by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER THIRTY.
THE "SACRED TOWN."
While the pursuing party is peacefully reposing upon the stalagmites ofthe cavern, that pursued reaches its destination--the "Sacred town" ofthe Tovas.
The _tolderia_, so named, stands upon a level plain, near the shore of alarge and beautiful lake, whose numerous low-lying islets, covered witha thick growth of the _moriche_, have the appearance of palm-grovesgrowing direct out of the water itself.
A belt of the same stately trees borders the lake all around, brokenhere and there by projecting headlands; while away over the adjacent_campo_, on the higher and drier ground, are seen palms of other anddifferent species, both fan-leaved and pinnate, growing in copses orlarger "montes," with evergreen shrubs and trees of deciduous foliageinterspersed.
At some three or four hundred yards from the lake's edge, a high hillrises abruptly above the plain--the only elevation within many miles.Thus isolated, it is visible from afar, and forms a conspicuous featureof the landscape; all the more remarkable on account of its singularshape, which is the frustrum of a cone. Though its sides are of steeppitch, they are thickly wooded to the summit; trees of large sizestanding upon its table-like top. But something more than trees standthere; the scaffolds upon which are laid the bodies of the Tovas dead;hundreds of which may be seen in all stages of decay, or shrivelled anddesiccated by the dry winds and sun of the Chaco till they resembleEgyptian mummies. For it is the "Cemetery Hill," a spot hallowed in thehearts of these Indians, and so giving the title of "Sacred" to thisparticular place, as the town adjacent to it. The latter is situatedjust under the hill, between its base and the shore of the lake. Nogrand city, as might be supposed from such a high-sounding name, butsimply a collection of palm and bamboo _toldos_, or huts, scatteredabout without any design or order; each owner having been left free toselect the site of his frail tenement, since among the Tovas municipalregulations are of the simplest and most primitive character. True,some dwellings, grander and more pretentious than the common, aregrouped around an open space; in the centre of which is one much largerthan any of the others, its dimensions equalling a dozen of them. Thisis not a dwelling, however, but the _Malocca_, or House of Parliament.Perhaps, with greater propriety, it might be called "Congress Chamber,"since, as already hinted at, the polity of the Tovas tribe is ratherrepublican than monarchical.
Strange, as sad, that in this republic of redskins, and so-calledsavages, should exist the same political contradiction as among someother republican communities, having the name of civilised. Foralthough themselves individually free, the Tovas Indians do not believein the doctrine that all men should be so; or, at all events, they donot act up to it. Instead, their practice is the very opposite, asshown by their keeping numbers of slaves. Of these they have hundreds,most of them being Indians of other tribes, their enemies, whom theyhave made captive in battle. But to the Tovas master it signifieslittle what be the colour of his bondman's skin, whether white or red;and many of the former, women as well as men, may be seen doing drudgeryin this same Sacred town--its hewers of wood and drawers of water.These are also captives, the spoil of predatory incursions across theSalado into the settlements of Santiago, Salto, and Tucuman.
Most of these slaves, employed in the care of cattle, live apart fromtheir masters, in a sort of suburb, where the dwellings are of a lesspermanent character than the ordinary _toldos_, besides beingdifferently constructed. They more resemble the tents, or wigwams, ofthe North-American Indians; being simply a number of poles set in acircle, and tied together at the tops; the hides of horses coveringthem, instead of the buffalo skins which serve a similar purpose on thenorthern prairies.
It may seem strange that captives with white skins, thus left unguarded,do not make their escape. But no; those so kept do not even seek ordesire it. Long in captivity, they have become "Indianised," lost allaspirations for liberty, and grown contented with their lot; for theTovas are not hard taskmasters.
On the night of that same day, when the _tormenta_ overtook them, Aguaraand his party approach the Sacred town, which is about twenty miles fromthe edge of the _salitral_, where the trail parts from the latter, goingwestward. The plain between is no more of saline or sterile character;but, as on the other side, showing a luxuriant vegetation, with the samepicturesque disposal of palm-groves and other tropical trees.
The hour is late--nigh to midnight--as the captive train passes underthe shadow of the Cemetery Hill, making round to where the _tolderia_stands; for both lake and town are on the west side of the hill.
Well may the young cacique feel something of fear, his face showing it,as he glances up to that elevated spot where he so late laid the corpseof his father. Were that father living, he, the son, would not bepassing there with the daughter of Ludwig Halberger as his captive.Even as it is, he can fancy the spirit of the deceased cacique hoveringover the hill, and looking frowningly, reproachfully, down upon him!
As if to escape from such imaginary frowns, he gives the lash to hishorse; and setting the animal into a gallop, rides on alone--havingfirst placed the captive under the charge of one of his followers.
On reaching the _tolderia_, however, he does not go direct to his owndwelling, which is the largest of those adjacent to the _malocca_. Noryet enters he among the _toldos_; but, instead, makes a wide circuitaround them, taking care not to awake those sleeping within. The placefor which he is making is a sort of half hut, half cave, close in to thebase of the hill, with trees overshadowing, and a rocky background ofcliff.
Arrived in front of this solitary dwelling, he dismounts, and, drawingaside the horse's skin which serves as a swing door, calls out:--
"Shebotha!"
Presently a woman appears in the opening--if woman she could be called.For it is a hag of most repulsive appearance; her face half hidden by atangle of long hair, black, despite old age indicated by a skinshrivelled and wrinkled as that of a chameleon. Add to this a pair ofdark grey eyes, deep sunken in their sockets, for all gleamingbrilliantly, and you have the countenance of Shebotha--sorceress of theTovas tribe--one of cast as sinister as ever presented itself in adoorway.
She speaks not a word in answer to the friendly salutation of thecacique; but stands silent in bent, obeisant attitude, with her skinnyarms crossed over her breast, as it waiting to hear what he wouldfurther say. His words are by way of command:
"Shebotha! I've brought back with me a captive--a young girl of thepalefaces. You must take charge of her, and keep her here in your hut.She's not yet come up, but will presently. So get things ready toreceive her."
Shebotha but bends lower, with an inclination of the head, to imply thathis instructions will be attended to. Then he adds--
"No one must see, or converse with her; at least, not for a time. Andyou mustn't admit any one inside your _toldo_, except the witless whitecreature, your slave. About him it don't signify. But keep out allothers, as I know you can. You understand me, Shebotha?"
She makes answer in the affirmative, but, as before, only by a nod.
"Enough!" is the young chief's satisfied rejoinder, as he vaults backupon his horse, and rides off to meet the captive train, which he knowsmust be now near.
That night, as for other nights and days succeeding, Francesca Halbergerhas this horrid hag for a hostess, or rather the keeper of her prison;since the unhappy girl is in reality kept and guarded as a prisoner.