CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
THE CAPTURE OF LA ROQUETA.
It was in vain that Don Cornelio attempted to sleep. Although more thana year of campaigning and the experience of many sanguinary engagementshad inured him to danger, there was something in the peril to which hewas now exposed that was altogether novel and unpleasant.
Their leader had provided against retreat, and to conquer or die hadbecome a positive obligation of the expeditionary force. This wassufficient to keep the involuntary soldier awake for the remainder ofthe night.
He passed the time in reflecting upon the singular _contretemps_ thathad so interfered with his plans of life, and changed, as it were, hisvery destiny. He could now only entertain but one hope and wish, andthat was that the fortress of Acapulco should be taken as soon aspossible: since upon that event being completed, Morelos had promised togrant him leave of absence from the army.
In about an hour afterwards, Costal returned from his scout, andreported to him the result of his explorations, which he had alreadydetailed to the Marshal.
According to the information collected by the Indian, the Spanishgarrison consisted of about two hundred men; who were entrenched in asmall earthwork on the southern side of the isle, and not more thancannon-shot distance from the Mexican encampment. Two field pieces, setin battery, defended the work; and the schooner, whose unlucky shot hadswamped the canoe, lay at a cable's length from the land, in a littlebay that ran up to the fort.
The Mexican leader now knew the position of his enemy, their numbers,and means of defence; and, as soon as the dawn began to appear, hesummoned his little band, and formed them into rank. At the same timehe caused the signal rockets to be carried to an eminence that was neartheir encampment.
"Now, _muchachos_!" said he, addressing his soldiers in an undertone,"whatever point we attack, may be considered as taken. We are about toassault the enemy. We may therefore at once announce to ourgeneral-in-chief, without fear of disappointment, that the isle andfortress of La Roqueta are in our hands. I have promised it."
And without awaiting a reply from any one, the Marshal took the cigarfrom his lips, and held the burning end of it to the fuse of one of therockets.
The piece of hemp became kindled at the touch, and the moment after therocket rose hissing into the air, and described a circle of vivid redagainst the grey background of the sky. A second rocket was sent up,which traced an ellipse of white light; and then a third, whosereflection was a brilliant green.
"Red, white, and green!" cried Galeana, "our national colour. It is thesignal I agreed upon with our General, to announce to him the capture ofthe isle. Our comrades in the Mexican camp have by this time seen thesignal. They believe we have triumphed, and we must not deceive them.Forward to victory!"
On issuing the command, Galeana bounded lightly forward and placedhimself at the head of his men; and the whole troop, guided by Costal,advanced at a rapid pace towards the enemy.
As they approached the fort, cries of distress were heard in thatdirection, which at first filled the assailants with surprise. Thecause, however, was soon apparent. The cries came not from the fort,but from the schooner, which was now seen through an opening between thetrees struggling against the storm, and fast drifting among breakers! Arow of jagged rocks stretched along to leeward; and from driving uponthese rocks, the sailors aboard of her were vainly endeavouring torestrain the ill-fated vessel.
The latter, during the violence of the wind, had dragged her anchors,and was now fast hastening to destruction.
"_Jesus Maria_!" exclaimed Galeana at the sight. "Comrades, what apity! She will undoubtedly be lost, and I had counted upon thismagnificent bounty. _Carrambo_! we shall get nothing but a wreck."
The dangerous situation of the schooner was of course known in the fort,where it had already created considerable confusion. This was nowchanged into consternation by the approach of the insurgents; and thewild war-cry of Galeana, as he sprang forward to the walls, echoed byhis followers, and accompanied as it was by loud peals of thunder,produced something like a panic among the ranks of the Spanish garrison.So sudden was the attack, and so completely unexpected, that it couldscarcely fail of success; and indeed, after a short hand-to-hand combat,one portion of the garrison fled, while the other surrendered withoutconditions to the triumphant Galeana.
Scarcely had the last shot been fired, and the fort delivered up to thevictors, when the schooner, striking violently upon a sharp reef, leantover to one side, and, like a steed gored by the horns of the bull, thesides of the vessel were opened, and she began to sink among the foamingwaves. The victors on shore thought no more of enemies, but now bentall their energies towards saving the unfortunate mariners, whose liveswere thus placed in peril. By means of lazoes flung from the beach,most of the latter were rescued from the death that threatened them.
The sun soon after cast his yellow beams over the agitated bosom of theocean, but his rising had no effect in calming the tempest. The stormcontinued to rage as furiously as ever.
Just as the last of the shipwrecked sailors had been got safely onshore, a flag running up to the signal-staff of the fort announced thata new sail was seen in the offing. In a few minutes after a vessel wasperceived in the roadstead of the bay, struggling against the storm, andendeavouring to stand outward to sea.
This intention the adverse winds seemed trying to prevent; and driven bythese out of her course, the strange ship passed so near the isle ofRoqueta that those in the fort could see the people on board, and evendistinguish the uniforms and faces of the officers upon the quarterdeck.It was evident that the vessel thus coasting past Acapulco was aman-of-war; and the uniforms of the officers aboard of her could plainlybe distinguished as that of the Spanish navy. One was dressed somewhatdifferently from the rest. His costume was military, not naval. It wasthat of an officer of dragoons. Costal, Clara, and Captain Lantejaswere standing on the parapet of the fort, observing the manoeuvres ofthe strange ship, when the keen eyes of the Indian became fixed on thisofficer.
He was a man in the full vigour of youth and strength--as was testifiedby his erect and graceful figure, and by the rich masses of dark hairthat clustered under his laced cap; but an air of profound melancholyseemed resting upon his features, and it was evident that some secretcare was occupying his thoughts far more than the storm or its dangers!
"Do you recognise the officer, yonder?" inquired Costal pointing him outto Clara and Don Cornelio.
"No," replied Lantejas, "I don't remember ever having seen him before."
"He is the same," rejoined Costal, "whom we three formerly knew as acaptain of the Queen's dragoons--Don Rafael Tres-Villas. He is now_Colonel_ Tres-Villas."
"_Por Dios_!" interposed a soldier who was standing near, and who hadcome from the state of Oajaca. "Colonel Tres-Villas! That is he whonailed the head of Antonio Valdez to the gate of his hacienda!"
"The same," assented Costal.
"_Carrambo_!" cried another soldier, "that is the officer who, aftercapturing the town of Aguas Calientes, caused the hair to be croppedfrom the heads of three hundred women who were his prisoners!"
"It is said that he had his reasons for doing so," muttered Costal, inreply.
"Whether or no," said the soldier, "if he comes this way, he'll getpunished for it."
Just as the soldier spoke, the ship became enveloped in a mass of fog--at that moment spreading over the water--and was lost to the view of thepeople on the isle. When she became visible again, it was seen that shewas standing out to sea. By a favourable turn which the wind had taken,she was enabled to gain the offing, and was soon receding from view uponthe distant horizon.
Costal was correct in his identification. The officer thus accidentallyseen, and who was a passenger on board the man-of-war, was indeed DonRafael Tres-Villas, who from one of the northern ports was now on hisreturn to Oajaca, bearing with him to the shores of Tehuantepec aprofound and incurable melancholy.
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The capture of the isle of La Roqueta was an important step towards thetaking of Acapulco. The town itself had fallen into the hands of theinsurgents, almost at the same instant; for Morelos, according toagreement, on perceiving the signals of Hermenegildo, had directed hisattack upon the town, and so brusquely that the place was carried by a_coup de main_.
The possession of La Roqueta enabled the insurgent general to interceptthe supplies of the citadel garrison; and shortly after the fortressitself was compelled to surrender.
This conquest, with which the humble _cura_ had been derisivelyentrusted, rendered him master of the whole southern part of Mexico--from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, almost to the gates of the capitalof New Spain. Twenty-two battles had he gained from that day, when,accompanied by his two domestics, he rode forth from the village ofCaracuaro to raise in Oajaca the banner of the insurrection. To thatprovince, after the taking of Acapulco, it was necessary for him toproceed with his victorious army--in order to assist the insurgents thenbesieged in the town of Huajapam. Thither, but some days preceding him,shall we conduct the reader, in order that we may once more return tothe hero of our predilection.