the oregon trail-第26部分

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I　　passed　at　a　round　trot　over　the　plains　beyond。　　But　〃the　more　haste；　　the　worse　speed。〃　　I　proved　the　truth　in　the　proverb　by　the　time　I　　reached　the　hills　three　miles　from　the　fort。　　The　trail　was　faintly　　marked；　and　riding　forward　with　more　rapidity　than　caution；　I　lost　　sight　of　it。　　I　kept　on　in　a　direct　line；　guided　by　Laramie　Creek；　　which　I　could　see　at　intervals　darkly　glistening　in　the　evening　sun；　　at　the　bottom　of　the　woody　gulf　on　my　right。　　Half　an　hour　before　　sunset　I　came　upon　its　banks。　　There　was　something　exciting　in　the　　wild　solitude　of　the　place。　　An　antelope　sprang　suddenly　from　the　　sagebushes　before　me。　　As　he　leaped　gracefully　not　thirty　yards　　before　my　horse；　I　fired；　and　instantly　he　spun　round　and　fell。　　　Quite　sure　of　him；　I　walked　my　horse　toward　him；　leisurely　reloading　　my　rifle；　when　to　my　surprise　he　sprang　up　and　trotted　rapidly　away　　on　three　legs　into　the　dark　recesses　of　the　hills；　whither　I　had　no　　time　to　follow。　　Ten　minutes　after；　I　was　passing　along　the　bottom　of　　a　deep　valley；　and　chancing　to　look　behind　me；　I　saw　in　the　dim　light　　that　something　was　following。　　Supposing　it　to　be　wolf；　I　slid　from　　my　seat　and　sat　down　behind　my　horse　to　shoot　it；　but　as　it　came　up；　　I　saw　by　its　motions　that　it　was　another　antelope。　　It　approached　　within　a　hundred　yards；　arched　its　graceful　neck；　and　gazed　intently。　　　I　leveled　at　the　white　spot　on　its　chest；　and　was　about　to　fire　when　　it　started　off；　ran　first　to　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　like　a　　vessel　tacking　against　a　wind；　and　at　last　stretched　away　at　full　　speed。　　Then　it　stopped　again；　looked　curiously　behind　it；　and　　trotted　up　as　before；　but　not　so　boldly；　for　it　soon　paused　and　stood　　gazing　at　me。　　I　fired；　it　leaped　upward　and　fell　upon　its　tracks。　　　Measuring　the　distance；　I　found　it　204　paces。　　When　I　stood　by　his　　side；　the　antelope　turned　his　expiring　eye　upward。　　It　was　like　a　　beautiful　woman's；　dark　and　rich。　　〃Fortunate　that　I　am　in　a　hurry；〃　　thought　I；　〃I　might　be　troubled　with　remorse；　if　I　had　time　for　it。〃　Cutting　the　animal　up；　not　in　the　most　skilled　manner；　I　hung　the　　meat　at　the　back　of　my　saddle；　and　rode　on　again。　　The　hills　（I　could　　not　remember　one　of　them）　closed　around　me。　　〃It　is　too　late；〃　　thought　I；　〃to　go　forward。　　I　will　stay　here　to…night；　and　look　for　　the　path　in　the　morning。〃　　As　a　last　effort；　however；　I　ascended　a　　high　hill；　from　which；　to　my　great　satisfaction；　I　could　see　Laramie　　Creek　stretching　before　me；　twisting　from　side　to　side　amid　ragged　　patches　of　timber；　and　far　off；　close　beneath　the　shadows　of　the　　trees；　the　ruins　of　the　old　trading　fort　were　visible。　　I　reached　　them　at　twilight。　　It　was　far　from　pleasant；　in　that　uncertain　light；　　to　be　pushing　through　the　dense　trees　and　shrubbery　of　the　grove　　beyond。　　I　listened　anxiously　for　the　footfall　of　man　or　beast。　　　Nothing　was　stirring　but　one　harmless　brown　bird；　chirping　among　the　　branches。　　I　was　glad　when　I　gained　the　open　prairie　once　more；　where　　I　could　see　if　anything　approached。　　When　I　came　to　the　mouth　of　　Chugwater；　it　was　totally　dark。　　Slackening　the　reins；　I　let　my　horse　　take　his　own　course。　　He　trotted　on　with　unerring　instinct；　and　by　　nine　o'clock　was　scrambling　down　the　steep　ascent　into　the　meadows　　where　we　were　encamped。　　While　I　was　looking　in　vain　for　the　light　of　　the　fire；　Hendrick；　with　keener　perceptions；　gave　a　loud　neigh；　which　　was　immediately　answered　in　a　shrill　note　from　the　distance。　　In　a　　moment　I　was　hailed　from　the　darkness　by　the　voice　of　Reynal；　who　had　　come　out；　rifle　in　hand；　to　see　who　was　approaching。　He；　with　his　squaw；　the　two　Canadians　and　the　Indian　boys；　were　the　　sole　inmates　of　the　camp；　Shaw　and　Henry　Chatillon　being　still　　absent。　　At　noon　of　the　following　day　they　came　back；　their　horses　　looking　none　the　better　for　the　journey。　　Henry　seemed　dejected。　　The　　woman　was　dead；　and　his　children　must　henceforward　be　exposed；　　without　a　protector；　to　the　hardships　and　vicissitudes　of　Indian　　life。　　Even　in　the　midst　of　his　grief　he　had　not　forgotten　his　　attachment　to　his　bourgeois；　for　he　had　procured　among　his　Indian　　relatives　two　beautifully　ornamented　buffalo　robes；　which　he　spread　　on　the　ground　as　a　present　to　us。　Shaw　lighted　his　pipe；　and　told　me　in　a　few　words　the　history　of　his　　journey。　　When　I　went　to　the　fort　they　left　me；　as　I　mentioned；　at　　the　mouth　of　Chugwater。　　They　followed　the　course　of　the　little　　stream　all　day；　traversing　a　desolate　and　barren　country。　　Several　　times　they　came　upon　the　fresh　traces　of　a　large　war　partythe　same；　　no　doubt；　from　whom　we　had　so　narrowly　escaped　an　attack。　　At　an　hour　　before　sunset；　without　encountering　a　human　being　by　the　way；　they　　came　upon　the　lodges　of　the　squaw　and　her　brothers；　who；　in　　compliance　with　Henry's　message；　had　left　the　Indian　village　in　order　　to　join　us　at　our　camp。　　The　lodges　were　already　pitched；　five　in　　number；　by　the　side　of　the　stream。　　The　woman　lay　in　one　of　them；　　reduced　to　a　mere　skeleton。　　For　some　time　she　had　been　unable　to　　move　or　speak。　　Indeed；　nothing　had　kept　her　alive　but　the　hope　of　　seeing　Henry；　to　whom　she　was　strongly　and　faithfully　attached。　　No　　sooner　did　he　enter　the　lodge　than　she　revived；　and　conversed　with　　him　the　greater　part　of　the　night。　　Early　in　the　morning　she　was　　lifted　into　a　travail；　and　the　whole　party　set　out　toward　our　camp。　　　There　were　but　five　warriors；　the　rest　were　women　and　children。　　The　　whole　were　in　great　alarm　at　the　proximity　of　the　Crow　war　party；　who　　would　certainly　have　destroyed　them　without　mercy　had　they　met。　　They　　had　advanced　only　a　mile　or　two；　when　they　discerned　a　horseman；　far　　off；　on　the　edge　of　the　horizon。　　They　all　stopped；　gathering　　together　in　the　greatest　anxiety；　from　which　they　did　not　recover　　until　long　after　the　horseman　disappeared；　then　they　set　out　again。　　　Henry　was　riding　with　Shaw　a　few　rods　in　advance　of　the　Indians；　when　　Mahto…Tatonka；　a　younger　brother　of　the　woman；　hastily　called　after　　them。　　Turning　back；　they　found　all　the　Indians　crowded　around　the　　travail　in　which　the　woman　was　lying。　　They　reached　her　just　in　time　　to　hear　the　death…rattle　in　her　throat。　　In　a　moment　she　lay　dead　in　　the　basket　of　the　vehicle。　　A　complete　stillness　succeeded；　then　the　　Indians　raised　in　concert　their　cries　of　lamentation　over　the　corpse；　　and　among　them　Shaw　clearly　distinguished　those　strange　sounds　　resembling　the　word　〃Halleluyah；〃　which　together　with　some　other　　accidental　coincidences　has　given　rise　to　the　absurd　theory　that　the　　Indians　are　descended　from　the　ten　lost　tribes　of　Israel。　The　Indian　usage　required　that　Henry；　as　well　as　the　other　relatives　　of　the　woman；　should　make　valuable　presents；　to　be　placed　by　the　side　　of　the　body　at　its　last　resting　place。　　Leaving　the　Indians；　he　and　　Shaw　set　out　for　the　camp　and　reached　it；　as　we　have　seen；　by　hard　　pushing；　at　about　noon。　　Having　obtained　the　necessary　articles；　they　　immediately　returned。　　It　was　very　late　and　quite　dark　when　they　　again　reached　the　lodges。　　They　were　all　placed　in　a　deep　hollow　　among　the　dreary　hills。　　Four　of　them　were　just　visible　through　the　　gloom；　but　the　fifth　and　largest　was　illuminated　by　the　ruddy　blaze　　of　a　fire　within；　glowing　through　the　half…transparent　covering　of　　raw　hides。　　There　was　a　perfect　stillness　as　they　approached。　　The　　lodges　seemed　without　a　tenant。　　Not　a　living　thing　was　stirring　there　was　something　awful　in　the　scene。　　They　rode　up　to　the　entrance　　of　the　lodge；　and　there　was　no　sound　but　the　tramp　of　their　horses。　　　A　squaw　came　out　and　took　charge　of　the　animals；　without　speaking　a　　word。　　Entering；　they　found　the　lodge　crowded　with　Indians；　a　fire　　was　burning　in　the　midst；　and　the　mourners　encircled　it　in　a　triple　　row。　　Room　was　made　for　the　newcomers　at　the　head　of　the　lodge；　a　　robe　spread　for　them　to　sit　upon；　and　a　pipe　lighted　and　handed　to　　them　in　perfect　silence。　　Thus　they　passed　the　greater　part　of　the　　night。　　At　times　the　fire　would　subside　into　a　heap　of　embers；　until　　the　dark　figures　seated　around　it　were　scarcely　visible；　then　a　squaw　　would　drop　upon　it　a　piece　of　buffalo…fat；　and　a　bright　flame；　　instantly　springing　up；　would　reveal　of　a　sudden　the　crowd　of　wild　　faces；　motionless　as　bronze。　　The　silence　continued　unbroken。　　It　was　　a　relief　to　Shaw　when　daylight　returned　and　he　could　escape　from　this　　house　of　mourning。　　He　and　Henry　prepared　to　return　homeward；　first；　　however；　they　placed　the　presents　they　had　brought　near　the　body　of　　the　squaw；　which；　most　gaudily　attired；　remained　in　a　sitting　posture　　in　one　of　the　lodges。　　A　fine　horse　was　picketed　not　far　off；　　destined　to　be　killed　that　morning　for　the　service　of　her　spirit；　for　　the　woman　was　lame；　and　could　not　travel　on　foot　over　the　dismal　　prairies　to　the　villages　of　the　dead。　　Food；　too；　was　provided；　and　　household　implements；　for　her　use　upon　this　last　journey。　Henry　left　her　to　the　care　of　her　relatives；　and　came　immediately　　with　Shaw　to　the　camp。　　It　was　some　time　before　he　entirely　recovered　　from　his　dejection。

CHAPTER　XI　SCENES　AT　THE　CAMP

Reynal　heard　guns　fired　one　day；　at　the　distance　of　a　mile　or　two　　from　the　camp。　　He　grew　nervous　instantly。　　Visions　of　Crow　war　　parties　began　to　haunt　his　imagination；　and　when　we　returned　（for　we　　were　all　absent）；　he　renewed　his　complaints　about　being　left　alone　　with　the　Canadians　and　the　squaw。　　The　day　after；　the　cause　of　the　　alarm　appeared。　　Four　trappers；　one　called　Moran；　another　Saraphin；　　and　the　others　nicknamed　〃Rouleau〃　and　〃Jean　Gras；〃　came　to　our　camp　　and　joined　us。　　They　it　was　who　fired　the　guns　and　disturbed　the　　dreams　of　our　confederate　Reynal。　　They　soon　encamped　by　our　side。　　　Their　rifles；　dingy　and　battered　with　hard　service；　rested　with　ours　　against　the　old　tree；　their　strong　rude　saddles；　their　buffalo　robes；　　their　traps；　and　the　few　rough　and　simple　articles　of　their　traveling　　equipment；　were　piled　near　our　tent。　　Their　mountain　horses　were　　turned　to　graze　in　the　meadow　among　our　own；　and　the　men　themselves；　　no　less　rough　and　hardy；　used　to　lie　half　the　day　in　the　shade　of　our　　tree　lolling　on　the　grass；　lazily　smoking；　and　telling　stories　of　　their　adventures；　and　I　defy　the　annals　of　chivalry　to　furnish　the　　record　of　a　life　m