CHAPTER XXVIII 



A HIDDEN TREASURE OF THE IXCAS 



[THE following narrative forms one of the most 

 curious pieces of genuine history in connection with 

 the never-ceasing search for buried treasure in the 

 territory of the Incas. We owe to the persevering 

 exertions of Richard Spruce the discovery and the 

 translation of one of the few remaining copies of the 

 official order of the Spanish king to search for this 

 treasure, with the accompanying detailed "Guide" 

 to its locality. Still more are we indebted to 

 his generally esteemed character and ingratiating 

 manners for obtaining permission to copy the 

 unique map of the district containing the treasure, 

 and for undertaking the considerable labour of 



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copying in the minutest detail so large and elaborate 

 a map, without which both the " Guide " and the story 

 of the search for the treasure would be unintelligible. 

 The essential portions of this map, containing the 

 whole of the route described in the " Guide," as 

 well as the routes of the various explorers (marked 

 in red), have been reproduced here (see end of 

 chapter). The portions farther east and south, 

 which have no immediate relation to the quest for 

 the treasure, having been omitted in order to make 



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