Martin Rattler
Page 21
CHAPTER XIX
WORSE AND WORSE--EVERYTHING SEEMS TO GO WRONG TOGETHER
Although the Indians did not maltreat the unfortunate strangers who hadthus fallen into their hands, they made them proceed by forced marchesthrough the wilderness; and as neither Barney nor Martin had been of latemuch used to long walks, they felt the journey very severely. The oldtrader had been accustomed to everything wretched and unfortunate anduncomfortable from his childhood, so he plodded onward in silentindifference.
The country through which they passed became every day more and morerugged, until at length it assumed the character of a wild mountainousdistrict. Sometimes they wound their way in a zigzag manner up themountain sides, by paths so narrow that they could scarcely find afoot-hold. At other times they descended into narrow valleys where theysaw great numbers of wild animals of various kinds, some of which theIndians killed for food. After they reached the mountain district theyloosed the hands of their prisoners, in order to enable them to climbmore easily. Indeed in many places they had to scramble so carefully thatit would have been impossible for any one to climb with his hands tiedbehind his back. But the Indians knew full well that they ran no risk oflosing their prisoners; for if they had attempted to escape, dozens oftheir number were on the watch, before, behind, and on either side, readyto dart away in pursuit. Moreover, Barney had a feeling of horror at thebare idea of the poisoned arrows, that effectually prevented him frommaking the smallest attempt at escape. With a cutlass or a heavy stick hewould have attacked the whole tribe single-handed, and have fought tillhis brains were knocked out; but when he thought of the small arrows thatwould pour upon him in hundreds if he made a dash for the woods, and thecertain death that would follow the slightest scratch, he discarded allidea of rebellion.
One of the animals killed by the Indians at this time was a blackjaguar,--a magnificent animal, and very fierce. He was discoveredcrouching in a thicket backed by a precipice, from which he could onlyescape by charging through the ranks of his enemies. He did it nobly.With a roar that rebounded from the face of the high cliff and echoedthrough the valley like a peal of thunder, he sprang out and rushed atthe savages in front, who scattered like chaff right and left. But at thesame instant fifty blow-pipes sent their poisoned shafts into his body,and, after a few convulsive bounds, the splendid monarch of the Americanforests fell dead on the ground. The black jaguar is a somewhat rareanimal, and is very seldom seen. This one was therefore hailed as a greatprize, and the skin and claws were carefully preserved.
On the afternoon of the same day the party came to a broad stream, overwhich they, or some other of the numerous tribes in the country, hadconstructed a very simple and curious bridge. It was a single ropeattached to an immense mass of rock on one side and to the stem of alarge tree on the other. On this tight-rope was fastened a simple loop ofcord, so constructed that it could encircle the waist of a man and at thesame time traverse from one end of the tight-rope to the other. Barneyput on a comical frown when he came to this and saw the leader of theparty rest his weight in the loop, and, in clinging with hands and legsto the long rope, work himself slowly across.
"Arrah! it's well for us, Martin, that we're used to goin' aloft," saidhe, "or that same bridge would try our narves a little."
"So it would, Barney. I've seldom seen a more uncomfortable-lookingcontrivance. If we lost our hold we should first be dashed to pieces onthe rocks, and then be drowned in the river."
Difficult though the passage seemed, however? it was soon accomplished bythe active savages in safety. The only one of the party likely to be leftbehind was Grampus; whom his master, after much entreaty in dumb-show,was permitted to carry over by tying him firmly to his shoulders.Marmoset crossed over walking, like a tight-rope dancer, being quite _aufait_ at such work. Soon after they came to another curious bridge over aravine. It had been constructed by simply felling two tall trees on theedge of it in such a manner that they fell across. They were boundtogether with the supple vines that grew there in profusion. Nature hadsoon covered the whole over with climbing plants and luxuriant verdure;and the bridge had become a broad and solid structure over which thewhole party marched with perfect ease. Several such bridges were crossed,and also a few of the rope kind, during the journey.
After many weeks' constant travelling, the Indians came to a beautifulvalley one evening just about sunset, and began to make the usualpreparations for encamping. The spot they selected was a singular one. Itwas at the foot of a rocky gorge, up which might be seen trees and bushesmingled with jagged rocks and dark caverns, with a lofty sierra ormountain range in the background. In front was the beautiful valley whichthey had just crossed. On a huge rock there grew a tree of considerablesize, the roots of which projected beyond the rock several yards, andthen, bending downwards, struck into the ground. Creeping plants hadtwined thickly among the roots, and thus formed a sort of lattice-workwhich enclosed a large space of ground. In this natural arbour the chiefsof the Indians took up their quarters and kindled their fire in thecentre of it, while the main body of the party pitched their campoutside. The three prisoners were allotted a corner in the arbour; and,after having supped, they spread their ponchos on a pile of ferns, andfound themselves very snug indeed.
"Martin," said Barney, gravely, as he smoked his pipe and patted the headof his dog, "d'ye know I'm beginning to feel tired o' the company o' thimnaked rascals, and I've been revolvin' in my mind what we should do toescape. Moreover, I've corned to a conclusion."
"And what's that?" inquired Martin.
"That it's unposs'ble to escape at all, and I don't know what to do."
"That's not a satisfactory conclusion, Barney. I, too, have beencogitating a good deal about these Indians, and it is my opinion thatthey have been on a war expedition, for I've noticed that several ofthem have been wounded; and, besides, I cannot fancy what else couldtake them so far from home."
"True, Martin, true. I wonder what they intind to do with us. They don'tmean to kill us, anyhow; for if they did they would niver take thetrouble to bring us here. Ochone! me heart's beginnin' to go downaltogether; for we are miles and miles away from anywrhere now, and Idon't know the direction o' no place whatsumdiver."
"Never mind, Barney, cheer up," said Martin with a smile; "if they don'tkill us that's all we need care about. I'm sure we shall manage to escapesomehow or other in the long-run."
While they thus conversed the old trader spread his poncho over himselfand was soon sound asleep; while the Indians, after finishing supper,held an animated conversation. At times they seemed to be disputing, andspoke angrily and with violent gesticulations, glancing now and then atthe corner where their prisoners lay.
"It's my belafe," whispered Barney, "that they're spakin' about us. I'mafeard they don't mean us any good. Och, but if I wance had my pistol andthe ould cutlass. Well, well, it's of no manner o' use frettin'.Good-night, Martin, good-night!"
The Irishman knocked the ashes out of his pipe, turned his face to thewall, and, heaving a deep sigh, speedily forgot his cares in sleep. TheIndians also lay down, the camp-fires died slowly out; and the deepbreathing of the savages alone betokened the presence of man in that lonewilderness.
Barney's forebodings proved to be only too well founded; for nextmorning, instead of pursuing their way together, as usual, the savagesdivided their forces into two separate bands, placing the Irishman andthe old trader in the midst of one, and Martin Rattler with the other.
"Surely they're niver goin' to part us, Martin," said Barney with acare-worn expression on his honest countenance that indicated the anxioussuspicions in his heart.
"I fear it much," replied Martin with a startled look, as he watched theproceedings of the Indians. "We must fight now, Barney, if we should diefor it. We _must_ not be separated."
Martin spoke with intense fervour and gazed anxiously in the face of hisfriend. A dark frown had gathered there. The sudden prospect of beingforcibly torn from his young companion, whom he regarded with
almost amother's tenderness, stirred his enthusiastic and fiery temperament toits centre, and he gazed wildly about, as if for some weapon. But thesavages anticipated his intention; ere he could grasp any offensiveweapon two of their number leaped upon him, and at the same momentMartin's arms were pinioned in a powerful grasp.
"Och, ye murderin' blackguards!" cried Barney, hitting out right and leftand knocking down a savage at each blow. "Now or niver! come on, yekangaroos!"
A general rush was made upon the Irishman, who was fairly overturned bythe mass of men. Martin struggled fiercely to free himself, and wouldhave succeeded had not two powerful Indians hastened to the help of theone who had first seized him. Despite his frantic efforts, he was draggedforcibly up the mountain gorge, the echoes of which rang with his criesas he shouted despairingly the name of his friend. Barney fought like atiger; but he could make no impression on such numbers. Although at leasta dozen Indians lay around him bleeding and stunned by the savage blowsof his fists,--a species of warfare which was entirely new tothem,--fresh savages crowded round. But they did not wish to kill him,and numerous though they were, they found it no easy matter to secure sopowerful a man; and when Martin turned a last despairing glance towardsthe camp, ere a turn in the path shut it out from view, the hammer-likefists of his comrade were still smashing down the naked creatures whodanced like monkeys round him, and the war-like shouts of his stentorianvoice reverberated among the cliffs and caverns of the mountain pass longafter he was hid from view.
Thus Martin and Barney were separated in the wild regions near the Sierrados Parecis of Brazil.