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           Gould’sridewiththefirstsilverescorttoSulacowastheclosingepisodeofwhatshecalled“mycamplife”beforeshehadsettledinhertown-housepermanently,aswasproperandevennecessaryforthewifeoftheadministratorofsuchanimportantinstitutionastheSanTomemine.FortheSanTomeminewastobecomeaninstitution,arallyingpointforeverythingintheprovincethatneededorderandstabilitytolive.Securityseemedtoflowuponthislandfromthemountain-gorge.TheauthoritiesofSulacohadlearnedthattheSanTomeminecouldmakeitworththeirwhiletoleavethingsandpeoplealone.Thiswasthenearestapproachtotheruleofcommon-senseandjusticeCharlesGouldfeltitpossibletosecureatfirst.Infact,themine,withitsorganization,itspopulationgrowingfiercelyattachedtotheirpositionofprivilegedsafety,withitsarmoury,withitsDonPepe,withitsarmedbodyofserenos(where,itwassaid,manyanoutlawanddeserter—andevensomemembersofHernandez’sband—hadfoundaplace),theminewasapowerintheland.AsacertainprominentmaninSta.Martahadexclaimedwithahollowlaugh,once,whendiscussingthelineofactiontakenbytheSulacoauthoritiesatatimeofpoliticalcrisis—

           “YoucallthesemenGovernmentofficials?They?Never!Theyareofficialsofthemine—officialsoftheConcession—Itellyou.