It seemed that another belief--in
cleanliness--had refused to be dislodged from the Inca breast.
When I managed, by dint of violent and expressive gestures, to
convey to our valet the idea that we desired a bath, he led us
down the corridor some two hundred feet to a stream of cool
running water. We took advantage of the opportunity to scrub our
clothing, which was sadly in need of the operation.
I had early made an examination of the urns which furnished our
light. They were of gold and perfect in form, which convinced me
that they had been brought by the fugitives from Huanuco, as,
indeed, the quipos also, and several other articles we found,
including our golden table service.
The urns were filled with an oil which I was unable to recognize.
There was no wick, but round the rim or lip of each was set a
broad ring carved of stone, which made the opening at the top
only about two inches in diameter. Through this the flame arose
to a height of about two feet.
Of smoke there was none, or very little, a circumstance which was
inexplicable, as there seemed to be no possibility of the
generation of gas within so small space. But the oil itself was
strange to me, and its properties may be charged to nature.
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