CHAPTER XIII.
CARMELA.
Before we continue our story, it is indispensable for us to give ourreaders certain important and indispensable details about facts thathave to come.
Among the provinces of the vast territory of New Spain, there is one,the most eastern of all, whose real value the Government of the Viceroyshas constantly ignored. This ignorance was kept up by the MexicanRepublic, which, at the period of the proclamation of Independence, didnot think it worthy of being formed into a separate state, and, withoutdreaming of what might happen at a later date, negligently allowed it tobe colonized by the North Americans, who even at that period seemedinfected by that fever of encroachment and aggrandizement which has nowbecome a species of endemic mania among these worthy citizens--we referto Texas.
This magnificent country is one of the most fortunately situated inMexico; territorially regarded, it is immense, no country is betterwatered, for considerable rivers pour into the sea, their waters swollenby countless streams which fertilize this country, as they traverse itin every direction; and these currents and rivers being deeply imbedded,never form those wide expanses of water by their overflow, which inother countries are transformed into fetid marshes.
The climate of Texas is healthy, and exempt from those frightfuldiseases which have given such a sinister celebrity to certain countriesof the New World.
The natural borders of Texas are the Sabina on the East, Red River onthe north, to the west a chain of lofty mountains, which enters vastprairies, and the Rio Bravo del Norte, and lastly, from the mouth of thelatter river to that of the Sabina, the Gulf of Mexico.
We have said that the Spaniards were almost ignorant of the real valueof Texas, although they had been acquainted with it for a very longtime, for it is almost certain that in 1536, Cabeca de Vaca traversed itwhen he proceeded from Florida to the northern provinces of Mexico.
Still the honour of the first settlement attempted in this fine countrybelongs incontestably to France.
In fact, the unfortunate and celebrated Robert de la Salle, ordered bythe Marquis de Siegnelay to discover the mouth of the Mississippi in1684, made a mistake, and entered the Rio de Colorado, which hedescended with countless difficulties, till he reached the San Bernardolagoon, where he built a fort between Velasco and Matagorda, and tookpossession of the country. We will enter into no further details aboutthis bold explorer, who twice attempted to reach the unknown lands tothe east of Mexico, and was traitorously assassinated in 1687, byvillains who belonged to his band.
A later reminiscence attaches France to Texas, for it was there thatGeneral Lallemand attempted in 1817 to found, under the name of _Champd'Asyle_, a colony of French refugees, the unhappy relics of theinvincible armies of the first empire. This colony, situated about tenleagues from Galveston, was utterly destroyed by the orders of theViceroy Apodaca, by virtue of the despotic system, constantly followedby the Spaniards of the New World, of not allowing strangers, under anypretext, to establish themselves on any point of their territory.
We shall be forgiven these prosy details when our readers reflect thatthis country, scarce twenty years free, with a superficies of onehundred thousand acres and more, and inhabited by two hundred thousandpersons at the most, has, however, entered on an era of prosperity andprogress, which must inevitably arouse the attention of EuropeanGovernments, and the sympathies of intelligent men of all nations.
At the period when the events occurred which we have undertaken tonarrate, that is to say in the later half of 1829, Texas still belongedto Mexico, but its glorious revolution had begun, it was strugglingvaliantly to escape from the disgraceful yoke of the central government,and proclaim its independence.
Before, however, we continue our story, we must explain how it was thatTranquil, the Canadian hunter, and Quoniam, the Negro, who was indebtedto him for liberty, whom we left on the Upper Missouri leading the freelife of wood-rangers, found themselves established, as it were, inTexas, and how the hunter had a daughter, or, at any rate, called hisdaughter, the lovely fair-haired girl we have presented to the readerunder the name of Carmela.
About twelve years before the day we visit the Venta del Potrero,Tranquil arrived at the same hostelry, accompanied by two comrades, anda child of five to six years of age, with blue eyes, ruddy lips, andgolden hair, who was no other than Carmela; as for his comrades, one wasQuoniam, the other an Indian half-breed, who answered to the name ofLanzi.
The sun was just about setting when the little party halted in front ofthe venta.
The host, but little accustomed in this desolate country, close to theIndian border, to see travellers, and especially at so late an hour, hadalready closed and barred his house, and was himself getting ready forbed, when the unexpected arrival of our friends forced him to alter hisarrangements for the night.
It was, however, only with marked repugnance, and on the repeatedassurances the travellers made him that he had nought to fear from them,that he at length decided to open his door, and admit them to his house.
Once that he had resolved to receive them, the host was as he should beto his guests, that is to say, polite and attentive, as far as that canenter into the character of a Mexican landlord, a race, be it noted in aparenthesis, the least hospitable in existence.
He was a short, stout man, with cat-like manners, and crafty looks,already of a certain age, but still quick and active.
When the travellers had placed their horses in the corral, before a goodstock of alfalfa, and had themselves supped with the appetite of men whohave made a long journey, the ice was broken between them and the host,thanks to a few tragos of Catalonian refino, liberally offered by theCanadian, and the conversation went on upon a footing of the truestcordiality, while the little girl, carefully wrapped up in the hunter'swarm zarape, was sleeping with that calm and simple carelessnesspeculiar to that happy age when the present is all in all, and thefuture does not exist.
"Well, gossip," Tranquil said gaily, as he poured out a glass of refinofor the host; "I fancy you must lead a jolly life of it here."
"I?"
"Hang it, yes; you go to bed with the bees, and I feel certain you arein no hurry to get up in the morning."
"What else can I do in this accursed desert, where I have buried myselffor my sins?"
"Are travellers so rare, then?"
"Yes and no; it depends on the meaning you give the word."
"Confound it! there are not two meanings, I should fancy."
"Yes, two very distinct meanings."
"Nonsense! I am curious to know them."
"That is easy enough: there is no lack of vagabonds of every colour inthe country, and if I liked, they would fill my house the whole blessedday; but they would not shew me the colour of their money."
"Ah, very good; but these estimable Caballeros do not constitute thewhole of your customers, I presume?"
"No; there are also the Indios Bravos, Comanches, Apaches, and Pawnees,and Heaven alone knows who else, who prowl about the neighbourhood fromtime to time."
"Hum! those are awkward neighbours, and if you have only such customers,I am beginning to be of your opinion; still, you must now and thenreceive pleasanter visits."
"Yes, from time to time, straggling travellers like yourself, of course;but the profits, in any case, are far from covering the expenses."
"That is true, here's your health."
"The same to you."
"In that case, though, allow me a remark which may appear to youindiscreet."
"Speak, speak, Caballeros, we are talking as friends, so have no chanceof offence."
"You are right. If you are so uncomfortable here, why the deuce do youremain?"
"Why, where would you have me go?"
"Well, I do not know, but you would be better off anywhere than here."
"Ah! if it only depended on me," he said, with a sigh.
"Have you anybody with you here?"
"No, I am alone."
"Well, what prevent
s you going then?"
"Eh, Caramba, the money! All I possessed, and that was not much, wasspent in building this house, and installing myself, and I could nothave managed it had it not been for the peons."
"Is there a hacienda here?"
"Yes, the Larch tree hacienda, about four leagues off, so that, youunderstand, if I go, I must give up my all."
"Ah, ah," Tranquil said thoughtfully, "very good, go on. Why not sellit?"
"Where are the buyers? Do you fancy it so easy to find about here a manwith four or five hundred piastres in his pocket; and, moreover, readyto commit an act of folly?"
"Well, I can't say, but I fancy by seeking he could be found."
"Nonsense, gossip, you are jesting!"
"On my word I am not," Tranquil said, suddenly changing his tone, "and Iwill prove it to you."
"Good."
"You say you will sell your house for four hundred piastres?"
"Did I say four hundred?"
"Don't finesse, you did."
"Very good, then; I admit it: what next?"
"Well, I will buy it, if you like."
"You?"
"Why not?"
"I will think about it."
"That is done; say yes or no, take it, or leave it; perhaps I may havealtered my mind in five minutes, so decide."
The landlord gave the Canadian a searching glance. "I accept," he said.
"Good: but I will not give you four hundred piastres."
"How much?" the other said, crying off.
"I will give you six hundred."
The landlord looked at him in amazement.
"I am quite agreeable," he said.
"But on one condition."
"What is it?"
"That to-morrow, so soon as the sale is completed, you will mount yourhorse--you have one, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"Well, you will mount, start, and never show yourself here again."
"Oh! You may be quite certain on that point."
"It's settled then?"
"Perfectly."
"Then let your witnesses be ready at day-break."
"They shall be."
The conversation ended here. The travellers wrapped themselves in theirfressadas and zarapes, lay down on the lumpy floor of the room, and fellasleep; the host followed their example.
As was arranged between them, the landlord, a little before daybreak,saddled his horse, and went to fetch the witnesses necessary for thevalidity of the transaction; for this purpose he galloped to theLarch-tree hacienda and returned by sunrise, accompanied by themajor-domo and seven or eight peons.
The major-domo, the only one who could read and write, drew up the deedof sale, and after collecting all the persons, read it aloud.
Tranquil then took thirty-seven and a half gold onzas from his girdle,and spread them out on the table.
"Be witnesses, Caballeros," the major-domo said, addressing hisaudience, "that the Senor Tranquilo has paid the six hundred piastresagreed on for the purchase of the Venta del Potrero."
"We are witness," they replied.
Then all present, the major-domo at their head, passed into the corralbehind the house.
On reaching it, Tranquil pulled up a tuft of grass which he cast overhis shoulder; then picking up a stone, he hurled it over the oppositewall: according to the terms of Mexican law, he was now the owner.
"Be witness, Senores," the major-domo again spoke, "that SenorTranquilo, here present, has legally taken possession of this estate._Dios y libertad!_"
"_Dios y libertad_!" the others shouted; "Long life to the newhuesped!"
All the formalities being performed, they now returned to the house,when Tranquil poured out bumpers for his witnesses, whom this unexpectedliberality filled with delight.
The ex-landlord, faithful to his agreement, pressed the buyer's hand,mounted his horse, and went off, wishing him good luck. From that daythey never heard of him again.
This was the manner in which the hunter arrived in Texas, and became alanded proprietor.
He left Lanzi and Quoniam at the venta with Carmela. As for himself,thanks to the patronage of the major-domo, who recommended him to hismaster, Don Hilario de Vaureal, he entered the Larch-tree hacienda inthe capacity of tigrero or tiger-killer.
Although the country selected by the hunter to establish himself was onthe confines of the Mexican border, and, for that reason, almostdeserted, the vaqueros and peons cudgelled their brains for some time intrying to discover the reason which bad compelled so clever and brave ahunter as the Canadian to retire there. But all the efforts made todiscover this reason, all the questions asked, remained without result;the hunter's comrades and himself remained dumb; as for the little girl,she knew nothing.
At length the disappointed people gave up trying to find the explanationof this enigma, trusting to time, that great clearer up of mysteries, totell them at length the truth which was so carefully concealed.
But weeks, months, years elapsed, and nothing raised even a corner ofthe hunter's secret.
Carmela had grown an exquisite maiden, and the venta had increased thenumber of its customers. This border, hitherto so quiet, owing to itsremoteness from the towns and pueblos, felt the movement which therevolutionary ideas imparted to the centre of the country; travellersbecame more frequent, and the hunter, who had up to this time appearedrather careless as to the future, trusting for his safety to theisolation of his abode, began to grow anxious, not for himself, but forCarmela, who was exposed almost definitively to the bold attempts notonly of lovers, whom her beauty attracted, as honey does flies, but alsoto those of the ruffians whom the troublous times had drawn out of theirlairs, and who wandered about all the roads like coyotes seeking prey todevour.
The hunter, wishful no longer to leave the maiden in the dangerousposition into which circumstances had thrown her, was actively employedin warding off the misfortunes he foresaw; for, although it isimpossible, for the present, to know what ties attached him to the girlwho called him father, we will state here that he felt a really paternalaffection and absolute devotion for her, in which, indeed, Quoniam andLanzi imitated him. Carmela to these three men was neither girl norwoman; she was an idol they adored on their bended knees, and for whomthey would have readily sacrificed their lives at the slightest sign itmight please her to make them.
A smile from Carmela rendered them happy; the slightest frown from hermade them sorrowful.
We must add, that although she was aware of the full extent of herpower, Carmela did not abuse it, and it was her greatest joy to seeherself surrounded by these three hearts which were so entirely devotedto her.
Now that we have given these details, doubtless very imperfect, but theonly ones possible, we will resume our story at the point where we leftit in the penultimate chapter.
The Border Rifles: A Tale of the Texan War Page 13
