CHAPTER XI.
Preparation of Charqui. Almagro's Plan of Descent rejected. An Unpleasant Nocturnal Visit. The Sledge Expedition. The Lower Valleys of the Andes. The Pino de la Terra. The discontent of Charles Villars.

ALL were now busily engaged. The wool was shorn from the guanacoes and placed in a bag. Then the animals were skinned, and the hides spread out on the snow to be cleansed, after which they began a large preparation of carne secco, the useful charqui. Pieces of flesh were cut in long slips, about four inches broad, and one-third of an inch thick. Some of these slips were suspended outside the cave, to be dried by the sun and air; others were hung in the smoke of the fire. The meat thus dried will keep good for a long time; it is generally prepared for cooking by beating it between two stones to make it tender, and then stewed.

The fat of the animals was melted, and stored in bags of hide; and Mr. Merton proposed that if they should be providentially released from their confinement before they had needed to encroach on this useful provision, they should leave at least some portion of this store in the cave, for the benefit of other unfortunate travellers.

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But days passed, and there still seemed no hope of their proceeding on their journey. The snow, partially softened by the noonday sun, was again hardened by the night frosts, and rendered more slippery and dangerous.

After drying part of the guanaco flesh, they had lived on the remainder, and still had a good portion buried in the snow before the cave to keep it fresh; but they had been unable to procure more, for the early snow had driven all the animals to the lower valleys. The monotony of their cavern life was depressing. At first Jack had amused hmself by making two very neat pairs of boots for his sisters, instructed by Almagro. They were made of the skin of the hare, the fur inwards, soled with the hide of the guanaco, and sewed with threads made of the same material. Then all the shoes and bows were mended with patches of hide, and no more work remained to be done.

Almagro frequently went out. He had climbed to the summit of the mountain in which the caves were hollowed, and he assured them that from thence there was a gradual sloping descent, smoothly covered with snow, which led to a level valley two or three hundred yards below; and this descent, he pronounced, might be safely and rapidly accomplished on a sledge, which he would make of the skin of a guanaco. This plan was at once rejected by the timid Mr. Merton, and Mrs. Merton shuddered at the very idea of such a startling scheme.

But Almagro was pertinacious; he prevaled on Dr. Lewis and Charles to ascend the mountain with him, early in the morning, before the sun had softened the snow. He pointed out to them the green plain below, and declared his intention of making the experiment of the descent himself, if they would await his return. He spread the skin of one of the guanacoes, which he had brought with him, on the snow, With the wool uppermost, and seated himself upon it, holding his knife in one hand, and his lance in the other. With these weapons to plunge into the snow, and to guide and cheek his descent, he set out, gliding down the steep. The descent was gradual, and he proceeded on without accident, and reached the bottom, from whence be waved a signal of his safety. They waited long for his return, which | | 123 necesearily slow and tedious. In the first place, he remained a quarter of an hour below inspecting the locality; then, fastening the sledge to his back, he began his ascent, cutting steps in the snow with his knife, and resting on his lance. He reached his friends at last, very much exhausted with his toil; and it was sometime before he was able to speak, and to assure them that the next ascent would be comparatively easy, for his steps formed a perfect ladder.

He described the valley below to be almost entirely free from snow, with tolerably good pasture, and some scattered low bushes and trees; there were two algaroba trees especially, in a sheltered nook, convenient for a frame for their tent, as there were no caves in the valley, He had also seen hares, and heard parrots; and he entreated Dr. Lewis to join him in endeavoring to persuade Mr. Merton to consent to the plan of the sledge.

Lewis had little hope of their inducing Mr. Merton to undertake such a wild adventure; but he endeavored to convince him, on their return, that the project was safe and prudent; and, from Almagro's description of the lower valley, the change would be most desirable; but the parents were inflexible--the risk was too fearful.

Almagro was much dissatisfied, and lay awake for some hours planning the construction of a sledge which might have a more secure appearance to the eyes of the timid. In the midst of his reflections, he was disturbed by a great noise among the animaLs in the adjoining cave, accompanied by a deep growling which he knew did not proceed from the beasts. He was much alarmed, but remembered with thankfulness that he had, the evening before, rolled stones before the entrance to both caves, that the animals, as well as themselves, might be protected from nocturnal assailants. He trusted this precaution might be effectual, for he felt certain some beast, more dangereus than any they had yet met with, was prowling near.

Rising from his bed, he looked through the spaces between the stones which guarded the opening, and saw with much vexation a large puma, digging in the snow, beneath which the guanaco flesh was buried, and turning away from time to time to growl at the entrance of the cave, where the aaimals, roused and terrified by the neighborhood of their powerful | | 124 enemy, were expressing their alarm by loud neighing and bleating. The puma was too dangerous a visitor to be allowed to escape, and Almagro was determined to take the most ready way to despatch him. He therefore, pointing his rifle through the crevices at the entrance, by the clear light of the moon, took a careful aim, and shot the animal dead on the spot.

Roused by the report of the rifle, the alarmed family were soon assembled; and it was with some difficulty Almagro satisfied the females that they were not besieged by the Indians. After hearing the real story, they could take no more rest that night; and when the morning light showed them the large fierce-looking creature extended dead at their very door, they trembled at the danger to which they had unconsciously been exposed.

"Your alarm is greater than the danger demands," said Dr. Lewis, "for the puma rarely attacks mankind. His favorite prey is the horse; and our faithful Niger would probably have fallen a victim last night, if Almagro's prudence had not saved him. This seems a fine specimen, Tom; and you must preserve his skin."

"I have measured him," said Tom, with the proper gravity of a man of science, "and I find he rather exceeds the common dimensions of the puma, being five feet six inches fiom the tip of his nose to the root of his tail, and three feet high to the shoulder. Felis concolor, the puma, or the American lion, as it has been called, from its resemblance to the lion, is yet, you observe, without the mane which distinguishes that noble animal. Its prey is the guanaco or the horse, especially the wild horse of the Pampas; its habit is to crouch and glide silently along the ground, usually beneath the shelter of bushes, till it is near enough to its victim; then, springing on the shoulder, it draws back the head with one of its paws, and dislocates the neck."

"After it is gorged with food," observed Almagro, "I have frequently watched it cover the remains of the carcase with bushes, and crouch down to watch it. The condors would then descend in great force, and dispute the prize fiercely with the destroyer, often driving him from the field."

"And now, my dear Mrs. Merton," said Lewis,"to escape from this puma-haunted valley, you must suffer us to trans- | | 125 port you a stage lower. This snow may possibly indicate the commencement of an early winter, and longer delay may render our removal more difficult. I propose that to-day we should make another experiment with the sledge. Tom and I will, with your sanction, accompany Almagro; and if we bring you a favorable report, I trust you will not hesitate to commit yourself to the guidance of our experience."

The fear of the pumas induced Mr. and Mrs. Merton to yield a reluctant consent to this trial; and the skin sledge, with some improvements, was again launched. The adventurers bound themselves to each other with thongs. Lewis and Almagro sat one on each side with a knife to plunge into the snow, to arrest their speed if necessary, and Tom seated between them held a long lance, with which he proposed to steer. The expedition was most satisfactory; they descended with ease, were pleased with the valley, and returned one after the other by means of Almagro's steps, with less fatigue than they expected.

It was finally agreed they should all descend early the next morning; and though some little doubts arose about the management of the beasts, yet all the young were sanguine. The day was happily spent in packing and preparation; and the next morning, as soon as day appeared, the animals were laden and everything conveyed to the summit of the mountain, with the exception of the small remainder of the fuel and provender, and a bag of charqui and fat, which Mr. Merton begged might be hidden under the fuel, for the benefit of succeeding travellers.

They first allowed the baggage, tied together by ropes, to slide down the slope; then Jack, still rather lame, took his place between the two experienced travellers, Almagro and Lewis. He carried in his arms the young llama, a scheme of his own, which was perfectly successful; for the distressed mother, after walking to and fro for a few minutes, made up her mind and set out in a winding direction after her young one, followed by the other llama, to the admiration of Nanny, who declared Master Jack was always an umpossible boy for contrivances. The llamas reached the valley safely; and after the mother had satisfied herself that her offspring was uninjured they began to browse with good appetite on the herbage now quite uncovered.

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Lewis and Jack set to work directly to raise the tent and arrange the packages, while Almagro, after collecting a bundle of grass, ascended with the sledge. Charles and he placed the sisters between them this time, and Almagro, after allowing the famished mule and horse to smell the grass, fastened it behind the sledge. The poor animals looked wistfully at the banquet gliding away from them; at length the mule took courage, and carefully sounding the snow with his fore-feet, proceeded downwards, followed by the obedient horse. The mule accomplished his journey slowly but successfully; but Niger, unaccustomed to the snow, after several slips and stumbles, finally rolled down to the bottom. He appeared somewhat stunned and bruised, but, in a few minutes, rising and shaking the snow from his rough coat, he joined his companion, and they began to crop the grass they had so long been deprived of.

Finally the most difficult part of the undertaking was completed, and Mr. Merton and his timid wife, with the scolding and struggling Nanny, were happily rescued from their dreary abode among the snows.

The temperature of this lower region was much warmer than the climate above, and revived the spirits and hopes of the wanderers. They found scattered twigs and dry grass for their fire, and under the shelter of the tent refreshed themselves after the fatigues of the morning. As the poor animals needed recruiting after their long abstinence, it was agreed that they should travel no farther that day, which was spent in exploring the broad valley, and in climbing to the next ridge, from whence, though many basin-like valleys intervened, they obtained a view of the vast brown Pampas, which from that height appeared to be a wide ocean of plain, unmarked by any variation, except some threads of silver glittering in the sun, which Almagro told them were the rivers from the mountains.

Almagro's experienced eye had discovered a mule-track from the valley, and setting out early next morning, they made a long day, and reached a region of low trees and long rushy grass. Once more they heard the chattering of hundreds of parrots, and having become skillful in the use of the bolas, they caught as many birds as they wanted; glad to taste | | 127 something rather more delicate than charqui. They now entered a gorge, shut in on each side by mountains; their path wound along the side of the rock, while below them rolled a mountain torrent, foaming over masses of rock which had fallen from the heights above. They were glad to lose sight of this tremendous torrent, though they long continued to hear its roaring.

Two days more they wound among the crooked paths of the mountain and at length reached a broad and fertile valley in the lowest range of the Andes. Before them for many miles was extended on all sides, a wide plain, bounded by the lowest chain of the mountains. The valley was covered with long grass, and scattered over with low trees and shrubs, not entangled, as on the west side of the Cordilleras, but growing in the beautiful order of nature; a miniature forest, through which you might pass without difficulty, yet enjoy its shelter and shade. But an air of lonely gloom reigned over the valley; all was solitude disturbed only by the sound of a rushing mountain stream, the discordant chattering of the parrot, or the sudden bound of the hare, or the agouti, with its long hind legs, alarmed in their undisputed domain by the unwonted presence of man.

There was a feeling of repose experienced by all the party beneath the rude tent stretched among the trees of that quiet valley, and the succeeding morning saw Lewis and Almagro early in serious council.

"What are we now to do, Almagro?" asked Lewis. "For my own part, to acknowledge the truth, I am so completely weary of this blind wandering; and I perceive that the whole party are so unequal to further efforts, that if you believe we are still far distant from civilized habitations, I would use every persuasion to induce Mr. Merton to settle on this quiet spot, at least, for the approaching winter.

"I have often crossed the Cordilleras at this place, replied Almagro: "I have descended to the Pampas, and ranged, even beyond the misty mountains you see at the east. I have chased the wild cattle and the swift ostrich for leagues over the plain; but near this spot I have never seen the hut of man, nor the trace of his presence The way we have come has only been tracked by the Indians of the far south,--a cruel | | 128 and savage race, who triumph in dying their spears with the blood of the Christians. We must avoid their path, which, till now we have trodden with impunity, and therefore you must urge our friends to extend this tedious journey still for some leagues to the north."

Lewis saw the prudence of the plan, and he proposed immediately to Mr. Merton, that after one day's further journeying to the north they should select a convenient locality and build a hut, where they might rest and recruit their strength in a pleasant and healthy climate.

"But, surely, Dr. Lewis," asked Mrs. Merton, "you do not suppose that we can spend our lives in this lonely desert, for ever in dread of attacks from wild beast and savage men?"

"We will defy them all," said Jack. "Now just listen, mamma. We will fortify our castle in such a way, that neither savage nor wild beast can enter it. Then we have arms; Charles is a capital soldier, he shall drill us, and see if we do not turn out a formidable force against any invaders.

"But how can we build a house?" asked Mary. "We have neither carpenters nor masons; we have neither bricks, nor beams nor glass for windows."

"Mary," interrupted her sister, "you are speaking of things you do not understand. A hut in this valley must be, according to my notion, a mere log-house, such as we read are built by the North American settlers in the far-west."

"No doubt such should be the plan," said Tom, looking round at the scattered trees, "but I see no timber here suitable for our purpose. The gigantic beech and pine of North America are used for those logs. Here is the algaroba, resembling a stunted oak, which even if sound, would furnish very poor logs. Here is also a kind of espino, too slender for our use. How valuable to us would be the noble Araucanan pine, which we saw on the west side of the Andes, and which I fear is not to be met with here."

"My young friends," said Almagro, "you must abandon these plans, and content yourselves with the Gaucho hut of the Pampas; the walls of wicker work, made of the pliant reeds which we shall meet with near the streams, and plastered with mud without and within. Trust to me to build a hut | | 129 when we find a pleasant site, and when the good father shall agree to remain content under the humble roof."

As they moved gently along the level valley towards the north, they all endeavored to prevail on Mrs. Merton to give up the idea of roaming still farther; and Lewis declared they should have to traverse the dreary Pampas for hundreds of leagues, before they reached the dwellings of men, an undertaking quite impossible in their weary and destitute condition.

"Not only must we cross the pathless desert," said Almagro, "but wide and rapid rivers lie in our way, dangerous, if not impossible for strangers to ford. With strong horses we might have a chance of crossing, but our worn-out animals could never safely do it."

"Nor would mamma ever consent to such an experiment," said Matilda. "But why should we not make a canoe? I have a perfect idea of how the thing should be done, and could sketch a plan for it."

"My dear child," said Mr. Merton, "your presumption gives me pain. You are totally ignorant of boat-building, and of mechanics in general. Be content to excel in feminine occupations, and leave your brothers to build houses and canoes."

"But I should really like to see Matilda's model of a perfect canoe," said Jack, laughing.

Matilda was silenced and mortified, but Lewis said her speculations were not to be despised, though she was apt to hurry too boldly to a conclusion. "We will consider the subject at our leisure," continued he; "for we are now approaching a beautiful wood, and I propose that we enter it, and select a spot for our night's lodging. Who knows but this very wood may afford a pleasant site for our winter abode!"

Mrs. Merton sighed at the allusion; but the wood was inviting; even Nanny declared that a house built among such bright green trees would look more like home than the jails they had been shut up in so long, and, influenced by Nanny's decsion, her mistress resigned herself to her fate.

The wood crossed the valley, and extended up the mountains on each side. From the summit of the lower steep it | | 130 continued in a gentle slope to the wide Pampas below. The tall trees afforded shelter from the noon-day sun and the night breeze, and the notes of thousands of birds promised a security from famine. They slept peacefully, and the boys, animated by the novel sight of abundant vegetation, rose early to explore the wood, and returned in high spirits to breakfast, loaded with gigantic pine cones.

"My dear Lewis," cried Tom," I have found the tree that will be useful to us for all purposes; and, though I have yet met with but one specimen, doubtless many exist higher up the mountain. See, this is the fruit, and here is the curious leaf of the Araucaria imbricata, a majestic tree of the Fir tribe, though, perhaps, this one is not so lofty and noble in appearance as the trees we noticed beyond the Andes. I recognized it immediately by the stiff, broad leaf, the branches growing in a circular form round the stem, and the long, leafy appendage which terminates the cone. This cone contains seeds, which, I suspect, we shall find to be excellent food."

"At this season the seeds are in perfection," said Almagro. " In Auracania the tree is named pino de la tierra. The cones, or seeds of the cone, are roasted, or boiled, or bruised, formed into a paste, flavored with fruit, and baked in cakes."

The experiment was immediately made. One of the cones was opened. It contained nearly two hundred seeds, some of which were extracted and roasted and after their long confineinent to animal food, the delicate fruit, which tasted much like chestnuts, was highly enjoyed, and Tom received due praise for his sagacious discovery.

"This is not a mere luxury, but a valuable accessory to our stores," observed Dr. Lewis. "The charqui, and even the hare soups, will be more palatable and wholesome with this vegetable addition. I propose that we set out on a foraging expedition, to collect all the cones we can find fallen. They are best eaten fresh, but by preparing them into a paste, which can be preserved, we shall be enabled to augment our winter stores."

Charles was quite ready to join the party in what bore some resemblance to a sporting expedition though he was greatly discontented with the plan of a hut in this solitary spot.

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"You talk of stores, Lewis, as if we were not locomotive creatures," said he. "Now you may do as you will; but it cannot be supposed that I, with a noble fortune and a luxurious home awaiting me at Valparaiso, should be content to stay here, compelled to knock down a wild bull if I want a beef steak for my breakfast, and to chop sticks before I can have a fire to cook it. I cannot even have a cigar here, which I reckon to be one of the necessaries of life; and I positively have to shave without soap, and to be thankful, even, when I can get water for the purpose! Build your hut, by all means, and remain here, if you can be satisfied to live on guanaco flesh and dropped acorns or fir-apples, whichever they may be. But I decidedly intend to proceed northward till I reach, as I certainly must do, the haunts of men."

"But, my dear Charles, you would perish in the wilds if you travelled alone," said Mrs. Merton.

"Nay, dear aunt, have no fears about me," answered Charles. "If I have my good rifle, and Almagro for my servant, I can rough it for a week or two."

"And leave us without guide or adviser," cried Jack; "taking away our best head and hand. I say, Charley, that is cool. And perhaps you would like the mule for yourself, and Niger for your servant, wouldn't you, now?"

It is probable that some vague plan of this sort had really crossed the mind of Charles; but when Jack spoke of it, and he began to consider the selfishness of the act, he blushed, and was silent.

"Indeed, cousin Charles," said Mary, "if you desert us now, after all our wanderings together, you are disgraced for ever,--a recreant knight! Even I, your host friend and patroness, shall cast you off, and say, 'Never more be officer of mine.'"

"I really should be very sorry to leave you all, my dear cousins," answered he ruefully; "but this sort of existence is fearfully dull and fatiguing; and if Mr. Merton proposes to sit down here for life, it is but a chill prospect for us, who are young, to grow grey in the wilderness,--'the world forgetting, by the world forgot,'--with no society but the parrots. And when our clothes decay, as they must do,"--and Charles looked down with a sigh at his dilapidated raiment,"I shudder to think that, instead of going to my tailor and | | 132 ordering a coat of the latest fashion, I must shoot a guanaco or a wild bull, and roll myself up in its skin, in any fashion. Eheu! eheu! the glory of Charles Villars is departed!"

"Go to the woods now, my children," said Mr. Merton. "We will not remain here without discussion and deliberation; and if it be considered expedient, we will agree to your plan, and move forward, my dear boy."

"I believe, uncle, I am a thankless varlet," said the penitent youth; "but I hope this sweet morning air will soothe my rebellious fancies."

"And to convince you, Charley, that the wood has better fruit than fir-apples, as you call them, see what a feast I bring you," said Mary, producing a basket of strawberries, which, even at that advanced season, she had found in a sheltered nook, near the encampment.

They feasted on the strawberries; and Matilda remarked that with such an immense quantity of fruit at their command, it would be prudent to make a stock of jam.

"And where will you buy your sugar?" asked Nanny, to the great diversion of the young party, and the annoyance of Matilda, who did not like to be convicted of a blunder.

"Why should we not find the sugar-cane?" demanded she stoutly. "Columbus found it wild in several parts of America."

"You labor under an error," said Tom, "in supposing that we should find this valuable plant growing naturally so far south of the equator. The cultivation of the Saccharum officinarum, from which the sugar is produced, extends to some distance beyond the tropics. It is even cultivated in Spain and Sicily, 35° to 40° north latitude; but no one acquainted with the geography of plants would expect to find the sugar-cane wild on the Pampas."

"Well, never mind," said Jack, "it all comes to this: we have no sugar, but we have lots of strawberries, so let us enjoy them."