J YOUKG NATURALIST. 175 



tending his flocks on the mountain, ran into the thickets in 

 pursuit of one of his goats. The animal continued to retreat 

 before him, and led him to the mouth of a cave. The Indian, 

 hesitating at first, at length took off all his clothes, so as to be 

 sure that he carried no iron about him, and entered the cavern. 

 But he soon drevr back, startled by the sight of fifty broken boxes 

 overflowing with coined money. Instead of profiting by this 

 windfall, and taking possession of the fortune by appropriating 

 some of it which had fallen out on the ground, the stupid fellow 

 returned to his village as quick as he. could, and communicated 

 his discovery to his friends. That very evening five of them set 

 out, provided with sacks, intending .to convey the treasure to a 

 safe place. They camped in the vicinity of the cave, and the 

 night wore away in drinking to the health of the good genius. 

 As soon as day appeared, they followed their guide. First they 

 ascended, and then they descended ; but they never succeeded in 

 finding the spot where all this enormous wealth lay. 



" He was not able to find his way back to the spot % " said 

 Lucien, much interested by the story. 



" No, Chanito ; the cave had become invisible." 



" Invisible ! but why 1 " 



" Because they had some iron about them ! " 



" But you have just told us that he stripped off all his clothes ? " 

 interposed Sumichrast. 



" Ah ! but, unfortunately, he kept his flint and steel in his 

 hand." 



The afflicted tone in which I'Encuerado pronounced this last 

 phrase drew a smile even from Lucien. 



Again we entered the cavern, and picking over with care the 

 layer of charcoal which had already been laid bare, I discovered 

 a small vase of burnt clay, full of ashes. On one of the faces of 

 the urn was depicted a grinning visage, and in the interior was 

 found one of the so-called pilgiim's scallop-shells with the skull 

 of a bird. Accustomed as I was, by long apprenticeship, to such 

 discoveries, I had no doubt whatever but that a skeleton would 

 soon present itself, and a skull was soon discovered ; then the 

 vertebrae and tibiae of a human being. Next we found some 



