CHAPTER IV.

Notwithstanding the confirmed assurance of the sufficient efficacy of the antidote applied by Waantha for counteracting the poisonous inoculation of the padre’s arm, he still continued the use of whiskey with the thoughtless lack of consideration that fosters habits of indulgence and self-imposed penalties. In verification of the advanced statement, that artificial stimulation gave birth to war and the three curative professions, the padre, in common with his paternal ancestors, became polemically disposed when subject to the influence of his imposed habits. Waantha’s happy manifestations of “regeneration” caused him to urge dogmatically, “You must acknowledge, Mr. Welson, that the Jesuit fathers have done much good, for of all nations and sects they alone have succeeded in bringing tribes of Indians under the influence of civilized control.”

“Yes,” replied Mr. Welson, but with the reprobating clause, that “they have manifested in all their missionary labors a paramount zeal for the selfish aggrandizement of their partisan order in the extension of its power for enforcing the control of a hypocritical despotism; the real welfare of the heathen converts being held as a blind of nominal consideration. Indeed, the Jesuitical method enacts the part of whiskey in its habitual rule over the faculties of civilized society; in conjuring for the subjugation of reason superstition for the supremacy of fanatical instinct.”

The padre startled, exclaimed, “Upon my conscience, 36Mr. Welson, I am afraid you are little better than an infidel!”

Mr. Welson left the padre with an ill-concealed show of disdain. Finding M. Hollydorf engaged, with the assistance of Mr. Dow, in removing a powerful electro-magnetic battery—one of Shockwit’s best—from its case, it occurred to him that amusement, if not more permanent advantage, might be derived in trying its effect upon the savage chief. This proposition was readily adopted, with the resolve that only those necessary for the working accomplishment of their purpose should understand the nature of their occupations. The experiment, under the experienced management of Mr. Welson, promised some rare developments of motor effects, in the production of instinctive superstition, without committing an act of cruelty beyond the wholesome excitement of animal fear. As it was necessary to keep the instrument out of sight to secure the full impression of supernatural effect, the captain offered his stateroom as the best adapted for the preservation of secrecy and the effectual working of the instrument. With the aid of the two sailors, the wires were passed out of the port and run unobserved outside of the bulwarks, and so arranged that the old savage could not escape the full force of the electrical shock. When completed, the connection of the circuit was tried in the absence of persons from the neighborhood of the intended victim. The result was a prolonged yell, that not only surprised the uninitiated on board, but brought inquiring heads forth from ambush on shore. To the wonder and alarm of all on board excluded from a participation in the secret, the old savage was found writhing in an agony of fear entirely bereft of stoicism. Various explanations were suggested to account for the startling phenomena. The padre admonished Mr. Welson that it was, without doubt, the working of the spirit of repentant regeneration, as 37the Fathers had recorded numerous instances where the self-convicted had cried out in anguish, “What shall I do to be saved?”—the fact being made known after they had acquired a knowledge of missionary language. He averred that there could be but little doubt that it was the workings of the spirit of conviction, from the agony of his expression. Thereupon he desired Aabrawa to inquire into the cause, as it had all of the appearance of a miraculous conversion. But the old chief stared at Aabrawa, helplessly unable to speak through an excess of fear. Mr. Welson then counter-admonished the padre, that as a professed follower of the Church it was his evident duty to point out to the convert the appointed way of salvation. As all supported this suggestion, the padre remonstrated, while looking wofully at his arm, “I once offered him my sympathy and aid for his relief, but he repulsed me so brutally, upon my conscience, I am afraid to try him again.”

His attention being called to the helpless condition of his late antagonist, he was finally persuaded to adventure one of his hands upon the head of the savage in the way of benediction. Answering to a given signal the battery claimed the padre as a victim through the chief, whose yell was accompanied with the exclamation, “My conscience’ sake alive!”—then his fears became as vivid in expression as those of his intended convert. Mr. Welson, addressing himself somewhat scornfully to the padre, said, “You accused me of infidelity when I endeavored to use my privileged endowment of reason bestowed by the Creator for human direction; now you will see how much better it serves as an exorcist than your faith in a religion that ignores man’s duty for the fulfillment of intention in its bestowal.” He then made a few passes over the Indian, and when he had gained the full attraction of fearful awe with mumbling incantations, the padre was reluctantly induced to replace his hands 38on the chief’s shoulders and remove them without alarming impression. Then assuming an awful aspect and tone, as if addressing the powers of air with the spirit of invocation, he implored their aid to convict the reptile savage, and civilized devotee of a blind infatuation, of their willful errors alike dangerous to the well-being of humanity. When made sufficiently impressive he commanded the padre to take the chief’s hands. Overawed by the majestic impersonation of sublime authority enacted by Mr. Welson, the two joined hands, both keeping their eyes fastened in blank wonder upon his face and movements. The conjuration having fixed their attention, he pronounced in a loud voice the magic word “Letonnow!” Immediately the two commenced a series of contortionate grimaces, directed toward each other, accompanied with spasmodic hand-jerking. The actors were so engrossed with their fears that the spectators were fain to have recourse to a variety of succedaneum vents to suppress the outburst of laughter, the sailors adopting the novel expedient of revolving their quids around the tips of their tongues, which ejected a jet of saturated decoction from the corners of their mouths with every revolution. But for Mr. Welson’s practiced command of his emotions, subject to the control of judgment, the ludicrous scene might have been continued to the extent of injury, for his associates were, from spasmodic action, to all intents speechless. When at length the larger fraction of a minute had been exhausted in husky attempts to command his voice, he managed to stay proceedings with a sign evoked from head and hand, faintly sustained with a vocal negative. When the current was checked the last vestige of ferocity had departed from the face of the savage, leaving the vacuum unsupplied, as it was his sole dependence for the facial expression of his emotions. The padre’s face was confounded with a blending of 39superstitious dread and suspicion, for with all his phantasmic nervousness provoked by the excessive remedial use of whiskey and tobacco, he could not fail to detect the covert effort of restraint that prevailed. Indeed, with his natural powers of perception free from their imposed embargo, he would have detected the means employed for the production of effects known to the most illiterate members of scientific academies. To dissipate his suspicions the padre had recourse to Doctor Baāhar, of whom he anxiously inquired whether Mr. Welson derived his power from a legitimate source compatible with the apostolic faith inculcated by the tenets of the Church. The doctor, as instinctively absurd when out of the scholastic thrills of antiquity, found especial gratification in teasing those subject to the common frailties of his kind. So, taking his cue from the padre’s necromantic suggestion, he explained that Eusebius, and other Fathers of the primitive Church acquainted with the practice of Egyptian astrology, had confirmed the prevalent belief that in certain families, under peculiar conditions, there was a power developed similar to that exhibited by Mr. Welson.

Here Mr. Dow interrupted their conversation by calling the attention of the padre to the savage, who was following Mr. Welson with the docility of a spaniel. Observing his emotions of superstition he asked, “Are you in reality so blind, padre, that you are unable to detect the agency of Mr. Welson’s power over the savage? You seem to be impressed with the belief that Mr. Welson has been enacting the part of a magician in producing these effects upon the savage, whose ignorance sympathizes with, or rather reciprocates your superstitious delusions? How is it possible for you to overlook, with thought, an impression so familiar to your understanding, and in fact, place yourself on a level with this savage from a lack of intelligent perception? Really, padre, you 40confound me with astonishment. Time, place, and circumstances, with certain abetting aids, have thrown you off your guard.” A shake of Mr. Welson’s head prevented Mr. Dow from revealing the means employed, as he wished to confound the padre with further evidences of his simplicity and heedlessness. Beckoning the sailor satellites of the savage, he was led back to his place of confinement, and secured in contact with the wires of the battery; then, when the padre’s attention was otherwise engaged, a glass of whiskey from his bottle was administered by Mr. Welson to his experimental victim. But a short time had elapsed when attention was called to an unusual disturbance forward, in which the fierce snarling growl of the dogs was commingled with the guttural “ughs” of the savage, whose face was contorted with an expression of demoniac rage, causing his mouth to froth, exposing through its slaver his pointed teeth, while his eyes gleamed with a ferocity that prompted the padre to flight. But when assured that he was securely confined, the padre asked Mr. Dow what he thought of the source of Mr. Welson’s agency now! Mr. Dow led him to the captain’s room; with a glance at the instrument the nature of his ludicrous position began to dawn. But when his whiskey bottle with diminished contents was produced and proclaimed as the magician of ferocity, his face mantled with the scarlet dismay of shame, which with his ejaculation of “My goodness gracious, what a fool I have been!” filled the cup of mirth to overflowing.

Since the morning of the 9th the strength of the current had increased so rapidly that the captain feared we were approaching impassable rapids; but at nightfall we entered into a broad expanse of water resembling a lake. Keeping beyond the range of arrows, Mr. Dow and Welson in the punt succeeded 41in killing sufficient wild fowl for a week’s supply. Shortly after nightfall the dogs with their muzzles primed over the chocks kept up a warning cry. Waantha with a crutch, the gift of the carpenter, hopped about the deck with eyes on the alert, and ears primed for sounds from the water and shore. Through the night his vigilance was sustained, until in the darkness of the morning hours he aroused Jack’s attention to floating objects on the water just visible to his sight, but while peering the whiz of an arrow interpreted the source of danger. The angle of flight enabled him to judge with tolerable correctness the position of the foe who discharged it; the yells which answered the report of his escopeta loaded with buckshot bespoke his success with others if not the one whose intention provoked retaliation.

June 11.—Jack’s morning salute awoke all on board, causing a general muster to learn the source of provocation. While Mr. Dow was taking his coffee in the dawning twilight, Waantha hobbled to the place where he was sitting and after directing his attention to an approaching swan, took one of the dead ducks hanging under the awning and placed it on his head, at the same time imitating the movements of a man decoy. Understanding his meaning, Mr. Dow took his rifle from the rack and sped a bullet with sure aim; the unfortunate bird extended above the surface a black pair of arms, then with a gurgling cry sunk out of sight. Flocks of ducks which had been gradually nearing the steamer on all sides made for the shore without taking wing, showing by the wake the nature of the fowl before the submerged Indians clambered up the banks. The undaunted perseverance of the savages in tracking the steamer, despite of our superior weapons, showed an indomitable determination, proof to danger and disappointment, which detracted greatly from our prospective feelings of safety when exposed to the disadvantages of land travel.

42The steam-whistle and gong had startled them at first, but they had tested their harmless natures, and evidently thought the howitzers relatives, whose destructiveness could be avoided as easily as the poison of their arrows when they had obtained a knowledge of the antidote. The forbearance of the captain had favored this impression, and it was determined in consultation to use our weapons to the full extent of their destructiveness. An opportunity was soon offered, for in passing a raft lodged on the eastern shore Waantha pointed out a rampart of logs ready poised for an overthrow, with interstices between in which were seen the protruding muzzles of their blow-pipes. One of the mountain howitzers loaded with solid shot was discharged point-blank against the upper tier causing it to fall inward, catching the lurking savages in their own trap, while it exposed those in the rear to the full effect of grape and our small arms, which caused the river echoes to resound with the yells of the wounded. Without stopping to learn the extent of the slaughter, the steamer kept on her course. In passing a glade reaching to the water the plain was seen covered with panic-stricken savages on foot and horseback, directing their course to the foot-hills. Although surprised at the large number collected, we felt safe with the impression that the wood rafts of the left bank would be left free for our acceptance thereafter.

June 14.—While collecting wood from the scattered lodgments of the western bank, parties of mounted Indians watched our movements from the opposite plain. These Waantha informed us were of his own tribe. When asked if he would like to be set on shore to rejoin them, he expressed, with signs, a reproachful negative, blended with fear and sorrow. After a moment’s hesitation he seemed to understand that the proposal was made to test his feelings, then with a pleased look of Indian cunning he pointed to the old 43chief, who had been regarding him with a revengeful look of ferocity. Understanding his meaning as a proposal of substitution, Mr. Welson asked, through Aabrawa, if they would kill the old chief if set on shore? This was answered with a decided negative, and the pantomimic addenda of labor as a substitute for death. As the captive was sufficiently recovered from his wounds to control his own movements, Mr. Welson took him in charge for initiatory preparation in presage for association with his foes on shore. That it might not, in form, be considered an arbitrary expedient for riddance, after Mr. Parry had fitted to his neck a brass collar, proof to Indian appliances for removal, he was freed from his bonds under the supervision of Mr. Welson, who offered him his choice between the continued hospitalities of the steamer, or liberty, such as he might be able to secure from his congeners on either bank of the river? The speedy announcement of his choice was urged by three strong shocks of the battery. When his agitating consternation had sufficiently subsided from the last talismanic touch to his neck decoration, his head disappeared over the bulwarks with his heels in reversion, giving farewell nods to his civilized entertainers. When last seen beneath the water’s surface he was making for the eastern shore with a frog’s exampled despatch.

The kind-hearted readers will be unnecessarily excited, if from the foregoing relation they are inclined to think our enactments were dictated solely for the gratification of instinctive mirth. Mr. Welson’s object was to obtain a clear demonstration of instinct in the rudimentary foundation of habit as the source of progressive inclination in its bearings upon the present standard of civilization. The participation of the padre in the vague terrors of the savage from a reciprocation in kind, from the two extremes of cultivated progression, offered absolute evidence of a common 44origin and source of provocation, the variations in expression being dependent upon practiced habits and customs. The padre attempted to offer his own experience to subvert the ferocious testimony of the old savage while under the effects of whiskey, pleading that it had ever exerted an opposite influence with him, exciting in its action a genial flow of sympathy. This partial testimony was overruled by the acknowledgment that in social whiskey bouts, indulged in as night passatempos, he had invariably been obliged to act as a peaceful arbitrator. With the impression made from the effects of whiskey on the savage, all our habits of indulgence were curtailed, greatly to the advantage of kindly reciprocation which had often been chilled by theoretical disputations that ended as they began, in the void of instinctive mutation.