the oregon trail-第59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！


　us。　　We　　resolved　therefore　to　take　advantage　of　her　gracious　mood　and　　trusting　for　a　continuance　of　her　favors；　to　set　out　with　Henry　and　　Delorier；　and　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　Indians　in　the　best　way　we　　could。　Bent's　Fort　stands　on　the　river；　about　seventy…five　miles　below　the　　Pueblo。　　At　noon　of　the　third　day　we　arrived　within　three　or　four　　miles　of　it；　pitched　our　tent　under　a　tree；　hung　our　looking…glasses　　against　its　trunk　and　having　made　our　primitive　toilet；　rode　toward　　the　fort。　　We　soon　came　in　sight　of　it；　for　it　is　visible　from　a　　considerable　distance；　standing　with　its　high　clay　walls　in　the　midst　　of　the　scorching　plains。　　It　seemed　as　if　a　swarm　of　locusts　had　　invaded　the　country。　　The　grass　for　miles　around　was　cropped　close　by　　the　horses　of　General　Kearny's　soldiery。　　When　we　came　to　the　fort；　　we　found　that　not　only　had　the　horses　eaten　up　the　grass；　but　their　　owners　had　made　away　with　the　stores　of　the　little　trading　post；　so　　that　we　had　great　difficulty　in　procuring　the　few　articles　which　we　　required　for　our　homeward　journey。　　The　army　was　gone；　the　life　and　　bustle　passed　away；　and　the　fort　was　a　scene　of　dull　and　lazy　　tranquillity。　　A　few　invalid　officers　and　soldiers　sauntered　about　　the　area；　which　was　oppressively　hot；　for　the　glaring　sun　was　　reflected　down　upon　it　from　the　high　white　walls　around。　　The　　proprietors　were　absent；　and　we　were　received　by　Mr。　Holt；　who　had　　been　left　in　charge　of　the　fort。　　He　invited　us　to　dinner；　where；　to　　our　admiration；　we　found　a　table　laid　with　a　white　cloth；　with　　castors　in　the　center　and　chairs　placed　around　it。　　This　unwonted　　repast　concluded；　we　rode　back　to　our　camp。　Here；　as　we　lay　smoking　round　the　fire　after　supper；　we　saw　through　　the　dusk　three　men　approaching　from　the　direction　of　the　fort。　　They　　rode　up　and　seated　themselves　near　us　on　the　ground。　　The　foremost　　was　a　tall；　well…formed　man；　with　a　face　and　manner　such　as　inspire　　confidence　at　once。　　He　wore　a　broad　hat　of　felt；　slouching　and　　tattered；　and　the　rest　of　his　attire　consisted　of　a　frock　and　　leggings　of　buckskin；　rubbed　with　the　yellow　clay　found　among　the　　mountains。　　At　the　heel　of　one　of　his　moccasins　was　buckled　a　huge　　iron　spur；　with　a　rowel　five　or　six　inches　in　diameter。　　His　horse；　　who　stood　quietly　looking　over　his　head；　had　a　rude　Mexican　saddle；　　covered　with　a　shaggy　bearskin；　and　furnished　with　a　pair　of　wooden　　stirrups　of　most　preposterous　size。　　The　next　man　was　a　sprightly；　　active　little　fellow；　about　five　feet　and　a　quarter　high；　but　very　　strong　and　compact。　　His　face　was　swarthy　as　a　Mexican's　and　covered　　with　a　close；　curly　black　beard。　　An　old　greasy　calico　handkerchief　　was　tied　round　his　head；　and　his　close　buckskin　dress　was　blackened　　and　polished　by　grease　and　hard　service。　　The　last　who　came　up　was　a　　large　strong　man；　dressed　in　the　coarse　homespun　of　the　frontiers；　　who　dragged　his　long　limbs　over　the　ground　as　if　he　were　too　lazy　for　　the　effort。　　He　had　a　sleepy　gray　eye；　a　retreating　chin；　an　open　　mouth　and　a　protruding　upper　lip；　which　gave　him　an　air　of　exquisite　　indolence　and　helplessness。　　He　was　armed　with　an　old　United　States　　yager；　which　redoubtable　weapon；　though　he　could　never　hit　his　mark　　with　it；　he　was　accustomed　to　cherish　as　the　very　sovereign　of　　firearms。　The　first　two　men　belonged　to　a　party　who　had　just　come　from　　California　with　a　large　band　of　horses；　which　they　had　disposed　of　at　　Bent's　Fort。　　Munroe；　the　taller　of　the　two；　was　from　Iowa。　　He　was　　an　excellent　fellow；　open；　warm…hearted　and　intelligent。　　Jim　Gurney；　　the　short　man；　was　a　Boston　sailor；　who　had　come　in　a　trading　vessel　　to　California；　and　taken　the　fancy　to　return　across　the　continent。　　　The　journey　had　already　made　him　an　expert　〃mountain　man；〃　and　he　　presented　the　extraordinary　phenomenon　of　a　sailor　who　understood　how　　to　manage　a　horse。　　The　third　of　our　visitors　named　Ellis；　was　a　　Missourian；　who　had　come　out　with　a　party　of　Oregon　emigrants；　but　　having　got　as　far　as　Bridge's　Fort；　he　had　fallen　home…sick；　or　as　　Jim　averred；　love…sickand　Ellis　was　just　the　man　to　be　balked　in　a　　love　adventure。　　He　thought　proper　to　join　the　California　men　and　　return　homeward　in　their　company。　They　now　requested　that　they　might　unite　with　our　party；　and　make　the　　journey　to　the　settlements　in　company　with　us。　　We　readily　assented；　　for　we　liked　the　appearance　of　the　first　two　men；　and　were　very　glad　　to　gain　so　efficient　a　re…enforcement。　　We　told　them　to　meet　us　on　　the　next　evening　at　a　spot　on　the　river　side；　about　six　miles　below　　the　fort。　　Having　smoked　a　pipe　together；　our　new　allies　left　us；　and　　we　lay　down　to　sleep。

CHAPTER　XXII　TETE　ROUGE；　THE　VOLUNTEER

The　next　morning；　having　directed　Delorier　to　repair　with　his　cart　to　　the　place　of　meeting；　we　came　again　to　the　fort　to　make　some　　arrangements　for　the　journey。　　After　completing　these　we　sat　down　　under　a　sort　of　perch；　to　smoke　with　some　Cheyenne　Indians　whom　we　　found　there。　　In　a　few　minutes　we　saw　an　extraordinary　little　figure　　approach　us　in　a　military　dress。　　He　had　a　small；　round　countenance；　　garnished　about　the　eyes　with　the　kind　of　wrinkles　commonly　known　as　　crow's　feet　and　surrounded　by　an　abundant　crop　of　red　curls；　with　a　　little　cap　resting　on　the　top　of　them。　　Altogether；　he　had　the　look　　of　a　man　more　conversant　with　mint　juleps　and　oyster　suppers　than　　with　the　hardships　of　prairie　service。　　He　came　up　to　us　and　　entreated　that　we　would　take　him　home　to　the　settlements；　saying　that　　unless　he　went　with　us　he　should　have　to　stay　all　winter　at　the　fort。　　　We　liked　our　petitioner's　appearance　so　little　that　we　excused　　ourselves　from　complying　with　his　request。　　At　this　he　begged　us　so　　hard　to　take　pity　on　him；　looked　so　disconsolate；　and　told　so　　lamentable　a　story　that　at　last　we　consented；　though　not　without　many　　misgivings。　The　rugged　Anglo…Saxon　of　our　new　recruit's　real　name　proved　utterly　　unmanageable　on　the　lips　of　our　French　attendants；　and　Henry　　Chatillon；　after　various　abortive　attempts　to　pronounce　it；　one　day　　coolly　christened　him　Tete　Rouge；　in　honor　of　his　red　curls。　　He　had　　at　different　times　been　clerk　of　a　Mississippi　steamboat；　and　agent　　in　a　trading　establishment　at　Nauvoo；　besides　filling　various　other　　capacities；　in　all　of　which　he　had　seen　much　more　of　〃life〃　than　was　　good　for　him。　　In　the　spring；　thinking　that　a　summer's　campaign　would　　be　an　agreeable　recreation；　he　had　joined　a　company　of　St。　Louis　　volunteers。　〃There　were　three　of　us；〃　said　Tete　Rouge；　〃me　and　Bill　Stevens　and　　John　Hopkins。　　We　thought　we　would　just　go　out　with　the　army；　and　　when　we　had　conquered　the　country；　we　would　get　discharged　and　take　　our　pay；　you　know；　and　go　down　to　Mexico。　　They　say　there　is　plenty　　of　fun　going　on　there。　　Then　we　could　go　back　to　New　Orleans　by　way　　of　Vera　Cruz。〃　But　Tete　Rouge；　like　many　a　stouter　volunteer；　had　reckoned　without　　his　host。　　Fighting　Mexicans　was　a　less　amusing　occupation　than　he　　had　supposed；　and　his　pleasure　trip　was　disagreeably　interrupted　by　　brain　fever；　which　attacked　him　when　about　halfway　to　Bent's　Fort。　　　He　jolted　along　through　the　rest　of　the　journey　in　a　baggage　wagon。　　　When　they　came　to　the　fort　he　was　taken　out　and　left　there；　together　　with　the　rest　of　the　sick。　　Bent's　Fort　does　not　supply　the　best　　accommodations　for　an　invalid。　　Tete　Rouge's　sick　chamber　was　a　　little　mud　room；　where　he　and　a　companion　attacked　by　the　same　　disease　were　laid　together；　with　nothing　but　a　buffalo　robe　between　　them　and　the　ground。　　The　assistant　surgeon's　deputy　visited　them　　once　a　day　and　brought　them　each　a　huge　dose　of　calomel；　the　only　　medicine；　according　to　his　surviving　victim；　which　he　was　acquainted　　with。　Tete　Rouge　woke　one　morning；　and　turning　to　his　companion；　saw　his　　eyes　fixed　upon　the　beams　above　with　the　glassy　stare　of　a　dead　man。　　　At　this　the　unfortunate　volunteer　lost　his　senses　outright。　　In　spite　　of　the　doctor；　however；　he　eventually　recovered；　though　between　the　　brain　fever　and　the　calomel；　his　mind；　originally　none　of　the　　strongest；　was　so　much　shaken　that　it　had　not　quite　recovered　its　　balance　when　we　came　to　the　fort。　　In　spite　of　the　poor　fellow's　　tragic　story；　there　was　something　so　ludicrous　in　his　appearance；　and　　the　whimsical　contrast　between　his　military　dress　and　his　most　　unmilitary　demeanor；　that　we　could　not　help　smiling　at　them。　　We　　asked　him　if　he　had　a　gun。　　He　said　they　had　taken　it　from　him　during　　his　illness；　and　he　had　not　seen　it　since；　〃but　perhaps；〃　he　　observed；　looking　at　me　with　a　beseeching　air；　〃you　will　lend　me　one　　of　your　big　pistols　if　we　should　meet　with　any　Indians。〃　　I　next　　inquired　if　he　had　a　horse；　he　declared　he　had　a　magnificent　one；　and　　at　Shaw's　request　a　Mexican　led　him　in　for　inspection。　　He　exhibited　　the　outline　of　a　good　horse；　but　his　eyes　were　sunk　in　the　sockets；　　and　every　one　of　his　ribs　could　be　counted。　　There　were　certain　marks　　too　about　his　shoulders；　which　could　be　accounted　for　by　the　　circumstance；　that　during　Tete　Rouge's　illness；　his　companions　had　　seized　upon　the　insulted　charger；　and　harnessed　him　to　a　cannon　along　　with　the　draft　horses。　　To　Tete　Rouge's　astonishment　we　recommended　　him　by　all　means　to　exchange　the　horse；　if　he　could；　for　a　mule。　　　Fortunately　the　people　at　the　fort　were　so　anxious　to　get　rid　of　him　　that　they　were　willing　to　make　some　sacrifice　to　effect　the　object；　　and　he　succeeded　in　getting　a　tolerable　mule　in　exchange　for　the　　broken…down　steed。　A　man　soon　appeared　at　the　gate；　leading　in　the　mule　by　a　cord　which　　he　placed　in　the　hands　of　Tete　Rouge；　who；　being　somewhat　afraid　of　　his　new　acquisition；　tried　various　flatteries　and　blandishments　to　　induce　her　to　come　forward。　　The　mule；　knowing　that　she　was　expected　　to　advance；　stopped　short　in　consequence；　and　stood　fast　as　a　rock；　　looking　straight　forward　with　immovable　composure。　　Being　stimulated　　by　a　blow　from　behind　she　consented　to　move；　and　walked　nearly　to　the　　other　side　of　the　fort　before　she　stopped　again。　　Hearing　the　by…　standers　laugh；　Tete　Rouge　plucked　up　spirit　and　tugged　hard　at　the　　rope。　　The　mule　jerked　backward；　spun　herself　round；　and　made　a　dash　　for　the　gate。　　Tete　Rouge；　who　clung　manfully　to　the　rope；　went　　whisking　through　the