Part 26 (1/2)
Morelos remained for a moment thoughtful, and apparently reluctant to permit so perilous an attempt.
Just at that moment a rocket was seen ascending into the air, and tracing its curving course against the still sombre background of the sky. It had evidently been projected from the fort of Roqueta, which in daylight would have been visible from the camp of the insurgents.
Morelos and his Marshal, through the open entrance of the marquee, saw the rocket and conjectured it to be some signal for the garrison on the isle to the besieged within the fortress. Almost on the instant, this conjecture was confirmed by another rocket seen rising from the citadel upon the summit of the cliffs, and in turn tracing its blue line across the heavens. It was evidently the answer.
For some minutes the General and Galeana remained within the marquee, endeavouring to conjecture the object of these fiery telegraphs. They had not succeeded in arriving at any satisfactory conclusion, when the General's aide-de-camp, Captain Lantejas, entered the tent. His errand was to announce to the Commander-in-chief that Costal, the scout, had just arrived in the encampment as the bearer of some important intelligence.
”Will your Excellency permit him to come in?” requested the Marshal.
”This Indian has always some good idea in his head.”
Morelos signified a.s.sent, and the next moment the Indian entered the tent.
”Senor General!” said he, after having received permission to speak, ”I have just been up to the cliff of Los Hornos, and through the grey dawn I have seen a schooner at anchor by the isle of Roqueta. She must have arrived during the night: since she was not there yesterday.”
”Well, what of it, friend Costal?”
”Why, General, I was just thinking how easy it would be for a party of us, after it gets dark, to slip up alongside, and take possession of her. Once masters of that schooner--”
”We could intercept all the supplies destined for the castle,”
impetuously interrupted Galeana; ”and then we shall reduce it by famine.
Senor General, it is G.o.d who speaks by the mouth of this Indian. Your Excellency will no longer refuse the permission which I have asked?”
It is true, the danger apprehended was not diminished by the presence of the schooner; but, overcome by the earnest appeals of the Marshal, and the prospect of the important results which would certainly arise from the possession of the vessel, Morelos at length consented to the attempt being made.
”If I know how to read the clouds,” said Costal, whose counsel on this point was now requested, ”I should say, from the way in which the sun is now rising, we shall have a dark calm day and night--at least, until the hour of midnight--”
”After midnight?” demanded the Marshal.
”A tempest and a howling sea,” replied Costal. ”But before that time the schooner and the isle of Roqueta may be ours.”
”_Shall_ be ours!” cried Galeana, with enthusiasm.
In fine, and before the council broke up, the enterprise was planned.
The expedition was to be commanded by the Marshal, accompanied by his nephew, the younger Galeana, while Lantejas was to be the captain of a canoe, with Costal under his orders.
”The brave Don Cornelio would never forgive us,” said Galeana, ”if we were to perform this exploit without him.”
The Captain smiled as he endeavoured to a.s.sume a warlike expression of countenance. He thought to himself, however, how much more to his taste it would be to have been deprived of the privilege accorded to him. But according to the habit he had got into, and in conformity with the energetic Spanish refrain: _Sacar de tripas corazon_ (Keep a stout heart against every fortune), he pretended to be delighted with the honour that was yielded to him.
The prognostic of Costal about the weather appeared likely to be realised. During the whole day, while they were making preparations for their night expedition, the sky remained shadowed with sombre clouds; and, as evening arrived, the sun went down in the midst of a thick c.u.mulus of vapour.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
AN ENTERPRISE BY NIGHT.
As soon as darkness had fairly descended over the deep, the men took their places in the boats.
The flotilla was comprised of three barges or whale-boats, and a small canoe--in which altogether not more than fifty men could be embarked; but as it was at this period the sole fleet possessed by the insurgents, they were forced to make the best of it.