THE INDIAN HUT. 



47 



tort. However, there was no alternative ; our animals 

 must rest, if they might not eat ; and we consequently- 

 unsaddled, and began to amuse ourselves, as we might, 

 in looking at the bone of our costly ham, and the pounded 

 contents of our biscuit bag, more especially as Espindola 

 whispered to us to have a little patience. Five minutes 

 passed by, and not a word was said. A packet of cigar- 

 it as was produced and passed round. What the old 

 Venuses did not refuse, the young ones thought proper 

 to accept. Espindola got into conversation by degrees 

 with one of the elders, and Pourtales began to play the 

 66 irresistible" with another of the party. Good humour 

 and confidence began to thaw distrust, and conquer pre- 

 judice. By- and by, old and young began to move list- 

 lessly about. The charcoal fire was stirred up. Still 

 there was no hurry. Another moment, and from under 

 a cloth in a dark corner of the hut, the stone used in the 

 preparation of tortillas cakes was produced ; and, as 

 though by accident, a bowlful of maize flour was dis- 

 covered. As it was there, one of the old squaws fell to 

 work to knead the bread ; while the other, after looking 

 very carefully about her, found a store of Chile and a bag 

 of frijoles. This was not all. A guttural parley in their 

 own language was followed by one of the girls stepping 

 out with Espindola to a secret storehouse, from which 

 he returned looking very sly with his arms full of rich 

 golden ears of maize, and a bundle of fodder. By acci- 

 dent, a little loophole in the same quarter flew open, and 

 the premises w r ere immediately overrun by a quantity of 

 poultry, rejoicing at their emancipation from the thral- 

 dom to which they had evidently been subjected on our 

 approach. More wonderful than all, we found that, ap- 

 parently, quite unsuspected by the possessors, the hens 

 had employed their time while thus hidden from the 

 light of day in the production of a dozen fine eggs. In 

 short, within an hour after the hut had been at the ex- 

 tremity of famine, we were furnished with an excellent 

 meai, and there were no signs at our departure that we 

 left discontent behind us. This is strange, but nothing 

 but what is very comprehensible ; being a remnant of 



