you were you to write from
our ancient capital. Trust that to me," answered Manco, and he was
afterwards found as good as his word.

The observations which the Indian chief let fall made me suspect that
some plan was forming among the Indians to emancipate themselves from
the Spanish yoke; and when I mentioned my surmises to my father, I found
that he was of the same opinion, but he warned me not to mention my
thoughts to any one.

"The less we know on the subject the better for us," he observed.
"Living under the protection of the Spanish government, it might be our
duty to warn them of danger, while it is equally our duty not to betray
those who have trusted us."

"A curious sort of protection they afford us, when they allow bands of
robbers, who were near cutting our throats, to scour the country
unmolested," I answered. "For my part, I think the Indians would be
perfectly right to emancipate themselves from the galling chains which
enthral them."

"But were they to make the attempt, they could not do so," said my
father. "The discipline and gold of a civilised people will always in
the end prevail over a half savage one, in spite of their bravery and
resolution."

Our conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Manco. No longer a
hunted fugitive, he now walked with the air of a chieftain, his costume
also being that of an Inca noble of old. Although the dress had long
been disused, except on festive occasions, he had now assumed it to give
him greater authority among his countrymen.

We found at the huts a considerable number of women and children, some
of them belonging to the Indians who were with us, and some, I
concluded, related to others who were absent. They were evidently
collected here to be beyond the reach of the Spaniards, and to avoid the
flagitious Repartimiento and Meta, the more rigid imposition of which
was about that time, I knew, causing great discontent among the people.
The Spaniards, long accustomed to treat the Peruvians as inferior
beings, destitute alike of feeling and courage, forgot that even a worm
will at times turn and attempt to bite the foot that presses it.

I had observed at times a larger number of persons than had accompanied
us to the village; and I remarked several strangers, dressed in skins
and feathers, who came and went, and again speedily returned, as if they
had gone only to a short distance. I told our host that I had observed
this, and inquired where