I GO TO SEEK MY VENGEANCE
Next day, just as the sun rose, I buried Resolution 'twixt Joanna and the
sea, yet over him I raised no mound, since I judged he would have it so.
Thereafter I ate and drank and stored the boat with such things as I needed
for my voyage and particularly with good supply of fruits. And now, though
the wind and tide both served me, I yet lingered, for it seemed that the
spirit of Joanna still tarried hereabouts. Moved by sudden desire, I began
searching among the tumbled boulders that lay here and there and presently
finding one to my purpose, urged it down the sloping beach and with
infinite pains and labour contrived at last to set it up at the head of
Joanna's resting-place. Then, taking hammer and chisel, I fell to work upon
it, heedless of sun-glare, of thirst, fatigue or the lapse of time, staying
not till my work was complete, and this no more than two words cut deep
within the enduring stone; these:
JOANNA
VNFEARING
And now at last, the tide being on the turn, I unmoored the boat, and
thrusting her off, clambered aboard and betook me to the oars, and ever as
I rowed I kept my gaze upon that small, solitary heap of sand until it grew
all blurred upon my sight. Having presently made sufficient headway, I
unshipped oars and hoisting my sail, stood out into the immeasurable deep
but with my eyes straining towards that stretch of golden sand where lay
all that was mortal of Joanna.
And with my gaze thus fixed, I must needs wonder what was become of the
fiery, passionate spirit of her, that tameless soul that was one with
the winds and stars and ocean, even as Resolution had said. And thus I
presently fell a-praying and my cheek wet with tears that I thought no
shame. When I looked up, I saw that the narrow strip of beach was no longer
in sight; Joanna had verily gone out of my life and was but a memory.
All afternoon I held on before a fair wind so that as the sun sank I saw
the three islands no more than a faint speck on the horizon; wherefore,
knowing I should see them no more in this life, I uncovered my head, and
thus it was indeed I saw Joanna's resting-place for the last time.
And now as the sun slipped westward and vanished in glory, even now as
night fell, I had a strange feeling that her spirit was all about me,
tender and strong and protecting, and herein, as the darkness gathered, I
found great comfort and was much strengthened in the desperate venture I
was about.
Having close-reefed my sail and lashed the tiller, I rolled myself in a
boat-cloak and, nothing fearing, presently fell asleep and dreamed Joanna
sat above me at the helm, stooping to cover me from the weather as she had
done once before.
Waking next morning to a glory of sun, I ate and drank (albeit sparingly)
and fell to studying Adam's chart, whereby I saw I must steer due
southwesterly and that by his calculation I should reach the mainland in
some five or six days. Suffice it that instead of five days it was not
until the tenth day (my water being nigh exhausted and I mightily downcast
that I had sailed out of my proper course) that I discovered to my
inexpressible joy a faint, blue haze bearing westerly that I knew must be
the Main. And now the wind fell so that it was not until the following
morning that I steered into a little, green bay where trees grew to the
very water's edge and so dense that, unstepping my mast, I began paddling
along this green barrier, looking for some likely opening, and thus
presently came on a narrow cleft 'mid the green where ran a small creek
roofed in with branches, vines and twining boughs, into which I urged my
boat forthwith (and no little to-do) and passed immediately from the hot
glare of sun into the cool shade of trees and tangled thickets. Having
forced myself a passage so far as I might by reason of these leafy tangles,
my next thought was to select such things as I should need and this took me
some time, I deeming so many things essential since I knew not how far
I might have to tramp through an unknown country, nor in what direction
Nombre de Dios lay. But in the end I narrowed down my necessities to the
following, viz:
A compass
A perspective-glass
A sword
Two pistols
A gun with powder-horn and shot for same
A light hatchet
A tinder-box and store of buccaned meat.
And now, having belted on sword and pistols and wrapping the other things
in one of the boat-cloaks, I strapped the unwieldy bundle to my shoulders
and taking up the gun, scrambled ashore, and having found my bearing, set
off due southwesterly.
Hour after hour I struggled on, often having to hew myself a passage with
my axe, until towards evening I came out upon a broad ride or thoroughfare
amid the green, the which greatly heartened me, since here was evidence of
man's handiwork and must soon or late bring me to some town or village;
forthwith, my weariness forgotten, I set off along this track, my face set
ever westwards; but presently my vaunting hopes were dashed to find the
track could be very little used nowadays, since here and there great trees
had fallen and lay athwart my going, and presently the way itself narrowed
to a mere path and this crossed here and there by hanging vines which was
sure proof that few, if any, had passed this way these many months, mayhap
years. Hereupon I stopped to lean despondent on my gun and looked about me;
and with dejection of mind came weariness of body and seeing night was at
hand, I determined to go no farther and turned in among the trees, minded
to sleep here, though the place was wild and forbidding enough.
I had just loosed off my heavy pack when the pervading stillness was broken
by a wailing cry, so sudden, so shrill and evil to hear that my flesh crept
and I huddled against a tree, peering into the deepening shadows that had
begun to hem me in. At first I judged this some wild beast and reached for
my musket; then, as the sound rose again, I knew this for human cry, for I
heard these words:
"Mercy, señors, mercy for the love o' God!"
Hereupon I began to run towards whence came this dismal outcry and
presently espied the glow of a fire, and creeping thither discovered four
men grouped about a fifth and him fast bound to a tree, and this poor
wretch they were torturing with a ramrod heated in the fire; even as I
watched he writhed and screamed for the intolerable pain of it. Staying for
no more, I burst upon them and levelling my piece at the chief tormentor,
pulled the trigger, whereupon was no more than a flash of the flint; it
seemed that in my hurry to begone I had forgotten to load it. Howbeit,
loaded or not, it served me well enough, for, swinging it by the barrel,
I was upon them or ever they were aware and smote down two of the rogues,
whereupon their comrades betook them to their heels with the utmost
precipitation. I therefore proceeded to cut the sufferer loose who, sinking
to the earth, lay there, muttering and groaning.
"Are ye much hurt?" I questioned, stooping above him: whereupon he spat
forth a string of curses by which I judged him English and very far from
dying as I had feared. I now found myself master of four very good guns,
a sword, a steel headpiece, two cloaks and other furniture, with food
a-plenty and three flasks of wine. I was yet examining these and watching
against the return of their late owners when, hearing a sound, I saw the
late poor captive bending above the two men I had felled.
"Are they dead?" I questioned.
"Nay, not yet, master; give 'em six minutes or say ten and they'll be as
dead as the pig you ate of last--"
"How so?" I demanded, staring at the wild, ragged figure of the speaker.
"By means o' this, master!" said he, and stooping towards the fire showed
me a middling-sized black thorn upon his open palm. "Not much to look at,
master--no, but 'tis death sure and sarten, howsomever. I've many more
besides; I make 'em into darts and shoot 'em through a blowpipe--a trick
I larned o' the Indians. Aye, I spits 'em through a pipe--which is better
than your guns--no noise, no smoke, and sure death wherever it sticketh."
"Are you an Englishman?"
"I am that! Born within sound o' Bow Bells; 'tis all o' twenty years since
I heard 'em but they ring in my dreams sometimes. I shipped on a venture
to the Main twenty years ago and fought and rioted as a man may and by
ill-luck fell into the hands o' the bloody Spaniards along o' six other
good lads--all dead long since, master. Then the Inquisition got me and was
going to burn me but not liking the thought on't, I turned Roman. Then they
made me a slave, but I got away at last. Aha, all Spanishers are devils
for cruelty, but their Churchmen are worst and of all their Churchmen the
coldest, softest, bloodiest is Alexo Valdez, Chief Inquisitor of Nombre de
Dios yonder--"
"Ha, you know Nombre de Dios?"
"I ha' lived and suffered there, master, and 'tis there I be a-going for to
make an end o' Bloody Valdez, if God be kind."
"Then," said I, "we will travel so far together--"
"And what doth an Englishman the like o' you want with the accursed place;
the Inquisition is strong there--"
"'Tis a matter of life and death," said I.
"Death!" said he, "Death--they should all be dead and rotting, if I had my
way." So saying, this strange man, whose face I had scarce seen, laid him
down beyond the fire and composed himself to slumber.
"How then," I demanded, "will ye sleep here in the wild and no watch?"
"I will that!" said he. "I know the wilderness and I have endured much o'
hardship o' late and as to watching, there's small need. The rogues you
fell upon, being Spaniards, will doubtless be running yet and nigh unto
Nombre, by now."
"How far is it hence?"
"Twelve leagues by road, but less the ways I travel."
"Good!" said I.
"Though 'tis hard going."
"No matter."
"Why, then, sleep, for we march at dawn. And my name is John."
"And mine Martin."
"Why, then, Martin, good night."
"Good night, John."
Howbeit though (and despite his hurts) my companion presently slept and
snored lustily, and though I kept myself awake and my weapons to hand,
yet I fell a-nodding and at last, overcome with weariness, sank to sleep
likewise.
I waked to find the sun up and the man John shaking me, a wild, unlovely,
shaggy fellow, very furtive of eye and gesture, who cringed and cowered
away as I started up.
"Lord, man," quoth I, "I am no enemy!"
"I know it!" said he, shaking tousled head. "But 'tis become nat'ral to
me to slink and crawl and blench like any lashed cur, all along o' these
accursed Spaniards; I've had more kicks and blows than I've lived days," he
growled, munching away at the viands he had set forth.
"Have ye suffered so much then?"
"Suffered!" cried he with a snarl. "I've done little else. Aha, when I
think o' what I've endured, I do love my little blowpipe--"
"Blowpipe?" I questioned.
"Aye--this!" And speaking, from somewhere among the pitiful rags that
covered his lank carcase he drew forth a small wooden pipe scarce two foot
long and having a bulbous mouthpiece at one end. "The Indians use 'em
longer than this--aye, six foot I've seen 'em, but then, Lord! they'll blow
ye a dart from eighty to a hundred paces sometimes, whereas I never risk
shot farther away than ten or twenty at most; the nearer the surer, aha!"
Hereupon he nodded, white teeth agleam through tangled beard, and with a
swift, stealthy gesture hid the deadly tube in his rags again.
"What of the two Spaniards I struck down last night?" I questioned, looking
vainly for them.
"In the bushes yonder," said he and with jerk of thumb. "I hid 'em, master,
they being a little unsightly--black and swol--as is the natur' o'
this poison!" Hereupon I rose and going whither he pointed, parted the
undergrowth and saw this was indeed so, insomuch that my stomach turned and
I had no more desire for food.
"You murdered those men!"
"Aye, that I did, master, an you call it murder. Howbeit, there's more
shall go the same road yet, notably Alexo Valdez, a curse on him!"
"And you are an Englishman?"
"I was, but since then I've been slave to be whipped, dog to be kicked,
Lutheran dog to be spat upon, and lastly Indian--"
"And what now?"
"A poor soul to be tormented, shot, hanged, or burned as they will, once
I'm taken."
"And yet you will adventure yourself to Nombre de Dios?"
"Why, Alexo Valdez is lately come there and Alexo Valdez burned my friend
Dick Burbage, as was 'prentice wi' me at Johnson's, the cutler's, in Friday
Street nigh St. Paul's, twenty odd years agone."
And in a while, being ready to start, I proffered this wild fellow one of
the Spaniard's guns, but he would have none of it, nor sword, nor even
cloak to cover his rags, so in the end we left all things behind, and there
they be yet, for aught I know.
Now as we journeyed on together, in answer to my questioning I learned from
this man John something of the illimitable pride and power of the Church
of Rome; more especially he told me of the Spanish Inquisition, its cold
mercilessness and passionless ferocity, its unsleeping watchfulness, its
undying animosity, its constant menace and the hopelessness of escape
therefrom. He gave me particulars of burnings and rackings, he described
to me the torments of the water, the wheel and the fire until my soul
sickened. He told me how it menaced alike the untrained savage, the peasant
in his hut and the noble in his hall. I heard of parents who, by reason
of this corroding fear, had denounced their children to the torment and
children their parents.
"Aye, and there was a Donna Bianca Vallambrosa, a fine woman, I mind, was
suspected of Lutheranism--so they racked her and she in torment confessed
whatsoever they would and accused her sister Donna Luisa likewise. So they
burned 'em both and made 'em pay for stake and chain and faggots too, afore
they died."
Many other horrors he recounted, but ever and always he came back to the
name of Alexo Valdez to vomit curses upon until at last I questioned him as
to what manner of man this was to behold.
"Master," said John, turning to regard me, every hair upon his sunburned
face seeming to bristle, "think o' the most sinful stench ever offended
you, the most loathly corruption you ever saw and there's his soul; think
o' the devil wi' eyes like dim glass, flesh like dough and a sweet, soft
voice, and you have Alexo Valdez inside and out, and may every curse ever
cursed light on and blast him, says I!"
"Are there many English prisoners in the Inquisition at Nombre?"
"Why, I know of but one--though like enough there's more--they are so
cursed secret, master."
"Did ye ever hear of an English gentleman lost or taken hereabouts some six
years since and named Sir Richard Brandon?"
"Nay, I was slaving down Panama way six years ago. Is it him you come
a-seeking of, master?"
"Aye," I nodded. "A very masterful man, hale and florid and of a full
habit."
"Nay, the only Englishman ever I see in Nombre was old and bent wi' white
hair, and went wi' a limp, so it can't be him."
"No!" said I, frowning. "No!" After this, small chance had we for talk by
reason of the difficulty of our going, yet remembering all he had told, I
had enough to think on, God knows.
We had now reached a broken, mountainous country very trying and perilous,
what with torrents that foamed athwart our way, jagged boulders, shifting
stones and the like, yet John strode on untiring; but as for me, what with
all this, the heat of sun and the burden I carried, my breath began to
labour painfully. The first thing I tossed away was my gun that fell,
ringing and clattering, down the precipitous rocks below, and the next
was my pack and thereafter my hatchet and pistols, so that by the time we
reached the top of the ascent all I had to encumber me was my sword, and
this I kept, since it was light and seemingly a good blade.
"Master," said John, with a flourish of his ragged arm, "here's
freedom--here's God. A land o' milk and honey given over to devils--curse
all Spanishers, say I!"
Now looking around me I stood mute in wonder, for from this height I might
behold a vast stretch of country, towering mountains, deep, shady valleys,
impenetrable woods, rushing rivers, wide-stretching plains and far beyond a
vague haze that I knew was the sea.
"And yonder, master," said John, pointing with his blowpipe, "yonder lieth
Nombre, though ye can't see it, the which we shall reach ere nightfall,
wherefore it behoveth me to look to my artillery."
So saying, he squatted down upon his hams and from his rags produced a
small gourd carefully wrapped about with leaves; unwinding these, I saw the
gourd to contain a sticky, blackish substance.
"Aha!" said John, viewing this with gloating eyes. "Snake poison is
mother's milk to this, master. Here's enough good stuff to make pocky
corpses o' every cursed Spanisher in Nombre ere sunset. Here's that
might end the sufferings o' the poor Indians, the hangings, burnings and
mutilations. I've seen an Indian cut up alive to feed to the dogs afore
now--but here's a cure for croolty, master!"
While speaking, he had laid on the ground before him some dozen or so
little darts no longer than my finger, each armed with a needle-like point
and feathered with a wad of silky fibres; the point of each of these darts
he dipped into the poison one after the other and laid them in the sun to
dry, which done he wrapped up the little gourd mighty carefully and thrust
it back among his rags. And in a while, the poison on the darts or arrows
being dried to his satisfaction, he took forth a small leathern quiver of
native make and setting the missiles therein, shut down the lid securely
and sprang to his feet.
"Here's sure death and sarten for some o' the dogs, master," quoth he, "and
now if there truly be a God aloft there, all I ask is one chance at Alexo
Valdez as burns women and maids, as tortures the innocent, as killed my
friend and druv me into the wild--one chance, master, and I'm done!"
Thus he spake with eyes uplift and one hairy hand upraised to the serene
heavens, then with a nod to me set off along the hazardous track before us.
Of this, the last stage of our journeying, I will make no mention save
that footsore, bruised and weary I sank amid a place of trees and gloomy
thickets as the sun went down and night came.
"Straight afore you about half a mile lieth Nombre, master!" said John in
my ear. "Hearken! You may hear the dogs like bees in a hive and be cursed
to 'em!"
And sure enough I heard an indistinct murmur of sound that was made up of
many; and presently came others more distinct; the faint baying of a hound,
the distant roll of a drum, the soft, sweet tolling of a bell.
"So here y'are, master, and good luck t'ye!" said John and with scarce a
rustle, swift and stealthy as an Indian, he was gone and I alone in the
gloom. Hereupon I debated with myself whether I should get me into the city
straight away or wait till the morrow, the which question was resolved by
my falling into a sweet and dreamless slumber.