the oregon trail-第25部分

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efore；　they　had　thrown　away　　or　sold　at　great　loss　to　the　traders；　but　had　determined　to　get　rid　　of　their　copious　stock　of　Missouri　whisky；　by　drinking　it　on　the　　spot。　　Here　were　maudlin　squaws　stretched　on　piles　of　buffalo　robes；　　squalid　Mexicans；　armed　with　bows　and　arrows；　Indians　sedately　drunk；　　long…haired　Canadians　and　trappers；　and　American　backwoodsmen　in　　brown　homespun；　the　well…beloved　pistol　and　bowie　knife　displayed　　openly　at　their　sides。　　In　the　middle　of　the　room　a　tall；　lank　man；　　with　a　dingy　broadcloth　coat；　was　haranguing　the　company　in　the　style　　of　the　stump　orator。　　With　one　hand　he　sawed　the　air；　and　with　the　　other　clutched　firmly　a　brown　jug　of　whisky；　which　he　applied　every　　moment　to　his　lips；　forgetting　that　he　had　drained　the　contents　long　　ago。　　Richard　formally　introduced　me　to　this　personage；　who　was　no　　less　a　man　than　Colonel　R。；　once　the　leader　of　the　party。　　Instantly　　the　colonel　seizing　me；　in　the　absence　of　buttons　by　the　leather　　fringes　of　my　frock；　began　to　define　his　position。　　His　men；　he　said；　　had　mutinied　and　deposed　him；　but　still　he　exercised　over　them　the　　influence　of　a　superior　mind；　in　all　but　the　name　he　was　yet　their　　chief。　　As　the　colonel　spoke；　I　looked　round　on　the　wild　assemblage；　　and　could　not　help　thinking　that　he　was　but　ill　qualified　to　conduct　　such　men　across　the　desert　to　California。　　Conspicuous　among　the　rest　　stood　three　tail　young　men；　grandsons　of　Daniel　Boone。　　They　had　　clearly　inherited　the　adventurous　character　of　that　prince　of　　pioneers；　but　I　saw　no　signs　of　the　quiet　and　tranquil　spirit　that　so　　remarkably　distinguished　him。　Fearful　was　the　fate　that　months　after　overtook　some　of　the　members　　of　that　party。　　General　Kearny；　on　his　late　return　from　California；　　brought　in　the　account　how　they　were　interrupted　by　the　deep　snows　　among　the　mountains；　and　maddened　by　cold　and　hunger　fed　upon　each　　other's　flesh。　I　got　tired　of　the　confusion。　　〃Come；　Paul；〃　said　I；　〃we　will　be　　off。〃　　Paul　sat　in　the　sun；　under　the　wall　of　the　fort。　　He　jumped　　up；　mounted；　and　we　rode　toward　Fort　Laramie。　　When　we　reached　it；　a　　man　came　out　of　the　gate　with　a　pack　at　his　back　and　a　rifle　on　his　　shoulder；　others　were　gathering　about　him；　shaking　him　by　the　hand；　as　　if　taking　leave。　　I　thought　it　a　strange　thing　that　a　man　should　set　　out　alone　and　on　foot　for　the　prairie。　　I　soon　got　an　explanation。　　　Perraultthis；　if　I　recollect　right　was　the　Canadian's　namehad　　quarreled　with　the　bourgeois；　and　the　fort　was　too　hot　to　hold　him。　　　Bordeaux；　inflated　with　his　transient　authority；　had　abused　him；　and　　received　a　blow　in　return。　　The　men　then　sprang　at　each　other；　and　　grappled　in　the　middle　of　the　fort。　　Bordeaux　was　down　in　an　instant；　　at　the　mercy　of　the　incensed　Canadian；　had　not　an　old　Indian；　the　　brother　of　his　squaw；　seized　hold　of　his　antagonist；　he　would　have　　fared　ill。　　Perrault　broke　loose　from　the　old　Indian；　and　both　the　　white　men　ran　to　their　rooms　for　their　guns；　but　when　Bordeaux；　　looking　from　his　door；　saw　the　Canadian；　gun　in　hand；　standing　in　the　　area　and　calling　on　him　to　come　out　and　fight；　his　heart　failed　him；　　he　chose　to　remain　where　he　was。　　In　vain　the　old　Indian；　scandalized　　by　his　brother…in…law's　cowardice；　called　upon　him　to　go　upon　the　　prairie　and　fight　it　out　in　the　white　man's　manner；　and　Bordeaux's　　own　squaw；　equally　incensed；　screamed　to　her　lord　and　master　that　he　　was　a　dog　and　an　old　woman。　　It　all　availed　nothing。　　Bordeaux's　　prudence　got　the　better　of　his　valor；　and　he　would　not　stir。　　　Perrault　stood　showering　approbrious　epithets　at　the　recent　　bourgeois。　　Growing　tired　of　this；　he　made　up　a　pack　of　dried　meat；　　and　slinging　it　at　his　back；　set　out　alone　for　Fort　Pierre　on　the　　Missouri；　a　distance　of　three　hundred　miles；　over　a　desert　country　　full　of　hostile　Indians。　I　remained　in　the　fort　that　night。　　In　the　morning；　as　I　was　coming　　out　from　breakfast；　conversing　with　a　trader　named　McCluskey；　I　saw　a　　strange　Indian　leaning　against　the　side　of　the　gate。　　He　was　a　tall；　　strong　man；　with　heavy　features。　〃Who　is　he？〃　I　asked。　　〃That's　The　Whirlwind；〃　said　McCluskey。　　〃He　　is　the　fellow　that　made　all　this　stir　about　the　war。　　It's　always　the　　way　with　the　Sioux；　they　never　stop　cutting　each　other's　throats；　　it's　all　they　are　fit　for；　instead　of　sitting　in　their　lodges；　and　　getting　robes　to　trade　with　us　in　the　winter。　　If　this　war　goes　on；　　we'll　make　a　poor　trade　of　it　next　season；　I　reckon。〃　And　this　was　the　opinion　of　all　the　traders；　who　were　vehemently　　opposed　to　the　war；　from　the　serious　injury　that　it　must　occasion　to　　their　interests。　　The　Whirlwind　left　his　village　the　day　before　to　　make　a　visit　to　the　fort。　　His　warlike　ardor　had　abated　not　a　little　　since　he　first　conceived　the　design　of　avenging　his　son's　death。　　The　　long　and　complicated　preparations　for　the　expedition　were　too　much　　for　his　fickle；　inconstant　disposition。　　That　morning　Bordeaux　　fastened　upon　him；　made　him　presents　and　told　him　that　if　he　went　to　　war　he　would　destroy　his　horses　and　kill　no　buffalo　to　trade　with　the　　white　men；　in　short；　that　he　was　a　fool　to　think　of　such　a　thing；　and　　had　better　make　up　his　mind　to　sit　quietly　in　his　lodge　and　smoke　his　　pipe；　like　a　wise　man。　　The　Whirlwind's　purpose　was　evidently　shaken；　　he　had　become　tired；　like　a　child；　of　his　favorite　plan。　　Bordeaux　　exultingly　predicted　that　he　would　not　go　to　war。　　My　philanthropy　at　　that　time　was　no　match　for　my　curiosity；　and　I　was　vexed　at　the　　possibility　that　after　all　I　might　lose　the　rare　opportunity　of　　seeing　the　formidable　ceremonies　of　war。　　The　Whirlwind；　however；　had　　merely　thrown　the　firebrand；　the　conflagration　was　become　general。　　　All　the　western　bands　of　the　Dakota　were　bent　on　war；　and　as　I　heard　　from　McCluskey；　six　large　villages　already　gathered　on　a　little　　stream；　forty　miles　distant；　were　daily　calling　to　the　Great　Spirit　　to　aid　them　in　their　enterprise。　　McCluskey　had　just　left　and　　represented　them　as　on　their　way　to　La　Bonte's　Camp；　which　they　would　　reach　in　a　week；　UNLESS　THEY　SHOULD　LEARN　THAT　THERE　WERE　NO　BUFFALO　　THERE。　　I　did　not　like　this　condition；　for　buffalo　this　season　were　　rare　in　the　neighborhood。　　There　were　also　the　two　Minnicongew　　villages　that　I　mentioned　before；　but　about　noon；　an　Indian　came　from　　Richard's　Fort　with　the　news　that　they　were　quarreling；　breaking　up；　　and　dispersing。　　So　much　for　the　whisky　of　the　emigrants！　　Finding　　themselves　unable　to　drink　the　whole；　they　had　sold　the　residue　to　　these　Indians；　and　it　needed　no　prophet　to　foretell　the　results；　a　　spark　dropped　into　a　powder　magazine　would　not　have　produced　a　　quicker　effect。　　Instantly　the　old　jealousies　and　rivalries　and　　smothered　feuds　that　exist　in　an　Indian　village　broke　out　into　　furious　quarrels。　　They　forgot　the　warlike　enterprise　that　had　　already　brought　them　three　hundred　miles。　　They　seemed　like　　ungoverned　children　inflamed　with　the　fiercest　passions　of　men。　　　Several　of　them　were　stabbed　in　the　drunken　tumult；　and　in　the　　morning　they　scattered　and　moved　back　toward　the　Missouri　in　small　　parties。　　I　feared　that；　after　all；　the　long…projected　meeting　and　　the　ceremonies　that　were　to　attend　it　might　never　take　place；　and　I　　should　lose　so　admirable　an　opportunity　of　seeing　the　Indian　under　　his　most　fearful　and　characteristic　aspect；　however；　in　foregoing　　this；　I　should　avoid　a　very　fair　probability　of　being　plundered　and　　stripped；　and；　it　might　be；　stabbed　or　shot　into　the　bargain。　　　Consoling　myself　with　this　reflection；　I　prepared　to　carry　the　news；　　such　as　it　was；　to　the　camp。　I　caught　my　horse；　and　to　my　vexation　found　he　had　lost　a　shoe　and　　broken　his　tender　white　hoof　against　the　rocks。　　Horses　are　shod　at　　Fort　Laramie　at　the　moderate　rate　of　three　dollars　a　foot；　so　I　tied　　Hendrick　to　a　beam　in　the　corral；　and　summoned　Roubidou；　the　　blacksmith。　　Roubidou；　with　the　hoof　between　his　knees；　was　at　work　　with　hammer　and　file；　and　I　was　inspecting　the　process；　when　a　　strange　voice　addressed　me。　Two　more　gone　under！　　Well；　there　is　more　of　us　left　yet。　　Here's　　Jean　Gars　and　me　off　to　the　mountains　to…morrow。　　Our　turn　will　come　　next；　I　suppose。　　It's　a　hard　life；　anyhow！〃　I　looked　up　and　saw　a　little　man；　not　much　more　than　five　feet　high；　　but　of　very　square　and　strong　proportions。　　In　appearance　he　was　　particularly　dingy；　for　his　old　buckskin　frock　was　black　and　polished　　with　time　and　grease；　and　his　belt；　knife；　pouch；　and　powder…horn　　appeared　to　have　seen　the　roughest　service。　　The　first　joint　of　each　　foot　was　entirely　gone；　having　been　frozen　off　several　winters　　before；　and　his　moccasins　were　curtailed　in　proportion。　　His　whole　　appearance　and　equipment　bespoke　the　〃free　trapper。〃　　He　had　a　round　　ruddy　face；　animated　with　a　spirit　of　carelessness　and　gayety　not　at　　all　in　accordance　with　the　words　he　had　just　spoken。　〃Two　more　gone；〃　said　I；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　〃Oh；〃　said　he；　〃the　Arapahoes　have　just　killed　two　of　us　in　the　　mountains。　　Old　Bull…Tail　has　come　to　tell　us。　　They　stabbed　one　　behind　his　back；　and　shot　the　other　with　his　own　rifle。　　That's　the　　way　we　live　here！　　I　mean　to　give　up　trapping　after　this　year。　　My　　squaw　says　she　wants　a　pacing　horse　and　some　red　ribbons；　I'll　make　　enough　beaver　to　get　them　for　her；　and　then　I'm　done！　　I'll　go　below　　and　live　on　a　farm。〃　〃Your　bones　will　dry　on　the　prairie；　Rouleau！〃　said　another　trapper；　　who　was　standing　by；　a　strong；　brutal…looking　fellow；　with　a　face　as　　surly　as　a　bull…dog's。　Rouleau　only　laughed；　and　began　to　hum　a　tune　and　shuffle　a　dance　on　　his　stumps　of　feet。　〃You'll　see　us；　before　long；　passing　up　our　way；〃　said　the　other　man。　　　〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃stop　and　take　a　cup　of　coffee　with　us〃；　and　as　it　　was　quite　late　in　the　afternoon；　I　prepared　to　leave　the　fort　at　　once。　As　I　rode　out；　a　train　of　emigrant　wagons　was　passing　across　the　　stream。　　〃Whar　are　ye　goin'　stranger？〃　　Thus　I　was　saluted　by　two　or　　three　voices　at　once。　〃About　eighteen　miles　up　the　creek。〃　〃It's　mighty　late　to　be　going　that　far！　　Make　haste；　ye'd　better；　and　　keep　a　bright　lookout　for　Indians！〃　I　thought　the　advice　too　good　to　be　neglected。　　Fording　the　stream；　I　　passed　at　a　round　trot　over　the　plains　beyond。　　But　〃the　more　haste；　　the　worse　speed。〃　　I　proved