Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-10-31
4 STORY or NICARAGUA.

ny up to the ceiling;
To howls or growls or fowls these bowls
OF mine are void of feeling,
ASTORY or NICARAGUA.
"Those poems who went with me-" he
gan Barber, chad been traders in Mos
quito, and spoke both Rama and Woolwa.
Person and I knew nothing of them. We
picked the brigands up while prospecting
IN the WOODS. They declared they could
guide us to workings not far off in the
Indian country, where nuggets lie like
pebbles on sea beach; and Person and I
resolved to 60 with the fellows Of anv
risk 1 spent my last dollar in buy,ng
presents which they said were necessary.
and, and we set out. The poems led us
straight enough for six days, talking all
the time OF their discovery, and OF the
way we'd speud our gold. We passed
several Rama villages, whore the Indians
looked askance at ushut gave no trouble.
They were just like those we see here
sometimes, except that they weren't
drunk-big headed fellows, who watch
you through the corners of their ewes as
long as they can keep awake, without
saying a word.
''After six days the guides brought US
to path two feet in breadth, dare say.
On striking it, the rascals showed them
selves very content, and chattereu in
some baragouinage of their own, like
COWS at feast. We are coming to the
place!' they said, and presently we reach
ed village bigger than any we had seen,
containing, perhaps, two thousand inhab-
itants, and king Except for size, it
didn't differ from the others. His Rama
majesty lived in hut, surrounded nv
pigsties for the royal coEsorts He was
ELUSIVE. ma fol! took oul presents with
out word, but with look very unsuc-
cessful it it was meant to show gratitude
But nobody intcrtered with us, and, as
far as the poems chose to tell, nobody
asked what we wanted. They let US re-
build hut that had tumbled to ruin,
and after d few days 10 one seemed to
trouble about US. The poems said we
ought to stop a day or two to dsarm suspic.
ion, while they looked round. If we had
hidden N the woods, for certain the Ra-
mas would have discovered and murder
ed u.s.. did not see clear, but they ap-
peared to know what they were about,
duu our lives uUnS on q thread.
II had Already begun to think that the
poems were not acting square They
talked too much in their barbaous patois.
and disputed warmly. Our friend Per-
son was one of those fellows who believed
that six foot of fools flesh will carry it.
self through anything. One could not
advise with him.
AFTER looking innocent day or two,
we took our guns and our panikins early
one morning, and set off into the woods,
The poems led US to little creek, where
with Infinite precaulion, they washed q
little mud. SUCH show was there in
the cup that Person cried, You brought
it with you, you rascals! Come and try
for yourselvesr they said, climbing up the
bank; and we did so. We washed, and
found more than they. 'Notre fortune
est faitc !! cried we. Let us talk said
one of the peons.
I'VE sat down on the bank, all faur.
This is nothing began the eldest, Mig
uele. Before we could wash out fifty
ounces the Ramas would be upon US
They know so we'll that they d,nt
trouble. If we escaped this king, he'd
raise the country. It wasn't worth while
to como so far to lose our heads, and we
two could have managed that without
your al
II was furious with disappointment
Person sat staring like bull before a
fence. But Miguele bad not done.
"'For centuries.' said he, the indians
have been picking up gold here and in
other places known to them. They think
gold sacred, and he who finds nus get is
believed to be favored by the gods Lis
ten! They have cart load stored in their
temrte. That's what. Salvador and I
risked our lives for
"'Will they fight for it, I asked.
"'Certainly, if they catch u.s.
And how shall we get away with
the plundtr2'
"sAlvador and I have thought of that.
The question is, are you with usr
sit was wholesale murder he intended
saw that in the brigand's face l an
not more particu ar than others, but the
idea did not present Itself to me in attract
i've colors. Besides, it was terrible risk.
Elm, we will talk of tits again said.
49, That can't be allowed said Saliva
dor, brute Of fellow, who counted his
murders, / should think. as girls count
lovers. We hang together! Then Il
noticed that these coquins had got po> ses
sion of our arms whilst we washed in the
brook.
Person cried but. did you say there
was Il cart load of gold in the temple?
Then m with you, to live like a prince
or die like thief added, And [ also
for when Person went over. it was stupid
to hesitate. In flash of intelligence I
saw then what the disputes had been
about. Salvador wished to kill me on
the road.
ave went back to the village, our late
servants carving the firearms. That
night they told us the plan. Next full
moon brought with it the great Indian
feast of the year, between harvest and
seed time. Everybody in the village
would be drunk, for these Ramas, when
at heme, don't allow, themselves the ioy
of intoxication more than once a Quarter:
but then they take q tit OF it. Only few
priests would be left on guard at the tenn
pie, which stood in very lonely place
some miles off. There was a reasonable
chance that they would also take the Oh.
portunlty OF enjoying themselves No ont
would be likely to visit the spot, after the
first ceremonies were over, for a week or
more. Even if one of the attendants sht uld
escape, Miguele declared that everybody
In the village would be too drunk to un-
derstand his tale. except the BOYS and
women. A river flowed beneath the tenn
pie, by which one could escape to Blue:
fields with the gold, and there was alwav
a score of canoes lying on the bank. The
poems scheme had heen carefully though,
out. and it promised success.
"sWe were not to go neaI the place un,
til the time arrived. Meanwhile we hung
about, looking innocent; but if ever q
man carried his conscience in his face l
was he. It was quite plain that those
rutfians didn't trust me, and they chung
to my arms. What fora That was the
question I asked myself! 3.
: Ihe days dragged through slowly
enough. but they passed too quick. Tue
women were busy as ants, making drink,
laying IN provisions, looking up their
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