tracks of a rolling stone-第27部分

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　no　doubt；　of　those　　drenches　of　stagnant　water。　　The　regimental　doctor　was　　absent。　　I　could　not　be　taken　into　the　fort。　　And；　as　we　had　　no　tent；　and　had　thrown　away　almost　everything　but　the　　clothes　we　wore；　I　had　to　rough　it　and　take　my　chance。　　Some　　relics　of　our　medicine　chest；　together　with　a　tough　　constitution；　pulled　me　through。　　But　I　was　much　weakened；　　and　by　no　means　fit　for　the　work　before　us。　　Fred　did　his　　best　to　persuade　me　from　going　further。　　He　confessed　that　he　　was　utterly　sick　of　the　expedition；　that　his　injured　knee　　prevented　him　from　hunting；　or　from　being　of　any　use　in　　packing　and　camp　work；　that　the　men　were　a　set　of　ruffians　　who　did　just　as　they　chose　…　they　grumbled　at　the　hardships；　　yet　helped　themselves　to　the　stores　without　restraint；　that　　we　had　the　Rocky　Mountains　yet　to　cross；　after　that；　the　　country　was　unknown。　　Colonel　Somner　had　strongly　advised　us　　to　turn　back。　　Forty　of　his　men　had　tried　two　months　ago　to　　carry　despatches　to　the　regiment's　headquarters　in　Oregon。　　　Only　five　had　got　through；　the　rest　had　been　killed　and　　scalped。　　Finally；　that　we　had　something　like　1；200　miles　to　　go；　and　were　already　in　the　middle　of　August。　　It　would　be　　folly；　obstinacy；　madness；　to　attempt　it。　　He　would　stop　and　　hunt　where　we　were；　as　long　as　I　liked；　or　he　would　go　back　　with　me。　　He　would　hire　fresh　good　men；　and　buy　new　horses；　　and；　now　that　we　knew　the　country；　we　could　get　to　St。　Louis　　before　the　end　of　September；　and'　…　。　There　was　no　reasonable　　answer　to　be　made。　　I　simply　told　him　I　had　thought　it　over；　　and　had　decided　to　go　on。　　Like　the　plucky　fellow　and　staunch　　friend　that　he　was；　he　merely　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　　quietly　said；　'Very　well。　　So　be　it。'

Before　leaving　Fort　Laramie　a　singular　incident　occurred；　　which　must　seem　so　improbable；　that　its　narration　may　be　　taken　for　fiction。　　It　was；　however；　a　fact。　　There　was　　plenty　of　game　near　our　camping　ground；　and　though　the　　weather　was　very　hot；　one　of　the　party　usually　took　the　　trouble　to　bring　in　something　to　keep　the　pot　supplied。　　The　　sage　hens；　the　buffalo　or　elk　meat　were　handed　over　to　Jacob；　　who　made　a　stew　with　bacon　and　rice；　enough　for　the　evening　　meal　and　the　morrow's　breakfast。　　After　supper；　when　everyone　　had　filled　his　stomach；　the　large　kettle；　covered　with　its　　lid；　was　taken　off　the　fire；　and　this　allowed　to　burn　itself　　out。

For　four　or　five　mornings　running　the　kettle　was　found　nearly　　empty；　and　all　hands　had　to　put　up　with　a　cup　of　coffee　and　　mouldy　biscuit　dust。　　There　was　a　good　deal　of　　unparliamentary　language。　　Everyone　accused　everyone　else　of　　filthy　greediness。　　It　was　disgusting　that　after　eating　all　　he　could；　a　man　hadn't　the　decency　to　wait　till　the　morning。　　　The　pot　had　been　full　for　supper；　and；　as　every　man　could　　see；　it　was　never　half　emptied　…　enough　was　always　left　for　　breakfast。　　A　resolution　was　accordingly　passed　that　each　　should　take　his　turn　of　an　hour's　watch　at　night；　till　the　　glutton　was　caught　in　the　act。

My　hour　happened　to　be　from　11　to　12　P。M。　　I　strongly　　suspected　the　thief　to　be　an　Indian；　and　loaded　my　big　pistol　　with　slugs　on　the　chance。　　It　was　a　clear　moonlight　night。　　I　　propped　myself　comfortably　with　a　bag　of　hams；　and　concealed　　myself　as　well　as　I　could　in　a　bush　of　artemisia；　which　was　　very　thick　all　round。　　I　had　not　long　been　on　the　look…out　　when　a　large　grey　wolf　prowled　slowly　out　of　the　bushes。　　The　　night　was　bright　as　day；　but　every　one　of　the　men　was　sound　　asleep　in　a　circle　round　the　remains　of　the　camp　fire。　　The　　wolf　passed　between　them；　hesitating　as　it　almost　touched　a　　covering　blanket。　　Step　by　step　it　crept　up　to　the　kettle；　　took　the　handle　of　the　lid　between　its　jaws；　lifted　it　off；　　placed　it　noiselessly　on　the　ground；　and　devoured　the　savoury　　stew。

I　could　not　fire；　because　of　the　men。　　I　dared　not　move；　lest　　I　should　disturb　the　robber。　　I　was　even　afraid　the　click　of　　cocking　the　pistol　would　startle　him　and　prevent　my　getting　a　　quiet　shot。　　But　patience　was　rewarded。　　When　satiated；　the　　brute　retired　as　stealthily　as　he　had　advanced；　and　as　he　　passed　within　seven　or　eight　yards　of　me　I　let　him　have　it。　　　Great　was　my　disappointment　to　see　him　scamper　off。　　How　was　　it　possible　I　could　have　missed　him？　　I　must　have　fired　over　　his　back。　　The　men　jumped　to　their　feet　and　clutched　their　　rifles；　but；　though　astonished　at　my　story；　were　soon　at　rest　　again。　　After　this　the　kettle　was　never　robbed。　　Four　days　　later　we　were　annoyed　with　such　a　stench　that　it　was　a　　question　of　shifting　our　quarters。　　In　hunting　for　the　　nuisance　amongst　the　thicket　of　wormwood；　the　dead　wolf　was　　discovered　not　twenty　yards　from　our　centre。

The　reader　would　not　thank　me　for　an　account　of　the　　monotonous　drudgery；　the　hardships；　the　quarrellings；　which　　grew　worse　from　day　to　day　after　we　left　Fort　Laramie。　　Fred　　and　I　were　about　the　only　two　who　were　on　speaking　terms；　we　　clung　to　each　other；　as　a　sort　of　forlorn　security　against　　coming　disasters。　　Gradually　it　was　dawning　on　me　that；　under　　the　existing　circumstances；　the　fulfilment　of　my　hopes　would　　be　（as　Fred　had　predicted）　an　impossibility；　and　that　to　　persist　in　the　attempt　to　realise　them　was　to　court　　destruction。　　As　yet；　I　said　nothing　of　this　to　him。　　Perhaps　　I　was　ashamed　to。　　Perhaps　I　secretly　acknowledged　to　myself　　that　he　had　been　wiser　than　I；　and　that　my　stubbornness　was　　responsible　for　the　life　itself　of　every　one　of　the　party。

Doubtless　thoughts　akin　to　these　must　often　have　haunted　the　　mind　of　my　companion；　but　he　never　murmured；　only　uttered　a　　hasty　objurgation　when　troubles　reached　a　climax；　and　　invariably　ended　with　a　burst　of　cheery　laughter　which　only　　the　sulkiest　could　resist。　　It　was　after　a　day　of　severe　　trials　he　proposed　that　we　should　go　off　by　ourselves　for　a　　couple　of　nights　in　search　of　game；　of　which　we　were　much　in　　need。　　The　men　were　easily　persuaded　to　halt　and　rest。　　　Samson　had　become　a　sort　of　nonentity。　　Dysentery　had　　terribly　reduced　his　strength；　and　with　it　such　intelligence　　as　he　could　boast　of。　　We　started　at　daybreak；　right　glad　to　　be　alone　together　and　away　from　the　penal　servitude　to　which　　we　were　condemned。　　We　made　for　the　Sweetwater；　not　very　far　　from　the　foot　of　the　South　Pass；　where　antelope　and　black…　tailed　deer　abounded。　　We　failed；　however；　to　get　near　them　…　　stalk　after　stalk　miscarried。

Disappointed　and　tired；　we　were　looking　out　for　some　snug　　little　hollow　where　we　could　light　a　fire　without　its　being　　seen　by　the　Indians；　when；　just　as　we　found　what　we　wanted；　　an　antelope　trotted　up　to　a　brow　to　inspect　us。　　I　had　a　　fairly　good　shot　at　him　and　missed。　　This　disheartened　us　　both。　　Meat　was　the　one　thing　we　now　sorely　needed　to　save　　the　rapidly　diminishing　supply　of　hams。　　Fred　said　nothing；　　but　I　saw　by　his　look　how　this　trifling　accident　helped　to　　depress　him。　　I　was　ready　to　cry　with　vexation。　　My　rifle　was　　my　pride；　the　stag　of　my　life　…　my　ALTER　EGO。　　It　was　never　　out　of　my　hands；　every　day　I　practised　at　prairie　dogs；　at　　sage　hens；　at　a　mark　even　if　there　was　no　game。　　A　few　days　　before　we　got　to　Laramie　I　had　killed；　right　and　left；　two　　wild　ducks；　the　second　on　the　wing；　and　now；　when　so　much　　depended　on　it；　I　could　not　hit　a　thing　as　big　as　a　donkey。　　　The　fact　is；　I　was　the　worse　for　illness。　　I　had　constant　　returns　of　fever；　with　bad　shivering　fits；　which　did　not　　improve　the　steadiness　of　one's　hand。　　However；　we　managed　to　　get　a　supper。　　While　we　were　examining　the　spot　where　the　　antelope　had　stood；　a　leveret　jumped　up；　and　I　knocked　him　　over　with　my　remaining　barrel。　　We　fried　him　in　the　one　tin　　plate　we　had　brought　with　us；　and　thought　it　the　most　　delicious　dish　we　had　had　for　weeks。

As　we　lay　side　by　side；　smoke　curling　peacefully　from　our　　pipes；　we　chatted　far　into　the　night；　of　other　days　…　of　　Cambridge；　of　our　college　friends；　of　London；　of　the　opera；　　of　balls；　of　women　…　the　last　a　fruitful　subject　…　and　of　the　　future。　　I　was　vastly　amused　at　his　sudden　outburst　as　some　　start　of　one　of　the　horses　picketed　close　to　us　reminded　us　　of　the　actual　present。　　'If　ever　I　get　out　of　this　d…d　mess；'　　he　exclaimed；　'I'll　never　go　anywhere　without　my　own　French　　cook。'　　He　kept　his　word；　to　the　end　of　his　life；　I　believe。

It　was　a　delightful　repose；　a　complete　forgetting；　for　a　　night　at　any　rate；　of　all　impending　care。　　Each　was　cheered　　and　strengthened　for　the　work　to　come。　　The　spirit　of　　enterprise；　the　love　of　adventure　restored　for　the　moment；　　believed　itself　a　match　for　come　what　would。　　The　very　　animals　seemed　invigorated　by　the　rest　and　the　abundance　of　　rich　grass　spreading　as　far　as　we　could　see。　　The　morning　was　　bright　and　cool。　　A　delicious　bath　in　the　Sweetwater；　a　　breakfast　on　fried　ham　and　coffee；　and　once　more　in　our　　saddles　on　the　way　back　to　camp；　we　felt　（or　fancied　that　we　　felt）　prepared　for　anything。

That　is　just　what　we　were　not。　　Samson　and　the　men；　meeting　　with　no　game　where　we　had　left　them；　had　moved　on　that　　afternoon　in　search　of　better　hunting　grounds。　　The　result　　was　that　when　we　overtook　them；　we　found　five　mules　up　to　　their　necks　in　a　muddy　creek。　　The　packs　were　sunk　to　the　　bottom；　and　the　animals　nearly　drowned　or　strangled。　　Fred　　and　I　rushed　to　the　rescue。　　At　once　we　cut　the　ropes　which　　tied　them　together；　and；　setting　the　men　to　pull　at　tails　or　　heads；　succeeded　at　last　in　extricating　them。

Our　new…born　vigour　was　nipped　in　the　bud。　　We　were　all　　drenched　to　the　skin。　　Two　packs　containing　the　miserable　　remains　of　our　wardrobe；　Fred's　and　mine；　were　lost。　　The　　catastrophe　produced　a　good　deal　of　bad　language　and　bad　　blood。　　Translated　into　English　it　came　to　this：　　'They　had　　trusted　to　us；　taking　it　for　granted　we　knew　what　we　were　　about。　　What　business　had　we　to　〃boss〃　the　party　if　we　were　　as　ignorant　as　the　mules？　　We　had　guaranteed　to　lead　them　　through　to　California　＇！＇　and　had　brought　them　into　this　　〃almighty　fix〃　to　slave　like　niggers　and　to　starve。'　There　　was　just　truth　enough　in　the　Jeremiad　to　make　it　sting。　　It　　would　not　have　been　prudent；　nay；　not　very　safe；　to　return　　curse　for　curse。　　But　the　breaking　point　was　reached　at　last。　　　That　night　I；　for　one；　had　not　much　sleep。