THE COCK-FIGHT.
In marching on La Magdalena the count had a double object: in the first
place, that of meeting the rich hacenderos and alcaldes of the pueblos
dissatisfied with the Mexican Government, and try to draw them over to
his side by the brilliant prospects of independence he offered them;
secondly, by his strategic position at the village, to alarm General
Guerrero, and keep him constantly on the alert by a simultaneous feint
of aggressive movements on each of the three Sonorian capitals.
The general, so soon as war was declared, had appealed to the population
with that pompous and verbose Mexican eloquence which only deceives
the foolish. The inhabitants, who were perfectly indifferent about the
Government, and cared but little to interfere in the general's private
quarrels, which he tried in vain to metamorphose into a national
question, had remained quietly at home, and had in no way responded to
their chiefs so-called patriotic appeal, the more so because, during the
four months since the French landed in Sonora, and had been traversing
the country, their conduct toward the population had been ever
exemplary, and not the smallest complaint had been made against them.
The general, disappointed at the ill success of his machinations, then
changed his batteries. He proceeded to forced enlistments: next, not
satisfied with that, he treated with the Hiaquis and Opatas Indians,
in order to increase his army. He also wished, at the outset, to enrol
the Apaches; but the rude lesson the French had read the latter had
disgusted them with war, and they retired to their deserts without
listening to any new proposition.
Still General Guerrero had succeeded in collecting an imposing force.
His army amounted to nearly 12,000 men--an enormous number, if we
think of the few combatants his enemy could draw up in time. The
general, we must do him the justice to say, in spite of his incessant
braggadocio, and the continual marches and countermarches he performed,
had an instinctive respect for his enemy, or, if you like it better, a
perfectly reasonable fear, which incited him to prudence, and prevented
him ever coming too close to the French outposts. He contented himself
with actively watching the count's movements, and holding the three
roads in such a way as to be able easily to concentrate his troops on
the point menaced by the adventurers.
It is a singular fact that the Americans of the South have never been
able, after so many centuries, and though they are nearly descended
from the Spaniards, to dispel that superstitious terror with which the
European conquerors inspired them on their landing. The deeds of those
heroic adventurers are still in every mouth, and during the war of
independence it frequently happened that a handful of Spaniards put to
flight, merely by showing themselves, masses of Mexican insurgents. The
most convincing proof of our assertion we can produce is that, at this
very moment, three hundred French adventurers, isolated in the centre of
a country they did not know, and the majority of whom did not even speak
the language, held in check an army of 12,000 men, commanded by chiefs
who were esteemed good soldiers, and not only made Sonora tremble, but
even the Federal Government in Mexico itself.
The boldness and temerity of the enterprise attempted by the count
increased, were that possible, the terror he inspired. This expedition
was so mad, that sensible men could not imagine that the count was
not backed up by secret, though powerful allies, who only awaited an
opportunity to declare themselves. This terror was carefully kept
up by the count's spies and scouts. The boldness of his movements,
the decision with which he acted, and finally, the occupation of La
Magdalena without a blow being struck, heightened the apprehensions of
the Government, and increased its indecision as to the intentions of the
chief, or, as they called him, the _Cabecilla_.
It was about five in the morning when the curtain that closed the
count's tent was raised from the outside, and a man entered. Don Louis,
startled by this sudden apparition, rubbed his eyes and seized his
pistols, saying in a firm voice,--
"Who is there?"
"I, of course," the new arriver said. "Who would dare enter in this way
except me?"
"Valentine!" the count exclaimed with a shout of joy, and throwing
down his pistols. "You are welcome, brother: I have been expecting you
impatiently."
"Thank you," the hunter said. "Did not Curumilla announce my return this
very night?"
"Yes," the count said with a laugh; "but you know how easy it is to talk
with the chief."
"That is true. Well, I have brought you the information he omitted to
give you, and perhaps it is all for the best."
The count had dressed himself; that is to say, he put on his coat and
zarapé, for he had thrown himself on his bed in his clothes.
"Take a stool," he said, "and let us talk."
"I prefer going out."
"As you please," Don Louis answered, suspecting that his friend had
peculiar reasons for acting thus. They left the tent together.
"Captain de Laville," the hunter said, addressing the young man, who was
walking up and down before the tent, "an escort of ten horsemen, a horse
for myself, and another for the chief, if you please."
"At once?"
"Yes, if it be possible."
"Of course it is."
"We are going to leave the camp, then?" Louis said when they were alone.
"We are going to La Magdalena," the hunter made answer.
"The moment is a most unfortunate one."
"Why so?"
"Because I am expecting the general's answer."
"In that case you can come," the hunter said with a malicious smile,
"for you will not receive that reply. The colonel's mission was only a
bait to lull your vigilance to sleep."
"Oh, oh! are you certain of what you assert?"
"By Jove!"
At this moment the escort appeared. Louis and Valentine mounted. It was
hardly six in the morning; the country was deserted; at each puff of
wind the trees shook their branches, which were damp with the abundant
bright dew, and caused a gentle shower which rustled on the bushes; the
sun sucked up the dense vapour that rose from the ground; and the birds,
hidden in the foliage, woke up singing. The two friends, slightly in
advance of their escort, rode pensively side by side, with the bridle on
their horses' necks, and gazing vacantly at the magnificent landscape
which lay expanded before them. The first houses of the pueblo, gaily
enframed in clumps of floripondios and vines, were visible from a
turning in the road. Don Louis raised his head.
"Well," he said, as if answering his own thoughts, "I swear this shall
be the last time that General Guerrero mocks me thus. It is plain that
Colonel Suarez only came to my camp to see for himself in what condition
we were."
"For nothing else."
"Where are we going now?"
"To a cockfight."
"A cockfight!" the count said in surprise.
The hunter looked at him significantly.
"Yes," he said to him, "you know, perhaps--or, if you do not, I will
tell you--that the finest cockfights take place annually at La Magdalena
at the period of the festival."
"Ah!" Louis said indifferently.
"I am certain that it will interest you," Valentine continued with a
cunning air.
The count perfectly well understood that his friend only spoke to him
in this way in order to foil any eavesdroppers who might be about, and
was silent, for he felt certain that all would be cleared up ere long.
Besides, the little party were at this moment entering the pueblo,
the houses of which were beginning to open, in which the dwellers,
hardly awake, saluted them as they passed with joyous and friendly
smiles. After passing slowly through two or three streets, at a sign
from Valentine the detachment stopped before a house of rather mean
appearance, and which had nothing about it to recommend it to the
attention of strangers.
"It is here," the hunter said.
They stopped and dismounted. Valentine then gave the leader of the
escort strict orders to remain mounted with his men, and not stir till
the count's return; then he tapped discreetly at the door, which was
immediately opened. They entered, and the door was closed without their
seeing anybody. They were scarcely in the house ere the hunter led his
companion into a cuarto, the door of which he opened with a key he drew
from his pocket.
"Follow my example," he said as he took off his vicuna hat and zarapé,
which he exchanged for a cloak and a broad-brimmed straw hat. The count
imitated him.
"Now come."
They wrapped themselves carefully in their cloaks, pulled their hats
over their eyes, and left the house by a door cleverly hidden in the
wall, which communicated with the adjoining house, through which
they passed without meeting anybody, and found themselves once more
in the street. But during the few minutes they remained in the house
the appearance of the pueblo had completely changed. The streets were
now thronged with people coming and going: at each step children and
leperos were letting off fireworks with shouts of delight and bursts
of laughter. Through the whole of Spanish America, and especially in
Mexico, no at all respectable festival goes off without crackers and
fireworks: letting off squibs is the acme of joy. We will repeat on this
head a rather characteristic anecdote.
Some time after the Spaniards had been definitively expelled from
Mexico, King Ferdinand one morning asked a rich Mexican who had sought
refuge at the court of Spain,--
"What do you imagine your countrymen are doing at this moment, Don Luis
de Cerda?"
"Sire," the Mexican replied gravely, as he bowed to the king, "they are
letting off squibs."
"Ah!" the king said, and passed on.
A few hours later the king accosted the gentleman again: it was two in
the afternoon.
"And now," he asked him gaily, "what are they engaged in?"
"Sire," the Mexican said with no less gravity than on the first
occasion, "they continue to let off squibs."
The king smiled, but made no reply. At nightfall, however, he again
addressed the same question to the gentleman, who answered with his
imperturbable coolness,--
"May it please your Majesty, they are letting off more squibs than ever."
This time the king could not contain himself, but burst into a fit of
laughter--a very remarkable circumstance, for this prince was never
renowned for the jollity of his character.
The Mexicans have three passions;--playing at monte, witnessing
cockfights, and letting off squibs. We believe that the third is the
most deeply rooted in them; and the quantity of powder consumed in
Mexico in the shape of squibs is incalculable. Hence squibs were being
let off in all the streets and on all the squares of La Magdalena.
At each step crackers exploded beneath the feet of our two friends,
who, however, long accustomed to Mexican habits, did not attach the
slightest importance to the fireworks, but continued their progress in
perfect coolness, clearing a way as well as they could through the dense
crowd of Indians, half-breeds, Negroes, Zambos, Spaniards, Mexicans, and
North Americans. At length they turned into a lane about half way down
the Calle San Pedro.
"Halloh!" Louis said, "are we really going to see a cockfight?"
"Of course," Valentine said with a smile. "Let me alone. I told you it
would interest you."
"Go on, then," the count said with a careless shrug of his shoulders.
"Deuce take you and your absurd ideas!"
"Good, good!" Valentine replied with a laugh. "We shall see; but we have
arrived."
And without any more words they entered the house.
There is no amusement in Mexico, save perhaps monte or fireworks, which
excites interest to such a degree as a cockfight; and this interest is
not confined merely to a certain class of society. In this respect there
is no difference between the President of the Republic and the most
humble citizen, between the generalissimo and the lowest leper, between
the highest dignitary of the Church and the most obscure sacristan:
whites, blacks, half-castes, and Indians the whole population rushes
with unequalled frenzy to this bloody spectacle which is so full of
interest to them.
The pit is arranged in the following way:--Behind a house a large yard
is selected, in the centre of which rises a circular amphitheatre,
from fifty to sixty feet in diameter. The wall of this amphitheatre is
never less than twenty feet high: it is built with brick, and carefully
covered with hard stucco inside and out. Five rows of seats rising above
each other complete the interior of the building. Until the opening
of the doors no one knows what birds are entered; but, so soon as the
public are admitted, the cocks are brought in. The bettors bring one
each, which are then intrusted to the care of the trainer who makes the
preliminary arrangements. These, however, are very simple. The cocks are
armed with artificial spurs made of polished steel, about four inches in
length, by half an inch wide at the base, slightly curved at the end,
and terminating in a sharp point, while the upper side of the spur is
sharpened. These spurs are firmly attached to the legs of the cocks by
straps. When thus prepared for the contest, the cocks are taken into the
pit by the trainers, who hold them up in the air, and submit them to
the inspection of the spectators, who then make their bets. The money
thus risked on the life of a bird is incredible, and men often ruin
themselves by betting.
At the moment when the Frenchmen entered, the amusement had long before
begun, so that all the best places were taken, and the pit filled with
spectators pressing against each other. As, however, our friends had by
no means come to take an active part in the amusement, they modestly
seated themselves on the wall of the arena, where a band of ragged
leperos had taken refuge, too poor to bet, but who regarded with envious
eye and scarce-suppressed passion the happy favourites of fortune
who were moving about beneath them with shouts and exclamations. The
tumult was at its height, and all eyes were fixed on the pit, where--an
extraordinary circumstance--one cock had defeated nine others in
succession.
The Frenchmen cleverly profited by the effervescence of the spectators
to pass on unnoticed, and reach the places they had selected. After
a minute Valentine lit a maize pajilla, and bent over to his foster
brother's ear.
"Wait for me here," he said; "I shall return in a moment."
Louis bowed in assent. Valentine rose with a nonchalant air, leaped
carelessly over the benches, and, with cigar in mouth, mingled among
the spectators who crowded the approaches to the pit. The count looked
after him for a few moments, but then lost him in the crowd. His eyes
then turned to the pit; and so great is the attraction offered by
this singular and cruel spectacle, that the count involuntarily grew
interested in what was going on before him, and even took a certain
pleasure in it.
The combats followed in rapid succession, each offering different but
exciting incidents. The count began to find his foster brother's absence
protracted, for he had left him for nearly an hour, when all at once he
saw himself standing before him.
"Well?" he asked him.
"Well," Valentine answered in Castilian, "it appears that I was right,
and that Señor Rodrigo's cocks are achieving marvels. Come and see it
more closely. I assure you that it is curious."
The count rose without replying, and followed him.