up, at first
scarcely able to remember where I was. He had just before thrown some
chips on the fire, which made it blaze brightly. I saw that he had his
fingers on his lips to enforce silence, so I did not speak; but his
looks showed that something had alarmed him. I soon discovered the
cause, from hearing the footsteps of several persons in the
neighbourhood. I was about to inquire, in a whisper, who they could be,
when I observed him glance up at the top of the wall above us. I turned
my eyes in the same direction, and then I saw, by the light of the fire,
the elf-like locks and red-coloured countenance of a wild Indian, who
was gazing down upon us. He looked as much surprised to find us there
as we were to see him.

"Pray, friend, who are you, and what do you seek here?" asked Pedro, in
the Quichua language.

The stranger made no answer, and presently afterwards a dozen other
Indians sprung up to the top of the wall. They were dressed and painted
as the warriors of a distant tribe, dwelling in the northern part of the
country. After looking at us for an instant, they fixed their arrows in
their bows, and were drawing the strings when Pedro shouted out to
them:--

"Stay your hands. We are friends of the Indians, and under the
protection of the Inca Tupac Amaru." At the same time he held up a gold
ring with which Manco had provided him.

The Indians evidently supposed we were Spaniards, and were accordingly
about to put us to death. They did not seem inclined to alter their
purpose, for they drew their arrows to the heads; and I believed that
our last moments had arrived, when the name of the Inca restrained them.

"We will hear what account you have to give of yourselves," said the man
who had at first appeared, letting himself down from the top of the
wall. He was followed by the rest, and others who had climbed up; and
we were soon surrounded by a large body of Indians. I endeavoured to
look as unconcerned and as little alarmed as possible, so I re-seated
myself on the block of wood which I had before occupied. One who seemed
to have authority over the rest, took a seat opposite to me, while they
stood round the room Pedro forthwith began to give a history of our
proceedings, and the cause of our present wanderings. The chief, after
some time, appeared satisfied.

"We have vowed to destroy all the white men we meet," he exclaimed; "but
though your skins are white, your hearts are with the Ind