CHAP. II. 



m STAN TAN EO US EXEC UTION. 



37 



and photographed Chimborazo, and the Spanish girl with the 

 lustrous eyes, and other objects of interest ; which came to the 

 ears of the Authorities, and then tliey wished to be photographed, 

 along with their progeny. It was difficult to refuse, but I 

 grudged a plate on them alone, and sent out Mr. Perring to 

 pick up subjects with a stronger local flavour, to include in 

 the group ; and, with an excess of zeal, he pounced down upon 

 the first person he came across, an old Indian woman, and 

 drove her before him into the courtyard. She came in crying 

 and screeching, clasping her hands, and 

 appealing to the Almighty to save her from 

 my cruelty. " What have I done,^^ she 

 shrieked, '^ that I should be seized and 

 brought here to be killed ? Senor Patron I 

 spare my life ! What have I done to be 

 treated thus ? '^ — a speech which drew a 

 roar of laughter from the others, who were 

 waiting to be executed.^ 



• The Carrels returned, very tired, at 8.45 

 a.m. on Dec. 23, bringing a good report. 

 To shew the height they had attained, they 

 had placed the pointer attached to the 

 movable rim of the aneroid against 15*370 

 inches. They had traversed the ground 

 intervening between the Arenal and the 



ridge I proposed to follow, and Jean-Antoine had selected a 

 camping-place upon it ; but they thought that we should be 

 unable to reach this spot comfortably, with a laden team, in one 

 day from Guaranda, and spoke emphatically of the fatigue they 

 had experienced in pounding up a sandy vallon leading to it. 

 They had accordingly selected another and lower camping-place 



THE CHIEF OF THE POLICE. 



1 It was explained afterwards that her fright was due to the Chief of the 

 Police, whose office was in our courtyard. Perring was supposed by her to be 

 one of his in3Tmidons. 



