mber one, entering in breathless
haste, announced that Queen Mumcuna desired to see us immediately,
whereupon I suggested to Gondocori the expediency of donning more courtly
attire, if there was any to be got.

"What, keep the queen waiting!" he exclaimed, aghast. "She would go mad.
Impossible! We must go as we are."

Not wanting her majesty to go mad, I made no further demur, and we went.

The palace was a large adobe building within a walled inclosure, guarded
by a company of braves with long spears. We were ushered into the royal
presence without either ceremony or delay. The queen was sitting in a
hammock with her feet resting on the ground. She wore a bright-colored,
loosely-fitting bodice, a skirt to match, and sandals. Her long black hair
was arranged in tails, of which there were seven on each side of her face.
She was short and stout, and perhaps thirty years old, and though in early
youth she might have been well favored, her countenance now bore the
impress of evil passions, and the sodden look of it, as also the
blood-streaks in her eyes, showed that her drink was not always water. At
the same time, it was a powerful face, indicative of a strong character
and a resolute will. Her complexion was bright cinnamon, and the three or
four women by whom she was attended were costumed like herself.

On entering the room the three caciques went on their knees, and after a
moment's hesitation Gahra followed their example. I thought it quite
enough to make my best bow. Mamcuna then motioned us to draw nearer, and
when we were within easy speaking distance she said something to Gondocori
that sounded like a question or a command, on which he made a long and, as
I judged from the vigor of his gesture and the earnestness of his manner,
an eloquent speech. I watched her closely and was glad to see that though
she frowned once or twice during its delivery, she did not seem very
angry. I also observed that she looked at me much more than at the
cacique, which I took to be a favorable sign. The speech was followed by a
lively dialogue between Mamcuna and the cacique, after which the latter
turned to me and said, as coolly as if he were asking me to be seated:

"The queen commands you to strip."

"Commands me to strip! What do you mean?"

"What I say; you have to strip--undress, take off your clothes."

"You are joking."

"Joking! I should like to see the man who would dare to take such a
liberty in the audience-chamb