A STRANGE HISTORY.
One of the most noted warriors of Tonsaroyoo's band was a pure blooded
Mexican. A man of medium size, but athletic and well-proportioned, and
not more than thirty years of age; he was distinguished even among these
savages for his cruelty, nay, even ferocity of disposition, and lust for
bloodshed.
His position in the tribe was that of a sub-chief, and he had attached
to himself a chosen body of about sixty warriors, all men of bad
standing and little character in the tribe, but all noted as desperate
fighters.
With this party "Hisso-de-cha" (the Spanish Serpent), might be said to
be on a perpetual war-path, for he was never contented to remain idly in
the village for any length of time, but was continually instituting
private forays in all directions. In these operations he was in no wise
particular as to the objects of his attacks. Plunder and slaughter being
apparently his only motive, he would attack any party he met with that
was not too numerous, and in this way had several times embroiled the
Camanches in war with friendly tribes, despite the stern reproofs he
received from Tonsaroyoo for his lawless conduct; his uniform good
fortune in these enterprises, however, had thus far prevented him from
falling into entire disrepute with the leaders of the tribe.
"Success covers a multitude of sins," says the proverb, and so it proved
in his case.
Notwithstanding his evil nature, I was for various reasons strongly
attracted towards this man. Chief among these was the fact that he spoke
English--not very fluently, it is true, but sufficiently to be able to
carry on a conversation without much difficulty. Then, from the time of
my first entry into the village he had treated me with uniform kindness;
why this was so I know not, but the fact remains that he did so, and it
was by his assistance that I was enabled to perfect myself in the Indian
language, and also to gain some knowledge of Spanish, which afterwards
did me good service. Much of my spare time, when he was not absent with
his band, I spent in his company, and in our talks I had gained
considerable knowledge of his past history. What I had heard, however,
only made me more curious to hear the whole, and one evening I
importuned him to give me some account of his past life. After some
hesitation he consented, and filling our pipes, we reclined upon a
buffalo robe before the entrance to his lodge, while he told me his
story.
THE RENEGADE'S HISTORY.
"My real name is Pedro Vargas--_carrai_! it sounds strange enough in my
ears now, for it is many years since I have heard it uttered.
"I was born on the banks of the Del Norte, where my father was a
_vaquero_ on the estate on Don Ramon d'Echeverra. I remember but little
of my childhood, except that my life was a hard and unhappy one, for I
was one of eleven children, and we were miserably poor. When I reached
my eighth year, I was considered old enough to assist my father in his
daily duties; under his tuition, I was able in a few months to ride like
a Camanche, to fling the lazo with unerring aim, and to perform with
credit most of the drudgery which fell to my share. In this manner the
time passed until I was about eleven years of age, when the events
occurred which separated me from home and friends, and indirectly made
me what I am--the boldest warrior of the Hietans--"Hissoo-de-cha," the
renegade, the terror of the frontier.
"The estate of Don Ramon was situated so far down the river as to be out
of the track of the Indian raiding parties, and for a generation the
red-skinned warriors had never troubled that region. But in the autumn
of the year of which I speak, a large party of Camanches had entered
Chihuahua, and penetrating almost to the very center of the province,
had there met with a severe reverse, and were compelled to retreat
without plunder, scalps or captives. Not daring to return to their
village empty-handed, for, as you know, the very squaws would have
hooted them, they recrossed the Grande above San Vicente, made a wide
detour, and coming down the Pecos, again entered Mexican territory, and
made a flying raid upon the river towns.
"From its remoteness from the usual scene of these Indian forays, the
inhabitants of this region were resting in fancied security, and had
made no preparations to resist such an attack. As a natural consequence,
they fell an easy prey to the savage invaders.
"The rancheria of Don Ramon was one of the first attacked, and the proud
old Don and his three sons, with most of their rancheros and vaqueros,
were surprised and slaughtered. Of my own family, my sister Conchita, a
girl of sixteen, and myself, alone escaped death; and we, with many
other captives, were hurried off in charge of a small detachment of
Camanches. Of the journey to this village I need not tell you, as you
have, perhaps, passed through a similar experience.
"On our arrival here, my sister soon became the wife of a chief, and to
this circumstance I was indebted for much better treatment than usually
falls to the lot of a captive. And here let me tell you that your own
escape from torture and death was little less than miraculous. In my
long experience with the tribe, I have never known of a similar
incident. But Wakometkla is a very singular man, and so greatly is he
reverenced by his nation, that he can do many things which Tonsaroyoo
himself would hesitate to undertake.
"_Carrambo_, but this story-telling is dry work. See if there be not a
flask of mezcal within the lodge. _Caval_--you have found it? So--that
is better;" and my strange companion, having swallowed a copious draft
of the fiery liquid, resumed his narrative:
"The first two years of my captivity were comparatively without
incident, but at the beginning of the third year I was formally adopted
into the tribe. As you yourself have gone through the ceremony, it is
unnecessary to describe it, but as the circumstances in my case were
somewhat different from yours, I found myself on an equality with such
of the young braves as had never been on the war-path.
"A few months later I joined a war party led by one of the subordinate
chiefs, and during the expedition I was fortunate enough to take two
scalps. This at once constituted me a warrior, and, liking the
excitement and adventurous life, I soon became noted among the young men
of the tribe. I joined every war party, and, being singularly fortunate,
soon gained distinction as well as scalps and plunder. By the time I was
twenty years of age, I was admitted to be one of the first warriors of
the nation, and had attracted to myself a number of the more reckless
spirits, who would follow anywhere that I would lead.
"I had long been desirous of taking the command of a war party, thinking
thereby to gain notoriety, and if fortunate enough to be unusually
successful, I might thereafter be entrusted with the leadership of
expeditions of more importance.
"I had frequently importuned Tonsaroyoo, then as now the head chief of
the nation, to allow me to undertake such an enterprise, but up to this
time he had persistently refused to do so.
"Finding that I could not obtain his permission, I determined to do
without it, and secretly assembled those warriors on whose fidelity and
silence I could rely. I made known to them my plans, and succeeded in
inducing about thirty braves to take part in the rash undertaking.
"Leaving the village under the pretense of hunting, we crossed the
"Llano Estacado," to the head waters of the Pecos; and descending that
stream nearly to its mouth, diverged to the west and crossed the Rio
Grande. We traveled by night and remained concealed during the day, and
by the exercise of the utmost caution, succeeded in evading the Lipans
and Cayguas, through whose territory we had to pass. I had laid all my
plans before leaving the village, and was quite confident that the raid
would be a successful one. It was my intention to attack only the
haciendas, and if possible to effect my object by surprise, for I knew
that if I could return without the loss of a man, with a few scalps and
a moderate amount of plunder, I would receive far more praise than if I
had brought back twice as much booty, but with the loss of one or more
warriors.
"After crossing the river, the first hacienda within reach was that
which had been my former home. It had passed into the possession of Don
Rafael d'Echeverra, the brother of Don Ramon, and presented much the
same appearance as in former times. Unfortunately for the success of my
project, there was present at the hacienda a small party of American
trappers, who had for some reason strayed into this region. These men
had known Don Rafael, at Santa Fe, where he had at one time resided, and
they had accordingly been made welcome at the hacienda.
"Two of their number, while out on a hunt at a few miles distance, had
crossed our trail, for I had led my party as near to the hacienda as I
dared; and, having concealed ourselves in a dense chaparral, we were
waiting for night, it being my intention to attack in the darkness, when
the smallness of my force could not be easily discovered. Scenting
danger at once, the hunters returned by a circuitous route to the
hacienda, and warned its occupants. As a natural consequence, when we
made our assault some hours later, they were fully prepared for us, and
instead of surprising them we were ourselves surprised and greeted with
a withering volley from the rifles of the trappers. At the first fire I
received a severe wound, and fell from my horse with a broken leg.
Panic-stricken at the fall of their leader, and demoralized by the
unexpected reception they had met with, my followers quickly retreated
in confusion, and I was left wounded and a prisoner in the hands of the
men I had sought to destroy.
"Upon discovering that I was a white man, so great was the indignation
of the Americans, that I should have been put to death on the spot but
for the intercession of Don Rafael. Finding that I was a native Mexican
his sympathy was excited, and at his entreaty my life was spared, and
the Don's own surgeon attended to my wounds. It was nearly two months
before I had sufficiently recovered to be able to go about, and by that
time every one on the estate knew my history, or rather that version of
it which I saw fit to give them. I had represented to Don Rafael that I
had been compelled to accompany the war party against my will, and
concealed the fact that I had been the leader of the band. My story was
easily credited because of my youth, and I was treated with great
kindness. In another month I had entirely regained my health, and Don
Rafael proposed to me to enter his employ as a vaquero. To this I
assented, although I had fully determined to return to my tribe at the
first opportunity. But I had first several objects to accomplish, and I
was therefore compelled to bide my time, and wait for a favorable
occasion.
"Accordingly I joined the vaqueros of the rancheria, and for two months
performed my duties to the entire satisfaction of my master. My object
in thus remaining, when I might have made my escape at any time without
difficulty, was twofold. In the first place I knew that it would not do
for me to return to the Indian village empty-handed. My ill-considered
and unauthorized foray having resulted in defeat and disaster, I could
not expect a very cordial reception on my return, unless I performed
some very daring feat in making my escape, or returned with a more than
ordinary share of booty. The last I could not hope to accomplish, but
the former was quite possible.
"My second design was of an entirely different nature, and its
successful accomplishment promised to be a very difficult matter.
"Don Rafael's immediate family consisted of a wife and daughter, the
latter a girl of fifteen, and one of the most rarely beautiful women it
has ever been my fortune to behold. Her I had resolved to possess, and
it was this reason more than any other which impelled me to the
execution of the bloody deed I am about to relate.
"Guadalupe, as she was called, evidently viewed me with marked disfavor,
but this only intensified the passion I felt for her. I was consumed
with desire, and determined that no obstacles should prevent me from
accomplishing my purpose.
"It was not long before the opportunity I sought presented itself, and
the events took place which rendered me doubly an outcast from those of
my race and color."