But to-morrow the worst will be over." The cacique had so far behaved very well, treating me as a friend and an equal, and doing all he could for my comfort.

His men treated me as a superior.

Gondocori said very little about his country, still less about Queen Mamcuna, whom he also called "Great Mother." To my frequent questions on these subjects he made always the same answer: "Patience, you will see." He did, however, tell me that his people called their country Pachatupec and themselves Pachatupecs, that the Spaniards had never subdued them or even penetrated into the fastnesses where they dwelt, and that they spoke the ancient language of Peru.
Gondocori admitted that his mother was a Christian, and to her he no doubt owed his notions of religion and the regularity of his features.

She had been carried off as he meant to carry off the seven maidens of the Happy Valley, for the _misterios_ had a theory that a mixture of white and Indian blood made the finest children and the boldest warriors.

But white wives being difficult to obtain, _mestiza_ maidens had generally to be accepted, or rather, taken in their stead.
We rose before daybreak and were in the saddle at dawn.