the oregon trail-第6部分

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e　I　followed　the　　rascal；　with　the　utmost　care　not　to　alarm　him；　and　gradually　got　　nearer；　until　at　length　old　Hendrick's　nose　was　fairly　brushed　by　the　　whisking　tail　of　the　unsuspecting　Pontiac。　　Without　drawing　rein；　I　　slid　softly　to　the　ground；　but　my　long　heavy　rifle　encumbered　me；　and　　the　low　sound　it　made　in　striking　the　horn　of　the　saddle　startled　　him；　he　pricked　up　his　ears；　and　sprang　off　at　a　run。　　〃My　friend；〃　　thought　I；　remounting；　〃do　that　again；　and　I　will　shoot　you！〃　Fort　Leavenworth　was　about　forty　miles　distant；　and　thither　I　　determined　to　follow　him。　　I　made　up　my　mind　to　spend　a　solitary　and　　supperless　night；　and　then　set　out　again　in　the　morning。　　One　hope；　　however；　remained。　　The　creek　where　the　wagon　had　stuck　was　just　　before　us；　Pontiac　might　be　thirsty　with　his　run；　and　stop　there　to　　drink。　　I　kept　as　near　to　him　as　possible；　taking　every　precaution　　not　to　alarm　him　again；　and　the　result　proved　as　I　had　hoped：　for　he　　walked　deliberately　among　the　trees；　and　stooped　down　to　the　water。　　　I　alighted；　dragged　old　Hendrick　through　the　mud；　and　with　a　feeling　　of　infinite　satisfaction　picked　up　the　slimy　trail…rope　and　twisted　　it　three　times　round　my　hand。　　〃Now　let　me　see　you　get　away　again！〃　I　　thought；　as　I　remounted。　　But　Pontiac　was　exceedingly　reluctant　to　　turn　back；　Hendrick；　too；　who　had　evidently　flattered　himself　with　　vain　hopes；　showed　the　utmost　repugnance；　and　grumbled　in　a　manner　　peculiar　to　himself　at　being　compelled　to　face　about。　　A　smart　cut　of　　the　whip　restored　his　cheerfulness；　and　dragging　the　recovered　truant　　behind；　I　set　out　in　search　of　the　camp。　　An　hour　or　two　elapsed；　　when；　near　sunset；　I　saw　the　tents；　standing　on　a　rich　swell　of　the　　prairie；　beyond　a　line　of　woods；　while　the　bands　of　horses　were　　feeding　in　a　low　meadow　close　at　hand。　　There　sat　Jack　C。；　cross…　legged；　in　the　sun；　splicing　a　trail…rope；　and　the　rest　were　lying　on　　the　grass；　smoking　and　telling　stories。　　That　night　we　enjoyed　a　　serenade　from　the　wolves；　more　lively　than　any　with　which　they　had　　yet　favored　us；　and　in　the　morning　one　of　the　musicians　appeared；　not　　many　rods　from　the　tents；　quietly　seated　among　the　horses；　looking　at　　us　with　a　pair　of　large　gray　eyes；　but　perceiving　a　rifle　leveled　at　　him；　he　leaped　up　and　made　off　in　hot　haste。　I　pass　by　the　following　day　or　two　of　our　journey；　for　nothing　　occurred　worthy　of　record。　　Should　any　one　of　my　readers　ever　be　　impelled　to　visit　the　prairies；　and　should　he　choose　the　route　of　the　　Platte　（the　best；　perhaps；　that　can　be　adopted）；　I　can　assure　him　　that　he　need　not　think　to　enter　at　once　upon　the　paradise　of　his　　imagination。　　A　dreary　preliminary；　protracted　crossing　of　the　　threshold　awaits　him　before　he　finds　himself　fairly　upon　the　verge　of　　the　〃great　American　desert；〃　those　barren　wastes；　the　haunts　of　the　　buffalo　and　the　Indian；　where　the　very　shadow　of　civilization　lies　a　　hundred　leagues　behind　him。　　The　intervening　country；　the　wide　and　　fertile　belt　that　extends　for　several　hundred　miles　beyond　the　　extreme　frontier；　will　probably　answer　tolerably　well　to　his　　preconceived　ideas　of　the　prairie；　for　this　it　is　from　which　　picturesque　tourists；　painters；　poets；　and　novelists；　who　have　seldom　　penetrated　farther；　have　derived　their　conceptions　of　the　whole　　region。　　If　he　has　a　painter's　eye；　he　may　find　his　period　of　　probation　not　wholly　void　of　interest。　　The　scenery；　though　tame；　is　　graceful　and　pleasing。　　Here　are　level　plains；　too　wide　for　the　eye　　to　measure　green　undulations；　like　motionless　swells　of　the　ocean；　　abundance　of　streams；　followed　through　all　their　windings　by　lines　of　　woods　and　scattered　groves。　　But　let　him　be　as　enthusiastic　as　he　　may；　he　will　find　enough　to　damp　his　ardor。　　His　wagons　will　stick　in　　the　mud；　his　horses　will　break　loose；　harness　will　give　way；　and　　axle…trees　prove　unsound。　　His　bed　will　be　a　soft　one；　consisting　　often　of　black　mud；　of　the　richest　consistency。　　As　for　food；　he　must　　content　himself　with　biscuit　and　salt　provisions；　for　strange　as　it　　may　seem；　this　tract　of　country　produces　very　little　game。　　As　he　　advances；　indeed；　he　will　see；　moldering　in　the　grass　by　his　path；　　the　vast　antlers　of　the　elk；　and　farther　on；　the　whitened　skulls　of　　the　buffalo；　once　swarming　over　this　now　deserted　region。　　Perhaps；　　like　us；　he　may　journey　for　a　fortnight；　and　see　not　so　much　as　the　　hoof…print　of　a　deer；　in　the　spring；　not　even　a　prairie　hen　is　to　be　　had。　Yet；　to　compensate　him　for　this　unlooked…for　deficiency　of　game；　he　　will　find　himself　beset　with　〃varmints〃　innumerable。　　The　wolves　will　　entertain　him　with　a　concerto　at　night；　and　skulk　around　him　by　day；　　just　beyond　rifle　shot；　his　horse　will　step　into　badger…holes；　from　　every　marsh　and　mud　puddle　will　arise　the　bellowing；　croaking；　and　　trilling　of　legions　of　frogs；　infinitely　various　in　color；　shape　and　　dimensions。　　A　profusion　of　snakes　will　glide　away　from　under　his　　horse's　feet；　or　quietly　visit　him　in　his　tent　at　night；　while　the　　pertinacious　humming　of　unnumbered　mosquitoes　will　banish　sleep　from　　his　eyelids。　　When　thirsty　with　a　long　ride　in　the　scorching　sun　over　　some　boundless　reach　of　prairie；　he　comes　at　length　to　a　pool　of　　water；　and　alights　to　drink；　he　discovers　a　troop　of　young　tadpoles　　sporting　in　the　bottom　of　his　cup。　　Add　to　this；　that　all　the　morning　　the　hot　sun　beats　upon　him　with　sultry；　penetrating　heat；　and　that；　　with　provoking　regularity；　at　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　a　　thunderstorm　rises　and　drenches　him　to　the　skin。　　Such　being　the　　charms　of　this　favored　region；　the　reader　will　easily　conceive　the　　extent　of　our　gratification　at　learning　that　for　a　week　we　had　been　　journeying　on　the　wrong　track！　　How　this　agreeable　discovery　was　made　　I　will　presently　explain。　One　day；　after　a　protracted　morning's　ride；　we　stopped　to　rest　at　　noon　upon　the　open　prairie。　　No　trees　were　in　sight；　but　close　at　　hand；　a　little　dribbling　brook　was　twisting　from　side　to　side　through　　a　hollow；　now　forming　holes　of　stagnant　water；　and　now　gliding　over　　the　mud　in　a　scarcely　perceptible　current；　among　a　growth　of　sickly　　bushes；　and　great　clumps　of　tall　rank　grass。　　The　day　was　excessively　　hot　and　oppressive。　　The　horses　and　mules　were　rolling　on　the　prairie　　to　refresh　themselves；　or　feeding　among　the　bushes　in　the　hollow。　　We　　had　dined；　and　Delorier；　puffing　at　his　pipe；　knelt　on　the　grass；　　scrubbing　our　service　of　tin　plate。　　Shaw　lay　in　the　shade；　under　the　　cart；　to　rest　for　a　while；　before　the　word　should　be　given　to　〃catch　　up。〃　　Henry　Chatillon；　before　lying　down；　was　looking　about　for　signs　　of　snakes；　the　only　living　things　that　he　feared；　and　uttering　　various　ejaculations　of　disgust；　at　finding　several　suspicious…　looking　holes　close　to　the　cart。　　I　sat　leaning　against　the　wheel　in　　a　scanty　strip　of　shade；　making　a　pair　of　hobbles　to　replace　those　　which　my　contumacious　steed　Pontiac　had　broken　the　night　before。　　The　　camp　of　our　friends；　a　rod　or　two　distant；　presented　the　same　scene　　of　lazy　tranquillity。　〃Hallo！〃　cried　Henry；　looking　up　from　his　inspection　of　the　snake…　holes；　〃here　comes　the　old　captain！〃　The　captain　approached；　and　stood　for　a　moment　contemplating　us　in　　silence。　〃I　say；　Parkman；〃　he　began；　〃look　at　Shaw　there；　asleep　under　the　　cart；　with　the　tar　dripping　off　the　hub　of　the　wheel　on　his　　shoulder！〃　At　this　Shaw　got　up；　with　his　eyes　half　opened；　and　feeling　the　part　　indicated；　he　found　his　hand　glued　fast　to　his　red　flannel　shirt。　〃He'll　look　well　when　he　gets　among　the　squaws；　won't　he？〃　observed　　the　captain；　with　a　grin。　He　then　crawled　under　the　cart；　and　began　to　tell　stories　of　which　　his　stock　was　inexhaustible。　　Yet　every　moment　he　would　glance　　nervously　at　the　horses。　　At　last　he　jumped　up　in　great　excitement。　　　〃See　that　horse！　　Therethat　fellow　just　walking　over　the　hill！　　By　　Jove；　he's　off。　　It's　your　big　horse；　Shaw；　no　it　isn't；　it's　Jack's！　　　Jack！　　Jack！　hallo；　Jack！〃　　Jack　thus　invoked；　jumped　up　and　stared　　vacantly　at　us。　〃Go　and　catch　your　horse；　if　you　don't　want　to　lose　him！〃　roared　the　　captain。　Jack　instantly　set　off　at　a　run　through　the　grass；　his　broad　　pantaloons　flapping　about　his　feet。　　The　captain　gazed　anxiously　till　　he　saw　that　the　horse　was　caught；　then　he　sat　down；　with　a　　countenance　of　thoughtfulness　and　care。　〃I　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　he　said；　〃this　will　never　do　at　all。　　We　　shall　lose　every　horse　in　the　band　someday　or　other；　and　then　a　　pretty　plight　we　should　be　in！　　Now　I　am　convinced　that　the　only　way　　for　us　is　to　have　every　man　in　the　camp　stand　horse…guard　in　rotation　　whenever　we　stop。　　Supposing　a　hundred　Pawnees　should　jump　up　out　of　　that　ravine；　all　yelling　and　flapping　their　buffalo　robes；　in　the　way　　they　do？　　Why；　in　two　minutes　not　a　hoof　would　be　in　sight。〃　　We　　reminded　the　captain　that　a　hundred　Pawnees　would　probably　demolish　　the　horse…guard；　if　he　were　to　resist　their　depredations。　〃At　any　rate；〃　pursued　the　captain；　evading　the　point；　〃our　whole　　system　is　wrong；　I'm　convinced　of　it；　it　is　totally　unmilitary。　　Why；　　the　way　we　travel；　strung　out　over　the　prairie　for　a　mile；　an　enemy　　might　attack　the　foremost　men；　and　cut　them　off　before　the　rest　could　　come　up。〃　〃We　are　not　in　an　enemy's　country；　yet；〃　said　Shaw；　〃when　we　are；　　we'll　travel　together。〃　〃Then；〃　said　the　captain；　〃we　might　be　attacked　in　camp。　　We've　no　　sentinels；　we　camp　in　disorder；　no　precautions　at　all　to　guard　　against　surprise。　　My　own　convictions　are　that　we　ought　to　camp　in　a　　hollow　square；　with　the　fires　in　the　center；　and　have　sentinels；　and　　a　regular　password　appointed　for　every　night。　　Besides；　there　should　　be　vedettes；　riding　in　advance；　to　find　a　place　for　the　camp　and　give　　warning　of　an　enemy。　　These　are　my　convictions。　　I　don't　want　to　　dictate　to　any　man。　　I　give　advice　to　the　best　of　my　judgment；　that's　　all；　and　then　let　people　do　as　they　please。〃　We　intimated　that　perhaps　it　would　be　as　well　to　postpone　such　　burdensome　precautions　until　there　should　be　some　actual　need　of　　them；　but　he　shook　his　head　dubiously。　　The　captain's　sense　of　　military　propriety　had　been　severely　shocked　by　what　he　considered　　the　irregular　proceedings　of　the　party；　and　this　was　not　the　first　　time　he　had　expressed　himself　upon　the　subject