the days of my life-第63章

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ace；　and　who；　good　fellow　that　he　was；　kindly　examined　me；　told　me　that　I　was　suffering　from　nothing　except　shock　to　the　nerves。
At　Queretaro　I　was　taken　up　a　hill　and　shown　the　wall　against　which　the　unhappy　Emperor　Maximilian　had　been　butchered　some　five…and…twenty　years　before。　In　this　town；　as　in　most　others　in　Mexico；　the　church　bells　seemed　to　ring　continually；　as　I　was　informed；　to　frighten　away　the　devils；　of　whom　there　must　in　truth　be　many　in　that　land　—　if　devils　exist　anywhere　outside　the　human　heart。
We　made　some　part　of　the　return　journey　from　Pinal　in　a　kind　of　diligence　that　we　hired。　It　was　reported　that　brigands　were　active　in　the　country　through　which　we　had　to　pass；　and　therefore　we　were　not　best　pleased　when　a　fat　Mexican；　who　was　convoying　a　huge　mass　of　pure　silver　from　some　mine；　insisted　upon　joining　our　party。　When　asked　why　he　was　so　determined　upon　the　point；　he　answered：　“Oh！　I　have　silver；　in　front　hide　brigands。　You　are　Englishmen；　and　the　English　will　always　fight！”　However；　we　saw　nothing　of　these　brigands；　perhaps　because　of　the　warlike　reputation　of　our　race。
On　our　return　to　Mexico　City　I　undertook　a　longer　journey　to　the　State　of　Chiapas；　then　rarely　visited　by　Europeans；　where　Jebb　was　interested　in　a　certain　mine；　in　which；　to　my　sorrow；　I　had　shares。　The　original　arrangement　was　that　we　were　to　have　travelled　to　the　marvellous　ruins　of　Palenque；　which　were　built　by　some　preAztec　race。　But　this　was　given　up　for　the　same　reason　that　we　gave　up　digging　for　Montezuma’s　treasure。　In　place　of　it　it　was　settled　that　Jebb　and　I　should　make　the　journey　to　the　Chiapas　mine　and；　returning　thence　at　a　certain　date；　meet　our　wives　on　the　New　York　steamer　off　the　port　of　Frontera；　where　she　called；　and　thence　proceed　with　them　to　the　States　and　England。　Of　course　it　miscarried；　as　most　things　do；　or　did；　in　Mexico；　as　I　shall　tell　presently。　Indeed；　as　I　can　see　now；　the　whole　expedition　was　of　a　somewhat　crack…brained　order；　but　at　the　time　I　cared　little　what　I　did。
Jebb　and　I　proceeded　from　Mexico　to　Vera　Cruz　by　the　wonderful　railway　which　winds　from　the　7000　feet　high　tableland；　past　the　glorious　mountain　of　Orizaba　to　the　coast。　Then　the　train　only　ran　in　the　day…time　in　charge　of　an　armed　guard；　for　fear　of　brigands　who　could　be　relied　upon　to　throw　it　off　the　line　at　night。　I　recall　one　town　or　village　which　we　passed　where　there　were；　I　think；　thirteen　churches　and　twelve　houses；　or　so　I　was　told。　The　churches　were　said　to　have　all　been　built　by　successful　brigand　captains　when　they　retired　from　business　in　the　neighbourhood　in　order　to　expiate　their　not　inconsiderable　crimes。　By　the　way；　I　think　it　was　on　my　journey　to　Pinal　that　I　passed　through　a　place　of　some　size　where　we　saw　only　a　few　sullen　old　men　and　some　women　and　children。　The　rest　of　the　male　population　had　recently　been　killed　out　by　the　rurales；　or　mounted　guards；　I　forget　for　what　cause。　Indeed　all　my　recollections　of　Mexico　are　somewhat　fragmentary；　for　at　the　time　I　made　no　notes　of　my　experiences；　and　after　a　lapse　of　over　twenty　years　the　memory　is　apt　to　retain　only　such　occurrences　and　scenes　as　struck　it　with　peculiar　force。
At　Vera　Cruz；　a　beautiful　but；　at　that　time；　unwholesome　town；　for　yellow　fever　was　still　prevalent　there　and　the　vultures　were　the　chief　safeguards　of　the　public　health　（they　sat　on　the　scavengers’　carts　as　these　went　their　rounds）；　we　caught　the　steamer　which　was　to　land　us　at　Frontera。　I　had　left　Mexico　City　with　the　worst　cold　I　ever　experienced；　contracted　originally　through　my　folly　in　opening　the　window　of　a　stifling　Pullman　car；　not　knowing　that　we　were　to　run　over　high　mountains　in　the　night。　It　was　so　bad　that　I　had　to　pull　my　eyelids　open　in　the　morning；　and　even　my　ears　were　stopped　up；　nor　could　I　shake　it　off　in　the　piercing　atmosphere　of　the　central　Mexican　tableland。　The　mild　and　beautiful　climate　of　the　coast；　however；　acted　on　me　like　magic；　and　before　I　had　been　twenty　hours　at　sea　I　was　almost　well　again。
On　the　day　after　leaving　Vera　Cruz　we　reached　Frontera；　at　the　mouth　of　a　great　stream　that　I　think　was　named　the　Tobasco　River。　Frontera　was　a　village　with　a　long　wide　street　of　which　the　population　appeared　to　me　to　show　many　traces　of　white　blood。　It　was　a　horrible　hole。　The　inn；　if　it　could　be　so　called；　in　which　we　slept；　if　I　remember　right；　stood　partly　on　piles　in　the　water　like　a　lake　dwelling；　in　the　garden　or　yard　great　hogs　rummaged；　while　vultures　sat　upon　the　railing　of　the　verandah。　Mosquitoes　buzzed　about　by　millions；　and　the　face　of　the　boy　who　waited　on　us　was　covered　with　open　sores；　resulting；　I　was　told；　from　fever。　Many　of　the　children；　also；　were　fever…stricken；　since　here　malaria　seemed　to　have　a　favourite　home。　Only　the　great　river；　with　its　palm…clad　banks；　was　beautiful。
On　the　following　day　we　started　up　this　river；　lying　in　a　canoe　towed　by　a　naphtha　launch；　in　which　canoe　we　slept；　or　tried　to　sleep；　all　night。　Never　in　all　my　life　—　no；　not　even　at　Tiberias　on　the　Sea　of　Galilee　—　did　I　meet　with　so　many　or　such　ferocious　mosquitoes！　I　tied　my　trousers　and　my　sleeves　round　my　ankles　and　wrists　with　string；　but　they　bit　through　the　cloth；　and　when　I　looked　in　the　morning　where　the　dogskin　gloves　ended　on　the　wrists　were　great　bracelets　of　white　bumps。　Then　there　were　little　grey　flies　called　gehenn；　or　some　such　name；　which　were　worse　than　the　mosquitoes；　since　the　effect　of　their　bites　lasted　for　days；　and；　when　one　went　ashore；　garrapatas　or　tiny　ticks　that　buried　themselves　in　the　flesh　and；　if　removed；　left　their　heads　behind　them。　Perhaps　these　were　the　greatest　torments　of　the　three。　Altogether　the　banks　of　the　Tobasco　River　cannot　be　remended　as　a　place　of　residence。
In　due　course　we　arrived　at　a　town　called　St。　Juan　Bautista；　where　we　stopped　for　a　night　or　two　with　some　Mexicans　who　had　an　interest　in　the　mine　we　were　to　visit。　They　were　kind　in　their　way；　but　what　I　chiefly　recollect　about　the　place　are　the　remains　of　an　ox　that　had　been　slaughtered　within　a　yard　or　two　of　the　verandah；　just　beyond　a　beautiful　Hibiscus　bush　in　flower；　and　some　soup　posed　apparently　of　oil　in　which　livid　cocksbs　bobbed　up　and　down。　Thence　we　proceeded　up　the　river　in　the　naphtha　launch；　of　which　the　machinery　continually　broke　down。　This　was　the　pleasantest　part　of　the　journey。
At　length；　leaving　the　launch；　we　came　to　a　village　of　which　the　name　escapes　me；　a　straggling　place　whereof　the　central　street　was　paved　with　rough　cobbles。　Here　we　slept　in　a　house　belonging　to　some　lady　who　was　a　great　personage　in　the　village；　and　beautifully　situated　upon　a　cliff　at　the　foot　of　which　ran　a　sparkling　river　that　reminded　me　of　a　salmon　stream　in　Scotland。　Here　also　Jebb　and　I　very　narrowly　escaped　being　murdered。　It　came　about　thus：
We　had　in　our　charge　a　mule…load　of　silver　of　the　value　of　three　thousand　dollars；　which　we　were　conveying　to　a　mine　whither　went　more　bullion　than　ever　came　out　of　it。　The　knowledge　of　our　possession　of　this　treasure　came　to　the　ears　of　the　inhabitants　of　this　place；　among　whom　were　a　goodly　proportion　of　brigands　and　cut…throats　and；　as　we　discovered　afterwards；　some　of　these　made　a　plot　to　kill　us　and　steal　the　silver。　It　happened　that　Jebb　and　I　were　alone　in　the　house　of　which　I　have　spoken；　save；　I　think；　for　the　widow　lady　and　one　or　two　Indian　servants　who　slept　in　a　different　part　of　the　big　place。　Our　rooms　（mine　was　half　filled　with　Indian　corn）　were　at　either　end　of　a　large　eating…chamber　which　overlooked　the　valley。　They　were　fitted　with　latchless　or　broken　French　windows。　The　plan　of　attack　was；　as　someone　confessed　afterwards；　to　climb　up　a　sloping　wall　built　of　loose　stones；　kill　us　with　machetes；　find　where　the　silver　might　be　（as　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　under　Jebb’s　bed）　and　retire　with　the　spoil。　As　police　were　lacking　and　our　own　folk　were　camped　at　a　distance；　in　the　Mexico　of　those　days　this　scheme　seemed　easy　of　acplishment；　since　two　men　surprised　at　night　could　not　have　done　much　against　a　band　of　armed　assassins。
About　midnight　an　attempt　was　made　to　put　it　into　operation。　The　robbers　arrived　and　began　to　climb　the　wall；　afterwards　we　saw　their　footprints　on　the　mosses　and　the　displaced　stones。　For　some　reason；　however；　Jebb　was　suspicious　and；　when　he　was　disturbed　by　the　furious　barking　of　the　dogs　belonging　to　the　house；　he　rose　and　went　to　the　boltless　window；　whence　he　overheard　the　thieves　whispering　together　at　the　bottom　of　the　wall。　I　also　was　awakened　by　the　barking　of　the　dogs；　but；　after　making　sure　that　my　pistol　was　at　hand　under　my　pillow；　went　to　sleep　again。　For　the　rest　of　the　story　I　will　quote　what　I　wrote　in　my　introduction　to　Mrs。　Jebb’s　Life　of　her　husband：
Retreating　to　the　bed　he　＇i。e。　Jebb＇　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　it；　holding　a　wax　match　in　one　hand　and　his　long…barrelled　Colt　cocked　in　the　other。　This　was　his　plan：　to　wait　till　he　heard　the　thieves　push　open　the　French　windows；　then　to　strike　the　match　（for　the　night　was　pitch　dark）；　and　by　its　light　to　fire　at　them　over　it　before　they　could　attack　him。
For　a　long　while　he　sat　thus；　and　twice　he　heard　the　loose　stones　dropping　as　his　assailants　began　to　climb　up　the　wall　beneath　the　window；　but　on　each　occasion　they　were　frightened　by　the　clamour　of　the　dogs；　which　at　length　grew　so　loud　that；　thinking　our　Indian　servants；　who　slept　at　a　distance　from　the　house；　would　be　aroused；　the　thieves　took　to　flight　without　the　dollars；　leaving　nothing　but　some　footprints　behind　them。
“And　why　did　you　not　e　and　wake　me？”　I　asked　when　he　had　finished　his　tale。
“Oh！”　he　answered；　“I　nearly　did　so；　but　I　knew　that　you　were　very　tired；　also　there　was　no　use　in　both　of　us　handing　in　our　checks；　for　there　were　a　dozen　of　those　devils；　and；　had　they　got　into　the　room；　they　would　have　made　a　clean　sweep　of　us。”
I　did　not　make　any　reply；　but　I　remember　thinking；　and　I　still　think；　that　this　conduct　showed　great　courage　and　great　unselfishness　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Jebb。　Most　people　would　have　retreated　at　the　first　alarm；　but　this；　with　the　utter　fearlessness　which　was　one　of　his　characteristics；　he　did　not　do；　since　the　dollars　in　his　charge　were　too　heavy　to　carry；　and；　before　men　could　be　found　to　assist　him；　they　would　have　been　s