the oregon trail-第70部分

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　within　a　hundred　yards；　here　I　sat　down　upon　the　grass　　and　waited　till　he　should　turn　himself　into　a　proper　position　to　　receive　his　death…wound。　　He　was　a　grim　old　veteran。　　His　loves　and　　his　battles　were　over　for　that　season；　and　now；　gaunt　and　war…worn；　　he　had　withdrawn　from　the　herd　to　graze　by　himself　and　recruit　his　　exhausted　strength。　　He　was　miserably　emaciated；　his　mane　was　all　in　　tatters；　his　hide　was　bare　and　rough　as　an　elephant's；　and　covered　　with　dried　patches　of　the　mud　in　which　he　had　been　wallowing。　　He　　showed　all　his　ribs　whenever　he　moved。　　He　looked　like　some　grizzly　　old　ruffian　grown　gray　in　blood　and　violence；　and　scowling　on　all　the　　world　from　his　misanthropic　seclusion。　　The　old　savage　looked　up　when　　I　first　approached；　and　gave　me　a　fierce　stare；　then　he　fell　to　　grazing　again　with　an　air　of　contemptuous　indifference。　　The　moment　　after；　as　if　suddenly　recollecting　himself；　he　threw　up　his　head；　　faced　quickly　about；　and　to　my　amazement　came　at　a　rapid　trot　　directly　toward　me。　　I　was　strongly　impelled　to　get　up　and　run；　but　　this　would　have　been　very　dangerous。　　Sitting　quite　still　I　aimed；　as　　he　came　on；　at　the　thin　part　of　the　skull　above　the　nose。　　After　he　　had　passed　over　about　three…quarters　of　the　distance　between　us；　I　　was　on　the　point　of　firing；　when；　to　my　great　satisfaction；　he　　stopped　short。　　I　had　full　opportunity　of　studying　his　countenance；　　his　whole　front　was　covered　with　a　huge　mass　of　coarse　matted　hair；　　which　hung　so　low　that　nothing　but　his　two　forefeet　were　visible　　beneath　it；　his　short　thick　horns　were　blunted　and　split　to　the　very　　roots　in　his　various　battles；　and　across　his　nose　and　forehead　were　　two　or　three　large　white　scars；　which　gave　him　a　grim　and　at　the　same　　time　a　whimsical　appearance。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　he　stood　there　　motionless　for　a　full　quarter　of　an　hour；　looking　at　me　through　the　　tangled　locks　of　his　mane。　　For　my　part；　I　remained　as　quiet　as　he；　　and　looked　quite　as　hard；　I　felt　greatly　inclined　to　come　to　term　　with　him。　　〃My　friend；〃　thought　I；　〃if　you'll　let　me　off；　I'll　let　　you　off。〃　　At　length　he　seemed　to　have　abandoned　any　hostile　design。　　　Very　slowly　and　deliberately　he　began　to　turn　about；　little　by　little　　his　side　came　into　view；　all　be…plastered　with　mud。　　It　was　a　　tempting　sight。　　I　forgot　my　prudent　intentions；　and　fired　my　rifle；　　a　pistol　would　have　served　at　that　distance。　　Round　spun　old　bull　　like　a　top；　and　away　he　galloped　over　the　prairie。　　He　ran　some　　distance；　and　even　ascended　a　considerable　hill；　before　he　lay　down　　and　died。　　After　shooting　another　bull　among　the　hills；　I　went　back　　to　camp。　At　noon；　on　the　14th　of　September；　a　very　large　Santa　Fe　caravan　came　　up。　　The　plain　was　covered　with　the　long　files　of　their　white…topped　　wagons；　the　close　black　carriages　in　which　the　traders　travel　and　　sleep；　large　droves　of　animals；　and　men　on　horseback　and　on　foot。　　　They　all　stopped　on　the　meadow　near　us。　　Our　diminutive　cart　and　　handful　of　men　made　but　an　insignificant　figure　by　the　side　of　their　　wide　and　bustling　camp。　　Tete　Rouge　went　over　to　visit　them；　and　soon　　came　back　with　half　a　dozen　biscuits　in　one　hand　and　a　bottle　of　　brandy　in　the　other。　　I　inquired　where　he　got　them。　　〃Oh；〃　said　Tete　　Rouge；　〃I　know　some　of　the　traders。　　Dr。　Dobbs　is　there　besides。〃　　I　　asked　who　Dr。　Dobbs　might　be。　　〃One　of　our　St。　Louis　doctors；〃　　replied　Tete　Rouge。　　For　two　days　past　I　had　been　severely　attacked　　by　the　same　disorder　which　had　so　greatly　reduced　my　strength　when　at　　the　mountains；　at　this　time　I　was　suffering　not　a　little　from　the　　sudden　pain　and　weakness　which　it　occasioned。　　Tete　Rouge；　in　answer　　to　my　inquiries；　declared　that　Dr。　Dobbs　was　a　physician　of　the　first　　standing。　　Without　at　all　believing　him；　I　resolved　to　consult　this　　eminent　practitioner。　　Walking　over　to　the　camp；　I　found　him　lying　　sound　asleep　under　one　of　the　wagons。　　He　offered　in　his　own　person　　but　an　indifferent　specimen　of　his　skill；　for　it　was　five　months　　since　I　had　seen　so　cadaverous　a　face。　His　hat　had　fallen　off；　and　his　yellow　hair　was　all　in　disorder；　one　　of　his　arms　supplied　the　place　of　a　pillow；　his　pantaloons　were　　wrinkled　halfway　up　to　his　knees；　and　he　was　covered　with　little　bits　　of　grass　and　straw；　upon　which　he　had　rolled　in　his　uneasy　slumber。　　　A　Mexican　stood　near；　and　I　made　him　a　sign　that　he　should　touch　the　　doctor。　　Up　sprang　the　learned　Dobbs；　and；　sitting　upright；　rubbed　　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him　in　great　bewilderment。　　I　regretted　the　　necessity　of　disturbing　him；　and　said　I　had　come　to　ask　professional　　advice。　　〃Your　system；　sir；　is　in　a　disordered　state；〃　said　he　　solemnly；　after　a　short　examination。　I　inquired　what　might　be　the　particular　species　of　disorder。　〃Evidently　a　morbid　action　of　the　liver；〃　replied　the　medical　man；　〃I　　will　give　you　a　prescription。〃　Repairing　to　the　back　of　one　of　the　covered　wagons；　he　scrambled　in；　　for　a　moment　I　could　see　nothing　of　him　but　his　boots。　　At　length　he　　produced　a　box　which　he　had　extracted　from　some　dark　recess　within；　　and　opening　it；　he　presented　me　with　a　folded　paper　of　some　size。　　　〃What　is　it？〃　said　I。　　〃Calomel；〃　said　the　doctor。　Under　the　circumstances　I　would　have　taken　almost　anything。　　There　　was　not　enough　to　do　me　much　harm；　and　it　might　possibly　do　good；　so　　at　camp　that　night　I　took　the　poison　instead　of　supper。　That　camp　is　worthy　of　notice。　　The　traders　warned　us　not　to　follow　　the　main　trail　along　the　river；　〃unless；〃　as　one　of　them　observed；　　〃you　want　to　have　your　throats　cut！〃　　The　river　at　this　place　makes　a　　bend；　and　a　smaller　trail；　known　as　the　Ridge…path；　leads　directly　　across　the　prairie　from　point　to　point；　a　distance　of　sixty　or　　seventy　miles。　We　followed　this　trail；　and　after　traveling　seven　or　eight　miles；　we　　came　to　a　small　stream；　where　we　encamped。　　Our　position　was　not　　chosen　with　much　forethought　or　military　skill。　　The　water　was　in　a　　deep　hollow；　with　steep；　high　banks；　on　the　grassy　bottom　of　this　　hollow　we　picketed　our　horses；　while　we　ourselves　encamped　upon　the　　barren　prairie　just　above。　　The　opportunity　was　admirable　either　for　　driving　off　our　horses　or　attacking　us。　　After　dark；　as　Tete　Rouge　　was　sitting　at　supper；　we　observed　him　pointing　with　a　face　of　　speechless　horror　over　the　shoulder　of　Henry；　who　was　opposite　to　　him。　　Aloof　amid　the　darkness　appeared　a　gigantic　black　apparition；　　solemnly　swaying　to　and　fro；　it　advanced　steadily　upon　us。　　Henry；　　half　vexed　and　half　amused；　jumped　up；　spread　out　his　arms；　and　　shouted。　　The　invader　was　an　old　buffalo　bull；　who　with　　characteristic　stupidity；　was　walking　directly　into　camp。　　It　cost　　some　shouting　and　swinging　of　hats　before　we　could　bring　him　first　to　　a　halt　and　then　to　a　rapid　retreat。　That　night　the　moon　was　full　and　bright；　but　as　the　black　clouds　　chased　rapidly　over　it；　we　were　at　one　moment　in　light　and　at　the　　next　in　darkness。　　As　the　evening　advanced；　a　thunderstorm　came　up；　　it　struck　us　with　such　violence　that　the　tent　would　have　been　blown　　over　if　we　had　not　interposed　the　cart　to　break　the　force　of　the　　wind。　　At　length　it　subsided　to　a　steady　rain。　　I　lay　awake　through　　nearly　the　whole　night；　listening　to　its　dull　patter　upon　the　canvas　　above。　　The　moisture；　which　filled　the　tent　and　trickled　from　　everything　in　it；　did　not　add　to　the　comfort　of　the　situation。　　About　　twelve　o'clock　Shaw　went　out　to　stand　guard　amid　the　rain　and　pitch　　darkness。　　Munroe；　the　most　vigilant　as　well　as　one　of　the　bravest　　among　us；　was　also　on　the　alert。　　When　about　two　hours　had　passed；　　Shaw　came　silently　in；　and　touching　Henry；　called　him　in　a　low　quick　　voice　to　come　out。　　〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。　　〃Indians；　I　believe；〃　　whispered　Shaw；　〃but　lie　still；　I'll　call　you　if　there's　a　fight。〃　He　and　Henry　went　out　together。　　I　took　the　cover　from　my　rifle；　put　　a　fresh　percussion　cap　upon　it；　and　then；　being　in　much　pain；　lay　　down　again。　　In　about　five　minutes　Shaw　came　in　again。　　〃All　right；〃　　he　said；　as　he　lay　down　to　sleep。　　Henry　was　now　standing　guard　in　　his　place。　　He　told　me　in　the　morning　the　particulars　of　the　alarm。　　　Munroe'　s　watchful　eye　discovered　some　dark　objects　down　in　the　　hollow；　among　the　horses；　like　men　creeping　on　all　fours。　　Lying　flat　　on　their　faces；　he　and　Shaw　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　bank；　and　were　　soon　convinced　that　what　they　saw　were　Indians。　　Shaw　silently　　withdrew　to　call　Henry；　and　they　all　lay　watching　in　the　same　　position。　　Henry's　eye　is　of　the　best　on　the　prairie。　　He　detected　　after　a　while　the　true　nature　of　the　moving　objects；　they　were　　nothing　but　wolves　creeping　among　the　horses。　It　is　very　singular　that　when　picketed　near　a　camp　horses　seldom　show　　any　fear　of　such　an　intrusion。　　The　wolves　appear　to　have　no　other　　object　than　that　of　gnawing　the　trail…ropes　of　raw　hide　by　which　the　　animals　are　secured。　　Several　times　in　the　course　of　the　journey　my　　horse's　trail…rope　was　bitten　in　two　by　these　nocturnal　visitors。

CHAPTER　XXVII　THE　SETTLEMENTS

The　next　day　was　extremely　hot；　and　we　rode　from　morning　till　night　　without　seeing　a　tree　or　a　bush　or　a　drop　of　water。　　Our　horses　and　　mules　suffered　much　more　than　we；　but　as　sunset　approached　they　　pricked　up　their　ears　and　mended　their　pace。　　Water　was　not　far　off。　　　When　we　came　to　the　descent　of　the　broad　shallowy　valley　where　it　　lay；　an　unlooked…for　sight　awaited　us。　　The　stream　glistened　at　the　　bottom；　and　along　its　banks　were　pitched　a　multitude　of　tents；　while　　hundreds　of　cattle　were　feeding　over　the　meadows。　　Bodies　of　troops；　　both　horse　and　foot；　and　long　trains　of　wagons　with　men；　women；　and　　children；　were　moving　over　the　opposite　ridge　and　descending　the　　broad　declivity　in　front。　　These　were　the　Mormon　battalion　in　the　　service　of　government；　together　with　a　considerable　number　of　　Missouri　volunteers。　　The　Mormons　were　to　be　paid　off　in　California；　　and　they　were　allowed　to　bring　with　them　their　families　and　property。　　　There　was　something　very　striking　in　the　half…military；　half…　patriarchal　appearance　of　these　armed　fanatics；　thus　on　their　way　　with　their　wives　and　children；　to　found；　if　might　be；　a　Mormon　empire　　in　California。　　We　were　much　more　astonished　than　pleased　at　the　　sight　before　us。　　In　order　to　find　an　unoccupied　ca