CHAPTER FOUR.
EL OJO DE AGUA.
Morning dawns upon the Lost Mountain, to disclose a scene such as hadnever before been witnessed in that solitary spot. For never before hadwagon, or other wheeled vehicle, approached it. Remote from town orcivilised settlement, leagues away from any of the customary routes oftravel, the only white men having occasion to visit it had been huntersor gold-seekers, and their visits, like those of angels, few and farbetween. Red men, however, have sought it more frequently, for it isnot far from one of their great war-trails--that leading from the Apachecountry to the settlements on the Horcasitas, so serving these savagesas a convenient halting-place when on raid thither. The reconnoitringparty, sent in advance of the caravan, had discovered traces of theirpresence by the lake's edge; but none recent, and nothing to signify.There were no fresh tracks upon the meadow-grass, nor the belt of nakedsand around the water, save those of wild animals that had come thitherto quench their thirst.
In confidence, therefore, the miners made camp, though not negligentlyor carelessly. The old _militario_ had seen too much campaigning forthat, and directed the wagons to be drawn up in a _corral_ of ovalshape, tongues and tails united as the links of a chain. Lone-bodiedvehicles, the six enclose a considerable space--enough to accommodateall who have need to stay inside. In case of attack it could be stillfurther strengthened by the bales, boxes, and _alparejas_ of thepack-mules. Outside the animals were staked, and are still upon theirtethers, though without much concern about their running away. Afterthe long traverse over the dry _llanos_, and the suffering they haveendured, now on such good grass, and beside such sweet water, they willcontentedly stay till it please their masters to remove them.
Fires had been kindled the night before, but only for cooking supper; itis summer, and there is no discomfort from cold--heat rather. And nowat dawn the fires are being re-lighted with a view to _desayuna_, andlater on breakfast; for, though the caravan had unexpectedly run shortof water, its stock of provisions is still unexhausted.
Among the earliest up--nay, the very first--is Pedro Vicente. Not withany intention to take part in culinary operations. _Gambusino_ andguide, he would scorn such menial occupations. His reasons for being soearly astir are altogether different and twofold; though but one of themhas he made known, and that only to Henry Tresillian. Overnight, ereretiring to rest, he had signified his intention to ascend the Cerro inthe morning--soon as there was enough of daylight to make the ascentpracticable--in hopes of finding game both of the furred and featheredsorts, he said. For in addition to his _metier_ as guide to thecaravan--being a skilled hunter as well as gold-seeker--he holdsengagement to supply it with venison, or such other meat commodity asmay fall to his gun. For days he has had but little opportunity ofshowing his hunter skill. On the sterile tract through which they havebeen passing birds and quadrupeds are scarce, even such as usuallyinhabit it having gone elsewhere in consequence of the long-continueddrought. All the more is he desirous to make up for late deficit, andat least furnish the table of the quality with something fresh. Heknows there are game animals on the mountain--a _mesa_, as already said,level-topped, with trees growing over it, besides water; for there isthe fountain's head, source of the stream and lake below. On the nightbefore, he had spoken of wild sheep as likely to be found above, withantelopes, and possibly a bear or two, also turkeys. Now, in themorning, he is sure about these last, having heard them, as is theirwont before sunrise, saluting one another with that sonorous call fromwhich they derive their Mexican name, _guajalote_.
These confidences he has imparted to Henry Tresillian, who is toaccompany him in the chase, though not from any view of inspiring thelatter with its ardour. There is no need; the young Englishman being ahunter by instinct, with a love for natural history as well, and theLost Mountain promises rich reward for the climbing, in discovery as insport. Besides, the two have been _compagnons de chasse_ all along theroute; habitually together, the fellow-feeling of huntership making suchassociation congenial. So, early as is the Mexican afoot, he beats theEnglish youth by barely a minute of time; the latter seen issuing forthfrom one of the tents that form part of the encampment, just as theformer has crawled out from between the wheels of a wagon, under which,rolled-up in his _frezada_, he had passed the night.
With just enough light to identify him, Henry Tresillian is seen to behabited in shooting coat, breeches, and gaiters, laced buskins, and atweed cloth cap; in short, the costume of an English sportsman--shot-belt over the shoulders, and double-barrel in hand--about to attacka pheasant preserve, or go tramping through stubble and swedes. The_gambusino_ himself wears the picturesque dress of his class andcountry; the gun he carries being a rifle, while the sword-like weaponhanging along his hip is the ever-present _machete_--in Sonora sometimescalled _cortante_.
As, overnight, the programme had been all arranged, their interchange ofspeech at present has only reference to something in the way of_desayuna_ before setting out. This they find ready and near; at thecentral camp fire now blazing up, where several of the women, "whisks"in hand, are bending over pots of chocolate, stirring the substantialliquid to a creamy froth.
A _taza_ of it is handed to each of the "_cazadores_," with a "_tortillaenchilada_," accompanied by a graceful word of welcome. Then, emptyingthe cups, and chewing up the tough, leatherlike maize cakes, the huntersslip quietly out of camp, and set their faces for the Cerro.
The ascent, commenced almost immediately, is by a ravine--a sort ofgorge or chine worn out by the water from the spring-head above anddisintegrating rains throughout the long ages. They find it steep as astaircase, though not winding as one; instead, trending straight up fromits debouchment on the plain to the summit level, between slopes, thesewith grim, rocky _facade_, still more precipitous. Down its bottomcascades the stream--a tiny rivulet now, but in rain-storms a torrent--and along this lies the path, the only one by which the Cerro can beascended, as the _gambusino_ already knows.
"There's no other," he says, as they are clambering upward, "where a mancould make the ascent, unless with a Jacob's ladder let down to him.All around, the cliff is as steep as the shaft of a mine. Even the wildsheep can't scale it, and if we find any on the summit--and it's to behoped we shall--they must either have been bred there, or gone up thisway. _Guarda_!" he adds, in exclamation, as he sees the impulsiveEnglish youth bounding on rather recklessly. "Have a care! Don'tdisturb the stones; they may go rattling down and smash somebody below."
"By Jove! I didn't think of that," returns he thus cautioned, turningpale at thought of how he might have endangered the lives of those dearto him; then ascending more slowly, and with the care enjoined upon him.
In due time they arrive at the head of the gorge, there stopping to takebreath. Only for an instant, when they proceed on, now no longer in aclimb, the path thence leading over ground level as the plain itself;but still by the rivulet's edge, through a tangle of trees and bushes.
At some two hundred yards from the head of the gorge they come into anopening, the Mexican as he enters it exclaiming:
"_El ojo de agua_!"