THE SONS OF THE TORTOISE.
After walking for about ten minutes the two smugglers stopped; then
Diego, looking around him inquiringly, imitated the whistle which had
served as a signal to him, with such perfection that Leon at the first
moment could not refrain from starting, although he knew it was his
friend who had uttered it. Almost at the same instant, an Indian in
full war paint rose before them: with his motionless body carelessly
leaning on his rifle, he contemplated them silently, doubtless waiting
to be addressed.
He was a man of about thirty years of age, of a height exceeding six
feet, perfectly proportioned in all his limbs, and who offered the
true type of Indian beauty--strength united to elegance of figure:
his solidly attached and muscular limbs seemed to possess incredible
elasticity and suppleness; his forehead was lofty and open; his eyes
covered by thick brows and fringed with long lashes, were black,
piercing, and restless; his bent nose, and his handsomely chiselled
mouth, lined with teeth of dazzling whiteness, produced an _ensemble_
really stamped with grandeur, but slightly obscured by the expression
of pride, disdain, and cunning, which animated his countenance.
NO tattooing disfigured his face, which was of a dark copper colour.
His dress was extremely simple; his long black hair, drawn up and
fastened on the top of his head by a thong made of a snakeskin, fell
in large curls on his shoulders, while an eagle's feather placed on
the side indicated his rank as chief. He was wrapped up in a poncho,
and through the girdle which served to hold up the wide drawers, which
fell to his knees, were passed an axe, a machete, an ox horn, which
served as a powder flask, and a bullet bag of llama skin. His legs were
covered with boots of oxhide, unassailable by the bites of the reptiles
so dangerous in these countries, round which he wore human scalp locks
as garters. A second poncho, much wider and larger than the other, fell
carelessly from his right shoulder to the ground, and was employed
as a mantle. On seeing the Indian, Diego waved his hand, and said to
him--"My brother is welcome."
The Indian bowed without replying.
"What does my brother desire?" Diego continued.
"Iskarre is growing on the holy Inapere and the hour has arrived; all
the Molucho warriors are assembled; is the descendant of the great
Tahi-Mari ready to answer his brothers?"
"My brother will guide me," Diego replied, without any further remark.
"Matai! my brother can come, then, and he will see the great Molucho
chiefs."
While uttering these words the Indian looked at Leon with marked
suspicion, but whether that he did not dare question Diego about
him, or expected an explanation from the latter, he resolved to show
the road to the two men. The further he advanced the thicker the wood
became, but the Indian marched lightly, without any hesitation, and
like a man perfectly acquainted with the locality. Turning his head
repeatedly to the right and left, he examined the thickets and clumps
of trees, and after half an hour of this rapid and silent march he
halted. They had reached the entrance of a vast clearing, in the centre
of which some forty men were assembled; the Indian made the smugglers a
sign not to advance, and went off with the straightness of an arrow in
the direction of the Indians. A strange spectacle was then offered to
Leon.
The Indians were smoking round a large fire, whose reddish glare
illumined them, and a dozen huts of boughs hastily constructed, proved
that this temporary encampment was not a mere night halt. A few Indians
walked up and down before these huts, while others, rifle in hand,
seemed to be guarding two European prisoners, whose features the
distance and scene prevented the smugglers from distinguishing, and who
were lying at the foot of a tree with their limbs bound.
The Indian who had guided Diego and Leon went up to those of his
brothers who seemed to be the oldest, and spoke to them with great
animation. They soon rose and entered a hut, and then came out again
almost immediately, addressing a few words to the men who were guarding
the prisoners. The latter raised the Europeans from the ground and
carried them into the hut.
"All this is inexplicable," Leon said to his companion; "what mean
these comings and goings?--who are the two men being dragged away?"
And he made a movement as if to rush forward.
"Do not stir," Diego exclaimed, as he held him back: "no imprudence,
for the slightest movement would ruin us; do you not know that we are
surrounded by invisible watchers? Know that behind every one of the
trees that surround us is hidden a man, whose eye is fixed upon us."
Leon made no reply, but continued to observe, till their Indian guide
reappeared.
"My brothers will follow me," he said, so soon as he was a few steps
from the smugglers.
They bowed and obeyed; and Longscalp led them right down the clearing,
and introduced them into the most spacious hut. It to some extent
resembled a beehive, except that its base was square, and might be
thirty feet in depth, by the same in width. The narrow, low door only
allowed passage for one man at a time, and he was obliged to stoop. In
the roof a hole was made for the smoke which escaped from a fire of
dried branches that occupied the centre of the hut.
Twelve or fourteen Indians, gravely squatting on their heels, smoked
while listening in the most religious silence to a Sayotkatta, who
could be easily recognised by his pacific costume, which consisted of
a long white dress of llama hair, fastened round his hips by a blue
and red girdle. His hair, parted on his forehead, fell on his neck,
and he wore on his head a species of diadem composed of a gold fillet
surmounted by an image representing a tortoise supporting the sun. His
features, though grave and stern, had something gentle and majestic
about them which inspired respect.
It was he who pointed out to Diego and Leon a place at the lire, and
without appearing to pay any further attention to the newcomers, he
began speaking, all raising their eyes to him.
"At the beginning of ages," he said, in a guttural and marked voice,
"when Guatechu only reigned over the chaos of the worlds, there existed
but six men, who, tossed about by the winds, wandered on the backs of
clouds, which allowed them to soar over the immensity of space. These
men were sad, because they understood that their race was accursed and
could not be perpetuated."
"One day, when they met, they all passed onto the same cloud, and held
a council, in order to arrange a plan for avoiding such a misfortune.
For a long time they had been talking together and proposing measures
one more impracticable than the other, when suddenly Mayoba appeared in
the midst of them. He gazed at them for a moment in silence, then an
ironical smile curled his upper lip, and he said to them, in a voice
that resembled the hoarse howling of a distant storm--"
"What you are seeking exists; choose the bravest and handsomest from
among you, for he alone can attempt the adventure: let him go to
Paradise, where he will find Ataentsic, the woman; it is she who will
prevent your race from perishing, and that is the reason why Guatechu
keeps her far from you, in order that you may perish, for he repents
having made you."
"After uttering these words Mayoba disappeared with a burst of savage
and shrill laughter, which caused the men to shudder with terror. Our
first fathers held another council, and pointed out one among them, the
handsomest and whitest among them, of the name of Hoquaho, to go and
conquer Ataentsic."
"Hoquaho accepted the mission entrusted to him, and aided by his five
companions, he piled up the clouds on each other in order to scale
Paradise: but, in spite of all their efforts, the distance seemed ever
to remain the same, and they began to despair of succeeding in this
bold enterprise on seeing the inutility of their efforts, when the
birds of heaven that had followed their movements anxiously had pity
on them, and forming into a compact flock, made a convenient seat for
Hoquaho, whom they bore away on their wings."
"On reaching Paradise, Hoquaho concealed himself behind a tree opposite
the wigwam in which Ataentsic was, and he waited till she came out, as
she was accustomed to do every morning, to go and draw water at the
spring. As soon as she appeared, he went up to her and offered her some
grizzly bear's grease to eat, of which he had laid in a stock."
"The woman, surprised and charmed by the appearance of Hoquaho, easily
let herself be seduced, and they soon came to a perfect understanding;
but Guatechu soon perceived what had happened, and furious at seeing
his plans overthrown by the fault of a woman, he expelled the two
unhappy beings from Paradise, and hurled them into space."
"They fell thus for nine days and nine nights, imploring, but in vain,
the mercy of Guatechu, for he had stopped up his ears with wax, and
did not hear. At length a tortoise took pity on the wretched couple,
and placed itself under their feet to stop the fearful fall. Then the
otters, cayonans, and sea fish went to the bottom of the waters to
fetch clay, which they brought up and fixed all round the shell of
the tortoise, and thus they formed a small island, which gradually
increased through their incessant labour, and ended by forming the
earth such as you see it at present."
"Thus, sons of Hoquaho, the first man, you come," said the Sayotkatta,
in conclusion, "to respect and adore Chemiin, who is the soul of the
world, and the centre of the universe, which his shell alone supports
and enables to float in immensity."
"Matai!" cried the Indians, inflamed by their priest's narrative,
"Chemiin Aulon (the Tortoise-sun) is the master of the world."
The Sayotkatta hung his head on his breast, and throwing over his
eyes the corner of the ample poncho which floated from his shoulders,
he remained plunged in deep meditation. After this a gloomy silence
fell upon this strange assembly. Then an Indian, whose great age was
indicated by his noble but worn features, and his long grey hair, took
up a calumet full of tobacco, lit it at the fire, took a few whiffs,
and passed it to his right hand neighbour, who did the same. The
calumet thus went round the circle till it returned to the old Indian,
who seemed to preside over the meeting.
He finished the tobacco, and when the last grain was consumed, shook
the ash out on his hand, and threw it in the fire, saying--
"This is the supreme council at which the great Molucho chiefs are
present. May Agrikoué come to our assistance, for the war hatchet is
dug up, and the Sons of the Tortoise are about to recapture their
territory, unjustly invaded by the palefaces."
"May Agrikoué aid us!" the Indians repeated.
"Which are the nations," the old man continued, "ready to take part in
the struggle?"
Then one of the Indians spoke in reply,
"The Tecuitles of the Curuhi, whose hunting ground extends from the
town of Valparaíso to the Gulf of Guapatika, has raised the war cry,
and six thousand fighting men have answered his appeal. I have spoken."
Another spoke as follows--
"The Tecuitles of the Huiliches has assembled seven thousand warriors."
Then another said in his turn--
"Four thousand Oumas are awaiting the signal."
"Ten thousand Puelches are ready to utter the war cry," said a fourth.
"Eight thousand Tehuels are under arms," continued another.
After the chief who had last spoken rose a man whose features had
a singular blending of the European and Indian tribe. In fact, his
tribe was descended from the crews of three Spanish ships, who, having
mutinied, abandoned their officers, and landed on the American coast,
where they settled. By degrees they became allied with the Indians,
whose religion and customs they adopted, and multiplied to such an
extent as to form a tribe.
"The Aigueles," he said, "have five thousand warriors round the war
stake."
"My brothers the Ulmens have done well," the president replied, "and
the great confederation will be complete; nearly all the nations have
risen, and Guatechu will give us the victory. The Moluchos count thirty
thousand warriors, who, with twenty-five thousand of the sacred tribe
of the great Toltoru, have passed the Bio Bio, and are encamped on the
banks of the Valdivia: one nation, however, has not sent a deputy to
the great council, and the valiant Jaos alone are not represented here."
"My father is mistaken," replied a young Indian of martial aspect,
whose face, bathed in perspiration and clothes covered with dust,
indicated the speed he had displayed in covering the ground which
separated his territory from the place of council. "It is a long
distance from the country of the Jaos to that of the Moluchos, but
twelve thousand men are following me."
A quiver of enthusiasm ran round, the assembly.
"My son is welcome," replied the aged man. "The Jaos honour us by
sending us a chief so celebrated as Tcharanguii, the invincible Ulmen."
A flush of satisfaction passed over the features of the young chief of
the Jaos.
"You see," the old Indian continued, "that one hundred thousand
warriors will march along the war trail, resolved at length to take
back the territory which the Spaniards have so long unjustly held.
Everything is at length ready. The great confederation which has
enveloped them for the last twenty years in its thousand folds is
about to draw closer and crush them. War to the death upon the cruel
invaders, and let us drive them into the sea which vomited them up. No
truce, no pity, and to the courage of the Lion let us add the prudence
of the Serpent."
Then, turning to Diego, who, during the whole period that this scene
had lasted, remained motionless by the side of Leon, whose anxiety was
increasing, he said--
"The hour has arrived for my son Tahi-Mari to rise and give us a report
of the manner in which he has carried out the mission entrusted to him
twenty years ago by the assembled chiefs of the great Molucho nations.
Our ears are open, and all my sons will listen, for it is a great chief
who is about to speak!"
For the first time since Leon had known Diego, the face of the latter
grew animated, and a smile of triumph had taken the place of the cold
expression of indifference which seemed stereotyped on his lips. He
bowed to the chief, whose eyes were fixed on him, and leaning on his
long rifle, he raised his head and answered in a firm voice--
"I am ready to reply to my father, Unacha Cuayac, and to the great
chiefs of the twelve nations. I am the son of the tortoise, and my race
supports the world. Let them question and I will answer."
"My brother will speak, for, as he has said, he is the son of the
Chemiin which supports the world," the Indian remarked, "and the words
that fall from his lips rejoice our heart."
Diego began--
"Twenty years ago the great chiefs, fatigued with the continued
vexations of the Spaniards, formed a vast confederation, and assembled,
as on the present day, in a supreme council to consider the means to
be employed in order to end the struggle which they had supported so
long, and finally free themselves from those sanguinary and perfidious
strangers, who had in one day stolen from us our gods, our hunting
grounds, and our wealth. As at the present day, more than one hundred
thousand warriors dug up the war hatchet, assembled to invoke Guatechu
at the foot of the war post, and took an oath to live free or die. The
signal was about to be given, and Okikiouasa was already waving his
fatal torch ready to bear fire and death among our ferocious enemies,
when a chief rose in the council and asked permission to speak. This
chief was my father, Tahi-Mari, a warrior renowned for his valour in
combat, and an old man revered for his wisdom at the council fire;
he alone, when all loudly demanded war, dared to speak in favour
of peace; but Tahi-Mari was so respected by the other chiefs, that
far from bursting into fury against the man who tried to overthrow
their projects, they listened to him in silence. What he said you
all know, and hence I need not repeat it; the chiefs accepted his
advice, and it was resolved that a young Molucho warrior, chosen among
the most worthy, should leave his tribe and go among the Spaniards,
whose manners and religion he should pretend to adopt; that he should
pass five years among them, trying to surprise all the secrets which
rendered them invincible, and after that period should come and give an
account of his mission to the great council of the nations."
"This mission was delicate and difficult to carry out; continual
dissimulation was imposed on the man who undertook it; an hourly
torture, by forcing him to live with his most cruel enemies, and feign
for them friendship and attachment. The choice fell upon me, not
because I was the most worthy, but because I was the son of Tahi-Mari,
the great beloved Inca chief of the Moluchos. I joyfully accepted
the painful though honourable distinction offered me; I at that time
counted eighteen summers; life appeared to me happy and smiling: I had
a bride to whom I was to be married at the next melting of the snow,
but I was compelled to abandon this sweet dream, renounce the happiness
which I had promised myself, and devote myself to the service of my
country. I left everything without regret, for the chiefs had spoken,
and I ought to feel jealous of the honour they had done me. The five
years passed, then five others, but the hour for deliverance did not
strike; for twenty years, in fine, I wandered about all the countries
subjected to the Spaniards, listening at each step that I took to the
maledictions which fell upon those of my race. My father died, and I
was unable to close his eyes and sing the tabouré at his interment; my
betrothed has left the earth, summoning me, but I was unable to reply
to her voice; my whole family is extinct, and has gone to join Garonhea
in the paradise of the blest. I have remained alone and abandoned, but
my courage has not weakened; hesitation has not entered my heart, and I
have continued to walk in the path which I traced for myself, because
Tahi-Mari had made a sacrifice of his life and his happiness to his
brothers. Today my mission is accomplished; I know in what the strength
of the Spaniards resides and how they may be laid low; all their
towns and fortresses are known to me; I can give the numbers of their
soldiers, indicate their hopes and projects, and I have infallible
means to break every one of the springs which set their government in
motion. In a word, nothing has been omitted or forgotten by me, and I
can answer beforehand for the success of our cause. I have spoken."
Diego ceased speaking and waited, and a solemn silence followed on the
narration which he had just made. The Indians were profoundly affected
by the sublime self-denial and perfect devotion of the man, whose
heroic will had not failed him for a single moment during the long
trial which he had undergone.
Leon shared the general enthusiasm. The great character of his friend
was perfectly revealed to him, and, measuring the importance of the
sacrifice the Indian had made of the twenty fairest years of his life
with that of his own love for Maria, which he had been unable to make
up his mind to relinquish, he confessed to himself that there was in
Diego's heart a paternal devotion far superior to any that he was
capable of feeling.
At length the Sayotkatta rose and walked towards the Inca with a slow
and majestic step: on coming in front of him, he stopped and gazed at
him with pride, and then said--
"The piaies are right, you are really a descendant of the race of the
Tortoise. Son of Tahi-Mari," he added, as he took off his gold diadem
and placed it on Diego's brow, "be our chief."
"Yes, yes," the Indians exclaimed, eagerly rising; "Tahi-Mari!
Tahi-Mari! he alone ought to command us; he alone is worthy to be the
Toqui of the Twelve Nations."