Interesting as is the Mexican Valley in a scenic sense, it is equally so
in the geological one; perhaps no part of the earth's crust of like
limited area offering greater attractions to him who would study the
lore of the rocks. There he may witness the action of both Plutonic and
Volcanic forces, not alone in records of the buried past, but still
existing, and too oft making display of their mighty power in the
earthquake and the burning mountain.
There also may be observed the opposed processes of deposition and
denudation in the slitting up of great lakes, and the down wearing of
hills by tropical rain storms, with the river torrents resulting from
them.
Nor is any portion of this elevated plateau more attractive to the
geologist than that known as "El Pedregal"; a tract lying in its
south-western corner, contiguous to the Cerro de Ajusco, whose summit
rises over it to a height of 6,000 feet and 13,000 above the level of
the sea.
It is a field of lava vomited forth from Ajusco itself in ages long
past, which, as it cooled, became rent into fissures and honey-combed
with cavities of every conceivable shape. Spread over many square miles
of surface, it tenders this part of the valley almost impassable. No
wheeled vehicle can be taken across it; and even the Mexican horse and
mule--both sure-footed as goats--get through it with difficulty, and
only by one or two known paths. To the pedestrian it is a task; and
there are places into which he even cannot penetrate without scaling
cliffs and traversing chasms deep and dangerous. It bristles with
cactus, zuccas, and other forms of crystalline vegetation,
characteristic of a barren soil. But there are spots of great
fertility--hollows where the volcanic ashes were deposited--forming
little _oases_, into which the honest Indian finds his way for purposes
of cultivation. Others less honest seek refuge in its caves and
coverts, fugitives from justice and the gaols--not always criminals,
however, for within it the proscribed patriot and defeated soldier oft
find an asylum.
In the four individuals who had now entered there was all this variety,
if he who directed their movements was what the Condesa Almonte
described him. In any case, he appeared familiar with the place and its
ways, saying to Kearney, as they went on--
"No thanks to me for knowing all about the Pedregal. I was born on its
edge; when a boy bird-nested and trapped armadilloes all over it.
Twisted as this path is, it will take us to a spot where we needn't fear
any soldiers following us--not this night anyhow. To-morrow they may,
and welcome."
Their march was continued, but not without great difficulty, and much
exertion of their strength. They were forced to clamber over masses of
rock, and thread their way through thickets of cactus, whose spines,
sharp as needles, lacerated their skins. With the coupling-chains still
on, it was all the more difficult to avoid them.
Luckily, they had not far to go before arriving at the place where their
conductor deemed it safe to make a stop. About this there was nothing
particular, more than its being a hollow, where they could stand upright
without danger of being seen from any of the eminences around.
Descending into it, Rivas said--
"Now, Don Florencio, you can finish the little job you were interrupted
at, without much fear of having to knock off again."
At which he raised the chain, and held it rested on something firmer
than the cushion of a carriage. So placed, the file made better
progress, and in a short time the link was cut through, letting them
walk freely apart.
"_Caballero_!" exclaimed the Mexican, assuming an attitude as if about
to propose a toast; "may our friendship be more difficult to sever than
that chain, and hold us longer together--for life, I hope."
Kearney would not have been a son of Erin to refuse reciprocating the
pretty compliment, which he did with all due warmth and readiness.
But his work was not over. Rock and Zorillo had yet to be uncoupled;
the former, perhaps, longing to be delivered more than any of the four.
He had conceived a positive disgust for the hunchback; though, as
already said, less on account of the creature's physical than moral
deformity, of which last he had ample evidence during the short while
they were together. Nor had it needed for him to understand what the
latter said. A natural physiognomist, he could read in Zorillo's eyes
the evil disposition of the animal from which he drew his name.
As Kearney approached him with the file, the Texan raising his foot, and
planting it on a ledge of rock, said--
"Cut through thar, Cap--the link as air nixt to my ankle-clasp."
This was different to what had been done with the other, which had been
severed centrally. It was not intended to take off the whole of the
chains yet. The Mexican said there was no time for so much filing; that
must be done when they got farther on.
"Yer see, Cap," added Rock, giving a reason for the request, "'fore it's
all over, who knows I mayn't need full leg freedom 'ithoot any hamper?
So gie the dwarf the hul o' the chain to carry. He desarve to hev it,
or suthin' else, round his thrapple 'stead o' his leg. This chile have
been contagious to the grist o' queer company in his perambulations
roun' and about; but niver sech as he. The sight of him air enough to
give a nigger the gut ache."
And in his quaint vernacular he thus rambled on all the time Kearney was
at work, his rude speech being an appropriate symphony to the rasping of
the file.
He at the other end of the coupling-chain lay squatted along the ground,
saying not a word, but his eyes full of sparkle and mischief, as those
of an enraged rattle-snake. Still, there was fear in his face; for
though he could not tell what was being said, he fancied it was about
himself, and anything but in his favour. He was with the other three,
but not of them; his conscience told him that. He was in their way,
too; had been all along, and would be hereafter. What if they took into
their heads to rid themselves of him in some violent manner? They might
cut his throat with one of the knives he had seen them make such
dexterous use of! Reflecting in this fashion, no wonder he was
apprehensive.
Something was going to be done to him different from the rest, he felt
sure. After the chain had been got apart the other three drew off to a
distance, and stood as if deliberating. It must be about himself.
And about him it was--the way to dispose of him.
"I hardly know what we're to do with the little beast," said Rivas.
"Leave him here loose we daren't; he'd slip back again, good as certain,
and too soon for our safety. If we tie him he will cry out, and might
be heard. We're not far enough away. _Oiga_! They're beating up the
cover we've just come out of. Yes; they're in the _chapparal_ now!"
It was even so, as could be told by the occasional call of a bugle
sounding skirmish signals.
"Why not tie and gag him, too?" asked Kearney.
"Sure we could do that. But it wouldn't be safe either. They might
find their way here at once. But if they didn't find it at all, and no
one came along--"
"Ah! I see," interrupted the Irishman, as the inhumanity of the thing
became manifest to him. "He might perish, you mean?"
"Just so. No doubt the wretch deserves it. From all I've heard of him,
he does richly. But we are not his judges, and have no right to be his
executioners."
Sentiments not such as might have been expected from the lips of a
bandit!
"No, certainly not," rejoined Kearney, hastening to signify his approval
of them.
"What do _you_ think we should do with him, Rock?" he added, addressing
himself to the Texan, who quite comprehended the difficulty.
"Wal', Cap; 't 'ud be marciful to knock him on the head at onc't, than
leave him to gasp it out with a stopper in his mouth; as ye say the
Mexikin thinks he mout. But thar ain't no need for eyther. Why not
toat him along? Ef he should bother us I kin heist him on my back, easy
enuf. A ugly burden he'd be, tho' 'tain't for the weight o' him."
The Texan's suggestion was entertained, no other course seeming safe,
except at the probable sacrifice of the creature's life. And that none
of them contemplated for a moment. In fine, it was determined to take
him on.
The colloquy now coming to an end, Rivas and the Irishman caught up the
pieces of chain still attached to their ankles, each making the end of
his own fast round his wrist, so as not to impede their onward march.
This done, they all moved on again, the Mexican, of course, foremost,
Kearney at his heels. After him, Cris Rock, chain in hand, half
leading, half-dragging the dwarf, as a showman might his monkey.
In this way there was no danger of his betraying them. He could shout
and still have been heard by those behind. But an expressive gesture of
the Texan admonished him that if he made a noise, it would be the last
of him.