CHAPTER XVIII.
The Night Attack. Wallace! The Brave Defence. Repeated attempts. The Water-engine. Dispersion of the Indians. Almagro's Discovery. Origin of the Indian Tribes. Preparations for the Departure of the Visitors.

THE night was so fine that Mrs. Douglas insisted on sharing the watch; and Maria, to whom she had confided the great secret of the suspected invasion, requested to be her companion. Warmly wrapped in their ponchos, they seated themselves on cushions on the observatory; and while Mrs. Douglas continued with her usual volubility, to plan schemes of warfare, Maria, who had a poetic and enthusiastic imagination, was gazing on the stars, peopling them with countless multitudes, and lost in contemplation of the wonderful worlds her new education had revealed to her. Suddenly she started up, grasped the arm of Mrs. Douglas, and pointed in speechless terror towards a distant spot in the east.

"What has agitated you in this way, child!" said Mr. Douglas, "and why do you point at that dark, still wood!"

"Dear, dear lady!" exclaimed the excited girl; "see you not yon glimmering spot of light. That light is no star of heaven; it is the torch of the murderers, and we are all lost!"

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Even Mrs. Douglas was silenced; she watched a few moments, and then believed that she also saw a strange light. She left Maria, begging her to be prudent and watchful, and descended to rouse the warriors, who were soon assembled and prepared. Lewis then joined Maria, and distinguished too plainly the moving torches.

No time was now to be lost. Mrs. Douglas undertook the task of preparing Mr. Merton and the ladies, and fortifying their courage with her own bold spirit. The guns were loaded, the stations appointed, and orders and signals arranged, before the regular tread of the horses fell on their ears. Maria still continued to act as sentinel, and rapidly communicated to those below the result of her observations. By the light of the torches she ascertained that the number of the horsemen was not more than twelve or fifteen. They were tall, dark men, clad in ponchos, and the leader was distinguished by long ostrich feathers streaming from his head.

A few moments more and all doubt was at an end; for then the shrill whistling shriek was audible, which ever precedes the approach of the depredators, and which, despite of all prudence, proclaims their hostile intentions. Great was the confusion among the besieged; there were palpitating hearts, faint cries from the house, and hurried preparations. At length all subsided into order, and they calmly waited the event. Maria announced that after riding along a great part of the inclosure, they had halted, as was expected, before the door, which had previously, by the aid of the waggon stores, been secured by strong iron bolts and bars. Here the robbers dismounted, and attempted in vain to force the narrow door, which, placed in a nich formed by the inclosure, did not admit any more than two or three to make the attempt. Finding this mode of attack hopeless, they gathered round the chief in consultation; and then, for the first time, the besieged party heard a loud howling, followed by the sharp bark of a dog.

"That is the voice of my Wallace," cried Mrs. Douglas rushing from the hut in great excitement towards the entrance, where she stood crying out loudly, "Wallace! poor Wallace!"

Apparently the dog recognised the voice, for he barked more vehemently; and many strange voices were mingled with | | 207 the barking, encouraging the dog, it seemed, to some feat; and this encouragement was successful, for, with a tremendous bound, the creature cleared the high door and alighted at the feet of Mr. Douglas. Nothing could exceed the delight of the huge dog; he careered round his old friends, sprung on their shoulders, and greeted them, in his rough manner, with the earnestness of true attachment, and soon comprehending the tie that united his people to the strangers, he at once extended his friendship to them.

In the mean time great confusion and astonishment reigned among the Indians, who had evidently expected good service from the dog, in dismaying or disabling their opponents, and who appeared quite unable to account for the joyful and familiar barking of the ferocious animal, which they could not avoid hearing. "I believe," said Maria, "that they fancy we are necromancers, and that we have cast a spell over the dog. They are afraid of us, and are mounting their horses and moving away."

But the Indians were not so easily discouraged as Maria thought; they only rode round the inclosure, inspecting it carefully by the light of their torches, as if to discover a weak point.

As they passed the corral, the inhabitants of that inclosure were roused by the lights and unusual sounds, and a great noise of bellowing, bleating, and neighing arrested the Indians, and probably inflamed their cupidity; for they once more rode to the entrance, now provided with large fragments of rock, with which it was plain they intended to force the door. This would have been a fatal disaster to the besieged, and the commander immediately placed Almagro and Charles to guard this important point.

A small loophole had previously been made in the fence on each side of the door, into which the ends of the rifles were introduced and when the assailants had raised their arms to discharge the huge stones, Maria made a signal, Lewis gave the word, and the two guards instantly fired, one after the other, both barrels of their rifles. These were certainly random shots, for they could not see their foes; but, from Maria's report, two men fell and were carried off by their companions; she observed, however, that these men were only wounded, | | 208 as, after a little time, they were able, with assistance, to walk to their horses.

A short time elapsed, and the resolute marauders again rallied, and rushing forward with several flaming torches, flung them into the hedge. This was the crisis Almagro and Lewis had dreaded but they had fortunately prepared against it. Mr Douglas and Lewis, mounted on the observatory, waited till the juicy sterns of the cacti began to crackle and ignite, and all the Indians were gathered close to the spot to aid the progress of the flames; then directing the short iron pipe, which was fixed to the end of the hose, to the rapidly igniting hedge, they poured such a volley of water down, that they not only extinguished every torch and every spark of fire, but half drowned the assailants, who withdrew to some distance with loud, exclamations, uttered certainly in a tone of dismay.

The light-hearted young soldiery were greatly inclined to laugh at this comic and easy discomfiture of the enemy, but the commander called them to order; and John pithily remarked, that it was better not to crow till they were out of the wood. And certainly they wore not yet "out of the wood;" though half an hour elapsed before the Indians had terminated a long consultation with the chief. Then Maria saw the white plumes coming forward again; there were no longer any torches, and it was not till the party were close at hand that she saw, by the light of the stars, that the enemy were on foot, and armed with long lances. With those they began a furious attack on the fence, cutting and tearing away the branches with their hands, though not without many exclamations of pain, caused by the thorns of the cactus.

And now Lewis drew up his whole troop in line opposite the assailed point; the rifles were introduced through the branches, and two desperate volleys were fired, immediately succeeding each other, followed by three loud cheers from the brave little army. Loud groans and cries were heard, and Maria observed that the chief had fallen, and two men carried him off with mournful wails. Three men besides were borne away, wounded, if not dead; then the whole party mounted and rode off slowly, carrying with them their wounded and dead. For a long time the victors under the | | 209 command of their general, preserved a dead silence, to be assured all was safe; and once, they even fancied they heard a groan, but Maria assured them she saw every man, dead or living, leave the spot, and as all continued dark and silent, they ventured to leave their posts and enter the dwellings.

They found Mrs. Douglas engaged in attendance on her sister, who had been in hysterics the whole time of the action. Dr. Lewis undertook to manage the patient, and speedily cured her by the application of a bowl of cold water thrown over her; a mode of treatment which was received by the lady with violent indignation, succeeded by tears and lamentations.

"Take me away, Henry," cried the weak woman; "I cannot bear to live in this place, where no one has any pity for me, and I run the risk of being eaten up by savages. I am weary of this dull, wretched, beggarly place, and I beg that we may set out to-morrow."

Henry looked much ashamed of his wife's foolish complaints, and endeavored unavailingly to soothe her; in which pleasing employment he was left by the rest of the party, who proceeded to the dwelling of the Mertons, where they arrived in time to kneel down and join in the good man's thanksgiving to God for their deliverance from peril.

"Come, Nanny," cried Jack, "you must give us, brave fellows as we are, a second supper, or breakfast you may call it, for it will soon be daylight. And here is our dear little sentinel half frozen, must have some warm milk, and go to bed."

Nanny thought it no trouble to provide for all their wants; she called them her bonny bairns, her brave lads, a credit to Old England; and in her softened state she even fed the gaunt, famished, gigantic Wallace; the dog ate voraciously, and was then taken to the important entrance and tied up. Mr. Douglas assured them they needed no other guard, for this was a duty the dog had been always accustomed to; and they were thus enabled to retire and obtain a short rest after their night of fatigue and anxiety.

Early in the morning Lewis and Almagro mounted the observatory to reconnoitre the valley. All appeared as tranquil as usual but as they were about to descend, Almagro pointed out a dark object at some distance from the gate, and | | 210 they both observed that it moved. They summoned Mr. Douglas, armed themselves, and cautiously unbarring the portal, proceeded to the spot. As they drew near they saw lying a wounded horse, scarcely able even to turn its head. Lewis found in its shoulder a serious, but he thought not a fatal wound, and he humanely brought the proper applications, and dressed the wound of the suffering animal with as much care as if it had been a human creature. The horse seemed conscious that he was in friendly hands, and bore all the painful process with patience. The kind surgeon then administered a restorative mixture, and the animal soon revived sufficiently to rise, and walk with difficulty towards the stable of the corral.

It was a noble animal, and from its decorations, and a long elegant spear which lay beside it, they concluded it must have been the horse of the fallen chief. The bridle was ornamented with silver, and a saddle-cloth of white leather was richly fringed with silver; over this was the skin of a jaguar, as a saddle; and Almagro declared that nothing but the terror and confusion produced by the fire-arms, could have induced the Indians to abandon the valuable accoutrements of their chief's horse.

When they got the suffering animal into the stable, they made a bed of maize-leaves for it; and Almagro relieved it from its gorgeous trappings. As the young men, who were now all assembled, were gazing with admiration on the noble horse, they were startled by a loud cry from Almagro, and turning round, were shocked to see him leaning against the railing that separated the stalls, pale, and trembling. For some time he could not speak, but he pointed out to Lewis on the embroidered saddle-cloth, the letters Z di V, worked in silver.

"This is the work of my lost child," at length said the agitated man. "Her mother taught her this elegant art, and from me she learned to form these letters; and thus have I seen her oft embroider her poncho and her handkerchief. My Zara lives, but where shall I seek her? Alas! alas! had I but suspected her fate when the robbers were in our power, we might have secured them, and compelled them to restore my child!"

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They all tried to console their much-loved friend; Mr. Merton even reprimanded him for ingratitude to God, by whose mercy the life of his daughter had been saved. And Dr. Lewis pointed out to him that even if she were a slave, it was plain Zara was employed in no menial capacity, or she could not be able to practise the delicate art of embroidery. He encouraged Almagro to hope they might yet meet and be happy, for the Spanish girls were generally well treated by the Indians.

But it required time to compose the mind of Almagro, after this revival of his sorrow; and they left him alone, contemplating the work of his child, and returned again to the field of battle. Here they picked up two more lances, and to their great astonishment a small silver flask, filled with water. When Mr. Douglas saw it, he immediately claimed it, as part of the property which had been carried off by the unprincipled guides. How the flask and dog fell into the hands of the savages was an enigma they could not solve, but they all agreed that the recovery of Wallace was of much more importance than that of the flask.

Though they were for some time cautious of venturing far from the fortress, yet the general opinion was, that the Indians would certainly not return after the experience they had had of the fire-arms of their adversaries. And they now enjoyed peaceful rest, relying entirely on the vigilance of Wallace. After a week of undisturbed tranquility, the family returned to their usual pursuits; and though they could not forget the Indians had visited them, they no longer feared for the future.

"Is it possible, papa," asked Tom, "that these Indians can be in a purely savage state. Surely they must have some traditions of the great events of the Creation and the Deluge, if they are, like ourselves, the descendants of Adam. And if they were of the first people, how did they come from Asia to America? And how did they degenerate from the intelligence of the patriarchal times to this barbarous and degraded state?"

"You have broached a question, my boy," replied Mr. Merton, "that has long been asked deridingly by the ignorant sceptic. The faithful believer in the divine revelation sees, in all the works of God, the beautiful order and harmony | | 212 that strikingly confirm the wonderful history of the creation, and which declare that we are all of one blood; as St. Paul says, God has made all nations of men. Truly, we are all the children of the first man, Adam."

"Then I suppose, papa," said Jack, "the people of Asia, the first inhabited part, would increase and spread to the east, and then they must have built ships, and come over to America."

"No doubt, Jack," said Mr. Carruthers, "you are right; but the first sailing vessels could hardly be called ships; they must have been rude rafts or skin canoes: the latter are used to this day by the half-torpid Fuegians at the south of America, and the scarcely more intellectual Esquimaux at the north. But even these primitive contrivances would enable the restless or the inquiring inhabitants of the early world to cross the strait at the north of the two continents, which is so narrow that, from the islands which lie in it, you can at the same time look on Asia and America; and, in fact, these islands are so closely scattered, that it has been a question where Asia ends and America begins."

"I know an easier plan still for coming to America," said Jack, "and that is, over the ice of the frozen ocean."

"In the stern winters of the polar regions," answered Mr. Merton, "that cannot be a difficult undertaking; and the Esquimeaux doubtless visit both continents over the ice."

"But do not the features, the color, the habits, customs, and language of the American Indians differ essentially front those of the people of Asia?" inquired Tom.

"In physical conformity," replied Lewis, "the races of North-West America are identical with those of North-East Asia. From the north the people have gradually progressed southwards, losing as they descended, in their wandering and precarious life, the noble and intellectual qualities of their ancestors."

"But how strange it is, Dr. Lewis," said Matilda, "that men of one parentage should be of such dis-similar complexion."

"I believe, my dear Matilda," replied Lewis, "that the color of the skin depends entirely on climate. In the regions of the tropics we find the native black races; the | | 213 colder, temperate climates are inhabited by those of fair complexion, and the intermediate nations are brown or olive."

"Still, Lewis, I cannot see how the wandering life of these Indians should destroy their hereditary intellectual powers," observed Tom.

"We must ascribe their contracted intellect and their savage customs," replied Lewis, "chiefly to the wild mode of life they must necessarily be driven to, remote from all established seats of civilization; when the wants of nature being supplied by much bodily labor, but a small exertion of mental energy, the glorious powers of the mind become impaired for want of exercise, and sink into a dull or torpid state."

"Surely, Mr. Villars," said Mrs. Carruthers, yawning, "you do not feel any interest about these degraded creatures, whom I cannot recognize as belonging to humanity, and to whom any allusion makes me shudder."

"You must forgive me, Mrs. Carruthers," replied Charles, "if I feel a little curiosity about my fellow-countrymen; for I, like them, though a South American born, sprung from a race of civilized strangers; and who can tell but my descendants may, in the course of ages, become barbarous wanderers in these wilds, like our late dark-countenanced visitors."

"How can you speak in that alarming manner, Charles Villars," said the lady; "you, with your wealth, and youth, and gaiety, can never for a moment think of establishing yourself for life in these gloomy wilds. Return with us to the pleasures and even to the necessaries of life. I quite pine for my usual cup of chocolate and rusk before I dress in the morning, and for my glass of iced champagne and slice of pine apple at dinner. Margaret knows I never could eat beef or drink milk till necessity compelled me."

Charles evaded Mrs. Carruther's request, for though he had by no means decided to remain for life at Esperanza, he was far from wishing to be in attendance on the troublesome lady during her journey.

"Do not delude yourself, madam," said Mr. Merton, "with the belief that you are not of the same race as the wild Indian and the enslaved negro. All Histories, natural and civil, testify the great fact, that mankind were descended, as the Mosaic records declare, from one family. All na- | | 214 tions and all people still have a veneration for an unknown and Superior Being, and all, preserve some wild traditions, too frequently distorted by time, of the world created from chaos, the first man, his sin and fall, the deludge, and the promise of life beyond the grave. From one extremity of the earth to the other, all men, however contracted in intellect, believe in the immortality of the soul; all look forward to a future state; all hope that future will be a happier state. The unenlightened savage regards skill in hunting or success in war as the passport to eternal happiness. Still he acknowledges this reward for his merits as the gift of the Great Spirit. And thus did error, founded on truth, pervade the whole world till God graciously sent his Son to redeem us by his blood, and to point out to us the way of salvation; commanding his ministers, from generation to generation, to go to all nations, and to pour into the heart of the heathen the light of the great mystery of love."

The winter had passed away rapidly and profitably, and spring now lighted up the valley. The deciduous trees, bursting into leaf, looked bright amongst the dark and gloomy evergreens. The river was swollen considerably by the rapidly-dissolving snows of the mountains, and confined the hunters within its bounds; but they daily netted, and brought out an immense quantity of fish. The wheat and maize had sprung up luxuriantly, and the seed potatoes were now planted in a small inclosure. The gardens were cultivated with care and neatness, and a promise of plenty cheered the young laborers.

But the parting with their friends was a melancholy prospect. Mr. Merton loved the society of the gentle and highly educated Henry Carruthers; the young men were forever at the side of the practical and active Mr. Douglas. John, the useful John, who assisted everybody, and played on the fiddle to amuse everybody, would be a great loss. Mrs. Douglas, busy, clever, and kind-hearted, would be regretted by all, even Nanny wept at the thought of parting with her; above all, Mary was in despair that she must loose her darling little Cecilia. "Oh you are welcome to keep the babe," said the careless mother. "What could I do with her on the journey, | | 215 without a nurse? I, that am scarcely strong enough to dress myself."

Henry Carruthers looked deeply distressed at the heartless offer of his wife to leave her child; he took up the sweet babe and kissed it to hide his emotion.

"Make the best of it, Henry," said Mrs. Douglas, in her usual kind tone of authority. "It will he a sorrowful task for you to part with your darling; but better to reflect that it is well and happy than to risk its precious life in the journey. Let the good little nurse keep her pet; it will be another inducement for us to return to visit our hospitable friends."

"Henry can come after we are settled in Chili, and bring Cecilia to me," said Mrs. Carruthers, pettishly; " for my part, I shall certainly not return to this dull place."

And thus it was settled that the little Cecilia should remain at Esperanza. Mrs. Carruthers proposed that Matilda should accompany them to Chili, assuring Mrs. Merton that she was committing an act of great injustice in detaining a girl of Matilda's age in such a solitude; it was quite necessary she should be brought out, and this was her only chance of being introduced into society. Mrs. Merton looked at her husband in silent terror; Matilda was much agitated, Mary and Maria burst into tears. Jack spoke first,--

"I cannot see any fun in balls and parties and I know very well Matilda will say she would rather dance on the grass-plot, to the merry sound of John's fiddle, than be dressed up to dance among strangers, who care nothing for her."

Matilda did not long hesitate. "Do not look concerned, dear mamma," said she. "Do you think I could leave you! I am much obliged to Mrs. Carruthers; but I could never be happy separated from those I love."

The three girls embraced each other, delighted they were not to be separated, and Mary said: "And I know cousin Charles will not leave us either; he loves dear Esperanza too well."

And Charles was astonished to find that be really did love Esperanza, with all its privations, too well to leave it for a life of pleasure and ease. He declined to forsake his friends, but Almagro, the ever-obliging and unselfish Almagro, undertook to accompany the strangers, and, with his experience | | 216 and sagacity, to assist them in overcoming the difficulties of the unknown and perilous route. It was necessary to wait till the river had somewhat subsided; and while the preparations were going on, Almagro undertook to try the water daily, and to report when it might he forded.

The two mules and the horse, which Mr. Douglas had brought from Buenos Ayres, restored and invigorated by their long repose and good food, were destined to bear Mr. Carruthers and the two ladies. Mr. Douglas, Almagro, and John, were mounted from the corral; and Niger, with Almagro's mule, the steadiest and most experienced animals of the stud, were to be laden with the provisions and other necessaries for the comfort of the travellers. Mr. Douglas decided to leave his books and valuable instruments, till, the ladies being safely placed, he could return with proper baggage mules, to transport the heavy goods over the mountains. And thus, as Jack said to Nanny, they had the use of the wheelbarrow and the churn for an indefinite time.

Large skin bags, convenient for slinging over the mules, were filled with pieces of salted beef, charqui, maize cakes, and salted butter,--all the provision the settlers had in their power to bestow on their friends. Water was never wanting in the Cordilleras, especially in the spring, when every crevice formed a streamlet for the melted snow.

When the bustle of preparation was past, the pain of parting became more oppressive but the river being now passable, the day of departure was fixed. Mrs. Douglas was quite overcome with her sorrow at the last moment, for she was truly attached to the Mertons; she begged them to use her stock of linen and furniture, which she was compelled to leave behind her, as freely as if they were their own. Mrs. Carruthers insisted on taking her portmanteau and boxes, which were a sufficient load for one mule; and the mattresses, blankets, and covering for a tent, which was intended to he raised on two long Indian lances, were a great addition to the provision-bags for poor Niger to carry. They had all lances, knives, and rifles; and Mrs. Douglas, at her own particular request, was armed with a pair of pistols.

At the last, even Mrs. Carruthers was affected at parting with the pretty Cecilia. She wept bitterly, declared the journey would certainly kill her, and that she should never | | 217 see her babe more ; and as her last injunction, she begged Matilda would teach the child music, even making the sacrifice of leaving her guitar for the purpose. Matilda had learnt to play tolerably well from the instruction of Mrs. Carruthers, the only benefit, since her arrival, that she had conferred on the community.