Chapter 22 CHAPTER VII MONOI'S CAMP

Maunois is about 1,500 meters high and is located on the left bank of the Orinoco River.The hills stand like indestructible fortresses on the grassland, winding to the southeast, with no end in sight. Eighty kilometers away is another mountain, called Ferdinand on Xia Fangrong's map.De.Lesseps Peak. From here, we enter the mountains of Venezuela.On the topographic map of the country's mountains, it can be seen that this area is full of arched curves, and there are many ridge lines intersecting here.These lines delineate the bones of the mountains, which look majestic and majestic on the ground.The Palima Highlands, the birthplace of the Orinoco River, are located in this area.Here also stands the red mountain, Mount Roraima, which pierces into the sky, which is called the mother of ten thousand rivers in the language of the Indians.It is located in three countries [Note: Refers to Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil.Translator's Note] The junction is like a giant military boundary stone.

If the river can still sail, Jacques.Ailoch and his companions can take a boat directly to the Palima Highlands, where the source of the Orinoco River is located. Unfortunately, this plan is not feasible at present, and the passengers are very sorry. Of course, canoes are still available in the river, but each There can only be two people on the canoe, so what about the crew, they can't do without them, and there is nowhere to put the luggage. This morning, Jacques.Alloch, Germain.Paterna, Jean and Martial, who had recovered their physical strength, and the bosses on board, Valdes and Pachar, all gathered together for this kind of meeting, which is called Parabul by North American Indians.

No matter what the name of the meeting is, it is important to come up with a decision to ensure that the journey ahead can proceed smoothly and achieve final success. The six of them sat down at the edge of the forest at a place called Monua Peak Camp, but the mountain was on the other side.Below where they were was the nearly dry river, exposed to stone and sand, and the two stranded boats lay across the bed, facing the mouth of the Torrida. The weather was fine and the breeze was blowing. On the opposite left bank, the peaks shrouded in sunlight shone golden, and a large area of ​​sunlight in the east also shone on the forested slopes of the peaks.

The crew prepares breakfast at the bow, and the smoke rises.Carried south by the breeze. The wind was blowing from the north, but it was so weak that it would not be of much use to the boat at this time, if he could go upriver. Whether downstream, on the shore, or in the bushes at the edge of the forest, there is not a single Indian. As for the thatched houses, let alone those that are inhabited, there are not even abandoned and dilapidated ones.But generally speaking, there should be a lot of Indians active in the nearby areas during this season.But having said that, the indigenous tribes in this area are always in a state of flux.Furthermore, the merchants of San Fernando would never go all the way up to such a far place because they were afraid that the boat would not be able to sail due to lack of water.Even if they come, which town and which farm can they do business with?Esmeralda has been abandoned, and beyond Esmeralda, there is no longer a settlement that can be called a village with a population size.Therefore, ordinary ships rarely cross the mouth of the Casiquiare River.

Jacques.Alloch first asked: You've never been farther than this on the Orinoco, have you, Valdès? Yes.The captain of the Garineta ship replied. You too, Paschal? Same.Moriche's ship boss replied. Doesn't any of your crew know anything about the Orinoco beyond the Maunois? No.Pachar and Valdes replied. No, except that Hollace might know something.Germain.Paterna thought of this and said, but this Spaniard left us and ran away. I suspect that this is not the first time he has been active in this area, although he himself firmly denies it. Where can he go?Martial asked. Where others are waiting for him, for sure.Jacques.Elloch said.

wait for him? Yes, Sergeant, I admit that I have been suspicious of this Horace for some time. I felt the same way, Valdez said, and when I asked him what was going on when he didn’t come home that night at the mouth of the Mahuaca River, he gave me an answer, but he didn’t answer anything. But, let me chime in, when he got on our ship at San Fernando, he was really going to Santa Juana! And there was no doubt that he did know Father Esperante.Germain.Paterna said. This is true, said Martial, but it does not explain why he disappeared when we were within walking distance of the mission.

For a few days, Jacques.Ai Luohe's doubts about Holles have been confirmed more and more.The reason why he didn't tell anyone was that he was afraid of causing panic among his companions, so he was the least surprised by the sudden disappearance of the Spaniard, and at the same time he was worried. According to his speculation, Horace might be one of the convicts who escaped from Cayenne. Isn't the leader of the Kiva gang, Alfaniz, also a Spaniard?If so, what was this Horace doing when he met him at San Fernando?Why is he going to San Fernando?He was there at the time, and when he heard that there were two boats with passengers going to Santa Juana, he ran to the captain of the boat at Garineta and offered to help.

Since the Spaniards disappeared, Jacques.Elloch's suspicions about him were gradually confirmed.He reasoned like this: If Holles was not one of Alphaniz's subordinates, if he had no malicious intentions, if he really planned to go to the missionary land, then why did he leave the group halfway? He was supposed to stay, but he went away.Who knows if he was secretly told that the Kivas and their leaders were active in the nearby grasslands, so he used the cover of night to join them? If this is the case, then the boat will not be able to go now, and the passengers can only walk through the dense forest to Santa Juana. They are likely to be attacked, and they are outnumbered.

This is Jean Jacques.Eloch's anxious mind. But he shared his concerns with no one but with Valdès, who shared his suspicions about Horace. After Martial raised the question of the whereabouts of the unknown Holles, Jacques.Eiloher decided to take the conversation in a more practical direction. We don't care for the moment where this Holles has gone, he said, maybe he will come back, maybe he won't come back, what matters now is our current situation and how to get to our destination.It's annoying that it's impossible to continue on the Orinoco right now, I admit But difficulties are bound to come sooner or later, let Chu Jin say that it is only a few days away.Even if we can go all the way to the source of the river by boat, we still have to abandon the boat and land on the Palima Heights.There is no waterway connection between Santa Juana and Palima, and haven't we always imagined that the last leg of the journey will be from the grasslands?

My dear Jean, Jacques.Elloch said, you're right, it's either today or tomorrow, and we're going to get off the boat sooner or later.Of course, if we can go 40 kilometers to the east by boat, it will be very easy in the rainy season, and we will be less tired. I don't want to, especially I don't want you to suffer. My strength has long since come back to me, Mr. Elloher, said Jean. I can start today, and I shall not be left behind. Well said, Germain.cried Paterna, just to hear your words, let us all be as light as a swallow, ready to fight!It's time for us to conclude, Jacques, can you tell us how far we are from the source of the river and the mission.

I calculated it on the map, Jacques.Palima was at most fifty kilometers away, Elloch said.But I think we shouldn't go straight to the source. why?Martial asked. We inquired in San Fernando that the mission site was northeast of where we are now, on the Torrida River.Later, Mr. Manuel also confirmed this statement. If this is the case, it is better to go directly in that direction, why go around Palima again? Makes sense, said Jean, I don't think we need to waste our efforts and go straight to Mission Santa Juana. how to get thereMartial asked. Go as we have imagined, as we will do when we get to Palima. walk? Go on, Jacques.Elloch said that the country was so deserted that no village or farm could provide us with horses. Where's our luggage?Germain.Paterna asked, can only stay on the boat? I think so, Jacques.That's a good idea, Elloch said.Why hang a big bag that gets in the way? snort!Germain.Paterna only snorted. It wasn't the clothes and shoes that he was worried about, but the various things of his naturalist. Besides, Jean objected, who knows whether future searches will take us farther than Santa Juana? It is possible, if this happens, Jacques.Elloch replied, and we will have our luggage delivered to the mission.The two boats are here waiting for our return.Pashaer and Valdes, or at least one of them, took care of the ship's luggage with their men.From here to the mission site, it is absolutely possible to ride a horse for a day and a night, and the connection between the two places is probably quite convenient. What you mean, Mr. Elloch, Jean said, is to take only the most necessary things for our trip of three or four days. It seemed to me, my dear Jean, that this was the only suitable solution, and I was about to suggest that we set out at once, but then I thought it best to set up a bivouac at the mouth of the Torrida.Don't forget, we'll meet the boats here and head down the Orinoco back to San Fernando. with my colonel.Martial yelled out. with my father!Jean whispered. Jacques.A gloomy cloud floated across Ai Luohe's face. He had already foreseen that there would be many difficulties and obstacles before completing the goal!In addition, who knows if it is possible to find out the exact information about Colonel Kellmer in Santa Ana, so that he can look for it with more certainty? But he did not say anything to discourage his companions.With the development of the situation, he has decided to carry this matter through to the end, and will not shrink back in the face of any difficulties. Now he is the leader of this expedition team, and success is still far away from them.The task of command falls to him, and he will do his duty. The day of departure is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. This trip will take three or four days in the highland forest, and we must prepare everything necessary for the road. According to Valdez's proposal, he and two of his men accompanied the travelers all the way to the mission site.Pashaer and the other 16 crew members stayed at the bivouac to guard the ship.Maybe Jacques.How many months will it be before Eloch returns?By then the dry season will be over and the river will be navigable again.Besides, you always have to take a boat when you return. It is regrettable that this area of ​​the upper Orinoco is deserted.What a convenience it would be to meet a few families of Indians!The natives were sure to provide some useful information about which route to take, about the Santa Juana mission, and where exactly it was northeast of the Orinoco River. Jacques.Ai Luohe also wanted to know whether the Kiva gang from Alphaniz had appeared on the right bank in the past few days, because since Horace had gone to defect, it proved that they were haunting the nearby area. If there are natives here, JacquesElloch might be able to hire a guide for them to take them through the dense woods, with only a few trails made by wild animals or passing Indians. Jacques.When Elloch told Valdez how he wanted to meet some Indians, he interrupted: There might actually be a Guaharib house within a range or two of the bivouac. What basis do you think so? At least one, Mr. Elloher, for I found a pile of ashes as I walked along the edge of the wood two hundred paces from the bank. has gone out. Yes, but the ashes are still warm. I hope you are not mistaken, Valdes!However, if there were Guaharib people nearby, why didn't they rush forward when they saw the boat coming? run forward?Mr Alloch!Believe me, they backed off fearing it would be too late! Why?Wouldn't it be a great thing for them to make friends with travelers?Items can be exchanged to gain benefits! How timid these poor Indians are!Their first thought was to hide in the woods and come back after confirming that there was no danger. Well, Valdez, even if they run away, but their house will not run away, maybe we can find some in the woods. This is easy, Valdes said, just walk two or three hundred steps from the edge of the forest and check it out.Generally speaking, Indians don't live too far from the river. If there are villages or houses, we can definitely find them within half an hour's walk. Well, Valdes, let's go find it, but it might take a while, so let's have lunch first, and then go after lunch. Under the command of the two boat bosses, the camp was quickly set up.Although the reserves of bacon, canned food, and cassava flour were still sufficient, everyone decided to leave all of them for those who went to the mission site so that they would not run out of food on the way.Valdez and two of his men carried their pockets on their backs.Recruit a few Indians, if you can come across them in the vicinity, and you can hire bearers and guides for very little money. Whether it is Jacques.Ai Luohe and his companions, as well as the crew members staying at the Monua Peak camp, can obtain sufficient food sources through hunting.We already know that in a land where prey is so plentiful, food never poses much of a problem.As soon as you step into the forest, you can see wild ducks, pheasants and Pava chickens flying around, monkeys jumping and jumping among the branches and leaves, capybaras and wild boars running behind the thick bushes, and fish schools in the Torrida River swimming more and more. It is cheerful and lively. At mealtime, JacquesAiloch told everyone about the plan he and Valdez had agreed upon: the two of them would go within a kilometer radius to see if they could find the Guaharibi, who frequented this stretch of the upper Orinoco. I would love to go with you.Let's talk. Only with my consent, nephew!Sergeant Marshall said, but I hope you will grow your legs stronger for the next stage of the journey, and take another day off today, as if it were a doctor. Although JacquesElloch was very happy to have a girl by his side, but he also had to admit that Martial's words made sense.It must be tiring enough to get to Santa Juana from here, and Jeanne should rest for a day. My dear Jean, he said, your uncle is right, if you spend a day at the camp today, you will regain your strength to ten percent. Valdes and I will be enough. Don't you welcome naturalists?Germain.Paterna asked. You don't need a naturalist to find the natives, Jacques.Stay here, Germain, says Elloch, and you can collect as many specimens as you like on the edge of the forest or on the banks of the river. I can help you, Mr. Paterna, let's say, in order to collect rare plants, the two of us will overcome difficulties together! Before leaving, Jacques.Ai Luohe asked Pashaer to start making preparations for the next itinerary.He and Valdes tried their best to be back before two o'clock, and even if they couldn't come back so soon, their search would not go beyond the scope of the plan. One of them was carrying a gun, the other had an ax pinned to his waist. They said goodbye to their companions, walked northeastward, and quickly disappeared behind the bushes. It's nine o'clock in the morning.The scorching sun scorched the forest. Fortunately, there were thick branches and leaves blocking it, so the forest was not too hot. In the upper reaches of the Orinoco, the mountains are not covered with green from top to bottom, like the hills in the middle, but the forests are extremely rich in species, and the produce is also plentiful and good, although the land here has never been cultivated. At first glance, this forest in the Palima Heights seems untouched, but as soon as Valdez walked in, he found some signs, such as trampled grass, broken branches, and freshly stepped footprints, and concluded that there were Indians on the right bank. people activity. It is worth mentioning that most of the plants in the forest are easy-to-use varieties, and the local indigenous people have also benefited a lot from them.There are palm trees of many varieties, some travelers have not seen all the way from Bolivar City, banana trees, chaparro trees, cobiga trees, carreba trees, and bark quilts. The marina tree used by the Indians to make pockets. From time to time, I also encounter milk trees, which are rare in the coastal area.There is also the tree of life common in the Orinoco Delta.The leaves of these rare plants were used to make thatched roofs, the fibers were twisted into rope and cables, the pith was a nutritious food, and the sap was fermented into a wholesome drink. Jacques.After Elloch walked in the woods for a while, the hunter's instinct kicked in.How many capybaras, sloths, wild boars, tapirs, and the white monkey called Vendita could easily be shot if you could put two shots!But with so many prey, how could he and Valdes get it? Besides, for the sake of caution, it is better not to expose yourself because of the gunshots.I don't know who will listen to it, what if the Cuevas are lingering behind the thorn bushes?If the people of Guaharib hid because of fear, wouldn't they dare not show their faces when they heard the gunshots? So Jacques.Eloch and Valdez just walked in silence.They followed a winding path marked by fallen grass. Where does this trail lead?Could it lead to some clearing beyond the plateau? On the whole it is easy to understand that the march in the woods can only be slow and laborious, taking into account delays, fatigue and frequent rest, if the boat can only reach the source of the Orinoco, from the Palima plateau. Might it be a little easier to head towards Santa Juana? Jacques.All these questions filled Elloch's mind, while his companions were preoccupied with the purpose of their trip, which was to try to find a hamlet or house where the Indians lived, and to find some Indians as helpers. After walking for an hour, the captain of the ship in Garinetta called out first: A hut! Jacques.Eloch and he stopped. A hundred paces away, there was a small round mushroom-shaped house, which looked quite dilapidated.It was set deep in a clump of palm trees, with a conical roof that nearly collapsed to the ground.Below the roof was a narrow, irregular entrance, without a door. Jacques.Eloch and Valdez walk over and enter the house No one was there. At this moment, there was an explosion from the north, and the sound was quite close to here.