CHAPTER XIV.
THE COCK-FIGHT.
In marching on La Magdalena the count had a double object: in the firstplace, that of meeting the rich hacenderos and alcaldes of the pueblosdissatisfied with the Mexican Government, and try to draw them over tohis side by the brilliant prospects of independence he offered them;secondly, by his strategic position at the village, to alarm GeneralGuerrero, and keep him constantly on the alert by a simultaneous feintof aggressive movements on each of the three Sonorian capitals.
The general, so soon as war was declared, had appealed to the populationwith that pompous and verbose Mexican eloquence which only deceivesthe foolish. The inhabitants, who were perfectly indifferent about theGovernment, and cared but little to interfere in the general's privatequarrels, which he tried in vain to metamorphose into a nationalquestion, had remained quietly at home, and had in no way responded totheir chiefs so-called patriotic appeal, the more so because, during thefour months since the French landed in Sonora, and had been traversingthe country, their conduct toward the population had been everexemplary, and not the smallest complaint had been made against them.
The general, disappointed at the ill success of his machinations, thenchanged his batteries. He proceeded to forced enlistments: next, notsatisfied with that, he treated with the Hiaquis and Opatas Indians,in order to increase his army. He also wished, at the outset, to enrolthe Apaches; but the rude lesson the French had read the latter haddisgusted them with war, and they retired to their deserts withoutlistening to any new proposition.
Still General Guerrero had succeeded in collecting an imposing force.His army amounted to nearly 12,000 men--an enormous number, if wethink of the few combatants his enemy could draw up in time. Thegeneral, we must do him the justice to say, in spite of his incessantbraggadocio, and the continual marches and countermarches he performed,had an instinctive respect for his enemy, or, if you like it better, aperfectly reasonable fear, which incited him to prudence, and preventedhim ever coming too close to the French outposts. He contented himselfwith actively watching the count's movements, and holding the threeroads in such a way as to be able easily to concentrate his troops onthe point menaced by the adventurers.
It is a singular fact that the Americans of the South have never beenable, after so many centuries, and though they are nearly descendedfrom the Spaniards, to dispel that superstitious terror with which theEuropean conquerors inspired them on their landing. The deeds of thoseheroic adventurers are still in every mouth, and during the war ofindependence it frequently happened that a handful of Spaniards put toflight, merely by showing themselves, masses of Mexican insurgents. Themost convincing proof of our assertion we can produce is that, at thisvery moment, three hundred French adventurers, isolated in the centre ofa country they did not know, and the majority of whom did not even speakthe language, held in check an army of 12,000 men, commanded by chiefswho were esteemed good soldiers, and not only made Sonora tremble, buteven the Federal Government in Mexico itself.
The boldness and temerity of the enterprise attempted by the countincreased, were that possible, the terror he inspired. This expeditionwas so mad, that sensible men could not imagine that the count wasnot backed up by secret, though powerful allies, who only awaited anopportunity to declare themselves. This terror was carefully keptup by the count's spies and scouts. The boldness of his movements,the decision with which he acted, and finally, the occupation of LaMagdalena without a blow being struck, heightened the apprehensions ofthe Government, and increased its indecision as to the intentions of thechief, or, as they called him, the _Cabecilla_.
It was about five in the morning when the curtain that closed thecount's tent was raised from the outside, and a man entered. Don Louis,startled by this sudden apparition, rubbed his eyes and seized hispistols, saying in a firm voice,--
"Who is there?"
"I, of course," the new arriver said. "Who would dare enter in this wayexcept me?"
"Valentine!" the count exclaimed with a shout of joy, and throwingdown his pistols. "You are welcome, brother: I have been expecting youimpatiently."
"Thank you," the hunter said. "Did not Curumilla announce my return thisvery night?"
"Yes," the count said with a laugh; "but you know how easy it is to talkwith the chief."
"That is true. Well, I have brought you the information he omitted togive you, and perhaps it is all for the best."
The count had dressed himself; that is to say, he put on his coat andzarape, for he had thrown himself on his bed in his clothes.
"Take a stool," he said, "and let us talk."
"I prefer going out."
"As you please," Don Louis answered, suspecting that his friend hadpeculiar reasons for acting thus. They left the tent together.
"Captain de Laville," the hunter said, addressing the young man, who waswalking up and down before the tent, "an escort of ten horsemen, a horsefor myself, and another for the chief, if you please."
"At once?"
"Yes, if it be possible."
"Of course it is."
"We are going to leave the camp, then?" Louis said when they were alone.
"We are going to La Magdalena," the hunter made answer.
"The moment is a most unfortunate one."
"Why so?"
"Because I am expecting the general's answer."
"In that case you can come," the hunter said with a malicious smile,"for you will not receive that reply. The colonel's mission was only abait to lull your vigilance to sleep."
"Oh, oh! are you certain of what you assert?"
"By Jove!"
At this moment the escort appeared. Louis and Valentine mounted. It washardly six in the morning; the country was deserted; at each puff ofwind the trees shook their branches, which were damp with the abundantbright dew, and caused a gentle shower which rustled on the bushes; thesun sucked up the dense vapour that rose from the ground; and the birds,hidden in the foliage, woke up singing. The two friends, slightly inadvance of their escort, rode pensively side by side, with the bridle ontheir horses' necks, and gazing vacantly at the magnificent landscapewhich lay expanded before them. The first houses of the pueblo, gailyenframed in clumps of floripondios and vines, were visible from aturning in the road. Don Louis raised his head.
"Well," he said, as if answering his own thoughts, "I swear this shallbe the last time that General Guerrero mocks me thus. It is plain thatColonel Suarez only came to my camp to see for himself in what conditionwe were."
"For nothing else."
"Where are we going now?"
"To a cockfight."
"A cockfight!" the count said in surprise.
The hunter looked at him significantly.
"Yes," he said to him, "you know, perhaps--or, if you do not, I willtell you--that the finest cockfights take place annually at La Magdalenaat the period of the festival."
"Ah!" Louis said indifferently.
"I am certain that it will interest you," Valentine continued with acunning air.
The count perfectly well understood that his friend only spoke to himin this way in order to foil any eavesdroppers who might be about, andwas silent, for he felt certain that all would be cleared up ere long.Besides, the little party were at this moment entering the pueblo,the houses of which were beginning to open, in which the dwellers,hardly awake, saluted them as they passed with joyous and friendlysmiles. After passing slowly through two or three streets, at a signfrom Valentine the detachment stopped before a house of rather meanappearance, and which had nothing about it to recommend it to theattention of strangers.
"It is here," the hunter said.
They stopped and dismounted. Valentine then gave the leader of theescort strict orders to remain mounted with his men, and not stir tillthe count's return; then he tapped discreetly at the door, which wasimmediately opened. They entered, and the door was closed without theirseeing anybody. They were scarcely in the house ere the hunter led hiscompanion into a cuarto, the door of w
hich he opened with a key he drewfrom his pocket.
"Follow my example," he said as he took off his vicuna hat and zarape,which he exchanged for a cloak and a broad-brimmed straw hat. The countimitated him.
"Now come."
They wrapped themselves carefully in their cloaks, pulled their hatsover their eyes, and left the house by a door cleverly hidden in thewall, which communicated with the adjoining house, through whichthey passed without meeting anybody, and found themselves once morein the street. But during the few minutes they remained in the housethe appearance of the pueblo had completely changed. The streets werenow thronged with people coming and going: at each step children andleperos were letting off fireworks with shouts of delight and burstsof laughter. Through the whole of Spanish America, and especially inMexico, no at all respectable festival goes off without crackers andfireworks: letting off squibs is the acme of joy. We will repeat on thishead a rather characteristic anecdote.
Some time after the Spaniards had been definitively expelled fromMexico, King Ferdinand one morning asked a rich Mexican who had soughtrefuge at the court of Spain,--
"What do you imagine your countrymen are doing at this moment, Don Luisde Cerda?"
"Sire," the Mexican replied gravely, as he bowed to the king, "they areletting off squibs."
"Ah!" the king said, and passed on.
A few hours later the king accosted the gentleman again: it was two inthe afternoon.
"And now," he asked him gaily, "what are they engaged in?"
"Sire," the Mexican said with no less gravity than on the firstoccasion, "they continue to let off squibs."
The king smiled, but made no reply. At nightfall, however, he againaddressed the same question to the gentleman, who answered with hisimperturbable coolness,--
"May it please your Majesty, they are letting off more squibs than ever."
This time the king could not contain himself, but burst into a fit oflaughter--a very remarkable circumstance, for this prince was neverrenowned for the jollity of his character.
The Mexicans have three passions;--playing at monte, witnessingcockfights, and letting off squibs. We believe that the third is themost deeply rooted in them; and the quantity of powder consumed inMexico in the shape of squibs is incalculable. Hence squibs were beinglet off in all the streets and on all the squares of La Magdalena.At each step crackers exploded beneath the feet of our two friends,who, however, long accustomed to Mexican habits, did not attach theslightest importance to the fireworks, but continued their progress inperfect coolness, clearing a way as well as they could through the densecrowd of Indians, half-breeds, Negroes, Zambos, Spaniards, Mexicans, andNorth Americans. At length they turned into a lane about half way downthe Calle San Pedro.
"Halloh!" Louis said, "are we really going to see a cockfight?"
"Of course," Valentine said with a smile. "Let me alone. I told you itwould interest you."
"Go on, then," the count said with a careless shrug of his shoulders."Deuce take you and your absurd ideas!"
"Good, good!" Valentine replied with a laugh. "We shall see; but we havearrived."
And without any more words they entered the house.
There is no amusement in Mexico, save perhaps monte or fireworks, whichexcites interest to such a degree as a cockfight; and this interest isnot confined merely to a certain class of society. In this respect thereis no difference between the President of the Republic and the mosthumble citizen, between the generalissimo and the lowest leper, betweenthe highest dignitary of the Church and the most obscure sacristan:whites, blacks, half-castes, and Indians the whole population rusheswith unequalled frenzy to this bloody spectacle which is so full ofinterest to them.
The pit is arranged in the following way:--Behind a house a large yardis selected, in the centre of which rises a circular amphitheatre,from fifty to sixty feet in diameter. The wall of this amphitheatre isnever less than twenty feet high: it is built with brick, and carefullycovered with hard stucco inside and out. Five rows of seats rising aboveeach other complete the interior of the building. Until the openingof the doors no one knows what birds are entered; but, so soon as thepublic are admitted, the cocks are brought in. The bettors bring oneeach, which are then intrusted to the care of the trainer who makes thepreliminary arrangements. These, however, are very simple. The cocks arearmed with artificial spurs made of polished steel, about four inches inlength, by half an inch wide at the base, slightly curved at the end,and terminating in a sharp point, while the upper side of the spur issharpened. These spurs are firmly attached to the legs of the cocks bystraps. When thus prepared for the contest, the cocks are taken into thepit by the trainers, who hold them up in the air, and submit them tothe inspection of the spectators, who then make their bets. The moneythus risked on the life of a bird is incredible, and men often ruinthemselves by betting.
At the moment when the Frenchmen entered, the amusement had long beforebegun, so that all the best places were taken, and the pit filled withspectators pressing against each other. As, however, our friends had byno means come to take an active part in the amusement, they modestlyseated themselves on the wall of the arena, where a band of raggedleperos had taken refuge, too poor to bet, but who regarded with enviouseye and scarce-suppressed passion the happy favourites of fortunewho were moving about beneath them with shouts and exclamations. Thetumult was at its height, and all eyes were fixed on the pit, where--anextraordinary circumstance--one cock had defeated nine others insuccession.
The Frenchmen cleverly profited by the effervescence of the spectatorsto pass on unnoticed, and reach the places they had selected. Aftera minute Valentine lit a maize pajilla, and bent over to his fosterbrother's ear.
"Wait for me here," he said; "I shall return in a moment."
Louis bowed in assent. Valentine rose with a nonchalant air, leapedcarelessly over the benches, and, with cigar in mouth, mingled amongthe spectators who crowded the approaches to the pit. The count lookedafter him for a few moments, but then lost him in the crowd. His eyesthen turned to the pit; and so great is the attraction offered bythis singular and cruel spectacle, that the count involuntarily grewinterested in what was going on before him, and even took a certainpleasure in it.
The combats followed in rapid succession, each offering different butexciting incidents. The count began to find his foster brother's absenceprotracted, for he had left him for nearly an hour, when all at once hesaw himself standing before him.
"Well?" he asked him.
"Well," Valentine answered in Castilian, "it appears that I was right,and that Senor Rodrigo's cocks are achieving marvels. Come and see itmore closely. I assure you that it is curious."
The count rose without replying, and followed him.