4° THE ADVENTURES OF 



At this moment, Gringalet came running up with his tail 

 between his legs, and with a most doleful look ; he was closely 

 pursued by all the dogs of the plateau, who, instead of barking, 

 were making a kind of howling noise, common to those that are 

 but half domesticated. 



On hearing all this uproar, two Indian women came running 

 towards us, but stopped, abashed, at our appearance. 



The youngest of them, rather a pretty girl, wore nothing but 

 a short linen chemise, and a piece of blue woollen stuff, fastened 

 round her hips by a wide band, ornamented with red threads. 

 Her hair, which was plaited and brought over her forehead, 

 formed a sort of coronet. Her companion, who was dressed in a 

 similar way, wore in addition a long scarf, which was fixed to 

 her head, and fell round her like a nun's cloak. 



" God bless you ! Maria," I said to the eldest. " Can you take 

 us in for one night ? " 



" I have nothing to offer you to eat, I am afraid." 

 " Perhaps you can sell us a fowl and some eggs.'' 

 " Well, I must see if my husband objects to guests." 

 " Surely your husband will not refuse the shelter of his roof to 

 weary travellers ? " 



She reflected for a moment, and then answered — 

 " No, he is a Christian ! come in and rest yourselves." 

 The Indian woman called to her children, who one after the 

 other showed their wild-looking heads peeping out from some 

 hiding-place, and ordered them to drive away the dogs. 



It was not without some degree of pleasure that we got rid of 

 our travelling gear, as we felt no ordinary amount of weariness, 

 which was easily accounted for by the exertion of our recent 

 ascent. L'Encuerado, always brisk, began to assist the housewife; 

 he stirred up the fire, arranged the plates, and looked to their 

 being clean. The Indian woman then asked him to go and draw 

 some water from a spring about a hundred yards from the hut ; 

 and off he went, led by the children of our hostess. His young 

 guides, completely naked, and their heads shaved, rode on 

 bamboo-canes as make-believe horses, and pranced along in front 

 of him. 



