Description of my House at Jala-Jala--Storms, Gales, and
Earthquakes--Reforming the Banditti--Card-playing--Tagal
Cock-fighting--Skirmishes with Robbers--Courage of my Wife--Our
Domestic Happiness--Visits from Europeans--Their Astonishment at
our Civilisation--Visit to a Sick Friend at Manilla--Tour through
the Provinces of the Ilocos and Pangasinan Indians--My Reception
by the Tinguians--Their Appearance and Habits--Manners and
Customs--Indian Fête at Laganguilan y Madalag--Horrible Ceremonies
to Celebrate a Victory--Songs and Dances--Our Night-watch--We
Explore our Cabin--Discovery of a Secret Well--Tomb of the
Tinguian Indians.
As I have previously said, my house possessed every comfort that
could possibly be desired. It was built of hewn stone, so that in
case of an attack it could serve as a small fortress. The front
overlooked the lake, which bathed with its clear and limpid waters
the verdant shore within a hundred steps from my dwelling; the back
part looked upon woods and hills, where the vegetation was rich and
plentiful. From our windows we could gaze upon those grand majestic
scenes which a beautiful tropical sky so frequently affords. At
times, on a dark night, the summits of the hills suddenly shone
with a weak faint light, which increased by degrees; then the bright
moon gradually appeared, and illuminated the tops of the mountains,
as large beacon-fires would have done; then again, calm, peaceful,
and serene, she reflected her soft poetic light over the bosom of
the lake, as tranquil and unruffled as herself. It was indeed an
imposing sight. Towards evening, Nature at times showed herself
in all her commanding splendour, infusing a secret terror into the
very soul. Everything bore evidence of the sacred influence of the
Divine Creator. At a short distance from our house we could perceive
a mountain, the base of which was in the lake and the summit in the
clouds. This mountain served as a lightning conductor to Jala-Jala:
it attracted the thunder. Frequently heavy black clouds, charged with
electricity, gathered over this elevated point, looking like other
mountains trying to overturn it; then a storm began, the thunder roared
tremendously, the rain fell in torrents; every minute frightful claps
were heard, and the total darkness was scarcely broken by the lightning
that flashed in long streams of fire, dashing from the top and sides
of the mountain enormous blocks of rock, that were hurled into the
lake with a fearful crash. It was an admirable exemplification of the
power of the Almighty! Soon the calm was restored, the rain ceased,
the clouds disappeared, the fragrant air bore on its yet damp wings
the perfume of the flowers and aromatic plants, and Nature resumed
her ordinary stillness. Hereafter I shall have occasion to speak
of other events that happened at certain periods, and were still
more alarming, for they lasted twelve hours. These were gales of
wind, called in the Chinese seas Tay-Foung. At several periods of
the year, particularly at the moment of the change of the monsoon,
[3] we beheld still more terrifying phenomena than our storms--I
allude to the earthquakes. These fearful convulsions of nature
present a very different aspect in the country from what they do in
cities. If in towns the earth begins to quake, everywhere we hear a
terrible noise; the edifices give way, and are ready to fall down;
the inhabitants rush out of their houses, run along the streets, which
they encumber, and try to escape. The screams of frightened children
and women bathed in tears are blended with those of the distracted
men; all are on their knees, with clasped hands, their looks raised to
Heaven, imploring its mercy with sobbing voices. Everything totters,
is agitated; all dread death, and terror becomes general. In the
country it is totally different, and a hundred times more imposing and
terrific. For instance, in Jala-Jala, at the approach of one of these
phenomena, a profound, even mournful stillness pervades nature. The
wind no longer blows; not a breeze nor even a gentle zephyr is
perceptible. The sun, though cloudless, darkens, and spreads around
a sepulchral light. The atmosphere is burdened with heavy and sultry
vapours. The earth is in labour. The frightened animals quietly seek
shelter from the catastrophe they foresee. The ground shakes; soon it
trembles under their feet. The trees move, the mountains quake upon
their foundations, and their summits appear ready to tumble down. The
waters of the lake quit their bed, and inundate the country. Still
louder roaring than that produced by the thunder is heard: the earth
quivers; everywhere its motion is simultaneously felt. But after this
the convulsion ceases, everything revives. The mountains are again firm
upon their foundations, and become motionless; the waters of the lake
return by degrees to their proper reservoir; the heavens are purified
and resume their brilliant light, and the soft breeze fans the air;
the wild buffaloes again scour the plain, and other animals quit the
dens in which they had concealed themselves; the earth has resumed
her stillness, and nature recovered her accustomed imposing calm.
I have not sought to enter upon those minute descriptions, too tedious
generally for the reader; I only wished to give an idea of the various
panoramas that were unfolded to our eyes whilst at Jala-Jala.
I now return to the details of my ordinary life.
As I had killed a wild buffalo when hunting, I had given sufficient
proofs of my skill, and my Indians were devoted to me, because they
had confidence in me. Nothing more now pre-occupied me, and I spent
my time in superintending some necessary alterations. Shortly the
woods and forests adjoining my domain were cut down, and replaced by
extensive fields of indigo and rice. I stocked the hills with horned
cattle, and a fine troop of horses with delicate limbs and haughty
mien; I also succeeded in dispersing the banditti from Jala-Jala. I
must say a great many of them abandoned their wandering sinful lives;
I received them on my land, and made good husbandmen of them. How
was it that I had collected such a number of recruits? In a strange
manner, I will admit, and worthy of relating, as it will show how
an Indian allows himself to be influenced and guided, when he has
confidence in a man whom he looks upon as his superior. I frequently
walked in the forests alone, with my gun under my arm. Suddenly a
bandit would spring out, as if by enchantment, from behind a tree,
armed from top to toe, and advance towards me.
"Master," said he to me, putting one knee to the ground, "I will be
an honest man; take me under your protection!"
I asked him his name; if he had been marked out by the high court of
justice, I would answer him severely:
"Withdraw, and never present yourself again before me; I cannot
forgive you, and if I meet you again, I must do my duty."
If he was unknown to me, I would kindly say to him:
"Follow me."
I would take him home, and then tell him to lay down his arms; and
after having preached to him, and exhorted him to persist in his
resolution, I would point out to him the spot in the village where
he might build his cabin, and, in order to encourage him, I would
advance him some money to support himself until he became transformed
from a bandit into an agriculturist. I congratulated myself each
day on having left an open door to repentance, since by my cares I
restored to an honest and laborious life, people who had gone astray
and been perverted. I endeavoured also to persuade the Indians to
abandon their vicious wild customs, without being too severe towards
them; to obtain much from them I knew it was necessary to give way a
little. The Indians are passionately fond of cards and cock-fighting,
as I have said before; therefore, in order not to debar them entirely
from these pleasures, I allowed them to play at cards three times a
year--the day of the village festival, upon my wife's birthday, and
upon my own. Woe to the one who was caught playing out of the times
prescribed above; he was severely punished. As to the cock-fights,
I allowed them on Sundays and holidays, after Divine service. For
this purpose I had public arenas built. In these arenas, in presence
of two judges, whose decrees were without appeal, the spectators
laid heavy wagers. There is nothing more curious than to witness a
cock-fight. The two proud animals, purposely chosen and trained for
the day of the contest, come upon the battle-field armed with long,
sharp, steel spurs. They bear themselves erect; their deportment
is bold and warlike; they raise their heads, and beat their sides
with their wings, the feathers of which spread in the form of
the proud peacock's fan. They pace the arena haughtily, raising
their armed legs cautiously, and darting angry looks at each other,
like two old warriors in armour ready to fight before the eyes of an
assembled court. Their impatience is violent, their courage impetuous;
shortly the two adversaries fall upon and attack each other with equal
fury; the sharp weapons they wear inflict dreadful wounds, but these
intrepid combatants appear not to feel the cruel effects. Blood flows;
the champions only appear the more animated. The one that is getting
weak raises his courage at the idea of victory; if he draw back, it is
only to recruit his strength, to rush with more ardour than ever upon
the enemy he wishes to subdue. At length when their fate is decided,
when one of the heroes, covered with blood and wounds, falls a victim,
or runs away, he is declared vanquished, and the battle is ended.
The Indians assist with a sort of ferocious joy at this
amusement. Their attention is so captivated by it that they do not
utter a word, but follow with particular care the most minute details
of the conflict. Almost all of them train up a cock, and treat him
for several years with comical tenderness, when one reflects that
this animal, taken as much care of as a child, is destined by its
master to perish the first day it fights. I also found that it was
necessary to provide some amusement compatible with the tastes,
manners, and habits of my former bandits, who had led for so long
a space of time such a wandering vagabond life. For this purpose I
allowed hunting on all parts of my estate, conditionally, however,
that I should take beforehand, as tithe, a quarter of any stag or wild
boar they should kill. I do not think that ever a sportsman--one of
those men reclaimed from the paths of vice to those of virtue--failed
in this engagement, or endeavoured to steal any game. I have often
received seven or eight haunches of venison in a day, and those who
brought them were delighted to be able to offer them to me.
The church I had laid the foundation of was progressing rapidly;
the population of the township was daily increasing: and everything
succeeded according to my wishes. I had still occasional difficulties
with the hardened robbers who surrounded me; but I pursued them
without intermission, for it was to my interest to remove them from the
neighbourhood of my residence. Frequently they annoyed me by the alarms
that they gave us. These resolute, determined men arrived in gangs to
besiege our house. My guards surrounded me, and we occasionally fought
skirmishes, which always terminated in our favour. Providence has
unfathomable secrets. I was never struck by a ball from a bandit. I
bear the scars of seventeen wounds; but these wounds were made with
naked blades. It could be said of me, as in I know not which Scotch
ballad: "Did not the Devil's soldiers pass through the balls, instead
of the balls passing through them." Yet I have often been fired at;
sometimes the barrel of a gun has been pointed at my chest, and that
at a few paces from me. My clothes have been torn by the bullet,
but my body has always escaped harm.
One morning I was cautioned to put myself on my guard, because some
banditti had met together at a few leagues from my house, and intended
attacking it. Hearing this, I armed my people, and set out to meet
the band that was coming to assail me, so as to anticipate their
attack. At the place that had been indicated to me I found nobody,
and passed the day in exploring the neighbourhood, in hopes of meeting
the bandits, but my search was useless. Suddenly the thought struck me
that a secret enemy had imposed upon me, and that, at the moment I was
going to face imaginary danger, perhaps my house I had left would be
suddenly attacked. I trembled--I shivered all over. I gallopped off,
and reached home in the middle of the night. My fears were but too
well-founded. I had fallen into a snare. I found my servants armed,
watching, with my wife at their head. "What are you doing here?" I
exclaimed, going up to her. "I am keeping watch," she replied, with
great presence of mind; "I was told that the advice given to you
was false; that you would not find the robbers where you expected,
and that, during your absence, they would come here." This act of
heroism proved to me what courage and energy God had given to a woman
apparently so delicate. The banditti did not attack us: was there
not some guardian angel watching over my dwelling?
We were more than a year at Jala-Jala without seeing a European. One
would have thought that we had withdrawn ourselves entirely from the
civilised world, and that we were going to live for ever with the
Indians. Our mountains had so bad a reputation, that nobody dared
expose themselves to the thousand dangers they feared to encounter in
the locality. We were therefore alone, yet still very happy. It was,
perhaps, the most pleasant time I spent in my life. I was living with a
beloved and loving wife; the good work I had undertaken was performed
under my eyes; the comfort and happiness, the natural results of
such good work, spread themselves among my vassals, who daily became
more and more devoted to me. How could I have regretted quitting
the pleasures and entertainments of a town, where those diversions
and pleasures are bought by lies, hypocrisy, and deceit--those three
vices of civilised society? However, the terror spread around by the
banditti was not great enough to keep away the Europeans entirely;
and one morning some people, [4] mad enough to dare to visit a mad
man--such was the name given to me at Manilla, when I left to go and
live in the country--came to see me, armed to their very teeth. The
surprise of these venturesome visitors is impossible to be described,
when they found us at Jala-Jala, calm, and in perfect safety. Their
astonishment increased when they went entirely through our colony; and
on their return to town they gave such an account of our retreat, and
of the entertainments they found there, that shortly after we received
more visits, and I had not only to give hospitality to friends, but
likewise to strangers. If, now and then, our affairs compelled us to
go to Manilla, we very soon came back to our mountains and forests,
for there only Anna and myself were happy. Very great reasons alone
could induce us to leave our pleasant abode; however, a slight event
occurred that obliged us to quit it for a short time. I was informed
that one of my friends, who had acted as witness to my marriage,
was seriously ill. [5] What the greatest pleasure, the most heartfelt
joy, the most splendid banquet, could not obtain from me, friendship
exacted. At this sad intelligence I determined at once upon going to
Manilla, to give my advice to the sick man, whose family had solicited
my aid; and as my absence might be prolonged, I packed up my things,
and we left, our hearts sadder than ever at having to quit Jala-Jala
on so melancholy an errand. Upon my arrival there, I was told that
my friend had been taken from Manilla to Boulacan, a province to the
north of that town, where it was hoped the country air would hasten
his recovery. I left Anna at her sister's, and went off to join Don
Simon, whom I found convalescent; my presence was almost useless,
and the journey I had made resulted in shaking affectionately my
former comrade by the hand, whom I would not leave until convinced
that he was entirely recovered.
In order to utilise my time, I decided upon making a tour to the north
into the provinces of Ilocos and Pangasinan. I had my reasons for so
doing: I wished, if possible, to make an excursion to the Tinguians
and Igorrots, wild populations, who were much talked of, but little
known. I wished to study them myself. I took the precaution not to
confide this idea to anybody, for then, indeed, people would not
have known what name to give my folly. I made my preparations, and
set out with my faithful lieutenant, Alila, who never left me, and
who was justly styled Mabouti-Tao. We were mounted upon good horses,
that carried us along like gazelles to Vigan, the chief town of the
province of South Ilocos, where we left the animals. From there we
took a guide, who conducted us on foot to the east, close to a small
river called Abra (opening). This river is the only issue by which
we could penetrate to the Tinguians. It winds around high mountains
of basalt; its sides are steep; its bed is encumbered with immense
blocks of rock, fallen from the sides of the mountains, which render
it impossible to walk along its banks. To reach the Tinguians, it
is necessary to have recourse to a slight skiff, that can easily
pass through the current and the most shallow parts. My guide and
my lieutenant soon contrived to make a small raft of bamboos; when
it was finished we embarked, Alila and myself, our guide refusing
to accompany us. After much trouble and fatigue, casting ourselves
often into the water to draw our raft along, we at length got clear
of the first range of mountains, and perceived, in a small plain,
the first Tinguian village. When we reached there we got out, and
went towards the huts we had distinguished in the distance. I allow
it was acting rather foolishly to go and thus expose ourselves,
in the midst of a colony of ferocious and cruel men whose language
we did not know; but I relied upon my usual good fortune. I will add
that I had taken divers objects with me to give as presents, trusting
to meet some inhabitant speaking the Tagaloc language. I walked on,
then, without troubling myself about what would become of us. In a
few minutes we reached the nearest cabins, and the inhabitants gave
us at first an unwelcome reception. Frightened at seeing us approach,
they advanced towards us, armed with hatchets and spears; we waited
for them without recoiling in the least. I spoke to them by signs,
and showed them some necklaces of glass beads, to make them understand
we were friendly disposed. They deliberated among themselves, and when
they had held their consultation, they beckoned us to follow them. We
obeyed. They led us to their chief, who was an old man. My generosity
was greater towards him than it had been to his subjects. He appeared
so delighted with my presents, that he immediately put us at our ease,
by making us understand that we had nothing to fear, and that he took
us under his special protection.
This pleasing reception encouraged us.
I then set about examining with attention the men, women, and children
who surrounded us, and who seemed as much astonished as ourselves. My
amazement was very great when I beheld tall men, slightly bronzed,
with straight hair, regular features, aquiline noses, and really
handsome, elegant women. Was I really among savages? I should rather
have thought I was among the inhabitants of the south of France,
had it not been for the costume and language. The only clothing the
men wore was a sash, and a sort of a turban, made out of the bark of
the fig tree. They were armed, as they always are, with a long spear,
a small hatchet, and a shield. The women also wore a sash, and a small
narrow apron that came down to their knees. Their heads were ornamented
with pearls, coral beads, and pieces of gold, twisted among their hair;
the upper parts of their hands were painted blue; their wrists adorned
with interwoven bracelets, spangled with glass beads--these bracelets
reached the elbow, and formed a kind of half-plaited sleeve. On this
subject I learnt a remarkable fact. These interwoven bracelets squeeze
the arm very much; they are put on when the women are quite young,
and they prevent the development of the flesh to the advantage of the
wrist and hand, which swell and become dreadfully big; this is a mark
of beauty with the Tinguians, as a small foot is with the Chinese,
and a small waist with the European ladies. I was quite astonished
to find myself in the midst of this population, where there was no
reason whatsoever to be alarmed. One thing only annoyed me; it was
the odour that these people spread around them, which could be smelt
even at a distance. However, the men and women are cleanly, for they
are in the habit of bathing twice daily. I attributed the disagreeable
smell to their sash and turban, which they never leave off, but allow
to fall into rags. I remarked that the reception given me by the
chief gained us the good-will of all the inhabitants, and I accepted,
without hesitation, the hospitality proffered us. This was the only
means of studying well the manners and customs of my new hosts.
The territory occupied by the Tinguians is situated about 17 degrees
north latitude, and 27 degrees west longitude; it is divided into
seventeen villages. Each family possesses two habitations, one for
the day and the other for the night. The abode for the day is a
small cabin, made of bamboos and straw, in the same style as most
Indian huts; the one for the night is smaller, and perched upon great
posts, or on the top of a tree, about sixty or eighty feet above the
ground. This height surprised me, but I understood this precaution
when I knew that thus, under shelter at night, the Tinguians are saved
from the nocturnal attacks of the Guinanès, their mortal enemies,
and defend themselves with the stones which they throw from the tops
of the trees. [6] In the middle of each village there is a large shed,
in which are held the assemblies, festivities, and public ceremonies. I
had been already two days in the village of Palan (this was the name
of the place where I stopped at), when the chiefs received a message
from the small town of Laganguilan y Madalag, that lies far off to the
east. By this message the chiefs were informed that the inhabitants of
this district had fought a battle, and that they had been victorious.
The inhabitants of Palan hearing this news screamed with joy; it
was quite a tumult when they heard that a fête would be given in
commemoration of the success at Laganguilan y Madalag. All wished
to be present--men, women, children; all desired to go to it. But
the chiefs chose a certain number of warriors, some women, and a
great many young girls: they made their preparations and set out. It
was too favourable an opportunity for me not to avail myself of it,
and I earnestly begged my hosts to allow me to accompany them. They
consented, and the same night we set out on our journey, being in all
thirty in number. The men wore their arms, which are composed of a
hatchet, that they call aligua, a sharp-pointed spear of bamboo, and a
shield; the women were muffled up in their finest ornaments. I remarked
that these garments were cotton materials, of showy colours. We walked
one behind another, according to the custom of the savages. We went
through many villages, the inhabitants of which were also going to
the fête; we crossed over mountains, forests, torrents, and at last,
at break of day, we reached Laganguilan y Madalag. This small town was
the scene of much rejoicing. On all sides the sound of the gong and
tom-tom were heard. The first of these instruments is of a Chinese
shape; the second is in the form of a sharp cone, covered over at
the bottom with a deer's skin.
Towards eleven o'clock, the chiefs of the town, followed by all the
population, directed their steps towards the large shed. There everyone
took his place on the ground, each party, headed by its chiefs,
occupying a place marked out for it beforehand. In the middle of a
circle formed by the chiefs of the warriors were large vessels, full
of basi, a beverage made with the fermented juice of the sugar-cane;
and four hideous heads of Guinans entirely disfigured--these were
the trophies of the victory. When all the assistants had taken their
places, a champion of Laganguilan y Madalag took one of the heads
and presented it to the chiefs of the town, who showed it to all the
assistants, making a long speech comprehending many praises for the
conquerors. This discourse being over, the warrior took up the head,
divided it with strokes of his hatchet, and took out the brains. During
this operation, so unpleasant to witness, another champion got a second
head, and handed it to the chiefs, the same speech was delivered,
then he broke the skull to pieces in like manner, and took out the
brains. The same was done with the four bleeding skulls of the subdued
enemies. When the brains were taken out, the young girls pounded them
with their hands into the vases containing the liquor of the fermented
sugar-cane; they stirred the mixture round, and then the vases were
taken to the chiefs, who dipped in their small osier goblets, through
the fissures of which the liquid part ran out, and the solid part that
remained at the bottom they drank with ecstatic sensuality. I felt
quite sick at this scene, so entirely new to me. After the chieftains'
turn came the turn of the champions. The vases were presented to them,
and each one sipped with delight this frightful drink, to the noise
of wild songs. There was really something infernal in this sacrifice
to victory.
We sat in a circle and these vases were carried round. I well
understood that we were about undergoing a disgusting test. Alas! I
had not long to wait for it. The warriors planted themselves before
me, and presented me with the basi and the frightful cup. All eyes
were fixed upon me. The invitation was so direct, to refuse it would
perhaps be exposing myself to death! It is impossible to describe
the interior conflict that passed within me. I would rather have
preferred the carbine of a bandit five paces from my chest; or await,
as I had already done, the impetuous attack of the wild buffalo. What a
perplexity! I shall never forget that awful moment. It struck me with
terror and disgust; however, I contained myself, nothing betraying my
emotion. I imitated the savages, and, dipping the osier goblet into the
drink, I approached it to my lips, and passed it to the unfortunate
Alila, who could not avoid this infernal beverage. The sacrifice was
complete; the libations were over, but not the songs. The basi is a
very spirituous and inebriating liquor, and the assistants, who had
partaken rather too freely of this horrible drink, sang louder to the
noise of the tom-tom and the gong, while the champions divided the
human skulls into small pieces destined to be sent as presents to all
their friends. The distribution was made during the sitting, after
which, the chiefs declared the ceremony over. They then danced. The
savages divided themselves into two lines, and howling, as if they
were furious madmen or terribly provoked, they jumped about, laying
their right hand upon the shoulder of their partners, and changing
places with them. These dances continued all day; at last night came
on, each inhabitant retired with his family and some few guests to
his aerial abode, and soon afterwards tranquillity was restored.
We cannot help feeling astonished, when we are in Europe--in a
good bed, under a warm eider-down coverlet, the head luxuriously
reclining upon good pillows--when we reflect on the singular homes
of the savages in the woods. How often have I represented to myself
these families--roosting eighty feet above ground, upon the tops of
trees. However, I know that they sleep as quietly in those retreats,
open to every wind, as I in my well-closed and quiet room. Are they
not like the birds who repose at their sides upon the branches? Have
they not Nature for a mother, that admirable guardian of all she has
made, and do they not also close their eyelids under the tutelary
looks of the Supreme Father of the universe?
My faithful Alila retired with me into one of the low-storied
cabins to pass the night, as we had been in the habit of doing
while staying with the Tinguians. For our better security we were
accustomed to watch one another alternately; we never both slept at
the same time. Without being timid, ought we not to be prudent? This
night it was my turn to go to sleep the first. I went to bed, but the
impressions of the day had been too strong: I felt no inclination to
sleep. I therefore offered to relieve my lieutenant of his watch; the
poor fellow was like myself--the heads of the Guinans kept dancing
before his eyes. He beheld them pale, bloody, hideous; then torn,
pounded, broken to pieces; then the shocking beverage of the brains,
that he also so courageously swallowed, came back to his mind,
and he suffered sufficiently to make him repent our visit. "Master,"
said he to me, looking very much grieved, "why did we come among these
devils? Ah! it would have been much better had we remained in our good
country of Jala-Jala." He was not perhaps in the wrong, but my desire
to see extraordinary things gave me a courage and a will he did not
partake of. I answered him thus: "Man must know all, and see all it is
possible to see. As we cannot sleep, and that we are masters here, let
us make a night visit; perhaps we shall find things that are unknown
to us. Light the fire and follow me, Alila." The poor lieutenant
obeyed without answering a word. He rubbed two pieces of bamboo one
against the other, and I heard him muttering between his teeth:
"What cursed idea has the master now? What shall we see in
this miserable cabin--with the exception of the Tic-balan, [7]
or Assuan? [8] We shall find nothing else." During the Indian's
reflections the fire burnt up. I lit, without saying a word, a cotton
wick, plastered over with elemi gum, that I always carried with me in
my travels, and I began exploring. I went all through the inside of
the habitation without finding anything, not even the Tic-balan, or
Assuan, as my lieutenant imagined. I was beginning to think my search
fruitless, when the idea struck me to go down to the ground-floor of
the cabin, for all the cabins are raised about eight or ten feet above
ground, and the under part of the floor, closed with bamboos, is used
as a store: I descended. Anyone who could have seen me--a white man,
a European, the child of another hemisphere--wander by night, with a
taper in my hand, about the hut of a Tinguian Indian, would have been
really surprised at my audacity, and I may almost say, my obstinacy,
in seeking out danger while pursuing the wonderful and unknown. But
I went on, without reflecting on the strangeness of my conduct: as
the Indians say: "I was following my destiny." When I had reached the
ground, I perceived in the middle of a square, inclosed with bamboos,
a sort of trap, and I stopped quite pleased. Alila looked at me with
astonishment. I lifted up the trap, and saw a rather deep well;
I looked into it with my light, but could not discover the bottom
of it. Upon the sides only, at a depth of about six or seven yards,
I thought I distinguished some openings that I took for entrances
into sub terraneous galleries. What had I now discovered? Was I,
like Gil Blas, about to penetrate into the midst of an assemblage of
banditti, living in the internal parts of the earth; or should I find,
as in the tales of the "Arabian Nights," some beautiful young girls,
prisoners of some wicked magician? Indeed, my curiosity increased
in proportion to my discoveries. "There is something strange here,"
said I to my lieutenant; "light a second match, I will go down to the
bottom of the well." Hearing this order, my faithful Alila shrunk back
in dismay, and ventured to say to me, in a frightfully dismal tone:
"Why, master, you are not content to see what is upon the earth,
you must also see what is inside of it!"
This simple observation made me smile. He continued: "You wish to
leave me alone here; and if the souls of the Guinans whose brains I
have just drank come to fetch me, what will become of me? You will
not be here to defend me!"
My lieutenant would not have been frightened at twenty banditti, he
would have struggled against every one of them until death; but his
legs trembled, his voice faltered, he was terrified at the idea of
remaining alone in this cabin, exposed to the view of the spirit of
a Guinan, which would come and ask him to restore his brains! Whilst
he addressed me these complaints, I had leant my back against one
side of the well, my knees were applied against the other, and down
I went. I had already descended about four yards, when I felt some
rubbish falling upon me. I raised my head, and saw Alila coming down
too. The poor fellow would not remain alone. "Well done," said I to
him, "you are becoming curious too; you will be rewarded, believe
me, for we shall see fine sights." And I continued my under-ground
research. After proceeding six or seven yards I reached the opening
I had remarked from above, and stopped. I placed my light before me,
and espied a corner, where sat the dried black corpse of a Tinguian in
the same state as a mummy. I said nothing; I waited for my lieutenant,
anxious as I was to enjoy his surprise. When he was aside of me: "Look,
look," I exclaimed; "what is that?" He was stupified. "Master," said he
at last, "I entreat of you to leave this place; let us get out of this
cursed hole! Take me to fight against the Tinguians of the village--I
am quite willing to do that--but do not remain among the dead! What
should we do with our arms, if they suddenly appeared to ask us why
we are here?" "Be quiet," I answered him; "we shall go no farther." I
felt satisfied that this well was a tomb, and that lower down I should
see some more Tinguians in a state of preservation. I respected the
abode of the dead, and came up, to Alila'a great satisfaction. We
put everything in its place, and returned to the upper story of the
cabin. I soon fell asleep, but my lieutenant could not: the thoughts
of the mummy and horrible beverage kept him awake.