Caribee

by Christopher Nicole

  'By God,' Hilton said. ' Tis a point I had not considered. You are general here, Ned, and right glad am I that it should be so.'

  The arrows continued to whisper through the trees for more than an hour, and several men were wounded, but only slightly. They grumbled, and fingered their weapons, and stared into the forest, but they obeyed their commanders and lay still, while the afternoon grew cool, and the light began to fade. And always the heavy smell of the sulphur lay across the day to remind them of how close they were to their goal. Edward wondered what thoughts were running through Wapisiane's mind. The Indian had no means of knowing how many of the white men had been hurt in his attack; would it not lie a temptation to launch an assault through the trees? There would be a rapid and certain conclusion to the campaign; Edward had no doubt at all of the outcome could he but oppose his steel to the Caribs' wood and flesh.

  But the forest remained silent, and in time even the steam ceased to rise from the ground and the arrows to strike the trees with their gentle thuds. And now the sun was gone, settled at last behind the mountains over which they had come, plummeting downwards towards the quiet sea. He almost smiled. Here he was fighting a battle on his very own terms, at sun down rather than at sun up.

  He crawled into the midst of the Irishmen, sprawled on the wet ground, each man holding two of the dogs' leashes. 'You'll give me those, Brian,' he said. 'And make your way down the column to tell them to prepare to move on. Now mark me well. It will be dark in a few minutes. Each one of us must keep close to the man in front. More than ever, there must be no straggling. Tell Mr Hilton.'

  ‘I'll do that, Ted,' Connor agreed. 'We'll be ending it soon, then?'

  'God willing.'

  'Aye. He will be, if He's on our side. I tell ye straight, Ted, I'd not like to spend a night in tins dismal, foul-smelling place.'

  He crawled down the column, and Edward took the leashes. The movement had altered the dogs, and they were straining and winning. But Edward waited for Connor to return before giving the order to advance. Wearily the men rose to their feet, stretching their cramped muscles, adjusting their breastplates, replacing their helmets. The column gave out a gigantic whisper of sound which surely penetrated far into the forest, and Edward had the command once again ready on his lips, but the trees on either side remained silent. The Indians had withdrawn. Yet this too was an important pointer to the coming night; Wapisiane had his people as much in hand as Edward had his. There was no easy path here.

  He gave the command and loosed the dogs. They bounded forward, and then slowed again, their nostrils clogged by the ever increasing stench of the sulphur. But their task of scenting was finished; they were approaching their role of destroyers.

  Now once again the path led upwards, as uncertain and as broken as ever, with shattered tree trunks lying across it and sudden soft pits into which the men stumbled with curses. It was a miracle that no one had as yet broken a leg; judging by the comments it seemed certain there were a few sprains. But the principal obstacle to speed was the air, which grew more difficult to breathe with every step.

  The dogs stopped, clustered at the top of the rise. Edward hurried forward to reach them at the same time as the Irishmen. It was now quite dark, and the moon had not yet risen, yet he could tell he was at the edge of a shallow precipice, and he could tell too that he looked down on no forest, but on an empty area filled with clouds of slowly floating vapour. Yet the path had led here, and clearly they were meant to scramble down the steep slope in front of them.

  'By Christ,' Connor muttered. 'But this place grows more miserable with every yard. What do we do now, Ted?"

  'Halt the column, for a start,' Edward commanded. 'And ask Sir Thomas and Mr Hilton to join me here.'

  They came forward a moment later, accompanied by the French officers. 'By God, what a dismal place,' Hilton remarked. 'Do we cross that?"

  ‘It would seem there is no other way.'

  'Mon Dieu,' Solange said. 'But that is the crater of a volcano.'

  'And it smokes,' Lafitte pointed out.

  ‘It rather steams,' Edward argued. 'At the least there is no movement of the earth, which must surely accompany a potential eruption. But I would not risk the entire force in such a venture. I will lead a reconnaissance, and see if I can find a suitable way across this valley, and indeed, see if we can find what lies beyond, before returning to you.'

  That is madness,' Tom declared. ‘Is it not just what the Caribs will be hoping for, that we will detach small scouting parties which they can destroy?'

  ‘In any event,' Hilton objected. 'You are our general. If you are determined upon such a course, certain it is you cannot lead it yourself.'

  Edward chewed his lip. There was sound sense in both their arguments, but he could send no one else, with any promise of success, and the alternative was to admit his plan had been faulty, and wait here for daylight. Worse, it would mean that Wapisiane had once again outwitted him.

  ‘You must know,' Yarico said, 'how bad you want for come to Wapisiane.'

  They turned in confusion, reaching for swords and pistols. Not even the dogs had heard her approach—it was asking too much of them to have smelt her amidst the stench of the sulphur—but there she was, a wisp of a figure in the darkness, wearing nothing more than her apron, and unarmed.

  'Yarico?' Edward whispered. 'Are you not a spirit?'

  She tossed her head.

  'But how come you here, girl?' Tom demanded. ‘Wapisiane send,' she said.

  'Now, that you'll have to explain,' Hilton said. ‘We had supposed you his captive.'

  She shrugged. 'He beat. He treat like dog. But Yarico not cry. Yarico got for live. So he say, Yarico live, Yarico princess again, if Yarico help.'

  'Help?" Tom asked.

  Oh, Christ, Edward thought, why cannot they be quiet? Why cannot we let her speak, so that she will tell us the one thing we must know, but dare not ask.

  'Wapisiane say, why white men not stop? Indian not fight by night. I say, War-nah never stop. So Wapisiane say, then War-nah come more quick. Path through forest. Round dead valley. I lead War-nah and few men, say for surprise attack on village.'

  'By God,' Hilton said. "There's a cunning devil.' 'And he will be waiting to overwhelm the few men,' Tom said. 'But supposing the entire force takes that way?"

  Again the contemptuous shrug. Then you see nobody. Empty village.'

  ‘I begin to get his drift. And supposing we wait for daylight, and make a frontal assault across the valley? I'm assuming the village is on the farther side.'

  'Village there,' she said. 'But valley bad. Hot stream, no air. Wapisiane wait on far side, fire arrow, run into forest.'

  ‘I begin to wonder if this scoundrel is a savage after all,' Tom remarked. ' 'Tis certain he has the makings of a general. Well, Edward? What is your decision?'

  Edward licked his lips. 'Wapisiane sent you to us, Yarico. You betrayed him once. Did he not expect you to betray him again?'

  Yarico's eyes gloomed at him in the darkness. 'He for care? War-nah come, War-nah die. War-nah leave, Wapisiane big man. But he know War-nah come for A-line.'

  'And she is there?' he shouted. 'By Christ, tell me she is there.'

  Yarico nodded.

  'And well?"

  'A-line tie to stake,' Yarico said. 'And then she laugh.' 'She laughed? By God.'

  There is a woman,' Hilton said. 'Now is my last doubt dispelled.'

  'And what then?' Edward asked.

  Yarico gazed at him. 'War-nah woman is bitch-dog,' she said.

  'Oh, Christ,' he muttered.

  'We shall have their blood,' Solange vowed.

  'Or they will have ours,' Hilton said. ‘It seems that this Wapisiane has circumstances very much under his own control.'

  'Well, boy?' Tom asked.

  Edward pulled his beard. 'How many men does Wapisiane command?'

  She shrugged. 'Many people.' 'More than we have here?'

  Yarico looked over such of the colum
n as she could see. 'Perhaps.'

  'But not many, I swear,' Edward said. 'Or he'd not be so anxious to get at us piecemeal. Well, then, he is dictating events, at this moment. We must attempt to weaken his control, and we can only accomplish that by surprise. He is expecting you to return some time this night with perhaps a dozen of us. Am I right, Yarico?'

  She nodded.

  'And no doubt he is watching this secret path of yours?’ 'Men watch,' she agreed.

  'And there is no other way to the village, save across the valley below us?’

  She shook her head.

  'And that too is overlooked?’

  'Nobody cross valley in dark,' she asserted.

  'Because of the boiling water? But surely there is a way.'

  'Boiling stream cross valley,' she said. 'But not possible in dark. Then spirits of dead rise up in steam. Nobody go in valley at night.'

  There was no doubt that she believed what she was saying, and thus that the other Indians also believed it. Edward pulled his beard some more. 'Where exactly is the village, Yarico? On the far side of the valley?’

  'Over there, yes. Village beyond Boiling Lake, where air is clean.'

  "You have a plan in mind?' Hilton asked.

  ‘I need first of all twelve volunteers to accompany Yarico,' Edward said. 'Led by you, Tony. Tins is a most dangerous assignment I give you, because if the rest of my plan does not succeed you will be cut off.'

  'While you lead the rest of us across the valley?' Tom demanded. 'You have heard that is impossible.'

  ‘I fear no Indian ghosts, Father.'

  'Neither do I. But seventy men, will they not hear us?"

  'Probably, should the entire force attempt to cross. I will need another ten volunteers who will brave the valley in the dark, with the certainty of an assault on the Indian village beyond.'

  'You'd pit twenty-two men against close on a hundred savages?'

  ‘For a start. Our purpose is to make Wapisiane commit his people, and prevent their withdrawal into the forest until we have regained Aline. The advantage of surprise in this will be ours. How long will it take to traverse this path of yours, Yarico?'

  'Not long,' she said.

  'But it must take a long time, the first time. Someone must fall, and seem to hurt himself. Tony, I leave this in your care.'

  'Aye. We shall take a long time.'

  'And then,' Edward said. 'The moment there can be no doubt as to Tony's party finding the village, Yarico, I wish you to slip away into the forest and return here with all speed, and bring on the remainder of the force, with the dogs. By then we shall have forced Wapisiane to give battle, and there will be no disappearing into the forest'

  Yarico nodded, thoughtfully.

  'You will be in command of the main force, Father,' Edward said. 'And once Yarico returns you will make all haste to the scene of action, allowing the dogs as much noise as they wish; the sound of your approach cannot help but be discouraging to the savages. But all depends upon my leading my party across the valley before Tony is engaged. We shall start immediately.'

  'On the contrary,' Solange observed. 'All depends on the Princess Yarico here.'

  The men gazed at him.

  'She was carried off by this Wapisiane,' Solange said. 'To suffer his revenge, you say, because she betrayed his people. Yet she lives, and does not appear unduly harmed. Now she has come at his bidding, to command us to divide our forces, and to make sure we understand that there is no other course open to us. What proof have you that she has not made her peace with her people? What proof have you that she did not invite them into English Harbour in the first instance, in the full knowledge that Captain Warner and most of his men were on the far side of the island? And now, it seems to me, our entire operation depends upon her fidelity. There will be twelve of us in the Indian village, and another ten approaching from the valley, if they are able, and our fate will be certain should Sir Thomas not be able to bring up the main body.' He paused, glancing from one to the other.

  'You must reply, Yarico,' Edward said. 'Why is Wapisiane trusting you?"

  'Wapisiane, pouf,' she said. 'He not know who cause Blood River. He think War-nah take me like other women. And now, he know you will come, Ed-ward. Because A-line there. You come with few men, he say, or she die, and Indian go in forest.'

  'And he thinks it is not possible to cross the valley of the dead at night?'

  'Not possible,' she said. 'Much spirit there. You go, you die.'

  'Aye. Well, Brian, will your boys follow me?’

  Through that graveyard.' Connor shrugged. "We've followed you into worse places.'

  ‘I need men I can rely on. What of you, Monsieur Solange.'

  The Frenchman hesitated, looking from Yarico to the white men, and then shrugged himself. ‘I came here to rescue your wife, Captain Warner. It makes little sense to suffer a faint heart now. Lafitte?'

  ‘I will come.'

  'And three more,' Edward said. ‘I will find them. We will carry swords and pistols, nothing more. Tony, you had best recruit from amongst your own men, as they know you. But be sure you carry only such powder as has dried.'

  ‘I like it not,' Tom muttered. 'The one thing we decided was that to divide our forces would be fatal.'

  There is no other way to force Wapisiane to fight, Father,’ Edward insisted. 'And I believe our surprise will carry the day.'

  There is still the matter of timing,' Hilton said.

  'On arrival at the village, you will fire your pistol, Tony. Be sure that we shall hear the sound. As will my father.'

  'Valley of dead not possible in dark,' Yarico said. 'You go, you die, Ed-ward.' Her face was solemn.

  Edward smiled at her. "Then I'll say farewell, sweetheart, Be sure you play your part'

  Carefully he crawled out from the trees, and on to the slope leading down to the valley. By now his nostrils were almost accustomed to the endless stench, but it seemed that the heat grew ever more intense as he left the tree screen. And the darkness also. His feet slipped and he went sliding down the rough rock face, cutting his hands. But it was not so far as he had supposed, and a moment later he found himself at the foot of the slope, breathless and bleeding, but not seriously hurt

  'Are ye all right, Captain?' Connor whispered.

  'Aye. But you'd best watch your step, Brian. It is a matter of sliding.'

  'By Christ,' Connor said. 'By Christ....' a moment later he landed beside Edward. But at least he had shown the others the way, and soon they were all gathered at the foot of the slope.

  'Now,' Edward said. There must be no more sound.'

  'As if they'd hear us,' Solange pointed out. And it was true that they had to speak quite loudly to make themselves heard over the constant hissing that arose from around them.

  'We must first locate the stream,' Edward said. 'As it is to be our guide. We'll spread out, but keep within arms' reach of each other.'

  He went forward in the middle, Connor on one side of him and Solange on the other. They crept across what might have been a stony plain, except for the clouds of sulphurous gas which kept slashing at their nostrils.

  'By Christ,' Connor said. ' 'Tis easy to believe this place belongs to the dead, Ted. Should we lose ourselves....'

  'We'll not,' Edward assured him. 'What's that?’

  There was a sound, half a cry and half a moan, from the right. They hurried in the direction, and found one of the Irishmen sitting down next to the rushing stream.

  'By God,' he said. ‘I stepped in it, It came right through me boot. By God, I can feel the flesh boiling.'

  'You'll walk,' Edward commanded. 'And quickly. We can afford no stragglers. Now come, lads. Here's our guide. But there will be other pools, so tread carefully.'

  He made his way along the side of the seedling rivulet; the heat rose from it as if he were walking on the edge of a cauldron of boiling water, as indeed he was. The very ground was hot; he could feel it burning through his boots. His breastplate seemed to
contain a lake of sweating flesh which was his chest and shirt, and perspiration ran out from beneath his helmet in a constant stream. His very hands were sodden, and he wondered if he would be able to grasp his sword. And soon enough the hissing commenced to his left as well, and he found himself on the edge of a bubbling pool rising out of the ground.

  'Be careful,' he told his men, and made his way along the narrow pathway between the two springs.

  'Christ, I have slipped,' Lafitte howled. 'Oh, mon Dieu, how it burns. I can go no further. I am in agony. I....'

  'On your feet, monsieur,' Edward snapped. 'You'll assist him, if you please, Monsieur Solange. Rise or die, monsieur.'

  Lafitte struggled to his feet, groaning and muttering curses.

  ‘It cannot be much farther,' Edward said. 'Listen.'

  From ahead of them even the hissing of the water was lost in a steady rumbling gurgle.

  'By God, it will be exploding next,' Connor muttered, and crossed himself.

  "That is the Boiling Lake,' Edward said. 'As Yarico told us, it does nothing but boil and bubble, day in and day out. Yet it marks the inward extremity of this valley. We are close to the village.'

  He led them forward, and after only a few more yards the ground started to slope upwards. Now the lake was close to their left hand; the noise was tremendous, and the heat seemed to have redoubled, if that were possible. But a sudden puff of breeze, coming down from the windward slopes ahead of them, actually cleared the sulphur for a moment and allowed them to inhale clean air.

  'We have arrived,' he whispered. 'Quiet now.'

  He climbed the slope, the lake ever growling on his left, and found himself crawling past a green bush, while the next puff of wind came hard behind the first 'Here,' he said. 'Here we wait'

  They crouched beside him, gasping, taking off their helmets to wipe their heads, drawing their swords and laying them on the ground.