The Forest Exiles: The Perils of a Peruvian Family in the Wilds of the Amazon

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

  THE RAFT.

  This was the most exciting day that had been passed since their arrivalin the Montana; and considering the result it was well that theoccurrence had taken place. It had rid them of a pair of badneighbours--there would soon have been four--that some time or otherwould have endangered the lives of some of the party. It was theopinion of Guapo that they need not, at least for a while, have any fearof jaguars. It was not likely there was another pair in that district;although, from the roaming disposition of this animal, fresh ones mightsoon make their appearance; and it was deemed best always to act asthough some were already in the neighbourhood.

  The cubs were disposed of. It was not deemed advisable to bring them upas "cats." After what had occurred that was voted, even by Leon, adangerous experiment--too dangerous to be attempted. They were still onthe other side of the river, and the bridge was now gone. If left tothemselves, no doubt they would have perished, as they were very youngthings. Perhaps some carnivorous creature--wolf, coati, eagle, orvulture--would have devoured them, or they might have been eaten up bythe ants. But this was not to be their fate. Guapo swam across, andstrangled them. Then tying them together, he suspended the pair overhis shoulders, and brought them with him to be exhibited as a curiosity.Moreover Guapo had a design upon their skins.

  It was not long after that a pleasanter pet than either of them wasfound, and this was a beautiful little saimiri monkey, about the size ofa squirrel, which Guapo and Leon captured one day in the woods. Theyheard a noise as they were passing along, and going up to the spot, sawon the branch of a low tree nearly a dozen little monkeys all rolled uptogether in a heap, with their tails warped round each other as if tokeep themselves warm! Nearly another dozen were running about, whiningand apparently trying to get in among the rest. Guapo and Leon made asudden rush upon them, and were able to capture three or four before thecreatures could free themselves; but only one lived, and that became agreat pet and favourite. It was a beautiful little creature--a truesaimiri, or squirrel monkey, called the "titi." Its silky fur was of arich olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed fear or joy--now filling with tears, and now brightening again--just like those of achild.

  During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour withoutinterruption, and on account of the great plenty of the cinchona-trees,and their proximity to the house, they were enabled to accumulate a verylarge store. They worked like bees.

  Although this forest life was not without its pleasures and excitements,yet it began to _grow_ very irksome both to Don Pablo and Dona Isidora.Life in the wilderness, with its rude cares and rude enjoyments, may bevery pleasant for a while to those who seek it as amateurs, or to thatclass who as colonists intend to make it a permanent thing. But neitherDon Pablo nor his wife had ever thought of colonisation. With themtheir present industry was the result of accident and necessity. Theirtastes and longings were very different. They longed to return tocivilised life; and though the very misfortune which had driven themforth into the wilderness had also guided them to an opportunity ofmaking a fortune, it is probable they would have passed it by, had theynot known that, penniless as they were, they would have fared stillworse in any city to which they might have gone. But before the firstyear was out, they yearned very much to return to civilisation, and thisdesire was very natural. But there were other reasons that influencedthem besides the mere _ennui_ of the wilderness. The lives ofthemselves and their children were constantly in danger from jaguars,pumas, and poisonous reptiles. Even man himself might at any momentappear as their destroyer. As yet no Indian--not even a trace of one--had been seen. But this was not strange. In the tangled andimpenetrable forests of the Great Montana two tribes of Indians mayreside for years within less than a league's distance of each other,without either being aware of the other's existence! Scarcely anyintercourse is carried on, or excursions made, except by the rivers--forthey are the only roads--and where two of these run parallel, althoughthey may be only at a short distance from each other, people residing onone may never think of crossing to the other.

  Notwithstanding that no Indians had yet appeared to disturb them, therewas no certainty that these might not arrive any day, and treat them asenemies. On this account, Don Pablo and Dona Isidora were never withouta feeling of uneasiness.

  After mutual deliberation, therefore, they resolved not to prolong theirstay beyond the early part of spring, when they would carry out theiroriginal design of building a _balza_ raft, and commit themselves to thegreat river, which, according to all appearance, and to Guapo'sconfident belief, flowed directly to the Amazon. Guapo had never eitherdescended or ascended it himself, and on their first arrival was not sosure about its course; but after having gone down to its banks, andexamined its waters, his recollections revived, and he remembered manyaccounts which he had heard of it from Indians of his own tribe. He hadno doubt but it was the same which, under the name of the "Purus," fallsinto the Amazon between the mouths of the Madeira and the Coary.

  Upon this stream, therefore, in a few months they would embark. Butthese intervening months were not spent in idleness. Although theseason for bark-gathering was past, another source of industry presenteditself. The bottom lands of the great river were found to be coveredwith a network of underwood, and among this underwood the principalplant was a well-known briar, _Smilax officinalis_. This is thecreeping plant that yields the celebrated "sarsaparilla;" and Don Pablo,having made an analysis of some roots, discovered it to be the mostvaluable species--for it is to be remembered, that, like the cinchona, awhole genus, or rather several genera, furnish the article of commerce.The briar which produces the sarsaparilla is a tall creeping plant,which throws out a large number of long wrinkled roots of a uniformthickness, and about the size of a goose-quill. Nothing is requiredfurther than digging and dragging these roots out of the ground, dryingthem a while, and then binding them in bundles with a small "sipo," ortough forest creeper. These bundles are made up, so as to render theroots convenient for packing and transport.

  During several months this branch of industry occupied Don Pablo, Guapo,and Leon; so that when the time drew nigh for their departure, what withthe cinchona-bark, the sarsaparilla, and the vanilla-beans, there wasnot an empty inch in the large store-house.

  Guapo had not been all the time with them. For several days Guapo wasnot to be seen at the house, nor anywhere around it. Where had Guapobeen all this time? I will tell you; Guapo _had been to the mountains_!

  Yes, Don Pablo had sent him on an important mission, which he hadperformed with secrecy and despatch. Don Pablo, before braving thedangers of the vast journey he had projected, had still a lingering hopethat something might have happened--some change in the government ofPeru--perhaps a new Viceroy--that might enable him to return with safetyto his native land. To ascertain if such had taken place, Guapo hadmade his journey to the mountains.

  He went no farther than the Puna--no farther than the hut of his friendthe vaquero--who, by a previous understanding with Guapo, had kepthimself informed about political matters.

  There was no hope; the same Council, the same Viceroy, the same priceupon the head of Don Pablo--who, however, was believed to have escapedin an American ship, and to have taken refuge in the great republic ofthe North.

  With this news Guapo returned, and now the preparations for the rivervoyage were set about in earnest. A balza raft was built out of largetrunks of the _Bombax ceiba_, which, being light wood, was the best forthe purpose. Of course these trunks had been cut long ago with a viewto using them in this way. A commodious cabin, or "toldo," wasconstructed on the raft, built of palm and bamboos, and thatched withthe broad leaves of the bussu. A light canoe was also hollowed out, asa sort of tender to the raft, and a couple of very large canoes for thepurpose of giving buoyancy to it, were lashed one upon each side. The"merchandise" was carefully "stowed" and covered with "tarpaulins" ofpalm-leaves, and the stores laid in
with every providential care andcalculation.

  You will be wondering what was done with the horse and mule,--thosecreatures that had served the exiles so faithfully and so well? Werethey left behind to become a prey to the jaguars and the largeblood-sucking bats, that kill so many animals in these parts? No--theywere not to be left to such a fate. One of them--the mule--had beenalready disposed of. It was a valuable beast, and partly on thataccount, and partly from gratitude felt towards it for the well-timedkick it had given the ocelot, it was to be spared. Guapo had taken boththe mule and the horse on his mountain journey, and presented the formerto his friend the vaquero.

  But the horse was still on hand. What was to be done with him? Leavehim behind? That would be certain death, for no horse, that was notcared for, could exist in the Montana ten days without being eaten up bythe fierce creatures that inhabit it. The bats would surely havedestroyed him. Well, what was done? He could not be carried on theraft. But he was, though,--_in a way_. Guapo was resolved that thebats should not have him, nor the jaguars neither. He was in finecondition--fat as a pig. The fruit of the murumuru had agreed with him.He was just in the condition in which an Indian thinks a horse "goodfor killing," and _Guapo killed him_! Yes, Guapo killed him! It istrue it was a sort of a Virginius tragedy, and Guapo had greatdifficulty in nerving himself for the task. But the blow-gun was atlength levelled, and the _curare_ did its work. Then Guapo skinned him,and cut him into strips, and dried him into "charqui," and carried himon board the raft. That was the closing scene.

  All left the house together, carrying with them the remains of theirhastily-created _penates_. On reaching the end of the valley, theyturned and threw back a last glance at a home that had to them been ahappy one; and then, continuing their journey, they were soon upon thebalza. The only living creature that accompanied them from theirvalley-home was the pretty saimiri, carried on the shoulder of thelittle Leona.

  The cable of piassaba-palm was carefully taken in and coiled, the raftwas pushed out, and the next moment floated lightly upon the broad bosomof the river.