Kitabı oku: «Osceola the Seminole: or, The Red Fawn of the Flower Land», sayfa 4
Chapter Nine
The Bath
“Yellow Jake! the alligator!”
They were all the words I could utter. My mother entreated an explanation; I could not stay to give it. Frantic with apprehension, I tore myself away, leaving her in a state of terror that rivalled my own.
I ran towards the hommock – the bath. I wait not to follow the devious route of the walk, but keep straight on, leaping over such obstacles as present themselves. I spring across the paling, and rush through the orangery, causing the branches to crackle and the fruit to fall. My ears are keenly bent to catch every sound.
Behind are sounds enough: I hear my mother’s voice uttered in accents of terror. Already have her cries alarmed the house, and are echoed and answered by the domestics, both females and men. Dogs, startled by the sudden excitement, are baying within the enclosure, and fowls and caged birds screech in concert.
From behind come all these noises. It is not for them my ears are bent; I am listening before me.
In this direction I now hear sounds. The plashing of water is in my ears, and mingling with the tones of a clear silvery voice – it is the voice of my sister! “Ha, ha, ha!” The ring of laughter! Thank Heaven, she is safe!
I stay my step under the influence of a delicate thought; I call aloud:
“Virgine! Virgine!”
Impatiently I wait the reply. None reaches me; the noise of the water has drowned my voice!
I call again, and louder: “Virgine! sister! Virgine!”
I am heard, and hear:
“Who calls? You, Georgy?”
“Yes; it is I, Virgine.”
“And pray, what want you, brother?”
“O sister! come out of the bath.”
“For what reason should I? Our friends come? They are early: let them wait, my Georgy. Go you and entertain them. I mean to enjoy myself this most beautiful of mornings; the water’s just right – delightful! Isn’t it, Viola? Ho! I shall have a swim round the pond: here goes?”
And then there was a fresh plashing in the water, mingled with a cheerful abandon of laughter in the voices of my sister and her maid.
I shouted at the top of my voice:
“Hear me, Virgine, dear sister! For Heaven’s sake, come out! come – ”
There was a sudden cessation of the merry tones; then came a short sharp ejaculation, followed almost instantaneously by a wild scream. I perceived that neither was a reply to my appeal. I had called out in a tone of entreaty sufficient to have raised apprehension; but the voices that now reached me were uttered in accents of terror. In my sister’s voice I heard the words:
“See, Viola! O mercy – the monster! Ha! he is coming this way! O mercy! Help, George, help! Save – save me!”
Well knew I the meaning of the summons; too well could I comprehend the half-coherent words, and the continued screaming that succeeded them.
“Sister, I come, I come!”
Quick as thought, I dashed forward, breaking through the boughs that still intercepted my view.
“Oh, perhaps I shall be too late! She screams in agony; she is already in the grasp of the alligator?”
A dozen bounds carried me clear of the grove; and, gliding along the embankment of the turtle-crawl, I stood by the edge of the tank. A fearful tableau was before me.
My sister was near the centre of the basin, swimming towards the edge. There stood the quadroon – knee deep – screeching and flinging her arms frantically in the air. Beyond, appeared the gigantic lizard; his whole body, arms, hands, and claws clearly traceable in the pellucid water, above the surface of which rose the scaly serrature of his back and shoulders. His snout and tail projected still higher; and with the latter he was lashing the water into white froth, that already mottled the surface of the pond. He was not ten feet from his intended victim. His gaunt jaws almost touched the green baize skirt that floated train-like behind her. At any moment, he might have darted forward and seized her.
My sister was swimming with all her might. She was a capital swimmer; but what could it avail? Her bathing-dress was impeding her; but what mattered that? The alligator might have seized her at any moment; with a single effort, could have caught her, and yet he had not made it.
I wondered why he had not; I wondered that he still held back. I wonder to this hour, for it is not yet explained. I can account for it only on one supposition: that he felt that his victim was perfectly within his power; and as the cat cajoles with the mouse, so was he indulging in the plenitude of his tyrant strength.
These observations were made in a single second of time – while I was cocking my rifle.
I aimed, and fired. There were but two places where the shot could have proved fatal – the eye or behind the forearm. I aimed for the eye. I hit the shoulder; but from that hard corrugated skin, my bullet glinted as from a granite rock. Among the rhomboid protuberances it made a whitish score, and that was all.
The play of the monster was brought to a termination. The shot appeared to have given him pain. At all events, it roused him to more earnest action, and perhaps impelled him to the final spring. He made it the instant after.
Lashing the water with his broad tail – as if to gain impetus – he darted forward; his huge jaw hinged vertically upward, till the red throat showed wide agape; and the next moment the floating skirt – and oh! the limbs of my sister, were in his horrid gripe!
I plunged in, and swam towards them. The gun I still carried in my grasp. It hindered me. I dropped it to the bottom, and swam on.
I caught Virgine in my arms. I was just in time, for the alligator was dragging her below.
With all my strength, I held her up. It needed all to keep us above the surface. I had no weapon; and if I had been armed, I could not have spared a hand to strike.
I shouted with all my voice, in the hope of intimidating the assailant, and causing him to let go his hold. It was to no purpose: he still held on.
O Heavens! we shall both be dragged under – drowned – devoured —
A plunge, as of one leaping from a high elevation into the pond – a quick, bold swimmer from the shore – a dark-skinned face, with long black hair that floats behind it on the water – a breast gleaming with bright spangles – a body clad in bead-embroidered garments – a man? a boy!
Who is this strange youth that rushes to our rescue?
He is already by our side – by the side of our terrible antagonist. With all the earnest energy of his look, he utters not a word. He rests one hand upon the shoulder of the huge lizard, and with a sudden spring places himself upon its back. A rider could not have leaped more adroitly to the saddle.
A knife gleams in his uplifted hand. It descends – its blade is buried in the eye of the alligator!
The roar of the saurian betokens its pain. The earth vibrates with the sound; the froth flies up under the lashings of its tail, and a cloud of spray is flung over us. But the monster has now relaxed its gripe, and I am swimming with my sister to the shore.
A glance backward reveals to me a strange sight – I see the alligator diving to the bottom with the bold rider upon its back! He is lost – he is lost!
With painful thoughts, I swim on. I climb out, and place my fainting sister upon the bank. I again look back.
Joy, joy! the strange youth is once more above the surface, and swimming freely to the shore. Upon the further side of the pond, the hideous form is also above water, struggling by the edge – frantic and furious with the agony of its wounds.
Joy, joy! my sister is unharmed. The floating skirt has saved her; scarcely a scratch shows upon her delicate limbs; and now in tender arms, amidst sweet words and looks of kind sympathy, she is borne away from the scene of her peril.
Chapter Ten
The “Half-Blood.”
The alligator was soon clubbed to death, and dragged to the shore – a work of delight to the blacks of the plantation.
No one suspected how the reptile had got to the pond – for I had not said a word to any one. The belief was that it had wandered there from the river, or the lagoons – as others had done before; and Yellow Jake, the most active of all in its destruction, was heard several times repeating this hypothesis! Little did the villain suspect that his secret was known. I thought that besides himself I was the only one privy to it; in this, however, I was mistaken.
The domestics had gone back to the house, “toating” the huge carcass with ropes, and uttering shouts of triumph. I was alone with our gallant preserver. I stayed behind purposely to thank him.
Mother, father, all had given expression to their gratitude; all had signified their admiration of his gallant conduct: even my sister, who had recovered consciousness before being carried away, had thanked him with kind words.
He made no reply, further than to acknowledge the compliments paid him; and this he did either by a smile or a simple inclination of the head. With the years of a boy, he seemed to possess the gravity of a man.
He appeared about my own age and size. His figure was perfectly proportioned, and his face handsome. The complexion was not that of a pure Indian, though the style of his dress was so. His skin was nearer brunette than bronze: he was evidently a “half-blood.”
His nose was slightly aquiline, which gave him that fine eagle-look peculiar to some of the North American tribes; and his eye, though mild in common mood, was easily lighted up. Under excitement, as I had just witnessed, it shone with the brilliancy of fire.
The admixture of Caucasian blood had tamed down the prominence of Indian features to a perfect regularity, without robbing them of their heroic grandeur of expression; and the black hair was finer than that of the pure native, though equally shining and luxuriant. In short, the tout ensemble of this strange youth was that of a noble and handsome boy that another brace of summers would develop into a splendid-looking man. Even as a boy, there was an individuality about him, that, when once seen, was not to be forgotten.
I have said that his costume was Indian. So was it – purely Indian – not made up altogether of the spoils of the chase, for the buckskin has long, ceased to be the wear of the aborigines of Florida. His moccasins alone were of dressed deer’s hide; his leggings were of scarlet cloth; and his tunic of figured cotton stuff – all three elaborately beaded and embroidered. With these he wore a wampum belt, and a fillet encircled his head, above which rose erect three plumes from the tail of the king vulture – which among Indians is an eagle. Around his neck were strings of party-coloured beads, and upon his breast three demi-lunes of silver, suspended one above the other.
Thus was the youth attired, and, despite the soaking which his garments had received, he presented an aspect as once noble and picturesque.
“You are sure you have received no injury?” I inquired for the second time.
“Quite sure – not the slightest injury.”
“But you are wet through and through; let me offer you a change of clothes: mine, I think, would about fit you.”
“Thank you. I should not know how to wear them. The sun is strong: my own will soon be dry again.”
“You will come up to the house, and eat something?”
“I have eaten but a short while ago. I thank you. I am not in need.”
“Some wine?”
“Again I thank you – water is my only drink.”
I scarcely knew what to say to my new acquaintance. He refused all my offers of hospitality, and yet he remained by me. He would not accompany me to the house; and still he showed no signs of taking his departure.
Was he expecting something else? A reward for his services? Something more substantial than complimentary phrases?
The thought was not unnatural. Handsome as was the youth, he was but an Indian. Of compliments he had had enough. Indians care little for idle words. It might be that he waited for something more; it was but natural for one in his condition to do so, and equally natural for one in mine to think so.
In an instant my purse was out; in the next it was in his hands – and in the next it was at the bottom of the pond!
“I did not ask you for money,” said he, as he flung the dollars indignantly into the water.
I felt pique and shame; the latter predominated. I plunged into the pond, and dived under the surface. It was not after my purse, but my rifle, which I saw lying upon the rocks at the bottom. I gained the piece, and, carrying it ashore, handed it to him.
The peculiar smile with which he received it, told me that I had well corrected my error, and subdued the capricious pride of the singular youth.
“It is my turn to make reparation,” said he. “Permit me to restore you your purse, and to ask pardon for my rudeness.”
Before I could interpose, he sprang into the water, and dived below the surface. He soon recovered the shining object, and returning to the bank, placed it in my hands.
“This is a splendid gift,” he said, handling the rifle, and examining it – “a splendid gift; and I must return home before I can offer you aught in return. We Indians have not much that the white man values – only our lands, I have been told,” – he uttered this phrase with peculiar emphasis. “Our rude manufactures,” continued he, “are worthless things when put in comparison with those of your people – they are but curiosities to you at best. But stay – you are a hunter? Will you accept a pair of moccasins and a bullet-pouch? Maümee makes them well – ”
“Maümee?”
“My sister. You will find the moccasin better for hunting than those heavy shoes you wear: the tread is more silent.”
“Above all things, I should like to have a pair of your moccasins.”
“I am rejoiced that it will gratify you. Maümee shall make them, and the pouch too.”
“Maümee!” I mentally echoed. “Strange, sweet name! Can it be she?”
I was thinking of a bright being that had crossed my path – a dream – a heavenly vision – for it seemed too lovely to be of the earth.
While wandering in the woods, amid perfumed groves, had this vision appeared to me in the form of an Indian maiden. In a flowery glade, I saw her – one of those spots in the southern forest which nature adorns so profusely. She appeared to form part of the picture.
One glance had I, and she was gone. I pursued, but to no purpose. Like a spirit she glided through the daedalian aisles of the grove, and I saw her no more. But though gone from my sight, she passed not out of my memory; ever since had I been dreaming of that lovely apparition. “Was it Maümee?”
“Your name?” I inquired, as I saw the youth was about to depart.
“I am called Powell by the whites: my father’s name – he was white – he is dead. My mother still lives; I need not say she is an Indian.”
“I must be gone, sir,” continued he after a pause. “Before I leave you, permit me to put a question. It may appear impertinent, but I have good reason for asking it. Have you among your slaves one who is very bad, one who is hostile to your family?”
“There is such a one. I have reason to believe it.”
“Would you know his tracks?”
“I should.”
“Then follow me!”
“It is not necessary. I can guess where you would lead me. I know all: he lured the alligator hither to destroy my sister.”
“Ugh!” exclaimed the young Indian, in some surprise. “How learned you this, sir?”
“From yonder rock, I was a witness of the whole transaction. But how did you come to know of it?” I asked in turn.
“Only by following the trail – the man – the dog – the alligator. I was hunting by the swamp. I saw the tracks. I suspected something, and crossed the fields. I had reached the thicket when I heard cries. I was just in time. Ugh!”
“You were in good time, else the villain would have succeeded in his intent. Fear not, friend, he shall be punished.”
“Good – he should be punished. I hope you and I may meet again.”
A few words more were exchanged between us, and then we shook hands, and parted.
Chapter Eleven
The Chase
About the guilt of the mulatto, I had no longer any doubt. The mere destruction of the fish could not have been his design; he would never have taken such pains to accomplish so trifling a purpose. No; his intent was far more horrid; it comprehended a deeper scheme of cruelty and vengeance; its aim was my sister’s life! – Viola’s! – perhaps both?
Awful as was such a belief, there was no room left to doubt it; every circumstance confirmed it. Even the young Indian had formed the opinion that such was the design. At this season, my sister was in the habit of bathing almost every day; and that this was her custom was known to all upon the plantation. I had not thought of it when I went in pursuit of the deer, else I should in all probability have acted in a different manner. But who could have suspected such dire villainy?
The cunning of the act quite equalled its malice. By the merest accident, there were witnesses; but had there been none, it is probable the event would have answered the intention, and my sister’s life been sacrificed.
Who could have told the author of the crime? The reptile would have been alone responsible. Even suspicion would not have rested upon the mulatto – how could it? The yellow villain had shown a fiendish craft in his calculation.
I was burning with indignation. My poor innocent sister! Little did she know the foul means that had been made use of to put her in such peril. She was aware that the mulatto liked her not, but never dreamed she that she was the object of such a demoniac spite as this.
The very thoughts of it fired me as I dwelt upon them. I could restrain myself no longer. The criminal must be brought to punishment, and at once. Some severe castigation must be inflicted upon him – something that would place it beyond his power to repeat such dangerous attempts.
How he would be dealt with, I could not tell – that must be left to my elders to determine. The lash had proved of no avail; perhaps the chain-gang would cure him – at all events, he must be banished the plantation.
In my own mind, I had not doomed him to death, though truly he deserved it. Indignant as I felt, I did not contemplate this ultimate punishment of crime; used to my father’s mild rule, I did not. The lash – the county prison – the chain-gang at Saint Marks or San Augustine: some of these would likely be his reward.
I knew it would not be left to the lenient disposition of my father to decide. The whole community of planters was interested in a matter of this kind. An improvised jury would soon assemble. No doubt harsher judges than his own master would deal with the guilty man.
I stayed not longer to reflect; I was determined his trial should be immediate. I ran towards the house with the intention of declaring his guilt.
In my haste, as before, I did not follow the usual path, which was somewhat circumambient: I made direct through the grove.
I had advanced only a few paces, when I heard a rustling of the leaves near me. I could see no one, but felt sure that the noise was caused by some person skulking among the trees. Perhaps one of the field-hands, taking advantage of the confusion of the hour, and helping himself to a few oranges.
Compared with my purpose, such slight dereliction was a matter of no importance, and I did not think worth while to stay and hinder it. I only shouted out; but no one made answer, and I kept on.
On arriving at the rear of the house, I found my father in the enclosure by the grand shed – the overseer too. Old Hickman, the alligator-hunter, was there, and one or two other white men, who had casually come upon business.
In the presence of all, I made the disclosure; and, with as much minuteness as the time would permit, described the strange transaction I had witnessed in the morning.
All were thunderstruck. Hickman at once declared the probability of such a manoeuvre, though no one doubted my words. The only doubt was as to the mulatto’s intent. Could it have been human lives he designed to sacrifice? It seemed too great a wickedness to be believed. It was too horrible even to be imagined!
At that moment all doubts were set at rest. Another testimony was added to mine, which supplied the link of proof that was wanting. Black Jake had a tale to tell, and told it.
That morning – but half an hour before – he had seen Yellow Jake climb up into a live-oak that stood in one corner of the enclosure. The top of this commanded a view of the pond. It was just at the time that “white missa” and Viola went to the bath. He was quite sure that about that time they must have been going into the water, and that Yellow Jake must have seen them.
Indignant at his indecorous conduct, the black had shouted to the mulatto to come down from the tree, and threatened to complain upon him. The latter made answer that he was only gathering acorns – the acorns of the live-oak are sweet food, and much sought after by the plantation-people. Black Jake, however, was positive that this could not be Yellow Jake’s purpose; for the former still continuing to threaten, the latter at length came down, and Black Jake saw no acorns – not one!
“Twan’t acorn he war arter, Massa Randoff: daat yaller loafa wan’t arter no good – daat he wan’t sure sartin.”
So concluded the testimony of the groom.
The tale produced conviction in the minds of all. It was no longer possible to doubt of the mulatto’s intention, horrible as it was. He had ascended the tree to be witness of the foul deed; he had seen them enter the basin; he knew the danger that was lurking in its waters; and yet he had made no movement to give the alarm. On the contrary, he was among the last who had hastened towards the pond, when the screaming of the girls was summoning all the household to their assistance. This was shown by the evidence of others. The case was clear against him.
The tale produced a wild excitement. White men and black men, masters and slaves, were equally indignant at the horrid crime; and the cry went round the yard for “Yellow Jake!”
Some ran one way, some another, in search of him – black, white, and yellow ran together – all eager in the pursuit – all desirous that such a monster should be brought to punishment.
Where was he? His name was called aloud, over and over again, with commands, with threats; but no answer came back. Where was he?
The stables were searched, the shed, the kitchen, the cabins – even the corn-crib was ransacked – but to no purpose. Where had he gone?
He had been observed but the moment before – he had assisted in dragging the alligator. The men had brought it into the enclosure, and thrown it to the hogs to be devoured. Yellow Jake had been with them, active as any at the work. It was but the moment before he had gone away; but where? No one could tell!
At this moment, I remembered the rustling among the orange-trees. It might have been he! If so, he may have overheard the conversation between the young Indian and myself – or the last part of it – and if so, he would now be far away.
I led the pursuit through the orangery: its recesses were searched; he was not there.
The hommock thickets were next entered, and beaten from one end to the other; still no signs of the missing mulatto.
It occurred to me to climb up to the rock, my former place of observation. I ascended at once to its summit, and was rewarded for my trouble. At the first glance over the fields, I saw the fugitive. He was down between the rows of the indigo plants, crawling upon hands and knees, evidently making for the maize.
I did not stay to observe further, but springing back to the ground, I ran after him. My father, Hickman, and others followed me.
The chase was not conducted in silence – no stratagem was used, and by our shouts the mulatto soon learned that he was seen and pursued. Concealment was no longer possible; and rising to his feet, he ran forward with all his speed. He soon entered the maize-field, with the hue and cry close upon his heels.
Though still but a boy, I was the fastest runner of the party. I knew that I could run faster than Yellow Jake, and if I could only keep him in sight, I should soon overtake him. His hopes were to get into the swamp, under cover of the palmetto thickets; once there, he might easily escape by hiding – at all events, he might get off for the time.
To prevent this, I ran at my utmost speed, and with success; for just upon the edge of the woods, I came up with the runaway, and caught hold of the loose flap of his jacket.
It was altogether a foolish attempt upon my part. I had not reflected upon anything beyond getting up with him. I had never thought of resistance, though I might have expected it from a desperate man. Accustomed to be obeyed, I was under the hallucination that, as soon as I should come up, the fellow would yield to me; but I was mistaken.
He at once jerked himself free of my hold, and easily enough. My breath was gone, my strength exhausted – I could not have held a cat.
I expected him to run on as before; but instead of doing so, he stopped in his tracks, turned fiercely upon me, and drawing his knife, he plunged it through my arm. It was my heart he had aimed at; but by suddenly throwing up my arm, I had warded off the fatal thrust.
A second time his knife was upraised – and I should have had a second stab from it – but, just then, another face showed itself in the fray; and before the dangerous blade could descend, the strong arms of Black Jake were around my antagonist.
The fiend struggled fiercely to free himself; but the muscular grasp of his old rival never became relaxed until Hickman and others arrived upon the ground; and then a fast binding of thongs rendered him at once harmless and secure.
