the oregon trail-第71部分

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e　were　much　more　astonished　than　pleased　at　the　　sight　before　us。　　In　order　to　find　an　unoccupied　camping　ground；　we　　were　obliged　to　pass　a　quarter　of　a　mile　up　the　stream；　and　here　we　　were　soon　beset　by　a　swarm　of　Mormons　and　Missourians。　　The　United　　States　officer　in　command　of　the　whole　came　also　to　visit　us；　and　　remained　some　time　at　our　camp。　In　the　morning　the　country　was　covered　with　mist。　　We　were　always　　early　risers；　but　before　we　were　ready　the　voices　of　men　driving　in　　the　cattle　sounded　all　around　us。　　As　we　passed　above　their　camp；　we　　saw　through　the　obscurity　that　the　tents　were　falling　and　the　ranks　　rapidly　forming；　and　mingled　with　the　cries　of　women　and　children；　　the　rolling　of　the　Mormon　drums　and　the　clear　blast　of　their　trumpets　　sounded　through　the　mist。　From　that　time　to　the　journey's　end；　we　met　almost　every　day　long　　trains　of　government　wagons；　laden　with　stores　for　the　troops　and　　crawling　at　a　snail's　pace　toward　Santa　Fe。　Tete　Rouge　had　a　mortal　antipathy　to　danger；　but　on　a　foraging　　expedition　one　evening；　he　achieved　an　adventure　more　perilous　than　　had　yet　befallen　any　man　in　the　party。　　The　night　after　we　left　the　　Ridge…path　we　encamped　close　to　the　river。　　At　sunset　we　saw　a　train　　of　wagons　encamping　on　the　trail　about　three　miles　off；　and　though　we　　saw　them　distinctly；　our　little　cart；　as　it　afterward　proved；　　entirely　escaped　their　view。　　For　some　days　Tete　Rouge　had　been　　longing　eagerly　after　a　dram　of　whisky。　　So；　resolving　to　improve　the　　present　opportunity；　he　mounted　his　horse　James；　slung　his　canteen　　over　his　shoulder；　and　set　forth　in　search　of　his　favorite　liquor。　　　Some　hours　passed　without　his　returning。　　We　thought　that　he　was　　lost；　or　perhaps　that　some　stray　Indian　had　snapped　him　up。　　While　　the　rest　fell　asleep　I　remained　on　guard。　　Late　at　night　a　tremulous　　voice　saluted　me　from　the　darkness；　and　Tete　Rouge　and　James　soon　　became　visible；　advancing　toward　the　camp。　　Tete　Rouge　was　in　much　　agitation　and　big　with　some　important　tidings。　　Sitting　down　on　the　　shaft　of　the　cart；　he　told　the　following　story：　When　he　left　the　camp　he　had　no　idea；　he　said；　how　late　it　was。　　By　　the　time　he　approached　the　wagoners　it　was　perfectly　dark；　and　as　he　　saw　them　all　sitting　around　their　fires　within　the　circle　of　wagons；　　their　guns　laid　by　their　sides；　he　thought　he　might　as　well　give　　warning　of　his　approach；　in　order　to　prevent　a　disagreeable　mistake。　　　Raising　his　voice　to　the　highest　pitch；　he　screamed　out　in　prolonged　　accents；　〃Camp；　ahoy！〃　　This　eccentric　salutation　produced　anything　　but　the　desired　result。　　Hearing　such　hideous　sounds　proceeding　from　　the　outer　darkness；　the　wagoners　thought　that　the　whole　Pawnee　nation　　were　about　to　break　in　and　take　their　scalps。　　Up　they　sprang　staring　　with　terror。　　Each　man　snatched　his　gun；　some　stood　behind　the　　wagons；　some　threw　themselves　flat　on　the　ground；　and　in　an　instant　　twenty　cocked　muskets　were　leveled　full　at　the　horrified　Tete　Rouge；　　who　just　then　began　to　be　visible　through　the　darkness。　〃Thar　they　come；〃　cried　the　master　wagoner；　〃fire；　fire！　shoot　that　　feller。〃　〃No；　no！〃　screamed　Tete　Rouge；　in　an　ecstasy　of　fright；　〃don't　fire；　　don't！　　I'm　a　friend；　I'm　an　American　citizen！〃　〃You're　a　friend；　be　you？〃　cried　a　gruff　voice　from　the　wagons；　〃then　　what　are　you　yelling　out　thar　for；　like　a　wild　Injun。　　Come　along　up　　here　if　you're　a　man。〃　〃Keep　your　guns　p'inted　at　him；〃　added　the　master　wagoner；　〃maybe　　he's　a　decoy；　like。〃　Tete　Rouge　in　utter　bewilderment　made　his　approach；　with　the　gaping　　muzzles　of　the　muskets　still　before　his　eyes。　　He　succeeded　at　last　　in　explaining　his　character　and　situation；　and　the　Missourians　　admitted　him　into　camp。　　He　got　no　whisky；　but　as　he　represented　　himself　as　a　great　invalid；　and　suffering　much　from　coarse　fare；　they　　made　up　a　contribution　for　him　of　rice；　biscuit；　and　sugar　from　their　　own　rations。　In　the　morning　at　breakfast；　Tete　Rouge　once　more　related　this　story。　　　We　hardly　knew　how　much　of　it　to　believe；　though　after　some　cross…　questioning　we　failed　to　discover　any　flaw　in　the　narrative。　　Passing　　by　the　wagoner's　camp；　they　confirmed　Tete　Rouge's　account　in　every　　particular。　〃I　wouldn't　have　been　in　that　feller's　place；〃　said　one　of　them；　〃for　　the　biggest　heap　of　money　in　Missouri。〃　To　Tete　Rouge's　great　wrath　they　expressed　a　firm　conviction　that　he　　was　crazy。　　We　left　them　after　giving　them　the　advice　not　to　trouble　　themselves　about　war…whoops　in　future；　since　they　would　be　apt　to　　feel　an　Indian's　arrow　before　they　heard　his　voice。　A　day　or　two　after；　we　had　an　adventure　of　another　sort　with　a　party　　of　wagoners。　　Henry　and　I　rode　forward　to　hunt。　　After　that　day　there　　was　no　probability　that　we　should　meet　with　buffalo；　and　we　were　　anxious　to　kill　one　for　the　sake　of　fresh　meat。　　They　were　so　wild　　that　we　hunted　all　the　morning　in　vain；　but　at　noon　as　we　approached　　Cow　Creek　we　saw　a　large　band　feeding　near　its　margin。　　Cow　Creek　is　　densely　lined　with　trees　which　intercept　the　view　beyond；　and　it　　runs；　as　we　afterward　found；　at　the　bottom　of　a　deep　trench。　　We　　approached　by　riding　along　the　bottom　of　a　ravine。　　When　we　were　near　　enough；　I　held　the　horses　while　Henry　crept　toward　the　buffalo。　　I　　saw　him　take　his　seat　within　shooting　distance；　prepare　his　rifle；　　and　look　about　to　select　his　victim。　　The　death　of　a　fat　cow　was　　certain；　when　suddenly　a　great　smoke　arose　from　the　bed　of　the　Creek　　with　a　rattling　volley　of　musketry。　　A　score　of　long…legged　　Missourians　leaped　out　from　among　the　trees　and　ran　after　the　　buffalo；　who　one　and　all　took　to　their　heels　and　vanished。　　These　　fellows　had　crawled　up　the　bed　of　the　Creek　to　within　a　hundred　yards　　of　the　buffalo。　　Never　was　there　a　fairer　chance　for　a　shot。　　They　　were　good　marksmen；　all　cracked　away　at　once；　and　yet　not　a　buffalo　　fell。　　In　fact；　the　animal　is　so　tenacious　of　life　that　it　requires　　no　little　knowledge　of　anatomy　to　kill　it；　and　it　is　very　seldom　that　　a　novice　succeeds　in　his　first　attempt　at　approaching。　　The　balked　　Missourians　were　excessively　mortified；　especially　when　Henry　told　　them　if　they　had　kept　quiet　he　would　have　killed　meat　enough　in　ten　　minutes　to　feed　their　whole　party。　　Our　friends；　who　were　at　no　great　　distance；　hearing　such　a　formidable　fusillade；　thought　the　Indians　　had　fired　the　volley　for　our　benefit。　　Shaw　came　galloping　on　to　　reconnoiter　and　learn　if　we　were　yet　in　the　land　of　the　living。　At　Cow　Creek　we　found　the　very　welcome　novelty　of　ripe　grapes　and　　plums；　which　grew　there　in　abundance。　　At　the　Little　Arkansas；　not　　much　farther　on；　we　saw　the　last　buffalo；　a　miserable　old　bull；　　roaming　over　the　prairie　alone　and　melancholy。　From　this　time　forward　the　character　of　the　country　was　changing　　every　day。　　We　had　left　behind　us　the　great　arid　deserts；　meagerly　　covered　by　the　tufted　buffalo　grass；　with　its　pale　green　hue；　and　its　　short　shriveled　blades。　　The　plains　before　us　were　carpeted　with　rich　　and　verdant　herbage　sprinkled　with　flowers。　　In　place　of　buffalo　we　　found　plenty　of　prairie　hens；　and　we　bagged　them　by　dozens　without　　leaving　the　trail。　　In　three　or　four　days　we　saw　before　us　the　broad　　woods　and　the　emerald　meadows　of　Council　Grove；　a　scene　of　striking　　luxuriance　and　beauty。　　It　seemed　like　a　new　sensation　as　we　rode　　beneath　the　resounding　archs　of　these　noble　woods。　　The　trees　were　　ash；　oak；　elm；　maple；　and　hickory；　their　mighty　limbs　deeply　　overshadowing　the　path；　while　enormous　grape　vines　were　entwined　　among　them；　purple　with　fruit。　　The　shouts　of　our　scattered　party；　　and　now　and　then　a　report　of　a　rifle；　rang　amid　the　breathing　　stillness　of　the　forest。　　We　rode　forth　again　with　regret　into　the　　broad　light　of　the　open　prairie。　　Little　more　than　a　hundred　miles　　now　separated　us　from　the　frontier　settlements。　　The　whole　　intervening　country　was　a　succession　of　verdant　prairies；　rising　in　　broad　swells　and　relieved　by　trees　clustering　like　an　oasis　around　　some　spring；　or　following　the　course　of　a　stream　along　some　fertile　　hollow。　　These　are　the　prairies　of　the　poet　and　the　novelist。　　We　had　　left　danger　behind　us。　　Nothing　was　to　be　feared　from　the　Indians　of　　this　region；　the　Sacs　and　Foxes；　the　Kansas　and　the　Osages。　　We　had　　met　with　signal　good　fortune。　　Although　for　five　months　we　had　been　　traveling　with　an　insufficient　force　through　a　country　where　we　were　　at　any　moment　liable　to　depredation；　not　a　single　animal　had　been　　stolen　from　us；　and　our　only　loss　had　been　one　old　mule　bitten　to　　death　by　a　rattlesnake。　　Three　weeks　after　we　reached　the　frontier　　the　Pawnees　and　the　Comanches　began　a　regular　series　of　hostilities　　on　the　Arkansas　trail；　killing　men　and　driving　off　horses。　　They　　attacked；　without　exception；　every　party；　large　or　small；　that　passed　　during　the　next　six　months。　Diamond　Spring；　Rock　Creek；　Elder　Grove；　and　other　camping　places　　besides；　were　passed　all　in　quick　succession。　　At　Rock　Creek　we　found　　a　train　of　government　provision　wagons；　under　the　charge　of　an　　emaciated　old　man　in　his　seventy…first　year。　　Some　restless　American　　devil　had　driven　him　into　the　wilderness　at　a　time　when　he　should　　have　been　seated　at　his　fireside　with　his　grandchildren　on　his　knees。　　　I　am　convinced　that　he　never　returned；　he　was　complaining　that　night　　of　a　disease；　the　wasting　effects　of　which　upon　a　younger　and　　stronger　man；　I　myself　had　proved　from　severe　experience。　　Long　ere　　this　no　doubt　the　wolves　have　howled　their　moonlight　carnival　over　　the　old　man's　attenuated　remains。　Not　long　after　we　came　to　a　small　trail　leading　to　Fort　Leavenworth；　　distant　but　one　day's　journey。　　Tete　Rouge　here　took　leave　of　us。　　He　　was　anxious　to　go　to　the　fort　in　order　to　receive　payment　for　his　　valuable　military　services。　　So　he　and　his　horse　James；　after　bidding　　an　affectionate　farewell；　set　out　together；　taking　with　them　as　much　　provision　as　they　could　conveniently　carry；　including　a　large　　quantity　of　brown　sugar。　　On　a　cheerless　rainy　evening　we　came　to　our　　last　encamping　ground。　　Some　pigs　belonging　to　a　Shawnee　farmer　were　　grunting　and　rooting　at　the　edge　of　the　grove。　〃I　wonder　how　fresh　pork　tastes；〃　murmured　one　of　the　party；　and　more　　than　one　voice　murmured　in　response。　　The　fiat　went　forth；　〃That　pig　　must　d