the oregon trail-第68部分

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gular　look；　　which；　together　with　his　boorish　seat　on　horseback；　gave　him　an　　appearance　anything　but　graceful。　　Plenty　more　of　the　same　stamp　were　　close　behind　him。　　Their　company　was　raised　in　one　of　the　frontier　　counties；　and　we　soon　had　abundant　evidence　of　their　rustic　breeding；　　dozens　of　them　came　crowding　round；　pushing　between　our　first　　visitors　and　staring　at　us　with　unabashed　faces。　〃Are　you　the　captain？〃　asked　one　fellow。　〃What's　your　business　out　here？〃　asked　another。　〃Whar　do　you　live　when　you're　at　home？〃　said　a　third。　〃I　reckon　you're　traders；〃　surmised　a　fourth；　and　to　crown　the　whole；　　one　of　them　came　confidentially　to　my　side　and　inquired　in　a　low　　voice；　〃What's　your　partner's　name？〃　As　each　newcomer　repeated　the　same　questions；　the　nuisance　became　　intolerable。　　Our　military　visitors　were　soon　disgusted　at　the　　concise　nature　of　our　replies；　and　we　could　overhear　them　muttering　　curses　against　us。　　While　we　sat　smoking；　not　in　the　best　imaginable　　humor；　Tete　Rouge's　tongue　was　never　idle。　　He　never　forgot　his　　military　character；　and　during　the　whole　interview　he　was　incessantly　　busy　among　his　fellow…soldiers。　　At　length　we　placed　him　on　the　　ground　before　us；　and　told　him　that　he　might　play　the　part　of　　spokesman　for　the　whole。　　Tete　Rouge　was　delighted；　and　we　soon　had　　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　talk　and　gabble　at　such　a　rate　that　　the　torrent　of　questions　was　in　a　great　measure　diverted　from　us。　　A　　little　while　after；　to　our　amazement；　we　saw　a　large　cannon　with　four　　horses　come　lumbering　up　behind　the　crowd；　and　the　driver；　who　was　　perched　on　one　of　the　animals；　stretching　his　neck　so　as　to　look　over　　the　rest　of　the　men；　called　out：　〃Whar　are　you　from；　and　what's　your　business？〃　The　captain　of　one　of　the　companies　was　among　our　visitors；　drawn　by　　the　same　curiosity　that　had　attracted　his　men。　　Unless　their　faces　　belied　them；　not　a　few　in　the　crowd　might　with　great　advantage　have　　changed　places　with　their　commander。　〃Well；　men；〃　said　he；　lazily　rising　from　the　ground　where　he　had　been　　lounging；　〃it's　getting　late；　I　reckon　we　had　better　be　moving。〃　〃I　shan't　start　yet　anyhow；〃　said　one　fellow；　who　was　lying　half　　asleep　with　his　head　resting　on　his　arm。　〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry；　captain；〃　added　the　lieutenant。　〃Well；　have　it　your　own　way；　we'll　wait　a　while　longer；〃　replied　the　　obsequious　commander。　At　length　however　our　visitors　went　straggling　away　as　they　had　come；　　and　we；　to　our　great　relief；　were　left　alone　again。　No　one　can　deny　the　intrepid　bravery　of　these　men；　their　intelligence　　and　the　bold　frankness　of　their　character；　free　from　all　that　is　mean　　and　sordid。　　Yet　for　the　moment　the　extreme　roughness　of　their　　manners　half　inclines　one　to　forget　their　heroic　qualities。　　Most　of　　them　seem　without　the　least　perception　of　delicacy　or　propriety；　　though　among　them　individuals　may　be　found　in　whose　manners　there　is　　a　plain　courtesy；　while　their　features　bespeak　a　gallant　spirit　equal　　to　any　enterprise。　No　one　was　more　relieved　than　Delorier　by　the　departure　of　the　　volunteers；　for　dinner　was　getting　colder　every　moment。　　He　spread　a　　well…whitened　buffalo　hide　upon　the　grass；　placed　in　the　middle　the　　juicy　hump　of　a　fat　cow；　ranged　around　it　the　tin　plates　and　cups；　　and　then　acquainted　us　that　all　was　ready。　　Tete　Rouge；　with　his　　usual　alacrity　on　such　occasions；　was　the　first　to　take　his　seat。　　In　　his　former　capacity　of　steamboat　clerk；　he　had　learned　to　prefix　the　　honorary　MISTER　to　everybody's　name；　whether　of　high　or　low　degree；　　so　Jim　Gurney　was　Mr。　Gurney；　Henry　was　Mr。　Henry；　and　even　Delorier；　　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　heard　himself　addressed　as　Mr。　　Delorier。　　This　did　not　prevent　his　conceiving　a　violent　enmity　　against　Tete　Rouge；　who；　in　his　futile　though　praiseworthy　attempts　　to　make　himself　useful　used　always　to　intermeddle　with　cooking　the　　dinners。　　Delorier's　disposition　knew　no　medium　between　smiles　and　　sunshine　and　a　downright　tornado　of　wrath；　he　said　nothing　to　Tete　　Rouge；　but　his　wrongs　rankled　in　his　breast。　　Tete　Rouge　had　taken　　his　place　at　dinner；　it　was　his　happiest　moment；　he　sat　enveloped　in　　the　old　buffalo　coat；　sleeves　turned　up　in　preparation　for　the　work；　　and　his　short　legs　crossed　on　the　grass　before　him；　he　had　a　cup　of　　coffee　by　his　side　and　his　knife　ready　in　his　hand　and　while　he　　looked　upon　the　fat　hump　ribs；　his　eyes　dilated　with　anticipation。　　　Delorier　sat　just　opposite　to　him；　and　the　rest　of　us　by　this　time　　had　taken　our　seats。　〃How　is　this；　Delorier？　　You　haven't　given　us　bread　enough。〃　At　this　Delorier's　placid　face　flew　instantly　into　a　paroxysm　of　　contortions。　　He　grinned　with　wrath；　chattered；　gesticulated；　and　　hurled　forth　a　volley　of　incoherent　words　in　broken　English　at　the　　astonished　Tete　Rouge。　　It　was　just　possible　to　make　out　that　he　was　　accusing　him　of　having　stolen　and　eaten　four　large　cakes　which　had　　been　laid　by　for　dinner。　　Tete　Rouge；　utterly　confounded　at　this　　sudden　attack；　stared　at　Delorier　for　a　moment　in　dumb　amazement；　　with　mouth　and　eyes　wide　open。　　At　last　he　found　speech；　and　　protested　that　the　accusation　was　false；　and　that　he　could　not　　conceive　how　he　had　offended　Mr。　Delorier；　or　provoked　him　to　use　　such　ungentlemanly　expressions。　　The　tempest　of　words　raged　with　such　　fury　that　nothing　else　could　be　heard。　　But　Tete　Rouge；　from　his　　greater　command　of　English；　had　a　manifest　advantage　over　Delorier；　　who　after　sputtering　and　grimacing　for　a　while；　found　his　words　quite　　inadequate　to　the　expression　of　his　wrath。　　He　jumped　up　and　　vanished；　jerking　out　between　his　teeth　one　furious　sacre　enfant　de　　grace；　a　Canadian　title　of　honor；　made　doubly　emphatic　by　being　　usually　applied　together　with　a　cut　of　the　whip　to　refractory　mules　　and　horses。　The　next　morning　we　saw　an　old　buffalo　escorting　his　cow　with　two　　small　calves　over　the　prairie。　　Close　behind　came　four　or　five　large　　white　wolves；　sneaking　stealthily　through　the　long　meadow…grass；　and　　watching　for　the　moment　when　one　of　the　children　should　chance　to　lag　　behind　his　parents。　　The　old　bull　kept　well　on　his　guard；　and　faced　　about　now　and　then　to　keep　the　prowling　ruffians　at　a　distance。　As　we　approached　our　nooning　place；　we　saw　five　or　six　buffalo　　standing　at　the　very　summit　of　a　tall　bluff。　　Trotting　forward　to　the　　spot　where　we　meant　to　stop；　I　flung　off　my　saddle　and　turned　my　　horse　loose。　　By　making　a　circuit　under　cover　of　some　rising　ground；　　I　reached　the　foot　of　the　bluff　unnoticed；　and　climbed　up　its　steep　　side。　　Lying　under　the　brow　of　the　declivity；　I　prepared　to　fire　at　　the　buffalo；　who　stood　on　the　flat　surface　about　not　five　yards　　distant。　　Perhaps　I　was　too　hasty；　for　the　gleaming　rifle…barrel　　leveled　over　the　edge　caught　their　notice；　they　turned　and　ran。　　　Close　as　they　were；　it　was　impossible　to　kill　them　when　in　that　　position；　and　stepping　upon　the　summit　I　pursued　them　over　the　high　　arid　tableland。　　It　was　extremely　rugged　and　broken；　a　great　sandy　　ravine　was　channeled　through　it；　with　smaller　ravines　entering　on　　each　side　like　tributary　streams。　　The　buffalo　scattered；　and　I　soon　　lost　sight　of　most　of　them　as　they　scuttled　away　through　the　sandy　　chasms；　a　bull　and　a　cow　alone　kept　in　view。　　For　a　while　they　ran　　along　the　edge　of　the　great　ravine；　appearing　and　disappearing　as　　they　dived　into　some　chasm　and　again　emerged　from　it。　　At　last　they　　stretched　out　upon　the　broad　prairie；　a　plain　nearly　flat　and　almost　　devoid　of　verdure；　for　every　short　grass…blade　was　dried　and　　shriveled　by　the　glaring　sun。　　Now　and　then　the　old　bull　would　face　　toward　me；　whenever　he　did　so　I　fell　to　the　ground　and　lay　　motionless。　　In　this　manner　I　chased　them　for　about　two　miles；　until　　at　length　I　heard　in　front　a　deep　hoarse　bellowing。　　A　moment　after　a　　band　of　about　a　hundred　bulls；　before　hidden　by　a　slight　swell　of　the　　plain；　came　at　once　into　view。　　The　fugitives　ran　toward　them。　　　Instead　of　mingling　with　the　band；　as　I　expected；　they　passed　　directly　through；　and　continued　their　flight。　　At　this　I　gave　up　the　　chase；　and　kneeling　down；　crawled　to　within　gunshot　of　the　bulls；　and　　with　panting　breath　and　trickling　brow　sat　down　on　the　ground　to　　watch　them；　my　presence　did　not　disturb　them　in　the　least。　　They　were　　not　feeding；　for；　indeed；　there　was　nothing　to　eat；　but　they　seemed　　to　have　chosen　the　parched　and　scorching　desert　as　the　scene　of　their　　amusements。　　Some　were　rolling　on　the　ground　amid　a　cloud　of　dust；　　others；　with　a　hoarse　rumbling　bellow；　were　butting　their　large　heads　　together；　while　many　stood　motionless；　as　if　quite　inanimate。　　Except　　their　monstrous　growth　of　tangled　grizzly　mane；　they　had　no　hair；　for　　their　old　coat　had　fallen　off　in　the　spring；　and　their　new　one　had　　not　as　yet　appeared。　　Sometimes　an　old　bull　would　step　forward；　and　　gaze　at　me　with　a　grim　and　stupid　countenance；　then　he　would　turn　and　　butt　his　next　neighbor；　then　he　would　lie　down　and　roll　over　in　the　　dirt；　kicking　his　hoofs　in　the　air。　　When　satisfied　with　this　　amusement　he　would　jerk　his　head　and　shoulders　upward；　and　resting　on　　his　forelegs　stare　at　me　in　this　position；　half　blinded　by　his　mane；　　and　his　face　covered　with　dirt；　then　up　he　would　spring　upon　all…　fours；　and　shake　his　dusty　sides；　turning　half　round；　he　would　stand　　with　his　beard　touching　the　ground；　in　an　attitude　of　profound　　abstraction；　as　if　reflecting　on　his　puerile　conduct。　　〃You　are　too　　ugly　to　live；〃　thought　I；　and　aiming　at　the　ugliest；　I　shot　three　of　　them　in　succession。　　The　rest　were　not　at　all　discomposed　at　this；　　they　kept　on　bellowing　and　butting　and　rolling　on　the　ground　as　　before。　　Henry　Chatillon　always　cautioned　us　to　keep　perfectly　quiet　　in　the　presence　of　a　wounded　buffalo；　for　any　movement　is　apt　to　　excite　him　to　make　an　attack；　so　I　sat　still　upon　the　ground；　loading　　and　firing　with　as　little　motion　as　possible。　　While　I　was　thus　　employed；　a　spectator　made　his　appearance；　a　little　antelope　came　　running　up　with　remarkable　gentleness　to　within　fifty　yards；　and　　there　it　stood；　its　slender　neck　arched；　its　small　horns　thrown　back；　　and　its　large　dark　eyes　gazing　on　me　with　a　look　of　eager　curiosity。　　　By　the　side　of　the　shaggy　and　brutish　monsters　before　me；　it　seemed　　like　some　lovely　young　girl　wandering