Part 9 (1/2)
CHAPTER IX
Suppression of War between two Indian Towns--Flourishi+ng Condition of Jala-Jala--Hospitality to Strangers--Field Sports--Bat and Lizard Shooting--Visit to, and Description of, the Isle of Socolme--Adventure with a Cay--Expedition to, and Description of, the Grotto of Sun-Mateo--Magnificent aspect of the Interior
I found Anna in great trouble, not only on account of , inforest towns in the province had, as it was stated, declared war against each other; the st them, to the number of three or four hundred on each side, had started for the island of Talem There both parties, in the presence of each other, were upon the point of engaging in a battle; already, while skir, several had been htened Anna she knew that I was not a man ould await quietly at home the issue of the battle; she already fancied she saw ht, and perhaps a victim of my devotedness I co to be prudent, and not forget her; but there was not a moment to lose; it was necessary, at all risks, to try to put an end to a conflict that ht no doubt cause the death of uards? Dare I pretend to impose my will as law on this vast multitude? Clearly not To attempt to do it by force would be to sacrifice all: as to be done? Arh to carry the out alone with my lieutenant We took our arms, and set sail in a canoe, that we steered ourselves; we had scarcely come near the beach within hail of the shore, when some armed Indians called out to us to stand off, otherwise they would fire upon us Without paying attention to this threat, my lieutenant and I, some minutes later, jumped boldly on shore, and after a few steps we found ourselves in the midst of the combatants
I went immediately up to the chiefs and addressed the to do? It is upon you who command that the severity of the laill fall It is still tiive me up their arms; lay down your own, or else in a few ht against you Obey, if not you will be treated as rebels”
They listened attentively to me; they were half conquered However, one of them made me this reply:
”And if you take away our arms ill satisfy us that our enemies will not coive youto do, I will return to you, I will give you back your arht at your head”
These words, said with a tone of authority and command, produced the effect I expected The chiefs, without uttering a word, laid their arms at my feet Their example was followed by all the couns, spears, and cutlasses were laid down beforethese individuals who had just obeyed un, and told them:
”I confide to you the care of these arms If anyone attempts to take possession of them, fire upon the assailants”
I pretended to take down their names, and went off to the opposite camp, where I found all the coainst their ene:
”The battle is over--your eneive me up your aro hoive back their arms instantly to your opponents, and I will put ainst you Perforotten”
There was no room for hesitation The Indians knew that I did not allow much time for reflection, and that my threats and chastisements followed each other closely Shortly after, they all embarked in their canoes I remained on the beach alone, with ht of this small fleet I then returned to the other camp, where I was impatiently expected I announced to the Indians they had no longer any eneo back quietly to their village
But a few days elapsed, as ers to encounter I was accustomed to them: I relied upon my star, and triumphed from all my imprudences My Indians were blindly submissive to er took against the the first year of my residence at Jala-Jala
My Anna took part every day more and ers Would it have been possible not to have loved her with deeper affection, than that which one feels for a coladness she received me after the shortest absence! Joy and satisfaction shone on her face, her caresses were as a balsam that healed all ently, for the uneasiness I had caused her, fell upon my heart us drops of beatitude
Jala-Jala was ar-cane, and coffee, had taken the place of woods and forests unproductive in therounds were covered with nue stood in the centre of the labouring-ground Here, there was everywhere to be seen plenty, activity; and joy smiled on the countenances of all the inhabitants My oelling had beco-place, of all the travellers arriving at Manilla, and a refuge of convalescence of ood and mild air of Jala-Jala, as well as enjoy its pleasures and amusements Under that roof there was no distinction, no difference; all were equals in our eyes, whether French, Spanish, English, Aed those who landed at Jala-Jala, they were received like brothers, and with all that cordial hospitality to be found formerly in our colonies My visitors enjoyed full and active liberty onalone was obliged to re the other hours of the day one and all followed their own inclinations For instance, naturalists went in pursuit of insects and birds, and made an a met with the assiduous care of a physician, as well as with the kind attention and enjoyed the company of a most amiable and well-informed mistress of the house, who had the natural talent of enchanting all those who spent but a short tiht look about for the fine views, and choose their resting-place either in the woods, the mountains, near the cascades or the brooks, or on the beautiful borders of the lake
But to sportsmen Jala-Jala was really a ”proood pack of hounds, Indians to guide theood stout horses to carry the and wild boar were to be met withexercise, they only had to juht canoes, and ski on their way at the hosts of aquatic birds flying around them in all directions,--they could even land on the various small islands situated between Jala-Jala and the isle of Talem There they could find a sort of sport utterly unknown in Europe--that is, inated by naturalists by the na six months in the year, at the period of the eastern monsoon, every tree on these little isles is covered, froe bats, that supply the place of the foliage which they have entirely destroyedthe whole day, and in the nightti about in search of their prey But as soon as the western monsoon has succeeded the eastern, they disappear, and repair always to the same place,--the eastern coast of Luzon, where they take shelter; after the ed, they return to their forht upon one of these islands, they opened their fire, and continued it till--frightened by soto and hanging from the branches--the bats would fly away in a body--en masse For some time they would whirl and turn round and round like a dense cloud over their abandoned ho, in a s representing the infernal regions, and then, flying off a short distance, would perch upon the trees in a neighbouring isle If the sportsht then follow theenerally found they hadup the slain fro over, our sportsmen would then proceed to a new sport--
”To fresh fields and pastures new;”
that is, in pursuit of and shooting at the iguanas, a large species of lizard, , which infest the rocks on the borders of the lake Tired of firing without being obliged to show any skill, our chasseurs would re-eues and row in search of new ales that ca over their heads Here skill was requisite, as well as a prolance of the eye, as it is only with ball that these enormous birds of prey can be reached Our fowlers would then return hoame; and everyone, of course, had his own feats of prowess to relate
The flesh of the iguana and the bat is savoury and delicate; but as for its taste, that entirely depends upon the i fro excursions to theAmerican informed me that his friends and he hiuana and the bat; so, supposing them all to be of the same mind, I ordered uana and a ragout of bats The first dish served round at dinner was the curry, of which they one and all partook with very good appetite; upon which I ventured to say: ”You see the flesh of the iguana is uests turned pale, and they all, by a suddenable to shat their ed to order the reuana and bats before we could proceed with the repast
When it was in uests in their excursions, and then the chase was abundant and full of interest, because I ever took care to guide theame and very picturesque Sometimes I would take them to the isle of Socolme, a still more curious place indeed than the bat islands Socolue in circureat lake of Bay, from which it is separated by a cordon or ribbon of land; or, to express myself better, by a mountain which rises to an elevation of from twelve to fifteen hundred feet; the centre of the mountain at the summit is occupied by the lake of Socolme, and is evidently the crater of an extinct volcano Both sides are corowth It is on the border of the sh fear of the cayrand lake resort to lay their eggs Every tree, white with the guano which they deposit there, is covered with birds'-nests, full of eggs and birds of every size and age