preservation. It was in a sitting posture, with the
knees drawn up to the chin. Placing it on one side, we dug on.
Clearing away another stratum of earth, we reached a collection of
household utensils, which at first I thought were of copper and clay;
but as Ned was examining them, he exclaimed--

"They are gold, every one of them!"

"Dig, dig," said Manco; "you have more to find." A third layer of earth
was now removed, and we came upon a number of idols, all of gold or
silver, and surrounding them a quantity of bars of pure gold. None of
us had ever seen so much wealth in one mass. "There, take what you can
carry, and cover up the rest," exclaimed Manco. "You call that wealth,"
he continued, as if divining our thoughts; "yet of what use is it to
mankind thus locked up from sight? Now hasten, or daylight will
surprise us before we can reach the cave."

Following his direction, we loaded ourselves with as much of the pure
gold as we could carry; and then replacing the body as we found it, we
again covered up the grave. Then extinguishing our torches, we set out
to return to our cavern, which we reached in safety. It was with very
great satisfaction that I bade adieu to the cavern which had for so long
a time been our home. We had three horses, on one of which Nita was
mounted, and the other two were loaded with a supply of provisions; each
of the Indians, besides, carrying enough for his own wants, till a part
of the country should be reached where more could be procured. Manco
took every precaution for our safety which prudence could suggest. He
sent the Indians on ahead as scouts to inspect the country before we
advanced, and to bring us timely notice of the approach of an enemy. At
that time it was difficult to know who were friends and who were not,
for many of the Indians had gone over to the Spaniards, in the hopes of
saving their lives and property; and others, still worse, we had too
good reason to know, were ready to act the part of traitors, and to
deliver up their countrymen for the sake of the reward they expected to
receive.

We proceeded for some way along a series of wooded ridges, called by the
Spaniards _Ceja de la Montana_ (the Mists of the Mountains), on account
of the thick mists which, rising from the rivers in the valleys below,
are attracted by the trees, and hang over them in dense clouds. In
summer these mists are absorbed by the sun's rays; but in winter they
discharge themse