the oregon trail-第60部分

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d　made　a　dash　　for　the　gate。　　Tete　Rouge；　who　clung　manfully　to　the　rope；　went　　whisking　through　the　air　for　a　few　rods；　when　he　let　go　and　stood　　with　his　mouth　open；　staring　after　the　mule；　who　galloped　away　over　　the　prairie。　　She　was　soon　caught　and　brought　back　by　a　Mexican；　who　　mounted　a　horse　and　went　in　pursuit　of　her　with　his　lasso。　Having　thus　displayed　his　capacity　for　prairie　travel；　Tete　Rouge　　proceeded　to　supply　himself　with　provisions　for　the　journey；　and　with　　this　view　he　applied　to　a　quartermaster's　assistant　who　was　in　the　　fort。　　This　official　had　a　face　as　sour　as　vinegar；　being　in　a　state　　of　chronic　indignation　because　he　had　been　left　behind　the　army。　　He　　was　as　anxious　as　the　rest　to　get　rid　of　Tete　Rouge。　　So；　producing　a　　rusty　key；　he　opened　a　low　door　which　led　to　a　half…subterranean　　apartment；　into　which　the　two　disappeared　together。　　After　some　time　　they　came　out　again；　Tete　Rouge　greatly　embarrassed　by　a　multiplicity　　of　paper　parcels　containing　the　different　articles　of　his　forty　days'　　rations。　　They　were　consigned　to　the　care　of　Delorier；　who　about　that　　time　passed　by　with　the　cart　on　his　way　to　the　appointed　place　of　　meeting　with　Munroe　and　his　companions。　We　next　urged　Tete　Rouge　to　provide　himself；　if　he　could；　with　a　gun。　　　He　accordingly　made　earnest　appeals　to　the　charity　of　various　persons　　in　the　fort；　but　totally　without　success；　a　circumstance　which　did　　not　greatly　disturb　us；　since　in　the　event　of　a　skirmish　he　would　be　　much　more　apt　to　do　mischief　to　himself　or　his　friends　than　to　the　　enemy。　　When　all　these　arrangements　were　completed　we　saddled　our　　horses　and　were　preparing　to　leave　the　fort；　when　looking　round　we　　discovered　that　our　new　associate　was　in　fresh　trouble。　　A　man　was　　holding　the　mule　for　him　in　the　middle　of　the　fort；　while　he　tried　to　　put　the　saddle　on　her　back；　but　she　kept　stepping　sideways　and　moving　　round　and　round　in　a　circle　until　he　was　almost　in　despair。　　It　　required　some　assistance　before　all　his　difficulties　could　be　　overcome。　　At　length　he　clambered　into　the　black　war　saddle　on　which　　he　was　to　have　carried　terror　into　the　ranks　of　the　Mexicans。　〃Get　up；〃　said　Tete　Rouge；　〃come　now；　go　along；　will　you。〃　The　mule　walked　deliberately　forward　out　of　the　gate。　　Her　recent　　conduct　had　inspired　him　with　so　much　awe　that　he　never　dared　to　　touch　her　with　his　whip。　　We　trotted　forward　toward　the　place　of　　meeting；　but　before　he　had　gone　far　we　saw　that　Tete　Rouge's　mule；　　who　perfectly　understood　her　rider；　had　stopped　and　was　quietly　　grazing；　in　spite　of　his　protestations；　at　some　distance　behind。　　So　　getting　behind　him；　we　drove　him　and　the　contumacious　mule　before　us；　　until　we　could　see　through　the　twilight　the　gleaming　of　a　distant　　fire。　　Munroe；　Jim；　and　Ellis　were　lying　around　it；　their　saddles；　　packs；　and　weapons　were　scattered　about　and　their　horses　picketed　　near　them。　　Delorier　was　there　too　with　our　little　cart。　　Another　　fire　was　soon　blazing　high。　　We　invited　our　new　allies　to　take　a　cup　　of　coffee　with　us。　　When　both　the　others　had　gone　over　to　their　side　　of　the　camp；　Jim　Gurney　still　stood　by　the　blaze；　puffing　hard　at　his　　little　black　pipe；　as　short　and　weather…beaten　as　himself。　〃Well！〃　he　said；　〃here　are　eight　of　us；　we'll　call　it　sixfor　them　　two　boobies；　Ellis　over　yonder；　and　that　new　man　of　yours；　won't　　count　for　anything。　　We'll　get　through　well　enough；　never　fear　for　　that；　unless　the　Comanches　happen　to　get　foul　of　us。〃

CHAPTER　XXIII　INDIAN　ALARMS

We　began　our　journey　for　the　frontier　settlements　on　the　27th　of　　August；　and　certainly　a　more　ragamuffin　cavalcade　never　was　seen　on　　the　banks　of　the　Upper　Arkansas。　　Of　the　large　and　fine　horses　with　　which　we　had　left　the　frontier　in　the　spring；　not　one　remained；　we　　had　supplied　their　place　with　the　rough　breed　of　the　prairie；　as　　hardy　as　mules　and　almost　as　ugly；　we　had　also　with　us　a　number　of　　the　latter　detestable　animals。　　In　spite　of　their　strength　and　　hardihood；　several　of　the　band　were　already　worn　down　by　hard　service　　and　hard　fare；　and　as　none　of　them　were　shod；　they　were　fast　becoming　　foot…sore。　　Every　horse　and　mule　had　a　cord　of　twisted　bull…hide　　coiled　around　his　neck；　which　by　no　means　added　to　the　beauty　of　his　　appearance。　　Our　saddles　and　all　our　equipments　were　by　this　time　　lamentably　worn　and　battered；　and　our　weapons　had　become　dull　and　　rusty。　　The　dress　of　the　riders　fully　corresponded　with　the　　dilapidated　furniture　of　our　horses；　and　of　the　whole　party　none　made　　a　more　disreputable　appearance　than　my　friend　and　I。　　Shaw　had　for　an　　upper　garment　an　old　red　flannel　shirt；　flying　open　in　front　and　　belted　around　him　like　a　frock；　while　I；　in　absence　of　other　　clothing；　was　attired　in　a　time…worn　suit　of　leather。　Thus；　happy　and　careless　as　so　many　beggars；　we　crept　slowly　from　day　　to　day　along　the　monotonous　banks　of　the　Arkansas。　　Tete　Rouge　gave　　constant　trouble；　for　he　could　never　catch　his　mule；　saddle　her；　or　　indeed　do　anything　else　without　assistance。　　Every　day　he　had　some　　new　ailment；　real　or　imaginary；　to　complain　of。　　At　one　moment　he　　would　be　woebegone　and　disconsolate；　and　the　next　he　would　be　visited　　with　a　violent　flow　of　spirits；　to　which　he　could　only　give　vent　by　　incessant　laughing；　whistling；　and　telling　stories。　　When　other　　resources　failed；　we　used　to　amuse　ourselves　by　tormenting　him；　a　　fair　compensation　for　the　trouble　he　cost　us。　　Tete　Rouge　rather　　enjoyed　being　laughed　at；　for　he　was　an　odd　compound　of　weakness；　　eccentricity；　and　good…nature。　　He　made　a　figure　worthy　of　a　painter　　as　he　paced　along　before　us；　perched　on　the　back　of　his　mule；　and　　enveloped　in　a　huge　buffalo…robe　coat；　which　some　charitable　person　　had　given　him　at　the　fort。　　This　extraordinary　garment；　which　would　　have　contained　two　men　of　his　size；　he　chose；　for　some　reason　best　　known　to　himself；　to　wear　inside　out；　and　he　never　took　it　off；　even　　in　the　hottest　weather。　　It　was　fluttering　all　over　with　seams　and　　tatters；　and　the　hide　was　so　old　and　rotten　that　it　broke　out　every　　day　in　a　new　place。　　Just　at　the　top　of　it　a　large　pile　of　red　curls　　was　visible；　with　his　little　cap　set　jauntily　upon　one　side；　to　give　　him　a　military　air。　　His　seat　in　the　saddle　was　no　less　remarkable　　than　his　person　and　equipment。　　He　pressed　one　leg　close　against　his　　mule's　side；　and　thrust　the　other　out　at　an　angle　of　45　degrees。　　His　　pantaloons　were　decorated　with　a　military　red　stripe；　of　which　he　was　　extremely　vain；　but　being　much　too　short；　the　whole　length　of　his　　boots　was　usually　visible　below　them。　　His　blanket；　loosely　rolled　up　　into　a　large　bundle；　dangled　at　the　back　of　his　saddle；　where　he　　carried　it　tied　with　a　string。　　Four　or　five　times　a　day　it　would　　fall　to　the　ground。　　Every　few　minutes　he　would　drop　his　pipe；　his　　knife；　his　flint　and　steel；　or　a　piece　of　tobacco；　and　have　to　　scramble　down　to　pick　them　up。　　In　doing　this　he　would　contrive　to　　get　in　everybody's　way；　and　as　the　most　of　the　party　were　by　no　means　　remarkable　for　a　fastidious　choice　of　language；　a　storm　of　anathemas　　would　be　showered　upon　him；　half　in　earnest　and　half　in　jest；　until　　Tete　Rouge　would　declare　that　there　was　no　comfort　in　life；　and　that　　he　never　saw　such　fellows　before。　Only　a　day　or　two　after　leaving　Bent's　Fort　Henry　Chatillon　rode　　forward　to　hunt；　and　took　Ellis　along　with　him。　　After　they　had　been　　some　time　absent　we　saw　them　coming　down　the　hill；　driving　three　　dragoon…horses；　which　had　escaped　from　their　owners　on　the　march；　or　　perhaps　had　given　out　and　been　abandoned。　　One　of　them　was　in　　tolerable　condition；　but　the　others　were　much　emaciated　and　severely　　bitten　by　the　wolves。　　Reduced　as　they　were　we　carried　two　of　them　to　　the　settlements；　and　Henry　exchanged　the　third　with　the　Arapahoes　for　　an　excellent　mule。　On　the　day　after；　when　we　had　stopped　to　rest　at　noon；　a　long　train　　of　Santa　Fe　wagons　came　up　and　trailed　slowly　past　us　in　their　　picturesque　procession。　　They　belonged　to　a　trader　named　Magoffin；　　whose　brother；　with　a　number　of　other　men；　came　over　and　sat　down　　around　us　on　the　grass。　　The　news　they　brought　was　not　of　the　most　　pleasing　complexion。　　According　to　their　accounts；　the　trail　below　　was　in　a　very　dangerous　state。　　They　had　repeatedly　detected　Indians　　prowling　at　night　around　their　camps；　and　the　large　party　which　had　　left　Bent's　Fort　a　few　weeks　previous　to　our　own　departure　had　been　　attacked；　and　a　man　named　Swan；　from　Massachusetts；　had　been　killed。　　　His　companions　had　buried　the　body；　but　when　Magoffin　found　his　　grave；　which　was　near　a　place　called　the　Caches；　the　Indians　had　dug　　up　and　scalped　him；　and　the　wolves　had　shockingly　mangled　his　　remains。　　As　an　offset　to　this　intelligence；　they　gave　us　the　welcome　　information　that　the　buffalo　were　numerous　at　a　few　days'　journey　　below。　On　the　next　afternoon；　as　we　moved　along　the　bank　of　the　river；　we　　saw　the　white　tops　of　wagons　on　the　horizon。　　It　was　some　hours　　before　we　met　them；　when　they　proved　to　be　a　train　of　clumsy　ox…　wagons；　quite　different　from　the　rakish　vehicles　of　the　Santa　Fe　　traders；　and　loaded　with　government　stores　for　the　troops。　　They　all　　stopped；　and　the　drivers　gathered　around　us　in　a　crowd。　　I　thought　　that　the　whole　frontier　might　have　been　ransacked　in　vain　to　furnish　　men　worse　fitted　to　meet　the　dangers　of　the　prairie。　　Many　of　them　　were　mere　boys；　fresh　from　the　plow；　and　devoid　of　knowledge　and　　experience。　　In　respect　to　the　state　of　the　trail；　they　confirmed　all　　that　the　Santa　Fe　men　had　told　us。　　In　passing　between　the　Pawnee　　Fork　and　the　Caches；　their　sentinels　had　fired　every　night　at　real　or　　imaginary　Indians。　　They　said　also　that　Ewing；　a　young　Kentuckian　in　　the　party　that　had　gone　down　before　us；　had　shot　an　Indian　who　was　　prowling　at　evening　about　the　camp。　　Some　of　them　advised　us　to　turn　　back；　and　others　to　hasten　forward　as　fast　as　we　could；　but　they　all　　seemed　in　such　a　state　of　feverish　anxiety；　and　so　little　capable　of　　cool　judgment；　that　we　attached　slight　weight　to　what　they　said。　　　They　next　gave　us　a　more　definite　piece　of　intelligence；　a　large　　village　of　Arapahoes　was　encamped　on　the　river　below。　　They　　represented　them　to　be　quite　friendly；　but　some　distinction　was　to　be　　made　between　a　pa