CHAPTER X.
“The Trauco people!” exclaimed Topsie, into whose mind those words infused a flood of meaning. During her wanderings in Patagonia she had often heard the Indians speak with awe of these wild beings, in whose existence they implicitly believed, but both she and Harry had always laughed at the idea, and declared that the Trauco must be a species of large ape; and this belief had more than ever been confirmed in their minds, by the descriptions given to them by their old hermit uncle, of those “demons of the Andes” who had guarded the great gold mine of Or.
But between the demons and these hairy people a wide gulf of difference yawned, and for the first time Topsie found the word Trauco impressed upon her as the name of a reality of the human species, instead of a mythical ape.
“But, Piñone, how did you get here?” she again inquired in a low voice. “Aniwee and the Araucanians think you dead. After the raid made by you and Cuastral on the Cristianos, Inacayal returned, saying he had seen your dead bodies.”
“Son of a serpent!” hissed the young Indian between his teeth; “and they have elected him Cacique in Cuastral’s place!”
“Not so, Piñone,” answered Topsie quickly. “The Araucanians have made your little daughter, ‘La Guardia Chica,’ Queen, and Aniwee reigns as Queen-Regent. They call her the Warrior Queen, and there is hardly an Araucanian who would not die for her and for the child of Piñone, whose name as well as his father’s is still sung and remembered by them. But how did you and Cuastral get here?”
“It is a story which will occupy some time in telling,” replied the young Cacique; “but first tell me how you have had the ill-luck to become a Trauco’s prisoner.”
“Well, Piñone, it is just this. I and my brother, whom you remember, as well as the tallest of the three Caciques who found us in Patagonia, together with his wife and three children, formed a party to visit Aniwee. In due course we arrived at Las Manzanas, where she welcomed us at the head of three hundred warriors. But even while she was in the act of receiving us the camp was attacked by a body of Cristianos, who endeavoured to carry off the baby Cacique. The child was, however, saved by Graviel, and defended by the few men and women left in camp, till the Queen came to the rescue. A fierce fight ensued. Many of the Cristianos were killed, and the remainder put to flight. Aniwee fought as befitted a Warrior Queen.
“This morning at an early hour we struck tolderias,and marched inland to a beautiful camping ground, which Aniwee said she loved best, because it had been your favourite resting spot. A troupiglia of baguales having been reported, we set forth to try and capture some. During the confusion of a generalmêlée, I managed to lasso the leader of the troop, who gave me a terrible long gallop, and at length entered a big forest which bounded the plain across which we had raced. I must have been knocked from my horse and stunned, for I remember no more until I came to and found myself in the power of a Trauco. Since then we have travelled far, and here I am, as you perceive, Piñone. But I do not despair, for my dog Shag is missing, and I firmly believe that he has gone for help, and will pilot my brother and the others to the rescue.”
Piñone smiled bitterly. “You do not know the Trauco people,” he replied; “they have caves and inaccessible retreats far and near. An attempt made to rescue you would simply result in your being carried off and confined in one of these caves, where no mortal power could reach you. No; escape is the only hope. If we can steal away in the dark, and secrete ourselves, we might manage to obtain our freedom; and it is strange that both Cuastral and myself had made up our minds to attempt flight this very night—and lo! you come upon us.”
“What, Piñone! You are going to try and escape from these people in a strange country without arms, and without a knowledge of your whereabouts?” inquired the girl anxiously. “Surely you will fail, be tracked, and again taken prisoners. Have you tried itbefore? If so, being still here, you must have learnt the hopelessness of the attempt.”
“We tried to escape once, and once only, and we were recaptured and taken far from the spot,” answered the young chief. “I will tell all to you if you like to hear the story. The sun is not yet set, and the feeding hour is still some time distant. Would the Señorita like to hear?”
“Yes, Piñone, indeed I would,” exclaimed Topsie eagerly. “Speak quickly, and tell me all.”
“Many suns have come and gone,” began the Araucanian, “since my father Cuastral, accompanied by myself and five hundred warriors, set out for the frontier, across which the Cristianos dwell. As you know well, we were at war with them because they wished to steal not only the Indian’s land, but the Indian himself. We swept the frontier in a succession of raids, and, loaded with booty, had encamped on Patagonian territory, secure, as we thought, from reprisal or surprise. Yet treachery lurked around us. News was brought to me that not far away a small party of Cristianos were dogging and watching our movements. Both Cuastral and myself thought well to fall upon them and drive them from our path. Inacayal, who had brought the information, offered to act as spy, and he was entrusted with the task of watching and reporting. One day he came riding into camp, with the information that the Cristianos had retired across the frontier, and were engaged in drinking and gaming in the Bahia settlement, which consists of a few huts erected amidst a dark wood. We at once arranged tosurprise them, and for that purpose selected sixty of our most skilled warriors, amongst whom was Inacayal. To be brief, we fell upon them, as we believed, unawares, but at once perceived that we had been caught in a trap, for we were surrounded by some four or five hundred Cristianos, who lay concealed in the wood, and the greater number of our brave warriors were slain. Cuastral and myself were overwhelmed and taken prisoners. We were carried away to the settlements, where we were kept closely confined. At the expiration of four or five days we were blindfolded, had our hands tied behind us, and were placed on horses, being securely guarded all the time. We journeyed for several days in this manner, arriving at last on the outskirts of a great forest, where, still blindfolded, we were removed from our horses and securely lashed to some trees. For several hours we remained thus, helpless and confined, when suddenly we felt ourselves being released, and the handkerchiefs removed from our eyes. Terrible was our anguish when we found ourselves surrounded by five or six tall hairy men, who, having released us, took us by the hands, and compelled us to accompany them. These men were Traucos, and with them and others of their tribe we have dwelt and wandered through many a long and weary day amidst the haunted mountains and gloomy woods, sighing for the bright plains and lovely valleys where the Araucanian dwells in plenty and happiness. Once only we attempted escape, but were recaptured, conveyed up a dark flowing river, and confined for many days in a dreary cavern. But hist! close your eyes, and feignsleep, for the Trauco is approaching, with suspicion in his eyes.”
Quick as lightning Topsie did as she was bid, and the Trauco on coming to her side found her, to all appearance, asleep. Piñone made pretence to be lazily peeling some bark off a small branch which he held in his hand, and Cuastral, to all intents, like Topsie, was indulging in a peaceful doze.
Satisfied with his inspection the Trauco withdrew, and Topsie and the old chief were free to reopen their eyes. They judged it, however, prudent to preserve the same attitudes, for fear of another inspection.
“And now,” continued Piñone, “will not the white Cacique join in our flight this night? It is arranged that we steal forth silently when all are asleep, make our way across the valley and into the forest opposite, travelling as far as we can till light dawns, and then secreting ourselves as best we may till the return of night. There is a chance of escape. From what you tell me, we are no more than two days’ march from the land of Cuastral, and such an opportunity may never present itself again. Piñone has spoken.”
“But how can I join you?” inquired Topsie anxiously. “I shall probably be confined in a different hut to you.”
“No,” answered Cuastral, who here interposed; “the Trauco never mixes with his captives; and as there are only four huts, you will assuredly be placed in the one which I and my son occupy. Say, O white Cacique, will you join with us in our attempt to regain the freedom that we crave?”
“I will,” answered Topsie, screwing up her courage to make the desperate attempt.
“It is well,” replied the Cacique laconically; “midnight will be the hour.”
A whistle at this juncture sounded, and the two Araucanians at once arose and walked over to where the Traucos were seated, receiving from one of them several apples, araucarias, piñones, and strips of dried meat, with which they retired to their hut. At the same time Topsie’s captor came over to where she lay with her portion in his hands, and after handing it to her laid his hand gently on her arm, and drew her towards the hut occupied by Cuastral. With a feeling of relief the girl obeyed his unmistakable sign to enter it, and her relief was shared by her companions in misfortune.
They made a hearty meal, not knowing when they might taste food again, and then all three lay down apparently to rest. Really tired and worn out, Topsie soon fell asleep. No sham about it on this occasion; and when about an hour later the Trauco made his last rounds of inspection, he found her buried in a profound slumber, with Cuastral and Piñone apparently fast asleep beside her. Uttering a low purr of content, the Trauco withdrew, and entered his own dwelling.
It must have been midnight, when Topsie was awakened by a hand being laid across her mouth. So startled was she, that she would have cried out, only the hand prevented her from doing so. Suddenly recollection came to her aid, and she then rememberedthe desperate enterprise upon which she and her companions were bent.
“Follow me,” whispered Piñone, as soon as he perceived that she was quite awake; and one by one the three captives stole forth into the cold midnight air. As noiselessly as possible they traversed the open space in which the huts were situated, and entered the forest at the same place from where Topsie had first espied them. Thence they rapidly descended towards the plain. How the girl’s heart beat! She could hear it sounding like a hammer in her ears, and a cold sweat broke out all over her, as a night jar shrieked forth its warning, gruesome note. The Indians looked startled, for the night jar was regarded by their tribe as an ill-omened bird, whose note predicted evil, and whose presence was the herald of misfortune. Still they kept on their path, and after a time reached the valley for which they had been making.
They crossed it at as rapid a rate as the darkness permitted, and in about half an hour reached the opposite forest. But here their worst difficulties began. It was pitch dark, and the undergrowth was so thick, that to make headway was almost impossible. Topsie at once perceived that there was not the slightest hope of her finding the tracks, which the two Traucos had made that morning, and that all they could do was to work their way forward as rapidly as the dense undergrowth permitted. But even as they struggled along the blood froze in her veins, as a loud trumpeting sound came floating across the valley in the still night air.
“It is the Trauco!” gasped Cuastral, in a despairing voice. “They have discovered our flight, and are in pursuit. We must separate, and seek shelter in the densest brushwood possible, and lie as quiet as the dead, without movement and without sound. Child of my heart, may the Great Spirit hide thee and guide thee back to Aniwee.”
These last words were addressed exclusively by the chief to his son. For a moment the two held each other’s hands, and then they parted, each fugitive taking a different direction.
The trumpeting noise, evidently one of anger, was getting nearer, and Topsie, having struggled forward a short distance, crept beneath the thick underwood, in the faint hope that the darkness would screen her from observation. Vain indeed! She had been hardly a quarter of an hour in her nook of refuge, when she heard strong breathing not far off. It came nearer and nearer, the crashing of a heavy tread sounded beside her, and a minute later she was in the grasp of her pursuer, the same Trauco who had made her captive the day before.
Dawn was breaking in the heavens when he bore her back to her prison on the forest slope beneath the Andes heights. Almost heart-broken, Topsie threw herself down outside her hut, and gave way to a passionate burst of weeping. She must have sobbed herself to sleep, for when she awoke the sun was scorching down upon her, and the Traucos were dozing under the shade of their huts. Several were absent, however, and looking all round she could make out nosign of Cuastral or Piñone. Could it be that they had escaped? She must have dozed again, when she was suddenly awakened by the sound of a familiar voice. There could be no mistaking it. A flood of joy rushed over her. For a moment a vision of glory gladdened her eyes. On the edge of the forest she could see her brother, her uncle and aunt, her cousin Freddy, Aniwee, and Shag. In an instant she had sprung to her feet and raced to meet them. But even as she sped along she heard the swift tread of the Trauco beside her. She felt herself once more seized and lifted from the ground, and helpless in his powerful grasp she felt herself borne away from the freedom which she had all but grasped once more.