The Purple Land: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I sat there till it was very dark, and the longer I sat the colder and
stiffer I grew, yet I felt no disposition to walk farther. At length
a large owl, flapping down close to my head, gave utterance to a long
hiss, followed by a sharp, clicking sound, ending with a sudden loud,
laugh-like cry. The nearness of it startled me, and, looking up, I saw
a twinkling yellow light gleam for a moment across the wide, black
plain, then disappear. A few fireflies were flitting about the grass,
but I felt sure the gleam just witnessed proceeded from a fire; and
after vainly trying to catch sight of it again from my seat on the
ground, I rose and walked on, keeping before me a particular star
shining directly over the spot where that transient glimmer had
appeared. Presently, to my great joy, I spied it again in the same
place, and felt convinced that it was the gleam of firelight shining
from the open door or window of some _rancho_ or _estancia_ house. With
renewed hope and energy I hastened on, the light increasing in brightness
as I progressed; and, after half an hour's brisk walking, I found myself
approaching a human dwelling of some kind. I could make out a dark mass
of trees and bushes, a long, low house, and, nearer to me, a corral, or
cattle-pen, of tall, upright posts. Now, however, when a refuge seemed so
close, the fear of the terrible, savage dogs kept on most of these
cattle-breeding establishments made me hesitate. Unless I wished to run
the risk of being shot, it was necessary to shout loudly to make my
approach known, yet by shouting I would inevitably bring a pack of huge,
frantic dogs upon me; and the horns of the angry bull I had encountered
were less terrible to contemplate than the fangs of these powerful,
truculent brutes. I sat down on the ground to consider the position, and
presently heard the clatter of approaching hoofs. Immediately afterwards
three men rode past me, but did not see me, for I was crouching down
behind some scrubby bushes. When the horsemen approached the house the
dogs rushed forth to assail them, and their loud, fierce barking, and the
wild shouts of some person from the house calling them off, were enough
to make a dismounted man nervous. However, now was my only chance, and,
starting up, I hurried on towards the noise. As I passed the corral the
brutes became aware of my approach, and instantly turned their attention
on me. I wildly shouted. _"Ave Maria,"_ then, revolver in hand, stood
awaiting the onset; but when they were near enough for me to see that
the pack was composed of eight or ten huge yellow mastiff-like brutes,
my courage failed, and I fled to the corral, where, with an agility
surpassing that of a wild cat, so great was my terror, I climbed up
a post and placed myself beyond their reach. With the dogs furiously
barking under me, I renewed my shouts of _"Ave Maria"_--the proper
thing to do when you approach a strange house in these pious latitudes.
After some time the men approached--four of them--and asked me who
I was and what I did there. I gave an account of myself, then asked
whether it would be safe for me to descend. The master of the house
took the hint, and drove his faithful protectors off, after which I
came down from my uncomfortable perch.

He was a tall, well-made, but rather fierce-looking gaucho, with keen
black eyes, and a heavy black beard. He seemed suspicious of me--a
very unusual thing in a native's house, and asked me a great many
searching questions; and finally, still with some reluctance in his
manner, he invited me into the kitchen. There I found a big fire blazing
merrily on the raised clay hearth in the centre of the large room, and
seated near it an old grey-haired woman, a middle-aged, tall,
dark-skinned dame in a purple dress--my host's wife; a pale, pretty
young woman, about sixteen years old, and a little girl. When I sat
down my host began once more questioning me; but he apologised for
doing so, saying that my arrival on foot seemed a very extraordinary
circumstance. I told them how I had lost my horse, saddle, and
_poncho_ in the wood, and then related my encounter with the bull.
They listened to it all with very grave faces, but I am sure it was
as good as a comedy to them. Don Sinforiano Alday--the owner of the
place, and my questioner--made me take off my coat to exhibit the
bruises the bull's hoofs had inflicted on my arms and shoulders. He
was anxious, even after that, to know something more about me, and so
to satisfy him I gave him a brief account of some of my adventures in
the country, down to my arrest with Marcos Marc�, and how that plausible
gentleman had made his escape from the magistrate's house. That made
them all laugh, and the three men I had seen arrive, and who appeared
to be casual visitors, became very friendly, frequently passing me the
rum-bottle with which they were provided.

After sipping _mat�_ and rum for half an hour we settled down to
discuss a plentiful supper of roast and boiled beef and mutton, with
great basins of well-seasoned broth to wash it down. I consumed an
amazing quantity of meat, as much, in fact, as any gaucho there; and
to eat as much as one of these men at a sitting is a feat for an
Englishman to boast about. Supper done, I lit a cigar and leant back
against the wall, enjoying many delightful sensations all
together--warmth, rest, and hunger satisfied, and the subtle fragrance
of that friend and comforter, divine tobacco. On the farther side of
the room my host was meanwhile talking to the other men in low tones.
Occasional glances in my direction seemed to show that they still
harboured some suspicion of me, or that they had some grave matters
to converse about unsuitable for a stranger to hear.

At length Alday rose and addressed me. "Se�or, if you are ready to
rest I will now conduct you to another room, where you can have some
rugs and _ponchos_ to make a bed with."

"If my presence here is not inconvenient," I returned, "I would rather
remain and smoke by the fire."

"You see, se�or," he said, "I have arranged to meet some neighbours
and friends, who are coming here to discuss matters of importance with
me. I am even now expecting their arrival, and the presence of a
stranger would scarcely allow us to talk freely over our affairs."

"Since you wish it, I will go to any part of the house you may think
proper to put me in," I returned.

I rose, not very cheerfully, I must say, from my comfortable seat
before the fire, to follow him out, when the tramp of galloping horses
came to our ears.

"Follow me this way--quick," exclaimed my impatient conductor; but
just as I reached the door about a dozen mounted men dashed up close
to us and burst forth in a perfect storm of yells. Instantly all those
who were in the kitchen sprang to their feet uttering loud exclamations
and looking greatly excited. Then came from the mounted men another
wild outburst as they all yelled together, _"Viva el General Santa
Coloma--viv--a."_

The other three men then rushed from the kitchen, and in excited tones
began to ask if anything fresh had happened. Meanwhile I was left
standing at the door by myself. The women appeared almost as excited
as the men, except the girl, who had glanced at me with shy compassion
in her large, dark eyes when I had been roused from my seat by the
fire. Taking advantage of the general excitement, I now repaid that
kindly look with one of admiration. She was a quiet, bashful girl, her
pale face crowned with a profusion of black hair; and while she stood
there waiting, apparently unconcerned by the hubbub outside, she looked
strangely pretty, her homemade cotton gown, of limp and scanty material,
clinging closely to her limbs so as to display her slender, graceful
form to the best advantage. Presently, seeing me looking at her, she
came near, and, touching my arm in passing, told me in a whisper to
go back to my seat by the fire. I gladly obeyed her, for my curiosity
was now thoroughly aroused, and I wished to know the meaning of this
outcry which had thrown these phlegmatic gauchos into such a frenzied
state of excitement. It looked rather like a political row--but of
General Santa Coloma I had never heard, and it seemed curious that a
name so seldom mentioned should be the rallying cry of revolutionists.

In a few minutes the men all streamed back into the kitchen. Then the
master of the house, Alday, his face on fire with emotion, thrust
himself into the midst of the crowd.

"Boys, are you mad!" he cried. "Do you not see a stranger here? What
is the meaning of all this outcry if nothing new has happened?"

A roar of laughter from the new-comers greeted this outburst, after
which they raised another yell of "_Viva Santa Colomal_"

Alday became furious. "Speak, madmen!" he shouted; "tell me, in God's
name, what has happened--or do you wish to ruin everything with your
imprudence?"

"Listen, Alday," replied one of the men, "and know how little we need
fear the presence of a stranger. Santa Coloma, the hope of Uruguay,
the saviour of his country, who will shortly deliver us out of the
power of Colorado assassins and pirates--Santa Coloma has come! He is
here in our midst; he has seized on El Molino del Y�, and has raised
the standard of revolt against the infamous government of Montevideo!
_Viva Santa Colomal_"

Alday flung his hat off, and, falling on his knees, remained for some
moments in silent prayer, his hands clasped before him. The others all
snatched off their hats and stood silent, grouped about him. Then he
stood up, and all together joined in a _viva_, which far surpassed
in its deafening power their previous performances.

My host now appeared to be almost beside himself with excitement.

"What," he cried, "my General come! Do you tell me that Santa Coloma
has come? Oh, friends, the great God has remembered our suffering
country at last! He has grown weary of looking on man's injustice, the
persecutions, the bloodshed, the cruelties that have almost driven us
mad. I cannot realise it! Let me go to my General, that these eyes
that have watched for his coming may see him and rejoice. I cannot
wait for daylight--this very night must I ride to El Molino, that I
may see him and touch him with my hands, and know that it is not a
dream."

His words were welcomed with a shout of applause, and the other men
all immediately announced their intention to accompany him to El Molino,
a small town on the Y� some leagues distant.

Some of the men now went out to catch fresh horses, while Alday busied
himself in bringing out a store of old broadswords and carbines from
their concealment in some other part of the house. The men, talking
excitedly together, occupied themselves in scouring and sharpening the
rusty weapons, while the women cooked a fresh supply of meat for the
last comers; and in the meantime I was permitted to remain unnoticed
by the fire, smoking peacefully.

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