A new torture--Bloody gossip--An explosion nearly fatal--Plea of
insanity--Reconciliation--River Santa Cruz--Naval
architecture--Original mode of ferrying--Accident--Ominous
demonstrations thereupon--Perilous superstition--Plans of
escape--The chief fighting his battles over again--Prospects
brighten--A blind hint to naturalists.
From this point we moved again in a north-westerly direction, finding
game more plenty, and among other animals captured a species of fox, the
first I had seen in the country. The camping-ground selected was a waste
more desolate than had yet greeted my sight, even in Patagonia,--a low
marsh, surrounded by sand-hills destitute of even the semblance or
vestige of vegetation, past or present. The horses were let loose to
solve the problem of existence as they could, while my landladies, with
their canine assistants, served up a skunk and two ostrich-legs for
supper. I thought myself fortunate at getting so ample a meal, having
been on short allowance the preceding day.
Here a new torture was inflicted. There had been abundance of voluble
hatred against me, as I had too good reason to know, but it was around
and behind me. Now, presuming, doubtless, on my ignorance of their
language, they came to utter their bloodthirsty thoughts in my presence.
At night, before retiring, the women began to talk against me, as
usual; which never gave me much uneasiness, female opinion not having
much force, I suspected, in affairs of state. Two of them had always
appeared to bear me a mortal grudge, for what cause I could not
conjecture, unless they thought I took up too much of his highness'
time, or exerted too much influence over him. But, on the present
occasion, the conference was enlarged by the entrance of two or three
visitors, whose only errand seemed to be to give the chief gratuitous
advice touching the disposal of my person. Though perfectly
comprehending the drift of their remarks, I looked as stupid as
possible, and bent myself to caress and flatter the old fellow with more
than common servility;--patting his breast, telling him what a big, good
heart it contained, calling him my _compadre_, and myself his child, his
_piconine_, his _muchacho_. So deep was my abasement! To talk of the
goodness of a heart beating with cruelty and black with crime! To call
that black, greasy, depraved monster my father, and myself his dutiful
and affectionate son! It is humiliating to speak of this;--what, let the
reader imagine, must it have been to feel it! The bruised reed was
well-nigh broken. The courage that sustained me in sharp trials was
frittered away piecemeal by incessant irritation. Hope, that kept me
from fainting in the fatal ring, vanished with the occasion that invoked
it, and a bitter, consuming despair hovered over me. Then came dark and
distracting thoughts of home, now more distant than ever, to stab my
heart, already faint and bleeding. Again was sleep driven from me, but
the night passed, and the blessed light of day stole upon me, as with a
benediction from heaven.
I arose and rushed into the open air to warm myself by exercise, and
when the fire was lighted comforted myself by its kindly heat, and
recovered a measure of buoyancy. But the day was wearily spent, and
night brought the merciless gossips once more into the lodge. The two
squaws led off with words of the most fiendish hate, urging that I
should be summarily despatched, and gloating over anticipated vengeance.
Tempestuous thoughts and sleepless hours had weakened me in body and
mind. The fall of successive drops of water will madden the stoutest
brain, and the drop too much had now lighted on my head. I was frenzied;
strong passions, hitherto held in check, overmastered me. I rose, threw
my cap violently on the ground, stamped, gnashed my teeth, and cursed
without restraint. I shook my fists at them, defied their malice, and
raved for several minutes, reckless of consequences. What was life to
me? They were killing me by inches. Let them do their worst, no matter
how soon. The chief was at first startled at such an explosion, and sat
looking fixedly upon me, with a dark and clouded brow. It was fortunate
that my rage was too impetuous to be contained within the bounds of my
Indian-Spanish vocabulary, but breathed itself in good strong Saxon, so
that speech could not betray me. For no sooner had the internal pressure
been measurably relieved, than a sudden consciousness of error--fatal
error--smote me with a new dread. What had I done? Where were my wits,
that I should thus toss away life to gratify impotent anger? If my
chance of life was worth little to myself, was it worth nothing to
others, that I should so trifle with it? With returning sanity of
feeling came also a hint of the way to repair my wrong. Without waiting
for any questions or wordy explanations, I looked piteously at the
chief, pointed to my head, and assured him it was disordered. I could
not help my actions. I was sorry to make such an exhibition of myself,
but it was all my poor head; and holding on to the poor head with one
hand, I beat it reproachfully with the other, at the same time giving
vent to some unearthly noises by way of corroboration. The old fellow
looked rather dubiously at this change of scene, and asked if it was at
them I shook my fists?--At them? No, no! they did not understand me. My
heart was good, like his, but it was all my head, my poor naughty
_cabeza_. Another thump on my cranium, and a second edition of the howl,
proved sufficient. The plea of insanity was admitted; he expressed
himself satisfied, and explained the incident to the amazed spectators.
I drew a long breath with a returning sense of security, scarcely
crediting the success of the artifice, and almost doubting whether the
whole scene were not a dream. Real or unreal, it was over, and things
were apparently on their former footing. Only my feminine foes would not
be convinced, and added this crowning indiscretion to the list of my
offences.
We moved the next day in a northerly direction, and struck the river
Santa Cruz, encamping about an eighth of a mile from its marshy banks,
which, at this point, were bent in a broad, horse-shoe curve. We were
surrounded, except on the river side, by high abrupt sand-banks, covered
in part by underbrush of a stunted growth. The river was narrow, but
deep and rapid. The Indians said it was the Santa Cruz, and that it led
directly to "Holland;" but their lies about that same Dutch land had
long since destroyed all faith in their words. That it was the Santa
Cruz was probable, for I knew of no other river in these parts;--we had
passed Corey Inlet and the Gallegos. The rest of the story I could only
_try_ to credit. I tried to urge them on, but they were not to be
hurried. Some of them grumbled that I had no intention of giving them
anything, but meant to slip from them the first opportunity. No wonder
they thought so; they certainly had not laid me under very great
obligations of gratitude. What on earth they wanted of me, unless to fat
and eat me, was past conjecture; and my fare had not been of a nature to
induce corpulence, so that this supposition was not trustworthy. They
_said_ they wanted me to help steal horses. They were bound for the Rio
Negro, where they meant to steal seven hundred horses, of which number I
was to get two. Certainly, I told them, it would be just the thing; and
that was a most excellent reason for going to "Holland." They would find
me a rare thief; but, however it might be with them, _I_ could not steal
without a good stock of rum and tobacco. Was I insincere in all this?
The reader may smile or may frown, but it was my purpose, if I failed to
escape by way of "Holland," to humor them to the top of their bent; to
ride, hunt, and even _steal_ my way into their confidence;--any way to
insure present safety, and keep an eye open for future opportunities.
Three or four days were passed in suspense, which was at last terminated
by taking our line of march down the river. We halted at noon, at a
point where the banks sloped gently to the water's edge, on either side
of the deep and narrow channel. Active preparations were here commenced
for crossing. Part of the horses were driven across the river, whilst a
portion of the tribe were occupied in building boats to ferry their
families and goods across. Their boats are constructed after a simple
fashion. A quantity of bushes are cut and dragged down to the margin of
the water. They take four tent-stakes, and lay them so as to enclose an
area eight feet square, lashing them firmly together at the four
corners. Four Indians then raise the stakes from the ground, while
others place the skin covering of the tent over the frame, allowing it
to sag down three or four feet. The edges of the skin are brought over
the stakes, and fastened on the inside. The bushes, made ready for the
purpose, are placed within, tops downward, round the entire
circumference, and secured to the stakes, till the boat is completely
timbered up. The bushes keep the skin distended, and give to the vessel
an oval shape, so that, though square at the top, it bears a striking
resemblance to a large iron pot. Its length and its breadth of beam are
of course equal. When completed, it is firmly lashed from stem to
sternpost, and from side to side, with a lariat, or green hide rope,
forty feet long, to keep it from spreading or racking. I had no hand in
modelling this witch of the wave, but, like an apprentice, did as I was
ordered in forwarding the structure, and, when nothing else was
required, "held on to the slack." It was at last completed, like the
temple of Solomon, without the sound of axe or hammer; neither bolts,
trenails nor caulking-iron, were required. We carried the barge down,
and launched her in the stream. Two paddles were made by lashing two
bladebones of the guanaco to sticks. Squaws, pappooses and baggage, were
stowed away, till the boat was laden to the water's edge. I was directed
to take passage with the family and household effects of the chief, and
seated myself in the centre of the closely-packed craft. One end of a
lariat was fastened to the boat, and the other tied to the tail of a
horse. A savage mounted, with one rein attached to the wooden bit on the
up-stream side. Two others took the oars, one on each side, and a squaw
was stationed on the top-gallant forecastle for the purpose of singing,
to insure good luck. All is ready. The old horse wades till the depth of
water compels him to swim, and the boat is pushed off. The rider floats
on the horse's back, kicking the water with his feet, holding the rein
in one hand, and grasping the mane with the other. "Chew! chew!" he
shouts, at the top of his voice. The black swan in the forecastle opens
her capacious mouth and sings, "Yek yah, youri miti! yek yah, youri
miti!" The two oarsmen dig away with might and main, while the younger
fry swell the chorus with a "Yah! yah! yah!" The boat brings some heavy
lurches to the windward, then yaws off to leeward; all owing to those
lubberly oarsmen not meeting her with the helm in season. At length,
after innumerable shiftings, we reached the opposite shore, and waded up
on dry land.
[Illustration: FERRYING THE SANTA CRUZ.]
Several boats were constructed after the same unique model, and
succeeded in crossing safely. Some of the horses, being better adapted
to towing, were swam back to repeat the process, and our craft returned
for a second freight. I watched the proceedings from the bank with
intense interest, speculating on the probable consequences of an
accident to any of the fleet. Such was their superstition, that, in the
event of any ill befalling them, they would be quite likely to ascribe
it to me, and serve me worse than Jonah was treated by his shipmates.
The swiftness of the current, and the rudeness of their navigation,
made them so liable to mischief, that it seemed wise to prepare for it;
and I at once began ingratiating myself with two of the worst fellows in
the whole tribe, by professions of special good will and admiration for
them, and confidential hints that they would share more liberally in the
bounties of "Holland" than any of their fellows. Whilst thus engaged,
with cautious glances across the river, to make sure that all was right,
I perceived that there was quite a commotion among the people below;
some were springing upon their horses,--others, ready mounted, were
dashing furiously down the bank. On looking some distance below, a boat
appeared to be in distress; the lariat that bound it together had
snapped asunder, and the pressure within, and the strain of the horse
without, had broken the front stake; the horse, relieved of his freight,
pulled for the shore, and could neither be coaxed nor beaten into a
return to duty. The horsemen on the banks dashed into the stream, and
swam for the wreck, which contained, among other passengers, a young
child. It was already filled with water, and was partially turned on her
side. The surface of the river was dotted with dark forms, struggling
with the mad current; one horseman after another each grasped a floating
object, and made for the shore. The craft had drifted nearly half a
mile, and nothing could be made out very distinctly. The squaws, on
first perceiving the mischance, watched the wreck, and sung in a loud
and plaintive strain, all the while casting unfriendly glances at me,
and gradually approaching the place where I stood. My apprehensions were
so far confirmed by this movement, that I told John (the name I gave one
of my present particular friends), as he loved rum and tobacco, and
expected to get any, not to leave me. John saw at a glance what was in
the wind, and appreciated both the immediate danger and the ultimate
reward of averting it; namely, the privilege of being gloriously drunk
at my expense. He told me to go into his hut, and pointed me to the
furthest corner; where, I being duly ensconced, he took his station,
cutlass in hand, directly in front of me. The singing grew louder, and
the voices more numerous about the door; the song was their regular
powwow strain, which invariably preluded the killing of a horse. The
Indians began to enter the lodge, and looked unutterable things in the
direction where I was crouching; the wigwam was soon filled with them,
and they were beginning to crowd towards me, when old John opened upon
them, and told them they ought to be ashamed of themselves, to come in
there in that manner; they did not even know what had happened,--they
did not know whether any lives were lost. They were threatening on
account of the death of a child, when, for aught they knew, the child
was alive; they had better wait patiently, till they knew more about the
matter, before they made any further uproar about it. In this strain he
parleyed with them for some time, till they concluded to retire,
uttering, as they went, the most horrible sounds. I felt less relief
from their absence than if John had not, by implication, fully assented
that _if_ the brat was drowned, my life should answer for it. News soon
came that the children were all safe, but that the boat was lost.
An instant change ensued: the fire appeared to be quenched, but I feared
it might break out at any moment afresh. Knowing their treachery, I kept
a pretty suspicious watch on their movements; the chief soon came over
the river, hurried, perhaps, in his movements by the accident, which he
had witnessed from the opposite shore. After conferring with John, and
giving him some instructions, and seeing that all was right, he
reembarked for the other shore, as he made it his special business to
see that all were passed across in safety. The ferrying ceased as night
came on; the chief was likely to be on the opposite side all night, as
there was a good day's work yet to be done before the whole would be
transported. I had overheard him giving special orders to keep a good
look-out on me during the night. I felt, however, some uneasiness in his
absence; he had been my most powerful protector, having twice, at least,
saved me from imminent death.
I now began to revolve in my mind the possibility of escape; the thought
suggested itself that I might steal one of their boats, and drift down
the stream. I was long since heartily tired of captivity; my situation,
especially if I was to be held a hostage of Providence for the safe
ferriage of the tribe, was desperate. But, on second thought, I did not
know that this was certainly the Santa Cruz; if it was, I was
furthermore ignorant of our distance from the sea. I knew of no white
settlement on or near the river; none, I remembered, was laid down in
the chart; if such a settlement existed, I might hope to reach it in a
_boat_, but a voyage in such a craft as one of these would be as
hazardous as that of the wise men of Gotham. If there was no such
settlement, and "Holland" was Patagonian for Utopia, my only chance,
short of drifting in my leathern sack out to sea, would be to land on
some island, in case an island there were; and then what should I live
on, after landing? Berries I had never seen, except once or twice.
Besides, my stolen craft could not be _paddled_,--the Indians had too
good ears for that; I must follow the channel passively, through all its
course, which was terribly crooked, while its rapidity increased the
risk that the ungainly vehicle would be disabled. On the whole, it was
so doubtful whether I could reach any particular place, or escape
starvation after I got there, and so certain that failure would be
death, the project seemed a forlorn hope. But then, again, it was not
more forlorn than my present situation; so my poor mind vibrated between
dangers,--the danger of remaining where I was,--the danger that I should
escape only from the frying-pan into the fire. At last, as I _felt_ the
frying-pan, and only _feared_ the fire, I concluded to try.
Crawling as noiselessly as possible from my resting-place, I stole
softly out, and made for the river. Alack! in calculating the chances, I
had not once thought of four-footed enemies, and they were upon me
before I was halfway to the shore,--a half-dozen dogs, barking loud
enough to wake the whole encampment. I retreated incontinently to the
lodge, and succeeded in getting quietly into my quarters again, not
without some inward spasms. It was all for the best, no doubt, but it
was not, just then, easy to think so, or _possible_ to _feel_ so; and,
therefore, after a little time, I once more emerged from the lodge, and
stole towards the river by a different track, hoping to elude those
infernal dogs; but they, or some others, were on the alert, and came
pell-mell upon my rear, barking more uproariously than before. I cursed
the dogs, their masters, and my own folly, and gave up the attempt.
The ferrying recommenced the next morning; and before night the whole
tribe were safely landed, with their effects, on the west side of the
river, and their wigwams were all pitched. We were short of provisions;
but this was a common case, and I was accustomed to it. I got an
occasional morsel of grease, sufficient to keep starvation at bay; but
illness, with bad and insufficient food, had greatly emaciated me, till
I was a spectacle but few degrees above the living skeleton. But hope
was still in the ascendant, and I had no idea of lying down to die till
I was quite sure my time had come. We continued our wanderings the next
day in a westerly direction, slaying every living creature that came
within reach, from a skunk to a guanaco. This was a great
disappointment, as I hoped we should go down the river, the direction in
which they said "Holland" lay, and the only direction in which we were
likely to strike a white settlement, if any existed on the Atlantic
coast. But my remonstrances on this head were vain; they would go where
they pleased, and I must go with them. Time dragged heavily; hours
seemed days, and days weeks. But impatience is no virtue, and submission
was imperative.
The country hereabout was more broken and mountainous than any we had
before traversed, with a more abundant growth of bushes, and some clumps
of stunted trees here and there. As we proceeded, keeping still to the
north-west, game was more plenty. We came to two ponds, or small lakes,
one of not more than four acres in extent, the other considerably
larger; the latter was shallow, at least near the shore, as some
ostriches pursued by the Indians ran into it, and their pursuers waded
after, and succeeded in capturing them.
At one time I observed a large scar in the calf of the chief's leg; the
mark of a wound that must have been inflicted a long time before, as it
was completely healed. Its depression was so great as to indicate a very
severe cut, unless the old fellow had grown uncommonly fat since he
received it. On inquiring the cause of it, he said it was from a wound
inflicted by the Alanagros, a tribe inhabiting a country to the
northward. The name he gave them signifies the blacks; and, from the
manner in which he spoke of them, I inferred they were in some respects
superior to the Patagonians. He said they were armed with cutlasses, and
very long knives,--had tobacco, and plenty of horses; and I conjectured
that they might have been a party of Spanish Americans, or one of the
mixed races of Spanish origin. The fight, he said, arose on occasion of
his tribe being on a horse-stealing expedition; they encamped a short
distance off, and at night he made a descent on the Alanagros, killed
some of them, and plundered their camp, carrying off many of their
horses. The plundered tribe rallied, hotly pursued them, and recaptured
a part of the booty; in the struggle wounding him with a cutlass, and,
as I judged by appearances, cutting to the bone. He told the story with
great spirit, slashing right and left, and grunting with extraordinary
emphasis, as if to give an impression that good hard blows were given
and taken: but I afterwards learned that it was a cowardly running
fight, in which more sweat than blood was spilled.
Nothing of importance occurred at our encampment near the lakes,
except--what was a very noteworthy fact with me--such an abundance of
ostrich that I was surfeited with the delicious fare, and was compelled
by the chief to take a horse-rein emetic,--a more precise description of
which the reader will have no difficulty in excusing. Had I not so
completely disavowed the medical character, the chief might probably
have allowed me to feel my own pulse,--if I could find it,--and to
prescribe for myself; but the renunciation of professional honors
brought me under the sanitary, as well as the political, jurisdiction of
Parosilver.
Our line of march was now in a northerly direction, soon deflecting to
the eastward,--a movement that revived my sinking hopes. There seemed to
be some prospect of striking the Atlantic coast, and coming within reach
of civilized men. On our way we observed the tracks of some animals
different from any I had met with. The chief said it was the _limerer_,
with which lucid definition I was fain to be content; and, as no
specimens were visible, the inquisitive naturalist must trust to his
imagination for the rest.