AN AGREEABLE ENCOUNTER. 



127 



treed him, and <even the man's wife was produced ; but after a little 

 conversation it appeared that our friend was still mas abajo. I was tired 

 and hungry enough to wish he was — where he could not get any lower, 

 for we had depended upon our letter for a breakfast. We continued 

 our weary route, and at the next house (the best-looking we had 

 seen) encountered a white woman, rather shrewish-looking, indeed, but 

 still a woman, synonym everywhere for kindness. Ijurra civilly in- 

 quired if we could get a few eggs. I think our appearance, particularly 

 the guns slung behind the saddles, bred mistrust, for we met with the 

 invariable lie, no hay, (haven't got any.) I couldn't be baffled in this 

 way : so, taking off my hat, and making my best bow, and, in my most 

 insinuating tones, I said " that we had something to eat in our saddle- 

 bags, and would be very much obliged if La Seiiora would permit us 

 to alight and take our breakfast there." She softened down at once, 

 and said that if we had any tea she could give us some nice fresh milk 

 to mix with it. We had no tea, but declared, with many thanks, that 

 the milk would be very acceptable. Whereupon, it was put on to boil; 

 and, moreover, a dozen fresh eggs, and boiled to perfection, were also 

 produced. I enjoyed the breakfast very much, and was pluming myself 

 on the effect of my fine address, when (alas for my vanity !) the lady, 

 after looking at my companion for some time, said to him, " Arn't you 

 un tal (a certain) Ijurra ? He said yes. " Then we are old playmates," 

 said she. " Don't you recollect our play- ground, your old uncle's gar- 

 den in Huanuco, and the apples you used to steal out of it to give 

 me ? I'm Mercedes Prado." Here was the solution to the enigma of 

 our reception. Strange to say, the name awoke pleasant recollections 

 in me also, and set before me the features of the gay and beautiful 

 young girl, whose quick repartee and merry laugh added so much to 

 the charm of Valparaiso society. 



The house of our hostess was very like a capsized ship, with the 

 cut-water and upper part of the bows sawn off to make an entrance. 

 It had a regular breast-hook made of saplings twisted together over the 

 door, a kelson reaching from this to a very perfect stem frame, and, 

 had the ribs been curved instead of straight, the likeness would have 

 been exact. It was about fifty feet long, and made an airy and com- 

 modious residence. I was surprised to find that we were in the upper 

 story of it, for we had entered from the ground without steps ; but I 

 afterwards discovered that we had entered from an esplanade cut in the 

 side of the hill, levelled for the purpose of drying coca leaves, and that 

 the lower story was at the bottom of the hill, the entrance facing the 

 other way. 



