The day following this retelling of the legend of the Enchanted City of
the Caesars by Ferdinand, all four boys were called into conference by
the two older men. To their unbounded delight, they were told that in a
week or ten days they would set out for Potosi, the Bolivian city which
is the center of the famous silver mining region whose discovery once
startled the world.
"Potosi," said Ernesto, "may be our starting point, but I must tell you
that in all likelihood we shall conduct our activities in two widely
separated regions. The ancient manuscript of which I have spoken to you,
Ferdinand, and which Senor Hampton tells me he has mentioned to you
others, gives us quite definite directions for our search.
"It was written by a Spanish conquistadore who was with the expedition
of Captain Sebastian de Arguello, of whom I understand Ferdinand has
told you young fellows. This soldier of fortune never left the Enchanted
City, according to his account, but married an Inca princess, and spent
his remaining days in this city of wonders. From her and her relatives,
he learned of the hidden horde in Bolivia which was cached before the
band of Inca noblemen with their families and followers fled to the
southward before the Conquerors.
"As old age came upon him, he decided to write down an account of his
adventures, of the wonders of the Enchanted City, and of the hidden
wealth left behind by the migrating Incas. This, he wrote, he intended
to entrust to one of the three priests of de Arguello.
"The manuscript recently came into the hands of a relative of mine, who
is the Superior of an Andine monastery in Southern Chile, and he,
knowing my collector's passion for the old and mythical in our history,
sent it to me as a curiosity. But to me it is more. I believe it
genuine, and so I am persuaded does Senor Hampton. One of my relative's
wandering monks, going among the Indians, was enabled to succor the
Chief of a wild tribe in illness, and this manuscript in a battered and
curiously wrought silver tube that had been handed down among the
Indians for centuries, was given him as reward."
The boys were shown the manuscript, which was written in purple ink upon
sheepskin, or, at least, what they took to be sheepskin. Don Ernesto,
however, was inclined to believe it was the skin of the alpaca, which is
a wool-bearing animal of South America. So crabbed was the hand, and so
curious the spelling and formation of the letters, that the boys, even
Jack with his fine knowledge of Spanish, could make little of it.
Ferdinand's eyes, however, glistened at this first sight of the
manuscript, and he pored over it for hours.
The two older men announced it would be necessary for them ere departing
to visit Valparaiso for several days, and the boys were left to their
own devices. However, the time was not to hang heavily on the hands of
the boys, as barely had they been left alone than Ferdinand received an
invitation from Adolfo Rodriguez, a friend living at Almahue, to visit
him and witness a reception to a distinguished delegation of North
Americans who were touring the South American republics.
This delegation was aboard the special train leaving Santiago which the
four youths boarded in the morning. Arriving at Almahue in the
afternoon, the delegation was received at the Rodriguez country home, a
beautiful mansion standing in the midst of a large park. Young
Rodriguez, a slender, dark-eyed lad of Ferdinand's age, flew to greet
them.
"His mother is an Englishwoman," Ferdinand told them, in an aside. "And
he has been to an English school. I have not seen him for some years."
Greetings between the two friends were warm, and then the American lads
were introduced.
"How jolly," said young Rodriguez, "I thought this reception thing would
be a bore. But with you fellows here, it will be a lark, after all. Come
to my rooms, and you can prepare for dinner."
On entering the great salon, Jack, Bob and Frank were surprised beyond
measure. They found themselves in a profusion of palms, cypresses and
willows, with chrysanthemums in prodigal profusion, the whole so
tastefully arranged as to give the impression of a scene from fairyland.
Music was played by hidden musicians during the dinner, and after the
speeches there was to be a musicale. Young Rodriguez, however, managed
to withdraw with his companions before the arrival of the speech-making.
"After-dinner speeches are a beastly bore, always," he said
emphatically. "I considered you fellows would be as glad to escape as I.
Now these are your rooms, and you will find whatever you require. You
have had a long day, and as there will be much to do and see tomorrow, I
imagine you will want to get some sleep."
With that he left them, taking with him Ferdinand. The boys realized
young Rodriguez was eager to talk over old times with his chum, and that
they would be up half the night chattering. Nevertheless, that was not
hard to forgive, and as they really were tired by the unaccustomed
scenes and bustle, they turned in after some comments on the dinner, and
soon were sleeping soundly.
The next day, the boys were up and about early, for young Rodriguez
wanted them to breakfast with him before the visitors reached the table.
They were surprised to learn the estate covered 15,000 hectares, and
employed more than 400 tenants and laborers.
With the visitors, the boys visited the schools of the estate, three in
number, at one of which the boys and girls of the tenants were in
attendance, and at the others the children of the laborers. Finding they
could ride, young Rodriguez obtained them mounts from the stable,
although the visiting delegation was taken about in carriages. They
visited the beautiful church of the estate, inspected the model homes
and recreation grounds for the overseers and laborers, and spent some
time at the stables. Senor Rodriguez was a lover of horses, and with
pride his son pointed out to the boys a number of race horses of famous
pedigree.
"My mother wanted me educated in England," he explained, "my father in
South America. Finally, they struck a compromise. I was to be sent to an
English school, but to a South American university. And so, Ferdinand,
next year will find me with you at Lima."
The other nodded with satisfaction. They had discussed this the night
before.
"You three fellows are chums," said Ferdinand, "and you can realize my
delight."
"At school in England," said young Rodriguez, looking at a famous racer
which he had brought the boys to see, "they used to be surprised when I
spoke of home. They imagined that everything in South America was savage
beyond words."
"To tell you the truth," said Bob, frankly, "I had false ideas about
South America, too. These things you have been showing me, and others
Ferdinand showed us in Santiago, make my head swim. I'm beginning to
wonder where we can get adventure in a country like this."
Ferdinand, who had told his chum of the proposed expedition, laughed
heartily. So did Rodriguez.
"My dear fellow," said the latter, "wait. You will encounter the
mightiest mountains in the Western Hemisphere, mountains to dwarf your
Rockies. You will disappear from all human habitation. You will cross
trackless deserts; perhaps, you will find rivers never explored by white
man. You may run foul of unconquered Indians. Perhaps, you may discover
a new race. Anything is possible in this fascinating and little known
land. All this that you see, all Santiago and Lima and our other
cities--what, after all, is it? Nothing but the fringe of a vast
continent. But, come, let us return, for this afternoon there will be
something worth seeing."
The prediction was borne out for, after luncheon, the band began to play
and young folks from the estate appeared to dance the _cueca_. This is a
dance peculiar to Chile, in which the dancers perform individually. It
is reminiscent of other South American dances--the _bolero_, the
_habanera_, the _bambuco_, the _jota_, the _torbellino_, and the
_fandango_. It is danced with more grace and animation, and with deeper
intensity than the _tango_, that dance peculiar to the Argentine.
"Look at that little Spanish senorita, Jack," whispered Bob,
mischievously, to his chum. "She certainly reminds me of your flame,
Senorita Rafaela. Hey?"
Jack grinned at his comrade's teasing. In reality, however, he never
heard the name of Senorita Rafaela mentioned that he did not feel
sentimental. And this dancing girl did have a coquettish lift of the
fan, a twist of the head, a raising of the eyebrow, that reminded him of
her. Senorita Rafaela, however, was far away, on the Mexican estate of
her father, from whom Jack and Bob two years before had rescued Mr.
Hampton when the latter was a political prisoner. It was no use to think
of her now.
After the dance at the home, four hundred tenants, mounted on splendid
horses, many with handsome Spanish saddles and spurs of silver, escorted
the party to a nearby spot where two platforms had been erected for
dancing. Here the men, young and old, participated in foot and horse
races. Then the young folks went to dancing, while many barbecue fires
for the cooking of meat were lighted, wine was distributed, and the
tenants made festa. It was a truly patriarchal scene, and one never to
be forgotten.
"This is a true example of life on the great Chilian estates," Ferdinand
told the boys, on their way back to Santiago.