CHAPTER ELEVEN.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MURILLO--WE GAIN NOTHING FOR OUR PAINS--I STILLENDEAVOUR TO RESCUE THE PRISONERS--MEET ANTONIO, WHO BELONGS TO THEGUARD AT THE PRISON--MY CONVERSATION WITH HIM--HE PROMISES ASSISTANCE,BUT GIVES ME BAD NEWS--OUR PLAN ARRANGED--DON JOSE SUSPECTS US, ANDREQUESTS US TO LEAVE HIS HOUSE--WE REMAIN TILL THE FOLLOWING DAY--DR.CAZALLA AND SENOR MONTEVERDE, WITH MANY OTHERS, SHOT--DOMINGO BRINGS MEA DISGUISE, AND ADVISES ME TO ESCAPE WITHOUT DELAY--DON JOSE REQUESTS MENOT TO SEE HIM AGAIN--MR. LAFFAN AND I SEPARATE--HE STARTS FOR HONDA; IGO TOWARDS THE PRISON, FOLLOWED BY LION--OUTSIDE THE PRISON WALLS--JOINED BY UNCLE RICHARD--OUR ESCAPE FROM THE CITY--WE REACH THEMOUNTAINS--OUR ARRIVAL AT A RIVER--NO MEANS OF CROSSING--SPANISHSOLDIERS IN PURSUIT--A TARABITA OR ROPE-BRIDGE--DANGEROUS CROSSING--THEBRIDGE CUT--OUR ESCAPE--SOUNDS OF FIRING--WE FIND SHELTER IN THE HUT OFAN INDIAN, WHOSE SON UNDERTAKES TO GUIDE US.
By the aid of Don Jose and other friends to whom I had letters, Iascertained that Dr Cazalla and Mr Duffield had been brought intoBogota, and were confined, with several other persons whom I knew, inthe chief prison of the city--although they had not yet undergone themockery of a trial, which would precede their execution. Don Jose hadmade every exertion to obtain their liberation, but in vain. The savageMurillo, it was said, had resolved to shoot the whole of them. As therewas no English Consul at that time in Bogota, and no one who daredopenly to take Uncle Richard's part, I determined, according to theadvice I had received, to beard the lion in his den, and threaten himwith the vengeance of England should Mr Duffield be injured. I wasalso to point out to Murillo the disgrace of destroying a man of suchhigh scientific attainments as Dr Cazalla, and to plead that he mightbe banished to England, where he could render service to the human race.
Mr Laffan was quite willing to accompany me as interpreter. "We maybamboozle the scoundrel, and succeed where others have failed," observedthe dominie. "There is nothing like impudence,--or a bold bearing, assome would call it,--when one has to deal with a fellow of this sort."
We set out, accordingly, for the viceroy's palace. On our arrival wefound numerous officers hurriedly coming and going, but most of themmerely glanced at us and passed on. In the ante-room there was a motleyassemblage of persons of all ranks. Some had come with petitions,others had been summoned to undergo examinations; and several--informers, I have no doubt--were hoping to obtain a reward for theirtreachery. I sent in my card by an aide-de-camp, requesting aninterview with his Excellency. To my surprise, we were almostimmediately admitted. The general was seated at a table covered withpapers--two or three officers standing near him. His countenance didnot belie his character. Although the expression of his mouth wasconcealed by his huge moustache, the dark eyes which gleamed forth fromunder his shaggy brows, and the frown which wrinkled his high forehead,betokened his savage disposition.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked abruptly in Spanish.
I turned to Mr Laffan and begged him to interpret what the generalsaid.
"Tell him that I am English, and how, hearing that a countryman of minehas been imprisoned unjustly, I have come to demand his release, andpermission for him to accompany me back to England."
"Of what profession is he?" asked the general of Mr Laffan. "Is he alawyer?"
"No," I replied; "he is a British naval officer who has resided for sometime in this country, but is still under the protection of the EnglishGovernment, to whom it would be my duty to give information should anyharm happen to him."
"Had he been a lawyer, whether a British subject or not, he should beshot," answered Murillo. "As it is, I will consider the matter."
He turned to one of the officers, who handed him a paper.
"Ah! I see he is married to a lady belonging to a rebel family; and hehimself was found inciting the peasantry to take up arms. I care notthough he is under British protection. He shall die."
"My countrymen will avenge him," I answered through Mr Laffan, whoassumed an authoritative tone and manner, which I thought would producesome effect. "You know not whether the accusation is true or false."
Judging that it was best to leave what I had said to produce its effect,I stopped for a minute, and then continued,--"Well, your Excellency, Ineed not speak further about Senor Ricardo Duffield. I have now toplead for another person, who, although not an Englishman, belongs toall civilised countries in the world, and all will equally stigmatisethose who injure him; I allude to the learned Dr Cazalla. I beg thathe may be allowed to accompany me to my own country, where he canprosecute his scientific studies without molestation."
The general's brow grew darker than ever.
"He is one of the pests of this country. He taught the rebels how tomake gunpowder and arms, to be used against their rightful sovereign.He shall die, even although the whole British army, with your LordWellesley at their head, were to endeavour to rescue him."
"That's an ungrateful remark, your Excellency, considering the servicehe has rendered Spain," observed Mr Laffan; "but it's just what may beexpected."
"Go out of my presence--this instant!" exclaimed the general, irritatedby this imprudent remark. "The prisoners shall die; and let me tell youthat your errand is bootless."
I felt, indeed, that such was the case. In fact, I heard the general,turning to the officer who acted as his chief of police, direct him tokeep an eye upon us. His suspicions had, I saw, been aroused.
We did not consider it necessary to pay any special mark of respect aswe took our leave. The general was talking to the officers at his side,scarcely deigning to notice us. With heads erect, and as calmcountenances as we could command, we passed through the crowd in theante-room, and made our way into the street. We then hurried back toDon Jose's, to tell him how fruitless had been our visit to the viceroy.
"I was afraid so," observed our host. "If Murillo has made up his mind,no power on earth can turn him from his purpose."
I had not forgotten Antonio, and had formed a plan to try and rescue MrDuffield and Dr Cazalla, should other means fail. As Antonio had notalready betrayed me, I had great hopes that I could rely on hisassistance. Always accompanied by Mr Laffan, I went about endeavouringto discover him. I at length ascertained that he belonged to the guardstationed at the prison. In all probability, then, he would at timeshave charge of the prisoners inside; and if so, he might be able to aidin their escape.
Before long we fell in with him off duty, and near the prison itself.It was late in the evening, but there was sufficient light for us torecognise each other. I made a sign, and he followed us to a dark spotunder the prison walls.
"You know me, Antonio?" I asked.
"Ah yes, senor, the moment I saw you, while we were on the march here.I joined the Godos as the only means of saving my life--having obtainedthe uniform of a corporal who had been killed. My intention, however,was to desert on the first opportunity."
"Will you venture to assist the escape of Don Ricardo and Dr Cazalla?"I asked.
"Don Ricardo has already spoken to me, and promised a reward. I will dowhat I can without the reward, although the money would be welcome. Hehas promised me three hundred dollars."
"And I will give two hundred more when he is safe away from the city,and five hundred for Dr Cazalla."
"Ah, senor, that is more difficult, for he is strictly guarded, and, itis said, is to die to-morrow."
"To-morrow!" I exclaimed; "then he must escape to-night."
"Impossible!" answered Antonio; "ten thousand dollars would not effecthis liberation. And besides, in endeavouring to free him I might besuspected, and thus be unable to help Don Ricardo."
"I know that I can trust you, Antonio," and I put some gold pieces intohis hand. "Perhaps you can bribe your comrades; and promise them anyfurther reward you think fit."
"They would take the money, and betray me," he answered. "I will employsome of it, however, but it will be in supplying them with abundance ofstrong wine; that will give me a better mastery over them
than anybribe. Trust to my discretion."
After some further conversation, I arranged with Antonio that he was totry and effect the escape of Uncle Richard, and, if possible, that ofDr Cazalla. The following night he was to be on guard inside theprison, and he would then have the keys in his possession. The mostlikely time was about ten o'clock; and I arranged to be in theneighbourhood to assist, if necessary, in the escape of my friend.
Mr Laffan approved of the plan, but thought that it would be imprudentfor him and me to be seen again near the prison, although we mightafterwards join the fugitives. I proposed, therefore, having horses inreadiness, and making our way down to Honda, whence we might embark onthe river Magdalena; and the current being rapid, we should not occupymore than five days, and might at Carthagena get on board the firstvessel about to sail. If we could once reach any of the British WestIndia Islands, we should be safe.
On our return Don Jose met us as we entered, with an expression ofanxiety on his countenance.
"I fear, my friends, you are not exactly what you represent yourselvesto be," he said. "You are honest, I doubt not, and well-conducted, andI wish to fulfil my engagement as far as I can to assist you; but I mustadvise you to leave this house and the city as soon as possible, or Ishall be compromised by your remaining."
"I am deeply grateful for all your kindness, and will do as you advise,"I answered. "I shall be thankful if I have ever the opportunity ofproving my sincerity."
We should at once have left Don Jose, but that it was too late to seek alodging; and as he did not express a wish that we should do so, weremained, promising to bid him farewell the next morning. I sincerelyhoped that he would not suffer in consequence of his kindness to us.
We were about to start on the following day, after breakfast, to whichour kind host insisted we should remain, when, on looking from thewindow across the square, we saw, as we had on the morning of ourarrival, a body of troops marching from the prison. There was to beanother execution, then. My heart sank within me. Was Murillo about tocarry out his threat? As they approached I could scarcely supportmyself, for I saw my uncle, Dr Cazalla, with several other prisoners,nearing the spot where so many of the Patriots had already yielded uptheir lives for the liberty of their country. There were four otherpersons. It was certainly some relief not to see Uncle Richard amongthem; and my whole attention was now concentrated on Dr Cazalla. Ipointed out the doctor to Don Jose, in the vain hope that somethingmight even now be done to save him.
"I know him. He is talented, learned, and noble-minded," said Don Jose.
"The world will suffer if he dies," I said.
"I know it, my friend," answered Don Jose; "but his doom is sealed." Hetook my arm as he spoke. "I would not have you seen," he continued."Be warned by me, and remain concealed until nightfall. Your horses arein my stable, and your servant is prepared for the journey."
Even while he was speaking the rattle of musketry was heard, and MrLaffan, who had, notwithstanding Don Jose's advice, gone back to thewindow, exclaimed, "They have murdered our friend! I hope they will nottreat the other in the same way."
"Do you speak of my uncle?" I asked in English.
"Too truly--I do. There he lies, like a clod of earth; and there, too,will lie many more, in a few minutes. There is another! I did notnotice him at first. Poor Dona Dolores! what will become of her?"
"What! has Juan been captured?" I exclaimed, my thoughts running backto my friend, who might, I feared, have fallen into the hands of theenemy.
"No, not Juan; but Senor Monteverde.--Yes, I am sure it must be he,though he is poorly dressed, and walks with a tottering gait. Yes; theyare leading him up to the place of execution."
Forgetting Don Jose's caution, I sprang forward to the window and caughta glance--it was but a momentary one--of our poor friend. It wassufficient, however, to convince me that I was not mistaken. Don Joseagain took me by the arm and led me back; but a moment afterwards avolley was fired, and an exclamation uttered by Mr Laffan told me thatSenor Monteverde was among those slaughtered by the savages.
"It will be sad news to carry to my mother and father, and to DonaDolores. What will become of her? Her father dead--her propertydestroyed; but, probably, she herself is by this time in the hands ofthe Spaniards, and may ere long share the fate of Dona Paula. Shall Iever meet them again?" I murmured.
Other volleys of musketry, which sounded horrible in our ears, tooplainly told us what was continuing to take place.
By Don Jose's advice, we kept close in our room during the remainder ofthe day; and it was growing dark when Domingo appeared, with a bundleunder his arm.
"I have been provided with this for you to put on, senor," he said,producing a serving-man's dress, similar to that which I had worn atPopayan. It was curious that the same disguise should have been chosen."You are suspected of being a Liberal; and whether you are so or not,you are to be arrested to-night, and probably share the fate of thosewho were shot this morning. I am desired to tell you, therefore, thatyou must make your escape as soon as it is dark--you taking onedirection, while Senor Miguel and I take another."
Before I had time to ask further questions, Domingo retired.
I began to put on the dress he had brought me, and was quickly changedinto a serving-man. While I was thus engaged Mr Laffan came in, and Itold him what Domingo had said.
"But I cannot desert you, Duncan!" he exclaimed. "I will stick by you,whatever happens."
I soon convinced him that we should thus only increase the risk of beingarrested, and advised him at once to make his way to Honda, as we hadtold Murillo we intended doing. If not molested, he might thence,instead of embarking on the Magdalena, travel over the mountainswestward to one of the towns on the Cauca. As he had no proposal tooffer against this plan--indeed, there was no other to be pursued--heagreed to it.
"But how will you be able to travel alone?" he asked.
"I do not intend to travel alone, if I can help it," I answered. "Ibelieve that Antonio will succeed in liberating Uncle Richard, and thatI shall be able to help him to make good his escape."
I was unwilling to leave the house without wishing Don Jose and hisfamily farewell; and as I was thinking how I could best manage to do so,I discovered a slip of paper pinned on to the front of the jacket, onwhich was written in a feigned hand,--"I know your feelings, and whatyou would desire to say; but it is safer that we should not again meet.Farewell. Destroy this when you have read it."
The paper was not signed, but I guessed it came from Don Jose.
Domingo having now reappeared, and announced that the horses were ready,we descended to the courtyard. "It will be safer for me to slip outfirst," I observed.
To this Mr Laffan agreed.
"You had better take Lion with you," I said; and I ordered my faithfuldog to remain with Mr Laffan. But on this occasion the usuallyobedient animal was disobedient. When I had made my way out of the yardI found him following me, and I had not the heart to send him back.
I resolved at all risks to join Uncle Richard, should he be able to makehis way out of prison; so towards that gloomy building I at oncedirected my steps. As the town was in total darkness, there being nolamps in the streets, I ran little chance of being detected, while Lioncould not be seen a few paces off. In a short time I reached the spotwhere I had had the conversation with Antonio; and there, crouchingdown, I awaited the hour he had named. There was but one clock in thecity which struck the hours. The time appeared to go very slowly by.Perfect silence reigned through the streets. Neither Royalist norRepublican were at that time inclined to move about in the dark, asassassins too frequently plied their deadly trade, and several personsof both parties had been murdered.
At last ten o'clock struck. I sat with my hand on Lion's head,listening attentively. The prison door opened; the sentinel challenged,"Quien vive?" and the countersign was returned. Then the door closed,and I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, but they did not seemtho
se of persons attempting flight. My hopes sank. After all, someofficer might have visited the prison, and was now leaving it with aguard. I was afraid, consequently, to move; but in another instant Lionrose to his feet, and, though he uttered no sound, bounded forwardtowards one of the persons approaching.
"That must be Uncle Richard," I thought. "The dog knows him."
I was not mistaken; and I was quickly by his side, when I found that hehad on the cap and cloak of an officer. The other person who followedclose behind him was, I guessed from his uniform, which I could butindistinctly see, Antonio.
Uncle Richard divined who I was, and he put out his hand and graspedmine. I returned the pressure; but we did not venture to speak.
Antonio led the way to the western side of the city. "We must make forthe mountains immediately; there will be less risk of the Godos lookingfor us there," he said, when we had got between some high convent walls,where no one was likely to overhear us.
One thing was certain, we must get to a distance from the city beforedaybreak. On that point we were all agreed.
When there was no risk of being seen, we moved as fast as possible; butas we drew near the guard at the entrance of the city we had to walk ata dignified pace. Antonio had given the sign and countersign to UncleRichard and me, so we passed through without question; it beingsupposed, in all likelihood, that the officer was on his way to visitsome outpost attended by an orderly, while I concluded that I was takenfor a guide.
Long before morning dawned we were well among the mountains. Antoniohad thoughtfully filled his knapsack with provisions, which, in additionto those I had brought from Don Jose's, would serve us for several days.The corporal had also furnished himself with a remarkably good rifle,and a quantity of ammunition. Our intention was to make our way to someplace occupied by a Patriot force, of which we hoped to gainintelligence from the peasantry, either Creoles or Indians, the greaterportion of whom were likely to prove friendly. It was most important,however, to put as great a distance as possible between the city andourselves, for as soon as our flight was discovered parties wouldcertainly be sent out to scour the country in search of us.
We rested for a couple of hours under an overhanging rock--to take somefood and regain our strength--just before daybreak, and then once morepushed on. None of us, unfortunately, had any exact knowledge of thecountry. We had therefore to steer by the sun, and to follow the trackswhich appeared to lead in the direction we wished to go. Occasionally,when we reached a height from which a view eastward could be obtained,we looked back to ascertain if any one was following. A party onhorseback, by galloping over the more level ground, instead of climbingthe mountains on foot, might even now overtake us.
The sun was still shining over the hills to the westward, but wouldshortly disappear behind them, when we saw before us a rapid riverrushing between lofty and precipitous cliffs. How to cross it, was thequestion. We could see no bridge or canoe, and it ran too furiously forus to breast its foaming billows; while it would be dangerous to crosson a raft, even if we could find materials for forming one.
We made our way over the rough ground down the stream.
"I should think we must be safe from pursuit here; but I will just takea look-out from yonder height," observed Uncle Richard.
He had scarcely got to the summit of the hill when he shouted out, "Herecome some suspicious-looking fellows; but they are a good way astern atpresent, so that we must somehow or other leave them on this side of theriver." After taking another look, to assure himself that he was notmistaken, he rejoined us, and we hurried along the bank.
We had not gone far when Antonio exclaimed, "I see a tarabita! It willserve our purpose; and we must take care that it does not help ourenemies across."
He pointed, as he spoke, towards a long thin rope thrown across from onecliff to the other. On getting up to it we found the bridge--for so itmight be called--consisted of a long rope made of hides, the endssecured by stakes driven into the earth; to this a sort of basket wassuspended, with two smaller ropes fastened to it--the one reaching tothe side we were on, the other to the opposite bank, where a man--apparently the guardian of the so-called bridge--was seated on a logsmoking. Antonio shouted to attract his attention; and getting up, hemade a sign for one of us to enter.
"You go first, Senor Ricardo," said Antonio to Uncle Richard.
But the latter insisted on going last, and made me and Lion get into thebasket. The bridge-keeper immediately began to haul away, and I soonfound myself dangling over a fearful chasm. I was, however, quicklyacross; and, by means of a rope passing through a block on the side Ihad left, the basket was immediately drawn back.
Antonio was passed over in the same way, and joined me.
Uncle Richard had, in the meantime, gone to the height overlooking thepath behind us, but he soon hurried back and took his seat in thebasket.
"Tell the old Indian to be smart in hauling me across," he shouted out.
The man obeyed; but Uncle Richard was not more than half-way over whenwe saw a party of soldiers on the height above the river, and I clearlymade out that they were Spanish soldiers. Should they reach the end ofthe rope before Uncle Richard was safe, they might, by threatening tocut it, compel us all to come back; so we hastened to seize hold of thetackle, in order to assist the Indian in dragging the basket over morequickly.
"Take care, senores; you will break it, if you pull too hard," heobserved.
We were not aware whether he had seen the Spaniards coming.
"Haul away," shouted Uncle Richard.
We obeyed him, and he was soon able to spring on to the ground. Hisfirst action on doing so was to grasp Antonio's sword, and to hack awayat the rope, to the great astonishment of the old Indian, who loudlyexpostulated, and attempted to stop him. But Antonio and I seized thebridge-keeper and held him fast while Uncle Richard finished theoperation, and soon the rope swung across to the opposite cliff.
"Now," said Uncle Richard, "we shall have to make the best use of ourlegs, or we may chance to have some bullets whistling about our ears."
We hurried on, hoping to get beyond the range of the firearms of ourenemies before they had reached the bank; and we had completely lostsight of them when we heard a volley fired. We only hoped that the poorold Indian had hidden himself in time, and that it was not aimed at him.Whether there was any ford, or other means of crossing the river,further down, we could not tell; it was therefore important to make asrapid progress as possible. A moon was in the sky, about half full,which, in that atmosphere, allowed us to see our way for some distance,so we took great care to profit by it.
At length we saw a light ahead of us. It proceeded from an Indian'shut, in the centre of which a large fire was blazing. We made our waytowards it, hoping to obtain a guide; besides, we required rest, and itwas necessary to obtain it at all risks.
The owner of the hut was seated before the fire boiling a pot of cocoa,and he did not appear to be surprised on seeing us.
"Travellers are constantly coming this way, and I was getting some cocoaready lest any should come in," he observed.
Uncle Richard said that we should be glad to rest for a few hours, andinquired whether he would guide us over the mountains.
"I cannot do so myself; but my son, who will be here shortly, willwillingly do so. He has guided many travellers across the Paramo," wasthe answer.
We took our seats around the fire, and the Indian cooked some plantains,which, with the cocoa, served us for supper.
In a short time the son of whom our host had spoken made his appearance.He was a fine, strong youth, and seemed well fitted for acting in thecapacity of guide.
He told us that as he was coming over the mountains from a village onthis side of the river, to which he had escorted some travellers, he hadheard firing, and concluded that there had been a fight between someLiberals and the Godos. "I hope the last were well beaten," hemuttered, looking at Uncle Richard's military cap.
"So d
o I," I observed. "You do not take us for Godos?"
"I judge of people by their conduct, and as yet I have had noopportunity of learning how you behave," answered the young Indian, witha laugh.
"He is the right sort of fellow," observed Uncle Richard; "we may trusthim."
I asked him if he had any food for my dog; and going out, he at oncereturned with some pieces of flesh, off which, although somewhatodorous, Lion made a substantial supper.
"It is the remains of a bear we killed some days ago," observed theyoung Indian.
We all lay down round the fire,--Lion sleeping between Uncle Richard andme, and both of us feeling assured that he would give us timely noticeshould any danger be at hand.