MATTHEW LAYS OUT A SCHEME FOR STAYING FIVE YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS.
"What a plague it is, master," says Matthew presently--"what a plague it
is for a man who has no learning to get a good notion in his mind. Here
am I like a young blackbird who feels he has the makings of a sweet song
in his head, and yet can do no more than squeak out of tune."
"Nay, then," says I, "do as the blackbird does--strive to sing, and I
warrant the tune will come in time."
"Well, master," says he, "to begin with, do you think these Ingas, if
they gathered together and made head against the Portugals, might
recover themselves some little corner of their territory, where they
could live in peace like Christians, and trade with other nations?"
"The difficulty is," says I, "to get them to combine steadfastly for any
length of time, for, according to their own showing, they are divided
into a hundred tribes, each more or less hostile to the other."
"Why," says he, "that is but the outcome of their misfortunes, for no
men are so snappish as those who suffer continual persecution. Do think
how ill-tempered and cross-grained a wife will be who has a tyrant for a
husband, and how buxom and cheerful she is whose spouse is kind. These
poor fellows are fighting for their lives. The Portugals will not trade
with them, or suffer others to trade, so that they get no comfort, and
are forced to seek subsistence in the woods; then if one finds a good
cover of game he must hold it against others in order that he may
exist."
"All that is very true," says I; "but how can their case be remedied?"
"By such economy as is practiced among people who have not half their
resources. What would become of our peasants, master, if they lived only
on what they could find in the woods? Now if these Ingas pitched upon a
fertile and healthy valley beyond the range of the Portugals, they might
enclose fields and breed creatures for their food; they might till the
ground and grow proper fruits and grain, so that they would no longer
have to go far afield for game and fight their brethren to hold it."
"And how would you have them till the ground when they have no iron
plowshares?"
"As for that, master," says he, "I have seen the earth tilled with a
stick in Cornwall; but these might make plowshares of gold if they were
so minded."
I laughed at this notion, but bade him go on, seeing this objection was
but a trifle.
"Well, master," says he, "I take it, they must have more comfort by this
way of living than they now can get; and other tribes, seeing their
state, would willingly enough come to partake their contentment. There
would still be much lacking to their estate; but by laying their plans
carefully, and preparing themselves with arms and leaders, they might in
the end take some port from the Portugals, where the country about would
give them protection against assault, and so come about to open trade
with any nation who wished to take their commodity in exchange for what
the Ingas need."
"Hold, Matthew," says I, "what commodity have these Ingas to dispose
of?"
"Lord love you, master," says he, "they have that which no other nation
ever yet refused--gold! The Ingas, with their knowledge of these
mountains, can easily produce you gold by the bushel; while the
Portugals, with pain, get it by the thimbleful. And look you, master,
once the traders know where they can get gold cheap, they will take
means to prevent the Portugals again closing that port. The project may
seem wild at the first glance, as many another achievement has looked in
the beginning, but is it impossible?"
"It is not impossible," says I; "but the Ingas must be taught."
"To be sure, master. And they are willing enough to learn. All they need
is a leader, as appears clearly from their seeking our help against the
Portugals."
"Ay," says I, "but where is this teacher to be found?"
"Not a great way off, master. In a word," says he, "you are the man who
may save thousands from destruction by the Portugals, and raise up these
poor Ingas from misery and despair to happiness and prosperity."
This proposal did fairly take away my breath, and ere it came again for
me to speak, Matthew continues: "When I tell the Ingas that you refuse
to save yourself by the means they suggest, because they could not hold
the town and would suffer disaster, they must needs regard you with
respect and admiration, for the virtues they do most prize are sagacity
and generosity. Thus will they be well disposed to listen to a scheme
for their surer advantage, especially when they know that you will not
leave them untill they are in a condition to maintain the independence
of the state you have set up."
"And how long do you reckon it will take to carry out your project,
Matthew?" says I.
"Why, master, I count we may do a good deal in four or five years."
"Five years!" says I, with a gasp.
"Ay, master; but that's not half the time it would take to get down the
Oronoque. And what are five years when you are happily and profitably
occupied? Will it be a great joy to you to know that you are redeeming
these poor folks?"
"Ay, to be sure," says I; "but Lady Biddy?" For she had been in my mind
all this time.
"Why, master, I mistake her ladyship if she is the sort to sit down and
cry for farthingales in the midst of wild woods. No, I do rather count
upon her entering cheerfully into this business, and teaching the women,
as you teach the men, with good result for her pains, and the blessing
of every wife and mother that wears a tawny skin."
"Ay," says I, "they could not fail to be happier for her tenderness."
"No, master, nor she for having such a scope for her tenderness. There's
many a thing I might teach 'em for I have earned wages as a blacksmith
and a carpenter in my time. And if lords, as I have heard, do live to
get drunk, to hunt, and go gallanting, then may you live here like the
best of 'em; for," says he, dropping into his customary vein of humor,
"you may have a score of sweethearts, and not a man to say you nay; hunt
without fear of trespassing on another lord's preserves; and 'twill be
odd if amongst the blessings of civilization we can not make up some
sort of liquor to get drunk on."