CHAPTER XXIX.
Undisturbed, the travellers had made their way through the primeval forests which girt the Andes, and guided by Harry and Topsie, had at length reached the lonely hut, far up the mountain side, in which for so many years Sir Harry Vane had dwelt, and where Topsie, and Harry, and Aniwee in former wanderings had come upon him, living the life of a hermit, dead to that world to which he had died more than half a century before his young relatives had found him.
The hut still stood, yet in and around it the thick semi-tropical vegetation of those parts had grown up, almost obscuring it from view, and busy with the work of decay within. But all else Harry and Topsie had found unchanged. The broad green slope on the borders of which the hut stood, and which opened from the jungle around, was the same, and on it herds of wild cattle and horses were pasturing as of yore, while vicuña and deer made free with the rich grass which abounded thereon. And much as the party required meat, Sir Francis had forbidden these trusting animals to be attacked. It would have been a desecration inhis eyes to have brought carnage and slaughter into a scene so peaceful, where the old hermit had taught the beasts of Nature to confide in, rather than fear man, and whose lesson still held sway amongst them, as was evidenced by their perfect trustfulness in the new-comers.
Only a short stay had been made in these parts, as Piñone was fidgeting to regain his own country, averring that unless they fell in with Tehuelche Indians in the Patagonian pampas, for which they were heading, the journey to the land of the Araucanians would be long and wearying.
They had, therefore, journeyed on through those scenes of glory, familiar now to the eyes of Harry and Topsie, as also to those of Piñone and Aniwee, but strange to those of all the other members of the party, and had come across herds of the milk-white cattle, golden deer, and vicuña. Meat was therefore plentiful, and as the piñones and araucarias no longer grew in abundance, it was much needed. But our travellers only killed when necessary, not for the sake of sport, but for food.
“Our last day in these dear old mountains!” exclaimed Topsie sadly, as she opened her eyes with the rising sun one glorious morning, and about a month after the departure of the party from the mine of Or.
They were encamped not far from the shores of a lovely lake, whose waters gleamed with all the splendid tints of the reappearing sun, and upon whose surface thousands, I might truthfully say, myriads of wild duck and wild fowl of various species plumed andwashed themselves in happy content, previous to winging their flight to far-away feeding grounds.
There was the grebe, with its beautiful plumage, but sad and mournful cry, the Barbary duck, with its rich coat of colours and handsome figure, large milk-white swans, with black heads, flamingoes, gorgeous and splendid, troops of geese raising discordant clamour, and the holy ibis of biblical renown. Every species and kind of duck seemed to inhabit that lake, a veritable birds’ paradise.
“I wish I’d been there!” I hear some of my young readers exclaim,
“No doubt,” I answer; but hear the reason of one who has travelled, and hunted, and shot as much as most men in different parts of the world, why it was that Harry, and Topsie and their cousins let their guns lie idle. There comes a time often to the most hardened sportsman, when to slay is distasteful, to destroy, more pain than pleasure; when to look upon the glories and joys of animal life, is worth all the heavy bags of game which this world could purvey. For be it remembered—and this the writer has often thought, as she surveyed her dead spoil—not all the power of man can restore to his silent, motionless victim the life which he so lightly took away. This was the reason, my young friends, why the broad lagoon was left in peace, and the happy life that reigned upon it allowed to remain undisturbed by Harry, Topsie, Freddy, Willie, and Mary.
“Eh! what’s that?” inquired Freddy, raising himself sleepily on his elbow; “did you speak, Topsie?”
“Yes, lazy, I did,” she replied, laughing. “I was bemoaning the fact that this is our last day in these splendid mountains. To-day we shall make the pampas.”
“And some friends and horses, I hope,” grumbled Harry, who was awake too. “I tell you what, Topsie, my feet are as tender as can be, and I shall not be sorry to be astride a dear old gee again; what say you all?”
Every one agreed. The travelling had been pretty stiff, and had told somewhat severely on the Indians, who in a manner are born on a horse. Their potro boots had been quite worn through, and they had been obliged to wrap their feet up in the hide of the animals shot for food, which did not answer very well, and gave considerable trouble. As may be imagined, therefore, they looked forward with no little anxiety to their arrival in the pampas, where they hoped to fall in with some of Aniwee’s tribe, the Patagonian or Tehuelche Indians.
The morning plunge over, every one reassembled for breakfast round the fire which Graviel had kindled, and upon which he was cooking some venison. The maté bowl went round, a fair supply of meat was apportioned to each person for present needs, and a good supply was half cooked and pegged out to dry in the sun, to be carried on for future use.
“The sun is well up; I think we should be starting, Piñone,” put in Sir Francis suddenly, as he saw the maté bowl reach its last recipient. “As there is no sign of Aniwee, Chorlo, and Coquet, I suppose they havenot fallen in with Indians as yet, and will therefore await us at Gatchenhaik.”
“The Señor speaks well,” answered the Indian Cacique, as he rose and gave the order to form into marching order—that is to say, Indian file.
It should be explained that Aniwee and the two Indian girls mentioned, had preceded the party the previous day, and had proceeded towards the pampas, in the hopes of coming across some Tehuelche hunting parties, and securing horses upon which to return to Araucanian territory. They were directing their steps for Lake Nahuel Hualpi, which occupied the pampas at the entrance to the mountain region somewhat higher up. Thus the party set out in Indian file, each person carrying his or her portion of meat, as well as ammunition and rifle, our white friends being, moreover, overburdened with a change of clothing each, so that all were pretty well loaded. It was extremely hot, walking was trying, and the baby Cacique had begun to vent her displeasure in a series of protesting miniature yells, when Willie sung out—
“Holloa! look there, mother!”
Lady Vane and the others did look, and what they saw made them joyful indeed, for there, coming over a distant hill, was a troop of horses with Aniwee at their head, and a group of Indians bringing up the rear.
“Hip, hip, hoorah!” shouted Harry and Freddy together, and then the latter added, in a delighted tone, “Bless you, Aniwee, you are a trump!”
The moment that the young Queen sighted the weary travellers she put her horse into a canter, andcame flying along to meet them. In a few minutes she had reached them.
“Good news!” she cried exultingly, as she rode up. “Gilwinikush and a thousand Tehuelches are on the borders of the Great Lagoon. I heard of it from a hunting party of my own people, with whom I, Chorlo, and Coquet fell in on the plain of Telcke. They were on their way to join him, so I sent on Chorlo and Coquet to tell him of our coming, and myself returned with these horses here. See, Warriors,” she continued, pointing to the welcome troupiglia, “here are horses in plenty. The Indians need walk no more.”
A short halt was made to enable every one to tidy and furbish themselves up. Coming off such an expedition as that on which they had been engaged, as may be readily supposed, no one looked as if he or she had come out of a bandbox! The whites were all tremendously sunburnt, and rocks, thorns, and dense jungles had played havoc with their clothes.
A desire, however, to cut as smart a figure as possible before the Patagonians, whom they would so shortly meet, contributed to the zest with which the Araucanians made their toilets. The sight of the horses, and the knowledge that there were toldos and comforts ahead, had raised the spirits of every one; and the hardships of the past weeks of toil and severe work were quickly forgotten in the pleasantrencontreof the moment. At length every one had mounted, and the cavalcade which set forth for the Nahuel Hualpi Lagoon was by no means an unimposing one.
A ride of three or more hours through rock-strewngorges, across narrow valley plains and occasional brushwood thickets, brought the whole party at length on to the border line which marked the point where the hilly region ceased, and the vast stretching pampas began. The sight of them raised Harry’s spirits to the highest pitch, and he began whooping and cheering like an Indian in full war-paint, much to the amusement of all the other Indians.
His antics, however, came suddenly to an abrupt conclusion, as over the horizon of a low hillocky ridge, dust appeared to rise up like smoke, and the noise of many horses galloping resounded across the plain. In a moment every eye was fixed and every ear open, intent on the sight and sounds before, and rapidly nearing them.
A long line of mounted horsemen were advancing at topmost speed, horsemen whose size looked gigantic against the sky line, but whose figures were small when compared with the tall and magnificent Indian that rode at their head. In a moment Aniwee had recognised him, and with a cry of joy had put her horse into full swing, and sent him galloping over the pampas to meet the stately giant. This was no other than the great Cacique, Gilwinikush, her father, and paramount head of the Tehuelche or Patagonian Indians.
As the chief caught sight of the slim, graceful figure of his only child, he raised his hand, brought his horse abruptly on to its haunches, becoming motionless thereon, the Tehuelches behind him doing likewise. Then, as Aniwee galloped up, a hoarse shout of welcome greeted the young Queen, who the next moment was clasped inher father’s arms. More than a year had elapsed since they had met, and the meeting was a joyful and happy one. The chief had received from Coquet and Chorlo a hurried sketch of all that had happened during the past few weeks, and was therefore not wholly in the dark as to the reason of this unexpected meeting.
When the party rode up, Gilwinikush at once recognised Harry, Topsie, and Sir Francis Vane, but had to be introduced to the others. He received them with stately courtesy and with becoming Indian dignity, though he could not quite dispel the smile of happiness which hovered round his lips as his eyes sought the face of his child.
“Gilwinikush salutes the great chiefs and his old friends, and bids them welcome,” he said in a voice the genuine ring whereof could not be mistaken, and then the whole party proceeded on its way towards the big lagoon, around which the toldos of his tribe were pitched. As they neared it, they could see numerous mounted Indians awaiting their approach, while crowds of women and children pressed forward to catch a glimpse of their young chieftainess, the news of her approach having spread like wild fire.
“Just like coming home, eh, Topsie?” said Harry in his happy, eager voice, as brother and sister rode side by side, picking out faces that they knew, and recognising old friends. “All’s well that ends well. We’ve had an awfully jolly expedition, and one that I shall look back to as long as I live, sha’n’t you?”
“Rather,” answered Topsie. “It has been a very happy time.”