the oregon trail-第44部分

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game　their　ornaments；　their　horses；　and　as　the　　excitement　rose；　their　garments；　and　even　their　weapons；　for　　desperate　gambling　is　not　confined　to　the　hells　of　Paris。　　The　men　of　　the　plains　and　the　forests　no　less　resort　to　it　as　a　violent　but　　grateful　relief　to　the　tedious　monotony　of　their　lives；　which　　alternate　between　fierce　excitement　and　listless　inaction。　　I　fell　　asleep　with　the　dull　notes　of　the　drum　still　sounding　on　my　ear；　but　　these　furious　orgies　lasted　without　intermission　till　daylight。　　I　　was　soon　awakened　by　one　of　the　children　crawling　over　me；　while　　another　larger　one　was　tugging　at　my　blanket　and　nestling　himself　in　　a　very　disagreeable　proximity。　　I　immediately　repelled　these　advances　　by　punching　the　heads　of　these　miniature　savages　with　a　short　stick　　which　I　always　kept　by　me　for　the　purpose；　and　as　sleeping　half　the　　day　and　eating　much　more　than　is　good　for　them　makes　them　extremely　　restless；　this　operation　usually　had　to　be　repeated　four　or　five　　times　in　the　course　of　the　night。　　My　host　himself　was　the　author　of　　another　most　formidable　annoyance。　　All　these　Indians；　and　he　among　　the　rest；　think　themselves　bound　to　the　constant　performance　of　　certain　acts　as　the　condition　on　which　their　success　in　life　depends；　　whether　in　war；　love；　hunting；　or　any　other　employment。　　These　　〃medicines；〃　as　they　are　called　in　that　country；　which　are　usually　　communicated　in　dreams；　are　often　absurd　enough。　　Some　Indians　will　　strike　the　butt　of　the　pipe　against　the　ground　every　time　they　smoke；　　others　will　insist　that　everything　they　say　shall　be　interpreted　by　　contraries；　and　Shaw　once　met　an　old　man　who　conceived　that　all　would　　be　lost　unless　he　compelled　every　white　man　he　met　to　drink　a　bowl　of　　cold　water。　　My　host　was　particularly　unfortunate　in　his　allotment。　　　The　Great　Spirit　had　told　him　in　a　dream　that　he　must　sing　a　certain　　song　in　the　middle　of　every　night；　and　regularly　at　about　twelve　　o'clock　his　dismal　monotonous　chanting　would　awaken　me；　and　I　would　　see　him　seated　bolt　upright　on　his　couch；　going　through　his　dolorous　　performances　with　a　most　business…like　air。　　There　were　other　voices　　of　the　night　still　more　inharmonious。　　Twice　or　thrice；　between　　sunset　and　dawn；　all　the　dogs　in　the　village；　and　there　were　hundreds　　of　them；　would　bay　and　yelp　in　chorus；　a　most　horrible　clamor；　　resembling　no　sound　that　I　have　ever　heard；　except　perhaps　the　　frightful　howling　of　wolves　that　we　used　sometimes　to　hear　long　　afterward　when　descending　the　Arkansas　on　the　trail　of　General　　Kearny's　army。　　The　canine　uproar　is；　if　possible；　more　discordant　　than　that　of　the　wolves。　　Heard　at　a　distance；　slowly　rising　on　the　　night；　it　has　a　strange　unearthly　effect；　and　would　fearfully　haunt　　the　dreams　of　a　nervous　man；　but　when　you　are　sleeping　in　the　midst　　of　it　the　din　is　outrageous。　　One　long　loud　howl　from　the　next　lodge　　perhaps　begins　it；　and　voice　after　voice　takes　up　the　sound　till　it　　passes　around　the　whole　circumference　of　the　village；　and　the　air　is　　filled　with　confused　and　discordant　cries；　at　once　fierce　and　　mournful。　　It　lasts　but　for　a　moment　and　then　dies　away　into　silence。　Morning　came；　and　Kongra…Tonga；　mounting　his　horse；　rode　out　with　the　　hunters。　　It　may　not　be　amiss　to　glance　at　him　for　an　instant　in　his　　domestic　character　of　husband　and　father。　　Both　he　and　his　squaw；　　like　most　other　Indians；　were　very　fond　of　their　children；　whom　they　　indulged　to　excess；　and　never　punished；　except　in　extreme　cases　when　　they　would　throw　a　bowl　of　cold　water　over　them。　　Their　offspring　　became　sufficiently　undutiful　and　disobedient　under　this　system　of　　education；　which　tends　not　a　little　to　foster　that　wild　idea　of　　liberty　and　utter　intolerance　of　restraint　which　lie　at　the　very　　foundation　of　the　Indian　character。　　It　would　be　hard　to　find　a　　fonder　father　than　Kongra…Tonga。　　There　was　one　urchin　in　particular；　　rather　less　than　two　feet　high；　to　whom　he　was　exceedingly　attached；　　and　sometimes　spreading　a　buffalo　robe　in　the　lodge；　he　would　seat　　himself　upon　it；　place　his　small　favorite　upright　before　him；　and　　chant　in　a　low　tone　some　of　the　words　used　as　an　accompaniment　to　the　　war　dance。　　The　little　fellow；　who　could　just　manage　to　balance　　himself　by　stretching　out　both　arms；　would　lift　his　feet　and　turn　　slowly　round　and　round　in　time　to　his　father's　music；　while　my　host　　would　laugh　with　delight；　and　look　smiling　up　into　my　face　to　see　if　　I　were　admiring　this　precocious　performance　of　his　offspring。　　In　his　　capacity　of　husband　he　was　somewhat　less　exemplary。　　The　squaw　who　　lived　in　the　lodge　with　him　had　been　his　partner　for　many　years。　　She　　took　good　care　of　his　children　and　his　household　concerns。　　He　liked　　her　well　enough；　and　as　far　as　I　could　see　they　never　quarreled；　but　　all　his　warmer　affections　were　reserved　for　younger　and　more　recent　　favorites。　　Of　these　he　had　at　present　only　one；　who　lived　in　a　lodge　　apart　from　his　own。　　One　day　while　in　his　camp　he　became　displeased　　with　her；　pushed　her　out；　threw　after　her　her　ornaments；　dresses；　and　　everything　she　had；　and　told　her　to　go　home　to　her　father。　　Having　　consummated　this　summary　divorce；　for　which　he　could　show　good　　reasons；　he　came　back；　seated　himself　in　his　usual　place；　and　began　　to　smoke　with　an　air　of　utmost　tranquillity　and　self…satisfaction。　I　was　sitting　in　the　lodge　with　him　on　that　very　afternoon；　when　I　　felt　some　curiosity　to　learn　the　history　of　the　numerous　scars　that　　appeared　on　his　naked　body。　　Of　some　of　them；　however；　I　did　not　　venture　to　inquire；　for　I　already　understood　their　origin。　　Each　of　　his　arms　was　marked　as　if　deeply　gashed　with　a　knife　at　regular　　intervals；　and　there　were　other　scars　also；　of　a　different　character；　　on　his　back　and　on　either　breast。　　They　were　the　traces　of　those　　formidable　tortures　which　these　Indians；　in　common　with　a　few　other　　tribes；　inflict　upon　themselves　at　certain　seasons；　in　part；　it　may　　be；　to　gain　the　glory　of　courage　and　endurance；　but　chiefly　as　an　act　　of　self…sacrifice　to　secure　the　favor　of　the　Great　Spirit。　　The　scars　　upon　the　breast　and　back　were　produced　by　running　through　the　flesh　　strong　splints　of　wood；　to　which　ponderous　buffalo…skulls　are　　fastened　by　cords　of　hide；　and　the　wretch　runs　forward　with　all　his　　strength；　assisted　by　two　companions；　who　take　hold　of　each　arm；　　until　the　flesh　tears　apart　and　the　heavy　loads　are　left　behind。　　　Others　of　Kongra…Tonga's　scars　were　the　result　of　accidents；　　but　he　　had　many　which　he　received　in　war。　　He　was　one　of　the　most　noted　　warriors　in　the　village。　　In　the　course　of　his　life　he　had　slain　as　　he　boasted　to　me；　fourteen　men；　and　though；　like　other　Indians；　he　　was　a　great　braggart　and　utterly　regardless　of　truth；　yet　in　this　　statement　common　report　bore　him　out。　　Being　much　flattered　by　my　　inquiries　he　told　me　tale　after　tale；　true　or　false；　of　his　warlike　　exploits；　and　there　was　one　among　the　rest　illustrating　the　worst　　features　of　the　Indian　character　too　well　for　me　to　omit。　　Pointing　　out　of　the　opening　of　the　lodge　toward　the　Medicine…Bow　Mountain；　not　　manv　miles　distant　he　said　that　he　was　there　a　few　summers　ago　with　a　　war　party　of　his　young　men。　　Here　they　found　two　Snake　Indians；　　hunting。　　They　shot　one　of　them　with　arrows　and　chased　the　other　up　　the　side　of　the　mountain　till　they　surrounded　him　on　a　level　place；　　and　Kongra…Tonga　himself；　jumping　forward　among　the　trees；　seized　him　　by　the　arm。　　Two　of　his　young　men　then　ran　up　and　held　him　fast　while　　he　scalped　him　alive。　　Then　they　built　a　great　fire；　and　cutting　the　　tendons　of　their　captive's　wrists　and　feet；　threw　him　in；　and　held　　him　down　with　long　poles　until　he　was　burnt　to　death。　　He　garnished　　his　story　with　a　great　many　descriptive　particulars　much　too　　revolting　to　mention。　　His　features　were　remarkably　mild　and　open；　　without　the　fierceness　of　expression　common　among　these　Indians；　and　　as　he　detailed　these　devilish　cruelties；　he　looked　up　into　my　face　　with　the　same　air　of　earnest　simplicity　which　a　little　child　would　　wear　in　relating　to　its　mother　some　anecdote　of　its　youthful　　experience。　Old　Mene…Seela's　lodge　could　offer　another　illustration　of　the　　ferocity　of　Indian　warfare。　　A　bright…eyed；　active　little　boy　was　　living　there。　　He　had　belonged　to　a　village　of　the　Gros…Ventre　　Blackfeet；　a　small　but　bloody　and　treacherous　band；　in　close　alliance　　with　the　Arapahoes。　　About　a　year　before；　Kongra…Tonga　and　a　party　of　　warriors　had　found　about　twenty　lodges　of　these　Indians　upon　the　　plains　a　little　to　the　eastward　of　our　present　camp；　and　surrounding　　them　in　the　night；　they　butchered　men；　women；　and　children　without　　mercy；　preserving　only　this　little　boy　alive。　　He　was　adopted　into　　the　old　man's　family；　and　was　now　fast　becoming　identified　with　the　　Ogallalla　children；　among　whom　he　mingled　on　equal　terms。　　There　was　　also　a　Crow　warrior　in　the　village；　a　man　of　gigantic　stature　and　　most　symmetrical　proportions。　　Having　been　taken　prisoner　many　years　　before　and　adopted　by　a　squaw　in　place　of　a　son　whom　she　had　lost；　he　　had　forgotten　his　old　national　antipathies；　and　was　now　both　in　act　　and　inclination　an　Ogallalla。　It　will　be　remembered　that　the　scheme　of　the　grand　warlike　　combination　against　the　Snake　and　Crow　Indians　originated　in　this　　village；　and　though　this　plan　had　fallen　to　the　ground；　the　embers　of　　the　martial　ardor　continued　to　glow　brightly。　　Eleven　young　men　had　　prepared　themselves　to　go　out　against　the　enemy。　　The　fourth　day　of　　our　stay　in　this　camp　was　fixed　upon　for　their　departure。　　At　the　　head　of　this　party　was　a　well…built　active　little　Indian；　called　the　　White　Shield；　whom　I　had　always　noticed　for　the　great　neatness　of　his　　dress　and　appearance。　　His　lodge　too；　though　not　a　large　one；　was　the　　best　in　the　village；　his　squaw　was　one　of　the　prettiest　girls；　and　　altogether　his　dwelling　presented　a　complete　model　of　an　Ogallalla　　domestic　establishment。　　I　was　often　a　visitor　there；　for　the　White　　Shield　being　rather　partial　to　white　men；　used　to　invite　me　to　　continual　feasts　at　all　hours　of　the　day。　　Once　when　the　substantial　　part　of　the　entertainment　was　concluded；　and　he　and　I　were　seated　　cross…legged　on　a　buffalo　robe　smoking　together　very　amicably；　he　　took　down　his　warli