Mr. Fortescue by William Westall

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"They are gone, and I don't think they will be in any hurry to come back,"
said Carmen, as he scrambled out of the pool. "It was a narrow shave,
though."

"Very, and we are not out of the wood yet. Suppose the fire sweeps round
the moor and gains the forest on the other side?"

"In that case we stand a very good chance of being either roasted or
starved, for we have no food, and there is not a living thing on the moor
but ourselves."

CHAPTER XVII.

A TIMELY WARNING.

The involuntary bath which saved our lives served also to restore our
strength. When we entered it we were well-nigh spent; we went out of it
free from any sense of fatigue, a result which was probably as much due to
the chemical properties of the water as to its high temperature.

But though no longer tired we were both hungry and thirsty, and our
garments were wringing wet. Our first proceeding was to take them off and
wring them; our next, to look for fresh water--for the _azuferales_ was
like the ocean-water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.

As we picked our way over the smoking waste by the light of the full moon
and the burning forest, I asked Carmen, who knew the country and its ways
so much better than myself, what he proposed that we should do next.

"Rejoin Mejia."

"But how? We are in the enemies' country and without horses, and we know
not where Mejia is."

"I don't think he is far off. He is not the man to retreat after a drawn
battle. Until he has beaten Griscelli or Griscelli has beaten him, you may
be sure he won't go back to the llanos; his men would not let him. As for
horses, we must appropriate the first we come across, either by stratagem
or force."

"Is there a way out of the forest on this side?"

"Yes, there is a good trail made by Indian invalids who come here to drink
the waters. Our difficulty will not be so much in finding our friends as
avoiding our enemies. A few hours' walk will bring us to more open
country, but we cannot well start until--"

"Good heavens! What is that?" I exclaimed, as a plaintive cry, which ended
in a wail of anguish, such as might be given by a lost soul in torment,
rang through the forest.

"It's an _araguato_, a howling monkey," said Carmen, indifferently.
"That's only some old fellow setting the tune; we shall have a regular
chorus presently."

And so we had. The first howl was followed by a second, then by a third,
and a fourth, and soon all the _araguatoes_ in the neighborhood joined in,
and the din became so agonizing that I was fain to put my fingers in my
ears and wait for a lull.

"It sounds dismal enough, in all conscience--to us; but I think they mean
it for a cry of joy, a sort of morning hymn; at any rate, they don't
generally begin until sunrise. But these are perhaps mistaking the fire
for the sun."

And no wonder. It was spreading rapidly. The leafless trees that bordered
the western side of the _azuferales_ were all alight; sparks, carried by
the wind, had kindled several giants of the forest, which, "tall as mast
of some high admiral," were flaunting their flaring banners a hundred feet
above the mass of the fire.

It was the most magnificent spectacle I had ever seen, so magnificent that
in watching it we forgot our own danger, as, if the fire continued to
spread, the forest would be impassable for days, and we should be
imprisoned on the _azuferales_ without either food or fresh water.

"Look yonder!" said Carmen, laying his hand on my shoulder. A herd of deer
were breaking out of the thicket and bounding across the moor.

"Wild animals escaping from the fire?"

"Yes, and we shall have more of them."

The words were scarcely spoken when the deer were followed by a drove of
peccaries; then came jaguars, pumas, antelopes, and monkeys; panthers and
wolves and snakes, great and small, wriggling over the ground with
wondrous speed, and creatures the like of which I had never seen before--a
regular stampede of all sorts and conditions of reptiles and beasts, and
all too much frightened to meddle either with us or each other.

Fortunately for us, moreover, we were not in their line of march, and
there lay between us and them a line of hot springs and smoking sulphur
mounds which they were not likely to pass.

The procession had been going on about half an hour when, happening to
cast my eye skyward, I saw that the moon had disappeared; overhead hung a
heavy mass of cloud, the middle of it reddened by the reflection from the
fire to the color of blood, while the outer edges were as black as ink. It
was almost as grand a spectacle as the burning forest itself.

"We are going to have rain," said Carmen.

"I hope it will rain in bucketfuls," was my answer, for I had drunk
nothing since we left San Felipe, and the run, together with the high
temperature and the heat of the fire, had given me an intolerable thirst.
I spoke with difficulty, my swollen tongue clove to the roof of my mouth,
and I would gladly have given ten years of my life for one glass of cold
water.

Carmen, whose sufferings were as great as my own, echoed my hope. And it
was not long in being gratified, for even as we gazed upward a flash of
lightning split the clouds asunder; peal of thunder followed on peal, the
rain came down not in drops nor bucketfuls but in sheets, and with weight
and force sufficient to beat a child or a weakling to the earth, It was a
veritable godsend; we caught the beautiful cool water in our hands and
drank our fill.

In less than an hour not a trace of the fire could be seen--nor anything
else. The darkness had become so dense that we feared to move lest we
might perchance step into one of the boiling springs, fall into the jaws
of a jaguar, or set foot on a poisonous snake. So we stayed where we were,
whiles lying on the flooded ground, whiles standing up or walking a few
paces in the rain, which continued to fall until the rising of the sun,
when it ceased as suddenly as it had begun.

The moor had been turned into a smoking swamp, with a blackened forest on
one side and a wall of living green on the other. The wild animals had
vanished.

"Let us go!" said Carmen.

When we reached the trees we took off our clothes a second time, hung them
on a branch, and sat in the sun till they dried.

"I suppose it is no use thinking about breakfast till we get to a house or
the camp, wherever that may be?" I observed, as we resumed our journey.

"Well, I don't know. What do you say about a cup of milk to begin with?"

"There is nothing I should like better--to begin with--but where is the
cow?"

"There!" pointing to a fine tree with oblong leaves.

"That!"

"Yes, that is the _palo de vaca_ (cow-tree), and as you shall presently
see, it will give us a very good breakfast, though we may get nothing
else. But we shall want cups. Ah, there is a calabash-tree! Lend me your
knife a minute. _Gracias!_"

And with that Carmen went to the tree, from which he cut a large
pear-shaped fruit. This, by slicing off the top and scooping out the pulp
he converted into a large bowl. The next thing was to make a gash in the
_palo de vaca_, whereupon there flowed from the wound a thick milky fluid
which we caught in the bowl and drank. The taste was agreeable and the
result satisfactory, for, though a beefsteak would have been more
acceptable, the drink stayed our hunger for the time and helped us on our
way.

The trail was easily found. For a considerable distance it ran between a
double row of magnificent mimosa-trees which met overhead at a height of
fully one hundred and fifty feet, making a glorious canopy of green leaves
and rustling branches. The rain had cooled the air and laid the dust, and
but for the danger we were in (greater than we suspected) and the
necessity we were under of being continually on the alert, we should have
had a most enjoyable walk. Late in the afternoon we passed a hut and a
maize-field, the first sign of cultivation we had seen since leaving the
_azuferales_, and ascertained our bearings from an old peon who was
swinging in a grass hammock and smoking a cigar. San Felipe was about two
leagues away, and he strongly advised us not to follow a certain trail,
which he described, lest haply we might fall in with Mejia's caballeros,
some of whom he had himself seen within the hour a little lower down the
valley.

This was good news, and we went on in high spirits.

"Didn't I tell you so?" said Carmen, complacently. "I knew Mejia would not
be far off. He is like one of your English bull-dogs. He never knows when
he is beaten."

After a while the country became more open, with here and there patches of
cultivation; huts were more frequent and we met several groups of peons
who, however, eyed us so suspiciously that we thought it inexpedient to
ask them any questions.

About an hour before sunset we perceived in the near distance a solitary
horseman; but as his face was turned the other way he did not see us.

"He looks like one of our fellows," observed Carmen, after scanning him
closely. "All the same, he may not be. Let us slip behind this acacia-bush
and watch his movements."

The man himself seemed to be watching. After a short halt, he rode away
and returned, but whether halting or moving he was always on the lookout,
and as might appear, keenly expectant.

At length he came our way.

"I do believe--_Por Dios_ it is--Guido Pasto, my own man!" and Carmen,
greatly excited, rushed from his hiding-place shouting, "Guido!" at the
top of his voice.

I followed him, equally excited but less boisterous.

Guido, recognizing his master's voice, galloped forward and greeted us
warmly, for though he acted as Carmen's servant he was a free _llanero_,
and expected to be treated as a gentleman and a friend.

"_Gracias a Dios!_" he said; "I was beginning to fear that we had passed
you. Gahra and I have been looking for you all day!"

"That was very good of you; and Senor Fortescue and I owe you a thousand
thanks. But where are General Mejia and the army?"

"Near the old place. In a better position, though. But you must not go
there--neither of you."

"We must not go there! But why?"

"Because if you do the general will hang you."

"Hang us! Hang Senor Fortescue, who has come all the way from England to
help us! Hang _me_, Salvador Carmen! You have had a sunstroke and lost
your wits; that's what it is, Guido Pasto, you have lost your wits--but,
perhaps you are joking. Say, now, you are joking."

"No, _senor_. It would ill become me to make a foolish joke at your
expense. Neither have I lost my wits, as you are pleased to suggest. It is
only too true; you are in deadly peril. We may be observed, even now. Let
us go behind these bushes, where we may converse in safety. It was to warn
you of your danger that Gahra and I have been watching for you. Gahra will
be here presently, and he will tell you that what I say is true."

"This passes comprehension. What does it all mean? Out with it, good
Guido; you have always been faithful, and I don't think you are a fool."

"Thanks for your good opinion, senor. Well, it is very painful for me to
have to say it; but the general believes, and save your own personal
friends, all the army believes, that you and senor Fortescue are
traitors--that you betrayed them to the enemy."

"On what grounds?" asked Carmen, highly indignant.

"You went to reconnoitre; you did not come back; the next morning we were
attacked by Griscelli in force, and Senor Fortescue was seen among the
enemy, seen by General Mejia himself. It was, moreover, reported this
morning in the camp that Griscelli had let you go."

"So he did, and hunted us with his infernal blood-hounds, and we only
escaped by the skin of our teeth. We were surprised and taken prisoners.
Senor Fortescue was a prisoner on parole when the general saw him. I
believe Griscelli obtained his parole and took him to the _quebrada_ for
no other purpose than to compromise him with the patriots. And that I, who
have killed more than a hundred Spaniards with my own hand, should be
suspected of deserting to the enemy is too monstrous for belief."

"Of course, it is an absurd mistake. Appearances are certainly rather
against us--at any rate, against me; but a word of explanation will put
the matter right. Let us go to the camp at once and have it out."

"Not so fast, Senor Fortescue. I should like to have it out much. But
there is one little difficulty in the way which you may not have taken
into account. Mejia never listens to explanations, and never goes back on
his word. If he said he would hang us he will. He would be very sorry
afterward, I have no doubt; but that would not bring us back to life, and
it would be rather ridiculous to escape Griscelli's blood-hounds, only to
be hanged by our own people."

"And that is not the worst," put in Guido.

"Not the worst! Why what can be worse than being hanged?"

"I mean that even if the general did not carry out his threat you would be
killed all the same. The Colombian gauchos swear that they will hack you
to pieces wherever they find you. When Gahra comes he will tell you the
same."

"You have heard; what do you say?" asked Carmen, turning to me.

"Well, as it seems so certain that if we return to the camp we shall
either be hanged or hacked to pieces, I am decidedly of opinion that we
had better not return."

"So am I. At the same time, it is quite evident that we cannot remain
here, while every man's hand is against us. Is there any possibility of
procuring horses, Guido?"

"Yes, sir. I think Gahra and I will be able to bring you horses and arms
after nightfall."

"Good! And will Gahra and you throw in your lot with us?"

"Where you go I will go, senor. Let Gahra speak for himself. He will be
here shortly. He is coming now. I will show myself that he may know we are
here" (stepping out of the thicket).

When the negro arrived he expressed great satisfaction at finding us alive
and well. He did not think there would be any great difficulty in getting
away and bringing us horses. The _lleranos_ were still allowed to come and
go pretty much as they liked, and if awkward questions were asked it would
be easy to invent excuses. The best time to get away would be immediately
after nightfall, when most of the foraging parties would have returned to
camp and the men be at supper.

It was thereupon agreed that the attempt should be made, and that we
should stay where we were until we heard the howl of an _araguato_, which
Guido could imitate to perfection. This would signify that all was well,
and the coast clear.

Then, after giving us a few pieces of _tasajo_ and a handful of cigars,
the two men rode off; for the night was at hand, and if we did not escape
before light of moon, the chances were very much against our escaping at
all.

CHAPTER XVIII.

A NEW DEPARTURE.

"We seem always to be escaping, _amigo mio_," said Carmen, as we sat in
the shade, eating our _tasajo_. "We got out of one scrape only to get into
another. Your experience of the country so far has not been happy."

"Well, I certainly have had rather a lively time of it since I landed at
La Guayra, if that is what you mean."

"Very. And I should almost advise you to leave the country, if that were
possible. But reaching the coast in present circumstances is out of the
question. All the ports are in possession of the Spaniards, and the roads
thither beset by guerillas. I see nothing for it but to go on the llanos
and form a guerilla band of our own."

"Isn't guerilla merely another name for brigand?"

"Too often. You must promise the fellows plunder."

"And provide it."

"Of course, or pay them out of your own pocket."

"Well, I am not disposed to become a brigand chief; and I could not keep a
band of guerillas at my own charge even if I were disposed. As we cannot
get out of the country either by the north or east, what do you say to
trying south?"

"How far? To the Brazils?"

"Farther. Over the Andes to Peru."

"Over the Andes to Peru? That is a big undertaking. Do you think we could
find that mountain of gold and precious stones you were telling me about?"

"I never entertained any idea so absurd. I merely mentioned poor old
Zamorra's crank as an instance of how credulous people could be."

"Well, perhaps the idea is not quite so absurd as you suppose. Even
stranger things have happened; and we do know that there is gold pretty
nearly everywhere on this continent, to say nothing of the treasure hidden
in times past by Indians and Spaniards, and we might find both gold and
diamonds."

"Of course we might; and as we cannot stay here, we may as well make the
attempt."

"You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous? We shall carry our
lives in our hands."

"That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I
came to Venezuela."

"True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship--As
for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me. But have you any
money? We shall have to equip our expedition. If there are only four of us
we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro. The Indians of that region are as
fierce as alligators."

"I have a few _maracotes_ in the waistband of my trousers and this ring."

"That ring is worth nothing, my friend; at any rate not more than a few
reals."

"A few reals! It contains a ruby, though you don't see it, worth fully
five hundred piasters--if I could find a customer for it."

"I don't think you will easily find a customer for a ruby ring on the
llanos. However, I'll tell you what. An old friend of mine, a certain
Senor Morillones, has a large estate at a place called Naparima on the
Apure. Let us go there to begin with. Morillones will supply us with
mules, and we may possibly persuade some of his people to accompany us.
Treasure-hunting is always an attraction for the adventurous. What say
you?"

"Yes. By all means let us go."

"We may regard it as settled, then, that we make in the first instance for
Naparima."

"Certainly."

"That being the case the best thing we can do is to have a sleep. We got
none last night, and we are not likely to get any to-night."

As Carmen spoke he folded his arms and shut his eyes. I followed his
example, and we knew no more until, as it seemed in about five minutes, we
were roused by a terrific howl.

We jumped up at once and ran out of the thicket. Gahra and Guido were
waiting for us, each with a led horse.

"We were beginning to think you had been taken, or gone away," said Guido,
hoarsely. "I have howled six times in succession. My voice will be quite
ruined."

"It did not sound so just now. We were fast asleep."

"Pizarro!" I exclaimed, greatly delighted by the sight of my old favorite.
"You have brought Pizarro! How did you manage that, Gahra?"

"He came to the camp last night. But mount at once, senor. We got away
without difficulty--stole off while the men were at supper. But we met an
officer who asked us a question; and though Guido said we were taking the
horses by order of General Mejia himself, he did not appear at all
satisfied, and if he should speak to the general something might happen,
especially as it is not long since we left the camp, and we have been
waiting here ten minutes. Here is a spear for you, and the pistols in your
holsters are loaded and primed."

I mounted without asking any more questions. Gahra's news was disquieting,
and we had no time to lose; for, in order to reach the llanos without the
almost certainty of falling into the hands of our friend Griscelli, we
should have to pass within a mile of the patriot camp, and if an alarm
were given, our retreat might be cut off. This, however, seemed to be our
only danger; our horses were fleet and fresh, and the llanos near, and,
once fairly away, we might bid defiance to pursuit.

"Let us push on," said Carmen. "If anybody accosts us don't answer a word,
and fight only at the last extremity, to save ourselves from capture or
death; and, above all things, silence in the ranks."

The night was clear, the sky studded with stars, and, except where trees
overhung the road, we could see some little distance ahead, the only
direction in which we had reason to apprehend danger.

Carmen and I rode in front; Gahra and Guido a few yards in the rear.

We had not been under way more than a few minutes when Gahra uttered an
exclamation.

"Hist, senores! Look behind!" he said.

Turning half round in our saddles and peering intently into the gloom we
could just make out what seemed like a body of horsemen riding swiftly
after us.

"Probably a belated foraging party returning to camp," said Carmen.
"Deucedly awkward, though! But they have, perhaps, no desire to overtake
us. Let us go on just fast enough to keep them at a respectful distance."

But it very soon became evident that the foraging party--if it were a
foraging party--did desire to overtake us. They put on more speed; so did
we. Then came loud shouts of "_Halte!_" These producing no effect, several
pistol shots were fired.

"_Dios mio!_" said Carmen; "they will rouse the camp, and the road will be
barred. Look here, Fortescue; about two miles farther on is an open glade
which we have to cross, and which the fellows must also cross if they
either meet or intercept us. The trail to the left leads to the llanos. It
runs between high banks, and is so narrow that one resolute man may stop a
dozen. If any of the _gauchos_ get there before us we are lost. Your horse
is the fleetest. Ride as for your life and hold it till we come."

Before the words were well out of Carmen's mouth, I let Pizarro go. He
went like the wind. In six minutes I had reached my point and taken post
in the throat of the pass, well in the shade. And I was none too soon,
for, almost at the same instant, three _llaneros_ dashed into the
clearing, and then, as if uncertain what to do next, pulled up short.

"Whereabout was it? What trail shall we take?" asked one.

"This" (pointing to the road I had just quitted).

"Don't you hear the shouts?--and there goes another pistol shot!"

"Better divide," said another. "I will stay here and watch. You, Jose, go
forward, and you, Sanchez, reconnoitre the llanos trail."

Jose went his way, Sanchez came my way.

Still in the shade and hidden, I drew one of my pistols and cocked it,
fully intending, however, to reserve my fire till the last moment; I was
loath to shoot a man with whom I had served only a few days before. But
when he drew near, and, shouting my name, lowered his lance, I had no
alternative; I fired, and as he fell from his horse, the others galloped
into the glade.

"Forward! To the llanos!" cried Carmen; "they are close behind us. A
fellow tried to stop me, but I rode him down."

And then followed a neck-or-nothing race through the pass, which was more
like a furrow than a road, steep, stony, and full of holes, and being
overshadowed by trees, as dark as chaos. Only by the marvellous cleverness
of our unshod horses and almost miraculous good luck did we escape dire
disaster, if not utter destruction, for a single stumble might have been
fatal.

But Carmen, who made the running, knew what he was about. His seeming
rashness was the truest prudence. Our pursuers would either ride as hard
as we did or they would not; in the latter event we should have a good
start and be beyond their ken before they emerged from the pass; in the
former, there was always the off chance of one of the leading horsemen
coming to grief and some of the others falling over him, thereby delaying
them past the possibility of overtaking us.

Which of the contingencies came to pass, or whether the guerillas, not
having the fear of death behind them, rode less recklessly than we did, we
could form no idea. But their shouts gradually became fainter; when we
reached the llanos they were no more to be heard, and when the moon rose
an hour later none of our pursuers were to be seen. Nevertheless, we
pushed on, and except once, to let our animals drink and (relieved for a
moment of their saddles) refresh themselves with a roll, after the want of
Venezuelan horses, we drew not rein until we had put fifty miles between
ourselves and Generals Mejia and Griscelli.

CHAPTER XIX.

DON ESTEBAN'S DAUGHTER.

Ten days after our flight from San Felipe we were on the banks of the
Apure. We received a warm welcome from Carmen's friend, Senor Morillones,
a Spanish creole of the antique type, grave, courtly, and dignified, the
owner of many square miles of fertile land and hundreds of slaves, and as
rich in flocks and herds as Job in the heyday of his prosperity. He had a
large house, fine gardens, and troops of servants. A grand seigneur in
every sense of the word was Senor Don Esteban Morillones. His assurance
that he placed himself and his house and all that was his at our disposal
was no mere phrase. When he heard of our contemplated journey, he offered
us mules, arms, and whatever else we required and he possessed, and any
mention of payment on our part would, as Carmen said, and I could well
see, have given our generous host dire offense.

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