You might suppose that this mean and shameful deed of Altisquo would
arouse the whole tribe of the Upper Antis to make war upon the Lower
Antis. That would have been the case with many Indian tribes. In
civilized communities the friends of Iturim would have demanded that
Altisquo should be tried, and properly punished. But the Antis did
neither of these things. I am sorry to say that theft is so common
among them, that robbing a house is considered rather a fine thing to
do, provided, of course, that the house robbed is not one’s own. If an
Antis, on returning home, finds his things have been stolen, he says
nothing, but watches his chance to make good his loss by stealing from
any house belonging to another Antis tribe.
So Altisquo was not punished at that time for his theft, and he felt
that he had compensated himself for the loss of the prize.
[Illustration: A NEW VENTURE FOR FORTUNE.]
Iturim and Miniqui found shelter in her father’s house until they
should be able to have another house of their own. Iturim set at once
to work snaring birds, and catching monkeys, that he might take them
down the river and sell them at a large settlement, whence they would
be carried over the mountains to the coast. This was a profitable
business, provided he was able to get his birds and monkeys there
safely.
When he had got together some twenty birds, and three or four monkeys,
he made up his mind it was time for him to start upon his journey, and
he considered what would be the best way to carry his menagerie. He hit
upon the brilliant idea of building a raft, and taking them down the
river in this way.
It seemed as if Iturim was again to be lucky in his ventures after
fortune, for just as he had everything prepared to start, two English
travelers arrived in the Antis country, and were glad enough to make
a bargain with Iturim for a passage down the river for their baggage.
He, on his part, was very glad to take the cargo, for there were a
great many bundles and packages, and the sum paid him was as much as he
expected to make from the sale of his animals.
He embarked at a place several miles below the Antis settlements,
and, from that point, had a river clear of rapids, and made a safe
and prosperous voyage. He had no difficulty in disposing of his birds
and monkeys, and the proceeds of this sale, with the money the two
Englishmen paid him, enabled him to load his raft with a variety of
cooking utensils and other things for his house, and he returned safely
to Miniqui with all the merchandise.
So, when the new house was built under the palms, it was almost as
richly furnished as the first one had been, and Iturim came to the
conclusion that he had again made his fortune. And he was right. He had
all he wanted, and that is a fortune, always.
LARGE HOUSES FOR SMALL TENANTS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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