“A smile amid dark frowns! A gentle tone Amid rude voices—a beloved light,
A solitude, a refuge, a delight!”
Shelley.
Night being close at hand, the rescued party lost no time in leaving the vicinity of the torrent of lava, hoping to find a path which would bring them to the food and shelter which they so greatly needed. Tolta knew he was within the immediate territory of Pohaku, and was desirous to meet some of his people, to make sure of his captives, who were now quite as able to exert their wills as to the course they should take, as he his. But they were wholly ignorant of their position, while he began to discern familiar landmarks. The recent danger which they had all incurred and escaped together, occupied the thoughts of Beatriz and Olmedo, more than the outrage which had led them into it, so they made no opposition to the direction he prepared to take.
This led them at first obliquely towards a stream of lava, which was still running at about two miles from them to the northeast. For some time their path was comparatively smooth. But at intervals[188] it was crossed by crevices in the earth, some of which were so wide that they were compelled to make long circuits to get round them. The air from them was quivering with heat, and filled with noxious gases. Tolta was frequently obliged to leave his companions in order to explore the ground, which became, as they advanced, more and more cut up with chasms, whose depths the eye often could not reach. Had it not been daylight these fissures would have made their present position scarcely less hazardous than their confinement in the cave, for at every throe of the crater they threw out jets of steam, and filled the atmosphere with poisonous fumes. Once or twice they came upon them so suddenly, that they were obliged to cover their heads with their mantles, and rush through the vapor at full speed. Fortunately they proved to be but puffs, which required but an instant’s exertion to emerge from.
Beatriz had grown so faint and fatigued as to be forced often to stop to gather breath and strength. On one of these occasions Tolta had gone farther from them than usual, in search of the path which he hoped to strike, and which led direct to Pohaku’s fortress. Not finding it, he was returning in another direction, when his progress was stopped by a broad chasm, which poured forth so hot a blast as to singe his clothes and crisp his hair, as he heedlessly looked into it. Jumping quickly back, he followed its edge in search of a spot narrow enough for him to leap across. In doing this he came upon the path he had been looking for. It led through[189] low bushes which partly hid it. He was about taking the shortest track back to where he had left Olmedo and Beatriz, when his eye was caught by a human form stretched lifeless upon the ground. Going towards it, to his surprise he recognized one of the warriors whom he had sent to capture the three Spaniards. It was plain that he had been stiff and cold for some hours. Not far from him he found the entire party, with the three Spaniards bound and lying on their backs, in the centre of their guards. One by one he felt of them to detect life. There were no signs of external violence on their bodies. Each lay apparently as he had fallen asleep. The faces and limbs of some were slightly contracted, showing that they had become conscious of their danger, when powerless to escape. All were dead. They had encamped too near the chasm, and, during the night, by a change of wind, the fatal air had been blown upon them, and they had perished in their dreams to a man.[2]
“Pele balks me every way—the foul goddess! may she be blasted in her own fires,” muttered Tolta, as he turned in angry mood from the scene. “She leaves me only those I would not sacrifice. I hate the priest, yet I would he might die by other hands than mine. Pshaw! why should I feel tenderness towards that puling monk! Who so stands between me and Beatriz as he? But while Juan lives I have much to do. This is no sight for[190] Beatriz and Olmedo to see. I will send and get the heads of the Spaniards. In death even they shall be present at the feast which was to have been their sacrifice. May their souls rot in everlasting darkness.”
Joining Olmedo and Beatriz, he led them into the path by a course which kept their eyes from the fatal spot. “Hasten,” said he, “we shall shortly find succor.”
“Beatriz needs it much,” replied Olmedo; “see with what effort she sustains herself.”
“Oh! say not so, Olmedo. I am still equal to any exertion. The hot air made me giddy for a moment, but now the fresh breeze revives me.” But her action belied her words, and she would have fallen that moment if Olmedo had not caught her.
“Tolta, you have greatly erred in exposing this maiden to these dangers. What tempted you to such a wrong to one who never gave you offence. The blood, too, of those heathen warriors, does it not lie heavy on your soul? You have made a sad day of it?” said Olmedo to the Mexican, more in grief than in anger, as he helped Beatriz to reach a grassy slope on which she could recline.
“Ha, priest! you reproach me with this day’s work! Am I a god to control the volcano? Come with me a few steps, and you shall see from what you have been saved.” He grasped Olmedo’s arm, and led him to the group of the dead. “You and the maiden you love, chaste monk,” continued he with artful sarcasm, “have escaped this. Had I[191] not borne you off, these soldiers would have seized you, and if they had spared Beatriz outrage, it would have been for you all either to have died together, like dogs, poisoned by the gases of the volcano, or they would have carried you as prisoners to their chief, who awaits your arrival even now, to offer you in solemn sacrifice to Pele. He has sworn to exterminate you Spaniards, and Kiana’s power will be but smoke before the wind in contact with his. All of you I could not save! Have I reason to love a Spaniard............