the oregon trail-第47部分

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　to　　disperse；　though　many　a　deep…set　black　eye　still　glittered　with　an　　unnatural　luster；　as　the　warriors　slowly　withdrew　to　their　lodges。　　　This　fortunate　suppression　of　the　disturbance　was　owing　to　a　few　of　　the　old　men；　less　pugnacious　than　Mene…Seela；　who　boldly　ran　in　　between　the　combatants　and　aided　by　some　of　the　〃soldiers；〃　or　Indian　　police；　succeeded　in　effecting　their　object。　It　seemed　very　strange　to　me　that　although　many　arrows　and　bullets　　were　discharged；　no　one　was　mortally　hurt；　and　I　could　only　account　　for　this　by　the　fact　that　both　the　marksman　and　the　object　of　his　aim　　were　leaping　about　incessantly　during　the　whole　time。　　By　far　the　　greater　part　of　the　villagers　had　joined　in　the　fray；　for　although　　there　were　not　more　than　a　dozen　guns　in　the　whole　camp；　I　heard　at　　least　eight　or　ten　shots　fired。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　all　was　comparatively　quiet。　　A　large　circle　　of　warriors　were　again　seated　in　the　center　of　the　village；　but　this　　time　I　did　not　venture　to　join　them；　because　I　could　see　that　the　　pipe；　contrary　to　the　usual　order；　was　passing　from　the　left　hand　to　　the　right　around　the　circle；　a　sure　sign　that　a　〃medicine…smoke〃　of　　reconciliation　was　going　forward；　and　that　a　white　man　would　be　an　　unwelcome　intruder。　　When　I　again　entered　the　still　agitated　camp　it　　was　nearly　dark；　and　mournful　cries；　howls　and　wailings　resounded　　from　many　female　voices。　　Whether　these　had　any　connection　with　the　　late　disturbance；　or　were　merely　lamentations　for　relatives　slain　in　　some　former　war　expeditions；　I　could　not　distinctly　ascertain。　To　inquire　too　closely　into　the　cause　of　the　quarrel　was　by　no　means　　prudent；　and　it　was　not　until　some　time　after　that　I　discovered　what　　had　given　rise　to　it。　　Among　the　Dakota　there　are　many　associations；　　or　fraternities；　connected　with　the　purposes　of　their　superstitions；　　their　warfare；　or　their　social　life。　　There　was　one　called　〃The　　Arrow…Breakers；〃　now　in　a　great　measure　disbanded　and　dispersed。　　In　　the　village　there　were；　however；　four　men　belonging　to　it；　　distinguished　by　the　peculiar　arrangement　of　their　hair；　which　rose　　in　a　high　bristling　mass　above　their　foreheads；　adding　greatly　to　　their　apparent　height；　and　giving　them　a　most　ferocious　appearance。　　　The　principal　among　them　was　the　Mad　Wolf；　a　warrior　of　remarkable　　size　and　strength；　great　courage；　and　the　fierceness　of　a　demon。　　I　　had　always　looked　upon　him　as　the　most　dangerous　man　in　the　village；　　and　though　he　often　invited　me　to　feasts；　I　never　entered　his　lodge　　unarmed。　　The　Mad　Wolf　had　taken　a　fancy　to　a　fine　horse　belonging　to　　another　Indian；　who　was　called　the　Tall　Bear；　and　anxious　to　get　the　　animal　into　his　possession；　he　made　the　owner　a　present　of　another　　horse　nearly　equal　in　value。　　According　to　the　customs　of　the　Dakota；　　the　acceptance　of　this　gift　involved　a　sort　of　obligation　to　make　an　　equitable　return；　and　the　Tall　Bear　well　understood　that　the　other　　had　in　view　the　obtaining　of　his　favorite　buffalo　horse。　　He　however　　accepted　the　present　without　a　word　of　thanks；　and　having　picketed　　the　horse　before　his　lodge；　he　suffered　day　after　day　to　pass　without　　making　the　expected　return。　　The　Mad　Wolf　grew　impatient　and　angry；　　and　at　last；　seeing　that　his　bounty　was　not　likely　to　produce　the　　desired　return；　he　resolved　to　reclaim　it。　　So　this　evening；　as　soon　　as　the　village　was　encamped；　he　went　to　the　lodge　of　the　Tall　Bear；　　seized　upon　the　horse　that　he　had　given　him；　and　led　him　away。　　At　　this　the　Tall　Bear　broke　into　one　of　those　fits　of　sullen　rage　not　　uncommon　among　the　Indians。　　He　ran　up　to　the　unfortunate　horse；　and　　gave　him　three　mortals　stabs　with　his　knife。　　Quick　as　lightning　the　　Mad　Wolf　drew　his　bow　to　its　utmost　tension；　and　held　the　arrow　　quivering　close　to　the　breast　of　his　adversary。　　The　Tall　Bear；　as　　the　Indians　who　were　near　him　said；　stood　with　his　bloody　knife　in　　his　hand；　facing　the　assailant　with　the　utmost　calmness。　　Some　of　his　　friends　and　relatives；　seeing　his　danger；　ran　hastily　to　his　　assistance。　　The　remaining　three　Arrow…Breakers；　on　the　other　hand；　　came　to　the　aid　of　their　associate。　　Many　of　their　friends　joined　　them；　the　war…cry　was　raised　on　a　sudden；　and　the　tumult　became　　general。　The　〃soldiers；〃　who　lent　their　timely　aid　in　putting　it　down；　are　by　　far　the　most　important　executive　functionaries　in　an　Indian　village。　　　The　office　is　one　of　considerable　honor；　being　confided　only　to　men　　of　courage　and　repute。　　They　derive　their　authority　from　the　old　men　　and　chief　warriors　of　the　village；　who　elect　them　in　councils　　occasionally　convened　for　the　purpose；　and　thus　can　exercise　a　degree　　of　authority　which　no　one　else　in　the　village　would　dare　to　assume。　　　While　very　few　Ogallalla　chiefs　could　venture　without　instant　　jeopardy　of　their　lives　to　strike　or　lay　hands　upon　the　meanest　of　　their　people；　the　〃soldiers〃　in　the　discharge　of　their　appropriate　　functions；　have　full　license　to　make　use　of　these　and　similar　acts　of　　coercion。

CHAPTER　XVII　THE　BLACK　HILLS

We　traveled　eastward　for　two　days；　and　then　the　gloomy　ridges　of　the　　Black　Hills　rose　up　before　us。　　The　village　passed　along　for　some　　miles　beneath　their　declivities；　trailing　out　to　a　great　length　over　　the　arid　prairie；　or　winding　at　times　among　small　detached　hills　or　　distorted　shapes。　　Turning　sharply　to　the　left；　we　entered　a　wide　　defile　of　the　mountains；　down　the　bottom　of　which　a　brook　came　　winding；　lined　with　tall　grass　and　dense　copses；　amid　which　were　　hidden　many　beaver　dams　and　lodges。　　We　passed　along　between　two　　lines　of　high　precipices　and　rocks；　piled　in　utter　disorder　one　upon　　another；　and　with　scarcely　a　tree；　a　bush；　or　a　clump　of　grass　to　　veil　their　nakedness。　　The　restless　Indian　boys　were　wandering　along　　their　edges　and　clambering　up　and　down　their　rugged　sides；　and　　sometimes　a　group　of　them　would　stand　on　the　verge　of　a　cliff　and　　look　down　on　the　array　as　it　passed　in　review　beneath　them。　　As　we　　advanced；　the　passage　grew　more　narrow；　then　it　suddenly　expanded　　into　a　round　grassy　meadow；　completely　encompassed　by　mountains；　and　　here　the　families　stopped　as　they　came　up　in　turn；　and　the　camp　rose　　like　magic。　The　lodges　were　hardly　erected　when；　with　their　usual　precipitation；　　the　Indians　set　about　accomplishing　the　object　that　had　brought　them　　there；　that　is；　the　obtaining　poles　for　supporting　their　new　lodges。　　　Half　the　population；　men；　women　and　boys；　mounted　their　horses　and　　set　out　for　the　interior　of　the　mountains。　　As　they　rode　at　full　　gallop　over　the　shingly　rocks　and　into　the　dark　opening　of　the　defile　　beyond；　I　thought　I　had　never　read　or　dreamed　of　a　more　strange　or　　picturesque　cavalcade。　　We　passed　between　precipices　more　than　a　　thousand　feet　high；　sharp　and　splintering　at　the　tops；　their　sides　　beetling　over　the　defile　or　descending　in　abrupt　declivities；　　bristling　with　black　fir　trees。　　On　our　left　they　rose　close　to　us　　like　a　wall；　but　on　the　right　a　winding　brook　with　a　narrow　strip　of　　marshy　soil　intervened。　　The　stream　was　clogged　with　old　beaver　dams；　　and　spread　frequently　into　wide　pools。　　There　were　thick　bushes　and　　many　dead　and　blasted　trees　along　its　course；　though　frequently　　nothing　remained　but　stumps　cut　close　to　the　ground　by　the　beaver；　　and　marked　with　the　sharp　chisel…like　teeth　of　those　indefatigable　　laborers。　　Sometimes　we　were　driving　among　trees；　and　then　emerging　　upon　open　spots；　over　which；　Indian…like；　all　galloped　at　full　speed。　　　As　Pauline　bounded　over　the　rocks　I　felt　her　saddle…girth　slipping；　　and　alighted　to　draw　it　tighter；　when　the　whole　array　swept　past　me　　in　a　moment；　the　women　with　their　gaudy　ornaments　tinkling　as　they　　rode；　the　men　whooping；　and　laughing；　and　lashing　forward　their　　horses。　　Two　black…tailed　deer　bounded　away　among　the　rocks；　Raymond　　shot　at　them　from　horseback；　the　sharp　report　of　his　rifle　was　　answered　by　another　equally　sharp　from　the　opposing　cliffs；　and　then　　the　echoes；　leaping　in　rapid　succession　from　side　to　side；　died　away　　rattling　far　amid　the　mountains。　After　having　ridden　in　this　manner　for　six　or　eight　miles；　the　　appearance　of　the　scene　began　to　change；　and　all　the　declivities　　around　us　were　covered　with　forests　of　tall；　slender　pine　trees。　　The　　Indians　began　to　fall　off　to　the　right　and　left；　and　dispersed　with　　their　hatchets　and　knives　among　these　woods；　to　cut　the　poles　which　　they　had　come　to　seek。　　Soon　I　was　left　almost　alone；　but　in　the　deep　　stillness　of　those　lonely　mountains；　the　stroke　of　hatchets　and　the　　sound　of　voices　might　be　heard　from　far　and　near。　Reynal；　who　imitated　the　Indians　in　their　habits　as　well　as　the　worst　　features　of　their　character；　had　killed　buffalo　enough　to　make　a　　lodge　for　himself　and　his　squaw；　and　now　he　was　eager　to　get　the　　poles　necessary　to　complete　it。　　He　asked　me　to　let　Raymond　go　with　　him　and　assist　in　the　work。　　I　assented；　and　the　two　men　immediately　　entered　the　thickest　part　of　the　wood。　　Having　left　my　horse　in　　Raymond's　keeping；　I　began　to　climb　the　mountain。　　I　was　weak　and　　weary　and　made　slow　progress；　often　pausing　to　rest；　but　after　an　　hour　had　elapsed；　I　gained　a　height；　whence　the　little　valley　out　of　　which　I　had　climbed　seemed　like　a　deep；　dark　gulf；　though　the　　inaccessible　peak　of　the　mountain　was　still　towering　to　a　much　　greater　distance　above。　　Objects　familiar　from　childhood　surrounded　　me；　crags　and　rocks；　a　black　and　sullen　brook　that　gurgled　with　a　　hollow　voice　deep　among　the　crevices；　a　wood　of　mossy　distorted　trees　　and　prostrate　trunks　flung　down　by　age　and　storms；　scattered　among　　the　rocks；　or　damming　the　foaming　waters　of　the　little　brook。　　The　　objects　were　the　same；　yet　they　were　thrown　into　a　wilder　and　more　　startling　scene；　for　the　black　crags　and　the　savage　trees　assumed　a　　grim　and　threatening　aspect；　and　close　across　the　valley　the　opposing　　mountain　confronted　me；　rising　from　the　gulf　for　thousands　of　feet；　　with　its　bare　pinnacles　and　its　ragged　covering　of　pines。　　Yet　the　　sc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