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I send him with messages, and to purchase provisions. He is cautious to make his approaches under cover of night, and do his marketing with circumspection. With our gold, not yet all gone, he is enabled to bring back such commodities as we stand in need of; while a friend, entrusted with the secret of our hiding-place, keeps us informed of the novedades. Now you know all."
I own it was imprudent of us to go out unarmed more especially when the country was filled with Indian novedades but who could have dreamt that such was to be the fatal termination to our joyous dia de campo? Ay de mi! I may well call it fatal. Very few of our men survived that dreadful day. Two or three of the young fellows managed to retreat into the bushes; and afterwards got off.
"Oh, senor, los Indios bravos! los Navajoes! carambo!" "But I am not going into the Indian country. I travel down the river, through the towns of New Mexico." "Ah! senor! the towns! no hay seguridad. No, no; there is safety nowhere from the Navajo. Hay novedades: news this very day. Polvidera; pobre polvidera! It was attacked on Sunday last. On Sunday, senor, when they were all en la misa.
This was the first shape of the "novedades." Another rumour had it that the "Indios mansos" had revolted; that they were headed by Carlos the cibolero; that they had made an unsuccessful attempt upon the Presidio, in which, as before, the valiant soldiers had repulsed them with great loss on both sides, including the Comandante and his officers: that this was but the first outbreak of a great conspiracy, which extended to all the Tagnos of the settlement, and that no doubt the attack would be renewed that night!
No settlers of the valley ever ventured up that dark and dismal ravine. In his lair Carlos had ample time for reflection, and bitter often were his reflections. He had information of all that passed. Antonio managed that. Nightly did he meet Antonio at a point on the Pecos, and receive from him the "novedades" of the settlement. The cunning mulatto had guessed correctly.
Socorro was alive with Indian rumours, "novedades." The Indians had fallen upon an atajo near the crossing of Fra Cristobal, and murdered the arrieros to a man. The village was full of consternation at the news. The people dreaded an attack, and thought me mad, when I made known my intention of crossing the Jornada.
Pero en menos de una generación, este país, sacudido en sus cuatro costados por esos grandes terremotos sociales que por otro nombre se llaman revoluciones, ha visto desmoronarse sus antiguas instituciones para levantarse en su lugar otras enteramente nuevas; ha visto desaparecer teorías, creencias y valores morales que se tenían por inconmovibles y eternos para ser sustituídos por diferentes principios y métodos, fundados en la democracia y libertad; y a despecho de esos cambios y trastornos que han modificado radicalmente su estructura social y política y gracias precisamente a ellos, nuestro pueblo se ha convertido en un pueblo con pensamientos e ideales modernos, con una constitución robusta y capaz de afrontar los estragos de la lucha por la existencia, en vez de aquel enfermizo y atrofiado organismo que tenía miedo a todas las novedades y repudiaba las luchas materiales por temor a las iras del cielo y por un pasivo deseo de vivir en paz y bienestar ideales.
He re-crossed the bridge, was helped upon his horse, and, summoning around him his valiant troop, he rode back to the Presidio leaving the roused town to conjecture the cause of the alarm. Next morning the town was full of "novedades." At first it was supposed there had been an attack of Indians repelled as usual by the troops. What valiant protectors the people had!
He was followed by Antonio and a pack-mule loaded with provisions. They passed down the valley, and struck out in the direction of the Llano Estacado. On the following day a new incident created a fresh surprise among the inhabitants of San Ildefonso, already excited by an unusual series of "novedades." About noon a party of lancers passed through the town on their way to the Presidio.
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