wait another fortnight, Dias. As to an escort,less than a dozen men would be useless, and as they would be afortnight at least going down, and as much returning, even if you couldget twelve men who could be relied upon, it would be a very expensivejob. We might as well risk losing our baggage, and even our guns. Thegreat thing will be to reduce the weight as much as possible. Fourcotton beds take up a lot of space, and I think in any case I shouldhave bought new ones at Lima; at any rate they can go. The blankets andponchos we could, of course, carry behind us. So that practically thereare only the two tents, cooking utensils, and the stores, which willnot weigh many pounds, to carry, and with our clothes the whole willmake a ridiculously small load even for one mule. We had better get ridof the pickaxes and shovels, they would fetch pretty nearly as muchhere as we should give for new ones at Lima.
"Thus, then, with Donna Maria riding one of the mules, there would beour five selves and three led mules, of which only one would be laden.That would offer no great temptation to plunderers; and as we shall allhave guns across our shoulders, they would see that it would not beworth while to interfere on the very slight chance that the one ladenmule might be carrying anything valuable."
"I agree with you, senor. Our appearance would be that of a party oftravellers who have been exploring the old ruins, or, as has been donebefore, endeavouring to ascertain whether the rivers on the east arenavigable down to the Amazon. Besides, the bulk of the people here donot forget what they owe to Englishmen, and the fact that you are ofthat nation would in itself secure good treatment for you among allexcept desperate men."
Accordingly they started the next morning. Maria rode, in Amazonfashion, on a mule between her husband and Harry. Bertie followed withJose, to whose saddle the three baggage mules were attached in singlefile. They were undisturbed on their journey. Three or four times theywere hailed by men on the rocks above as they went through difficultpoints of the pass. The reply of Dias, that the two gentlemen with himwere Englishmen who had been exploring the ruins and doing a littleshooting among the hills, generally satisfied them. One or two,however, who enquired what the mule was carrying, were invited by himto come down and see, though at the same time they were informed thatthe load contained nothing but blankets and cooking vessels, and enoughprovisions to last them on the way.
When, within two days' journey from Lima, a party of rough men camedown into the road, Dias rode forward to meet them and repeated hisusual story. "You can examine the mule if you like," he said, "but Iwarn you not to interfere with us; the English senors are not men to bemeddled with. They are armed with rifles, and each carries a brace ofdouble-barrelled pistols. They are dead shots, too, and you may reckonthat it will cost you over a dozen lives were you to interfere withthem. Moreover, the other muleteer and myself could give a fair accountof ourselves. Rather than have trouble, however, two of you can comeforward and see that my statement as to what the mule carries iscorrect. Its burden would not fetch fifty dollars at Lima."
Two of the men came forward and examined the mule's burden, and feltthe saddles of the others to see that nothing was concealed there. Whenthey rejoined their party one who appeared to be their leader cameforward.
"Senors," he said, "I regret that we have stopped you; but we are poormen, and are obliged to take to the road to live. Perhaps your honourswould not mind giving us ten dollars to buy food at the next village."
THEY SAW APPROACHING A PEASANT WOMAN SITTING ON A MULE.]
"I have not many dollars left," Harry said, "but if you really needfood you are welcome to ten of them, for we shall need nothing morethan what we carry till we arrive at Lima." He handed him the tendollars, and then, showing him his purse, said, "You see there are butfive others."
With many thanks the man retired, and he and his companions took offtheir hats as Harry and his party rode through them.
"Another such stoppage," Harry said with a laugh, "and we shall have tofall back upon our little stock of gold-dust."
However, they met with no more trouble, and on the following eveningrode into Lima and took up their quarters at the hotel. Dias asked thathe might go on with the mules to his home.
"In the first place, senor, we want to know how things have gone on inour absence. We had arranged with neighbours to look after the gardenand the house. They were glad to do so, as the garden was a fruitfulone. They were to take all they could raise and keep it well planted,so that whenever we might return we should find our usual supply offruits and vegetables. In the next place, Maria is nervous about mystaying here after what happened last time. We may take it as certainthat the friends of the men we hurt will take the chance of paying offthe score i
f they can find an opportunity. I shall come in each day tosee if you have any orders for me."
"There will be no occasion for that, Dias. We have quite made up ourminds to wait here for a week before starting on our next expedition,so if you will come over in four days that will be quite soon enough.You can overhaul the blankets and bags, and see that those good enoughto keep are put in good repair, and those worn out replaced. We shallwant quite as many stores as those we took last time, for there arevery few villages except on the sea-shore, and we shall find difficultyin replenishing our stock. We shall have to buy double-barrelled gunsin place of those we lost, but that we shall do ourselves. We haveplenty of ammunition and cartridges for the rifles and pistols, but wehad only a few shot cartridges left when we lost the guns."
As soon as Dias had gone on with the mules Harry went to the Britishconsul's and found three letters waiting there for him, two from MissFortescue and one from Mr. Barnett. He put the former into his pocketto be read and enjoyed privately, but opened that of Mr. Barnett atonce. It was in answer to that Harry had written at Cuzco.
"My dear Harry," he said,
"Your first letter was quite satisfactory. I was glad to find that youhad reached Lima without encountering more than a stiffish gale, whichwas as well as you could have expected. I was still more glad that youhad found Dias alive and willing to accompany you. Your letter fromCuzco has now reached me. I think you were extremely lucky to getthrough that street broil without any damage to either of you. It wascertainly a hazardous business to interfere in an affair of that kindwithout having any weapons except the sticks you carried. Still, I canwell understand that, as you would certainly have lost the services ofDias had you not done so, it was worth running a good deal of risk;and, as you say, it had the natural effect of binding him to you heartand soul.
"I feel very uneasy about you both, and have blamed myself many a timefor suggesting this scheme to you. I can only say that it is really theonly possible way in which it seemed to me you could carry out the taskset you. In fairy stories it is, so far as I can remember, a notuncommon thing for a king to set some task, that appears absolutelyhopeless, to the suitors for his daughter's hand, and the hero alwaysaccomplishes the impossible. But this is always done with theassistance of some good fairy, and unfortunately good fairies are notto be met with in the present day. I have great faith in Dias, but fearthat he is a very poor substitute for a fairy godmother. Still, I amconvinced that he will do all in his power, and will even strain hisconscience severely, by conducting you to places where his traditionslead him to believe that gold, either in the shape of mines or hiddentreasure, is to be found.
"Your search will not improbably lead you into places where the Indianshave won back their own from the civilization introduced by theSpaniards, and I have always heard that on the eastern side of theCordilleras the natives entertain a deadly hatred for whites, andattack all who endeavour to penetrate into the forest. Don't be toorash, lad. Remember that it will not add to your lady-love's happinessto learn that you have been massacred in your attempt to carry out yourknight-errant adventure, and if you are careless about your own life,don't forget that its loss will probably entail the loss of yourbrother's also. Dangers, of course, you must meet and face, butremember that prudence is a valuable aid to bravery.
"I am glad to know that Dias has taken his wife with him. A woman is avery useful adjunct to an expedition such as yours. Of course in someways she is necessarily a trouble, and always a responsibility. Still,if, as you say is the case with her, she is a good cook, this makes awonderful difference in your comfort, and certainly adds to the chanceof your preserving your health. And in the next place, should you fallill, or be mauled by a tiger or puma, she will make a far better nursethan Dias himself would be. Now that you are cutting yourself adriftfrom civilization, I shall not expect to hear from you again for a longtime. I shall try and not be uneasy; but really, Harry, I do feel thatI have incurred a very heavy responsibility, and may, with the bestintentions in the world, have sent you and Bertie to your death. Ihave, as you directed me, addressed this to the care of our consul, andit must be many months before you receive it, many months more before Iagain hear from you. Should you require more money, draw upon me. Ihave always a good balance standing at the bank, therefore do nothesitate to draw, in case the amount sent out to you quarterly does notprove sufficient to carry out any scheme you may have in hand.
"With all good wishes for your own and Bertie's welfare,
"I remain,
"Your affectionate guardian,
"JAMES BARNETT."
When he returned to the hotel he handed Mr. Barnett's letter to Bertieto read, and said:
"Stop down here in the patio, Bertie; I have two letters that I want toread quietly."
Bertie laughed.
"All right, Harry; take your time over them; I won't disturb you."
It was dusk now, and when Harry went to his room he lit a couple ofcandles and seated himself in a large cane arm-chair and opened hisletters.
The first one consisted chiefly of expressions of pleasure at hisarrival at Callao, of remarks upon the voyage, of complaints as to thelong time that had passed without news of him, and of assurances ofaffection.
The second was, like Mr. Barnett's, in reply to his letter from Cuzco.
"My dearest Harry,
"After reading your letter I have been more and more impressed with myheartlessness in allowing you to undertake such a journey as you havebefore you. I ought to have been braver. I ought to have refusedabsolutely to allow you to go. The prospect of your being able toovercome my father's objections really amounts to nothing, and I oughtto have said that I would not accept the sacrifice, and would not allowyou to run such risks; that it would be better and kinder for both ofus to accept the inevitable, and not enter upon such a struggle withfate.
"Do not think that I am already growing weary of waiting, and that myheart is in any way changed. It is not that. It is anxiety about you,and the feeling how wrong I was to let you go. Were there even a shadowof chance of your success I would wait patiently for years. I do notsay that my life is a pleasant one. It is not. My father is stillbitterly angry with me for, as he says, throwing away my chances; thatis to say, of marrying a man I do not care for, simply because he isrich. But I can bear that. Mother is very very good, and does all inher power to cheer me; but, as you know, she has never been much morethan a cipher, accustomed always to submit to my father's will, and itis wonderful to me that in our matter she has ventured, not openly tooppose him, but to give me what strength and comfort she can.
"I hardly know how I should have got on without her comfort. My fatherhardly speaks to me. He treats me as if I had been convicted of somedeadly sin, and is only restrained from punishing me in some waybecause, by some blunder or other, contumacy against the will of afather has been omitted from the penal code. Seriously, Harry, it makesme unhappy, not only for myself but for him. Until I was unable to givein to him in this question he has always been the kindest of fathers. Iam sure he feels this estrangement between us almost as much as I do,but believes that he is acting for my good; and it is a great pain tohim that I cannot see the matter in the same light as he does. Ofcourse to me it is most ridiculous that he should suppose that myhappiness depends upon having a title, and cutting a figure at court,and that sort of thing; but there is no arguing over it, and I am asthoroughly convinced that my view is the correct one as he is that itis utter folly.
"However, I am almost as sorry for him as for myself, and would doalmost anything short of giving you up to make him happy. However, donot think that I am very miserable, because I am not. Somehow, though Ican't give any good reason for my belief, I do think you will succeed.I do not say that I think for a moment you are likely to come home withthe sum my father named as necessary; that seems to be quite hopeless.But I think somehow you may succeed in doing well; and though somepeople might consider that he was justified in refusing his consent towhat he mi
ght think was a bad match, he could not do so with anyjustice were I to determine upon marrying a gentleman with somefortune. He thinks a great deal of public opinion, and would know thateven chat would be against him. But Indeed, Harry, I am beginning todoubt whether in the end I shall be able to sacrifice my life to hisunfortunate mania, that I must marry what he calls well. I love you,and told him that if at the end of two years you were not in a positionto claim my hand, I would give in to my father's wishes. I will keep mypromise so far, that I will not run away with you or marry you indefiance of his command. But as I have agreed to wait for two years foryou, I may ask you to wait another two years for me.
"When I think of you going through all sorts of dangers and hardshipsfor my sake, I feel that it would be downright wickedness to turnagainst you if you find that you cannot perform an impossible task.Instead of this separation making you less dear to me, it is affectingme in quite the other way. My thoughts are always with you. How couldit be otherwise? I have worked myself up to such a pitch that I havealmost resolved that, when the two years are up, I will say to myfather: 'I shall ask Harry to release me from my promise to him, andfor two years, Father, I will go about and allow men a fair chance ofwinning my love. If at the end of that time I have met no one to whom Ican give my heart, I will then go my own way, and if Harry will take meI will marry him.' It will require a great deal of courage to say so;but you are doing so much to try and win me, that it would be hardindeed if I were to shrink from doing a little on my part.
"Still, it would make it easier for me if you should have the goodfortune to bring home something; not because, as I have told you manytimes, I should shrink for a moment from renouncing all the luxuries inwhich I have been brought up, and for which I care so little, butbecause it would, in his eyes, be a proof of how earnestly you havestriven to do what you could to meet his requirements. I did not meanto say this when I began my letter, but it seems to me that it willgive you heart and strength in your work, and that you will see from itthat I, too, have taken my courage in my hand, and show you that yourlove and faithfulness shall some day have the reward they deserve.
"God bless you and keep you, dearest,
"Your loving HILDA."
Harry read the letter through again and again, and at last Bertie camein.
"What! at it still, Harry?" he said with a laugh. "You must have gotyour letters by heart by this time. I have been sitting in the patio bymyself for two mortal hours expecting you to come down. At last I saidto myself, 'This sort of thing will bring on madness. When a healthysailor forgets that his brother is waiting for supper, to say nothingof himself, it is clear that there is something radically wrong.'"
"It is evident, Bertie, that at present you know nothing of humannature. If there had been anything radically wrong in this letter Ishould probably have been down long ago. It is just the contrary. Hildasays that if I don't succeed here, she will give herself, or rather herfather, two years, and at the end of that time, if she doesn't findsomeone she likes better, she will marry me, whether he likes it ornot--at least, that is what it comes to."
"I congratulate you, old boy. At the same time, it is evident that shewould not have been worth her salt if she had arrived at any otherconclusion. Now, having settled that comfortably, let us go and havesomething to eat. You appear to forget altogether that you have hadnothing since breakfast, and it is now past eight o'clock."
"You boys think of nothing but eating," Harry grumbled.
"Well, up till now, Harry, from the time we started, I have observedthat you have a very healthy appetite yourself, and I can tell you ithas cost me half a dollar in bribing the cook to stay on beyond hisusual hour. I did not like to tell him that you were engaged in readinga love-letter fifty times, so I put it delicately and said that youwere engaged in business of importance. It went against my conscienceto tell such a buster."
"There, come on, Bertie. I had begun to hope that you were growing intoa sensible fellow, but I am afraid that there is no chance of that now,and that you will continue to be a donkey to the end of your life."
Harry had told Dias that they had better take two or three days at homebefore they came into Lima again, but to his surprise the muleteer camein at ten o'clock next morning.
"Well, Dias, I did not expect to see you again so soon. You have foundeverything right at home, I hope?"
"No, senor, I am sorry to say I did not. Three days after we left hereour house was burnt down."
"Burnt down, Dias! I am sorry indeed to hear that. How did it happen? Ithought you said that you had locked it up, and left no one there."
"That was so, senor. The people who took over the garden were to gointo the house once a week to see that everything was in order; but asthis fire broke out only three days after I left, they had not enteredit. Everyone says that it must have been fired on purpose, for theflames seem to have burst out in all parts at once. No one in the townthought that I had an enemy in the world, and all have been wonderingwho could have had a grudge against me. Of course we need not go veryfar to guess who was at the bottom of it."
"I suppose not, Dias. It must have been those scoundrels we gave such athrashing to."
"There is no doubt of that, senor. But this time they have got the bestof me, for they know very well that I have no proof against them, andthat it would be useless to lodge any complaint."
"I am afraid it would, Dias. Is it quite burnt down?"
"The walls are standing, senor. It takes a good deal to burn adobe."
"What do you suppose it would cost to put it in the same condition asbefore, with the furniture and everything?"
"No great thing, senor; two hundred or two hundred and fifty dollars.It would not be as much as that if it hadn't been that Maria had lefther festa dresses and her silver trinkets behind. There was not muchfurniture in the house; but I think I could replace everything forabout two hundred dollars, and I have a good deal more than that laidby."
"I shall certainly make that up to you, Dias. It was entirely yourkindness in deciding to take us on Mr. Barnett's recommendation, and toundertake this journey, that brought the ill-will of these scoundrelsupon you. Of course it is of no use doing anything now, but when oursearch is over I shall certainly see that you are not in any way theloser."
"No, senor; if I could not replace it myself I might accept your kindoffer, but I can do it without breaking very heavily into my savings.And indeed their attack on me was the outcome of an old grudge. I havebeen long regarded as a fortunate man, and truly I have been so. Ifthere was a job for five mules, and I was disengaged, I always had thefirst offer."
"But that was not fortune, Dias; that was because you were known to bewholly trustworthy."
"There are few muleteers who are not so, senor; it is rarely indeedthat muleteers are false to their trust. I can scarce remember aninstance. We Indians have our faults, but we are honest."
"Well, perhaps your getting the first job to go with foreign travellersmay have been a piece of good fortune, but it is because these were sowell satisfied with you that others engaged you. Trustworthiness is notthe only thing wanted in a muleteer; willingness, cheerfulness, and areadiness to oblige are almost as important for the comfort oftravellers. Well, do you think these fellows will try and play youanother trick, Dias?"
"I hope they will," Dias said savagely, "that is, if they don't havetoo much odds against me. I owe them a big score now, for twice theyhave got the better of me. I should like to get even with them."
"Well, Dias, I hope they won't try anything of the sort. If anythingshould happen to you, I should not only be extremely sorry for yoursake and your wife's, but it would destroy the last chance I have ofcarrying out my search for treasure. Do you think that if I were to goto the consul and lay a complaint against them, on the ground, in thefirst place, of their attack on you, and now of burning your house, itwould have any effect?"
"If you were to make a complaint it might do, senor; it certainly wouldnot were I to do so. A litt
le bribe would, of course, be necessary; youcannot do anything without that. The officials here are all Gamarra'smen, and there is not one of them who would not take a bribe. But wouldit be worth while, as we are only going to stay here a week? And if yougot them imprisoned they would be out again before I came back, andwould be more anxious than ever to get rid of me."
"There is a good deal in that, Dias. As, of course, we shall be away,and starting for home again as soon as we return here, their spitewould be directed entirely against you."
"I hope, senors, that while you stop here you will never go out withoutyour pistols. It is against you they have a grudge now more than me; itwas owing to you that they failed in killing me."
"We will do so; and we won't carry sticks this time, so that if theysee us going along they will think we are unarmed."
Whenever they went out after dark, indeed, Harry and Bertie had an ideathat they were followed, and on their way home each invariably carrieda cocked pistol in his pocket, ready for instant use. It was well thatthey did so, for on returning late one evening from Senor Pasquez, fourmen suddenly sprang out upon them.
They were on their guard, and their arms went up in an instant, and twoshots were fired. As the pistols were almost touching the men's headswhen the trigger was pulled, both the assailants dropped dead, and theothers at once took to their heels.
"There are two of Dias's enemies wiped out," Harry said quietly. "Ihope the others will give us a chance before we leave. Well, let uswalk on before the watch comes along. It would ruin our plansaltogether if we were kept here for an indefinite time while enquiriesare being made."
The next morning they heard from their waiter at breakfast that two menhad been found dead in the street.
"They are muleteers," he said, "but are known to be bad characters, andare suspected of having been concerned in several murders. It isevident that they made a mistake this time, and have got what theydeserved. They are known to be associated with others. There were fiveof them; one was killed in a knife fight some months ago, and a searchhas been made for the others, but it is not likely that they will becaught. They were probably concerned in the affair, and knowing thatthey would be suspected of having a hand in this, and that theircharacter will go against them, I expect they went off at once to thefoot of the hills, and won't be heard of again for some time to come."
"I think it a pity they were not all shot. It is a shame that in a townlike this people cannot walk in the streets after dark without the riskof being assassinated."
Dias was very pleased when, on coming up that morning, he heard of whathad happened. He quite agreed that the other men would almost certainlyhave taken to the mountains.
"Even if they have not, senor, you are safe from another attack. Nowthey know that you carry pistols, and are prepared for them, they willlet you alone."
"When we come back here, Dias, we will give you a brace of our pistols,and I trust you will carry them in your pocket ready for use afterdark, whether you are in Lima or at Miraflores."
"Thank you, senor. I do not think they are likely to show their faceshere again for a long time; but at any rate I will be on my guard, andwill gratefully accept your offer of the pistols. Now, senors, I mustset to work to-day to get in our stores for the next journey. I havemade a list of what we shall want."
"Well, I have plenty of money, Dias, for I find two remittances fromhome awaiting me here. We have already bought two double-barrelled gunsand a stock of ammunition, principally buck-shot, for we shall not bedoing much big game shooting. We can always buy food at the sea-sidevillages."
Three days later all was in readiness. The mules were brought up fromMiraflores by Jose, accompanied by Maria, and an early start was madeon the following morning.