the oregon trail-第54部分

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〃I　have　been　well　off　here；〃　said　Shaw；　〃in　all　respects　but　one；　　there　is　no　good　shongsasha　to　be　had　for　love　or　money。〃　I　gave　him　a　small　leather　bag　containing　some　of　excellent　quality；　　which　I　had　brought　from　the　Black　Hills。　〃Now；　Henry；〃　said　he；　〃hand　me　Papin's　chopping…board；　or　give　it　to　　that　Indian；　and　let　him　cut　the　mixture；　they　understand　it　better　　than　any　white　man。〃　The　Indian；　without　saying　a　word；　mixed　the　bark　and　the　tobacco　in　　due　proportions；　filled　the　pipe　and　lighted　it。　　This　done；　my　　companion　and　I　proceeded　to　deliberate　on　our　future　course　of　　proceeding；　first；　however；　Shaw　acquainted　me　with　some　incidents　　which　had　occurred　at　the　fort　during　my　absence。　About　a　week　previous　four　men　had　arrived　from　beyond　the　mountains；　　Sublette；　Reddick；　and　two　others。　　Just　before　reaching　the　Fort　　they　had　met　a　large　party　of　Indians；　chiefly　young　men。　　All　of　　them　belonged　to　the　village　of　our　old　friend　Smoke；　who；　with　his　　whole　band　of　adherents；　professed　the　greatest　friendship　for　the　　whites。　　The　travelers　therefore　approached；　and　began　to　converse　　without　the　least　suspicion。　　Suddenly；　however；　their　bridles　were　　violently　seized　and　they　were　ordered　to　dismount。　　Instead　of　　complying；　they　struck　their　horses　with　full　force；　and　broke　away　　from　the　Indians。　　As　they　galloped　off　they　heard　a　yell　behind　　them；　mixed　with　a　burst　of　derisive　laughter；　and　the　reports　of　　several　guns。　　None　of　them　were　hurt　though　Reddick's　bridle　rein　　was　cut　by　a　bullet　within　an　inch　of　his　hand。　　After　this　taste　of　　Indian　hostility　they　felt　for　the　moment　no　disposition　to　encounter　　further　risks。　　They　intended　to　pursue　the　route　southward　along　the　　foot　of　the　mountains　to　Bent's　Fort；　and　as　our　plans　coincided　with　　theirs；　they　proposed　to　join　forces。　　Finding；　however；　that　I　did　　not　return；　they　grew　impatient　of　inaction；　forgot　their　late　　escape；　and　set　out　without　us；　promising　to　wait　our　arrival　at　　Bent's　Fort。　　From　thence　we　were　to　make　the　long　journey　to　the　　settlements　in　company；　as　the　path　was　not　a　little　dangerous；　being　　infested　by　hostile　Pawnees　and　Comanches。　We　expected；　on　reaching　Bent's　Fort；　to　find　there　still　another　re…　enforcement。　　A　young　Kentuckian　of　the　true　Kentucky　blood；　　generous；　impetuous；　and　a　gentleman　withal；　had　come　out　to　the　　mountains　with　Russel's　party　of　California　emigrants。　　One　of　his　　chief　objects；　as　he　gave　out；　was　to　kill　an　Indian；　an　exploit　　which　he　afterwards　succeeded　in　achieving；　much　to　the　jeopardy　of　　ourselves　and　others　who　had　to　pass　through　the　country　of　the　dead　　Pawnee's　enraged　relatives。　　Having　become　disgusted　with　his　　emigrant　associates　he　left　them；　and　had　some　time　before　set　out　　with　a　party　of　companions　for　the　head　of　the　Arkansas。　　He　sent　us　　previously　a　letter；　intimating　that　he　would　wait　until　we　arrived　　at　Bent's　Fort；　and　accompany　us　thence　to　the　settlements。　　When；　　however；　he　came　to　the　Fort；　he　found　there　a　party　of　forty　men　　about　to　make　the　homeward　journey。　　He　wisely　preferred　to　avail　　himself　of　so　strong　an　escort。　　Mr。　Sublette　and　his　companions　also　　set　out；　in　order　to　overtake　this　company；　so　that　on　reaching　　Bent's　Fort；　some　six　weeks　after；　we　found　ourselves　deserted　by　our　　allies　and　thrown　once　more　upon　our　own　resources。　But　I　am　anticipating。　　When；　before　leaving　the　settlement　we　had　　made　inquiries　concerning　this　part　of　the　country　of　General　Kearny；　　Mr。　Mackenzie；　Captain　Wyeth；　and　others　well　acquainted　with　it；　　they　had　all　advised　us　by　no　means　to　attempt　this　southward　journey　　with　fewer　than　fifteen　or　twenty　men。　　The　danger　consists　in　the　　chance　of　encountering　Indian　war　parties。　　Sometimes　throughout　the　　whole　length　of　the　journey　（a　distance　of　350　miles）　one　does　not　　meet　a　single　human　being；　frequently；　however；　the　route　is　beset　by　　Arapahoes　and　other　unfriendly　tribes；　in　which　case　the　scalp　of　the　　adventurer　is　in　imminent　peril。　　As　to　the　escort　of　fifteen　or　　twenty　men；　such　a　force　of　whites　could　at　that　time　scarcely　be　　collected　by　the　whole　country；　and　had　the　case　been　otherwise；　the　　expense　of　securing　them；　together　with　the　necessary　number　of　　horses；　would　have　been　extremely　heavy。　　We　had　resolved；　however；　　upon　pursuing　this　southward　course。　　There　were；　indeed；　two　other　　routes　from　Fort　Laramie；　but　both　of　these　were　less　interesting；　　and　neither　was　free　from　danger。　　Being　unable　therefore　to　procure　　the　fifteen　or　twenty　men　recommended；　we　determined　to　set　out　with　　those　we　had　already　in　our　employ；　Henry　Chatillon；　Delorier；　and　　Raymond。　　The　men　themselves　made　no　objection；　nor　would　they　have　　made　any　had　the　journey　been　more　dangerous；　for　Henry　was　without　　fear；　and　the　other　two　without　thought。　Shaw　and　I　were　much　better　fitted　for　this　mode　of　traveling　than　we　　had　been　on　betaking　ourselves　to　the　prairies　for　the　first　time　a　　few　months　before。　　The　daily　routine　had　ceased　to　be　a　novelty。　　　All　the　details　of　the　journey　and　the　camp　had　become　familiar　to　　us。　　We　had　seen　life　under　a　new　aspect；　the　human　biped　had　been　　reduced　to　his　primitive　condition。　　We　had　lived　without　law　to　　protect；　a　roof　to　shelter；　or　garment　of　cloth　to　cover　us。　　One　of　　us　at　least　had　been　without　bread；　and　without　salt　to　season　his　　food。　　Our　idea　of　what　is　indispensable　to　human　existence　and　　enjoyment　had　been　wonderfully　curtailed；　and　a　horse；　a　rifle；　and　a　　knife　seemed　to　make　up　the　whole　of　life's　necessaries。　　For　these　　once　obtained；　together　with　the　skill　to　use　them；　all　else　that　is　　essential　would　follow　in　their　train；　and　a　host　of　luxuries　　besides。　　One　other　lesson　our　short　prairie　experience　had　taught　　us；　that　of　profound　contentment　in　the　present；　and　utter　contempt　　for　what　the　future　might　bring　forth。　These　principles　established；　we　prepared　to　leave　Fort　Laramie。　　On　　the　fourth　day　of　August；　early　in　the　afternoon；　we　bade　a　final　　adieu　to　its　hospitable　gateway。　　Again　Shaw　and　I　were　riding　side　　by　side　on　the　prairie。　　For　the　first　fifty　miles　we　had　companions　　with　us；　Troche；　a　little　trapper；　and　Rouville；　a　nondescript　in　the　　employ　of　the　Fur　Company；　who　were　going　to　join　the　trader　　Bisonette　at　his　encampment　near　the　head　of　Horse　Creek。　　We　rode　　only　six　or　eight　miles　that　afternoon　before　we　came　to　a　little　　brook　traversing　the　barren　prairie。　　All　along　its　course　grew　　copses　of　young　wild…cherry　trees；　loaded　with　ripe　fruit；　and　almost　　concealing　the　gliding　thread　of　water　with　their　dense　growth；　while　　on　each　side　rose　swells　of　rich　green　grass。　　Here　we　encamped；　and　　being　much　too　indolent　to　pitch　our　tent；　we　flung　our　saddles　on　　the　ground；　spread　a　pair　of　buffalo　robes；　lay　down　upon　them；　and　　began　to　smoke。　　Meanwhile；　Delorier　busied　himself　with　his　hissing　　frying…pan；　and　Raymond　stood　guard　over　the　band　of　grazing　horses。　　　Delorier　had　an　active　assistant　in　Rouville；　who　professed　great　　skill　in　the　culinary　art；　and　seizing　upon　a　fork；　began　to　lend　his　　zealous　aid　in　making　ready　supper。　　Indeed；　according　to　his　own　　belief；　Rouville　was　a　man　of　universal　knowledge；　and　he　lost　no　　opportunity　to　display　his　manifold　accomplishments。　　He　had　been　a　　circus…rider　at　St。　Louis；　and　once　he　rode　round　Fort　Laramie　on　his　　head；　to　the　utter　bewilderment　of　all　the　Indians。　　He　was　also　　noted　as　the　wit　of　the　Fort；　and　as　he　had　considerable　humor　and　　abundant　vivacity；　he　contributed　more　that　night　to　the　liveliness　　of　the　camp　than　all　the　rest　of　the　party　put　together。　　At　one　　instant　he　would　be　kneeling　by　Delorier；　instructing　him　in　the　true　　method　of　frying　antelope　steaks；　then　he　would　come　and　seat　himself　　at　our　side；　dilating　upon　the　orthodox　fashion　of　braiding　up　a　　horse's　tail；　telling　apocryphal　stories　how　he　had　killed　a　buffalo　　bull　with　a　knife；　having　first　cut　off　his　tail　when　at　full　speed；　　or　relating　whimsical　anecdotes　of　the　bourgeois　Papin。　　At　last　he　　snatched　up　a　volume　of　Shakespeare　that　was　lying　on　the　grass；　and　　halted　and　stumbled　through　a　line　or　two　to　prove　that　he　could　　read。　　He　went　gamboling　about　the　camp；　chattering　like　some　　frolicsome　ape；　and　whatever　he　was　doing　at　one　moment；　the　　presumption　was　a　sure　one　that　he　would　not　be　doing　it　the　next。　　　His　companion　Troche　sat　silently　on　the　grass；　not　speaking　a　word；　　but　keeping　a　vigilant　eye　on　a　very　ugly　little　Utah　squaw；　of　whom　　he　was　extremely　jealous。　On　the　next　day　we　traveled　farther；　crossing　the　wide　sterile　basin　　called　Goche's　Hole。　　Toward　night　we　became　involved　among　deep　　ravines；　and　being　also　unable　to　find　water；　our　journey　was　　protracted　to　a　very　late　hour。　　On　the　next　morning　we　had　to　pass　a　　long　line　of　bluffs；　whose　raw　sides；　wrought　upon　by　rains　and　　storms；　were　of　a　ghastly　whiteness　most　oppressive　to　the　sight。　　As　　we　ascended　a　gap　in　these　hills；　the　way　was　marked　by　huge　foot…　prints；　like　those　of　a　human　giant。　　They　were　the　track　of　the　　grizzly　bear；　and　on　the　previous　day　also　we　had　seen　abundance　of　　them　along　the　dry　channels　of　the　streams　we　had　passed。　　　Immediately　after　this　we　were　crossing　a　barren　plain；　spreading　in　　long　and　gentle　undulations　to　the　horizon。　　Though　the　sun　was　　bright；　there　was　a　light　haze　in　the　atmosphere。　　The　distant　hills　　assumed　strange；　distorted　forms；　and　the　edge　of　the　horizon　was　　continually　changing　its　aspect。　　Shaw　and　I　were　riding　together；　　and　Henry　Chatillon　was　alone；　a　few　rods　before　us；　he　stopped　his　　horse　suddenly；　and　turning　round　with　the　peculiar　eager　and　earnest　　expression　which　he　always　wore　when　excited；　he　called　to　us　to　come　　forward。　　We　galloped　to　his　side。　　Henry　pointed　toward　a　black　　speck　on　the　gray　swell　of　the　prairie；　apparently　about　a　mile　off。　　　〃It　must　be　a　bear；〃　said　he；　〃come；　now；　we　shall　all　have　some　　sport。　　Better　fun　to　fight　him　than　to　fight　an　old　buffalo　bull；　　grizzly　bear　so　strong　and　smart。〃　So　we　all　galloped　forward　together；　prepared　for　a　hard　fight；　for　　these　bears；　though　clumsy　in　appearance　and　extremely　large；　are　　incredibly　fierce　and　active。　　The　swell　of