Chapter Eight.
Our journey continued—A snake killed—Abundance of animal life—Paucity of inhabitants—Black herdsmen—Vegetable productions of the Cauca Valley—Beautiful scene near Cartago—We enter Cartago—A wretched posada—Mr Laffan searches for carriers—A suspicious character—The Silleros—Arrangements for crossing the mountains—The officer tells us of the escape of Dona Dolores—A midnight robber—Lion keeps guard—We have cause to be uneasy—The Spanish officer starts before us—Our journey over the Quindio Mountains commenced—A ruined village.
We left Calli at daybreak, before the rest of the guests were astir. I was not altogether satisfied that we had escaped detection; and from the appearance of some of the characters at the supper-table, I thought it possible that an attempt might be made to rob us. How Domingo might act, I could not tell; but I was very sure that, in the event of being attacked by banditti, Mr Laffan would prove to them that they had caught a Tartar. The road we traversed was as bad as could be. Sometimes our horses descended the hills almost on their haunches; at others we were compelled to dismount and lead them up the steep inclines. We had several streams to cross; some we were able to ford, others were spanned by wooden bridges. One of these was thrown over a rapid river which flowed at the foot of some steep and huge rocks, above which was a level space with inaccessible-hills on either side.
“That would form a good military post,” observed Mr Laffan, pointing to the spot. “Either our friends or our enemies will take possession of it one of these days, and it will prove a hard matter to drive them out.”
I noted the spot, as well as his remark.
At the next stream we came to, which was a more tranquil one than the former, we had an adventure. As we were crossing it, we observed a large snake swimming towards us. On it came, with its head and part of its body raised out of the water. On nearing us it stopped, apparently watching our motions. I then knew, by the black cross which I observed on its neck, that it was of the species called aquis, one of the boldest and most venomous of the serpents of that region. Mr Laffan, not liking the creature’s appearance, and naturally thinking it intended to attack us, drew his pistol.
“You had better not, señor,” cried Domingo; “you are very likely to miss, and the brute will come after us. Let me take it in hand. Please hold my horse.”
Domingo dismounting, ran a short distance, to a place where we saw a number of bamboos growing. He cut one with his sword, and then advanced to fulfil his promise. The aquis had all the time remained perfectly quiet, with its eyes fixed on us. As Domingo approached, the creature put out its forked tongue, and raised itself higher in the water, as if preparing to make a dart at its enemy. On this, Domingo retired to a distance; but he and the snake continued to watch each other for some minutes. Suddenly the aquis turned round, and began to swim to the other side of the river. The moment Domingo observed its head turned from him he rushed to the bank, and before it got beyond his reach gave it three or four tremendous blows with the bamboo, which made it turn on its back. Then following up the attack, he succeeded in killing the creature. On measuring it, we found that it was upwards of six feet in length.
“It never does to run from these creatures,” observed Domingo, as he remounted; “they will follow even a horse for a league or more, and move as rapidly, provided the ground is not too dry.”
In the meadows we observed large numbers of fine cattle.