by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
ATTACKED BY GYMNOTI.
Gaspar's promise to give them a dinner of the three orthodox courses--fish, flesh, and fowl--was only meant in a jocular sense. For theflesh, their stock of _charqui_ is not drawn upon; and as to fowl, thesoldier-crane would be a still more unpalatable morsel. So it resultsin their dining simply upon fish; this not only without sauce, butswallowed at second-hand!
While they are occupied in the eating it, the gaucho, seeming morecheerful than usual, says:--
"I've a bit of good news for you, _hijos mios_."
"Indeed! what?" is their eager inquiry.
"That we are still upon the right road. The redskins have gone pasthere, as I supposed they would."
"You've discovered fresh traces of them, then?"
"I have ever so many scratches of their horses' feet, where they slippedin stepping down to the stream. Quite plain they are; I coulddistinguish them some way off, and with half an eye, as I was hauling inthe _soldado_. Good news, I call it; since we won't have to take theback-track anyhow. What's before us remains to be seen. Possibly, onthe other side we may light on something else, to tell the directionthey've taken. So, we'd better lose no time, but cross over."
Hurriedly finishing their primitive repast, they spring back upon their_recados_, and ride down to the ford.
Once in the water, they find it not quite so shallow, as they hadsupposed from seeing the _garzones_ wading about with but the slightestportion of their shanks below the surface. For at the bottom is asubstratum of mud; a soft slimy ooze, firm enough to support the lightbirds, but through which the heavier quadrupeds, further weighted withthemselves and their baggage, sink to their bellies.
Gaspar is surprised at finding the ford in this condition. It was notso when he passed over it before, and he can only account for the changeby the dust from the _tormenta_ having been blown in large quantitiesinto the stream, then carried down by the current, and settling over theshallow crossing-place.
Whatever the cause, they find it awkward work to wade through the stickyslime. Still, they might have accomplished the crossing withoutaccident, and doubtless would have done so, but for an impediment ofanother kind--one not only altogether unexpected, but far more to bedreaded than any danger of their going head and ears over into the ooze.For just as they have reached mid-stream, and are splashing andfloundering on, Gaspar, who is riding ahead, and shouting backdirections to the others, all at once finds his attention fully occupiedin looking to himself, or rather to his horse. For the animal has cometo a stop, suddenly and without any restraint of the rein, and standsuttering strange snorts, while quivering throughout every fibre of itsframe!
Glancing over his shoulder, the gaucho sees that the other horses havealso halted, and are behaving in a precisely similar manner, theirriders giving utterance to excited exclamations. Ludwig looks a pictureof astonishment; while, strange to say, on Cypriano's countenance theexpression is more one of alarm! And the same on the face of the gauchohimself; for he, as the young Paraguayan comprehends the situation, andwell knows what has brought their horses so abruptly to a halt.
"What is it, Gaspar?" questions Ludwig, now also alarmed at seeing theothers so.
"Eels!" ejaculates the gaucho.
"Eels! Surely you're jesting?" queries the incredulous youth.
"No, indeed," is the hurried rejoinder. "I only wish it were a jest.It's not, but a dire, dangerous earnest. _Santissima_!" he cries out,in addition, as a shock like that of a galvanic battery causes him toshake in his saddle, "that's a _lightning eel_, for sure! They're allround us, in scores, hundreds, thousands! Spur your horses! Force themforward, anyway! On out of the water! A moment wasted, and we'relost!"
While speaking, he digs the spurs into his own animal, with his voicealso urging it onward; they doing the same.
But spur and shout as they may, the terrified quadrupeds can scarce begot to stir from the spot where first attacked by the electric eels.For it is by these they are assailed, though Gaspar has given them aslightly different name.
And just as he has said, the slippery creatures seem to be all aroundthem, coiling about the horses' legs, brushing against their bellies, atintervals using the powerful, though invisible, weapon with which Naturehas provided them; while the scared quadrupeds, instead of dashingonward to get clear of the danger, only pitch and plunge about, atintervals standing at rest, as if benumbed, or shaking as though struckby palsy--all three of them, breathing hard and loud, the smoke issuingfrom their nostrils, with froth which falls in flakes, whitening thewater below.
Their riders are not much less alarmed: they too sensibly feelingthemselves affected by the magnetic influence. For the subtle currentpassing through the bodies of their horses, in like manner, and almostsimultaneously enters their own. All now aware that they are in realdanger, are using their utmost efforts to get out of it by spurring,shouting to their animals, and beating them with whatever they can laytheir hands on.
It is a desperate strife, a contest between them and the quadrupeds, asthey strive to force the latter forward, and from out of the perilousplace. Fortunately, it does not last long, or the end would be fatal.After a short time, two of the three succeeded in reaching the bank:these Gaspar and Cypriano; the gaucho, as he feels himself on firmground, crying out:--
"Thank the Lord for our deliverance!"
But scarce has the thanksgiving passed his lips, when, turning facetowards the stream, he sees what brings the pallor back into his cheeks,and a trembling throughout his frame, as if he were still under thebattery of the electric eels. Ludwig, lagging behind, from being lessable to manage his mount, is yet several yards from the shore, and whatis worse, not drawing any nearer to it. Instead, his horse seems stuckfast in the mud, and is making no effort to advance; but totters on hislimbs as though about to lose them! And the youth appears to have lostall control not only of the animal but himself; all energy to act,sitting lollingly in his saddle, as if torpid, or half-asleep!
At a glance Gaspar perceives his danger, knowing it of no common kind.Both horse and rider are as powerless to leave that spot, as if heldupon it in the loop of a _lazo_, with its other end clutched in thehands of a giant.
But a _lazo_ may also release them; and at this thought occurring to himopportunely, the gaucho plucks his own from the horn of his _recado_,and with a wind or two around his head, casts its running noose overthat of the imperilled youth. It drops down over his shoulders,settling around both his arms, and tightening upon them, as Gaspar, witha half wheel of his horse, starts off up the sloping acclivity. Inanother instant, Ludwig is jerked clean out of his saddle, and fallswith a splash upon the water. Not to sink below its surface, however;but be drawn lightly along it, till he is hoisted high, though not dry,upon the bank.
But the gaucho's work is still unfinished; the horse has yet to berescued from his dangerous situation; a task, even more difficult thanreleasing his rider. For all, it is not beyond the skill of Gaspar, northe strength of his own animal. Hastily unloosing his long, plaitedrope from the body of the boy, and readjusting the loop, he again flingsit forth; this time aiming to take in, not the head of Ludwig horse, butthe pommel and cantle of his high-back saddle. And just as aimed, sothe noose is seen to fall, embracing both. For Gaspar knows how to casta lasso, and his horse how to act when it is cast; the well-trainedanimal, soon as he sees the uplifted arm go down again, sheering roundwithout any guidance of rein, and galloping off in the oppositedirection.
In the present case, his strength proves sufficient for the demand madeupon it, though this is great; and the debilitated animal in the water,which can do nought to help itself, is dragged to the dry land nearly asmuch dead as alive.
But all are saved, horses as well as riders. The unseen, but dangerous,monsters are deprived of the prey they had come so near making captureof; and Gaspar again, even more fervently than before, cries out ingratitude--
"Thank the Lord for o
ur deliverance!"