other of the generals; some have returned, others have been killed--but
Lima has suffered greatly. Sometimes the people have taken one side,
sometimes the other, and though the general they supported was sometimes
victorious for a short time, in the end they suffered. Most of the old
Spanish families perished; numbers died in the castle of Callao, where
many thousands of the best blood of Lima took refuge, and of these well-
nigh half died of hunger and misery before Rodil surrendered."

"But does not this make travelling very unsafe?"

The Indian shrugged his shoulders.

"Peru is a large country, senor, and those who want to keep out of the way
of the armies and lighting can do so; I myself have continued my
occupation and have never fallen in with the armies. That is because the
fighting is principally in the plains, or round Cuzco; for the men do not
go into the mountains except as fugitives, as they could not find food
there for an army. It is these fugitives who render the road somewhat
unsafe; starving men must take what they can get. They do not interfere
with the great silver convoys from Potosi or other mines--a loaf of bread
is worth more than a bar of silver in the mountains--but they will plunder
persons coming down with goods to the town or going up with their
purchases. Once or twice I have had to give up the food I carried with me,
but I have had little to grumble at, and I do not think you need trouble
yourself about them; we will take care to avoid them as far as possible."

After chatting for an hour they left the cottage, and, mounting their
mules, returned to Lima.

"I think he will help us, Harry," Bertie said as soon as they set out.