CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FIRST FORTNIGHT.
A man must have been essentially a pessimist, or thoroughly acquaintedwith the Mexican character, to apprehend treachery on seeing the warmreception accorded to the Frenchmen by the inhabitants of Guaymas. Itwas a madness--a delirium impossible to describe. Leperos, rancheros,campesinos, rich hacenderos, all pressed round the French, vying witheach other in offering them a hearty welcome. It seemed as if thislittle band of adventurers, who were only passing through the town,brought to Sonora peace, tranquillity, and liberty; in a word, all thosethings the Mexicans want, and for which they sigh in vain. The criesof, _Viva los Franceses! Viva el conde!_ rose on all sides with adeafening sound.
So soon as the company landed, by Don Louis' orders, the ranks werespeedily formed; and the count, having Colonel Flores on his right hand,Don Antonio on his left, led his men to the barrack prepared for them,clearing his way with difficulty through the dense masses of spectators.In front of the barrack the alcalde mayor, and the juez de letras--thatis to say, the two principal authorities of the town--flanked by theirragged alguaciles, were awaiting the arrival of the company; and onperceiving them, Don Louis commanded a halt.
The two magistrates then walked a few paces toward the count, whom theysaluted respectfully, and began a long address stuffed with all sorts ofpompous Mexican hyperboles, from among which Don Louis managed todiscover that the Sonorians rejoiced in the depths of their hearts atthe arrival of the valiant French company; that they set on his courageall their hope of being protected against their ferocious neighbours,the Apaches; that the French had not landed on a foreign shore, but amidbrethren and sincere friends, who would be delighted to have it in theirpower to prove their devotion; and a thousand other things too long torepeat here.
When the alcalde mayor had ended his discourse amid the warm applause ofthe crowd, the juez de letras began one in his turn, equally long,equally diffuse, and equally perfidious as the first, and which met withthe same success.
We will remark here that the Mexicans adore long speeches.
At length, when the two magistrates had finished speaking, the countbowed gracefully, and replied to them with a few of those words whichcome straight from the heart. They produced a perfect frenzy. The crowdyelled with joy, waving their hats and handkerchiefs; while from everywindow a perfect shower of flowers escaped from the dainty hands of thesenoritas, and literally inundated the adventurers, who cordiallyresponded to this delicate attention.
The company then entered the barrack; it was a large house, with anenormous inner court, admirably adapted for the use to which it was putat this moment. Within an hour, the adventurers, with that eminent knackpeculiar to Frenchmen, were comfortably installed, and appeared to haveoccupied their quarters for the last six months.
The count fancied he had got rid of the alcalde and juez de letras: butit was not so; they had still several requests to make of him beforethey left him at liberty, and would not neglect them.
As in all other centres of population in Mexico, at Guaymas everyonelives pretty much as he pleases, without troubling himself greatly aboutthe authorities. This liberty, or rather license, may be advantageous toone portion of the population, but is evidently extremely prejudicial tothe other; in this sense, that the rascals, having entire liberty tocommit all the wicked actions Satan constantly breathes in their ear,the honest people are obliged to defend themselves, and not count inany way upon the protection of a problematical police, which, if ithappen to exist, naturally makes common cause with the brigands.
The magistrates had judged in their wisdom to profit by the stay of theFrenchmen at Guaymas, in order to disperse the scoundrels of everydescription, with whom the city abounds, with a salutary terror.Consequently, they begged the count to guard the principal posts of thepueblo with men belonging to his company, and to organise patrols totraverse the streets by night, and watch over the tranquillity of thecitizens and public security.
When, after much circumlocution, the magistrates at length ventilatedtheir request, the count answered them with a smile, that he wasentirely at the service of the Mexican government, and if theyconsidered his assistance useful, they might dispose of him and his menas they thought proper. The magistrates thanked him heartily, and,incited by the facility with which the count granted their firstrequest, they ventured to bring forward the second, which, in their ideabeing of much more delicate nature, they feared would be refused. It wasas follows:--
_Corpus Christi_ is the most important religious ceremony of Mexico.This festival, to augment the splendour of which the people undergo theheaviest sacrifices, fell this year just a few days after the arrival ofthe French in Sonora. They wished the count to promise to have hislittle mountain guns fired during the whole period the procession wentabout the streets.
Guaymas had many guns in the forts; but unfortunately they weredismounted, and completely honeycombed with rust.
It may be easily understood, that in the mind of the superstitiousSonorians, on so solemn a festival as this, the bells were notsufficient, and that the ceremony would entirely lose its solemncharacter, unless a few gunshots were fired.
The worthy magistrates little expected that they were causing the counta lively pleasure, by asking of him two things as a favour, which, hadhe dared, he would have claimed as a right, for the following reasons.
Since the discovery of gold, so many scamps of every description hadsought refuge in San Francisco, that the Californian population justlyenjoyed a frightful reputation for vice, crime, and debauchery, in allthe adjacent countries, and especially in the Pacific ports, on whichthey sometimes pounced like swarms of predacious birds. The countardently desired on behalf of his undertaking, to show the Sonoriansamong whom they were destined to live, that the French emigrants hadnothing in common with these sinister bandits, and that the men he hadthe honour to command were brave men, resolved to behave themselvesproperly, wherever chance took them, and never to molest the Mexicanpopulation.
As for the second question, it was even more serious in the count'seyes. The Mexicans are not only ignorant and superstitious, but evenmore. Although they do not understand a syllable of the religion theyprofess, or perhaps on account of that, they are exaggerated fanatics,and sooner pardon a murder than an insult, however slight in its nature,not to the religion itself, but merely to its exaggerated ceremonial.This fanaticism, carefully maintained during the Spanish dominion, wasintended to keep foreigners, that is to say the English, whom theyfeared greatly, from the shores of New Spain. At that time, indeed, theEnglish were almost the only Europeans who ventured to visit the Spanishcolonies.
The monks profited by the difference of our religion, to make the mostexaggerated portraits of the English to their parishioners, investingthem with horns and claws, as the children of Lucifer must necessarilyhave. The Indians, credulous as babes, accepted, with closed eyes, allthe fables the monks thought proper to tell them; and, with them, everyforeigner became an Englishman, that is to say a heretic, a gringo.
The declaration of independence, while enabling the Mexicans to seeforeigners of all nations, made no change in their convictions; for itis not so easy to destroy a prejudice rooted for centuries. Theycontinued, as in the past, to see in foreigners only Englishmen, andconsequently gringos; hence, that smouldering hatred which breaks outevery time that occasion offers, and that secret horror they experienceat the sight of every European.
Being on the point of burying himself with his company in the heart ofMexico--of passing through fanatic, credulous, and ignorant tribes, withwhom it was important to live in peace, and give them no pretext forquarrelling--it was of the highest interest to the count to show by anundeniable proof that the French were not gringos, but, on the contrary,as good catholics as the Sonorians.
Hence he favourably greeted the magistrates' request--a request whichprobably concealed a trap--and promised them not only that the gunsshould thunder during the whole period of the procession, but
that thecompany would be happy to accompany the holy sacrament during itsprogress through the streets of the town. The more so, the count added,because the French were catholics, and would eagerly seize theopportunity to manifest their fervour for their revered religion.
The magistrates, having at length obtained all they desired, took leaveof the count with great demonstrations of gratitude and respect. Thecount breathed again, for the _sederunt_ had been long. Still, all wasnot over yet, as the count soon perceived.
Don Antonio, and his inseparable friend the colonel, would not so easilyloose their hold, and only consented to withdraw when the count promisedto be present that same evening with all his officers at a banquet DonAntonio had prepared, to _fete_ the arrival of the French company. Thecount gave his word, and was at length left at liberty for a few hours.
Now that the company had arrived at Guaymas, that is to say, the firsthalt on the road to the mines, the expedition had really commenced, thefirst obstacles were cleared. According to the count's idea, allrequired now was to give his men a few days' rest, and then pushresolutely onward.
Profiting by the first impression produced by the Frenchmen, the count,without loss of a moment, had his papers put in order, and easilyobtained his passports for the interior. Several days passed thus, theFrench reigned as masters in Guaymas, petted and caressed by theinhabitants whom their gaiety and carelessness pleased above all, andwho, having hitherto seen a few ragged outcast Mexican soldiers, couldnot leave off admiring the training, martial aspect, and the perfectdexterity with which the foreigners manoeuvred and managed theirweapons.
The company performed the police duties of the town with the greatestcare; thefts and assassinations ceased as if by enchantment; and theSonorians slept tranquilly, on the faith of their new friends.
On Corpus Christi day, as had been arranged, the French cannon werefired during a portion of the day, and the adventurers accompanied theprocession, bearing bouquets in their muzzles, and behaving with thegreatest decency. Their presence at church produced all the effect thecount anticipated from it; and the certainty acquired by the inhabitantsthat the strangers were good catholics, still further increased thefriendship they entertained for them.
Matters went on thus for several days, and nothing occurred to troublethe azure of the count's projects. In fact, the most perfect harmonyprevailed between him and the magistrates, at least apparently; hence,with the native frankness of his character, the count began to reproachhimself secretly for the distrust he had at first felt, or ratherValentine inspired him with; and in his heart he accused his friend ofhaving yielded to unjust prejudices against men who seemed to study notmerely to satisfy him, but to anticipate the slightest desires of themembers of the expedition.
Indeed, how could the count suspect treachery? He had only come on theentreaty of the Mexican government. It was that government whichdemanded that his company should be trained, numerous, and well armed.The chief authorities of the country had a greater interest in thesuccess of the enterprise, because they were nearly all shareholders. Tosuppose that, under such circumstances, these persons intended to cheathim, the count must have at first admitted that they were insane; for noone ever carries on war at his own expense, and the Mexicans aregenerally known to have a clutching hand for money.
In the meanwhile, time passed rapidly; the count was afraid, lest the_morale_ of his comrades might suffer by a longer stay in the heart of aSonorian city. He was burning to set out; but, unfortunately, it wasimpossible for him to do so, until depots of provisions had been madealong the road, and the government of the state had arranged with himthe definitive movements of the company on its march to the mines.
Don Louis complained bitterly both to the colonel and Don Antonio of thecontinual delays he was obliged to suffer, and the pretexts, more orless plausible, employed to keep him in disgraceful inaction. Thegovernor, who declined to quit Pitic, only made evasive answers to hisletters, or declared that he had received no instructions.
This state of things could not, and must not, last longer. As there wasa risk of the company dissolving, and all the fruit of the preliminarylabours being lost, before the enterprise had been seriously entered on,Don Louis resolved at all risks to emerge from this equivocal position.Consequently, after having formally stated his wishes to Colonel Floresand Don Antonio, he informed them that since General Guerrero did notappear to understand the tenour of his letters, he was resolved toproceed himself to Pitic, and have a categorical explanation with him.
The two men started with joy at this news; for they required the count'sabsence for the success of the plans they had formed. Instead,therefore, of turning him from his project, they urged him warmly to putit in execution without delay, and start as soon as possible. Don Louishad no need to be stimulated and urged on thus. So soon as he left thetwo men, he proceeded to the barrack, assembled the company, and toldthem of his speedy departure, which was joyfully heard by all theseenergetic and ardent men whom rest fatigued, and on whom idleness beganto weigh heavily. The count intrusted the temporary command to one ofthe officers on whom he thought he could most count, giving him theorder that, if he heard nothing from him within four days, the companywould start at once to join him, and after again urging the men to keepup the strictest discipline, the count finally quitted the barrack.
At his house he found Valentine awaiting him. The latter approved hisconduct, but refused to accompany him, giving as his reason, that hebelieved he should serve the good cause better by remaining at Guaymas.The truth was, that the hunter did not wish to leave out of sight themen he had undertaken to watch, until he had discovered theirmachinations.
Louis did not insist. He knew that with a man of Valentine's characterthere was no chance of discussing, when he had once formed adetermination. Followed by Don Cornelio and an escort of tenwell-mounted horsemen, the count set out, after once again pressing hisfriend's hand, and proceeded toward Pitic, where--at least he hopedso--he should at length find the word of the enigma.
"Hum!" Valentine muttered, following him with a thoughtful glance;"either I am greatly mistaken, or, now that he is no longer here, tothwart by his presence the gloomy machinations of the scoundrels whowish to make him their dupe, we shall soon have something new."
After this aside, the hunter walked with his usual measured step towardthe barrack, where he arrived in a few moments, and found theadventurers in a state of great excitement, produced by the departure oftheir leader.