CHAPTER XXII.
EL MAL PASO.
The hunters only spent one hour in going down, though it had cost themeight to ascend. Their bivouac was formed at the top of a scarped rock,in an impregnable position.
After their visit to the jacal, they were not long in finding traces ofthe fugitives, and followed them during four days. As these traces ledto the Sierra de los Comanches, the hunters bravely entered the obscuremountain defiles, but all at once the trail disappeared as if byenchantment, and it was impossible to find it again.
The hunters' incessant search had only produced the disastrous result oflosing themselves in the sierra, and in spite of all their efforts theycould not discover the path leading to the right road. For two daystheir provisions had been completely exhausted, and they were beginningto feel the icy clutch of hunger.
The position was no longer tenable, and they must escape from it at allrisks. Valentine and his companions had, therefore, in spite of theirfailing strength, climbed up the peak in order to look for a road. Butthis bold attempt had obtained two results instead of one, for Valentinenot only declared he had found what he was seeking, but Curumilla hadalso procured food. Hence, the five men joyously returned to that camp,which they had quitted with death in their hearts.
No one, who has not been in a similar situation, can imagine the feelingof perfect happiness that seizes on a man when he passes, without anytransition, from the extremest despair to the greatest confidence. Sosoon as they reached the encampment, Valentine rekindled the fire, whichthey had not lit for two days, as it was useless. Still, as the sight ofthe smoke would arouse Red Cedar's suspicions, if he were, as was verypossible, in the vicinity, the hunters roasted their meat in a cavernopening in the side of the hill on which they encamped. When all wasready, they began eating.
It was only when their first hunger was appeased that they thought ofthanking the Indian chief for the abundant meal he had procured them byhis skill, and of which they had such pressing need. But then theyperceived that the Araucano had not obtained the provisions they wereeating without incurring serious danger; in fact, Curumilla had on hisface, chest, and shoulders serious wounds, inflicted by the beaks andtalons of the eagles, which must have boldly defended their provisions.
With the Indian stoicism which nothing can equal, Curumilla, perfectlycalm and silent, was staunching the blood that poured from his wounds,disdaining to complain, but, on the contrary, appearing vexed at theanxiety his comrades evidenced.
When the meal was at an end, Valentine solemnly lit his pipe, the othersdid the same, and ere long they were almost hidden in a cloud.
"Caballeros," Valentine said presently, "God has come to our assistance,as He always does, when men have a firm faith in His omnipotence. He hasdeigned to supply us with the means to restore our strength, so we mustnot feel despondent; by this time tomorrow we shall have escaped fromthis unlucky trap. When you have finished smoking, lie down on theground and sleep. I will awaken you when the time comes, for at the hourof departure you must feel ready to undertake a long journey. We haveabout four hours' daylight left, so profit by them, for I warn you weshall have plenty to do tonight in every way. Now that you are warned,you had better follow my advice."
And, adding example to precept, Valentine shook the ash from his pipe,returned it to his belt, lay down on the ground, and almost immediatelyslept. His comrades probably found the advice good, for they followed itwithout hesitation, and in ten minutes all were asleep exceptingCurumilla.
How long their sleep had lasted when Valentine awakened them, they couldnot say, but the night had set in. The sky, studded with an infinity ofstars, stretched out over their heads its dark blue vault: the moonappeared to be floating in a sea of mist, and spread over the landscapea melancholy light, which imparted a fantastic appearance to objects.
"Up with you," Valentine said in a low voice, as he tapped his comradesin turn on the shoulder.
"Are we off?" General Ibanez asked, as he checked a yawn, and drewhimself up, as if worked by a spasm.
"Yes," was all the hunter answered.
Ere long all were ready to start.
"We must profit by the darkness," Valentine remarked, "our enemies aredoubtless watching round us."
"We are at your orders, my friend," Don Miguel answered.
By a sign, the hunter collected his comrades round him.
"Listen to me carefully," he said, "for, before attempting the boldenterprise I have conceived, I wish to have your full consent. Ourposition is desperate: remaining longer here is death: death by hunger,cold, thirst, and wretchedness, after enduring intolerable sufferingsfor I know not how many days. You are quite convinced of this, I fancy?"
"Yes," they replied unanimously.
"Good," he continued; "trying longer to find the road we have lost wouldbe a vain attempt, which would have no chance of success."
"Yes," they said again.
The hunter continued--
"Well, then, I am about to make an equally mad attempt at this moment.If it does not succeed, we shall perish; but at any rate we shall do sowithout suffering--almost instantaneously. If we succeed by amiracle--for it is almost a miracle I expect from the inexhaustiblemercy of Heaven--we are saved. Reflect ere replying; my friends, are youfirmly resolved to follow me, and obey me in all I order, withouthesitation or murmuring? In a word, surrender your own will for a fewhours only to follow me? Answer me."
The hunters exchanged a glance.
"Command, my friend," the hacendero said, answering for his comrades;"we swear to follow and obey you, whatever may happen."
There was a moment's silence, which Valentine was the first to break.
"Very good," he said, "I have your promise, and must now accomplishmine."
With a gesture of sublime dignity, the wood ranger took off his hat, andraised his eyes to Heaven.
"Oh Lord," he murmured, "our life is in thy hands: we confide in thyjustice and mercy." Then, turning to his comrades, he said in a firmvoice--
"Let us go!"
The hunters prepared to leave their camp, and Valentine placed himselfat the head of the little band.
"And now," he added sharply, "the greatest silence."
The hunters advanced in Indian file, Valentine leading, Curumilla last.In this dark night it was certainly no easy task to proceed through thisinextricable chaos of rocks, whose rude crests rose above immeasurableabysses, in the bottom of which an invisible stream could be heardindistinctly murmuring.
One false step was mortal; still, Valentine went on with as muchassurance as if he were walking in the dazzling sunshine along thefinest path of the prairie, turning to the right, then to the left,clambering up a rock, or gliding along an almost perpendicular wall,without once hesitating, or turning to his comrades, to whom he merelysaid at times in a low voice:
"Courage."
These four men must have been gifted with hearts of bronze, not todisplay some slight weakness during this rude journey, in regions whichthe eagle itself does not visit without hesitation. They marched thusfor two hours, without exchanging a word; and after a long descent,during which they had twenty times run a risk of rolling to the bottomof a precipice, Valentine made his companions a sign to stop.
They then took an anxious glance around them: they found themselves on aplatform of about ten square yards, all around being gloom, and it hungover an abyss of immeasurable depth. The mountain, cut asunder as if byRoland's sword, was separated, into two portions, between which was ayawning gulf about twelve or fifteen yards in width.
"We must pass over this," Valentine said; "you have ten minutes to drawbreath and prepare."
"What, across here?" Don Miguel said in amazement: "why, I only seeprecipices on both sides."
"Well," the hunter replied, "we will cross it."
The hacendero shook his head despondingly, and Valentine smiled.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked.
"No," his comrades replied.
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nbsp; "I will tell you," he continued; "this spot is mournfully celebratedamong the redskins and hunters of the prairie; perhaps you have heardits name mentioned, little suspecting that the day would come for you tobe so near it: it is called El Mal Paso, owing to that enormous canyonwhich intersects the mountain, and suddenly intercepts a communicationwith the opposite side."
"Well?" Don Miguel asked.
"Well," Valentine went on, "some hours back, when from the top of thepeak I watched the two travellers we saw at a distance on the Santa Feroad, my eye settled accidentally on the Mal Paso; then I understoodthat a chance of salvation was left us, and before confessing ourselvesbeaten, we must try to cross it."
"Then," Don Miguel said, with a shudder, "you are resolved to make thismad attempt?"
"I am."
"It is tempting Heaven."
"No, it is asking for a miracle, that is all. Believe me, my friend, Godnever abandons those who fully trust in Him. He will come to our help."
"Still," the hacendero began; but Valentine quickly interrupted him.
"Enough," he said; "you have sworn to obey me. I have sworn to save you;keep your oath as I shall mine."
His comrades, awed by Valentine, bowed their heads and made no reply.
"Brothers," the hunter said, solemnly, "let us pray that God will notdesert us."
And, giving the example, he fell on his knees on the rock, his comradesimitating him. At the end of a moment, Valentine rose again.
"Have hope," he said.
The hunter then walked to the extremity of the platform and bent overthe abyss, and his comrades followed his movements without comprehendingthem. After remaining motionless for some minutes, the hunter rejoinedhis friends.
"All goes well," he said.
He then unfastened his lasso from his belt, and coolly began rolling itround his right hand. Curumilla smiled; he had comprehended his meaning,and, according to his wont, without speaking, he unfastened his lassoand imitated his friend.
"Good," Valentine said to him, with a nod of approval; "it's our turn,chief."
The two wood rangers put forward their right legs, threw their bodiesback to get a balance, and whirled their lassos round their heads; at anagreed-on signal, the lassos slipped from their hand and whizzed throughthe air. Valentine and Curumilla had held the end of the rope in theirleft hand; they pulled at them, but, in spite of all their efforts, thehunters could not unloose them. Valentine uttered a shout of joy, for hehad succeeded; he connected the two lassos, twisted them round a rock;and fastened them securely, then he turned to his comrades.
"Here is a bridge," he said.
"Ah!" the Mexicans exclaimed, "now we are saved."
These men, with their hearts of bronze, who feared no danger, andrecognised no obstacle, could speak thus, although the road was mostperilous. Valentine and Curumilla had thrown their lassos round a rockthat stood on the other side of the canyon, and the running knot haddrawn. In this way the communication was established; but the bridge, asValentine called it, merely consisted of two leathern cords of thethickness of a forefinger, stretched over a precipice of unknown depth,at least fifteen yards in width, and which must be crossed by thestrength of the wrists.
Certainly, before crossing this strange bridge, there was matter forreflection, even to the bravest man. To go fifteen yards hanging thus bythe arms over an abyss was not tempting this gloomy night, and upon arope which might break or become unfastened. The hunters hesitated.
"Well;" Valentine said to them, "shall we be off?"
No one answered.
"That is true," the hunter said with a smile; "you wish to know if thebridge be firm. Very good."
Then with that calmness usual to him the hunter advanced to the edge ofthe barranca. On reaching the lasso, he took it in both hands, andturned to his comrades.
"Look," he said with that carelessness which he never could put off;"the sight costs nothing."
And gently, without hurrying, with the coolness of a professor giving alesson, he crossed the canyon backwards, in order to show his friends howthey were to manage. On reaching the opposite bank, where he left hisrifle, he quietly returned to his friends--the latter had anxiouslywatched him, trembling involuntarily at the danger he had incurred.
"I hope," he said, when he remounted the platform, "that you are nowquite sure the lasso is firm, and you will not hesitate."
Without replying, Curumilla crossed.
"There's one," Valentine said with a laugh; "there is no difficultyabout it. Whose turn next?"
"Mine," Don Pablo answered.
He crossed.
"Now it is my turn," Don Miguel said.
"Go," Valentine replied.
The hacendero soon found himself on the opposite side; only two menremained, General Ibanez and the hunter.
"Come," Valentine said, "it is your turn, general; I must be the last topass."
The general shook his head despondingly.
"I cannot," he said.