In New Granada Part 11

We lay listening and perfectly still, for as we could hear everything that was said, we knew that the slightest noise might have betrayed us.

"Are you convinced, gentlemen, that the English doctor is not here?" I heard Don Ca.s.siodoro ask. "Now, I desire you to apologise to me for your intrusion. The general knows best whether it would be politic to shoot a skilful surgeon and an Englishman, who is willing and able to heal the wounds of the loyal subjects of King Ferdinand as well as of rebels. My belief is, that although he may love liberty in the abstract, he is too much engaged in his professional duties to interfere in any way in politics."

At length we heard the front door close, and Don Ca.s.siodoro returned to the recess to tell us that we might come down, but that my father must be ready to return to his place of concealment at a moment's notice.

"And you, young sir," he said, turning to me, "it will be wise in you to keep out of the way of General Calzada; for, should he find out whose son you are, he might seize you as a hostage for the doctor."

On this, my father told Don Ca.s.siodoro that he was anxious to send me and my tutor to Bogota, and that under the circ.u.mstances it would be safer for us to travel under a.s.sumed names.

Don Ca.s.siodoro at once agreed to render all the a.s.sistance in his power; for he saw that the sooner I could set off the better. So, in the first place, as it was necessary to obtain a couple of horses, he immediately undertook to supply us from his own stud, and also to advance any money we might require.

While my father was writing the letters, I hastened back to our own house, being still dressed as a groom. I found Mr Laffan seated at the table as he proposed, with a flag over his head. The house, as I had fully expected, had been visited and searched, but had not been plundered. Probably the officers had been forbidden to plunder it, in order that my father might be the more easily enticed back.

On hearing the proposed plan, Mr Laffan sprang to his feet, and declared that he was ready at once to proceed. The question was, What was to be done with the house?

"Leave dat to me," said Paul; "me find honest woman who fight like one panther 'fore she let any one come into de house."

As a precautionary measure, we concealed all the most valuable articles we could find; leaving, however, a few silver forks and spoons to mislead plunderers, who might suppose that they were the only things in the house worth taking.

The dominie--for so I may again call him--having dressed in as appropriate a style as possible, as the tutor of a young English milord, and Lobo having warned us that the coast was clear, we left the house to proceed to a posada where Don Ca.s.siodoro had arranged to send the horses. I carried the valise containing Mr Laffan's wearing apparel.

My own was in the provision-basket on my back. The load, I must say, was rather a heavy one. Lion rushed out with us. At first I thought of leaving him as a guard to the house, but he seemed to have made up his mind to come, and Mr Laffan advised me to take him. "The n.o.ble brute may render us good service on our journey, and I would sooner have him than half a dozen guards, who would be very likely to rob us, or run away if we were attacked." Lion wagged his tail and showed every sign of satisfaction when he understood that I intended to take him with me.

On arriving at the posado, the dominie put a piece of money into my hand, as if to pay me for having carried his valise; and I heard him tell the landlord that he was waiting for a young English milord, who was anxious to return home by way of Bogota. I then hurried back to Don Ca.s.siodoro's, where I resumed my proper costume. To prevent my being recognised, my father had provided a pair of huge whiskers and moustaches, and by careful painting he made me look considerably older than I was. With the aid of a few additions to my costume, I certainly looked as I had never done before. Even the young ladies, when I came downstairs, did not at first recognise me. My father, having given me all needful instructions, supplied me with a purse and the letters he had written; while Don Ca.s.siodoro put into my hands a pa.s.sport, which he had obtained at considerable risk of implicating himself. He then ordered a servant to strap my valise on the saddle of my horse, while another mounted servant led the horse intended for the dominie.

"That man is as true as steel," observed Don Ca.s.siodoro. "You cannot proceed without an attendant, and I have directed him to accompany you.

You will find Domingo of the greatest use. He believes you to be what you profess to be. I have charged him not to let it be known that he is in my service, so as to prevent inconvenient questions."

We reached the posada without being stopped.

"I am so glad my dear young lord has come," said the dominie, turning to the host; "for though the Royalists have gained the day at present, we do not know how soon those dreadful Republicans may have the upper hand."

"Truly, truly," answered the landlord, bowing to me. "Milord will be glad to return to England, where all, I am told, are true Royalists."

"Milord does not understand much Spanish," observed Mr Laffan; "we must wish you farewell."

As we might have risked discovery by further delay, we rode forward; Domingo, armed to the teeth, following us. Mr Laffan, I found, had two brace of pistols in his holsters, and a sword, which he kept concealed under his cloak. I, of course, carried one in my character of a young gentleman of fortune, and I also had a brace of pistols; so that we were tolerably well-armed. Mr Laffan, who had taken the pa.s.sport, produced it with a flourish at the gates, and begged that milord might not be troubled with unnecessary delay. The officer on guard bowed politely, and we were allowed to pa.s.s. I had little expected to get on so well, but no one seemed to suspect our character.

As soon as we were out of sight of the city, we pushed forward, anxious to get as far as we could before nightfall. Our road was to be due north for a considerable distance, along the banks of the Cauca. After this we were to turn to the right over the Quindio mountains to reach Bogota. Our great object was to push on to such a distance from Popayan, that I might not run the risk of being recognised by any persons who knew me. The letters I carried were couched in such language, that had they fallen into the hands of the Spaniards I should still have been safe. They spoke of me as a young Englishman of fortune who had come over to see the beauties of the country, and who proposed to spend a short time at Bogota on his way down the Magdalena to Cartagena, from whence he expected to embark for England. They requested that the friends to whom they were addressed would render him every a.s.sistance in carrying out the objects of his journey, especially in obtaining any information he might desire. They were mostly addressed to well-known Royalists, still better to conceal my real object.

I cannot stay to describe the numerous incidents of the journey. The first night we stopped at the house of the padre of a village. I found him to be a man of liberal sentiments, from what he said to Mr Laffan; though, keeping up my character, I did not venture to speak. At first I felt surprised at this; but I afterwards discovered that he possessed a Bible, which he constantly studied.

"You Englishmen appreciate the book," he observed to my tutor; "but I have, on several occasions, been compelled to hide it, lest I should be accused of being an enemy to Spain."

Continuing our journey, we travelled along the base of the Cordilleras, which towered to the skies on our right. The scenery was most magnificent. From a height we had reached we cast our eyes over the beautiful valley, with one or two large villages near us, and the pretty town of Calli in the distance. We made our way towards it, though it was somewhat out of our direct course. The inhabitants were generally supporters of the Liberal cause, and had suffered greatly from the Spaniards. As we got close to the bridge we stopped to inquire which was the princ.i.p.al inn in the place. Crossing the bridge, we rode through the streets of the neat little town in search of a posada, at which we agreed that it would be more prudent to stop than with a resident, as I might thus be able to gain much more information from the conversation of the visitors than I could at the house of a private person. Everywhere the town exhibited traces of the visit of an enemy.

Many of the houses were deserted, others had been burned to the ground.

Several were in ruins, and the walls, in many places, were bespattered with bullet-marks.

Domingo took our horses round to the shed which served as a stable, while we entered the public room, the centre of which was occupied by a long table with rough benches on either side, at which several persons-- merchants, small traders, and carriers--were seated. Mr Laffan requested to be supplied with food, and asked if we could have a room in which our hammocks could be slung up.

The landlord a.s.sured him that the whole house was at our command.

"Yes," said Mr Laffan, "but we would rather have a room to ourselves.

This young English milord likes to be quiet."

The landlord examined me with a curious look, and said he should be happy to clear out a room at present occupied by some of his family.

I asked Mr Laffan to tell me what the landlord had said, and in reply begged to a.s.sure him that I would not on any account put his estimable family to so much inconvenience; that we would, therefore, sling our hammocks at the further end of the hall.

He was not long in placing a very fairly concocted olla-podrida before us. It consisted of beef, fowls, bacon, mutton, and a variety of vegetables, all cooked together, and tolerably free from garlic. The landlord remarked, as he tasted it before us, "I am aware that the English do not like much of that root, as I discovered by observing the expressions of disgust exhibited by the countenances of some British officers for whom I had prepared a dish with rather more, perhaps, than the usual allowance of seasoning. One of them declared that he was poisoned, and compelled me, at the point of his sword, to eat the whole of it; while another clapped the dish upside down on my head, and insisted on my producing some other food of a less savoury character. I have remembered ever since that Englishmen do not like garlic."

While the landlord was talking, I endeavoured to listen to the conversation going on at the other part of the table. I gathered from it some satisfactory news. Bolivar was again in arms, and at the head of a considerable force, with which he had been successful in Venezuela, and was marching towards New Granada. I earnestly hoped that he might capture Bogota before the Spaniards had put our friends to death. Once or twice I was tempted to ask questions, and only recollected just in time that I was supposed not to understand Spanish. Some of the men at the supper-table eyed me, I fancied, narrowly; but whether they suspected who I was, or were considering whether it would not be profitable to rob the young English milord, I could not make out.

Mr Laffan and Domingo having secured our hammocks, we turned in, with our pistols by our sides, while Lion took up his usual post under where we lay.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

OUR JOURNEY CONTINUED--A SNAKE KILLED--ABUNDANCE OF ANIMAL LIFE--PAUCITY OF INHABITANTS--BLACK HERDSMEN--VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS OF THE CAUCA VALLEY--BEAUTIFUL SCENE NEAR CARTAGO--WE ENTER CARTAGO--A WRETCHED POSADA--MR. LAFFAN SEARCHES FOR CARRIERS--A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER--THE SILLEROS--ARRANGEMENTS FOR CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS--THE OFFICER TELLS US OF THE ESCAPE OF DONA DOLORES--A MIDNIGHT ROBBER--LION KEEPS GUARD--WE HAVE CAUSE TO BE UNEASY--THE SPANISH OFFICER STARTS BEFORE US--OUR JOURNEY OVER THE QUINDIO MOUNTAINS COMMENCED--A RUINED VILLAGE.

We left Calli at daybreak, before the rest of the guests were astir. I was not altogether satisfied that we had escaped detection; and from the appearance of some of the characters at the supper-table, I thought it possible that an attempt might be made to rob us. How Domingo might act, I could not tell; but I was very sure that, in the event of being attacked by banditti, Mr Laffan would prove to them that they had caught a Tartar. The road we traversed was as bad as could be.

Sometimes our horses descended the hills almost on their haunches; at others we were compelled to dismount and lead them up the steep inclines. We had several streams to cross; some we were able to ford, others were spanned by wooden bridges. One of these was thrown over a rapid river which flowed at the foot of some steep and huge rocks, above which was a level s.p.a.ce with inaccessible-hills on either side.

"That would form a good military post," observed Mr Laffan, pointing to the spot. "Either our friends or our enemies will take possession of it one of these days, and it will prove a hard matter to drive them out."

I noted the spot, as well as his remark.

At the next stream we came to, which was a more tranquil one than the former, we had an adventure. As we were crossing it, we observed a large snake swimming towards us. On it came, with its head and part of its body raised out of the water. On nearing us it stopped, apparently watching our motions. I then knew, by the black cross which I observed on its neck, that it was of the species called aquis, one of the boldest and most venomous of the serpents of that region. Mr Laffan, not liking the creature's appearance, and naturally thinking it intended to attack us, drew his pistol.

"You had better not, senor," cried Domingo; "you are very likely to miss, and the brute will come after us. Let me take it in hand. Please hold my horse."

Domingo dismounting, ran a short distance, to a place where we saw a number of bamboos growing. He cut one with his sword, and then advanced to fulfil his promise. The aquis had all the time remained perfectly quiet, with its eyes fixed on us. As Domingo approached, the creature put out its forked tongue, and raised itself higher in the water, as if preparing to make a dart at its enemy. On this, Domingo retired to a distance; but he and the snake continued to watch each other for some minutes. Suddenly the aquis turned round, and began to swim to the other side of the river. The moment Domingo observed its head turned from him he rushed to the bank, and before it got beyond his reach gave it three or four tremendous blows with the bamboo, which made it turn on its back. Then following up the attack, he succeeded in killing the creature. On measuring it, we found that it was upwards of six feet in length.

"It never does to run from these creatures," observed Domingo, as he remounted; "they will follow even a horse for a league or more, and move as rapidly, provided the ground is not too dry."

In the meadows we observed large numbers of fine cattle.

"Ah, senor, you might have seen twice as many before the Spaniards pa.s.sed by," said Domingo; "but they slaughtered all they could get, sometimes merely for the sake of their tongues. It is a pity that the people should have rebelled against their lawful sovereign; and this is the consequence."

Mr Laffan made no reply. It was as well, for our purpose, that Domingo should appear so loyal.

In the woods, and often flying across the valley, we saw various kinds of birds, macaws and parrots; some of the latter had yellow plumage on the breast, wings, and tail, and red feathers on the head. We also met with wild turkeys, grouse, and partridges in large numbers; and we frequently caught sight of deer scampering over the hills. But sometimes, during a whole day, we did not pa.s.s a single house of any size, while the cottages of the peasantry were scattered at long distances from each other.

As we proceeded down the valley, however, we saw a number of neat country-houses and cottages; while the soil appeared to be fruitful in the extreme, and nothing could surpa.s.s the beauty of the scenery. The numbers of the cattle also increased. They were under the charge of black slaves, who were riding about looking after them. We saw neither Creoles nor Indians: the latter had made their escape to the forests and mountains, and the former had been carried off to serve in either the one army or the other. The appearance of the blacks on horseback was singular. On their heads they wore large straw hats, while their bodies were covered by a cloak made of rushes, which served to keep out both the heat and the rain. Their legs were bare, but their feet were protected by sandals, to which were fastened spurs of huge dimensions.

Each man carried by his left side a long manchette, or sword-knife, secured to his girdle. They were all galloping as hard as they could go, wheeling their horses round and then halting in a moment.

"Those fellows would make useful cavalry, if they could be got to face the enemy; and I should like to find myself at the head of a thousand of them," observed Mr Laffan. "We should give a good account of any of the Spanish lancers we might fall in with."

Soon after this, on the sh.o.r.es of a small lake, we came upon a curious tree, which Mr Laffan p.r.o.nounced to be the wax-palm, or the _Ceroxilon andicola_. From its appearance I should have supposed that it could only grow in the very warmest regions; but it is of so happy a const.i.tution that it flourishes equally well in temperate and in cold climates. We afterwards found some on the mountains of Quindio. They are the most hardy of the Palm tribe: where others would perish, or a.s.sume a dwarfed or stunted form, the wax-palm raises its stem, in the form of an elegantly-wrought column, a hundred and fifty feet high, with a splendid leafy plume. From the leaves and trunk exudes a grey and acrid matter, which on drying a.s.sumes the nature of wax as pure as that of bees, but rather more brittle. I have seen tallow-candles surrounded by a thin coating of this wax, which, not melting as rapidly as the tallow, prevents the candle from guttering.