CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.
DESCRIBES SEVERAL INTERESTING AND SOMEWHAT VIOLENT PROCEEDINGS.
Over the flowering plains! Oh, there is something soul-stirring in afree, furious, prolonged gallop, where obstructions are few, where theland is almost level, and Nature reigns unfettered by the influence ofman! No fences, no ditches, no ploughed lands, no enclosed estates,nothing to check even for a moment the grand onward sweep throughillimitable space save the capacity of endurance in steed and rider.
Of course it has its drawbacks, but we will not pause to meditate onthese. Life has its drawbacks everywhere, and if we were to attempt anenumeration of them our tale would become unreasonably long, and alsosomewhat unprofitable.
Perhaps it adds to the zest of life the fact that many of its incidentsare of such a nature that we find it difficult to say whether they aredrawbacks or advantages. For instance, the jovial garrulity of Quashywas a drawback at times. At other times it was a decided advantage, andhis friends and companions held such interchangeable opinions on thepoint that they could not readily have expressed them if called on to doso at a moment's notice.
A runaway tendency in a horse is considered by most people adisadvantage. Yet there are some people whose nerves and spirits are soconstituted that they have a sneaking fondness for a horse of thisdisposition.
Strange though it may seem, Manuela belonged to this class. It is saidthat men whose characters form a contrast are more likely to drawtowards each other than those whose characters are similar. May thesame principle not operate between man and the lower animals? Was itnot the gentleness, tenderness, womanliness, softness of Manuela whichcaused her to dote upon and delight in her steed, though it was a huge,high stepping, arch-necked, rearing, plunging animal--something betweenan Irish hunter and a Mexican warhorse?
The steed in question had been purchased for her by her father from theGauchos, who assured him that the animal was a remarkably good one togo. They told the simple truth, but not the whole truth, for sometimesit would "go" with its hind-legs doing double service in the way ofkicking, and, at other times, it balanced that feat by giving itsfore-legs a prodigious flourish while in the act of rearing. To do thecreature justice, however, it could and did go ahead of its companionson the journey, and retained that position without fatigue, as wasevinced by the flashing eye, distended nostril, pawing and snorting withwhich it received every proposal to halt.
Being a splendid rider, Manuela managed this spanking charger withinfinite grace and ease, all the more that it happened to have a tendermouth, and only succeeded in getting beyond her control when it chancedto get the bit between its teeth. At first her father and the otherswere alarmed, and offered to change her steed for another; but sherefused to change, and when they saw how fearlessly she rode, theybecame reconciled--all except Lawrence.
"It is the fearlessness of innocence combined with ignorance," hemuttered to himself one afternoon, as Manuela's horse, without apparentprovocation, presented first its tail and then its nose to the sky. TheInca princess patted the playful creature approvingly, and induced it toadopt a bounding, indiarubber-like pace. In a few minutes this wasreduced to a springy walk.
Lawrence could not resist the temptation to ride forward and offer hisown horse, although Colonel Marchbanks rode alongside of his daughterlike an inflexible guardian.
"You will find my horse much easier to manage, Miss Marchbanks," hesaid, "and quite as strong and fleet as your own."
The colonel frowned, and his daughter said, "No, t'ank you, senhor,"with a little bow and a brilliant smile.
It was one of Manuela's little fancies to revert sometimes to the brokenEnglish peculiar to her colour and costume. This was not at allrelished by Lawrence. It seemed to argue a want of earnestness, whichwas not at all in harmony with the tremendous depth of his love for her!He drew rein immediately and fell behind, but at that moment Manuela'shorse put its foot in a biscacho-hole and stumbled. Evidently it hadreceived a violent surprise, for, after having a second time presentedits tail and nose alternately to the skies, it gave vent to an indignantsnort, performed what seemed to be a pirouette on one leg, took the bitin its teeth, and bolted.
Of course the colonel put spurs to his steed, and gave chase. InstantlyLawrence did the same. As a consequence Quashy followed, and, notwishing to be left behind, the whole cavalcade went after them at fullspeed. The thunder of numerous hoofs acted as a sharp spur to the wildrunaway. At once it became a fair race, in which each gradually tookhis place according to ability. The course was clear--from the Andes tothe Atlantic, almost, and horses and riders were fresh!
In a remarkably short time the party straggled, and the line extended.Soon it became evident that the colonel, Lawrence, Pedro, and Quashywere the best mounted of the troop, for these four drew far ahead of allthe others; yet the runaway kept its advantage, despite the utmostefforts of Manuela's fair little arms to check it. Gradually Pedro andthe colonel were left behind. Despite the utmost application of voiceand spur, Quashy also dropped to the rear, and the race lay at lastbetween our hero and the Inca princess!
Mile after mile was passed as they flew like the wind over the rollingplains, scarcely impeded at all by the Pampas grass, which was not longat that season, but at last they came to a ridge on which there was aline of low bushes. By that time, by dint of hard spurring, Lawrencehad managed to get up almost alongside of the girl, whose look ofgleeful excitement was now changed to one of wild anxiety.
"Try to pull just a little harder!" cried Lawrence, "your horse won't beable to jump it."
Manuela tried, but she had already put forth all her strength, and ifthat had been twice what it was, the effect on the powerful creaturewould probably have been just the same.
As the danger drew nearer, Lawrence made desperate efforts to increasehis speed. He was so far successful that when they finally came to theline of bushes, the horses were almost abreast of each other. Horses ofthe Pampas are not usually jumpers, but Manuela's horse must have had atouch of the hunter in him, for he rose to the leap, and went up like arocket. Lawrence, on the other hand, went crashing through theobstruction like the shot of an eighty-ton gun! The leap evidently tookmore time than the crash, which was fortunate, for it enabled Lawrenceto get well alongside at the moment the fore-feet of Manuela's horsetouched the ground, and just as the poor girl herself, unused toleaping, fairly lost her balance as well as her presence of mind andfell backward half fainting. She would have fallen to the ground ifLawrence had not caught her round the waist, and dragged her to thepommel of his own saddle. It was one of those cases of rescue which menare apt--perhaps justifiably so--to style providential, for no planningor judgment or energy on the part of Lawrence could have arranged thatManuela should have been at the apex of her leap when her powers failed,so that she should fall from that height, as it were, almost into hisarms!
A few bounds more and they were safe. As if it had understood this, andfelt that further effort was needless, the runaway steed stoppedabruptly, and, after looking round in unreasonable surprise, beganquietly to crop the herbage at its feet.
One by one the rest of the party came up, full of congratulations.
"You dood dat well, massa," said Quashy, who was the first to arrive,grinning all over; "and dat _was_ a bu'ster," he added, surveying thegap in the bush through which Lawrence had crashed.
"Please set me down before the others come up!" whispered Manuela, who,having, as we have said, half fainted, had allowed her head to fall onher rescuer's shoulder.
Lawrence wished that circumstances might have admitted of his continuingthe journey as they were then situated, but propriety required him tosay--
"Here, Quash,--lend a hand."
The negro vaulted to the ground, and received Manuela into his arms justas Pedro and the colonel galloped up.
"Thank you, Senhor Armstrong, thank you heartily," said the latter, ashe dismounted, and, sitting down on a mound, drew his child to his side
.
"I'm not hurt, not a bit," sighed Manuela, with a slight attempt at asmile.
"Thank God for that, but you are shaken a little," returned the oldsoldier with an anxious look. "Here Pedro, Quashy, fetch me the flaskfrom my saddle."
By the time a cup of the flask's contents was administered to Manuela,Mariquita and Susan were kneeling beside her, and the rest were standinground.
"A splendid leap!--aw--couldn't have been much better done if--aw--ithad been an English hunter," remarked the sportsman in an undertone tohis friend. "But, I say, don't it strike you that the colonel isuncommonly--aw--sweet on that little Indian girl."
"She's no more an Indian girl than you are," replied his friend, with alaugh.
"Aw--you don't say so?" returned the sportsman, with a slight elevationof his eyebrows.
"Let us go," said Manuela, rising; "I am much better, only a littleshaken by such a leap. But--but I should like another--"
"Yes, to be sure, another horse," interrupted the colonel; "who willexchange?--a quiet one, of course."
"Here you is, kurnel," said Quashy, with a beaming countenance, as heled forward his horse. "Quiet as a lamb, 'cept when you aggrawates him.Nebber goes no faster dan you wants him to,--sometimes not so fast! an'wouldn't run away even if you was to ax him on your knees."
"After such recommendation," said the colonel, turning to Manuela, "Isuppose you will accept of this steed."
The Inca princess accepted it with a beam of gratitude to Quashy, whothereupon mounted the runaway horse, and in a few minutes the wholecavalcade was sweeping over the plain as swiftly as ever.
Afternoon brought them to a solitary Gaucho hut. They came first uponthe corral rather suddenly, for it was concealed in a hollow. It was anenclosure of strong rough posts stuck into the ground, on many of whichwere perched a number of gorged vultures and hawks.
The ground around it was covered with bones, bullocks' horns, wool,carcasses of horses, and other refuse, which induced the travellers tokeep carefully to windward of it. On a slight rising ground, close athand, stood the mud hut of the family to which it belonged.
Although living in a state little short of savagery, this family, beingdescended from one of the best old families of Spain--at least, so theybelieved--maintained much of the dignity, good manners, and ceremonythat characterised the old Spaniards. It comprised several generations,of whom a great-great-grandfather, blind, deaf, and benignant, formedthe head, and a baby, fat, wide awake, and uproarious, formed the tail.Between these there was a band of men, women, girls, and boys, whom wewill not even attempt to describe, further than to say that they wereall black-eyed, sunburnt, and more or less pretty and handsome.
The travellers rode up to the door of the mud mansion, and, according toPampas etiquette, awaited permission to dismount. This was quicklygiven with much urbanity by a handsome middle-aged man, who was theactive head of the household.
The intention of Colonel Marchbanks was to take a hasty meal here, andpush on as far as possible before night. Finding that the Gauchos wereengaged at that time in breaking in some young horses, he ordered hisparty to off-saddle, and went with Pedro, Lawrence, and some otherstowards the corral while food was being prepared.
Quashy--ever mindful of the welfare of others, and ever thoughtful inregard to what he esteemed the most important things of life--hungbehind to advise a daughter of the house to prepare a specially tenderfowl for Susan, Manuela, and Mariquita. He even remained a few minutesto receive from the damsel a lesson in cookery.
This daughter of the Pampas whispered something to a very small brotherbeside her, who was remarkable chiefly for the size of his gorgeous eyesand the scantiness of his costume. With ready obedience the urchinunhooked a miniature lasso from the wall, and lassoed a large hen. Howthe brother and sister executed that hen was not obvious.
It was, however, quickly and effectively done between them. Then thesister took the bird to a pot of water, which chanced to be boiling atthe time, and put it therein, feathers and all. To civilised peoplethis might have seemed rather a savage process, but it was not so. Theobject was merely to simplify the plucking. After scalding, thefeathers came off with wonderful facility, and also stuck to the girl'swet hands with equally wonderful tenacity. Washing her hands, she nextcut off the wings and legs of the fowl, and then separated the breastfrom the back. These portions she put into a small pot with some suetand water, and threw the rest away.
"Das bery good," remarked Quashy, nodding his head in approval, afterwhich he advised the girl to treat another fowl or two in a similarmanner, and then followed his master to the corral.
Here a very animated scene was being enacted. Half a dozen young horseswere about to be mounted for the first time and broken in. What modernhorse-trainers of the tender school would have said to the process wecannot tell. Having had no experience in such matters, one way oranother, we hazard no opinion. We merely state the facts of the case.
The father of the family, mounted on a strong and steady horse,commenced the business by riding into the corral, and throwing his lassoover the head of a young horse, which he dragged forcibly to the gate.Every step of the process was forcible. There was nothing equivalent tosolicitation or inducement from beginning to end. Opposition, doggedand dire, was assumed as a matter of course, and was met by compulsionmore dogged and more dire!
At the gate of the corral the end of the lasso was received by theeldest son of the family, a tall, strapping, and exceedingly handsomeyouth, of about twenty-three, who had been named Pizarro,--no doubtafter the conqueror of Peru. He certainly resembled his namesake incourage, vigour, and perseverance, if in nothing else. The young horsedisplayed great unwillingness at first to quit its companions,--shakingits magnificent mane, and flourishing its voluminous tail in wilddisdain as it was dragged out.
But the moment it found itself outside the corral, its first idea was togallop away. A jerk of the lasso checked him effectually. Anothermember of the household then deftly threw his lasso in such a mannerthat the prancing steed put its feet in it, and was caught just abovethe fetlocks. With a powerful twitch of this second lasso its legs werepulled from under it, and it fell with tremendous violence on its side.Before it could rise the young Gaucho forced its head to the ground andheld it there, then drew his long knife, and therewith, in a fewseconds, cut off its mane. Another Gaucho performed the same operationon the hair of its tail--both acts being done, as they explained, toindicate that the horse had been once mounted.
Meanwhile Pizarro quickly put a strong hide halter on the animal's head,and a piece of hide in his mouth to serve as a bit. He also girthed asaddle on him, and, when all was ready, ordered the men who held him tolet go. At the same moment he sprang into the saddle and held on.
Holding on was the point on which Pizarro had to concentrate all hisattention and power during the next few minutes, for the way in whichthat outraged and intensely fierce creature strove to unseat him isalike beyond the power of description and conception. Jumping,plunging, kicking, rearing, bounding, and pirouetting are allsufficiently expressive terms in their way, but they are mild words withwhich to describe the proceedings of that creature of the Pampas whileunder the influence of temporary insanity. With ears flat on its neck,nostrils distended, and eyes emitting something almost like flames, theyoung horse absolutely screamed in its fury; but all was in vain. Aswell might it have tried to shake off its own tail as Pizarro!
Suddenly it changed its plan, and stretched out its sinewy length to itslongest stride. Pizarro fell in with the idea, encouraged it with hislong sharp spurs and heavy lash, and away they went over the mightyplain like a streak of personified lightning.
It is useful sometimes to let wilful people not only have their way, butcompel them to continue it. John Gilpin's spirit, when he said--
"'Twas for your pleasure you came here; You shall go back for mine."
is not unknown on the Pampas and the prairie:
After sailing away over the plain, like a ship going out to sea, untilit was a mere speck on the horizon, Pizarro's horse thought it time toreduce its pace; but here Pizarro did not agree with it. He appliedwhip and spur until his steed was quite exhausted. Then he turnedhomewards, and galloped back to the corral, into which he turned theanimal in a very broken and humble state of mind. There it foundseveral young friends who had just been subdued in a similar manner, andit is not altogether improbable that they spent the remainder of thatevening in comparing notes!
"A roughish method, but--aw--effective," remarked the sportsman to hisfriend.
This was true. Perhaps Quashy's remark to Lawrence was equally true:--
"Dat dood it pritty slick, massa; but I've seed it as well dood, p'r'apsbetter, by kindness."
There is this, at all events, to be said in regard to the rough system,that no man but an athlete could endure the fatigue of the process,while any man--or even woman--has physical strength sufficient toconquer by love, if only he, or she, possess the requisite patience andmilk of human kindness.