MATTHEW AND I CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, BUT WITH SMALL PROFIT.
"Master," begins Matthew, "the Ingas would have us go to their village,
which lies, as I take it, among the mountains to the west, nigh that
river Meta they have spoken about."
"There need be no hesitation in agreeing to that," says I; "for whether
we resolve to make for the north seaboard board or the west, this
village lies all in our way."
"You are in the right," says he; "but they would have us stay there."
"That needs no consideration neither," says I; "for we have no mind to
become Ingas."
"Not so fast, master; hear me out," says he. "They would have us stay
there until they have drawn together their scattered people in such
force as we may assault the Portugals, and take one of their ports."
"That is easier said than done, Matthew."
"Ay," says he; "like descending the Baraquan, but with this
difference--that in attacking a town we can ascertain pretty fairly what
opposition we shall have to encounter, and what force we have to
overcome it; while in t'other affair there's no knowing what obstacle
may stand in our way, or what accidents of sickness and the like may
happen to enfeeble us. Look you, master, the furthest an Englishman has
penetrated into Guiana by the Oronoque is a matter of thirty or forty
leagues, and that with the succor of lusty fellows well armed with boats
and stores; now, what we two men, with no arms but what we can beg of
the Ingas, and no stores but what we may carry on our backs, propose to
compass is a journey through that same Guiana by untrodden ways and
broken waters--a distance of three or four hundred leagues, as I reckon;
and with a female, remember. Likewise I would have you reflect that ere
we are many months on our way, we shall be overtaken by the rain, when
we must seek high ground, or be swept away by the floods and torrents
that pour through the valleys. For you and me a month or two of misery,
more or less, may count for nothing; but how is the female to stand it,
with not a dry thread to her back, and, as like as not, never a bit of
shoe to her foot?"
This perspective was terrible enough, and yet, as I saw not overdrawn,
but indeed favorable in comparison with the image that presented itself
to my mind, of my poor lady falling sick under the hardships of
privation, and having no shelter but chilly rocks, no remedy, no
comfort, nor any hand to render those services which a woman can only
receive from a woman.
"Now, Matthew," says I, "let me hear what you have to say in favor of
t'other venture, for I see which song your voice is most in tune for."
"I will say what I think, master," says he, showing greater patience
with me than I with him, "for I have no wish you should count me wiser
or more foolish than I am. Yet that you may not be disinclined to the
Ingas' design by thinking my wishes lead me to set it out in a fairer
light than it deserves, I must tell you that I have no relish for
meddling with the Portugals. I have seen enough of 'em to satisfy my
stomach to the last day of my life, and would rather end my days in a
wilderness than under the walls of a town. Anyhow, master, I will try to
let you see their project as they laid it out to me. This tribe numbers
about a hundred men and boys; females count for nothing. Ten of their
number will be left with us in the village; the rest will go out to
rouse up other tribes and bring them to their purpose. They will take
with them the Portugals' muskets, as a proof of what they have done, and
I warrant it will count for something in their inducement that they have
for allies a couple of Englishmen who are accustomed to whipping
Portugals; for it is certainly in the knowledge of these Indians that we
beat them out of Cartagena in years gone by."
"How many Indians do they think to muster in this business?"
"Betwixt three and four hundred, according to the general opinion, and
that within a month."
"Say they gather together all that they hope for," says I, "what can a
band of naked savages do against a town fortified with guns and defended
by trained soldiery, Matthew?"
"In the first place, master, let me tell you, 'tis no inconvenient to
fight without clothes in these parts. As for their guns, I doubt if they
will ever get a chance of firing at us. We shall take the town by
surprise, for these Ingas know how to march easily through the woods by
ways unknown to the Portugals. Against the trained soldiery we shall
bring ten arquebuses, with good account, I'll answer for it, with galore
of bows, blow-guns, and pikes, all wielded by fellows who are fighting
for liberty and life."
"Supposing we carry the town, as very probably we may, what then? Unless
every soul in the place is massacred the news must be carried to the
Portugals, who will lose no time in sending ships and men to recover it.
Supposing the Ingas can withstand an assault, how long can they stand
out against an organized siege?"
"Why, that's their lookout," says Matthew. "What we have at heart is
getting out of Guiana, and it will be odd indeed if we can't get some
sort of craft to bear us thence ere the Portugals come down to lay siege
to the place."
"What," says I, "would you desert the Ingas after leading 'em into this
pitfall?"
"Nay," says he, "'tis their own wish to go there, and they know full
well we have no wish to stay."
"Ay," says I; "but did you warn them of the vengeance the Portugals will
certainly take? No! On the other hand, with your prating of our prowess
on the sea, and the multitude of our ships, and drubbings in store for
the Portugals, you may have led them to believe that we should come back
with ships and men to help them, which can never be while we stand at
peace with the Portugal."
Matthew scratched his head in silence for a minute, and then says he:
"'Twould be a scurvy trick to leave the poor fellows to fight the next
battle alone, and that's a fact. If they could only hold their own--or
anybody else's."
"But they can not, so we must set our faces against their design."
"I don't mind standing by 'em, master, if you're minded to let me take
the responsibility of this business on my own shoulders. I warrant
there's not a soul alive in England who remembers me, or would care to
see me again."
"And what would become of you, my poor fellow?" says I, touched by the
sadness of his speech. "Do you think you could hold the town against the
Portugals?"
"No," says he; "but I wager I'd thin down the rascals before they took
it from me."
"Come," says I, "let us think of something else, for you must know this
can never be."
So I turned my thoughts to the Baraquan, and gloomy enough they were, so
that I had not a word to say; but Matthew, though his hopes were dashed,
still revolved the Ingas and their design in his mind, as it appeared,
for presently, breaking silence, he says:
"I had no notion these Ingas were such a fine set of fellows, which only
proves once again that we should never judge of a flock of sheep by the
ewes in the pen."
"Why," says I, "did you not find your wives amiable and kind?"
"Ay," says he; "but what does a man want of such trumpery as amiability
and kindness?" (As I have tried to show, he was himself remarkable for
these qualities.) "Can you tell me anything about these Ingas, master,
for I am no schollard?"
"Nor I neither, Matthew," says I. "I know no more of these people than
what I have learnt from you and my own limited observation."
"You know enough to perceive they are better than the common ruck of
mankind, I warrant," says he, "for they have the bearing and proud
carriage of a noble race not used to base practices. For my own part I
feel I could trust 'em with my life--as long as they learn nothing to my
discredit."
"Ay," says I, "they do seem, as you say, a noble race of men."
"Then what a thousand pities it is," says he, "that they should be
hunted from their homes, and worried to death by such a pack of dirty
dogs as these Portugals."
I made no reply. Nor did he continue his theme for some time, but
strolled beside me in silence, which was odd in him, who was wont to
utter his thoughts as they came into his head. Yet I perceived his mind
was still occupied, for, taking off his hat for the greater convenience
of scratching his head, he would now and again give his thigh a slap
with it, muttering occasionally betwixt his teeth, though I could catch
no words but "dirty dogs of Portugals," and the like.