CHAPTER V.
THE CARIB'S PLEDGE.
The next day Hernando mounted his charger, and went forth to theforest. Guarcia's flower had withered, though he had kept its stem incrystal water all night. He was impatient to hear her voice again,athirst for the sweet words that told him of her love. As he gallopedthrough the forest, followed by the hounds that had learned to crouchat Guarcia's feet and play lovingly with her fawns, a figure steppedsuddenly across his path and seized his horse by the bit. The horse,restive at feeling a strange hand near his head, made an attempt torear, but the Carib savage drew him back to the earth with a wrenchof his strong arm, and, before Hernando could speak, was looking himgravely in his face.
"Come with me, stranger, there is a black cloud over this path."
"I am used to danger, chief, as some of your tribe may know," saidHernando, smiling, as he touched the hilt of his sword.
"Vipers are not killed with weapons like that," answered the chief; "itis with them you have to deal."
"Well, what of them? I prefer an open foe, like the warriors of yourtribe. You are an enemy to our people, but now and straightforward whatother assailant need I fear?"
"We are foes to the Spaniard, but not to you. Come, and I will show youthe snares which white men lay for each other."
"But what if this were itself a snare?"
The Indian drew a knife from his belt, and seizing Hernando's hand inhis iron grasp, pierced a vein with the point. Applying his lips to thecut, he drew a mouthful of blood and swallowed it. Then dashing oneclenched hand against his broad chest, he exclaimed, with vehemence:
"The blood of my pale brother flows here. What Carib ever betrayed hisown blood?"
Hernando knew that this was a sacred pledge, and turning to the Indian,with a smile, bade him lead on.
The Indian did not smile, but his eyes broke into a blaze of delight,and, with a gesture, he plunged into the forest.
Some four or five miles from the place of the encounter lay a stretchof swampy land, dark and dismal as stagnant water and the slimy growthof swamp vegetation could render it. Many a rough passage and deepgully lay between the broad savannas and this dreary spot; but thesavage passed them without halting, and Hernando followed, though hisgood steed grew restive with the broken path. At last they came out ona precipice which it was impossible that the horse could descend.
"Leave your beast here--he will be safe," said the Indian pointing to afootpath which wound like a black serpent down the precipice.
Hernando dismounted, tied his horse to a sapling, and prepared tofollow his guide on foot. With a step as firm and more rapid than awild goat's, the savage took to the path. Hernando followed. Witha fearless and steady step, they wound their way still on the edgeof the precipice, till the moon had risen, and flung her luxuriantgilding upon every object. They now walked more rapidly, and soon tooka southern course, and began to descend. Hernando now understood wherehe was going. The continual and monotonous cries of the frogs, and thetall trees with their long festoons of Spanish moss--which hung overthe alluvial bottom, like the curtains of a funeral pall--indicatedsufficiently that they were approximating, or had already reached theCypress Swamp. Many a slimy toad hopped croaking out of their way, asthey advanced in the swamps, and the angry scream of some huge "swampowl," as it flapped its broad wings, and malignantly snapped its billat them, gave him a hint that it was time to tread warily in the tracksof his guide, or he might suddenly be precipitated headlong into themud and slime, for they were approaching the interior of the swamp.
After walking for some time, till even the Indian, whose knowledgeof that country was unlimited, was constrained to step with extremecaution, for fear of sinking into the deceptive mud, they stopped. Thescene around bore a terrifying appearance--not one step further couldthey advance, without being overwhelmed in mud and water. As far asthe eye could see, by the imperfect light which penetrated that dismalspot, was but one sickening sight of the green mud and water, where nohuman foot could tread without sinking ten feet or more, to find deathat the bottom.
"Look upon that spot," said the savage, pointing with his finger toa pool of stagnant water; it had the appearance of being deep, and alarge green frog sat on a broken stump that floated there, with hisgray eyes fixed upon them, and with his hind legs drawn under him, asif preparing to leap into their faces. Hernando turned his eyes awayfrom this loathsome sight. "That spot," continued the savage, stillpointing toward it--"that spot was to have been my white brother'sgrave."
"What!" exclaimed Hernando, recoiling; "what you say can not betrue--who could make that spot my grave? Is this a time for triflingwith me, chief?"
"It is not, my white brother! I did not bring you here to play withyour feelings, but to save your life; you look at me,--you wouldinquire what interest I have in saving your life. Listen: It was agreat many summers ago, when a Carib chief went out to shoot deer; hewalked all day--no deer--he sat on a log, tired and hungry; while hesat there, weak and tired, almost asleep, a crouching panther sprangupon him and bore him to the earth; the Carib fought hard, for he wasfighting for his life, but he was weak and hungry, and the pantherseized him and was bearing him off, when a white man, who heard thenoise, came running to the spot. He, drawing his knife like a truewarrior, jumped upon the enraged animal's back, and stabbed him to theheart. The Indian was saved. The white man had a warrior's heart--hetook from his wallet some provisions, which he gave to his starvingbrother, and bade him eat, then he walked off. The Carib's heartswelled, and when the pale man had disappeared, he fell upon one knee,and called the Great Spirit to witness, and he swore an oath; he sworein the presence of that mighty Spirit to protect all in whom that paleman's blood flowed."
"That man was my father," interrupted Hernando; "I have heard him tellthat story many times; and what became of the Carib?"
"He stands before you! Now will my pale brother suspect me of playingwith his feelings? But stay. The Carib became a great chief in hisnation, and sat in the councils of Caonabo. He still hunted in thesewoods, and as he hunted three suns ago, sounds came to his ears, moreterrific than the swamp owl's, for it was not the sound of defiance,but of cowardly murder. Two men advanced; your brother, who did notwish to be seen, stepped behind a tree. It was a big Captain of thefort, and a man whom I have seen taking care of the horses at thefort--a slim-faced Spaniard, with eyes like a snake's; their looks wereblack, and they talked of murder; your brother understood, for he hadlearned their language in trading with them; they struck upon the trackthat we have just passed--what would they in this track, for no gamecan live here? Your brother followed them cautiously, and the slim onecursed my white brother, because he loved a daughter of the Spaniardwhose mother was a Carib princess, and he swore he should be killed,and hid from his comrades in the black heart of the cypress swamp. Ileft them, and hunted you--here we are!"
Hernando was thunderstruck at what he heard; a feeling of horrorpervaded his frame, as he looked around on that dismal spot. The talltrees above them bore no other verdure than the rank Spanish moss,which swept the swamp far and wide, and the dark green water, with itsthousand loathsome reptiles, was horrible to look upon.
"My brother must keep a sharp eye about him--he must play the fox, andif the Spaniards are too strong, send this belt to Orazimbo, and hewill find your brother, who will come to your help though he must bringas many warriors as there are leaves on the trees."
Hernando took the belt, which glittered richly even in that murkylight; for it was a girdle of virgin gold, flexible, from its ownpurity, with a rivulet of burning opal stones, rough emeralds, and rudegems running through it like a rainbow.
READY AUGUST 15TH.
BEADLE'S DIME NOVELS, NO. 5.--"THE GOLDEN BELT; OR, THE CARIB'SPLEDGE," COMPLETE.
Transcriber's Notes:
Added table of contents.
Italics are represented with _underscores_.
Retained some unusual (presumed archaic) spellings (e.g. "musquitoes").
Page 10, added missing quote after "no older."
Page 13, added missing quote after "new clo'es."
Page 15, changed "a a watchin'" to "a watchin'" and added missingperiod after "right away."
Page 32, the line "The sun went down in a clear sky; there were noclouds to" appeared several lines above its intended position; it hasbeen moved down.
Page 51, changed "your love-cracked" to "you're love-cracked."
Page 54, added missing period after "her fears."
Page 63, changed "of of thrashing" to "of thrashing."
Page 65, changed "somethimg" to "something."
Page 88, added missing period after "dis worl'."
Page 91, removed extra quote after "sure 'nuff."
Page 96, changed period to question mark in "May I pray for you, Ben?"
Page 104, changed comma to period after "groomsman with Virginia."Added missing period after "rag-carpeting."
Page 105, changed period to question mark after "upon my trips?"
Page 113, changed comma to period after "in de wood."
Page 124, changed "begining" to "beginning."
Alice Wilde: The Raftsman's Daughter. A Forest Romance Page 16