the oregon trail-第19部分

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tle　log…houses；　which　upon　our　constantly　　shifting　frontier　have　been　so　often　successfully　maintained　against　　overwhelming　odds　of　Indians。　　Two　lodges　were　pitched　close　to　the　　fort；　the　sun　beat　scorching　upon　the　logs；　no　living　thing　was　　stirring　except　one　old　squaw；　who　thrust　her　round　head　from　the　　opening　of　the　nearest　lodge；　and　three　or　four　stout　young　pups；　who　　were　peeping　with　looks　of　eager　inquiry　from　under　the　covering。　　In　　a　moment　a　door　opened；　and　a　little；　swarthy　black…eyed　Frenchman　　came　out。　　His　dress　was　rather　singular；　his　black　curling　hair　was　　parted　in　the　middle　of　his　head；　and　fell　below　his　shoulders；　he　　wore　a　tight　frock　of　smoked　deerskin；　very　gayly　ornamented　with　　figures　worked　in　dyed　porcupine　quills。　　His　moccasins　and　leggings　　were　also　gaudily　adorned　in　the　same　manner；　and　the　latter　had　in　　addition　a　line　of　long　fringes；　reaching　down　the　seams。　　The　small　　frame　of　Richard；　for　by　this　name　Henry　made　him　known　to　us；　was　in　　the　highest　degree　athletic　and　vigorous。　　There　was　no　superfluity；　　and　indeed　there　seldom　is　among　the　active　white　men　of　this　　country；　but　every　limb　was　compact　and　hard；　every　sinew　had　its　　full　tone　and　elasticity；　and　the　whole　man　wore　an　air　of　mingled　　hardihood　and　buoyancy。　Richard　committed　our　horses　to　a　Navahoe　slave；　a　mean　looking　　fellow　taken　prisoner　on　the　Mexican　frontier；　and；　relieving　us　of　　our　rifles　with　ready　politeness；　led　the　way　into　the　principal　　apartment　of　his　establishment。　　This　was　a　room　ten　feet　square。　　　The　walls　and　floor　were　of　black　mud；　and　the　roof　of　rough　timber；　　there　was　a　huge　fireplace　made　of　four　flat　rocks；　picked　up　on　the　　prairie。　　An　Indian　bow　and　otter…skin　quiver；　several　gaudy　articles　　of　Rocky　Mountain　finery；　an　Indian　medicine　bag；　and　a　pipe　and　　tobacco　pouch；　garnished　the　walls；　and　rifles　rested　in　a　corner。　　　There　was　no　furniture　except　a　sort　of　rough　settle　covered　with　　buffalo　robes；　upon　which　lolled　a　tall　half…breed；　with　his　hair　　glued　in　masses　upon　each　temple；　and　saturated　with　vermilion。　　Two　　or　three　more　〃mountain　men〃　sat　cross…legged　on　the　floor。　　Their　　attire　was　not　unlike　that　of　Richard　himself；　but　the　most　striking　　figure　of　the　group　was　a　naked　Indian　boy　of　sixteen；　with　a　　handsome　face；　and　light；　active　proportions；　who　sat　in　an　easy　　posture　in　the　corner　near　the　door。　　Not　one　of　his　limbs　moved　the　　breadth　of　a　hair；　his　eye　was　fixed　immovably；　not　on　any　person　　present；　but；　as　it　appeared；　on　the　projecting　corner　of　the　　fireplace　opposite　to　him。　On　these　prairies　the　custom　of　smoking　with　friends　is　seldom　　omitted；　whether　among　Indians　or　whites。　　The　pipe；　therefore；　was　　taken　from　the　wall；　and　its　great　red　bowl　crammed　with　the　tobacco　　and　shongsasha；　mixed　in　suitable　proportions。　　Then　it　passed　round　　the　circle；　each　man　inhaling　a　few　whiffs　and　handing　it　to　his　　neighbor。　　Having　spent　half　an　hour　here；　we　took　our　leave；　first　　inviting　our　new　friends　to　drink　a　cup　of　coffee　with　us　at　our　　camp；　a　mile　farther　up　the　river。　　By　this　time；　as　the　reader　may　　conceive；　we　had　grown　rather　shabby；　our　clothes　had　burst　into　rags　　and　tatters；　and　what　was　worse；　we　had　very　little　means　of　　renovation。　　Fort　Laramie　was　but　seven　miles　before　us。　　Being　　totally　averse　to　appearing　in　such　plight　among　any　society　that　　could　boast　an　approximation　to　the　civilized；　we　soon　stopped　by　the　　river　to　make　our　toilet　in　the　best　way　we　could。　　We　hung　up　small　　looking…glasses　against　the　trees　and　shaved；　an　operation　neglected　　for　six　weeks；　we　performed　our　ablutions　in　the　Platte；　though　the　　utility　of　such　a　proceeding　was　questionable；　the　water　looking　　exactly　like　a　cup　of　chocolate；　and　the　banks　consisting　of　the　　softest　and　richest　yellow　mud；　so　that　we　were　obliged；　as　a　　preliminary；　to　build　a　cause…way　of　stout　branches　and　twigs。　　　Having　also　put　on　radiant　moccasins；　procured　from　a　squaw　of　　Richard's　establishment；　and　made　what　other　improvements　our　narrow　　circumstances　allowed；　we　took　our　seats　on　the　grass　with　a　feeling　　of　greatly　increased　respectability；　to　wait　the　arrival　of　our　　guests。　　They　came；　the　banquet　was　concluded；　and　the　pipe　smoked。　　　Bidding　them　adieu；　we　turned　our　horses'　heads　toward　the　fort。　An　hour　elapsed。　　The　barren　hills　closed　across　our　front；　and　we　　could　see　no　farther；　until　having　surmounted　them；　a　rapid　stream　　appeared　at　the　foot　of　the　descent；　running　into　the　Platte；　beyond　　was　a　green　meadow；　dotted　with　bushes；　and　in　the　midst　of　these；　at　　the　point　where　the　two　rivers　joined；　were　the　low　clay　walls　of　a　　fort。　　This　was　not　Fort　Laramie；　but　another　post　of　less　recent　　date；　which　having　sunk　before　its　successful　competitor　was　now　　deserted　and　ruinous。　　A　moment　after　the　hills；　seeming　to　draw　　apart　as　we　advanced；　disclosed　Fort　Laramie　itself；　its　high　　bastions　and　perpendicular　walls　of　clay　crowning　an　eminence　on　the　　left　beyond　the　stream；　while　behind　stretched　a　line　of　arid　and　　desolate　ridges；　and　behind　these　again；　towering　aloft　seven　　thousand　feet；　arose　the　grim　Black　Hills。　We　tried　to　ford　Laramie　Creek　at　a　point　nearly　opposite　the　fort；　　but　the　stream；　swollen　with　the　rains　in　the　mountains；　was　too　　rapid。　　We　passed　up　along　its　bank　to　find　a　better　crossing　place。　　　Men　gathered　on　the　wall　to　look　at　us。　　〃There's　Bordeaux！〃　called　　Henry；　his　face　brightening　as　he　recognized　his　acquaintance；　〃him　　there　with　the　spyglass；　and　there's　old　Vaskiss；　and　Tucker；　and　　May；　and；　by　George！　there's　Cimoneau！〃　　This　Cimoneau　was　Henry's　　fast　friend；　and　the　only　man　in　the　country　who　could　rival　him　in　　hunting。　We　soon　found　a　ford。　　Henry　led　the　way；　the　pony　approaching　the　　bank　with　a　countenance　of　cool　indifference；　bracing　his　feet　and　　sliding　into　the　stream　with　the　most　unmoved　composure。

　　　　　At　the　first　plunge　the　horse　sunk　low；　　　　　　And　the　water　broke　o'er　the　saddle…bow

We　followed；　the　water　boiled　against　our　saddles；　but　our　horses　　bore　us　easily　through。　　The　unfortunate　little　mules　came　near　going　　down　with　the　current；　cart　and　all；　and　we　watched　them　with　some　　solicitude　scrambling　over　the　loose　round　stones　at　the　bottom；　and　　bracing　stoutly　against　the　stream。　　All　landed　safely　at　last；　we　　crossed　a　little　plain；　descended　a　hollow；　and　riding　up　a　steep　　bank　found　ourselves　before　the　gateway　of　Fort　Laramie；　under　the　　impending　blockhouse　erected　above　it　to　defend　the　entrance。

CHAPTER　IX　SCENES　AT　FORT　LARAMIE

Looking　back；　after　the　expiration　of　a　year；　upon　Fort　Laramie　and　　its　inmates；　they　seem　less　like　a　reality　than　like　some　fanciful　　picture　of　the　olden　time；　so　different　was　the　scene　from　any　which　　this　tamer　side　of　the　world　can　present。　　Tall　Indians；　enveloped　in　　their　white　buffalo　robes；　were　striding　across　the　area　or　reclining　　at　full　length　on　the　low　roofs　of　the　buildings　which　inclosed　it。　　　Numerous　squaws；　gayly　bedizened；　sat　grouped　in　front　of　the　　apartments　they　occupied；　their　mongrel　offspring；　restless　and　　vociferous；　rambled　in　every　direction　through　the　fort；　and　the　　trappers；　traders；　and　ENGAGES　of　the　establishment　were　busy　at　　their　labor　or　their　amusements。　We　were　met　at　the　gate；　but　by　no　means　cordially　welcomed。　　Indeed；　　we　seemed　objects　of　some　distrust　and　suspicion　until　Henry　　Chatillon　explained　that　we　were　not　traders；　and　we；　in　　confirmation；　handed　to　the　bourgeois　a　letter　of　introduction　from　　his　principals。　　He　took　it；　turned　it　upside　down；　and　tried　hard　to　　read　it；　but　his　literary　attainments　not　being　adequate　to　the　task；　　he　applied　for　relief　to　the　clerk；　a　sleek；　smiling　Frenchman；　named　　Montalon。　　The　letter　read；　Bordeaux　（the　bourgeois）　seemed　gradually　　to　awaken　to　a　sense　of　what　was　expected　of　him。　　Though　not　　deficient　in　hospitable　intentions；　he　was　wholly　unaccustomed　to　act　　as　master　of　ceremonies。　　Discarding　all　formalities　of　reception；　he　　did　not　honor　us　with　a　single　word；　but　walked　swiftly　across　the　　area；　while　we　followed　in　some　admiration　to　a　railing　and　a　flight　　of　steps　opposite　the　entrance。　　He　signed　to　us　that　we　had　better　　fasten　our　horses　to　the　railing；　then　he　walked　up　the　steps；　　tramped　along　a　rude　balcony；　and　kicking　open　a　door　displayed　a　　large　room；　rather　more　elaborately　finished　than　a　barn。　　For　　furniture　it　had　a　rough　bedstead；　but　no　bed；　two　chairs；　a　chest　of　　drawers；　a　tin　pail　to　hold　water；　and　a　board　to　cut　tobacco　upon。　　　A　brass　crucifix　hung　on　the　wall；　and　close　at　hand　a　recent　scalp；　　with　hair　full　a　yard　long；　was　suspended　from　a　nail。　　I　shall　again　　have　occasion　to　mention　this　dismal　trophy；　its　history　being　　connected　with　that　of　our　subsequent　proceedings。　This　apartment；　the　best　in　Fort　Laramie；　was　that　usually　occupied　　by　the　legitimate　bourgeois；　Papin；　in　whose　absence　the　command　　devolved　upon　Bordeaux。　　The　latter；　a　stout；　bluff　little　fellow；　　much　inflated　by　a　sense　of　his　new　authority；　began　to　roar　for　　buffalo　robes。　　These　being　brought　and　spread　upon　the　floor　formed　　our　beds；　much　better　ones　than　we　had　of　late　been　accustomed　to。　　　Our　arrangements　made；　we　stepped　out　to　the　balcony　to　take　a　more　　leisurely　survey　of　the　long　looked…for　haven　at　which　we　had　arrived　　at　last。　　Beneath　us　was　the　square　area　surrounded　by　little　rooms；　　or　rather　cells；　which　opened　upon　it。　　These　were　devoted　to　various　　purposes；　but　served　chiefly　for　the　accommodation　of　the　men　　employed　at　the　fort；　or　of　the　equally　numerous　squaws；　whom　they　　were　allowed　to　maintain　in　it。　　Opposite　to　us　rose　the　blockhouse　　above　the　gateway；　it　was　adorned　with　a　figure　which　even　now　haunts　　my　memory；　a　horse　at　full　speed；　daubed　upon　the　boards　with　red　　paint；　and　exhibiting　a　degree　of　skill　which　might　rival　that　　displayed　by　the　Indians　in　executing　similar　designs　upon　their　　robes　and　lodges。　　A　busy　scene　was　enacting　in　the　area。　　The　wagons　　of　Vaskiss；　an　old　trader；　were　about　to　set　out　for　a　remote　post　in　　the　mountains；　and　the　Canadians　were　going　through　their　　preparations　with　all　possible　bustle；　while　here　and　there　an　Indian　　stood　lo