In New Granada Part 8

Most thankful was I when at length I found my horse beginning to walk, and I soon set my own feet on the ground. Even then it was no easy matter to get along; while there was the risk that my horse, in his struggles, would strike me with his hoofs.

We landed at last, and taking the reins, I dragged him up the bank.

Antonio followed closely. Scarcely had we reached the top when we heard the rattle of musketry, and several bullets struck the ground around us.

At some little distance, however, was a wood. If we could gain it, we should be in safety; for should the enemy attempt to swim across the stream their muskets and powder would be damaged, while we should get well ahead before they had time to construct rafts in order to ferry them over.

We threw ourselves upon our horses; but scarcely had I got into my saddle, when I heard a peculiar thud, and felt that a bullet had struck me--whereabouts I could not for the moment tell.

"On, on!" I shouted to Antonio.

"O senor, you are bleeding!" he exclaimed.

"I suppose so," I answered, "for I felt something strike me; but never mind--on, on!"

We dashed forward; and I was in hopes that I might retain my strength until we could reach the camp. Another volley came rattling after us, but we escaped being hit, and in a few seconds were in the midst of trees, among which we made our way as fast as we could, frequently having to leap or scramble over fallen trunks. But nothing stopped us.

It was not likely that we should encounter any of the enemy on the side we had gained; but still it was possible, and it was necessary to keep our eyes about us.

I had been too much excited to feel any pain, but at length I began to experience an uncomfortable sensation, though I would not consent to stop and allow Antonio to bind up my wound. I did not fancy, indeed, that it could be very severe.

"Do, senor, allow me to bind your sash over the wound, or you will faint from loss of blood; then it will be difficult to get you back," said Antonio.

At length I yielded to his persuasions. We both dismounted; and having tethered our horses, he set scientifically to work to bandage my wound.

"It was high time to do this, senor," he observed; "a few more minutes, and you would have had no more blood in your veins."

He tore off a piece of my shirt, and with a pocket handkerchief made a pad, which he bound on my side. This increased the pain, but at the same time it stopped the flow of blood, which was running down my trousers into my boots. I then again mounted, though not without difficulty, and rode on, doing my best to keep my saddle; but I had to confess that I felt very weak. Most thankful was I, therefore, when we came in sight of our camp. Some of the tents were pitched on a long ridge, protected by mountains in their rear, while a steep bank sloped down to the valley. Other tents appeared to the right, also on elevated ground. Altogether, the position was one of considerable strength, and well chosen. Large numbers of troops were exercising in the valley below.

After pa.s.sing the videttes, as we rode along the southern ridge, overlooking this valley, we saw a horseman approaching us. It proved to be my _ci-devant_ tutor, Mr Laffan,--now holding the rank of captain.

"What has happened, my dear Duncan?" he exclaimed as he saw me. "You look as pale as death. Why, you must be wounded; no doubt about it."

I gave him a brief account of what had happened; with which he was, of course, horrified.

"We must get the doctor to you, in the first place; then you can make your report to the general."

But just then we saw the general approaching, so we rode forward to meet him. He would at first scarcely credit the fearful account I had to give; but it was confirmed by Antonio, who described how he had seen me leap from the window, and how the Pastucians had fired at us.

"Have any of the officers escaped?" he asked.

I told him I was afraid every one had been killed.

"We must avenge them," he said; "such treachery deserves the most complete punishment. Now go, young senor, and get your wound looked to," he added.

As I rode off, he summoned several of his staff, and issued orders to prepare for an attack.

I was carried to Captain Brown's tent.

"I must look after you," said Captain Brown; "for had you not gone, I should most certainly have been murdered with the rest of the poor fellows."

The news I brought naturally excited the greatest indignation, especially amongst the officers and men of the regiment of the Cauca.

All hoped that the Pastucians would attack us that night. The troops were got under arms, and every preparation was made for the battle, though the tents were allowed to stand, in order to deceive the enemy's scouts.

Juan, hearing that I was wounded, came to see me, and expressed his sorrow.

"I thought I should have had you by my side in to-morrow's fight," he said; "for, from what I can hear, if the Pastucians do not attack us we shall attack them, and I hope to punish them severely for their treachery. It is in keeping with their character, and our poor fellows should not have trusted them."

Neither Juan nor Mr Laffan could stay with me long, as they had to attend to their men, and every officer was needed. Captain Brown and Antonio looked after me, however; and the doctor a.s.sured me that, if I remained quiet, I might be able to sit my saddle again in a few weeks.

"A few weeks!" I exclaimed; "I thought a few days would put me to rights, doctor."

"For the sake of getting another bullet through you," he observed.

"Well, I will patch you up as far as I can; you must do as you think fit."

I lay awake, expecting every instant to hear the rattle of musketry and the booming sound of our field-pieces, but the night seemed to be pa.s.sing away quietly. At last I dropped off to sleep.

"If the enemy intended a night attack, they had thought better of it when they found that you had escaped and given us warning," said Captain Brown, when he awoke me in the morning and gave me the breakfast that Antonio had brought. "When they do come, I must go out with my regiment, whether ill or well; but you, Sinclair, must remain in camp-- you will be unable to sit a horse for many days."

From the excessive weakness I felt, I feared that he was right, but I was much disappointed at the thought of being unable to take part in the expected battle.

I had been sleeping for some time, when I was awakened by the sound of firing. No one was in the tent, for, in spite of his illness, Captain Brown had joined his regiment and gone to the front. Weak as I was, I thought that I could manage to crawl up to some neighbouring height, from whence I might see what was going forward. The sound of the rattling of musketry now came up the valley, with the louder boom of our artillery, so I could resist the temptation no longer. Supporting myself on a stick, therefore, with a spy-gla.s.s hanging by a strap over my shoulders, I left the tent and made my way on, sometimes crawling on my hands and knees, until I reached a rock overhanging the camp, where I could lie down and rest the gla.s.s on a ledge just above me.

Our troops crowned the heights of the opposite side of the valley. It was not of sufficient elevation, however, to prevent me seeing over it on to the plain beyond, where the Pastucians were moving, endeavouring to force their way to the northward--their main body attacking our centre, while other divisions were marching to the right and left, evidently with the hope of outflanking the Patriots. I could clearly distinguish the different corps. The centre stood their ground. Juan with his cavalry drove back the enemy on the right; while the Cauca regiment, charging, prevented the body threatening our left flank from gaining the advantage they expected.

Frequently the Pastucians were so near that their shot came flying across the valley; but, their powder not being of the best, the bullets had by that time expended their force. Among their leaders I saw several friars; and, mounted on a fine horse, I recognised the bishop.

He and his stalwart secretary had crucifixes in their left hands and bright swords in their right, which they kept vehemently flourishing.

Now the bishop would hold up his crucifix, and now point with his sword at the Patriots. Then the enemy, with shrieks and shouts, would charge right up to our men; but on each occasion they were driven back with dreadful slaughter. Two or three monks were knocked over; still the bishop and his lieutenant seemed to bear charmed lives. Perhaps superst.i.tion had something to do with it, and our men were afraid to fire at a right reverend prelate.

At times I feared that the Patriots would give way, and on one occasion the bishop and his followers had nearly succeeded in breaking our line; but the regiment of the Cauca coming up, flushed with their previous success, charged the enemy and drove them back headlong--the bishop and his secretary, the ex-captain of dragoons, setting the example, and scampering off at a rate which made it difficult to overtake them. I expected to see Juan's troopers in pursuit, but he was meanwhile hotly engaged with a body of the enemy's cavalry, which after a sharp contest he defeated,--though they rallied again to cover the retreat of the bishop.

Soon after this I lost sight of the main body of our army, which had advanced; but small parties were seen coming to the rear, bringing in the wounded. I observed one party going towards the cavalry tents, which were directly below me. The men were carrying an officer on a stretcher, and as I brought my gla.s.s to bear on them I saw, to my grief, that the wounded man was Captain Laffan. Anxious to low whether he was much hurt, I immediately began my descent from the position, though in doing so, in my weak state, I nearly rolled to the bottom. Fortunately I met one of the camp-followers, who a.s.sisted me along, and by his help I got to Laffan's tent, and found my friend in the hands of the surgeon.

"You are where you should not be, young man!" exclaimed the latter when he saw me.

"But I want to know how my friend is," I said.

"What, Duncan, my boy!" exclaimed the captain, who recognised my voice.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I wish you had remained in bed. I have only a bullet or two through me, and a sabre-cut on my arm dealt by one of those six rascals whom I was attacking. If there had been one less, I should have cut them all down. As it was, three bit the ground.

Don't fear! I shall be all right, with a little plastering and bandaging,--shall I not, doctor?"

"Yes, yes, captain, you'll do very well; but you must keep quiet for a few hours.--And you, Mr Sinclair, must get back to your tent."

I endeavoured to obey the surgeon, but, overcome with exertions for which I was ill-fitted, I sank down in a dead faint.

"Now this is too bad of the boy, when I want to be attending his friend," I heard the doctor say, after he had poured some cordial down my throat, which somewhat restored me. On this, two men whom he summoned took me up and carried me back to Captain Brown's tent.

Towards evening, a portion of our troops returned to guard the camp, but the main body was advancing in pursuit of the Pastucians.

The next day less satisfactory news arrived. The enemy had been reinforced, and the Patriot army had had no little difficulty in maintaining its position.