CHAPTER II.
THE CONTEST.
The dwellers on the Mexican frontiers are accustomed to fightcontinually with wild animals, both men and brutes, that continuallyattack them. Hence the stranger was but slightly affected by theunexpected visit of the two jaguars. Although his position between histwo ferocious enemies was somewhat precarious, and he did not at allconceal from himself the danger he ran alone against two, he did not theless resolve to confront them bravely. Not taking his eye off the jaguarhe had first seen, he went back a few steps obliquely, so as to have hisfoes nearly opposite him, instead of standing between them. Thismanoeuvre, which demanded some little time, succeeded beyond his hopes.The jaguars watched him, licking their lips, and passing their pawsbehind their ears with those graceful movements peculiar to the felinerace. The two wild beasts, certain of their prey, seemed to be playingwith it and not over eager to pounce on it.
While keeping his eye on the watch, the Mexican did not yield to anytreacherous feeling of security: he knew that the struggle he was aboutto undertake was a supreme one, and he took his precautions. Jaguarsnever attack a man unless forced by necessity; and the latter tried,before all, to seize the horse. The noble animal, securely fastened byits master, exhausted itself in efforts to break the bonds that held it,and escape. It trembled with terror on scenting its ferocious enemies.
The stranger, when his precautions were completely taken, shouldered hisrifle for the second time. At this moment the jaguars raised theirheads, while laying back their ears and snuffing anxiously. An almostimperceptible sound was audible in the bushes.
"Who goes there?" the Mexican asked in a loud voice.
"A friend, Don Miguel Zarate," was the reply.
"Ah! It is Don Valentine," the Mexican continued. "You have arrived justin time to see some fine sport."
"Ah, ah!" the man who had already spoken went on. "Can I help you?"
"It is useless; but make haste if you want to see."
The branches were sharply drawn aside, and two men appeared in theclearing. At the sight of the jaguars they stopped, not through alarm,for they quietly placed the butts of their rifles on the ground, but inorder to give the hunter every facility to emerge victoriously from hisrash combat.
The jaguars seemed to comprehend that the moment for action had arrived.As if by one accord, they drew themselves up and bounded on their enemy.The first, struck in its leap by a bullet which passed through its righteye, rolled on the ground, where it remained motionless. The second wasreceived on the point of the hunter's machete, who after discharging hisrifle, had fallen on his knee, with his left arm folded in his blanketin front, and the machete in the other hand. The man and the tigerwrithed together in a deadly embrace, and after a few seconds only oneof the adversaries rose: it was the man. The tiger was dead: thehunter's machete, guided by a firm hand, had passed right through itsheart.
During this rapid fight the newcomers had not made a sign, but remainedstoical spectators of all that was taking place. The Mexican rose,thrust his machete in the grass to clean the blade, and turning coldlyto the strangers, said:
"What do you say to that?"
"Splendidly played," the first answered; "it is one of the best doublestrokes I ever saw in my life."
The two men threw their rifles on their shoulders, and walked up to theMexican, who reloaded his piece with as much coolness and tranquillityas if he had not just escaped from a terrible danger by a miracle ofskill.
The sun was sinking on the horizon, the shadow of the trees assumed aprodigious length, and the luminary appeared like a ball of fire amidthe limpid azure of the heavens. The night would soon arrive, and thedesert was awaking. On all sides could be heard, in the gloomy andmysterious depths of the virgin forest, the hoarse howling of thecoyotes and the other wild beasts, mingled with the song of the birdsperched on all the branches. The desert, silent and gloomy during theoppressive heat of the day, emerged from its unhealthy torpor on theapproach of dark, and was preparing to resume its nocturnal sports.
The three men in the clearing collected dried branches, made a pile ofthem and set fire to it. They doubtlessly intended to camp for a portionof the night at this spot. So soon as the flames rose joyously, skywardin long spirals, the two strangers produced from their game bags maizetortillas, jerked meat, and a gourd of pulque. These various comestibleswere complacently spread out on the grass, and the three men began ahunter's meal. When the gourd had gone the round several times, and thetortillas had disappeared, the newcomers lit their Indian pipes, and theMexican rolled a papelito.
Although this meal had been short, it lasted, however, long enough fornight to have completely set in ere it was ended. Perfect darknessbrooded over the clearing, the ruddy reflections of the fire played onthe energetic faces of the three men, and gave them a fantasticappearance.
"And now," the Mexican said, after lighting his cigarette, "I will, withyour permission, explain to you why I was so anxious to see you."
"One moment," one of the hunters answered. "You know that in the desertsthe leaves have often eyes, and the trees ears. If I am not mistaken inyour hints, you invited us here that our interview might be secret."
"In truth, I have the greatest interest in nothing of what is said herebeing overheard, or even suspected."
"Very good. Curumilla, to work."
The second hunter rose, seized his rifle and disappeared noiselessly inthe gloom. His absence was rather long; but as long as it lasted, thetwo men left at the fire did not exchange a syllable. In about half anhour the hunter returned, however, and seated himself by his comrades'side.
"Well?" the one who had sent him off asked him.
"My brother can speak," he replied laconically; "the desert is quiet."
On this assurance the three men banished all anxiety. Still prudence didnot abandon them: they took up their pipes, and turned their backs tothe fire, so that they might watch the neighbourhood while conversing.
"We are ready to listen to you," the first hunter said.
"Listen to me with the greatest attention," the Mexican began; "what youare about to hear is of the utmost importance."
The two men bowed silently, and the Mexican prepared to speak again.
Before going further we must introduce to the reader the two men we havejust brought on the stage, and go back a few paces in order to make itperfectly understood why Don Miguel Zarate, in lieu of receiving them athis own house, had given them the meeting in the heart of the virginforest.
The two hunters seemed at the first glance to be Indians; but onexamining them more attentively, you could recognise that one of thembelonged to those white trappers whose boldness has become proverbial inMexico. Their appearance and equipment offered a singular medley ofsavage and civilised life. Their hair was of a remarkable length; for inthose countries, where a man is frequently only fought for the glory oflifting his scalp, it is considered the thing to wear it long and easyto seize.
The hunters had their hair neatly plaited, and intertwined with beaverskins and bright coloured ribbons. The rest of their garb harmonised withthis specimen of their taste. A hunting shirt of bright red calico felldown to their knees; gaiters decorated with woolen ribbons and bellssurrounded their legs; and their feet were shod with moccasinsembroidered with beads which the squaws know so well how to make. Astriped blanket, fastened round the hips by a belt of tanned deer hide,completed their clothing, but was not so closely drawn that at theirevery movement the butt of the pistols and the hilt of the machetesmight be seen glistening. As for their rifles, useless at this moment,and carelessly thrown on the ground by their side, if they had beenstripped of the plume-worked elk skin that covered them, it would havebeen possible to see, with what care their owners had decorated themwith copper nails painted of various colours; for all about these two menbore the imprint of Indian habits.
The first of the two hunters was a man of thirty-eight at the most, talland well-built; his muscular limbs denoted great bodily stren
gth, alliedto unequalled lightness. Although he affected all the manners of theredskins, it was an easy matter to perceive that he not only belonged tothe unmixed white race, but also to the Norman or Gaulish type. He wasfair; his large, blue and pensive eyes, adorned with long lashes, had anexpression of undefinable sadness: his nose was slightly aquiline; hismouth large, and filled with teeth of dazzling whiteness; a thickchestnut beard covered the lower part of his face, which revealedgentleness, kindness, and courage without boasting, though the wholewere combined with a will of iron.
His companion evidently belonged to the Indian race, all thecharacteristic signs of which he displayed; but, strange to say, he wasnot coppery like the American aborigines of Texas and North America; andhis skin was brown and slightly of an olive hue. He had a lofty brow, abent nose, small but piercing eyes, a large mouth and square chin; inshort, he presented the complete type of the American race, whichinhabits a limited territory in the South of Chili. This hunter hadround his brow a purple-coloured fillet, in which was thrust over theright ear a plume of the Andes Eagle, a sign which serves to distinguishthe chiefs of the Aucas.
These two men, whom the reader has doubtless already recognised, as theyplayed an important part in our previously published works[1], wereValentine Guillois, an ex-noncommissioned officer in the Spahis, andCurumilla, his friend--Ulmen of the Great Hare tribe.
We will introduce a parenthesis to explain their present position, andwhich is indispensable for a right understanding of what follows. Themoment is capitally selected, by the way, for opening this parenthesis;for the three hunters are gaily talking round their fire, the night isgloomy, the forest quiet, and it does not appear likely that anythingwill arise to disturb them.
[1] "The Chief of the Aucas," "The Tiger Slayer," "The Gold Finders,""The Indian Chief."
The Trail-Hunter: A Tale of the Far West Page 2