the oregon trail-第42部分

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　that　covered　the　rising　ground　beyond。　　　But　neither　her　native　spirit　nor　the　blows　of　the　knotted　bull…hide　　could　supply　the　place　of　poor　Pauline's　exhausted　strength。　　We　　could　not　gain　an　inch　upon　the　poor　fugitives。　　At　last；　however；　　they　came　full　upon　a　ravine　too　wide　to　leap　over；　and　as　this　　compelled　them　to　turn　abruptly　to　the　left；　I　contrived　to　get　　within　ten　or　twelve　yards　of　the　hindmost。　　At　this　she　faced　about；　　bristled　angrily；　and　made　a　show　of　charging。　　I　shot　at　her　with　a　　large　holster　pistol；　and　hit　her　somewhere　in　the　neck。　　Down　she　　tumbled　into　the　ravine；　whither　her　companions　had　descended　before　　her。　　I　saw　their　dark　backs　appearing　and　disappearing　as　they　　galloped　along　the　bottom；　then；　one　by　one；　they　came　scrambling　out　　on　the　other　side　and　ran　off　as　before；　the　wounded　animal　following　　with　unabated　speed。　Turning　back；　I　saw　Raymond　coming　on　his　black　mule　to　meet　me；　and　　as　we　rode　over　the　field　together；　we　counted　dozens　of　carcasses　　lying　on　the　plain；　in　the　ravines　and　on　the　sandy　bed　of　the　　stream。　　Far　away　in　the　distance；　horses　and　buffalo　were　still　　scouring　along；　with　little　clouds　of　dust　rising　behind　them；　and　　over　the　sides　of　the　hills　we　could　see　long　files　of　the　frightened　　animals　rapidly　ascending。　　The　hunters　began　to　return。　　The　boys；　　who　had　held　the　horses　behind　the　hill；　made　their　appearance；　and　　the　work　of　flaying　and　cutting　up　began　in　earnest　all　over　the　　field。　　I　noticed　my　host　Kongra…Tonga　beyond　the　stream；　just　　alighting　by　the　side　of　a　cow　which　he　had　killed。　　Riding　up　to　him　　I　found　him　in　the　act　of　drawing　out　an　arrow；　which；　with　the　　exception　of　the　notch　at　the　end；　had　entirely　disappeared　in　the　　animal。　　I　asked　him　to　give　it　to　me；　and　I　still　retain　it　as　a　　proof；　though　by　no　means　the　most　striking　one　that　could　be　　offered；　of　the　force　and　dexterity　with　which　the　Indians　discharge　　their　arrows。　The　hides　and　meat　were　piled　upon　the　horses；　and　the　hunters　began　　to　leave　the　ground。　　Raymond　and　I；　too；　getting　tired　of　the　scene；　　set　out　for　the　village；　riding　straight　across　the　intervening　　desert。　　There　was　no　path；　and　as　far　as　I　could　see；　no　landmarks　　sufficient　to　guide　us；　but　Raymond　seemed　to　have　an　instinctive　　perception　of　the　point　on　the　horizon　toward　which　we　ought　to　　direct　our　course。　　Antelope　were　bounding　on　all　sides；　and　as　is　　always　the　case　in　the　presence　of　buffalo；　they　seemed　to　have　lost　　their　natural　shyness　and　timidity。　　Bands　of　them　would　run　lightly　　up　the　rocky　declivities；　and　stand　gazing　down　upon　us　from　the　　summit。　　At　length　we　could　distinguish　the　tall　white　rocks　and　the　　old　pine　trees　that；　as　we　well　remembered；　were　just　above　the　site　　of　the　encampment。　　Still；　we　could　see　nothing　of　the　village　itself　　until；　ascending　a　grassy　hill；　we　found　the　circle　of　lodges；　dingy　　with　storms　and　smoke；　standing　on　the　plain　at　our　very　feet。　I　entered　the　lodge　of　my　host。　　His　squaw　instantly　brought　me　food　　and　water；　and　spread　a　buffalo　robe　for　me　to　lie　upon；　and　being　　much　fatigued；　I　lay　down　and　fell　asleep。　　In　about　an　hour　the　　entrance　of　Kongra…Tonga；　with　his　arms　smeared　with　blood　to　the　　elbows；　awoke　me。　　He　sat　down　in　his　usual　seat　on　the　left　side　of　　the　lodge。　　His　squaw　gave　him　a　vessel　of　water　for　washing；　set　　before　him　a　bowl　of　boiled　meat；　and　as　he　was　eating　pulled　off　his　　bloody　moccasins　and　placed　fresh　ones　on　his　feet；　then　　outstretching　his　limbs；　my　host　composed　himself　to　sleep。　And　now　the　hunters；　two　or　three　at　a　time；　began　to　come　rapidly　　in；　and　each；　consigning　his　horses　to　the　squaws；　entered　his　lodge　　with　the　air　of　a　man　whose　day's　work　was　done。　　The　squaws　flung　　down　the　load　from　the　burdened　horses；　and　vast　piles　of　meat　and　　hides　were　soon　accumulated　before　every　lodge。　　By　this　time　it　was　　darkening　fast；　and　the　whole　village　was　illumined　by　the　glare　of　　fires　blazing　all　around。　　All　the　squaws　and　children　were　gathered　　about　the　piles　of　meat；　exploring　them　in　search　of　the　daintiest　　portions。　　Some　of　these　they　roasted　on　sticks　before　the　fires；　but　　often　they　dispensed　with　this　superfluous　operation。　　Late　into　the　　night　the　fires　were　still　glowing　upon　the　groups　of　feasters　　engaged　in　this　savage　banquet　around　them。　Several　hunters　sat　down　by　the　fire　in　Kongra…Tonga's　lodge　to　talk　　over　the　day's　exploits。　　Among　the　rest；　Mene…Seela　came　in。　　Though　　he　must　have　seen　full　eighty　winters；　he　had　taken　an　active　share　　in　the　day's　sport。　　He　boasted　that　he　had　killed　two　cows　that　　morning；　and　would　have　killed　a　third　if　the　dust　had　not　blinded　　him　so　that　he　had　to　drop　his　bow　and　arrows　and　press　both　hands　　against　his　eyes　to　stop　the　pain。　　The　firelight　fell　upon　his　　wrinkled　face　and　shriveled　figure　as　he　sat　telling　his　story　with　　such　inimitable　gesticulation　that　every　man　in　the　lodge　broke　into　　a　laugh。　Old　Mene…Seela　was　one　of　the　few　Indians　in　the　village　with　whom　I　　would　have　trusted　myself　alone　without　suspicion；　and　the　only　one　　from　whom　I　would　have　received　a　gift　or　a　service　without　the　　certainty　that　it　proceeded　from　an　interested　motive。　　He　was　a　　great　friend　to　the　whites。　　He　liked　to　be　in　their　society；　and　was　　very　vain　of　the　favors　he　had　received　from　them。　　He　told　me　one　　afternoon；　as　we　were　sitting　together　in　his　son's　lodge；　that　he　　considered　the　beaver　and　the　whites　the　wisest　people　on　earth；　　indeed；　he　was　convinced　they　were　the　same；　and　an　incident　which　　had　happened　to　him　long　before　had　assured　him　of　this。　　So　he　began　　the　following　story；　and　as　the　pipe　passed　in　turn　to　him；　Reynal　　availed　himself　of　these　interruptions　to　translate　what　had　　preceded。　　But　the　old　man　accompanied　his　words　with　such　admirable　　pantomime　that　translation　was　hardly　necessary。　He　said　that　when　he　was　very　young；　and　had　never　yet　seen　a　white　　man；　he　and　three　or　four　of　his　companions　were　out　on　a　beaver　　hunt；　and　he　crawled　into　a　large　beaver　lodge；　to　examine　what　was　　there。　　Sometimes　he　was　creeping　on　his　hands　and　knees；　sometimes　　he　was　obliged　to　swim；　and　sometimes　to　lie　flat　on　his　face　and　　drag　himself　along。　　In　this　way　he　crawled　a　great　distance　　underground。　　It　was　very　dark；　cold　and　close；　so　that　at　last　he　　was　almost　suffocated；　and　fell　into　a　swoon。　　When　he　began　to　　recover；　he　could　just　distinguish　the　voices　of　his　companions　　outside；　who　had　given　him　up　for　lost；　and　were　singing　his　death　　song。　　At　first　he　could　see　nothing；　but　soon　he　discerned　something　　white　before　him；　and　at　length　plainly　distinguished　three　people；　　entirely　white；　one　man　and　two　women；　sitting　at　the　edge　of　a　black　　pool　of　water。　　He　became　alarmed　and　thought　it　high　time　to　　retreat。　　Having　succeeded；　after　great　trouble；　in　reaching　daylight　　again；　he　went　straight　to　the　spot　directly　above　the　pool　of　water　　where　he　had　seen　the　three　mysterious　beings。　　Here　he　beat　a　hole　　with　his　war　club　in　the　ground；　and　sat　down　to　watch。　　In　a　moment　　the　nose　of　an　old　male　beaver　appeared　at　the　opening。　　Mene…Seela　　instantly　seized　him　and　dragged　him　up；　when　two　other　beavers；　both　　females；　thrust　out　their　heads；　and　these　he　served　in　the　same　way。　　　〃These；〃　continued　the　old　man；　〃must　have　been　the　three　white　　people　whom　I　saw　sitting　at　the　edge　of　the　water。〃　Mene…Seela　was　the　grand　depository　of　the　legends　and　traditions　of　　the　village。　　I　succeeded；　however；　in　getting　from　him　only　a　few　　fragments。　　Like　all　Indians；　he　was　excessively　superstitious；　and　　continually　saw　some　reason　for　withholding　his　stories。　　〃It　is　a　　bad　thing；〃　he　would　say；　〃to　tell　the　tales　in　summer。　　Stay　with　us　　till　next　winter；　and　I　will　tell　you　everything　I　know；　but　now　our　　war　parties　are　going　out；　and　our　young　men　will　be　killed　if　I　sit　　down　to　tell　stories　before　the　frost　begins。〃　But　to　leave　this　digression。　　We　remained　encamped　on　this　spot　five　　days；　during　three　of　which　the　hunters　were　at　work　incessantly；　and　　immense　quantities　of　meat　and　hides　were　brought　in。　　Great　alarm；　　however；　prevailed　in　the　village。　　All　were　on　the　alert。　　The　young　　men　were　ranging　through　the　country　as　scouts；　and　the　old　men　paid　　careful　attention　to　omens　and　prodigies；　and　especially　to　their　　dreams。　　In　order　to　convey　to　the　enemy　（who；　if　they　were　in　the　　neighborhood；　must　inevitably　have　known　of　our　presence）　the　　impression　that　we　were　constantly　on　the　watch；　piles　of　sticks　and　　stones　were　erected　on　all　the　surrounding　hills；　in　such　a　manner　as　　to　appear　at　a　distance　like　sentinels。　　Often；　even　to　this　hour；　　that　scene　will　rise　before　my　mind　like　a　visible　reality：　the　tall　　white　rocks；　the　old　pine　trees　on　their　summits；　the　sandy　stream　　that　ran　along　their　bases　and　half　encircled　the　village；　and　the　　wild…sage　bushes；　with　their　dull　green　hue　and　their　medicinal　odor；　　that　covered　all　the　neighboring　declivities。　　Hour　after　hour　the　　squaws　would　pass　and　repass　with　their　vessels　of　water　between　the　　stream　and　the　lodges。　　For　the　most　part　no　one　was　to　be　seen　in　　the　camp　but　women　and　children；　two　or　three　super…annuated　old　men；　　and　a　few　lazy　and　worthless　young　ones。　　These；　together　with　the　　dogs；　now　grown　fat　and　good…natured　with　the　abundance　in　the　camp；　　were　its　only　tenants。　　Still　it　presented　a　busy　and　bustling　scene。　　　In　all　quarters　the　meat；　hung　on　cords　of　hide；　was　drying　in　the　　sun；　and　around　the　lodges　the　squaws；　young　and　old；　were　laboring　　on　the　fresh　hides　that　were　stretched　upon　the　ground；　scraping　the　　hair　from　one　side　and　the　still　adhering　flesh　from　the　other；　and　　rubbing　into　them　the　brains　of　the　buffalo；　in　order　to　render　them　　soft　and　pliant。　In　mercy　to　myself　and　my　horse；　I　never　went　out　with　the　hunters　　after　the　first　day。　　Of　late；　however；　I　had　been　gaining　strength　　rapidly；　as　was　always　the　case　upon　every　respite　of　my　disorder。　　I　　was　soon　able　to　walk　with　ease。　　Raymond　and　I　would　go　out　upon　the　　neighboring　prairies　to　shoot　antelope；　or　sometimes　to　assail　　straggling　buffalo；　on　foot；　an　attempt　in　which　we　met　with　rather　　ind