hunting the grisly and other sketches-第34部分

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minute　or　two；　for　Sword…Bearer　was　struck　by　a　bullet　and　fell；　and
as　he　had　boasted　himself　invulnerable；　and　promised　that　his　warriors
should　be　invulnerable　also　if　they　would　follow　him；　the　hearts　of
the　latter　became　as　water　and　they　broke　in　every　direction。　One　of
the　amusing；　though　irritating；　incidents　of　the　affair　was　to　see　the
plumed　and　painted　warriors　race　headlong　for　the　camp；　plunge　into
the　stream；　wash　off　their　war　paint；　and　remove　their　feathers；　in
another　moment　they　would　be　stolidly　sitting　on　the　ground；　with
their　blankets　over　their　shoulders；　rising　to　greet　the　pursuing
cavalry　with　unmoved　composure　and　calm　assurance　that　they　had　always
been　friendly　and　had　much　disapproved　the　conduct　of　the　young　bucks
who　had　just　been　scattered　on　the　field　outside。　It　was　much　to　the
credit　of　the　discipline　of　the　army　that　no　bloodshed　followed　the
fight　proper。　The　loss　to　the　whites　was　small。

The　other　incident；　related　by　Lieutenant　Pitcher；　took　place　in　1890；
near　Tongue　River；　in　northern　Wyoming。　The　command　with　which　he　was
serving　was　camped　near　the　Cheyenne　Reservation。　One　day　two　young
Cheyenne　bucks；　met　one　of　the　government　herders；　and　promptly　killed
himin　a　sudden　fit；　half　of　ungovernable　blood　lust；　half　of　mere
ferocious　lightheartedness。　They　then　dragged　his　body　into　the　brush
and　left　it。　The　disappearance　of　the　herder　of　course　attracted
attention；　and　a　search　was　organized　by　the　cavalry。　At　first　the
Indians　stoutly　denied　all　knowledge　of　the　missing　man；　but　when　it
became　evident　that　the　search　party　would　shortly　find　him；　two　or
three　of　the　chiefs　joined　them；　and　piloted　them　to　where　the　body
lay；　and　acknowledged　that　he　had　been　murdered　by　two　of　their　band；
though　at　first　they　refused　to　give　their　names。　The　commander　of　the
post　demanded　that　the　murderers　be　given　up。　The　chiefs　said　that
they　were　very　sorry；　that　this　could　not　be　done；　but　that　they　were
willing　to　pay　over　any　reasonable　number　of　ponies　to　make　amends　for
the　death。　This　offer　was　of　course　promptly　refused；　and　the
commander　notified　them　that　if　they　did　not　surrender　the　murderers
by　a　certain　time　he　would　hold　the　whole　tribe　responsible　and　would
promptly　move　out　and　attack　them。　Upon　this　the　chiefs；　after　holding
full　counsel　with　the　tribe；　told　the　commander　that　they　had　no　power
to　surrender　the　murderers；　but　that　the　latter　had　said　that　sooner
than　see　their　tribe　involved　in　a　hopeless　struggle　they　would　of
their　own　accord　come　in　and　meet　the　troops　anywhere　the　latter　chose
to　appoint；　and　die　fighting。　To　this　the　commander　responded：　〃All
right；　let　them　come　into　the　agency　in　half　an　hour。〃　The　chiefs
acquiesced；　and　withdrew。

Immediately　the　Indians　sent　mounted　messengers　at　speed　from　camp　to
camp；　summoning　all　their　people　to　witness　the　act　of　fierce　self…
doom；　and　soon　the　entire　tribe　of　Cheyennes；　many　of　them　having
their　faces　blackened　in　token　of　mourning；　moved　down　and　took　up　a
position　on　the　hill…side　close　to　the　agency。　At　the　appointed　hour
both　young　men　appeared　in　their　handsome　war　dress；　galloped　to　the
top　of　the　hill　near　the　encampment；　and　deliberately　opened　fire　on
the　troops。　The　latter　merely　fired　a　few　shots　to　keep　the　young
desperadoes　off；　while　Lieutenant　Pitcher　and　a　score　of　cavalrymen
left　camp　to　make　a　circle　and　drive　them　in；　they　did　not　wish　to
hurt　them；　but　to　capture　and　give　them　over　to　the　Indians；　so　that
the　latter　might　be　forced　themselves　to　inflict　the　punishment。
However；　they　were　unable　to　accomplish　their　purpose；　one　of　the
young　braves　went　straight　at　them；　firing　his　rifle　and　wounding　the
horse　of　one　of　the　cavalrymen；　so　that；　simply　in　self…defence；　the
latter　had　to　fire　a　volley；　which　laid　low　the　assailant；　the　other；
his　horse　having　been　shot；　was　killed　in　the　brush；　fighting　to　the
last。　All　the　while；　from　the　moment　the　two　doomed　braves　appeared
until　they　fell；　the　Cheyennes　on　the　hill…side　had　been　steadily
singing　the　death　chant。　When　the　young　men　had　both　died；　and　had
thus　averted　the　fate　which　their　misdeeds　would　else　have　brought
upon　the　tribe；　the　warriors　took　their　bodies　and　bore　them　away　for
burial　honors；　the　soldiers　looking　on　in　silence。　Where　the　slain　men
were　buried　the　whites　never　knew；　but　all　that　night　they　listened　to
the　dismal　wailing　of　the　dirges　with　which　the　tribesmen　celebrated
their　gloomy　funeral　rites。

Frontiersmen　are　not；　as　a　rule；　apt　to　be　very　superstitious。　They
lead　lives　too　hard　and　practical；　and　have　too　little　imagination　in
things　spiritual　and　supernatural。　I　have　heard　but　few　ghost　stories
while　living　on　the　frontier；　and　these　few　were　of　a　perfectly
commonplace　and　conventional　type。

But　I　once　listened　to　a　goblin　story　which　rather　impressed　me。　It
was　told　by　a　grisled；　weather…beaten　old　mountain　hunter；　named
Bauman；　who　was　born　and　had　passed　all　his　life　on　the　frontier。　He
must　have　believed　what　he　said；　for　he　could　hardly　repress　a　shudder
at　certain　points　of　the　tale；　but　he　was　of　German　ancestry；　and　in
childhood　had　doubtless　been　saturated　with　all　kinds　of　ghost　and
goblin　lore；　so　that　many　fearsome　superstitions　were　latent　in　his
mind；　besides；　he　knew　well　the　stories　told　by　the　Indian　medicine
men　in　their　winter　camps；　of　the　snow…walkers；　and　the　spectres；　and
the　formless　evil　beings　that　haunt　the　forest　depths；　and　dog　and
waylay　the　lonely　wanderer　who　after　nightfall　passes　through　the
regions　where　they　lurk；　and　it　may　be　that　when　overcome　by　the
horror　of　the　fate　that　befell　his　friend；　and　when　oppressed　by　the
awful　dread　of　the　unknown；　he　grew　to　attribute；　both　at　the　time　and
still　more　in　remembrance；　weird　and　elfin　traits　to　what　was　merely
some　abnormally　wicked　and　cunning　wild　beast；　but　whether　this　was　so
or　not；　no　man　can　say。

When　the　event　occurred　Bauman　was　still　a　young　man；　and　was　trapping
with　a　partner　among　the　mountains　dividing　the　forks　of　the　Salmon
from　the　head　of　Wisdom　River。　Not　having　had　much　luck；　he　and　his
partner　determined　to　go　up　into　a　particularly　wild　and　lonely　pass
through　which　ran　a　small　stream　said　to　contain　many　beaver。　The　pass
had　an　evil　reputation　because　the　year　before　a　solitary　hunter　who
had　wandered　into　it　was　there　slain；　seemingly　by　a　wild　beast；　the
half…eaten　remains　being　afterwards　found　by　some　mining　prospectors
who　had　passed　his　camp　only　the　night　before。

The　memory　of　this　event；　however；　weighed　very　lightly　with　the　two
trappers；　who　were　as　adventurous　and　hardy　as　others　of　their　kind。
They　took　their　two　lean　mountain　ponies　to　the　foot　of　the　pass；
where　they　left　them　in　an　open　beaver　meadow；　the　rocky　timber…clad
ground　being　from　thence　onwards　impracticable　for　horses。　They　then
struck　out　on　foot　through　the　vast；　gloomy　forest；　and　in　about　four
hours　reached　a　little　open　glade　where　they　concluded　to　camp；　as
signs　of　game　were　plenty。

There　was　still　an　hour　or　two　of　daylight　left；　and　after　building　a
brush　lean…to　and　throwing　down　and　opening　their　packs；　they　started
up　stream。　The　country　was　very　dense　and　hard　to　travel　through；　as
there　was　much　down　timber；　although　here　and　there　the　sombre
woodland　was　broken　by　small　glades　of　mountain　grass。

At　dusk　they　again　reached　camp。　The　glade　in　which　it　was　pitched　was
not　many　yards　wide；　the　tall；　close…set　pines　and　firs　rising　round
it　like　a　wall。　On　one　side　was　a　little　stream；　beyond　which　rose　the
steep　mountain…slopes；　covered　with　the　unbroken　growth　of　the
evergreen　forest。

They　were　surprised　to　find　that　during　their　short　absence　something；
apparently　a　bear；　had　visited　camp；　and　had　rummaged　about　among
their　things；　scattering　the　contents　of　their　packs；　and　in　sheer
wantonness　destroying　their　lean…to。　The　footprints　of　the　beast　were
quite　plain；　but　at　first　they　paid　no　particular　heed　to　them；
busying　themselves　with　rebuilding　the　lean…to；　laying　out　their　beds
and　stores；　and　lighting　the　fire。

While　Bauman　was　making　ready　supper；　it　being　already　dark；　his
companion　began　to　examine　the　tracks　more　closely；　and　soon　took　a
brand　from　the　fire　to　follow　them　up；　where　the　intruder　had　walked
along　a　game　trail　after　leaving　the　camp。　When　the　brand　flickered
out；　he　returned　and　took　another；　repeating　his　inspection　of　the
footprints　very　closely。　Coming　back　to　the　fire；　he　stood　by　it　a
minute　or　two；　peering　out　into　the　darkness；　and　suddenly　remarked：
〃Bauman；　that　bear　has　been　walking　on　two　legs。〃　Bauman　laughed　at
this；　but　his　partner　insisted　that　he　was　right；　and　upon　again
examining　the　tracks　with　a　torch；　they　certainly　did　seem　to　be　made
by　but　two　paws；　or　feet。　However；　it　was　too　dark　to　make　sure。　After
discussing　whether　the　footprints　could　possibly　be　those　of　a　human
being；　and　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　they　could　not　be；　the　two
men　rolled　up　in　their　blankets；　and　went　to　sleep　under　the　lean…to。

At　midnight　Bauman　was　awakened　by　some　noise；　and　sat　up　in　his
blankets。　As　he　did　so　his　nostrils　were　struck　by　a　strong；　wild…
beast　odor；　and　he　caught　the　loom　of　a　great　body　in　the　darkness　at
the　mouth　of　the　lean…to。　Grasping　his　rifle；　he　fired　at　the　vague；
threatening　shadow；　but　must　have　missed；　for　immediately　afterwards
he　heard　the　smashing　of　the　underwood　as　the　thing；　whatever　it　was；
rushed　off　into　the　impenetrable　blackness　of　the　forest　and　the
night。

After　this　the　two　men　slept　but　little；　sitting　up　by　the　rekindled
fire；　but　they　heard　nothing　more。　In　the　morning　they　started　out　to
look　at　the　few　traps　they　had　set　the　previous　evening　and　to　put　out
new　ones。　By　an　unspoken　agreement　they　kept　together　all　day；　and
returned　to　camp　towards　evening。

On　nearing　it　they　saw；　hardly　to　their　astonishment；　that　the　lean…to
had　been　again　torn　down。　The　visitor　of　the　preceding　day　had
returned；　and　in　wanton　malice　had　tossed　about　their　camp　kit　and
bedding；　and　destroyed　the　shanty。　The　ground　was　marked　up　by　its
tracks；　and　on　leaving　the　camp　it　had　gone　along　the　soft　ear