"We should probably have had our scalps hanging at the end of their
spears long ere this, had we made the attempt," he answered; "you've run
a narrow chance a second time this day of losing your life, young
gentleman, and you should be thankful. It is as well, however, that we
caught sight of the Indians; depend on it, they are in force at no great
distance, and we may expect an attack from them before many days are
over--perhaps before many hours are past--and we must lose no time in
warning the commandant."
On entering the fort, the commandant, who happened to be near the gate,
and saw our game-bags full, greeted us warmly, and invited the doctor to
dinner.
"Very happy to do myself that honour," he answered. "And perhaps, senor
commandante, you will allow me to present you with these birds, some of
which it may be as well to cook forthwith; and in the meantime I will
relate to you our adventures, and you can form your own conclusion."
The doctor then described our having seen the scout shot by the Indians,
and expressed his belief that the place would be attacked ere long. The
commandant took the information very coolly. He prided himself, I
observed, on his dignified behaviour on all occasions; for though he had
joined the Republicans, he could still boast that the bluest of blue
blood of the ancient hidalgoes of Castille flowed in his veins.
"Care shall be taken that the sentries keep their eyes open," he
replied; "and we will be prepared for the savages."
The news we brought very soon spread through the fort, and I observed
that the sentries were doubled; but otherwise the people occupied
themselves as before, in smoking, gambling, and cock-fighting, which
seemed especially to interest all classes. My uncle listened
attentively to the account I gave him.
"Possibly the enemy may not approach the fort for several days, and we
shall lose the opportunity of assisting to defend it, for I cannot
possibly delay beyond to-morrow," he remarked. "I hope, however, that
our friends will be successful."
My uncle had made arrangements, I found, for starting at daybreak the
next morning, and Tim was busily employed in getting the bongo--the boat
we had engaged--ready for the voyage, and having our luggage conveyed on
board. Finding that we were really about to start, the doctor asked
leave to accompany us a part of the distance, observing that he liked
good society, and that he hoped by his agreeable conversation to repay
us for our kindness.
Tim had procured some mosquito-curtains, which we were to take with us
on our voyage, when we should require them even more than at Cervanos.
We accordingly lay down within them at an early hour. It was pleasant
to hear our abominable tormentors of the previous night humming about
outside, and trying in vain to get at us; but we had to be very quick in
closing the opening, or a host would otherwise have made their way in,
in spite of us.
Having wished my uncle good-night, and ascertained that not a living
mosquito was inside the curtain, I closed my eyes, and was in another
instant asleep. Tim was to call us half-an-hour before daybreak, that
we might take some chocolate before starting.
I had been asleep for some time, when I was awakened by the report of a
musket, rapidly followed by several others; and the next instant the air
was rent by the most terrific shrieks and yells, which seemed to come
from all directions round the fort, while the voices of the officers
shouting out their orders, and the tramp of the soldiers, were heard as
they rushed to the ramparts.
"What can be the matter?" I exclaimed, as I crept from under my
mosquito-curtain.
"The fort has been attacked, and I much fear that the sentries have been
surprised," answered my uncle, who had at the same instant jumped up,
and was hurriedly putting on his clothes. I followed his example; and
we were thus engaged when Tim burst into the room.
"Quick, quick, Masther Concannan!--quick, Masther Barry, dear! and just
come along with me," he exclaimed. "There's not a moment to be lost;
the Indians are getting the best of it, and climbing over the walls in
thousands, like so many imps, and the soldiers, do all they can, can't
stop them."
"We must go and assist our friends," cried my uncle, buckling on his
sword and seizing his rifle.
"Oh, Masther Denis, now don't," exclaimed Tim; "you'll be kilt entirely
if you do that same. Come with me now; it's all up with the garrison,
but we may have still time to get on board the boat and shove off into
the lake. It's wiser to live and fight another day than get knocked on
the head by an Indian tomahawk; and that's sure to be the lot of one and
all of us if we stop."
Tim wrung his hands and leaped about in his agitation while speaking;
and then, apparently doubting whether his arguments would prevail with
my uncle, he seized my arm with one hand, while he picked up my gun and
various other articles with the other, and dragged me along, determined
at all events to try and save my life, though he might not induce my
uncle to make his escape.
The din had by this time greatly increased; the roar of the heavy guns,
the rattle of musketry, and the clashing of steel, were heard amid the
shrieks and shouts of the combatants. At first the reports of firearms
gave me hope that the garrison were driving back their assailants; but
suddenly the sound of the musketry ceased. Looking back, I was thankful
to see my uncle following, carrying his portmanteau on his shoulder and
my carpet-bag in his hand.
Tim took the way to the part of the fortifications nearest the
landing-place. We quickly scrambled over the intrenchments, and my
uncle, throwing his burdens to us, speedily followed. It was the only
spot not assailed by the Indians; for what reason I could not tell, as
they might have got in with little more difficulty than we had found in
getting out. The triumphant yells of the Indians and the shrieks of the
hapless garrison sounding in our ears, showed us too plainly what would
have been the consequence of delay. We rushed down to the
landing-place, and reached it just at the moment when the terrified crew
of the bongo were shoving off, intending to leave us to our fate. Tim,
springing forward, seized the gunwale of the boat and hauled her back,
tumbling me in with an energy which almost sent me over on the other
side.
"Jump in, Masther Denis, jump in; here come a whole host of Indians," he
exclaimed, "and they'll be after scalping every mother's son of us if we
stop a moment longer."
My uncle sprang into the boat, and Tim, following, was giving her a
shove off, when, as I gazed through the darkness, I saw a number of
figures brandishing their tomahawks, and rushing towards us. In front
of them came a person evidently flying for his life.
"Stop, my friends, stop," he cried out, "or the fellows at my heels will
have me scalped!"
I recognised the voice of Dr Stutterheim. He sprang after us; but his
foot failing to reach the boat, heavily laden as he was with his gun and
various articles, he fell into the water. Tim, however, leant over the
bows and caught his hand before he sank: and my uncle and I assisting,
we hauled him with all his traps on board, while the crew were paddling
with might and main to escape from his pursuers, who in another minute
would have been up with us. The doctor was too much exhausted to speak,
and threw himself down in the bottom of the boat.
Before the Indians had time to stop and draw their bows, we were some
distance from the shore; but that another minute's delay would have been
fatal, was proved by the flight of arrows which followed us. Our black,
brown, and swarthy rowers, however, did not cease their exertions till
we had got far enough off to be invisible from the shore.
My uncle now gave the crew orders to cease paddling, that he might judge
from the sounds what was taking place in the fort. Musketry shots were
still heard, and the roar from several heavy guns proved that the
garrison were still holding out in some part of the fort--the war-whoops
of the Indians, which continually rent the air, giving us hopes that
though fighting desperately they had not succeeded in mastering the
place. My uncle expressed his regret that he had come away so suddenly,
and feared that he should be accused of cowardice in not having afforded
more assistance to his friends.
"Set your mind at rest on that score," observed the doctor; "had you
remained, you would now have been numbered with the dead. Depend on it,
the garrison have retreated to the citadel, and are there holding out;
but as no reinforcements are likely to appear, they must ultimately
yield and be cut to pieces--which is sure to be their fate, as no one in
this war thinks of asking or giving quarter. We may, then, congratulate
ourselves on our escape.
"This is the third time, young gentleman, in as many days, that you have
run the risk of losing your life," he observed, turning to me.
I acknowledged that he was right, and felt that I ought to return thanks
to Heaven for my having been so mercifully preserved.
Still, my uncle wished to go back, but the crew positively refused to
obey him--Tim and the doctor siding with them.
"Let us be wise, Mr Concannan," observed the latter; "it is useless
running our noses into danger when it can be avoided. And even if we
were to go back, we could not save the lives of the commandant and the
garrison. Let us console ourselves with the reflection that, should
they be killed, they have died doing their duty."
At length my uncle yielded to the doctor's advice, and directed the crew
to paddle on towards the upper part of the lake. As there were several
narrow passages to be passed, leading from one lake into another, it was
important that we should get through them before the Indians could reach
the shore, whence they could pick us off with their arrows. It was
satisfactory to know that they had no canoes in which to follow us, else
our chances of escape would have been small indeed.
It was still dark when we reached the first passage. Not a word was
spoken, and we hoped, even if our enemies were on the shore, that we
should get through without being perceived. Still, I could not help
keeping an anxious watch on the banks, expecting every instant to see a
party of Indians start out from behind the trees and send a flight of
arrows after us.
I breathed more freely when, emerging from the channel, we were once
more making our way across a broad expanse. Here daylight burst on us.
There would probably be less risk in passing the next channel, as the
Indians would not have had time to get so far from Cervanos; but it was
possible that a party might have been despatched, before the attack was
made, to prevent any boats going up or down. Still, as our four guns
would hold in check a strong party armed only with bows and arrows, we
had not much cause to fear.
The crew laid in their paddles to breakfast, that they might paddle with
greater vigour through the channel; and we at the same time took our
morning meal, washing it down with some water from the lake, which was
here perfectly fresh. While I was dipping my cup in the water, a long
dark snout darted towards it; and I had barely time to withdraw my hand,
letting the cup slip, when a pair of hideous jaws closed on it. They
were those of a monstrous alligator. A blow from a paddle and the
shouts of the men made the brute disappear; but I took good care not
again to put my hand overboard while the boat was motionless. Several
others rose a few feet from us, though none came so near the boat as the
first had done; and as soon as the men began to move their paddles, the
monsters, who are arrant cowards, kept their distance.
A short time after this we entered the channel leading to a yet more
southern lake. We eagerly peered among the trees on both sides, but no
Indians could be seen, so we had reason to hope that we had completely
distanced them. Among the numberless shrubs which adorned the shores
were wild plantains and fig-trees, decked with flowers of brilliant and
beautiful colours, which grew on the creepers, festooning the boughs,
and often hanging down in long lines into the water. Birds of all
sorts, and of magnificent plumage, flew amid the branches, or stood on
the fallen trunks floating near the margin--beautiful milk-white herons,
scarlet spoonbills, flamingoes, and various other water-fowl.
We were paddling on, when I caught sight of several figures moving among
the trees. "Are those Indians?" I exclaimed, getting my gun ready to
fire should they prove to be enemies.
"Save your powdher, Masther Barry," answered Tim; "shure they're only
monkeys. We shall hear them howling loud enough at night-time; you
might then fancy that they were a whole troop of Indians coming down to
scalp us."
The animals at which we were looking were of considerable size, with a
reddish tinge on their rough hair. The Spaniards called them "monas
coloradas;" but they are generally known as howling monkeys. We saw
many more among the trees as we paddled forward.
Having performed a long distance before night approached, it was
considered that we might with safety land and sleep on shore, our bongo
affording us no room to stretch our legs. We accordingly landed at the
end of a canal through which we had been passing; and a space was
quickly cleared for an encampment. Having the channel on one side and
the lake on the other, we had only two sides to guard. A fire was soon
lighted, and Tim set to work to cook our supper; while we put up our
mosquito-curtains, and collected some dry leaves to form our couches.
The mosquito-curtains, I should say, were supported on four short poles
stuck in the ground, on which rested four others, so that the whole
arrangement looked like a long narrow box covered with fine muslin.
Without these contrivances it is utterly impossible to sleep with any
degree of comfort on the banks of the Magdalena, or indeed of most of
the rivers in that part of the country. There is only one opening,
through which the person must creep, and then close it tightly on the
inside.
To prevent surprise, we agreed to keep a vigilant watch. The first turn
fell to me. I wondered that anybody could go to sleep with the terrific
noises which came out of the forest. The howling monkeys were the most
vociferous--now uttering loud groans, now yells of laughter and other
strange sounds, truly making night hideous. Nearer at hand I could hear
the alligators snapping their jaws as they caught some unfortunate fish
or wild-fowl; while their snorts, as they chased each other, came from
all sides. I kept my eye on the bank, for I had heard that the savage
creatures often climb out of the water, and carry away the first person
they can find. The doctor's dog seemed to be well aware of this; for he
crouched down close to the fire, with one of his eyes always open,
either at the water, or towards the forest, from whence a jaguar might
spring and carry him off.
I soon got accustomed to the sounds of the howling monkeys, the cries of
the night-birds, and any other noises which came out of the forest; but
I never could feel comfortable while I heard that horrible snapping and
crunching made by the alligators. While on the watch, there was no
chance of becoming drowsy, for the mosquitoes all the time made the most
determined assaults on my face, and I had to keep my handkerchief
constantly on the move to prevent them from settling. Fortunately, they
cannot bite till then; but when once they have settled, it is better to
allow them to suck their fill, for otherwise the inflammation is far
worse.
The doctor was to follow me; so, after two hours, I called him, and
remarked on the number of alligators I had heard near us.
"To-morrow morning we will put a stop to the snapping of some of them,"
he answered. "I shall awake before dawn, as I always do, and will call
you, if you wish to exercise your skill on some of them."
I begged that he would do so; and having placed my gun safely under the
curtains, I crept in and closed them. Two or three mosquitoes had
managed to follow me; but the light from the fire streaming through
enabled me to catch them and kill them, and in a few moments I was fast
asleep.
I felt unwilling to get up when I heard the doctor's voice, till I
remembered that we were to make war on the alligators. The feeling of
utter detestation with which those creatures are regarded is not
surprising, when it is recollected what a scourge they are to the people
inhabiting the banks of the rivers and lakes of that part of the
country. I was soon on foot; and having loaded my gun with ball, I
accompanied the doctor to a little creek which ran at no great distance
from the camp. Jumbo went with us. He knew exactly what to do. First
he went to the shore of the lake and barked several times; then ran
along, barking occasionally, till he reached the entrance of the creek,
along the bank of which he ran. Soon after he barked several long
snouts appeared above the surface; but Jumbo was wide-awake, never for a
moment withdrawing his eyes from the water, so that should an alligator
make a dash at him he might bound off out of harm's way.
After some time we saw a huge monster appear, who quickly put the other
alligators to flight, and then came swimming up the creek towards Jumbo.
The dog barked, and then bounded off close to where the doctor and I
lay hid. Once more Jumbo showed his nose among the weeds; when the
alligator, opening his immense jaws, made a dash at him. At the same
moment the doctor, starting up, fired down the creature's throat, and
stopped him in mid career. His head and shoulders rose above the
surface, and then he rolled over dead. I shouted with satisfaction, and
Jumbo barked his approval.
"We have not yet finished our sport," said the doctor; "we must kill
half-a-dozen before breakfast. Go, good Jumbo, and entice a few more up
here."
Jumbo understood his master, and was proceeding to execute his orders,
when we heard my uncle's voice shouting to us to return, in tones which
showed that he had good reason for doing so. Making our way through the
tangled forest, we soon reached the camp, where we found every one
astir, our mosquito-curtains and sleeping-rugs packed up, and the men
busy loading the boat.
"Jump on board, and I'll tell you all about it afterwards," said my
uncle.
We obeyed him, Jumbo leaping in after us; when the men, shoving the boat
off with their poles, began to paddle rapidly across the lake.
"I will now tell you the reason why I was in a hurry to be off," said my
uncle. "One of our crew, Choco, a quick-witted fellow, going to the
further end of yonder point, observed a canoe with several Indians in
her coming along the canal. As soon as they saw him, they paddled back
at a rapid rate; but he was convinced that the canoe was one of several
in pursuit of us, and that the Indians have gone back to summon their
companions, believing that they will find us sitting at breakfast. He
may have been mistaken; but discretion is the better part of valour, and
though we might beat them off, it would be unwise to run the risk of a
fight when it can be avoided."
"You are a wise man, Mr Concannan," observed the doctor. "Why should
people spend their lives in fighting, when they would be so much happier
living at peace with each other? It appears to me that the world is
full of great fools, and that they are its rulers."
"I hope you don't include us in the category?" said my uncle. "If one
set of people will attack another, what are the peaceably disposed to
do?"
"They must fight to defend themselves, I own," answered the doctor; "and
that proves to me that the fools rule the world, for they compel the
wise, who must of necessity love peace, to go to war. The world will
never be at rest till not only the great majority, but the whole have
become wise; and as I never expect to see that, I believe it will
continue to the end the same troublous, unhappy world it is."
The doctor, I thought, took matters very coolly.
I very frequently looked out astern, expecting to see a fleet of canoes
full of Indian warriors emerging from the canal; but as none appeared, I
began to suppose that Senor Choco had made a mistake.
We had still another narrow passage or canal to pass through before we
could enter the main branch of the river; and the doctor urged the men
to make good speed across the lake, as he was excessively hungry, and
wanted his breakfast. He amused us in the meantime by recounting some
of his adventures with alligators. He had the most unbounded antipathy
towards the monsters; which arose, he said, from once seeing a poor
girl, who was stooping down to fill her pitcher with water at a river's
brink, seized by one of them. The horrible saurian, darting out of the
water and grasping her arm, dragged her off before he could go to her
rescue. He fired, but his bullet glanced off the scaly head of the
creature, which in an instant carried the unfortunate female, who was
shrieking loudly, under the surface. "There lay her pitcher on the
river's brink," said the doctor; "but she whom I had just before seen
full of health and strength, and singing gleefully, was nowhere visible.
I thereupon vowed vengeance against the whole race, and have never lost
an opportunity of slaughtering them."
The alligators and jaguars, the doctor told us, are mortal enemies. The
latter wages perpetual war against the former. Whenever a jaguar can
find an alligator asleep on a hot sand-bank, it attacks the saurian
under the tail, which, being soft and fat, is the most vulnerable part;
and such is the alligator's alarm, that it will scarcely move or make
the slightest resistance. If, however, it gets its enemy into the
water, its more peculiar element, then the tables are turned, and the
jaguar is in most instances drowned and devoured. The jaguar being well
aware of its inferiority to the saurian in the proper element of the
latter, when it has to cross a river it sets up a tremendous howl on the
bank previous to entering the water, in the hope of scaring the
alligator to a distance.
The native villages on the banks of a river in which alligators abound
are guarded by strong palisades, to prevent the monsters from creeping
on shore; which they will frequently do when pressed by hunger, and will
carry off any persons or animals they may encounter. An alligator has
been known to dash into the midst of a crowd collected on the shore and
carry off a strong man, in spite of every effort made to rescue the poor
fellow. Scarcely a year passes in the neighbourhood of places
frequented by them without two or three women being thus destroyed. The
doctor mentioned a remarkable instance of intrepidity and presence of
mind exhibited by a young girl, who, on going to the margin of the river
to fetch water, felt one of her hands suddenly seized in the jaws of a
huge alligator. Knowing that death must be her inevitable fate should
she not find means to rescue herself, she plunged her fingers into the
eyes of the animal with such violence that the pain compelled it to let
her go; though not, however, till it had bitten off the lower part of
her arm. Notwithstanding the enormous quantity of blood which flowed
from the fearful wound, the girl struck out, swimming with the hand that
still remained to her, and happily reached the shore, where her friends
received her; and her wound being bound up and the flow of blood
stopped, she ultimately recovered.
Alligators swim rapidly against the strongest current; and when they
reach the shore they dart forward with the quickness of an arrow towards
the object at which they aim, when excited either by rage or hunger.
Under ordinary circumstances the creature moves with the slowness of a
salamander; but it frequently runs,--when it makes a rustling noise,
which proceeds from the rubbing of the scales of its skin one against
another. In this movement it bends its back and appears higher on its
legs than when at rest. Though it generally moves in a straight line,
it can change its direction, both in the water and on shore.
"Jumbo, there, hates alligators as much as I do," continued the doctor.
"He was once very nearly caught by one; but he knows the ways of the
hateful creatures. I was crossing a river in a canoe, when he unwisely
took to the water. I had reached the shore, when I saw a huge alligator
swimming towards him. Jumbo saw it too, and made way down the stream,
the alligator following and rapidly gaining on him. In an instant I
thought my poor dog would be in the creature's jaws, when Jumbo suddenly
turned and made way up the stream. It took the alligator a considerable
time to come about, and before it was able to dart forward towards its
expected prey Jumbo had safely reached the shore."
The doctor declared that the female alligator, at the period of hatching
her eggs, devours all her young ones which do not run into the river;
the immediate use of their legs being the only means of saving their
lives.
"I cannot fancy such monsters having any maternal affection," I
exclaimed.
These and similar anecdotes occupied the time we took in crossing the
lake. We now entered the last channel, which was to conduct us into the
Magdalena. Lofty trees grew on both sides of the channel, among which
we saw numerous large green parrots and several kinds of monkeys, the
howling species being the most numerous. There were also some large
birds which stood looking at us, and which the doctor called "vultures
of the lake." They had long, red, and very strong legs, with their
backs and breasts black and grey, and curved spurs, sharp at the point,
and about an inch in length, on the first joint of each wing.
As we had seen nothing of our supposed enemies, the Indians, the crew
declared that they were too hungry to proceed farther without
breakfasting; and a tolerably open space between the trees affording us
room to light a fire, we landed, and having cleared the ground, soon had
our pots boiling. Our crew put all their food, consisting of rice,
plantain, and salt beef, into one large pot, and boiled them together.
The mess was then emptied out into wooden basins, from which they fed
themselves with their fingers, long cakes of sugar serving as dessert.
By the doctor's advice, we imitated their example in one respect,--by
boiling fowls, ham, vegetables, and flour together, which, when well
seasoned, made an excellent dish; only, we made use of spoons and knives
and forks to eat it.
After the meal was finished the men lay on the ground to rest, while the
doctor produced his huge meerschaum and commenced smoking, surrounding
his visage with such dense clouds that not a mosquito ventured to
approach him, while my uncle and I had to keep our handkerchiefs moving
rapidly to drive off the detestable little insects. We were thus
enjoying ourselves, if enjoyment it could be called, when, looking along
the channel in the direction we had come, I caught sight of the bow of a
canoe just rounding a point.
"On board, on board!" shouted the padrone, or captain; and the men,
jumping up, tumbled the cooking things, pots and pans, into the boat--
Tim following with our breakfast set, which he had just before packed
up.
On our taking our seats, the crew shoved off and began to paddle at a
rapid rate up the stream. The canoe we had seen had now come full into
view, and at first appeared to be gaining on us. This made our padrone
excite his men to fresh exertions. Should our pursuer be an enemy, and
overtake us, they would as certainly be put to death as we should,
supposing that we were unable effectually to defend ourselves. We got
our firearms ready, however, having no intention of yielding as long as
we were able to resist; and the doctor, having put fresh powder into the
pan of his rifle, now knelt down in the stern of the boat, prepared to
take good aim should our pursuers exhibit any hostile intentions.
"Why, doctor, I thought you said just now that only fools were eager to
fight," I could not help observing.
"And you are right, young gentleman," he answered. "I am only preparing
to defend myself; and I hope that the people in yonder canoe will have
the wisdom not to attack us. Still, in case they should do so, we
should lack wisdom if we were not prepared for their reception."
While the doctor was speaking I was watching the canoe, which was now
joined by several others; but for some reason or other the fastest
remained for the slower ones, and thus we managed to keep well ahead.
The water hissed and bubbled under the bows as our boat clove her way
through it. My uncle sat as calm as usual, and had I judged by his
countenance I should not have supposed that we were in the slightest
danger. The captain and crew, however, showed by their eagerness that
they were very unwilling to be overtaken; while the doctor, in spite of
his professed pacific feelings, was full of fight, and prepared for the
worst. Such good use did the crew make of their paddles, however, that
on seeing that we were distancing them our pursuers began to shout and
shriek--from disappointment, as we supposed. But their cries only made
our men redouble their efforts, and utter every now and then a derisive
shout in return. It was echoed by the chattering of the monkeys and the
loud squalls of the parrots from the neighbouring woods, Jumbo
occasionally adding to the chorus by barking furiously.
At length, on rounding a point, we lost sight of the hostile canoes; but
our men did not relax their efforts, for we expected them every instant
to reappear. I kept watching the point, but no canoe could be
discovered coming round it, so I began to hope that the Indians had
given up the chase. Our men behaved admirably, and not for a moment did
they complain of the severe exertion they were going through. Still, we
were too well acquainted with the treacherous character of the Indians
not to know that they might very possibly keep out of sight to deceive
us, and then come on during the night, in the expectation of finding us
encamped on shore, and thus take us by surprise. This neither my uncle
nor the doctor had any intention of allowing them to do; and by
promising a reward to the crew, my uncle induced them to continue
paddling on as fast as at first. They shouted after their fashion when,
emerging from the narrow channel, we entered the broad waters of the
Magdalena. A breeze was setting up the stream; the mast was now stepped
and the sail hoisted, and along we flew at a rapid rate.
We had no longer any fear of being overtaken, though we knew that we had
many dangers to encounter on the voyage. The inhabitants of the banks
were generally in favour of the Republican cause, but we might possibly,
unless we took care, land at a spot occupied by Spanish troops or by
Indians fighting for the King of Spain.
I must pass rapidly over our river-voyage, interesting as it was. The
banks were, in numerous places, exceedingly beautiful, from the
profusion of scarlet and lilac coloured flowers of the convolvulus kind
which covered the trees and bushes, some growing on them, others the
produce of the numberless creepers which hang to the boughs. In some
places we saw the wild cotton-tree hanging over the banks of the river,
with pods full of cotton ripe and bursting. Among other creepers was
the vanilla, entwining itself round the trees and producing a pleasing
effect. The doctor told me that it is used as a spice to flavour
chocolate and various dishes.
After sailing on for some days, we came to a part of the river full of
islands covered with lofty trees and a variety of shrubs, the mimosa
being among the most beautiful. Of the many creepers we observed, one,
called the bejuco, is so strong and tough that the natives use it to
fasten together the rafters of their houses, and the bamboos forming the
covering of the long flat-bottomed boats, called champans, with which
they navigate the upper part of the river Magdalena. Birds of all
kinds, of the most gorgeous plumage, flitted among the trees or flew
over our heads; large scarlet macaws in great numbers, two-and-two, went
squalling by, their brilliant plumage shining in the bright sun; large
black wild turkeys occupied the lower branches of the trees. We
frequently saw the scarlet heads of the macaws peeping out of holes in
the trees in which they make their nests; while flights of
gaily-coloured parrots and green parrakeets were flying backwards and
forwards across the river. Small fish, too, were in such vast shoals in
the shallows that the bongo appeared in one place to cut through them.
The finny tribe must, however, enjoy a hazardous existence, for close to
the spot we counted no less than thirty alligators swimming within a few
hundred yards of our boat, their heads generally appearing only above
water; and we frequently saw the fish leaping above the surface,
evidently endeavouring to escape from their persecutors. On several
occasions we saw the monsters' carcasses lying on the banks, probably
killed by the jaguars. Some were reduced to perfect skeletons, every
particle of flesh having been eaten off by armadilloes or ants.
At one of the villages where we landed, we found a poor mulatto woman in
great tribulation; and on our inquiring what was the matter, she told us
that her daughter had that morning been seized by an alligator, while in
the act of filling her pitcher in the river, and carried away. The rest
of the villagers were also in a state of alarm, as they declared that
the alligators, when once they have tasted human flesh, become
particularly fond of it, and are especially bold and fierce in their
attacks on people approaching their haunts.
"I will try what I can do for you," said the doctor. "I have been sent
opportunely to your relief. Know me as the renowned slayer of caymans!"
The villagers on this gazed on him with great respect, and eagerly
showed him the part of the river frequented by their foe.
Obtaining a bar of iron about a foot and a half in length, the ends
sharply pointed, he fixed it in a float, which he surrounded with a
large mass of putrid pork. This he fastened to a long rope, the part
nearest the bait being of an open texture which the alligator's teeth
could not bite through.
The bait was allowed to float off into the river, while the end of the
rope was secured to the trunk of a tree. Jumbo was then sent to bark
along the bank of the river, in order to attract the monster. Its snout
before long appeared above the surface, when Jumbo, aware of the rush it
would make, scampered off up the steep bank to a safe distance. The
sagacious dog knew well the danger of manoeuvring on ground raised only
a little above the level of the water; for the alligator could easily
land and make its way over it with great speed. The monster,
disappointed in obtaining the delicate morsel Jumbo would have afforded,
at last caught sight of the bait; and making a dash at it, immediately
found its jaws pierced by the iron spike, and began to haul away at the
rope with a force which threatened to snap it, if it did not pull down
the tree.
The doctor now called the villagers, and ordered them to haul away at
the rope. At first they seemed very unwilling to undertake the task;
but we setting them the example, they laid hold of it, and casting the
end loose from the tree, hauled away lustily. In spite of its
struggles, the vast monster was dragged up to the bank; and feeling its
feet touch the shore, it made the most terrific efforts to back off.
The men hauled away with such good-will, that it was compelled to move
along the ground for some distance on its knees. Suddenly getting on
its feet, however, it made a desperate rush at its captors. "Pull away!
pull away!" shouted the doctor, who was prepared for the emergency; and
the villagers pulled with all their might, till two or three tumbling
down, the rest scampered off. My uncle, Tim, and I had sprung on one
side and got ready our rifles, but before we could fire the monster
would have been upon the fallen men, when the doctor, stepping forward,
fired his rifle almost down its throat. It instantly stopped, and after
another attempt to dash forward fell over on its side.
The villagers on this slackened the rope, when the creature, recovering,
made another desperate attempt to reach them. "Pull, ye villains,
pull!" shouted Tim; his words being echoed by the doctor, who, in his
excitement, as another great naturalist asserts that he himself did,
leaped on the alligator's back, and flourished his rifle, which he had
reloaded, above his head; then quickly lowering it, he presented it
towards the creature's ear.
The natives, now emboldened by witnessing his performance, hauled away
as he directed them. The wounded alligator was evidently becoming
weaker; and the doctor, fearing that it might roll over him, and finding
his seat not the most comfortable in the world, leaped off; then running
some way ahead, he again fired into the creature's mouth. The last shot
proved an effectual quietus to the saurian, which, after making a few
convulsive struggles, rolled over and lay perfectly still.
The natives, on seeing their enemy dead, shouted and danced with
delight, and insisted on carrying us all back on their shoulders to the
village in triumph. They told us that the monster had already carried
off several dogs which had gone down to the water to drink. They urged
us to remain, that we might kill a few more alligators; and were much
disappointed when we told them that we were compelled to continue our
voyage.
As we frequently had to bring up, sometimes before dark, we had
opportunities of shooting a variety of birds and animals in the forest.
The doctor killed several monkeys, one a large red fellow with a beard
as long and rough as that of a capuchin friar, and several others of a
smaller species--one called the titti, a pretty little creature with a
grey back and chocolate-coloured breast, the face without any hair. I
was sorry to see the small creature put to death--it seemed like
unnecessary cruelty; but the doctor did not participate in my feelings,
and I must confess that the monkey made an excellent fricassee.
We generally spent our nights on the dry sandbanks. At first I was
under the unpleasant apprehension that we might be attacked by
alligators; but we were assured that they seldom come out of the water
at night, and unless very hungry are not likely to carry anybody off.
Among other valuable vegetable productions of the country, we saw the
guava-tree, from the fruit of which the jelly of that name is made.
At last we arrived at the town of Mompox, which we happily found in the
hands of the Republicans. We had here to exchange our bongo for a
flat-bottomed boat called a champan, with which alone the upper part of
the river can, from its numerous shallows, be navigated. It is exactly
the same in shape and construction as the boats made by the Indians
before the conquest of the country by the Spaniards. They are of all
sizes. A large one costs a considerable sum--as much, we were told, as
three thousand dollars. The larger are about sixty feet in length, by
seven feet in beam, and the gunwale is two feet from the water's edge.
In the centre is a cabin with a convex roof, between six and seven feet
high, made of strong and flexible bamboos covered with palm-leaves, and
fastened together with the bejuco, the creeper I have before described.
The crew consists of a padrone or captain, a pilot (who steers with a
large paddle), and about twenty-two men, who urge the boat on with long
poles, some standing in the bow and others on the top of the cabin.
The champan we engaged, however, was of a much smaller size.
The news we received at Mompox, that the Spanish forces were moving out
of the fortified towns they had for some time occupied, and were
traversing the country, made my uncle anxious to continue our voyage.
We passed several plantations of the cocoa-tree, from the seed of which
chocolate is made. The cocoa-pod resembles a small, rough melon, and is
of a dark-red colour, full of small beans.
We had now in view in the distance ranges of mountains, which appeared
to be of vast height; a sign that we were approaching a region very
different from that which we had hitherto traversed.
The second or third night of our voyage in the champan, we brought up
alongside a narrow sand-bank backed by lofty trees; and after we had
lighted our fire, and just as we were preparing for our evening meal, on
looking up I saw a number of comical little faces grinning down upon us.
As we did not move, their monkey owners became bolder, and advanced
towards the ends of the boughs, playing all sorts of gambols,--such as
hanging by their tails, and swinging backwards and forwards. Many of
them had young ones on their backs, who, in spite of the leaps made by
their parents, clung fast, even when they were swinging by their tails
with their heads downwards. An old monkey led the way, followed by the
others, with flankers and a rear-guard. Sometimes, as a variety, they
played a regular game of "follow the leader," and amused us much. They
were succeeded by vast flights of parrots and parrakeets, which came to
rest in couples on some wild fig-trees which grew near, and indulged in
a vociferous concert till the shades of night crept over the river. At
times the air was full of them, coming from all directions; but,
notwithstanding the din they made, we allowed them to enjoy their repose
undisturbed.
As the interior of the toldo, or cabin, of the champan was excessively
close, and infested by mosquitoes, we formed a sort of tent of the
boat's sail, which we stretched on four uprights, leaving room below for
the air to circulate. Under this covering we spread our bedding,
trusting to the Bogos, as the boatmen are called, to keep a proper
watch; and still more to the vigilance of the doctor's dog, Jumbo, who
always lay at his master's feet. We had been so accustomed to hear of
alligators, jaguars, and huge serpents, without having hitherto suffered
from them, that all anxiety on the subject had vanished. When we went
out shooting in the woods, we of course kept a sharp look-out on either
side, and took care where we stepped, that we might not be putting our
feet on a venomous serpent, or allow a jaguar to steal towards us
unperceived; and as for the alligators, we had arrived at the opinion
that they had more to fear from us than we from them.
Thus we were all sleeping tranquilly that night, when, about four or
five hours after sunset, I was startled by a bright light which I saw
through my closed eyelids, followed almost immediately by a tremendous
roar, which seemed to shake the very earth.
"What's the matter?" I shouted out, starting to my feet, scarcely
understanding what was about to happen.
"A thunderstorm has broken," answered the doctor; "we shall have the
wind down upon us before long, and then we shall see what we shall see."
Scarcely had he spoken when I was thrown flat on my face by a tremendous
gust, which in an instant tore away from the posts the sail which formed
our tent, and sent it fluttering in the air. The trees bent before the
furious blast, while whole branches which were torn off went flying to a
distance, and we felt masses of sticks and leaves come rattling down on
our heads. For some moments we were in total darkness, then a flash of
lightning of extreme vividness burst from the clouds, showing to me the
rest of the party lying down as I was, and involuntarily attempting to
shield their heads with their hands, while all around the lofty
palm-trees were yielding to the gale, which was tearing their feathery
heads into fragments. Every instant I expected some of the trees to
come down and crush us.
We were utterly helpless, for had we attempted to push off in the
champan, we might have been driven against the points of the sunken
trees (to the destruction of the boat), or have been stranded on the
beach. The champan, it was to be hoped, was securely moored. I shouted
to the crew, who had remained on board, but the uproar made by the
howling of the wind, and the crashing boughs, and the dashing of the
water against the banks, completely drowned my voice. All we could do,
therefore, was to remain where we were. A jaguar might have picked us
off without difficulty; but I trusted that they were as unable to move
as we were, or, what was probable, were terrified by the fierceness of
the tempest, which has the effect of overcoming the most savage natures.
I groped about till I got hold of my rifle, which as usual I had placed
by my side when I went to sleep. At length there came a lull, when I
heard the doctor's voice shouting out, "Barry, my boy, where are you?
Mr Concannan--Tim, Tim,--speak, and tell me if you are alive."
"Shure, it's alive I am," answered Tim, "though almost kilt, by a big
bough which came down just now on my back."
I saw him, by another flash of lightning which just then darted from the
sky, creeping out from beneath a huge branch, which had happily formed
an arch over him. I was thankful, too, to hear my uncle's voice.
"Stay where you are, Tim," cried the doctor, "and we'll join you.
Providence has formed a hut for us, and into that hut we will creep, as
we shall be safer there than elsewhere."
We followed his advice, and were joined by Jumbo, who followed his
master under the shelter; and the huge bough effectually guarded us from
the numerous other branches which came hurtling through the air.
As we could now hear each other's voices, my uncle expressed his fears
about the champan. I told him that I had seen her safe during one of
the flashes of lightning, and that I hoped she was still secured to the
bank.
Hour after hour, it seemed, went by; the wind howling, the thunder
roaring, the lightning flashing through the air, darting amid the trees,
and running in fiery lines along the ground with a brightness which so
dazzled my eyes, that for the next moment I felt as if struck by
blindness, leaving the forest dark as Erebus--though I could still see
the trees waving backwards and forwards against the sky.
How thankful I felt when at length the thunder rolled away, the
lightning ceased, and the wind almost immediately afterwards fell, till
it became perfectly calm. In a short time the fire-flies darted out
from their hiding-places, and filled the air with their soft light; but
we were not inclined to contemplate their beauty just then, or to attend
to anything else except endeavouring to make ourselves tolerably snug
for the remainder of the night.
We had escaped a great danger, moreover, of which we at first had not
thought. Our fire had gone out before the tempest broke on us, or the
flames might have set the grass and dry shrubs around on fire; and
though the forest itself was too green to burn, it might have rendered
the spot untenable.
Groping about, we found the sail sticking in the bushes; and dragging it
over the bough which protected us, we again secured it. In the
meantime, Tim had been engaged in relighting the fire, for which the
storm had supplied us with an abundance of fuel.
On hailing the champan, we were answered by the padrone; who, to our
satisfaction, informed us that she had escaped injury, though some of
the crew had received pretty severe blows from falling branches. As we
could not trust to the crew, Tim undertook to keep watch while my uncle,
the doctor, and I slept. The storm had done us one great service,
too,--it had blown away the mosquitoes and other biting insects, besides
having materially cooled the air.
The next morning we continued our voyage, the greater portion of which
was performed by the men shoving on the champan with their long poles,
sometimes among trunks of trees, at others amid rocks; but occasionally
they had to go on shore and tow the boat along through the whirlpools
and rapids which we met with. The scenery was often very beautiful,
consisting of magnificent ranges of mountains, their bases rising
abruptly out of the river, covered with umbrageous trees and flowering
shrubs of various hues.
At length we reached the neighbourhood of Honda, where our voyage
terminated; and from thence we were to travel over the mountains for
upwards of two hundred miles. We here parted with our friend the
doctor, who was bound for Santa Fe de Bogota, where, he told us, he
hoped to get employment. He wished us good-bye with real heartiness,
and I believe was grateful to my uncle for having brought him thus far
on his journey. I was much obliged to him for the interesting
information he had given me, and I told him that should he ever come our
way, I was sure that my father would be happy to see him at our house.
"Perhaps I may come, my young friend," he answered; "it is possible that
the inhabitants of Bogota may not appreciate my talents."
Mounted on a stout mule, and carrying the whole of his property in his
saddle-bags, he took his way eastward over the mountains towards the
capital of New Granada, while we followed a more southerly course across
a wild and mountainous region.