the oregon trail-第12部分

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r　still　slowly　　champing　the　grass。　　Far　off；　beyond　the　black　outline　of　the　　prairie；　there　was　a　ruddy　light；　gradually　increasing；　like　the　glow　　of　a　conflagration；　until　at　length　the　broad　disk　of　the　moon；　　blood…red；　and　vastly　magnified　by　the　vapors；　rose　slowly　upon　the　　darkness；　flecked　by　one　or　two　little　clouds；　and　as　the　light　　poured　over　the　gloomy　plain；　a　fierce　and　stern　howl；　close　at　hand；　　seemed　to　greet　it　as　an　unwelcome　intruder。　　There　was　something　　impressive　and　awful　in　the　place　and　the　hour；　for　I　and　the　beasts　　were　all　that　had　consciousness　for　many　a　league　around。　Some　days　elapsed；　and　brought　us　near　the　Platte。　　Two　men　on　　horseback　approached　us　one　morning；　and　we　watched　them　with　the　　curiosity　and　interest　that；　upon　the　solitude　of　the　plains；　such　an　　encounter　always　excites。　　They　were　evidently　whites；　from　their　　mode　of　riding；　though；　contrary　to　the　usage　of　that　region；　neither　　of　them　carried　a　rifle。　〃Fools！〃　remarked　Henry　Chatillon；　〃to　ride　that　way　on　the　prairie；　　Pawnee　find　themthen　they　catch　it！〃　Pawnee　HAD　found　them；　and　they　had　come　very　near　〃catching　it〃；　　indeed；　nothing　saved　them　from　trouble　but　the　approach　of　our　　party。　　Shaw　and　I　knew　one　of　them；　a　man　named　Turner；　whom　we　had　　seen　at　Westport。　　He　and　his　companion　belonged　to　an　emigrant　party　　encamped　a　few　miles　in　advance；　and　had　returned　to　look　for　some　　stray　oxen；　leaving　their　rifles；　with　characteristic　rashness　or　　ignorance　behind　them。　　Their　neglect　had　nearly　cost　them　dear；　for　　just　before　we　came　up；　half　a　dozen　Indians　approached；　and　seeing　　them　apparently　defenseless；　one　of　the　rascals　seized　the　bridle　of　　Turner's　fine　horse；　and　ordered　him　to　dismount。　　Turner　was　wholly　　unarmed；　but　the　other　jerked　a　little　revolving　pistol　out　of　his　　pocket；　at　which　the　Pawnee　recoiled；　and　just　then　some　of　our　men　　appearing　in　the　distance；　the　whole　party　whipped　their　rugged　　little　horses；　and　made　off。　　In　no　way　daunted；　Turner　foolishly　　persisted　in　going　forward。　Long　after　leaving　him；　and　late　this　afternoon；　in　the　midst　of　a　　gloomy　and　barren　prairie；　we　came　suddenly　upon　the　great　Pawnee　　trail；　leading　from　their　villages　on　the　Platte　to　their　war　and　　hunting　grounds　to　the　southward。　　Here　every　summer　pass　the　motley　　concourse；　thousands　of　savages；　men；　women；　and　children；　horses　and　　mules；　laden　with　their　weapons　and　implements；　and　an　innumerable　　multitude　of　unruly　wolfish　dogs；　who　have　not　acquired　the　civilized　　accomplishment　of　barking；　but　howl　like　their　wild　cousins　of　the　　prairie。　The　permanent　winter　villages　of　the　Pawnees　stand　on　the　lower　　Platte；　but　throughout　the　summer　the　greater　part　of　the　inhabitants　　are　wandering　over　the　plains；　a　treacherous　cowardly　banditti；　who　　by　a　thousand　acts　of　pillage　and　murder　have　deserved　summary　　chastisement　at　the　hands　of　government。　　Last　year　a　Dakota　warrior　　performed　a　signal　exploit　at　one　of　these　villages。　　He　approached　　it　alone　in　the　middle　of　a　dark　night；　and　clambering　up　the　outside　　of　one　of　the　lodges　which　are　in　the　form　of　a　half…sphere；　he　　looked　in　at　the　round　hole　made　at　the　top　for　the　escape　of　smoke。　　　The　dusky　light　from　the　smoldering　embers　showed　him　the　forms　of　　the　sleeping　inmates；　and　dropping　lightly　through　the　opening；　he　　unsheathed　his　knife；　and　stirring　the　fire　coolly　selected　his　　victims。　　One　by　one　he　stabbed　and　scalped　them；　when　a　child　　suddenly　awoke　and　screamed。　　He　rushed　from　the　lodge；　yelled　a　　Sioux　war…cry；　shouted　his　name　in　triumph　and　defiance；　and　in　a　　moment　had　darted　out　upon　the　dark　prairie；　leaving　the　whole　　village　behind　him　in　a　tumult；　with　the　howling　and　baying　of　dogs；　　the　screams　of　women　and　the　yells　of　the　enraged　warriors。　Our　friend　Kearsley；　as　we　learned　on　rejoining　him；　signalized　　himself　by　a　less　bloody　achievement。　　He　and　his　men　were　good　　woodsmen；　and　well　skilled　in　the　use　of　the　rifle；　but　found　　themselves　wholly　out　of　their　element　on　the　prairie。　　None　of　them　　had　ever　seen　a　buffalo　and　they　had　very　vague　conceptions　of　his　　nature　and　appearance。　　On　the　day　after　they　reached　the　Platte；　　looking　toward　a　distant　swell；　they　beheld　a　multitude　of　little　　black　specks　in　motion　upon　its　surface。　〃Take　your　rifles；　boys；〃　said　Kearslcy；　〃and　we'll　have　fresh　meat　　for　supper。〃　　This　inducement　was　quite　sufficient。　　The　ten　men　left　　their　wagons　and　set　out　in　hot　haste；　some　on　horseback　and　some　on　　foot；　in　pursuit　of　the　supposed　buffalo。　　Meanwhile　a　high　grassy　　ridge　shut　the　game　from　view；　but　mounting　it　after　half　an　hour's　　running　and　riding；　they　found　themselves　suddenly　confronted　by　　about　thirty　mounted　Pawnees！　　The　amazement　and　consternation　were　　mutual。　　Having　nothing　but　their　bows　and　arrows；　the　Indians　　thought　their　hour　was　come；　and　the　fate　that　they　were　no　doubt　　conscious　of　richly　deserving　about　to　overtake　them。　　So　they　began；　　one　and　all；　to　shout　forth　the　most　cordial　salutations　of　　friendship；　running　up　with　extreme　earnestness　to　shake　hands　with　　the　Missourians；　who　were　as　much　rejoiced　as　they　were　to　escape　the　　expected　conflict。　A　low　undulating　line　of　sand…hills　bounded　the　horizon　before　us。　　　That　day　we　rode　ten　consecutive　hours；　and　it　was　dusk　before　we　　entered　the　hollows　and　gorges　of　these　gloomy　little　hills。　　At　　length　we　gained　the　summit；　and　the　long　expected　valley　of　the　　Platte　lay　before　us。　　We　all　drew　rein；　and；　gathering　in　a　knot　on　　the　crest　of　the　hill；　sat　joyfully　looking　down　upon　the　prospect。　　　It　was　right　welcome；　strange　too；　and　striking　to　the　imagination；　　and　yet　it　had　not　one　picturesque　or　beautiful　feature；　nor　had　it　　any　of　the　features　of　grandeur；　other　than　its　vast　extent；　its　　solitude；　and　its　wilderness。　　For　league　after　league　a　plain　as　　level　as　a　frozen　lake　was　outspread　beneath　us；　here　and　there　the　　Platte；　divided　into　a　dozen　threadlike　sluices；　was　traversing　it；　　and　an　occasional　clump　of　wood；　rising　in　the　midst　like　a　shadowy　　island；　relieved　the　monotony　of　the　waste。　　No　living　thing　was　　moving　throughout　the　vast　landscape；　except　the　lizards　that　darted　　over　the　sand　and　through　the　rank　grass　and　prickly…pear　just　at　our　　feet。　　And　yet　stern　and　wild　associations　gave　a　singular　interest　　to　the　view；　for　here　each　man　lives　by　the　strength　of　his　arm　and　　the　valor　of　his　heart。　　Here　society　is　reduced　to　its　original　　elements；　the　whole　fabric　of　art　and　conventionality　is　struck　　rudely　to　pieces；　and　men　find　themselves　suddenly　brought　back　to　　the　wants　and　resources　of　their　original　natures。　We　had　passed　the　more　toilsome　and　monotonous　part　of　the　journey；　　but　four　hundred　miles　still　intervened　between　us　and　Fort　Laramie；　　and　to　reach　that　point　cost　us　the　travel　of　three　additional　weeks。　　　During　the　whole　of　this　time　we　were　passing　up　the　center　of　a　long　　narrow　sandy　plain；　reaching　like　an　outstretched　belt　nearly　to　the　　Rocky　Mountains。　　Two　lines　of　sand…hills；　broken　often　into　the　　wildest　and　most　fantastic　forms；　flanked　the　valley　at　the　distance　　of　a　mile　or　two　on　the　right　and　left；　while　beyond　them　lay　a　　barren；　trackless　wasteThe　Great　American　Desertextending　for　　hundreds　of　miles　to　the　Arkansas　on　the　one　side；　and　the　Missouri　　on　the　other。　　Before　us　and　behind　us；　the　level　monotony　of　the　　plain　was　unbroken　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　　Sometimes　it　　glared　in　the　sun；　an　expanse　of　hot；　bare　sand；　sometimes　it　was　　veiled　by　long　coarse　grass。　　Huge　skulls　and　whitening　bones　of　　buffalo　were　scattered　everywhere；　the　ground　was　tracked　by　myriads　　of　them；　and　often　covered　with　the　circular　indentations　where　the　　bulls　had　wallowed　in　the　hot　weather。　　From　every　gorge　and　ravine；　　opening　from　the　hills；　descended　deep；　well…worn　paths；　where　the　　buffalo　issue　twice　a　day　in　regular　procession　down　to　drink　in　the　　Platte。　　The　river　itself　runs　through　the　midst；　a　thin　sheet　of　　rapid；　turbid　water；　half　a　mile　wide；　and　scarce　two　feet　deep。　　Its　　low　banks　for　the　most　part　without　a　bush　or　a　tree；　are　of　loose　　sand；　with　which　the　stream　is　so　charged　that　it　grates　on　the　teeth　　in　drinking。　　The　naked　landscape　is；　of　itself；　dreary　and　　monotonous　enough；　and　yet　the　wild　beasts　and　wild　men　that　frequent　　the　valley　of　the　Platte　make　it　a　scene　of　interest　and　excitement　　to　the　traveler。　　Of　those　who　have　journeyed　there；　scarce　one；　　perhaps；　fails　to　look　back　with　fond　regret　to　his　horse　and　his　　rifle。　Early　in　the　morning　after　we　reached　the　Platte；　a　long　procession　　of　squalid　savages　approached　our　camp。　　Each　was　on　foot；　leading　　his　horse　by　a　rope　of　bull…hide。　　His　attire　consisted　merely　of　a　　scanty　cincture　and　an　old　buffalo　robe；　tattered　and　begrimed　by　　use；　which　hung　over　his　shoulders。　　His　head　was　close　shaven；　　except　a　ridge　of　hair　reaching　over　the　crown　from　the　center　of　the　　forehead；　very　much　like　the　long　bristles　on　the　back　of　a　hyena；　　and　he　carried　his　bow　and　arrows　in　his　hand；　while　his　meager　　little　horse　was　laden　with　dried　buffalo　meat；　the　produce　of　his　　hunting。　　Such　were　the　first　specimens　that　we　metand　very　　indifferent　ones　they　wereof　the　genuine　savages　of　the　prairie。　They　were　the　Pawnees　whom　Kearsley　had　encountered　the　day　before；　　and　belonged　to　a　large　hunting　party　known　to　be　ranging　the　prairie　　in　the　vicinity。　　They　strode　rapidly　past；　within　a　furlong　of　our　　tents；　not　pausing　or　looking　toward　us；　after　the　manner　of　Indians　　when　meditating　mischief　or　conscious　of　ill…desert。　　I　went　out　and　　met　them；　and　had　an　amicable　conference　with　the　chief；　presenting　　him　with　half　a　pound　of　tobacco；　at　which　unmerited　bounty　he　　expressed　much　gratification。　　These　fellows；　or　some　of　their　　companions　had　committed　a　dastardly　outrage　upon　an　emigrant　party　　in　advance　of　us。　　Two　men；　out　on　horseback　at　a　distance；　were　　seized　by　them；　but　lashing　their　horses；　they　broke　loose　and　fled。　　　At　this　the　Pawnees　raised　the　yell　and　shot　at　them；　transfixing　the　　hindermost　through　the　back　with　several　arrows；　while　his　companion　　galloped　away　and　brought　in　the　news　to　his　party。　　The　panic…　stri