 hillsides were lined by
artificial terraces, on which were perched chalets and small
hamlets--they had seen similar terraces on the way up. These were as
the Spaniards found them, and must at one time have been inhabited by a
thriving population. Even now gardens and orchards flourished upon them
up to the highest points on the hills. Oroya was a large place, and,
avoiding the busy part of the town, they hired rooms, as it was
necessary to give the mules two days' rest. On the first evening after
their arrival they gathered round a fire, for the nights were cold, and
even in the daytime they did not find their numerous wraps too hot for
them.

"Now, Dias," Harry said, "we must talk over our plans. You said that we
would not decide upon anything till we got here."

"In the first place, senor, I think it would be well to go to the north
to see the Cerro de Pasco silver mine, they say it is the richest in
the world. It is well that you should see the formation of the rocks
and the nature of the ore; we may in our journeyings come across
similar rock."

"It is gold rather than silver that one wants to find, Dias. I do not
say that a silver mine would not be worth a very large sum of money,
but it would be necessary to open it and go to a large expense to prove
it. Then one would have to go to England and get up a company to work
it, which would be a long and difficult matter. Still, I am quite ready
to go and see the place."

Dias nodded.

"What you say is true, senor. I could take you to a dozen places where
there is silver. They may be good or may not, but even if they were as
rich as Potosi the silver would have to be carried to Lima, so great a
distance on mules' backs that it would swallow up the profits. And it
would be almost impossible to convey the necessary machinery there,
indeed to do so would involve the making of roads for a great distance."

"At the same time, Dias, should you know of any silver lodes that might
turn out well, I would certainly take some samples, and send two or
three mule-loads of th