It was in vain that Don Cornelio attempted to sleep. Although more than
a year of campaigning and the experience of many sanguinary engagements
had inured him to danger, there was something in the peril to which he
was now exposed that was altogether novel and unpleasant.
Their leader had provided against retreat, and to conquer or die had
become a positive obligation of the expeditionary force. This was
sufficient to keep the involuntary soldier awake for the remainder of
the night.
He passed the time in reflecting upon the singular _contretemps_ that
had so interfered with his plans of life, and changed, as it were, his
very destiny. He could now only entertain but one hope and wish, and
that was that the fortress of Acapulco should be taken as soon as
possible: since upon that event being completed, Morelos had promised to
grant him leave of absence from the army.
In about an hour afterwards, Costal returned from his scout, and
reported to him the result of his explorations, which he had already
detailed to the Marshal.
According to the information collected by the Indian, the Spanish
garrison consisted of about two hundred men; who were entrenched in a
small earthwork on the southern side of the isle, and not more than
cannon-shot distance from the Mexican encampment. Two field pieces, set
in battery, defended the work; and the schooner, whose unlucky shot had
swamped the canoe, lay at a cable's length from the land, in a little
bay that ran up to the fort.
The Mexican leader now knew the position of his enemy, their numbers,
and means of defence; and, as soon as the dawn began to appear, he
summoned his little band, and formed them into rank. At the same time
he caused the signal rockets to be carried to an eminence that was near
their encampment.
"Now, _muchachos_!" said he, addressing his soldiers in an undertone,
"whatever point we attack, may be considered as taken. We are about to
assault the enemy. We may therefore at once announce to our
general-in-chief, without fear of disappointment, that the isle and
fortress of La Roqueta are in our hands. I have promised it."
And without awaiting a reply from any one, the Marshal took the cigar
from his lips, and held the burning end of it to the fuse of one of the
rockets.
The piece of hemp became kindled at the touch, and the moment after the
rocket rose hissing into the air, and described a circle of vivid red
against the grey background of the sky. A second rocket was sent up,
which traced an ellipse of white light; and then a third, whose
reflection was a brilliant green.
"Red, white, and green!" cried Galeana, "our national colour. It is the
signal I agreed upon with our General, to announce to him the capture of
the isle. Our comrades in the Mexican camp have by this time seen the
signal. They believe we have triumphed, and we must not deceive them.
Forward to victory!"
On issuing the command, Galeana bounded lightly forward and placed
himself at the head of his men; and the whole troop, guided by Costal,
advanced at a rapid pace towards the enemy.
As they approached the fort, cries of distress were heard in that
direction, which at first filled the assailants with surprise. The
cause, however, was soon apparent. The cries came not from the fort,
but from the schooner, which was now seen through an opening between the
trees struggling against the storm, and fast drifting among breakers! A
row of jagged rocks stretched along to leeward; and from driving upon
these rocks, the sailors aboard of her were vainly endeavouring to
restrain the ill-fated vessel.
The latter, during the violence of the wind, had dragged her anchors,
and was now fast hastening to destruction.
"_Jesus Maria_!" exclaimed Galeana at the sight. "Comrades, what a
pity! She will undoubtedly be lost, and I had counted upon this
magnificent bounty. _Carrambo_! we shall get nothing but a wreck."
The dangerous situation of the schooner was of course known in the fort,
where it had already created considerable confusion. This was now
changed into consternation by the approach of the insurgents; and the
wild war-cry of Galeana, as he sprang forward to the walls, echoed by
his followers, and accompanied as it was by loud peals of thunder,
produced something like a panic among the ranks of the Spanish garrison.
So sudden was the attack, and so completely unexpected, that it could
scarcely fail of success; and indeed, after a short hand-to-hand combat,
one portion of the garrison fled, while the other surrendered without
conditions to the triumphant Galeana.
Scarcely had the last shot been fired, and the fort delivered up to the
victors, when the schooner, striking violently upon a sharp reef, leant
over to one side, and, like a steed gored by the horns of the bull, the
sides of the vessel were opened, and she began to sink among the foaming
waves. The victors on shore thought no more of enemies, but now bent
all their energies towards saving the unfortunate mariners, whose lives
were thus placed in peril. By means of lazoes flung from the beach,
most of the latter were rescued from the death that threatened them.
The sun soon after cast his yellow beams over the agitated bosom of the
ocean, but his rising had no effect in calming the tempest. The storm
continued to rage as furiously as ever.
Just as the last of the shipwrecked sailors had been got safely on
shore, a flag running up to the signal-staff of the fort announced that
a new sail was seen in the offing. In a few minutes after a vessel was
perceived in the roadstead of the bay, struggling against the storm, and
endeavouring to stand outward to sea.
This intention the adverse winds seemed trying to prevent; and driven by
these out of her course, the strange ship passed so near the isle of
Roqueta that those in the fort could see the people on board, and even
distinguish the uniforms and faces of the officers upon the quarterdeck.
It was evident that the vessel thus coasting past Acapulco was a
man-of-war; and the uniforms of the officers aboard of her could plainly
be distinguished as that of the Spanish navy. One was dressed somewhat
differently from the rest. His costume was military, not naval. It was
that of an officer of dragoons. Costal, Clara, and Captain Lantejas
were standing on the parapet of the fort, observing the manoeuvres of
the strange ship, when the keen eyes of the Indian became fixed on this
officer.
He was a man in the full vigour of youth and strength--as was testified
by his erect and graceful figure, and by the rich masses of dark hair
that clustered under his laced cap; but an air of profound melancholy
seemed resting upon his features, and it was evident that some secret
care was occupying his thoughts far more than the storm or its dangers!
"Do you recognise the officer, yonder?" inquired Costal pointing him out
to Clara and Don Cornelio.
"No," replied Lantejas, "I don't remember ever having seen him before."
"He is the same," rejoined Costal, "whom we three formerly knew as a
captain of the Queen's dragoons--Don Rafael Tres-Villas. He is now
_Colonel_ Tres-Villas."
"_Por Dios_!" interposed a soldier who was standing near, and who had
come from the state of Oajaca. "Colonel Tres-Villas! That is he who
nailed the head of Antonio Valdez to the gate of his hacienda!"
"The same," assented Costal.
"_Carrambo_!" cried another soldier, "that is the officer who, after
capturing the town of Aguas Calientes, caused the hair to be cropped
from the heads of three hundred women who were his prisoners!"
"It is said that he had his reasons for doing so," muttered Costal, in
reply.
"Whether or no," said the soldier, "if he comes this way, he'll get
punished for it."
Just as the soldier spoke, the ship became enveloped in a mass of fog--
at that moment spreading over the water--and was lost to the view of the
people on the isle. When she became visible again, it was seen that she
was standing out to sea. By a favourable turn which the wind had taken,
she was enabled to gain the offing, and was soon receding from view upon
the distant horizon.
Costal was correct in his identification. The officer thus accidentally
seen, and who was a passenger on board the man-of-war, was indeed Don
Rafael Tres-Villas, who from one of the northern ports was now on his
return to Oajaca, bearing with him to the shores of Tehuantepec a
profound and incurable melancholy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The capture of the isle of La Roqueta was an important step towards the
taking of Acapulco. The town itself had fallen into the hands of the
insurgents, almost at the same instant; for Morelos, according to
agreement, on perceiving the signals of Hermenegildo, had directed his
attack upon the town, and so brusquely that the place was carried by a
_coup de main_.
The possession of La Roqueta enabled the insurgent general to intercept
the supplies of the citadel garrison; and shortly after the fortress
itself was compelled to surrender.
This conquest, with which the humble _cura_ had been derisively
entrusted, rendered him master of the whole southern part of Mexico--
from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, almost to the gates of the capital
of New Spain. Twenty-two battles had he gained from that day, when,
accompanied by his two domestics, he rode forth from the village of
Caracuaro to raise in Oajaca the banner of the insurrection. To that
province, after the taking of Acapulco, it was necessary for him to
proceed with his victorious army--in order to assist the insurgents then
besieged in the town of Huajapam. Thither, but some days preceding him,
shall we conduct the reader, in order that we may once more return to
the hero of our predilection.