, not contented with seizing our land and our
possessions, they murdered all our princes and leaders, and reduced all
whom they did not slay to slavery, keeping us only that we might work the
mines and till the fields for them.

"Centuries have passed since then, but there has been no change; they are
still our masters, we their beasts of burden. They may pay us for our
services, but they have no thought or consideration for us. We may risk
our lives for them, but they value ours no more than if we were dogs. Save
among the muleteers, like Gomez, who long ago ceased to be Spaniards, and
are now Peruvians, they look upon us as a conquered race, and as to
friendship or a kindly thought for an Indian, they think more of their
dogs than they do of us. Therefore, senor, you may guess that Pita and I
do not feel towards you only as a master who pays us, but as one who has
treated us as if we were the same colour as himself, and even the service
you have rendered Pita binds us less to you than the kindness that you
have shown us. If all Englishmen are like you it would be a blessing
indeed to this country if, after your famous admiral had driven out the
Spaniards, he would himself reign over the land and bring some of his
people here to govern us.

"The white Peruvians are no better than the Spaniards. They are the same
blood, and have the same ideas, and save that they are cowards, while the
Spaniards, to do them justice, are often brave, there is little to choose
between them. They are as proud of their white blood, and they despise us
as heartily; they are as greedy of gold, but too indolent to work for it;
and when the Spaniards have gone they will be despots as hard and as
tyrannical as our present governors. We hope for the change, though we
know well that it will do but little for us; while, if the people of your
race came as masters of the land, we might have some share of freedom and
happiness. Tales have reached even us that across the western ocean you
rule over a people dark like ourselves, but infinitely more numerous than
we were when the Spaniards first set foot here; and that your rule is a
good and just one, and that the natives are happy and contented, and that
there are the same laws for them as for us. Do you think, senor, that
there is any chance of your admiral and your people coming here?"

"I am afraid not, Hurka. We English here are in the service of Chili. We
are free ourselves, and our sympathies ar