A Volunteer with Pike by Robert Ames Bennet
Page 1 of 183
A VOLUNTEER WITH PIKE
_The True Narrative of One Dr. John Robinson and of His Love for the Fair Senorita Vallois_
BY ROBERT AMES BENNET
AUTHOR OF "FOR THE WHITE CHRIST," "INTO THE PRIMITIVE," ETC.
_With four Illustrations in color by_
CHARLOTTE WEBER-DITZLER
CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG & CO. 1909
COPYRIGHT BY A. C. MCCLURG & CO. 1909
Published October 2, 1909
Entered at Stationers' Hall, London
_All rights reserved_
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
TO ONE WHO FOLLOWED AFTER PIKE TO THE GRAND PEAK HALF A CENTURY LATER MY FATHER
[Illustration: "'We go in now, senorita,' I said, offering her my arm"]
_Contents_
I. THE ROSE IN THE MIRE
II. PLAIN THOMAS JEFFERSON
III. AT THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE
IV. SENORITA ALISANDA
V. GULF AND BARRIER
VI. THE WEB OF THE PLOTTER
VII. SHIP AND CREW
VIII. THE HOSPITABLE BLENNERHASSETTS
IX. MY INDIAN TALE
X. THE FATHER OF WATERS
XI. GENERAL WILKINSON
XII. AU REVOIR
XIII. AGAINST THE CURRENT
XIV. THE LURE
XV. THE PAWNEE PERIL
XVI. THE BARRIER OF ROCK
XVII. THE GRAND PEAK
XVIII. FAMINE AND FROST
XIX. BEYOND THE BARRIER
XX. A MESSAGE TO MY LADY
XXI. HO FOR CHIHUAHUA!
XXII. GLIMPSES OF FATE
XXIII. THE HOUSE OF VALLOIS
XXIV. THE SERENADE
XXV. A VICTORY
XXVI. A DEFEAT
XXVII. HEART TO HEART
XXVIII. A SPANISH BALL
XXIX. THE INSULT
XXX. THE DUEL
XXXI. MY CROSS
XXXII. THE MESSAGE
XXXIII. IMPRESSED
XXXIV. SHAME
XXXV. UNDER THE LASH
XXXVI. ACROSS THE GULF
_Illustrations_
"'We go in now, senorita,' I said, offering her my arm"
"We swung out into the current and drifted swiftly away"
"'The Grand Peak!' I shouted. 'We'll name it for you'"
"He fell like a steer: my sword blade broke clean off, a span beyond the hilt"
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Volunteer with Pike by Robert Ames Bennet
- 2: Both of the forewheels being mired to the hub
- 3: The rails bowed under the strain
- 4: Though easy almost to familiarity
- 5: Aristocratic terms of address and such undemocratic bendings
- 6: Claiborne is a man of undisputed integrity
- 7: Rests wholly upon the discretion of General Wilkinson
- 8: It was therefore without undue elation that
- 9: At the dinner given you by Governor Claiborne
- 10: Senor Vallois waved his hand for attention and proceeded
- 11: Jefferson moved forward beside Senor Vallois
- 12: For my gaze was fixed upon Senorita Alisanda
- 13: Burr flashed me a whimsical glance
- 14: And your opinion of the Spanish boundaries
- 15: I pressed in close after Senor Vallois
- 16: Such men as Colonel Burr can pick and choose from thousands
- 17: The Pawnees and perhaps the Ietans
- 18: But Rumor and Colonel Burr were old bedmates
- 19: And still the senorita failed to appear
- 20: Having done the senorita a service
- 21: Under pretence of listening to the service
- 22: Through a conspiracy with that arch liar the Corsican
- 23: The Irishwoman turned about with an expectant look
- 24: Open your eyes to the barrier and the gulf
- 25: And the Irishwoman was at my elbow
- 26: Soon found myself pressing the clean linen of my Quaker host
- 27: The plans of Senor Vallois could not but concern his niece
- 28: Upon this Senor Vallois and myself are clearly agreed
- 29: You have made sure of Senor Vallois
- 30: You shall have the letter to Wilkinson
- 31: Wilkinson at least may not have heard
- 32: I came in view of Elizabethtown on the Monongahela
- 33: I carry despatches from Colonel Burr
- 34: Colonel Burr entrusted me with numerous despatches
- 35: A bateau is a boat of flat bottom but with keel
- 36: Numbers of skilled rivermen to be hired
- 37: But Senor Vallois looked about approvingly
- 38: We could do better at Pittsburg
- 39: Under the direction of Senor Vallois
- 40: You have not before met my faithful Chita
- 41: We had no letters to deliver in Pittsburg
- 42: Near the upper end of Blennerhasset Island
- 43: Blennerhasset thrust the letter into his pocket
- 44: The Empire modes are by far the foremost
- 45: Playing solos and singing a duet
- 46: By adroit steering and an occasional return to my sculling
- 47: She was murdered by the Shawnees
- 48: My mother's scalp hung at his belt
- 49: Again I was brought to the Maumee
- 50: And in the playing of the guitar by Alisanda
- 51: He was my adopted brother Tecumseh
- 52: Have you then taken the warpath
- 53: The Mississippi bore us rapidly on our way
- 54: General Wilkinson was at Natchez
- 55: In company with Colonel Cushing
- 56: Without Pitt without the British ships British ships
- 57: Stretching westward from the Alleghanies Alleghanies
- 58: As Lewis and Clark were exploring the Northwest
- 59: Desired the immediate presence of Senor Vallois
- 60: And the gulf will roll between
- 61: Sangre de Cristo the Blood of Christ
- 62: Without the costly aid of tricksters
- 63: Upon one of the delicate petals faint lines had appeared
- 64: Our voyage all the way from Natchez to St
- 65: Invited me aboard their bateau
- 66: My first intention had been to seek out General Wilkinson
- 67: Young Wilkinson put me up in his own quarters
- 68: You are not the first of his dupes
- 69: Pike and Lieutenant Wilkinson joined in assuring me that
- 70: Accompanied by a young Pawnee called Frank
- 71: The Pawnee houses are substantial structures
- 72: No march over Pawnee hunting grounds
- 73: When leaving the Osage villages
- 74: Chiefs and men of the Pawnee Republic
- 75: To act as interpreter on our westward trip
- 76: Once or twice we heard the shrill Pawnee war whistle
- 77: Wilkinson singling out Pitaleshar
- 78: At the sight of his levelled spyglass
- 79: Before our eyes uprear the unknown mountains of the West
- 80: And Wilkinson was his General and his patron
- 81: Why not strike first for Santa Fe
- 82: Still keeping to the Spanish trace
- 83: Watching the treacherous warriors
- 84: Instead of reaching the foot of the peak by nightfall
- 85: The first Illustration 'The Grand Peak
- 86: In the thick of a heavy snowstorm
- 87: Killing an occasional buffalo or deer
- 88: Far above the river and its cavernous gorge
- 89: I will have your stockade well under way by nightfall
- 90: Which trended south and seemingly a little to the west
- 91: Or perish of starvation in this fearful mountain wilderness
- 92: Reeling and staggering like drunken men
- 93: Aside from Sparks and Dougherty
- 94: I see a cleft in the mountain side
- 95: But a stockade on Spanish territory
- 96: To a favorable site for our stockade
- 97: I hope to win my way to Chihuahua
- 98: Who had rushed off without their lances
- 99: With despatches to Governor Allencaster at Santa Fe
- 100: He now signed to his secretary
- 101: The corporal proved a most accommodating servant
- 102: With a most disconcerting suddenness Senor
- 103: Malgares told me fully of the perils of the desert
- 104: Pursley and I were able to talk with the utmost freedom
- 105: In which he decreed my exile to San Fernandez
- 106: The flag from Senorita Vallois
- 107: In return for the numberless courtesies of Malgares
- 108: After telling us of your arrival at Santa Fe
- 109: You say they lured you into Santa Fe
- 110: When Malgares introduced us to the Commandant
- 111: He was fighting the Eastern Americanos
- 112: But I was astir in the morning no earlier than Malgares
- 113: In a little more we should pass the last of the balconies
- 114: Malgares had not checked his horse for an instant
- 115: Presently an aide appeared and bowed to Malgares
- 116: Salcedo flashed a fiery glance at the luckless Medina
- 117: Out of courtesy to Malgares If you please
- 118: We found Malgares there before us
- 119: God grant I may also become your friend and confessor
- 120: Salcedo is bound to release you
- 121: Ah yes indeed hesitated Walker
- 122: And then to Dona Dolores Malgares
- 123: I meant only to express my great esteem
- 124: Malgares was a flattering historian
- 125: Fearless of the hideous Apaches
- 126: Sweep the Floridas from Louisiana to the Atlantic
- 127: And Don Pedro escorted us to the door
- 128: We accompanied Senor Zuloaga to his house
- 129: I did not know that you Americanos were singers
- 130: Senor Zuloaga handed the guitar back to me
- 131: I stepped out from my dark archway
- 132: And I have serenaded Senorita Vallois
- 133: With a last glance at the empty balcony of my lady
- 134: Pike and our host slept late in the morning
- 135: Her companion a rebozo of finest silk
- 136: Senora Malgares was on the nearer side
- 137: The interruption of our last meeting Santa Virgen
- 138: And returned to the Parroquia
- 139: I will write you a prescription that will ease the pain
- 140: Yet to give a daughter of the Church to a heretic
- 141: Malgares came to us from His Excellency
- 142: Without a word of warning from Malgares
- 143: Malgares smiled at my heightened color
- 144: And addressed our host Senor
- 145: Barnardo crushed the insurrection with merciless vigor
- 146: Though without opening the veiling folds of her rebozo
- 147: The Parroquia at nine o'clock to night
- 148: When Chita came scuffling out of the church
- 149: Would it not be the triumph of Salcedo
- 150: I have opened your eyes to the peril of trusting Salcedo
- 151: From the mighty Salcedo down to the lowliest leproso
- 152: Dona Marguerite sought to interpose
- 153: If not in as black a mood as Medina
- 154: And to ask Malgares to act as my second
- 155: And muttered a hasty word to Medina
- 156: You will of course advise with Lieutenant Malgares
- 157: And advised him to consult with Malgares
- 158: Malgares caught up the two cutlasses
- 159: Medina muttered something in the ear of Walker
- 160: Malgares is not yet of the revolution
- 161: But listening for Malgares to continue the count
- 162: While we were visiting Malgares
- 163: But Dona Marguerite was a woman
- 164: Where Dona Marguerite sobbed out an Adios
- 165: To whom we brought letters of introduction from Malgares
- 166: What ever else can that mean than Alisanda Vallois
- 167: My plans for a voyage to Vera Cruz
- 168: The sailors and rivermen gruff
- 169: My business with Monsieur Lafitte is private
- 170: The gale freshening to a downright storm
- 171: Captain Lafitte paced his little quarterdeck
- 172: But I remember now I must get to Vera Cruz Vera Cruz
- 173: And the Siren from La Belle Silene
- 174: And strengthened the splintered mizzenmast
- 175: John Robinson and must go to my lady
- 176: I admit that I struck Midshipman Hepburn
- 177: Cuthbert came to condole with me
- 178: The rosary in her outstretched hand
- 179: I caught sight of the weal of the lash across her forehead
- 180: Cuthbert made hasty reply All a mistake
- 181: There were the padre and my faithful Chita
- 182: And when the padre handed me the ring
- 183: But once aboard the Mary Penn