Chapter 6

           THEdecliningsunhadshiftedtheshadowsfromwesttoeastamongstthehousesofthetown.IthadshiftedthemuponthewholeextentoftheimmenseCampo,withthewhitewallsofitshaciendasontheknollsdominatingthegreendistances;withitsgrass-thatchedranchescrouchinginthefoldsofgroundbythebanksofstreams;withthedarkislandsofclusteredtreesonaclearseaofgrass,andtheprecipitousrangeoftheCordillera,immenseandmotionless,emergingfromthebillowsofthelowerforestslikethebarrencoastofalandofgiants.Thesunsetraysstrikingthesnow-slopeofHiguerotafromafargaveitanairofrosyyouth,whiletheserratedmassofdistantpeaksremainedblack,asifcalcinedinthefieryradiance.Theundulatingsurfaceoftheforestsseemedpowderedwithpalegolddust;andawaythere,beyondRincon,hiddenfromthetownbytwowoodedspurs,therocksoftheSanTomegorge,withtheflatwallofthemountainitselfcrownedbygiganticferns,tookonwarmtonesofbrownandyellow,withredrustystreaks,andthedarkgreenclumpsofbushesrootedincrevices.Fromtheplainthestampshedsandthehousesofthemineappeareddarkandsmall,highup,likethenestsofbirdsclusteredontheledgesofacliff.Thezigzagpathsresembledfainttracingsscratchedonthewallofacyclopeanblockhouse.