could give a handful or so to each of the mules. I am glad you have
brought some good spirits--we shall need it in the swamps by the rivers.
Your tea and coffee will save your having to buy them here, but you will
want some sugar. We must take two picks and a shovel, a hammer for
breaking up ore, a small furnace, twenty crucibles and bellows, and a few
other things for aiding to melt the ore. You would want for the journey
five baggage mules, and, of course, three riding mules. I could hardly
manage them, even with aid from you, in very bad places, and I would
rather not take any strange man with me on such business as we have in
hand. But some assistance I must have, and I will take with me my nephew
Jose. He has lost his father, and I have taken him as my assistant, and
shall train him to be a guide such as I am. He is but fifteen, but he
already knows something of his business, and such an expedition will teach
him more than he would learn in ten years on the roads."

"That would certainly be far better than having a muleteer whom you could
not trust, Dias. My brother and myself will be ready to lend you a hand
whenever you want help of any kind. We have not had any experience with
mules, but sailors can generally turn their hands to anything. Now, how
about the eight mules?"

"I have five of my own, as good mules as are to be found in the province;
we shall have to buy the three others for riding. Of course I have saddles
and ropes."

"But you will want four for riding."

"No, senor; yours and the one I ride will be enough. Jose at times will
take my place, and can when he likes perch on one of the most lightly
laden animals."