the oregon trail-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


going　through　their　　preparations　with　all　possible　bustle；　while　here　and　there　an　Indian　　stood　looking　on　with　imperturbable　gravity。　Fort　Laramie　is　one　of　the　posts　established　by　the　American　Fur　　Company；　who　well…nigh　monopolize　the　Indian　trade　of　this　whole　　region。　　Here　their　officials　rule　with　an　absolute　sway；　the　arm　of　　the　United　States　has　little　force；　for　when　we　were　there；　the　　extreme　outposts　of　her　troops　were　about　seven　hundred　miles　to　the　　eastward。　　The　little　fort　is　built　of　bricks　dried　in　the　sun；　and　　externally　is　of　an　oblong　form；　with　bastions　of　clay；　in　the　form　　of　ordinary　blockhouses；　at　two　of　the　corners。　　The　walls　are　about　　fifteen　feet　high；　and　surmounted　by　a　slender　palisade。　　The　roofs　　of　the　apartments　within；　which　are　built　close　against　the　walls；　　serve　the　purpose　of　a　banquette。　　Within；　the　fort　is　divided　by　a　　partition；　on　one　side　is　the　square　area　surrounded　by　the　　storerooms；　offices；　and　apartments　of　the　inmates；　on　the　other　is　　the　corral；　a　narrow　place；　encompassed　by　the　high　clay　walls；　where　　at　night；　or　in　presence　of　dangerous　Indians；　the　horses　and　mules　　of　the　fort　are　crowded　for　safe…keeping。　　The　main　entrance　has　two　　gates；　with　an　arched　passage　intervening。　　A　little　square　window；　　quite　high　above　the　ground；　opens　laterally　from　an　adjoining　　chamber　into　this　passage；　so　that　when　the　inner　gate　is　closed　and　　barred；　a　person　without　may　still　hold　communication　with　those　　within　through　this　narrow　aperture。　　This　obviates　the　necessity　of　　admitting　suspicious　Indians；　for　purposes　of　trading；　into　the　body　　of　the　fort；　for　when　danger　is　apprehended；　the　inner　gate　is　shut　　fast；　and　all　traffic　is　carried　on　by　means　of　the　little　window。　　　This　precaution；　though　highly　necessary　at　some　of　the　company's　　posts；　is　now　seldom　resorted　to　at　Fort　Laramie；　where；　though　men　　are　frequently　killed　in　its　neighborhood；　no　apprehensions　are　now　　entertained　of　any　general　designs　of　hostility　from　the　Indians。　We　did　not　long　enjoy　our　new　quarters　undisturbed。　　The　door　was　　silently　pushed　open；　and　two　eyeballs　and　a　visage　as　black　as　night　　looked　in　upon　us；　then　a　red　arm　and　shoulder　intruded　themselves；　　and　a　tall　Indian；　gliding　in；　shook　us　by　the　hand；　grunted　his　　salutation；　and　sat　down　on　the　floor。　　Others　followed；　with　faces　　of　the　natural　hue；　and　letting　fall　their　heavy　robes　from　their　　shoulders；　they　took　their　seats；　quite　at　ease；　in　a　semicircle　　before　us。　　The　pipe　was　now　to　be　lighted　and　passed　round　from　one　　to　another；　and　this　was　the　only　entertainment　that　at　present　they　　expected　from　us。　　These　visitors　were　fathers；　brothers；　or　other　　relatives　of　the　squaws　in　the　fort；　where　they　were　permitted　to　　remain；　loitering　about　in　perfect　idleness。　　All　those　who　smoked　　with　us　were　men　of　standing　and　repute。　　Two　or　three　others　dropped　　in　also；　young　fellows　who　neither　by　their　years　nor　their　exploits　　were　entitled　to　rank　with　the　old　men　and　warriors；　and　who；　abashed　　in　the　presence　of　their　superiors；　stood　aloof；　never　withdrawing　　their　eyes　from　us。　　Their　cheeks　were　adorned　with　vermilion；　their　　ears　with　pendants　of　shell；　and　their　necks　with　beads。　　Never　yet　　having　signalized　themselves　as　hunters；　or　performed　the　honorable　　exploit　of　killing　a　man；　they　were　held　in　slight　esteem；　and　were　　diffident　and　bashful　in　proportion。　　Certain　formidable　　inconveniences　attended　this　influx　of　visitors。　　They　were　bent　on　　inspecting　everything　in　the　room；　our　equipments　and　our　dress　alike　　underwent　their　scrutiny；　for　though　the　contrary　has　been　carelessly　　asserted；　few　beings　have　more　curiosity　than　Indians　in　regard　to　　subjects　within　their　ordinary　range　of　thought。　　As　to　other　　matters；　indeed；　they　seemed　utterly　indifferent。　　They　will　not　　trouble　themselves　to　inquire　into　what　they　cannot　comprehend；　but　　are　quite　contented　to　place　their　hands　over　their　mouths　in　token　　of　wonder；　and　exclaim　that　it　is　〃great　medicine。〃　　With　this　　comprehensive　solution；　an　Indian　never　is　at　a　loss。　　He　never　　launches　forth　into　speculation　and　conjecture；　his　reason　moves　in　　its　beaten　track。　　His　soul　is　dormant；　and　no　exertions　of　the　　missionaries；　Jesuit　or　Puritan；　of　the　Old　World　or　of　the　New；　have　　as　yet　availed　to　rouse　it。　As　we　were　looking；　at　sunset；　from　the　wall；　upon　the　wild　and　　desolate　plains　that　surround　the　fort；　we　observed　a　cluster　of　　strange　objects　like　scaffolds　rising　in　the　distance　against　the　red　　western　sky。　　They　bore　aloft　some　singular　looking　burdens；　and　at　　their　foot　glimmered　something　white　like　bones。　　This　was　the　place　　of　sepulture　of　some　Dakota　chiefs；　whose　remains　their　people　are　　fond　of　placing　in　the　vicinity　of　the　fort；　in　the　hope　that　they　　may　thus　be　protected　from　violation　at　the　hands　of　their　enemies。　　　Yet　it　has　happened　more　than　once；　and　quite　recently；　that　war　　parties　of　the　Crow　Indians；　ranging　through　the　country；　have　thrown　　the　bodies　from　the　scaffolds；　and　broken　them　to　pieces　amid　the　　yells　of　the　Dakotas；　who　remained　pent　up　in　the　fort；　too　few　to　　defend　the　honored　relics　from　insult。　　The　white　objects　upon　the　　ground　were　buffalo　skulls；　arranged　in　the　mystic　circle　commonly　　seen　at　Indian　places　of　sepulture　upon　the　prairie。　We　soon　discovered；　in　the　twilight；　a　band　of　fifty　or　sixty　horses　　approaching　the　fort。　　These　were　the　animals　belonging　to　the　　establishment；　who　having　been　sent　out　to　feed；　under　the　care　of　　armed　guards；　in　the　meadows　below；　were　now　being　driven　into　the　　corral　for　the　night。　　A　little　gate　opened　into　this　inclosure；　by　　the　side　of　it　stood　one　of　the　guards；　an　old　Canadian；　with　gray　　bushy　eyebrows；　and　a　dragoon　pistol　stuck　into　his　belt；　while　his　　comrade；　mounted　on　horseback；　his　rifle　laid　across　the　saddle　in　　front　of　him；　and　his　long　hair　blowing　before　his　swarthy　face；　rode　　at　the　rear　of　the　disorderly　troop；　urging　them　up　the　ascent。　　In　a　　moment　the　narrow　corral　was　thronged　with　the　half…wild　horses；　　kicking；　biting；　and　crowding　restlessly　together。　The　discordant　jingling　of　a　bell；　rung　by　a　Canadian　in　the　area；　　summoned　us　to　supper。　　This　sumptuous　repast　was　served　on　a　rough　　table　in　one　of　the　lower　apartments　of　the　fort；　and　consisted　of　　cakes　of　bread　and　dried　buffalo　meatan　excellent　thing　for　　strengthening　the　teeth。　　At　this　meal　were　seated　the　bourgeois　and　　superior　dignitaries　of　the　establishment；　among　whom　Henry　Chatillon　　was　worthily　included。　　No　sooner　was　it　finished；　than　the　table　was　　spread　a　second　time　（the　luxury　of　bread　being　now；　however；　　omitted）；　for　the　benefit　of　certain　hunters　and　trappers　of　an　　inferior　standing；　while　the　ordinary　Canadian　ENGAGES　were　regaled　　on　dried　meat　in　one　of　their　lodging　rooms。　　By　way　of　illustrating　　the　domestic　economy　of　Fort　Laramie；　it　may　not　be　amiss　to　　introduce　in　this　place　a　story　current　among　the　men　when　we　were　　there。　There　was　an　old　man　named　Pierre；　whose　duty　it　was　to　bring　the　　meat　from　the　storeroom　for　the　men。　　Old　Pierre；　in　the　kindness　of　　his　heart；　used　to　select　the　fattest　and　the　best　pieces　for　his　　companions。　　This　did　not　long　escape　the　keen…eyed　bourgeois；　who　　was　greatly　disturbed　at　such　improvidence；　and　cast　about　for　some　　means　to　stop　it。　　At　last　he　hit　on　a　plan　that　exactly　suited　him。　　　At　the　side　of　the　meat…room；　and　separated　from　it　by　a　clay　　partition；　was　another　compartment；　used　for　the　storage　of　furs。　　It　　had　no　other　communication　with　the　fort；　except　through　a　square　　hole　in　the　partition；　and　of　course　it　was　perfectly　dark。　　One　　evening　the　bourgeois；　watching　for　a　moment　when　no　one　observed　　him；　dodged　into　the　meat…room；　clambered　through　the　hole；　and　　ensconced　himself　among　the　furs　and　buffalo　robes。　　Soon　after；　old　　Pierre　came　in　with　his　lantern；　and；　muttering　to　himself；　began　to　　pull　over　the　bales　of　meat；　and　select　the　best　pieces；　as　usual。　　　But　suddenly　a　hollow　and　sepulchral　voice　proceeded　from　the　inner　　apartment：　〃Pierre！　　Pierre！　　Let　that　fat　meat　alone！　　Take　nothing　　but　lean！〃　　Pierre　dropped　his　lantern；　and　bolted　out　into　the　fort；　　screaming；　in　an　agony　of　terror；　that　the　devil　was　in　the　　storeroom；　but　tripping　on　the　threshold；　he　pitched　over　upon　the　　gravel；　and　lay　senseless；　stunned　by　the　fall。　　The　Canadians　ran　　out　to　the　rescue。　　Some　lifted　the　unlucky　Pierre；　and　others；　　making　an　extempore　crucifix　out　of　two　sticks；　were　proceeding　to　　attack　the　devil　in　his　stronghold；　when　the　bourgeois；　with　a　crest…　fallen　countenance；　appeared　at　the　door。　　To　add　to　the　bourgeois'　　mortification；　he　was　obliged　to　explain　the　whole　stratagem　to　　Pierre；　in　order　to　bring　the　latter　to　his　senses。　We　were　sitting；　on　the　following　morning；　in　the　passage…way　between　　the　gates；　conversing　with　the　traders　Vaskiss　and　May。　　These　two　　men；　together　with　our　sleek　friend；　the　clerk　Montalon；　were；　I　　believe；　the　only　persons　then　in　the　fort　who　could　read　and　write。　　　May　was　telling　a　curious　story　about　the　traveler　Catlin；　when　an　　ugly；　diminutive　Indian；　wretchedly　mounted；　came　up　at　a　gallop；　and　　rode　past　us　into　the　fort。　　On　being　questioned；　he　said　that　　Smoke's　village　was　close　at　hand。　　Accordingly　only　a　few　minutes　　elapsed　before　the　hills　beyond　the　river　were　covered　with　a　　disorderly　swarm　of　savages；　on　horseback　and　on　foot。　　May　finished　　his　story；　and　by　that　time　the　whole　array　had　descended　to　Laramie　　Creek；　and　commenced　crossing　it　in　a　mass。　　I　walked　down　to　the　　bank。　　The　stream　is　wide；　and　was　then　between　three　and　four　feet　　deep；　with　a　very　swift　current。　　For　several　rods　the　water　was　　alive　with　dogs；　horses；　and　Indians。　　The　long　poles　used　in　　erecting　the　lodges　are　carried　by　the　horses；　being　fastened　by　the　　heavier　end；　two　or　three　on　each　side；　to　a　rude　sort　of　pack　　saddle；　while　the　other　end　drags　on　the　ground。　　About　a　foot　behind　　the　horse；　a　kind　of　large　basket　or　pannier　is　suspended　between　the　　poles；　and　firmly　lashed　in　its　place　on　the　back　of　the　horse　are　　piled　various　articles　of　luggage；　the　basket　also　is　well　filled　　with　domestic　uten