RETURN JOURNEY COMMENCED--NORAH'S CONFESSION--A BAMBOO-BRIDGE--
UNEXPECTEDLY PREVENTED FROM CROSSING--FOES AND FRIENDS APPEAR--THE
BRIDGE GAINED--A FIERCE STRUGGLE--I TAKE PART IN IT--WE DEFEAT THE
ENEMY--MY FAMILY RETURN HOMEWARDS UNDER AN ESCORT--I JOIN GENERAL
BERMUDEZ--THE DOCTOR AND THE PADRE PROMISE TO FOLLOW US--I ACCOMPANY THE
ARMY, AND WE ENCAMP ON THE PLAINS--THE DOCTOR APPEARS, AND REMAINS WITH
THE ARMY--OUR NUMEROUS EXPLOITS--CAPTURE OF CARACAS--I AM SENT WITH
DESPATCHES TO BOLIVAR--DISCOVERED BY THE ENEMY--A RACE FOR LIFE--I AM
WOUNDED AND CAPTURED--CARRIED TO LA GUAYRA--THROWN INTO PRISON.
The description I have given of the mountain-scenery amid which we
travelled on our flight from home, will in many respects serve for that
through which we passed on our return, by a different and somewhat more
easy route. Though the sides of the mountains were steep and rugged,
the valleys were fertile, with streams meandering through them, and in
many places we saw herds of deer, among which were two or three
beautiful milk-white animals; but having exhausted nearly all our
powder, we were unable to shoot them, even had we wished to do so. We
saw also a number of wild turkeys: and in the woods we heard micos--a
small species of monkey--whistling to each other; but the moment the
rogues caught sight of us, they disappeared among the branches. The
roughness of the paths we followed prevented the horses from going
beyond a slow walk; and even Norah, though a good horsewoman, was glad
to have me at the head of her steed. I told her how much I wished to
join General Bermudez.
"I shall be sorry to lose you, Barry," she rejoined; "still, I believe
that it is your duty to go. I only wish that I could serve my country
as you have the power of doing. Still more do I wish that the hateful
Spaniards were driven from our shores, and the blessings of peace
restored."
I then told her--for I had never before done so--how much I admired Don
Fernando's young ward, Isabella Monterola. "Perhaps, if I return from
the wars crowned with laurels, she'll have me," I said, laughing.
She sighed, and the colour, I observed, mounted to her brow.
"Don Carlos Serrano has other sons besides the one I met under the name
of Colonel Acosta," I remarked.
"Yes," she answered; "his second son, Carlos, is as brave and devoted as
his brother. Should you meet, Barry, make yourself known to him, and I
am sure that he will be glad to give you his friendship. In appearance
he is very like his elder brother, though perhaps handsomer, and you
cannot fail to recognise him."
I began to suspect, from the way in which Norah spoke of the young Don
Carlos, that she was deeply interested in him; and soon afterwards I had
reason to know that I was not mistaken.
We stopped to rest and take our noonday meal near a small clump of trees
on the borders of a wide stream, which we were afterwards to pass.
Across it was thrown a curious bamboo-bridge, the lower portion of which
rested on the calm water beneath it. The bamboos of which it was
composed were securely lashed together by sepos, making it very elastic.
The sides were so steep as to form rather a sharp angle with each
other; while so great was the ascent and descent, that, to enable people
and animals to pass along it without slipping, pieces of bamboo in which
to fix the feet were placed at short intervals across the footway.
Slight as was the bridge in appearance, owing to its yielding nature
there was no danger of its breaking; and we saw two or three persons
crossing it with mules, so that we had no fear about going over it
ourselves.
We were about to recommence our journey, when Candela and Chumbo, who
had been attending to our animals at a little distance, came hurrying
up, and said that they had seen a large body of men appearing above a
ridge on our side of the river; and urged that we should lose no time in
moving. I ran to a slight hillock near where we had been seated, and
from thence I could distinguish the men they spoke of: they were
evidently infantry, and in considerable force, as I caught the gleam of
their bayonets forming a long line as they surmounted the ridge.
I was assisting Norah to mount, while the doctor was putting the
children into the panniers, when he cried out,--"We are in a trap! See!
there are troops on the opposite side coming this way; and if we cross
we may fall into their hands."
"But they may be friends," I said.
"Yes! they are friends," cried the padre; "they are cavalry, the
llaneros of the plain--I can make out their lances against the sky.
They are dashing on at full speed; none but they could ride over that
rough ground. Paez, or perchance Bermudez, is at their head."
"You are right, friend padre; they are pushing on to gain the bridge
before yonder infantry can reach it," cried my father, his martial
enthusiasm kindling. "The enemy's object is to gain the bank of the
river first, and dispute their passage before they can cross and form on
this side. See! the Spaniards are advancing at the double, scrambling
over all impediments; it is a question which will reach the river first.
There will be some warm work anon."
"If you will be advised by me, Mr Desmond, in that case you will
retreat to a safe distance, and place the ladies and children under
shelter," observed the doctor. "Bullets make no distinction of persons;
and they will be flying pretty thickly about our ears, if we venture to
remain here much longer."
"Thank you, doctor, for your advice," answered my father; and he
forthwith placed my mother on horseback. The children had been meantime
tumbled into their panniers, and the nurse mounted on her mule.
Leading the animals, we hurried along the bank of the river, hoping to
reach some sheltering rock which would afford protection to the helpless
ones under our care. Happily, before long we found what we were in
search of.
As soon as I had seen my family in safety, I sprang out again and
hurried back towards the spot we had left, eager to watch what was going
forward, and to take a part in the strife if I had the opportunity. As
I reached it, I saw that the front rank of the Spanish infantry had got
to within two or three hundred yards of the bank; while the Republican
cavalry came thundering down the hill, their leader, on a powerful
charger, considerably in advance. As he came nearer I recognised my
proposed chief, General Bermudez. He was making directly for the
bridge, lance in hand, and couched, as if he were already within reach
of the foe.
Onward he dashed--the bridge was nearly won. The commander of the
infantry saw that the advantage he had hoped to gain was on the point of
being lost, and waving his sword, sprang forward in front of his men.
But the brave Bermudez was not to be disappointed. Without pulling
rein, he galloped his horse on to the fragile bridge,--which bent
beneath the weight of the steed and its rider, and every instant I
expected to see it give way. Soon he reached the shore on which I
stood, and urged his horse up the steep bank; and one by one the
llaneros came rattling after him, and formed rapidly by his side.
Already a score had crossed before the infantry had got within
musket-shot of them, and the Spaniards saw that the advantage they had
hoped to gain was almost lost; still, by a well-directed discharge they
might annihilate the small band opposed to them. As they got within
range of the horsemen, therefore, they opened fire along their whole
line; the shot came whistling through the air like a hail-shower, and
two of the llaneros fell from their horses, dead.
Seized by an impulse I could not withstand, I caught one of the animals,
and, dashing forward to where the dead man's lance lay on the ground, I
seized it and galloped up to the side of the general. As I did so, he
gave me a glance of recognition; and at the same moment the order to
charge burst in a loud ringing voice from his lips. Couching my lance,
I gave my steed the rein, and our small but compact body advanced like
an avalanche against the foe. In vain those who had fired attempted to
reload; their bayonets were all they had to depend on. Had they been
British troops, the case would have been different; but as they saw the
bristling line of spears come down like lightning upon them, the front
rank sprang up from their knees, and, seized with a panic, turned to
fly. It would have been better to die like men, with their faces to the
foe. Piercing them through and through, we drove them before us; and
they, pressing on the rear-ranks, carried confusion into their midst.
Still, the officers did their utmost to induce them to stand, and I saw
them cut down several of the fugitives; but it was in vain. Our party,
too, was every instant increased by fresh bands of llaneros as they
crossed the bridge; while the confusion among the enemy became rapidly
greater. No lives were spared. Bermudez appeared to be everywhere; now
in the centre of his men, now on one flank, now on the other. The
unevenness of the ground did not stop us; on we went, our lances dealing
death around.
I take no delight in describing horrors, or I might vividly paint this,
my first battle-field. The lance of General Bermudez pierced the
Spanish commander. Not an officer escaped. A few of the men managed to
scramble up some almost inaccessible heights, but of the rest every man
was killed; no quarter was asked, and none was given.
I had kept close to the side of the general, and on several occasions
had used my pistols when he had been almost overmatched. Having seen
the last of the fugitives disappear, he turned round to me, and putting
out his hand, exclaimed in a hearty voice,--"You have done good service,
my friend. I remember you well; you are welcome--very welcome. We have
met at length, and, I hope, not to part for many a day."
He then, as I rode alongside of him, told me that he appointed me
lieutenant in his band, and that I must accept the horse I had ridden,
and the lance which I had wielded so well.
I, of course, felt highly flattered at the encomiums passed on me, and
told him how glad I should be to accompany him for the future, but that
I could not leave my parents without their permission.
"Go and get it at once, then," said the general; "had I known where to
find you, I should have sent for you before. You have shown that you
are well able to take a part in our glorious struggle."
The llaneros having picketed their horses in a meadow close to the bank
of the river, had begun to cook their provisions in the rough fashion
they usually adopt. On my telling the general where my family were, he
desired me to offer them an escort for the rest of their journey, to
make amends for my absence, as he wished me to continue with him.
I accordingly rode back to where I had left my party. They were much
astonished to see me mounted on a strong horse, with a long lance in my
hand, and to hear how I had been engaged; for they had feared that I
might have been entangled among the combatants, and perhaps killed. My
father did not hesitate for a moment to give me the permission I asked,
and gladly accepted the general's offer of an escort. My mother and
Norah were somewhat agitated, but still they had no objections.
"Go, Barry," said my mother; "and may Heaven protect you during the
dangers to which you may be exposed; for I cannot hide them from my
eyes."
Norah pressed her lips to my cheek. "You will come back, Barry, crowned
with laurels, and with a colonel's commission, I feel sure," she said;
"and, my brother, remember the message I gave you yesterday."
The padre and the doctor expressed their intention of following me back
to the general, as they both wished to offer their services. "I have
vowed to support the cause of true religion--and I am sure such will
never exist while the Spaniards are in the land," exclaimed the padre.
"I therefore feel bound to do my best to drive them out; and having got
rid of all extra flesh, I am as fit for a campaign as any of those
fighting in the cause."