the oregon trail-第61部分

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low。　　They　　represented　them　to　be　quite　friendly；　but　some　distinction　was　to　be　　made　between　a　party　of　thirty　men；　traveling　with　oxen；　which　are　of　　no　value　in　an　Indian's　eyes　and　a　mere　handful　like　ourselves；　with　　a　tempting　band　of　mules　and　horses。　　This　story　of　the　Arapahoes　　therefore　caused　us　some　anxiety。　Just　after　leaving　the　government　wagons；　as　Shaw　and　I　were　riding　　along　a　narrow　passage　between　the　river　bank　and　a　rough　hill　that　　pressed　close　upon　it；　we　heard　Tete　Rouge's　voice　behind　us。　　　〃Hallo！〃　he　called　out；　〃I　say；　stop　the　cart　just　for　a　minute；　will　　you？〃　〃What's　the　matter；　Tete？〃　asked　Shaw；　as　he　came　riding　up　to　us　　with　a　grin　of　exultation。　　He　had　a　bottle　of　molasses　in　one　hand；　　and　a　large　bundle　of　hides　on　the　saddle　before　him；　containing；　as　　he　triumphantly　informed　us；　sugar；　biscuits；　coffee；　and　rice。　　　These　supplies　he　had　obtained　by　a　stratagem　on　which　he　greatly　　plumed　himself；　and　he　was　extremely　vexed　and　astonished　that　we　did　　not　fall　in　with　his　views　of　the　matter。　　He　had　told　Coates；　the　　master…wagoner；　that　the　commissary　at　the　fort　had　given　him　an　　order　for　sick…rations；　directed　to　the　master　of　any　government　　train　which　he　might　meet　upon　the　road。　　This　order　he　had　　unfortunately　lost；　but　he　hoped　that　the　rations　would　not　be　　refused　on　that　account；　as　he　was　suffering　from　coarse　fare　and　　needed　them　very　much。　　As　soon　as　he　came　to　camp　that　night　Tete　　Rouge　repaired　to　the　box　at　the　back　of　the　cart；　where　Delorier　　used　to　keep　his　culinary　apparatus；　took　possession　of　a　saucepan；　　and　after　building　a　little　fire　of　his　own；　set　to　work　preparing　a　　meal　out　of　his　ill…gotten　booty。　　This　done；　he　seized　on　a　tin　　plate　and　spoon；　and　sat　down　under　the　cart　to　regale　himself。　　His　　preliminary　repast　did　not　at　all　prejudice　his　subsequent　exertions　　at　supper；　where；　in　spite　of　his　miniature　dimensions；　he　made　a　　better　figure　than　any　of　us。　　Indeed；　about　this　time　his　appetite　　grew　quite　voracious。　　He　began　to　thrive　wonderfully。　　His　small　　body　visibly　expanded；　and　his　cheeks；　which　when　we　first　took　him　　were　rather　yellow　and　cadaverous；　now　dilated　in　a　wonderful　manner；　　and　became　ruddy　in　proportion。　　Tete　Rouge；　in　short；　began　to　　appear　like　another　man。　Early　in　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day；　looking　along　the　edge　of　the　　horizon　in　front；　we　saw　that　at　one　point　it　was　faintly　marked　with　　pale　indentations；　like　the　teeth　of　a　saw。　　The　lodges　of　the　　Arapahoes；　rising　between　us　and　the　sky；　caused　this　singular　　appearance。　　It　wanted　still　two　or　three　hours　of　sunset　when　we　　came　opposite　their　camp。　　There　were　full　two　hundred　lodges　　standing　in　the　midst　of　a　grassy　meadow　at　some　distance　beyond　the　　river；　while　for　a　mile　around　and　on　either　bank　of　the　Arkansas　　were　scattered　some　fifteen　hundred　horses　and　mules　grazing　together　　in　bands；　or　wandering　singly　about　the　prairie。　　The　whole　were　　visible　at　once；　for　the　vast　expanse　was　unbroken　by　hills；　and　　there　was　not　a　tree　or　a　bush　to　intercept　the　view。　Here　and　there　walked　an　Indian；　engaged　in　watching　the　horses。　　No　　sooner　did　we　see　them　than　Tete　Rouge　begged　Delorier　to　stop　the　　cart　and　hand　him　his　little　military　jacket；　which　was　stowed　away　　there。　　In　this　he　instantly　invested　himself；　having　for　once　laid　　the　old　buffalo　coat　aside；　assumed　a　most　martial　posture　in　the　　saddle；　set　his　cap　over　his　left　eye　with　an　air　of　defiance；　and　　earnestly　entreated　that　somebody　would　lend　him　a　gun　or　a　pistol　　only　for　half　an　hour。　　Being　called　upon　to　explain　these　remarkable　　proceedings；　Tete　Rouge　observed　that　he　knew　from　experience　what　　effect　the　presence　of　a　military　man　in　his　uniform　always　had　upon　　the　mind　of　an　Indian；　and　he　thought　the　Arapahoes　ought　to　know　　that　there　was　a　soldier　in　the　party。　Meeting　Arapahoes　here　on　the　Arkansas　was　a　very　different　thing　　from　meeting　the　same　Indians　among　their　native　mountains。　　There　　was　another　circumstance　in　our　favor。　　General　Kearny　had　seen　them　　a　few　weeks　before；　as　he　came　up　the　river　with　his　army；　and　　renewing　his　threats　of　the　previous　year；　he　told　them　that　if　they　　ever　again　touched　the　hair　of　a　white　man's　head　he　would　　exterminate　their　nation。　　This　placed　them　for　the　time　in　an　　admirable　frame　of　mind；　and　the　effect　of　his　menaces　had　not　yet　　disappeared。　　I　was　anxious　to　see　the　village　and　its　inhabitants。　　　We　thought　it　also　our　best　policy　to　visit　them　openly；　as　if　　unsuspicious　of　any　hostile　design；　and　Shaw　and　I；　with　Henry　　Chatillon；　prepared　to　cross　the　river。　　The　rest　of　the　party　　meanwhile　moved　forward　as　fast　as　they　could；　in　order　to　get　as　far　　as　possible　from　our　suspicious　neighbors　before　night　came　on。　The　Arkansas　at　this　point；　and　for　several　hundred　miles　below；　is　　nothing　but　a　broad　sand…bed；　over　which　a　few　scanty　threads　of　　water　are　swiftly　gliding；　now　and　then　expanding　into　wide　shallows。　　　At　several　places；　during　the　autumn；　the　water　sinks　into　the　sand　　and　disappears　altogether。　　At　this　season；　were　it　not　for　the　　numerous　quicksands；　the　river　might　be　forded　almost　anywhere　　without　difficulty；　though　its　channel　is　often　a　quarter　of　a　mile　　wide。　　Our　horses　jumped　down　the　bank；　and　wading　through　the　water；　　or　galloping　freely　over　the　hard　sand…beds；　soon　reached　the　other　　side。　　Here；　as　we　were　pushing　through　the　tall　grass；　we　saw　　several　Indians　not　far　off；　one　of　them　waited　until　we　came　up；　and　　stood　for　some　moments　in　perfect　silence　before　us；　looking　at　us　　askance　with　his　little　snakelike　eyes。　　Henry　explained　by　signs　　what　we　wanted；　and　the　Indian；　gathering　his　buffalo　robe　about　his　　shoulders；　led　the　way　toward　the　village　without　speaking　a　word。　The　language　of　the　Arapahoes　is　so　difficult；　and　its　pronunciations　　so　harsh　and　guttural；　that　no　white　man；　it　is　said；　has　ever　been　　able　to　master　it。　　Even　Maxwell　the　trader；　who　has　been　most　among　　them；　is　compelled　to　resort　to　the　curious　sign　language　common　to　　most　of　the　prairie　tribes。　　With　this　Henry　Chatillon　was　perfectly　　acquainted。　Approaching　the　village；　we　found　the　ground　all　around　it　strewn　　with　great　piles　of　waste　buffalo　meat　in　incredible　quantities。　　The　　lodges　were　pitched　in　a　very　wide　circle。　　They　resembled　those　of　　the　Dakota　in　everything　but　cleanliness　and　neatness。　　Passing　　between　two　of　them；　we　entered　the　great　circular　area　of　the　camp；　　and　instantly　hundreds　of　Indians；　men；　women　and　children；　came　　flocking　out　of　their　habitations　to　look　at　us；　at　the　same　time；　　the　dogs　all　around　the　village　set　up　a　fearful　baying。　　Our　Indian　　guide　walked　toward　the　lodge　of　the　chief。　　Here　we　dismounted；　and　　loosening　the　trail…ropes　from　our　horses'　necks；　held　them　securely；　　and　sat　down　before　the　entrance；　with　our　rifles　laid　across　our　　laps。　　The　chief　came　out　and　shook　us　by　the　hand。　　He　was　a　mean…　looking　fellow；　very　tall；　thin…visaged；　and　sinewy；　like　the　rest　of　　the　nation；　and　with　scarcely　a　vestige　of　clothing。　　We　had　not　been　　seated　half　a　minute　before　a　multitude　of　Indians　came　crowding　　around　us　from　every　part　of　the　village；　and　we　were　shut　in　by　a　　dense　wall　of　savage　faces。　　Some　of　the　Indians　crouched　around　us　　on　the　ground；　others　again　sat　behind　them；　others；　stooping；　looked　　over　their　heads；　while　many　more　stood　crowded　behind；　stretching　　themselves　upward；　and　peering　over　each　other's　shoulders；　to　get　a　　view　of　us。　　I　looked　in　vain　among　this　multitude　of　faces　to　　discover　one　manly　or　generous　expression；　all　were　wolfish；　　sinister；　and　malignant；　and　their　complexions；　as　well　as　their　　features；　unlike　those　of　the　Dakota；　were　exceedingly　bad。　　The　　chief；　who　sat　close　to　the　entrance；　called　to　a　squaw　within　the　　lodge；　who　soon　came　out　and　placed　a　wooden　bowl　of　meat　before　us。　　　To　our　surprise；　however；　no　pipe　was　offered。　　Having　tasted　of　the　　meat　as　a　matter　of　form；　I　began　to　open　a　bundle　of　presents　tobacco；　knives；　vermilion；　and　other　articles　which　I　had　brought　　with　me。　　At　this　there　was　a　grin　on　every　countenance　in　the　　rapacious　crowd；　their　eyes　began　to　glitter；　and　long　thin　arms　were　　eagerly　stretched　toward　us　on　all　sides　to　receive　the　gifts。　The　Arapahoes　set　great　value　upon　their　shields；　which　they　transmit　　carefully　from　father　to　son。　　I　wished　to　get　one　of　them；　and　　displaying　a　large　piece　of　scarlet　cloth；　together　with　some　tobacco　　and　a　knife；　I　offered　them　to　any　one　who　would　bring　me　what　I　　wanted。　　After　some　delay　a　tolerable　shield　was　produced。　　They　were　　very　anxious　to　know　what　we　meant　to　do　with　it；　and　Henry　told　them　　that　we　were　going　to　fight　their　enemies；　the　Pawnees。　　This　　instantly　produced　a　visible　impression　in　our　favor；　which　was　　increased　by　the　distribution　of　the　presents。　　Among　these　was　a　　large　paper　of　awls；　a　gift　appropriate　to　the　women；　and　as　we　were　　anxious　to　see　the　beauties　of　the　Arapahoe　village　Henry　requested　　that　they　might　be　called　to　receive　them。　　A　warrior　gave　a　shout　as　　if　he　were　calling　a　pack　of　dogs　together。　　The　squaws；　young　and　　old；　hags　of　eighty　and　girls　of　sixteen；　came　running　with　screams　　and　laughter　out　of　the　lodges；　and　as　the　men　gave　way　for　them　they　　gathered　round　us　and　stretched　out　their　arms；　grinning　with　　delight；　their　native　ugliness　considerably　enhanced　by　the　　excitement　of　the　moment。　Mounting　our　horses；　which　during　the　whole　interview　we　had　held　　close　to　us；　we　prepared　to　leave　the　Arapahoes。　　The　crowd　fell　back　　on　each　side　and　stood　looking　on。　　When　we　were　half　across　the　camp　　an　idea　occurred　to　us。　　The　Pawnees　were　probably　in　the　　neighborhood　of　the　Caches；　we　might　tell　the　Arapahoes　of　this　and　　instigate　them　to　send　down　a　war　party　and　cut　them　off；　while　we　　ourselves　could　remain　behind　for　a　while　and　hunt　the　buffalo。　　At　　first　thought　this　plan　of　setting　our　enemies　to　destroy　one　another　　seemed　to　us　a　masterpiece　of　policy；　but　we　immediately　recollected　　that　should　we　meet　the　Arapahoe　warriors　on　the　river　below　they　　might　prove　quite　as　dangerous　as　the　Pawnees　themselves。　　So　　rejecting　our　plan　as　soon