THE COUNCIL OF THE RED BUFFALOES.
The night was dark; there was not a star in the heavens; at lengthened
intervals; however, the moon emerged from behind the clouds, and
shed for a few minutes a trembling and uncertain light, which, when
it disappeared, rendered the darkness more dense; the wind whistled
mournfully through the denuded trees, which clashed together with dull
moanings, mingling their sad harmony with the ill-omened roars of the
wild beasts, which prowled starving about the forest. The entrance of
the lodge in which the chiefs were assembled in council glistened in
the darkness like the mouth of the infernal regions. With the exception
of the sachems, everybody was asleep in the village; the very dogs had
ceased their sharp barking, and were lying by the half extinguished
fires, which, smouldering beneath the ashes, spread no light.
Sotavento, or the Stag, by whichever name the reader likes to call
him, had risen, and all the chiefs fixed on him eyes displaying the
liveliest curiosity; in fact, as Running Water had remarked, the
majordomo must have most important news to communicate to the chiefs of
his nation, to have thus suddenly undertaken so long and dangerous a
ride.
"Sachems and braves of the invincible tribe of Red Buffalo," he said,
"it is only when I am able to see you that the skin which covers my
heart is suddenly removed, and the words which issues from my chest are
really inspired by the Wacondah. To obey the orders of the sages of my
nation, I consented with regret to leave the callis of my fathers, and
pretend to adopt the customs of the cowardly palefaces whose ruin we
have sworn. Very often, this burthen, too heavy for my weak shoulders,
has nearly crushed me; very often I have felt my courage on the point
of abandoning me in this incessant struggle and the false existence
which has become mine. But you ordered, sachems, and I was obliged to
bow my head and obey; I had ever present before my mind the numberless
insults and horrible sufferings which our tyrants had made us endure.
This thought constantly burning in my heart like a sharp arrow, by
reviving my hatred, gave me the necessary strength to accomplish my
heavy task. I believe, fathers and sachems of my nation, that I have
never up to the present incurred reproaches from you on account of
lukewarmness or negligence."
The chiefs bowed in evidence of their satisfaction, and Running Water
replied--
"What does my son say? Why does he thus praise himself," he remarked
in a sonorous voice, "for having done his duty? Does he not know that
every man was placed in this world by the Wacondah to fulfil an often
rough and painful task? Happy those whose task is the most arduous!
The Wacondah loves them and regards them with a favourable eye, and
for them he reserves after death the most productive territory in the
happy hunting grounds. Of what does my son complain? In devoting him
to live among the palefaces, I made him the saviour of my people and
the avenger of their insults. All the braves, all the warriors of my
tribe envy his lot; he alone complains like a cowardly Yori. He finds
the task which has been allotted to him too heavy; be it so, let him
retire, let him give up the post of honour which the chiefs consented
to confide to him, for the sake of us; let him return to the desert,
but he must shun the calli of his fathers; he will not find brothers,
relatives, or friends in his country; all will reject him and compel
him to take refuge among the wild beasts that are less cruel and
cowardly than he."
The majordomo listened to this severe reprimand with drooping head,
but without daring to interrupt it. When the old chief ceased, he drew
himself up--
"My father," he replied in a humble voice, with an accent of the
greatest deference, "your words are severe; they fall upon my heart
like red-hot coals. I do not deserve these reproaches; the Wacondah
is my witness that my thoughts have ever been with my tribe, and that
avenging the insults offered you has been the sole object for which I
have striven. My abode among the palefaces has, perhaps, unconsciously,
given my words a strange turn that has led you into error. Be not
wroth with me, father, for I am worthy of your esteem, if not of your
praise. If I complained it was because my heart suffers at being absent
from you, and that I long for the moment when I shall be allowed to
throw far from me this borrowed garb, to resume the free, glorious,
independent life of the Comanches, that noble nation, without an equal
on the prairie, beloved by the Wacondah, respected by all the redskins,
and feared by the ferocious palefaces, who have never succeeded in
bowing them beneath the shameful yoke which they have imposed on all
the other Indians."
The old chief shook his head several times, while a smile of
undefinable meaning played round the corners of his thin lips.
"My son has learned much among the palefaces," he said; "his mind has
opened to thoughts strange to his countrymen; his horizon has expanded
and his tongue is gilded. May the Wacondah grant that it has not become
forked, and that his heart has remained firm. I believe his words, and
am glad to think that he does not deceive the fathers of his tribe. He
can forget any severity in my words; the friendship I bear him, and
the fear I have of seeing him break his word, could alone have made me
utter them. Now, let my son explain to us, without further delay, the
motive for his coming among us. The owl has already hooted twice, and
we must be in a position before sunrise to take those measures which
the news he brings us will doubtless necessitate."
The majordomo bowed respectfully, and at once continued--
"Thanks, father, for the justice you do me; your hopes shall not be
deceived. Now, without further preface, this is my news, which I think
will be agreeable to you, as it will give you the means to seize one of
your most obstinate foes. The man whom the Yoris call Count de Melgosa
is at this moment at the hacienda with an escort composed of but six
_tamarindos_. Tomorrow at sunrise he will set out to return to his
house; nothing will be easier than for you to seize him as he passes
through the canyon, if your arrangements are properly made."
"Ah!" said the sachem, "That is really excellent news, and we will be
careful to follow your advice, my son; but have you nothing else to
tell us?"
"Yes, this: the Yoris are preparing once again to dig up the hatchet
against their masters, the Gachupinos. A great meeting of all the Yori
chiefs has taken place at the Hacienda del Barrio, and war is resolved."
"Good," the chief answered; "perhaps, this time, the Wacondah will
deliver our enemies to us."
"I believe I hold the power of soon delivering them to you," the Stag
said in a hollow voice.
"Speak, son of my best beloved _Ciuatl!_" the chief exclaimed with a
vivacity unusual in an Indian; "Your words fall on my heart like a
refreshing dew; they rejoice me, and restore me the hope of vengeance."
"I cannot explain myself, father; my plan is one of those which only
the man who has conceived them can carry out by keeping in his heart
the secret of the means he intends to employ, but also the object he
purposes to attain. Who knows whether the bird flying over our head may
not go and reveal our secrets to the enemy? To you, but to you alone,
my father, I will reveal so much of my plans as I can; but the chiefs
of my nation must place the most entire confidence in me, and let me
act as I please; if not, it will be impossible for me to succeed. I say
that the chiefs of the nation must place full and entire confidence in
me, because I require their aid in carrying out the plan I have formed.
That is to say, I ask for the command of twenty of our most renowned
warriors, who will obey me solely, and that, perhaps, for a whole moon.
I have spoken, let my fathers reflect and take those measures with
which their wisdom inspires them."
After uttering these words, the majordomo sat down, folded his arms
on his chest, and fell into profound thought, remaining, apparently at
least, a complete stranger to what was said round him, although, after
the request he had made of the council, he was personally interested in
the discussion which took place. Like all Indian debates the present
one was calm and grave, each orator speaking in his turn and developing
his ideas, without fearing the interruption so common and so offensive
among ourselves. Nearly three hours were spent ere all had spoken, and
opinions seemed agreed.
"These are the resolutions of the council," Running Water said as he
rose; "let my brothers open their ears, for a chief is about to speak."
All eyes were immediately turned to the old Sachem; the Stag himself
seemed to wake up, for he raised his head and listened to the chief's
words with the deepest attention. Although the majordomo's face was
impassive, and all his features retained the rigidity of Florentine
bronze, a fearful storm was raging in his heart; for on what he was
about to hear depended the success of a plan he had formed for a long
time as the realization of his dearest hopes.
"The chiefs and sachems assembled round the council fire in the
medicine lodge, after hearing the important news brought by the Stag,
one of their most renowned chiefs, and after thoroughly deliberating
on this news, have formed the following resolutions, which will be
executed with the aid of the Wacondah, who alone is powerful, and
without whose protection nothing is possible."
"The chiefs thank the Stag for the tried devotion he has not ceased to
prove to the tribe in the dangerous post intrusted to him. In order to
testify to the Stag the unbounded confidence which they have in his
character, they grant his request under the sole stipulation that he
will reveal to his father, Running Water, all he possibly can without
injuring the success of the expedition he is undertaking. The Stag will
choose twenty braves of his tribe, and assume their command, to lead
them wherever he thinks proper, no one having the right to make any
observation to him. He will have over these braves all the prerogatives
of the most renowned chiefs of the tribe; this command, whose duration
is unlimited by the council, will only cease at the Stag's desire. The
sachems have thus decided, in order to give Running Water and his son a
proof of their sincere friendship and the gratitude they feel for all
the services which these two chiefs have rendered them."
"Running Water and White Crow will place themselves at the head of
detachments of warriors they consider numerous enough to seize the
Yori chief called Count de Melgosa, and so soon as that implacable
enemy of our tribe is in their hands, they will lead him to our winter
village, in order that the council of the nation may treat him as they
think proper for the general welfare. I have spoken: have I said well,
powerful men?"
All the chiefs bowed, merely uttering one word, _Aschest_ (it is well),
the formula which generally closes the councils of the sachems.
At this moment the darkness began to be dispelled, and though the sun
had not yet risen above the horizon, large bands of russet which tinged
the sky, and covered it with extreme rapidity, proved that day would
soon break. The Stag rose, bowed respectfully to the members of the
council, and left the lodge. Hastily crossing the village square, on
which some squaws were already to be seen, he entered the calli of his
father, Running Water, and let the frame of intertwined lianas, lined
with a buffalo hide, which served as a door, fall behind him. A few
moments after and the Stag reappeared.
Assuredly, in this Indian, armed and painted for war, no one would
have recognized Sotavento, the majordomo, the man in whom Don Aníbal
de Saldibar placed such unbounded confidence, and on whose devotion
he thought he had such reasons to count. The Stag had entirely doffed
his European clothing, and put on the grand war dress of the Comanche
chiefs. In his left hand he held a long, sharp pointed javelin, and his
gun in his right. He went up to the ark of the first man, a species of
enclosure of planks, of a conical shape, situated in the centre of the
square, before which stood a sumach, whose faded leaves were already
beginning to fall.
After walking thrice round the sumach the chief stopped, bowed twice
to the rising sun, and balancing his javelin, while he raised his gun
above his head, he commenced a characteristic dance round the tree,
accompanied by a song, of which he doubtless improvised the words,
and whose slow and monotonous rhythm marked the measure of the dance.
At the end of each strophe the Stag struck the tree with his javelin
without stopping.
Several Indians had left their callis and assembled round the chief,
who continued his song. In a moment an Indian started after him,
dancing and singing behind him. After him came another and then
another, so that, at the end of half an hour, twenty warriors were
dancing behind the Stag, and repeating after him the words he
continued to improvise. As each Indian faced the circle of dancers,
a woman left the group of spectators, and went to fetch his weapons
from the calli. In the meanwhile the dance, which had begun to a slow
and monotonous rhythm, had grown animated. The Indians, bathed in
perspiration, twirled round the tree, to which they dealt repeated
blows, while uttering hoarse, inarticulate cries, and brandishing
their weapons furiously. The squaws and children, collected round the
braves, mingled their cries and yells with theirs, and added by their
imprecations and disorderly gestures to the sinister horror of this
scene, to which was imparted all the savage majesty of the Indian war
dance.
The tree, struck by the axes, sagaies, knives, and lances of the
Indians, lost its branches, and was completely stripped of its bark,
which was piled on the ground; but the ardour of the warriors, far
from being checked, seemed, on the contrary, momentarily to increase.
Suddenly the Stag gave a signal. All halted, as if by magic, and a deep
silence instantaneously succeeded the deafening concert performed by
all these men who had reached a paroxysm of fury. The chief gazed with
satisfaction at the young, powerful, and haughty men who surrounded him.
"Will twenty warriors follow the Stag on the war trail?" he asked.
"Yes, they will follow him!" the redskins replied unanimously.
"Good; they are great braves! The Stag knows them. The warriors will
put on their war moccasins, take their weapons, and choose their best
horses. When the sun is level with the topmost branches of the trees,
the Stag will be at the foot of the ark of the first man, mounted and
waiting for his brothers. Now the Comanche squaws will proceed to cut
down the sumach; no trace of the enemies of the Red Buffaloes must
remain. The warriors kill their foes, but women torture them. I have
spoken."
The warriors dispersed. The squaws, following the permission granted
them, at once rushed yelling on the unhappy tree, the last fragments of
which disappeared within ten minutes beneath the blows of these savage
Megæras. The Stag returned to his father's lodge, where the latter
soon joined him. They had a confidential conversation together, which
lasted more than two hours, at the end of which Running Water retired,
apparently much satisfied with the explanation his son had given him.
At the hour appointed by the Stag to depart, all the warriors were
drawn up in front of the ark of the first man, impatient to set out and
begin their mysterious expedition.