CHAPTER TWO.
AN IRKSOME JOURNEY.
In a morning of the month of October, a solitary traveller was pursuinghis route across the vast plains which extend from the limits of thestate of Vera Cruz through that of Oajaca. It is scarcely necessary tosay that the traveller was on horseback--in a country where no one everthinks of journeying on foot. He was armed also, as well as mounted;but both horse and weapon were of such an indifferent character as to beill suited for an encounter with an enemy of any kind. This, too, in acountry just then in a state of revolution, where the traveller mightexpect to meet with an enemy at any moment--either a politicaladversary, or one of those professional bandits with whom Mexico at thistime abounded, and who robbed all alike, irrespective of party.
The only weapon our traveller possessed was an old curved sabre; but itwas doubtful whether it could be drawn from its iron scabbard, whichappeared as rusty as if it had lain for years at the bottom of a river.It was carried obliquely along the flap of the saddle, and under thethigh of the horseman--the common mode in Mexico--thus transferring theweight of the weapon from the hip of the rider to the ribs of his horse.
The steed of our traveller showed evident signs of having been at onetime the property of some _picador de toros_: as was manifested by thenumerous scars that traversed his flanks and counter; but whatever goodqualities he may have once possessed, he was evidently now one of thesorriest of jades--worth no more than the value of his own skin.Notwithstanding the repeated strokes of the spur, which his rideradministered without stint, it was impossible to force him into anythingmore rapid than a shambling walk, and at this slow pace was heproceeding, evidently to the great chagrin of the impatient traveller.
The costume of the horseman thus ill mounted consisted of a sort ofjacket of white cotton stuff, with open _calzoneros_ of olive-colouredvelveteen. On his feet were short boots of goat-skin--dressed inimitation of cordovar leather--and covering his head was a broad-brimmedhat of common palmetto plait. Though not positively shabby, hisgarments had the appearance of having been a long time in wear, out ofregard to economy. There was something, however, in their cut andtexture that bespoke the wearer to belong to a class above that of themere peasant.
He was a young man--apparently two or three and twenty--of slenderfigure and rather thin in flesh. His countenance bespoke gentleness ofdisposition, amounting almost to simplicity; and this would have beenthe impression produced upon an observer, but for a pair of livelyspiritual eyes that sparkled in sockets somewhat sunken. These,combined with a well-formed mouth, and lips of a sarcastic cut, relievedthe otherwise too ingenuous expression of his features, and proved thatthe young man was capable, when occasion required, of exhibiting aconsiderable power of repartee and acute observation. Just then thepredominant expression upon his features was that of chagrin, mixed witha certain degree of uneasiness.
The scenes through which he was passing were of a character to causeapprehension--especially to one journeying alone. On all sides extendeda vast plain of sterile soil--the brown earth but thinly covered with agrowth of cactus and wild aloes, under the shadow of which appeared asparse herbage, wild, and of yellowish hue. The aspect was monotonousand dreary beyond expression; while here and there vast clouds of dustrose in whirlwinds, and moved like spectres over the plain. Thestraggling huts encountered at long intervals on the way were allempty--apparently abandoned by their owners! This strange circumstancecombined with the heat of a tropic sun, the absence of all signs ofwater, the profound silence that reigned over these solitary steppes,had created a sense of discouragement in the mind of the youngtraveller, amounting almost to fear.
Notwithstanding a liberal use of the spur, his horse could not beinduced to depart from a walk. If by a desperate effort he was once ortwice forced into a trot it was only to return again to his old gait assoon as the spur was taken from his flanks. The painful exertions ofthe rider had no other result than to cause the perspiration to flowprofusely over his face, rendering it necessary for him every now andthen to make use of his pocket-kerchief.
"_Maldito cavallo_!" (Good-for-nothing beast!) he exclaimed atintervals as his patience became exhausted; but the horse, fatigued witha long journey, was as insensible to the insults of his rider's speechas he had been to the strokes of his spur, and moved not a whit thefaster.
Wearied with these idle efforts to increase the speed of the animal, theyoung traveller turned in his saddle and looked back. His object was tocompare the route he had come with that which lay before him--in orderto form some calculation as to the distance yet to be travelled beforehe could reach the other side of the desert plain.
The observation did not appear to gratify him. On the contrary, hiscountenance became clouded with a still deeper shade of chagrin; and,abandoning himself to a complete despair, he made no further attempt tourge forward his unwilling roadster, but left the sorry brute to hiscreeping pace.
For several hours the traveller kept on his slow course--his spiritalternately exasperated and depressed.
Mid-day had arrived, and the tropic sun, glaring down vertically from acloudless sky, was causing a degree of heat almost intolerable. Thebreeze had ceased to cool the atmosphere; and even the dry leaves of thetrees hung motionless from the boughs. At every moment the horse,crawling painfully forward, threatened to become motionless as they.
Suffering from thirst, and wearied with the journey he had already made,the young traveller at length dismounted, and threw his bridle-rein overthe neck of his horse. He had no fear that the animal would takeadvantage of the freedom thus given him. There was not the slightestdanger of its running away.
Leaving the steed to himself, therefore, the rider walked towards aclump of _nopals_--in hopes of finding some fruit upon them, by which hemight relieve his thirst.
As good luck would have it, he was not deceived in his expectation. The_nopals_ were in fruit; and having plucked a number of these "Indianfigs," and stripped them of their spinous skins, he was enabled, byswallowing a quantity of the sweetish pulp, to allay in some measure theexcessive thirst that had been hitherto torturing him. Thus satisfied,he once more mounted into his saddle, and continued his interruptedjourney.