16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
The high querulous voice of the llamas as
they set off, the steady clop of his mule striding
along the road, the glorious day rising
huge overhead in a sky of immeasurable
height, and on every hand brown mountains
capped with white, the thin and piercing air
growing warm as the sun climbed well above
the peaks.
Nobody spoke much; nor would they do so
until the warmth and the exercise had loosened
their powerful chests – the breath still
came steaming from them all and all seemed
totally absorbed by their own reflexions. Yet
the train had not gone two miles or three before
a long wavering Aymara howl stopped
each man in his stride.
It was a short stocky Indian just coming into
sight behind them, rounding a curve in the
mountain side. He was a great way off, but in
this brilliant clarity Eduardo at once said 'Qui-