Se TE I I RT Soe Se EE A IE = - - sora SS a ee (4h) ie, it ; ee teer a ord A as cr h al ADVENTURES IN PERU BY THE SAME AUTHOR ADVENTURES IN BOLIVIA With an Introduction by R. B. Cun- NINGHAME GRAHAM. _ Illustrated with Sketches and Photographs. Demy 8vo THE BODLEY HEAD With acknowledgements to Messrs. Maulland Fox CECIL HERBERT PRODGERS ADVENTURES IN PERU By C. H. PRODGERS. wITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK E, P, DUTTON & COMPANY 1925 WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, vl Win AUTHOR'S PREFACE PPRECIATION, it is said, is the sauce of life. This being so, it is incumbent on me to return grateful thanks to all those kind-hearted folk who extended so warm a welcome to my initial venture on the troubled sea of Literature. The reception accorded to Adventures in Bolivia has encouraged me to inflict another series of yarns on a long-suffering public. If they serve to pass the time along pleasantly I shall be more than pleased. All the same they may, perhaps, induce folk to take a livelier interest in lands that are a closed book to the majority of my countrymen. That would be indeed grand; for Peru and Bolivia, besides offer- ing great scope for people who have their heads screwed on the right way, also hold out induce- ments to sufferers who have found European Medical methods ineffectual. So many letters have reached me from all quarters of the globe, thanking me for calling attention to the wonderful healing properties of the various medicinal waters of Peru and Bolivia, that I have felt constrained to give particulars of additional instances where Jura has proved a godsend to pilgrims weary of vi AUTHOR’S PREFACE earth and burdened with complaints that made life a mockery. The knowledge that several of my readers have already benefited by taking my advice, is extremely gratifying. I have also been delighted to receive proofs of the interest awakened in the ancient inhabitants of the region covered by my book. At the special request of a number of readers, I have included in the present volume a very brief sketch of the Incas, compiled from the best authorities, and supple- mented by information supplied by my good friends Father Francisco, Hernandez, Father Ambrose, Simon Cruz, and many others. C. H. PRODGERS. MEMOIR ECIL HERBERT PRODGERS was a remarkable personality. Men of his calibre are seldom met with nowa- days. He was one of a thousand, big mentally and physically. Big in his ideas, big in his enterprises, and brimful of love and charity; his versatility and genius were only equalled by his uprightness and piety. Moulded on very generous lines—he stood well over six feet in height and weighed twenty-three stone—this brave figure of a man was the eldest son of Mr. Herbert Prodgers, one time Squire of Kington St. Michael, near Chippenham, Wilts, an old crusted Tory, eccentric to a degree, and autocratic as became one who traced his ancestry back to the ancient Ap Rogers of Wales. Cecil’s mother, the daughter of Dean Phil- potts of Exeter, was famed in the West of England for her graciousness and beauty. In her day she was accounted one of our most accomplished amateur musicians. Old-time frequenters of the Albert Hall Society concerts cherished memories of her harp playing. Almost as soon as he could walk Master Cecil Vil viii MEMOIR took a lively interest in horses, and as a lad of twelve participated in the famous Swallets Gate run, which is commemorated by the Duke of Beaufort’s hunt every Ash Wednesday. On this memorable occasion the pack hunted their quarry from the find right away to Oxford, a matter of forty miles and more. Only half a dozen horse- men stuck it to the bitter end, and Cecil Herbert Prodgers was one of them. In remembrance of this remarkable feat, the Duke presented him with the Beaufort gold button—a distinction much coveted by hunting men. Young Prodgers’ first mentor was a Mr. Meyrick, a parson of the old school who had licked Prodgers senior into shape years before. At his hands he received a thorough grounding in ordinary subjects, and was then sent to Stubbing- ton. Subsequently he passed on to Eton. When he had attained nineteen years of age his father bade him seek his fortune in South Africa. There he was initiated into all the ins and outs of farming and stockriding, and became well versed in native ways and customs. Keen to learn all there was to know about everything that he hit up against, he had a shot at diamond digging and store keeping. Several times he came within an ace of landing a big coup. Once he bought a farm off a Dutchman on the instal- ment system; but, owing to the looting of his store, he couldn’t pay one of the instalments when it fell due. His creditor was quite willing to wait awhile, but Prodgers would have none of MEMOIR ix it. “I will owe no man,” he said, “ so you must take to the farm again.’ After considerable pressure the Dutchman consented to this arrange- ment, but, because he liked the boy, insisted on returning £50 of the money he had already received. Later on the property passed into other hands; diamonds were found there, and eventually a company paid £70,000 for it. Such is luck. This was not the only time that the fickle jade jilted Prodgers. Readers of the pages that follow will come across more than two or three instances where she served him cruelly. Yet he never groused or allowed set-backs to damp his ardour; he was always ready and willing to risk a fall, whatever the odds. For example, during one of the troublous periods that were the bane of South Africa, some of the native tribes having gone on the war path, he accepted a wager of £50 to £10 that he wouldn't ride from Cape Town to Durban in order to warn the burghers and outlying squatters. The dis- tance was five hundred miles, and the adventurous rider had to run the gauntlet on several occasions. He won through all right, and earned the saree of the whole Community. When war broke out with the Boers, Cecil Prodgers proffered his services to the Old Country, and became attached to General Bisset’s staff. In these surroundings he met with adventures galore. Once he fell into the enemy’s hands, only to escape by means of a daring ruse. Much could be written about our friend’s thrill- ~ MEMOIR ing experiences in South Africa and his excursions in search of big game further North. When he transferred his energies to the South American continent, he began with a spell of railway con- struction work and a year spent on the Stock Exchange. Then he blossomed out as a trainer of racehorses. In this sphere of activity he achieved remarkable success, and was esteemed second to none in his profession. During the close season he undertook many expeditions into out-of-the-way parts where white men have rarely penetrated. Peculiar interest attaches to one of these jaunts, in that it was undertaken at the behest of the Kaiser. The disturber of the World’s peace was particularly anxious to ascertain the conditions that prevail in the Andes at various altitudes. In this connection, he expressed an opinion that if an Englishman could withstand them, there was no reason why German soldiers should not. Details of the forage available were required, likewise a full description of how to make chuno. In the light of what occurred subsequently in 1914, it is easy to see that the Alexander microbe was even then working in Wilhelm’s brain. In 1922 Prodgers’ first book, Adventures in Bolivia, was published with a noteworthy intro- duction by Mr. R. B. Cunninghame Graham. He then wrote the present work and a collection of Racing reminiscences. While Adventures in Peru was going through the press, he passed away aiter a very short illness. MEMOIR xi As an explorer Prodgers was pre-eminent. He had a way with him that fascinated the native tribes with whom he came in contact. They trusted him, for, like the Quaker Fathers, his word was his bond, and he always treated their rites and ceremonies with scrupulous respect. Small wonder that they reverenced him as a _ king among men, and in good sooth he was a king— single-minded, generous, unselfish, lion-hearted. The part that he played in helping to bring the terrible Putumayo atrocities to the notice of the civilized world, bears witness to his being the natives’ true friend. Next to his own homeland, Prodgers loved Peru best, perhaps, of all the countries with which he claimed acquaintance. He honoured her States- men, and was highly esteemed by them. There is no doubt that the amicable settlement of the Arica dispute between Peru and Chile, was largely due to the beneficent influence he was able to exert. CHARLES J. MABERLY. LAMBOURN, Easter, 1924. \ te 4 an be ee PY er fy < Mes eu y a 2 Ly ' ; a . ‘ . UG are, te ; ; (Senge eee r PSS: f ; te _ ” Di Ret . PAGE THe WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ : : ; ; A gOS rr ri’) | Tue Haunt or THE BUCCANEERS ; : 4 Sza SERPENTS AND SHA TREASURES . ; ; . 49 A Journey iro THe INTERIOR . 23. wti(‘“C:*é‘C;;*C*SDS — Honrine Pumas AND GUANACOs . ; od pete, vo Res Meeeree reas Cavckts Mn’. . . . . . “6 Cae | - Inca TREASURES , ; ? : ' : . 88 _ Tue Crry or tHe Kines . ; } ‘ ; , 8 X. Taues or THE Turr . ; é . : ; . 102 ed Turoven tae Nasca anp CaNeTE VALLEYS. . 121 | Oa ae On tHe Carrie Boars ‘ F ; i ‘ te Lee Taues oF Far Perv . : ; ‘ : r eet 3 6 Sea (§NAKES AND OTHER Horrors . . . . . 210 Goup,=SinverR, EMERALDS, AND PEARLS. P . 220 NITE POC Cet eG ol ee ¢ Asa Xili Aap R ia Ath ae ANN WEG Key Ne aN LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGH Cro, HERBERT PRODGERS : : ; . Frontisprece A WaTER-cOLOUR SKETCH BY THE AUTHOR OF THE OLD INCA CASTLE NEAR CAXAMARCA , 2 i P i : f InDIAN WoMAN oF THE HiaH ANDES NEAR Cuzco AND Puno. Remains oF Pre-Incatc CrivinizATION NEAR THE RwvINS oF THE GENTILES, Tranuanaca, Bo.ivia. , : ‘ : THE BULL-FIGHT AT Lima . : : : ‘ ‘ : THE Ruins oF PacHACAMACA, NEAR Lima. ; , / , Near TUMBEZ . 4 , , ; ? ; : ; ; Near Lake HouacacHina . ; ; : . : : INDIANS OF PERENE CoLoNY, CHANCHAMAYO, EHaSTERN PERU . FacaDE or Campania CHURCH, AREQUIPA . ; : ; : IN THE FOREST . ;. ; } ‘ - ‘ F ; ¢ Rourns oF tHE Inca PaLack OF COLCAMPATA OF THE MANCO Capac at Cuzco. ; fe : f ‘ A ; F PART OF THE UNCOVERED INCA WALL at Cuzco 4 : . INDIAN GIRLS OF THE Putumayo RIVER BHING PAINTED IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIBAL DANCE . : K : ‘ xV 36 56 84 96 96 116 116 144 172 186 196 196 232 ~ NTURES IN PERU ADVENTURES IN PERU CHAPTER I THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ T the time when poor Kemmis went broke, and there was nothing doing Las Rosas way, it behoved me to look round for another job. I didn’t believe in loafing about Santiago, on the chance of something turning up. So I broke altogether new ground. Hearing that Kuhn & Co. had bought the wreck of the Telegraph, stranded at the isle of Juan Fernandez, I got in touch with them and obtained the job of superintending her breaking up. [If it were possible to do so at a profit, I had to bring her over to the mainland. Captain Bruhn’s _ powerful tug, the Pachuco, was commissioned for the purpose. In addition to her own complement, she carried an auxiliary crew of eight men under Captain Brown to man the Telegraph. Two days after arriving at the island, the tug took the hulk in hand, and hauled her out to sea. For a little while, everything in the garden looked lovely, but soon the effects of being so long laid 1 B 2 ADVENTURES IN PERU by became apparent. Captain Brown reported she was leaking like a sieve all round. But although the pumps couldn’t keep pace with the inrush of water, he wanted to hold on his way. He felt quite sure, he said, that he could get her to Valparaiso all right. He would, however, be guided by us, ie. Bruhn and myself. Now Kuhn had promised him an additional £500, plus £50 for each member of his crew, if he made the mainland, so one could understand why he was anxious to proceed. Bruhn and I both considered the matter sympathetically, but came to the conclusion that Brown must abandon the attempt. Bruhn was afraid to take the risk, although he stood to have £150 of Brown’s £500. It was all very well, he said, so long as the weather continued favour- able; but suppose a norther sprang up? ‘There was plenty of time for such an occurrence, as ’twould take us four to six days to get to Val- paraiso. Brown scoffed at his fears, but even- tually agreed that I should act as referee. Now I was interested in Brown’s project to the extent of £100, but I had great respect for Bruhn’s judgment, and I didn’t feel inclined to run any extra risk on the off chance of getting £100. Besides, the vessel was really leaking very badly. So I decided against the venture. ‘“ About ship ” was then the order of the day. Back we went to Juan Fernandez with all sails set, and finally beached the Z'elegraph high and dry. Bruhn returned to Valparaiso to report to THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 3 Kuhn, while I remained on the spot to super- intend the breaking-up process. I started by engaging a ship’s carpenter named Arrendondo _ to assist. Arrendondo had lived on the island twenty-three years. He had originally been a whaler, but suffered so much from sea-sickness _ that he had been compelled to seek more congenial employment. While thus engaged, he hit upon Juan Fernandez, and found it so much to his liking that he decided to settle down there. When he joined the whaling enterprise he had invested £2000 in the company of which August Miller was the principal director. Whilst he was con- nected with the affair his original capital swelled - to £4000. Directly he decided to make the island his permanent home, Arrendondo wrote Muller and asked him to send him over a couple of draught oxen, some stores and tools, and £2000 cash. Miller, of course, complied, like the good fellow he was. Arrendondo intended to buy a coffee estate with the money, but things didn’t pan out as he hoped, so he deposited the £2000 under the floor of his cabin in a little iron safe. I got Arrendondo and his two sons to construct a chalet out of the stout oak beams we found in the Telegraph. They made a rattling good job of it too. We fixed it up with the saloon and cabin furniture, and by the time we had finished it looked quite top hole. Kuhn now appeared upon the scene, to arrange matters finally with me. The offer he made _ seemed to me a very fair one. I was to get the 4 ADVENTURES IN PERU chalet and one-sixth of the copper and brass we salved, plus all the timber. It seemed a paying ‘proposition, for besides copper sheathing and bolts galore, and a plenitude of brasswork, the Telegraph carried three good heavy anchors and chains. Last, but certainly not least, her massive figurehead was a Venus, composed wholly of copper. Therefore I looked like doing pretty well out of the metals. Anyhow, the job would fill in my time profitably until I got into harness again on the turf. The breaking up of the wreck occupied four months. We salved an enormous amount of copper and brass, as may be seen, when I mention that after Brown and his men had been paid their share of the profits, I received 856 dollars (gold), in addition to the chalet (valued at 1700), and all the timber. In my spare time, ie. when the weather hampered our operations, | fossicked about a lot. It struck me that there was a good opening for a smoked fish factory. Accordingly I busied myself in inquiring into the various methods of curing the finny monsters that frequented the waters round about the island. I soon discovered overwhelming proof that if you want to get the best results, there is nothing like oak. So I used to smoke my fish with oak chips, very slightly sprinkled with eucalyptus leaves. This gave them a distinctive and delicious flavour. I turned Kuhn’s carpenters’ shed into a smoke room; and, within a very short space of time, ae THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 5 had every available person on the island employed in catching fish for me. I paid at the rate of 3s. per quintal, weighed without heads and _ backbones. My fishing-ground extended to the adjacent islands of Santa Clara and Mas-a-fuera (Spanish for “further off’’), so I got plenty of material to work upon; but I made a rule never to accept a fish landed after 12 o’clock noon. To give some idea of the vast quantities of fish in these waters, I may say that on one occasion I went out in my flat-bottomed punt with Waldimar Fisher, my old henchman, and caught 403 lb. of cod and corbina between the - hours of 2 and 6.30 p.m. Waldimar looked after the boat, while I fished with a stout line and big hook. Frequently I got fast on to a monster that required our united efforts to haul in. Some had heads as big as a small calf’s. I disposed of my catch to an Italian named Cardoni, whose wife was a most beautiful woman. He—well, I hardly know what he did with it, but have my suspicions. My 12 o'clock rule was a very hard- and-fast one; still there are ways of evading every rule. I soon made headway with my factory. One of my best customers was Weir, Scott & Co., who had a big store on the mainland. They gave me 30s. per quintal for the finished article. Don’t, however, run away with the idea that I made a profit of 27s. on the quintal. In the first place, it takes three quintals of wet fish to make one quintal of cured. Then there is the 6 ADVENTURES IN PERU expense attached to washing, hanging, salting, drying, pressing and boxing to be taken into consideration. Nevertheless, I made good money every month. To occupy my spare time, I made arrange- ments with various wealthy people, such as the Cousinos, Minchin, Penny and Lutges (the owner of the magnificent hotel at Vina del Mar), to supply them with some of the ferns for which Juan Fernandez is famous. I was to receive £150 for each cargo of 100 tree ferns that I landed on the mainland. How to get them over there, was the trouble. Well, I soon got round that. I went half-shares in a seventeen-ton schooner that Fonck had bought at a forced sale. It had cost its late owner £2000 to build. Fonck got it for £400. It was constructed of oak, and suited my purpose admirably. Altogether I sent across seven con- signments. A few words descriptive of Juan Fernandez may not be out of place here. It is a little island, — 365 miles west of Valparaiso, so replete in natural attractions as to be considered one of the most enchanting spots on God’s earth. It is even more a lazy man’s paradise than Peru, and that is saying a lot. Lofty hills, slumbering valleys, purling streams, and wonderfully varied vegeta- tion, form a combination that exerts an irresist- ible influence on visitors. Its rocky, precipitous — headlands, and irregular pinnacle-shaped forma- tions, are particularly striking. The highest point — above sea-level is called El Yunqui, ie. the anvil. — THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 7 It is shaped exactly like that useful appanage of the smithy, and is apparently unclimbable. Years ago, when the island was used as a convict settlement, the Chilian government offered 5000 dollars (gold) and a free pardon to any prisoner who scaled the eminence and planted the national flag on top. Two convicts tried their luck. One gave up the attempt when he reached the base of the anvil. The other persevered, and looked like accomplishing the feat; but just when success seemed within measurable distance, he lost his foothold and fell headlong into the forest below. He was never seen or heard of again. _ Geologically considered, the formation is basalt, greenstone, and trap tufis. There are altogether twenty-four species of ferns that are in general request, growing on this lovely island ; four of them are of special interest. One of these—the Helecho fernandisciana—is only found on Juan Fernandez. I have this on the authority of Sir Thistleton Dyer, who wrote to Sir Audley Gosling on the subject. I forget the name of one of the species, but the other two are the rare Helecho brunato and Helecho dicksonia. Of ordinary kinds of ferns, such as maiden-hair, etc., Juan Fernandez boasts at least twenty. These grow luxuriantly in the valleys and creeks, and between the crevices of the rocks. | The paths leading up to the hills are bordered with beautiful flowers. Among these may be noted many wonderful ground orchids. Near the coast one frequently comes across enormous 8 ADVENTURES IN PERU patches of arum lilies. The Panque also eTOWS here. It has tremendous leaves like rhubarb, which have a peculiarity all their own, for they hold water. I have often poured half a bucket of water into a leaf over-night, and found it next day not the least diminished. This plant has blooms resembling a hyacinth, only three times as big, with an orange and scarlet centre. The Disciana is like a small tree fern, but has — leaves like a maiden-hair. This species is very rare. I was able to include one or two in my cargoes ordered from the mainland. Subsequently I sent a few to England for my father and King Edward, then Prince of Wales. At Sir Thistleton’s request, conveyed through Sir Audley Gosling, I obtained specimens of the Panque, the Helecho fernandisciana and the Chonta palm for Kew Gardens. Like the Panque, the latter is indigenous to Juan Fernandez. The order for King Edward’s ferns also came from Sir Audley Gosling, who said His Royal Highness would be very pleased if I could get them for him. I was, of course, — only too delighted to comply with the command So graciously expressed, and made a special trip to fulfil it. My ordinary cargoes of ferns con- sisted of from 100 to 120 specimens, the tallest of which measured 22 ft. I had to consider the capacity of my hold, or I might have shipped some even larger. They grow 30 ft. and over in height. I like those best that range from 8 to 12 ft. Generally speaking, I had very good luck with THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 9 my fern cargoes. Two lots I sent to my father arrived at Kington in perfect order, and took to their new home in splendid fashion; but I had rotten hard lines with those consigned for King Kdward and for Kew. I spent extra pains, had them specially packed, and most carefully stowed away in the hold of the schooner. They arrived at Vina del Mar in fine condition, and were then taken charge of by Lutges. The latter gave strict orders to his gardeners to let them have very special attention, and there is no doubt his orders were implicitly obeyed. When I called on Sharp, the popular manager of the Pacific Steam Navigation Co., he asked me whether I meant to send the ferns carriage forward to Eng- land, or pay the freightage myself. I inquired what the charges would amount to. ‘‘ Something like £35,” he replied. ‘In that case,’ I said, “ they had better go ‘ carriage forward.’ ’’ ‘‘ Where to?” was his next question. Itoldhim. ‘‘ Marl- borough House!”’ he exclaimed. ‘“‘Then we couldn’t dream of making any charge whatever. The whole ship is at His Royal Highness’s disposal.”’ Sharp, like the good fellow he was, made special arrangements for the housing of the ferns aboard ship, so that they should not be subjected to sudden variations of temperature, etc., and de- tailed a man to look after them till they reached the end of their voyage. But unfortunately, when nearing Finisterre, the vessel encountered very rough weather. The sea raged mountains high, flooding the engine-room near to which the 10 ADVENTURES IN PERU precious cargo was located, and pretty well drowning the life out of the ferns. When they reached England my father’s head gardener, Sheppard, and his assistants, did their utmost to resuscitate them, but, alas! their efforts were of no avail, After all the precautions I had taken, this was a sad blow to me, for I had counted on their arriving in extra good fettle. There is one peculiarity about these ferns I should mention. When transplanted to foreign soil they flourish especially well for five years or so, and then rapidly deteriorate. Most of my lobster and fern trips proved uneventful. On two occasions, however, I was nearly wrecked. Once we were taking 500 lobsters and 115 tree ferns to the mainland. The lobsters cost Fonck and me 24 cents each, and we looked to make at least sixpence profit on every one we landed in good condition. On our first trip we had got 3s. and 4s. apiece for them, in the Valparaiso and Santiago shops ; but, subsequently, found it more advantageous to dispose of them to dealers, who came to the ship for them. We should have done fairly well but for the great mortality among the crustaceans. Rarely more than 60 per cent. arrived in market- able condition. The tree ferns were for the Cousino Palace at Santiago. Four days out from Juan Fernandez we ran into very heavy weather. A terrible wind lashed the waves till they raged horribly. I kept asking Larson, the skipper, when he was going to heave to. He always replied, ms ory =) fe = oe eee ae ee eee THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ Il “Oh, I think we'll hold on just a little longer.” “Very well, my good fellow,” I observed, “ but it looks to me as if you may hold on too long, if you don’t watch it.”’ All of a sudden an enormous wave struck us amidships. As our little craft heeled right over on her side, Larson shouted— ““Oh, my God! We’re gorners.”’ “Rats! Leried. ‘Come and give me a hand, and help heave this over.” So saying, I bashed in the head of a 63-gallon cask of shark oil with an axe I had picked up on the cabin step. “Whatever will Fonck say?” ejaculated Larson. “Go to Putney!” I said. ‘ Isn’t your life, and Martin’s and Charlie’s and mine, worth more than a spot of oil ?”’ “Oh, well,” he agreed, “I suppose you're right. Anyway, half the oil belongs to you.” Without further parley, we set about dumping the stuff overboard. And not a moment too goon, for another wallop would have made our vessel turn turtle completely. The effect was simply marvellous! Directly the oil touched the face of the raging waters, it seemed to break the waves down; so that in a very short space of time the sea, for a considerable distance round, was as smooth as a duck pond. Our immediate danger over, we had to see about righting the ship. This was a job attended with not a little danger, for our cargo had shifted. Everything was pretty well upside down, and the cook’s galley and our solitary boat had been swept 12 ADVENTURES IN PERU away astern. All the ferns had to be sacrificed, but what went even more against the grain was having to part with our two goats. Most of our provisions had to go; in fact, when we took stock, we found we had to subsist on a few loaves of bread, a small bag of split peas, some tins of beef, and a dozen or two lobsters until we reached port. Larson and Co. doffed their hats to me, for thinking of the oil, saying I had undoubtedly saved their lives. I told them it was not so; but only a merciful Providence that had put the idea into my head, while they themselves stood gaping around. I could not resist quoting Cow- per’s beautiful words— ‘“ God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform ; He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.” Fortunately our two casks of fresh water were spared to us, so we were able to make up the peas into soup. On this meagre fare, eked out with two tins of beef, we subsisted eleven days, during six of which we were hove to. Still we didn’t do too badly, for Larson and I had each a couple of bottles of whisky, and two dozen Apollinaris water, while Martin and Charlie had four bottles of rum between them. Larson and I only indulged in two drinks a day, hence our liquor lasted out well, but Charlie soon put paid to his rum. [I think what we missed most was our store of condensed milk and sugar. Whilst THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 18 we were hove to, we found great benefit from the oil. At my suggestion, Larson trailed two bags instead of one. When the storm abated on the seventh day, we found we were 243 miles off our track, and about 120 miles north of Coquimbo! My other nerve-racking experience occurred on the Adriatico, a three-masted schooner of 250 tons. She put into Juan Fernandez on her way from Corral to Valparaiso, in order to ship copper bolts, etc., resulting from the wreck of the Upper Hammoc, which Fonck had purchased. She had also to pick up three horses I was taking to the mainland. Timmie, her captain, was a Dane, and a real good sort. He let me have a nice big cabin all to myself. I couldn’t help noticing, however, that no Plimsoll mark was visible. I took him to task about this. ‘‘ Oh, that’s all right,” he said, “look at the glass. The weather is beautiful, and will continue so, at any rate, until we reach Val.’”’ I allowed myself to be persuaded against my better Judgment; s0, with the help of Larson and his men, I hoisted my horses on board. At the same time I shipped a cargo of 300 ferns. Timmie said Fonck wouldn’t charge any freightage for them, but the horses cost me £18. | We started on July 21, with a fair wind and a good sea. The Adriatico bowled along at a fine pace. Timmie was in high spirits. He expected to do the journey in five days, so he said. All went well for forty-eight hours, and then our troubles began. First we were becalmed for a matter of 14 ADVENTURES IN PERU five days. After that the weather broke, and seemed to be blowing up for a storm. Two days later we were in the thick of it. Lashed into a fury, the waves rose mountains high all round our devoted barque. The wind blew a full gale, and every now and then rain fell in biting squalls. : Said I to the skipper, ‘‘ Timmie, old man, your craft looks like coming a mucker.” ‘“‘ What makes you say that ?’’ he inquired. ‘‘ Because,” I continued, “ she goes like a log, and don’t give and take to the motion of the waves.” ‘* Hang presentiments!”’ replied Timmie, “I don’t like them. All the same, there is something in what you say; the boat lies just like a log. Maybe she has sprung a, leak.” With that he left me, and went to take sound- ings. An hour passed before he returned, and said, ‘* Let’s go into the saloon.”’ When we got there he produced some whisky and Apollinaris, and poured out two glasses of the mixture. Then he pointed to his chart. ‘“‘ Here we are,” he said, ** 260 miles from the mainland, and the boat is making water fast. All hands are at the pumps, including the cook, and I myself am relieving the man at the wheel. Now, will you busy yourself making Bovril, tea, cocoa, sandwiches and other things, and hand them round to the pumpers ? That is our only chance. We must keep them going, or we are beat.”” Needless to say, I willingly complied. ; Three hours later he told me the water was oy i > a 4 THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 15 gaining on the pumps, and he felt sure the boat could not keep afloat more than twenty hours at longest. In all probability, her fate and ours would be sealed in another twelve. We were only making six knots an hour. ‘‘ God alone can Save us now,” he said. ‘“‘ No boat could live in this raging sea.’’ So we turned to the Almighty, and prayed to Him fervently several times that night. I have no doubt whatever that He answered our prayers; for, although the glass continued to go down, by about seven o’clock the next morning the storm abated, and the sea subsided. Within a few short hours the weather was as nice as one could wish. Timmie and I and the sailors thanked the Lord for all His mercies, and felt like new men. Timmie steered for the nearest land, intending to beach the vessel on the sandy coast ere the wind got up again. When, however, we got abreast of the lighthouse, about forty miles from Valparaiso, they signalled us, and sent a tug to escort us in. One of the owners of the Adriatico came aboard. He was in a sad state of mind, and greatly agitated. He begged me not to report our vessel’s shortcomings to the Port Captain. If I did so his firm would be ruined. I took him severely to task, and told him they had evidently cared not a rap what became of Timmie and those who travelled with him. To send the vessel to sea in an unseaworthy state was a shame- ful act, and deserving of drastic punishment. This dressing down quite broke him up, and he 16 ADVENTURES IN PERU became so abject in his pleading, that I really felt almost sorry to see a fellow-man so abased. I reflected, too, that we had been shown great mercy, hence it was up to me to be not over hard. So, after extracting his solemn promise that nothing of the sort should ever occur again, I said I would let the matter drop. When the affair had blown over a little while, Timmie visited me at my stables in Vina del Mar. He said he had been offered a much larger ship, but had made up his mind to retire, and take on a job as master of a tug. I told him J didn’t blame him. Subsequently he was appointed Govern- ment Surveyor of ships, and he and his wife often spent an afternoon with me at my stables, when I was training for Penny, Subercasieux and others. We neither of us forgot our thrilling experience, and never met without some reference to the extraordinary manner in which the storm had subsided, when everything, including the glass, seemed to indicate that it would increase in volume. My loss on this trip was a big one. Three hundred pounds worth of ferns had to be chucked overboard, and two of my horses died within a couple of days of being landed. Strange to say, the surviving horse was the least robust of the three. When he had recovered from the effect of the voyage, I sold him to the Tramway Company for £20. : Once when Larson was loading lobsters into the Juan Fernandez, as we called our little THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 17 schooner, Josh Slocum, the skipper of the famous Spray cutter, visited the island. *‘ Larson,” he said, “yon’s a bonnie little boat, although she’s only 17 tons. Built of oak and pretty near as broad as she’s long, you need never fear facing any sea on the surface of the globe in her, if you’ll only do as I tell you. When foul weather threatens, don’t wait till the storm is on you, but heave to, and out with the oil bags. At sunset, if the wind freshens, heave to and read or smoke in comfort. The sea need never trouble you. All you have to fear is whales.” I thought this was very excellent advice. Slocum took a big lump of sandstone away with him, from Alexander Selkirk’s cave. He said he intended to make good money on it when he returned to New York. ‘“ Every guy who wants to see it, will have to pay half a dollar,” he declared; ‘‘and those who wish to sit on it must shell out double.’’ £20,000 was, I believe, the sum he expected to receive over his trip round the globe. Slocum’s mention of smoking in comfort reminds me of a laughable instance in which old Harry figured. We had left Valparaiso on Novem- ber 30. It doesn’t signify what year. I only mention the month, because, in that part of the world, summer begins on November I, and I like folk to understand the atmospheric conditions that prevailed on the occasion under notice. Four days out, we got becalmed, so I amused myself by diving and swimming in the sea. A . Cc 18 ADVENTURES IN PERU long line was attached to my body, and fastened to the ship’s ladder, so that in an emergency I could haul myself in pretty quick. ‘‘ Sharks ?” Well, yes, they are inclined to be playful at times. A day or so after, the breeze sprang up and we got a move on. Old Harry was sitting on the rails smoking his pipe. Larson cried out to him, “Ahoy, there! Mind you don’t get a bath with all your clothes on.” Harry laughed, and grunted “‘Tve done this sort of thing, man and boy, for fifty year and more, without falling off, and I ain’t likely to do it now.’’ Whether he dozed or not, I can’t say, but less than half an hour later we heard a great “plop,” and lo! and behold! there was our poor old friend struggling in the sea, and fast drifting astern. He had slipped off his perch with his pipe in his mouth! I chucked him a rope, and we soon hauled him back again. Two days passed and then we sighted a school of whales. One big fellow kept close company with us for a couple of hours, diving first one side, then the other of the ship. Being longer than our craft, we were fearful lest he might capsize us. Larson suggested I should get my rifle, and take pot shots at him. He thought that would frighten the monster fish away. I had, however, good reason to know better, for I had only lately been reading an account in the Liverpool Mercury of how a whale served a ship when treated in that fashion. It was headed in big black letters, and narrated that after a passenger had fired off twice, — the whale turned and charged the vessel repeatedly. THE WRECK AT JUAN FERNANDEZ 19 If my memory serves me, the boat referred to was a big Yokohama steamer. When I showed the paper to Larson, he said, “ Oh, that would never do! ‘The whole caboodle might come for us, and then where should we be?” So he hove to, for, I suppose, about a couple of hours, during which the whale continued to frolic around, but each time it dived it increased its distance from us, until finally it got lost to sight. So we reached Juan Fernandez without mishap. | Formerly, sandalwood was very plentiful on the island, but of late it has become extremely scarce. Smart walking sticks are manufactured of it. I had two dozen made for me—one stick I gave to my father, one I passed on to Lutges, and one I retained for myself. The remainder I disposed of to dealers in Valparaiso at £2 apiece. and they got fancy prices for them. Cranberries, myrtles, strawberries and rasp- berries grow wild in many parts of Juan Fernandez. It is said strawberries originated in Chile. That is the opinion held by several learned botanists at any rate. According to island tradition, how- ever, the Chilian varieties were developed from the wild ones of Juan Fernandez. The island berries are about the size of Royal Sovereigns. There are two sorts, white and red. They grow quite wild. They are not looked after and cultivated by expert horticulturists like my friend James Reynolds; and yet I have never seen any English berries to equal them in appear- ance or flavour. Admiral—Commander Hawke, and Lieut. Br —gson of General Browell—spent most of time with me. They said they had never such luscious figs, not even in Smyrna. CHAPTER II A TROPICAL ISLAND Y henchman, old Waldimar Fisher, had travelled about in his time, more than a bit. Among the places he had visited were the Cocos Islands, two thousand miles off Nicaragua. Having re- gard to the tales I had heard about these haunts of old-time ‘‘skull-and-cross-bone’’ men, I was greatly interested in what he himself had to say in connection with them. It has long been rumoured there is treasure buried there. Several people have had a shot at finding it, amongst others, Admiral Palliser. This gallant gentleman and some of his colleagues fitted out an expedition and put in six weeks, so Fisher said, hunting for the hidden riches. However they found nothing worth writing home about. Fisher himself made more than one attempt. Five years after his first venture he received a note from a sick man located at Co- quimbo hospital, asking him to call on him. When Fisher got there, he found the man was one whom he had befriended when he was in good circumstances. ‘To save Lazarus from the conse- quences of utter despair, Fisher had made him steward on his own boat. Feeling he was now at 21 aa 92 ADVENTURES IN PERU the point of death, the poor fellow said he wished to make Fisher some return for his kindly deed. It appeared that a few years previously he had been associated with a number of adventurers who purposed to discover the Cocos treasure. They chartered a small schooner, and actually started on their voyage of discovery. To their intense disgust, they encountered such abomin- able weather that they were obliged to return to port and relinquish their project for the time being. Somehow and somewhere on the journey this man sneaked the chart they banked on, to show them the location of the treasure. When the loss was discovered, there was, of course, an unholy row. A vigorous search was instituted, but Fisher’s friend had hidden the document so snugly that nothing came of it. J understood he secreted it in his trunk, but knowing a bit about the keen-witted men who frequent these seas, I should beg leave to doubt that, unless maybe the box was furnished with a false bottom. Even SO ! But there, it doesn’t signify where the man hid his prize. The only thing that really matters is, he got away with it allright. He said he had always intended to let Fisher into the secret, so that they two could go and have a try on their own. Now there was no possibility of their ever doing that, he had decided to give the chart to Fisher, making only this proviso, viz. when Fisher was ready to go to Cocos, he was to tell the real owner of the chart so that he might participate, if he chose. ms. / A TROPICAL ISLAND 23 After the ex-steward had been dead and buried a little while, Waldimar approached some of his Valparaiso friends discreetly, but could find no one willing to put up the pieces, hence he had to let the matter lie in abeyance. Subsequently he happened upon very hard times and had to post- pone it indefinitely. His undoing came about in this wise. When he decided to retire from the whaling industry, he sold his share in the undertaking for £7000. Added to what he had banked, he now commanded a capital of £11,000. So he thought he would launch out a bit. Accordingly he bought a property at English Hill, Valparaiso, for £2000, and spent a similar sum on improving it. Then he went half-shares with a fellow in a big coal business. That absorbed another £4000. Fisher hoped to make big money out of this enterprise. But alas, and alack! His partner had a brain wave; drew £7000 to go to Europe and buy an extra large collier with passenger accommodation, and—never returned., Fisher struggled along for a little while under this smashing blow, but soon went broke. I first hit up against him when on my way to see the author of that remarkably clever book, A Merry Banker in the Far Hast. During the hour or so I had to wait before seeing him, I occupied myself in strolling up and down the wharf at Valparaiso. While thus engaged, I was accosted by an old sailorman, whose beard was turning grey. He told a piteous tale, and said 24. ADVENTURES IN PERU he had had no grub and was pretty nigh famished. Something about him impressed me favourably, so I gave him a third-class ticket to Vina del Mar on my train, and directed him to my stables. Before we started I saw to the requirements of his inner man. : He turned up at my establishment in due course, and I then allotted him a bunk in what I called the dosser’s room. This I had had con- structed out of two of the loose boxes. The bunks were nicely fitted up with straw mattresses — and bolsters and feather pillows, etc., and were well supplied with horse rugs as coverlets. I directed the cook to give him three meals per day with the lads, and then told the old man what I expected in return, viz. I should look to him to keep the yard and appurtenances quite clean and tidy. So long as he satisfied me in that connec- tion, he could make the stables his home till something better turned up. Waldimar observed his part of the contract so entirely to my satis- faction, that when I went to Juan Fernandez I took him with me. There he proved himself so trustworthy that I left him in charge of my belongings when I sought new surroundings in connection with training operations. After Phyllis and his men took their departure, Waldimar made me a present of the information contained in his Cocos chart, stipulating that if I ever went in search of the treasure, I should take him with me. | The last expedition in search of this treasure A TROPICAL ISLAND 25 was led by Lord Fitzwilliam. Admiral Palliser and several others sailed with him on a boat, formerly a Donald Currie liner, the H arlech Castle, I believe. When they reached their objective, they thoroughly explored the island, and found only one inhabitant. This man, a German, had lived on Cocos sixteen years, and had tried his best to locate the treasure, without the least success. Fitzwilliam was unlucky. Soon after commencing operations, some of his party got hurt while blasting rocks. This nasty accident Jed to the premature abandonment of the quest. I told our mutual friend, Major Coleman, that next time his lordship made the attempt, he had better take me with him, and see whether Waldi- mar’s chart could put us wise. And now I suppose it is too late, that is if one can believe the newspapers. According to them Cocos has disappeared beneath the waves, one result of recent volcanic action. Still the papers are not always to be depended upon, as witness the report they gave credence to, anent Juan Fernandez. That emanated from a skipper who had lost his bearings. He failed to locate the island, so concluded it had subsided like Cocos is supposed to have done ! - Juan Fernandez came to be so well favoured with fruits of all sorts, through a regulation that was in force many, many years ago. This en- joined that every warship that visited the island to replenish its stores, should leave some acknow- ledgment in the shape of a sow in farrow, a goat 26 ADVENTURES IN PERU in kid, a she ass in foal, some poultry, and so on. The skipper was also supposed to have some fruit trees planted for the benefit of wayfarers in general. This instruction was very well observed, hence the quantities of peach trees, cherry trees, quinces, and so forth, one meets with on Juan Fernandez nowadays. When I was there, wild horses were pretty plentiful. They were of a quality that rather surprised me, until ] came to know many of them were sired by a magnificent specimen of the pure Koklani strain. This beautiful creature was twenty-two years old, yet seemed full of vigour. He much reminded me of my grandfather’s dear old Saladin, the pride of Porthgwydden. Both were lovely specimens of the pure White Arab. These animals all belonged to the Government of Chile, likewise the wild asses and cattle. Any- one who cared to pay the Governor of the island £2 a head, could take his pick of the horses. Donkeys were so plentiful that every resident was permitted to have one gratis. I took ad- vantage of this privilege and had two, one for myself and one for Fisher. I also invested in six horses. ‘Three I left on the island, the other trio I shipped to the mainland on the Adriatico. Their fate I have already recorded. The Governor of Juan Fernandez at the time was Alfred von de Rodht, an Austrian of Swiss extraction. Von de Rodht was a charming fellow, a man of noble presence, and clever A TROPICAL ISLAND 27 withal. He was great at languages, but his pet hobby was geology. In the Franco-Prussian war, De Rodht was wounded in the knee, so at the cessation of hostilities his father sent him over to Valparaiso to recuperate. Six weeks was supposed to be the extent of his tether, but Baron Alfred seemed inclined to extend it in- definitely, hence his father wrote to a friend, and inquired what was detaining his son. Then the fat was in the fire. It appears De Rodht had fallen head over heels in love with a very beautiful woman, who was noted as an exponent of the Quaker dance. Unfortunately she was a married. woman, and the husband, a Chilian sergeant- major, was in hospital with an injured leg. Directly old von de Rodht learnt how the land lay, he ordered Baron Alfred to return home at once. The parental summons being disregarded, he next called a meeting of the Rodht family at which Count Alfred was solemnly disinherited, and his brother Charles chosen to fill his place. Alfred thus lost his patrimony, but he received £16,000 cash, and an annuity of £200. With the cash he rented the three islands from Chile, ie. . Juan Fernandez, Santa Clara, and Mas-a-fuera, bought three decent sized ships, and engaged a hundred peons. When his father’s agents learnt what he had done, they told him he had acted foolishly, and that it would cost a lot of money to feed ahundredmen. They offered him 8 per cent. interest on his capital, and suggested he should be content to farm the islands. A staff of four to 28 ADVENTURES IN PERU six men on each, they deemed sufficient for that purpose. Count Alfred disregarded their advice, and so far from drawing in his horns, added to his entourage, until he had altogether 118 men working for him. In the upshot he went broke. So the Chilian Government stepped in and commandeered some of his cattle for arrears of rent. Finally they made him Governor of the islands, at a salary of £50 per annum, plus £40 for acting as Postmaster-General. With this addition to his annuity, Count Alfred managed to knock along all right. He was offered several tempting jobs from time to time—one at Valparaiso carried with | it a screw of £40 a month—but he refused to entertain any of them. ‘“‘ Why should I go to the mainland,” he said, ‘‘ where everything is comparatively dear, when I can live in the lazy man’s paradise for next to nothing, and do just as I please ? ” Amongst the men with whom I had intimate business relations on the principal island, was an old fellow named Bruno. Like Arrendondo, he had been a whaler, and relinquished his calling for a similar reason. Bruno was brought up in the Argentine, and there learnt to throw the lasso with the dexterity that is only found among the natives and Gauchos. The latter are a most singular race. They consider it almost degrading to set foot on the ground. Hence their lower limbs are very ill-developed, and inclined to bandyness. Gauchos live in the saddle. They — A TROPICAL ISLAND 29 will scour the rolling plains from morn to eve, without showing any signs of fatigue. Out of the saddle, they may be numbered amongst the most indolent of men. They don’t trouble to raise any vegetables or grain crops, and rarely think of milking their cows. Beef is their staple food. Between them and the Indians of the Pampas, a deadly hostility existed in former days. Weird and terrible tales are still told of the merciless deeds enacted. ‘T'o-day a better feeling is manifest, but even so there is not much love lost on either side. Undoubtedly the most skilled amateur lasso thrower of my acquaintance is Mr. Cunninghame Graham. Only the top-of-the-ladder men can take down his number. In a duel with the plainsman’s weapon, the average cowboy would stand a poor chance with him. He sits his horse like a centaur, and that is a great asset in lasso- throwing. Bruno used to charge £2 apiece for lassoing the island horses, and half that amount for catching donkeys. I got him to capture all the animals I wanted, including Fisher’s moke. I shall never forget what occurred when poor Waldimar essayed to ride this bundle of mischief. Up went his heels as high as a kite! He was jolly glad when I decided to relegate the jackass to cargo work! I found my two donkeys very useful in that capacity. Goats afforded most excellent sport. There were, I should say, 3000 or 4000 of them. Every 30 ADVENTURES IN PERU person over sixteen years of age was entitled to one per week, free. Those under sixteen had to make half a carcass suffice. The goats had all to be shot. No one was allowed to run them down with dogs, and only the Billies were shootable. Arrendondo and his boys did very well out of these pretty animals. ‘Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, they used to stalk them, charging 2s. for each carcass they obtained. I usually accompanied them on these expeditions, and enjoyed myself immensely. One way and another I had plenty of gunning. When I wasn’t after goats I took a turn with the blue Rocks. My big Ulm dog, Czar, always looked forward to these jaunts, and took his place in my flat-bottomed boat with an air of importance that was most amusing. Czar was a fine old boy. He retrieved beauti- fully. Harry Crangle, in his day the fastest sprinter in England, gave him to me, under circumstances that are worthrelating. His uncle, John Madden, owned a big estate midway between Valparaiso and Santiago. To replenish his stock, obtain bulls, rams, and so forth, he periodically visited the Old Country. Frequently these visits coincided with Harry’s appearance on the running track, and then, if his nephew felt fit and well, the old man used to put the stuff down to some order. When, however, Harry didn’t seem up to the mark, then Uncle John let him run loose. Alto- gether, Madden made a pot of money out of Crangle. But, unlike some avunculars, he was A TROPICAL ISLAND 31 not ungrateful. For after awhile he sent for Harry, and told him he would see him right if he would join him in the New World. He was, moreover, as good as his word, for when the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. fixed up their quinquennial con- tract for live and dead meat, the old boy used his influence to secure it for his nephew. The backing he gave him—2000 cattle worth £10 apiece —doubtless affected the result. No better fellow could have got the job; for Harry was a white man all through, and a first-class sport. Czar was originally his yard dog. He gave £50 for him. No watchman was required on the premises, as the following incident will show. One morning Crangle’s head butcher went to the yard to see about twenty-two carcasses that had been deposited there against the departure of the home boat. When he entered the store-house, he saw a sight that made his eyes bulge. On the floor lay a man, dreadfully mauled about the arm and wrist. Alongside him was faithful Czar. The dog was absolutely quiet, but kept one paw on the man’s chest, as if to intimate that he was standing no nonsense. A rope depended from one of the carcasses, so the tableau explained itself. Crangle’s butcher soon communicated with his master and the police. The thief’s arm was found to be in so bad a way as to necessitate his removal to the hospital. While there, the man confessed to Harry, telling him, in the presence of Col. Sarratea (Chief of Police at Vina del Mar) and the doctor, just what had occurred. 32 ' ADVENTURES IN PERU ‘* There were three of us in it,” he said. ‘‘ We got a ladder and climbed the 20-foot wall that encircles the yard. Then I was let down on a rope. My job was to fix up one of the quarters hanging in the open shed so that my mates could haul it up, and me afterwards. I got down all right, and then I became aware of the dog. He looked a very good-tempered, kind sort, but, to make matters doubly sure, I offered him a mutton bone that we had ‘ readied.’ He wasn’t having any, however; so I got on with my job. The dog watched my proceedings in a kind of un- interested manner, and even let me handle the meat, without showing any sign of excitement. But directly I fastened the rope round one of the legs, he sprang on me, and bore me to the floor. Life is sweet, so I drew my long sheath | knife to defend myself. But I didn’t have an earthly chance of using it, for the dog seized my arm, and crushed it between his powerful teeth, until the weapon dropped from my grasp. Then he lay down beside me, with his paw on my chest, till the butcher found me next morning.” From data supplied by the man, we calculated the faithful animal had kept him prisoner 64 hours ! A fortnight in hospital put the man in fairly _straight condition, and then he was placed in the dock. The judge who tried him insisted that Czar should be brought into court. He made much of him, and said if it had been possible he would certainly have awarded him a gold medal, A TROPICAL ISLAND 33 and a handsome douceur. The injured man gave the names of his two accomplices, in considera- tion of which he got let off with three years’ hard labour, whereas they each had to do five. This experience quite put the wind up Mrs. Crangle and her mother, Mrs. Baynham. They couldn’t bear to be reminded of how near Czar had come to killing a man. So Harry passed him on to me, and I found him most valuable. Whilst I was engaged on breaking up the wreck, Kuhn busied himself making arrangements about his lobster project. He chartered the Pachuco. For this he had to pay £2000 a year— a large sum to risk certainly ; but he thought he could make that, and a bit more, by loading up from the mainland with passengers for Juan Fernandez. He reckoned that there were many folk who would jump at the chance of getting the trip, with four days thrown in on the island, for £40 a head. When he told me what he had done, I said, “Qld man, you'll lose your money, if you don’t watch it. You'll get passengers only in the summer months, and if, as is most probable, some of them find their tummies are not proof against the tumble and the tossing of the sea, they will put others off going. Then as regards the lobsters, a tank is essential for their safe conveyance; the Pachuco has none. How are you going to get over that ? es ‘You standon me,” he replied. “ I’ve studied the subject thoroughly, and know all there is to | D 34 ADVENTURES IN PERU be known about it. You are Al at training horses and keeping their legs in order, but lobsters De The air with which this harangue was delivered was indescribably funny. At his invitation I accompanied him on his first trip, “‘ just to learn how things are done,” as he put it. If I took advantage of the oppor- tunity to do a little business in the fern line, who shall blame me? One can’t make money standing around! Our cargo consisted of 1200 lobsters and 400 tree ferns. The shell-fish were distributed in large open crates so that they might be easily sprayed with sea-water from time to time. Our voyage only occupied three days, but when we reached Valparaiso all the lobsters had kicked the bucket, except one. ; After this experience, Kuhn took my tip, and approached the owners of the Pachuco about a tank. They expressed themselves very amiably over the matter, and said so long as the insurance company didn’t object, they were quite agreeable to his putting one in. Unluckily, the insurance people wouldn’t hear of it. They handed out a flat refusal. Poor old Kuhn! My prediction concerning the passengers was justified up to the hilt. The first batch, which included my good friend, Count von Koningsmarck, were sick all the way. The baron was so poorly that he could enjoy only one day goat-shooting with me, instead of the couple he had looked forward to. I had the laugh over Kuhn, for I made £250 — A TROPICAL ISLAND 35 out of my ferns, whereas his lobster venture turned out disastrously ; after dropping £4000 in twelve months, he abandoned it altogether. Von Koningsmarck was captain in the Prussian Guards, and personal A.D.C. to the Kaiser. He ‘gave me once an instance of Wilhelm’s arrogance ‘that is illuminating. One evening, after dinner, _K. ventured to question a statement his Imperial master had made about some subject that was being discussed—music, I believe. The Kaiser was greatly incensed. ‘“ Count Koningsmarck,”’ he thundered, “ you Will leave Germany this day week. Consider yourself banished until I give you permission to return.” K. bowed and left the palace. Within a week he was on his way to Chile. To save his face, it was given out that he had been lent to the Chilian Government as a cavalry instructor. K. had a private income of £25,000 a year, so was able to do himself pretty well. Colmo, the champion chaser, belonged to him, and he trained and rode the horse himself. In the saddle he adopted Tod Sloan’s style. He was the only man I have known who exploited the forward seat successfully over a country. Five years or so after he arrived in Chile, K. came to me, and said, “What do you think? The Kaiser has written and asked me to return and let bygones be bygones.” I forget what com- ment I made; but, anyhow, K. couldn't resist the reference to the friendship that formerly existed between them. So he went back to 36 ADVENTURES IN PERU Germany. In the Great War Koningsmarck bore himself bravely; but, alas! met the fate allotted to many flying-men: his machine crashed through some structural defect, and he was picked up dead. There is plenty of provender for cattle on Juan Fernandez—any amount of grass and wild oats, also excellent tobacco which has a nice nutty flavour all its own. The temperature is very equable. De Rodht showed me his book, in which he had set down particulars for sixteen years, of readings taken daily at 8 a.m., 9 p.m., and noon. From this 1 learnt the average temperature at 8 a.m. was 62 degrees, and at noon 72 degrees. According to tradition five ship-loads of treasure lie buried somewhere near French Bay. Only a verysmall portion has ever been discovered. This was found by a Dane, who lighted on enough “red stuff’? to keep him in luxury till the end of his days. He bought a nice three-masted auxiliary yacht with part of the proceeds, and gave the man who put him on the right track a lot of provisions and £2000. I came across this other man one day, in fact, I did him a service— I cured him of his rheumatism. In return he disclosed to me the exact spot where the big hoard lies concealed. Owing to a family dis- agreement he had kept it secret from his sons. I lost no time in waiting about, but at once commenced making preparations for the fray. I fitted up my two donkeys with a kind of pannier for the conveyance of the necessary tools and A WATER-COLOUR SKETCH BY THE AUTHOR, OF THE OLD INCA CASTLE NEAR CAXAMARCA A TROPICAL ISLAND 37 cargo, and made up my mind to take Fisher with me and camp out near the spot indicated, so that I could explore the locality thoroughly at my leisure. Unfortunately, just as I had completed my alrangements, Mariano Penny sent a note by the Chilian transport Angamos, the purport of which was, that as Zavala was giving up his horses, the writer would like to know what remuneration I would require to take his place. Thinking I might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb, I replied “‘ £100 a month,”’ and then dismissed the matter from my mind, never ex- pecting to hear about it again. My surmise was wrong, however, for ten days later Penny’s schooner hove in sight with another letter for me. Like the first it was written by his wife. It ran thus: ‘“‘ Mariano says if you will come at once, leaving the day after you receive this, he is willing to pay you £80 a month, plus 50 per cent. on all prizes the horses win. In addition he will give you £200 a year to look for old mines for him and Minchin, during December, January, and February. If you don’t care to do the prospecting, then you will have to go somewhere where.there is snow and ice so that you can keep yourself fit for the next racing season, as Mariano doesn’t want any sick man messing about with his horses. As regards entering horses, you can enter them wherever and whenever you like; but you must clearly understand, that if any horse, so entered, fails to get into the first three, Samuel Navarette, Mariano’s secretary, has strict orders 38 ADVENTURES IN PERU to deduct £10 from your salary, each time it occurs, unless the jockey is proved to have been at fault, or something has happened in the race to prejudice the horse’s chance. This, of course, doesn’t apply to any animal entered at Mariano’s special request, or Minchin’s. Any horse outside his own that you may train with his approval, you will receive £10 a month for, plus 25 per cent., or £5 a month and 50 per cent.” On the face of it, the job looked a good one ; but one requiring very careful handling. I determined to accept it, and at the same time, made up my mind to be most circumspect. When I sojourned on the island there were only nine families in residence all told. They were of various nationalities. Two were Chilian, one Portuguese, one German, one Spanish, one French, one Italian, one English, and one Swiss — of German extraction—the last being the family of de Rodht, the Governor. The Italian had been banished for life from Chile. The Chilians had long suspected him of smuggling, and of receiving stolen goods. So they set a trap for him, and he fell into it. Some of the Angamos men were ordered to induce him to purchase of them some new ship’s stores— mattresses and so forth. They found him nothing loth. The same night police were sent to arrest him. When they arrived at the Italian’s resi- dence, he was enjoying his dinner in a room which commanded a view of the path the emis- saries of the law had to traverse. He told his ” A TROPICAL ISLAND 39 wife to admit no one. The police, however, insisted on seeing him; so he retired to his bed- room and locked himself in. The police followed him and demanded admittance. This he refused to grant. When the Government men purposed to break down the door, he threatened to shoot - the first man who crossed the threshold. Having reason to believe he would be as good as his word, the police resorted to a device they had put into operation on similar occasions. They bored holes in the bottom of the door, and set light to a con- coction of sulphur, red pepper, cotton wool, etc. The fumes they contrived to introduce into the Italian’s room. So effectual did this artifice prove that the Italian was soon glad to open the door. His arrest and trial followed, as a matter of course. The charge preferred against him was proved up to the hilt. When sentenced, he was given the option of being deported to Juan Fernandez, in lieu of serving twenty years’ im- prisonment. Like a sensible man he chose the island. The culprit was not devoid of good feeling, for he told his wife he couldn’t expect her to stick toa beggar-man; so the best thing she could do would be to apply for a divorce, and marry some other man better calculated to bring happiness into her life. His spouse was a most beautiful woman, and a wonderful musician. Moreover, her age was twenty-seven years less than her husband’s. Hence she would have experienced little difficulty in finding a suitable partner. 40 ADVENTURES IN PERU But—who can gauge the strength of a woman’s love ?—this noble girl would have none of it. ‘“ What!” she cried. ‘“ Forsake you now you are down and out? Never! I took you for good or bad, for richer or poorer. Where you go, I will go.”” So it came to pass that when the Italian was sent to Juan Fernandez, he did not go alone; his faithful wife accompanied him. She willingly turned her back on all the attractions of society for the sake of the man she loved. As may be imagined, the houses in which the majority of these nine families lived were quite unpretentious. Most of them were constructed of native-grown timber and corrugated iron imported from the mainland, but those belonging to Arrendondo, De Rodht, Correros, and myself were very nicely built. Fishing, catching lobster, extracting shark oil, and fish curing were the only industries pursued — by the inhabitants. Fonck exploited lobsters, and I dried fish. I tried to extract oil from cod, but failed. Unlike the Newfoundland and Nor- wegian varieties, its liver contained none. Shite, Fonck’s manager, and I used to open our stores every Saturday from 10 o’clock till 1 p.m., allowing all who required provisions to have them on tick. Owing to an old law permitting the sale of liquor only in those districts where there are resident police, none was allowed to be sold on Juan Fernandez. As there were no doctors, so there could be no frail women. Male offenders against public morality were punished by five years’ A TROPICAL ISLAND 41 imprisonment on the mainland. Females got a similar stretch in the House of Correction. My own views as regards alcohol are these. It is a thing sent for our use, it is of incalculable value in tropical countries, but its abuse is to be deprecated. I felt that a certain amount of alcohol was an absolute necessity for the male residents at least, so I had no compunction in giving such of my customers as I judged would make proper use of it, a small quantity from time to time. CHAPTER III THE HAUNT OF THE BUCCANEERS UAN FERNANDEZ took its name from the man who discovered it in 1563, together with the sister islands of Santa Clara and Mas-a-fuera. He was a Spanish pilot. In consideration of his enterprise, the Govern- ment leased Juan Fernandez to him. He soon tired of his bargain. Subsequently, Captain Stradling of the Cinque Ports galley, had a disagreement with his crew when in these waters, and as a result, forty-five men deserted and took up their abode on the island. In February, 1700, Dampier called there. All but five of the adventurers joined his ship. In October, 1704, the Cinque Ports returned to ascertain the fate of the men who remained on the island. Only two survived, the other three had been captured by the French between whiles. On the occasion of his second visit, Captain Stradling again experienced trouble with his crew. In this latter instance, however, it was confined to one man only, Alexander Selkirk, upon whose experiences, real and imaginary, Defoe based his engrossing narrative of ‘“‘ Robinson . Crusoe.”’ 42 THE HAUNT OF THE BUCCANEERS 43 Selkirk said that, rather than serve longer under Captain Stradling, he would prefer to live on the island. Stradling took him at his word, and put him ashore with a small quantity of stores and provisions. Before the ship weighed anchor, Selkirk repented his hasty decision, and begged hard to be taken off again. His prayers fell on deaf ears. He was left to work out his salvation in solitude. To this little incident boys owe the most fascinating book ever written for their benefit. But for it, Selkirk’s name might never have been inscribed on the Roll of Fame. For more than four years he had to be content to make the island his abode. He was finally taken off by the Duke privateer under Captain Wood Rogers, February 12th, 1709. In 1868, the officers of H.M.S. Topaz affixed a copper tablet to a huge rock on top of a hill to the right of the Yungue, whence a beautiful view of the sea can be obtained, north and south. This spot is known as Alexander Selkirk’s Look-out. ' The following is the inscription: “ In memory of Alexander Selkirk, a mariner, native of Largo in the County of Fife, Scotland, who was on this island in complete solitude 4 years and 4 months. ‘He was landed from the Cinque Ports galley of 96 tons and 10 guns, A.D. 1704, and was taken off by the Duke privateer 12 February, 1709. He died Lieut. of the Weymouth 1723, aged 47 years. This tablet was erected on Selkirk’s Look-out by Commander Powell and Officers of H.M.S. Z'opaz A.D. 1868.” Ad ADVENTURES IN PERU In 1668 the buccaneer Sharp anchored in Cumberland Bay, and found seals on shore in large numbers, together with many sea lions. Wild pigs were also so abundant that, besides what they killed for their immediate sustenance, they salted down 100 carcasses. In 1687, five men of a pirate vessel, commanded by Captain Edward Davis, voluntarily took up their abode on the island. They remained there - until 1690, when they were taken off by Captain Story of the Welfare. Buccaneers frequently made Juan Fernandez their rendezvous, and, there seems little doubt, deposited some of their ill-gotten gains there. An old Chilian supplied me with particulars of an incident that supports this view. In 1716, so he said, his grandfather had told him, a barque unloaded several boatloads of treasure there, the operation being superintended by a Spaniard, who was reputed to be a grandee. He and a black remained behind to see to its safe disposal. Six months later, the barque brought another cargo of booty. No sailor was permitted to leave the ship, except those who manned the boat or carried the treasure ashore. After the plunder had been shared out, the leader of the buccaneers had it hidden snugly away. At the entrance of the cache, he buried an axe, a cutlass, and a crow- bar. Near by is the grave of his slave companion, who died from the effects of a blow sustained during a quarrel with his brother pirates. An ancestor of my Chilian friend helped bury this man. THE HAUNT OF THE BUCCANEERS 45 Anson, who anchored in Cumberland Bay to refit his shattered squadron in 1741, found large quantities of vegetables growing in wild luxuriance, including cabbage, celery, watercress, radishes, etc. Before leaving, he added to the resources of the _ island by planting peach stones and cherry stones all over a wide area. He thought Juan Fernandez a most charming spot. Probably through his representations when he reached home, some idea of forming an English settlement was entertained. Spain got to hear about it; and in 1750 took formal possession of the island. Later on, when Chile threw off the Spanish yoke, it passed into her charge. For much of the foregoing information, I am indebted to my good friend De Rodht. A few years ago Penny commissioned me to approach the Chilian Government, to see if they would sell him Juan Fernandez for £100,000 ; but I did not succeed in my mission. I was told the Chilians did not wish to part with a place that had such historic associations. In the event of their ever changing their mind, there was only one nation they would be disposed to treat with, viz. the English nation. In 1818, Chile was using this island as a con- vict settlement. By the year 1820, the population included three hundred malefactors and one hundred soldiers. There was no fear of any food shortage, as besides plenty of vegetables and fruit, the island was well stocked with wild cattle, sheep, goats, pigeons, etc. 46 ADVENTURES IN PERU An Englishman, by name Sutcliffe, was appointed Governor in 1835. This was the year of the great earthquake. Following on the tremors, came a huge uprising of the sea, which swept away all the buildings near the beach, save only the Government House, fort, and erections situated higher up. I was courteously permitted by De Rodht to peruse the official account of this terrifying experience, written by Sutcliffe himself. In 1840, the convicts were transferred to the mainland, and anyone who liked could then lease the three sister islands from Chile. Santa Clara, situate only half a mile away from Juan Fernandez, is treeless and waterless. Plenty of grass grows there, however, thus affording plentiful provision for a multitude of wild goats. Mas-a-fuera is ninety miles further off. Here again goats are as plentiful as pebbles on a beach. Luxuriant grass and babbling brooks ensure their well-being. Many hawks may be met with. Besides paying rent for these islands, the lessee had to maintain a small steamer, or a sailing barque, in order to communicate with the mainland every six months. I took up this project once, and dropped about £300. Had I been able to secure a partner to go shares, I think I should have come out all right. | The landing at Mas-a-fuera is very bad, much worse, in fact, than at Juan Fernandez. There were no inhabitants when I visited the island ; but in the sealing season the sealers make it one THE HAUNT OF THE BUCCANEERS 47 of their resorts. I have participated in some of the hunts. It is fine sport, clubbing the seals as they emerge from the caves. But it is not child’s play, for if you do not hit them a good hard crack over the head, they make no bones about bowling you over. The pelts of these seals are very valuable. The fur is of a rich coffee colour. Every two or three years the sealing rights are put up to auction. During one of these expeditions, we came across three wild pigs. I shot one and had part of it cooked. The flesh was in appearance all one could wish for, but oh, the flavour! Manuel Correro, a Portuguese who accompanied me, thought he had never tasted anything more horrible. I don’t think he was far wrong either. The animals had evidently been feeding on the carcasses of sharks, which had been left to rot on the beach, after the oil had been extracted. _I never remember eating better pigeons. Their flesh was delightful. I put that down to the great quantities of cranberries, cherries, and rasp- berries they had consumed. The rent of these three islands is 7500 dollars, I should say. If a sailing ship is kept in lieu of a steamer, it must not be less than a 700- tonner. Selkirk is supposed to have lived in a cave a good long pull up from the look-out, but I don’t subscribe to that opinion. He might have used it aS an emergency resort, but was much more likely to take up his abode in one or other of 48 ADVENTURES IN PERU the half-dozen or so that occur at the foot of the hill, near the tablet. They look much nicer. Fresh water is close to hand, and any amount of delicious fruits. Moreover, it involves a climb hardly worth mentioning. CHAPTER IV SEA SERPENTS AND SEA TREASURES ANY people say the Sea Serpent is all bunkum, and they are welcome to their opinion. On land, in the Temperate Zones, creeping things are small, and, speaking generally, of no account ; but in the Torrid Zone they attain a tremendous size. Snakes are to be found in the Narrow Seas; hence I cannot, for the life of me, see why monster serpents should not exist in Equa- torial waters. I got my first glimpse of the Great Sea Serpent in 1901, when voyaging off the Island of Fernando de Noronha. Fernando de Noronha, so called after its discoverer, is about five miles long and three miles broad, and is situated east of Brazil. It is a convict settle- ment, and: is infested with rats. Four years later, at practically the same spot, it was my good fortune to be favoured with another sight of this wonderful creature. I was then taking a trip in a P.S. N.C. boat which called at Fernandode Noronha. We left the island about midday. Lunch was served, as usual, at one o'clock, but I didn’t attend, as I was getting fit for crossing the High Andes yet again, to 49 E 50 ADVENTURES IN PERU revisit the Sacambaja River and the Caballo Cunco Hill. So I contented myself with a few cold beef sandwiches and half a bottle of beer. Soon after I had finished my frugal repast, I distinctly saw the Wonder of the Seas. It appeared about fifty yards ahead of the steamer, on the port side. It had a head as big as a cow’s head, and its body looked as large round as a flour barrel. I only saw one coil of the latter, and that was a matter of eight to ten yards away from the head, and raised above the water a foot or so. When the captain—a Liverpool man—and the other passengers came up, I told them what I had seen. The captain said tome: “ Prodgers, if I didn’t know you very well indeed, and were not quite certain you had taken no extra cocktails before lunch, I should think you had seen double. Man and boy, I have sailed the seas these many years, but I have never yet cast eye on any sea serpent.” He was, however, fain to admit that he had often heard of the monster, and that my description of it tallied with what he had been told. : It will be remembered that the late Earl of Crawford, when on his fine auxiliary yacht the Valhalla, fourteen miles from the coast near Para, had an experience on December 7th, 1905, similar to that recorded above. It was also on this trip that I heard, from a passenger named Campbell, — there was an island called Trinidad, south of — Bahia, where treasure is supposed to be buried. SEA SERPENTS AND SEA TREASURES 51 Campbell told me that during 1903 he formed one of a party who visited the island to which I have referred. The captain of the schooner they went in, claimed to know the exact spot where the treasure was buried. They reached Trinidad all right, and spent three days in getting their stores ashore, and putting up a rough hut as a shelter. Unfortunately, whilst they were thus engaged, their leader had an attack of yellow fever; so they decided to get back to Bahia as soon as possible in order that he might receive proper medical attention. But all was in vain, and the poor fellow died without revealing the treasure’s hiding-place. Strange to say, about ten or twelve years ago I came across an old document that seemed to confirm Campbell’s tale. It was given me by a man whom [I had befriended when he was down and out—when he had nothing to do, and nothing to live on. His fair-weather friends had all forsaken him. Some even said they didn’t know him. He applied to me as a last resort, and J told him he could go to a small house I owned on the isle of Juan Fernandez, and live there rent-free till something turned up. This house, as already related, 1 had taken in part-payment of my fee for superintend- ing the breaking-up of the three-masted schooner Adriatic, of which more anon. I used to keep several boats at this place, and have enjoyed many a pleasant hour, standing in a flat-bottomed punt to shoot Blue Rock pigeons. This man, by the way, also claimed to 52 ADVENTURES IN PERU know of treasure buried at Itaperica; but the data that old Waldimar Fisher, who lives at my place in Juan Fernandez, supplied me with, — refers to the one buried in the Isle of Trinidad, — south of Bahia. At Valparaiso I transferred to the Guatemala. Unfortunately the weather was pretty bad when we reached Mollendo, and the water was so rough that the passengers and mails had to be hoisted from the vessel in baskets and let down into surf-boats, and thus conveyed to shore, This method of landing is frequently adopted on this coast. It has its attractions for those who can find a basket to fit them. There was a bit of a difficulty in my case; so I decided to stick to the boat until she reached Callao, where 1 had some business to transact with a gentleman who was interested in tin. We arrived there in due course, and I went to see him. The proposition he wished to discuss was being worked on a very small scale by one man, with the assistance of two Indians. It was located three days’ mule ride from Sicasica. He received me most hospit- ably, and, after thoroughly going into the matter, agreed to give me the sum of £300 if I would visit the mine and report fully upon it. I was also to have 25 per cent. of the profits, if he decided to take it up. | I started back to Mollendo on the Huascar. This time the sea was calm, and so we landed without any difficulty. I stayed that night and the next day at the Hotel Ferro Carril. There SEA SERPENTS AND SEA TREASURES 53 I met a fellow called Boynton. He was the same Boynton who once started to travel round the world wheeling a barrow for a bet of £10,000 to £200, he to pay all his own expenses. He failed, simply through contracting an LKastern fever, which laid him by the heels for a matter of three months. It left him so weak that he had to give up his project. Otherwise, he thought, he would have succeeded. Boynton was on his way back from Arequipa, where he had been prospecting for gold. He had some pretty good samples with him, and hoped to find a company who would take an interest in them. Whether he ever succeeded, I do not know. Previously, he had been secretary to Lord Headley, who was engaged by a Peruvian Rubber Company in 1903 to report on their estate. Lord Headley told me they paid him £5000 to carry out this work and remain there six months, which wasn’t bad pay. When first approached, he said the job didn’t appeal to him; but he changed his mind when he knew the munificent offer they were prepared to make, and took on Boynton. How and why they eventually parted company is a tale I may, perhaps, tell another day. Bubonic plague greatly troubled the West Coast of South America when I was at Mollendo. The owner of the Central Hotel had it, and was, in consequence, isolated by the authorities in a building they had set aside for the purpose, at some little distance from the town. This plague attacks one either in the groin or in the neck. 54 ADVENTURES IN PERU They say it can be cured by a simple operation, if only the groin is affected ; but when the neck is involved, then, Goodbye everybody! ‘There is no rule, however, without an exception. This chap had bubonic in his neck, bad as could be; but, somehow or other, he managed to pull through. | CHAPTER V A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR LEFT Mollendo by the eight-thirty train on Wednesday morning, and arrived at Arequipa at six-thirty the same night. Next day I happened to meet my friend, the consul for Uruguay and Peru. It ap- peared that he also was interested in the Province of Inquisivi, and intended to take the Peru and Bolivia train, leaving Friday morning at eight for Puno, the terminus, situate on the banks of Lake Titicaca. So we agreed to travel together. A description of Titicaca was given in my Adventures in Bolivia, hence I need only add that one of the islands near the peninsula of Capacabana is held specially sacred by the natives. For, according to their most highly respected traditions, it was here that Manco Capac and his consort founded their glorious empire. Here may be seen the ruins of an old monastery, which was in existence when the Incas came and conquered the Huancas. There are stones in this great building, weighing twenty tons at least. Alongside the principal doorway, there is one still standing that I should put at 55 56 ADVENTURES IN PERU twelve tons. Five hundred priests, I believe, are attached to this monastery. At Puno I met a Russian Count and his wife, who were accompanied by a Baron von K , who acted as secretary to the Count. They had been exploring the sacred isle, and intended to extend their trip as far as the great gold river, Tipuani. Unfortunately—so I heard later—the way up the Sorata Pass proved too much for the Countess and the Baron. So the whole party had to return to Puno. The Count stood it better than the others, and naturally so, for he was a big fellow. Crossing the High Andes by the Pass of Sorata is no joke for a woman; in fact old Naboa told me that in all the sixty years he had been acquainted with that district, he had heard of but one lady who had accomplished the feat. She was a Countess—Countess M. Pll call her— who had run away from her husband with a Baron R. The Count, it appears, followed them with his revolver, intending to shoot the guilty pair when he came up with them. The runaways put in six months at Tipuani. Baron R. occupied himself prospecting for gold, three miles from the village. He engaged six natives and four West Indians to dig and wash for him. One day a West Indian told him a Gringo Caballero, i.e. a foreign gentleman, lay very sick of fever at Gritado, a place ten miles the La Paz side of the river. Baron R. took pity on the sick man, and started off at once in search of him, accom- panied by the Countess and six Indians with a INDIAN WOMAN OF THE HIGH ANDES NEAR CUZCO AND PUNO A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR 57 stretcher. It was intended to fetch him home to their place, and nurse him back to health. They found him, lying on a mattress, in a hut belonging to a man called Ricardo Rodriguez. Picture their surprise when he turned out to be no less a person than Count M. himself! The situation was most embarrassing ; but Baron R. and the Countess made the best they could of it, and gave the sick man every attention; so that, within a little while, he became convalescent, and fit to be removed to their place. There they nursed him back to health; explanations were given and received, and, ultimately, all three became reconciled and left Tipuani together, apparently on the best of terms with each other. We travelled from Puno by the lake steamer to Quaqui, and then took train to La Paz Alto. Thence we journeyed by coach as far as La Paz. Following my usual custom, I put up at the Hotel Guibert, and persuaded the consul to do the same. The proprietor was absent in Europe, but I was glad to hear the Jura baths had quite rid him of his rheumatism. In return for my advice about taking the Jura cure, he made me free of his house—a very pleasant and delicate way of expressing his gratitude. We stayed here five days, while the consul’s buggy horses rested. They had come up from his mine near Incasiva. I occupied myself in getting five cargo mules, and two for saddle- work. The latter were beautiful creatures, and cost, in English money, £30 apiece, or half as 58 ADVENTURES IN PERU much again as the cargo mules. I named them Batson and Charlie, after two mules that took my fancy in a Barbadian tram-car. Batson was black all over; Charlie, chestnut, with dark chestnut mane and tail, and a black mark right down his back. I loaded up the cargo mules with provisions—not forgetting to include some old Madeira, half a case of whisky, six bottles of old port, and several pots of Liebig’s extract— and sent them on ahead to Sicasica, ninety miles away. I followed three days later, by the dili- gence that runs twice a week between La Paz and Oruro. The driver was an Indian, famed. for being extremely punctual. On one occasion, it is said, he refused to wait more than five minutes for his boss, who had arranged to travel with him. The laggard, as mail contractor and so forth, was a pretty big bug in his way. I occupied the box-seat on the trip referred to. I was on my way to Oruro—the racing season in Chile having concluded—to call on my friend and patron, Mariano Penny, previous to my starting on an experimental trip over the Andes, in search of some old mines that had been worked by the © Ancients, and lost to sight for many years. Well, we started without the boss, and in due course arrived at a place about ten miles from La Paz Alto. Here we stopped fifteen minutes to change mules. Before this operation was completed who should appear upon the scene but the missing man! He had driven a four-horse buggy at a furious pace all the way from our starting- A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR 59 point. Much to my relief, he did not rave at the driver, but, on the contrary, made him a present of five dollars for sticking to his time schedule. I travelled so often with this Indian that we became quite good friends. He sometimes handed over the ribbons to me, while he chucked stones at the mules to induce them to show their best paces. Full lick we would go over the Camp, taking boulders, ruts, and holes in our stride. There was no road, properly speaking, but only a track beaten down by the traffic. We often passed lamas loaded with corn and. attended by Indians, who looked very picturesque in their different coloured ponchos and caps made of lama or vicuna wool. The Indians never start their llamas on a journey before 9.30 a.m. They march on till 3.30 in the afternoon, resting for rather less than an hour midday. Ordinarily a Hama should cover twelve miles a day, and carry from 35 to 50 lb. Some of the biggest can manage 75 Ib. ‘These are highly valued by their owners. On short journeys, when employed to convey gold, silver, tin or copper ore down from the mines, a lama is often burdened with 100 lb. When I reached Sicasica I found no difficulty in getting accommodation. As a matter of fact, the President of Bolivia had most courteously directed the proprietor of the hotel to reserve his best room for me; and further, he had sent a letter of introduction to Don Fillipi Rameres, the Corregidor of a village a day’s ride nearer 60 ADVENTURES IN PERU Vera Cruz. When I asked the proprietor if he had a bath, so that I might enjoy my usual morning tub, he said he hadn’t. got one, the cold was so intense people didn’t use them. ‘‘ But,” he continued, “if you like, Pll tell one of my Indians to put a bucket of cold water in your rubber bath at seven o’clock in the morning, so that you may have a sponge.” This arrange- ment suited me admirably. Next day I resumed my journey after break- fast, and in due course reached the point I aimed at—a fair-sized Indian village in the Vera Cruz range. It is situate about 12,500 ft. above sea- level. Some of the surrounding peaks tower up to 18,000 ft. and 19,000 ft. The Corregidor seemed to be a very decent chap, of the Mountain Indian breed. He placed his drawing-room at my disposal, together with a corral for my mules — and a kitchen for my boys. He also engaged me, later on, an Indian and his wife and her sister to accompany me—the man to act as guide, and to assist with the cargo; the women, who were not at all bad-looking, to attend to my personal wants. I stayed here four days, buying of the Corre- gidor barley-grain in the straw for my mules, and five sheep to be made into challona, for use on the trip. They weighed about 60 Ib. apiece. Our meals, so far as I was concerned, consisted of bacon and eggs for breakfast, Irish stew for lunch, and Irish stew for dinner at 7 p.m. The Indians had the same, barring the bacon and eggs. A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR 61 Every morning about 7.30 or 8 o’clock 1 used to go down to the river, which was only about two hundred yards off, to have my morning dip. As the water was always frozen over, I had to bathe in one or other of the holes broken by the Indians, before I could enjoy my bath. As usual, I dried myself inthe sun. Some little distance away there was a cliff, and upon this I noticed a lot of Indian women and boys sitting, the first morning I made my appearance in the river. They seemed to take a great interest in my proceedings. On the third morning, when I returned to the Corre- gidor’s house after my bath, I saw forty or fifty Indian women squatting down on the opposite side of the road. They were making no noise whatever, but simply waiting—waiting for me, if you please. When I entered the house the Corregidor said, “T have an amusing thing to tell you.” “¢ What is it ?”’ I inquired. “You see all those women out there ? Well, they tell me that the Gringo—meaning you— appears to be a very nice sort of chap, but evi- dently a bit touched in his head. For on three successive mornings he had gone down to the river, taken off all his clothes, and sponged him- self with the icy cold water; so they wished me to hand him over to them to be taken care of.” In common with most Indian tribes, ‘these good folk regard the mentally afflicted with a cer- tain amount of veneration; hence their request was really nothing out of the ordinary. I have 62 . ADVENTURES IN PERU no doubt they were quite prepared to carry out what they offered to do, namely to cook and fend for me in every way, while I would be free to enjoy myself as I thought fit. I was curious to know what answer the Corregidor had made. “TI told them,” he said, “the man you speak of is a friend of mine. He is staying with me, and is not the least bit off his head. What you have seen him do down at the river, is his usual custom. Within a little while, he will be back in the house, and I will then tell him what you say. If you will wait a bit, you shall know Wiese ; he thinks of it.” Of course, I could not entertain the offer made by these kind-hearted females, for the staff already engaged by my friend the Corregidor, was ample for my requirements. But I could not help feeling flattered by the interest they took in me, for if the group included a sprink- ling of withered old women, the majority were robust and well set up, and some of the girls very good-looking ! Next day, soon after breakfast, I started on the last lap of my journey, expecting to reach the workings of my Lima friend, near Tres Cruces, in a couple of days. I took with me a letter of introduction from the Corregidor to a friend of his, who kept sheep and alpacas—chiefly alpacas. He was a Peruvian, and owned farms in both Peru and Bolivia. He lived for the greater part of the year on his Peruvian estate. About three o’clock in the afternoon we got caught in a terrific A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR 63 hailstorm. The hailstones were as large as marbles, and the mules wouldn’t face them. I turned Batson’s stern towards the storm, which lasted a full hour and a half. Muffled in my Irish cloak (a fine affair I had bought at Sandy- point, and big enough to cover me and the mule), we suffered no inconvenience whatever. But the delay proved awkward, because night over- took us ere we reached the farm of Guiterrez. About half an hour after we had resumed our journey, Batson suddenly pricked up his ears and broke into a jog trot. The mules, headed by my chestnut as bell horse, followed suit, likewise the Indians. Very soon we discovered what had occasioned this singular manceuvre. Within a quarter of an hour, up loomed a big building out of the darkness. It was one of Guiterrez’s barns. His house was close by. We knocked at the door, and Don Ramon himself answered the summons. I handed him Rameres’ letter, which he read, and at once extended his hospitality. Dinner, he said, would be ready in about half an hour, and he would be very pleased if I would join him. I gladly accepted the kind invitation, for I was feeling pretty well famished. During the meal, which I thoroughly enjoyed, Ramon told me that pumas had been troubling his animals a lot. Within the previous three weeks, they had killed three young colts of very fine pacing breed. He had tried to poison the marauders, by putting stuff on a dead carcass, without the slightest effect, for they had left the G4 ADVENTURES IN PERU bait severely alone. I told him that was quite usual, wild beasts very seldom go for any prey that has been doctored. At the same time, I considered it would be futile to sit up and watch an animal that had been killed by jaguar or puma, unless it had been left lying with its right, or liver, sideup. JI first learnt this truth from a book, entitled “‘ Leaves from a Sportsman’s Diary,” written by a colonel who had been a great shikari in India, and I had proved its worth on several occasions. Ramon invited me to stay and have a cut at the pumas. I told him nothing would give me greater pleasure. A week or a fortnight occupied in ridding him of these pests would be time well spent. CHAPTER VI HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS EXT day I went round the estancia and had a look at Don Ramon’s alpacas. He lent me a fine pacing horse for this purpose. My animals in the meantime were turned out where there was plenty of excellent pasture. The alpacas were exceptionally good. Most were of a mixed colour ; several were pure white ; only a very few were black. These animals are bred for their wool, which is extremely fine, and expensive to buy. Carosses, Le. rugs, are made from their skins. Their flesh is highly esteemed by the natives. In flavour it comes between goat and mutton. White alpaca rugs are worth money. I have frequently brought some home and sold them for £40 and £50 apiece. Black alpaca rugs fetch much more, being rarer. My favourite is the white variety. Odd bits of alpaca skin, left over from rug-making, are made up into foot-warmers. The alpaca is built on the same lines as a guanaco, but somewhat sturdier. Like the llama, it is indigenous to Peru and Bolivia. Ramon was good enough to sell me three | 65 F 66 ADVENTURES IN PERU white alpaca rugs for £20 apiece. One I gave to my father; the others brought me in £100. Since the Great War the prime cost has increased 50 per cent. or more. The following morning, just after breakfast, one of Ramon’s Indians brought word that a cow had been killed by pumas. His dogs had chased the raiders to a hill about two miles from the estancia, where there were a lot of rocks and several small caves. Don Ramon had a very fine strain of Borzoi, and five hounds beside, that he had bred by mating one of the Borzois with a wild-dog bitch. He had captured the latter a few years previously when hunting guanacos. He shot her mother as she came rushing out of one of the self-same caves where the Indian had now located the pumas. Close by he found a litter of pups, which he took home and brought up by hand on milk. There were five in all. Ramon gave two away, but retained two dogs and a bitch for himself. The dogs he kept separate by themselves; the bitch he put to one of his Borzois, with the result already mentioned. Well, we started off without delay after the pumas, taking with us the five hounds and their parents. I rode a grand chestnut pacing horse, bred by Ramon, and he rode a bay. They both showed plenty of quality and blood. The Indian trotted on ahead, until we arrived within about three hundred yards of the caves. We then dismounted, and, while he held our horses, HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS 67 stalked our quarry cautiously. The well-trained dogs followed at our heels until fifty yards or so from the rocks. Ramon then laid them on the trail. They quickly picked it up; but though they nosed about for an hour, and searched every corner and hole, where even a cat might hide, they found nothing. So we remounted our nags, and rode off to another mix-up of rocks and caves about a mile and a half away. We hadn’t ridden half a mile before the big Borzoi dog, Czar, gave tongue, followed at once by Florita, the wild-dog bitch. How I longed for my galloping chestnut, for though the pacers could pace eight or nine miles an hour, they couldn’t gallop for toffee! At any rate the dogs quite outdistanced them. On reaching the rocks we dismounted, and in the usual South American way, threw the reins over our horses’ heads to the ground— having, of course, unbuckled them first. There was no fear of the horses getting away: they had been trained to stand until the reins were picked up. The dogs were now barking furiously out- side a long, low cave that looked most forbidding. None of them appeared anxious to enter, but Ramon persuaded the big Borzoi to go in, About two minutes later, out rushed three pumas. Ramon was standing about thirty yards away from the cave, and I about the same distance to the left of him. He had his Martini and I my father’s 16 double-barrelled Holland and Holland. The biggest puma was one of the largest I had ever seen. I was fortunate enough 68 ADVENTURES IN PERU to get him with my first barrel. With the other I fired at another puma not quite so big. My bullet broke his leg, and the dogs soon put an end to him. Don Ramon accounted for the third puma. He hit it in the ribs and it got away; but we followed its trail on our horses, and after a lovely ride of five miles or so, over the High Flats, caught up with it in a small valley leading towards a distant range of mountains. Our dogs flung themselves on to their quarry. Then ensued a rare rough and tumble. Brought to bay, the puma fought desperately. Spitting - and snarling like a fiend incarnate, she threw the dogs off again and again. But they would not be denied, and, although more than one was severely mauled, pressed home the attack. At last Florita, snapping up a favourable opportunity, dashed in and seizing the puma by the throat, hung on till she had torn a hole in its windpipe. Ramon was very glad when the end came, for he was fond of his dogs, and we had not dared to fire a shot for fear of hurting them. Had Ramon been using my weapon, the puma would never have got away at all. Don Lisandro Mendizabal, who was a great friend of his, told him he wouldn’t mind going anywhere with my rifle, because it made so big a hole, nothing could stand up against it. On our way back to the estancia, we each fired two shots at some big condors, three of which were flying overhead. Don Ramon missed altogether; but I was lucky enough to break HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS 69 the wing of a big male bird with my second shot and so brought it to the ground. We waited till the Indian came up, and left it in his charge. He skinned the bird and preserved it “ Indian fashion,” in order that I might take it home as a trophy to my father. It measured 9 ft. 7 in. from tip to tip of its expanded wings. Don Ramon showed me one in his drawing-room, that went exactly 11 ft. 7 in. That also was a male bird with a white collar. The different varieties of condor are fully described in ’ Adventures in Bolivia wherein is quoted Baron yon Humboldt’s description of these wonderful birds. Mr. Hudson, the great authority on South America, wrote me on three separate occasions about the Condor Real, or king of the condors, a bird reputed to be pure white. He doubted the existence of such a bird, and suggested that if one really existed, it had probably grown white with age. Not long before his death, however, he was good enough to write and say certain facts had come to his knowledge which convinced him that I was right in contending the Condor Real is a distinct species, and a pure _ white bird. Don Ramon persuaded me to prolong my stay so that I might help him get some guanaco and vicufia skins, the former to make mats with, and the latter, rugs. It was a very jolly experience. We started off, attended by four Indians, Ramon riding a pacer, and I my galloping chestnut. The Indians ~~ 70 ADVENTURES IN PERU were mounted on mules and carried bolas, a kind of lasso made of raw hide. At one end of the bola are two thongs. On each of these a wooden ball about as large as a cricket ball is threaded. At the other end of the bola—which, by the way, is about two yards long—another, but smaller wooden ball depends from a two-foot thong. The bola is used as follows: The Peons, when the animals they have rounded up are comparatively still, ride at them, swinging their bolas as they go. This starts them on the run ~ again, when the Peons throw their bolas, aiming to entangle the animals’ feet. Some are so expert that they rarely fail to accomplish their purpose. A couple of hours’ ride brought us to the grazing ground of the guanacos. It was in a beautiful valley, about 10,000 ft. above sea- level. We soon sighted a herd of fifteen, and went after them full lick. I easily took the lead, and soon had to steady my horse so that Ramon and the Indians might get into line with me. The sandy soil, which carried barely sufficient herbage for ostriches, afforded pretty good gallop- ing ground, so we streaked along at a tidy pace. But after twenty minutes or so my weight began to tell, and then my gallant steed didn’t need much steadying—he steadied himself. The big Borzoi led the other dogs, a good fifty yards up the Flat. By and by the Indians caught up with the dogs, and got quite close to the guanacos, - who finally came to a standstill on a green patch which was fifty yards square, or thereabouts. HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS 71 The hunted animals turned round and lined up like a regiment of soldiers, gazing about them in an inquiring kind of way, as if to say: ‘‘ What is all this commotion about; and why do you follow us ?”’ Now was the time for our bola throwers! In they rode, whirling their bolas in the air as they went. Meantime, Don Ramon and I dis- mounted, and took up @ favourable position whence we might get a shot at the guanacos when they stampeded. The animals kept their formation until the Indians were within seventy yards of them ; then they broke and fled. Ahead of them in their line of flight was a cleft in the rocks. But it was too small for them to get through; so they took a half-right turn, and made for the hills. In anticipation of this manoeuvre, the Indians had galloped off to the left, in order to intercept them, and, as they passed at a distance of about fifteen yards, threw their bolas. Good luck attended their efforts. They brought two of the animals to the ground, and soon administered the coup de grace. Don Ramon and I killed a couple more with our rifles, and, as the survivors were gaining the shelter of the hills, let fly at the two hindmost. I sighted at 300 yards and was fortunate enough to hit my guanaco in the thigh, so that it had to hop along on three legs. Ramon missed his. We despatched two of the Indians to track down the wounded animal, while the others proceeded to disembowel the four we had already 72 ADVENTURES IN PERU secured, preparatory to loading them up on their mules. In about an hour’s time we sighted the trackers returning over the foothills, one leading his mule with the dead guanaco on top. ‘A very successful hunt,” said Don Ramon. The meat would come in very handy to help feed the twenty families that he kept on his estate ; and the skins would make some beautiful mats. We saw only five vicufia on this trip, and they were too far off for us to fire at with any hope of success. Guanaco hunting with expert bola throwers is most exhilarating sport, if one has a good horse under you, and decent galloping ground to ride over—almost as inspiring as riding after the rhea, or wild ostrich, in the Argentine. Not quite so fascinating, however, as the pastime I enjoyed on Hamilton Langley’s estate, where I learned how to run an estancia. I got “nowt,” as the Yorkshiremen say, for wages, during my apprenticeship, and had to find my own grub and horseflesh. Langley was a fine horseman, a grand rider over any kind of country ; and with him hunting was a passion. He kept a pack of dogs, con- sisting of two staghounds, and four of the grey- hound lurcher type. I had a similar lot of lurchers, a prize-bred French pointer, and a King Charles. The latter was a smart little chap, and absolutely fearless, as the following incident will show. Pee gate ke pha he Se ee tao HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS 73 _ One day my groom came to me about 8.15 a.m., full of news about a tiger cat. He said it was the biggest he had ever seen and that it had just run into a clump of bushes not far away. I called up my dogs, and, six-shooter in hand, proceeded to the spot indicated. I tried my best to per- suade the big dogs to try and rout the tiger cat out; but they didn’t relish the task. Imagine my surprise when the little King Charles dashed into the clump, and drove the cat out into the open! The other dogs then joined in the fray, and soon settled matters to their entire satis- faction. My lurchers and Hamilton’s dogs made up a useful pack, and we used to put them on the scent of any mortal thing that came our way. Deer, however, provided our chief diversion. On one occasion, I remember, we got to the end of Langley’s big paddock, or potrero, and found the gate closed against us. The boss promptly put his horse at it, and landed over in magnificent style. We, who were not 80 well mounted, had to open the gate and ride through. My horse was of the half or three-quarter type raised by the late William Kemmis. When sent to England they fetched good prices as high-class hunters. Lots of fellows of my acquaintance had, at various times, hunters bred by Kemmis or Langley on shares, ie. they kept them and rode them for several months, and then sold them. What they got over and above the original price, they divided with the owner. The usual figure the breeders charged 74 ADVENTURES IN PERU was £100. In the days I am speaking of, there were heaps of wild horses in the Argentine. When I took up my quarters at Bella Vista, I bought seventeen (“‘al corte’) for £2 apiece ; and was extremely gratified to find that three of them were up to my weight. Six others made fine carriage horses, after they had been broken in. I frequently drove them in my big, heavy dog-cart three at a time, native fashion, i.e. one in the shafts, and one on either side of him. The way they went hell for leather over the Camp was a sight for sore eyes! Before proceeding further, I ought, perhaps, to explain the meaning of al corte. The words are the Spanish equivalent for “as they come.” A number of animals are driven out of a herd of maybe five hundred, into a corral. The gates are then closed, and the Peons, with much crack- ing of whips, induce the horses, or mules, or what-not, to stampede round the corral. When they have got pretty lively, the gate is suddenly flung open. Then one has to look smart, or you'll get overwhelmed in the rush. Note par- ticularly the first ten animals that come out. They are yours, if you are the fellow who is buying. In that little lot you may get several horses-—if horses are your game—worth £20 apiece. On the other hand the majority may consist of useless yearlings, and one or two old brood mares. It is all in the luck of the deal. ; When I bought my horses two separate HUNTING PUMAS AND GUANACOS 75 hundreds were driven into the corral. I had ten out of the first hundred, and seven out of the second. Only three were “ stumers,” and these I turned over to my groom, who found them very useful for rough work. CHAPTER VII THE TRES CRUCES MINE EXT day, after thanking Don Ramon for his hospitality, and for giving me _ so enjoyable a time, I started off for the camp at the foot of the mountains near ‘Tres Cruces. Here a man named Donovan kept a little store, and worked a tin mine for my Lima friend. This same Donovan was one of the first to come to La Paz and congratulate me when I returned from my momentous journey to Challana. Readers of my Bolivian adventures may remember that I had passed through some ticklish experiences, and had been reported dead. Donovan greeted me warmly, and said he had been expecting me for several months, his boss having apprised him of my coming to pros- pect around. I was to make his house my headquarters. This abode comprised two rooms and a kitchen, all built of solid stone. The walls were two feet thick or more; and the whole was roofed with corrugated iron. Donovan, I found, had only two Indian assistants. He said the store wouldn’t run to more; his takings barely sufficed to pay their wages and provide grub for himself and them. I could quite believe 76 THE TRES CRUCES MINE 17 this, for the nearest hut was eighteen miles off, and his only likely callers would be prospectors. Well, I started work with his two Indians and my three. Nine-thirty every morning saw me hard at it, taking samples where I thought proper, both on my Lima friend’s property and on the virgin soil belonging to the Government of Bolivia. All went well for the first five days. Then two Indians went sick and had to rest in camp for the best part of a week. Three days later, another Indian got the “megrims.” He, of course, had to be excused. This sort of game became the vogue. I seldom had my full com- plement of men. The reason for this is a simple one. The Indians in Bolivia and Peru are mostly “ Colonials,” i.e. their owner or master, or what- ever you like to call him, provides them with everything they want in reason ; they, for their part, do all the farm work on half-shares with the owner of the estancia. Every year, after the harvest is safely gathered in, accounts are balanced up, and any surplus is divided equally between master and man. If the harvest has been a poor one, and the balance is on the wrong side, so far as the workers are concerned, then the debt is wiped out, and the position is “As you were.” This system suits the “ Colonials ” very well; so well, in fact, that they rarely trouble to seek work outside the boundaries of the estancia to which they belong, except for a very special purpose, like mine at Sacambaja. 78 ADVENTURES IN PERU Those pretty gentlemen wanted something store- keeper José hadn’t in stock—one a red shirt, to cut a dash in, and another a sewing-machine | for his wife—so their headman told me. Donovan’s Indians were of the same kidney. Directly they had made sufficient money to satisfy their special needs, they returned to their master’s estate. I was thus frequently left with only my three Indians, one of whom was my personal attendant, whose duty it was to help me drill whatever lode I was prospecting. Round about this district I found the tem- perature pretty cold. During my two months’ stay here the thermometer ranged between 4 degrees and 32 degrees in the shade, and 4 degrees to 8 degrees below zero at night. You can imagine how delightful it would have been for me to come home after a hard day’s work in the mountains, and find a nice roaring fire in my room. But not a bit of it, no such luxury was provided. There wasn’t even a fire- place! My Lima friend had never visited Donovan’s. I often wished he had. I’m sure a week in that cold atmosphere would have made his hair curl! He paid me, however, to go there for him, and paid me well, so I mustn't grumble. With the exception of Sundays and seven days when I went guanaco hunting for the camp, i.e. the Indians, Donovan and 1 were content to feed off challona and martinette. I generally potted this bird on the ground. “* Pots’ are the order of the day in out-of-the- THE TRES CRUCES MINE 79 way places. One has no use for fancy shooting. I also got some wild duck from a small lake in the vicinity. They don’t seem to frequent any water above the 12,000 ft. mark; their billet ranges from 9000 ft. to 12,000 ft. On one occasion I shot a few wild geese. They were pure white, and afforded fairly good eating, i.e. the young ones, but the old birds were tough as hemp. Only two of my seven trips after guanacos proved successful. On these occasions I bagged one each time. On three others I drew blank, through shooting badly; and twice I quite failed to get within range of them. I happened once upon a herd of vicufia, however, as I turned the corner of a valley through which a mountain stream ran. I raised my rifle to fire, but they looked so beautiful that I felt I could not pull trigger on them. Besides martinette I came across a few woodcock occasionally in this valley. Once I shot a martinette as it was running, and two woodcock squatting on the ground; but missed a woodcock on the wing, and two others. Talking of shooting, I once met a fellow who was looking for mines in the district of Incasivi. He was a crack revolver shot, and brought down bird after bird. I travelled with him three days. Never once did I see him miss his mark. Lots of white and yellow flowers grow upon the sides of the mountains in this district. They are very similar to those one meets with in the Alps. The late Bishop Brown, of Bristol and 80 ADVENTURES IN PERU Gloucester, who was a famous Alpinist, showed me some he had brought home from Switzerland, and one could hardly tell them from mine. The scenery was sublime. On every side glorious snow-capped mountains towered up to the sky, clothed in a profusion of tussock grass about two feet long, and very coarse, but the mountain cattle and sheep seem to thrive on it. This grass extends to within 2000 ft. of the snow-line. Guanacos and vicufias were plentiful. So unused to man were they that one could get quite close to them without attracting their notice; hence securing meat for the camp presented no diffi- culty. I saw many foxes. They were of a greyish colour. I shot several, sufficient to make me a fine poncho or cape, which I still possess, It is very warm and comfortable. Originally a number of tails depended from it, but in 1922 I induced a Berkshire lady friend to remove them, as they inclined to make the cape look too conspicuous for English wear. Some years after I visited Donovan, white fox and black became all the rage. Even Chilian, Peruvian, Bolivian foxes, and those of the Andes, came into favour. They were trapped or shot in thousands by the Mountain Indians, and their pelts sold at £1 apiece. I never saw a white fox in the Andes. The Andean foxes are mostly grey, with fine, long brushes. One I remember very well indeed—a very cheeky fellow. I was sitting outside my camp at night, after dinner, waiting on the off-chance of getting a THE TRES CRUCES MINE 81. puma, the spoor of which one of my Indians had discovered close by. All of a sudden a great, reddish-grey dog-fox stepped out from some bushes, and stood looking at me. He had an immense brush, the longest I think I have ever seen. I could have shot him easily, but I let him go free, as I didn’t wish to frighten any pumas that might be lurking about. Indians, like those in the Yllimani and Ylliampo ranges, live chiefly on wild guanaco meat—with an occasional buck thrown in—guinea pigs and potatoes. Although they all keep sheep, and used to sell me some at 4s., 5s., and 6s. apiece, I never saw them kill any for themselves. But they always expected the insides of mine in return for killing, skinning, and fixing up for challona. After spending eight weeks in this exhilarating atmosphere, where the blue sky is always visible, save when overcast by an occasional hailstorm, and the sun shines all day long, I collected my samples and took them to a friend of mine, a Mr. Horne, who was employed by M. M. Penny and J. B. Minchin as an assayer. I had, as usual, placed them in separate sacks, with a ticket giving particulars of where I had found them, and at what height. It took him three days to examine and test my little lot. His report was most satisfactory, so I attached it to mine, and hied me away to my friend in Lima. On my way back over the Andes to Sicasica, I called on Don Ramon, and put in three days G 82 ADVENTURES IN PERU with him. We had another hunt after pumas, but failed to locate any. At our parting, Ramon presented me with a magnificent rug, composed of white alpaca skins. This I gave to my father when I returned to England. He was very proud of it, and showed it to.many of his friends and acquaintances—to Lord Methuen, among others. That gallant officer was charmed with it, and told my father it was the king of rugs. — To buy these rugs, whether white or black, one — has to approach the Mountain Indians, men who don’t give much away. Nowadays they have a much keener sense of values than when I first made their acquaintance, twenty odd years ago. The skins cost them nothing, but they have to be cured in a special manner, and properly dressed, before the various suitable portions are ready for making up. Then the putting together has to be taken into considera- — tion. People who have never seen this process would be amazed at the skilful handiwork of the Indian women. CHAPTER VIII INCA TREASURES DECIDED to break my journey at Tia Huanaca, where I got a very nice room at an Indian’s house. I catered for myself and the Indians whom Rameres had pro- cured for me. (They were to be disbanded at Huaqui.) My object in going to Tia Huanaca was to search for Inca relics. All the land round here, right up to the lake, belonged to my good friend and patron, General José Pando, President of Bolivia. He gave me permission to explore, prospect, and excavate anywhere on his property where I thought something of Man’s handiwork lay hid. The only conditions he imposed were, that I should prove to his satisfaction that I had sufficient capital to employ the requisite number of men, and that I would let him see whatever was uncovered during the operations. Pando himself wished to share in the profits, or losses, of the transaction, and thus was prepared to fulfil the obligations imposed by the Mining Laws. I spent a week in one of the houses belonging to the head Indian of the district. It is his son who is seen standing alongside the colossal statue represented opposite page 84. The old Indian's 83 84 ADVENTURES IN PERU name was Pablo Guiterez. He was full of information respecting the ancient remains that are to be met with on every side. The principal were called, so he told me, the Ruins of the Gentiles. It must have been originally a stupendous place, this ancient Peruvian palace. The inner courts are 360 ft. square, and composed of tremendous stones, some of which weigh 60 or 70 tons. According to well-known authorities these buildings and the big images—which are carved out of the solid rock—were anterior to the time of the Incas. They are very similar to those one knocks up against on the sacred island. Day after day Pablo and I, and his two sons, and two other Indians used to ride over to some old forts about five miles distant from his house. There were natives living close by, as was indeed the case with most of the ruins we visited. As a consequence I was often able to purchase relics they themselves had come across. Among many items of interest that I acquired at Tia Huanaca, was a card case of delicate filigree work. This was a personal gift from Pablo. It is a delightful example of the silversmith’s art. Besides the forts, we visited numerous other likely places. Sometimes our luck was in, some- times it was out. At one spot that looked very promising, we dug away for two days and found nothing. We were more than compensated for this disappointment, however, by a nice little REMAINS OF PRE-INCAIC CIVILISATION NEAR THE RUINS OF THE GENTILES TIAHUANACO, BOLIVIA INCA TREASURES 85 find that we made when striking across country towards La Paz Alto. Whilst we were engaged upon a mound Pablo had pointed out, we hit on what seemed like an old well. Before we gained access to it we had to remove a lot of big stones, and finally a pretty large slab of slate. After that we dug down a good five feet or more through loose earth and stones that packed the steyning of the well, which was very nicely built of stones and bricks, intermixed. At the bottom of the hole we found a bag of raw cowhide, similar to those made by Indians of to-day around Jumbez and Titicaca. It was sewn together with leather thongs, and the hairy side was out- side. ‘There is no doubt this kind of bag is much handier than the ordinary valise for travellers in the bush. The one we found was black with age, but for all that, in fairly sound condition. Inside it were a number of old silver orna- ments. When I told General Pando of our good fortune he said, ‘‘ Keep the lot, my boy, and try and form a company to take the matter in hand on a big scale. I shall get Pablo to fossick about and find some more relics for my own collection.” This was very good of him; it gave me a fine start and encouraged me to acquire other speci- mens of ancient art work. I laid out £100 with Don Pablo, paying him at the rate of half a crown an ounce for old silver articles that he had dug up from time to time. Altogether I rounded up a nice little lot, 86 ADVENTURES IN PERU I took toll from Inca ruins in other places besides Tia Huanaca, e.g. at Pachacamaca I lighted on many interesting things, manufactured of silver and gold. Amongst the most notable were a miniature lady’s slipper, artistically fashioned of silver filigree, and a marvellously fine model of a soldier in solid gold. The uniform depicted is very similar to that Pizarro’s men used to wear. It stands about three inches high, and the plinth is encrusted with brilliants. I had my father’s crest engraved on the base and gave it to him. At his death it reverted to me. After selling £700 worth, I still had a tidy lot left over. Some of these I distributed among my friends, but the majority I gave to my parents, who had two tables set apart in the drawing- room at Kington, upon which they were displayed, and very proud of them they were. The specimens I retained for my own pleasure would delight the heart of any student of anti- quities. At times I am inclined to regret having parted with so many choice relics of old-time civilization at bargain prices, especially when experts call me an old fool for my pains, but still the satisfaction of finding them was worth the sweat, and it isn’t as if there were not plenty more where they came from. Among the many interesting things I collected were several stone axes, and one made of tempered copper. I am one of the very few men who know the Inca secret method of tempering copper. The tools they and the Aztecs manufactured from INCA TREASURES 87 this metal were keen as any made of the very best steel. It was very cold here at night, and, like Donovan, all the inhabitants seem to consider a fire quite unnecessary. The atmospheric con- ditions were very similar to those I encountered in the district of Tres Cruces. During the day- _ time one didn’t notice the cold so much, because of the brilliant sunshine; nevertheless it was freezing hard all the time. It may seem strange, but it is a fact, notwithstanding, that at Cerro Volcan and Cerro San Pedro, two peaks on one side the great Atacama desert, a thermometer placed in the shade would register three or four degrees below zero; and when shifted not a hundred yards into the sunshine, would run up to seventy-five degrees above. On one or two occasions my instrument registered eighty degrees. This was in 1921, when I went to collect samples of the beautiful Chinchilla pelts, with a view to opening up business with several of the leading furriers in London. Tia Huanaca is 12,500 ft. above sea-level. At Huaqui I met my friend Bruce, formerly third officer on a P. 8. N. C. liner. He had surrendered that position to become mate of the Puno, one of the steamers that ply on the sacred lake. This boat was built in sections at Glasgow, and fixed up at Titicaca. Bruce was considering an offer, which would place him in charge of a tug on the San Domingo River, used for dredging gold for the San 88 ADVENTURES IN PERU Domingo Mining Co. I intend to refer to these famous mines when I deal with mining in Chapter XVII. The story of how Major Gibson, of the English Guards, discovered them is worth telling. — It was on this particular occasion, that I also ran up against my old friend Lord Headley. I accosted him with, ‘“‘ Hulloa! my lord, and what are you doing here?” He replied, ‘“ Hulloa! my boy, and what are you doing here? Pros- pecting and looking for mines on Mariano Penny’s account, I suppose ? ” “ Not this time,” I rejoined. ‘ Penny has given me leave to look up a tin proposition for a Lima friend.” Lord Headley then explained that he had come to Titicaca to get his skin cured of an affection he had contracted on an expedition undertaken on behalf of the Peruvian Rubber Co. It was a kind of rash on the back of his hands. When Headley consulted the family doctor on the subject, that worthy said, “It is no use your coming to me. We English doctors can do you no good. You must go back to the country whence you came. Go you to the curative springs Prescott speaks of, near Lake Titicaca,”’ | Headley told me he had been there a fort- night, and was now intending to return home. I advised him to defer his departure a couple of months, and give the Jura baths a turn. “ Hire one of the village huts,” I said, “ pot ducks, enjoy the enchanting views of the sacred INCA TREASURES 89 lake and the majestic snow-capped Yllimani and Ylliampo mountains, and Jura will do the rest.” Doctor Parvin, the justly celebrated practitioner of Lima, says no skin disease can resist the Jura waters, taken in combination with the exhilarating atmosphere of the Andes. (This gentleman also attributes the immunity from contagious diseases, enjoyed by people living in these high altitudes, to the fact that no fleas, sandflies, or insects of any description are to be found above 7500 ft. My own personal opinion is, that all insects perish at about 6000 ft. Bugs, of course, excepted—those enterprising cavaliers seem proof against both cold and heat! ) Lord Headley took my advice. Two years later I came across him at the Great Western Hotel at Southampton. He was just off to Florida, hoping to enjoy some tarpon fishing, which was his great hobby. That he might be free from molestation, he had bought an island off the coast. He thanked me for my prescription, and said it had put him quite right. Well, I reached Lima in due course and showed my samples to my friend. He had them tested by the Government assayer. The results were as follows: Samples taken at the 9000 it. level, showed 5 per cent. of tin, those taken at 12,000 ft., 15 per cent. The percentage at 15,000 ft. was 25 per cent.; and at 16,000 ft., 60 per cent. This report was shown to J. B. Minchin, than whom few people in the wide world know more about tin. He was of opinion 90 ADVENTURES IN PERU that my find was a rich one. The great trouble with tin is that, in the majority of instances, it appears only on the surface, or a few feet below. Now my samples gave good results from 9000 ft. right up to 16,000 ft.—proof positive that the lode was deep, and the proposition good enough for any company. My friend experienced no difficulty in dis- posing of his rights. Jackson gave him £2000 for them, on behalf of a syndicate he represented. I had the satisfaction of receiving £500, plus £300, — which represented my commission and expenses. I sold my mules to the manager of a gold mining company for work in the mountains near La Paz. He paid me, with very great pleasure, £220 for them. So I made a profit over the animals of £60, after having had the use of them for six months. Altogether I did fairly well out of the transaction: One of General Pando’s aides-de-camp took charge of my chestnut hurdle-racer for me, until I required him again, often riding him at reviews. My jumping-off points for Bolivian expedi- tions undertaken on behalf of M. M. Penny and his friends, were La Paz, Oruro, or Cochabamba. When I went into Peru I invariably started from Puno or Arequipa. I kept a favourite mule, called El Pasha, at one or other of these places. It took its name from a celebrated horse belonging to Emilio Casal, owner of the famous sprinter Huron. This animal was never seen to best advantage INCA TREASURES 91 in a race, unless El Pasha accompanied him to the post. The two invariably started off well together. El Pasha couldn’t live with his com- panion more than three furlongs. When he died out, Huron used to sail away on his own, no matter how heavily burdened in handicaps, and win weight for age races, hard held, by one or two lengths. Bismarck was the only horse with any pretensions of tackling him in the last- named sort of race. I only saw Huron run twice without El Pasha, and he seemed to go with less dash than usual. One race he won by a neck; the other he lost by a head. As a con- sequence, Don Emilio decreed that El Pasha should, ever after, accompany Huron to the post, and not run in inferior class races. This was a bit hard on him, for he was a champion in minor events. CHAPTER IX THE CITY OF THE KINGS ERU is one of the most interesting countries in the world. The climate is ideal. The sun shines all day long and the weather is always fine. Yet there is no lack of water, for the rivers are fed by the snow which dissolves on the Andes, the mighty range of mountains that runs parallel with the coast from end to end of this delightful country. All kinds of fruit grow to perfection on the slopes of the Cordilleras—fruits of every clime, and the ordinary necessaries of life cari be obtained for next to nothing. Perpetual Spring prevails in the valleys. Up to 1824, what is now called Bolivia was included in Peru. In consequence of Sucre’s victory over the Spaniards on the plains of Ayacucho, December 9, 1824, the country gained her independence, and was divided into two separate Republics, viz. Upper Peru, or Bolivia, and Lower Peru, now considered Peru proper. The mention of Peru makes one’s thoughts naturally turn to Lima, accounted the most fascinating city of South America, next to Mexico, and well named the City of Kings. I became acquainted with it, in the first instance, when I 92 THE CITY OF THE KINGS 93 brought some horses over from Chile for Zervallo, C. Watson, and A. B. Leguia. To visit Lima had been to me a long-cherished wish. Among the many interesting objects that attract attention is the beautiful cathedral, built by Pizarro, so it is said, after he had conquered the Incas. Queen Isabella of Spain sent him a fine statue of Santa Rosa, the patron saint of Lima, to place therein. Adjacent to it were a barrow of silver, worth 1000 marks, thirteen arrows, equal- ling 1002 marks, and twelve lamps, valued at 732 marks. The altar front was of silver, worth 297 marks, and 411 marks’ worth of the same precious metal was used to make the Virgin’s throne. Santa Rosa is rather more than life-size, and is reputed to be made of pure gold. 39,500 ounces of silver were distributed over this won- derful figure, in addition to 1406 diamonds, 624 rubies, 1179 emeralds, and a bewildering galaxy of amethysts, pearls, and topazes. Many of these gems have disappeared, filched from their resting place. Pizarro fenced the statue round with pure silver, taken from the Incas at the time of Atah- ualpa’s murder, the space thus set apart being about 20 ft. square. Pizarro’s remains are preserved in a glass case in the cathedral, the door of which is mahogany. The conqueror of the Incas is shown dressed in full uniform, the head being secured to the body with silver wire. No visitor should miss Zervallo’s fine picture gallery, which was bequeathed to him by his 94 ADVENTURES IN PERU father, a grandee who had to leave Spain, because his political views clashed with those of the Government then in power. In his will the old nobleman stipulated that his son should never part with the collection for a less sum than £100,000. He was not to sell one picture, or two, or three; it must be the whole lot, or none, the sum thus realized to be invested, and held in trust for the Zervallo family. The collection is housed in a large building. Some of the most interesting pictures refer to incidents in the con- quest of Peru by Pizarro. One, fresh in my memory, represents Atahualpa being carried on a litter to Caxamarca. It is a matter of history, that his great ancestor, Huayna Capac, built a wonderful road from Cuzco to Caxamarca, a distance of 1500 miles, levelling mountains and filling up valleys to do so. In places it was 40 ft. wide, and is to this'day regarded as affording incontrovertible proof of the astounding engineer- ing skill of the Incas. | An American once offered Zervallo £600 if he would give him the first refusal of the paintings, and close the picture gallery six months, in order that he, in the meantime, might try to induce his people in New York to purchase the contents. Zervallo complied with the request, but, much to the American’s regret, the deal never matured. The captain of the Ingomar, a vessel I frequently travel upon, told me that, however often he called at Callao, he never failed to visit the Zoo at Lima for the purpose of seeing what THE CITY OF THE KINGS 95 he deemed the most magnificent lion he had ever cast eyes on. I quite agree with him. I have seen many lions in various public and private collections—including those in the Zoological Gardens, London—and in their native state in South Africa, but none to compare with the Lima specimen. Doubtless the lovely climate has a lot to do with it, for it suits him down to the ground. This majestic creature has a most imposing head and mane. His skin is sleek as silk, and, although he must be very old, he exhibits not the slightest trace of mange. I have known him twenty-two years, and more. Another great sight is the Bull Ring. Here some of the most famous Spanish matadors and toreadors are engaged six months of every year. I knew the principal matador very well. Although an old man—he told me he was seventy-two—his skill was marvellous. He always despatched his bull with one thrust, and not with two or three like some of the less skilled matadors. When the great beast made his rush, old Mariano didn’t run about all over the ring as some do; no, he just turned elegantly on his heel, and then got in his stroke as the bull plunged past him. He made the killing of the animal look a very simple matter, and one of the softest jobs imagin- able. Really it is a very difficult operation, and attended with great danger. - Some of the best pacing horses in Peru partici- pate in the Lima bull-fights. The ritual observed at these functions is as follows: When the 96 ADVENTURES IN PERU toreadors, matadors, and horsemen enter the ring, the master of the ceremonies—always magnifi- cently horsed—rides up to the President’s box, and makes a profound obeisance. The bull- fighters all follow suit, the President having previously taken his place, heralded by a flourish of trumpets. Two trumpeters, stationed at the entrance, now sound a blast, the big door of the enclosure beneath the boxes is flung open, and out rushes a fierce beast into the arena. It is an Andalusian bull, one of a breed originally imported from Spain, and is credited with being one of the fiercest creatures on earth. If one _ shows any lack of courage, he is hooted out of the ring. A bull, in 1900, cost 700 sols, ie. £75. It is doubtful whether its value has increased since then in the same proportion as a sheep at Lam- bourn, Berkshire, England, where a local butcher tells me he now has to pay £7 10s. for what used to cost him 37s. 6d.” | Bull-fights are often condemned as dangerous, but in most of the rings in South America the fighters are so adept that although they ride close — up to the bull, and excite him to fury by flaunting a red cloth, it is seldom that they, or their steeds, sustain any hurt. The only ones who get into the wars are the new, or raw hands. In my opinion Mariano was the prince of all the matadors. He was a great lover of pacing horses and Cleveland bays. He used to ride a fine pacer, and was often to be seen driving a pair of Clevelands that he had bought at Milton’s « LHE BULL-FIGHT AT LIMA THE RUINS OF PACHACAMAC NEAR LIMA a THE CITY OF THE KINGS 97 yard in London. He told me that he had retired from the ring ten years before I saw him in 1900 ; but was obliged to return to the scenes of his former triumphs, because he found it so difficult to teach would-be matadors how to act. They wouldn’t study hard enough to suit him; and when in the ring were inclined to rush matters. Mariano, on the contrary, took things very coolly. Nothing seemed to ruffle him. He was indeed a champion. Every year a big silver shield is presented to the owner of what is considered the best pacing stallion that has participated in the fights. I was present on this gala day, one July, when the awards were made. The principal prize, on this occasion, went to a beautiful chest- nut horse that had one white leg, and one white foot, and also a white star on his forehead. The present very popular President of Peru, A. B. Leguia, then Minister of Hacienda, sent him as a gift to George Lockett, one of the principals of the British Sugar Company, a man noted for his fine four-in-hand of greys. The tickets of admission to the bull ring are 4 and 5 sols, i.e. 8s. and 10s., for seats on the shady side of the arena. For those on the other side (which are exposed to the blazing sun) 2 sols or 21 sols, ie. 4s. or 5s., is the charge. Boxes are £2 or £4 each, and orchestra seats, 10s. (There are no boxes on the sunny side.) I rather favoured the latter, but frequently was honoured with a seat in the President’s box. Lima has always been noted, and justly so, H 98 ADVENTURES IN PERU for her beautiful women. They are very partial to oranges, which are known to have a beneficial effect on the complexion. I brought this fact to the notice of a lovely Englishwoman, and was rather tickled to note when I lunched with her on several subsequent occasions, that she invari- ably finished up with a couple of oranges. This charming lady had a most delightful complexion, which she retained till the day of her death. Whether she owed it all to the diet of oranges, I do not know. The fact remains that the ladies of Lima swear by this delicious fruit, and their facial beauty is remarkable. To an Englishman there are few more interest- — ing objects than the Dog Market. Many Chinese— chiefly small shopkeepers—have made Lima their home. As is well known, they are very partial to dog-meat. Some of these people have deter- mined never to return to their native land, and they can be easily recognized by their cropped hair. For a Chinaman would never dream of going back to China minus his pigtail. There is a hairless dog, about the size of a poodle, and coloured blue-grey, or slate, which is not allowed to touch meat or bones. Chinamen love the flesh of this little animal. It is fed on yams, sweet potatoes, milk, boiled plantains, ete. Plantains, a species of banana, are treated by the natives of all tropical countries as vegetables, and not as fruit. Boiled with rice, or stewed with mutton, they are very appetising. Fried with butter they are not to be despised. I visited THE CITY OF THE KINGS 99 the Dog Market with my old friend, McNeil, Permanent Secretary of the American Legation, and saw quite a lot of little carcasses hanging up, looking for all the world like tiny porkers. They were scraped white like pork. Some birds were also on show, but no other kind of meat. The market where pork, beef, mutton, etc., are sold, is some distance from the Dog Market. The Peruvian authorities are very particular, and rule these markets very strictly. Many of our colonies might take a tip from them—Trinidad and the West Indies, for instance. All meat exposed for sale, whether in the markets, or in | the butchers’ shops, must be hung in rooms lined with marble slabs, to keep everything cool. To ensure an ample supply of fresh air, one side is quite open, but screened off with wire mosquito netting. Every morning at 7 a.m., Don Pablo, the official Chief Veterinary Surgeon, used to go the round of the markets and shops. J sometimes accompanied him, when my horses were not doing fast work. Don Pablo examined every joint and carcass thoroughly. If he noticed any detriment, such as congealed blood, or a bruise, the whole portion of meat was condemned. “Give it to my soldiers,” he used to say, referring to the scavenger vultures, highly valued, and rightly so, by the authorities, because they keep the beautiful city of Lima free from disease, by clearing away all the garbage and rubbish. For Lima, although bang in the Tropics—she is, in 100 ADVENTURES IN PERU fact, on the 10 line—is acknowledged to be one of the most healthy tropical cities in the whole wide world. And so she has been ever since Manco Capac’s time. The vultures are very tame and plump. Often, when I have been out riding with my racers, a couple would spring up from the ground, seeming to come almost from under the horses’ feet. They appeared to know they were per- fectly safe. No one ever dreams of killing them, for the simple reason that they are protected by the wise Government of Peru. In this matter especially the Peruvian statesmen are shrewd, far-seeing men; for they have decreed that a fine of 10 sols shall be imposed on any man, ~ woman, or child, who wilfully kills one of the scavenger birds. As a natural consequence they are a familiar sight in and around Lima, sitting about upon the housetops, or hovering over the place where the condemned meat is thrown. The Fish Market is regulated in the same thorough manner. No fish is allowed to be taken in after 9.30 a.m., and none sold after 3 p.m. All fish then left on hand is deposited on the dump-heap. Hence one can always depend on getting nothing but what is fresh and healthy. There is no such thing as fish being caught and put on ice, and held over till the next day, as often occurs elsewhere in the Tropics. Neither does the Government permit traders to take advantage of the poor. A Market Master regulates the price of everything; he allows the THE CITY OF THE KINGS 101 salesmen and butchers to sell at a living profit, and no more. Bubonic plague is one of the terrors of the Tropics. The enlightened Government of Peru fights it in a most intelligent manner. It is caused by filth, and is conveyed from place to place by fleas that live on sewer rats. It stands to reason that if you can get rid of the rats, you'll check bubonic. To cope with any disease one must first eliminate the cause. In large cities, at least, the Peruvian laws of sanitation are very strict; and their method of dealing with the rat menace is excellent. For every female rat they offer 24 cents (gold), and for each buck rat, 5 cents. In this way bubonic is kept at arm’s length. Other South American Govern- ments have adopted these measures with good results. ‘They were certainly in vogue at Buenos Ayres when I was there. CHAPTER X TALES OF THE TURF HAVE pleasant recollections of Buenos Ayres, because when engaged in training race-horses there, I cured an Edward the Confessor horse, named Egbert, whose tendons had been badly sprung. I got him all right for his owner, who won a big classic race with him subsequently. This gentleman was ever so delighted, and to mark his appreciation, gave me over and above my fee (the odds to 50 dollars) a pup by Shropshire Joe out of Lanca- shire Witch. He had paid £100 for the sire, a second prize winner at the Crystal Palace, and £60 for the dam, also a successful competitor. The Witch had a litter of beautiful puppies, all of which were easily disposed of—the dogs at £20 apiece and the bitches at £15—all, that is to say, except the one I received, and another which was given to Brett. I named the dog Sloper after the immortal Ally. Those readers who may feel curious as to what became of him, will find mention of him in my Racing reminiscences in connection with Never Mind, one of the gamest bits of horseflesh that ever looked through a bridle. 102 TALES OF THE TURF 103 Talking of dogs recalls to mind a curious in- cident. Several Peruvian families claim to be lineal descendants of the Incas. A member of one of these, Sefiora Hernandez, lived in an old quinta about three miles outside Lima, on the road leading to Pisco. We became acquainted as follows. My horses had been doing fast work, and were being rubbed down, preparatory to having their white sheets put on them, when a half-breed came up to me. He had a beautiful dog with him, the size of a poodle. It was” cobby”’ made, and covered with lovely long, curly, cream- coloured hair, fine as silk. It had large black — eyes. Its muzzle, and the edges of its ears, were also of dusky hue. The Indian addressed me. “ You are a lover of horses, sir?” “Yes,” I replied. “ You love dogs, too?” Again I answered in the affirmative. “T have a dog to sell. Will you buy it-? -ot want 40 sols for him.” I recognized the animal, at once, as being an Inca poodle, a breed that was almost extinct. A specimen figures in the painting of Atahualpa and his wives on their way to Caxamarca, which hung in Zervallo’s picture gallery. The dog the Indian offered me I knew must be worth 440 at least, so I came to the conclusion that he had stolen it. I told him as much, and added, “I will give you 15 sols—no more, no less. You can take that and walk off; or Pl blow my whistle 104. ADVENTURES IN PERU to summon the police, and have you detained until the ownership of the, dog is cleared up.” The man asked me to make it £2, but I said, ‘‘ Not me, not a cent more than 15 sols.” Finding me obdurate, he gave in, handed over the dog, and scuttled off. I took my purchase Howe and later on that day consulted my friend the Chief of Police. He told me that by the laws of Peru I was entitled to keep the dog until it was claimed. If, at the end of six months, no one had lodged a valid claim, then the animal belonged to me absolutely. In the event of the rightful owner’s turning up, he would have to pay me such out-of-pocket expenses as the Chief of Police considered reason- able, plus the sum I had given the Indian. This law also holds good in regard to stolen horses and cattle, practically all over South America. Once when engaged on construction work on the Bassavilvaso and Gualeguaychu line, I was offered a black four-year-old galloway, standing about fifteen hands, for the sum of £4. As there was a lot of Arab blood about the animal, I jumped at the chance. To protect myself, in case it had been stolen, I rode into Gualeguaychu, a distance of eighteen miles, and notified the Chief of Police. Subsequently, when I took up my residence in Buenos Ayres, I followed the same course. The galloway came in very useful as a hack. | Previous to being engaged on construction work on the railway, where I was boss over 200 TALES OF THE TURF 105 men and responsible for 56 kilos of permanent way, I served as a broker on the Stock Exchange. One has to remain in the Outer Ring a couple of years, to qualify for admittance to the Inner Ring. If, at the end of that period, there is no black mark against you, a place in the Inner Ring is yours, providing you can produce two sureties in £2000, or one in £4000. I served the best part of twelve months in the Outer Ring. My first two weeks were extraordinarily lucky ones, for I made 1500 dollars (gold, not paper), in commission; but during the next six months I only made sixty! Then a very big job came my way. A Mr. M. H. commissioned me to report on a large farm, six leagues in extent, which he owned in Paraguay, on the banks of the Itapicuru River (called Tippicure by the natives). He wished to sell it, and required a sketch and plan to show to pro- spective buyers. “Do this,” he said, “and I will give you anything that it realizes over 2500 dollars a league.” As luck would have it, a friend of mine named E. had lived on a farm belonging to his father and the Consul, which ran alongside M.’s; he was therefore able to describe its various features so accurately to me, that I didn’t need to leave my office! E., by the way, was a bit of a “lad.” How he came to leave Paraguay, is worth relating, if only to throw light on one of the native customs. The women of this interesting country are famed for their great beauty—up to the age of thirty 106 ADVENTURES IN PERU years, anyhow. In 1862, through the covetous- ness of Francisco Lopez, who wanted to filch from the Argentine 500 miles of Brazilian terri- tory—nearly as far as La Plata—Paraguay became involved in a most terrible war. During its progress she lost so many men, that when, at last, peace was proclaimed, the women out- numbered the males by eleven to one. (The population was reduced from 340,000 to 200,000.) To remedy this preponderance, it was enacted that a man should be free to marry as many women as he liked, so long as he could afford to keep them. He was not, however, allowed to take them out of the country on any pretext whatever. Now KE. married a very pretty Paraguayan, about ten years younger than him- self. After a while he thought he would like to visit his parents, and take his wife with him. Accordingly they put their traps on a steamer, and in due course arrived at Villarica, situate on the Parana River. Here E. went ashore to watch some women loading up oranges. When he returned to the boat, after an absence of two hours, he couldn’t find his wife anywhere. She had left a note for him, in which she stated that her parents had sent her two brothers, and three friends, to compel her to return to Paraguay. They had arrived at Villarica before the steamer, had watched E. go ashore, and then abducted the girl. ‘‘ It would not be wise,” she wrote, “ for you to seek me out, for a year or so; after then, if you come back and apologize to. my people, TALES OF THE TURF 107 and to the Chief, promising not to offend again, all will be well.” This communication put E.inabluefunk. He feared all sorts of things would happen to him ; so he took good care to give the girl and her home a very wide berth. Ultimately, I believe, he married another woman at Buenos Ayres. _ Banking on E.’s information, I didn’t trouble to visit M.’s farm, but stayed in my office, waiting for clients who never came, busying myself meantime in making a sketch-plan of the Itapicuru estate from the material E. had supplied. It was about four feet square, and didn’t look so bad when I had finished it. M. was very pleased. Two months later, a Mr. T. came along, saw the sketch and was so taken with it that he decided to view the farm it was supposed to represent. His wealthy father had given him £10,000 with which to buy an estate in the Argentine. T. visited M.’s place, and found it very much to his liking. On his return, he praised my sketch, and said he would like to buy the place. ‘What was the figure?’ Taking my courage in both hands, I quoted 4500 dollars a league. T. thought this was dirt cheap, and wrote a letter to M. to that effect. So soon as M. received T.’s communication, he came to me and said, “What! 4500 dollars a league, and you to get a cool 2000 a league out of it! No, no, my young sir, I have under-estimated its worth. My price is now 5500 dollars a league. When I 108 ADVENTURES IN PERU get that, Dll see you receive your rightful com- mission.” T. wouldn’t go to that figure, so the deal fell through. But he bought another farm at 4500 dollars a league, and was instrumental in obtaining 500 dollars for me from the owner. He told him that but for me, he would have bought a place in the Bragado district of the Argentine Republic. Subsequently, M. sold his estate, and sold it well, too, for he received 7000 dollars a league for it. That was fifteen or so years ago, but from that day to this I have never fingered even one of the 12,000 dollars that I was entitled to. I quote this incident, just to show the great pull an Inner Ring broker has over his Outer brother. The Committee of the Stock Exchange protect the Inner Ring man, and see that he gets his rights. The poor Outer Ringer, they leave to his own devices. After such an experience can it be wondered at, that I chucked the Stock Exchange, and turned my attention to another sphere of enterprises, viz. railway construction work ? | Seven pounds a month was my remuneration when I commenced as foreman, but three months later I was drawing £25 a month as assistant. engineer. I soon realized, however, that I should not make my fortune at this work, and Mr. Boggs, General Manager of the Entre Rios line, told me there was not the least chance of promotion, unless one had a big backer. Even then things were not all honey, for contractors were heavily TALES OF THE TURF 109 penalized if they failed to complete their sections within the specified time. Young H., for example, with whom I worked as assistant, invested £5000 of the money his father left him with a Brazilian firm of con- tractors. These people took on a stretch of line, and had to stake £20,000 that it would be con- structed by a certain date. Indian labour was all they had to depend upon, and the dusky gentlemen served them as their fellow-countrymen served me at Sicasica and elsewhere. They worked only as long as they cared to work, and then they went off. So the contractors were unable to complete their contract to time, and consequently lost their £20,000. This kind of thing didn’t appeal to me, so I decided to apprentice myself to a trainer of race-horses at Buenos Ayres, and see if I could make money on the Turf. Brett was considered a pastmaster of his craft. He had had a more than passing acquaintance with some of the most famous racing establishments in England, and was exceptionally clever at treating foundered horses. He taught me all he knew of this important subject, during the time I officiated as his secretary and assistant trainer. Subsequently I picked up many useful wrinkles from the Medicine Men of various tribes of Indians with whom I came in contact on my exploring trips. A few months after I started with Brett, the black galloway before mentioned became mine, to dispose of as I thought fit. About this time 110 ADVENTURES IN PERU I received news of my sister’s impending marriage to H. G. Ley (who has since succeeded to the baronetcy), so I decided I couldn’t give her a better wedding present. I had broken the gallo- way to harness, and he was a really smart trapper. I shipped him aboard the Nile, and everything went well until the boat arrived two days off the English coast. Then, as Captain Spooner sub- sequently told me, she ran into a bad storm. The sea raged mountains high, and the horse- box broke loose from one of its moorings, and was washed about hither and thither. When the storm abated, and the sailors were able to restore the box to its original position, they found the galloway still standing up, but showing signs of the terrible experience he had been through. At Southampton he was carefully examined, and found to have sustained very serious injury across his loins. My father had him conveyed by easy stages to his place, and called in the best vet. in Wiltshire. Much to everybody’s regret that gentleman decided the horse must be shot. Before this order was put into execution, the late Duke of Beaufort drove over and had a look at the poor animal. There was no better judge of horseflesh in the whole wide world. As his Grace turned away, he said to my father, ** Prodgers, next time you write to your son, tell him this is the finest galloway I have ever seen.” When I began training on my own, my stables were located not far from the racecourse near Belgrano. One day there arrived a gaucho, or TALES OF THE TURF 111 native cattle-man, bringing with him a half-bred percheron, about six years old. He wanted £2 for it, and produced the official papers which have to be procured when one wishes to pass a horse on to some one else. He said he had bought it al corte, with twenty-nine others out of a herd, or trowpillo, which consisted of 500 animals, tamed and untamed. The lot cost him £60. I was curious to learn why he was willing to part with the percheron at the same price he gave for it. It seemed a great strong horse, if somewhat clumsy. The gaucho explained that it was because ‘“‘ the rotten swine,” as he called it in his picturesque lingo, wouldn’t stand for any- body. Several times when he had been riding around, and had had occasion to dismount for a minute or two, the animal had cleared off and left his luckless master stranded many miles from camp! Well, I agreed to take the percheron at the price named. Six months later I sold him to the Belgrano Tramway Company for £20. On one occasion I travelled from Chile to Lima with a mare and a stallion for A. B. Leguia. I had to deliver them at his beautiful estate, ten miles beyond a place called Pisco, where Leguia’s breeding establishment—a model, up-to-date affair—was situated, vast breadths of the adjoining land being devoted to the raising ot sugar and cotton. Springtide, the lord of the harem, was a remarkably fine horse, as was only to be expected when one considers that he numbered among his distinguished progenitors game old See Saw. 112 ADVENTURES IN PERU Springtide was bred by Mr. A. C. Barclay out of his mare Noyau, and was disposed of to a rich Frenchman, named Dreyfus, for £5000 as a three- year-old and subsequently presented by him to Admiral Lynch, who was often in the public eye during the Chilian and Peruvian war. Finally the horse became Leguia’s property. Well, after 1 had accomplished my mission, I found I had a fortnight to wait before I could get a steamer from Pisco to Chile ; so I put in a week with Mr. Leguia’s father, a dear old gentleman who was never happier than when riding round his son’s estate, to keep an eye on the various workmen, wagons, and trucks. Leguia’s brother Robert was manager of the estate. He was fond of cock-fighting, and told me that the great cock-fight of the year would be held at Ica, forty-four miles the other side of Pisco, across the desert. Within sixteen miles or so of Ica there is a famous lake, called Huacachina, which I had often desired to see, so I determined to miss the next boat, and board one due at Pisco a week later. Thus I purposed to kill two birds with one stone. This programme I adhered to. On the occasion of my visit to Huacachina, I took with me my two hacks, Tony and Golondrina. Just a word about these horses. The latter, a well-known steeplechase mare by St. Blaise IT. out of a Cleveland coaching mare, H. had bred at Madame Cousino’s Macul estate in Chile. During the Chilian and Peruvian war, St. Blaise II.’s predecessor at the stud was turned loose with | TALES OF THE TURF 113 a number of thoroughbred mares, in the great Aconcagua valley, in order that he should not fall into the hands of the Peruvians, if they won. In this same valley was a batch of Cleveland mares, belonging to the same estate, under the guardianship of a very fine Cleveland stallion. Three Cleveland mares strayed away, and got mixed up with the thoroughbred queens. Two were in foal, but one was not. The progeny of this mare became Golondrina’s mother. Don Emilio Brunel, Madame Cousino’s master of horse and head coachman, gave me these particulars. Subsequently, several Cleveland mares were put to St. Blaise II., in order to get high-class cavalry remounts. Every year it was the custom of the Cousino people to sell by auction a number of blood horses sired by St. Blaise II., together with several Cleveland bays and high-class hackneys. At one of these sales my friend Schmidt, the head of a big wholesale and retail firm, bought Golondrina for 130 gs., the mare being then four yearsold. Schmidt kept her two years, during which period she gave him every satisfac- tion. But ill-luck overtook him, and his firm went smash. So he came to me and said, “ Prodgers, will you do me a great favour?” I said I would if I could. ‘‘ Well, it’s like this. When the judge orders delivery of our assets, I shall be very short of ‘ready.’ Now there’s Golondrina, my trotting hackney, named after the Minister of the Interior’s famous trotting stallion Spofford, a dog-cart I gave £60 for in I 114 ADVENTURES IN PERU England, and a good set of harness. You can have the lot for £200.” It is perhaps needless to say I closed with him without one moment’s hesitation. Golondrina thus became my pro- perty. She was a very big jumper, was very safe, and could stay for ever at her own pace. Tony was by Nobility, and cost, as a yearling, the equivalent of £500. He developed a savage temper, and nearly killed a man; so his owner was glad to sell him to me for £50, on the under- standing that if I ever got him steady enough to trust in a race, I would let his old master know when I thought he had a winning chance. In my hands Tony became as obedient and as docile as a child. He won for me twice on the flat, and seven times over hurdles, before I retired him as my hack. With these two dependable horses then and Francisco Caro, one of my stable-lads, acting as second horseman, I embarked for Pisco. We arrived there at noon, and next day continued our journey to Ica. Some twelve miles after leaving Pisco we came across a lovely little oasis, in which there grew the biggest and most delightful heliotrope bush I have ever seen. It quite recompensed me for all the monotonous stretch of desert which we had traversed. : Ica is a charming little town, with houses built mostly of adobe brick, painted blue and white. I put up at a nice little hotel, where I secured, for a very reasonable sum, a room for TALES OF THE TURF 115 myself and a shed for Caro and the horses. In the neighbouring district cotton is grown on a pretty extensive scale. Piccione and Co. have a spinning mill here which employs a large number of hands. Piccione himself was a great racing man, and a notable rider “over the sticks ” in Italy. I met his good lady and child at Pisco, staying there for the sea bathing. Mrs. Piccione took a great fancy to Golondrina, who was in foal to Springtide, and offered me £100 for her. I said, ‘‘ You can have the mare if you like; but I want the foal. You can have the mare six months after the foal is born.” This arrange- af ment didn’t suit her. She wished to take over the mare directly I returned from visiting Huacachina. But though we failed to agree, that circumstance didn’t affect our friendship, and when I moved off for the lake I took with me a letter to the caretaker of several little houses P. owned in the vicinity. Piccione had had these built for the benefit of people who go to Huaca- china to take the waters, in token of his gratitude for having been cured of a very serious malady. It was the day after we arrived at Ica, that I rode Golondrina over to the lake. The going was fine until we neared the end of our journey. Then we had to negotiate a hill 3000 ft. high, composed of hard sand. When we had sur- mounted this obstacle, we had to clamber down another steep path for 1000 ft., and at the foot of this declivity lay Huacachina. The lake is bordered by a tiny beach, some 116 ADVENTURES IN PERU fifteen yards wide. Green trees surrounded it, and a flat-bottomed boat is kept for the use of visitors. Many people of my acquaintance, besides Piccione, have been greatly benefited by a visit to this famous lake.* I bathed in the lake every day, not that there was anything the matter with me, but just that I might say I had tried the waters. Sulphur, potash, magnesium, and calcium, were, I found, the principal ingredients. One can’t sink, and I could never get farther down than my arm- pits. On the surface the water was quite warm, but underneath it struck very cold to one’s feet. That peculiarity, of course, is attributable to the potash. The country round about Huacachina is noted for its cotton, and alfalfa. Sugar cane is also grown, but it doesn’t succeed so well there as it does along the coast of Peru. The soil is not so rich. Most people picture the desert as a never-changing waste of sand. But when I passed through the Peruvian wilderness, it was all asmother with bulbous flowers of great beauty. The blooms resembled petunias, and they were all the colours of the rainbow. This phenomenon occurs every winter, and -continues for a period of six or eight weeks, till the sun regains its full power. Then the exquisite picture vanishes, almost as swiftly as: a soap bubble passes away. The desert extends all along the coast. This is Peru’s * Vide Adventures in Bolivia. NEAR JUMBEZ NEAR LAKE HUACACHINA TALES OF THE TURF 117 chief detriment. But even so, it is barred, like the staves of a piece of music, with lovely, fertile valleys, every twenty or thirty leagues or so. In these almost anything that grows can be cultivated with the expenditure of little energy, except cotton and sugar, for these two things require to be constantly irrigated. Nevertheless the sugar mills in these parts can crush sugar every week-day for forty-nine weeks of every year, the remaining three weeks being devoted to the annual overhaul. An admirable system of irriga- tion has now been adopted, consequently the mills are not dependent on the rain. Saline deposits abound. There are several salt lakes within easy distance of Ica. Borax is to be found farther north, at Chimbote and Pacasmayo. Piccione, the Italian I have referred to in connection with Huacachina, owned a famous racehorse in the Argentine, named Pippermint. Pippermint was sired at Saturnino Unsue’s haras Indesis by St. Mirin. When put up at the usual yearly auction, he failed to fetch the reserve placed upon him, so George Attucha took him over on racing terms, i.e. if the horse, within a year, won an amount in stakes and other prizes equal to his reserve price, he then became Attucha’s property. Pippermint paid for himself many times over, his winnings amounting, I believe, to something like 140,000 dollars. At the finish of his racing career Attucha parted with him for £10,000 to Piccione, who wanted a stallion for his place in South Africa. 118 ADVENTURES IN PERU Some folk seem extraordinarily lucky. Attucha, for instance. I met him once at Mar- del-Plata, where I had taken Simpleton, hoping the sea-water would strengthen his leg. He had broken a small bone just below the joint, and it had not long been set. Attucha was enjoying himself among the bathers ; varying this pleasant pastime with an occasional visit to the roulette tables. I accompanied him one night to the rooms. We each took with us about £10. Attucha staked his money on number 32. I placed mine on number 33. We had agreed that whoever of us won, should return the other his original stake capital. Round and round went the little ball, darting hither and thither, until it finally came to rest in number 32.