THE GOVERNOR'S VISION.
The highest peak on the island of Juan Fernandez is called the Peak of
Yonka. It forms an abrupt precipice all round, of several hundred feet.
Various attempts have been made from time to time, by sailors and
others, to ascend to the summit, but this feat has never been
accomplished except in a single instance. A cross still stands upon it,
which was erected by two Chilians many years ago, under very strange
circumstances. It appears that the Chilian governor at the time of the
penal settlement in Cumberland Bay went out riding one day near this
mountain. On his return he related to his people a strange vision which
he had seen in the course of his ramble. He said that, while looking at
the peak, he saw down in the valley that lay between a tall man dressed
in black, with a black hat on, mounted on a horse of the purest white.
The strange rider turned toward him, showing a face of ghastly paleness.
He looked at him steadfastly, with "eyes of fire," as the governor
declared, the glare of which made the air hot all around. The governor,
trembling with awe, made the sign of the cross, upon which the strange
horseman put spurs to his horse, and rode straight up the precipice to
the summit of the peak, where he stopped a moment to look back. He then,
upon seeing the sign of the cross made again, waved his hands wildly, as
if in despair, and plunged out of sight on the other side. Being a
devout man, and withal a believer in spirits, the governor considered
this to be an omen of some impending calamity, which could only be
averted by planting a cross on the peak. For this purpose he selected
two criminals, under sentence of death for the murder of a soldier, and
offered them their liberty if they would make the ascent and erect the
cross. In the one case there was the certainty of death, in the other a
chance of life. The criminals therefore resolved to make the attempt.
Ropes, ladders, and tools were furnished them by the governor, and they
were allowed such provisions as they required, with injunctions that at
the expiration of ten days, in case of failure, they would be executed.
For eight days they toiled incessantly. They drove spikes into the walls
of rock, and day by day went up a little higher, letting themselves down
again at night by ropes to the base of the precipice. On the eighth day
they reached the summit, ready to die of fright, and worn to skeletons
at the terrible ordeal through which they had passed. It took them all
the next day to recover sufficiently to be able to resume their labors.
The table on the top was of solid rock, not more than fifty feet in
diameter. In the centre was a spring of clear water bubbling up and
running over the rocks. One of them bathed in this water, and was so
refreshed that he thought it must have some magical properties. He went
over to the edge on the western side, and looked down to see where it
fell. Directly beneath him, he saw a line stretched from two points of
rock over the precipice, nearly covered with linen shirts, as white as
the driven snow, and apparently of the finest texture. He called to his
comrade to come and witness this wonderful sight. While the two men were
looking over, there came a tremendous hurricane, that compelled them to
throw themselves flat on their backs to avoid being blown over into the
abyss. After the hurricane had passed they again looked over, but the
line and shirts had disappeared, and they saw nothing but the bare
rocks. They then fell upon their knees and prayed, and the vision of an
angel appeared to them, telling them to put up the cross near the
spring. As soon as they had planted the cross, they let themselves down
by the ropes, and hastened to tell the governor of the strange
adventures that had befallen them. So impressed was he by their
wonderful narrative, that he immediately gave them their freedom, as he
had promised, and sent them home laden with presents; and he had crosses
erected on various parts of the island, and masses performed by the
soldiers for a long time after.
"I wouldn't swear to it all," added Pearce, looking again toward
Abraham. "But likely some of you gentlemen, who have more schoolin' than
I have, may be able to account for it."
Abraham reddened a little and looked confused, but said nothing. A voice
from the corner broke in,
"I know exactly how it happened; nothing is easier than to account for
it. In the first place, it didn't happen at all. The governor was
dyspeptic. I'm rayther dyspeptic myself, gentlemen, and I know what
sights a man sees when he gets the horrors from dyspepsia. I've seen
stranger sights than that when it was bad on me--once, in particular, I
was troubled a good deal worse than the governor."
"Impossible," said Abraham, scornfully, "utterly impossible, sir, that
you could ever have seen any thing half so strange as the governor's
vision."
"I didn't see a house made of glue," retorted the Doubter. "I didn't
ride on wild horses; neither did I find a castle with a skull in it. I
didn't carry the skull six miles, and then find out that it came off the
head of a four-legged man; and that the four-legged man was cut to
pieces by his lady-love; but I'll tell you what I did see."
"Hold, sir, hold!" cried Abraham, now perfectly furious. "By heavens,
gentlemen, I can't stand such insults as these! You must suffer me to
chastise this wretch. Miserable poltroon! do you dare to taunt me in
that manner? I'll see you, sir--I'll see you to-morrow morning!"
"Likely you will," said the Doubter, coolly, at the same time shrinking
back a little. "Likely you will, if you look in the right direction.
Keep your dander down till then, and you'll see a good deal better. In
the mean time, gentlemen, if you like to listen, I'll tell you what
happened when the dyspepsia was bad on me."
Of course, any proposition calculated to restore harmony was heartily
approved, and thereupon we were forced to listen to--