|
after all, life
may be very endurable even if she does not share it.
Therefore I propounded
this Peruvian adventure, feeling sure that,
whatever came of
it, it would be a benefit to you."
"No doubt it
will, sir. I see myself the chance of success is small
indeed, but there
is none at all in any other way. It is just the sort of
thing I should
like, and I quite feel myself that it would be good for me
to have plenty to
think about; and now that you have consented to Bertie's
going with me, I
feel more eager than before to undertake the expedition.
The place is in
rather a disturbed state, isn't it?"
"If you are
going to wait until Peru ceases to be in a disturbed state,
Harry, you may
wait another hundred years. The Spanish rule was bad, but
Peru was then a
pleasant place to live in compared with what it is now. It
is a sort of
cock-pit, where a succession of ambitious rascals struggle
for the spoils,
and the moment one gets the better of his rivals fresh
intrigues are set
on foot, and fresh rebellions break out. There are good
Peruvians--men
who have estates and live upon them, and who are good
masters. But as
to the politicians, there is no principle whatever at
stake. It is
simply a question of who shall have the handling of the
national revenue,
and divide it and the innumerable posts among his
adherents. But
these struggles will not affect you largely. In one respect
they will even be
an advantage. Bent upon their own factious aims, the
combatants have
no time to concern themselves with the doings of an
English
traveller, whose object out there is ostensibly to botanize and
shoot. Were one
of them to obtain the undisputed control of affairs he
might meddle in
all sorts of ways; but, as it is, after you have once got
pretty well
beyond the area of their operations, you can regard their
doings with
indifference, knowing that the longer they go on fighting the
fewer scoundrels
there will be in the land.
"But even
were they to think that it was mining, and not science or sport
that took you out
there, they would scarcely interfere with you. It is
admitted by all
the factions that Peru needs capital for her development,
and at present
that can best be got from this country. The discovery of a
fresh mine means
employment to a large number of people, and the increase
of the revenues
by a royalty or taxation. English explorers who have gone
out have never
had any reason to complain of interference on the part of
the authorities.
You will find the average better class of Peruvians a
charming people,
and extremely hospitable. The ladies are pretty enough to
turn the head of
anyone whose affections are not already engaged. The men
are kindly and
courteous in the extreme. However, you would have little to
do with these.
"In the
mountains you would largely depend upon your rifle for food, and
on what you could
get in the scattered native villages. The Indians have
no love for the
Peruvians. They find their condition no better off under
them than it was
under the Spaniards. Once they find out that you are