The immediate question was how to dispose of these unfortunates.  I could not take them away in the sloop, and I knew that they would prefer to remain in the neighborhood where they were born.  But the oasis was uninhabitable.  A few weeks and it would be merged once more in the desert from which it had been so painfully won.  Therefore I proposed that they should settle at Alta Vista under charge of the priest.  Alta Vista being above the volcano no outburst of lava could reach them, and the azequia being intact beyond that point they could easily bring more land under cultivation and live in comfort and abundance.

To this proposal the survivors and the priest gladly and gratefully assented.  They were very good, those poor Indians, and seemed much more concerned over our approaching departure than their own fate, beseeching us, with many entreaties, not to leave them.  Angela would have yielded, but I was obdurate.  I could not see that it was in any sense our duty to bury ourselves in a remote corner of the Andes for the sake of a score or two of Indians who were very well able to do without us.  What could be the good of building up another colony and creating another oasis merely that the evil genii of the mountains might destroy them in a night?  Had the abbe, instead of spending a lifetime in making Quipai, devoted his energies to some other work, he might have won for himself enduring fame and permanently benefited mankind.  As it was, he had effected less than nothing, and I was resolved not to court his fate by following his example.

Those were the arguments I used to Angela, and in the end she not only fully agreed with me that it was well for us to go, but that the sooner we went the better.  The means were at hand.  Yawl could have the yacht ready for sea within twenty-four hours.  There was little more to do than head the sails and get water and provisions on board.  I had the casks filled forthwith—­for the water in the channels was fast draining away—­set some of the people to work preparing tasajo, and sent Ramon with the mules and two arrieros to Alta Vista for the remainder of our clothing, bedding, and several other things which I thought would be useful on the voyage.

Ramon, I may mention, was my own personal attendant.  He had been brought up and educated by Angela and myself, and was warmly attached to us.  In disposition he was bright and courageous, in features almost European; there could be little doubt that he was descended from some white castaway, who had landed on the coast and been adopted by this tribe.  He said it would break his heart if we left him behind, so we took him with us, and he has ever since been the faithful companion of my wanderings and my trusty friend.

My wife and I slept in our tent, Kidd and Yawl on the sloop.  As the sails were not bent nor the boat victualled, I had no fear of their giving us the slip in the night.  In the morning Ramon and the arrieros returned with their lading, and by sunset we had everything on board and was ready for a start.