The Freebooters: A Story of the Texan WarAimard, Gustave
History
The Freebooters: A Story of the Texan War
Aimard, Gustave
Texas -- History -- Revolution, 1835-1836 -- Fiction; Western stories
When the wounded men had been removed from the eagle's nest, which had
so miraculously saved them, the adventurers glided along the cliff with
singular address and rapidity, and the whole band was soon collected on
the bank of the stream. As is frequently the case in a mountainous
country, the bottom of the barranca was a rather wide prairie, sheltered
between two lofty hills, which enclosed it on the right and left, thus
forming a species of gorge, which, at the spot where the fight took
place, was really a gulf of great depth.
John Davis, without losing a moment, lavished on the Jaguar all the
attention his state demanded; while Ruperto, though much against the
grain, did the same for the Mexican Captain, by the American's
peremptory orders.
During the various events we have described, the whole night had slipped
away, and the sun rose at the moment the adventurers completed their
perilous descent. The country then resumed its real aspect, and what had
appeared by the flickering light of the torches a desolate and arid
desert, became a charming and smiling landscape.
The sun has enormous power over the human organisation: it not only
dispels those sombre phantoms which are produced by the darkness, but
also revives the mind and restores to the body its elasticity and
vigour, which have been neutralised by the piercing cold of night. With
day, hope and joy returned to the heart of the adventurers; a joy
rendered more lively still by the sight of the cases hurled over the
previous night by the Mexicans, and which, though crushed by their fall,
had lost none of their precious contents. Hence, the heroic courage and
devotion of the Mexicans had no other result than allowing them to die
bravely at their posts, for their sacrifice had not obtained the
anticipated result.
The prairie soon assumed a lively aspect, to which it certainly was not
accustomed; the adventurers lit fires, erected jacals, and the camp was
formed in a few minutes. For a very lengthened period Davis' efforts to
bring his friend to life remained sterile; still, the Jaguar had
received no wound; he did not seem to have a limb broken; his syncope
resulted solely from the moral effect of his horrible fall.
For all that, the American, far from giving in, redoubled his care and
attention, and at length, saw his efforts crowned with success. The
Jaguar made a weak movement, his lips parted as if he were about to
speak, he raised his hand to his brow, gave a deep sigh, and partly
opened his eyes, but closed them instantly, probably dazzled by the
brilliant sunlight.
"At length he is saved!" the American exclaimed, joyously.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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