第68部分(第2/7 頁)

　supposed　to　have　been　concealed　by　Montezuma　on　the　approach　of　the　Spaniards。27　Thinking；　from　the　documentary　evidence；　that　there　was　something　in　this　tale；　a　friend　and　I　furnished　Carmichael　with　a　moderate　sum　of　money　to　enable　him　to　locate　the　place。　He　set　out；　and　after　incredible　hardships　found　the　wrong　city；　or　the　wrong　part　of　the　right　city；　where　his　Indian　carriers　deserted　him；　leaving　him　suffering　from　fever　to　support　life　upon　catfish；　which　he　caught　with　a　bent　nail。　Ultimately　he　was　rescued　and　brought　back　to　civilisation。

26　This　was　the　sacred　treasure　held　by　Montezuma　as　High　Priest；　which　it　took　1500　men　to　carry　in　bars　of　gold。　It　must　not　be　mixed　up　with　the　private　royal　treasure　whereof　I　have　already　spoken；　that　was　buried　by　Guatemoc　—　also　to　save　it　from　the　Spaniards。　—　H。　R。　H。

Hays　Hammond　was　so　taken　with　this　exciting　narrative　that　he　determined　to　send　Burnham　to　look　for　the　Aztec　city；　and　telegraphed　to　him　to　e　from　San　Francisco　to　New　York　to　see　him。　Needless　to　say；　Burnham　was　quite　ready　for　the　adventure；　and　followed　me　to　England　to　get　particulars；　among　other　business。　Whilst　here　a　terrible　thing　befell　him。　He　had　taken　a　little　villa　on　the　Thames；　where　he　was　living　with　his　wife　and　a　fine　little　boy；　the　brother　of　the　child　Nada。　One　day　the　boy　was　missing。　His　body　was　found　in　the　Thames。　I　was　informed　that　when　Burnham　saw　it　he　fell　to　the　ground　senseless　as　though　he　had　been　shot。

Afterwards　he　returned　to　America　and　started　to　look　for　the　Aztec　city；　but　was　prevented　from　getting　very　far　by　a　rebellion　among　the　Indians。　His　last　letter　to　me　was　written　from　that　district　some　four　years　ago。　I　answered　it；　but　since　then　have　heard　nothing　from　him。　I　do