the oregon trail-第63部分

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　enjoys　all　the　　impunity　of　a　drunken　man；　and　may　ride　in　safety　over　the　gullies　　and　declivities　where；　should　he　attempt　to　pass　in　his　sober　senses；　　he　would　infallibly　break　his　neck。　The　method　of　〃approaching；〃　being　practiced　on　foot；　has　many　　advantages　over　that　of　〃running〃；　in　the　former；　one　neither　breaks　　down　his　horse　nor　endangers　his　own　life；　instead　of　yielding　to　　excitement　he　must　be　cool；　collected；　and　watchful；　he　must　　understand　the　buffalo；　observe　the　features　of　the　country　and　the　　course　of　the　wind；　and　be　well　skilled；　moreover；　in　using　the　　rifle。　　The　buffalo　are　strange　animals；　sometimes　they　are　so　stupid　　and　infatuated　that　a　man　may　walk　up　to　them　in　full　sight　on　the　　open　prairie；　and　even　shoot　several　of　their　number　before　the　rest　　will　think　it　necessary　to　retreat。　　Again　at　another　moment　they　　will　be　so　shy　and　wary；　that　in　order　to　approach　them　the　utmost　　skill；　experience；　and　judgment　are　necessary。　　Kit　Carson；　I　　believe；　stands　pre…eminent　in　running　buffalo；　in　approaching；　no　　man　living　can　bear　away　the　palm　from　Henry　Chatillon。　To　resume　the　story：　After　Tete　Rouge　had　alarmed　the　camp；　no　　further　disturbance　occurred　during　the　night。　　The　Arapahoes　did　not　　attempt　mischief；　or　if　they　did　the　wakefulness　of　the　party　　deterred　them　from　effecting　their　purpose。　　The　next　day　was　one　of　　activity　and　excitement；　for　about　ten　o'clock　the　men　in　advance　　shouted　the　gladdening　cry　of　〃Buffalo；　buffalo！〃　and　in　the　hollow　　of　the　prairie　just　below　us；　a　band　of　bulls　were　grazing。　　The　　temptation　was　irresistible；　and　Shaw　and　I　rode　down　upon　them。　　We　　were　badly　mounted　on　our　traveling　horses；　but　by　hard　lashing　we　　overtook　them；　and　Shaw；　running　alongside　of　a　bull；　shot　into　him　　both　balls　of　his　double…barreled　gun。　　Looking　round　as　I　galloped　　past；　I　saw　the　bull　in　his　mortal　fury　rushing　again　and　again　upon　　his　antagonist；　whose　horse　constantly　leaped　aside；　and　avoided　the　　onset。　　My　chase　was　more　protracted；　but　at　length　I　ran　close　to　　the　bull　and　killed　him　with　my　pistols。　　Cutting　off　the　tails　of　　our　victims　by　way　of　trophy；　we　rejoined　the　party　in　about　a　　quarter　of　an　hour　after　we　left　it。　　Again　and　again　that　morning　　rang　out　the　same　welcome　cry　of　〃Buffalo；　buffalo！〃　　Every　few　　moments　in　the　broad　meadows　along　the　river；　we　would　see　bands　of　　bulls；　who；　raising　their　shaggy　heads；　would　gaze　in　stupid　　amazement　at　the　approaching　horsemen；　and　then　breaking　into　a　　clumsy　gallop；　would　file　off　in　a　long　line　across　the　trail　in　　front；　toward　the　rising　prairie　on　the　left。　　At　noon；　the　whole　　plain　before　us　was　alive　with　thousands　of　buffalobulls；　cows；　and　　calvesall　moving　rapidly　as　we　drew　near；　and　far…off　beyond　the　　river　the　swelling　prairie　was　darkened　with　them　to　the　very　　horizon。　　The　party　was　in　gayer　spirits　than　ever。　　We　stopped　for　a　　nooning　near　a　grove　of　trees　by　the　river　side。　〃Tongues　and　hump　ribs　to…morrow；〃　said　Shaw；　looking　with　contempt　　at　the　venison　steaks　which　Delorier　placed　before　us。　　Our　meal　　finished；　we　lay　down　under　a　temporary　awning　to　sleep。　　A　shout　　from　Henry　Chatillon　aroused　us；　and　we　saw　him　standing　on　the　　cartwheel　stretching　his　tall　figure　to　its　full　height　while　he　　looked　toward　the　prairie　beyond　the　river。　　Following　the　direction　　of　his　eyes　we　could　clearly　distinguish　a　large　dark　object；　like　　the　black　shadow　of　a　cloud；　passing　rapidly　over　swell　after　swell　　of　the　distant　plain；　behind　it　followed　another　of　similar　　appearance　though　smaller。　　Its　motion　was　more　rapid；　and　it　drew　　closer　and　closer　to　the　first。　　It　was　the　hunters　of　the　Arapahoe　　camp　pursuing　a　band　of　buffalo。　　Shaw　and　I　hastily　sought　and　　saddled　our　best　horses；　and　went　plunging　through　sand　and　water　to　　the　farther　bank。　　We　were　too　late。　　The　hunters　had　already　mingled　　with　the　herd；　and　the　work　of　slaughter　was　nearly　over。　　When　we　　reached　the　ground　we　found　it　strewn　far　and　near　with　numberless　　black　carcasses；　while　the　remnants　of　the　herd；　scattered　in　all　　directions；　were　flying　away　in　terror；　and　the　Indians　still　rushing　　in　pursuit。　　Many　of　the　hunters；　however；　remained　upon　the　spot；　　and　among　the　rest　was　our　yesterday's　acquaintance；　the　chief　of　the　　village。　　He　had　alighted　by　the　side　of　a　cow；　into　which　he　had　　shot　five　or　six　arrows；　and　his　squaw；　who　had　followed　him　on　　horseback　to　the　hunt；　was　giving　him　a　draught　of　water　out　of　a　　canteen；　purchased　or　plundered　from　some　volunteer　soldier。　　　Recrossing　the　river　we　overtook　the　party；　who　were　already　on　their　　way。　We　had　scarcely　gone　a　mile　when　an　imposing　spectacle　presented　　itself。　　From　the　river　bank　on　the　right；　away　over　the　swelling　　prairie　on　the　left；　and　in　front　as　far　as　we　could　see；　extended　　one　vast　host　of　buffalo。　　The　outskirts　of　the　herd　were　within　a　　quarter　of　a　mile。　　In　many　parts　they　were　crowded　so　densely　　together　that　in　the　distance　their　rounded　backs　presented　a　surface　　of　uniform　blackness；　but　elsewhere　they　were　more　scattered；　and　　from　amid　the　multitude　rose　little　columns　of　dust　where　the　buffalo　　were　rolling　on　the　ground。　　Here　and　there　a　great　confusion　was　　perceptible；　where　a　battle　was　going　forward　among　the　bulls。　　We　　could　distinctly　see　them　rushing　against　each　other；　and　hear　the　　clattering　of　their　horns　and　their　hoarse　bellowing。　　Shaw　was　　riding　at　some　distance　in　advance；　with　Henry　Chatillon；　I　saw　him　　stop　and　draw　the　leather　covering　from　his　gun。　　Indeed；　with　such　a　　sight　before　us；　but　one　thing　could　be　thought　of。　　That　morning　I　　had　used　pistols　in　the　chase。　　I　had　now　a　mind　to　try　the　virtue　of　　a　gun。　　Delorier　had　one；　and　I　rode　up　to　the　side　of　the　cart；　　there　he　sat　under　the　white　covering；　biting　his　pipe　between　his　　teeth　and　grinning　with　excitement。　〃Lend　me　your　gun；　Delorier；〃　said　I。　〃Oui；　monsieur；　oui；〃　said　Delorier；　tugging　with　might　and　main　to　　stop　the　mule；　which　seemed　obstinately　bent　on　going　forward。　　Then　　everything　but　his　moccasins　disappeared　as　he　crawled　into　the　cart　　and　pulled　at　the　gun　to　extricate　it。　〃Is　it　loaded？〃　I　asked。　〃Oui；　bien　charge；　you'll　kill；　mon　bourgeois；　yes；　you'll　kill　c'est　un　bon　fusil。〃　I　handed　him　my　rifle　and　rode　forward　to　Shaw。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　he　asked。　〃Come　on；〃　said　I。　〃Keep　down　that　hollow；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　then　they　won't　see　you　　till　you　get　close　to　them。〃　The　hollow　was　a　kind　of　ravine　very　wide　and　shallow；　it　ran　　obliquely　toward　the　buffalo；　and　we　rode　at　a　canter　along　the　　bottom　until　it　became　too　shallow；　when　we　bent　close　to　our　horses'　　necks；　and　then　finding　that　it　could　no　longer　conceal　us；　came　out　　of　it　and　rode　directly　toward　the　herd。　　It　was　within　gunshot；　　before　its　outskirts；　numerous　grizzly　old　bulls　were　scattered；　　holding　guard　over　their　females。　　They　glared　at　us　in　anger　and　　astonishment；　walked　toward　us　a　few　yards；　and　then　turning　slowly　　round　retreated　at　a　trot　which　afterward　broke　into　a　clumsy　gallop。　　　In　an　instant　the　main　body　caught　the　alarm。　　The　buffalo　began　to　　crowd　away　from　the　point　toward　which　we　were　approaching；　and　a　gap　　was　opened　in　the　side　of　the　herd。　　We　entered　it；　still　restraining　　our　excited　horses。　　Every　instant　the　tumult　was　thickening。　　The　　buffalo；　pressing　together　in　large　bodies；　crowded　away　from　us　on　　every　hand。　　In　front　and　on　either　side　we　could　see　dark　columns　　and　masses；　half　hidden　by　clouds　of　dust；　rushing　along　in　terror　　and　confusion；　and　hear　the　tramp　and　clattering　of　ten　thousand　　hoofs。　　That　countless　multitude　of　powerful　brutes；　ignorant　of　　their　own　strength；　were　flying　in　a　panic　from　the　approach　of　two　　feeble　horsemen。　　To　remain　quiet　longer　was　impossible。　〃Take　that　band　on　the　left；〃　said　Shaw；　〃I'll　take　these　in　front。〃　He　sprang　off；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　him。　　A　heavy　Indian　whip　was　　fastened　by　a　band　to　my　wrist；　I　swung　it　into　the　air　and　lashed　my　　horse's　flank　with　all　the　strength　of　my　arm。　　Away　she　darted；　　stretching　close　to　the　ground。　　I　could　see　nothing　but　a　cloud　of　　dust　before　me；　but　I　knew　that　it　concealed　a　band　of　many　hundreds　　of　buffalo。　　In　a　moment　I　was　in　the　midst　of　the　cloud；　half　　suffocated　by　the　dust　and　stunned　by　the　trampling　of　the　flying　　herd；　but　I　was　drunk　with　the　chase　and　cared　for　nothing　but　the　　buffalo。　　Very　soon　a　long　dark　mass　became　visible；　looming　through　　the　dust；　then　I　could　distinguish　each　bulky　carcass；　the　hoofs　　flying　out　beneath；　the　short　tails　held　rigidly　erect。　　In　a　moment　　I　was　so　close　that　I　could　have　touched　them　with　my　gun。　　Suddenly；　　to　my　utter　amazement；　the　hoofs　were　jerked　upward；　the　tails　　flourished　in　the　air；　and　amid　a　cloud　of　dust　the　buffalo　seemed　to　　sink　into　the　earth　before　me。　　One　vivid　impression　of　that　instant　　remains　upon　my　mind。　　I　remember　looking　down　upon　the　backs　of　　several　buffalo　dimly　visible　through　the　dust。　　We　had　run　unawares　　upon　a　ravine。　　At　that　moment　I　was　not　the　most　accurate　judge　of　　depth　and　width；　but　when　I　passed　it　on　my　return；　I　found　it　about　　twelve　feet　deep　and　not　quite　twice　as　wide　at　the　bottom。　　It　was　　impossible　to　stop；　I　would　have　done　so　gladly　if　I　could；　so；　half　　sliding；　half　plunging；　down　went　the　little　mare。　　I　believe　she　　came　down　on　her　knees　in　the　loose　sand　at　the　bottom；　I　was　pitched　　forward　violently　against　her　neck　and　nearly　thrown　over　her　head　　among　the　buffalo；　who　amid　dust　and　confusion　came　tumbling　in　all　　around。　　The　mare　was　on　her　feet　in　an　instant　and　scrambling　like　a　　cat　up　the　opposite　side。　　I　thought　for　a　moment　that　she　would　have　　fallen　back　and　crushed　me；　but　with　a　violent　effort　she　clambered　　out　and　gained　the　hard　prairie　above。　　Glancing　back　I　saw　the　huge　　head　of　a　bull　clinging　as　it　were　by　the　forefeet　at　the　edge　of　the　　dusty　gulf。　　At　length　I　was　fairly　among　the　buffalo。　　They　were　　less　densely　crowded　than　before；　and　I　could　see　nothing　but　bulls；　　who　always　run　at　the　rear　of　the　herd。　　As　I　passed　amid　them　they　　would　lower　their　heads；　and　turning　as　they　ran；　attempt　to　gore　my　　horse；　but　as　they　were　already　at　full　speed　there