der, Castilla. [19] At a time when the Tapuzians were without
religion, and lived as wild beasts, God punished them. Look at all
the part of that mountain quite stripped of vegetation: one night,
during a tremendous earthquake, that mountain split in two--one part
swallowed up the half of the village that then stood on the place
where those enormous rocks are. A few hundred steps further on all
would have been destroyed; there would no longer have existed a single
person in Tapuzi: but a part of the population was not injured, and
came and settled themselves where the village now is. Since then we
pray to the Almighty, and live in a manner so as not to deserve so
severe a chastisement as that experienced by the wretched victims of
that awful night."

The conversation and society of this old man--I might say the King
of Tapuzi--was most interesting to me. But I had already been four
days absent from Jala-Jala. I ordered my lieutenant to prepare for
our departure. We bid most affectionate adieus to our hosts, and set
off. In two days I returned home, quite pleased with my journey and
the good inhabitants of Tapuzi.

CHAPTER IX.

Suppression of War between two Indian Towns--Flourishing Condition
of Jala-Jala--Hospitality to Strangers--Field Sports--Bat
and Lizard Shooting--Visit to, and Description of, the Isle
of Socolme--Adventure with a Cayman--Cormorants--We Visit Los
Banos--Monkey Shooting--Expedition to, and Description of, the
Grotto of Sun-Mateo--Magnificent aspect of the Interior.

I found Anna in great trouble, not only on account of my absence,
but because, on the previous evening, information had been received
that the inhabitants of the two largest towns in the province had,
as it was stated, declared war against each other; the most courageous
amongst them, to the number of three or four hundred on each side, had
started for the island of Talem. There both parties, in the presence
of each other, were upon the point of engaging in a battle; already,
while skirmishing, several had been mortally wounded.

This news frightened Anna she knew that I was not a man who would
await quietly at home the issue of the battle; she already fancied
she saw me, with my ten guards, engaged in the thick of the fight,
and perhaps a victim of my devotedness. I comforted her as I had
always done, promising to be prudent, and not forget her; but there
was not a moment to lose; it was necess