CHAPTER IV.
THE TRAVELLERS.
About the same hour that the trappers issued from the grotto, and tookup the trail of the Comanches again, at twenty miles' distance fromthem, a rather large party of white travellers halted upon the banksof the great Canadian river and prepared to encamp for the night in amagnificent position, where there were still some remains of an ancientcamp of an Indian hunting party.
The hunters and the half-breed Gambusinos who served as guides to thetravellers hastened to unload a dozen mules, which were escorted byMexican lanceros.
With the bales they made an enclosure of an oval form, in the interiorof which they lit a fire; then, without troubling themselves any furtherabout their companions, the guides united together in a little group andprepared their evening repast.
A young officer, of about twenty-five years of age, of martial bearing,with delicately marked features, went up respectfully to a palanquindrawn by two mules and escorted by two horsemen.
"In what place would you wish, senor, the senorita's tent to bepitched?" the young officer asked, as he raised his hat.
"Where you please, Captain Aguilar, provided it be quickly done; myniece is sinking with fatigue," the cavalier, who rode on the right ofthe palanquin, replied.
He was a man of lofty stature, with hard marked features, and an eagleeye, whose hair was as white as the snows of Chimborazo, and who, underthe large military cloak which he wore, allowed glimpses to appear ofthe splendid uniform, glittering with embroidery, of a Mexican general.
The captain retired, with another bow, and returning to the lanceros, hegave them orders to set up in the middle of the camp enclosure, a prettytent, striped rose colour and blue, which was carried across the back ofa mule.
Five minutes later, the general, dismounting, offered his hand gallantlyto a young female, who sprang lightly from the palanquin, and conductedher to the tent, where, thanks to the attentions of Captain Aguilar,everything was so prepared that she found herself as comfortable ascircumstances would permit.
Behind the general and his niece, two other persons entered the tent.
One was short and stout, with a full, rosy face, green spectacles, and alight-coloured wig, who appeared to be choking in the uniform of an armysurgeon.
This personage, whose age was a problem, but who appeared to be aboutfifty, was named Jerome Boniface Duveux; he was a Frenchman, and asurgeon-major in the Mexican service.
On alighting from his horse, he had seized and placed under his arm,with a species of respect, a large valise fastened to the hinder part ofhis saddle, and from which he seemed unwilling to part.
The second person was a girl of about fifteen years of age, of a forwardand lively mien, with a turn-up nose and a bold look, belonging to thehalf-breed race, who served as lady's maid to the general's niece.
A superb Negro, decorated with the majestic name of Jupiter, hastened,aided by two or three Gambusinos, to prepare the supper.
"Well! doctor," said the general, smiling, to the fat man, who came inpuffing like a bullock, and sat down upon his valise, "how do you findmy niece this evening?"
"The senorita is always charming!" the doctor replied gallantly, as hewiped his brow, "Do you not find the heat very oppressive?"
"Faith! no," replied the general, "not more so than usual."
"Well, it appears so to me!" said the doctor with a sigh. "What are youlaughing at, you little witch?" added he, turning towards the waitingmaid, who, in fact, was laughing with all her might.
"Pay no attention to that wild girl, doctor; you know she is but achild," the young lady said, with a pleasing smile.
"I have always told you, Dona Luz," persisted the doctor, knitting hislarge eyebrows, and puffing out his cheeks, "that that little girl is ademon, to whom you are much too kind, and who will end by playing you anevil turn some of these days."
"Ooouch! the wicked picker up of pebbles!" the quadroon said with agrin, in allusion to the doctor's mania for collecting stones.
"Come, come, peace!" said the general, "has today's journey fatigued youmuch, my dear niece?"
"Not exceedingly," the young lady replied, with a suppressed yawn;"during nearly a month that we have been travelling I have becomeaccustomed to this sort of life, which, I confess, at the commencement,I found painful enough."
The general sighed, but made no reply. The doctor was absorbed by thecare with which he was classifying the plants and stones which he hadcollected during the day.
The half-breed girl flew about the tent like a bird, occupied in puttingeverything in order that her mistress might want.
We will take advantage of this moment of respite to sketch the portraitof the young lady.
Dona Luz de Bermudez was the daughter of a younger sister of the general.
She was a charming girl of sixteen at most. Her large black eyes,surmounted by eyebrows whose deep colour contrasted finely with thewhiteness of her fair, pure forehead, were veiled by long velvetylashes, which modestly concealed their splendour; her little mouth wasset off by teeth of pearl, edged by lips of coral; her delicate skinwore the down of the ripe peach, and her blue-black hair, when liberatedfrom its bands, formed a veil for her whole person.
Her form was slender and supple, with all the curves of the true line ofbeauty. She possessed, in an eminent degree, that undulating, gracefullyserpentine movement which distinguishes American women; her hands andfeet were extremely small, and her step had the careless voluptuousnessof the Creole, so full of ever varying attractions.
In short, in the person of this young lady, might be said to be combinedall the graces and perfections.
Ignorant as most of her compatriots, she was gay and cheerful; amusedwith the smallest trifle, and knowing nothing of life but the agreeableside of it.
But this beautiful statue was not animated; it was Pandora beforePrometheus had stolen for her fire from heaven, and, to continue ourmythological comparison, Love had not yet brushed her with his wing, herbrow had not yet been contracted by the pressure of thought, her hearthad not yet beaten under the influence of passion.
Brought up under the care of the general in almost cloistral seclusion,she had only quitted it to accompany him in a journey he had undertakenthrough the prairies.
What was the object of this journey, and why had her uncle so positivelyinsisted upon her making it with him? That was of little consequence tothe young girl.
Happy to live in the open air, to be constantly seeing new countries andnew objects, to be free in comparison with the life she had hithertoled, she had asked nothing better, and took care never to trouble heruncle with indiscreet questions.
At the period when we met her, then, Dona Luz was a happy girl, livingfrom day to day, satisfied with the present, and thinking nothing of thefuture.
Captain Aguilar entered, preceding Jupiter, who brought in the dinner.
The table was decked by Phoebe, the waiting maid.
The repast consisted of preserved meats and a joint of roast venison.
Four persons took their places round the table; the general, his niece,the captain, and the doctor.
Jupiter and Phoebe waited.
Conversation languished during the first course; but when the appetiteof the party was a little abated, the young girl, who delighted inteasing the doctor, turned to him, and said,--
"Have you made a rich harvest today, doctor?"
"Not too rich, senorita," he replied.
"Well! but," she said, laughing, "there appears to me to be such anabundance of stones on our route, that it only rested with yourself togather together enough to load a mule."
"You ought to be pleased with your journey," said the general, "for itoffers you such an opportunity for indulging in your passion for plantsof all sorts."
"Not too great, general, I must confess; the prairie is not so richas I thought it was; and if it were not for the hope I entertain ofdiscovering one plant, whose qualities may advance science, I shouldalmost regret
my little house at Guadeloupe, where my life glided awayin such uniform tranquillity."
"Bah!" the captain interrupted, "we are as yet only on the frontiersof the prairies. You will find, when we have penetrated further intothe interior, that you will not be able to gather the riches which willspring from under your feet."
"God grant it may be so, captain;" said the doctor, with a sigh;"provided I find the plant I seek I shall be satisfied."
"Is it then such a very valuable plant?" asked Dona Luz.
"What, senorita!" cried the doctor, warming with the question. "A plantwhich Linnaeus has described and classified, and which no one has sincefound! a plant that would make my reputation! And you ask me if it isvaluable?"
"Of what use is it, then?" the young lady asked, in a tone of curiosity.
"Of what use is it?"
"Yes."
"None at all, that I am aware of," the doctor replied, ingeniously.
Dona Luz broke into a silvery laugh, whose pearly notes might have madea nightingale jealous.
"And you call it a valuable plant?"
"Yes--if only for its rarity."
"Ah! that's all."
"Let us hope you will find it, doctor," said the general in aconciliatory tone. "Jupiter, call the chief of the guides hither."
The Negro left the tent, and almost immediately returned, followed by aGambusino.
The latter was a man of about forty, tall in stature, square-built,and muscular. His countenance, though not exactly ugly, had somethingrepulsive in it for which the spectator was at a loss to account;his wild, sinister-looking eyes, buried under their orbits, cast asavage light, which with his low brow, his curly hair, and his copperycomplexion, made altogether a not very agreeable whole. He worethe costume of a wood ranger; he was cold, impassible, of a natureessentially taciturn, and answered to the name of _the Babbler_, which,no doubt, the Indians or his companions had given him by antiphrasis.
"Here, my good fellow," said the general, holding out to him a glassfilled to the brim with a sort of brandy, called mescal, from the nameof the place where it is distilled, "drink this."
The hunter bowed, emptied the glass, which contained about a pint, at adraught; then, passing his cuff across his moustache, waited.
"I wish," said the general, "to halt for a few days in some safeposition, in order to make, without fear of being disturbed, certainresearches; shall we be secure here?"
The eye of the guide sparkled: he fixed a burning glance upon thegeneral.
"No," he replied, laconically.
"Why not?"
"Too many Indians and wild beasts."
"Do you know one more suitable?"
"Yes."
"Is it far?"
"No."
"At what distance?"
"Forty miles."
"How long will it take us to arrive there?"
"Three days."
"That will do. Conduct us thither. Tomorrow, at sunrise, we will setforward in our march."
"Is that all?"
"That is all."
"Good night."
And the hunter withdrew.
"What I admire in the Babbler," said the Captain, with a smile, "is thathis conversation never tires you."
"I should like it much better if he spoke more," said the doctor,shaking his head. "I always suspect people who are so afraid of sayingtoo much; they generally have something to conceal."
The guide, after leaving the tent, joined his companions, with whom hebegan to talk in a low voice, but in a very animated manner.
The night was magnificent; the travellers, assembled in front of thetent, were chatting together, and smoking their cigars.
Dona Luz was singing one of those charming Creole songs, which are sofull of sweet melody and expression.
All at once a red-tinted light appeared in the horizon, increasing everyinstant, and a dull continuous noise, like the growling of distantthunder, was heard.
"What is that?" the general cried, rising hastily.
"The prairie is on fire," the Babbler replied, quietly.
At this terrible announcement, made so quietly, the camp was all inconfusion.
It was necessary to fly instantly, if they did not choose to run therisk of being burnt alive.
One of the Gambusinos, taking advantage of the disorder, glided awayamong the baggage, and disappeared in the plain, after exchanging amysterious signal with the Babbler.