The Guide of the Desert

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE CHASE.

  The unforeseen encounter with the mameluco had suddenly upset donDiogo's course of ideas.

  The inquisitive look which the ex-guide had cast at him as he passed,the cry that he himself had, in the suddenness of his surprise, allowedto escape--all these circumstances gave him much to think of.

  The eye of hatred is piercing. The Indian did not conceal from himselfthat the half-caste had in the depth of his heart a bitter hatred forhim, not only for the manner in which he had pursued him after hisdeparture from the camp, but because Diogo had in some respects takenhis place near the marquis.

  What gave a little hope to the Indian was, that the meeting hadbeen so fortuitous, and at the same time so rapid, that, thanks tohis disguise, the completeness of which had deceived Emavidi Chaimehimself, it was almost impossible to recognise him without examination.

  Diogo made a mistake, and he soon had a proof of it.

  His very disguise had caused his enemy, if not to recognise, at leastto suspect him.

  Now, the very morning of the day on which we again meet with him, twohours before sunrise, Malco Diaz had had a rather long conversationwith Tarou Niom relative to the last arrangements agreed upon betweenthem.

  During the course of this conversation, as Malco Diaz insisted thatthe chief should attack the whites without more delay, the latter hadanswered that he could not commence the assault before the arrival ofhis allies, the Payagoas; that he did not wish by precipitation, whichnothing could justify, to compromise the success of an enterpriseso well managed up to that time; that for that matter the delay wasinsignificant, and would not extend beyond a few hours, since he haddispatched to Emavidi Chaime one of his most faithful warriors, theGrand Sarigue, in order to urge him to make haste in joining them.

  Malco took leave of the Guaycurus captain, and mounting immediately onhorseback, he proceeded towards the village, hoping every moment todiscover the Payagoas flotilla.

  He was not likely to see the canoes--the reason we already know; only,arrived at a certain spot, it seemed to him that he could distinguishsomething, the appearance of which he thought very suspicious,partially concealed in the reeds.

  Malco Diaz was curious; he dearly liked to ascertain the cause ofthings, and to find out the explanation of what he could not understand.

  He approached the river with the design of assuring himself as to whatthis doubtful object might be, in which he soon recognised a corpse.

  The mameluco alighted, threw his lasso, drew out the corpse with it,and contemplated it. His astonishment was great when in this mutilatedcorpse, already half-devoured by the alligators, he recognised theGrand Sarigue, that very warrior that Tarou Niom had a few hours beforedispatched to the Payagoas.

  The half-caste left the corpse there without concerning himself aboutit any further; he mounted his horse, and resumed his journey so muchthe more rapidly as, since the messenger was dead, he had not beenable to fulfil his commission.

  Only, who had killed the Grand Sarigue? In what way had this murderbeen committed?

  Following up these doubtful circumstances, he came across a horsemancoming from the village of the Payagoas, whither he himself wasproceeding, and from which he was scarcely a league distant, and,strange to say, this horseman appeared the very man whom he had foundsome moments since dead and half-devoured.

  The affair became very embarrassing; the half-caste did not know whatto think; he asked himself whether he had not been deceived--if thecorpse he had discovered was really that of the Grand Sarigue?

  All of a sudden a bright idea crossed his mind; there was evidentlytreason, the man whom he had met wore a disguise!

  One man only could have assumed with such rare skill another costumeand bearing. That man was Diogo.

  As soon as this thought had occurred to Malco Diaz, it gave certaintyto his mind. Foaming with rage at having been so far duped, and burningto revenge himself, he abruptly turned the bridle of his horse.

  But while Malco was making these reflections, and had, by a courseof deduction, at last arrived at the truth, a considerable time hadpassed--a time that the Indian had profited by planning and preparingfor a ruse which should aid him to escape.

  Persons who do not know that noble and intelligent race, the horses ofthe American desert, will, with difficulty, conceive even a distantidea of the wonderful speed with which a pursuit in the desert isexecuted.

  When the horse has been incessantly excited, he feels the magneticinfluence of his horseman, and appears to identify himself with him,and to understand his wishes.

  Grand in his fury and energy, his eyes full of fire, his nostrilsspirting with blood, his mouth foaming, feeling neither bit nor bridle,he seems to annihilate space, leaping ravines, scaling hills, crossingrivers, overcoming all obstacles with a dexterity, skill, and velocity,which pass all belief, animating himself on his journey, and bydegrees reaching a kind of mad and proud excitement, so much the morebeautiful, as he appears to understand that he may die in the desperatebattle in which he is struggling; but what matters if he attains theend, and if his master is saved?

  It was such a journey as that we have just described that at thismoment was maintained, shall we say, by the two horses, for theirhorsemen, impelled by their implacable hatred, saw nothing and thoughtof nothing.

  Malco Diaz redoubled his efforts to regain the ground he had lost, butin vain. He was alone, and his horse had attained the extreme limit ofhis speed.

  Woods succeeded to woods; hills to hills. Diogo was still invisible; heappeared to have been suddenly engulphed, so wonderful was his rapiddisappearance.

  If the half-caste was well mounted, the captain also had an excellenthorse.

  Finally, after three hours of a desperate course, Malco Diaz arrivedat the summit of a little hill which he had ascended at a gallop, andperceived far before him a cloud of dust which seemed to fly before thehurricane.

  He guessed it was his enemy, and afresh urged his horse, whose effortswere already prodigious.

  By degrees, whether it was that the horse that Diogo rode was morefatigued than that of the half-caste, by reason of his long journeyon the previous night, or whether that of Malco Diaz was naturallyswifter, the latter perceived that he gained on his enemy.

  The mameluco uttered a cry of joy, like the howl of a wild beast, andseized his carbine.

  Meanwhile, the journey was still continued, and afar off in the distanthorizon might be seen the hill on the summit of which the Brazilianshad encamped. No doubt, the sentinels of the whites posted on the treescould distinguish, although indistinctly, the strange actors in thisextraordinary struggle.

  It was necessary, then, to bring it to an end, so much the more as,strange to say, the Guaycurus remained invisible, and thus allowed itto be supposed that they had discovered the uselessness of a longerblockade.

  The solitude and abandonment on the part of his allies disquieted thehalf-caste.

  At last the distance between the two travellers became so little thatthey would soon find themselves within pistol shot of each other.

  Malco Diaz charged his carbine, shouldered it, and without slackeninghis horse, fired.

  Diogo's horse, struck in the body made a prodigious bound in advance,reared convulsively on his hind legs, uttered a neigh of grief, andfell backward, dragging his rider with him in his fall.

  Malco slung his carbine and darted like a shot, with a cry of triumph,on his enemy.

  Leaping immediately to the ground, he darted towards him with a boundlike a tiger, and raised his poignard to finish him, in case he was notquite dead.

  But his arm fell powerless by his side, and he started back with a howlof disappointment and rage.

  At the same moment he was vigorously seized from behind, and stretchedupon the grass before he had even had the time to attempt to resist.

  "Eh, eh, companion," said Diogo to him in a railing voice; "how do youlike that? It is well done, is it not?"

 
This is what had happened:--

  Diogo had immediately decided that if he continued to fly in a straightline, his enemy, mounted on a fresh horse, would not be long inovertaking him, and that even if he escaped him, he would inevitablyfall into the hands of the Guaycurus.

  He had then calculated his flight, so as to deviate by degrees in animperceptible manner at first, in order to avoid the spot where hesupposed their enemies had established their camp.

  This first stratagem had completely succeeded. Malco Diaz, blinded bythe desire to overtake Diogo, had followed him in the tracks that hehad made, without caring to explain to himself the reasons for hisroute.

  When the Indian had arrived at the outskirts of a wood, he had jumpedto the ground, and with that remarkable dexterity which those of hisrace possess, he had made a sham horseman with grass, and covered itwith the clothing which he himself wore; then, after having firmlyattached it to the back of the horse, under the saddle and to theflanks of which he had placed piercing thorns, he had started theanimal off in the direction which he wished him to take.

  As to himself, he continued his route on foot.

  It was a few minutes after his coming out of the wood that Malco Diaz,for the first time, perceived the horse that galloped so rapidly beforehim.

  This explanation that Diogo, with a saturnine air, gave to Malco,further increased his fury.

  "You have killed a horse that I loved--a noble beast, that I shall withdifficulty replace. I ought, then, to kill you, Malco; but I shall notredden my knife with your blood."

  "You would do wrong, Diogo," sullenly answered Malco, "for I swear toyou, that on the first opportunity I will kill you."

  "You will act according to your instincts, Malco. I know that you are awicked man."

  "I will kill you--I swear it by my share of paradise."

  "Your share in paradise would appear to me very doubtful, my poorfriend; but that is not the question now."

  "What do you mean to do, then, since you say you do not wish to killme?"

  "What I promise I intend to perform, Malco; no, I will not kill you,but I will place you in a position where it is impossible for you toinjure me."

  The half-caste did not answer; he foamed with fury, and writhed like aserpent on the ground.

  "Keep still a moment, Malco," said the captain, peaceably; "you arereally very troublesome."

  And so saying, he bound him firmly with his lasso, notwithstanding hisprodigious efforts to escape.

  "There, it is finished," cried Diogo, when the last knot was tied. "NowI have only to gag you."

  "To gag me!" cried the half-caste; "To gag me! Why?"

  "Why, my friend, I find you very innocent; permit me to tell you thatif I gag you, it is probably to prevent you from crying out."

  There was a moment of silence. Malco reflected, and Diogo made a gagwith the care and attention that he brought to bear on all he did.

  "How long do you think it will take to put yourself in safety?" askedthe half-caste.

  "Why do you ask that question?" answered the captain, kneeling downbefore him.

  "What does it matter to you? Answer me frankly."

  "If that can give you any pleasure, I am willing to do so, Malco. Twohours will be long enough."

  "Well, if I promise you to remain quiet where I am, without callingout, would you gag me?"

  "Hum!" said the captain; "A promise is a very vague thing, Malco, whenit concerns life or death."

  "That is true, but if I made you that promise?"

  Diogo shook his head with an embarrassed air.

  "Come! Answer!" pursued Malco.

  "Well, no! I could not accept it," said Diogo. "There, I tell youplainly, it would be too dangerous."

  "Wait," cried Malco, as he prepared to fix the gag.

  Diogo stopped.

  "Well, now," pursued Malco, "if, instead of this promise, I were togive you my word of honour as a cavalheiro, what would you do?"

  "Hum," answered the other, "but would you give it me?"

  "Why do you ask that?"

  "Because you would keep it, and you do not wish to enter into anengagement with me."

  "So you believe my word?"

  "Certainly."

  "Well, do not gag me, Diogo; I give it you."

  "Come, you are jesting."

  "By no means; I give you my word of honour to remain as I am--not fortwo hours only, but for three--without stirring, and without offering acry."

  "Indeed!" said the captain, looking at him full in the face; "Are youserious?"

  "Quite serious; is it agreed?"

  "It is agreed," answered Diogo, and he threw away the gag.

  Strange anomaly of character in certain men, and which is so often metwith, especially among the Brazilian half-castes; with them their wordis everything, nothing will induce them to break it.

  Diogo knew so well that he could trust to that word, that he acceptedit without hesitation.

  "I leave you, Malco," said he to him; "do not distress yourself toomuch."

  "Go to the devil; but remember that I have promised to kill you."

  "Bah, bah!" answered the other; "You say that now because you arefurious. I suppose you think, as you have not succeeded against metoday, that you will be more fortunate another time."

  "I hope so," said the half-caste, gnashing his teeth.

  Diogo easily caught the horse, which was not very far off, and startedoff.

  As soon as the captain had reached the bank he abandoned the horse,entered the water, and commenced to swim.

  Although this river literally swarmed with alligators, the captain hadnot hesitated to enter it. He knew by experience that alligators rarelyattack man.

  The only thing he feared was to be perceived by the Indian sentinels,who, without doubt, were in ambush in the neighbouring woods.

  But luck did not desert him in this last and desperate effort.

  Arrived at a short distance from the thicket he wished to reach, Diogoglided between two streams. For that matter, this precaution was, letus hasten to say, not necessary; it was not the river (on which theyhad nothing to fear) that the Guaycurus watched, but only the hillwhere their enemies were to be found.

  Diogo glided then, without encumbrance, into the thicket, opened thehole he had made to conceal his clothes, and drew them out with athrill of delight; but instead of clothing himself with them, he made apacket of them, as well as of his arms, and again entered the river.

  This mode of travelling appeared to him shorter and safer.

  In order not to attract too much attention to himself, the captain hadenveloped his packet in palm leaves, and had fastened the whole uponhis head. Thus, as he swam, on the level of the water, this packetappeared to be drifting gently with the current; from the bank, it hadcompletely the appearance of a mass of leaves and branches.

  He soon reached the foot of the hill; there he was safe, and he couldonly be seen by the persons whom chance might have brought to the otherbank.

  After having calculated with a look the height he would have to ascend,and elevating himself almost perpendicularly above the river, thecaptain took in one hand his poignard, and in the other the knifeconfided to him by Tarou Niom as a sign of recognition, and began,with extreme ease and dexterity, to scale this kind of wall, plantingby turns his weapons in the fissures of the rocks, and then pullinghimself up by mere strength of wrist.

  The ascent of the captain was long. At one time he remained suspendedbetween heaven and earth, without being able either to mount ordescend. But Diogo was a man endowed with too much coolness and courageto despair; a moment of reflection made him perceive a declivity lessrough than that which he was pursuing.

  Arrived on the platform of the hill, he made a halt for a moment totake breath. His difficult expedition had, against all probability,terminated happily; the information he had gained was important; allthen was for the best, and he inwardly congratulated himself, not onthe manner in which he had conducted this perilous affair,
but on thepleasure that his return would give his companions.

  He then prepared himself, and again set out on his journey with a stepas free and as light as if he had not supported superhuman fatigues.

  The sun was setting at the moment when the captain reached the summitof the hill.

  As soon as his return became known, all his companions pressed aroundhim with cries of joy, which awakened the marquis, and caused him torun out.

  The captain uttered an exclamation of surprise and of grief, at thescene which presented itself to his eyes when he found himself withinthe enclosure of the camp.

  The tents and vehicles had been reduced to ashes; the greater part ofthe mules, and a great number of the horses, had been killed; seven oreight corpses of hunters and Negroes were lying here and there on theground; trees, half-burnt and lying in a confused mass, added stillmore to the horror of this spectacle.

  Dona Laura, having taken refuge, as well as she was able, under anenramada,[1] exposed to the wind, and crouched sorrowfully before adying fire, was preparing, with the aid of Phoebe, the evening meal.

  In fact, everything presented an aspect of ruin and desolation.

  "Mon Dieu! What does all this mean?" cried he with grief.

  "It means," answered the marquis, bitterly, "that you were not wrong,Diogo."

  "But has there, then, been a fight during my absence?"

  "No; there has been a surprise; but come, Diogo, a moment with youprivately, and I will explain what has happened."

  The captain followed him.

  When they were out of sight of the Brazilians, the marquis commencedhis narrative.

  Two hours after the departure of Diogo, a shower of burning arrows hadrained suddenly on the camp from all sides at once, and that in sodesperate a way that at first the Brazilians did not know where to run,or in what manner to defend themselves. The fire had almost immediatelyburst out with such an intensity that it was impossible to extinguishit; a burning arrow having, unhappily, fallen in the waggon whichcontained the powder, the vehicle was blown up, killing and woundingseveral men.

  The Guaycurus had profited by the fright of the Brazilians, to attempta furious assault, during which the remainder of the munitions had beenalmost wholly expended.

  Diogo sadly shook his head at this painful narrative; then he commencedhis own, which his companion listened to with profound attention.

  When he had finished, there was a momentary pause.

  "What do you recommend?" at last asked the marquis.

  "The situation is almost desperate," decisively answered the captain."The most prudent course, in my opinion, would be to try a sortie; totry and open a passage for ourselves."

  "Yes," murmured the marquis, aside, "perhaps that would be better; butI wish to wait a bit. I have dispatched a scout to gain informationabout the enemy."

  "You alone are master," answered Diogo, who had heard him; "but everyminute that passes takes away from us, believe me, several days of ourexistence."

  "Perhaps," violently cried the marquis, stamping with anger; "but we donot know all yet. Can I not try to join Don Joachim Terraira?"

  "Certainly, you can, your Excellency."

  "Well!" cried he, with joy.

  "Well! You will only succeed in causing us all to be massacred thequicker--that is all."

  After having uttered these words, the captain turned his back on themarquis, and rejoined his companions.

  [1] kind of tent made of branches.