Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-08-23

way between the chained slaves VINO
tugged al the oars. hourished his heavy
whip of manatee hide. There was no
need to strike: the excitement of the ar
rival had communicated itself ven 10
the poor wretChes who were rowing, and
as they rose and fell back to the seats in
the stroke they gazed az the gentlemen
under the awning with all their eyes.
The captain general himself was a small
and rather slight man, with dark face
and black hair and eyes. His beard was
cut to % point and his mustache was
deliberately curled. He wore "a suit Of
black velvet trimmed with lace, his
great hat had "a black ostrich feather
fastened on one side by a clasp Of dia-
monds. his sword hilt was jeweled and
in his hands he carried a pair Of gloves
of perfumed Spanish leather, a triumph
Of the work of the glove makers Of
Cordova. BY his side was his son, the
young Don Franceso, dressed in the
colors of a fashion which permitted men
t make themselves pictures in costume.
His doublet and trunk hose were Of
pearl gray silk trimmed with silver, his
shoes were long and pointed, his hat, Of
the same pearl gray color, was of the
finest beaver, and in it he wore a white
feather. Around his neck over the fall
of lace a collar Of great pearls rested,
and to the lobe Of the right a was
fastened a single gem, following the
French fashion. He was stri6ngly
handsome, and the animation of his
manner was in marked contrast to the
extreme gravity Of his father Just as the
brilliant red showing in his cheeks con-
trasted with the olderman's sallowness.
Reaching the water gate of the city
the party disembarked and were met by
the Frey Carlos Gonzales, the inquisitOr
! general. a tall, thin man in the robe OF
/ the Dominicans; the alcalde of the city,
Don Roberto Patricio; the engineer Of
the walls, Don Francesca Cardoza; the
colnAel commanding the Spanish forces,
strewn with dead and wounded. Colo
mel Honradez had gathered his men to-
gether within the temple Enclosure, a
square surrounded by a stone wall about
four feet high. and sentries were already
posted, tramping up and down with the
steady maChine-like regularity which
marked the discipline Of the best com
manders of old Spain discipline TO
which, no less than to their arms and
horses, they owed their victories over the
hordes Of savages they conquered.
The village or town they had taken
was a collection Of huts made Of upright
canes, matched with paja. In the cen
ter was the plaza of the temple, and in
this stood the temple itself, a large
house, one story high, built like the
huts. The open front showed the shape
less log of wood which had been wor-
SHIPPED as a god, already thrown down,
while before il lay the bodies Of three or
four priests slain in their attempt TO de-
fend the altar. Some blood red flowers,
remains Of the morning offering, were
scattered about. and the Goals Of the sa-
cred fire yet showed spots of red. At one
side was the heap Of gold ornaments torn
from the altar and the god carelessly ly-
ing there, waiting until the rest Of the
booty should be collected Down the
street in which the battle had ragged
Spaniards were examining the bodies Of
the dead and stripping of the gold.
As the young soldier sat Their a group
of Aptives guarded by five or six sol
diers attracted his attention. There were
many women and children, some old
men who mourned over the fate of their
people, and some in the prime Of life.
Many a gaping wound showed itself on
the bodies of these warriors, and their
sullen looks were evidence enough Of the
feelings which ragged within their
breasts. But it was not on these that
Don Fr-ancesco's thoughts dwelt. Near
to him and seated on the ground, her
white cotton robe half torn from her
shoulders, was an Indian girl of about
fifteen. This was Nechtla, the sister OF
Bocho-Ammo, war chief of the Guaje-
ros.
The ~relacion Of the Frey Juan Con
zales, in which | found this story, de
scribes the girl as looking like n from
the old Gothic families of Spain, and thu
old Franciscan adds, quantity enough
''She was beautiful enough, without thu
aid Of the devil she served, TO do all tina
came" Ifancy, then, that Nechtla mus
have been a pure brunette, with larg'
and soft black eyes, a perfect figure, ex
quisitely beautiful hands and feet anC
long black hair. Probably she possess
ed that appealing expression which ma.
even now be seen in half breed Indial
girls, an expression which cannot be de
|, scribed, but which is inexpressibly touch
ing.
, Whatever she looked like. she wa
such a one as Don francesca Medina hai
never seen before. He had infiuenc
| enough with Colonel Honradez to caus
her to be carried on a litter during tn
long and toilsome march back, and 1t ]
, certain that he talked TO her a great deal
, Colonel Honradez did not care; it was
! rough age, and if Don Francesca Medins
, the son Of the captain general, chose {
; take a fancy 70 m Indian captive, wha
did il matter? She was Of no use as
! slave; in fact, the stern old SPANS
soldier would not have burdened himsel
on the march with her 50 long as tn