I was once a child myself, and dearly loved those books of adventure which told of strange lands and strange people I had never seen. Yet, when I read about the North American Indians and their wild ways, I would often wonder why there were so few books which told us about the Indians of South America and the beautiful countries contained therein; and I determined some day to visit those lands if I lived, and tell the generation of girls and boys following me all about them. Well, my young friends, I have told you a good deal in “The Young Castaways,” and now I am going to tell you still more in the following pages. I am going to tell you about a splendid unexplored country, and several adventures that happened therein, and I hope some day that some of you will go and see those countries, and penetrate even further into their mysteries, than did the girls and boys who figure in this book. Those amongst you who have read “The Young Castaways” will renew acquaintance with old friends, which, no doubt, will give you pleasure.
I remain, my dear girls and boys,
Your sincere friend,
THE AUTHORESS.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| PAGES | |
|---|---|
| The youthful Warrior Queen—Joyful News—Expectation—Inacayal—Tolderias—La Guardia Chica—Every Inch a Queen—The Whites’ Approach | [1]–11 |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| A Ceremony—Aniwee’s Welcome—A Happy Meeting—Midshipman Harry—The Girl Cacique—The Cristianos’ Attack—Treachery—Foiled | [12]–20 |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Aniwee Fighting—A False Alarm—Wounded—Inacayal’s Charge—Graviel’s Tale—A Great Feast—The young Queen speaks | [21]–29 |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Harry and Topsie—Jest and Earnest—Lazies!—A Sport Programme—The great Gold Mine—Hospitality—The Start—A Fairy Scene | [30]–38 |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Welcome—A Hunt proposed—The Hunting Party—Baguales—Wild Horses sighted—The Indian Charge—The Stallion’s Charge—The Grey Mare—“I say, where’s Topsie?” | [39]–47 |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Hunter and Hunted—A Race for Life—A risky Alternative—A terrible Crash—Topsie’s Captor—The Trauco Being—A painful Position—A silent Conversation—Thirst | [48]–56 |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Missing—Anxiety—The Haunted Forest—Traces of Topsie—The wounded Labrador—Shag’s Impatience—Shag under the Surgeon’s Knife—Preparing for Action—To the Rescue—“It is God’s Will” | [57]–66 |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Plans made—Shag to the Fore—Shag takes the Field—At Fault—The Sun shines—A tedious March—Demons of the Andes—The Mystic Bell—“Topsie, dear old Topsie” | [67]–76 |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Retrospect—The Wild young Lady of the Forest—An alarming Situation—Strange Tactics—A skilful Shot—Again the Mystic Bell—A mysterious Incident—Piñone—A Discovery | [77]–85 |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| “The Trauco People!”—Piñone and Topsie—Plans of Escape—Caught in a Trap—A Tale—A chance of Escape—A desperate Enterprise—Recapture | [86]–95 |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| A Traitor—Hostilities—A cunning Device—Drugged—A Thief in the Night—“Treason!”—Graviel Disconsolate—Search | [96]–104 |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Anguish—The Trauco’s Retreat—A successful Ruse—Topsie saved—A piteous Sight—The Trauco’s Death—Aniwee startled—The Face of the Dead—A joyful Meeting | [105]–113 |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| The Search begun—Regrets—A suspicious Movement—Pursuit—A Ride for Life—Capture | [114]–122 |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Once more—The Hand of Time—Forebodings—Terrible News—Stolen—A sullen Captive—“Speak or Die”—“Where is La Guardia Chica?” | [123]–131 |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| Gloom—Good Advice—Aniwee Busy—A fruitless Search—Kai Chileno’s Treachery—Led Forth to Judgment—A Speech—“If the Men fear, the Women do not”—Piqued | [132]–140 |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| Volunteers chosen—In for a Lark—Harry again—Entering the Forest—“A Black Jaguar!”—Piñone’s Attack—Death of the Jaguar—A Bivouac—A Story asked for | [141]–149 |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| Piñone’s Tale—A strange Scene—A heavy Sleep—Departure—The Mystic Bell—White Traucos—The terrible Demons | [150]–158 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| “The Demons of the Andes!”—A fierce Fight—The great Trauco Village—The Queen’s Welcome—A mysterious Fire—Equal Occupations—A Gold Forge—A Black-ringed Jaguar—Liberty | [159]–167 |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Preparations—A kindly Queen—Escape—Flight—Pursuit—A heavy Sleep—A Welcome—Food Supply—The great Gold Mine of Or | [168]–175 |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Wonderful!—Exploring the Mine—A terrible Catastrophe—Agony and Joy—Suspense—Splendid Self-sacrifice—The Wild Queen’s Heroism—Under Guard | [176]–183 |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Sleepless—A restless Night—Through the Forest—A Gallop to the River—Aniwee Moody—Mary in Jeopardy—A Monster—“A diabolical Serpent” | [184]–191 |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| The Search Party—Caution—Reconnoitring—The Baby Prisoner—Departure—Consultation—In Council—A Critical Moment | [192]–199 |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| The Trauco Village—Reconnoitring—The Prisoner sighted again—A noble Impulse—The only Refuge—The Virtue of Powder and Shot—A formidable Array—Retreat | [200]–208 |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| The Old Man’s Grave—Provisions—A Hunt Party—The Start—A monster Bull—“El lazo, el lazo!”—An indiscreet Shot—A narrow Squeak for Life | [209]–216 |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Topsie remonstrates—Shag the Hero—A Rest and a Feast—Startled—A perilous Encounter—Just in Time—The Demons again—Sir Francis’s Tale—The Raft | [217]–225 |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| Travelling—Memories of the Past—Excitement—The great Gold Mine of Or—Blocked—Gold, Gold, Gold everywhere—Earthquake—A terrible Calamity—Buried Alive! | [226]–234 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| British Pluck—A Chance—Topsie’s noble Resolve—The Girl Volunteer—Steadfast in Hope—The Sandstone Vein—Suspense—Excelsior—Victory | [235]–243 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| Communication—The Ascent begun—Shag goes Aloft—“Aniwee will leave the Last”—Piñone troubled—Graviel’s Devotion—The Avalanche—A brave young Queen—Gratitude—A great Landslip—Buried | [244]–254 |
| CHAPTER XXIX. | |
| Old Scenes—Last Day in the Mountains—A Bird’s Paradise—Preparations—Good News—Horses in Plenty—Gilwinikush and Aniwee—A Joyful Meeting | [255]–262 |
| CHAPTER XXX. | |
| “Something’s up”—Serious News—An entrenched Position—A forced March—Preparations for the Fight—Before the Battle—The Charge—Aniwee transformed—A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing—Struck down | [263]–272 |
| CHAPTER XXXI. | |
| The War-whoop—“It is Graviel!”—A personal Encounter—An anxious Moment—“Aniwee is Well”—White Prisoners—A Calm—Safe | [273]–280 |
| CHAPTER XXXII. | |
| Terms of Peace—The Return of the Baguales—A great Peace—Freedom | [281]–284 |
| CONCLUSION. | |
| What followed—For the Sake of the Trauco Queen | [285]–286 |
ANIWEE;