The Silver of the Mine
Chapter 1
InthetimeofSpanishrule,andformanyyearsafterwards,thetownofSulaco—theluxuriantbeautyoftheorangegardensbearswitnesstoitsantiquity—hadneverbeencommerciallyanythingmoreimportantthanacoastingportwithafairlylargelocaltradeinox-hidesandindigo.Theclumsydeep-seagalleonsoftheconquerorsthat,needingabriskgaletomoveatall,wouldliebecalmed,whereyourmodernshipbuiltonclipperlinesforgesaheadbythemereflappingofhersails,hadbeenbarredoutofSulacobytheprevailingcalmsofitsvastgulf.Someharboursoftheeartharemadedifficultofaccessbythetreacheryofsunkenrocksandthetempestsoftheirshores.SulacohadfoundaninviolablesanctuaryfromthetemptationsofatradingworldinthesolemnhushofthedeepGolfoPlacidoasifwithinanenormoussemi-circularandunroofedtempleopentotheocean,withitswallsofloftymountainshungwiththemourningdraperiesofcloud.
OnonesideofthisbroadcurveinthestraightseaboardoftheRepublicofCostaguana,thelastspurofthecoastrangeformsaninsignificantcapewhosenameisPuntaMala.Fromthemiddleofthegulfthepointofthelanditselfisnotvisibleatall;buttheshoulderofasteephillatthebackcanbemadeoutfaintlylikeashadowonthesky.
Ontheotherside,whatseemstobeanisolatedpatchofbluemistfloatslightlyontheglareofthehorizon.ThisisthepeninsulaofAzuera,awildchaosofsharprocksandstonylevelscutaboutbyverticalravines.
