the oregon trail-第65部分

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　of　Henry　Chatillon　would　have　　supplied　meat　enough　for　the　whole　within　two　days；　we　were　obliged　　to　remain；　however；　until　it　should　be　dry　enough　for　transportation；　　so　we　erected　our　tent　and　made　the　other　arrangements　for　a　　permanent　camp。　　The　California　men；　who　had　no　such　shelter；　　contented　themselves　with　arranging　their　packs　on　the　grass　around　　their　fire。　　In　the　meantime　we　had　nothing　to　do　but　amuse　　ourselves。　　Our　tent　was　within　a　rod　of　the　river；　if　the　broad　　sand…beds；　with　a　scanty　stream　of　water　coursing　here　and　there　　along　their　surface；　deserve　to　be　dignified　with　the　name　of　river。　　　The　vast　flat　plains　on　either　side　were　almost　on　a　level　with　the　　sand…beds；　and　they　were　bounded　in　the　distance　by　low；　monotonous　　hills；　parallel　to　the　course　of　the　Arkansas。　　All　was　one　expanse　　of　grass；　there　was　no　wood　in　view；　except　some　trees　and　stunted　　bushes　upon　two　islands　which　rose　from　amid　the　wet　sands　of　the　　river。　　Yet　far　from　being　dull　and　tame　this　boundless　scene　was　　often　a　wild　and　animated　one；　for　twice　a　day；　at　sunrise　and　at　　noon；　the　buffalo　came　issuing　from　the　hills；　slowly　advancing　in　　their　grave　processions　to　drink　at　the　river。　　All　our　amusements　　were　too　at　their　expense。　　Except　an　elephant；　I　have　seen　no　animal　　that　can　surpass　a　buffalo　bull　in　size　and　strength；　and　the　world　　may　be　searched　in　vain　to　find　anything　of　a　more　ugly　and　ferocious　　aspect。　　At　first　sight　of　him　every　feeling　of　sympathy　vanishes；　no　　man　who　has　not　experienced　it　can　understand　with　what　keen　relish　　one　inflicts　his　death　wound；　with　what　profound　contentment　of　mind　　he　beholds　him　fall。　　The　cows　are　much　smaller　and　of　a　gentler　　appearance；　as　becomes　their　sex。　　While　in　this　camp　we　forebore　to　　attack　them；　leaving　to　Henry　Chatillon；　who　could　better　judge　their　　fatness　and　good　quality；　the　task　of　killing　such　as　we　wanted　for　　use；　but　against　the　bulls　we　waged　an　unrelenting　war。　　Thousands　of　　them　might　be　slaughtered　without　causing　any　detriment　to　the　　species；　for　their　numbers　greatly　exceed　those　of　the　cows；　it　is　　the　hides　of　the　latter　alone　which　are　used　for　purpose　of　commerce　　and　for　making　the　lodges　of　the　Indians；　and　the　destruction　among　　them　is　therefore　altogether　disproportioned。　Our　horses　were　tired；　and　we　now　usually　hunted　on　foot。　　The　wide；　　flat　sand…beds　of　the　Arkansas；　as　the　reader　will　remember；　lay　　close　by　the　side　of　our　camp。　　While　we　were　lying　on　the　grass　　after　dinner；　smoking；　conversing；　or　laughing　at　Tete　Rouge；　one　of　　us　would　look　up　and　observe；　far　out　on　the　plains　beyond　the　river；　　certain　black　objects　slowly　approaching。　　He　would　inhale　a　parting　　whiff　from　the　pipe；　then　rising　lazily；　take　his　rifle；　which　leaned　　against　the　cart；　throw　over　his　shoulder　the　strap　of　his　pouch　and　　powder…horn；　and　with　his　moccasins　in　his　hand　walk　quietly　across　　the　sand　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　river。　　This　was　very　easy；　　for　though　the　sands　were　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　the　water　　was　nowhere　more　than　two　feet　deep。　　The　farther　bank　was　about　four　　or　five　feet　high；　and　quite　perpendicular；　being　cut　away　by　the　　water　in　spring。　　Tall　grass　grew　along　its　edge。　　Putting　it　aside　　with　his　hand；　and　cautiously　looking　through　it；　the　hunter　can　　discern　the　huge　shaggy　back　of　the　buffalo　slowly　swaying　to　and　　fro；　as　with　his　clumsy　swinging　gait　he　advances　toward　the　water。　　　The　buffalo　have　regular　paths　by　which　they　come　down　to　drink。　　　Seeing　at　a　glance　along　which　of　these　his　intended　victim　is　　moving；　the　hunter　crouches　under　the　bank　within　fifteen　or　twenty　　yards；　it　may　be；　of　the　point　where　the　path　enters　the　river。　　Here　　he　sits　down　quietly　on　the　sand。　　Listening　intently；　he　hears　the　　heavy　monotonous　tread　of　the　approaching　bull。　　The　moment　after　he　　sees　a　motion　among　the　long　weeds　and　grass　just　at　the　spot　where　　the　path　is　channeled　through　the　bank。　　An　enormous　black　head　is　　thrust　out；　the　horns　just　visible　amid　the　mass　of　tangled　mane。　　　Half　sliding；　half　plunging；　down　comes　the　buffalo　upon　the　river…　bed　below。　　He　steps　out　in　full　sight　upon　the　sands。　　Just　before　　him　a　runnel　of　water　is　gliding；　and　he　bends　his　head　to　drink。　　　You　may　hear　the　water　as　it　gurgles　down　his　capacious　throat。　　He　　raises　his　head；　and　the　drops　trickle　from　his　wet　beard。　　He　stands　　with　an　air　of　stupid　abstraction；　unconscious　of　the　lurking　danger。　　　Noiselessly　the　hunter　cocks　his　rifle。　　As　he　sits　upon　the　sand；　　his　knee　is　raised；　and　his　elbow　rests　upon　it；　that　he　may　level　　his　heavy　weapon　with　a　steadier　aim。　　The　stock　is　at　his　shoulder；　　his　eye　ranges　along　the　barrel。　　Still　he　is　in　no　haste　to　fire。　　　The　bull；　with　slow　deliberation；　begins　his　march　over　the　sands　to　　the　other　side。　　He　advances　his　foreleg；　and　exposes　to　view　a　small　　spot；　denuded　of　hair；　just　behind　the　point　of　his　shoulder；　upon　　this　the　hunter　brings　the　sight　of　his　rifle　to　bear；　lightly　and　　delicately　his　finger　presses　upon　the　hair…trigger。　　Quick　as　　thought　the　spiteful　crack　of　the　rifle　responds　to　his　slight　touch；　　and　instantly　in　the　middle　of　the　bare　spot　appears　a　small　red　dot。　　　The　buffalo　shivers；　death　has　overtaken　him；　he　cannot　tell　from　　whence；　still　he　does　not　fall；　but　walks　heavily　forward；　as　if　　nothing　had　happened。　　Yet　before　he　has　advanced　far　out　upon　the　　sand；　you　see　him　stop；　he　totters；　his　knees　bend　under　him；　and　his　　head　sinks　forward　to　the　ground。　　Then　his　whole　vast　bulk　sways　to　　one　side；　he　rolls　over　on　the　sand；　and　dies　with　a　scarcely　　perceptible　struggle。　Waylaying　the　buffalo　in　this　manner；　and　shooting　them　as　they　come　　to　water；　is　the　easiest　and　laziest　method　of　hunting　them。　　They　　may　also　be　approached　by　crawling　up　ravines；　or　behind　hills；　or　　even　over　the　open　prairie。　　This　is　often　surprisingly　easy；　but　at　　other　times　it　requires　the　utmost　skill　of　the　most　experienced　　hunter。　　Henry　Chatillon　was　a　man　of　extraordinary　strength　and　　hardihood；　but　I　have　seen　him　return　to　camp　quite　exhausted　with　　his　efforts；　his　limbs　scratched　and　wounded；　and　his　buckskin　dress　　stuck　full　of　the　thorns　of　the　prickly…pear　among　which　he　had　been　　crawling。　　Sometimes　he　would　lay　flat　upon　his　face；　and　drag　　himself　along　in　this　position　for　many　rods　together。　On　the　second　day　of　our　stay　at　this　place；　Henry　went　out　for　an　　afternoon　hunt。　　Shaw　and　I　remained　in　camp　until；　observing　some　　bulls　approaching　the　water　upon　the　other　side　of　the　river；　we　　crossed　over　to　attack　them。　　They　were　so　near；　however；　that　before　　we　could　get　under　cover　of　the　bank　our　appearance　as　we　walked　over　　the　sands　alarmed　them。　　Turning　round　before　coming　within　gunshot；　　they　began　to　move　off　to　the　right　in　a　direction　parallel　to　the　　river。　　I　climbed　up　the　bank　and　ran　after　them。　　They　were　walking　　swiftly；　and　before　I　could　come　within　gunshot　distance　they　slowly　　wheeled　about　and　faced　toward　me。　　Before　they　had　turned　far　enough　　to　see　me　I　had　fallen　flat　on　my　face。　　For　a　moment　they　stood　and　　stared　at　the　strange　object　upon　the　grass；　then　turning　away；　again　　they　walked　on　as　before；　and　I；　rising　immediately；　ran　once　more　in　　pursuit。　　Again　they　wheeled　about；　and　again　I　fell　prostrate。　　　Repeating　this　three　or　four　times；　I　came　at　length　within　a　hundred　　yards　of　the　fugitives；　and　as　I　saw　them　turning　again　I　sat　down　　and　leveled　my　rifle。　　The　one　in　the　center　was　the　largest　I　had　　ever　seen。　　I　shot　him　behind　the　shoulder。　　His　two　companions　ran　　off。　　He　attempted　to　follow；　but　soon　came　to　a　stand；　and　at　length　　lay　down　as　quietly　as　an　ox　chewing　the　cud。　　Cautiously　approaching　　him；　I　saw　by　his　dull　and　jellylike　eye　that　he　was　dead。　When　I　began　the　chase；　the　prairie　was　almost　tenantless；　but　a　　great　multitude　of　buffalo　had　suddenly　thronged　upon　it；　and　looking　　up；　I　saw　within　fifty　rods　a　heavy；　dark　column　stretching　to　the　　right　and　left　as　far　as　I　could　see。　　I　walked　toward　them。　　My　　approach　did　not　alarm　them　in　the　least。　　The　column　itself　　consisted　entirely　of　cows　and　calves；　but　a　great　many　old　bulls　　were　ranging　about　the　prairie　on　its　flank；　and　as　I　drew　near　they　　faced　toward　me　with　such　a　shaggy　and　ferocious　look　that　I　thought　　it　best　to　proceed　no　farther。　　Indeed　I　was　already　within　close　　rifle…shot　of　the　column；　and　I　sat　down　on　the　ground　to　watch　their　　movements。　　Sometimes　the　whole　would　stand　still；　their　heads　all　　facing　one　way；　then　they　would　trot　forward；　as　if　by　a　common　　impulse；　their　hoofs　and　horns　clattering　together　as　they　moved。　　I　　soon　began　to　hear　at　a　distance　on　the　left　the　sharp　reports　of　a　　rifle；　again　and　again　repeated；　and　not　long　after；　dull　and　heavy　　sounds　succeeded；　which　I　recognized　as　the　familiar　voice　of　Shaw's　　double…barreled　gun。　　When　Henry's　rifle　was　at　work　there　was　always　　meat　to　be　brought　in。　　I　went　back　across　the　river　for　a　horse；　and　　returning；　reached　the　spot　where　the　hunters　were　standing。　　The　　buffalo　were　visible　on　the　distant　prairie。　　The　living　had　　retreated　from　the　ground；　but　ten　or　twelve　carcasses　were　scattered　　in　various　directions。　　Henry；　knife　in　hand；　was　stooping　over　a　　dead　cow；　cutting　away　the　best　and　fattest　of　the　meat。　When　Shaw　left　me　he　had　walked　down　for　some　distance　under　the　　river　bank　to　find　another　bull。　　At　length　he　saw　the　plains　covered　　with　the　host　of　buffalo；　and　soon　after　heard　the　crack　of　Henry's　　rifle。　　Ascending　the　bank；　he　crawled　through　the　grass；　which　for　a　　rod　or　two　from　the　river　was　very　high　and　rank。　　He　had　not　crawled　　far　before　to　his　astonishment　he　saw　Henry　standing　erect　upon　the　　prairie；　almost　surrounded　by　the　buffalo。　　Henry　was　in　his　　appropriate　element。　　Nelson；　on　the　deck　of　the　Victory；　hardly　felt　　a　prouder　sense　of　mastery　than　he。　　Quite　unconscious　that　any　one　　was　looking　at　him；　he　stood　at　the　full　height　of　his　tall；　strong　　figure；　one　hand　resting　upon　his　side；　and　the　other　arm　leaning　　carelessly　on　the　muzzle　of　his　rifle。　　His　eyes　were　ranging　over　　the　singular　assemblage　around　him。　　Now　and　then　he　would　sel