The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

32 A PERUVIAN PARADISE. the window. A great crowd of Indians were gathered before the temple, but it was still so dark that he could not see what was going on. So, after a momenut’s hesitation, he opened his door and slipped out. The sky in the east was aglow with the rising sun, but as yet it had not appeared above the rugged cliffs which shut in the valley. Here it was still dark. He could see the people thronging into the open court before the temple. There must have been nearly a thousand of them—men, women, and children. ‘The noise which had awakened him was made by two white robed priests, standing at either end of the porch, beating great gongs which they held in their hands. Soon a procession appeared at the entrance of the temple, and the gongs ceased. But the priests leading the procession had small cymbals which they continued to clash most noisily ; but these tiny cymbals gave out a high, shrill note not at all displeasing to the ear. The priests marched slowly out upon the porch, two by two. Those who had no cymbals swung metal dishes of burning incense which filled the whole place with its pungent odor. ‘The priests filed down the steps and arranged themselves about the altar ; and then the old man appeared. An attendant led forward a kid, and it was seized and thrown upon the altar, on which a pile of fuel had already been laid. The high priest held the struggling animal down with his left hand, raising a huge bronze knife aloft in his other. ‘The people chanted in their musical tongue, while the light increased in the sky and the shadows stole away from the valley. Suddenly the sun appeared. It shot up from behind a peak of the mount- ain and its first beam rested full upon the face and figure of the high priest. The chant changed to a shout and the knife was plunged into the throat of the sacrifice. Another attendant ran with a blazing torch, and in a moment the flames from the pile on the altar were flashing skyward. The voice of the concourse of Indians rose like the deep, full notes of an organ. The chant was the most solemn thing to which the American had ever listened. ) Then they dispersed, and Keeth went back to his place, wondering ex- ceedingly. After his breakfast had been brought him and he had eaten it, he started out to find Ford Kinsale and Bob Fitch. Nobody molested him and he easily discovered the house in which they were lodged. He saw that the door was open and looked within. His friends were still at breakfast, sitting cross legged on the floor and evidently enjoying their meal extremely. ‘“There’s one thing about it, Fitch,’’ Ford was saying, ‘‘ these bare leg- ged heathens don’t intend to starve us.’’ ‘“Mabbe they’re fatting us hup for to sacrifice us,’’ responded the Cockney gloomily. ‘“ Nonsense !”’ “Ve can’t tell, sir. Hi ’ad a cousin—a sailor ’ee was—an’ ’ee was wrecked among the South Sea cannibals. *He said ’ee was never treated better in ’is life, as regarded eating.’’ Eomichbooks (E(0)