VIII.
VIVA GENERALISSIMO PIEROLA.
I did not do anything for the woman. Shot through the heart, she waspast all aid. I made a dash into a by-street, intending to reach thestation, get my engine ready and go to Ilo to prevent the insurgentsfrom using the road to transport their troops. But I ran into anofficer's arms before I had gone a block. He had been looking for meall night, and told me I was his prisoner. I was to be taken beforeSenor Pierola. Meantime I was to be treated with every consideration,the officer paying for breakfast and cigars, and insisting on mydrinking some ale which he had taken as a contraband of war.
It was some time before we could get near the great leader of therevolution, the approaches to his house being crowded with people.Ladies were prominent among the crowd, carrying flowers and declaringtheir deliverer had come to make Peru the greatest nation on thePacific.
After the officer presented me Pierola asked me if I spoke Spanish.Upon being answered in the affirmative, he asked my name, nationalityand how long I had been employed by the Peruvian government; all ofwhich being answered to his satisfaction, he asked me if I would workfor him, and if I would, in the event of his being victorious, Ishould be appointed to take charge of the Ilo and Moquequa railways.He only wanted me to convey troops down the valley, take up some ofthe rails to prevent the government troops from using the line, andthen before he retreated to another position which he would fortify,to dismantle the engine and hide the parts, so that in case thegovernment troops should come to Moquequa the engine would be of noservice to them.
I replied that I was a British subject, and that if I were to do whathe requested of me, and should be taken prisoner by the government,and the fact became known that I had taken part, I would be unable toclaim the protection of my government. He agreed that that was true,but he would insure against that by sending a few troops with me, andit would look as if force was compelling me to do what, which withoutforce, I would not have done.
I finally agreed, and after giving my word that I would not attempt toescape, received orders to take the engine, as a squad of soldierswould accompany me, and at a certain place along the line which theywould designate, the rails would be torn up. We started thatafternoon.
We carried two flat cars to load the rails on. About forty miles fromMoquequa we discovered another train coming toward us, but upon ournearer approach they backed off rapidly. It was a party of governmenttroops sent out to ascertain whether the road was clear in order tobring up their main body. Our company then took up rails and made theroad dangerous in ten different places. We blew up a small woodenbridge with giant powder.
The officer in charge made frequent stops in the valley and levied atribute of money on all the wine merchants he could find. They usuallygave, as they knew too well the consequence of refusing. Those who hidaway found, on their return, their wine presses and vaults in ruins.
On our return to Moquequa, I was ordered to disable the engine, whichI did by taking off both valve stems and driving rods. The officer hidthem and that was the last I ever saw of them. We attended a dancewhich lasted all night, and drank much wine in anticipation of thesuccess of the revolution. It was a gala night. There was dancing andmusic in nearly all the houses.
In the early morning bugles, drums and other instruments began makinga hideous noise, officers were commanding men to form ranks, horses,mules and donkeys were running hither and thither, and dogs werebarking. Here and there were groups of men learning to load theirrifles, others endeavoring to parry and thrust with cutlasses andmaking fierce swings at an imaginary government soldier. Louder andhoarser came the call of the officers, but their commands were lost onthe motley crowd. After several hours the officers succeeded ingetting the men into some kind of marching order.
I turned to a store to buy some cigars, when I heard someone calling,and turning I beheld three of my fellow prisoners that a few monthsbefore were in jail convicted of murder. One straightened out his handto me, but I did not take it. I asked them how they escaped; it wasthe old story. The insurgents needed recruits and they were liberatedon condition that they fight for Pierola.
Such was Peru, and such it is today. Instead of the people supportingthe government, the government supports the people, and when all itsfavors become exhausted, then some one arises and proclaims himselfpresident, organizes a band of thieves and murderers, and endeavorsto gain control.
There have been exceptions, when an indignant people, who have beentrodden to such an extent that it seems a revolution is the only meansof righting their wrongs; but nine out of ten are the work of anambitious man who wants to become ruler.
I asked the ex-convicts where the other three were who had beenconfined with them. Two had died and the other was with the troops.They begged for money and I gave them a dollar each, and afterprofusely thanking me they left to follow the rear guard of Pierola'sscoundrels.
After purchasing my cigars, I followed the main body of troops with myescort of twenty soldiers, to keep guard over me, as arranged withGeneral Pierola. Our destination was Torato, thirty miles fromMoquequa. The road led over passes and wound around mountain sides,and from several points of vantage I could see the army on the march,with General Pierola and a priest by his side in the lead. The priestwas there to inspire courage in those who might waver. The armynumbered six hundred infantry and two hundred cavalry, many of whomdid not know the duties of a soldier.
On arriving at Torato, I secured quarters for myself and escort at theexpense of the insurgent general. A month passed in wine drinking anddancing. There were gay festivities every night, lasting sometimesuntil late the next morning, the officers seldom seeing their men.Instead of drilling them, they spent their time telling how they weregoing to annihilate the government troops. Some little fortifying hadbeen done, but the natural surroundings were sufficient to prevent aprudent attack. One day the news came that the government troops wereadvancing and then some little work was done to prepare for battle.
The day before the battle, I told General Pierola I had no objectionsto following him to the battlefield, but in consideration of being anon-combatant, I asked the privilege of selecting my own course,giving him my word of honor that I would not make any attempt toescape. He was satisfied and gave me a pass allowing the freedom Idesired. The next day the cry arose that the government troops wereonly six miles away. There was hurrying to and fro with no discipline.The priest accomplished more by his cross than all the officers. Therewas a babel of voices. All were trying to give commands. Suddenlyheavy firing was heard, the outpost had become engaged at last.