westward ho-第109节

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urces　of　the　Amazon？　　He　must　have　been　very　near　them　already；　in　that　case。　　It　was　vexatious；　but　at　least　he　might　be　sure　that　they　had　formed　no　great　kingdom　in　that　direction；　or　he　should　have　heard　of　it　long　ago。　　Perhaps　they　had　moved　lately　from　thence　eastward；　to　escape　some　fresh　encroachment　of　the　Spaniards；　and　this　girl　had　been　left　behind　in　their　flight。　　And　then　he　recollected；　with　a　sigh；　how　hopeless　was　any　further　search　with　his　diminished　band。　　At　least；　he　might　learn　something　of　the　truth　from　the　maiden　herself。　　It　might　be　useful　to　him　in　some　future　attempt；　for　he　had　not　yet　given　up　Manoa。　　If　he　but　got　safe　home；　there　was　many　a　gallant　gentleman　（and　Raleigh　came　at　once　into　his　mind）　who　would　join　him　in　a　fresh　search　for　the　Golden　City　of　Guiana；　not　by　the　upper　waters；　but　by　the　mouth　of　the　Orinoco。

So　they　paddled　back；　while　the　simple　cacique　entreated　them　to　tell　the　Sun；　in　their　daily　prayers；　how　well　the　wild　people　had　treated　his　descendant；　and　besought　them　not　to　take　her　away　with　them；　lest　the　Sun　should　forget　the　poor　Omaguas；　and　ripen　their　manioc　and　their　fruit　no　more。

Amyas　had　no　wish　to　stay　where　he　was　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary　to　bring　up　the　sick　men　from　the　Orinoco；　but　this；　he　well　knew；　would　be　a　journey　probably　of　some　months；　and　attended　with　much　danger。

Cary　volunteered　at　once；　however；　to　undertake　the　adventure；　if　half…a…dozen　men　would　join　him；　and　the　Indians　would　send　a　few　young　men　to　help　in　working　the　canoe：　but　this　latter　item　was　not　an　easy　one　to　obtain；　for　the　tribe　with　whom　they　now　were；　stood　in　some　fear　of　the　fierce　and　brutal　Guahibas；　through　whose　country　they　must　pass；　and　every　Indian　tribe；　as　Amyas　knew　well　enough；　looks　on　each　tribe　of　different　language　to　itself　as　natural　enemies；　hateful；　and　made　only　to　be　destroyed　wherever　met。　　This　strange　fact；　too；　Amyas　and　his　party　attributed　to　delusion　of　the　devil；　the　divider　and　accuser；　and　I　am　of　opinion　that　they　were　perfectly　right：　only　let　Amyas　take　care　that　while　he　is　discovering　the　devil　in　the　Indians；　he　does　not　give　place　to　him　in　himself；　and　that　in　more　ways　than　one。　　But　of　that　more　hereafter。

Whether；　however；　it　was　pride　or　shyness　which　kept　the　maiden　aloof；　she　conquered　it　after　a　while；　perhaps　through　mere　woman's　curiosity；　and　perhaps；　too；　from　mere　longing　for　amusement　in　a　place　so　unspeakably　stupid　as　the　forest。　　She　gave　the　English　to　understand；　however；　that　though　they　all　might　be　very　important　personages；　none　of　them　was　to　be　her　companion　but　Amyas。　　And　ere　a　month　was　past；　she　was　often　hunting　with　him　far　and　wide　in　the　neighboring　forest；　with　a　train　of　chosen　nymphs；　whom　she　had　persuaded　to　follow　her　example　and　spurn　the　dusky　suitors　around。　　This　fashion；　not　uncommon；　perhaps；　among　the　Indian　tribes；　where　women　are　continually　escaping　to　the　forest　from　the　tyranny　of　the　men；　and　often；　perhaps；　forming　temporary　communities；　was　to　the　English　a　plain　proof　that　they　were　near　the　land　of　the　famous　Amazons；　of　whom　they　had　heard　so　often　from　the　Indians；　while　Amyas　had　no　doubt　that；　as　a　descendant　of　the　Incas；　the　maiden　preserved　the　tradition　of　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun；　and　of　the　austere　monastic　rule　of　the　Peruvian　superstition。　Had　not　that　valiant　German；　George　of　Spires；　and　Jeronimo　Ortal　too；　fifty　years　before；　found　convents　of　the　Sun　upon　these　very　upper　waters？

So　a　harmless　friendship　sprang　up　between　Amyas　and　the　girl；　which　soon　turned　to　good　account。　　For　she　no　sooner　heard　that　he　needed　a　crew　of　Indians；　than　she　consulted　the　Piache；　assembled　the　tribe；　and　having　retired　to　her　hut；　commenced　a　song；　which　（unless　the　Piache　lied）　was　a　command　to　furnish　young　men　for　Cary's　expedition；　under　penalty　of　the　sovereign　displeasure　of　an　evil　spirit　with　an　unpronounceable　namean　argument　which　succeeded　on　the　spot；　and　the　canoe　departed　on　its　perilous　errand。

John　Brimblecombe　had　great　doubts　whether　a　venture　thus　started　by　direct　help　and　patronage　of　the　fiend　would　succeed；　and　Amyas　himself；　disliking　the　humbug；　told　Ayacanora　that　it　would　be　better　to　have　told　the　tribe　that　it　was　a　good　deed；　and　pleasing　to　the　Good　Spirit。

〃Ah！〃　said　she；　naively　enough；　〃they　know　better　than　that。　　The　Good　Spirit　is　big　and　lazy；　and　he　smiles；　and　takes　no　trouble：　but　the　little　bad　spirit；　he　is　so　busyhere；　and　there；　and　everywhere；〃　and　she　waved　her　pretty　hands　up　and　down；　〃he　is　the　useful　one　to　have　for　a　friend！〃　　Which　sentiment　the　Piache　much　approved；　as　became　his　occupation；　and　once　told　Brimblecombe　pretty　sharply；　that　he　was　a　meddlesome　fellow　for　telling　the　Indians　that　the　Good　Spirit　cared　for　them；　〃for；〃　quoth　he；　〃if　they　begin　to　ask　the　Good　Spirit　for　what　they　want；　who　will　bring　me　cassava　and　coca　for　keeping　the　bad　spirit　quiet？〃　　This　argument；　however　forcible　the　devil's　priests　in　all　ages　have　felt　it　to　be；　did　not　stop　Jack's　preaching　（and　very　good　and　righteous　preaching　it　was；　moreover）；　and　much　less　the　morning　and　evening　service　in　the　island　camp。　　This　last；　the　Indians；　attracted　by　the　singing；　attended　in　such　numbers；　that　the　Piache　found　his　occupation　gone；　and　vowed　to　put　an　end　to　Jack's　Gospel　with　a　poisoned　arrow。

Which　plan　he　（blinded　by　his　master；　Satan；　so　Jack　phrased　it）　took　into　his　head　to　impart　to　Ayacanora；　as　the　partner　of　his　tithes　and　offerings；　and　was　exceedingly　astonished　to　receive　in　answer　a　box　on　the　ear；　and　a　storm　of　abuse。　　After　which；　Ayacanora　went　to　Amyas；　and　telling　him　all；　proposed　that　the　Piache　should　be　thrown　to　the　alligators；　and　Jack　installed　in　his　place；　declaring　that　whatsoever　the　bearded　men　said　must　be　true；　and　whosoever　plotted　against　them　should　die　the　death。

Jack；　however；　magnanimously　forgave　his　foe；　and　preached　on；　of　course　with　fresh　zeal；　but　not；　alas！　with　much　success。　　For　the　conjuror；　though　his　main　treasure　was　gone　over　to　the　camp　of　the　enemy；　had　a　reserve　in　a　certain　holy　trumpet；　which　was　hidden　mysteriously　in　a　cave　on　the　neighboring　hills；　not　to　be　looked　on　by　woman　under　pain　of　death；　and　it　was　well　known；　and　had　been　known　for　generations；　that　unless　that　trumpet；　after　fastings；　flagellations；　and　other　solemn　rites；　was　blown　by　night　throughout　the　woods；　the　palm…trees　would　bear　no　fruit；　yea；　so　great　was　the　fame　of　that　trumpet；　that　neighboring　tribes　sent　at　the　proper　season　to　hire　it　and　the　blower　thereof；　by　payment　of　much　precious　trumpery；　that　so　they　might　be　sharers　in　its　fertilizing　powers。

So　the　Piache　announced　one　day　in　public；　that　in　consequence　of　the　impiety　of　the　Omaguas；　he　should　retire　to　a　neighboring　tribe；　of　more　religious　turn　of　mind；　and　taking　with　him　the　precious　instrument；　leave　their　palms　to　blight；　and　themselves　to　the　evil　spirit。

Dire　was　the　wailing；　and　dire　the　wrath　throughout　the　village。　Jack's　words　were　allowed　to　be　good　words；　but　what　was　the　Gospel　in　comparison　of　the　trumpet？　　The　rascal　saw　his　advantage；　and　began　a　fierce　harangue　against　the　heretic　strangers。　　As　he　maddened；　his　hearers　maddened；　the　savage　nature；　capricious　as　a　child's；　flashed　out　in　wild　suspicion。　　Women　yelled；　men　scowled；　and　ran　hastily　to　their　huts　for　bows　and　blow…guns。　　The　case　was　grown　critical。　　There　were　not　more　than　a　dozen　men　with　Amyas　at　the　time；　and　they　had　only　their　swords；　while　the　Indian　men　might　muster　nearly　a　hundred。　　Amyas　forbade　his　men　either　to　draw　or　to　retreat；　but　poisoned　arrows　were　weapons　before　which　the　boldest　might　well　quail；　and　more　than　one　cheek　grew　pale；　which　had　seldom　been　pale　before。

〃It　is　God's　quarrel；　sirs　all；〃　said　Jack　Brimblecombe；　〃let　Him　defend　the　right。〃

As　he　spoke；　from　Ayacanora's　hut　arose　her　magic　song；　and　quivered　aloft　among　the　green　heights　of　the　forest。

The　mob　stood　spell…bound；　still　growling　fiercely；　but　not　daring　to　move。　　Another　moment；　and　she　had　rushed　out；　like　a　very　Diana；　into　the　centre　of　the　ring；　bow　in　hand；　and　arrow　on　the　string。

The　fallen　〃children　of　wrath〃　had　found　their　match　in　her；　for　her　beautiful　face　was　convulsed　with　fury。　　Almost　foaming　in　her　passion；　she　burst　forth　with　bitter　revilings；　she　pointed　with　admiration　to　the　English；　and　then　with　fiercest　contempt　to　the　Indians；　and　at　last；　with　fierce　gestures；　seemed　to　cast　off　the　very　dust　of　her　feet　against　them；　and　springing　to　Amyas's　side；　placed　herself　in　the　forefront　of　the　English　battle。

The　whole　scene　was　so　sudden；　that　Amyas　had　hardly　discovered　whether　she　came　as　friend　or　foe；　before　her　bow　was　raised。　　He　had　just　time　to　strike　up　her　hand；　when　the　arrow　flew　past　the　ear　of　the　offending　Piache；　and　stuck　quivering　in　a　tree。

〃Let　me　kill　the　wretch！〃　said　she；　stamping　with　rage；　but　Amyas　held　her　arm　firmly。

〃Fools！〃　cried　she　to　the　tribe；　while　tears　of　anger　rolled　down　her　cheeks。　　〃Choose　between　me　and　your　trumpet！　　I　am　a　daughter　of　the　Sun；　I　am　white；　I　am　a　companion　for　Englishmen！　　But　you！　your　mothers　were　Guahibas；　and　ate　mud；　an