d that answered to the blow. It
was not a bale of linen, then, but a box, covered, like many others,
with several folds of coarse cheap canvas. It could not be cloth,
either; for instead of the dull report which the cloth-boxes give out
when struck, the one in question returned a hollow sound, precisely that
of one that was empty!

This appeared strange enough. It could not be empty, else why was it
there? and yet if not empty, what did it contain?

I hammered upon it with the haft of my knife--still the same hollow
sound!

"Good!" thought I. "If empty, all the better; but if not, surely there
is something in it of a light nature--something that may be easily got
rid of. Good!"

After making this reflection, I resolved to waste no more time in
conjectures, but to satisfy myself of the contents of this new box, by
making my way into it; and in a trice I had ripped off the canvas that
protected its bottom.

I found the position in which I stood inconvenient. The triangular
space, narrowing acutely towards the bottom, hindered me from standing
fairly on my feet; but I soon remedied this defect, by filling the angle
with some pieces of cloth and velvet that were near at hand. I then
proceeded more comfortably with my work.

I need not detail the mode in which I burrowed through the bottom of the
box. It was just as with the others, and succeeded as well. I had to
make one cross-cut, and in this my newly-hafted blade behaved admirably;
after which, I pulled out the divided pieces.

I was not a little surprised when I arrived at the inside, and
ascertained the contents of the box. It was some time before I could
make them out by the "feel," but when I had succeeded in getting one
separated from its fellows, and ran my fingers over its outline, I at
length recognised what they were. They were _bonnets_!

Yes, ladies' bonnets, and nothing but that--all apparently full
"trimmed," and garnished with their feathers, flowers, and ribbons.

Had I at that time possessed a more intimate knowledge of the costumes
of the Peruvians, I should have been more surprised, perhaps, to find
such an odd "item" in the list of their imports. I should have known
that such a thing as a bonnet is never seen upon the beautiful head of a
Peruvian lady. But I knew nothing of this then, and I was only
surprised by the oddity of such an article occurring in the cargo of a
great ship.

The explanation was given me afterwards, thus