Arthur O. Friel

Name: The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11
Author: Arthur O. Friel

The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

Summary

“The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11”, published in 1923, is a work by Arthur O. Friel. It explores elements such as Quencua, arrow and Oso.

Quotes from The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (Arthur O. Friel)

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ Yaracuma told me.
"There is cassava enough for six men," I grumbled. "It is far too much. And I see no poison."
He smiled and lifted the top cakes. Then I saw that they formed a lid, and that under them, in a green nest of leaves, were packed two gourd bottles. The necks of the bottles were short, wide, and tightly closed by wooden plugs.
"The basket holds life and death," he said. "Under the black juice is more cassava. There is a sling to carry a gourd. There is a new bow-cord also. All is here."
It was the best packing I had ever seen done by Indians. ”

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Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ In all the march I had seen no man, either ahead or behind. Now I became more guarded; for if any of the butchers were on their way up or down the river they must pass along that narrow track, a mile long, which connects the upper and lower ports of the Quencua raudal. I did not yet smear my arrow-heads with poison, but I made sure that those in the quiver were loose and easy to draw, and I carried one ready in my hand.
Soon I was in the path itself. The damp ground showed that men had passed within a day, going toward Oso. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ The problem of crossing the river had bothered me a little, for unless I could find a canoe it would mean swimming, and that would spoil my only food—the cassava. Now it would be easy.
I walked fast along the winding path, seeing no life but a few birds and a troop of marimundo monkeys. At the end I found the canoe, empty. From among some rocks I got an old paddle which, I remembered, had been thrown there some time ago by one of my men after half its blade split off. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ Yaracuma himself, not being a fool, was well satisfied to let me go my way and do my best without aid, since that was what I desired. If I killed all my enemies, well and good; if not, he and his men might fight later on. So he saw to it that the making of the poison went forward—just where and how it was done I do not know, for it was made in some secret spot by the thin man—and he also ordered one of his best bowmen to give me any help needed with the arrows. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ I left to the Indians the packing of the arrows into quivers and the selection of the bow, as well as the preparation of the poison. Only one thing remained for me to do, and that I did when Yaracuma was with me and nobody else happened to be near.
"Yaracuma," I said quietly, "I have told Frasco and Gil that they must stay here. They do not like it. They wish to go and fight. I ask my friend Yaracuma to watch them when I am gone, and to stop them if they try to follow me. When I shoot the arrows I shall not look to see the faces of the men I shoot at. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ The older men, though, who had women and children to think of, were not so reckless. If I had wanted them, no doubt I could have taken with me every fighter in the tribe; for, though the Maquiritares murdered at Quencua were not of the Cunucunuma, they were Maquiritares, and their torturers were hated by every one here. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arthur O. Friel, The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (1923)

“ The other was that I wanted to repay my enemies on the same ground where they had butchered and burned my Maquiritares. Moreover, the Quencua woods were better for my movements than those of Oso. And I was quite sure that the Oso men would go to Quencua as soon as they knew of what was taking place there.
So, leaving my rifle behind, I walked out into the sabana beyond the caño and began my journey of vengeance. To travel by the river was impossible, for that water was watched. Paco and his men must be cursing, I knew, because my canoe did not appear. They soon would curse for another reason. ”

Arthur O. Friel

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Quotes from The Thirty Gang — Chapter 11 (Arthur O. Friel)

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