Nostromo - A Tale of the Seaboard.pdf - Planet eBook

first, in a pointed straw hat, then the mother with the biggerchildren, generally also a diminutive donkey, all under burdens,except the leader himself, or perhaps some grown girl,the pride of the family, stepping barefooted and straight asan arrow, with braids of raven hair, a thick, haughty profile,and no load to carry but the small guitar of the country anda pair of soft leather sandals tied together on her back. Atthe sight of such parties strung out on the cross trails betweenthe pastures, or camped by the side of the royal road,travellers on horseback would remark to each other—‘More people going to the San Tome mine. We shall seeothers to-morrow.’And spurring on in the dusk they would discuss the greatnews of the province, the news of the San Tome mine. Arich Englishman was going to work it—and perhaps notan Englishman, Quien sabe! A foreigner with much money.Oh, yes, it had begun. A party of men who had been toSulaco with a herd of black bulls for the next corrida hadreported that from the porch of the posada in Rincon, onlya short league from the town, the lights on the mountainwere visible, twinkling above the trees. And there was awoman seen riding a horse sideways, not in the chair seat,but upon a sort of saddle, and a man’s hat on her head. Shewalked about, too, on foot up the mountain paths. A womanengineer, it seemed she was.‘What an absurdity! Impossible, senor!’‘Si! Si! Una Americana del Norte.’‘Ah, well! if your worship is informed. Una Americana; itneed be something of that sort.’