his that in a year a path would be completely blocked up by
vegetation. Where is Jacopo?"

"There he is at the top of the crater; he did not come down with us, and
no doubt considered that the place was likely to be haunted by spirits."

They ascended the path to the top of the crater. The ground here was bare
for a short distance, and Stephen saw that two lines of stones marked the
course of the path to the trees. It did not lead down towards the sea, but
was carried obliquely round the top of the hill until it reached the edge
of the forest on the side of the island on which they had landed. Two rude
images marked the spot where it entered the forest. It now led down in a
direct path six feet wide. This was completely clear of shrubs, and not
the smallest shoot of brushwood showed above the soil. Wherever the ground
descended steeply rude steps had been cut; the trees on each side of the
path had been barked on the side facing it. Here and there sticks, some
ten feet high, with pieces of coloured cloth hanging from them, stood
along the side of the path. The path itself was almost like a trough, the
centre being fully two feet lower than the general level.

"It must be used very frequently," the Peruvian said, "and has probably
been used for ages. No doubt in the rainy season the water helps to hollow
it out, but the work must have been begun by human feet."

Jacopo kept closely behind the others, crossing himself frequently and
muttering invocations to the saints. They followed the path until it came
out at the head of a deep inlet.

"It is a useful road to the top of the hill," Stephen said. "It has not
taken us more than three-quarters of an hour coming down, while we were
six times as long in going up, and hard at work all the time. Look there;
there is no mistake as to the numbers who come here," and he pointed to
the patches of ashes and charred wood scattered thickly on the sand above
the water-line, all along the edge of the inlet.

"There can be no doubt about that," the Peruvian said; "the place must be
constantly visited, or at any rate by a great number at a time. However, I
don't know whether that need disturb us. They evidently go straight up to
worship or sacrifice and come straight down again, and all that we have
got to do is not to fire a gun when they are on the island. However, we
may as well look along the shore to see if there are any further paths
into the forest."

They examined carefully