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R >> Randall Parrish >> Prisoners of Chance




"It grieves me sorely to leave behind so much good pabulum," he
explained, eying still the few morsels left. "It would be well, to my
judgment, did you pack the rest of this providential supply."

Never pausing to answer, I crept between the spreading wooden limbs,
and, with the expenditure of no small effort, succeeded in wriggling
into the narrow hole beyond. It was a cramped passage for a man of my
girth, yet, by digging in firmly with both hands and feet, I managed to
advance, until I finally emerged, within space of perhaps a yard, into
a much larger excavation, resembling the tunnel we had previously
traversed.

"Now, Master Cairnes," I spoke back encouragingly, "it is only a short
distance to good footing; so take fresh breath and come on."

His massive head completely shut out the faint light of the narrow
opening, and I heard heavy breathing as the fellow squeezed his broad
shoulders through the hole. There followed sounds of violent struggle
during his slow and painful advance.

"By all the prophets and the patriarchs," he groaned wearily, "'tis not
in me to make it! Had I endeavored this before eating I could have
slipped through, scarcely touching either side. But now I am scraped
like a pig for the feast. Baste me, friend Benteen, but I can move
neither forward nor back in this accursed place; I am full aground in
the centre, and can never hope to progress without aid."

I reached down until I laid firm hold upon his groping fingers.

"Find some projection to push against with your feet," I advised
disgustedly.

"Fervently will I endeavor to dig in, and thus render all assistance in
my power, yet I feel little to encourage me here in good works. Would
it not be wise to test the potency of prayer? Verily the prayer of the
righteous availeth much."

"I try earthly power first," I returned testily. "So lay to it, and we
will have you out."

I braced my knees against the firm wall, exerting all the strength I
possessed. There followed a series of moans and heated expostulations,
then the sound of rending cloth, and the disgruntled Puritan came forth
with a suddenness of exit which landed us both in a heap on the floor.

"May all the spawn of hell be your playmates," he roared in mad anger.
"By the bones of Moses! you have scraped every bit of skin off me, and
half my coat is ripped loose and left behind. Thou art an ungodly,
blaspheming--"

He gasped wildly for breath as I throttled him, but the grip of my
hands stilled his speech.

"It was only that you gorged like a bear preparing for Winter, or you
would have passed through even as I did," I muttered, heedless of his
effort to release my clutch. "Lie still now, or, by all the devils in
the pit, I 'll shut down harder on your throat. Ah, so you can keep
quiet, friend? Then I will let you go, for I would be free to explore
this passage."

I could perceive, by means of the faint light streaming through the
narrow opening, that he was busily engaged in rubbing his sorely
lacerated sides, and I noted his brown jerkin had been fairly wrenched
off his shoulders.

"Where did you leave your coat?"

"Yonder in that accursed hole! It has store of provisions in its
pockets. Lord save me, but was there ever such a time!"

He turned, groping anxiously about in the scene of his late adventure
until he finally brought forth the missing garment. Carefully testing
the pockets to see their contents remained intact, a smile lit up his
leathern face, and he flung it across his shoulders, like a pair of
well-filled saddle-bags. I reached in also, lowered the drapery, and
then led down the dark tunnel as rapidly as the grim uncertainty of the
way would permit.

The passage proved long and tedious; at least so it seemed to us
compelled to grope slowly onward through the darkness. However, it ran
straight and upon a level, although the numerous supports of the roof
gave us occasional foul blows, and proved so confusing we were
considerable time in traversing its distance. All I have already
pictured as occurring since I departed from the presence of Madame, and
first plunged blindly into the underground labyrinths, had required
several hours, and it must have been close upon sunset when we emerged
from the gloom of the tunnel into the fresh sweet air.

The passage traversed so long terminated abruptly, and with a sheer
turn to the left, coming forth between two huge rocks. To all
appearances, it ended at the high bank of a noisy stream, and was
partly hidden by the overhanging cliff. The latter, devoid of path or
chasm, now barred our progress, towering aloft until its ragged summit
appeared to press the blue sky. At first view I thought the way ended
here, but Cairnes pointed silently toward the right, and then I
perceived where a path led upward, along the merest narrow, jagged
shelf, skirting the boiling water, yet ever rising higher above it,
until, as my eyes followed its serpentine windings from terrace to
terrace, I grew dizzy contemplating the possibilities of so mad a climb.

"I suppose it must be tried," I admitted soberly, "for there is
apparently no other passage. Doubtless it leads straight to the top of
the cliff."

"Ay," with more of indifference than I had expected, "and it will be no
easy trick in the night."

"The night?"

"Surely, yes; when else could we expect to compass the path? Is it not
plain, friend, that before we rose fifty feet we should be in full view
of every eye in the valley with the sun bright upon us? I tell you we
must foot yonder rocks amid the night shadows, or else it will be safer
to lie hidden here."

I perceived the truth of his words and I confess to a sinking of the
heart, as I contemplated the work before us. I was never an adept in
clambering, it addles my head; and, bad as it appeared by day, surely
doubly bad would it prove by night. Yet there was little help for it,
and I made shift to win back my oozing courage by more cheerful speech.
"Odds, but that is no such trip as I would seek after, yet needs must
if the devil drives," I said. "So, now, brother Cairnes, if you wilt
consent to divide your store of food, we shall both front our night's
work with stronger bodies."

"Saints' rest! and if we go over the edge," he replied, cheerfully
emptying his bulging pockets on the rock, "it will be a comfort to bear
loaded stomachs with us. It was ever against my pleasure to die half
filled."

We lingered as long as possible over our meal, conversing in such a way
as to encourage each other and indulging in frequent draughts from the
clear stream. Nothing occurred to disturb us, and, finally, both
yielded to the soothing influence of the drowsy evening, and, resting
back upon the rocks, dropped asleep. I know not the hour of my
awakening, yet it greatly heartened me to be greeted by the sight of a
nearly full moon, and to observe how the clear silvery light flooded
the rocks, revealing the winding path leading upward. To arouse
Cairnes was no easy task, but at last we advanced on our path. The
huge rocks overhead appeared to arch us in, while, with utmost caution,
we crept along the narrow, irregular ledge, which at times was level,
and anon rose abruptly like the steps of a stair; occasionally it wound
about projecting rocks and over vast, unknown depths, until my brain
whirled, while I hugged the smooth rock wall at my right, and felt
cautiously forward for solid foothold.

I imagine we had progressed thus for upwards of three or four hundred
yards, and were elevated so far above the stream that scarcely an echo
of its noise assailed our ears even in the silence of the night, when
suddenly we came to the end of our path. The rocky shelf was so narrow
the very conception of turning about smote me with terror. Directly in
front, extending to the very edge, stretched a solid wall of rock. My
eyes sank to the shelf on which I stood. Lying close against the sheer
cliff was the root of a tree, its trunk, perhaps a foot or more in
diameter, stretching over the abyss, whose depth I durst not guess. I
stooped cautiously, my heart throbbing, and ran my fingers along the
bark.

"Oak," I announced soberly, "and feels solid and strong. No doubt
those Indians must cross here, but it is a bridge to rack the nerves."

"Will you adventure the passage?" questioned Cairnes, striving to peer
across my shoulder. "As for me I would rather attempt the Red Sea."

"Odds, man, the choice is not given. 'T is either turn and go back, or
foot the tree; of the two the attempt at turning would addle me worse."

I leaned out over the edge as far as I dared, clinging desperately to
the root, and gazed down. It was like peering into the mouth of a
great well. Then I nerved myself for the ordeal, and the next moment
was fairly launched over the abyss, hanging on grimly to the log, my
brain reeling as if with drunkenness. Yet I kept moving inch by inch,
for there was now no stopping, and soon felt solid rock once more
beneath my groping feet. With prayer on lips I crouched, sick and
dizzy, close in against the wall, watching Cairnes where he followed
along the same perilous path.




CHAPTER XXXII

CHIEF PRIEST OF THE SUN

The rock shelf we followed became gradually somewhat wider, so I moved
forward with greater freedom. The path continued to ascend, winding
unevenly along the precipitous face of the cliff, until we must have
climbed nearly to the summit of the mighty bluff. But the overhanging
crest rendered it impossible for us to do more than guess the
situation. We were but ants clinging to a wall and unable to see more
than a few yards ahead. Finally we attained a point where the cliff
bulged outward in a wide curve, not unlike the rounded bow of a ship,
and were compelled to move with renewed caution along the narrowed
shelf, which was seemingly unsupported. Creeping fearfully forward on
hands and knees around the sharp corner I found myself before the
yawning entrance to a cavern. I realized that here was the ending of
our toilsome climb, for I could see nothing beyond, excepting a
precipitous wall of stone. If the path had continuation, it must pass
through the cave.

"Yonder yawns a gloomy-looking hole, Master Benteen," muttered the
Puritan, lying at full length beside me, and staring ahead. "Yet my
eyes see no sign of life to alarm us."

"The front is unguarded surely," I admitted gravely, "but do not feel
confident that there are no occupants within. If I mistake not, we
have stumbled upon the very spot whence the priests signal down to the
valley the rising and setting of the sun."

"I never witnessed such ceremony, yet to my mind it would be far
pleasanter going forward than lying here on the hard rock."

Realizing the truth of his comment, yet muttering over my shoulder a
word of caution, I began crawling forward into the interior. No sign
of human presence appeared, and I ventured to stand upright. The
cavern possessed a wide opening, with a broad platform of rock
extending well out beyond the face of the cliff. Along the edge I
could observe the rather dim outlines of an immense altar, built of
detached stones, rising to a considerable height, and partially
blocking the entrance. From below it might serve to conceal the mouth
of the cave. This obstruction shut off much of the moon's light,
rendering the interior intensely dark. We were compelled to grope our
way forward with hands pressed against the walls. I had not advanced
more than thirty feet, my every nerve tingling, when I saw the ruddy
reflection of a fire, hitherto completely concealed by a sharp turn in
the tunnel. Rounding this abrupt point we found ourselves in a large
room capable of containing upwards of three hundred persons. This
chamber was partly natural in formation, but, as I discovered later,
had been considerably enlarged by artificial means. So high was it
that, in the dim light, I could scarcely distinguish its vaulted roof,
while its length was hidden in the darkness. In the very centre of
this apartment arose a great pile of irregular rock, flattened and
hollowed along the top, where was burning a vast log, the smoke
ascending straight upward, evidently finding outlet above. The light,
red and yellow, flared and flickered upon the surrounding bare gray
walls, nothing else arresting the eye except a second wide rock
platform close to where we crouched. This was partially concealed by a
great mat of coarsely woven scarlet cloth, which brought to me a
conjecture that here, perhaps, the Queen was throned.

Wherever there was fire burning there must, of necessity, be attendants
to feed the flame, but I could detect no sign of life, no sign of any
kind, other than the crackling of the blazing log, and the heavy
breathing of my companion. The silence oppressed me.

"Go to the right," I advised at last, nervous from inaction, "I will
try the left, until we meet again. Keep close against the wall, and
move with care."

"'Tis not wholly unlike a visit to hell," he muttered gloomily, "but I
am weary of lying shivering here."

I watched the fellow creep forward on his knees, his brilliant
head-covering revealed in the glare like a flame. Then I took up my
own part of this work of exploration. I had compassed half my distance
amid profound stillness, perceiving nothing strange, and constantly
feeling more intensely the solemn loneliness of the place, which by
now, to my awakened imagination, appeared peopled with bloodless
victims of heathen superstition. I felt no doubt this was a torture
chamber; that many a hapless slave, or shrieking captive, had yielded
up life in agony upon the summit of the gloomy pile, and the haunting
spectres seemed to grin at me with distorted faces from every crevice
along the walls. I was weakly yielding to such weird dreams, when a
wild, shrill scream rang forth from the darkness in front. The cry
contained such note of affright that, for an instant, I connected it
with the fantasies which thronged my brain. I stood still, rooted to
the spot, the blood curdling in my veins, my eyes straining in vain
effort to pierce the darkness. Then there arose a roar not unlike that
of an angry lion; the sound of a fierce struggle; the dull thud of a
blow, and Cairnes's deep voice boomed forth.

"Ye black-faced villain! 'T is the strength of the righteous you have
felt this day. Blessed be the name of the Lord, who hath given me the
victory! Lie there in your sins, and no longer affront your Maker."

I sprang eagerly forward, but at my first step came into contact with a
fleeing figure, which rounded the end of the altar in such blind terror
as nearly to hurl me from my feet. I grasped at the floating robe, but
missed, and the next instant was rushing blindly after the fellow down
the dark passage toward where the moonlight silvered the outer rocks.
Fright gave him wings, but desperate determination lightened my feet,
and I was nearly upon him when the fleeing man rounded the great rock.
One instant he paused, glancing behind. What he saw, or imagined he
saw, I have no means of knowing; perchance some shrieking victim of his
foul rites risen from the dead. With one wild, echoing cry, which rang
in my ears like the scream of a lost soul, he gave a mad leap out into
the air, and went plunging down to the jagged rocks at the base. Sick
and pulseless I drew back. Trembling in every limb, even in the
silence which followed I could detect no sound of his body as it struck
the earth. I crept to the edge, lying prone upon my face, and looked
over. The moonlight ended a hundred feet beneath me; beyond its line
there was nothing but a black void. There could be no question as to
what had occurred--the man was dead. I made my way back into the cave
seeking to discover what had befallen the Puritan. I found him at the
farther extremity of the great altar, calmly enjoying a quantity of
cold meat he had discovered. He was squatting upon the floor, in close
proximity to the motionless, extended figure of a savage arrayed in the
black garments of the priesthood. They formed a picture so startlingly
grotesque I could but stare in amazement.

"Jerked venison," he explained, glowering up at me, as I came into the
firelight. "'T is of a peculiar flavor not altogether to my taste, yet
not a food to be despised in the wilderness. Did you lay hands upon
the heathen who fled?"

"No, he escaped me, but only to leap over the outer rock. He lies dead
below. Have you slain this man?"

He turned the huddled up body over contemptuously with his foot, and I
perceived the wrinkled countenance of an aged man, the eyes bright, the
thick hair on his head long and nearly white. The face, thin and
emaciated, was so sinister I involuntarily drew back.

"A snake is not so easily killed," he answered in indifference. "I
struck but once, and not very hard as I rank blows, yet the fellow has
not stirred since. 'T is well for him to remain quiet until I finish
this repast, for I am of a merciful disposition when my carnal
requirements are properly ministered unto. Faith, had my eyes not
fallen on the food I might have got both the fellows."

Paying slight heed to his gossip I bent over the priest, rubbing his
limbs until the blood began to circulate. Before the testy sectary had
ended his munching, the old savage was sitting up, his back propped
against a rock, the firelight playing over his wrinkled face, as he
gazed at us, yet dazed and frightened. This was one whom I had never
before seen; there was something of distinction about him, both as
regards face and costume, which instantly convinced me he held high
rank in the tribe--no doubt the chief priest. His sharp, black,
malicious eyes wandered unsteadily from the Puritan to myself, as if he
sought to regain his scattered senses. Finally he ventured a single
word of inquiry:

"_Francais_?"

"No," I answered shortly, speaking deliberately in French, hopeful he
might know something of the tongue. "We are not of that people, yet I
speak the language."

"I glad you not _Francais_," he said brokenly, yet intelligibly, his
tone gruff, his accent guttural; "but I talk you some in that tongue."

"How come you to speak French?"

His lean face hardened. As he bent forward, his fingers clinched
convulsively. At first I thought he would not answer.

"'T was much time since I learn; when I was young man," he answered
slowly, recalling the unfamiliar words. "Then no snow in hair, no lame
in leg, and my people dwell beside the great river toward the
sun-rising. We were a great nation, with slaves to work our land,
warriors to fight our battles, and priests to make sacrifice. Then we
had much of treasure from our fathers." He bowed his head, mumbling
indistinctly; then continued, as if talking to himself, after the
fashion of the aged: "Long time before that there came to our village
men in canoes, floating down the great river out of the north. They
were of white face, and wore shining things on their bodies and heads,
and bore in their hands that which spouted fire and death. This was
before I was born, yet I was told it often of my fathers. My people
believed them children of the Sun, because of their white faces and
light hair; they were made welcome, taken into the house of the altar,
fed, warmed, and loved. I know not who they were, or whence they came,
yet they spoke this tongue, did point at themselves and say
'_Francais_,' and told of a mighty King away off, and worshipped before
a cross-piece of wood. My people knew not what to make of them; yet
they were not afraid, and treated the strangers with kindness, and
there was no war between them. He who seemed their leader had one hard
hand of metal, and they named him 'Tonty.' Know you such a man of your
color?"

"No," I answered, already deeply interested in his simple story. "That
was all before my time, nor do I even remember hearing the name till
now, yet there were Frenchmen upon the great river full a hundred years
ago, I have been told. 'Twas most likely they who came to your people.
Did they do harm to your fathers?"

"They passed away in peace," he continued, using the language with
greater ease as he proceeded, "for we were then strong, and of courage
in battle; the fire bright on our altars. Nor did we look again upon
any white face for so long a time that this visit became no more than a
tradition among the people. More and more did the fathers believe this
Tonty was a visitant from the Sun--many there were who worshipped him
as a god. When he left he said he would come again, and with every
sunrise the eyes of my people were turned in watching up the river.
Then, when I was but a child, there came to our village canoes from
below, from the way of the salt water. They did land, unmolested of
our people, who supposed Tonty had come back; fair-faced men with
yellow hair and beards and dressed in shining metal from head to heel.
I was at the shore with the others when they came, and heard them speak
in this tongue, and call themselves _Francais_. Others of that race
followed, and we welcomed and fed them all, even as our fathers had
done to Tonty. Some were warriors with swords, and fire-sticks, but
with these were also some strange, black-robed men, who sought to tell
us of another God, greater than the Sun our fathers worshipped. They
had pictures, and crosses of wood, and prayed to these as we to the
Sun. But we believed not in their God, and tried to drive them away
from our village when they put out our fires, for they made much
trouble among our people, so that the priests came to hate them--the
black-robes. Some among them went, but one would not go, and so we
made offering of him in sacrifice to the Sun. Then we thought we were
rid of the black-robes, and could again live as we had been taught of
our fathers."

He stopped speaking, his head bent low on his breast, his eyes on the
altar name. I waited without a word.

"But they were of strong heart," he went on at last, never looking at
me, "and returned again, until finally war arose between my people and
these white-faced _Francais_. Many came up the great river from the
salt water in big boats, and drove us forth from our village, the home
of our fathers, and gave it up to fire, after killing many warriors.
We could not fight against their fire-sticks, yet we saved much that we
valued, and wandered far toward the sunset, bearing along with us the
bodies of our chiefs, and the sacred fire from our altar. The
_Francais_ lost us in the wilderness. We came to a little river which
flowed down to greet us from out the sunset. Here we stopped once
more, built our village, erecting about it a great wall of earth such
as our fathers did in those days when we were strong and mighty. We
dwelt there in peace for three seasons of sun and cold, having little
trouble with those tribes that roamed about us, until one day there
came into our new village another _Francais_, a black-robe. How he got
there I know not, but we laid hands upon him,--remembering the
past,--bound him before our altar-house, and made of him a sacrifice
unto our god, the Sun. Yet it was not well. Even that very night,
while we worshipped before the fire which had consumed him, there came
upon us many _Francais_ out from the dark woods, with fire-sticks and
sharp knives, so that only few of our people escaped, and got away to
the north. I was one, bearing ever with me the sacred fire, which I
was sworn to guard. We travelled across many rivers, suffering much
from want, until those who lived wandered to this place, and here set
up once more our fathers' ancient altars. 'T was thus I learned the
words of the tongue, this accursed _Francais_, and learned also to hate
those with white faces and black hearts who speak it."

His voice ceased, and his chin sank wearily upon his breast. My ear
caught the heavy breathing of Cairnes, and I turned to mark him lying
at full length upon the stone floor sound asleep. Admiring his
indifference to surroundings, I was yet so deeply engrossed in this
tale of the old priest as to be myself insensible of fatigue.

"You are indeed of an old race," I said, hoping to make him talk
further, "if the traditions of your people extend to those first
Frenchmen who came floating south along the great river."

The old eyes, now scanning my face, gleamed with awakened pride.

"'T is no more than a page out of our history I have related," he
exclaimed hastily, evidently aroused by my interest. "We are the
oldest and greatest people of the earth. Ay, more; we are children of
the Sun, and, ages ago, when our fathers were true to their faith and
their God, there were none who could contend against us. We had our
great altars on every hilltop, and our villages were in every valley.
Our kings ruled from far above the great fresh water down to where the
salt sea kisses the white sand; our slaves toiled in the fields to
produce us food, and in the rocks to give us store of metal for the
chase and war. It was then the Sun shone warm upon his children, and
there were none among men who dared to face our warriors in battle. We
were masters of all the land we trod; we feared no people, for we were
blessed of the Sun."

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