the oregon trail-第56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！


ing　forward；　without　intruding　my　unhallowed　presence　into　　the　inner　circle。　　The　society　of　the　〃Strong　Hearts〃　were　engaged　in　　one　of　their　dances。　　The　Strong　Hearts　are　a　warlike　association；　　comprising　men　of　both　the　Dakota　and　Cheyenne　nations；　and　entirely　　composed；　or　supposed　to　be　so；　of　young　braves　of　the　highest　　mettle。　　Its　fundamental　principle　is　the　admirable　one　of　never　　retreating　from　any　enterprise　once　commenced。　　All　these　Indian　　associations　have　a　tutelary　spirit。　　That　of　the　Strong　Hearts　is　　embodied　in　the　fox；　an　animal　which　a　white　man　would　hardly　have　　selected　for　a　similar　purpose；　though　his　subtle　and　cautious　　character　agrees　well　enough　with　an　Indian's　notions　of　what　is　　honorable　in　warfare。　　The　dancers　were　circling　round　and　round　the　　fire；　each　figure　brightly　illumined　at　one　moment　by　the　yellow　　light；　and　at　the　next　drawn　in　blackest　shadow　as　it　passed　between　　the　flame　and　the　spectator。　　They　would　imitate　with　the　most　　ludicrous　exactness　the　motions　and　the　voice　of　their　sly　patron　the　　fox。　　Then　a　startling　yell　would　be　given。　　Many　other　warriors　　would　leap　into　the　ring；　and　with　faces　upturned　toward　the　starless　　sky；　they　would　all　stamp；　and　whoop；　and　brandish　their　weapons　like　　so　many　frantic　devils。　Until　the　next　afternoon　we　were　still　remaining　with　Bisonette。　　My　　companion　and　I　with　our　three　attendants　then　left　his　camp　for　the　　Pueblo；　a　distance　of　three　hundred　miles；　and　we　supposed　the　　journey　would　occupy　about　a　fortnight。　　During　this　time　we　all　　earnestly　hoped　that　we　might　not　meet　a　single　human　being；　for　　should　we　encounter　any；　they　would　in　all　probability　be　enemies；　　ferocious　robbers　and　murderers；　in　whose　eyes　our　rifles　would　be　　our　only　passports。　　For　the　first　two　days　nothing　worth　mentioning　　took　place。　　On　the　third　morning；　however；　an　untoward　incident　　occurred。　　We　were　encamped　by　the　side　of　a　little　brook　in　an　　extensive　hollow　of　the　plain。　　Delorier　was　up　long　before　daylight；　　and　before　he　began　to　prepare　breakfast　he　turned　loose　all　the　　horses；　as　in　duty　bound。　　There　was　a　cold　mist　clinging　close　to　　the　ground；　and　by　the　time　the　rest　of　us　were　awake　the　animals　　were　invisible。　　It　was　only　after　a　long　and　anxious　search　that　we　　could　discover　by　their　tracks　the　direction　they　had　taken。　　They　　had　all　set　off　for　Fort　Laramie；　following　the　guidance　of　a　　mutinous　old　mule；　and　though　many　of　them　were　hobbled　they　had　　driven　three　miles　before　they　could　be　overtaken　and　driven　back。　For　the　following　two　or　three　days　we　were　passing　over　an　arid　　desert。　　The　only　vegetation　was　a　few　tufts　of　short　grass；　dried　　and　shriveled　by　the　heat。　　There　was　an　abundance　of　strange　insects　　and　reptiles。　　Huge　crickets；　black　and　bottle　green；　and　wingless　　grasshoppers　of　the　most　extravagant　dimensions；　were　tumbling　about　　our　horses'　feet；　and　lizards　without　numbers　were　darting　like　　lightning　among　the　tufts　of　grass。　　The　most　curious　animal；　　however；　was　that　commonly　called　the　horned　frog。　　I　caught　one　of　　them　and　consigned　him　to　the　care　of　Delorier；　who　tied　him　up　in　a　　moccasin。　　About　a　month　after　this　I　examined　the　prisoner's　　condition；　and　finding　him　still　lively　and　active；　I　provided　him　　with　a　cage　of　buffalo　hide；　which　was　hung　up　in　the　cart。　　In　this　　manner　he　arrived　safely　at　the　settlements。　　From　thence　he　traveled　　the　whole　way　to　Boston　packed　closely　in　a　trunk；　being　regaled　with　　fresh　air　regularly　every　night。　　When　he　reached　his　destination　he　　was　deposited　under　a　glass　case；　where　he　sat　for　some　months　in　　great　tranquillity　and　composure；　alternately　dilating　and　　contracting　his　white　throat　to　the　admiration　of　his　visitors。　　At　　length；　one　morning；　about　the　middle　of　winter；　he　gave　up　the　　ghost。　　His　death　was　attributed　to　starvation；　a　very　probable　　conclusion；　since　for　six　months　he　had　taken　no　food　whatever；　　though　the　sympathy　of　his　juvenile　admirers　had　tempted　his　palate　　with　a　great　variety　of　delicacies。　　We　found　also　animals　of　a　　somewhat　larger　growth。　　The　number　of　prairie　dogs　was　absolutely　　astounding。　　Frequently　the　hard　and　dry　prairie　would　be　thickly　　covered；　for　many　miles　together；　with　the　little　mounds　which　they　　make　around　the　mouth　of　their　burrows；　and　small　squeaking　voices　　yelping　at　us　as　we　passed　along。　　The　noses　of　the　inhabitants　would　　be　just　visible　at　the　mouth　of　their　holes；　but　no　sooner　was　their　　curiosity　satisfied　than　they　would　instantly　vanish。　　Some　of　the　　bolder　dogsthough　in　fact　they　are　no　dogs　at　all；　but　little　　marmots　rather　smaller　than　a　rabbitwould　sit　yelping　at　us　on　the　　top　of　their　mounds；　jerking　their　tails　emphatically　with　every　　shrill　cry　they　uttered。　　As　the　danger　grew　nearer　they　would　wheel　　about；　toss　their　heels　into　the　air；　and　dive　in　a　twinkling　down　　into　their　burrows。　　Toward　sunset；　and　especially　if　rain　were　　threatening；　the　whole　community　would　make　their　appearance　above　　ground。　　We　would　see　them　gathered　in　large　knots　around　the　burrow　　of　some　favorite　citizen。　　There　they　would　all　sit　erect；　their　　tails　spread　out　on　the　ground；　and　their　paws　hanging　down　before　　their　white　breasts；　chattering　and　squeaking　with　the　utmost　　vivacity　upon　some　topic　of　common　interest；　while　the　proprietor　of　　the　burrow；　with　his　head　just　visible　on　the　top　of　his　mound；　would　　sit　looking　down　with　a　complacent　countenance　on　the　enjoyment　of　　his　guests。　　Meanwhile；　others　would　be　running　about　from　burrow　to　　burrow；　as　if　on　some　errand　of　the　last　importance　to　their　　subterranean　commonwealth。　　The　snakes　were　apparently　the　prairie　　dog's　worst　enemies；　at　least　I　think　too　well　of　the　latter　to　　suppose　that　they　associate　on　friendly　terms　with　these　slimy　　intruders；　who　may　be　seen　at　all　times　basking　among　their　holes；　　into　which　they　always　retreat　when　disturbed。　　Small　owls；　with　wise　　and　grave　countenances；　also　make　their　abode　with　the　prairie　dogs；　　though　on　what　terms　they　live　together　I　could　never　ascertain。　　The　　manners　and　customs；　the　political　and　domestic　economy　of　these　　little　marmots　is　worthy　of　closer　attention　than　one　is　able　to　give　　when　pushing　by　forced　marches　through　their　country；　with　his　　thoughts　engrossed　by　objects　of　greater　moment。　On　the　fifth　day　after　leaving　Bisonette's　camp　we　saw　late　in　the　　afternoon　what　we　supposed　to　be　a　considerable　stream；　but　on　our　　approaching　it　we　found　to　our　mortification　nothing　but　a　dry　bed　of　　sand　into　which　all　the　water　had　sunk　and　disappeared。　　We　　separated；　some　riding　in　one　direction　and　some　in　another　along　its　　course。　　Still　we　found　no　traces　of　water；　not　even　so　much　as　a　wet　　spot　in　the　sand。　　The　old　cotton…wood　trees　that　grew　along　the　　bank；　lamentably　abused　by　lightning　and　tempest；　were　withering　with　　the　drought；　and　on　the　dead　limbs；　at　the　summit　of　the　tallest；　　half　a　dozen　crows　were　hoarsely　cawing　like　birds　of　evil　omen　as　　they　were。　　We　had　no　alternative　but　to　keep　on。　　There　was　no　water　　nearer　than　the　South　Fork　of　the　Platte；　about　ten　miles　distant。　　　We　moved　forward；　angry　and　silent；　over　a　desert　as　flat　as　the　　outspread　ocean。　The　sky　had　been　obscured　since　the　morning　by　thin　mists　and　vapors；　　but　now　vast　piles　of　clouds　were　gathered　together　in　the　west。　　　They　rose　to　a　great　height　above　the　horizon；　and　looking　up　toward　　them　I　distinguished　one　mass　darker　than　the　rest　and　of　a　peculiar　　conical　form。　　I　happened　to　look　again　and　still　could　see　it　as　　before。　　At　some　moments　it　was　dimly　seen；　at　others　its　outline　was　　sharp　and　distinct；　but　while　the　clouds　around　it　were　shifting；　　changing；　and　dissolving　away；　it　still　towered　aloft　in　the　midst　of　　them；　fixed　and　immovable。　　It　must；　thought　I；　be　the　summit　of　a　　mountain；　and　yet　its　heights　staggered　me。　　My　conclusion　was　right；　　however。　　It　was　Long's　Peak；　once　believed　to　be　one　of　the　highest　　of　the　Rocky　Mountain　chain；　though　more　recent　discoveries　have　　proved　the　contrary。　　The　thickening　gloom　soon　hid　it　from　view　and　　we　never　saw　it　again；　for　on　the　following　day　and　for　some　time　　after；　the　air　was　so　full　of　mist　that　the　view　of　distant　objects　　was　entirely　intercepted。　It　grew　very　late。　　Turning　from　our　direct　course　we　made　for　the　　river　at　its　nearest　point；　though　in　the　utter　darkness　it　was　not　　easy　to　direct　our　way　with　much　precision。　　Raymond　rode　on　one　side　　and　Henry　on　the　other。　　We　could　hear　each　of　them　shouting　that　he　　had　come　upon　a　deep　ravine。　　We　steered　at　random　between　Scylla　and　　Charybdis；　and　soon　after　became；　as　it　seemed；　inextricably　involved　　with　deep　chasms　all　around　us；　while　the　darkness　was　such　that　we　　could　not　see　a　rod　in　any　direction。　　We　partially　extricated　　ourselves　by　scrambling；　cart　and　all；　through　a　shallow　ravine。　　We　　came　next　to　a　steep　descent　down　which　we　plunged　without　well　　knowing　what　was　at　the　bottom。　　There　was　a　great　crackling　of　　sticks　and　dry　twigs。　　Over　our　heads　were　certain　large　shadowy　　objects；　and　in　front　something　like　the　faint　gleaming　of　a　dark　　sheet　of　water。　　Raymond　ran　his　horse　against　a　tree；　Henry　　alighted；　and　feeling　on　the　ground　declared　that　there　was　grass　　enough　for　the　horses。　　Before　taking　off　his　saddle　each　man　led　his　　own　horses　down　to　the　water　in　the　best　way　he　could。　　Then　　picketing　two　or　three　of　the　evil…disposed　we　turned　the　rest　loose　　and　lay　down　among　the　dry　sticks　to　sleep。　　In　the　morning　we　found　　ourselves　close　to　the　South　Fork　of　the　Platte　on　a　spot　surrounded　　by　bushes　and　rank　grass。　　Compensating　ourselves　with　a　hearty　　breakfast　for　the　ill　fare　of　the　previous　night；　we　set　forward　　again　on　our　journey。　　When　only　two　or　three　rods　from　the　camp　I　　saw　Shaw　stop　his　mule；　level　his　gun；　and　after　a　long　aim　fire　at　　some　object　in　the　grass。　　Delorier　next　jumped　forward　and　began　to　　dance　about；　belaboring　the　unseen　enemy　with　a　whip。　　Then　he　　stooped　down　and　drew　out　of　the　grass　by　the　neck　an　enormous　　rattlesnake；　with　his　head　completely　shattered　by　Shaw's　bullet。　　As　　Delorier　held　him　out　at　arm's　length　with　an　exulting　grin　his