THE INDIAN TRICK.
Among the indomitable nations that wander about the deserts contained in
the delta formed by the Rio Gila, the Rio del Norte, and the Colorado,
two claim sovereignty over the rest. They are the Apaches and Comanches.
Irreconcilable enemies, incessantly at war with each other, these two
nations were now allied by a common hatred of the white men, and all
that belongs to that abhorred race.
Excellent hunters, intrepid horsemen, cruel and pitiless warriors, the
Apaches and Comanches are terrible neighbours for the inhabitants of New
Mexico. Every year, at the same period, these ferocious warriors rush by
thousands from their deserts, cross the rivers by fording or swimming,
and invade the Mexican frontiers at several points, burning and
plundering all they come across, carrying off women and children into
slavery, and spreading desolation and terror for more than twenty
leagues into a civilised territory.
At the period of the Spanish rule it was not so. Numerous missions,
_presidios_, posts established at regular distances, and bodies of
troops scattered along the entire frontier, repulsed the attacks of the
Indians, drove them back and kept them within the limits of their
hunting grounds; but since the proclamation of their independence the
Mexicans have had so much to do in cutting each other's throats, and
trampling morality underfoot by their incessant revolutions, that the
posts have been called in, the missions plundered, the presidios
abandoned, and the frontiers left to guard themselves. The result has
been that the Indians gradually drew nearer, and finding no serious
resistance before them--for the very simple reason that the Mexican
Government forbids, under heavy penalties, any firearms being given to
the civilised Indians, who alone could fight successfully against the
invaders--the savages have nearly reconquered in a few years what Spain,
in her omnipotence, took ages in wresting from them. The result of this
is that the most fertile country in the world remains unfilled; not a
step can be taken in this hapless country without stumbling on still
smoking ruins; and the boldness of the savages has so increased, that
they now do not even take the trouble to hide their expeditions, which
they make annually at the same period, in the same month nearly on the
same day, and that the month is called by them in derision the "Mexican
Moon;" that is to say, the moon during which the Mexicans are plundered.
All the facts we narrate here would be the height of buffoonery were
they not also the height of atrocity.
The Black Bear had founded the great confederation to which he had
previously alluded, for the purpose of restoring himself in the credit
of his fellow countrymen, whom several unsuccessful expeditions had
turned against him. Like all Indian chiefs of any standing, he was
ambitious. He had already succeeded in destroying several smaller
tribes, and incorporating them with his nation: he now aspired to
nothing less than humbling the Comanches, and compelling them to
recognise his authority. It was a difficult, if not impossible
enterprise; for the Comanche nation is justly recognised as the most
warlike and dangerous in the desert. This nation, which proudly calls
itself the Queen of the Prairies, can hardly endure the presence of the
Apaches on the ground they consider belonging to themselves, and forming
their hunting territory. The Comanches have an immense advantage over
the other prairie Indians--an advantage which causes their strength, and
makes them so terrible to the nations they combat. Owing to the
precaution they have taken of never drinking spirits, they have escaped
the general degradation and most of the diseases which decimate the
other Indians, and have remained vigorous and intelligent.
The Jester, like the Black Bear, had no great faith in the duration of
the alliance formed between the two nations: the hatred he bore the
Apaches was, indeed, too profound for him to desire it; but the
foundation of the Guetzalli colony by the French, by permanently
establishing the white men, on a territory they regarded as belonging to
themselves, was a too serious menace for the Comanches and other Indios
Bravos, and they attempted every possible scheme to get rid of these
troublesome neighbours. Hence they had temporarily hung up their old
rancour and private enmities on behalf of the general welfare, but for
that only. It was tacitly agreed between them that, so soon as the
strangers were expelled, each nation would be free to act as it pleased.
We have seen in what way the Jester began hostilities. The Black Bear
had a scheme which he had been ripening for a long time, though not
possessing the means to put it in execution; but knowing where to obtain
the information he needed, he went to Guaymas. The Tigrero, by proposing
to him to enter the colony as a guide, had unsuspectingly supplied him
with the pretext he sought. Thus, during the few hours he spent at the
hacienda, he had not lost his time, and with that cunning peculiar to
the Indians, discovered all the weak points of the place.
There was another reason to inflame his desire to seize the hacienda.
Like all the redskins, his dream was to have a white woman in his lodge.
Fatality, by bringing him across Doña Anita, had suddenly re-enkindled the
secret hope he entertained, and made him suppose he would at length
possess the woman he sought so long without being able to find her.
It must not be thought that the Black Bear loved the Spanish maiden: no,
he wanted a white squaw, that was all. He was humiliated by the
knowledge that the other chiefs of his nation had slaves of that colour,
while he alone had none. Had Doña Anita been ugly, he would have tried
to carry her off all the same. She was lovely--all the better; and we
may add here that the Apache chief did not consider her beautiful.
According to his Indian notions she was passable, that was all; the only
thing he valued in her was her colour.
The Black Bear, standing with his principal warriors on the point of the
island, remained silent, with his arms crossed on his chest, his eyes
fixed on vacancy, till the moment when the first gleams of the fire
kindled by the Jester tinged the horizon with a blood-red hue.
"My brother, the Jester, is an experienced chief," he said, "and a
faithful ally. He has well fulfilled the mission intrusted to him. He is
now smoking the paleface dogs. What the Comanches have begun the Apaches
will finish."
"The Black Bear is the first warrior of his nation," the Little Panther
replied. "Who would dare to contend with him?"
The Indian Sachem smiled at this flattery.
"If the Comanches are antelopes, the Apaches are otters; they can, if
they please, swim in the water, or march on land. The palefaces have
lived. The Great Spirit is in me; it is He who dictates to me the words
my tongue utters."
The warriors bowed. The Black Bear continued, after a moment's
silence:--
"What do the Apache warriors care for the fire tubes of the palefaces?
Have they not long, barbed arrows and intrepid hearts? My brothers will
follow me; we will take the scalps of these pale dogs, and fasten them
to our horses' manes, and their wives shall be our slaves."
Shouts of joy and enthusiasm greeted these words.
"The river is covered with numerous trunks of trees: my sons are not
squaws to fatigue themselves uselessly. They will place themselves on
these dead trees, and drift with the current down to the great lodge of
the palefaces. Let my brothers prepare. The Black Bear will set out at
the sixth hour, when the blue jay has sung twice, and the walkon has
uttered its shrill cry. I have spoken. Two hundred warriors will follow
the Black Bear."
The chiefs bowed respectfully before the sachem, and left him alone. He
wrapped himself up in his buffalo robe, sat down by the fire, lit his
calumet by means of a medicine staff adorned with bells and feathers,
and remained silent, with his eyes fixed on the gradually extending
prairie fire.
The island in which the Apache chief had formed his camp was at no great
distance from the French colony. The project of floating down had no
very great danger for these men, accustomed to every sort of bodily
exercise, and who swam like fish: it possessed the great advantage of
completely concealing the approach of the warriors hidden by the water
and the branches, and who, at the proper moment, would rush on the
colony like a swarm of famished vultures.
The Black Bear was so convinced of the success of this stratagem, which
only an Indian brain could have conceived, that he only took with him
two hundred chosen men, thinking it unnecessary to lead more against
enemies taken by surprise, and who, compelled to defend themselves
against the Comanches led by the Jester, would be attacked in the rear
and massacred before they had time to look around them.
Night sets in rapidly and suddenly in countries where the twilight does
not last longer than a lightning flash. Soon all became darkness, save
that, in the distance, a wide strip of coppery red announced the
progress of the flames, behind which the Comanches galloped like a pack
of hideous wolves over the still glowing earth, trampling under their
horses' hoofs the charred wood which was still smouldering.
When the Black Bear considered the moment had arrived he put out his
calumet, scattered the fire, and gave a signal perfectly well understood
by the Little Panther, who was watching to execute the orders the chief
might be pleased to give. Almost immediately the two hundred warriors
selected for the expedition made their appearance. They were all picked
men, armed with clubs and lances, while their shields hung on their
backs. After a moment's silence, employed by the sachem in a species of
inspection, he said in a deep voice,--
"We are about to set out; the palefaces we are destined to fight are not
Yoris: they are said to be very brave, but the Apaches are the bravest
warriors in the world; no one can contend against them. My sons may be
killed, but they will conquer."
"The warriors will suffer themselves to be killed," the Indians replied
with one voice.
"Wah!" the Black Bear continued, "my sons have spoken well; the Black
Bear has confidence in them. The Wacondah will not abandon them; he loves
the red men. And now, my sons, we will collect the dead trees floating
on the river, and float down the current with them. The cry of the
condor will be their signal to rush on the palefaces."
The Indians immediately began executing their chiefs orders. All strove
to reach the trunks of trees or stumps. In a few moments a considerable
quantity was collected near the point of the island. The Black Bear
turned a palling glance around, gave the signal for departure, and was
the first to enter the water and clamber on a tree. All the rest
followed him immediately without the slightest hesitation.
The Apaches behaved so cleverly in bringing the tree trunks to the
island, and had chosen their position so well, that when they set the
trees in motion again they almost immediately struck the current, and
began to follow the river gently, drifting imperceptibly in the
direction of the colony where they wished to land.
Still this navigation, so essentially eccentric, offered grave
inconveniences and even serious dangers to those who undertook it. The
Indians, left without paddles on the trees, were obliged to follow the
stream, only succeeding in holding on by extraordinary efforts. Like all
wood floating at the mercy of the waves, the trees continually revolved,
compelling those holding on to them to employ all their strength and
skill, lest they might be submerged at every moment. There was another
difficulty, too: it was absolutely necessary to keep in the water, so as
to give the trees the proper direction and make them reach the colony,
instead of following the current in the middle of the stream. A further
inconvenience, not the least grave of all, was that the trees on which
the Apaches were mounted met others as they floated along, against which
they struck, or their branches became so interlaced that it was
impossible to part them, and they had to be taken on as well; so that,
at the end of half an hour, an immense raft was formed, which appeared
to occupy the entire width of the river.
The Indians are obstinate: when they have undertaken an expedition they
never give it up till it is irrevocably proved to them that success is
impossible. This happened on the present occasion; several men were
drowned, others wounded so severely that they were compelled to regain
the bank against their will. The others, however, held on; and,
encouraged by their chief, who did not cease addressing them, they
continued to descend the river.
Long before the island from which they set out had disappeared behind
them in the windings formed by the irregular course of the river; the
point on which the buildings of the colony stood appeared but a short
way ahead, when the Black Bear, who was at the head of the party, and
whose piercing eye incessantly surveyed the scene around, noticed a
canoe a few yards ahead attached to a dead stump, gracefully dancing on
the water.
This canoe at once appeared suspicious to the cautious Indian. It did
not seem natural to him that, at such an advanced hour of the night, any
boat should be thus tied up in the river: but the Black Bear was a man
of prompt decision, whom nothing embarrassed, and who rapidly formed his
plans. After carefully examining this, mysterious canoe, still
stationary before him, he stooped over to the Little Panther, who hung
on to the same tree in readiness to execute his orders, and, placing his
knife between his teeth, the chief unloosed his hold and dived.
He rose again near the canoe, seized it boldly, pulled it over, and
leaped in right on Cucharés' chest and seized him by the throat. This
movement was executed so rapidly that the lepero could not employ his
weapons, and found himself completely at the mercy of his enemy before
he understood what had occurred.
"Wah!" the Indian exclaimed with surprise on recognising him. "What is
my brother doing here?"
The lepero had also recognised the chief, and, without knowing why, this
restored him a slight degree of courage.
"You see," he answered, "I am sleeping."
"Wah! My brother was afraid of the fire, and for that reason took to the
river."
"Quite right, chief; you have hit it the first time. I _was_ afraid of
the fire."
"Good!" the Apache continued, with a mocking smile peculiar to himself.
"My brother is not alone. Where is the Great Buffalo?"
"Eh? I do not know the Great Buffalo, chief. I don't even know whom you
are talking about."
"All the palefaces have a forked tongue. Why does not my brother speak
the truth?"
"I am quite willing to do so, but I do not understand you."
"The Black Bear is a great Apache warrior; he can speak the language of
his nation, but he knows badly that of the Yoris."
"I did not mean that. You express yourself excellently in Castilian, but
you are speaking of a person I do not know."
"Wah! Is that possible?" the Indian said, with feigned amazement. "Does
not my brother know the warrior with whom he was two days ago?"
"O! Now I understand; you are talking of Don Martial. Yes, certainly I
know him."
"Good!" the chief replied; "I knew that I was not mistaken. Why is my
brother not with him at this moment?"
"Probably because I am here," the lepero said with a grin.
"That is true; but as I am in a hurry, and my brother does not wish to
answer me, I am going to kill him."
Saying this in a tone which admitted of no tergiversation, the Black
Bear raised his knife. The lepero saw well enough that, if he did not
obey the Indian, he was lost, and his hesitation ceased as if by
enchantment.
"What do you want of me?" he said.
"The truth."
"Question me."
"My brother will answer?"
"Yes."
"Good! Where is the Great Buffalo?"
"There," he said, pointing in the direction of the hacienda.
"How long?"
"For more than an hour."
"For what reason has he gone there?"
"You can guess."
"Yes. Are they together?"
"They ought to be so, as she called him to her."
"Wah! And when will he return?"
"I do not know."
"He did not tell my brother?
"No."
"Will he come back alone?"
"I do not know."
The Indian fixed a glance on him, as if trying to read his very heart.
The lepero was calm: he had honestly told all he knew.
"Good!" the chief continued the next moment. "Did not the Great Buffalo
agree on a signal with his friend, in order to rejoin when he pleased?"
"He did."
"What is, that signal?"
At this question a singular idea crossed Cucharés' brain. The leperos
belong to a strange race, which only bears a likeness to the Neapolitan
lazzaroni. At once prodigal and avaricious, greedy and disinterested,
extremely rash, and frightful cowards, they are the strangest medley of
all that is good and all that is bad. In them everything is blunted and
imperfect. They only act on the impulse of the moment, without
reflection, or passion. Eternal mockers, they believe in nothing and yet
believe in everything. To sum them up in a word, their life is a
constant antithesis; and for a jest which may cost their life they would
sacrifice their most devoted friend, just as they will save him.
Cucharés was a perfect personification of this eccentric race. Though
the Apache chief's knife was scarce two inches from his breast, and he
knew that his ferocious enemy would show him no mercy, he suddenly
resolved to play him a trick, no matter the cost. We will not add that
his friendship for Don Martial unconsciously pleaded on his behalf, for
we repeat that the lepero feels no friendship for any one, not even
himself, and that his heart only exists in the shape of bowels.
"The chief wishes to know the signal?" he said.
"Yes," the Apache replied,
Cucharés, with the utmost coolness, imitated the cry of the waterhen.
"Silence!" the Black Bear exclaimed; "it is not that."
"Pardon," the lepero replied with a grin; "perhaps I gave it badly," and
he repeated it.
The Indian, roused by his enemy's impudence, rushed upon him, resolved
to finish him with his knife; but, blinded by his fury, he calculated
badly, and gave too violent an oscillation to the canoe. The light bark,
whose equilibrium was disturbed, turned over, and the two men rolled
into the river. Once in the water, the lepero, who swam like an otter,
set off in the direction of the hacienda as fast as he could speed. But
if he swam well, the Black Bear swam at least equally well. The first
movement of surprise overcome, the chief almost immediately discovered
his enemy's trail.
Then began the two men a contest of skill and strength. Perhaps it would
have ended to the advantage of the white man, who had a considerable
start, had not several warriors, witnesses of what had occurred, swum
off too, and cut off the fugitive's retreat. Cucharés saw that flight
was impossible; hence, not attempting to continue a hopeless struggle,
he proceeded towards a tree, to which he clung, and awaited with
magnificent coolness whatever might happen.
The Black Bear soon came up with him. The chief displayed no ill temper
at the trick the lepero had played him.
"Wah!" he merely said, "my brother is a warrior: he has the craft of the
opossum."
"Of what use is it to me," Cucharés answered carelessly, "if I cannot
succeed in saving my scalp?"
"Perhaps," the Indian said. "Let my brother tell me where the Great
Buffalo is."
"I have already told you, chief."
"Yes, my brother told me that his friend was in the great lodge of the
palefaces, but he did not say at what place."
"Hum! And if I tell you shall I be free?"
"Yes, if my brother has not a forked tongue: if he speaks the truth, so
soon as we land on the bank, he will be free to go where he pleases."
"A poor favour!" the lepero muttered, shaking his head.
"Well," the chief continued, "what will my brother do?"
"My faith!" Cucharés said, suddenly making up his mind, "I have done for
Don Martial all it was humanly possible to do. Now that he is warned,
each for himself. I must save my skin. Stay, chief; follow the direction
of my finger. You see those mangroves on the projecting point?"
"I see them."
"Well, behind those mangroves you will find the man you call the Great
Buffalo."
"Good! The Black Bear is a chief; he has only one word; the paleface
shall be free."
"Thanks."
The conversation was hurriedly broken off, more especially as the
Apaches were rapidly approaching the banks. They had let go of the most
of the trees to which they had hitherto been clinging, and were
collected in small groups of ten or twelve on the larger trees.
The hacienda was silent; not a light burned there; all was calm; it
looked like a deserted habitation. This profound tranquility excited the
suspicions of the Black Bear; it seemed to forebode an impending storm.
Before risking a landing he wished to assure himself positively of what
he had to expect. He uttered the cry of the iguana, and swam towards the
bank. The Apaches comprehended their chiefs intention, and stopped. At
the end of a few moments they saw him crawling along the sand. The Black
Bear walked a few paces along; he saw nothing, heard nothing; then,
completely reassured, he returned to the water's edge, and gave the
signal for landing.
The Apaches quitted the trees and began swimming. Cucharés profited by
the moment of disorder to disappear, which was an easy matter, as no one
was thinking of him. Still the Apaches formed in a single line, and swam
vigorously; in a few minutes they reached the bank, and landed; then
they rushed at full speed towards the hacienda.
"Fire!" a stentorian voice suddenly commanded. A loud and frightful
discharge instantaneously followed. The Apaches responded by howlings of
rage, and themselves surprised by the men they had hoped to surprise,
rushed upon them, brandishing their weapons.