Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 20 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

* a mS fe 7 : oe . The night thus passed for her, weep ' ahdsobbing, alone, amid the laughter an songs of the Apaches, who were celcbrat- ing the arrival of the warriors of their de- tachment. The next morning, at daybreak, the war- riors started again, several men watching the movements of the prisoner; but Black Cat kept aloof from her. e Indians marched along the Gila, through a yellowish prairie. Gloomy lines of chapparal, intersected by trees, whose red or grayish-brown color contrasted with the yellow frondage of the poplars, bordered the road; on the horizon rose grand hills of a whitish gray, covered with patches of colored grass and dark- green cedar. The band undulated like an immense ser- pentin this grand desert, proceeding to- ward the village, whose approaches could al- ready be detected by the mephitie miasmas, exhaling from scaffoidings, seen in the dis- tance, on which the Indians kept their dead, and let them decompose, and dry in the sun, instead of burying them. At ‘about two o'clock the warriors entered the village, amid the shouts of the inbabi- tants, and the sound of the chickikouis, mingled with the farious barking of the dogs. This ‘village, built on the top of a hill, formed a tolerably regular circle. It was a considerable number of earth- huts, built without order or symmetry. Wooden palisades, twelve feet high, served it as ramparts, and at equal distances four bastions of earth, supplied with loopholes, and covered inside and outside with inter- twined willow branches, completed the sys- tem of defense. In the center of the village was a vacant space, of about forty fect in diameter, in ecenter of which was the ‘‘ark of the first man,’’ a species of small round cylin- der, formed of wide planks, four feet high, round which creepers twined. To the west of the spot we have just de- scribed was the medicine-lodge, where the festivals and religious rites of the Apaches were celebrated. A mannikin made of ani- mal skins, with a wooden head, painted black, and wearing a fur cap, decorated with plumes, was fixed on a tall pore represent the spirit or Genius of Evil. Other quaint tigures of the same nature were dispersed in vartous squares of the village, and were offerings made to the Lord of Life. Between the huts were a great number of storied scaffoldings, on which maize, wheat, and vegetables were drying. Black Cat ordered Dona Clara to be con- ducted to a hut he had inhabited fora lov time, and whose position, in the center o the village, offered sufficient guarantee for the security of the prisoner. He then went to prepare himself for the at magical conjuration, by which he oped to destroy the pale-faces, his enemies. hen Dona Clara found herself alone, she fell despondingly on a pile of leaves, and burst into tears. The cabin serving her as a prison was like all the rest in the village; it was round, and slightly arched at the top; theentrance was protected by a species of porch, closed with a dry skin, stretched on the cross sticks. In the center of the roof was an orifice, in- tended to let the smoke out, and covered with a sort of rounded cap made of sticks and branches. The interior of the hut was large, clean, and even rather light. he mode of building these abodes is ex- tremely simple. They consist of eleven to fifteen stakes, four or five feet in length, between which shorter ones are placed very closely together. Upon the higher poles rest long beams, in- clining to the center, and which, placed very close to each other, support the roof. Ex- ternally, they are covered with a sortof trel- lis work, made of branches, fastened togeth- er with bark ; straw is laid over them, and earth on the top of that again. The maiden, although she was so wearied, did not feelthe slightest inclination to re- pose on the bed prepared for her. It was formed of a long parchment box, with a square entrance; the interior was lined with several bears’ skins, on which she could have stretched herself comfortably but she preferred crouching in the center of the hut, near the fire, lit to protect her from the cold, which was on the point of expiring. Toward midnight, at the moment when, despite her firm resolution to keep awake she was beginning to doze, Dona Clara heard a slight sound at the entrance of her hut. She ran hastily, and by the dying flashes of the fire, perceived an Indiap warrior. It was Eagle-wing. a The maiden suppressed with difficulty a ery of Joy pt the sudden appearance of the Coras chief. The latter laid a finger on his Hip then, after looking scrutinizing d, he walk- ly aroun he ee a The Bandit at Bay. ed up to the maiden, and said in a voice soft as a sigh: ““Why did not the Lily follow the road laid down by Eagle-wing? Instead of being at this hour the prisoner of the Apache dogs, the pale virgin would be by her father's side.’’ At ‘his remark a hearfrending sob burst from Dona Clara’s bosom, and she hid her face in her hands. ““T} e Apaches are cruel, they sell women. Does my sister know the fate that threatens her ?”’ “Too well, alas !’’ ‘* What will my sister, the Lily, do?’ the Indian asked. ‘* What will I do?’ the Mexican girl an- swered, her eye suddenly gleaming with a dark flash; ‘‘a daughter of my race will uever be the slave of an Apache; if my father will give me his knife, he will see whether I fear death.” “*It is well,’ the sachem continued; “‘ my sister is brave; great courage and cunning will be needed to succeed in what I am about to attempt.’ ‘‘What does my brother mean?’ the maiden asked, with a lively movement of hope. ** My sister will listen; the moments are precious ; has the Lily confidence in me ?”’ Dona Clara looked the Indian in the face; she regarded his honest countenance for a moment, then, seizing the warrior’s hand and pressing it in hers, said warmly : ‘*Yes, yes, 1 have confidence in you Eagle-wing ; speak, what do you ask o me ?’ ‘“‘To save you, I, an Indian, am about to betray the men of my race,”’ the sachem proceeded, sadly; ‘tI do not say this to highten the value of my deed, sister; I will restore you to your father. To-morrow, Black Cut will undergo, in the presence of the whole tribe, the great medicines of the sweating cabin, in order that Bloodson may fall into his hands with all the warriors he commands,”’ ‘**T know it.” ‘“*My sister will be present at the cere- mony. She must pay attention to my slightest signs, but, above all, must be care- ful that none of the Apache warriors notice the glances she exchanges with me, or we shall both be lost. Till to-morrow.”’ Then, bowing with a respect blended with tenderness, Eagle-wing left the hut. Dona Clara fell on her knees, clasped her trembling hands, and addressed a fervent peo to heaven. ithout, the barking of the dogs could be heard, mingled with the howls of the coyotes, and the méésured steps of the Apache warriors watching the hut. oukapec was one of the sentinels. CHAPTER XIIL THE GREAT MEDICINE. BEFORE going further we will give some indispensable information respecting the Pueblos Indians, who are destined to play a great part in this story, which, we believe, through its novelty, will interest the reader. These Indians hold the center between the red-skins of North America, and that race of Toltecs, on whom were grafted all the branches whose amalgamation composes the fetes indigenous nation of Mexico. Though iving chiefly by trade and agriculture, they have not resigned all their warlike tastes. The Pueblos are established all along the northern line of Mexico, the principal tribes being the Navajoes, se are Yutas, Caig- nas, and Comanches. The Apaches differ a little from the red-skins properly so called, with whom they have a common character, however; and so do the Comanches. The latter tribe is the most redoubtable in the desert, and calls itself proudly the Queen of the Prairies. The Comanches alone of all the Indians have managed to shield themselves from a taste for stron liquors, which are so pernicious to the red race. The Comanches possess a haughty and independent character, as the reader will be enabled to judge in the progress of our san f We will only mention here one of their customs, which will be sufficient to let them be appreciated at their full value. Among this people a marriage is arranged neither by soft words nor presents; the Uo- manche warrior reaches a surer aud more solemn pledge. ; This is how he acts: So soon as he fancies himself beloved by a woman, he kills one of his horses, plucks out its heart, and nails it all bleeding to the door of the girl he is courting. She takes it down, roasts it, and then divides it equally, giving one half to her lover, eating the ret ie and the marriage is conclu- if Up to the present, none have been able to enslave this nation, which is the terror of all the Mexican frontiers. After this explanation, we will go on with our story. Dona Clara was aroused at an early hour by the sound of the chickikouis and other Indian instruments, with which was inces- santly mingled the baring of the countless pack of dogs that always accompanies the red-skins. At sunrise Black Cat entered the prisoner’s cabin, and, after bowing to her, told her in his honeyed voice, while gazing eagerly at her, that he was about to make the great medicine of the Bah-oh-akan-es, in order to obtain from the Master of Life the surrender of his enemy into his hands; and that if, in- stead of remaining alone with her grief, she desired to witness the ceremony, she could follow him. The young Mexican not wishing the chief to notice the delight she gi at this proposal, appeared to submit, and not to ac- cept his offer. rhe whole population of the village was ast, the women and children running in all directions, uttering deafening yells, Even the warriors and old men seemed to hare forgotten the Indian stoicism. In a few minutes the village was deserted, s0 eager were all to proceed to a vast plain running along the banks of the Gila, where the great medicine talisman was to be ac complished. Black Cat, cunning as he was, was deceived by the apparent weakness of his prisoner, and her feigned despondency. After givi her a piercing glance to assure himself th she was not playing with him, he made her a sign to leave the hut and mix with the aged women, who, like all the rest, wished to witness the ceremony; and he then re tired, without having the ag suspicion Dona Clara placed herself at the foot of s tree, whose tufted branches bent over the river; and there, with palpitating heart restless mind, and eye and ears on the watch, she impatiently awaited the hour of her de liverance, although feigning to be attractee by all that went on around her. The Indians had built asmall hut, covered externally with buffalo-robes, and having 6 low and narrow door. In order to reach this hut, a path forty feet long and one wide had been traced, crossing the village road at right angles, The grass had been torn up all along this path, and collected at its termination oppo- site the hut. Forty pair of moccasins had also been placed, one behind the other, in two rows, all the extent of the path. By the side of the mound of grass burned a fire, in which the flat stones were heated. When they were red-hot, they were carried into the hut, and placed on a hearth made for the purpose. The entire population of the village, with the exception of a few women, whom their e kept apart, were seated along the two sides of the path, with a large number of dishes of Indian corn, broth, grease, and meat before them. The sorcerer was standing on the mound of grass. At a signal he rose, and proceeded to the sweating-lodge, being careful always to place his feet on the moccasins. At the door of thelodge Black Cat was standing, naked to the waist. The sorcerer, after remaining a few min- utes in the lodge, came out again, holding a cutlass in his hand. He walked silently toward Black Cat, who, on seeing him, rose and stretched his left hand, saying: ““T gladly give the first joint of the fore finger of this hand to Natosh, if he will sur- render my enemy to me, and allow me to lift his scalp.’’ ‘‘Natosh has heard thee; he accepts,”’ the sorcerer replied, laconically. With a blow of his cutlass he cut off the joint, which he threw over his head, utter ing some mysterious words; while Black Cat, pf cane a insensible to the pain, con- tinu is prayers. This operation terminated, the sorcerer took arod made of willow branches, ane fastened by the tail of a prairie-wolf: he dipped it in each of the dishes, and scatter- ed the conteuts in the direction of the four winds, while invoking the Lord of life, fire, water, and air. These dishes, which no one had yet touch- ed, were then divided among the spectators, who devoured them in a twinkling. tye After this the oldest warriors entered the medicine-lodge: the women carefully cov- ered them, and threw over the red-hot stones water which they drew from the sacred ves- sels, with sprigs of wormwood. After this ceremony, all the inhabitants began dancing round the hut, aceompany- x themselves with their chickikonis. eantime the sorcerer had placed on the pile of grass in tront of the lodge, a buffalo- i cComicboo a ad 4