the oregon trail-第5部分

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d；　the　trader。　　By　　this　time　the　crowd　around　him　had　dispersed；　and　left　him　at　　leisure。　　He　invited　us　to　his　cottage；　a　little　white…and…green　　building；　in　the　style　of　the　old　French　settlements；　and　ushered　us　　into　a　neat；　well…furnished　room。　　The　blinds　were　closed；　and　the　　heat　and　glare　of　the　sun　excluded；　the　room　was　as　cool　as　a　cavern。　　　It　was　neatly　carpeted　too　and　furnished　in　a　manner　that　we　hardly　　expected　on　the　frontier。　　The　sofas；　chairs；　tables；　and　a　well…　filled　bookcase　would　not　have　disgraced　an　Eastern　city；　though　　there　were　one　or　two　little　tokens　that　indicated　the　rather　　questionable　civilization　of　the　region。　　A　pistol；　loaded　and　　capped；　lay　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　through　the　glass　of　the　　bookcase；　peeping　above　the　works　of　John　Milton　glittered　the　handle　　of　a　very　mischievous…looking　knife。　Our　host　went　out；　and　returned　with　iced　water；　glasses；　and　a　　bottle　of　excellent　claret；　a　refreshment　most　welcome　in　the　extreme　　heat　of　the　day；　and　soon　after　appeared　a　merry；　laughing　woman；　who　　must　have　been；　a　year　of　two　before；　a　very　rich　and　luxuriant　　specimen　of　Creole　beauty。　　She　came　to　say　that　lunch　was　ready　in　　the　next　room。　　Our　hostess　evidently　lived　on　the　sunny　side　of　　life；　and　troubled　herself　with　none　of　its　cares。　　She　sat　down　and　　entertained　us　while　we　were　at　table　with　anecdotes　of　fishing　　parties；　frolics；　and　the　officers　at　the　fort。　　Taking　leave　at　　length　of　the　hospitable　trader　and　his　friend；　we　rode　back　to　the　　garrison。　Shaw　passed　on　to　the　camp；　while　I　remained　to　call　upon　Colonel　　Kearny。　　I　found　him　still　at　table。　　There　sat　our　friend　the　　captain；　in　the　same　remarkable　habiliments　in　which　we　saw　him　at　　Westport；　the　black　pipe；　however；　being　for　the　present　laid　aside。　　　He　dangled　his　little　cap　in　his　hand　and　talked　of　steeple…chases；　　touching　occasionally　upon　his　anticipated　exploits　in　buffalo…　hunting。　　There；　too；　was　R。；　somewhat　more　elegantly　attired。　　For　　the　last　time　we　tasted　the　luxuries　of　civilization；　and　drank　　adieus　to　it　in　wine　good　enough　to　make　us　almost　regret　the　leave…　taking。　　Then；　mounting；　we　rode　together　to　the　camp；　where　　everything　was　in　readiness　for　departure　on　the　morrow。

CHAPTER　IV　〃JUMPING　OFF〃

The　reader　need　not　be　told　that　John　Bull　never　leaves　home　without　　encumbering　himself　with　the　greatest　possible　load　of　luggage。　　Our　　companions　were　no　exception　to　the　rule。　　They　had　a　wagon　drawn　by　　six　mules　and　crammed　with　provisions　for　six　months；　besides　　ammunition　enough　for　a　regiment；　spare　rifles　and　fowling…pieces；　　ropes　and　harness；　personal　baggage；　and　a　miscellaneous　assortment　　of　articles；　which　produced　infinite　embarrassment　on　the　journey。　　　They　had　also　decorated　their　persons　with　telescopes　and　portable　　compasses；　and　carried　English　double…barreled　rifles　of　sixteen　to　　the　pound　caliber；　slung　to　their　saddles　in　dragoon　fashion。　By　sunrise　on　the　23d　of　May　we　had　breakfasted；　the　tents　were　　leveled；　the　animals　saddled　and　harnessed；　and　all　was　prepared。　　　〃Avance　donc！　get　up！〃　cried　Delorier　from　his　seat　in　front　of　the　　cart。　　Wright；　our　friend's　muleteer；　after　some　swearing　and　　lashing；　got　his　insubordinate　train　in　motion；　and　then　the　whole　　party　filed　from　the　ground。　　Thus　we　bade　a　long　adieu　to　bed　and　　board；　and　the　principles　of　Blackstone's　Commentaries。　　The　day　was　　a　most　auspicious　one；　and　yet　Shaw　and　I　felt　certain　misgivings；　　which　in　the　sequel　proved　but　too　well　founded。　　We　had　just　learned　　that　though　R。　had　taken　it　upon　him　to　adopt　this　course　without　　consulting　us；　not　a　single　man　in　the　party　was　acquainted　with　it；　　and　the　absurdity　of　our　friend's　high…handed　measure　very　soon　　became　manifest。　　His　plan　was　to　strike　the　trail　of　several　　companies　of　dragoons；　who　last　summer　had　made　an　expedition　under　　Colonel　Kearny　to　Fort　Laramie；　and　by　this　means　to　reach　the　grand　　trail　of　the　Oregon　emigrants　up　the　Platte。　We　rode　for　an　hour　or　two　when　a　familiar　cluster　of　buildings　　appeared　on　a　little　hill。　　〃Hallo！〃　shouted　the　Kickapoo　trader　from　　over　his　fence。　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　　A　few　rather　emphatic　　exclamations　might　have　been　heard　among　us；　when　we　found　that　we　　had　gone　miles　out　of　our　way；　and　were　not　advanced　an　inch　toward　　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　So　we　turned　in　the　direction　the　trader　　indicated；　and　with　the　sun　for　a　guide；　began　to　trace　a　〃bee　line〃　　across　the　prairies。　　We　struggled　through　copses　and　lines　of　wood；　　we　waded　brooks　and　pools　of　water；　we　traversed　prairies　as　green　as　　an　emerald；　expanding　before　us　for　mile　after　mile；　wider　and　more　　wild　than　the　wastes　Mazeppa　rode　over：

　　　　〃Man　nor　brute；　　　　　　Nor　dint　of　hoof；　nor　print　of　foot；　　　　　　Lay　in　the　wild　luxuriant　soil；　　　　　　No　sign　of　travel；　none　of　toil；　　　　　　The　very　air　was　mute。〃

Riding　in　advance；　we　passed　over　one　of　these　great　plains；　we　　looked　back　and　saw　the　line　of　scattered　horsemen　stretching　for　a　　mile　or　more；　and　far　in　the　rear　against　the　horizon；　the　white　　wagons　creeping　slowly　along。　　〃Here　we　are　at　last！〃　shouted　the　　captain。　　And　in　truth　we　had　struck　upon　the　traces　of　a　large　body　　of　horse。　　We　turned　joyfully　and　followed　this　new　course；　with　　tempers　somewhat　improved；　and　toward　sunset　encamped　on　a　high　swell　　of　the　prairie；　at　the　foot　of　which　a　lazy　stream　soaked　along　　through　clumps　of　rank　grass。　　It　was　getting　dark。　　We　turned　the　　horses　loose　to　feed。　　〃Drive　down　the　tent…pickets　hard；〃　said　Henry　　Chatillon；　〃it　is　going　to　blow。〃　　We　did　so；　and　secured　the　tent　as　　well　as　we　could；　for　the　sky　had　changed　totally；　and　a　fresh　damp　　smell　in　the　wind　warned　us　that　a　stormy　night　was　likely　to　succeed　　the　hot　clear　day。　　The　prairie　also　wore　a　new　aspect；　and　its　vast　　swells　had　grown　black　and　somber　under　the　shadow　of　the　clouds。　　　The　thunder　soon　began　to　growl　at　a　distance。　　Picketing　and　　hobbling　the　horses　among　the　rich　grass　at　the　foot　of　the　slope；　　where　we　encamped；　we　gained　a　shelter　just　as　the　rain　began　to　　fall；　and　sat　at　the　opening　of　the　tent；　watching　the　proceedings　of　　the　captain。　　In　defiance　of　the　rain　he　was　stalking　among　the　　horses；　wrapped　in　an　old　Scotch　plaid。　　An　extreme　solicitude　　tormented　him；　lest　some　of　his　favorites　should　escape；　or　some　　accident　should　befall　them；　and　he　cast　an　anxious　eye　toward　three　　wolves　who　were　sneaking　along　over　the　dreary　surface　of　the　plain；　　as　if　he　dreaded　some　hostile　demonstration　on　their　part。　On　the　next　morning　we　had　gone　but　a　mile　or　two；　when　we　came　to　an　　extensive　belt　of　woods；　through　the　midst　of　which　ran　a　stream；　　wide；　deep；　and　of　an　appearance　particularly　muddy　and　treacherous。　　　Delorier　was　in　advance　with　his　cart；　he　jerked　his　pipe　from　his　　mouth；　lashed　his　mules；　and　poured　forth　a　volley　of　Canadian　　ejaculations。　　In　plunged　the　cart；　but　midway　it　stuck　fast。　　　Delorier　leaped　out　knee…deep　in　water；　and　by　dint　of　sacres　and　a　　vigorous　application　of　the　whip；　he　urged　the　mules　out　of　the　　slough。　　Then　approached　the　long　team　and　heavy　wagon　of　our　　friends；　but　it　paused　on　the　brink。　〃Now　my　advice　is〃　began　the　captain；　who　had　been　anxiously　　contemplating　the　muddy　gulf。　〃Drive　on！〃　cried　R。　But　Wright；　the　muleteer；　apparently　had　not　as　yet　decided　the　point　　in　his　own　mind；　and　he　sat　still　in　his　seat　on　one　of　the　shaft…　mules；　whistling　in　a　low　contemplative　strain　to　himself。　〃My　advice　is；〃　resumed　the　captain；　〃that　we　unload；　for　I'll　bet　　any　man　five　pounds　that　if　we　try　to　go　through；　we　shall　stick　　fast。〃　〃By　the　powers；　we　shall　stick　fast！〃　echoed　Jack；　the　captain's　　brother；　shaking　his　large　head　with　an　air　of　firm　conviction。　〃Drive　on！　drive　on！〃　cried　R。　petulantly。　〃Well；〃　observed　the　captain；　turning　to　us　as　we　sat　looking　on；　　much　edified　by　this　by…play　among　our　confederates；　〃I　can　only　give　　my　advice　and　if　people　won't　be　reasonable；　why；　they　won't；　that's　　all！〃　Meanwhile　Wright　had　apparently　made　up　his　mind；　for　he　suddenly　　began　to　shout　forth　a　volley　of　oaths　and　curses；　that；　compared　　with　the　French　imprecations　of　Delorier；　sounded　like　the　roaring　of　　heavy　cannon　after　the　popping　and　sputtering　of　a　bunch　of　Chinese　　crackers。　　At　the　same　time　he　discharged　a　shower　of　blows　upon　his　　mules；　who　hastily　dived　into　the　mud　and　drew　the　wagon　lumbering　　after　them。　　For　a　moment　the　issue　was　dubious。　　Wright　writhed　　about　in　his　saddle；　and　swore　and　lashed　like　a　madman；　but　who　can　　count　on　a　team　of　half…broken　mules？　　At　the　most　critical　point；　　when　all　should　have　been　harmony　and　combined　effort；　the　perverse　　brutes　fell　into　lamentable　disorder；　and　huddled　together　in　　confusion　on　the　farther　bank。　　There　was　the　wagon　up　to　the　hub　in　　mud；　and　visibly　settling　every　instant。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　　but　to　unload；　then　to　dig　away　the　mud　from　before　the　wheels　with　a　　spade；　and　lay　a　causeway　of　bushes　and　branches。　　This　agreeable　　labor　accomplished；　the　wagon　at　last　emerged；　but　if　I　mention　that　　some　interruption　of　this　sort　occurred　at　least　four　or　five　times　a　　day　for　a　fortnight；　the　reader　will　understand　that　our　progress　　toward　the　Platte　was　not　without　its　obstacles。　We　traveled　six　or　seven　miles　farther；　and　〃nooned〃　near　a　brook。　　　On　the　point　of　resuming　our　journey；　when　the　horses　were　all　driven　　down　to　water；　my　homesick　charger；　Pontiac；　made　a　sudden　leap　　across；　and　set　off　at　a　round　trot　for　the　settlements。　　I　mounted　　my　remaining　horse；　and　started　in　pursuit。　　Making　a　circuit；　I　　headed　the　runaway；　hoping　to　drive　him　back　to　camp；　but　he　　instantly　broke　into　a　gallop；　made　a　wide　tour　on　the　prairie；　and　　got　past　me　again。　　I　tried　this　plan　repeatedly；　with　the　same　　result；　Pontiac　was　evidently　disgusted　with　the　prairie；　so　I　　abandoned　it；　and　tried　another；　trotting　along　gently　behind　him；　in　　hopes　that　I　might　quietly　get　near　enough　to　seize　the　trail…rope　　which　was　fastened　to　his　neck；　and　dragged　about　a　dozen　feet　behind　　him。　　The　chase　grew　interesting。　　For　mile　after　mile　I　followed　the　　rascal；　with　the　utmost　care　not　to　alarm　him；　and　gradually　got　　nearer；　until　at