O SERTÃO.
On the 25th of June, 1790, about seven o'clock in the evening, a rather
numerous troop of horsemen suddenly emerged from a narrow ravine, and
began to ascend a steep path on the flank of a mountain forming the
extreme limit of the Sierra di Ibetucata, situated in the province of
São Paolo.
These horsemen, having traversed the Rio Paranapanema, prepared no
doubt to cross the Rio Tietê, if, as the direction which they followed
appeared to indicate, they were going to the territory of Minas Gerais.
For the most part well dressed, they wore the picturesque costume of
sertanejos, and were armed with sabres, pistols, knives, and carbines.
Their laços, rolled up, were hanging, attached by rings, to the right
sides of their saddles.
We shall observe that the bolas--that terrible arm of the gaucho of the
pampas in the Banda Oriental--is completely unused in the interior of
Brazil.
These men, with their bronzed complexions, haughty bearing, boldly
seated on their horses, their hands resting on their weapons, ready
to make use of them, and their eyes constantly fixed on the underwood
and the thickets in order to discover the route, and to guard against
ambuscades, offered in the oblique and mild rays of the setting sun,
in the midst of that majestic scene, a striking resemblance to those
troops of Paulista adventurers who in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, appeared led by the finger of God to undertake bold
expeditions, which were to give new countries to the mother city, and
to finish by confining to their impenetrable forests the warlike and
unsubdued tribes of the first inhabitants of the soil.
The horsemen of whom we are speaking were thirty in number, reckoning
the servants charged with the mules loaded with baggage, and who, in
case of attack, were to join their companions in the general defence,
and were armed with fusils and sabres.
At some distance behind this first troop came a second, composed of
a dozen horsemen, in the midst of whom was a palanquin closely shut,
carried by two mules.
These two troops evidently obeyed the same chief, for when the first
had arrived at the summit of the mountain, it stopped, and a horseman
was sent to hasten the arrival of the second.
The men of the second troop affected a certain military air, and wore
the costume of the soldados da conquista, which, at the first glance of
a person accustomed to Brazilian manners, clearly showed that the chief
of the caravan was not only a rich and powerful personage, but that his
journey was surrounded by perils.
Notwithstanding the heat of the day, which was then closing, these
soldiers sat firmly in their saddles, and carried, without appearing in
any way discommoded by it, the strange accoutrement without which they
never undertake an expedition--that is to say, the cuirass, named gibao
de armas, a kind of greatcoat stuffed with cotton and quilted, which
descends almost to the knees, and also covers and protects the arms
better than any other armour from the long Indian arrows.
As when they followed the savages into the forests, they were obliged
to abandon their horses, upon which they could not penetrate the virgin
forests, they had at their side a kind of large blade, called facão,
which was of use to them in cutting bamboos to open up a passage; they
each had also an espingole, or a fusil without bayonet, which they
ordinarily loaded only with large shot, as it was almost impossible to
direct a ball with certainty in these inextricable masses of foliage,
rendered thicker still by the strange disposition of the branches, and
the entanglement of the bamboos.
These soldiers are much feared by the Indians and the runaway Negroes,
whom they have a special mission to track and surprise.
They are much esteemed in the country on account of their courage,
their sobriety, and their fidelity, whenever put to the test; thus the
presence of a dozen of them in the caravan was a certain indication
of the high position which the chief of the expedition occupied in
Brazilian society.
The caravan stopped, as we have said, at the summit of the mountain.
From that elevation there was a view spread before them, to a
considerable distance, over a landscape of forests, of varied valleys,
traversed by innumerable streams; but not a house, not a hut, was
visible to animate this splendid and wild scene.
The travellers, little affected by the attractions of the magic
panorama which was spread out before them, and moreover fatigued by a
long journey through almost impracticable paths, while a torrid sun
profusely poured its burning rays on their heads, hastened to instal
themselves in their camp for the night.
Whilst some amongst them unloaded the mules and heaped up the baggage,
others erected a tent in the midst of this improvised camp; the
strongest made a heap of trees as a provisional intrenchment, and
some others lit the fires intended for the cooking of the evening
meal--fires which were to be kept up all night in order to keep off
wild beasts.
When the camp was completely made, a horseman of haughty bearing,
about twenty-eight or thirty years at the most, whose aristocratic
manner, bold look and short manner of speaking, denoted the habit of
command, gave the order for the palanquin, which up to that moment had
remained at some little distance, surrounded by its escort, to approach.
The palanquin immediately advanced as far as the tent, and was opened.
The curtain of the tent moved, and then fell back, without it being
possible to know of what sex was the person whom the palanquin had
enclosed, and who had just quitted it. The palanquin was immediately
borne away. The soldier who had probably previously received strict
injunctions, surrounded at a pistol shot the tent, to which they would
allow no one to approach.
The chief of the caravan, after having assisted at the execution of the
order he had given, withdrew under a somewhat smaller tent, erected at
some paces from the first, and throwing himself on a seat, was soon
absorbed in profound reflections.
This horseman, as we have said, was a man of twenty-eight or thirty
years of age, with delicate and aristocratic features, of almost
feminine beauty and delicacy. His countenance, gentle and affable at
the first aspect, lost this appearance as soon as it was studied with
care, to assume an expression of mocking and cruel wickedness, which
inspired fear and almost repulsion; his large black eyes had a vague
look which was rarely fixed, his mouth furnished with brilliant white
teeth, surmounted by a fine black moustache, oiled with care, only
half-opened to allow an ironic smile to escape from his lips, slightly
raising their corners. Such as he was, however, to superficial eyes, he
was an admirable horseman, full of nobility, and of a seductive bearing.
He had scarcely been twenty minutes alone under his tent, when the
curtain of the tent was removed gently to give passage to a man who,
after having assured himself by looking around, that the horseman of
whom we have just given a sketch was quite alone, took two steps into
the interior, and removed his hat respectfully.
This person formed to the first the most complete and the rudest
contrast; he was still young, with muscular form and angular
features--a base, mean, and cruel physiognomy, impressed with an
expression of sullen wickedness; his forehead low and depressed, his
eyes grey, round, deeply sunken, and considerably removed from each
other, his nose long and hooked, his high cheekbones, his large mouth
with flat lips, gave him a distant resemblance to a bird of prey of
the least noble kind. His monstrous head, supported by a thick and
short neck, was buried between two shoulders of great breadth, his
awkward arms covered with enormous muscles, gave him the appearance of
possessing extraordinary brutal force, the general aspect of which had
something repulsive in it. This individual, whom it was easy at once to
recognise as a mameluco [1] hybrid, wore the costume of the sertanejos.
Several minutes passed before the young man recognised the man who was
standing before him.
"Ah, 'tis you, Malco Diaz," said he.
"Yes, Monsieur le marquis, it is me," answered the mameluco[1], in a
low and half-stifled voice.
"Well, what do you want with me, now?"
"Well," said the other with a chill sneer, "the reception that your
lordship gives me is scarcely endearing; it is two days since I have
spoken to you."
"I have no reason, I suppose, to trouble myself with you. What is the
use of my putting myself out? Are you not in my pay, and consequently
my servant?" replied the marquis, with a haughty frown.
"It is true," answered the other, "a servant is a dog, and ought to
be treated as such; however, you know the proverb, 'A bom jogo bo a
volta.'"[2]
"Spare me your stupid proverbs. I beg and tell me, without more
circumlocution, what brings you here?" answered the young man with
impatience.
"Well, the business is, your lordship, that I engaged myself to you for
two months at Rio Janeiro, in order to serve you as a guide, for four
Spanish ounces per month, or, if you prefer it, 106,000 reis.[3] Is it
not true, your lordship?"
"Perfectly; only you forget that you received before leaving Rio
Janeiro--"
"One month in advance," interrupted the mameluco; "on the contrary, I
remember it very well."
"What do you want, then?"
"I want the remainder for a simple reason, your lordship; because, our
bargain expiring at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, I prefer to settle
with you this evening, rather than cause you any trouble during the
march."
"What, is it so long since we began the journey?"
"Calculate, your lordship."
"Just so, quite as long," replied he, pensively.
There was a long silence.
"So you wish to quit me, Malco Diaz," said the young man abruptly, in a
more friendly tone than that which he had employed just before.
"Has not my engagement terminated, your lordship?"
"Just so; but you can renew it."
The mameluco hesitated; his master did not take his eye off him.
"Will your lordship allow me to speak frankly?"
"Speak."
"Well, you are a great lord, a marquis, it is true; as for me, I am
but a poor devil, compared with you, very little and of no account.
However, miserable as you suppose me, there is something invaluable in
my estimation."
"And that is--"
"My liberty, your lordship; my independence, the right of going and of
coming, without rendering anyone an account of my proceedings. I humbly
submit that I am not born to be a servant."
"Have you said all?"
"Yes, all, your lordship."
"But you are not a servant, only a guide."
"That is true, your lordship; but often, spite of yourself, you forget
the guide, to think only of the servant; and as to me, I cannot get
used to be treated in that fashion. My pride revolts in spite of
myself."
A scornful smile played upon the lips of the young man.
"So," answered he, "the motive that you give me is the only one that
induces you to leave me?"
"It is the only one, your lordship."
"But if, quite satisfied with your service, I propose to you five
quadruplet instead of four, you would accept it without doubt."
"Pardon me, your lordship," said he, "I should refuse."
"Even if I offered you six?"
"Even if you offered me ten."
"Ah!" said the marquis, biting his lip; "When do you intend to leave
us?"
"When your lordship will permit me."
"But if I insisted that you should remain with us until tomorrow at ten
o'clock?"
"I should remain, my lord."
"Good," said the young man in a tone of indifference, "I see that your
mind is made up."
"Oh, decidedly, my lord."
"I am going now to pay the remainder that I owe you; you shall then be
free to go away immediately."
The young man drew several pieces of gold from a purse, and presented
them to the mongrel.
"Take it," said he.
Malco held out his hand, but soon thinking better of it--
"Pardon, my lord," said he, "you are making a mistake."
"I? How is that?"
"Why, you only owe me four ounces, I believe."
"Well?"
"You are giving me eight."
"I give you four ounces because I owe them to you, and I add four
others, because, before parting with you, I wish to give a proof of my
satisfaction of the manner in which you have done your duty."
A second time the mameluco hesitated, but exercising great control over
himself, and stepping back, as if to wish to escape the fascination
exercised over him by the sight of the metal, he placed, although with
an evident repugnance, four of the pieces of gold on a chest, answering
with a voice stifled with emotion--
"I am very grateful to you, my lord, but I cannot accept so rich a
present."
"Why not, if it pleases me to make it, Malco? Am I not the master, to
dispose of what belongs to me?"
"Yes, my lord, you are free to do that; but I repeat that I shall not
accept the money."
"At least you will give me an explanation of this enigma, for if I do
not deceive myself, you love gold."
"Yes, my lord, when it is honourably gained, but I am not a beggar to
accept a remuneration to which I consider I have no right."
"These sentiments do you honour," answered the young man, with a biting
raillery.
He then took the four pieces of gold, chinked them in his hand, and
then put them again into his purse.
"Now we are quits."
And with a gesture, he ordered the mameluco to withdraw. The latter,
very ill at ease under the searching look of the marquis, did not wait
for the suggestion to be repeated. He bowed awkwardly, and left the
tent.
He then proceeded to his horse, which he had attached some paces off
to a stake, threw himself in the saddle, and went off with a pensive
air, descending the mountain at a gentle trot in the direction of the
Sertão, at the entry of which the caravan had established its bivouac.
When he had gone sufficiently far not to fear being seen, he broke off
abruptly to the right, and returned.
"Devil of a man," murmured he, in a low voice, attentively surveying
the shrubs and thickets for fear of surprise; "it is evident that he
suspects something; I have not a moment to lose; for--I know him. If I
permit myself to hesitate, I am a lost man; but if I don't hesitate,
the affair is too good for me not to devote all my efforts to bring it
to a good conclusion. We shall see who will gain the day."
Then vigorously putting spurs to his horse, the mameluco pressed into
a gallop, and was not long disappearing into the darkness; for, during
his conversation with his former master, the night had fallen.
Meanwhile, as soon as the mameluco had quitted the tent, the marquis
rose with a gesture of rage and of menace, but almost immediately
reseating himself--
"No," said he, in a sullen voice, "let us give him time to get away; we
will let him have complete security; the traitor does not think me so
well informed. Oh, I will revenge myself cruelly for the constraint I
imposed upon myself before him."
He rose again, withdrew the curtain of the tent, and looked out; the
greatest tranquillity, the most complete calm, reigned in the camp. The
marquis then called twice, in a moderately loud voice--
"Diogo! Diogo!"
At the call, which he appeared to expect, a man approached almost
immediately.
"Here I am," said he.
"Come in directly," resumed the marquis.
This man was the chief of the soldados da conquista. He entered.
[1] This name is given to the mongrels born of a white man and Indian
woman, or _vice versa_.
[2] One good turn deserves another.
[3] The reis is a fictitious coin. This formidable sum is worth about
340 francs only, in French money.