CHAPTER VI.

Cleorita Arcos, at the request of her grandfather, the mayorong, gave the following relation of the causes that led to their exile:—

“As Aabrawa has informed you, our people have received the name of Bamboyles from the Aurancanoes. This was derived from the noise of our workmen’s hammers in mending their utensils. But our transmitted, and more pleasing name of designation, which we hold in reverence as an evidence of remote ancestry, is Kyronese. Our late place of residence is called Pompolio, which is also of remote hereditary origin. Mendoza was said to have been founded by our ancestors, from which their more recent descendants were driven by the Spanish half-breeds who coveted their vineyards, which produced excellent grapes for the manufacture of wine, of which they were fond to excess. Their envious hatred followed the victims of displacement to Pompolio, their new home, and still continues. Our ancestors were also beset by wandering tribes of savages in their new home, as determined for our destruction as those from which we were rescued by your timely arrival. But as they were constantly at war among themselves it gave our people an opportunity to build walls and gates to defend the passes.

“The Aurancanians were always friendly, for our people never exacted more for their labors than their employers were pleased to give in exchange; and until the event occurred that caused us to become outcasts 65from our dearly loved homes, they were ever more ready to bestow than we were to accept. But the same cause, from the same source, has reduced them to a condition worse than our own, for they can no longer command themselves in their own country, being constantly at variance in their own households. We are so unlike our neighbors, and their visitors from other nations, in personal appearance, habits, and customs, our curiosity has labored long and patiently with the transmitted emblems, but they refuse to unravel the secrets of the past.

“My father gave our people much information, which they supposed to be reliable. First, he said that Kyron, from which our name was derived, was an ancient Assyrian department, which gave birth to the city of Sidon, famed in its day for the boldness and enterprise of its navigators; and that the vessels portrayed by our ancestors were similar to theirs. But he said that our short bows, and spears, as well as our defensive armor, afforded the strongest confirmation of Assyrian origin. In addition, he found utensils designed for household use which corresponded exactly with pictures in the books he obtained from Europe; and furthermore, he made a journey to Peru and brought back vessels of pottery exactly similar. From these evidences he naturally concluded that our ancestry, and those that inter-married with the aboriginal inhabitants of Peru, were derived from the same source. However, you will understand all these things better than ourselves; for he said your learned men devoted their lives to the study of the past, and were skilled in tracing vestiges, and conjectural probabilities.

“From what I have related, you can judge of the past, and from what I shall now relate, whether we have acted prudently, and are worthy of the interest you are disposed to take in our welfare. We lived happily according to our knowledge, neither 66eating or drinking what we considered to be impure, or indulging to excess beyond the body’s requirements for the gratification of taste. Our amusements were harmless and serving as a vivacious warmth for affectionate love. Those who visited us, like my father, were kindly entertained, and not one of the few has disdained to accept our friendship. The cause of my father’s departure was not that he loved us less, but the wish to induce his father and brother to come and see that he had succeeded in finding a people who were content to live without money, in freedom from want and envy, with the security of a common affection to make them realize a more perfect existence after the separation of vitality from the body. It was our misfortune to lose him when his advice was most needed, for we feel assured, if he had remained, he would have averted our calamities, for he claimed that our goodness and simplicity invited imposition, which we had not the diplomatic skill to avoid.”

Mr. Welson, with a humorous twinkle of the eye, interrupted Cleorita, questioning whether her father explained the meaning of the word diplomatic. To which she replied with blushing trepidation, “My father gave his own version, but he was so chioptic (jocose) in his way, and inclined to speak disparagingly of his people’s sincerity, we did not press him to asservate the truth of his interpretation, for we could not wish to believe that civilization consisted in the art of successful deception. As you knew him well in former years, I will not withhold his exact definition. He said the word was a comprehensive cover for all the variations of lying evasion practiced in the adjustment of national encroachments, as a pretext for more extended impositions. The immediate cause of our exile was the reappearance of a tribe of Indians who had been expelled by the Aurancanians for their atrocious acts. The return of the Abacknas (marauders) was announced by their sack 67of the settlement of Guaspe. When pursued by an avenging party they fled to the mountains. Their leader, named O’Grady, a sailor who had escaped from a vessel in the straits of Magellan, betrayed them to the vengeance of their pursuers, so that few escaped. By this act of treachery he gained admittance into Aurancania for the introduction of a destructive cause more insidious in its perfidy.

“In all the valleys of Aurancania the apple and pear grow to perfection, and, as with us, those bordering the countries on the north and east are well adapted for the culture of the grape and fruits kindred to the peach. The extracted juice of these had been used as a pleasant and harmless drink. O’Grady, although mistrusted, proposed to make the juice more pleasing in its effects if suitable vessels could be procured. As these were to be made of copper, of which we had an abundance, and were skilled in reducing it for the manufacture of utensils, he was referred to us. Unfortunately, on his way to visit us, he met one of our most ingenious workers of the metals at Muloa, who comprehended the kind of vessels and attachments he wanted. Insisting upon accompanying our brother to oversee his labors, he gave him abundant reason on the way to regret the chance that made him responsible for the stranger’s introduction to our people. On their arrival within the gates of the pass, he would not accept the hospitality provided for strangers, on trial,—outside of our Douang, or walled town of defense, but insisted that he should be received as a guest within. This act of aggressive presumption was firmly but politely opposed by his sponsor, which from his slight stature led to a trial of strength, with a result seriously unfavorable to O’Grady, who was glad to accept assistance from his antagonist and a bed in the strangers’ quarters, which he kept for a month, until a fractured leg and an arm were again serviceable. Nevertheless, he was kindly attended; 68and after his recovery never attempted to overawe any of our people with threatening overtures provoking personal encounter, having seemingly lost confidence in the accounted advantages of superior size; but the revengeful leer of his eyes boded us ill if the opportunity of exacting it should ever occur. The vessel, with our troublesome visitor, were transported back to Muloa as soon as he was able to travel; he neither offering, or his conductor requiring aught for the labor or material bestowed, other than the desire, on the part of our people, never to see him again. But the hopes entertained that our parting would be final, were void; and in view of the calamity which the heedless fulfillment of our brother’s stipulation wrought upon the friendly Aurancanians, we have questioned whether our own misfortunes were not justly merited.”

“Were you aware,” inquired Mr. Welson, “that the vessels your artizans were fabricating were intended for the transformation of a beverage juice into a fiery distillation, that in product would reduce your friends to the condition of enemies to you, by the introduction of ‘civil’ discord into their own households?”

“The only information our people had upon the subject was derived from my father,” replied Cleorita, “who had often described the misery it had caused among your people. But his habits were abstemious, and his example prevented the full impression of the danger, for we did not forethink that others lacked his discretion, and would pervert actual blessings for their own destruction. Alas, we soon found that the track of our heedless labor was marked with the blight of provident affection. To controvert our own agency in the misery inflicted upon the families of our ever kind neighbors, the mayorong sent those abroad who mingled substances with the ashes beneath the vessels that in burning destroyed the metal. But the O’Grady had gained the means 69before this was effected, of obtaining others from Mendoza of larger size, after we had refused to supply his loss. These we also felt warranted in destroying, which aroused his suspicions and his third enterprise was carefully guarded. When its product exceeded the demand, he sent a still over to Pompolio and seized our fruit for its use, which caused our people to destroy it openly, expelling his aids. This provoked his bitter enmity, and he swore that he would exterminate our people root and branch.

“Two years passed without cause for alarm, when, with a morning’s dawn, we were aroused by the boom of a great gun and a loud crash in the midst of our houses. When rushing forth to learn the cause the gatekeeper gave the mayorong a letter written in Mendozean Spanish which I translated. The missive was a demand for the immediate surrender of the Douang, unconditionally. In the event of refusal, the lives of all the males were to be sacrificed. This was signed, ‘Patrick O’Grady, Commander-in-chief.’

“Of course, without hesitation, our people put on a bold face and sent him back a defiant answer. In less than an hour our gate became a mark for the cannon. This we had anticipated, and a second gate prepared for an emergency of the kind, was closed inside of the outer, the interspace being filled with faggots of osiers and tough mountain moss. So that our second gate was well protected, for they kept prudently out of reach of our spring-engines which were almost as effectual as their guns, but could not be directed as easily. But our people were sorely disheartened, for he had brought with him a large band of the guachos and Indians of the plains, who had often attempted similar enterprises. Finding, after many days, that their guns were breaking through our strong walls, our people determined to conceal in the mountain caves all that was held valuable, leaving in charge of a band of our young men 70the old and infirm, with our cattle; while the mayorong, with the majority of the able-bodied of both sexes, should set forth to seek a new home farther north. When all the arrangements were completed a passage was opened in the southern wall opposite and in concealment from the besiegers’ encampment, for the outgoing of our cattle, through the heap of litter that had accumulated from our stables overthrown from the wall. After our departure for the mountain strongholds, the way of escape was again closed and concealed as before. When everything was made ready for the departure of the mayorong’s party northward, they resolved upon another night attack upon their foes for intimidation, that they might not seek to molest the mountain party in reserve; but with such precautions as could be used to prevent the loss of life on our part. The success of our people, if it had been followed up, promised a complete rout, so great was the panic they caused, but it sufficed to render their guns useless, with the destruction of their munitions, and such other damage as we could accomplish without hazard to ourselves.

“With a sad farewell we set forth in search for a new place of habitation. Encountering many hardships, we finally succeeded in reaching the fruitful valleys to the north of Mendoza without the loss of life, where a new race of foes have driven us hither and thither as relentlessly determined upon our destruction as the O’Grady. When we started, our men numbered an hundred and eighty, and our women and children two hundred; these have been reduced by death and capture in our long wanderings among savage foes, to ninety men, and an hundred and twenty women and children. Twenty days ago we rescued our loved companion, Correliana, in sight of her city, while her guards were fighting bravely for her defense against overwhelming odds. For many days we hovered in sight of the city, hoping to 71regain for her an entrance into the gates; her friends understanding our intention endeavored to render us all possible assistance, but it availed naught for her advantage, but caused us great distress. Yet that she has been the means of our preservation we doubt not; for without the support of her undaunted courage and device, we should scarcely have been able to elude the many schemes planned for our destruction and her capture. When she found it was impossible to gain an entrance into the city, and we were fainting for the want of food, she led us by devious ways to Indian villages, left in charge of old men and women, where we obtained an abundance of food without causing other injury. From that time we have had no rest, except what we gained in the sillia while our horses were moving. Her desire to keep the river in view has been so urgent that we saw clearly she expected succor from it in some way. Although her language corresponds with Spanish so closely as to furnish me with a ready understanding in other matters, she was not disposed to impart the nature of her hopes from this source. We are not greatly given to superstition, nevertheless, we cannot rid ourselves of the grateful belief that you were in some way overruled for our rescue.”

When Cleorita closed her relation the Kyronese women bowed themselves down in grateful acknowledgment for their preservation. This act of humility caused the padre to utter a remonstrance coupled with the declaration that prostrate humbleness for human aid seemed to him an affectation that smacked strongly of hypocrisy. But when reminded of the obeisance paid to the pope’s toe, and similar absurd acts inculcated by Christian doctrine in the education of youth subject to the bias of sectarian supremacy, he was silenced. But all joined in expressing their strong sympathy and proffers of aid in solace for the unmerited sufferings of the Kyronese.