THE SURPRISE AND CAPTURE OF THE ILLYAS' STRONGHOLD
John smiled, as he saw with what satisfaction Uraso gave him this parting shot. Still he hesitated.
Uraso went up to him, and he started back. "You need not fear me because we will keep our word. Say to your chiefs that Uraso tells them they are fools. The Illyas cannot succeed. They will be crushed and their villages taken. Your village is surrounded, and you cannot get aid from your other villages. Go and tell them that we shall not again ask them to treat with us."
This address assured him and he first marched along carefully, and soon made his way with celerity to the village. The Illyas were, unquestionably, as much surprised as the messenger at the treatment he had received. It was so unlike all former experiences.
During John's investigations he had discovered that the approach to the village on the east side offered the best chance for a rush, as the character of the ground was better suited to go up close to the line of works, and from that point a better view was obtained of the interior of the village.
A movement during the daytime would disclose his motives, and he therefore advised Uraso and Muro of his plans, and suggested that as they[p. 176] would be able to mass the troops better during the night, the attack should be delayed until early morning.
"During the day we will make a great show of putting up a line of works to deceive them into the idea that we intend to attack from this side. During the early morning we will take three-fourths of the force and steal around to the east, and attack them with a rush."
"But suppose they rush out in this direction?" asked Muro.
"We must keep a sufficient force here to hold them in check, and, if necessary, to rush in from this quarter; and I would like to have you hold the ones left for that purpose."
Muro was delighted at the position assigned him, and thought he saw the slightest bit of feeling on the part of Uraso; but this was soon quelled when John took Uraso aside and said: "I want you with me, as you know how to handle and direct the men."
"I have no right to feel offended because you have given Muro this post. He is the best man."
"He is no better than you, but you are better than he for the position required when the charge is made."
This was, really, true. John knew the capacities of each. Muro was a better tactician, but Uraso had a much better hold on the affections of the warriors, and he was a fearless and intrepid fighter.
The boys could not help admiring the fine situ[p. 177]ation of the village, and the imposing appearance of the town.
"See that building facing this way? It has pillars different from the building to the left. Why do you suppose they made them unlike?" was George's query, as they sat in the wagon with John during the afternoon waiting for night to come.
"I suppose they wanted to put in the different kinds of architecture, simply as a freak, or for some other purpose that I have not yet settled in my mind. If I am not mistaken there are at least three different orders of architecture represented in the buildings. On the other side of the town you can see another building, somewhat smaller than the one to the left, which has still different columns."
"I imagine the one fronting us is the main building. What order does that belong to?"
"That is a Doric front. It had its origin in the log hut, which was called Dorus."
"How many kinds of architecture are there?"
"There are five distinct orders, as they are called."
"What are those besides the Doric?"
"The Ionic, the Corinthian, the Tuscan and the Composite."
"What is that building to the left?"
"That is distinctly Ionic."
"I don't see much difference from the Doric," remarked Harry.
"The distinction is very marked. The Ionic is[p. 178] proportioned to the dimensions of a man, and has the delicacy of the human figure."
"Yes; I can see that now. Has the proportion anything to do with the order?"
"The Tuscan is distinguished by the fact that the column is usually made seven times the diameter of the lower part of the shaft in height."
"But I notice that the ones shown in the two buildings don't appear to be very much different in proportions."
"No, for the reason that the distinctive features between the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian pertain to the capitals. Notice how exceedingly simple the Doric is. I am sorry there are not other examples present, but I shall make some sketches to show the differences which are marked."
"I have heard more about the Corinthian than any other kind."
"That order is the most beautiful of all, and for that reason is so frequently referred to by writers. It is designed to represent the delicacy of a young girl. The capital is the most ornamental of all the orders, and it is also larger and much more showy."
"But you have not yet described the Composite."
"The Composite or Roman, is the Ionic grafted on the Corinthian. From this you will see that not only the general form, but also the proportion and the ornamentation, go to make up the various orders. To illustrate: The Ionic has, as one feature, two scroll-like ornaments, called volutes, and it has more moldings and is much more slender[p. 179] than the Doric. To make the Composite there is borrowed the quarter round molding (A) from the Tuscan; the leaves (B) from the Corinthian, and the volutes (C) from the Ionic."
During the night all preparations were made for a quick transfer of the main force to the east. Works were thrown up very ostentatiously during the afternoon, in their position on the west of the village, and it was obvious to the trained eye of John, who was constantly observing the movement in the village, that they were bringing the warriors to the side facing these preparations.
John, together with Muro and Uraso, crept up[p. 180] close to the line of breastworks, during the night, and satisfied themselves the Illyas were deceived as to the point of attack.
Shortly before four in the morning the warriors marched out, making a wide detour to the right, and within an hour were close to the east line, and carefully concealed. The plan was for the men under Muro to commence the attack, as soon as it was light enough to see plainly, and the firing of four guns was to be the order for the rush on the part of the main force.
All awaited the signal with impatience. Soon the firing was heard, and instantaneously, as though expecting it, the Illyas were seen rushing through the village to the western line.
John gave the word. To approach close to the breastworks without firing a gun, and not to discharge a single piece until they were well within the fortified line.
The entire force moved forward at the shots. The line of entrenchments was reached, and John, with Uraso by his side, was the first to leap over. They halted fifty feet beyond the ridge, to allow the warriors to come in and form the line, those having the guns in front.
With a shout, the allies bounded forward, withholding their fire until the command should be given. The Illyas up to this time were principally arranged along the western wall, discharging their arrows at the force under Muro.
The appearance of the allies within the walls was such a terrible surprise that all semblance of[p. 181] order was lost in their ranks. They began to scatter. Uraso shouted out in stentorian tones:
"Throw down your arms, or we will fire. Surrender and you will not be killed."
John and the front line were now alongside of the second building, the one described by him as having the columns of the Ionic order, which had interested the boys so much.
Notwithstanding the excitement of the moment, Harry could not help looking at the building with its tawdry and crumbling columns, and in doing so espied a half dozen peculiarly garbed Illyas rushing out and attempting to escape to the north along the narrow street.
Calling a dozen warriors, he, with George, made a rush after the escaping fugitives, and before the limit of the village was reached they were surrounded and carried back.
The Illyas warriors were now in a panic. There seemed to be no one to order a surrender or a retreat. John ordered Uraso to have his men spread out to prevent escape in either direction, and as he turned to execute the order, Harry and George returned with the prisoners.
At the sight of the captives Uraso shouted the order to his men, and quickly turning to John, who was slightly in the advance, cried out: "Here are the chief and his principal advisers."
John turned to look and noticed that they were surrounded by the men in charge of Harry and George.
"Good work," he said. "Demand that he tell[p. 182] his men to surrender." And Uraso repeated the message.
The chief saw the situation, but refused to give the order.
"Then we shall have to kill them, and unless you surrender we shall attack at once."
He had hardly finished the words when Muro, seeing the condition of affairs, left their fortress, and rushing forward scaled the low entrenchments, directing a volley into the now thoroughly disorganized and excited warriors. The entire body of Illyas had seen the capture of their chiefs.
The appearance of the chiefs at the head of the column commanded by John made his position safe from attack. Whether the chief refused to comply with Uraso's demand from stubbornness, or because he was paralyzed at the sudden changes from his fancied security, was not apparent at the time.
The warriors now advanced with guns ready for a volley, and the chief saw that resistance was useless. He held up his hand as a signal. John rushed forward toward the oncoming warriors led by Muro, and the latter, seeing the chief in the hands of Uraso, ordered his men to halt.
Meanwhile the forces under Uraso had spread out and were approaching the halting warriors, who, one by one, threw down their bows, and, as they did so, were marched to the open central part of the village and surrounded by the men led by Muro on one side and Uraso on the other. John rushed back to the cordon surrounding the chiefs.
Up to this time not the sign of a woman or a child had been seen. But when order was finally restored and the defenseless warriors were herded together as compactly as possible, the huts surrounding the main buildings were opened, as by magic, and the women poured forth wailing and shrieking.
It was bedlam let loose. They pictured all the terrors of captivity. They knew what it meant. They passed around the cordon beating their breasts, and shrieking like demoniacs. John, motioning to Muro and Uraso, stepped aside, and ordered the chiefs to follow.
"This is the building they came out of," said George quietly to John.
"Then it will be a good place to hold the conference. Uraso, instruct your men not to allow anyone to leave his place within the circle, and then attend the conference with us."
The guards followed John as he entered the building. The boys were eager to see the interior. Once within they saw a dozen women and twice that number of children huddled together in one of the rooms. The entrance from the main door in front led directly into a hall, and at the rear end of the hall was a large room the entire width of the building.
Several smaller rooms were on each side of the hall. It was, to all appearance, arranged like an American or European dwelling, the entire interior being finished in wood, but in a terribly dilapidated condition.
The surprise was still greater when they found in the interior of the great room a number of articles of furniture, such as chairs, tables, settees, and articles which, in their younger days, might have been rugs. Parts of bedsteads were littered around, broken articles of furniture were scattered here and there, and everywhere the place was lavish with dirt.
The boys had seen many native places where filth had accumulated, but the atmosphere seemed to fairly reek. It appeared so to the boys, who had lived so much in the open, and who had such vivid imaginations that the wrecked condition of the interior suggested a worse atmosphere than there really was.
It was not close or confined, that was certain; for the places which once, evidently, had windows, did not contain even the suggestion of glass. It was one mass of broken, misplaced, jumbled up belongings, that would require the rebus manager of a magazine to assemble in order.
When Uraso returned, and the chiefs were placed before them, the boys had an opportunity to study the famous chief of the Illyas. They took occasion to compare him with the others, for the boys now knew all of them.
He was a man, probably sixty years of age, with the most curious headdress, which was worked to imitate, somewhat, the crown, to which his position entitled him. He wore a brightly colored mantle, if it could be called such, for it was simply thrown over one shoulder, and its pendant[p. 185] ends were bound to the waist by a wide girdle.
He wore short trousers, or pantalets, and Harry could hardly keep from laughing, as George suggested that he was ultra-English in the way his trousers were rolled up. He had the face of a man of authority. His every action and look betokened one who knew his authority, and the first question, together with the imperious manner of uttering it, indicated that he was a king, and he knew it.
He looked at Uraso and Muro, both chiefs, and equal to him in rank. He did it with such an imperious air as plainly indicated that he considered them his inferiors. Uraso and Muro stood there, with arms folded, dignified, and returned his gaze with a dignity that won the admiration of the boys.
"I wonder how Uraso and Muro feel now, when they have that old devil at their mercy?" George whispered to Harry.
When the circle had been arranged the chief, Oroto, addressed John in this terse manner:
"What do you want?"
The question came like a shot. It was the first word he had said. Neither of the others had asked for information, nor had they deigned to notice him, as they were marching to the council chamber. This neglect on the part of Muro and Uraso may have nettled him. The attitude of the chiefs plainly irritated him.
It is well known that people of this kind are very sensitive to slights, or what they consider so. It is just as likely that the two chiefs purposely neglected him in that manner to make the humiliation the more complete.