castle-deck directing the departure. "Ho, there, interpreter! Come
hither. Surround him, men, and prevent him from escaping."
There seemed, however, no cause for alarm, as the warrior was alone and
showed no evidence of an intention either to attack the soldiers or leap
overboard. As Balboa approached him, drawing his sword from its sheath
the while, he stood like a statue, and faced the oncoming soldier
without flinching.
"Ask him whence he comes and what the object of his coming," said Balboa
to the interpreter, who, with others, had hurried to the spot.
The warrior did not at first reply to the question, repeated by the
interpreter, but, after gazing about defiantly, finally made answer: "I
come from the cacique Zemaco, who hath a prisoner in his possession, one
of thy kind, whom he will set free and deliver to thee provided thou
wilt send for him. But not many must thou send, only two or three, whom
I will guide to his camp."
"A prisoner? How comes he to have a prisoner?" demanded Balboa, looking
around for an answer. "We have lost no man, of late. I misdoubt the
story myself, and believe the Indian is lying."
"And I likewise," said Colmenares. "But let us find from him where the
cacique is encamped. Where is Zemaco?" he asked the warrior, through the
interpreter.
"At Dobaybe," was the answer. "He guards the great temple and its
goddess of gold."
"Aha!" exclaimed Balboa. "Then we will go to him. But not with an
embassy; in force will we go. How far is it to Dobaybe? Ask him,
interpreter?"
"Two days direct, by land; but four days by river, in the big canoe,"
answered the savage, showing his teeth with a snarl of rage, like a
jaguar glowering from a tree in the forest.
"That time he told the truth," said Colmenares.
"So far maybe as he hath told anything," replied Balboa, enigmatically.
"My faith! but I've a mind to put him to the torture. If it be but two
days to Dobaybe, then surely we can accomplish it; but if much more, we
shall be obliged to return for provisions. Where is the armorer? Here,
man, place this savage in irons!"
As the armorer approached, Balboa waved his hand towards the Indian,
who, probably divining the fate in store for him should he linger,
sprang for the rail. At one bound he reached the bulwark, at another he
leaped over it into the water of the river, where he sank like a stone
before the astonished witnesses could make a move to prevent him.
Instantly there was a commotion aboard the brigantine. A score of
soldiers hastened to the rail, and as many cross-bows were made ready
and levelled at the surface of the water. If the head of the savage had
appeared above it, surely it would have been pierced by several bolts
from the bows; but it did not emerge. The impatient bowmen waited long,
but in vain. The Indian was seen nevermore, for he probably swam under
water to the thickets on the farther shore, and, worming his way through
the vines and undergrowth of the forest, secured his safety by flight.
"Maria Santisima!" exclaimed Balboa. "Why did I not run him through with
my sword? He was a spy--naught else was he; and all that he told was a
lie!"
Downcast and disgusted were the soldiers then, for they felt that they
and their commander had been outwitted, and by a naked savage. "If,
then," they reasoned among themselves, "we can be so easily deceived by
an emissary of Zemaco, what cannot he do to us when involved in the net
he has spread for our capture?" They were ignorant and superstitious.
Having heard of the goddess that reigned in the mountains, and having
experienced her might, as shown in the tempest she had, without doubt,
visited upon them, they were prone to ascribe to her the possession of
supernatural powers, and balked at the prospect of invading her
territory. If the truth were told, Balboa himself was not without a
trace of that same superstition, and he could understand the feelings of
his men, if he did not, indeed, sympathize with them. When, therefore,
at the end of a week of fruitless quest, wandering in the forest and
seeking in vain a conflict with the fugitive Zemaco, he found himself
back at the point of departure on the Rio Negro, he for a time gave up
the hunt and abandoned his search for the golden goddess and temple.
The unsolved mystery of the idol and temple continued to vex the
Spaniards for many a year. When an indomitable soldier like Vasco Nunez
de Balboa found himself frustrated in the search for them, few others
had the courage to take it up. It was not like Balboa to retire and
acknowledge himself defeated, and it was much against his will that he
turned his back upon the unseen Dobaybe and set his face towards Darien
again. He did not, however, abandon the project utterly, and gave a
pledge that he would sometime return, by leaving behind a body of thirty
soldiers, under command of Bartolome Hurtado, who were to hold the
country in subjection. They took possession of a deserted village on the
Rio Negro, and, while Balboa with the main body descended the river to
Darien, ranged through the country in pursuit of fugitives.
From what afterwards transpired, it would seem that Cacique Zemaco had
been playing a game of deep duplicity with his more civilized opponent,
and, whether he held possession of the golden Dobaybe or not, had some
sort of a stronghold in the mountains to which he could retreat on
occasion, and which Balboa had not been able to reach. As soon as the
latter's back was turned, he descended from his stronghold, and spread
his warriors along the rivers, retaking the deserted villages and
collecting their inhabitants together.
When Hurtado and his little band were left alone in the wilderness,
Zemaco perceived an opportunity for revenge upon the Spaniards; but he
was cautious and had a wholesome fear of their weapons. He waited until
Hurtado had detached more than half his total force, for the purpose of
taking their prisoners to Darien, and then launched his bolts of war.
Hurtado's captives were placed in a large boat guarded by fifteen or
twenty Spaniards, most of whom were invalided through wounds or
sickness, and thus scarcely ten sound men remained behind in the Indian
country. The boat descended the Rio Negro very slowly, for it was
heavily laden with its human freightage, and late one afternoon, when
between forest-covered banks that closely approached and cast a gloom
upon the waters, it was attacked by Zemaco and his warriors. They were
in four canoes, and were armed with war-clubs and lances. Shouting their
war-cries, they surrounded the boat containing the Spaniards, and with
the assistance of the prisoners massacred all save two. These two
escaped by leaping into the river and clinging to the trunk of a great
tree which was floating with the current. They hid themselves in the
branches, and, being over-looked by the Indians, finally reached the
shore and returned to Hurtado with their tidings of disaster. The
commander was so disheartened that he at once abandoned his post on the
Rio Negro and hastened to Darien with all speed. It is surprising that
Zemaco did not attack him when on the way, as he had an overwhelming
force, and his recent victory had inspired him with confidence; but as
it afterwards was ascertained, he was then in secret conference with the
caciques of all the provinces, four in number, for the purpose of
totally exterminating the Spaniards. Hurtado carried the tidings of this
conspiracy to Darien, having received intimation of it from a captive;
but the inhabitants considered his fears of an uprising largely
imaginary, incited by his recent disaster, and made no preparations for
receiving the enemy if he should appear.
At this time there comes into view once more the beautiful Cacica, who
had been left in Darien when Balboa went on his expedition up the
Atrato. She had urged him to take her with him, saying that her place
was by her lord and master's side; but he had refused, because, as he
said, space on board the brigantine was limited, and there was room for
soldiers only. He had given his house into her charge at parting, and
when he returned she proudly showed him what she had done to improve its
condition, receiving his praises therefor with great delight. But rumors
soon reached Balboa that during his absence the Cacica had received
under her roof a young warrior, who had come and gone at night--as a spy
might have done, said the sentinels who watched outside the walls of the
town. These rumors were verified by reports from the spies whom Balboa
himself had left to watch the Cacica while he was away. He ardently
loved her--of that there could be no doubt; but, as a Spaniard, he was
naturally suspicious.
These spies were certain that the visiting Indian was a warrior of
Zemaco's band, and thought he might be a relative of the Cacica, or a
former lover whom Balboa had supplanted. They, too, sought to intercept
him; but the wary Indian escaped them every time, and they could only
report that he had been there and undoubtedly held conference with the
Cacica. When Balboa heard these reports he was deeply disturbed, for,
notwithstanding his suspicions, he wished to have confidence in his
mistress, and disliked to think evil of her. He was uncertain whether he
had better keep the information to himself, and meanwhile watch the girl
narrowly for signs of deceit, or openly accuse her of treachery to his
trust. He adopted a middle course, and one day, while they were
conversing upon the events of the expedition, artfully contrived to
involve her in the confession that hardly a day had passed in which she
had not indirectly heard from him.
"And who was the messenger, my love?" asked Balboa, calmly, but with his
heart beating furiously and his eyes flashing.
"My brother, sometimes, my cousin, and again my brother--for, you know,
I have many brothers," replied the Cacica, artlessly.
"Yes, I know," rejoined Balboa. "But why should they come to you so
frequently, and always at night?"
"Because I wanted tidings of you, my lord; and for that they could not
come too often! At night, too, because they could not get within the
town by daytime. For there were sentinels and spies, my lord. Did you
not know there were spies?" asked the Cacica, archly, her eyes dancing
mischievously.
"I--I knew there were spies," answered Balboa, hesitatingly. Then,
suddenly assuming a stern and wrathful expression, he grasped the girl's
wrists and, looking straight into her eyes, demanded: "What did your
people tell you when they came to my house in the night-time? Did they
say aught of the cacique Zemaco and of the conspiracy he is forming
against me? Tell me, and truly, girl, for if thou liest thou mayst lose
thy life!"
"I will tell you," answered the Cacica, slowly. "Not because you
threaten me, but for the love I bear you. My life is yours, to take at
any time." She returned his gaze fearlessly, and in her eyes Balboa
could detect no trace of deceit or alarm.
"I am a cacique's daughter," she continued, proudly, "though in your
eyes a savage and a slave. Your life and the lives of your friends are
in my hands--until I tell you; then my life and the lives of my people
are at your mercy. Yet I will tell you, because you are still my lord,
and I have left my people to go with you and stay within your house.
"Know, then, that my brothers came to warn me to fly with them and hide
in the mountains, for the men of my race can no longer endure the
atrocities committed by the invaders, and are resolved to fall upon them
soon by sea and by land. In the town of Tichiri are collected one
hundred canoes and five thousand warriors, and the preparations are made
for striking a blow that shall destroy your power forever!"
IX
HOW THE CONSPIRACY WAS DEFEATED
1512
The story told by the Cacica bore the stamp of truth, but Balboa was, or
pretended to be, unconvinced, and induced her to send for the brother
who had revealed the plot, that he might question him. As she hesitated,
he said, "Since he desired you to go with him, you can say you are
ready, and he will return."
"Yes, he will return. But how will he be received?" she asked,
dubiously. "I would not have harm come to him, for his warning was from
love of me, my lord."
"And for love of me I ask you to send for him," replied Balboa,
evasively. He had released the Cacica's hands, and she had fallen into a
hammock, where she lay listlessly, with a look of distress in her eyes
and a great fear at her heart.
She could not understand how one she loved would willingly cause her
pain; but she felt that Balboa was pressing home a weapon that might
pierce her heart and end her days in misery. She had entangled herself
in a net of her own weaving, however, and there was but one course to
pursue. So she sent for the brother who, in his anxiety to save her from
the massacre in which the Spaniards were about to be involved, had given
the warning. He was one of Zemaco's warriors, and employed as a scout.
Upon receiving a message from his sister he at once hastened to her
side, whence he was torn by emissaries of Balboa, who cast him into a
dungeon. There he was promptly visited by the magistrates of Darien, at
the head of whom was Balboa, and severely questioned as to what he knew
of the plot. He denied all knowledge of Zemaco's movements, and one of
the magistrates cried out: "Then put him to the torture. Bring a
bowstring hither!"
This order having been complied with by the jailer, he then said: "Bind
it about his forehead, and twist it till his eyes begin to bulge!
Perchance then he will tell what he knows."
This was done, and the cruel jailer twisted the bowstring with a stick
until the Indian's eyes seemed about to burst from their sockets. Unable
longer to endure the torture, he cried, in agony, "Oh, release me, and I
will indeed tell all!" Then he fainted, for he was but a youth, and,
though accounted as a warrior, was yet of slight physique and delicate.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who was standing by, could not but have noted his
resemblance to the Cacica, whom he had often sworn he loved; yet he made
no effort to release him.
The unhappy youth related what he had told his sister, and the story was
the same that she had told, only there was something added. Gasping for
breath, and with temples throbbing from agonizing pain, the hapless boy
said that Zemaco had long before plotted the death of Balboa, and had
for this purpose posted his warriors in disguise among the Indian
laborers in the fields. They watched for weeks an opportunity to take
the commander off his guard; but, though they valued not their lives at
all, they were intimidated by the horse which he rode and the long lance
he carried, and finally gave up the attempt upon his life. This failure
had determined Zemaco to form the conspiracy with the other caciques,
and to this scheme he was devoting all his energies.
As the boy proceeded with his relation, and detailed the means by which
the plan against Balboa's life had been frustrated, it flashed upon that
worthy that his going to the fields every day fully armed and mounted on
horseback was owing to the Cacica's pleadings. Otherwise he would have
gone without armor, in his doublet and hose, and on foot. Thus he would
certainly have fallen a victim to the Indian's rage, and thus--it became
evident even to his perverted sense--he owed his life to the sister of
that frail boy before him, whom he had allowed to be tortured. Then his
heart misgave him surely, and, awaking from the trance into which his
evil thoughts had plunged him, he exclaimed: "Release that youth. Cast
off his bonds and bathe his brow where the cord hath wounded it. He hath
done nothing, and I did not mind to torture him to extremity; only to
elicit the truth--and that we have done. So set him free."
The magistrates murmured and protested: "It is not customary, nor is it
safe, to set free one who has been put to the torture, lest, in
revenge, he hold murderous plans against us. Let us now finish him, with
the sword or with the garrote, and done with it."
"Nay, nay!" exclaimed Balboa, excitedly. "I am governor, though you are,
by my grace, the magistrates. I take this youth under my protection, and
woe be to them who dare molest him!"
"As your excellency commands," retorted one of the magistrates. "He
certainly hath claims upon you, if what rumor says may be believed: to
wit, that his sister is thy--"
"That for thy insolence," exclaimed Balboa, stopping the objectionable
word with a blow on the magistrate's mouth. "Let it be known that this
youth hath my protection, and," he added, with an ominous frown, "let
what may please you be said about it--behind my back; but not in front
of me!" With that he strode out of the dungeon, leading the wondering
Indian by the hand. And thus, bruised and disfigured, the trembling
youth was taken to Balboa's house, and left there to be cared for by the
Indian maiden.
It may seem to have been the refinement of cruelty thus to force upon
the Cacica this victim of the Spaniards' barbarity; but in the eyes of
Balboa she was merely a savage whose charms had ensnared him
temporarily. Possessing neither delicacy nor keen moral perception, he
mistakenly reasoned that the Cacica would overlook this wanton outrage
upon her brother and forgive the perpetrators of it. She was his slave,
subject to his every whim; but still she had a heart and a conscience,
and she was capable of resentment. Though she had so carefully concealed
her feelings that he imagined she would always be mild and passive, no
matter what occurred, the Cacica really possessed a deep, revengeful
nature.
When Balboa and her brother appeared before her, she clutched at her
heart, as if to still its beatings, but said nothing, though a single
glance told her what had occurred. She led her brother away, to a hut
outside the palm-thatched structure which served Balboa as a dwelling,
and was about to bathe his bruised forehead, when he repulsed her with a
gesture of disgust.
She did not ask why, for she knew, and he did not waste words in telling
her that she was a traitress, and was solely responsible for what had
occurred to him. In silent dignity he gathered up his bow and arrows,
which had been left with the Cacica when he was thrust into the dungeon,
and without one word of farewell stalked off into the forest.
Then the Cacica knew that she had incurred the hatred of her tribe, as
well as lost the respect of her master, by revealing the plot of Zemaco.
She had done it for love of Balboa, as she had assured him; but now that
she realized her position, as an outcast from her people, and, despised
by the brother who had risked his life to save her own, she hated her
master, and loathed him. Thenceforth she lived only for revenge; but,
with the cunning of a savage, she concealed her real feelings from
Balboa, and appeared to him only the dutiful slave. She lived silent and
apart, but ever nursing a scheme of vengeance which in due time cost
Vasco Nunez de Balboa his life.
Through the treachery to her people of the Cacica, and the confession
elicited by torture from her unhappy brother, Balboa came into
possession of all the facts regarding the purposed insurrection of the
caciques. He lost no time in acting upon this information, but promptly
summoned his officers in council. His chief reliance was, as may have
been divined already, the stout-hearted Colmenares, who had shared with
him the dangers of several expeditions, in all of which he had borne
himself with courage and resolution. While the magistrates were
uncertain what course should be pursued, some advising an immediate
retreat from a place so fraught with danger to themselves, both from the
savages and from the climate, which was killing off the settlers by
scores, Colmenares alone gave his commander the advice he liked. Balboa
had settled in his own mind what he should do, but he desired to be
supported by a certain show of authority, conferred by his coadjutors,
in order to have a loop-hole for escape in case the adventure should
prove disastrous.
"I can conceive of no other course than immediate pursuit," said the
gallant Colmenares. "The redskins meditated taking us unawares and
putting us to death, without a possible opportunity for escape. Hence
they must have determined upon attacking us both by sea and by land. In
sooth, the great gathering of canoes at the town of Tichiri shows that.
What, then, is the proper mode of attack for us to adopt but their own,
only in the reverse? That is, a body of our troops to proceed by water
and another by land, thus taking the savages by flank and cutting off
all chance of retreat. So far as our ability goes to combat them, you
will of course agree with me that there is no great risk. And this I say
with due regard for truth."
"Which I have always found thee to observe, and also to weigh carefully
the things that make for success as well as defeat," replied Balboa. "In
short, Rodrigo, thou'rt a careful commander, and thy scheme was the very
one I myself should propose; but thou shalt have the credit of it. Take,
then, Rodrigo, sixty of our men and embark them in canoes for Tichiri,
while I, with seventy, will make a wide circuit by land, and thus we
will fall upon the savages by front and by rear. Provision the boats for
a few days only, for we shall in all probability find enough to eat by
the way, and especially when we shall have taken the town and sacked it
of what it contains. There are, I understand, five principal caciques in
the league, four besides the arch-scoundrel Zemaco, and, assembling as
they have been from every quarter far and near, they will have brought
with them of supplies a sufficient store."
To the blare of trumpet and roll of drum, the entire garrison assembled
within the stockade, and the two commanders picked their men from the
ranks. Only the stoutest and most valiant were taken, those who had been
tried before and were accustomed to Indian warfare; but nearly all
desired to go, scenting spoils in prospective and tiring of inaction at
Darien. Some could not, through being stretched on beds of pain,
afflicted with wounds or disease; others could not, because of some
disability of which their commander was cognizant; for he knew his
little garrison to the last man, and was never at a loss to judge its
strength or weakness. This was one secret of his success, another being
his generosity; for he never withheld from any soldier his share of
plunder, and was the last to think of himself.
"Oh ho," he laughed, as the volunteers came pressing forward, some
shaking with ague, some limping on crutches, and all filled with
enthusiasm. "So ye all desire to go? I' faith, but I wish ye all could
do so. But go back to your posts, my good men, all that can manage a
cross-bow or an arquebuse, and there keep vigilant watch, for who knows
when, or in what manner, the foe may appear? Rodrigo and I will go
forth, the one by water and the other by land; but there must perforce
be a great gap of forest between us, through which the savages may come
by stealth and fall upon the town. So, I say, keep watch by night and by
day; and inasmuch as all are engaged in a common defence, and all
entitled to equal shares in the spoils, even so shall it be."
Balboa was moved thus to deliver himself, because of ten thousand pieces
of gold in the treasury, remaining undivided, which his enemies declared
he intended to seize for himself and send as a donative to the king. For
this reason he said, "We shall all share alike, from commander down to
drummer-boy and trumpeter, and no man shall be deprived of his portion."
Then he marched off at the head of his armored band of braves, followed
by the acclaim of those he left behind to guard the town. As for those
who went with him: being all of them gallant souls, and generous to a
fault, more disposed to fight for treasure than to quarrel over its
division afterwards, they acquiesced without a murmur. Colmenares had
already embarked his force of sixty men, when Balboa set off and lost
himself in the forest with his seventy, so that the settlement appeared
quite deserted.