Chapter 56 He's Coming, He's Coming
Although it was a sunny day, the vast grassland was filled with thunderous sounds.
On the green grassland, a black tide was surging. It was a team of Mapuche knights.
There are at least thousands of people!
The Indians on horseback, holding spears, kept making strange noises as they headed north.
Although the land becomes increasingly barren as you go south after crossing Negro, for these tribal warriors, the Pampas is good, but it is not their home. They live on the Patagonia Plateau, and at this time of year they travel thousands of miles to participate in the attack on the white people.
All for the purpose of grabbing the spoils that belong to them.
ox!
Tens of thousands of cattle and flocks of sheep as numerous as clouds in the sky. For tribal warriors, all this means not only sufficient food, but also clothes for women, strong liquor for men, and even gunpowder. Of course, they haven't reached the place yet. They will meet with other tribes and launch attacks together.
"Juan, when you return this time, you can choose one of those women as your wife!"
Chief Manuel Namonguza said to the young people around him.
"Thank you, Chief. I will choose a blonde woman so that my children will also have blonde hair."
Juan laughed.
The women they were talking about were those captured when they attacked white settlements. These women would traditionally be distributed to the bravest warriors in the tribe as a reward for them, and they were also the best trophies.
In addition to women, there are also some white men who will be driven as slaves of the tribe. Of course, if they work hard, they will also combine with some women in the tribe, well, they are also tools, after all, children with white blood can resist the diseases brought by white people very well.
Even now, they have only just set out, so it does not prevent them from dividing up the spoils that are about to be obtained.
"Blonde hair..."
Manuel Namunguza just smiled at Juan 's imagination. He knew exactly what the tribal warriors wanted. The men wanted strong liquor, and the women wanted cloth. Of course, there were also iron pots and other things. And for all these things, they needed to drive their cattle over the mountains to Araucan to exchange with the white people in Chile.
Cattle were their only commodity available for exchange.
But last year's attack on the settlement made him realize that white people are not the same as before.
“Juan, have you noticed that some white people seem to shoot from farther away now?”
"Yes, according to the white people, many white people opened fire from three or four hundred meters away."
South America was the first region to use the metric system. Influenced by the French Revolution, South American countries began to replace the old system with the metric system as early as the beginning of their independence. Even the indigenous people were affected.
"Yes, and they also have rifles that can fire continuously. Although we only encountered a few people using them, if they all use that kind of musket, our losses will be greater and the spoils will be less."
Perhaps Manuel Namunguza was the tribal chief, but he did not know that 1860 was an era of technological change. Muzzle-loading rifles represented by the Enfield P1853 Minié rifle and the Henry rifle began to be introduced into South America. In the next few years, they would quickly replace the old rifles and become the standard equipment of South American cowboys and the military together with revolvers.
When more sophisticated metal cartridge cases appeared, it was time for the white people to launch an expedition to conquer this land.
Although he was unaware of the technological changes in the outside world, Manuel Namonguza, the tribal chief, was keenly aware of the potential crisis.
For Juan and others, they did not realize the future crisis and they were still immersed in the impending attack.
The cattle and women of the white people will be their spoils.
Just as they were happily discussing how much they could rob this time, several riders came running from the east. Juan and the others grasped their spears tightly and looked in the direction of the riders.
"It's Carreras and the others."
Juan shouted and went to meet him.
"Carreras, you are running over here in such a hurry, is it because the white people from Viedma have come out?"
Holding the spear in his hand, Juan said proudly.
"If they dare to come out, we can just deal with them, so that we don't have to be on guard against them every time we go home."
"Juan, where's the chief?"
Carreras said.
"The whites have built another settlement south of Viedma, less than five days' journey from the Great Salt Flats."
"What!"
Juan exclaimed.
"is that true?"
When Manuel Namonguza heard the news, he was also shocked.
Great salt marsh!
It looks like a useless place with only shrubs, but the people and cattle in the tribe cannot live without the salt in the salt marsh. The water in the Great Salt Marsh is very salty. The hot climate evaporates the salt there, and the salt condenses at the bottom of the lake, turning the lake into a huge reflective mirror. For thousands of years, various tribes have come there to get salt, and even white people know the importance of the Great Salt Marsh to the tribe.
Almost subconsciously, Manuel Namonguza realized that this was a conspiracy of the white people.
"They must be trying to take over the Great Salt Flats!"
"Chief, we must not let them take the salt marsh away from us!"
Juan and others said anxiously.
"Chief, we should drive them back while they first get here."
"Yes, Chief. If we let them gain a foothold here, they will soon occupy the Great Salt Marsh. By then, we will have to be on guard against them every time we go to get salt!"
Barrigal said.
"Chief, we must not let them take the salt marsh away."
"We can't let them take the salt marsh, but don't we still have to join up with other tribes? What if we're too late?"
asked Manuel Namunguza.
"Split into two groups. One group will fight the white people, and the other group will go and join other tribes first. After we destroy their settlements, we will come back and join them."
"Ah! Chief, it's decided!"
Juan said on the side that it was just like going out for fun. In fact, for them, attacking the white settlements was just like playing. Although people would die, when would they not die?
After thinking for a while, Manuel Namonguza nodded and said.
"Okay, it's decided. Barrigal, you take some people and continue on your journey. We'll catch up with you soon after we sort out the issues here..."
