A NEW DEPARTURE.
"We seem always to be escaping, _amigo mio_," said Carmen, as we sat in
the shade, eating our _tasajo_. "We got out of one scrape only to get into
another. Your experience of the country so far has not been happy."
"Well, I certainly have had rather a lively time of it since I landed at
La Guayra, if that is what you mean."
"Very. And I should almost advise you to leave the country, if that were
possible. But reaching the coast in present circumstances is out of the
question. All the ports are in possession of the Spaniards, and the roads
thither beset by guerillas. I see nothing for it but to go on the llanos
and form a guerilla band of our own."
"Isn't guerilla merely another name for brigand?"
"Too often. You must promise the fellows plunder."
"And provide it."
"Of course, or pay them out of your own pocket."
"Well, I am not disposed to become a brigand chief; and I could not keep a
band of guerillas at my own charge even if I were disposed. As we cannot
get out of the country either by the north or east, what do you say to
trying south?"
"How far? To the Brazils?"
"Farther. Over the Andes to Peru."
"Over the Andes to Peru? That is a big undertaking. Do you think we could
find that mountain of gold and precious stones you were telling me about?"
"I never entertained any idea so absurd. I merely mentioned poor old
Zamorra's crank as an instance of how credulous people could be."
"Well, perhaps the idea is not quite so absurd as you suppose. Even
stranger things have happened; and we do know that there is gold pretty
nearly everywhere on this continent, to say nothing of the treasure hidden
in times past by Indians and Spaniards, and we might find both gold and
diamonds."
"Of course we might; and as we cannot stay here, we may as well make the
attempt."
"You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous? We shall carry our
lives in our hands."
"That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I
came to Venezuela."
"True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship--As
for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me. But have you any
money? We shall have to equip our expedition. If there are only four of us
we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro. The Indians of that region are as
fierce as alligators."
"I have a few _maracotes_ in the waistband of my trousers and this ring."
"That ring is worth nothing, my friend; at any rate not more than a few
reals."
"A few reals! It contains a ruby, though you don't see it, worth fully
five hundred piasters--if I could find a customer for it."
"I don't think you will easily find a customer for a ruby ring on the
llanos. However, I'll tell you what. An old friend of mine, a certain
Señor Morillones, has a large estate at a place called Naparima on the
Apure. Let us go there to begin with. Morillones will supply us with
mules, and we may possibly persuade some of his people to accompany us.
Treasure-hunting is always an attraction for the adventurous. What say
you?"
"Yes. By all means let us go."
"We may regard it as settled, then, that we make in the first instance for
Naparima."
"Certainly."
"That being the case the best thing we can do is to have a sleep. We got
none last night, and we are not likely to get any to-night."
As Carmen spoke he folded his arms and shut his eyes. I followed his
example, and we knew no more until, as it seemed in about five minutes, we
were roused by a terrific howl.
We jumped up at once and ran out of the thicket. Gahra and Guido were
waiting for us, each with a led horse.
"We were beginning to think you had been taken, or gone away," said Guido,
hoarsely. "I have howled six times in succession. My voice will be quite
ruined."
"It did not sound so just now. We were fast asleep."
"Pizarro!" I exclaimed, greatly delighted by the sight of my old favorite.
"You have brought Pizarro! How did you manage that, Gahra?"
"He came to the camp last night. But mount at once, señor. We got away
without difficulty--stole off while the men were at supper. But we met an
officer who asked us a question; and though Guido said we were taking the
horses by order of General Mejia himself, he did not appear at all
satisfied, and if he should speak to the general something might happen,
especially as it is not long since we left the camp, and we have been
waiting here ten minutes. Here is a spear for you, and the pistols in your
holsters are loaded and primed."
I mounted without asking any more questions. Gahra's news was disquieting,
and we had no time to lose; for, in order to reach the llanos without the
almost certainty of falling into the hands of our friend Griscelli, we
should have to pass within a mile of the patriot camp, and if an alarm
were given, our retreat might be cut off. This, however, seemed to be our
only danger; our horses were fleet and fresh, and the llanos near, and,
once fairly away, we might bid defiance to pursuit.
"Let us push on," said Carmen. "If anybody accosts us don't answer a word,
and fight only at the last extremity, to save ourselves from capture or
death; and, above all things, silence in the ranks."
The night was clear, the sky studded with stars, and, except where trees
overhung the road, we could see some little distance ahead, the only
direction in which we had reason to apprehend danger.
Carmen and I rode in front; Gahra and Guido a few yards in the rear.
We had not been under way more than a few minutes when Gahra uttered an
exclamation.
"Hist, señores! Look behind!" he said.
Turning half round in our saddles and peering intently into the gloom we
could just make out what seemed like a body of horsemen riding swiftly
after us.
"Probably a belated foraging party returning to camp," said Carmen.
"Deucedly awkward, though! But they have, perhaps, no desire to overtake
us. Let us go on just fast enough to keep them at a respectful distance."
But it very soon became evident that the foraging party--if it were a
foraging party--did desire to overtake us. They put on more speed; so did
we. Then came loud shouts of "_Halte!_" These producing no effect, several
pistol shots were fired.
"_Dios mio!_" said Carmen; "they will rouse the camp, and the road will be
barred. Look here, Fortescue; about two miles farther on is an open glade
which we have to cross, and which the fellows must also cross if they
either meet or intercept us. The trail to the left leads to the llanos. It
runs between high banks, and is so narrow that one resolute man may stop a
dozen. If any of the _gauchos_ get there before us we are lost. Your horse
is the fleetest. Ride as for your life and hold it till we come."
Before the words were well out of Carmen's mouth, I let Pizarro go. He
went like the wind. In six minutes I had reached my point and taken post
in the throat of the pass, well in the shade. And I was none too soon,
for, almost at the same instant, three _llaneros_ dashed into the
clearing, and then, as if uncertain what to do next, pulled up short.
"Whereabout was it? What trail shall we take?" asked one.
"This" (pointing to the road I had just quitted).
"Don't you hear the shouts?--and there goes another pistol shot!"
"Better divide," said another. "I will stay here and watch. You, José, go
forward, and you, Sanchez, reconnoitre the llanos trail."
José went his way, Sanchez came my way.
Still in the shade and hidden, I drew one of my pistols and cocked it,
fully intending, however, to reserve my fire till the last moment; I was
loath to shoot a man with whom I had served only a few days before. But
when he drew near, and, shouting my name, lowered his lance, I had no
alternative; I fired, and as he fell from his horse, the others galloped
into the glade.
"Forward! To the llanos!" cried Carmen; "they are close behind us. A
fellow tried to stop me, but I rode him down."
And then followed a neck-or-nothing race through the pass, which was more
like a furrow than a road, steep, stony, and full of holes, and being
overshadowed by trees, as dark as chaos. Only by the marvellous cleverness
of our unshod horses and almost miraculous good luck did we escape dire
disaster, if not utter destruction, for a single stumble might have been
fatal.
But Carmen, who made the running, knew what he was about. His seeming
rashness was the truest prudence. Our pursuers would either ride as hard
as we did or they would not; in the latter event we should have a good
start and be beyond their ken before they emerged from the pass; in the
former, there was always the off chance of one of the leading horsemen
coming to grief and some of the others falling over him, thereby delaying
them past the possibility of overtaking us.
Which of the contingencies came to pass, or whether the guerillas, not
having the fear of death behind them, rode less recklessly than we did, we
could form no idea. But their shouts gradually became fainter; when we
reached the llanos they were no more to be heard, and when the moon rose
an hour later none of our pursuers were to be seen. Nevertheless, we
pushed on, and except once, to let our animals drink and (relieved for a
moment of their saddles) refresh themselves with a roll, after the want of
Venezuelan horses, we drew not rein until we had put fifty miles between
ourselves and Generals Mejia and Griscelli.