the oregon trail-第66部分

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s　rifle。　　His　eyes　were　ranging　over　　the　singular　assemblage　around　him。　　Now　and　then　he　would　select　　such　a　cow　as　suited　him；　level　his　rifle；　and　shoot　her　dead；　then　　quietly　reloading；　he　would　resume　his　former　position。　　The　buffalo　　seemed　no　more　to　regard　his　presence　than　if　he　were　one　of　　themselves；　the　bulls　were　bellowing　and　butting　at　each　other；　or　　else　rolling　about　in　the　dust。　　A　group　of　buffalo　would　gather　　about　the　carcass　of　a　dead　cow；　snuffing　at　her　wounds；　and　　sometimes　they　would　come　behind　those　that　had　not　yet　fallen；　and　　endeavor　to　push　them　from　the　spot。　　Now　and　then　some　old　bull　　would　face　toward　Henry　with　an　air　of　stupid　amazement；　but　none　　seemed　inclined　to　attack　or　fly　from　him。　　For　some　time　Shaw　lay　　among　the　grass；　looking　in　surprise　at　this　extraordinary　sight；　at　　length　he　crawled　cautiously　forward；　and　spoke　in　a　low　voice　to　　Henry；　who　told　him　to　rise　and　come　on。　　Still　the　buffalo　showed　no　　sign　of　fear；　they　remained　gathered　about　their　dead　companions。　　　Henry　had　already　killed　as　many　cows　as　we　wanted　for　use；　and　Shaw；　　kneeling　behind　one　of　the　carcasses；　shot　five　bulls　before　the　rest　　thought　it　necessary　to　disperse。　The　frequent　stupidity　and　infatuation　of　the　buffalo　seems　the　more　　remarkable　from　the　contrast　it　offers　to　their　wildness　and　wariness　　at　other　times。　　Henry　knew　all　their　peculiarities；　he　had　studied　　them　as　a　scholar　studies　his　books；　and　he　derived　quite　as　much　　pleasure　from　the　occupation。　　The　buffalo　were　a　kind　of　companions　　to　him；　and；　as　he　said；　he　never　felt　alone　when　they　were　about　　him。　　He　took　great　pride　in　his　skill　in　hunting。　　Henry　was　one　of　　the　most　modest　of　men；　yet；　in　the　simplicity　and　frankness　of　his　　character；　it　was　quite　clear　that　he　looked　upon　his　pre…eminence　in　　this　respect　as　a　thing　too　palpable　and　well　established　ever　to　be　　disputed。　　But　whatever　may　have　been　his　estimate　of　his　own　skill；　　it　was　rather　below　than　above　that　which　others　placed　upon　it。　　The　　only　time　that　I　ever　saw　a　shade　of　scorn　darken　his　face　was　when　　two　volunteer　soldiers；　who　had　just　killed　a　buffalo　for　the　first　　time；　undertook　to　instruct　him　as　to　the　best　method　of　　〃approaching。〃　　To　borrow　an　illustration　from　an　opposite　side　of　　life；　an　Eton　boy　might　as　well　have　sought　to　enlighten　Porson　on　　the　formation　of　a　Greek　verb；　or　a　Fleet　Street　shopkeeper　to　　instruct　Chesterfield　concerning　a　point　of　etiquette。　　Henry　always　　seemed　to　think　that　he　had　a　sort　of　prescriptive　right　to　the　　buffalo；　and　to　look　upon　them　as　something　belonging　peculiarly　to　　himself。　　Nothing　excited　his　indignation　so　much　as　any　wanton　　destruction　committed　among　the　cows；　and　in　his　view　shooting　a　calf　　was　a　cardinal　sin。　Henry　Chatillon　and　Tete　Rouge　were　of　the　same　age；　that　is；　about　　thirty。　　Henry　was　twice　as　large；　and　fully　six　times　as　strong　as　　Tete　Rouge。　　Henry's　face　was　roughened　by　winds　and　storms；　Tete　　Rouge's　was　bloated　by　sherry　cobblers　and　brandy　toddy。　　Henry　　talked　of　Indians　and　buffalo；　Tete　Rouge　of　theaters　and　oyster　　cellars。　　Henry　had　led　a　life　of　hardship　and　privation；　Tete　Rouge　　never　had　a　whim　which　he　would　not　gratify　at　the　first　moment　he　　was　able。　　Henry　moreover　was　the　most　disinterested　man　I　ever　saw；　　while　Tete　Rouge；　though　equally　good…natured　in　his　way；　cared　for　　nobody　but　himself。　　Yet　we　would　not　have　lost　him　on　any　account；　　he　admirably　served　the　purpose　of　a　jester　in　a　feudal　castle；　our　　camp　would　have　been　lifeless　without　him。　　For　the　past　week　he　had　　fattened　in　a　most　amazing　manner；　and　indeed　this　was　not　at　all　　surprising；　since　his　appetite　was　most　inordinate。　　He　was　eating　　from　morning　till　night；　half　the　time　he　would　be　at　work　cooking　　some　private　repast　for　himself；　and　he　paid　a　visit　to　the　coffee…　pot　eight　or　ten　times　a　day。　　His　rueful　and　disconsolate　face　　became　jovial　and　rubicund；　his　eyes　stood　out　like　a　lobster's；　and　　his　spirits；　which　before　were　sunk　to　the　depths　of　despondency；　　were　now　elated　in　proportion；　all　day　he　was　singing；　whistling；　　laughing；　and　telling　stories。　　Being　mortally　afraid　of　Jim　Gurney；　　he　kept　close　in　the　neighborhood　of　our　tent。　　As　he　had　seen　an　　abundance　of　low　dissipated　life；　and　had　a　considerable　fund　of　　humor；　his　anecdotes　were　extremely　amusing；　especially　since　he　　never　hesitated　to　place　himself　in　a　ludicrous　point　of　view；　　provided　he　could　raise　a　laugh　by　doing　so。　　Tete　Rouge；　however；　　was　sometimes　rather　troublesome；　he　had　an　inveterate　habit　of　　pilfering　provisions　at　all　times　of　the　day。　　He　set　ridicule　at　　utter　defiance；　and　being　without　a　particle　of　self…respect；　he　　would　never　have　given　over　his　tricks；　even　if　they　had　drawn　upon　　him　the　scorn　of　the　whole　party。　　Now　and　then；　indeed；　something　　worse　than　laughter　fell　to　his　share；　on　these　occasions　he　would　　exhibit　much　contrition；　but　half　an　hour　after　we　would　generally　　observe　him　stealing　round　to　the　box　at　the　back　of　the　cart　and　　slyly　making　off　with　the　provisions　which　Delorier　had　laid　by　for　　supper。　　He　was　very　fond　of　smoking；　but　having　no　tobacco　of　his　　own；　we　used　to　provide　him　with　as　much　as　he　wanted；　a　small　piece　　at　a　time。　　At　first　we　gave　him　half　a　pound　together；　but　this　　experiment　proved　an　entire　failure；　for　he　invariably　lost　not　only　　the　tobacco；　but　the　knife　intrusted　to　him　for　cutting　it；　and　a　few　　minutes　after　he　would　come　to　us　with　many　apologies　and　beg　for　　more。　We　had　been　two　days　at　this　camp；　and　some　of　the　meat　was　nearly　　fit　for　transportation；　when　a　storm　came　suddenly　upon　us。　　About　　sunset　the　whole　sky　grew　as　black　as　ink；　and　the　long　grass　at　the　　river's　edge　bent　and　rose　mournfully　with　the　first　gusts　of　the　　approaching　hurricane。　　Munroe　and　his　two　companions　brought　their　　guns　and　placed　them　under　cover　of　our　tent。　　Having　no　shelter　for　　themselves；　they　built　a　fire　of　driftwood　that　might　have　defied　a　　cataract；　and　wrapped　in　their　buffalo　robes；　sat　on　the　ground　　around　it　to　bide　the　fury　of　the　storm。　　Delorier　ensconced　himself　　under　the　cover　of　the　cart。　　Shaw　and　I；　together　with　Henry　and　　Tete　Rouge；　crowded　into　the　little　tent；　but　first　of　all　the　dried　　meat　was　piled　together；　and　well　protected　by　buffalo　robes　pinned　　firmly　to　the　ground。　　About　nine　o'clock　the　storm　broke；　amid　　absolute　darkness；　it　blew　a　gale；　and　torrents　of　rain　roared　over　　the　boundless　expanse　of　open　prairie。　　Our　tent　was　filled　with　mist　　and　spray　beating　through　the　canvas；　and　saturating　everything　　within。　　We　could　only　distinguish　each　other　at　short　intervals　by　　the　dazzling　flash　of　lightning；　which　displayed　the　whole　waste　　around　us　with　its　momentary　glare。　　We　had　our　fears　for　the　tent；　　but　for　an　hour　or　two　it　stood　fast；　until　at　length　the　cap　gave　　way　before　a　furious　blast；　the　pole　tore　through　the　top；　and　in　an　　instant　we　were　half　suffocated　by　the　cold　and　dripping　folds　of　the　　canvas；　which　fell　down　upon　us。　　Seizing　upon　our　guns；　we　placed　　them　erect；　in　order　to　lift　the　saturated　cloth　above　our　heads。　　In　　this　disagreeable　situation；　involved　among　wet　blankets　and　buffalo　　robes；　we　spent　several　hours　of　the　night　during　which　the　storm　　would　not　abate　for　a　moment；　but　pelted　down　above　our　heads　with　　merciless　fury。　　Before　long　the　ground　beneath　us　became　soaked　with　　moisture；　and　the　water　gathered　there　in　a　pool　two　or　three　inches　　deep；　so　that　for　a　considerable　part　of　the　night　we　were　partially　　immersed　in　a　cold　bath。　　In　spite　of　all　this；　Tete　Rouge's　flow　of　　spirits　did　not　desert　him　for　an　instant；　he　laughed；　whistled；　and　　sung　in　defiance　of　the　storm；　and　that　night　he　paid　off　the　long　　arrears　of　ridicule　which　he　owed　us。　　While　we　lay　in　silence；　　enduring　the　infliction　with　what　philosophy　we　could　muster；　Tete　　Rouge；　who　was　intoxicated　with　animal　spirits；　was　cracking　jokes　at　　our　expense　by　the　hour　together。　　At　about　three　o'clock　in　the　　morning；　〃preferring　the　tyranny　of　the　open　night〃　to　such　a　　wretched　shelter；　we　crawled　out　from　beneath　the　fallen　canvas。　　The　　wind　had　abated；　but　the　rain　fell　steadily。　　The　fire　of　the　　California　men　still　blazed　amid　the　darkness；　and　we　joined　them　as　　they　sat　around　it。　　We　made　ready　some　hot　coffee　by　way　of　　refreshment；　but　when　some　of　the　party　sought　to　replenish　their　　cups；　it　was　found　that　Tete　Rouge；　having　disposed　of　his　own　share；　　had　privately　abstracted　the　coffee…pot　and　drank　up　the　rest　of　the　　contents　out　of　the　spout。　In　the　morning；　to　our　great　joy；　an　unclouded　sun　rose　upon　the　　prairie。　　We　presented　rather　a　laughable　appearance；　for　the　cold　　and　clammy　buckskin；　saturated　with　water；　clung　fast　to　our　limbs；　　the　light　wind　and　warm　sunshine　soon　dried　them　again；　and　then　we　　were　all　incased　in　armor　of　intolerable　rigidity。　　Roaming　all　day　　over　the　prairie　and　shooting　two　or　three　bulls；　were　scarcely　　enough　to　restore　the　stiffened　leather　to　its　usual　pliancy。　Besides　Henry　Chatillon；　Shaw　and　I　were　the　only　hunters　in　the　　party。　　Munroe　this　morning　made　an　attempt　to　run　a　buffalo；　but　his　　horse　could　not　come　up　to　the　game。　　Shaw　went　out　with　him；　and　　being　better　mounted　soon　found　himself　in　the　midst　of　the　herd。　　　Seeing　nothing　but　cows　and　calves　around　him；　he　checked　his　horse。　　　An　old　bull　came　galloping　on　the　open　prairie　at　some　distance　　behind；　and　turning；　Shaw　rode　across　his　path；　leveling　his　gun　as　　he　passed；　and　shooting　him　through　the　shoulder　into　the　heart。　　The　　heavy　bullets　of　Shaw's　double…barreled　gun　made　wild　work　wherever　　they　struck。　A　great　flock　of　buzzards　were　usually　soaring　about　a　few　trees　that　　stood　on　the　island　just　below　our　camp。　　Throughout　the　whole　of　　yesterday　we　had　noticed　an　eagle　among　them；　to…day　he　was　still　　there；　and　Tete　Rouge；　declaring　that　he　would　kill　the　bird　of　　America；　borrowed　Delorier's　gun　and　set　out　on　his　unpatriotic　　mission。　　As　might　have　been　expected；　the　eagle　suffered　no　great　　harm　at　his　hands。　　He　soon　returned；　saying　that　he　could　not　find　　him；　but　had　shot　a　buzzard　instead。　　Being　required　to　produce　th