In Far Bolivia: A Story of a Strange Wild Land

CHAPTER XII-BENEE ENTRENCHED-SAVAGE REVELS IN THE FOREST

The trench in which he found himself was farhigher than was necessary, and fronted by hugestones. It was evidently the work of human hands, but by what class of people erected Benee could notimagine.

He could spare a few boulders anyhow, so, whilethe enemy was still far below, he started first one, then another, and still another, on a cruise down themountain-side and on a mission of death.

These boulders broke into scores of large fragmentslong before they reached the savages, two of whomwere struck, one being killed outright.

And Benee knew his advantage right well, and, taking careful aim now with his repeating-rifle-asixteen-shooter it was, – he fired.

He saw the bullet raise the dust some yards aheadof the foe, who paused to gaze upwards in greatamazement.

But next shot went home, for Benee had got therange, and one of the five threw up his hands witha shriek, and fell on his face, to rise no more.

Rendered wild by the loss of their companions, theothers drew their knives and made a brave start forBenee's trench.

But what could poor savages do against the deadlyfire of civilized warfare. When another of theirnumber paid the penalty of his rashness, the otherthree took fright and went racing and tumbling downthe hill so quickly that no more of Benee's shots tookeffect.

Roland had given Benee a field-glass before hestarted, and through this he watched the flying figuresfor many a mile, noting exactly the way they took, and determining in his own mind to choose a somewhatdifferent route, even though he should have tomake a wide detour.

He started downhill almost immediately, well-knowingthat these dark-skinned devils would returnreinforced to seek revenge.

He knew, moreover, that they could follow up atrail, so he did all in his power to pick out the hardestparts of this great moorland on which to walk.

He came at last to a stream. It was very shallow, and he plunged in at once.

This was indeed good luck, and Benee thought nowthat Peggy's God, who paints the sky at sunrise, was really looking after him. He could baulk hispursuers now, or, at least, delay them. For theywould not be able to tell in which direction he hadgone.

So Benee walked in the water for three miles.This walk was really a leaping run. He would havegone farther, but all at once the stream became veryrapid indeed, and on his ears fell the boom of awaterfall.

So he got on shore with all haste.

But for five miles on from the foot of the leaping, dashing, foaming linn, the stream was flanked byacres of round, smooth boulders.

These could tell no tale. On these Benee wouldleave no trail. He leapt from one to the other, andwas rejoiced at last to find that they led him to aforest.

This was indeed a grateful surprise, so he enteredthe shade at once.

Benee, after his exciting fight and his very longrun, greatly needed rest, so he gathered some splendidfruit and nuts, despite the chattering and threatenedattacks of a whole band of hideous baboons, and thenthrew himself down under the shade of a tree ina small glade and made a hearty meal.

He felt thirsty now. But as soon as there wassilence once more in the forest, and even the parrotshad gone to sleep in the drowsy noontide heat, hecould hear the rush of water some distance ahead.

He got up immediately and marched in the directionfrom which the sound came, and was soon on thepebbled shore of another burn.

He drank a long, sweet draught of the cool, delicious water, and felt wondrously refreshed.

And now a happy thought occurred to him.

Sooner or later he felt certain the savages wouldfind his trail. They would track him to this streamand believe he had once again tried to break thepursuit by wading either up or down stream.

His plan was, therefore, to go carefully back on histracks and rest hidden all day until, foiled in theirattempt to make him prisoner, they should returnhomeward.

This plan he carried into immediate execution, andin a thicket, quite screened from all observation, helaid him down.

He was soon fast asleep.

But in probably a couple of hours' time he satcautiously up, and, gently lifting a branch, lookedforth.

For voices had fallen on his ear, and next minutethere went filing past on his trail no fewer than fifteenwell-armed warriors.

They stopped dancing and shouting at the treewhere Benee had sat down to feed, then, brandishingtheir broad knives, dashed forward to the stream.

They had evidently gone up the river for miles, but finding no trail on the other bank returned tosearch the down-stream.

In his hiding-place Benee could hear their wildshouts of vengeance-deferred, and though he fearednot death, right well he knew that neither his riflenor revolvers could long protect him against suchdesperate odds as this.

There was now peace once more, and the shades ofevening-the short tropical gloaming-were fallingwhen he heard the savages returning.

He knew their language well.

It was soon evident that they did not mean to goany farther that night, for they were quite tired out.

They were not unprovided with food and drinksuch as it was, and evidently meant to makethemselves happy.

A fire was soon lit in the glade, and by its glarepoor Benee, lying low there and hardly daring tomove a limb, could see the sort of savages he wouldhave to deal with if they found him.

They were fierce-looking beyond conception. Mostof them had long matted hair, and the ears of somecarried the hideous pelele. The lobe of each ear ispierced when the individual is but a boy, and isgradually stretched until it is a mere strip of skincapable of supporting a bone or wooden, grooved littlewheel twice as large as a dollar. The stretched lobeof the ear fits round this like the tyre round a bicyclewheel.

The faces of these men, although wild-looking, werenot positively ill-favoured, though the mouths werelarge and sensual. But if ever devil lurked in humaneyes it lurked in theirs.

They wore blankets, and some had huge chains ofgold and silver nuggets round their necks.

Their arms were now piled, or, more correctlyspeaking, they were trundled down in a heap by thetree.

While most of them lay with their feet to the nowroaring fire, a space was left for the cook, whocleverly arranged a kind of gipsy double-trident overthe clear embers and commenced to get ready the meal.

The uprights carried cross pieces of wood, and onthese both fish and flesh were laid to broil, while largeyams and sweet-potatoes were placed in the ashes toroast.

By the time dinner was cooked the night was darkenough, but the glimmer of the firelight lit up thesavages' faces and cast Rembrandtesque shadows farbehind.

It was a weird and terrible scene, but it had littleeffect on Benee, who had often witnessed tableaux farmore terrifying than this.

Then the orgie commenced. They helped themselveswith their fingers and tore the fish and flesh offwith their splendid teeth.

Huge chattees of chicaga, a most filthy butintoxicating beer, now made their appearance. It wasevident enough that these men were used to being onthe war-path and hunting-field.

The wine or beer is made in a very disgustingmanner, but its manufacture, strangely enough, isnot confined to Bolivia. I have seen much the sameliquor in tropical Africa, made by the Somali Indians, and in precisely the same way.

The old women or hags of the village are assembledat, say, a chief's house, and large quantities ofcocoanuts and various other fruits are heaped together inthe centre of a hut, as well as large, tub-like vesselsand chattees of water.

Down the old and almost toothless hags squat, and, helping themselves to lumps of cocoa-nut, &c., they commence to mumble and chew these, now andthen moistening their mouths with a little water, thejuice is spit out into calabashes, and when these arefull of the awful mess they are emptied into the big bin.

It is a great gala-day with these hideous old hags,a meeting that they take advantage of not only formaking wine but for abusing their neighbours.

How they cackle and grin, to be sure, as theirmouths work to and fro! How they talk and chatter, and how they chew! It is chatter and chew, chewand chatter, all the time, and the din they make withteeth and tongues would deafen a miller.

When all is finished, the bins are left to settleand ferment, and in three days' time, thesupernatant liquor is poured off and forms the winecalled chicaga.

Had anyone doubted the intoxicating power ofthis vilest of all vile drinks, a glance at the scenewhich soon ensued around the fire would speedilyhave convinced him.

Benee lay there watching these fiends as theygradually merged from one phase of drunkenness toanother, and fain would he have sent half a dozenrevolver bullets into the centre of the group, but hislife depended on his keeping still.

The savages first confined themselves to merrytalking, with coarse jokes and ribaldry, and frequentoutbursts of laughter. But when they had quaffedstill more, they must seize their knives and get up todance. Round and round the blazing fire they whirledand staggered through the smoke and through itagain, with demoniacal shouts and awful yells, thatawakened echoes among the forest wild beasts farand near.

Then they pricked their bodies with their knivestill the blood ran, and with this they splashed eachother in hideous wantonness till faces and clothes weresmeared in gore.

All this could but have one ending-a fight.

Benee saw one savage stabbed to the heart, and thenthe orgie became a fierce battle.

Now was Benee's time to escape.

Yet well he knew how acute the power of hearingis among the Bolivian savages. One strange noise, even the crackle of a bush, and the fighting wouldend in a hunt, and he would undoubtedly lose his life.

But he wriggled and crawled like a snake in thegrass until twenty yards away, and now he movedcautiously, slowly off.

Soon the glare of the fire among the high treeswas seen no more, and the yelling and cries were farbehind and getting more and more indistinct everyminute.

Benee refreshed himself at the stream, pulled somefood from his pocket, and ate it while he ran.

He knew, however, that after fighting would comedrowsiness, and that his late entertainers would soonbe fast asleep, some of their heads pillowed, perhaps,on the dead body of their murdered comrade.

If there be in all this world a more demonish wretchthan man is in a state of nature, or when-even amongChristians-demoralized by drink, I wish to get holdof a specimen for my private menagerie. But thecreature should be kept in a cage by itself. I wouldnot insult my monkeys with the companionship ofsuch a wretch, should it be man or beast.

CHAPTER XIII-THE MARCH TO THE LOVELESS LAND

On and on hurried Benee now, at his old swinging trot.

On and on beneath the splendid stars, his onlycompanions, that looked so calmly sweet and appeared sonear. God's angels surely they, speaking, as theygazed down, words from their home on high, peaceand good-will to men, and happiness to all that livedand breathed.

On and on over plains, through moor and marsh,by lake and stream, by forest dark and jungle wild.It was evident that Benee meant to put leaguesbetween himself and the camp of his recent enemiesbefore each star grew beautiful and died; before thefiery sun leapt red above the eastern hills, and turnedthe darkness into day.

Benee had come onwards with such a rush thateven the slimy alligators, by pond or brown lake, lefttheir lairs among the tall nodding reeds and dashed interror into the water.

Prowling wild beasts, the jaguar and puma, alsohurried off at his approach, and many a scared birdflew screaming up into the darkling air.

But Benee heeded nothing. His way lay yonder.That bright particular star away down on thesouthwestern horizon shone over the great unexploredregion of Bolivia.

Morning after morning it would be higher andhigher above him, and when it shone at an angle offorty-five degrees he would be approaching the landof the cannibals.

Yes, but it was still a far cry to that country. Bythe time the sun did rise, and the mists gatheredthemselves off the valleys and glens that lay low beneathhim, Benee felt sadly in want of rest.

He found a tree that would make him a good sleepingplace, for the country he was now traversing aboundedin hideous snakes and gigantic lizards, and he courtednot the companionship of either.

The tree was an Abies of some undefined species.

Up and up crawled Benee, somewhat encumberedby his arms.

He got through a kind of "lubbers' hole" at last, though with much difficulty, and, safe enough here,he curled up with his face to the stem, and was soonso fast asleep that cannons could not have awakened him.

But satisfied Nature got uneasy at last, and far ontowards evening he opened his eyes and wonderedwhere he was.

Still only half-awake, he staggered to his feet andmade a step forward. It was only to fall over theend of a huge matted branch, but this branch loweredhim gently on to the one immediately beneath it, andthis down to the next, and so on. A strange mode ofprogression certainly, but Benee found himself sittingon the ground at last, as safe and sound as if he hadcome down in a parachute.

Then his recollection came back to him. He soughtout some fruit-trees now and made a hearty meal, quenched his thirst at a spring, and once moreresumed his journey.

For three days he marched onwards, but always bynight. The country was not safe by day, and hepreferred the companionship of wild beasts to that ofwilder men. In this Benee was wise.

But awaking somewhat earlier one afternoon, hesaw far beneath him, a town, and in Benee's eyes itwas a very large one.

And now a happy idea struck him. He had money, and here was civilization. By and by he would be inthe wilds once more, and among savages who knewnothing of cash. Why should he not descend, mixwith the giddy throng, and make purchases of redcloth, of curios, and of beads. He determined to do so.

But it would not do to go armed. So he hid hisrifle and pistols in the bush, covering them carefullyup with dried grass. Then he commenced the descent.Yes, the little town, the greater part of which wasbuilt of mud hovels, was full, and the streets crowded, many in the throng being Spaniards, Peruvians, andPortuguese.

Benee sauntered carelessly on and presently came tothe bazaar.

Many of the police eyed him curiously, and one ortwo followed him.

But he had no intention of being baulked in his purpose.

So he entered a likely shop, and quickly made hispurchases.

Wrapping these carefully up, he slung the bundleover his shoulder and left.

He stumbled over a lanky Portuguese policeman afew yards off.

The man would have fallen had not Benee seizedhim in his iron grasp and brought him again to hisequilibrium.

Then he spoke a few words in Bolivian, and madesigns that he wished to eat and drink.

"Aguardiente!" said the officer, his eyes sparklingwith joy.

He had really harboured some intentions of throwingBenee into the tumble-down old prison, but adrink would be a far better solution of the difficulty, and he cheerfully led the way to a sort of hotel.

And in twenty minutes' time this truly intelligentmember of the force and Benee were lying on skinmats with apparently all the good things in this lifespread out before them.

The officer was curious, as all such men are, whetherheathens or not, to know all about Benee, and put tohim a score of questions at least, part of which Beneereplied to with a delicate and forgivable fib.

So the policeman was but little wiser at the end ofthe conversation than he was at the beginning.

About half an hour before sunset, Benee was oncemore far up on the moorlands, and making straightfor the place where he had hidden his guns andammunition.

But he stopped short and stared with astonishmentwhen, before rounding the corner of the wood, a pistolshot rang out in the quiet air, followed by the mostterrible shrieking and howling he had ever listened to.

He hurried on quickly enough now, and as he didso, a whole herd of huge monkeys, apparently scaredout of their senses, rushed madly past him.

Close to the jungle he found one of his revolvers.One chamber had been emptied, and not far off lay ababoon in the agonies of death. Benee, who, savagethough he was, evidently felt for the creature, mercifully expended another shot on it, and placed itbeyond the reach of woe.

He was glad to find his rifle and other revolverintact, but the cartridges from his belt were scatteredabout in all directions, and strenuous efforts hadevidently been made to tear open his leathernammunition-box.

It took some time to make everything straight again.

Now down went the sun, and very soon, after ashort twilight, out came the stars once more.

Benee now resumed his journey as straight as hecould across the plateau.

He had not travelled many hours, however, beforeclouds began to bank up and obscure the sky, and itbecame very dark.

A storm was brewing, and, ushered in by low mutteringthunder in the far distance, it soon came on in earnest.

As the big drops of rain began to fall, shining in theflashes of the lightning like a shower of molten gold,Benee sought the shelter of a rocky cave which wasnear to him.

He laid him down on the rough dry grass to waituntil the storm should clear away.

He felt drowsy, however. Perhaps the unusuallygood fare he had partaken of in the village hadsomething to do with this; but of late his hardships hadbeen very great indeed, so it is no wonder that nowexhausted Nature claimed repose.

The last thing he was conscious of was a long, low, mournful cry that seemed to come from the far interiorof the cave.

It was broad daylight when he again awoke, andsuch an awakening!

Great snowy-breasted owls sat blinking at thelight, but all the rocks around, or the shelves thereof, were alive with coiling, wriggling snakes of huge size.

One had twined round his leg, and he knew that ifhe but moved a muscle, it would send its terriblefangs deep into his flesh, and his journey would be atan end.

Gradually, however, the awful creature unwounditself and wriggled away.

The sight of this snake-haunted cave was too muchfor even Benee's nerves, and he sprang up and speedilydashed, all intact, into the open air.

—

Notwithstanding his extraordinary adventure inthe cave of serpents, the wandering Indian felt infine form that day.

The air was now much cooler after the storm, allthe more so, no doubt, that Benee was now travellingon a high table-land which stretched southwards andwest in one long, dreary expanse till bounded on thehorizon by ridges of lofty serrated mountains, in thehollow of which, high in air, patches of snow rested, and probably had so rested for millions of years.

The sky was very bright. The trees at this elevation,as well as the fruit, the flowers, and stuntedshrubs, were just such as one finds at the Cape of GoodHope and other semi-tropical regions. The groundon which he walked or trotted along was a mass ofbeauty and perfume, rich pink or crimson heaths, heather and geraniums everywhere, with patches ofpine-wood having little or no undergrowth. Manyrare and beautiful birds lilted and sang their songsof love on every side, strange larks were high in air, some lighting every now and then on the ground, themusic of their voices drawn out as they glideddownwards into one long and beautiful cadence.

There seemed to be a sadness in these last notes, asif the birds would fain have warbled for ever and foraye at heaven's high gate, though duty drew themback to this dull earth of ours.

But dangers to these feathered wildlings hoveredeven in the sunlit sky, and sometimes turned the songsof those speckled-breasted laverocks into wails ofdespair.

Behold yonder hawk silently darting from thepine-wood! High, high he darts into the air; he haspositioned his quarry, and downwards now he swoopslike Indian arrow from a bow, and the lark's brightand happy song is hushed for ever. His beautiful matesitting on her cosy nest with its five brown eggs looksup astonished and frightened. Down fall a few dropsof red blood, as if the sky had wept them. Downflutter a few feathers, and her dream of happiness isa thing of the past.

And that poor widowed lark will forsake her eggsnow, and wander through the heath and the scrub tillshe dies.

—

Benee had no adventures to-day, but, seeing far offa band of travellers, he hid himself in the afternoon.For our Indian wanted no company.

He watched them as they came rapidly on towardshis hiding-place, but they struck off to the east longbefore reaching it, and made for the plains andvillage far below.

Then Benee had his dinner and slept soundlyenough till moonrise, for bracing and clear washeaven's ozonic breath in these almost Alpine regions.

Only a scimitar of a moon. Not more than threedays old was it, yet somehow it gave hope and heartto the lonely traveller. He remembered when a boyhe had been taught to look upon the moon as a goodangel, but Christianity had banished superstition, andhe was indeed a new man.

After once more refreshing himself, he started onhis night march, hoping to put forty miles behindhim ere the sun rose.

Low lay the white haze over the woods a sheerseven thousand feet beneath him.

It looked like snow-drifts on the darkling green.

Yet here and there, near to places where the riverglistened in the young moon's rays were bunches oflights, and Benee knew he was not far from townsand civilization. Much too near to be agreeable.

He knew, however, that a few days more of hislong weary march would bring him far away fromthese to regions unknown to the pale-face, to a landon which Christian feet had never trodden, a lovelessland, a country that reeked with murder, a countrythat seemed unblessed by heaven, where all was moraldarkness, as if indeed it were ruled by demons andfiends, who rejoiced only in the spilling of blood.

But, nevertheless, it was Benee's own land, and hecould smile while he gazed upwards at the nowdescending moon.

Benee never felt stronger or happier than he didthis evening, and he sang a strange wild song tohimself, as he journeyed onwards, a kind of chant towhich he kept step.

A huge snake, black as a winter's night, uncoileditself, hissed, and darted into the heath to hide. Beneeheeded it not. A wild beast of some sort sprang pasthim with furious growl. Benee never even raisedhis rifle. And when he came to the banks of areed-girt lake, and saw his chance of shooting a hugecayman, he cared not to draw a bead thereon. Hejust went on with his chant and on with his walk.Benee was truly happy and hopeful for once in his life.

And amid such scenery, beneath such a galaxy ofresplendent stars, who could have been aught else?

 
"How beautiful is night!
A dewy freshness fills the silent air;
No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain,
Breaks the serene of heaven.
In glory yonder moon divine
Rolls through the dark-blue depths,
Beneath her steely ray
The desert circle spreads,
Like the round ocean girdled with the sky.
How beautiful the night!"
 

But almost before he could have believed it possible,so quickly do health and happiness cause time to fly, along line of crimson cloud, high in the east, betokenedthe return of another day.

The night-owls and the great flitting vampire batssaw it and retreated to darksome caves. There washeard no longer far over the plain the melancholyhowl of the tiger-cat or snarl of puma or jaguar.

Day was coming!

Day was come!