CHAPTER V.
AN EARTHQUAKE
"VASCO," called his mother to him early one morning a few days later,"I want you to get up and go to market for me."
"Oh, dear, I don't want to get up now," said Vasco.
"No matter," replied his mother, "you'll want something to eat by andby, so hurry up."
Vasco knew it was no use to protest further, and, as the process ofdressing was a very short one with him, he soon was ready to do hismother's errand.
"What do you want me to get this morning?" he asked.
"I want you to get some potatoes and peas and rice and half a yard ofbeef," his mother replied, as she handed him a basket.
It sounds strange to hear about a yard of beef, doesn't it? Vasco didnot think so, though, for in Panama beef, instead of being sold by thepound, is often cut into long strips and sold by the yard.
By the time Vasco was all ready to start his sister Inez was up.
"May I go with you?" she asked.
"Of course, if you want to. Come on."
So together they trotted out of the house and off to market.
Inez looked about her with wide-open eyes, for her visits to themarket, especially in the early morning, had been very rare.
"See what a lot of donkeys standing over there," said the little girl,pointing across the street.
"Yes; they belong to the fruit-sellers you see here. The animals standthere all day long, and at night, when their masters and mistresseshave sold all their stock, they ride home on the backs of the donkeys.Some of them go many miles into the country, too."
But other sights soon attracted Inez's attention, and the donkeys wereforgotten.
Many of the buyers were women cooks dressed in red and yellow andgreen and bright colours of all sorts. They made the place look verybrilliant.
Soon, however, Vasco had done his errands and with Inez hurried homefor breakfast.
Sometimes, in the evening, Vasco would go out with his mother and Inezand little Carlos.
On Sunday evenings, as you have already learned, they went to the plazaand listened with rapt attention to the band concert.
Quite often, on these occasions, Vasco's father, the lieutenant, wouldhave a leave of absence from his military duties, and would go with hisfamily. Then Vasco was supremely happy, for he was extremely proud ofthe gorgeous uniform which his father wore, and felt as if some of themilitary glory were reflected upon him.
Since Panama had become an independent nation, much patriotic musichad been played at these concerts, and the large crowds were alwaysenthusiastic.
On one Sunday evening, soon after the boy's visit to Old Panama, allthe members of the family except little Carlos were listening toVasco's tales of the sights he had seen in the old city. He also wasrepeating the story of the buccaneers that Harlan had told him.
Lieutenant Barretas was especially interested in what Vasco said aboutthe treasure buried amid the ancient ruins.
"Our ancestors," he said to his son, "were not the only ones wholeft their wealth buried in the ground about here. The pirates whoso cruelly robbed the early settlers of the country often hid theirill-gotten gains in caves in the sand on the shore or upon some barrenisland. Then they sailed away, and sometimes never returned to securetheir treasure. If the stories were to be believed, all we need to doto obtain untold wealth is to take picks and spades and turn up theearth along the coast of our country or on the islands near its shores.
"Years ago a good many people actually spent much time searching forhidden gold. I remember hearing my grandfather tell of a neighbour whoformed one of a party that went to Cocos Island for such a purpose.
"It seems that many years before a dying pirate had confided to an oldcountryman, a carpenter by trade, that a vast store of gold was buriedon Cocos Island."
"I have heard of that place," interrupted Vasco. "Some of the sailorswhom Enrique and I know have mentioned it. The island is severalhundred miles from Panama, and there are no people living on it."
"That is true," said the lieutenant. "Well, this carpenter was nearlymad with joy at the information the dying pirate gave him. He thoughtsurely that his fortune was made. No more hard work for him! All heneeded to do was to dig up the treasure, and for the rest of his lifeenjoy ease and freedom from care."
"I don't much blame him, father, do you?" asked Vasco.
"I can't say that I do," was the reply. "I'll admit I wouldn't minddigging up a pot or two of gold myself, though I don't believe that wetake so much stock in the stories of hidden wealth as our fathers andgrandfathers did.
"With this carpenter, however, it was a pretty serious question how hewas going to get to Cocos Island and secure the treasure. He knew theisland was a desert place and far from shore. It would be necessaryto have a ship, a good store of provisions, and tools with which todo the digging, to say nothing of a company of men to help him. Allthis required much money, and our poor carpenter had none. But he waspossessed of a large amount of courage and perseverance, and he managedafter a time to enlist the help of men of means, who furnished thecapital for the expedition.
"Many hardships were endured by the little band of men who made up thecarpenter's company, but they finally arrived at the island.
"The pirate had not made very clear the exact location of the hiddengold, and as the island was covered with a dense growth of trees andvines, the search was a heartless task from the beginning. The men,however, got to work, and with picks and spades and gunpowder managedto uncover a large part of the island."
"And did they find the gold?" asked Vasco, his face now aglow withexcitement.
"Not any," replied his father. "Several months they dug and blasted,but all in vain. No sign of chest, box, silver, or gold was found.Day after day the search continued. Finally the provisions becameexhausted, the men grew disheartened, and a weary, disappointed companyof men returned to Panama."
Just as Vasco's father finished his story a strange rumbling noise washeard. You would have wondered what it was, and perhaps have been alittle frightened. The Barretas family, however, knew in a moment whathad happened.
"An earthquake!" cried Vasco.
Even as he spoke two or three tiles fell from the roof into the street.A startling clatter breaking the stillness of the evening proved thatthe tiles had been shaken loose from neighbouring houses, also.
"We'd better get out quick," cried the lieutenant, and he made a dashfor the door.
Vasco and his mother were more thoughtful about the younger children,and, while the mother rushed into the bedroom after Carlos, Vasco tookInez by the arm and followed closely on his father's heels.
In a moment the whole family was in the street.
"Get away from the house!" shouted Vasco's father. "The tiles arelikely to fall upon you if you don't."
To the middle of the street they all dashed, where they were quicklysurrounded by a noisy, chattering mob of men, women, and children.
Again the earth seemed to shake and to shiver, and the shrieks andmoans of frightened women and children were accompanied by the soundof more falling tiles and cracking timbers.
The experience was truly fearful, even to the older and wiser ones.The terror of the young children was something to excite pity in themost hardened breast. It was only by the utmost efforts and constantreassurance that no harm would come to her that Vasco was able to quiethis sister Inez. Even after her cries had become stilled she trembledlike a leaf.
Fortunately the shock was a light one and the shaking and trembling ofthe earth were soon over. Lieutenant Barretas and his family returnedwithin their house none the worse for the adventure, and went to bed,but many of their neighbours lingered in the street for hours--someeven until daylight, when the terror of the night was dissipated by thecheerful rays of the rising sun.
The earthquake had been a mild one compared with some instances ofprevious years. In September, 1882, the city had been visited inthe night by a terrible shock. The darkness always adds inten
selyto the terror of the people. On this occasion men and women of allclasses--high and low--had rushed to the street. Great hotels wereemptied in a few moments, many guests not stopping even to put onclothing.
The great plaza was one vast mass of shouting, crying people, while theearth heaved and the air quivered as it had never done in the memory ofthe inhabitants. Many houses were ruined, much property destroyed, andit is said that some even died from fright.
At daybreak new courage revived the hearts of the people, but forseveral nights the plaza was occupied by tents and all sorts of rudeshelters for thousands who dared not sleep in their houses.
Vasco, Our Little Panama Cousin Page 8