In New Granada Part 20

It was towards the evening of the second day, and we were about to encamp, when Antonio, who had gone down to fill a calabash with water at the river, came back saying that he had seen a small party of cavalry, who had come down to let their horses drink.

"Are they Spaniards?" asked Uncle Richard.

"No, senor; they appear to me, by their dress, to be Patriots."

On this we all crept down to the bank, keeping under shelter, to observe the strangers; and on seeing them we were convinced that Antonio was right. While I was looking I observed another horseman, who by his dress appeared to be an officer, join the people, and on watching his movements I felt almost certain that he was my friend Juan. So convinced was I of this, that I advanced to the water's edge and hailed him; but the noise of the horses prevented him hearing my voice. "What would I give to communicate with him!" I exclaimed. "Is no canoe to be found near, by which we can cross the stream?"

I explained my wishes to Pacheco.

"If you are certain that they are friends, I will swim across," answered Pacheco.

I a.s.sured him of this, and hastily wrote a note to Juan, begging him to wait for me, and I would try to get across the river to join him.

Pacheco placed the note inside his hat, on the top of which he fastened the short trousers and girdle he wore. He then cut two thick pieces of bamboo, with a still larger piece pointed at both ends, and taking them in his hand plunged into the water.

"Are you not afraid of the alligators?" asked Uncle Richard, under the idea that those creatures frequented the stream.

"There are few above the rapids, and those only of small size," answered Pacheco; "if one comes near me, he will feel the point of this bamboo."

Resting his chest on the stout pieces of cane, and striking out with his hands and feet, he made rapid progress towards the opposite sh.o.r.e. At length Juan saw him coming, and at the same time observed us waving, though he might not have known who we were. He probably guessed, however, that we were friends, and that the Indian was coming across to speak to him, for he rode towards the spot where our guide was about to land.

Pacheco gave Juan the note, and I saw him take a paper from his pocket and write an answer, which he delivered to the Indian, who, without stopping to rest, recrossed the river. Once I saw him give a dig with his bamboo, but the object at which he aimed was not visible. It might have been an alligator, or a water-snake, or a big fish; but it seemed to concern him very little, for he again came towards us, and landed in safety.

I eagerly took Juan's note.

"I will wait for you," it ran. "Come across, if you can find a canoe; if not, wave your handkerchief, and I will have a raft formed, and come for you. No time for more.--Juan."

As Pacheco a.s.sured us that we were not likely to find a canoe within a considerable distance, I at once made the sign agreed on, whereupon I saw Juan's men immediately begin to cut down with their manchettes a number of large canes which grew near. These they bound together with sipos, and in a very short time a raft sufficiently large to bear several persons was formed. The thick ends of some of the canes were shaped into scoop-like paddles, and Juan with four of his men at once embarked and commenced the pa.s.sage of the river. As soon as the raft was sufficiently near the sh.o.r.e he sprang to the land, and embraced Uncle Richard and me. He looked paler and considerably older than when we last parted, and as if he had seen much hard work.

Uncle Richard's first question was, very naturally, for his wife and daughter; and I too asked after my family.

"They are still residing among the mountains, among some faithful Indians, with Paul Lobo as their guardian. Dr Sinclair thinks it prudent to keep in hiding while the G.o.dos occupy Popayan, in case the monster Murillo should order his arrest. I lately heard that he was well, in spite of the trying life he, in common with so many other Patriots, is obliged to lead."

"And Dona Dolores?" I asked.

"She is safe with your mother and Dona Maria; I myself escorted her to their cottage, after I had the happiness of rescuing her from the Spaniards."

"Is she aware of her father's death?" I inquired.

"What!" exclaimed Juan, "has the tyrant dared to murder the old man?"

"I grieve to say so; as well as my poor uncle, Dr Cazalla, and many other of our country's n.o.blest Patriots."

Juan lifted his hands to heaven, and prayed that their deaths might be avenged. What a change a few months had produced in him! Instead of the gay, thoughtless youth, he was now the stern soldier, ready to dare and do any deed full of peril. I told him of the murder of Dona Paula; at hearing which his eyes flashed fire, while he uttered expressions I dare not repeat.

I asked him what object he had in view in coming in this direction.

"I am proceeding to Llano Grande, for the purpose of collecting horses, and training them for our cavalry, as a large number of those in my troop have died from hard work and exposure on the Paramo of Purace, when we crossed the mountains to attack the Spanish convoy. I earnestly hope that you, Duncan, will join me; you will be of the greatest a.s.sistance, and I am certain that you are not required to help your father or mother. They are less likely to be molested than if it were known that you had joined them."

I felt a great desire to accept Juan's proposal, and put it to Uncle Richard whether I might not do so.

He considered a minute. "Yes; I see no objection," he answered. "I will continue my journey with Antonio, and try to communicate with Mr Laffan. Possibly he may join you, and be of service."

Accordingly, without hesitation, I at once agreed to accompany Juan; and wis.h.i.+ng my Uncle Richard and his two companions farewell, I embarked with my friend.

"As soon as I have seen Senor Ricardo safe, I intend to make my way back to rejoin you," said Antonio. "If you are going to tame wild horses, you will find it a long business, and are not likely to have left the neighbourhood before I can get back to you."

Juan told me that he intended to ride some miles further before camping, as we were near a Spanish force; and should the enemy gain intelligence of us, they might attempt to surprise us.

When Lion saw me embark, he gave a look at his former master, as if to ask which of us he should accompany; but Uncle Richard pointed to me, and he immediately leaped on the raft.

By the time we landed, Juan's small troop were in readiness to move on.

He had, fortunately, a spare horse, which I mounted; and I confess that I felt my spirits rise wonderfully when I found myself in the saddle, after so many days' journeying on foot.

We rode on until we reached the borders of a wood which would serve to shelter our camp-fires. There the horses were picketed, while patrols were sent out to give due notice of danger. Though in our native land, we had to act as if in an enemy's country. However, we invariably found the country-people ready to give us all the information we required as to the whereabouts of the Spaniards, and were thus able to avoid them.

Had it not been for this, the Patriots would have been crushed by the superior force the Spaniards were bringing against them. While we could always learn the movements of our enemies, and obtain an ample supply of food, the Spaniards were unable even to trust their own spies; and it was only by means of strong foraging-parties that they could collect provisions.

We thus reached our destination,--a farmhouse situated on a slope at the foot of the mountains, with the wide llanos stretching out before it.

Having an extensive view over the plain from this point, we could see the approach of an enemy from a great distance; and, according to the strength of their force, we might either prepare for resistance, or make our escape. An enclosure ran round it, formed by trunks of trees driven into the ground close together. It had been formed years before, for the purpose of resisting attacks by the Indians, and would still enable a body of men to hold their own against any small force of infantry or cavalry, though, for the present, we did not expect to be molested.

The men Juan had brought with him were accustomed to the life of the llanos, and no time was lost in commencing the work for which they had come. The very next morning the whole party started off provided with la.s.soes,--Juan and I accompanying them. The herds of wild horses were accustomed to come close up to the farm, so that we had not to go far before we fell in with a herd. The men then separated into parties of two, forming a circle round the animals they wished to capture. The wild horses, seeing strangers advancing from all sides, closed up towards the centre, not knowing in which direction to make their escape; when the men galloped forward, la.s.so in hand, each singling out an animal, round whose neck he seldom failed to throw the noose. The horse would then dash forward, but was as speedily brought up by the rope; and the well-trained steed of the Llanero, throwing itself back, and pressing its fore, feet against the ground, effectually checked it, and threw it upon its haunches, or right over on its back. Another Llanero would then dexterously cast his la.s.so round the animal's fore-feet, and by a jerk bring it round its legs. By slightly slackening the rope round its neck, the horse was enabled to get up, when its first impulse was to dash forward; but it was brought to the ground by the la.s.so round its legs, with a jerk sufficient, it would seem, to break every bone in its body. The horse would then lie motionless while its hind feet were secured.

The first horse I saw caught in this manner, I thought was dead; but after a time it regained its consciousness, and, giving some convulsive plunges, again got on its legs. Before it had even time to look about, it was led off by some of the Llaneros to a post near the farm, where, in spite of its desperate struggles, it was saddled and bridled. Its strength regained, it began to bite, plunge, and kick in all directions, the Llaneros nimbly getting out of the way. One of the more experienced riders, watching his opportunity, then leaped into the saddle, and signed to one of his companions to cast off the la.s.so from its legs.

The animal, finding itself free, darted off, and then commenced to back, plunge, and whisk round and round, sometimes das.h.i.+ng on for a few paces at a furious pace, and then recommencing its eccentric movements. The rider, however, stuck on; and another Llanero coming behind, administered a lash with his long cutting whip, which made the poor animal start off with a snort like a scream. No one but a well-trained horseman could have kept his seat in the way our men did. As it darted ahead, two other Llaneros rode on either side to keep the wild animal straight. Off it went across the level country for a league or more, occasionally stopping to back and kick; each time its efforts grew fainter, until at last we saw it come back, its eyes bloodshot, its whole body covered with foam and blood, and perfectly bewildered. It was then unsaddled and tied to a post, there to remain until hunger made it willing to accept the food and water offered to it. Thus, in the course of a day a number of horses were captured; but they were all young animals, and as yet scarcely fit for work.

Next came the operation of breaking them in, which occupied a much longer time. In this, Juan and I took a part. Every man we had with us was engaged from sunrise to sunset--or even later, when the moon shone brightly--as it was of the greatest importance to have some well-trained animals ready for service as soon as possible.

Fresh men continued to arrive, having made their way over the mountains to avoid the Spaniards, bringing their saddles and bridles, arms and accoutrements. Of course, they at once took part in catching and training the horses. The young animals were most easily broken-in, but they were less capable of enduring fatigue than the older horses.

We had been about a month thus engaged, when, as Juan and I were leaving the farm for an afternoon's sport, as we called it, we caught sight of a horseman--evidently, from his costume, not one of our own men--galloping across the plain towards us. As he drew nearer, I thought I recognised his bearing and figure.

"Hurrah!" I exclaimed; "I believe that's Mr Laffan."

"I hope so, indeed," answered Juan. "He will be a host in himself; and I suspect he will be able to train a horse as well as the best of us."

Mounting our steeds, we galloped forward to meet him; and with unfeigned pleasure I soon saw that it was no other than my former tutor.

"I am thankful to fall in with you again, my dear fellows," he exclaimed. "I thought at one time that I should never have got here.

Mr Duffield told me where to find you, but those rascally Spaniards nearly caught me. I escaped them, but I had to hide away for several days until the coast was clear. However, here I am, and shall be mighty glad of some food, for I'm desperately sharp-set."

We returned to the farm with Mr Laffan, where we gave him our usual fare,--dried beef and plantains; for we were not living luxuriously.

Except some chica, we had no beverage stronger than coffee or cocoa to offer him; but he declared that such provender would serve him as well as any other.

As soon as the meal was over, Mr Laffan begged to have a fresh horse, and insisted on accompanying us. "I have had a little experience in this sort of work," he said, "and may be able to catch a horse or two.

At all events, I can break-in a few. I have no wish to eat the bread of idleness."

Mr Laffan was as good as his word, and took good care to select a first-rate animal for himself, which, by dint of constant practice, he got well broken-in. Juan and I were equally fortunate, and were much indebted to him for the training of our steeds.