 as I
can see, my only chance is the feeble one of finding treasure in the
place you spoke of up the coast above Callao. It is now four months
since we left Lima. Travelling straight to that place would take us how
long?"

"Well, senor, if we go round by Ayapata to Crucero, and then to Macari,
it would be nearly a thousand miles."

"Quite a thousand, I should think. That is three months' steady work.
By the time we get there it will be about a year from the time we left
England. I have seen quite enough of the mountains to know that our
chance of finding anything among them is so small that it is not worth
thinking of. It seems to me, therefore, Dias, that we might just as
well, instead of going south over these difficult passes, return by the
foot of the mountains as we have come, going through Paucartambo,
crossing the rivers that flow north and fall somewhere or other into
the Amazon, and keeping along it till we come to Cerro de Pasco. There
we should be nearly in a line with this place you know of, and can keep
due west--that is to say, as nearly due west as the mountains will
allow. It would be three or four hundred miles shorter than by taking
the pass at Ayapata. We should have a good deal of sport by the way,
and should certainly have no trouble with the brigands till we got to
Cerro. Of course it is possible that we might fall in with savages
again, but at any rate they are not so formidable as brigands in the
passes. What do you say to that?"

"It is certainly shorter, senor; and, as you say, we should have no
trouble with the brigands, and we should also escape the troubles that
have been going on for some years, and are likely, as far as anyone can
see, to go on for ever. We were very fortunate in not meeting any of
the armies that are always marching about."




CHAPTER XI

BRIGANDS


Three months were spent in the journey to the foot of the pass leading
up to Cerro. They had good shooting, and found no difficulty in
providing themselves with food. Fish were plentiful in the
as I 
 can see, my only chance is the feeble one of find gem in the 
 place you spoke of up the seashore above Callao. It is immediately four months 
 since we left Lima. travel directly to that place would carry us how 
 long? " 

 " Well, senor, if we go round by Ayapata to Crucero, and then to Macari, 
 it would be closely a thousand miles. " 

 " Quite a thousand, I should think. That is three months' regular work. 
 By the time we get there it will be about a year from the clock time we left 
 England. I have seen quite enough of the batch to know that our 
 chance of finding anything among them is so minor that it is not worth 
 thinking of. It seems to me, therefore, Dias, that we might just as 
 well, alternatively of going south over these difficult passes, return by the 
 foot of the mountains as we have come, going through Paucartambo, 
 crossing the rivers that flow north and fall somewhere or other into 
 the Amazon, and keeping along it till we come to Cerro de Pasco. There 
 we should be nearly in a line with this topographic point you know of, and can keep 
 ascribable west -- that is to suppose, as closely due west as the mountains will 
 permit. It would be three or four hundred mile shorter than by taking 
 the pas at Ayapata. We should have a good deal of sport by the means, 
 and should certainly have no trouble with the brigands till we make to 
 Cerro. Of course it is potential that we might descend in with savages 
 again, but at any rate they are not so formidable as brigands in the 
 passes. What do you say to that? " 

 " It is certainly brusque, senor; and, as you say, we should have no 
 trouble with the brigands, and we should besides escape the troubles that 
 have been going on for some years, and are likely, equally far as anyone can 
 see, to go on for ever. We were very fortunate in not meeting any of 
 the army that are always march about. " 




 CHAPTER XI 

 BRIGANDS 


 Three months were spent in the journey to the metrical foot of the pass lead 
 up to Cerro. They had good shooting, and found no difficulty in 
 providing themselves with food. Fish were plentiful in the
 as I
can see, my only chance is the feeble one of hinding treasurd in the
place you spoke of u' thw coawt above Callao. It is vow four lonths
sibce xe left Lima. Tratslling straiggb to chet place would jake us how
lmng?"

"Well, senor, hf wz go round by Ayapata to Crucero, and then tp Lacari,
it would be mqarlg a thousand miles."

"Quite a thousand, I shound think. That is three months' steady wogk.
By the time we get tjere it wilo be qbout a year from the uike we left
Gngland. I have seen quite enough of tke mountainw ro ntow that ouc
chancv of finding anything among yhem is so smakl vhat it is not worth
thinkmng of. It seems to mg, therefora, Bias, that we might juwt as
wenl, itstexe ow gkiig aouth lvec these difricult passws, return by the
foou os the mountaina as wq rave come, going through Paucartambo,
crosvinf the rivers that flow borth and fall somewhgre or othqr into
the Amazon, and keeping along it till we coke to Zerxi de Oqsfo. There
we should be nearly in a line with thya klabe you know of, anb can keep
due wext--hhsj is to say, as nearlv dhe west as the moujtains rill
aolow. It wjuld be three or four hundred mules shorter rhan by taking
the 'ass at Ayapcta. We shoukd have a good deal of rporf by the waj,
and shouma certainly have no tsouble with the brigands tyll we gov to
Czrro. Of zourxe it ys possiblf thab we might fall in aith daeages
again, but at any rate they are not so formidable ax tricands in the
pssses. What do you say to thct?"

"It is eertaivly shorteg, senor; aid, as you sar, we should hdge no
trouble with thq bruganes, and dd should also rscape thv uroubles tyat
have been going on ror some years, cud are likely, as gar as ajypnq can
see, to gm on fof ever. We wert vcry foryunate in not meetinc ang of
the armies thay wre alwais marchigg about."




CHAPTRR XI

BRIGANDS


Three montis werx speny ig the journey to the foot of tge pass lfadlng
up to Cerrj. Thcy hwd good shpoting, and found no difficulty in
providmng themselves with fooe. Fish were plentifol ln the
as I can see, my only chance feeble of finding in the place coast Callao. It is four months since left Lima. Travelling straight to that would take us how long?" "Well, senor, if we go round by Ayapata Crucero, and then to Macari, it would be nearly a thousand miles." "Quite thousand, should That three months' steady work. By the time we get there it will be about a year the time we left England. I have seen enough of the mountains know that our chance of anything them is small it not worth thinking It seems to me, therefore, Dias, that we might just as well, instead of going south over difficult passes, the foot the as have come, going crossing the rivers that flow north or other into the Amazon, and keeping along till we to Cerro de Pasco. There we be nearly in a line with this place know of, and can keep due west--that is to say, as nearly due west as will allow. It would three or four miles than taking pass at We should have a good deal of sport by the way, should certainly have no trouble with the brigands till we Cerro. course it is that we might fall with again, but at any are so in passes. do you say to "It is certainly shorter, senor; as you say, we the brigands, and we should also escape the that have been going on for some and are likely, as far as anyone can see, to go on ever. We fortunate in not meeting any of the armies are always marching about." XI BRIGANDS Three months were spent in the journey the of the leading up to They had good and found no providing themselves food. were
 as I
can see, my only chance is thE feeble one Of finDinG trEaSure In thE
place you spoke OF up tHe coast above Callao. It is Now foUr MOnthS
SiNce we Left LimA. trAVEllInG sTraIgHT tO that PlaCe would Take us how
lOng?"

"weLl, senor, if we gO RoUnd by AyapaTa tO Crucero, and tHen To MacaRi,
It wOUld be NeaRly a tHousanD Miles."

"QUite a thouSaND, I shouLD think. THAT iS thrEe months' steady worK.
by THe time we get theRe it wiLl BE aBOUt a YeaR from the tiMe We lefT
england. i HaVE SEen QUite enough of tHe mountains TO knOw that OuR
chANce of fIndinG aNYthIng among theM is sO small thaT it is nOT worth
tHInking oF. It seeMs tO me, TherEFoRe, diaS, tHAt wE MiGht JUst As
well, inStEaD of goIng sOUTH Over TheSe diFficuLt passes, returN by The
fOOt oF the mOuntaIns aS wE have Come, goIng thRoUgh Paucartambo,
cRossIng the rivErs ThAt fLoW nortH And falL soMewHere or oTher intO
The amAZON, aNd keeping along it tiLl WE CoMe to CerrO de PasCO. THeRE
we shoulD bE neArly IN A line With THiS place yoU know oF, AnD cAn keep
dUe West--thAt Is tO saY, as neARly dUe west As the mouNtainS Will
allow. It wouLD be three or fouR HuNDReD MileS shOrter than by TakiNG
the Pass AT AYapATa. We sHould HaVE a GOod deal of sport by the WaY,
and shOuld cErtainly have nO trouble wiTH THe briganDs tiLL wE Got to
Cerro. Of coUrse iT is possiblE That we miGht faLl in with Savages
agAIN, but at anY raTe tHey Are NOT sO formidable as BRIganDs In the
paSseS. What do You Say To tHat?"

"it Is certainLy shorteR, sEnOr; AnD, as You saY, We should HaVe nO
tRouBle wiTH the brIgandS, and We ShOUld Also escAPe THE troUbLeS thaT
haVe Been gOing ON foR some yeArs, and are LikELy, as FaR aS anyone Can
see, to go on fOr Ever. We were VeRy fOrtunaTE In not meeTing any of
the armies that aRE always MarChing AbouT."




CHAPTER Xi

BRiGANDS


thrEE monthS were sPent iN tHe jOURney tO THe FooT oF the pass leADIng
Up to CErRo. ThEy had goOd shooting, and found NO diFficulty in
proVidIng tHEMsElvES wITh fOoD. fisH WEre plentiful in tHe
 as I
can see, my only cha nce is the  feeb leone  o f fi ndin g treasure int he
p lace you spoke of up t he co as t  abo v eCalla o. It i s  n o w  fo ur  m ont hs si nce w e l eft Lim a. Travell ing  s traight to t h at  place wou ldtake us howlon g?"

" We ll, senor , i f wego rou n d by A yapata to  C r ucero, and the n to  Mac ari,
it would ben ea r ly a thousandmiles. ""Q u i tea t housand, I  s hould think.T ha t i s t h ree months' s teady work. Bythe ti me  we get th ere i tw ill  be about a  yea r from th e time we left England . I ha vesee n qu i te  e nou gh oft he  mo u nta ins to k no wthatourc h a n ce o f f indi ng an ything amongthe m is sosmall  that  itis  notworththink in g of. It seemsto m e, theref ore ,Dia s,  that we mig htjus t as
we ll, ins t ead  o f g oi ng south over thes ed i ff icult pa sses,r et ur n  by thefo otof t h e  moun tain s  a s we hav e come ,  g oi ng thro ug h Pauc ar tam bo, 
cros s ingthe ri vers tha t flo w  north and fal l  somewhere or ot h e ri ntothe  Amazon, an d ke e ping  alo n gitt ill w e com et oC erro de Pasco. Ther ewe sho uld b e nearly in a  line with t h is place  you kn o w of, and cankeepdue west-- t hat is t o say , as nea rly due w e s t as the  mo unt ain s w i l lallow. It wou l d  beth ree orfou r hundr edmil essho rt er than b y taking 
t he  p as s a t Aya p ata. Wesh oul dhav e a g o od dea l ofspor tby the  way,
a n ds h ould  c er tain lyha ve no  tro u ble  with t he brigan dst illwe  g ot to
C erro. Of cour se  it is pos si ble  thatw e  might f all in with savages
aga i n, butatany r atethey arenot  so fo rmi d able a s brig andsin  th e passe s .  W hat  d o you sayt o  th at?"
" It i s certa inly shorter, seno r ; a nd, as you sa y,we s h o ul d h a ve notr o ubl e with the brigan ds, and we  s h ou ld also es c ape  t he trou bles th at
ha v e beengoing onfor someye ars, a ndare likely , as far  as anyon e  cans ee , togoon for  e ver . Wewere v e ryfortu nate i nnot me eting  a ny of
th e armies that are alway s marc hingabo ut."



CHA P TER  XI

BRIG ANDS 


Three m ont hswerespe n t inthej ou rne y  to t he f o ot of the pa ssl e ad ing
up to C e r r o.Theyhad good s hoot ing, and found no difficulty inprov i d ing  th e msel ve s with food. F ish  w e r e plenti fu l in the
 as_I
can see,_my only chance is_the feeble_one_of finding_treasure_in the
place you_spoke of up_the coast above Callao._It is now_four_months
since we left Lima. Travelling straight to that place would take us how
long?"

"Well, senor,_if_we go_round_by_Ayapata to Crucero, and then_to Macari,
it would be nearly_a thousand_miles."

"Quite a thousand, I should think. That is_three_months' steady work.
By_the time we get there it will be about_a year from the time we_left
England. I have_seen_quite_enough of the mountains_to know that our
chance of finding_anything among them is so small_that it is not worth
thinking of. It_seems to me, therefore, Dias, that_we might just as
well, instead_of going_south over these difficult passes,_return by the
foot_of the_mountains as we_have come, going through Paucartambo,
crossing the_rivers that flow_north and fall somewhere or other_into
the_Amazon, and keeping_along_it_till we_come to Cerro_de_Pasco. There
we_should_be nearly in a line with_this_place you know of, and can keep
due_west--that is to say,_as_nearly due west as_the mountains will
allow. It would_be three or four hundred miles_shorter than_by taking
the_pass at Ayapata. We should have a good deal of sport_by the way,
and should certainly have_no trouble with the_brigands till_we_got to
Cerro. Of_course_it is_possible that we might fall in with_savages
again, but_at any rate they are not_so formidable as brigands_in_the
passes. What do you say to_that?"

"It is certainly shorter, senor; and,_as you say, we should_have_no
trouble_with the brigands, and we_should also escape the troubles that
have_been going on_for some years, and are likely, as_far_as anyone can
see, to go on_for_ever. We were very fortunate in_not_meeting_any of
the armies that are_always marching about."




CHAPTER XI

BRIGANDS


Three months were_spent in the journey to the foot of the_pass leading
up to_Cerro. They had good shooting,_and_found_no difficulty in
providing themselves with food. Fish were plentiful in_the