AHAUCANIAN DIPLOMACY.
Antinahuel had not remained long inactive. Scarce had General
Bustamente's escort disappeared in the cloud of dust, ere he remounted
his horse, and, followed by all the Araucano chiefs, crossed the river.
When he arrived on the other bank, he planted his lance in the ground,
and turned towards the herald who was beside him, ready to execute his
orders.
"Let the three toquis, the Ulmens, and the Apo-Ulmens meet here in an
hour," he said; "the fire of council shall be lighted on this spot for a
grand council. Begone!"
The herald bowed down to his horse's neck and set off at full speed.
Antinahuel cast a glance around him. All the chiefs had regained their
huts; one warrior alone remained. On perceiving him a smile stole over
the lips of the toqui. This warrior was a man of lofty stature, proud
carriage, and haughty countenance, whose piercing look conveyed a fierce
and cruel expression. He appeared to be in the prime of life, that is to
say, about forty years of age; he wore a poncho of exceedingly fine lama
wool, striped with striking colours, while the long silver-headed cane
which he held in his hand proclaimed him an Apo-Ulmen. He replied to the
toqui's smile by a look of intelligence, and, bending to his ear, said,
with an accent of gratified hatred--
"When the cougars tear each other to pieces, they prepare a rich quarry
for the eagles of the Andes."
"The Puelches are eagles," Antinahuel replied; "they are masters of the
other side of the mountains; they leave to the Huiliche women the care
of weaving their ponchos."
At this sarcasm, launched against the Huiliches, a fraction of the
Araucano people, who devote themselves principally to agriculture and
the breeding of cattle, the Apo-Ulmen frowned.
"My father is severe with his sons," he said, in a husky voice.
"The Black-Stag is a formidable chief in his nation," Antinahuel
remarked, in a conciliatory tone; "he is the first of the Apo-Ulmens
of the province of the maritime country. His heart is Puelche; my soul
rejoices when he is at my side. Why is it that the Ulmens are not of the
same temper as he?"
"My brother has explained the reason. Obliged to live in continual trade
relations with the miserable Spaniards, the tribes of the flat country
have laid down the lance to take up the pickaxe: they have become
cultivators; but let not my father be deceived,--the old spirit of their
race still dwells within them, and on the day when they are called on to
fight for their independence, all will rise at once to punish those who
would attempt to enslave them."
"Can that be true?" Antinahuel cried, stopping his horse short, and
looking in the speaker's face; "may they be depended upon?"
"What is the use of speaking of the subject at this moment?" said the
Apo-Ulmen, with a bantering smile; "has not my father just come from
renewing the treaties with the palefaces?"
"That is true," said the toqui, darting a keen look at the Indian
warrior: "peace is secured for a long time."
"My father is a wise chief, that which he does is well done," the other
replied, casting down his eyes.
Antinahuel was preparing to reply, when an Indian arrived at full speed,
and, with a prodigy of skill which these matchless horsemen alone
can execute, he stopped suddenly before the two chiefs, and stood as
motionless as a statue of bronze. The panting sides of his horse, which
ejected clouds from his nostrils, and was spotted with white foam,
showed that he had ridden far and fast. Antinahuel looked at him for an
instant.
"My son Theg-teg--the thunderer--has made a rapid journey."
"I have executed the orders of my father."
At these words, out of politeness, the Apo-Ulmen pressed the sides of
his horse to retire, but Antinahuel laid his hand upon his arm.
"Black-Stag may remain," he said; "is he not my friend?"
"I will remain if my father wishes it," the chief answered, quietly.
"Let him remain, then; his brother has no secrets from him;" and turning
to the still motionless warrior, he added, "my brother can speak."
"The Chiaplos are fighting," the latter replied; "they have dug up the
hatchet and turned it against their own breasts."
"Oh!" the toqui exclaimed with feigned astonishment; "my brother must be
mistaken, the palefaces are not cougars, to devour each other."
And he turned towards Black-Stag, with a smile of undefinable expression.
"Theg-teg is not mistaken," the Indian warrior replied, gravely; "his
eyes have seen clearly: the stone toldería, which the palefaces call
Valdivia, is at this moment a more ardent furnace than the volcano of
Autaco, which serves as a retreat for Guécubu, the genius of evil."
"Good!" the toqui remarked, coldly, "my son has seen well; he is a
warrior brave in battle, but he is likewise prudent; did he stand apart
to rejoice, without seeking to learn which side prevailed?"
"Theg-teg is prudent, but when he looks he means to see; he knows all,
my father may question him."
"Good! the great warrior of the palefaces set out from here to fly to
the help of his soldiers; the advantage is with him."
The Indian smiled, but made no reply.
"Let my brother speak!" Antinahuel resumed; "the toqui of his nation
interrogates him."
"He whom my brother names as the great warrior of the palefaces, is the
prisoner of his enemies; his soldiers are dispersed like grains of wheat
scattered over the field."
"Wah!" Antinahuel cried with feigned anger, "my brother has a lying
tongue, what he says cannot be true; does the eagle become the prey of
the owl? The great warrior has an arm strong as the thunder of Pillian.
Nothing can resist it."
"That arm, however powerful, has not been able to save him; the eagle
is captive: the courageous puma was surprised by cunning foxes; he has
fallen, treacherously overcome, into the snare they had laid before his
feet."
"But his soldiers? the great toqui of the whites had a numerous army."
"I have told my father; the chief being made captive, the soldiers,
bewildered and struck with fear by Guécubu, fell beneath the blows of
their angry enemies."
"The chiefs who were conquerors, no doubt, pursued them."
"What for? The palefaces are women without courage: as soon as their
enemies weep and pray for pardon they forgive them."
At this news the toqui could not repress a movement of impatience, but
he soon recovered himself.
"Brothers ought not to be inexorable," he said, "when they lift the
hatchet against each other: they may wound a friend without wishing it.
The pale warriors have done well."
The Indian bowed if as assenting.
"What are the palefaces doing now?" the chief continued.
"They are assembled round the council fire."
"Good! They are wise men. I am satisfied with my son," Antinahuel
added, with a gracious smile; "he is a warrior, as skilful as brave;
he may retire, and take the repose necessary after so long a journey."
"Theg-teg is not fatigued; his life is my father's," the warrior said
with a bow; "he may dispose of it at his pleasure."
"Antinahuel will remember his son," the toqui said with a sign of
dismissal.
The Indian bowed respectfully to his chief, and pressing his knees
whilst shortening the bridle, he made his horse perform a curvet,
brought it to the ground with an extraordinary bound, and went off
caracoling. The toqui looked after him in apparent abstraction; then
addressing the Apo-Ulmen--
"What does my brother think of that which this man has said?" he asked.
"My father is the wisest of the toquis of his nation, the chief the most
venerated by the Araucanian tribes; Pillian will breathe words into his
mind which will mount to his lips, and which we shall listen to with
respect," Black-Stag replied, evasively, fearing to compromise himself
by too frank a reply.
"My brother is right," the toqui said, with a haughty glance; "I have my
nymph!"
The Apo-Ulmen bowed with an air of conviction. We beg our readers to
observe, with regard to this expression, which for the first time
has fallen from our pen, that in the Araucanian mythology, besides
an infinite number of gods and goddesses, there are what are called
spiritual nymphs, who perform towards man the office of familiar genii.
There is not a renowned chief among the Araucanos who does not glorify
himself with the idea of having one of these in his service. Hence,
what Antinahuel said, instead of disturbing Black-Stag, gave him, on
the contrary, a greater veneration for his chief; for he also flattered
himself with having a familiar spirit at his command, although he did
not dare to proclaim it aloud. At this moment the Araucanian drums and
trumpets sounded loudly--the _chasquis_ were calling the chiefs to
council.
"What will my father do?" asked the Apo-Ulmen.
"Man is weak," Antinahuel replied; "but Pillian loves his sons, the
Moluchos, he will inspire the words I shall pronounce; my only desire is
the happiness of the Araucano nation."
"My father has convoked the great Auca-coyog of the nation; did he then
suspect the news he has just received?"
"Antinahuel knows everything," he answered, with a smile.
"Good! I know what my father thinks."
"Perhaps."
"Let my father remember the words I have spoken."
"My ears are open, my son may repeat them,"
"When cougars tear each other to pieces, they prepare a rich quarry for
the eagles of the Andes."
"Good!" said Antinahuel, with a laugh; "my son is a great chief, let him
follow me to the Auca-coyog, the warriors are waiting for us."
The two warriors exchanged a look of undefinable meaning; these two men,
so cunning and dissimulating, had compromised themselves to each other
without avowing anything. They directed their course at a gallop towards
the spot where the principal chiefs awaited them, drawn up in a circle
around a fierce fire, the smoke of which ascended in graceful eddies
towards heaven.