"What! still at breakfast, gentlemen!" he exclaimed, with a look of
surprise.
"You must have been up early, to have had the advantage of us," observed
the commandant.
"Except in the matter of obtaining an appetite, I cannot acknowledge
that such is the case," said the doctor, advancing farther into the room
towards a vacant chair.
"Sit down, then," said the commandant, "and satisfy your hunger, my
friend."
"Ten thousand thanks," answered the doctor, gliding into the chair. "As
in duty bound, I willingly obey your orders;" and he forthwith began
shovelling scraped salt beef, fried eggs, and plantains, of which our
breakfast was composed, at a rapid rate into his capacious mouth, adding
half a basketful of tropical fruits, and washing the whole down with a
bowl of thick chocolate. "I follow the advice of a great philosopher,
who insists that no men can be considered wise who fail when they have
an opportunity early in the day to lay in a store of provision, lest
they should be unable to secure a further supply," he observed.
Turning to my uncle, he inquired whether he purposed remaining any
length of time at Cervanos; and on hearing that he did not intend to
start till the following morning, invited me to accompany him on a
shooting excursion along the shores of the lake.
"I go for two reasons," he said: "to increase my knowledge of the
natural history of the country, and likewise to fill my pot. Senor
commandante, I shall have the honour of presenting you with the result
of our sport."
I was naturally eager to accept the invitation of my new friend, and my
uncle making no objections, I agreed to accompany him.
After smoking his meerschaum for the best part of an hour, he declared
himself ready to start. When I went to get my gun, Tim said that he
would go too--not that he distrusted the doctor, but that, as I was
unaccustomed to sporting in that region, he might assist me. I might by
chance be pounced upon by a jaguar, or, should I venture into the water
in search of wild-fowl, be carried off by an alligator.
We at once set out with our guns and game-bags, accompanied by the
doctor's dog, Jumbo, who was almost as curious-looking as was his
master--a perfect nondescript; but the doctor boasted that he had not
his equal, was afraid of neither quadruped nor biped, and would face a
jaguar, a bear, or a tamanoir (the large ant-eater), while he would
stand to his point till he died of starvation, provided the bird chose
to stay and be pointed at. We were now to try his powers.
We had intended to go along the bank of the lake, for the sake of more
easily finding our way back; but the ground was so marshy that we were
compelled to strike inland.
We were tolerably successful, having before long killed seven large
birds of the plover species, two ground doves of a beautiful plumage,
three parrots, and a monkey, which the doctor said he preferred to any
members of the feathered tribe.
We were making our way through the forest, when between the trunks of
the tall trees I saw Tim, who was some distance ahead, turn round and
make a sign to us. It seemed to me that he intended to signify that we
should go back; but instead of doing so, the doctor advanced, treading
very cautiously, and making Jumbo follow at his heels. Tim put his
finger to his lips to indicate that we must keep silence, while he
pointed ahead. In front of us was a thick, low mass of wood, over a
portion of which we could look, our heads being concealed by the
branches above it; and we soon saw what had caused his anxiety.
At some distance, in an open spot of uneven ground, with their backs
turned towards us, were a party of Indians armed with bows and arrows;
while farther on, at a distance of thirty yards or so, was a single
Indian bound by his arms to the trunk of a tree, and in front of him
several Indian squaws, their eyes intently fixed on his countenance. I
felt my blood freeze in my veins as I observed what was about to take
place; for of their intentions there could be no doubt,--they were on
the point of putting to death the unfortunate man bound to the tree. To
interfere would have been madness; it was a question, indeed, whether we
could retreat without being discovered. Still, we stood, rivetted to
the spot. Tim made signs that he knew the man, and whispered in my ear
that he was one of the Indian spies who had been sent out from the fort
to gain intelligence, and had now fallen into the hands of the Goahiras.
Not a sound did he utter, but with Indian stoicism prepared to meet his
fate. All hope of escape must have deserted him. The Indians stood
watching him to see if he would show any sign of fear, while the squaws
advanced closer and closer, shrieking, and jeering, and making hideous
faces, to induce him to speak. At length three of the Indians stepped
before the rest; and in an instant one shot his arrow, which went
quivering into the breast of the victim. Still the man did not utter a
cry. After waiting a minute, another shot an arrow, which also pierced
the body of the unhappy wretch. After a third shot, I saw that he was
still alive. The first Indians now retired to the main body, when I
heard a groan escape from the scout's tortured frame, on which the
squaws set up a loud jeering laugh.
The doctor, who had with difficulty been able to keep back Jumbo, now
began carefully to retreat, beckoning to Tim and me to do likewise. It
was the best opportunity, while the savages were engaged in their
butchery. Still, I much regretted that we had not boldly rushed forward
and endeavoured to save the man's life. We might, by surprising the
Indians, have succeeded, as they would probably have fancied that we
were followed by a larger party, and have taken to flight.
We continued our course without speaking, carefully endeavouring to make
no noise, and as rapidly and cautiously as possible. The doctor led the
way, taking huge strides over the ground; I followed, and Tim brought up
the rear. Not for an instant did he stop to say a word, even after we
had got to a considerable distance, and our voices could not possibly
have been heard by the foe. I had great difficulty in keeping up with
him at the rate he went; but not till we got within sight of the fort
did he slacken his pace and allow me to come up with him.