the oregon trail-第62部分

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low　they　　might　prove　quite　as　dangerous　as　the　Pawnees　themselves。　　So　　rejecting　our　plan　as　soon　as　it　presented　itself；　we　passed　out　of　　the　village　on　the　farther　side。　　We　urged　our　horses　rapidly　through　　the　tall　grass　which　rose　to　their　necks。　　Several　Indians　were　　walking　through　it　at　a　distance；　their　heads　just　visible　above　its　　waving　surface。　　It　bore　a　kind　of　seed　as　sweet　and　nutritious　as　　oats；　and　our　hungry　horses；　in　spite　of　whip　and　rein；　could　not　　resist　the　temptation　of　snatching　at　this　unwonted　luxury　as　we　　passed　along。　　When　about　a　mile　from　the　village　I　turned　and　looked　　back　over　the　undulating　ocean　of　grass。　　The　sun　was　just　set；　the　　western　sky　was　all　in　a　glow；　and　sharply　defined　against　it；　on　the　　extreme　verge　of　the　plain；　stood　the　numerous　lodges　of　the　Arapahoe　　camp。　Reaching　the　bank　of　the　river；　we　followed　it　for　some　distance　　farther；　until　we　discerned　through　the　twilight　the　white　covering　　of　our　little　cart　on　the　opposite　bank。　　When　we　reached　it　we　found　　a　considerable　number　of　Indians　there　before　us。　　Four　or　five　of　　them　were　seated　in　a　row　upon　the　ground；　looking　like　so　many　half…　starved　vultures。　　Tete　Rouge；　in　his　uniform；　was　holding　a　close　　colloquy　with　another　by　the　side　of　the　cart。　　His　gesticulations；　　his　attempts　at　sign…making；　and　the　contortions　of　his　countenance；　　were　most　ludicrous；　and　finding　all　these　of　no　avail；　he　tried　to　　make　the　Indian　understand　him　by　repeating　English　words　very　loudly　　and　distinctly　again　and　again。　　The　Indian　sat　with　his　eye　fixed　　steadily　upon　him；　and　in　spite　of　the　rigid　immobility　of　his　　features；　it　was　clear　at　a　glance　that　he　perfectly　understood　his　　military　companion's　character　and　thoroughly　despised　him。　　The　　exhibition　was　more　amusing　than　politic；　and　Tete　Rouge　was　directed　　to　finish　what　he　had　to　say　as　soon　as　possible。　　Thus　rebuked；　he　　crept　under　the　cart　and　sat　down　there；　Henry　Chatillon　stopped　to　　look　at　him　in　his　retirement；　and　remarked　in　his　quiet　manner　that　　an　Indian　would　kill　ten　such　men　and　laugh　all　the　time。　One　by　one　our　visitors　rose　and　stalked　away。　　As　the　darkness　　thickened　we　were　saluted　by　dismal　sounds。　　The　wolves　are　　incredibly　numerous　in　this　part　of　the　country；　and　the　offal　around　　the　Arapahoe　camp　had　drawn　such　multitudes　of　them　together　that　　several　hundred　were　howling　in　concert　in　our　immediate　　neighborhood。　　There　was　an　island　in　the　river；　or　rather　an　oasis　　in　the　midst　of　the　sands　at　about　the　distance　of　a　gunshot；　and　　here　they　seemed　gathered　in　the　greatest　numbers。　　A　horrible　　discord　of　low　mournful　wailings；　mingled　with　ferocious　howls；　arose　　from　it　incessantly　for　several　hours　after　sunset。　　We　could　　distinctly　see　the　wolves　running　about　the　prairie　within　a　few　rods　　of　our　fire；　or　bounding　over　the　sand…beds　of　the　river　and　　splashing　through　the　water。　　There　was　not　the　slightest　danger　to　　be　feared　from　them；　for　they　are　the　greatest　cowards　on　the　　prairie。　In　respect　to　the　human　wolves　in　our　neighborhood；　we　felt　much　less　　at　our　ease。　　We　seldom　erected　our　tent　except　in　bad　weather；　and　　that　night　each　man　spread　his　buffalo　robe　upon　the　ground　with　his　　loaded　rifle　laid　at　his　side　or　clasped　in　his　arms。　　Our　horses　　were　picketed　so　close　around　us　that　one　of　them　repeatedly　stepped　　over　me　as　I　lay。　　We　were　not　in　the　habit　of　placing　a　guard；　but　　every　man　that　night　was　anxious　and　watchful；　there　was　little　sound　　sleeping　in　camp；　and　some　one　of　the　party　was　on　his　feet　during　　the　greater　part　of　the　time。　　For　myself；　I　lay　alternately　waking　　and　dozing　until　midnight。　　Tete　Rouge　was　reposing　close　to　the　　river　bank；　and　about　this　time；　when　half　asleep　and　half　awake；　I　　was　conscious　that　he　shifted　his　position　and　crept　on　all…fours　　under　the　cart。　　Soon　after　I　fell　into　a　sound　sleep　from　which　I　　was　aroused　by　a　hand　shaking　me　by　the　shoulder。　　Looking　up；　I　saw　　Tete　Rouge　stooping　over　me　with　his　face　quite　pale　and　his　eyes　　dilated　to　their　utmost　expansion。　〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　I。　Tete　Rouge　declared　that　as　he　lay　on　the　river　bank；　something　　caught　his　eye　which　excited　his　suspicions。　　So　creeping　under　the　　cart　for　safety's　sake　he　sat　there　and　watched；　when　he　saw　two　　Indians；　wrapped　in　white　robes；　creep　up　the　bank；　seize　upon　two　　horses　and　lead　them　off。　　He　looked　so　frightened；　and　told　his　　story　in　such　a　disconnected　manner；　that　I　did　not　believe　him；　and　　was　unwilling　to　alarm　the　party。　　Still　it　might　be　true；　and　in　　that　case　the　matter　required　instant　attention。　　There　would　be　no　　time　for　examination；　and　so　directing　Tete　Rouge　to　show　me　which　　way　the　Indians　had　gone；　I　took　my　rifle；　in　obedience　to　a　　thoughtless　impulse；　and　left　the　camp。　　I　followed　the　river　back　　for　two　or　three　hundred　yards；　listening　and　looking　anxiously　on　　every　side。　　In　the　dark　prairie　on　the　right　I　could　discern　nothing　　to　excite　alarm；　and　in　the　dusky　bed　of　the　river；　a　wolf　was　　bounding　along　in　a　manner　which　no　Indian　could　imitate。　　I　returned　　to　the　camp；　and　when　within　sight　of　it；　saw　that　the　whole　party　　was　aroused。　　Shaw　called　out　to　me　that　he　had　counted　the　horses；　　and　that　every　one　of　them　was　in　his　place。　　Tete　Rouge；　being　　examined　as　to　what　he　had　seen；　only　repeated　his　former　story　with　　many　asseverations；　and　insisted　that　two　horses　were　certainly　　carried　off。　　At　this　Jim　Gurney　declared　that　he　was　crazy；　Tete　　Rouge　indignantly　denied　the　charge；　on　which　Jim　appealed　to　us。　　As　　we　declined　to　give　our　judgment　on　so　delicate　a　matter；　the　dispute　　grew　hot　between　Tete　Rouge　and　his　accuser；　until　he　was　directed　to　　go　to　bed　and　not　alarm　the　camp　again　if　he　saw　the　whole　Arapahoe　　village　coming。

CHAPTER　XXIV　THE　CHASE

The　country　before　us　was　now　thronged　with　buffalo；　and　a　sketch　of　　the　manner　of　hunting　them　will　not　be　out　of　place。　　There　are　two　　methods　commonly　practiced；　〃running〃　and　〃approaching。〃　　The　chase　　on　horseback；　which　goes　by　the　name　of　〃running；〃　is　the　more　　violent　and　dashing　mode　of　the　two。　　Indeed；　of　all　American　wild　　sports；　this　is　the　wildest。　　Once　among　the　buffalo；　the　hunter；　　unless　long　use　has　made　him　familiar　with　the　situation；　dashes　　forward　in　utter　recklessness　and　self…abandonment。　　He　thinks　of　　nothing；　cares　for　nothing　but　the　game；　his　mind　is　stimulated　to　　the　highest　pitch；　yet　intensely　concentrated　on　one　object。　　In　the　　midst　of　the　flying　herd；　where　the　uproar　and　the　dust　are　thickest；　　it　never　wavers　for　a　moment；　he　drops　the　rein　and　abandons　his　　horse　to　his　furious　career；　he　levels　his　gun；　the　report　sounds　　faint　amid　the　thunder　of　the　buffalo；　and　when　his　wounded　enemy　　leaps　in　vain　fury　upon　him；　his　heart　thrills　with　a　feeling　like　　the　fierce　delight　of　the　battlefield。　　A　practiced　and　skillful　　hunter；　well　mounted；　will　sometimes　kill　five　or　six　cows　in　a　　single　chase；　loading　his　gun　again　and　again　as　his　horse　rushes　　through　the　tumult。　　An　exploit　like　this　is　quite　beyond　the　　capacities　of　a　novice。　　In　attacking　a　small　band　of　buffalo；　or　in　　separating　a　single　animal　from　the　herd　and　assailing　it　apart　from　　the　rest；　there　is　less　excitement　and　less　danger。　　With　a　bold　and　　well　trained　horse　the　hunter　may　ride　so　close　to　the　buffalo　that　　as　they　gallop　side　by　side　he　may　reach　over　and　touch　him　with　his　　hand；　nor　is　there　much　danger　in　this　as　long　as　the　buffalo's　　strength　and　breath　continue　unabated；　but　when　he　becomes　tired　and　　can　no　longer　run　at　ease；　when　his　tongue　lolls　out　and　foam　flies　　from　his　jaws；　then　the　hunter　had　better　keep　at　a　more　respectful　　distance；　the　distressed　brute　may　turn　upon　him　at　any　instant；　and　　especially　at　the　moment　when　he　fires　his　gun。　　The　wounded　buffalo　　springs　at　his　enemy；　the　horse　leaps　violently　aside；　and　then　the　　hunter　has　need　of　a　tenacious　seat　in　the　saddle；　for　if　he　is　　thrown　to　the　ground　there　is　no　hope　for　him。　　When　he　sees　his　　attack　defeated　the　buffalo　resumes　his　flight；　but　if　the　shot　be　　well　directed　he　soon　stops；　for　a　few　moments　he　stands　still；　then　　totters　and　falls　heavily　upon　the　prairie。　The　chief　difficulty　in　running　buffalo；　as　it　seems　to　me；　is　that　　of　loading　the　gun　or　pistol　at　full　gallop。　　Many　hunters　for　　convenience'　sake　carry　three　or　four　bullets　in　the　mouth；　the　　powder　is　poured　down　the　muzzle　of　the　piece；　the　bullet　dropped　in　　after　it；　the　stock　struck　hard　upon　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；　and　　the　work　is　done。　　The　danger　of　this　method　is　obvious。　　Should　the　　blow　on　the　pommel　fail　to　send　the　bullet　home；　or　should　the　　latter；　in　the　act　of　aiming；　start　from　its　place　and　roll　toward　　the　muzzle；　the　gun　would　probably　burst　in　discharging。　　Many　a　　shattered　hand　and　worse　casualties　besides　have　been　the　result　of　　such　an　accident。　　To　obviate　it；　some　hunters　make　use　of　a　ramrod；　　usually　hung　by　a　string　from　the　neck；　but　this　materially　increases　　the　difficulty　of　loading。　　The　bows　and　arrows　which　the　Indians　use　　in　running　buffalo　have　many　advantages　over　fire　arms；　and　even　　white　men　occasionally　employ　them。　The　danger　of　the　chase　arises　not　so　much　from　the　onset　of　the　　wounded　animal　as　from　the　nature　of　the　ground　which　the　hunter　must　　ride　over。　　The　prairie　does　not　always　present　a　smooth；　level；　and　　uniform　surface；　very　often　it　is　broken　with　hills　and　hollows；　　intersected　by　ravines；　and　in　the　remoter　parts　studded　by　the　stiff　　wild…sage　bushes。　　The　most　formidable　obstructions；　however；　are　the　　burrows　of　wild　animals；　wolves；　badgers；　and　particularly　prairie　　dogs；　with　whose　holes　the　ground　for　a　very　great　extent　is　　frequently　honeycombed。　　In　the　blindness　of　the　chase　the　hunter　　rushes　over　it　unconscious　of　danger；　his　horse；　at　full　career；　　thrusts　his　leg　deep　into　one　of　the　burrows；　the　bone　snaps；　the　　rider　is　hurled　forward　to　the　ground　and　probably　killed。　　Yet　　accidents　in　buffalo　running　happen　less　frequently　than　one　would　　suppose；　in　the　recklessness　of　the　chase；　the　hunter　enjoys　all　the　　impunity　of　a　drunken　man；　and　may　ride　in　safety　over　the　gullies　　and　declivities