16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
An Aymara Indian of a superior kind with a
red worsted cap struck him sharply on the
knee, speaking in a severe, disapproving tone
and pointing. 'Don Esteban,' called Eduardo
again from some little way ahead, 'we are almost
on the edge of the puna. If you would
like to dismount I believe I could really show
you something this time.'
Stephen looked up. Immediately ahead was
a low red cliff and on its top the rounded crest
towards which they had been travelling so
long, now suddenly quite close. They must
have mounted another two or three thousand
feet, he reflected, taking notice of the still
thinner air, the sharper cold. 'We will join
them round the next bend,' said Eduardo,
leading him towards a shaley path up the cliff
while the llamas carried on along the trail,
quite broad and distinct at this point.
'This was no doubt a mine,' observed Edu-