The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-07-09

and his comrades or the people of his
tribe looked upon him with something
akin to reverence.
To secure Salvadea's services was
guarantee of game or fish, yet for fish
erman he entertained some peculiar
ideas. He objected to taking fish for
pleasure, and had been known to lift
comrade and hurl him into the water for
killing a fish known as the hassar He
seemed to be the self constituted cham
pion of the iinny tribe, Whyi Let him
tell his own story;
Il protect the fishes, senior, because
they cared for me when l was helpless.
If an animal does you n service, you can
but return it. | did not always think
so; it was this way: Two syears ago
lived on the upper branch of the Querto,
the little stream which we believe rises
far away in the up country, where tbs
white peaks reach toward the heavens.
In the season the river was low, and
then we caught turtle, iguana, and the
game upon which we live. | knew of
certain place where game was plenty,
and one day, without saying a word,
left the camp and padded down the
river, and leaving the canoe tied to
lane cut my way across country to the
spot. You know, senior, that the water
is always washing away the banks and
undermining the trees, Well, so it was
on the little river. When | reached it |
found it lower than ever; so low that
the sand was bare in places, and pools
were left everywhere alive with fish.
Gas l unloaded my basket and net ]
heard loud crash, and turning to see
the cause, saw large mona tree falling
upon me. 1t was too late to escape, so
threw myself upon the sands. The next
hours were a deep sleep. knew moth
ing, and when awoke it was dark
was lying partly in the water and over
my leg was a branch of the tree was
powerless and could not move, and !
knew rain wOuld produce a freshet
that would cover me ten feet deep in as
many minutes. All this, senior, came
over me-a sudden dream. 1t was use
less to shout, as was miles away and
had taken good care to tell no one where
l had gone. Morning came, and then
saw my condition fully. was held by
my legs and right arm; my left arm was
free, but | could not reach the sand at
my feet to dig it away; was bound as
fast as they say our Binsmen in the north
country bound their victims for sacri-
flee. At the end Of the day was very
weak and ate the leaves.
"The next day / ate the mud and
water and some worms which | found.
The stream was growing lower, the
water about me eyaporating in the hot
sun, and the insects bade fair to destroy
me- At night the jaguar's cry fell upon
my ear, and every rustic Of the leaves,
the signing Of the wind, aroused me.
Did you ever hear the leaves talk, senort
They do, though it is only at certain
times that we can interpret them; our
nerves must be turned to a higher ten
sion, as Father Moreno says; then we can
respond to them. l seemed to hear
sounds Inever heard before. The leaves
made music, the wind sighed among the
lanes, and soft notes rose everywhere,
and imagined they We're talking to me.
Give days had passed, the water was
gone and / was so weak that | waited
for death. As the sun rose, and l was
thinking how hard it was to give up life,
felt something touch my hand. AT
first l thought it Imagination, then by
an effort l turned my head-Santa
Maria!-tO see a miracle. On my out
stretched hand was fish we call the
hassar, 1t had crawled into it, and
lay painting, opening and shutting its
gills and looking at me with its dark
eyes. | thought i must be dreaming,
but / clinched the fish, which slipped
away, but caught it again and ate it.
II Gang to me sacrifice, gave itself to
save me, and when / looked around
again 10 listen to a new rustling sound,
and l saw that the ground was covered
with fishes, all moving slowly down the
dry bed of the stream, standing erect
upon their fins in search of water. They
came by hundreds, climbed over me,
falling upon my face, and | caught
them, ate them and piled them up about
me-
Hope was raised again; yet l could
not move, and my only chance was that
some one would find me. Days passed,
and / fingered ON. / had dug a hole
with my free hand, and enough water
oozed through to sustain me, while the
fishes that still crawled by me provided
me with food. How long it was / know
not; but one day / saw above the trees a
smoke, and / knew that my people were
near. was too weak 10 cry alOud, so ]
lay and watched, The fishes still went
on and passed the hours by counting
them and watching their curious ways.
They used the two fins like arms or legs,
sometimes toppling over upon their
sidesi now entering the little pools to
refresh themselves, but soon leaving the
water 90 crawl along again.
"Mhilo ] watched them it came to
me that they were going 10 the mouth
OF the river 10 avoid the drought, and
could 1 not send a message 10 my peo-
pie. 10 was ana easy matter to tear my
shirt, and with my teeth / shaped bits
OF white cloth until had a hundred
or more. Then / began TO catch the
fish. Every one that passed mo left
with lit of white cloth pushed upon
the spine Of itsupper in The next day
did The same and Tor three days sent
these messengers 90 my people. The
hsh were black, senor, and the white
cloth could be- seen quite q distance.
"Iho days went by, how many know
not, when one night dreamed that
saw my friends awoke 10 see a great
light ANA in the center the one loved
BEST then / must have died Of joy. But
lived, sonor aud here the tall Indian
throw bis arm about "a young girl whose
dark eyes CLEANED with terror at the
memories aroused. "she, my wife, found
me and tho message was carried 10 her
uy the hassars. So, senor the fish saved
nay life. brought me my wife. What
would you have mo dof Forget theini
think not
such was thc romance aud almost
tragedy ofsaIyadca, Hehal been chbsh-
"a hY lhe iroa fur nearly two ove,ks.
iiis peofe hai searohel far aud aaay
without surceas, and whfIe - '0oa
uas i4und Do was sHuIsp N ilasl
uFcrloari ula ~ aa iflf Ia ~
uHa aaa lil a0t rIfs up she waits itd
nuiilul down the stream than thsi iftfrs.
aui aue daI pushed hor canoe ulla little
sira1ui. rarilT growing dry, to catch
TURTLE hen aha was Attracted by the
haa.ala iaat Neu caiaius down over
laui a0i 0lane into tle main uatar.
WALL go alf.hrl ihem sha ultirad
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