Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! Yah!

Yah! Yah!

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley country.

It'’s hard to believe an American citizen

ever needed a passport to enter or leave California.

But back in 1828, when California was a province of Mexico,

those who dared to cross its borders soon found out the...

It'’s-It's no use, son.

You'’ll have to go on without me.

I won'’t leave you, Father.

All right. The rest of you go on.

We'’ll manage.

We'’ve been together for over 2,000 miles.

We'’re not gonna separate now just '’cause we're out of food.

Please go on.

No reason why we all should perish here in the wilderness.

The wilderness is behind us now, Father.

This road must lead to some settlement.

[ horse whinnies ]

Soldiers in uniform!

Mexicans.

We--

We must be in California.

Some good food and a little rest,

and you'’ll be your old self in no time.

Howdy.

Who are you? Where do you come from?

We'’re Americans.

A party of trappers from Missouri.

Americanos. Capitaine?

We don'’t have any food or ammunition.

Is there a settlement near here?

San Diego is just over that next ridge.

We will take you there.

Did you hear that, Father?

As our prisoners.

Prisoners?

I am sorry, senor.

But I am under orders to arrest all foreigners.

Whose orders?

His Excellency, General José Maríe Echeandía,

Governor of California.

We will go.

Thank you, Your Excellency, thank you.

It'’s beautiful, Your Excellency.

But it wouldn'’t be right for me to accept such a lavish gift.

It'’s a mere token of my esteem and affection for you, Senorita Pico.

Were it not that the night air affects my throat--

[ clears throat ] I would be under your window each night

with a-with a guitar.

I shouldn'’t want to be the cause of your catching a cold, Your Excellency.

[ chuckles ] MAN: Open the gate!

My brother and his men seem to have some prisoners with them.

A splendid officer, your brother.

And there'’s no reason why his promotion should cease

at a mere captain'’s.

What have we here, Captain Pico?

We found these men just over the ridge, Your Excellency.

Americanos.

Spies.

No, sir. Just a party of trappers.

I do not believe you.

My name'’s James Pattie.

And this is my father.

He'’s the leader of our party.

We-We have a permit allowing us to trap from the governor of Santa Fe.

A forgery.

No, sir. That'’s the governor'’s signature.

I swear it. He signed it in my presence.

In any case, it'’s worthless here in California.

Put them in prison, sergeant.

But you have no right to--Lock them up.

But we'’ve done nothing wrong.

Put each one of them in solitary confinement

until they admit they are spies.

Please, Your Excellency.

Let me and my father stay together.

He'’s sick, and he needs me.

Sick?

Take him away from me. Take him away from me.

So, you would infect us as well as betray us.

Away. Away with them.

You don'’t have to drag me.

I can walk.

I don'’t want your stinking vittles.

You can feed them to the pigs.

Senor Pattie.

My sister Carlota asked to come with me.

It was you I saw the day they brought us here.

With the governor.

Yes.

Maybe you can persuade him to let me see my father.

Your father is dead, senor.

Quietly, in his sleep.

Early this morning.

CARLOTTA: That is why I asked to accompany my brother here.

I wanted to let you know how very sorry I am.

My brother has made arrangements for you to attend your father'’s burial.

I know it may not seem like much, but...

I understand.

Thank you.

How about my father'’s belongings? The kit he was carrying

when you arrested us?

I have it in my possession. I'’ll have it brought to you.

Thank you. It contains medicines for our party for the trip home.

Captain, when are we going to get out of here?

I can'’t say.

It'’s been over a week now, and there'’s been no mention of a trial.

CAPTAIN PICO: I will be honest with you, senor.

Our governor has no intention of giving you and your friends a trial.

Does he expect us to rot in prison?

We'’re American citizens. We have our rights.

If you could only convince him you'’re not spies.

Do we look like spies? Why should we be spying? And spying for whom?

His Excellency is suspicious of everyone.

There must be some way to go over his head.

If el presidenteonly knew what was going on.

But it is impossible to get word to the capital.

You see, we are all virtually prisoners here.

Well, there must be some way I can free my men.

It'’s up to me now that my father'’s gone.

If you had money, you could buy your freedom.

His Excellency always has need of money.

I'’ve got it.

Money? No. But the next best thing to it.

Take me to the governor.

I have a proposition that I think will interest him.

Your Excellency, would a fortune in furs convince you

that we'’re honest trappers and not spies?

You think I'’m fool enough to hand you back your guns

and then let you go hunting?

[ laughs ] No.

[ coughs ]

But we already have the furs.

Safely cached. Where?

By the Colorado River.

A hundred miles away.

Well, we couldn'’t take them with us when we struck out across the desert,

so we buried them. Beavers worth their weight in gold.

Your Excellency, if you'’ll let us go and get them,

we'’ll bring them back to San Diego.

And then we'’ll give you as many as you want. All of them.

In exchange for our passports.

This is just a trick to escape.

You can send an armed guard with us.

It would only take a few weeks, Your Excellency.

Give them permission.

And why are you so interested, senorita?

Every woman dreams of beautiful furs, Your Excellency.

Very well. Captain Pico, you will be in command.

Take Sergeant Alvarez and a detail of, uh, two soldiers.

That should be enough to guard one man.

One man?

The rest of your party will remain here as hostages.

Your Excellency, if you will let the other members

of Senor Pattie'’s group accompany him,

I shall take full responsibility for--

You have your orders, captain.

Sergeant.

Just around the bend. Come on.

I don'’t see any furs, senor.

This is-This is where we buried them.

This is the pit we dug, what'’s left of it.

Here'’s some of the-- Some of the deerskins we used to line it with.

You don'’t think someone stole them?

No. Must-Must have been a flash flood from the mountains.

Sergeant, ride down the arroyo

and see if you can find any beaver pelts.

If you ask me, there never were any.

I gave you an order. Go with him.

Captain, if they do find any, they won'’t be worth anything.

Lying out there in the sun.

This is your chance to escape.

Escape? Yes.

When they return, I will pretend to be unconscious.

I will tell them you attacked me.

Struck me over the head and got away.

There'’s food and water in that pack.

Thank you, captain. If I don'’t go back to San Diego,

there are four Americans who will pay for it with their lives.

If you go back without any furs,

you will all be shot as spies.

It'’s better to die with friends.

So. You take my men on a fool'’s errand, at my expense.

But I'’ve already explained to you, sir--

I should have ordered all of you executed the day you arrived.

Take him away and lock him up.

Don'’t look so downcast, senorita.

What is it? Who is this man?

He was picked up just offshore, in a small boat.

A boat? Where did it come from?

It was a boat from a ship, Your Excellency.

The name was on the side. The Franklin.

GOVERNOR: An American ship.

Making ready to land, no doubt.

Do you know this man, Senor Pattie? No, sir.

He'’s an American.

There are ten million Americans, sir.

You are both part of the same spy ring.

You come by land, he comes by sea.

Now, tell me, where'’s your ship?

At what port does it intend to land?

How many aboard?

He'’s bluffing.

He'’s fainted, Your Excellency.

If he thinks he can prevent me from getting an answer,

he'’s greatly mistaken.

He'’s dead.

Dead? Are you sure?

His shipmates must have set him adrift.

Afraid that the rest of the crew would come down with the plague.

Plague?

Smallpox.

Small--

It'’s a lie.

It'’s a trick.

Another spy trick.

Go ahead, take a look for yourself.

He'’s all broken out.

You would contaminate me.

You'’re already contaminated.

Find a leech. Get some sulfur powder

and bring it to my quarters immediately.

And get rid of that thing.

Get rid of it, I said.

Sergeant Alvarez, dispose of the body.

I don'’t want to catch the plague.

Then get your men to bury it.

I'’m not afraid to touch the body.

I'’ll bury him.

If you don'’t want the whole town to break out with the plague,

you better stay by yourselves.

You'’ve all been exposed.

[ door opens ]

The sergeant said you wanted to see us.

Yes.

You can enter my cell.

There'’s nothing to be afraid of.

But-But you touched the body.

There was no danger.

I'’m immune to smallpox.

Come in. I'’ll protect you from the disease.

What makes you immune to this disease?

CARLOTA: You wear a charm?

PATTIE: You might say that.

Now, this

is where I was vaccinated.

What?

My father studied medicine.

He vaccinated all of us before we started out.

Now, captain, if you'’ll please remove your jacket

and roll up your sleeves.

Senorita, kindly bare your arm.

This won'’t hurt.

I'’m not afraid.

Are you sure?

With my own ears I heard him boast that he is safe.

That he has a medicine which protects him from the disease.

With him in his cell?

No longer. I brought it with me.

Such an act of resourcefulness, if you'’ll pardon me, Your Excellency,

should entitle me to a lieutenancy.

I'’ll make you a captain.

I'’ll give you special citation for saving my life.

And I want some of the medicine too.

Of course, of course.

Where is it?

Which is the magic vial?

I don'’t know, Your Excellency.

Well, what is the medicine? A draft, a powder, or an unguent?

I don'’t know, sir.

You watch me sicken with smallpox and say you don'’t know?

I'’ll strip you of your rank. I'’ll make you a private.

Your Excellency, perhaps you can persuade Senor Pattie

to tell us which one it is.

Yes.

Bring him here. Pronto.

[ door opens ]

[ knocking, keys ratting ]

Senor Pattie. Wake up. Wake up.

I'’m awake.

His Excellency requests your presence

in his quarters.

Requests.

I thought he would.

You wanted to see me?

Yes. The medicine for the smallpox.

I desire to know which one it is.

Well, were I in your position, I should also want to find out.

Which one is it, Pattie?

Perhaps it'’s not in the kit.

Perhaps you have hidden it somewhere.

Oh, no. No, no. It'’s in there.

Enough serum to vaccinate everyone who'’s been exposed.

The others can wait. Treat me now.

On one condition.

Freedom for me and my party.

Signed passports.

I do not make deals with spies.

Well, those are my terms.

You swine.

It appears that I do not have much choice in the matter,

so I agree to your terms.

All right, I'’ll vaccinate you.

Take off your robe and roll up your sleeve. It'’s applied to the arm.

The medicine. Where is it?

It'’s in the eye of the needle.

But first I have to break the skin with the pointed end.

[ grunts ]

Keep it covered.

Take him back to his cell and lock him up.

But what about me? My vaccination?

Oh, I forgot. Vaccinate him.

Wait a minute.

What do you mean, "Lock him up in his cell again"?

You gave me your word that you were going to issue passports to my men and me.

There is no need of keeping one'’s word to a spy.

I'’m afraid you've outsmarted yourself this time, governor.

Outsmarted myself?

I thought you'’d go back on your word.

So I didn'’t use any smallpox vaccine.

What?

What did you use?

Plain alcohol.

Oh, it won'’t do you any harm, but it won'’t do you any good, either.

You'’re lying. Am I?

Do you know which vial I used?

No. But you'’ll face a firing squad

unless you use the correct one right now.

You refuse?

Well, how do I know you wouldn'’t go back on your word again?

Do as I say, or you'’ll never leave this room.

Well, if you'’re willing to gamble with your life,

I might as well gamble with mine.

But with a bullet, death comes quickly.

And yours would be slow and gnawing.

You saw how the seaman died.

You are a good gambler, senor.

I accept your terms.

Let'’s get it over with.All right, I'’ll do it.

But not now, and not here.

And now, senorita, if you'’ll give me the passports

the governor so kindly signed.

You see? I do keep my word.

Oh, well, I thought you might.

Especially with so many of your subjects as witnesses.

Was it necessary for you to humiliate me in front of them

by making me wait until last?

That wasn'’t my intention at all.

It was just, well, the others needed it more than you.

You see, I vaccinated you last night.

But only with plain alcohol.

Oh, no. With the real thing.

So. You fooled me again.

By the way, two doses might give you a little fever.

I suggest you go to bed for a couple of days.

Why, yes. Yes, I shall.

I feel somewhat feverish already.

Did you hear him? He vaccinated me two times.

I'’m twice as safe as the rest of you.

[ laughing ]

[ chuckling ]

Goodbye, Senor Pattie.

You haven'’t seen the last of me, senorita.

You are staying in California?

Well, a large supply of vaccine

is due in on a ship which arrives in Monterey in a couple of days.

And there are many in California who need protection from smallpox.

And the governor thought you an enemy of our people.

I have never met anyone like you, senor.

Nor have I met anyone like you.

I shall think of you often, Carlota.

And I shall never forget you, senor.

How could I, when I bear your mark?

Captain? Good luck, senor.

The passport granted to James Pattie

identified him as sometime surgeon extraordinary

to His Excellency, the governor of California.

And Pattie remained on the west coast

long enough to vaccinate more than 20,000 residents.

James Ohio Pattie did indeed leave his mark on California.