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diff --git a/21459.txt b/21459.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a51ec9c --- /dev/null +++ b/21459.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7742 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dick Onslow, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dick Onslow + Among the Redskins + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Illustrator: George Soper + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21459] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK ONSLOW *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Dick Onslow; or The Adventures of Dick Onslow among the Redskins, by +W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This story takes place mainly in or near the Rocky Mountains of North +America, as we follow the adventures of a member of an emigrant party +during their move to California. + +Rattle-snakes, bears, rock-slides, avalanches, steep descents, and many +other hazards, to say nothing of numerous attacks by unfriendly tribes +of Red Indians, fill the pages of this book with terrifying and perilous +situations. Not a long book, but very good value. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +DICK ONSLOW; or THE ADVENTURES OF DICK ONSLOW AMONG THE REDSKINS, BY +W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +MY FRIENDS THE RAGGETS--OUR PROPOSED MIGRATION--JOURNEY COMMENCED-- +ATTACK OF THE INDIANS--A SHOT THROUGH MY LEG--HORRIBLE ANTICIPATIONS-- +HIDE IN A BUSH--CLIMB A TREE--MY THOUGHTS IN MY CONCEALMENT--LISTEN IN +EXPECTATION OF AN ATTACK--STARVING IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY--SOME ONE +APPROACHES--I PREPARE TO FIRE. + +In few countries can more exciting adventures be met with than in Mexico +and the southern and western portions of North America; in consequence +of the constantly disturbed state of the country, the savage disposition +of the Red Indians, and the numbers of wild animals, buffaloes, bears, +wolves, panthers, jaguars, not to speak of alligators, rattlesnakes, and +a few other creatures of like gentle nature. My old school-fellow, Dick +Onslow, has just come back from those regions; and among numerous +incidents by flood and field sufficient to make a timid man's hair stand +on end for the rest of his days, he recounted to me the following:-- + +After spending some time among those ill-conditioned cut-throat fellows, +the Mexicans, I returned to the States. Having run over all the settled +parts, of which I got a tolerable bird's-eye view, I took it into my +head that I should like to see something of real backwoodsman's life. +Soon getting beyond railways, I pushed right through the State of +Missouri till I took up my abode on the very outskirts of civilisation, +in a log-house, with a rough honest settler, Laban Ragget by name. He +had a wife and several daughters and small children, and five tall sons, +Simri, Joab, Othni, Elihu, and Obed, besides two sisters of his wife's +and a brother of his own, Edom Ragget by name. I never met a finer set +of people, both men and women. It was a pleasure to see the lads walk +up to a forest, and a wonder to watch how the tall trees went down like +corn stalks before the blows of their gleaming axes. They had no idea I +was a gentleman by birth. They thought I was the son of a blacksmith, +and they liked me the better for it. + +Some months passed away; I had learned to use my axe as well as any of +them, and a fine large clearing had been made, when the newspapers, of +which we occasionally had one, told us all about the wonderful +gold-diggings in California. At last we talked of little else as we sat +round the big fire in the stone chimney during the evenings of winter. +Neighbours dropped in and talked over the matter also. There was no +doubt money was to be made, and quickly too, by men with strong arms and +iron constitutions. We all agreed that if any men were fit for the +work, we were. I was the weakest of the party, do ye see? (Dick stands +five feet ten in his shoes, and is as broad-shouldered as a dray man.) + +Just then, an oldish man with only two stout sons and a small family +drove into the forest with a light wagon and a strong team of horses, to +look about him, as he said, for a location. He came to our house, and +Laban and he had a long talk. + +"Well, stranger," said Laban, "I guess you couldn't do better than take +my farm, and give me your team and three hundred dollars; I've a mind to +go further westward." + +The offer was too good to be refused. The bargain was struck, and in +two days, several other settlers having got rid of their farms, a large +party of us were on our way to cross the Rocky Mountains for California. +The women, children, and stuff were in Laban's two wagons. Other +settlers had their wagons also. The older men rode; I, with the +younger, walked, with our rifles at our backs, and our axes and knives +in our belts. I had, besides, a trusty revolver, which had often stood +me in good stead. + +We were not over-delicate when we started, and we soon got accustomed to +the hard life we had to lead, till camping-out became a real pleasure +rather than an inconvenience. We had skin tents for the older men, and +plenty of provisions, and as we kept along the banks of the rivers, we +had abundance of grass and water for the horses. At last we had to +leave the forks of the Missouri river, and to follow a track across the +desolate Nebraska country, over which the wild Pawnees, Dacotahs, +Omahas, and many other tribes of red men rove in considerable numbers. +We little feared them, however, and thought much more of the herds of +wild buffaloes we expected soon to have the pleasure both of shooting +and eating. + +We had encamped one night close to a wood near Little Bear Creek, which +runs into the Nebraska river. The following morning broke with wet and +foggy weather. It would have been pleasant to have remained in camp, +but the season was advancing, and it was necessary to push on. All the +other families had packed up and were on the move; Laban's, for a +wonder, was the last. The women and children were already seated in the +lighter wagon, and Obed Ragget and I were lifting the last load into the +other, and looking round to see that nothing was left behind, when our +ears were saluted with the wildest and most unearthly shrieks and +shouts, and a shower of arrows came whistling about our ears. "Shove +on! shove on!" we shouted to Simri and Joab, who were at the horses' +heads; "never mind the tent." They lashed the horses with their whips. +The animals plunged forward with terror and pain, for all of them were +more or less wounded. We were sweeping round close to the edge of the +wood, and for a moment lost sight of the rest of the party. Then, in +another instant, I saw them again surrounded by Indian warriors, with +plumes of feathers, uplifted hatchets, and red paint, looking very +terrible. The women were standing up in the wagon with axes in their +hands, defending themselves bravely. A savage had seized one of the +children and was dragging it off, when Mrs Ragget struck with all her +might at the red-skin's arm, and cut it clean through; the savage drew +back howling with pain and rage. Old Laban in the meantime, with his +brother and two others, kept in front, firing away as fast as they could +load while they ran on: for they saw if once the redskins could get hold +of the horses' heads, they would be completely in their power. All this +time several of the things were tumbling out of the wagon, but we could +not stop to pick them up. Why the rest of the party, who were ahead, +did not come back to our assistance, I could not tell. I thought that +they also were probably attacked. We four ran on for some way, keeping +the Indians at a respectful distance, for they are cowardly rascals-- +notwithstanding all the praise bestowed on them--if courageously +opposed. I was loading my rifle, and then taking aim at four mounted +Indians who appeared on the right with rifles in their hands. They +fired, but missed me, as I meantime was dodging them behind the wagon. +During this, I did not see where Obed was. I hit one of them, and +either Simri or Joab, who fired at the same time, hit another. The +other two wheeled round, and with some companions, hovered about us at +some little distance. Just then, not hearing Obed's voice, I looked +round. He was nowhere to be seen. I was shouting to his brothers to +stop and go back with me to look for him, when half-a-dozen more +Indians, joining the others, galloped up at the same moment to attack +the headmost wagon. Simri and Joab, lashing their horses, rushed on to +the assistance of their family. The savages fired. I was springing on +when I felt myself brought to the ground, grasping my rifle, which was +loaded. A shot had gone right through both my legs. I tried with +desperate struggles to get up, but could not lift myself from the +ground. All the horror of my condition crowded into my mind. To be +killed and scalped was the best fate I could expect. Just as I was +about to give way to despair, I thought I would make an attempt to save +my life. From my companions I could expect no help, for even if they +succeeded in preserving their own lives they would scarcely be in a +condition to come back and rescue me. Poor Obed I felt pretty sure must +have been killed. A small stream with some bushes growing on its banks +was near at hand. I dragged myself towards it, and found a pretty close +place of concealment behind one of the bushes. Thence I could look out. +The wagons were still driving along furiously across the prairie with +the Indians hovering about them on either side, evidently waiting for a +favourable moment to renew the attack. Thus the whole party, friends +and foes, vanished from my sight in the fog. To stay where I was would +only lead to my certain destruction, for when the Indians returned, as I +knew they would, to carry off my scalp, the trail to my hiding-place +would at once be discovered. I felt, too, that if I allowed my wounds +to grow stiff, I might not be able to move at all. Suffering intense +agony, therefore, I dragged myself down into the stream. It was barely +deep enough to allow me to swim had I had strength for the purpose, and +crawl I thought I could not. So I threw myself on my back, and holding +my rifle, my powder-flask, and revolver above my breast, floated down +till I reached the wood we had just passed. The branches of the trees +hung over the stream. I seized one which I judged would bear my weight, +and lifting myself up by immense exertion, of which, had it not been for +the cooling effects of the water, I should not have been capable, I +crawled along the bough. I had carefully avoided as much as possible +disturbing the leaves, lest the redskins should discover my retreat. I +worked my way up, holding my rifle in my teeth, to the fork of the +branch, and then up to where several of the higher boughs branched off +and formed a nest where I could remain without fear of falling off. I +was completely concealed by the thickness of the leaves from being seen +by any one passing below, and I trusted, from the precautions I had +taken, that the Indians would not discover my trail. Still, such +cunning rogues are they, that it is almost impossible to deceive them. +My great hope was that they might not find out that I had fallen, and so +would not come to look for me. As I lay in my nest, I listened +attentively, and thought that I could still hear distant shots, as if my +friends had at all events not given in. Still it might only have been +fancy. My wounds, when I had time to think about them, were very +painful. I bound them up as well as I could--the water had washed away +the blood and tended to stop inflammation. The sun rose high in the +heavens. Not a sound was heard except the wild cry of the eagle or +kite, blending with the song of the thrush and the mocking-bird, +interrupted every now and then by the impudent observation of a stray +parrot and the ominous rattle of a huge snake as it wound its way among +the leaves. Every moment I expected to hear the grunts and cries of the +redskins, as with tomahawk in hand they came eagerly searching about for +me. I durst not move to look around. They might come talking +carelessly, or they might steal about in dead silence, if they suspected +that I was still alive. + +I thus passed the day. I did sometimes think that I should have been +wiser had I remained within the bounds of civilisation, instead of +wandering about the world without any adequate motive. The reflection, +too, that the end of my days was approaching, came suddenly upon me with +painful force. How had I spent those days? I asked myself. What good +had I done in the world? How had I employed the talents committed to +me? I remembered a great many things I had been told as a child by my +mother, and which had never occurred to me since. The more I thought, +the more painful, the more full of regrets, grew my thoughts. I am +bound to tell you all this. I am not ashamed of my feelings. I believe +those thoughts did me a great deal of good. I blessed my mother for all +she had taught me, and I prayed as I had never prayed before. After +this I felt much comforted and better prepared for death than I had been +till then. The day passed slowly away. Darkness came on. I grew very +hungry and faint, for I had no food in my pocket, and had taken nothing +since the morning. Had I not been wounded, that would have been a +trifle; I had often gone a whole day without eating, with, perhaps, a +lap of water every now and then from a cool stream. I could not sleep a +wink during the whole night. At times I hoped that if my friends were +victorious they might return to learn what had become of poor Obed and +me. In vain was the hope. The night wore on, the dawn returned. I +tried to stretch my legs; I found that I could not move them. + +The hours of the next day passed slowly by; I thought I heard the cries +and shrieks of the redskins in the distance--they seemed to draw nearer +and nearer--they were entering the wood--yes, I was certain of it--they +got close up to my tree--as I looked down, I saw their hideous, +malicious faces gazing up at me, eager for my destruction. Then +suddenly I became aware that they were only creatures of my imagination, +conjured up through weakness and hunger. All was again silent. "If +this state of things continues, I shall certainly drop from my hold," I +thought. Then suddenly I remembered that I had some tobacco in my +pocket. Edom Ragget had handed it to me to cut up for him. I put a +piece in my mouth, and chewed away at it. I felt much better. The +evening came; my apprehensions about the Indians decreased. Still I +knew that if I once got down the tree, I might not be able to ascend it +again, and might become a prey to wild beasts or rattlesnakes, as I felt +that I could not stand for a moment, much less walk a yard. Having +fastened my rifle to a branch, I secured one of my arms round another, +that I might not drop off, and at last fell into a deep sleep. Next +morning I awoke, feeling much better, though very hungry. As I lay +without moving, I observed a racoon playing about a branch close to me. +"Although there may be a hundred red-skins in the neighbourhood, I must +have that fellow for my breakfast," I said to myself. I released my +rifle and fired. Down fell the racoon at the foot of the tree. "He is +of no use to me unless I can get hold of him, and even could I pick him +up, I must eat him raw, as I have no means of lighting a fire where I +am," said I to myself. While this thought passed rapidly through my +mind, I heard a sound at some distance. It was, I felt sure, that of a +human voice. I quickly reloaded my rifle, and, with my finger on the +trigger, sat in readiness for whatever might occur. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A FRIEND IN NEED--HOW TWO PEOPLE MAY LIVE WHILE ONE WILL STARVE--OBED +GOES IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES, AND I AWAKE TO FIND A RATTLESNAKE CLOSE TO +MY NOSE--I AM SAVED--OBED RETURNS, BUT FOLLOWED BY A GENTLEMAN WHOSE +ROOM WOULD BE MORE PLEASANT THAN HIS COMPANY--OBED CANNOT FIRE, AND I +CANNOT RUN, BUT I SAVE HIM BY SITTING STILL--WE ANTICIPATE THE PLEASURE +OF DINING ON BEAR'S FLESH--OBED FETCHES AND CARRIES LIKE A DOG, AND WE +FARE SUMPTUOUSLY--I TAKE TO CRUTCHES--WE COLLECT STORES AND MAKE A +TENT--A RED-SKIN VISITOR. + +I kept, as I was saying, my finger on the trigger, and my eye along the +barrel of my rifle, fully expecting to see a Pawnee's red visage appear +through the bushes. I knew that the dead racoon would betray me; so I +resolved to fight it out to the last, and to sell my life dearly. I +heard footsteps approaching--slowly and watchfully I thought: I peered +down out of my leafy cover; the branches of the surrounding shrubs were +pushed aside, and there, instead of the feathers and red face of an +Indian, I saw the honest countenance of young Obed Ragget, looking +cautiously about him on every side. + +"Obed! Obed! I am here," I sung out; "come and help me, lad." He +sprang on when he heard my voice. + +"What, Dick! is that you? Well, I am glad you have escaped, that I am," +he exclaimed, looking up into the tree. + +"So am I to see you," I cried; "but help me down, lad, for I cannot help +myself, I fear." + +"That is more than I can do," said he. "Look; the red-skins have shot +me through both arms, and I can no more use them than I can fly." + +I now observed that he looked very pale and weak, and that both his arms +hung down uselessly by his side. One thing also I saw, that as he could +not manage to get up to me, I must contrive to descend the tree to meet +him. Tearing, therefore, a neck-kerchief up into strips, I lowered my +gun and pistols down by it, and then prepared to descend myself. I made +it secure, as close to the trunk as I could, and grasping the short +boughs which grew out from the trunk, I threw my chief weight upon them, +while I steadied myself with the line I had made; keeping my useless +legs stretched out, lest I should fall on them, I gradually lowered +myself to the foot of the tree. We could not shake hands, but we +greeted each other most warmly. Obed complained bitterly of thirst, for +he had not moved out of the first shelter into which he had crawled, and +did not know how near the stream was. I accordingly put my hat into his +mouth, and told him to stoop down where the stream was deepest, and to +ladle up some water. This he did, and then kneeling down I held the hat +to his mouth, while he drank. I took a draught myself, and never have I +enjoyed so much the choicest beverage in my father's house as I did that +cool draught.--I now pointed to the racoon, and asked him if he was +hungry. + +"Very," was his answer; "I could eat that brute raw." + +"No need of that," said I; "just collect materials, and we will quickly +have a fire." Obed understood me, and with his feet soon kicked +together a pile of sticks and leaves sufficient to make a good fire. I +had a flint and steel, and we speedily had the bacon spitted and +roasting on some forked sticks before it in proper woodman's style. The +food revived us both, and restored our spirits. We neither of us were +inclined to despondency; still we could not help thinking, with sad +feelings, of what might have befallen our friends, and what might too +probably be our own fate. As Obed could not help himself, he had to sit +down close to me while I fed him; and when we had done, he assisted me +to remove myself away from the fire. I then dressed his wounds as well +as I could, bathing them freely in cold water. Some sinews were cut +through, I suspected, which prevented him from moving his arms, but no +bones were broken; and, in consequence of his fine constitution and +temperate habits, I trusted that he would recover the use of them. I +was in a worse condition, for both my legs were so much hurt that I +could not hope to walk on them for many weeks to come. However, my +upper limbs were in good case; and we agreed that, with a pair of strong +arms and stout legs between us, we might both get on very well. Obed +had left his gun in the thicket into which he had dragged it when he +fell. It was discharged, and so he went for it, bringing it to me in +his teeth, that I might clean and reload it. As he could not use it, he +left it by my side; and we had now our two rifles, and his and my +revolver pistols; so that I felt, with my back to a tree, cripple as I +was, I might prove a formidable adversary either to man or beast. While +Obed and I sat near the fire, talking over our prospects, we remembered +that a number of things had dropped from the wagons; so he volunteered +to set out in order to discover whether they had been carried off by the +Indians. + +"Farewell, Dick," said he, as he rose to go. "If I don't come back +you'll know those varmint redskins have got my scalp; but though I can't +use my arms, they'll find I can use my legs before they catch me." + +With many misgivings I saw him make his way out from the thicket. When +he was gone I lay back with my head on my arm, thinking over many of the +events of my past life, and contrasting them with my present condition, +till at length my eyes closed, and I forgot all recent events in sleep. +I believe that I slept very soundly without stirring my legs or arms. +At last my eyes slowly opened, and horrible indeed was the spectacle +which met them. The embers of the fire were before me, and close to it, +as if to enjoy its warmth, lay coiled up a huge rattlesnake not two +yards from me. In an instant of time I felt that its deadly fangs might +be fixed in my throat. What use to me now were my fire-arms? I dared +not move my hand to reach my revolver. I knew that I must not wink even +an eyelid, or the deadly spring might be made. The snake was, I dare +say, nearly six feet long. It had a body almost as thick as my leg--of +a yellowish-brown colour, with some dark-brown spots reaching from one +end to the other; and oh, that head, as it slowly raised it with its +vicious eyes to have a look at me! It was of large size, flat, and +covered with scales. I gazed at the rattlesnake, and the rattlesnake +gazed at me. What he thought of me I do not know; I thought him a most +hideous monster, and wished him anywhere but where he was. It seemed an +age that I thus lay, not daring even to draw a breath. I felt at last +that I must give up the contest. I prayed for mercy. The oppression on +my chest became almost insupportable. Still I dared not move. The +deadly reptile stretched out its head--slowly it began to uncoil +itself--the dread sound of its rattle struck my ear. I felt that now I +must muster all my nerve and resolution, or be lost; the huge reptile +stretched itself out and slowly crawled on--oh, horror!--it passed +directly over my wounded legs! Not a muscle quivered. I dared not look +up to ascertain whether it was gone. A minute must have elapsed--it +seemed to me a much longer time--and then, and not till then, a shout +reached my ear. It was the voice of Obed. Probably the snake had heard +it, and it was that, I have no doubt, which made him move away under the +belief that I was a dead person, who at all events could do him no harm. +My first impulse was to look round to discover what had become of the +snake. He was nowhere to be seen! My next was to turn my eyes in the +direction whence the shouting proceeded. There I saw Obed rushing along +as fast as his legs could carry him among the trees. + +"Be ready with your rifle, Dick," he shouted out at the top of his +voice; "not a moment to lose, man." + +I fully expected to see half a dozen red-skins following close at his +heels, and resolved to defend him to the last, and to sell my own life +dearly, although I had to fight on my stumps, when the boughs of the +trees were torn away behind him, and a huge bear appeared, grinning +horribly, in a great rage, and evidently prepared to do mischief to +somebody or something. Had Obed been able to use his arms, he was the +last person to have placed another in danger for the sake of trying to +save himself. Now, however, he had no choice but to run behind me and +the fire. Bruin trotted on, growling angrily. He was one of those +long-headed, small-eyed fellows, with pointed nose, clumsy body, and +smooth, glossy, black hair, which have a fancy for pork and ham, and +will put their paws into a corn bin if they find it open. When he got +near, as he reared up on his hind paws ready for a fight, and came on +towards me, I grasped my rifle and aimed at his head. If I missed him, +I should scarcely have had time, I feared, to seize Obed's rifle before +he would have been upon me. I knew that his body was so encased with +fat that it would be difficult to wound him vitally through that. I +fired: the bullet hit him in the head, but still he came on, gnashing +his teeth. I lifted my second rifle. I could not well have missed him +had I been standing up or kneeling, but sitting, as I was, it was +difficult to take a steady aim. He was about ten paces off: again I +fired. I felt sure that I had not missed, but with a terrific growl he +bounded on towards me. I had barely time to grasp a revolver when he +was close up to me. Already I felt his hot breath in my face; his huge +claws had hold of my limbs; he was trying to clasp me round the body: +his muzzle, with its sharp teeth, touched on my shoulder. Poor Obed, +who was standing behind me, unable to render me assistance, literally +shrieked with fear, not for himself, but for me. In another moment I +felt that I must be torn to pieces. I mustered all my nerve. It was +much wanted. I waited a moment till I could aim steadily at his head. +I fired. He gave me a terrific hug. It was his death grapple. As it +was, it very nearly squeezed the breath out of my body. Then he rolled +over and lay motionless. I did not roll after him, but lest he should +only be shamming 'coon, I dragged myself as far-off as I could to reload +my weapons. + +"No fear, Dick, he's dead," cried Obed joyfully. "Well, you're a friend +at a pinch, as I always thought you." + +It would not have been in his way to express his thanks by more than +this, still I knew by his looks that he was grateful to me. In reality +I had only fought in self-defence, so I do not know that he had anything +to thank me for. + +"Old Bruin will afford us many a good dinner, at all events, I hope," +said I. "And do you know, Obed, you and the bear saved my life just now +between you." And then I told him how his shouts had, I believed, +scared away the rattlesnake. "So you see, old fellow, we are quits." + +Obed having ascertained by a hearty kick that Bruin was really dead, I +attached my rope to his waist and then to the bear, and by its means we +dragged the carcass a little way from our camping-ground. He then came +back and helped me along that I might cut some steaks for our supper. +We cooked them in the same way we had done the racoon. While the +operation was going forward he gave me an account of his adventures. He +had found a number of things which had fallen from the wagon, and, +wonderful to relate, they were untouched. There was the skin tent which +we had not put into the wagon, and a cask of flour and one of beef, and, +what we thought of still more value, a bag of bullets and some small +shot, and a keg of powder, besides another rifle and an axe; while +farther on, he said that there were several other smaller articles along +the road the wagon had gone. It was close to the cask of flour he had +encountered Bruin, who had undoubtedly been attracted to the spot with +the hope of appropriating it. One prize Obed brought in his mouth; it +was a tin saucepan, and very valuable we found it. Our difficulty was +now to collect all these things. Obed offered to try and drag them +together to one spot, if he could but manage to hook himself on to them. +That day we could do nothing; so that after he had collected a large +supply of firewood, we placed our backs to a tree and commended +ourselves to the care of that great God who had so mercifully preserved +our lives. We agreed that one should watch while the other slept, and +most faithfully did we keep our pledge to each other. Several days +passed without any great variation in our mode of proceeding. We cut +the bear up into thin slices, and dried them in the sun. Obed also went +round about the wood and drove in the wild turkeys, racoons, squirrels, +and other small game, which I shot. We were thus supplied with meat. +There were also plenty of herbs, the nature of which both he and I knew, +and which, though not of delicate flavour, were wholesome, and helped to +keep us in health. The weather also was very fine, and thus several +days passed away. At last I bethought me that if I could make a pair of +crutches, I might, with Obed's help, get over the ground. Two young +saplings, towards which I dragged myself, were soon cut down, and in a +couple of days I was once more upright. I could only at first move very +slowly, and with great dread of falling; but by constant practice, in +the course of a week I thought I might venture out of the wood. Obed's +arms were also gaining strength, and one of them he could already use a +little, and was thus enabled to help me. I slung the rifles over his +back, and, sticking the revolvers in my belt, off we set together. We +moved slowly, but still we went ahead. At last we reached the tent. It +struck us at once that it would be well to pitch it where it lay on our +old camping-ground. Wherever we might be Indians would find us out, so +that it would make no difference whether we were in or out of the wood, +and we might see either emigrants to California moving west, or the post +to one of the forts, and thus obtain assistance. Obed and I soon got up +the tent. I sat down, and he made his shoulders serve as a prop while I +stuck in the pole, and thus in a few minutes we had a comfortable roof +over our heads. + +While we were at work, it struck me that if I could make a sort of +sleigh, it would facilitate the operation of bringing in our goods. I +set to work immediately, and in the course of two days, manufactured a +machine which answered our purpose. The season was advancing, the +nights were getting cold, and there was no time to be lost in collecting +the articles which we might require to preserve our lives through the +winter, should no one, before it set in, pass that way to rescue us. +Accordingly, we once more proceeded on our expedition. Sometimes I +walked on my crutches, and at others Obed dragged me along on the +sleigh. Certainly we were a notable example of the advantage of two +people working in concert. Alone we must have perished; together, +though injured so severely, we were able to live and comfort each other. +We never had even the slightest dispute; and though surrounded by +difficulties and dangers, and anxious about our friends, we were far +from unhappy. I have often thought that if people who are living in the +midst of all sorts luxuries and advantages would but follow the example +of Obed Ragget and me, they would be very much the happier. + +Our first care was to get the kegs of powder and shot, for our stock was +almost exhausted; and with those, and a bundle of blankets, we returned +to our tent. + +To make a long story short, in the course of a week we had collected +everything to be seen; and had settled ourselves very comfortably in our +new home. We also surrounded our tent with stacks of firewood, which +would serve as a barricade should we be attacked, at any time, by the +red-skins. + +The exertion we went through, however, had fatigued us excessively, and +opened our wounds afresh; so that for some days we were unable to quit +the precincts of our tent. We had made ourselves beds by placing sticks +close together on the ground, and covering them with leaves, over which +we spread our blankets; and we agreed, as we lay stretched out on them, +that we were much better off than many poor fellows who had not beds to +lie on. I crawled out occasionally to light the fire, and to cook our +food, while Obed had to go to the river to get water. To prevent the +necessity of doing this so frequently, after we were both a little +rested, we emptied our beef cask, and carried it down on the sleigh to +the river, that we might fill it with water. This being done, we found +that we had over-calculated our strength, and had once more to take to +our beds. Several days more passed away, during which we scarcely +moved. Obed, too, had become very silent. I saw that something was +passing in his mind. After a time I asked him what it was. + +"Why, Dick," said he, "I'm thinking that though we seem to have a good +supply of food, it won't last two hungry fellows all the winter, even if +we were to put ourselves on half allowance. Now my arms will soon be +well, and if I could make my way to one of the forts, I might bring you +assistance. I'll take a supply of powder and shot, and keep my eyes +open to look out for the red-skins. What do you say to it?" + +I told him that I did not like the idea of his running so great a risk +for my sake. + +"Oh, don't fear for me," he replied; "it's right that it should be done, +I'm certain of that, so I'll do it." + +I said nothing more. I knew when Obed thus expressed himself, he was in +earnest. Several more days rolled slowly by. We slept a good deal in +the daytime; perhaps under our circumstances it was the best thing we +could do. One afternoon I had been asleep some time, and Obed was +snoring away on the other side of the tent, when I opened my eyes, and +then I saw, glaring at me through the doorway of the tent, the hideous +countenance of a red-skin warrior, horribly covered with paint and +decked with coloured feathers. While with his left hand he lifted up +the curtain, in his right he grasped his tomahawk, which quivered with +_his_ eagerness to take possession of our scalps. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE RED-SKIN PROVES TO BE A FRIEND--HE AND OBED LEAVE ME ALONE IN MY +GLORY--I FORTIFY MYSELF FOR THE WINTER--VISITED BY WOLVES--A TERRIFIC +STORM--THE WOLVES MY NIGHTLY VISITORS--I KILL SOME AND EAT THEN, BUT +FIND THEM O'ER TEUCH--AN OBJECT MOVING IN THE DISTANCE--RED-SKINS AND +ENEMIES--I PREPARE FOR THEIR RECEPTION--I KILL ONE OF THEM--A FEARFUL +STRUGGLE--I ENDEAVOUR TO OBLITERATE THE SIGNS OF THIS VISIT--MY TERRIBLE +SOLITUDE--MORE WOLVES AND MORE INDIANS--I PREPARE A BANQUET FOR THEM-- +THE SUSPICIONS OF MY GUESTS AROUSED--THE UNPLEASANT TERMINATION TO OUR +FEAST. + +Obed and I were not easily taken by surprise. Our hands instinctively +clutched our rifles, and in a moment the breast of the Indian was +covered by their muzzles. The eye of the red-skin did not quail--not a +limb trembled. He gazed on us calmly, and his hand continued to hold +aside the skin which formed the door of our tent, while he spoke a few +words in a low, quiet voice. I did not understand them, but Obed did. + +"Don't fire, Dick," said Obed; "he is a Delaware, a friend to the white +men. Come in, friend Delaware, take your seat by our fire, and tell us +what has brought you here," continued Obed, addressing the Indian. + +The Delaware, letting drop the skin door, came in, and, stirring up the +embers of our almost extinguished fire, sat himself down on a log of +wood placed before it. He spoke a jargon which he thought was English, +and which both Obed and I understood, but which I cannot now repeat, any +more than I could convey an idea of the deep guttural tones of his +voice. They seemed to come from the very depths of his inside. + +"I travel alone," said the red-skin. "I have a long journey to perform, +to carry a letter I have undertaken to deliver at Fort Grattan. I was +beginning to despair of accomplishing it, for my powder has been +destroyed, and thus food was difficult to obtain. When I first saw the +smoke of your fire, I thought it might come from the wigwams of some +Pawnees, and my heart bounded when I saw from its appearance that your +tent must belong to white men." From this hint given, Obed at once +placed a supply of food before the Indian, who did ample justice to it. +We then lighted our pipes, and all three sat smoking over the fire. The +Delaware urgently advised us not to attempt to spend the approaching +winter in that place, but to accompany him to the fort. I saw the +soundness of his council, but assured him that I could not attempt to +walk half a dozen miles, much less could I hope to make so long a +journey. + +"Then it is better that one should come and bring back succour to the +other than that both should perish," urged the Delaware. To this I +agreed, and told Obed he must go. He had been ready to go alone when +the risk was greater; but now he did not like to leave me. I met all +his arguments, and telling him that if he wished to save my life, as +well as his own, he must go. I ultimately made him consent to accompany +the Indians. Before starting, they took every means to increase my +comforts. They filled the water-casks, collected a quantity of herbs, +and a supply of firewood, and shot as much game as I could consume while +it was fresh. The Delaware lay down to sleep that night in our tent. I +was convinced from his manner and mode of speaking that he was honest. +I never saw a man sleep more soundly--not a limb stirred the whole night +through; he looked more like a dead person, or a lay figure, than a +being with life. Suddenly, as the morning light broke through the tent, +he sprang up, and, shaking himself, in a moment was all energy and +activity. "Ugh! I have not slept so soundly for many a night, and may +not sleep so soundly for many a night more!" he exclaimed, in his +peculiar dialect. We lighted our fire, boiled our kettle, and then all +three sat down to a hearty breakfast. It was the last I should probably +take in company for many a weary day; still I resolved not to be +down-hearted, and especially to preserve a serene and contented +countenance. + +The Delaware replenished his powder-flask, and taking a small supply of +provisions, he and Obed bade me farewell. I could only wring the +latter's hand; I don't think we exchanged a word at parting. I watched +them as their figures grew less and less, and finally disappeared in the +distance, and then indeed I felt very lonely. Perhaps there was not a +human being within a hundred miles of me except the two who had just +gone away; or should there be, he was very likely to prove an enemy. +The idea of being thus alone in a wilderness was grand, but it was +somewhat appalling and trying to the nerves. How long would Obed be +absent? I thought to myself. Three weeks or a month at shortest. +Could I manage to preserve existence for that length of time? I was +still weak and ill, and could scarcely crawl about, so I spent the +greater portion of my time on my couch. I placed my firearms close at +hand around me, so that I might seize them in a moment. My fire-place +was a hole in the middle of the tent, almost within reach of my +skin-covered couch; there were no linen sheets to catch fire; my tub of +water was near it, and my stock of provisions hung overhead. The sky I +saw when I looked out had for some days been giving indications of a +snow-storm. It came at last, and winter set in. The drifting snow +quickly found its way through the minutest hole in the tent skins. To +prevent this, I beat it down firmly all round the edge, stopping every +crevice, and I raised a pile of logs before the door. "I don't think I +should mind a fight with a dozen red-skins," I thought to myself; "but +those wolves--I don't like them." The wolves I dreaded (and not without +reason) found me out at last. The wind was roaring and whistling among +the leafless trees, the snow was beating against my tent, and the night +was as dark as Erebus, when a low, distant howl saluted my ears--heard +even above the tempest. It continued increasing, till it broke into a +wild chorus of hideous shrieks. I had no dread of ghostly visitors. I +would rather have faced a whole array of the most monstrous hobgoblins, +than have felt that I was surrounded, as I knew I was, by a herd of +those brutes--the wolves. + +Till almost morning they continued their ugly concert; but they have a +natural fear of man, and it is only when pressed by hunger that they +will attack him. The ground, however, was now completely covered with +snow, and I knew that they would find but little food. As I could not +venture out, most of the day passed away in a half-unconscious dreamy +state; part of it I slept. The next night I was awoke soon after dark +by the wolfish chorus; it was much nearer than before. The sounds +formed themselves into words to my disordered senses. "We'll eat you +up; we'll eat you up ere long," they appeared to say. A third night +came. The pack seemed increased in numbers, as if they had been +collecting from every quarter. I fancied that I could hear their feet +crackling on the crisp snow as they scampered round and round the tent. +That night they brought their circle closer and closer, till I fully +expected that they would commence their attack. Still they held off, +and with the morning light took their departure. I watched the next +night setting in with a nervous dread. As soon as darkness spread over +the snow-covered face of the country, on the horrid pack came, +scampering up from all quarters. + +Nearer and nearer approached the cries and howls. They commenced as +before, scampering round the tent, and every time it seemed narrowing +the circle. I knew that they must be closer to me. I stirred up my +fire with a long stick I kept by me for that purpose, and I felt sure I +saw the impression of their noses as, having smelled me out, they +pressed them against the sides of the tent in their endeavours to find +an entrance. I looked for the biggest bump, and took aim with my +revolver. There was a loud snarl and cry, and then a shrieking and +howling as the horrid pack scampered off into the distance. I had to +get up and patch the hole made by my bullet, but I did not look out to +see what had become of the wolf I had hit. I heard the animals howling +away the livelong night in the distance. They did not, however, venture +back again that night. + +I had now been ten days alone, as I knew by a small bag I kept, into +which I every day, when I awoke, put a bean. I should completely have +lost all count of time without some such contrivance. The cold was +becoming very bitter; still my health was improving, and I felt myself +stronger than I had been since I was wounded. The perfect rest had +tended to cure me. I thought that I would get up and walk about, to +recover more completely the use of my limbs. It was necessary to +replenish my stock of water before the stream was completely frozen +over, as snow-water is not considered wholesome for a continuance. I +had plenty of clothes and skins, and I required them, for a piercing +wind blew across the wild prairie, which, unless thus protected, I could +not have faced. The exercise did me good. I now went out every day, +constantly returning to feed my fire and to warm myself. I replenished +my stock of water, and got a further supply of wood, that I might not +run short of that necessary article. I was most concerned about my +provisions, which were diminishing sadly. I therefore always took my +rifle out with me, in the hopes of getting a shot at a stray buffalo or +deer going south, but all had gone; none passed near me. The woods, +too, were now deserted; not a bird was to be seen; even the snakes and +the 'coons had hid themselves in their winter habitations. A dead +silence reigned over the whole country during the day. I wish it had +equally reigned during the night. Daylight and the smoke of my fire +kept the wolves away, but night after night they came back and howled as +before. I used at last to sleep some hours every day, and sit up all +night with my pistols by my side, ready to shoot them. Now and then the +grinning jaws of one of them would force its way in at the entrance of +the tent. I seldom passed a night without killing one or two of these +intruders. I every morning cut off what I thought would prove the +tenderest portion, and dragged the rest of the carcass away. I would +not, however, advise anybody to feed upon wolf's flesh if they can get +anything better. More tough and nauseous morsels I never attempted to +swallow; but it was necessary to economise the rest of my provisions. + +I one day went out as usual to exercise my limbs and look for a chance +shot. There was a fine clear sky overhead, not a breath of air was +stirring, and my blood was soon in circulation. I felt more up to +anything than I had done for a long time. I reached the only elevation +in the neighbourhood, near the bank of the creek, when, turning my +glance round on every side, I saw in the far distance towards the +north-west, two specks on the surface of the dazzling expanse of white +spread out before me. I watched--the specks were moving, they might be +deer, or they might be wolves, but from the way they progressed I had +little doubt they were men. They came from a quarter I did not like, +inhabited by Dacotahs and Pawnees--treacherous, thievish rascals, who +will take the scalp of an old woman if they can catch her asleep, and +make as much boast of it as if they had killed a warrior in open fight. +Still it was necessary to be on my guard against them. I waited till I +ascertained without doubt that they were human beings, and then hastened +back to my tent, made up my fire so that the smoke might be seen coming +out at the top, put a buffalo robe inside my bed to personate myself, +and loaded myself with all my fire-arms. I then carefully closed the +entrance of the tent, and stepped back over the marks I had previously +made, till I reached the bank of the stream, where I found ample shelter +behind a clump of thick bushes. I there lay between two heaps of snow +with my rifle ready, perfectly concealed, but having a clear view of my +tent and the country beyond. If the strangers should prove to be +friends, as the precautions had given me but little trouble it was wiser +to take them, but if enemies they were very necessary. When they were +still a long way off, I made out that the strangers were red-skins. +Their costume showed me that they belonged to the tribes I have +mentioned, and I had no doubt that they had come with hostile intent. +They stopped, and I saw by their gestures that they were forming their +plan of proceeding. One was an oldish man, the other was a tall, active +lad; either would give me considerable difficulty to manage if it came +to a hand-to-hand struggle. + +They were armed only with bows and arrows and spears. They pointed to +the smoke, and the elder signified that I was asleep within, or cooking +my dinner. He then fixed an arrow in his bow, and by his gestures I +suspected that he was saying he would shoot me through the tent covering +before I had time to seize my fire-arms or see my enemies. "I'm much +obliged to you for your good intentions, but I will try and frustrate +them, my friends," said I to myself. The elder of the two red-skins now +approached the tent with his bow drawn, ready to send an arrow into the +inmate should he appear at the entrance; the other searched carefully +round the tent, and examined the traces of my feet in the snow. He +seemed apparently satisfied that the owner had gone to the stream and +returned, and was within. The two now got still nearer to the tent, +with their bows drawn; so cautiously did they tread that not a sound +could be heard. They stopped, and eagerly shot several arrows through +the covering, one after the other, as rapidly as they could fix them to +the strings of their bows. "And so you think that you have killed your +prey," said I to myself; but at the same time a sickening sensation came +over my heart. I had never shot at a human being with the intention of +taking away life; I must do so now or become the victim myself. The +savages listened. Of course no sound from within reached their ears. +The elder stooped forward to draw aside the curtain to look in, while +the other stood ready with his spear to transfix the person who they +might expect would attempt to spring out if he had not been killed. Now +I thought I must fire. I took aim at the older Indian. In doing so the +barrel of my rifle touched a twig. The younger savage in a moment +detected the sound; he turned round full on me. His quick eye caught +sight of my rifle as I instantly brought it to bear on him. He uttered +an exclamation of astonishment. It was his last. I fired, and he fell +with his face forward. His companion sprang up, and was about to rush +towards me, but I pulled the trigger of my second barrel, and he too +fell writhing in agony on the snow. Oh! how wretched I felt at what +stern necessity had compelled me to do. How must Cain have felt when he +had killed his brother? I rushed up to my tent. The younger savage was +quite dead: the elder glared at me fiercely. Though badly wounded, +still he might live. I leaned over him, and made signs that I would +take him into my tent and try and heal him. A gleam of satisfaction +came over his countenance--I thought it was from gratitude at my mercy. +I was preparing to drag him into the tent, and to place him on my own +couch. I felt that I was doing what was right. I should gain a +companion in my solitude, perhaps make a friend, who would enable me to +escape from my perilous position. His eye followed me as I moved about +making the necessary preparations. He beckoned me to come and lift him +up. I was putting my arm behind him, when his right hand drew a long +knife with a flash from his belt, and before I could spring back he had +struck twice with all his force at my breast, wounding me severely. It +was not his fault that he did not pierce me to the heart. So firm a +grasp did his other hand retain of my collar that I could not escape +him. I had my own hunting-knife beneath my buffalo robe, my fingers +clutched it, and, as catching his right arm I pressed it to the ground, +I struck two or three blows with all my might at his throat and chest; I +felt his fingers relaxing; his arm fell back--he too was dead. I would +rather not dwell on that awful moment. The horrors of my solitude were +increased ten-fold. Still. I was obliged to rouse myself to action. I +knew not how many of the tribe to which the dead men belonged might be +in the neighbourhood. + +That evening, however, I could do nothing. Night was coming on, and the +blood which trickled down my breast reminded me that I must attend to my +own wounds. If my former nights had been full of horrors, this was far +more dreadful. The wolves howled louder than ever, and came round me in +great numbers, and though I was continually firing my pistols out into +the darkness, I could scarcely keep them at bay. I will not dwell on +that dreadful time. The morning did come at last. The first thing I +did was to drag the bodies of the savages down to the river, and to +force them through a hole in the ice whence I had been accustomed to +draw water. The current quickly carried them down into far-off regions. +Then I made a fire over the spot where their blood had been spilt, and, +happily, during the day a heavy fall of snow coming on obliterated all +the remaining traces of their fatal visit to my tent. Still for many a +day I could not drive the picture of their hideous countenances out of +my head, as they lay stark and stiff on the ground, killed by my hand-- +yet never was homicide more justifiable. I had, as I believed, got rid +of all the traces of the savages outside the tent. When I found the +arrows sticking inside it in my bed, it did not occur to me that it +would be equally necessary to get rid of them. The whim seized me of +keeping them as a memorial of my escape. Instead, however, of +concealing them under the bed, I arranged them in the form of a star on +the tent covering just above my head, and every time I looked at them I +felt grateful that they were not sticking in my body. I have a dislike +to dwell on the horrible sensations which came over me during those long +winter nights and scarcely less dreary days. Had I possessed any books +they would have served me as companions, and helped me to pass the time; +but I had none. + +My own thoughts and feelings were my only associates, and they often +were far from pleasant ones. I had a great temptation also, which, had +I given way to it, would have made matters worse. + +Among the articles which had fallen from the wagon, and which Obed and I +afterwards picked up, was a small cask of brandy. We were both of us +very abstemious, or we should not have been the strong, hearty fellows +we were. The cask, therefore, had not even been broached. The tempter, +however, now came suggesting to me that I might soon forget all my +miseries if I would but occasionally take a taste of the fire-water. I +resisted him, however. I knew that if I once began I might go on, and +not know when to stop. I was sure that I was better and stronger +without liquor of any sort, so I let the cask remain as it was in a +corner of the tent. I had a pipe and a small quantity of tobacco, which +I mixed with sumach leaves and willow bark to make it go further. +Smoking this was my greatest animal pleasure. My usual dinner, eked out +with fried wolf's flesh, indeed required a smoke to make it digest +properly. After this adventure with the Indians, I found my nerves much +shaken. I stayed in bed for a couple of days, but whenever I dropped +asleep I found myself acting the whole scene over and over again. At +night I had, as usual, to sit up, wrapped in my buffalo robes, with my +feet at the fire, and my pistols in my hands, keeping the wolves at bay. +Oh, how I wished they would cease their horrid serenade. The old year +passed away, and the new year began, but there was no change in my +condition. I was growing seriously alarmed about Obed. He ought to +have been back by this time, I thought. I was afraid some accident +might have befallen him, for I was very certain that he would not have +deserted me. By degrees I recovered my composure, and took my exercise +with my rifle in my hand as usual. My tent also, by being almost +covered up with snow, had become a very warm and comparatively +comfortable habitation, as I could always keep up a good fire within it. +When I returned from my walks I had a cup of warm tea ready, which +tended to keep up the circulation which the exercise had established. +Thus I soon got into very good health again. + +My chief occupation when out was looking for game. What was my delight +one morning to see a flight of prairie-hens sitting on some boughs not +far from my tent. I stopped like a pointer. I knew that the slightest +movement might scare them away; and lifting my rifle to my shoulder, I +selected a fine cock. I fired, and over he tumbled. I ran forward, and +securing him to my belt, I marked where the others settled, and followed +them up. Thus I went on. I had killed three, I think, which would +prove a most satisfactory addition to my larder. When I looked about me +I found that I had got a long way from my tent. I walked briskly back. +When I got to the top of the bank near the river, what was my dismay, on +looking northward, to see several persons approaching my tent! They +could not have failed to have discovered me. I watched them with +intense interest. They were red-skins--Dacotahs probably; I could not +possibly avoid encountering them. I felt that my only prospect of +safety was to put a bold face on the matter, and go and meet them +frankly. + +Hurrying to my tent, I loaded myself with all my fire-arms, resolving to +sell my life dearly, and then walked forward towards them. I counted +the strangers. There were ten of them, all painted and dressed for war; +and a very ferocious set they looked. They seemed very much astonished +and puzzled at seeing me. In an instant they all had their arrows fixed +in their bows, and, forming a line, they thus advanced slowly and +cautiously, keeping an eye on the tent, and evidently expecting to see a +number of people emerge from it. Their demonstrations were so hostile +that I now began to repent that I had not made an attempt to defend +myself; at the same time I felt that a contest with ten cunning savages +would have been a very hopeless one. Flight, too, over the snow, with +little knowledge of the country, was not to be thought of. As the +savages advanced I retreated, resolving to make a stand at my tent door. +At the same time I tried to show by signs that I could, if I liked, +kill two or three of them, but that I was ready for peace if they were. +At last I lowered my rifle from my shoulder, and they unstrung their +bows and advanced with outstretched hands towards me. Knowing their +treacherous character, however, of course I could not depend on them. I +bethought me that the best way to win their friendship was to offer them +food, as is practised in civilised communities with some success; so I +showed them the birds I had just killed, and intimated that I was going +to dress them for their entertainment. I produced several other +dainties, and my dried wolf's flesh. I also brought out some of my +mixed tobacco, though it was with intense reluctance I parted with it. +They expressed their satisfaction by several loud grunts, and then +squatted round in a circle outside the door of my tent. I made up my +fire, and soon had the prairie-hens and several pieces of meat roasting +on sticks before it, and a savoury stew cooking in my pot. I trusted +that I might be able to replenish my scanty stock of provisions, but I +knew, that, had I not given them with a good grace, my guests would +probably have taken them by force. I had begun to serve the banquet, at +which the red-skins were smacking their lips, and they were casting +approving and kindly glances at me, when I remembered my cask of brandy. +I knew that this would completely cement our friendship, but I intended +to give them only a little at a time to run no risk of intoxicating +them. I retired, therefore, to the back of the tent for the purpose of +drawing off a little in a bottle. While I was thus employed, one of +them put his head into the tent to see what I was about. As he did so, +his eye fell on the star of arrows over the head of my couch. A loud +exclamation made me turn round. I saw where his glance was directed. +My folly and want of forethought in a moment flashed across my mind. +All was lost, I perceived. The savages sprang up, and seizing me, +pointed to the arrows. I had nothing to say. Perhaps the expression of +my countenance betrayed me. Several held me tight while the others +spoke. Though I did not understand a word of their language, I could +not fail to comprehend the tenor of their speeches. Their action, the +intonation of their voices, their angry glances, showed it. "Our +friends came here, and this man killed them. We came to look for them, +and by the same arts with which he destroyed them he had endeavoured to +destroy us. There are the proofs of his guilt. How else did he become +possessed of those arrows?" Such, I have no doubt, is a very concise +abridgment of their harangues. + +They continued speaking for an hour or more, till they worked each other +up into a perfect fury. Their eyes gleamed at me with malignant hatred. +They foamed at the mouth; they gnashed their teeth at me. I thought +they would have torn me limb from limb; but they were reserving me for a +far more refined system of torture. Having condemned me to death, they +lashed my hands behind me, and my feet together, and placed me in a +sitting position on my bed, there to await my doom, while they all +crouched down round the fire, where, stern and grim, they finished the +repast I had prepared for them in horrible silence. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +THE INDIANS PROPOSE TO KILL ME--I AM BOUND READY FOR THE TORTURE--MY +GUESTS FIND THE FIRE-WATER, AND I FIND THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING ABSTAINED +FROM IT--A FEARFUL CONFERENCE--A TOMAHAWK SENT AT MY HEAD--THE SPIRITS +TAKE EFFECT--I WORK MY LIMBS FREE--SHALL I KILL MY ENEMIES?--I FLY--A +RUN FOR LIFE--MY TERRIBLE JOURNEY--I SINK EXHAUSTED--A FRIENDLY INDIAN-- +A KIND RECEPTION--I HAVE CAUSE TO REJOICE THAT I DID NOT REDDEN MY HANDS +WITH BLOOD. + +The Indians sat round the fire, devouring with dreadful composure the +remainder of my scanty stock of provisions. I could not withdraw my +eyes from them. I felt as if I was in a horrid dream, and yet I was too +certain of the reality of what had occurred to doubt it. "Even were +they to spare my life, I must starve," I thought to myself, "so it +matters little what they do to me." They ate up all their own food and +all mine, till nothing remained. The Red man, although he can go a long +time without food, is a complete glutton when he gets a quantity, and is +utterly regardless of what may be his future exigencies. When they had +eaten up all the food exposed to view, they began to hunt about the tent +for more. I watched them anxiously, for I was afraid that they would +get hold of the gunpowder, and still more did I dread their finding the +brandy. The chief, a villainous-looking old warrior, was the most +active in the search. He went round and round the tent, poking his +fingers into every package, and sniffing up with his nose, till at last +his keen scent enabled him to discover the existence of the spirit cask, +which I had already broached. With a grunt of satisfaction, in which +the whole party joined, he dragged it forward, and made signs to his +followers that all should share in the much-prized fire-water. I +trembled at what would be the consequences. "They would have treated me +badly enough while they were sober, but with all their evil passions +inflamed by liquor, they will be perfect demons," I thought to myself. +"How wrong I was not to have let the dangerous spirit run out long ago." +How brightly their eyes glared, how eagerly they pressed forward to get +a share of the coveted fire-water, which the old chief was serving out. +I observed that he took care to help himself more largely than he did +anybody else. Scarcely had they drunk off what was first distributed to +them than they put forward their leathern drinking-cups to ask for more. +The old chief having helped himself, gave some to his followers. Then +their eyes began to glitter; the calm, sedate bearing of the Indian was +thrown off; they talked rapidly and vehemently, and laughed loudly, and +their fingers began to play with the handles of their tomahawks and +scalping-knives in a way that made my blood run cold. The red-skins, +when they take a captive for whom for any reason they have an especial +hatred, generally wait two or three days, that they may have the +satisfaction of tormenting him before they commence actually to torture +him to death. As I watched them, however, I felt that any moment they +might spring up and begin to torture me. + +It is difficult to describe the horrible ingenuity they exhibit in +tormenting their victims. Talk of the virtues of the savage--I do not +believe in them. He may have some good qualities, but he is generally +the cruel, remorseless monster sin has made him. Civilisation has its +vices--I know that full well--and bad enough they are, but they are mild +compared to those of the true unadulterated savage, who prides himself +on his art in making his victims writhe under his tortures, and kills +merely that he may boast of the number of those he has slaughtered, and +may exhibit their scalps as trophies of his victories. It is a +convincing proof to me that the same spirit of evil, influenced by the +most intense hatred to the human race, is going continually about to +incite men to crime. The Dyak of Borneo, the Fijian of the Pacific, and +the red savage of North America, are much alike; and identically the +same change is wrought in all when the light of truth is brought among +them, and the Christian's faith sheds its softening influence over their +hearts. Many such ideas as those I have alluded to passed through my +mind as I sat, unable to move, watching the proceedings of the savages, +and I felt with a pang of intense remorse how utterly I had neglected +doing anything towards sending the gospel of salvation in which I +believed and thought I trusted, to them or any other of the heathen +nations of the world. + +The red-skins went on talking fast and furiously; then they put out +their hands, and called on the old chief to serve them out further +draughts of their loved fire-water. He dared not deny them. He helped +himself, and his eyes began to roll round and round with a frightful +glare, and every now and then they turned upon me, and I thought my last +moment had come; but one of his companions, in a tone which had lost all +respect for him, called off his attention for a moment, and I had a +reprieve. It was but for a few minutes. I became once more the subject +of conversation. Again the cups were filled and quaffed. I sat as +motionless as a statue. A sign of fear, or even of consciousness, would +only tend to enrage my captors. The countenance of the old chief grew +more terrific. He grasped his deadly tomahawk, and, drawing it from his +belt, lifted his arm to hurl it at my head. I expected that instant to +feel the horrible crash as the sharp weapon entered my skull. I, +notwithstanding, fixed my eye steadily on him. He bent back his arm; +the tomahawk flew across the tent, but the spirits he had swallowed had +unnerved his limbs and confused his sight, and, unconscious apparently +of what he had done, he rolled over on his side. His companions were +too far gone to take notice of his state. They rather seemed to rejoice +at it, that now they could help themselves to as much liquor as was to +be got. As the savages went on drinking, and I saw the condition to +which they were reducing themselves, hope once more revived in my +breast. I might work my way out of the leather thongs which bound me, +and get clear of my captors; but then where was I to go? I was again +tolerably strong, and I could run some miles, but in what direction +should I bend my steps? I could scrape together a little food from that +left by the Indians; but had I any chance of reaching any fort or +settlement in the depth of winter? I should, too probably, be frozen to +death, or be devoured by wolves, or be scalped by hostile Indians. The +prospect was not cheering. Still all risks were far preferable to being +tormented to death by my present captors. I was beginning to indulge in +a prospect of escaping, remote though it might be, when two more of the +Indians all of a sudden took it into their heads to hurl their hatchets +at me. It was the last effort of expiring intelligence, and they both +fell back overpowered by liquor. In a very short time, one by one, the +rest of their companions yielded to its influences, and the whole band +of Indians lay perfectly drunk and helpless at my feet. + +No time was to be lost; how long they might continue in that state I +could not tell. At all events it was important to get a long start of +them. I found that I might in time gnaw away the thongs which bound my +wrists. I set to work; they were very tough, but by perseverance I got +through one, and then the other, and my hands were free. Still I had a +tough thong round my neck, secured to one of the posts of the bed, and +another round my ankles fastened to another below me. If I attempted to +stoop down, I tightened the thong round my neck, nor could I draw my +feet up to meet my hands. The savages had taken my own knife from me. +I struggled, and pulled, and tugged, to get my feet clear, till I almost +cut through my ankles to the bone. At last I thought of the tomahawks +the savages had thrown at me. I leaned back and felt about behind me. +To my great joy my fingers clutched the handle of one, the blade of +which was sticking deep into the frame of the bed. I dragged it out, +and very soon cut through the thong round my neck. To clear my feet was +a work of less trouble: I was free. I can scarcely describe my +sensations as I stood among my now helpless enemies. My first thought +was to make preparations for my flight. I collected all the food of +every description and packed it away in a bag, which I fastened round my +waist. I took my rifle and filled my powder-flask, with a further +supply in a leathern case which had been Obed's, and all the +percussion-caps, and as much shot as I could carry. I took the +precaution also of collecting all the bows and arrows, and other +weapons, of the Indians, and of piling them upon the fire, where they +were quickly consumed. Then I threw over my shoulder my buffalo-skin +coat, and stood prepared for flight. "Whither shall I fly? How can I +escape from my swift-heeled enemies with all this weight of things to +carry? Need I fly?" A dreadful thought came into my head. "They +intended to kill me. There they lie utterly helpless. A few +well-directed blows from one of their own tomahawks which they hurled at +my head, and not one of them can harm me more. I may dispose of them as +I disposed of their two brethren who tried to kill me. I have a right +to do so. Surely I have a right to destroy them." If I did not say, I +thought all these things. Whence did the suggestion come? "Oh, may I +be guided to do what is right," I mentally ejaculated. I gazed at the +helpless beings scattered around. "They are human. `Forgive us our +trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us.' What does that +mean?" I asked myself. "Oh, no, I dare not injure them. Never mind +what the rough backwoodsman would say to my conduct. I am sure it is +braver to refrain than to kill. Certainly, as a Christian, I cannot +kill them--I dare not. To His guidance and protection who formed the +world and all living creatures, I commit myself." With these words, not +daring to look behind me, I rushed from the tent. + +I took a westerly course, for I thought that I should more likely fall +in with Obed in that direction, should he have reached a fort in safety, +and succeeded in obtaining help to come and rescue me. On I went as +fast as I could move, but my limbs were stiff, and the weight I carried +was considerable. I tried to turn my thoughts from the savages, but I +could not help calculating how long they might continue in their state +of stupor. There was still some brandy left in the cask; when they +recovered their senses, rather than pursue me they might be tempted to +drink again. It was a question which was the strongest passion, whether +the love of drink or the desire for revenge would prevail. On I went, +the snow was now tolerably hard, so I made pretty good progress, yet the +red-skins would go twice as fast when once they began to pursue me. + +I went a mile before I stopped. Then, on reaching an elevation, whence +I could have a clear view over the white glittering plain, I looked back +at the spot where I had spent so many days and nights of pain and +suffering, and where also I owned that I had been most mercifully +preserved from so many dangers. The tent stood where it had been for +many months, the smoke was curling out of the top into the calm sky, and +all around looked so unchanged that I could scarcely persuade myself +that in the interior was collected a band of malignant foes, who would +rejoice in my destruction. I looked but a few seconds, and then away I +went on my course. I walked on, sometimes breaking into a run where the +snow was harder and would allow it, till sunset, and then the stars came +out brightly in the firmament of heaven, and I was able to steer my +course with greater certainty even than in the daytime. I could not +think very much; but I did feel thankful that I had not yielded to the +temptation of drinking the spirits myself, when I had felt low and +almost hopeless. Had I done so, I should have destroyed the very means +presented for my deliverance. I got over the plain with tolerable ease, +for the sun had at times melted the snow, which when it froze again had +become hard and rough. As I ran on, however, I was trying to devise +some plan by which the Indians might be turned off my track. To +obliterate it, however, was hopeless, unless a heavy fall of snow should +come on, and even then the cunning rascals, by scraping away the snow at +intervals, were very likely to find me out. + +It was nearly midnight, I calculated, when I felt that I must stop to +rest and take some food. I sat down on what I took to be a mound of +earth covered with snow. I ate a handful of rice and a little biscuit, +and chewed a piece of wolf's flesh, and felt somewhat revived. I should +have liked to have gone to sleep, but I dared not, even for a moment. +It would have been, had I given way to the feeling, the sleep of death. +I scarcely know why, but as I sat on the heap I struck the butt-end of +my rifle into the snow; it gave way. I found there was something +beneath it. With eager haste, for I remembered that every moment was +precious, I threw off the snow. The body of a man lay beneath. A +dreadful sensation came over me. It must be that of Obed, slaughtered, +perhaps, on his way to succour me; the idea almost overcame me; I +resisted, however, the feeling of despair, and roused myself up. I +threw off more of the snow; I could see, by the faint light of the moon, +that little more than a skeleton remained; the dress, however, was +there; it was that of a backwoodsman. With horrible eagerness, yet with +loathing, I examined the tattered clothes. I felt sure that they where +those Obed had worn. In my search my hand struck against something; I +took it up, it was an old silver watch; such a one Obed had not got, but +often had I seen it in the hands of his brother Joab. + +Poor Joab, then, had been killed on the first attack of the red-skins. +What had become of the rest of the party? I dreaded lest I should find +their remains as I had that of Joab. Taking the watch, I secured it +about me to restore to his family should I ever meet them. I hunted +about for his rifle; it was nowhere to be found. It had been carried +off, I concluded, by the Indians. With a heavy heart I ran on, after my +brief rest, expecting every instant to come on more of the remains of my +old friends, but I saw no indications of them, and there was no time to +carry on the search. + +I went on after this for some time without halting even for a moment. I +had now been several hours on foot. Had I enjoyed my usual strength, +such as I possessed before being wounded, I should have made light of +the fatigue. I was, however, again obliged to sit down. I reckoned on +having a long start of the red-skins. I hoped to retain my strength so +as to redouble my speed when I thought they would be pressing after me. +I had deprived them of their arms, and they had no food; so that, could +I contrive to keep beyond their reach for two or three days, they must +be delayed to obtain it, if they attempted to follow me. Unless also +their lodges were in the neighbourhood, and they could go and get arms, +I possessed another very great advantage over them. Of course if +pursued I would not hesitate for a moment about shooting them down. +These ideas occurred to me as I ran on, and I began to feel that my case +was not so hopeless as I at first considered it. My great dread was of +the wolves. As yet I had not heard any of those cries which make night +hideous in the desert regions; but I knew that if a pack once scented me +out and gave chase, I should have little chance of escaping them, unless +I could find a tree, up which I might climb out of their way. + +I ran on all night, keeping nearly due west, and daylight found me +pursuing my way with unflagging speed. At last I struck what I took to +be a branch of the Nebraska river. A wood was not far-off on the other +side. "I'll try if a white man cannot manage to deceive the acuteness +even of a red-skin," I thought to myself. The wind had blown the snow +completely off the ice on the river. I crossed the river and made +towards the wood. I stirred up the snow in a way which I knew would +puzzle the Indians, and then treading backwards on my footmarks, I once +more reached the river. + +Then away I went up the stream over the smooth ice as hard as I could +run. Now and then I tumbled down, but I quickly picked myself up again, +and was off as fast as ever. When a man believes that a body of +red-skins or a pack of wolves are at his heels, he is likely to run +pretty fast. I sat down once for breakfast for five minutes, and once +at noon for dinner of raw rice and wolves' ribs, and away I went again. +At last I found that the river was making so many bends that it would be +necessary to land, which I did on the north shore. Night came on, but I +did not relax my speed; the stars came out and guided me as before. I +was beginning, however, to feel much distressed. I bore up as well as I +could, but I fancied that I could not continue my course much beyond the +morning, even if I could go through the night. I came to some bushes +growing above the snow; they would afford me shelter from the wind, and +I might, I thought, venture to rest for half an hour or so. I should +have wished to light a fire, but I dared not, lest the smoke might +betray me. + +I sat down and began searching in my bag for some food, when a distant +and faint cry struck my ear. I listened; again I heard it. I knew too +well what it was. The cry of a pack of wolves. Could they have gained +scent of me and be following in my rack? The bare thought of such a +thing made me start up, and again set forth at full speed. For what I +knew to the contrary, I had both wolves and Indians following me. The +wolves were gaining on me, that was certain. I could distinguish the +yelps and barks through the still midnight. They might yet be some way +off. I tried to pierce through the gloom ahead in the hopes of seeing +some clump of trees rising out of the snowy plain in which I might take +shelter. On I ran. It, at all events, would not do to stay where I +was. The sound of those horrid yelps, if anything had been required to +make me exert myself would have added fleetness to my feet. I longed +for day; I thought they would be less likely to attack me. For a whole +hour I ran on, I believe. It seemed more like three or four with those +dreadful sounds ringing in my ears. I thought they were coming nearer +and nearer. At last I saw some object rising up before me in the +darkness. It might be a distant hill, or it might be the outline of the +wished-for wood. + +"But if I succeed in reaching it and climbing a tree, will not the delay +enable the Indians to overtake me?" I thought. "I will keep outside +the wood till the near approach of the brutes compels me to climb a tree +to get out of their way." I kept to this resolution. It proved to be a +wood that I had seen. I skirted it as I continued my course. All the +time I kept listening with a feeling of horror to the hideous chorus of +the wolves. + +Suddenly I was conscious that the sounds were growing fainter. In +another twenty minutes I was certain of it. They were in pursuit of +some wild beast or other, perhaps of some unfortunate Indian traversing +the prairie. How thankful I felt when the sounds altogether ceased. +This circumstance gave me fresh courage. I pursued my course steadily +onward. I stopped even five minutes to rest and take a little food. +The sun rose, still I was going on, but I began to feel that nature +would not hold out much longer. I felt a dizziness in my eyes, and my +knees began to tremble, and I drew my breath with difficulty. I was +again in a vast plain. The sun was behind me; I followed my own shadow. +Sometimes I could distinguish nothing before me, then the giddiness +went away. + +Suddenly, as I looked up, I saw before me eight or ten figures moving in +a line across my path. Could they be the Pawnees who had lost my track, +and were thus making a circuit in the expectation of coming on it? If +they were, I would defend myself to the last. I felt for my rifle, and +tried to get it ready to fire, but I had miscalculated my strength. The +agitation was too much for me; I stumbled blindly forward a few paces, +and then sank down helplessly in the snow. I tried to rise--to move--I +could not, so I gave myself up for lost, and prepared for death. I was +not afraid, I was not unhappy; indeed, I had no very acute feelings +whatever, and very soon lost all consciousness. I was aroused by a +human voice. + +"Why, stranger, where have you dropped from? You seem to be in a sad +plight!" + +I looked up to discover whence the voice came, and there, instead of a +white face, as I expected, I saw a tall Indian, as he seemed by his +dress, though perhaps he was rather fairer than his people usually are, +bending over me. I could not reply, but, with a sort of hysterical +laugh, I made signs that I had come from the eastward, and that some one +was in pursuit of me. + +"Well, never mind talking now; we must first set you on your feet +again," he said in a kind voice. "My companions will be here presently. +You want food and rest, and then you can tell us what has happened." + +"Food, food," I whispered. + +"Yes, poor fellow, you shall have it," he answered, in a tone of +commiseration, taking from his wallet some pemmican, which I ate with a +keen relish. + +The food revived me, and I felt much better by the time my new friend's +companions came up. They stood round me while I continued eating, with +looks of pity and wonder on their expressive countenances. I saw by +their dress and appearance that they were Ottoes, a tribe dwelling to +the south of the Nebraska, and always friendly to the whites. My friend +was the only one who could speak English, which he did perfectly. He +saw me examining his countenance. + +"I am half an Englishman," he observed. "I am called John Pipestick. +My father came from Kent, in the old country, I have often heard him +say; the garden of England he called it. A poor place for buffaloes and +wild turkeys, I should think, so it would not suit me. He sometimes +talked of going to have a look at the hop fields and a taste of its ale, +but he was killed by the Pawnees, who carried of his scalp. I've not +left him unavenged, though. My mother was a red-skin, and belonged to +this tribe, and I have no wish to quit them. But come, friend, you have +done eating, and a man who can eat is not in a very bad way. Lean on +us, and we will take you to our tents. They are not more than three +miles off." + +Supported in the arms of the kind Ottoes, I walked along with tolerable +ease. They were very fine fellows. One was fully six feet six inches +in height, and proportionably strong limbed. The rest were not much his +inferiors. John Pipestick was shorter, but very strong. As I walked +along I found my tongue loosed, and I gave a succinct account of what +had occurred. John interpreted. The Indians pricked up their ears, and +had an animated discussion among themselves. We reached at length what +is called a cedar swamp in the States. The cedar trees form a dense, +tangled thicket, perfectly impervious to the wind, and in winter, when +the moist ground is frozen hard below, such a locality is perfectly +healthy. Woe betide the unfortunate wretch who has to take up his +quarters within one in the summer time, when mosquitoes and rattlesnakes +abound. He will wish himself well out of it before the morning. + +Drawing aside a few boughs, the Ottoes led the way by a narrow path +towards the centre of the thicket, and we soon found ourselves in an +open space, in which were pitched a couple of tents. Several women and +three or four men came out to greet us, and warmly shook my hands. I +felt truly, as John Pipestick had called me, a brother among them. They +placed me in a tent before a fire, and gave me warm food, and chafed my +limbs, and then covered me up with a buffalo robe. I quickly fell +asleep, and never have I slept so soundly in my life, or with a sense of +more perfect security. At last I awoke; I had not stirred for fourteen +hours. It was night, but the Indians were sitting up round the fire +cleaning their arms. They seemed highly pleased when I awoke. + +"We have been waiting for you to start on an expedition," exclaimed John +Pipestick. "How do you feel? Are you able, think you, to walk?" + +I got up and stretched my limbs. They felt a little stiff, and pained +me slightly, but I thought, I said, that exercise would take that off. + +"No fear then," said John; "take some food. Our people are anxious to +start. I'll tell you all about it as we go along." + +I lost no time in putting on my moccasins and in getting ready for a +start, after I had partaken of some pemmican and a warm broth, of which +a wild turkey formed the chief ingredient. I found a party of ten +Indians besides Pipestick, all armed with rifles, besides hatchets and +knives, and some had likewise bows and quivers of arrows at their backs. +In their buffalo-skin coats they looked very like a troop of bears. +The remainder of the party were preparing to follow with a light wagon, +in which they carried their tents and provisions, and four shaggy little +ponies to drag it. I saw that we were taking an easterly course. I +asked where we were going. + +"To your tent," was the answer. + +"But the Pawnees will have gone," I remarked. + +"No fear of that while any liquor remains," he observed. + +I knew that I might as well have spoken to the winds as have attempted +to dissuade my wild friends from attacking their enemies. Still I tried +to explain my view of the case. John seemed much struck by what I said. +He observed that he had never seen it in that light before. He had +been taught to do good to your friends, but to injure your enemies to +the utmost of your power. He had no notion that such was not the +Christian's creed. His father was a Christian; so was he--not that he +knew much about religion. That was all very well for people who lived +in towns. I tried to show him that all men had souls; that one Saviour +died for all; that all would have to stand before the judgment-seat of +God; and that therefore religious faith and religious practice were +essential for all. + +Such was one of the many subjects of our conversation which beguiled our +way. My long solitude had made me reflect and remember many things I +had before forgotten, and my late merciful escape had not been without +its effects in turning my heart to my Maker. I wish that I could say +that, like the compass, it has ever since kept true to the pole. I did +not feel, however, that I was making very deep impression on my +auditors. We pushed on, not as fast as I had come, but still at a very +rapid rate; and if I at all showed signs of flagging, two of the huge +Indians would lift me up by the shoulders and help me along, scarcely +allowing my feet to touch the ground. We camped in a wood for a short +time, making an arbour with fir branches to keep off the cold, and then +on we went. My heart beat quick as, soon after daylight, we approached +the height whence we could look down, I knew, on my tent. We reached +the spot--the one where I had been standing when I saw the Pawnees +coming to destroy me. I looked eagerly for the tent. It was no longer +there, nor was there a sign of living beings near. Two scouts went down +to examine all the places of concealment near. After a time they signed +to us to approach. We hurried down. There lay the remains of the tent, +almost burned to pieces, and among a confused mass of cinders and +various articles which the tent had contained, lay scattered about the +blackened and mangled remains of my late captors. + +"Verily let not man attempt to avenge himself," I repeated. "Here is a +proof of those solemn words, `Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will +repay.'" + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +I HAVE CAUSE TO REJOICE THAT I DID NOT AVENGE MYSELF--MY GREAT MEDICINE +WORK--I RISE IN THE ESTIMATION OF MY NEW FRIENDS--AN INDIAN ENCAMPMENT-- +AM OFFERED A WIFE, BUT COMPELLED TO DECLINE THE HONOUR--JOHN PIPESTICK-- +SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES--A FIERCE ATTACK--WE FIGHT WITH DESPERATION, AND +RESOLVE TO DIE LIKE BRAVE MEN. + +The disappointment of my Ottoe friends was very considerable when they +found all their enemies killed, and not even a scalp remaining to carry +off as a trophy; besides which, a large portion of the property +contained in the tent had been destroyed. There was still enough, +however, to be looked upon as a valuable prize by the red-skins, and I +accordingly begged them to appropriate it. This they, without any show +of reluctance, did, and immediately set to work to hollow out a large +hole under the snow where they might bury it. How thankful I felt that +my hand had refrained from slaughtering those poor wretches when they +lay in my power. + +As I considered the subject, I had no doubt of the cause of the +catastrophe. After the savages had consumed the cask of spirits they +had fallen on the barrel of gunpowder, probably hoping that it might +contain more of their favourite fire-water. They were very likely +smoking at the time, and perhaps all bending round the cask in their +eagerness to get some of its contents. A spark from one of their pipes +must in an instant have finished their business. I cannot say that I +indulged in any sentimental grief at what had occurred. It was +vexatious to lose so many things which might have been of use, but the +most serious loss was that of the gunpowder. Fortunately, however, I +had a good supply, which would last for some time. I never was addicted +to burning gunpowder uselessly. + +The warriors proposed to await the arrival of the rest of the party +where we were, but I entreated them to return to meet their friends. I +pointed out to them that perhaps other bands of Pawnees might be moving +about--probably, as I found was the case, suffering from hunger; and +that first their wives and those with them, and then we ourselves, might +be overpowered. John Pipestick translated what I said, and finally they +were persuaded to follow my advice. They laughed very much when I +proposed to bury the remains of the dead men, and replied that it would +be just as well to let the wolves perform that office, which in the +course of another night they certainly would do. They found quite +enough labour, indeed, in concealing the remains of my property. After +they had dug the hole they deposited all the articles within, and then +built up a pile of logs over it, which even an inquisitive bear would +have had some difficulty in pulling to pieces. + +My chief anxiety was now about Obed. I got the Ottoes to describe to me +exactly the position of their village, about a hundred miles to the +south-east of where we then were. Then I took one of the sticks which +had served me for a crutch, and making a split in one end, I stuck the +other deep into the ground. On a leaf which I tore from my pocket-book, +I wrote a brief account of what had occurred and where I was going, and +putting it into the cleft of the stick, bound the whole securely up. +The Ottoes looked on with intense wonder at my proceedings, till John +told them I was performing a great medicine work, which satisfied them. + +Having thus done my best to enable Obed to join me, I set off with my +friends to return to their camp. I paused again for an instant when I +reached the summit of the hill, to take what I hoped might be a farewell +look at the place which had been the scene of so much suffering to me, +and lately that of so dreadful a catastrophe. A small black patch on +the dazzling white plain alone was perceptible to mark the spot. I +turned from the contemplation of the melancholy scene, and hastened +after my friends. I found them moving very leisurely along. I urged +John to persuade them to go faster. I could not cast from my mind the +notion that more parties of Pawnees, Dacotahs, or other hostile tribes +might be about, driven out by hunger to forage in the neighbourhood, and +were very likely to attack them. I had, therefore, what I might have +called a presentiment that my friends were in danger. I am not +generally influenced much by such sensations. Certainly I was more +liable to be so at the present moment than at any other. I do not deny +the existence of such an influence, but still I cannot help thinking +that it is caused by our reason, which tells us that such a thing is +likely to happen. Sometimes it does happen, but often probably we find +that we are mistaken. My red friends had an idea that the stick I had +placed in the ground had something to do with the matter, and that I was +positively informed of what was about to occur, so hurried on faster +than I found agreeable. + +My feet had become very sore from my previous exercise, and whenever we +came to soft places they sunk into the snow, the thick cake of ice above +cutting my ankles almost to the bone. Sometimes I felt that I must +stop, but I was anxious to help my new friends, and I knew that it would +never do even to appear to flag on such an occasion. I had won their +good opinion by the powers of endurance I had hitherto exhibited. They +especially admired me for killing the two Pawnees, and for escaping from +their comrades; though they could not understand why I had not destroyed +the whole gang when I had the power of doing so, and of adorning my belt +with their scalps. I saw, therefore, that it would be very +disadvantageous to me to run any risk of being lowered in their +estimation. John Pipestick and one of the Indians remained with me, +while the others went on faster ahead; but, exerting myself to the +utmost, we pushed on to overtake them. Besides the idea which I had +originated that their friends might be attacked, hunger induced them to +move at a rapid rate; for they had brought but a scanty supply of +provisions with them, and they had no means of cooking the rice found in +the tent. We were passing a wood when I stopped my companions, for my +eye had fallen on several prairie-fowls sitting on the boughs of one of +the outer trees a little way off. + +"We should have no chance of hitting at this distance," said John +Pipestick. + +"Stay then, I will try what my rifle can do," I answered; and creeping +carefully up till I got them within easy range, I settled in my mind +which bird I should fire at with my first, and which with my second +barrel. I let fly; down tumbled a bird, and the next barrel was even +more fortunate than the first, for two birds were brought to the ground. +Both my companions warmly expressed their delight. I had established +my fame as a first-rate shot, and had, moreover, provided the whole +party with a meal. Knowing how welcome we should be, my companions +helping me along, we pushed on, and at length overtook our friends, +preparing to camp for half an hour or so in the thicket, that they might +be the better able afterwards to pursue their course. + +I need not say that the game I brought was thankfully welcomed, and very +quickly cooked and consumed. I found that the Indians were growing +anxious at not by this time meeting with the rest of their party, and +they were about, while resting, to hold a consultation as to what course +to pursue. We were soon again in motion; night or day made no +difference to us. On we pushed. It was about noon when, on reaching a +height, we saw a thin light smoke curling up into the pure, intense blue +sky, from the bottom of a pine-clad ravine below us. All appeared to +rest in perfect peace and quietness, and I began to be ashamed of my +nervous anxieties. I was greatly afraid that I should lose my influence +with my friends, and as my predictions, or rather warnings, had not been +verified, I should in future be looked on as a false prophet. + +"There are our friends, most probably," said John Pipestick; "but we +don't proceed as carelessly as you people from the East are apt to do. +We shall send out scouts and approach cautiously, lest our enemies +devise some means to destroy us. Such a thing has been done before now. +Those left in an encampment while the rest have been out hunting have +been attacked and slaughtered, while their enemies have taken possession +of their tents, and dressed and painted themselves like those they have +killed. There they have remained till the hunting-party have +unsuspiciously returned, perhaps a few at a time, and thus all in detail +have fallen victims. It was a clever trick, but we should deserve to +die if we allowed it to be repeated on us." + +While John was speaking, three of our party, making a wide circuit, +crept cautiously forward towards the edge of the ravine, so that they +might look down and see what was going on below. We, meantime, lay down +behind some bushes so as to be completely concealed, the chief only +keeping watch, that he might direct us to act according to +circumstances. I could not help admiring their caution, though it was +very tiresome to wait in the cold instead of being within their warm +tents. At last the chief gave the sign for us to proceed. I started +up, prepared to meet the enemy I expected. We advanced towards the edge +of the ravine and began to descend, when we caught sight of the tents +pitched at the bottom of it, the smoke issuing forth from the apertures +in their summits. I inquired of John Pipestick if all was right. + +"Yes, all right," he answered; "no enemies have come; they may perhaps +though; but we shall not remain here many hours." + +The scene was very different from any I had, for many weeks, set eyes +on. By the side of what I knew was a stream were three tents. Each was +formed of some eighteen or twenty long, slender rods, the butt-end stuck +in the ground, in a circle, and the tops bent over to meet each other, +forming the framework of the habitation. Over this was stretched a +covering of buffalo-skins, very neatly sewed together with thin strips +of leather, and secured so firmly at the foot with pegs, that it was as +tight as a drum, and capable of throwing off any amount of rain, or the +snow melting from the heat within. The hides, being tanned white, had a +very neat and tent-like look. I cannot say much for the cleanliness +inside, but I have been compelled in my wanderings to put up in dirtier +places, and that is all I can say in their favour. + +These habitations are much more substantial than the wigwams of the +Canadian Indians, which are formed in a conical shape by uniting at the +top a dozen straight poles stuck in a circle in the ground, and by +covering them thickly with birch-bark. In both cases a hole is left at +the top to serve as a chimney. Inside the tents of my present friends +the ground was spread with mats all round the edges, except in the +centre, where a bare spot was left for the fire-place. Many of the +tribes differ in the way of forming their cooking-place, and often the +only means of ascertaining whether friends or foes have encamped on the +spot, is by an examination of the place where they have lit their fires. +The cots for the babies, and the pots and pans, and bows and arrows, +and fishing-spears, and buffalo tongues, and bears' hams, with +numberless other articles, are hung up to the tent rods, and often +garnish them rather oddly. + +As we approached the tents, men, women, and children hurried out to meet +us, and welcomed us warmly, all eager to hear our adventures. But +Indians are not addicted to rattling out news, as is our habit in the +old country, so they had to wait till various ceremonies were first gone +through. + +The old chief invited me into his tent, an honour John advised me not to +refuse, and then having sat down before his fire, and taken off my outer +coat and my torn moccasins, his women-kind hooked out of a huge pot +hanging from the centre over the fire, a lump of bear's flesh, and +several other dainties, the exact nature of which I could not at first +learn. Curiosity prompted me to inquire, by holding up a piece of the +meat between my thumb and fingers, when a respectable old dame, whom I +took to be his spouse, replied by a "_bow-wow-wow_," by which I guessed +rightly that it was a bit of a young puppy. + +A few days afterwards a deep "bow-wow-wow" showed me that I was dining +off an older animal of the same species. I cannot say that I had any +repugnance to the meat, for after living on wolves' flesh for so long it +was to me a delicate luxury. I objected rather to the quantity +than the quality of the food placed before me, for the old +chief--_Waggum-winne-beg_ was his name, at least it sounded like that-- +wishing to do me unusual honour, gave me a double allowance each time he +stuck his stick into the pot. I expressed my gratitude as well as I +could, and pointed first to my chest and then to my throat, to show him +that I thought the food must have got thus high; but he only laughed, +and kept on helping me as before. At last I stuck a piece in my mouth, +and pretended that I could not get it down further; but he was too good +an anatomist to be so taken in, and offered to get a ramrod to help me +down with it. + +"Now, old fellow," said I, getting savage, "it may be a very good joke +to you; but more I will not eat, and that's enough." + +Luckily John Pipestick coming in, explained that though Englishmen eat +as much as any red-skins, they were in the habit of taking several +moderate meals during every day throughout the year, and that the Indian +fashion of one day gormandising, and for many days starving, would not +suit them. I was not sorry to find that my friends were almost as much +tired as I was, and that they would remain another whole day to rest. + +During the day, however, I received a piece of information from John +Pipestick, which somewhat discomposed me. I found that the old chief, +my host Waggum-winne-beg, proposed bestowing on me one of his daughters +to become my wife. Now, although I had no dislike to the notion of +matrimony, I had a decided preference for a wife of my own colour and +style of education. Miss Waggum-winne-beg was a very charming young +lady, I had no doubt, and could dress a puppy-dog to perfection, and +could manufacture moccasins unsurpassed by those of any other young +damsel in the tribe, and embroider with coloured grass, or make mats of +great beauty; indeed, I cannot enumerate all her accomplishments and +attractions. Still she had not won my heart, and indeed, a wife, +whether white, or red, or black, would have been very inconvenient while +I was leading my present wandering style of life. I gave this as the +best reason I could think of for not accepting my host's generous offer; +but he laughed at my scruples, and replied that I should find a wife +very useful, as she could work for me, and carry my gun and baggage of +every description; that she would also cook my food and make my +moccasins and tent covering, and weave fringe for my leggings and other +garments, and manufacture the mats and various requisite utensils. +Indeed it would be difficult to find, in any part of the world, so +accomplished a young lady, or one more industrious and obedient; that I +might always beat her as much as I liked, if I found her either idle or +disobedient. + +I begged Pipestick to explain that, however good the customs of the +red-skins were--a point I did not wish then to dispute--those of the +English differed from them; that there were a few idle, lazy, +good-for-nothing fellows in England, among the chiefs, who looked out +for wives with fortunes, and among the lower classes, who made their +wives work for them, but it was the pride and endeavour of all true +braves to secure the means of supporting their wives, either through +inheriting a fortune from their ancestors, or by the exertion of their +own strength and talents, and that this latter way was considered the +most honourable. This was the method I proposed to follow, and before I +could accept the peerless daughter of the chief, I must procure the +means of supporting her. Pipestick did not exactly understand the +reasons I gave for declining the chief's offer, but he explained them as +well as he could. I was rather thunder-struck when the chief remarked +that, though he approved of them highly, he would waive all such +arrangements in my case, and that he would supply his daughter with +ample goods and chattels for our use. To this I could only reply that I +was highly flattered by his preference, but that it was against my +medicine to avail myself of his offer; that I was an Ottoe at heart; +that I loved the Ottoes, and would fight for the Ottoes, and that the +time might come when I should be an Ottoe indeed; but that, at present, +my medicine did not show me how that was to be accomplished. + +The name of the young lady, the subject of this long conversation, was, +I found, the "Firefly"; and certainly, as I watched her light figure, +decked with red feathers and garments with red trimmings, I thought she +was very appropriately so called; at the same time, I did not for one +moment indulge the base idea of accepting the chief's offer. My earnest +desire was to find my way back, as soon as possible, to the society of +civilised men. I was heartily glad, then, when, once more, our tents +were struck, and we continued our journey. As we travelled with women, +children, and a wagon, our progress was very much slower than when we +had gone alone. Often it was hard work getting the wagon through the +snow. Generally the poor women had to drag it; and I rather scandalised +the red warriors by putting my shoulder very frequently to the wheel and +by pushing on behind. Pipestick said that it was considered very +derogatory to the dignity of a warrior. I said that I thought it might +be disagreeable to the inclinations of an idle rascal; but that chiefs +in my country never let their wives do any hard work at all, and that I +could not bear to stalk on ahead with only my rifle at my back, while +the poor creatures were toiling away in that fashion. I suppose +Pipestick translated my remarks correctly, for the chiefs tossed their +heads and afterwards had a very long talk about the matter. I saw that +they began to look on me as a sad republican, and to suspect that I +purposed introducing mutiny into their camp. + +At last we reached the spot where I had spent so many weeks of suffering +and anxiety. Scarcely a particle of the remains of the Indians were to +be seen, but a few scattered bones and torn bits of garments. The +things hidden by the Ottoes were untouched, so they dug them up, and I +having added a few words to the paper in my medicine stick, as I called +it, we proceeded on our way. We encamped four or five miles off that +night, and the next day made good very nearly fifteen miles. The tents +were pitched on the lee side of a wood, where there was but little snow, +and the air was comparatively warm. All hands, that is to say the women +and children, were soon employed in gathering sticks for our fires, and +in digging up hickory nuts. It was the chief occupation of the men in +the evening, as they sat round the fire, to crack and chew these nuts: +the taste indeed was pleasant. The camp was not left altogether without +some fortification. The wagon was placed in front, and some logs of +half rotten timber were dragged out, and served to fill up the space +left open in the little nook in which the tents were ensconced. + +John Pipestick had a tent of his own, but he came to the old chiefs +tent, where I had been asked to take up my abode, to act as interpreter. +We sat up till a late hour, cracking nuts and telling very long-winded +stories, which, as Pipestick occasionally interpreted them for my +benefit, took up a double portion of time, and were not especially +interesting. I was not sorry, at last, to find myself comfortably +covered up by a pile of buffalo-skins, with the prospect of a sound +sleep till daylight. + +How long I had slept I do not know, when I was awoke by the barking of +one of the dogs, then by another and another, till the whole tribe were +in full yelp, in every key, from full bass to double treble. The old +chief sprang off his couch, so did I, and as we rushed out of the tent, +we found all the warriors standing on the alert, and with their rifles +in their hands, peering out into the darkness. Two or three advanced +cautiously into the wood, the dogs following at their heels yelping +furiously, till they were summoned back by those in the camp. I tried +to discover the cause of the alarm, but could discover nothing over the +white plain spread out before us. If there were enemies, they were in +the wood; but to see them was impossible. We waited for the return of +the scouts. There was a complete silence: the howl of the wolves had +ceased; not a night-bird disturbed the quiet of the night. Suddenly a +piercing, terror-inspiring, unearthly shriek was heard ringing through +the quiet wood. Directly afterwards the feet of one of the scouts, as +we supposed, were heard rushing through the wood. It was one of our +companions. The whirl of a dozen tomahawks flying after him showed how +closely he was pursued, as he broke into the encampment, crying out, +"The enemy are upon us, the enemy are upon us!" What made the suspense +more trying was, that not a foe could be seen. We had no doubt that +they were there in strong force, and that the two other scouts had been +surprised and slaughtered by them. Probably the wood swarmed with them, +yet I did not see a sign of fear among any of my friends. Old +Waggum-winne-beg was in his element, and he was ably seconded by John +Pipestick. To send any more scouts into the wood would have been +perfect madness; so, each man sheltering himself as best he could behind +trees and bushes, and logs of fallen timbers, we waited in silence for +the attack. Some time passed away. + +"I wonder if it is a false alarm," thought I. "Still, if it is so, what +has become of the scouts?" I whispered to Pipestick that I thought it +might be a mistake. + +"Not at all," was the answer; "wait a bit. It you ever shot well, shoot +well now, if you care for your scalp." + +The advice had scarcely been given, when there arose a sound close to +us, more hideous and terrific than I ever before heard in my life. The +red-skin's war-whoop was heard above all. I turned my head for an +instant to the east. The first faint streaks of dawn were appearing in +the sky. Through the pale light thus afforded I could see a number of +dark forms flitting about among the trees, while they kept up a +continued discharge of arrows and darts. Now and then a musket-ball +came whizzing by us; but it was very evident that the greater number of +our assailants were armed only with bows and arrows; at the same time +there could be no doubt that they very far outnumbered us. This would +prove of serious consequence should they come to close quarters. + +Red-skins, however, are not fond of close quarters, unless they can take +an enemy by surprise, which our dogs and scouts had prevented them doing +in our case. I do not think it is fair to call them cowards. Their +notions are altogether different to ours, and they consider stratagem +and deceit as the chief art of warfare. They have no notion of risking +their own lives, if they can by any other way destroy their enemies, and +they consider white men as committing the height of folly when they +stand up and exchange shots with similar weapons in a duel. I don't +know that they are far wrong. + +Our assailants, having tried to shake our nerves by their shrieks and +showers of arrows, appeared to retire, and again the whole wood was +wrapped in perfect silence. It was but of short continuation. Once +more those unearthly shrieks and cries broke forth, and this time they +were echoed by our people, who kept their muskets ready, and the moment +an enemy appeared flitting from one tree to another, did not fail to +fire--with what effect I had not time to observe. I felt that I was +bound, on every account, to take an active part in the fight, and +kneeling down behind a log of timber, I loaded and fired as rapidly as I +could, whenever my eye caught sight of the dusky form of an Indian +warrior. I did not often miss, but I suspected that I inflicted more +wounds on the limbs than on the bodies of our enemies. + +"Who are they, think you?" I asked of Pipestick, who was at my side. + +"Dacotahs or Pawnees," he answered. "They have had scouts on our trail +for some time probably. When they discovered that their friends were +destroyed, they thought that we had done the deed, and have come in +force resolved to be revenged." + +It appeared to me that we might as well have tried to shoot down all the +trees in the wood, as to destroy our enemies. They swarmed round us +like hornets, seemingly resolved, as John observed, to cut us off to a +man. I turned my eye to the right; a band was just emerging on that +side from the wood, and the same minute I saw another coming out on the +left, in a long line, evidently for the purpose of surrounding us. I +picked off two or three fellows as they flew over the snow, but so rapid +and eccentric were their movements, that it was no easy matter to get a +fair shot at them, especially as all the time we were assailed with +showers of arrows. Some were sent from too great a distance to do us +much harm; but at the same time they not a little distracted us. Others +again had more deadly effect. Some of our people were struck down; two +were killed outright, the arrows passing right through their bodies; +while several were more or less injured. I, happily, had hitherto +escaped unhurt, and so had Pipestick; but the old chief was wounded in +the arm, and one of the poor little children was killed, in spite of the +protection its mother attempted to afford it. This made me feel more +bitter than anything else, and yet such an incident is but a too common +consequence of warfare. + +The old chief proved himself well worthy of the dignity bestowed on him. +By word and gesture he animated his people to fight bravely, and to +resist to the last; and every time they raised one of their war-whoops, +he led the chorus, which these returned with no less vehemence. Still, +as I considered the matter, I began to apprehend that we were completely +in the power of our vindictive enemies. While we were inside our +entrenchments, they knew that it was more prudent not to come to the +hand-to-hand encounter; but if we attempted to move onward, we should be +instantly surrounded and cut down. The Dacotahs had enough men to keep +watch and watch, and to tire us out. Had we been a party of men alone, +we might have cut our way through them; but, of course, with the women +and children that was impossible. As long as the powder lasted we might +keep them at bay; and thus all we could do was to hold out bravely, and +to hope that some turn might occur in our favour. + +The cold grey dawn was just breaking, when with shrieks and whoops +louder, more terrific than ever, numbers of the savages rushed out of +the wood, closely pressing round us. To count how many there were was +impossible, for they flew here and there, and sprang about in a most +wonderful way, and then on they came in a body towards us. Several of +our people were knocked over, and as I saw the hideous fellows +flourishing their tomahawks and scalping-knives, I began to feel a most +painful sensation round the top of my head. The old chief stood boldly +at his post, picking off his enemies as they drew near, while John +Pipestick did no dishonour to his father's land or the men of Kent, I +did my best to reduce the number of our foes, but it was of little +avail, and in another instant we were engaged, with overwhelming +numbers, in a desperate hand-to-hand conflict. I looked round; not a +ray of hope appeared, and thus like brave men we resolved to make our +foes pay a heavy price for our lives. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +OUR POWDER EXPENDED--I BELIEVE THAT MY LAST MOMENT HAS ARRIVED-- +UNEXPECTED SUCCOUR--A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT--OBED'S GALLANTRY--OUR +ENEMIES TAKE TO FLIGHT--WE RECOMMENCE OUR JOURNEY--GENEROSITY OF THE OLD +CHIEF--OFFERS ME TWO WIVES INSTEAD OF ONE--OBED'S NARRATIVE--HOW HE +ESCAPED FROM THE BEAR--A FRESH ALARM--THE APPROACH OF A STRANGER. + +The infuriated Dacotahs thronged thickly around us, uttering the most +horrible yells and shrieks, those in the distance plying us incessantly +with their arrows and darts, while those in the front ranks kept +whirling their tomahawks above our heads, watching for an opportunity to +send them crashing down upon our skulls. Not a shot was heard; our +rifles were useless; all our powder was expended. We fought as men +driven to desperation generally will fight for none of us had, I am +sure, the faintest hope of escaping with our lives; for my part, I fully +believed that the next moment would be my last. Old Waggum-winne-beg +had received a desperate wound on his shoulder, and had been beaten to +the ground; the gallant Pipestick had been brought on his knee, and I +found myself without support on either side just as a gigantic chief +with uplifted battle-axe made a desperate rush at me. I raised the +butt-end of my rifle, which had hitherto done me such good service, to +parry the blow, but I felt conscious that it would not avail me. I was +in the power of my vindictive enemy. I saw the keen-edged weapon +glittering in the first beams of the rising sun, as the glorious +luminary of day appeared above the snow-covered plain; I felt as if in +another instant it would come crushing through my brain, when the sharp +crack of a distant rifle sounded in my ear, and I saw my enemy leap up +in the air and fall dead at my side, his axe missing my head and just +grazing my arm. + +I eagerly looked forth in the direction whence the shot had come, to +discover, if I could, by whom I had been preserved. I could as yet see +no one, but I observed that our assailants were influenced by some +disturbing cause, and were gathering together in the north-west, as if +to prepare for resisting some expected attack. Still those near us +seemed resolved to gratify their vindictive feelings by destroying us if +they could before our unknown friends could come to our aid. I had +little doubt that the party who had appeared so opportunely to relieve +us must, by some means or other, have been collected by Obed; and I +prayed heartily that it might be of sufficient strength at once to put +our enemies to flight. I had little time, however, to think about the +matter. The Indians pressed us harder than ever, and scarcely a man of +us remained unwounded, while many of the poor women were hurt. The rest +of the women fought with as much fierceness and desperation as the men. +Yet I felt that in spite of all the heroism which had been exhibited, +and in spite of the aid which was so close at hand, our lives would be +sacrificed. + +Again the Dacotahs gathered thick around us; I could not restrain +myself; I shouted loudly for help, though I scarcely expected it to be +sent; my shout was replied to by a hearty cheer, and nearly a dozen +white men, followed by three times as many Indians, broke through the +masses of our enemies with sword and battle-axe and club, and beat them +down or drove them back, shrieking and howling with rage and fear. One +figure I recognised, more active than the rest, making his way towards +me. It was that of Obed. + +"Hurra, old feller, hurra! I am glad you're safe, that I am," he +shouted, as he sprang over the barricade, and grasped my hand. + +"But we must drive these varmint away, or shoot them down, every +mother's son of them, or they'll be gaining heart and coming back on us. +Come on, lads; come on--hurra, hurra!" + +Uttering these shouts, he again leaped out of our encampment, and, +beckoning on his followers, they were all once more in pursuit of the +flying enemy. Just as he went, Obed handed me a powder-flask and a bag +of bullets. + +"You'll want them, boy, I guess; and I have plenty," said he, as he flew +off. + +I was about to join him, when I found my limbs refused to perform their +office. The moans also of old Waggum-winne-beg, John Pipestick, as well +as of others of my companions, made me feel that I must stay where I +was, both for the sake of attending to them and of guarding them should +any of the Dacotahs who might be prowling about in the wood take the +opportunity, while our friends were at a distance, to rush in and scalp +them, and be off again before pursuit could be made. I have on many +occasions found the importance of not despising an enemy. I urged +Pipestick to keep a look out while I was attending to the hurts of the +old chief, and helping some of the poor women who were the most severely +injured. + +I had been thus employed for some time, occasionally looking out to see +how it fared with Obed and his party in their pursuit of the enemy. +Wherever they went, the Dacotahs scattered before them, but rallied +again directly afterwards in the distance, and seemed as ready as ever +to renew the attack. When I looked up the next time, they were once +more flying as chaff before the wind. I at once saw that their purpose +was to weary out their pursuers, and then to unite and to make a +desperate attack on them altogether. I hoped that my friends would be +too wary to be led into the snare laid for them. + +I had been for some time stooping down to try and bind up the lacerated +wounds of a poor fellow who had been cruelly cut about by the Indian's +tomahawks, when a shout from Pipestick made me lift my head, and I saw a +dozen or more Dacotahs come scampering like demons out of the wood with +the evident intention of making an attack on us. I sprang to my feet, +and helped Pipestick to get up. We both of us had our rifles loaded, as +had several of the Indians, from the ammunition furnished me by Obed. +The cunning rogues did not know this, and thought that they were going +to catch us unprepared. We presented our rifles. They laughed +derisively, as much as to say, "Oh, they will do us no harm, we know +that." Never were they more mistaken in their lives, and it was the +last mistake they ever made. We let them come on without shrinking. + +"John," said I, "let me take the fellow on my right-hand side; do you +take the next, and tell our Indian friends to follow my lead. We'll +astonish those red-skins, I guess." + +Pipestick did as I advised. We let the Indians approach within a +hundred yards of us. On they came, making a desperate rush at us, and +uttering their fearful war-whoops confident of victory. + +"Now, my boys, give it them," I shouted; "and take care that every shot +tells." + +Pipestick repeated my words. We all fired at the same moment, and six +of the Indians were knocked over. So eager were the rest that they did +not discover that their companions had fallen. They were still very +formidable antagonists. We had not time to load our rifles before they +were upon us. Pipestick, in consequence of his wounds, was scarcely +able to offer any effectual resistance, but the Indians fought bravely, +and all the women who were unhurt came to our assistance. I certainly +was very far from despising their assistance. They enabled me and +Pipestick to fall back to load our rifles and those of our companions, +and, taking a steady aim, we soon turned the fortunes of the day. Three +more Indians were knocked over, and the rest turned tail, and ran off as +fast as their long legs would carry them, to avoid the shots which we +sent whizzing away in their rear. My great anxiety was now to get Obed +to come back into the camp, fearing lest he and his party might be led +by the manoeuvres of the enemy to too great a distance from it, and that +the Indians might get in between us and our friends, so I resolved to go +myself. + +There was no time for consideration: loading my rifle and seizing the +tomahawk of one of the dead Indians, I sprang out and ran faster than I +thought I could possibly have moved. Just as I had got half-way from +the camp towards them, another party of Indians darted out of the wood, +and, setting up their war-whoops, ran out with terrible fleetness +towards me. I ran faster, I believe, than I had ever before done, +shouting out to Obed to come and rescue me. He at that time, +unfortunately, was repelling a strong body of Indians, who seemed to +press him very hard. I saw that I must depend on myself; I halted, and, +kneeling down, took a steady aim at the headmost of my pursuers. He +was, I thought, aware that his fate was sealed when he saw me pointing +my rifle at him. He threw up his arms even before I had fired, and then +over he fell, shot through the breast. I ran on as hard as I could +pelt. There is no disgrace running from an overpowering enemy. Again +and again I shouted at the top of my voice to Obed. The Dacotahs pushed +on. I loaded as I ran. I thought if I could bring down another of them +I might stop the progress of the rest. With no little difficulty I got +my rifle-ball rammed down. I turned suddenly and rather surprised my +pursuers by lifting my weapon to my shoulder and letting fly at the +leading red-skin. He, as had his companion, tumbled over, but his death +only the more exasperated the rest, and they sprang forward more intent +than ever to take my life. There was no time to load again. The +fellows were gaining most uncomfortably on me. I began to feel very +much as a person does in a dream, when he cannot get away from monsters +in chase of him. + +"Obed, Obed, fire--do fire," I shouted. + +At length Obed heard me, and a dozen of his followers faced about and +hurried to meet my enemies. The latter, setting that their chance of +cutting me off was gone, turned tail and endeavoured to escape into the +wood. I entreated my new friends not to pursue them, and they saw the +wisdom of my advice. We accordingly went back to join the rest of the +party, who had come to my relief. What was my surprise and pleasure to +see three of my old friends, Obed's brothers, among them. Just then the +remnant of the Dacotahs once more took to flight, and allowed my friends +leisure to address me. They hurried up and heartily shook me by the +hand, telling how glad they were to find that I was alive, while I +assured them that I was equally rejoiced to find that they had escaped. +We had no time, however, for talking. I urged them at once to assemble +in the camp, so as to enable my friends to proceed on their journey, +till they could stop at a more secure resting-place. We got back to the +camp just in time to scare away another party of Dacotahs, who like +vultures had been hovering about ready to pounce down on their prey. +Indeed we had enough to do to keep our scattered enemies at bay. We +found old Waggum-winne-beg considerably recovered, and John Pipestick +not much the worse for his wounds: indeed, it is extraordinary what +knocking about a red-skin will take without suffering materially, +provided he keeps clear of the fire-water. + +Some of the white men, when they found that I wished to proceed farther +east, till I had seen my friends in safety, grumbled very much, and said +that they had come to help me, but had no notion of going through so +much fatigue and danger for a set of varmint Indians. I told them in +reply that I was very much obliged to them for all they had gone through +on my account, but that I was bound by every law of God, and by every +rule of right, to help those who had helped me; and that, come what +might, I could not and would not desert them. The Raggets supported me, +more especially Obed. + +"Dick is right, boys!" he exclaimed. "I would do the same as he +proposes, and he would not be acting like himself if he did otherwise; +the Ottoes have always been friends to the white man, and I've resolved +to stick by Dick till we see them free from danger from these rascally +Dacotahs." + +These remarks soon won over by far the larger portion of the white men +to our side, the Indians at once recognising their duty to assist their +friends. The red-skins who had accompanied Obed were, I found, Kioways, +a large tribe inhabiting the country bordering on the Rocky Mountains. +I asked Obed how he had induced them to accompany him. "Oh, it is a +long story. I'll tell you about that and many other things, when we +have more time," he replied. + +All hands now set to work to strike the tents and pack the wagons; it +was soon done, and the wounded people stowed away in them on the top of +their goods. Some of the men rather objected to have the poor wounded +women placed in the wagons alongside of them, and seemed to think that, +as long as the unfortunate wretches had life in them they might just as +well get out and walk. Such are the chivalric notions of the Indian +warriors we read so much about in novels, and our young ladies are +taught to fancy such fine fellows. They have, notwithstanding, some few +good qualities, but those belonging to the ancient code of chivalry are +not among them. + +We had not yet done with fighting, and we had not proceeded a mile +before we caught sight of the Dacotahs hovering about us to the +northward, watching for an opportunity to pounce down upon us. Although +a good many of their warriors had been made to bite the dust, they still +so far outnumbered our united parties that they might have some hopes, +if they could take us by surprise, to cut us up altogether. This, of +course, we took care that they should not do. Our attention, however, +was so much occupied that Obed had no time to give me an account of his +adventures. Our great wish was that the Indians would come on again +once more and allow us to give them a lesson which we hoped might teach +them to keep at a respectful distance from us. We pushed on as fast as +beasts and men could move, and just before nightfall we reached a +hillock with several rocks jutting out of it, which was considered a +remarkably secure spot for camping. It was well fortified by nature, +but the cunning backwoodsmen were not content to trust to it in that +condition, but at once set to work to enable it to resist any attack +which might possibly be made on it during the night. + +Our old chief, to show his gratitude to his preservers, ordered an ample +supply of provisions to be served out, and as soon as fires could be +lighted and the food cooked we all sat down to our repast. We at first +were too hungry to talk, but I gleaned from one or two remarks made by +my friends that their family had escaped from the Indians, and were +encamped for the winter at some distance to the eastward. There was +plenty of dry underwood about, so we had made a blazing fire, round +which we were seated. We had all lighted our pipes, and Obed was about +to begin his narrative, when an Ottoe Indian came and said a few words +to John Pipestick, who was sitting with us. + +"Our chief, Waggum-winne-beg, is anxious to see you," said he to me. +"He feels very ill, and as he believes you to be a mighty medicine-man, +he thinks that you can certainly cure him." + +I knew that there was no use in denying my power, so I at once got up to +go and see the old man, accompanied by John as interpreter. He was +lying down on a mat, with his head resting on a block of wood which +served him as a pillow. He sat up as I entered, and with unusual warmth +expressed his pleasure at seeing me. I merely give the substance of +what he said, for he addressed a long speech to me, which he believed +would have a powerful effect on my feelings. + +"Stranger," he began, "you have met with friends, and undoubtedly you +contemplate leaving the tents of the red-skins to accompany them whither +they are going. Think well before you leave us. You shall be to us a +son and a brother; we will adopt you; we will clothe you; we will paint +you; you shall become like one of us in all things. I told you that I +would give you one of my daughters. That was when I loved you a little. +Now I love you much I will give you two. One does not surpass the +other. Both are superior to any of their sex in my tribe, and I may +venture to say in the world. I told you of Firefly's accomplishments; +her sister Glow-worm is equal to her. You shall have a large tent where +they can dwell together in harmony, for among their other perfections +their tongues are never addicted to wrangle. Take them, then, my +friend: be my son, and be happy." + +This pathetic appeal did not influence me as forcibly as +Waggum-winne-beg had hoped it might do. I did my best not to hurt his +feelings, but I declined his offer. When he heard my decision he burst +into tears. + +"If it must be so," he said at last, commanding himself, "so it must +be." + +Having thus delivered himself, he, like a well-bred gentleman, did not +further press the delicate subject. After a further conversation on +other subjects, I begged that he would excuse me, as I wished to go back +to my white friends who were waiting for me round their camp-fire, and +having once more carefully dressed the old man's wounds, I took my +departure. I made Obed and his brother laugh heartily when I narrated +to them the flattering offer I had received, and one or two of their +companions, backwoodsmen of the roughest sort, seemed rather inclined to +offer themselves in my stead, as candidates for the honour of possessing +the brown ladies' hands. + +"Now, Obed," said I, "I should like to hear all about your proceedings; +but before you begin, I must ask you if you have placed sentries round +the camp, and sent out scouts to discover if our foes are lurking near?" + +He had, I found, placed a couple of sentries, one on each side of the +camp, but had not thought it necessary to send out any scouts. I urged +him to do so, and he selected three of the most intelligent of the +Indians, and directed them to feel their way out on every side of the +camp, and to ascertain whether any enemies were lurking near. These +arrangements being made, I once more took my seat by the camp-fire. I +have always spoken of Obed as leader of the party. So in truth he was-- +his elder brothers having joined him after he had formed the expedition, +and put themselves under his orders. + +"Now, Obed, my dear fellow, do begin to tell me how it is you came to my +rescue so exactly at the nick of time," said I, lighting my pipe over +the fire and leaning back against a stone which served instead of an +arm-chair. I ought to have remarked that a screen had been put up, +composed of birch-bark, to serve as a shelter against the wind, so that +we were far warmer than might have been expected in that wintry night. +Our encampment had a very picturesque appearance. The white men were +collected round one fire; the Indians who had come with Obed had three +or four among them; while the tents of Waggum-winne-beg and his +followers were in the centre, with a fire burning in the middle of each +of them. The greater number of the Indians had thrown themselves down +to rest, wrapped up in their fur mantles, under the shelter of the rocks +and their birch-bark screens, with small fires at their feet. I could +see in the distance the tall figures of those appointed to do duty as +sentries walking up and down on their posts, while a few were still +sitting up, bending over their fires, as they smoked their pipes and +talked over the events of the day. + +"Well, Dick, since you wish it, I'll begin," said Obed. "You remember +the worthy Delaware who came to our tent and persuaded me to accompany +him? He proved himself a trusty guide and companion. The rest and food +he got with us restored his strength, and we set off at good speed. We +were fortunate in killing several turkeys and prairie-hens, so that we +were able to husband our dried pemmican, at the same time that we fed +sumptuously. Very often I thought about you when we were making good +way, and I wished that you were with us. We were anxious, of course, to +push on before the cold weather set in, for we knew then that we should +have difficulties enough to contend with. We had to be on our guard +also against enemies of all sorts--red-skin Dacotahs and Pawnees, +grizzly bears, rattlesnakes, and wolves; still my companion, from his +long experience of their habits, was well able to take precautions +against them. I, all the time, was anxiously looking out for traces of +my family, but we had from the first got out of their track, and we met +no one from whom we could make any inquiries. We always rose with the +sun, and travelled on all day as long as our strength held out; but from +weariness, or from the fear of not finding fit camping-ground, we +sometimes had to stop an hour or two before sunset. We had done so on +one occasion near a stream, whose steep banks sloped away down below us. +While I lighted a fire, put up a wigwam, and prepared food, work to +which the Delaware had an especial dislike, as it is always performed by +women among the Indians, he, taking his rifle, went out along the bank +of the stream to try and kill a wild turkey or two to supply the place +of one I was about to cook. He was making his way onward, pushing aside +the boughs with the barrel of his weapon, when up started, not five +yards from him, an old grey she-bear, accompanied by three or four +half-grown cubs. He started back to be able to make use of his rifle, +but before he could bring it to his shoulder, the old bear sprang upon +him, and with a blow of her paw knocked his rifle out of his hand. Had +that blow struck his back he would instantly have been killed, and I +should have been left alone in the desert. I saw my friend's danger, +but could do nothing to help him, for if I fired I was as likely to +injure him as the bear. As the brute was again about to strike, he drew +his long knife, for, fortunately, his right arm was free, and began +stabbing away at her neck. Notwithstanding this, the fierce monster did +not relax her gripe, while her claws went deeper and deeper into his +flesh, and the horrid cubs, coming to their dam's assistance, began to +assail his legs. I was hurrying on to the assistance of my companion, +resolved to lose my own life rather than not do my utmost to save his, +when the bank gave way, and bear and Indian both rolled away into the +stream together." + +Obed had got thus far in his narrative--I have omitted some of the +particulars he told me--when the sharp crack of a rifle made us all +start up, and seizing our weapons, we hurried to that part of the camp +whence it proceeded. Looking out into the darkness, we could see the +figure of a man running at full speed towards us, across the white sheet +of snow with which we were surrounded. We had no doubt it was one of +the scouts we had sent out; for who else was likely at that time to be +coming to us? "If it is not one of our scouts, it may be some white +trapper who has been caught by the Dacotahs, and has made his escape +from them," observed John Pipestick, who had joined us. "They +frequently come thus far west, and those varmints are certain to have +been on the lookout for them." While we were waiting the arrival of the +stranger, a piercing shriek broke the silence of night. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE DACOTAHS ARE AGAIN UPON US--WE HURRY TO THE RESCUE--WE PRESERVE THE +LIFE OF THE STRANGER--SAM SHORT, THE TRAPPER--HIS ADVENTURES--ESCAPE +FROM THE RED-SKINS--DESPERATE COMBAT IN THE CANOE--SAM'S SEARCH FOR HIS +COMPANIONS--DISCOVERS ONE IN THE HANDS OF THE INDIANS--THEY DISCOVER +SAM, AND HE FLIES--FINDS BLOUNT, AND TOGETHER THEY GO IN SEARCH OF +NOGGIN--AGAIN GET SIGHT OF NOGGIN, BUT HE IS FASTENED TO A STAKE--NOGGIN +SHOWS THAT IN SPITE OF HIS NAME HE IS A HERO. + +"Those vermin the Dacotahs are upon us again, and have taken the scalp +of one of our scouts," cried Obed, when he heard that piercing shriek. + +My experience of the previous night taught me too well also what it +meant. Surrounded as we were by the rocks and thick shrubs on the top +of the mound, we were probably not perceptible from the ground below. +Presently, as the stranger approached us, we saw emerging from the +darkness a dozen or more figures following one after the other slowly +and stealthily, evidently fancying that they were not perceived. We had +no doubt that they were a party of our late opponents the Dacotahs, but +what was their purpose it was difficult to say; they must have known +that we had heard the death-shriek of the murdered man, and they could +not but have supposed that we should be on the watch for them. Perhaps +this only precipitated a previously formed plan. The stranger +approached us rapidly; we could hear aimed at him more than one shaft as +it flew hissing through the air. Several axes also were thrown in +savage fury, as the Indians saw that their hoped-for victim was about to +escape them. The stranger came rushing on; he had good need of speed. + +"Obed, my boy," said I, "let us sally out and protect that poor fellow. +If we do not, the red-skins will be up to him before he reaches this +hill!" + +Obed was not a man it was necessary to ask twice to do a thing of the +sort, nor were his brothers or their followers. The order was sent +rapidly round to assemble together; not a word was uttered above a +whisper--the sentries were left standing at their posts as if +unconscious of what was going on in the plain below. But a few seconds +were expended in preparations. + +"Now, my boys, down upon them!" exclaimed Obed, and at the word we +sprang over our entrenchments as quick as lightning; we were up to the +stranger, who for a moment was somewhat startled at our sudden +appearance, but soon, comprehending the state of affairs, took shelter +behind us while we sprang on to meet the Indians. We halted within ten +yards of them, and poured in a volley from our rifles which brought +nearly one-half of them to the ground. + +The remainder hesitated an instant, then hearing our loud shouts and +huzzas, and seeing us come on with our axes gleaming in our hands, they +turned tail and scampered off as fast as they could go. To pursue them +would have been dangerous with so large a number of their tribe in the +neighbourhood, and it was very probable that they had an ambush near at +hand ready to cut us off. The sound of our fire-arms brought up two of +our scouts, who joined us as we were returning to our camp, but the +third did not make his appearance, and we had too much reason to fear +that he had fallen a victim to the Dacotahs. By the time we got back to +camp we found Waggum-winne-beg and all his people, both men and women, +turned out and ready to resist any attack which might be made on us. We +waited under arms for some time, and then finding that the enemy did not +seem inclined to approach, we posted sentries all round, with directions +to keep a strict lookout, and to give notice directly they perceived any +suspicious movement below, and then we once more sat down round our +fire. Our number was increased by the stranger, of whom we had not till +then had time to take any notice beyond observing that he was a white +man, and that he was dressed in the usual rough costume of a trapper. +We now perceived, as he sat close up to the fire with the palms of his +hands spread out before it, that he looked famished and weary. + +"Friend, thou art hungry," said Obed, placing before him some dried +deers' flesh and biscuit, and filling him up a cup of spirits-and-water. +"Eat that while we cook a more savoury mess." + +"Thank you," said the stranger; "you have discovered my chief want." + +He showed that he spoke the truth by setting to work silently and +heartily on the food like a man who had fasted long, and was in no way +fastidious as to the nature of his provender, so that it was fit to +support life. I have often felt ashamed of my civilised and refined +friends as well as of myself, when I have watched the abstemious habits +of those inhabitants of the backwoods. However varied, or however +delicate, or highly flavoured the food placed before them, I have seen +them over and over again sit down and help themselves to the nearest +dish, eat as much as they required, and generally a very moderate +quantity, and then perhaps, after taking a glass of cold water, get up +and leave the table. We waited till the stranger had somewhat recovered +his strength before asking him any questions. At last he stopped +eating, gave his hunting-knife a turn or two over his legging, replaced +it in its sheath, and looking up, said--"Well, friends, you've saved my +life; I've to thankyou for that--not that I know that it is worth much; +and now I guess you'd like to know where I come from, and what I've been +about." + +We all told him that we should particularly like to hear something about +him. + +"Then I'll tell," he replied. "My name is Sam Short; I'm a free +trapper; I've hunted this country, man and boy, for pretty well fifty +years, and that's a good slice in a man's life. It was at the end of +last fall that I and two companions started westward to trap beavers and +shoot bears, or any other game which came in our way. We'd left our +horses and taken to a canoe to paddle up the Kansas river. Both my +companions, Tom Noggin and Silas Blount, were staunch fellows. It +doesn't do to have a man in our way of life one can't depend on. We had +passed several beaver dams, which we settled to visit on our return, and +as long as the season would allow to push higher up the stream. There's +no pleasanter life than that we led. We landed when we felt inclined to +stretch our legs and take a shot at a deer or a bear. We killed more +deer than we could eat, so we only kept the tenderest parts; but the +skins were of no little value. + +"One evening we landed at an open spot, with plenty of thick trees +though growing round, intending to camp there. We had lighted a small +fire, and we took care that the wood was dry, so that it should send up +no smoke to show our whereabouts to any lurking red-skins; Silas and +Noggin took their guns, and said they would go and have a look for a +deer, or a bear, or a turkey, while I sat over the fire and cooked the +venison. I cut some right good steaks, and had dressed them to a turn, +and was thinking that it was time my companions were back, when I heard +Blount's voice singing out merrily as he came through the wood towards +me. We had no fear of red-skins, for we had met with no traces of them +as we came up the river, and the first thing we had done that day on +landing was to look about for them in every direction. Blount sat +himself down by my side and showed me a fat turkey he had just killed, +when we heard a shot at some distance from us. We waited some time, +thinking Noggin would be coming back; but, as he did not make his +appearance, I asked Blount to climb a tree and see if he could make him +out anywhere. Curiously enough, he slung his rifle on his back--he had +already his shot belt and powder-horn about him--and up a high tree, a +little way off, he went. Scarcely had he got to the top, when I heard +him cry out, `Fly, man, fly; the red-skins are on us!' + +"I did not want a second warning. Seizing my rifle, I sprang to the +riverside, and as I did so, a band of Indians burst through the woods +brandishing their tomahawks, and uttering their hideous war-cries. I +threw myself into the canoe, and with a kick of my foot shoved it off +from the bank towards the middle of the stream. I looked for the +paddles; there was only one in the canoe; I seized it, and began to +paddle away down the stream with all my might. The Indians followed me +some way, and seeing that I had but one paddle, and made but slow +progress, three of them, running on ahead, plunged into the stream, for +the evident purpose of cutting me off. I watched them as they +approached. If either of them should succeed in getting hold of the +canoe, I knew that my life would be lost. Fortunately they had +separated somewhat, and were some fathoms distant from each other down +the stream. I saw that my only chance was to destroy them in detail. I +dropped my paddle and seized my rifle. It was of course loaded. I had +no time to lose, for I had to fire and to load again to be ready for +another enemy. I took a steady aim. The savage leaped out of the +water, casting a look at me of the most intense hatred, and then down he +went like a shot, leaving a red streak on the water to mark the spot. I +loaded rapidly; the next fellow darted on, hoping to catch hold of the +canoe before I was ready to fire; but I was too quick for him. When he +saw this, he dived, thinking to escape my bullet. I was surprised at +the length of time he kept under water. I thought that he would never +come up again. + +"I dared not exchange my rifle for my paddle, or I would have got over +farther to the opposite bank. All my attention was fixed on the spot +where I knew that his head would appear. The instant I caught sight of +his savage countenance grinning up at me, my bullet entered his brain, +and he sank like his comrade. I had not time to finish loading before +the third fellow, by desperate exertion, had got hold of the bow of the +canoe with one of his hands, while with the other he attempted to seize +my right arm, which was employed in ramming down the bullet into my +rifle. He had his knife in his teeth, and I saw that the moment he had +grasped my arm, he would seize it with his other hand, and plunge it +into my side. My great fear was that he would upset the canoe, so that +I had to lean back on the opposite side to prevent him from so doing. +There is no more cunning or treacherous a varmint than a true-bred +red-skin. When he found that I saw what he was at, he pretended to fall +backwards, and as I stretched over to unloosen his hand from the gunwale +of the canoe, he sprang up by a sudden stroke of his feet, and clutched +me by the throat. + +"So tight did he press my windpipe, that I felt I had but a slight +chance of escaping with my life; still, I had lived too long a hunter's +life to think of giving in while a hope of escape existed. I caught +hold of the side of the canoe with one hand, and with the other, letting +go my rifle, I felt about for my knife, which, with my powder-flask and +other things, I had thrown into the bottom of the canoe. If I could +find it, I had little fear that I should know how to use it. + +"The Indian guessed what I was about, and pressed my throat tighter and +tighter, till I felt myself growing black in the face. He saw his +advantage; the time was come, he thought, to gain the victory. Letting +go his hold of the canoe, he seized his knife with his right hand, and +attempted to haul himself on board by means of my throat. His naked +knee was on the gunwale, when at the same moment my fingers discovered +my knife. I clutched the handle. My enemy's knee slipped off the +smooth wood--his weapon missed its aim, scarcely grazing my side, and I +plunged mine up to the hilt in his breast. His hand relaxed his hold of +my throat, and he dropped back lifeless into the stream. + +"I cannot describe my sensations; there was no time to think about them, +at all events. I finished ramming down the bullet into my rifle, and +while the rest of the Indians were hesitating whether to follow me or +not, I pointed it at them, to show them what the first who might venture +into the stream would have to expect. They watched me for some time, +uttering howls of the most intense rage and hatred; and then, seeing +that I was a good match for them, they turned back up the stream again, +to wreak their vengeance, as I feared, on my companions. I pretended to +be paddling down the stream, till I was certain they were out of sight; +but I was not going to desert my friends in that way; such is not the +backwoodsman's law. When I knew that they were well ahead, I ceased +descending the stream, and, pulling to the south bank, I made fast my +canoe to some bushes, and waited till dark. + +"I thought about all that had occurred; Blount, I hoped, might possibly +have escaped, but I greatly feared that Noggin would have fallen into +the power of our enemies. Waiting till I could not be seen from the +north shore, keeping on the opposite side, I paddled cautiously and +slowly up the stream. I kept as much as possible in the eddies and +little bays, and thus avoided the strength of the current, against which +I could not otherwise have pulled. The nearer I got to the spot where I +had left my companions, the more cautiously I proceeded; I knew that if +the Indians had not killed them at once, they would not destroy them for +three or four days, but would keep them alive to torture them, and to +exhibit them to their old men and squaws at home. It was very necessary +to be cautious how I proceeded; the slightest carelessness would betray +me to the cunning varmints, and I should not only risk my own life, but +be unable to help my friends. + +"At last, about two hours after dark, I got directly opposite the spot +where we had encamped; I watched, but could see no light to indicate +that the red-skins were there; I pulled up a little farther, and then in +perfect silence paddled across. Unless the red-skins had been on the +lookout for me, I did not think that there was much chance of my being +seen. I did not venture to let the bow of the canoe touch the bank, +lest even the slight noise I might make against the grass should be +heard, but allowed it to drop slowly down with the current, while I +peered eagerly into every opening of the forest which presented itself. +I began to fear that the Indians had gone away, and carried off Blount +and Noggin with them, when my eye caught a glimmer of light a +considerable distance off among the bushes. I had little doubt that the +light proceeded from the camp-fire of my enemies: I resolved to +ascertain whether this was so, and whether my friends were in their +power. I carefully pushed my canoe alongside the bank, and securing her +to a bush, stepped out with my hunting-knife in my belt, and my rifle in +my hand. I know as well as a native-born Indian how to move silently +through the woods, not allowing my feet to tread on a dry stick, or my +shoulders to touch a rotten branch. + +"Step by step, feeling my way with the greatest care, I approached the +spot where I had seen the fire; at last I got close to the boundary of +an open glade, and by looking through the bushes, I saw at the farther +end of it some dozen or more Indians, decked in their war-paint and +feathers, squatted round a fire. One was, I saw, speaking, while the +others were listening to him with the deepest attention. I looked +around, but could distinguish nothing beyond the immediate circle of the +fire. At length the orator ceased, and one of the band threw a small +quantity of fresh fuel on to the fire. This made it blaze up; and the +glare from the bright flames extending to some distance, it fell upon +the stump of a tree to which was bound a human figure. I watched to try +and make out who it was, for the light was not at first sufficient to +enable me to distinguish objects at a distance. I had long to wait. I +should have to guide my movements according to which of my friends was +in captivity. If it should prove to be Noggin, I might hope that Blount +had escaped their vigilance; but if he himself was the prisoner, I +should have to fear that Noggin had already fallen a victim to their +ferocity. + +"I had long to wait. One warrior after another got up, and made a +vociferous speech, till at last one of them threw a large handful of +sticks into the fire. At the same moment it was fanned by a fresh blast +of wind which rustled through the forest, and flames darting upwards for +a few moments, by their light I recognised the features of Noggin. His +eyes were fixed on the group of warriors, as if he was trying to make +out what they were saying. There was an expression of horror and +despair on his countenance, for he knew full well that a death of +torture was prepared for him. I observed, however, that his lips were +firmly pressed together, as if he had made up his mind not to flinch, +however much he might be called to suffer, while life might last. I +looked round for Blount; he was nowhere to be seen; and as I could not +discern any bloody scalp hung up on a pole as a trophy of their prowess, +I began to hope that he might have escaped the vigilance of our enemies, +and that I might still fall in with him. + +"My great desire was, in the first place, to rescue Noggin; but how to +do so was the question. Succour might almost seem hopeless. Even +should Blount be alive and at large, he and I together could scarcely +hope to succeed. I counted our enemies; there were twenty altogether. +Three of these, from their costume and the way they talked, I judged to +be chiefs or principal men. Three more, one of whom certainly was a +chief, I had sent to their long home. As I could do no more good by +staying in so dangerous a neighbourhood, I waited till another long +speech was begun, and then crept back as carefully as I had approached, +towards my canoe. I reached it in safety, and pushing off I crossed to +the opposite side of the stream. + +"I hunted about till I discovered a point with bushes growing thickly on +it. Here I landed; and hauling up my canoe, hoped that I might remain +concealed, should the red-skins again come down to the side of the river +to look for me. After I had done this, so fatigued was I, that no +sooner did I lie down by the side of my canoe than I fell fast asleep. +It was daylight when I awoke. I sprang to my feet, rifle in hand, and +peered through the bushes which effectually concealed me. I could +distinguish in the distance the Indians, who had likewise just risen, +and appeared to be in a state of no little excitement. They had +discovered my trail, and were hunting about to ascertain in which +direction I had gone. + +"`Ah, ah!' I thought, `I have crossed an element which allows no trail +to be left on it. They will scarcely believe that I am still so near +them; or should they even suspect it, they will not attempt to follow +me, for they know the effects of my rifle, and that if they do, three or +four of their number will probably have to pay the penalty of their +lives.' + +"On Noggin's account I did not want to exasperate them more than they +were already, or I might have picked two or three of them off, when, +having discovered my trail, they followed it to the banks of the river. +I saw them peering about in every direction--now down the stream, now up +it; but, clever as they were, they could not guess what way I had gone. +They examined the bushes all round, but they told no tale which they +could read. They were evidently not a little astonished at my audacity +in having ventured so close to them as to watch their movements. It +made them look upon me as a mighty brave, and they would, I doubted not, +have tried their most exquisite tortures on me to prove my heroism had +they been able to catch me. I knew that there was a possibility of +their so doing, for I was resolved not to leave my friends to their fate +without trying to rescue them, great as I knew the risk was that I was +running. When they could not, with all their ingenuity, discover what +had become of me, they stamped on the ground, and dashed their hatchets +into it, and gnashed their teeth, and performed many other frantic +gestures. I was pleased at this, because it showed that they had +abandoned their search after me. + +"Once more they came to the edge of the water, and spat, and grinned at +it to show their rage at its having disappointed them of their prey, and +then they turned tail and went off back to their camp. I feared poor +Noggin would be the sufferer, but I could not help that. I waited +hidden away for three or four hours, till I thought that they would to a +certainty have taken their departure, before I even stirred from my +place of concealment. I knew the tricks they were up to, and that very +likely they would have remained in ambush in the hope of my coming back +to look after my friends. If they had killed Blount, then I felt sure +they would not have stopped, but if they had found out that there were +three of us, and he was still at large, then I considered it probable +that they would be endeavouring to catch us, and that the very greatest +caution would be necessary in my proceedings. Still I could not delay +till night to commence my progress, which would have been the safest +plan; for, in the first place, the Indians, if they had moved, would +have got too much the start of me, and I was already so hungry that I +was ready to run any risk to procure food to appease my appetite. + +"At last I could wait no longer. I slipped into my canoe, and emerging +from my hiding-place, went across the stream as fast as my one paddle +could urge me. When I was about half-way over I saw something moving +among the bushes. I stopped paddling and seized my rifle. It might be +an Indian, or it might be a bear, or a stag. I was ready for anything. +Just as I brought my rifle to my shoulder I heard a voice sing out, +`Hollo, Short! don't fire, old feller.' + +"I knew at once that it was Blount who spoke, and right glad I was to +hear him. Down went my rifle, and I paddled away, you may be sure, as +hard as I could till I reached the shore where he, as big as life, stood +ready to receive me. We shook hands warmly, and then he told me that he +had been up the tree all the time; that he had watched the Indians +pursuing me along the banks of the river, but could not tell whether or +not they had killed me, though he saw them return with diminished +numbers, and guessed that at all events I had not died without a +desperate fight. + +"When they came back they hunted about all round our camp, carried off +or destroyed all our property, and at last retired farther into the +woods to join their comrades. All the night he had spent in a state of +uncertainty about me, and it was not till the following morning, when he +saw the Indians come down to the river, and watched their movements, +that he guessed I was alive and had paid them a visit. He saw them go +away, and he then descended the tree, and like a cat in pursuit of a +bird, crept after them. To his great satisfaction he saw them breaking +up their camp, and then they moved off towards the north-west. Still he +followed them till he had assured himself that they really were going in +that direction. When he had done this he turned back and looked out for +me. We agreed at once that we would set off and try to rescue Noggin as +soon as we had killed a sufficient quantity of game to satisfy our +hunger. + +"We calculated that the red-skins were quite far enough off by this time +not to hear the report of our rifles. Hunger, when not too long +endured, sharpens men's wits. We soon killed a couple of wild turkeys +and a deer, which we fell in with in great numbers on their way south. +We hid away our canoe in the bank of the river, and so covered her with +branches that even an Indian's sharp eyes were not likely to discover +her. Having lighted a fire, we smoked, in a hurried way, as much food +as would last us for several days, and then, taking a good meal of +toasted venison, we set off on our perilous adventure. + +"We soon found our way up to the Indian camp, and we observed that they +took no pains to hide their trail, by which we judged that they did not +suppose any of their enemies to be in the neighbourhood. There were no +women or children, which showed that they had been on a hunting or war +expedition, and also that their chief camp was at no great distance. +This gave us the greatest concern, because if once they reached it we +could scarcely hope to rescue Noggin from their power. We calculated +that there were twenty warriors altogether. They were on foot. They +were dragging Noggin on, but he evidently delayed them as much as +possible. Perhaps, poor fellow, he suspected that Blount and I were +following him. We travelled faster than they did, and towards the +evening of the fifth day of our journey we saw, from the freshness of +the trail, that we were not far from them. We examined our rifles to be +ready for an emergency; but we knew that we could do nothing to help our +friend before night. We supposed that we were about half a mile or so +from our enemies, and not deeming it wiser to get much nearer, we +continued to follow at the same pace at which they were going. + +"At last we came to more open ground, and several times we caught sight +of them. We were near enough indeed to count their numbers, and we +found that we had made an exact estimate of them. Evening at last came, +and we knew that they were encamped. It was now, therefore, necessary +to be more careful than ever, for some of the warriors might be prowling +about, and should they discover us, even though we might escape them or +come off victorious, we should have to abandon all hopes of saving +Noggin. We accordingly lay down in some thick cover where no one was +likely to find us, and waited till they were likely to have gone to +sleep for the night. We talked over all sorts of plans. Blount +proposed going boldly into the camp himself dressed as a medicine-man; +but then the difficulty was to find the wherewithal to fit himself out. +I, too, opposed the scheme; for they would naturally be suspicious, and, +come from whatever quarter he might, they would be apt to question him +very narrowly before letting him range their camp at liberty. + +"`Well, Short, it's all very well for you to say this plan won't do, or +that won't do, but do you just tell me what will do.' + +"This was a poser; I could not. We had our deerskin coats. They had +been saved in the canoe. He proposed cutting his into strips, and with +the aid of a red pocket-handkerchief he judged that he could turn +himself into a very good white medicine-man. I at last consented to let +him try the scheme, provided no opportunity occurred during the night of +helping poor Noggin. When the plan was arranged, we crept nearer and +nearer to the savages. They had camped in an open part of a green +valley, the sides of which were clothed with trees. They were far +enough from any trees not to be taken by surprise from any enemies +except those armed with rifles. We climbed one of the trees, whence we +could look down on them and watch their proceedings. We might indeed +have picked several of them off had revenge alone been our object; but +that would have done no good to poor Noggin, unless he could have +managed to escape in the confusion. + +"Hour after hour passed away. The savages sat up talking over their +fire. Several of them at last lay down, but a party went out to examine +the neighbourhood of the camp, and when they returned four of those who +had previously gone to sleep got up and sat watching their prisoner, +evidently with malignant pleasure. This vigilance of the enemy made us +almost despair of being able to deliver our friend. Whenever we turned +our eyes in the direction of the camp, there were the four wretches +gazing up into the countenance of their victim, and he, poor fellow, +already looked more dead than alive. Thus we lay stretched out at our +length watching them hour after hour. No one moved. Our hearts sank +within us. After about four hours the guards gave some loud grunts, and +some of their companions starting up took their places. They seemed to +watch the countenance of their victim with intense gratification. If, +in spite of the bodily pain and mental suffering he was enduring, he +dropped asleep, one of them would throw a burning brand at him, to rouse +him up again to a full consciousness of his position. It was with the +greatest difficulty that I could refrain from knocking over one of the +scoundrels, when I saw him treating the poor fellow in that way. + +"Daylight was now approaching; with heavy hearts we had to withdraw for +fear of being discovered when the Indians should break up their camp in +the morning. We feared, too, that we should not have another +opportunity, for we judged that the Indians were close upon their +village from the way in which they had feasted, leaving scarcely any +food for the next day. A hunter is obliged to observe everything, and +to make what he observes speak a plain language to him. We crept away +from the camp to our former hiding-place, and then, overcome with +fatigue, we both fell asleep. We were protected during these hours of +helplessness by a power greater than man's. + +"When we awoke the sun was already high in the heavens; we ate our +frugal meal, and then set forward to overtake the Indians. They had +started early, and had got much ahead of us. We pushed on, but still +did not overtake them. We had been travelling some eight or nine hours, +when, being on the top of some rising ground, we saw in the distance +several curling wreaths of smoke rising up amid the forest. We guessed +that without doubt they proceeded from the village of our enemies. Our +chief chance of rescuing Noggin was gone. To get him out from among a +village full of men, women, and children, all thirsting for his blood, +was next to impossible. Still Blount said he would try it. We crept +carefully in the track of the red-skins, stopping at every spot from +which we could have a clear look ahead, and occasionally climbing trees +whence we might hope to get a sight of the village. This was in one +respect a dangerous proceeding, for should the Indians cross our trail, +they would very likely discover us, although we took care to obliterate, +as far as we are able, all marks of our progress. In this way we went +on till Blount and I having got to the top of a thick-branched and +wide-spreading fir, we saw, scarcely the eighth of a mile off, the +conical-shaped wigwams of our enemies. Loud shouts and shrieks reached +our ears; the old men, women, and children had gone out to welcome their +warriors and their unfortunate captive. We could see him in the middle +of them, and the women and children rushing up and hissing at him, and +abusing him, and pinching him, and spitting at him, treating him, +indeed, with every indignity. He stood quiet, as far as we could see, +without flinching. At last he was led on and secured to a tree, close +to one of the principal lodges. There the savages let him remain while +they retired to their homes, and the women set to work to prepare them a +feast. + +"We now judged it time to get farther off to take some rest which we so +much needed. We knew that the savages were not likely to put him to +death that night, probably not till the following evening. We chewed +some dried venison, and then fell asleep. It was pitchy dark when we +awoke, but the noise from among the Indian lodges was louder than ever. +Once more we approached the spot, fires were blazing brightly in the +centre of the village, and the savages were dancing madly round them, +leaping, and shrieking, and howling, in the most terrific manner. A +stake had been run into the ground, and poor Noggin, stripped to the +waist, was tied to it. His face was turned towards us; despair sat upon +it, it was already as pale as death, indeed he did not look as if he had +many minutes to live. The cruel savages thought so likewise, and, +afraid of losing their victim, they had resolved at once, it appeared, +to commence that series of tortures which would terminate with his +death. With horrid cries the women approached him, and ran into his +flesh the burning ends of sticks, which they flourished in their hands, +and they hallooed and shouted in his ears, to rouse him up to feel the +more acutely his sufferings. Talk of the noble qualities of savages, +I've seen a good deal of human nature, and to my mind, left to itself +without anything to improve or correct it, there is nothing too bad or +abominably cruel which it will not do." + +"There, I have told you enough of the old fellow's story for the +present," exclaimed Dick Onslow, throwing himself back in his chair and +stretching out his legs. "I know that I am very thankful that I had not +to share poor Noggin's fate." + +"You are a pretty fellow for a story-teller," cried one of his hearers +(I believe it was I, his humble amanuensis, Barrington Beaver). "You +leave the honest Delaware in the clutches of the bear; you leave +yourself surrounded by a band of fierce Dacotahs thirsting for your +blood; and poor Noggin even in a worse predicament; indeed, I would not +wish to be in the skins of either Short or Blount; and now you suddenly +stop short, and leave us all lost in a labyrinth of doubt as to how they +got out of their various dilemmas." + +"Not a word more just now, not a word more," answered Dick, laughing. +"You'll all do your best to keep me alive, and I promise you I will go +on with my tale another day." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +OBED'S STORY CONTINUED--NOGGIN RESCUED BY THE CHIEF'S DAUGHTER--SAM AND +BLOUNT RETIRE, HOPING THAT HE MAY BE HAPPY--THEY CONTINUE THEIR +WANDERINGS--BLOUNT'S DEATH--SAM PROCEEDS ALONE--CAPTURED BY THE +RED-SKINS--THEY PREPARE TO KILL HIM--NOT LIKING IT, HE ENDEAVOURS TO +ESCAPE FROM IT--ESCAPE AND PURSUIT--A RIDE FOR LIFE--HARD PRESSED FOR +FOOD--OBED'S ADVENTURES--HOW HE ESCAPED FROM THE BEAR--THE FAITHFUL +DELAWARE. + +"So you all want to know what became of poor Noggin," said Dick, leaning +back in his comfortable arm-chair, after he had taken a sip from his +claret glass, and stretching out his legs on the thick buffalo-skin +which served as a rug to his cosy dining-room fire-place. "I'll +continue the narrative as old Short told it to me, though not exactly in +his own words, for those I cannot pretend to repeat--I cannot even hope +to imitate his quaint expressions and racy humour. Noggin stood the +attacks of his tormentors with as much heroism as could the most stoical +of red warriors. We longed to rush in to his rescue, but we knew full +well that the attempt would be worse than useless, and we should +inevitably lose our own lives and not save his. The fires burned up +brightly, shedding a lurid glare over the whole scene, making the +red-painted and feather-bedizened warriors, and their hideous brown +squaws, look more horrible and terrific than ever, as they danced, and +leaped, and grinned, and shrieked round our friend. To make the picture +perfect, you must remember the dark forest in the background, the tents +covered with red-tanned skins, and the groups of children and dogs +scuttling about in front of them, with the stakes, and the lean-to's, +and sheds of different sorts, on or in which the spoils of the chase and +other provisions were hung to dry or smoke. Indians delight in +prolonging the sufferings of their captives; so they, in their refined +cruelty, took care not to wound the poor fellow in any vital part. + +"After a short time the old squaws resharpened the points of their +fire-sticks, and then they all advanced together, the warriors +brandishing their tomahawks and shrieking louder than ever. Noggin eyed +them all, however, with perfect coolness and disdain. I thought that +his last moments had come. This conduct, though the savages admired it, +only made them the more anxious to conquer his spirit. Several produced +their instruments of torture to tear his flesh, and to pull out his eyes +and his tongue, indeed, I will not describe all the excruciating +cruelties they were prepared to inflict; I well-nigh gave way myself +with horror, though my nerves were pretty well strung, when a young +squaw, who had been sitting in the shadow of one of the tents, sprang +up, and darting between the warriors and old women, before any of them +could stop her, threw one of her arms round Noggin's neck, and holding +out her other hand, in a tone of authority ordered her savage country +men and women to keep back, and claimed him as her husband. She was a +fine, tall young woman, and though her skin was dark, her features were +handsome and full of animation, while her eye sparkled with the spirit +which burned in her bosom. + +"`Come, loose him, loose him,' she cried, and we could understand her +language. `He is mine. Let none of you dare to hurt a hair of his +head.' + +"I had heard of such things having been done before, but I did not much +believe in them. It convinced me that woman has a tender, +compassionate, loving heart in every country, and that man should prize +it as one of the richest gifts which bounteous Nature has bestowed on +him, and consider it one of the most cowardly of acts and the foulest of +crimes to tamper with or betray it. The young girl was a chiefs +daughter. Her people, as they were bound to do, obeyed her immediately. +Noggin was released, and led by her to her tent. Instead of the +torments he had been suffering, he found himself tended with the +gentlest care which affection could dictate. + +"Blount and I seeing this, made signs to each other that it was time for +us to be off. In the morning the red-skins would be prowling about, and +they would be too glad to get us instead of the victim who had escaped +them. We were not likely to find another Poccahuntas to save our lives. +We went back the way we had come, obliterating as best we could all +traces of our advance, and at last, after many hardships, we reached our +canoe. We had our rifles, but our ammunition was growing short, and we +had no means of replenishing it; the winter also was coming on, and we +were far from any white settlement. Still hunters are not to be +frightened by trifles; we knew well not only how to trap beavers, but +anything that flies, creeps, or swims, and we agreed that we would lay +up a store of provisions, and spend the winter by the side of the river. +To think with a hunter is to act. Our great want was salt. We caught +soon a supply of fish, fowl, and deer, and we killed a bear, which made +very good beef; but all these things we had to dry in the sun or to +smoke; we kept our ammunition in case of any extremity in which we might +find ourselves. We should have liked to have communicated with Noggin, +but we knew that he, like many white men who had married Indian women, +would be reconciled to his lot, and from henceforth live the life of +Indians. + +"We agreed, therefore, as soon as the return of spring enabled us to +travel, we would take up our beaver skins and furs left in _cache_, and +go back with them to the settlements. Had we been supplied with powder, +we should not have hesitated at once to commence our journey, but +unarmed, as we soon should be, we should have been both unable to supply +ourselves with food, or to defend ourselves against any enemies we might +meet; whereas in the spring we should descend rapidly in our canoe, and +carry our provisions with us. + +"Several weeks passed away. We had a warm hut built and a good supply +of provisions and fuel collected. It was intensely cold, and the river +was frozen across, and the snow had set in. My great concern was for my +companion. Illness had attacked him: he grew weaker and weaker every +day. With a sorrowful heart I saw that he had not long to live. I told +him so at last. He would not believe me. He said that he should get +better, that the cough would leave him, and that he was stronger than he +had been. He almost persuaded me that I was wrong in my surmises and +that he should recover. When the cold grew very great he took to his +bed, from which, according to my idea, I thought he would never rise. + +"At last one day, however, he sat up and said he should like to go out +and see if he could not kill a wild turkey; he should like to have some +fresh meat. I told him I would get it for him: he said no, half the +pleasure would be in killing it himself; he felt as strong as a buffalo, +and knew he could walk a dozen miles. So he got up, and put on his +thick coat, and took down his rifle from the peg to which it hung, and +said he was ready. I looked at him with wonder. His cheeks were so wan +and his hands so thin I did not think he could have held his rifle. + +"`If you will go, I will go with you, Blount,' said I, and took down my +rifle to follow him. + +"I had just got to the door of our hut, when I heard him say, `Ah! there +is the turkey cock.' So, sure enough, there was one sitting on the +bough of a tree not fifty yards from us. As he spoke the crack of his +rifle sounded in my ears--down came the bird. It seemed as if he was +going to run to pick it up; but he staggered forward a few paces, and +before I could get up to him he had fallen flat on his face. The blood +gushed from his mouth. I lifted him from the ground; he pressed my +hand, and before I got him back to our hut he was dead. I sat down and +did what I had not done for many a long year before--I burst into tears. +He had been my companion and friend, faithful and true, almost from his +youth upward--son, wife, everything to me--and now he was gone, and I +was alone in the great white melancholy wilderness. + +"After a time I became quite foolish--I spoke to him, I called out his +name, I entreated him to answer me. I felt at last that I should go mad +if I kept him longer near me, so I roused myself and dragged his body to +a distance under an old hickory tree. The ground was too hard to let me +dig a grave, so I made a hole in the snow, and collected all the stones +I could find near the river, and piled them over him; I never went near +the spot again. The next three or four weeks were the most miserable I +ever passed in my life. Not that I had any great reason to be anxious +about myself. I had an abundance of food, and I knew that I could +easily find my way to the settlements in the spring; but it was the +long, long solitude which I dreaded." + +"I can enter into your feelings," said I, interrupting him, and I told +him what I had suffered, and on comparing notes we found that we had +been within a hundred miles of each other. "However, go on," said I, +and Short continued his narrative. + +"Three or four weeks had passed away after the death of Blount, when one +day, as I was standing near my hut wishing for the return of spring--for +I had very little to occupy my hands or thoughts--I saw half a dozen +red-skins approaching me at a rapid rate. To attempt to fly was +useless, and I knew that I could not hope to defend myself successfully; +so, though I did not like their looks, I saw that my only chance of +safety was to meet them in a friendly manner. Accordingly, I advanced +towards them. As I got nearer I saw that they were Pawnees, some of the +very tribe among whom Noggin was located, and three of whose people I +had lately killed; I may add also the greatest thieves in this part of +the country. Still I put the best face I could put on the matter, and +held out my hand in token of friendship. + +"Instead of taking it, two of them seized me by the shoulders and +hurried me back to my hut. As soon as they entered they began to make +free with everything they saw, and it was very evident that they had +come to rob me of all they could get. When their eyes fell on poor +Blount's rifle, they asked me what had become of my companion. I made +signs to them that he was dead. They examined the hut for a few +minutes, and then seemed satisfied that I told them the truth. On +finding that I had a good store of provisions they made signs to me to +light a fire, and then forced me to cook enough provisions to satisfy +their not very moderate appetites. I knew that it was better to comply +with their commands than to refuse, and the less spirit I showed the +less likely they were to keep a strict watch over me. If they +considered that I was a brave fellow they would look upon me as a +greater prize, and treat me accordingly. + +"After they had eaten as much as they could, they went hunting about the +spot in all directions till they came to the place where my canoe was +hid away. No sooner did they see it, than there was a great +consultation among them, and then they came back and sat round my fire +and talked away for an hour or more. The result of this conference was +anything but favourable to me. They had undoubtedly heard of the death +of their countrymen, and knowing the locality, and seeing the canoe, +they had come to the conclusion that the deed had been done by my hand +or by that of my late companion. This, doubtless, saved my life for the +present. If I had killed their friends, they wished to preserve me to +put me to death with the most refined of their tortures. That night +they slept in my hut. The next morning, having pulled the canoe to +pieces, and totally destroyed my hut, they set forth on what I guessed +from their preparations to be a long journey. + +"I will not describe that journey. At night we slept within any thick +wood or cypress swamp we could find, and travelled on the greater part +of the day. My captors exhibited a wonderful power of endurance. I +walked, of course, with lagging steps, for I felt sure that could I not +find means to escape, I should be put to death at the end of it. At +last we fell in with the main body of the tribe. No sooner was I shown +to them, than several of them declared that I was the very man who had +killed their companions, and my heart sunk within me; I knew that they +would to a certainty put me to death if they could. The chief forthwith +held a consultation with all ceremony, and speedily decided my fate. I +was led into a large wigwam to pass the night, and guarded by my +captors. I watched all night for an opportunity to escape, but my arms +and legs were secured by leathern thongs which cut almost into my flesh, +and I had no power to release myself. My heart, as well, it might, sunk +lower and lower. + +"Day came; I made up my mind that it was to be my last on earth. I +thought of Noggin, and I knew that if he could he would rescue me, but +at the same time I was aware that the cunning red-skins would not let +him know that I had been captured. The day wore on; the tribe collected +from far and near; the fires were lighted; the squaws and children +assembled; indeed, the same scene was enacted which I had seen gone +through with Noggin. The fire was actually scorching my feet, and the +smoke was ascending into my nostrils, when the sky grew dark and a +terrific snow-storm commenced. Down it came like a sheet upon the earth +and speedily put out the fires. The red-skins rushed into their +wigwams. I was dragged back into the one where I had passed the night, +and was told that my death was postponed till the next day. I resolved +to make use of the time of grace; still my prospect of escape was slight +indeed. A stout thong of buffalo-hide was fastened round my neck, and +secured to one of the beams which ran across the top of the wigwam; +thongs fastened my wrists and ankles, and cut deeply into my flesh; and +my guards, squatted closely around, seemed inclined never to take their +eyes off me. Every now and then they addressed me and told me for my +comfort that I should eat fire in the morning; I wished that they would +go to sleep, and, at all events, leave me in peace. + +"At last four of them lay down, and I knew by their snoring that they +were really unconscious of the present. Two of them still sat up and +kept talking at me, describing the horrors I was to go through. At +length one of those two lay down, and now only one old man remained +awake; I thought he would never cease talking, and smoking, and +tormenting me. On he talked; never have I seen a more hideous or +vicious old fellow. I tried in vain not to listen. However, at last +his voice grew thick, and more and more indistinct; his pipe went out, +and his head dropped on his breast. + +"Not a moment was to be lost; I tugged and tugged at the thongs which +bound my wrists. My heart beat so quick and loud that I thought the +sound would awaken my captors. My struggles freed my wrists, and I soon +had my ankles free, but the tough, well-seasoned buffalo-hide rope round +my neck resisted all my efforts to loosen it. Daylight was approaching. +The noise I made, or my loud breathing, roused up the old man. I +thought all was lost. Placing my hands behind me, I pretended to be +dozing. He got up, stirred the fire, and then sat down again. Oh, how +anxiously I waited for him to go to sleep again! Once more his head +dropped on his breast, and he snored. That was the sweetest noise I had +heard for a long time. + +"I had gnawed and tugged at the thong round my neck in vain; but I knew +that what a steady strain will not accomplish a sudden jerk may do. I +seized the thong with the grasp of despair, gave it two or three rapid +pulls, and to my joy it parted. I was free, but still I had many +dangers to encounter. A watchful dog or a sleepless Indian might +discover me. Treading with the caution I knew was so necessary, I +passed between the bodies of the sleeping red-skins and stepped out into +the open air. The cold restored my strength. I looked around on every +side. The stars were shining brightly above my head, and the lodges of +my enemies lay around in the dark shadow of the forest. The neighing of +a horse showed me where some of the steeds of the tribe were tethered. +I ran towards the spot. I had no time for selection. I threw myself on +the back of the first animal I found. The first faint streaks of dawn +were already appearing in the eastern sky. Not an instant had I to +lose. I should, I knew, be very speedily pursued. I scarcely had time +to consider in which direction I should go. The thong which still hung +round my neck served me for a bridle. I looked up at the bright stars, +and turned the horse's head towards the south. One thing only I could +resolve on--not to pull rein till I was beyond the reach of pursuit. I +soon found that I had got one of the best horses of the whole stud. + +"Away I went galloping over the snow, fleet as the wind. I could not +conceal my trail; but if I had the best steed and an hour's start, I +might keep ahead of my pursuers, and fall in with some friendly tribe, +or by some other means obtain assistance before I was overtaken. My +horse was a noble animal. He had, I doubt not, been stolen not long +before from the whites, and he seemed glad to have a white man again on +his back. Poor beast! I did not spare him. Full fifty miles I went +without pulling rein. Then I threw myself off and turned his head to +the wind to let him regain his strength. But few minutes only I halted; +I either heard my pursuers or thought I heard them. Again I mounted and +galloped on as before. The noble brute seemed to know the importance of +haste. Oh, how willingly he went up steep hills, down wild valleys, +across streams, over the most rugged ground--nothing stopped him. We +came to a broad river. It was frozen over with a sheet of smooth ice, +from which the wind had blown the snow. Still on he went, slipping and +sliding. Several times I thought he would be down, and yet I dared not +check him; but he recovered himself and reached the opposite side in +safety. Sometimes we were almost buried in the snow. + +"On the other side of the river we plunged into a deep snow-drift; but +he plunged on, and, planting his feet on firm ground, sprung upward +again, and on he went breasting the side of a steep hill. We gained the +summit. I looked back for an instant. I thought I could discern in the +far distance several black spots. I was sure that they were my +pursuers. On I went along the ridge of the mountain. It was stony and +free from snow, and I hoped that if my pursuers should discover my trail +across the ice they might possibly here lose it. This thought gave me +fresh courage. I came to the end of the ridge and descended into the +plain. My noble steed was becoming much distressed. Still I valued my +life more than his. As long as he could go I must make him go. On he +went. Full eighty miles had been passed over since dawn. Neither my +horse nor I had tasted food. Still I dared not stop. Across the plain +we went. Nearly another ten miles were gone over. I felt my horse's +legs staggering under him. He breathed heavily, his pace slackened; +still he endeavoured to spring forward. He staggered more and more, and +I had barely time to throw myself off when down he came to the ground. +Once he tried to rise, but again he fell, and his glassy eye told me too +plainly that he had destroyed himself in his efforts to save me. Who +but the base-hearted would be unmerciful to man's most serviceable and +sagacious of friends? I had no time to stop and mourn for my gallant +steed. Casting but another look on him I ran on over the ground as +rapidly as my legs would carry me. I never stopped; I never looked +behind me. I knew that nothing would turn aside my blood-thirsty +pursuers. Night came on; still I ran without slacking my speed. + +"I had been in motion since the morning without food, still the dread of +falling into the power of my savage foes gave me supernatural strength. +A wood lay before me; I plunged into it. I still could distinguish my +course by the stars, and I hoped that my pursuers would be unable to +make out my trail. This hope gave me fresh courage, but my strength was +failing me, and in a short time, gasping for breath, I fell to the +ground, and the blood gushed out of my mouth. I thought I was going to +die like my poor horse, but after a time I felt better, and hope revived +once more. I lay still in the hopes of recovering my strength. I did +not wish to sleep; indeed I knew how dangerous it would be to attempt to +do so. As I lay on my back, I saw the moon slowly rise above the still +trees, and shed a bright light over the landscape. I gazed at it for +some time; then I recollected that by its light my pursuers would +certainly be able to follow up my trail. Instantly I sprang to my feet, +stiff and full of pains as I felt, and on once more I went. I came at +last to a rugged hill. I climbed it, and following the stony ridge for +some way, descended into the plain on the opposite side. On I ran. As +before, I thought I heard the shouts and threatening cries of my +enemies, and fancied that they must have got to the side of the mountain +I was on by some other path. As long as I had any strength I determined +to run on. + +"Day at last dawned; I entered a wood. I had my knife in my pocket. I +dug up some earth-nuts, and chewed some snow. I felt revived, but my +legs refused to carry me farther. I discovered a hole full of leaves, I +threw myself into it; I listened with intense anxiety for any sounds +made by my pursuers. I could hear none. Exhausted nature at length +gave way, and I slept. Whether I slept more than a whole day, or only a +few hours, I cannot tell. My first impulse was to spring up and +continue my flight. But before I left the wood I remembered that I must +have more food, so I dug up a further supply of nuts, and then dashed +away as before across the plain. I looked hastily around me, but could +see no pursuers. Still I knew too well their pertinacity and their +devices, to suppose that they would desist from following me, till I was +actually in a place of safety. On I went, therefore, rejoicing in the +darkness. + +"Suddenly as I went along I heard some strange sounds. These were human +voices. I became aware that I was passing near a large body of Indians. +They were not my pursuers, but, till I could ascertain who they were, I +would on no account intrust myself with them. To turn back was as +hazardous as to proceed, so on I went. They heard me, and came after +me. I expected to lose my scalp after all, when you, my friends, came +to my rescue, and here I am; rather battered, I own, but still able and +willing to pull a trigger for our mutual defence." + +"Spoken like an honest backwoodsman," cried Obed and his brothers. +"Friend Short, if you like to join your fortunes to ours, you are +welcome." + +The old man owned that he had no fancy to hunt by himself, and that +after the adventures he had gone through he would gladly leave that part +of the country, for, as he said, Indian vengeance never slumbers, and +never dies, as if in exact contradiction to the Christian law of love. + +Knowing that we were surrounded by vindictive enemies, none of us felt +inclined for sleep, and I therefore asked Obed to continue the account +of his adventures. "Ay, friend, that I will," he answered promptly. "I +left the honest Delaware and the bear and her cubs all rolling away into +the river together. The cold water somewhat astonished Mistress Bruin, +and made her for an instant let go her gripe. The Delaware took the +opportunity of striking his knife with all his force into her neck, and +before she could return the compliment, he sprang up the bank, on the +top of which I stood ready to assist him. The bear was not killed, but, +rendered furious by the wound, she began to scramble up the bank after +us. The Delaware sprang to get his rifle, while I pointed mine at the +brute's head. On she came. I fired, and expected to see her roll over, +but the bullet did not strike a vital part, and so she made savagely at +me. + +"The Delaware had by this time regained possession of his rifle, and +while I threw myself on one side, he fired with unerring aim full at the +bear's head. In another instant her claws would have been on my +shoulders, and her teeth in my cheeks. The ball struck her. With a +fierce growl she attempted to spring forward, but I stepped back, and +over she rolled at our feet. The cubs came waddling up to see what was +the matter with their mother, and as they were rather too big to be +pleasant companions, we were obliged to kill them. We ate some slices +of them afterwards. We spent the evening very pleasantly over our fire, +and next day at dawn we pushed on, that we might encamp while there was +an abundance of light to put up our wigwam, and to kill any game we +might require. Several days passed away without any event of interest +to tell you of. The Delaware was an excellent travelling companion, and +I believe that without him the Indians would speedily have found me out, +and would have left me without a top to my head. We had quitted the +banks of the river, and were progressing across a wide-rolling prairie. +Although the wind when it blew was keen, the sun had still at midday +great power. We toiled on through the high grass with not a breath of +air, hoping to get across the prairie before nightfall. We could see, +from the nature of the ground, very little way on either side of us. + +"Suddenly we were conscious of a hot wind blowing on our right cheeks, +and then it came laden with smoke and fine dust. `On! on!' cried the +Delaware, grasping my arm to hasten my steps. There was reason for us +to hasten. `The prairie is on fire, and before long, if we delay, we +shall be surrounded by the raging flames!' he exclaimed. `On! on! on!' +I saw in the far distance a rocky mound, rising out of the prairie, +towards which my guide pointed. I saw that he meant that we should seek +safety there, but it seemed to me scarcely possible that we should reach +it before the fire would overtake us." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +OBED'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED--JOURNEY WITH THE DELAWARE--THE PRAIRIE ON +FIRE--THEY FLY FOR THEIR LIVES--A STAMPEDO--A NARROW ESCAPE ON THE +ROCK--LONG JOURNEY--APPROACH OF WINTER--THEIR LIFE IN A CAVE--EXPECTED +VISIT FROM BEARS--JOURNEY CONTINUED--ARRIVAL AT THE FORT--FURTHER +ADVENTURES WITH BEARS AND WOLVES--SAVE THE LIFE OF A YOUNG CHIEF--CARRY +HIM ONWARD TILL THEY REACH THEIR CAMP--THE YOUNG RED-SKIN'S GRATITUDE-- +END OF OBED'S NARRATIVE--FRESH ALARMS--AGAIN THE ENEMY APPROACH. + +"The Delaware and I ran on at full speed through the high grass," +continued Obed. + +"Every instant I expected to be tripped up by its tough roots which +trailed along the earth, but my companion, who was well accustomed to +the sort of ground, kept me from falling. I asked him, as we ran, why +he did not stop, and, as I knew to be the custom, cut down and burn a +clear space round us, so as to let the conflagration pass by on either +side. + +"`The deer and buffaloes, and other wild animals, would rush through the +space and trample us to death,' he answered. `Even now I hear the sound +of their hoofs in the distance--haste! haste!' + +"I tried to listen as I ran, and I fancied that I did hear a low, +murmuring, hollow sound, which had a peculiarly terror-inspiring effect. +The wind blew stronger, the air became denser and more oppressive, and +the ashes fell thicker around us. We distinctly heard the noise of the +rushing flames. The rock towards which we were running rose before us, +but, yet near as it was, the fire came roaring on so rapidly that I +fully expected it to overtake us. On it came, hissing and crackling. +The air grew hotter and hotter, and more and more oppressive. As I +struggled on I felt as if I could scarcely move my limbs. It was like a +dreadful dream, when a person fancies that danger is near, and that he +cannot fly from it. I gasped for breath. The Indian also was much +distressed. Some things men can get accustomed to, but to have to run +for one's life, with a prairie-fire roaring at one's side, one does not +like a bit more the tenth time it is encountered than the first. `On! +on!' cried out the faithful Delaware. He could run faster than I could, +but still he delayed for me. Besides the crackling and hissing of the +fire, there was a loud, roaring, trampling, crushing, thundering sound, +or mixture of sounds, utterly indescribable. The rock was reached--we +clambered up it. We gained the summit. It was a wide, open space, +entirely free of grass. + +"Almost fainting, I was sinking to the ground, when I saw the Delaware +pointing to the plain below us. There, across the ground we had just +left, came tearing along, in strange confusion, herds of buffaloes, +deer, wolves, foxes, prairie-hares, several bears, and even birds, +turkeys, prairie-hens, and other wild fowl, all uttering their peculiar +cries of terror, and utterly disregarding each other. Not one stopped +to prey on another. + +"One feeling of intense terror inspired the whole mass. On they flew, +fleet as the wind; all they seemed to think of was that the fire was +behind them, and that, unless they would be destroyed, they must fly. +Some were left dead or wounded; the weak trampled on by the stronger; +but still on scampered the mass, with the fire raging at their heels. I +saw what would have been our fate, had we not reached the rock before +the herd passed by, and I thanked Heaven that we had been preserved. We +remained on the rock for some hours, till the ground below was cool +enough to enable us to proceed; but, after the heat of the fire, the air +felt bitterly cold, and we had no shelter from it. I do not think we +could have endured it during the night. We descended, and began to +cross the remainder of the plain, but even then our feet struck up +sparks from the yet smouldering ashes, and light clouds of smoke rose up +continually, circling round our heads till they were dispersed in the +clear atmosphere. + +"Desolate, dismal, and barren looked the country through which we +journeyed on the following day. Not a vestige remained of animal life, +but here and there appeared the skinless skulls and bones of some huge +buffalo or stately stag, which had long lain there blanching in the sun. +The sky had for some time been overcast. The Delaware pointed towards +it. `The winter is coming,' he observed; `this is not the place to be +overtaken in a snow-storm.' I agreed with him; so, in spite of the +fatigue which, after my wounds and loss of blood, I felt in a way I had +never before done, I dragged my heavy legs after him. We reached about +nightfall a clump of trees. Under their shelter we lighted our fire, +cooked our provisions, and lay down to rest. Nature required rest. +Often have I thought of those words: `The Sabbath was made for man, and +not man for the Sabbath.' Constituted as man is, what a blessing truly +is the Sabbath! how sweet, how necessary is rest! + +"We rose before daybreak, stirred up our fire, cooked and ate our +breakfast, and, as the light of dawn found its way through the trees +which surrounded us, we started on our way. The sky was ominously dark, +but the snow had not yet begun to fall, yet the piercing air told us +that it would not long be delayed. The Delaware spoke but little. He +evidently did not like the state of things. I had made up my mind from +the first to be guided by his judgment. One thing was very certain, +that we could not stop where we were. Our only chance of safety +depended on our pushing on. `Where to?' I thought. I saw nothing but +the wide-rolling, blackened prairie before me. The sight alone was +depressing, independent of the anticipation of coming evil. Hour after +hour passed. Not a break appeared in the clouds, not a gleam of +sunshine burst forth to cheer us. Still the snow did not fall, and +there was nothing to impede our progress. We stopped at noon to dine. +A few minutes sufficed us for our frugal meal. The bitter cold did not +tempt us to rest longer than was necessary. + +"On again we went. `Where is the wood in which we are to pass the +night?' I asked of the Delaware. `It is yet far-off,' was his +unsatisfactory answer. Evening was drawing on. I saw a bleak hill, but +no wood capable of affording us shelter. Just then a snowflake settled +on my face. It was a slight thing. How indifferent should I have been +to it at other times! Now it made my heart sink lower than it had ever +done before. Another and another fell; then down the snowflakes came +rapidly, thickly sprinkling the ground and our garments. The wind sent +them driving against us over the prairie. The Delaware pointed to the +hill. On towards it we pushed. The snow in a few minutes completely +covered the ground, a sheet of white was spread out where lately all had +been black, here and there only the taller tufts of grass appearing +above it. There was no prospect of the snow ceasing to fall. Soon it +covered our moccasins and reached to our ankles. Walking became more +and more difficult. It was half-way up to our knees, still we pushed +on. My companion remained silent. I did not trouble him by asking +questions. He had hopes of escaping, or he would, I thought, very +likely have sat down where he was and quietly awaited his fate. Had he +done so, it would have been my business to rouse him to exertion. The +snow fell thicker and thicker. Daylight was rapidly decreasing. It +grew less and less. All we could see was the sheet of snow immediately +surrounding us. Still my companion went steadily on. + +"Backwoodsman as I am, and am proud to be, I should have been completely +at a loss in what direction to go had I been left by myself, except I +had trusted to the wind. As long as that blew it would have served as a +guide, though a somewhat uncertain one. Even that guide proved fickle. +The wind fell and the snow came down perpendicularly, or rather on all +sides, floating here and there, and completely surrounding us. Still my +companion went on without hesitation. At first I had walked by his +side, now I dropped behind him and trod in his footsteps. This enabled +me to keep up with him better. As far as I could judge, I believe his +course was straight as an arrow for the point at which he was aiming. +The cold was less intense than it had been before the snow began to +fall, still I felt that if we were to stop we should very likely be +frozen to death. Though I kept as close as I could to my companion, +almost touching him indeed, so thickly did the snow come down that often +I could barely distinguish his misty form before me. + +"I never felt so helpless; my manhood seemed to have deserted me. I +thought if I should stumble and fall, before I could cry out he might be +out of sight and be unable to find me. I confess that all sorts of +dreadful fancies came into my head. At last I got ashamed of them, and +tried to get a better heart in my body. I began to whistle, but that +would not do, then I tried to sing; I got on badly enough in that way +also. I don't think the Delaware quite approved of the attempt. He +grunted out something once or twice. Perhaps he was trying to join in +the chorus. My voice, indeed, grew fainter and fainter, and at last I +was obliged to give up the attempt. My knees, too, were less and less +able to support me; I felt them trembling under my weight. Still I +toiled on. I would not complain, that would have lowered me in the +estimation of my guide, and I would not ask questions, so I remained +ignorant as to what prospect there was of our reaching shelter from the +storm. + +"At last I found that we were going up hill over rugged ground, and I +concluded that we had reached the hill I had seen before it grew dark. +We went on for some way up and then down, and then along a level place, +and then up again, and I saw a dark object rising on my right side, high +above our heads it seemed. It looked to me like a precipice. Presently +my guide stopped, so suddenly that I ran against him. Then he turned to +the right without speaking, and I followed him. We went on a few paces, +and I found that we were in total darkness. No snow fell on me, the air +felt comparatively warm, and I was conscious that there was something +above my head. + +"`Stay,' said the Delaware, and I heard the click of his flint and +steel. The bright sparks came forth and he applied them to his tinder, +and I saw the glowing mass lowered to the ground; and the countenance of +the Indian lighted up as he blew against it till it grew larger and +larger, and a bright flame burst forth, and I found that we were in a +high arched cavern. How cheerful the fire looked as it burned up, and +sitting round it we warmed our numbed limbs, and felt that we had found +a shelter from the storm. The place had evidently constantly been used +for the same purpose. There was a good supply of wood on one side, +sufficient to light many a fire for some time to come. Farther up, the +floor of the cavern was strewed with the bones of animals, many of which +must have been of vast size, and have lived in bygone ages. We had +killed a deer not long before, so having warmed our hands we set to work +to toast some of the meat at the end of our ramrods. The food and +warmth once more wakened the Delaware's tongue, and he told me that in +five days, after leaving our present position, we should be able to +reach Fort Laramie. + +"`When shall we be able to leave it?' I asked. `Is there not some +probability of our being snowed up?' + +"`I cannot answer two questions in one breath,' answered the Delaware. +`As to when we can leave the cavern, depends on when the snow ceases +falling. It may be in three days, or it may fall for a week or more. +As to being snowed up, there is not much probability of that. Should it +by any chance drift against the mouth of the cavern, we must cut our +out. But do not fear. We are warm here, we have fire and food. Let us +be thankful for the blessings we enjoy.' + +"I felt the truth and wisdom of his observations, and having piled up +more wood on the fire, we wrapped ourselves up in our buffalo robes, and +lay down with our feet towards it. The Indian was asleep in an instant. +Though I thought for a minute or so, I very quickly followed his +example. We both of us awoke at intervals and made up our fire, but +were instantly again asleep, and I do not think I ever enjoyed more +refreshing slumber. It was broad daylight when I awoke. I got up and +went to the mouth of the cavern; the snow fell as thickly and fast as +ever, but as it did not appear to be blocking up our cavern, that did +not concern me. + +"After some time the Delaware awoke, and then we toasted some more +venison. After he had eaten it, he lay down and went fast asleep again. +I slept a good deal, but I could not manage as much as he did. I asked +him how he contrived to sleep so much. He laughed calmly. + +"`When I have thought of what is to be done, why should I think of +anything more? Then I sleep to be ready for the work to be done.' + +"Day after day passed by; I began to grow very weary of being shut up in +the cavern, though I exercised my limbs by walking up and down it +continually, and amused myself by examining the bones of the animals in +the interior. Many of them were, I doubted not, of elephants, and +lions, and tigers, strange animals which I had read about, while with +the others I was familiar enough--buffaloes, bears, wolves, stags, and +others. I must own that I was not always quite comfortable when I lay +down to sleep, expecting that perhaps we might be visited by a roving +bear, or a hungry wolf; and more than once, when I opened my eyes, I +fully expected to see one poking his head in at the entrance, or +standing by ready to fly at one of us the instant we made any movement. +The Delaware did not appear to be troubled about the matter, and certain +it is that none came near us all the time we were in the cave. The only +reason the Indian could give for our not being attacked, was that the +animals were afraid of the spirits of their long-dead fellows, whose +bones were found there. I suspect that the bears did not come because +the cave was so frequently visited, while the wolves kept to their lower +grounds, where they were more likely to find animals to prey on. + +"The snow ceased at last; but it was not till the tenth day that the +Delaware said that it would be hard enough for us to travel on without +snow-shoes. We had to ascend the mountain some way, and then to +descend. The western side was thickly covered with trees; indeed, the +country through which we passed was very rich, and only wanted the hand +of an industrious people to make it fertile. We each night reached a +good camping place, and as we were fortunate in killing two hen turkeys, +the Delaware said we should not be pressed for want of food, and we +accordingly travelled on at an easy pace. One forenoon, as we were +passing over a height, I knew from the way the trees grew that there was +a river below us, though now it was covered with nature's uniform of +white. Carrying my eye along it in the far distance, I saw a wreath of +white smoke ascending into the clear, bright blue sky. There was +something inexpressibly cheering in the sight, after going so long +without seeing the slightest sign of human beings. However, the smoke +might be produced by Indians, and perhaps enemies, whom we must of +necessity avoid. I asked the Delaware if he would tell what he knew +about the matter. + +"`That is the fort,' he answered; `you will there very likely gain +tidings of your friends.' + +"My heart bounded within me at the thought of being once more united to +my family. + +"`The sun will sink thus far down before we can reach the place,' said +the Indian, pointing to the sky with his hand. + +"This good news added fresh vigour to my muscles, and I found myself not +only keeping up with the Indian, but actually hurrying his steps. After +walking for nearly two hours over very rugged ground, up and down steep +and wild hills, we saw before us, on an elevated mound overlooking the +river, a strong stockade, over which peeped the roofs of several +cottages, while a deep trench cut round the hill added yet more to the +strength of the place. As the Delaware and I drew near, we saw that we +were closely watched through a spy-glass. We waved our hands to show +that we came as friends, and as we began to climb the steep height +towards the fort, several people came out by the door of the fort to +meet us. How pleasant it was to be welcomed as a white man by white +men, to hear them talk and to be treated as a brother! The honest +Delaware, too, was welcomed, for he had brought letters for many in the +fort, and undertook to deliver any others in return, with which he might +be intrusted. How pleasant was a cup of hot tea, and some soft bread, +and the vegetables for dinner, and then to find myself turning into a +real bed, with sheets and blankets! The truth is, however, that after +sleeping so long in the open air, I found that of a small room so +oppressive that I could not breathe, and had to get up and open the +window, and let the cold in. But I am going ahead too fast. + +"Having satisfied the governor of the fort all about myself, I inquired +if they could give me tidings of my family. What was my satisfaction to +find that a party answering their description were encamped in winter +quarters not more than a week's journey to the north-west. My friend +the Delaware knew the spot, and undertook to guide me there. We spent +two days longer in the fort to refresh ourselves, and both of us truly +needed rest, and then we set out. He had guided me so far in safety, +that I felt the most perfect confidence in his courage, judgment, and +honesty. We got new moccasins at the fort, and our clothes mended, and +our friends furnished us with an ample supply of provisions. Though I +had been very happy in the fort, and very kindly treated, I felt as I +could fancy a man would, just let out of prison, when I found myself +once more walking along with my faithful companion over the snow. The +weather was very fine, there was no wind, and at times in the day we +found it much too hot to wear our buffalo-skin coats. + +"One day with us was much like another, though, by the bye, we did meet +with some few adventures. We fell in with a fine old grizzly bear, whom +we turned out of his cave; but the Delaware shot him through the head, +and we afterwards had some capital steaks out of him. Then we were +pursued by a pack of wolves, but we climbed a tree and let them pass by +us. We were, the Delaware computed, about half a day's journey from the +spot at which we were aiming, when we entered a valley, with a high hill +on one side of it, broken into rugged precipices. We had advanced some +way along the valley, when, as we happened to look up at the heights +above us, we saw a figure rapidly coming down towards it. He was +hunting some animal, we thought. He did not see his danger. We shouted +to him, but it was too late; he did not hear us, and over he went down a +frightful precipice. We ran forward, and thinking he must be killed, +expected to see his mangled body hanging to some rugged projection in +the rock; but the very precipitous character of the cliff had been the +means of his preservation. He had fallen directly into a snow-drift, +and though a limb apparently was broken, and he was much hurt, he +speedily came to himself. To leave him where he was would have been +sheer barbarity; so we told him that we would carry him to my father's +camp, where he would be quickly cured. He thanked us much, and +consented willingly to do as we advised. Cutting some boughs from the +trees which grew around, we speedily formed a litter, on which we placed +him. + +"Carrying him between us, we approached the spot where my family were +supposed to be encamped. From a hill at a little distance I got a view +of it. My heart beat quick at the thought of seeing them all again. +They had selected a rocky mound for the site of their encampment, and +had surrounded it with a stockade and ditch, so that it was capable of +resisting any attack the Indians were likely to make on it. There was +room inside, I calculated, not only for their own huts, but for their +cattle and wagons, and a supply of fodder and wood. They had spared no +pains, I guessed, to make themselves secure and comfortable. The very +look of the place convinced me that my family were there. As we drew +near, a gate opened, and several people came out. There were, I saw, +father and mother, and sisters, and all my brothers but Joab. Then I +feared, as I found, that brother Joab had been killed. I said nothing, +for I was afraid to ask about him. They all welcomed me as one from the +dead, for they thought that I had been killed, and never expected to +hear anything of me again, for they had seen me fall, as they had Joab, +and he, poor fellow, had been scalped before their eyes, so they had no +hopes for him. After they all had done talking to me, I told them about +the young red-skin, whom the Delaware and I had brought. The women at +once took charge of him, and doctored him in their own kind way. + +"In the meantime the Delaware was not forgotten, and everybody tried to +show their gratitude to him for the service he had been to me. It was +several days before the young Indian began to recover; indeed I believe +any one but a red-skin would have been killed with such a fall as he +had. When he got better he began to talk to us, but we could make out +but little of what he said. At last I begged the Delaware to come to +him, as he understood his language. After some hesitation, and a long +talk with the Delaware, he told us that he was the eldest son of the +chief of the Kioway tribe; that he and his people had planned an attack +on our fort, and that it was to take place in three days by that time. +He said that his people did not know what had become of him, but that +they would not abandon their plans on account of his loss. + +"`Now,' he added, `I will go to them, and tell them all you have done +for me, and instead of enemies, they will become your friends.' + +"In two days more he was strong enough to move, and he insisted on +setting out, saying that he should soon fall in with his people. Off he +went, and we waited anxiously his return; but in case of treachery we +put everything to rights in the fort to resist an attack. In a few +hours the young chief came back with some twenty or more painted +warriors in his train--very formidable customers they would have proved +if they had come as enemies. Well, to make a long story short, when he +heard that I was going to set out with my brothers to bring you +assistance, he undertook to send twenty of his people with us, while he +and the remainder stopped in the neighbourhood to guard our camp. We +lost no time in getting ready; I was as fresh as a lark; we travelled +fast, and came in time `to do the happy deed which gilds my humble +name,' quoth Dick. + +"`No, no,' exclaimed several of the party simultaneously, `honest Obed +Ragget never finished a sentence with a quotation from a play, though it +was writ by a minister.' + +"`To confess the truth, no,' said Dick; `indeed honest Obed's +expressions were not always, though highly graphic, grammatically +correct, so I have given his narrative in what is generally considered +the more orthodox vernacular; yet you have, I own, thereby lost much of +the force of his descriptions and no little amusement.' + +"Obed had scarcely finished his account, when from every part of the +whole surrounding wood resounded the most terrific war-whoops and +unearthly shrieks and cries. Seizing our weapons, we sprang from our +seats, and rushed to repel the expected assault." + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE RED-SKINS ATTEMPT TO ALARM US--SINGULARLY UNSUCCESSFUL--THE ENEMY AT +LENGTH COMMENCE THE ASSAULT--WE BRAVELY DEFEND OUR CAMP--SAM DISCOVERS +THAT THEY ARE PAWNEES AND DACOTAHS--HIS DEVICE TO SEPARATE THEIR +FORCES--DISCOVERS NOGGIN AMONG THEM DRESSED AS A CHIEF--THE ENEMY +RETIRE--SAM'S EXPEDITION TO RESCUE NOGGIN, WHICH I ACCOMPANY--OUR +SUCCESS--MR. AND MRS. NOGGIN--HIS MAGNIFICENT APPEARANCE AS AN INDIAN +CHIEF--WE PUSH ONWARDS AND AT LENGTH REACH THE CAMP OF OUR FRIENDS THE +RAGGETS. + +The red-skins knew that we were on the watch for them, and as they were +not likely to take us by surprise, they thought that they could terrify +us by their shrieks and hullabaloos. They did not know what we were +made of, or they would not have wasted their breath in that way. Two of +our scouts came hurrying in, the other two had, we feared, been +surprised and scalped by our enemies. We all stood to our arms in dead +silence, waiting the expected attack. Our Indian allies wanted to reply +to the war-whoops of our foes, but we judged that as they outnumbered +us, we should be much more likely to awe them if we remained in perfect +silence. Again and again, several times, those unearthly shrieks broke +the silence of the night. I own that they were terror-inspiring, and I +was very glad each time when they ceased. It was nearly dawn when once +more that hideous war-whoop was heard, and instantaneously the snow-clad +ground before us was covered with the dark forms of our foes, streaming +out from the forest and climbing up the height towards us. The Raggets, +Sam Short, Pipestick, and I took the lead in directing the defence, and +we were soon joined by old Waggum-winne-beg, who got up, in spite of his +wounds and weakness, to give us his assistance. + +It was evident that our enemies had been reinforced, though it was still +too dark to count them with anything like accuracy. Indeed I don't, +exaggerate when I say that our sight was not a little disturbed by the +showers of arrows which they sent among us. In spite of their numbers, +we rather astonished them with the warm reception provided for their +entertainment. Old Short was in his element; calling some ten of the +Kioways round him, he was here and there and on every side of the camp +at the same moment, firing very rapidly and never throwing a shot away. +He must have killed a dozen of our enemies in as many minutes. In about +twenty minutes they seemed to have had enough of it, and rushed back +under shelter as rapidly as they had come out of it. The dawn appeared. +The rising sun spread a ruddy glow over the field of snow already +stained with the blood of the slain. We thought that our enemies would +retire, but no. Without a moment's warning, on they rushed once more up +the height. This time our rifles told with more certain effect than +even before; not a shot was thrown away, and the redskins fell thickly +around us on every side. + +"What are they about now? They seem to have some scheme in reserve," I +observed to Obed. Scarcely had I spoken when some who had retired again +came forth, accompanied by a stout, sturdy-looking warrior, who, +however, did not seem very anxious to advance. He held a rifle in his +hand, which he fired every now and then as he advanced; but he was very +long in loading it, and each time his bullet whistled above our heads. +His companions were too intent on the attack to observe this. Just then +we were joined by old Sam Short. I pointed out the warrior to him. + +"Why!" he exclaimed, "those fellows are Pawnees, the very villains from +whom I escaped, and that seeming chief is no other than poor Noggin. +Tell your fellows not to hurt him, and I will have a talk with him +before long. If I can get him to draw off the Pawnees, we may easily +settle with the remainder of the Dacotahs, whom you have, I see, handled +pretty severely already." Saying this, the old hunter disappeared among +the tents, but speedily came back rigged out in the most fantastic +fashion, holding a long staff in his hand literally covered with rags +and tatters, which as he held it aloft streamed in the wind. We, +meantime, had been effectually keeping the enemy at bay. "I think this +will do for the nonce," he exclaimed; "give them one volley more, and +then let me see what I can do." + +We followed his advice, and the moment we ceased firing, while the enemy +were still skipping about to avoid our shots, he rushed from among us, +crying out, "Noggin, old friend, tell your fellows that the mighty +medicine-man of all the Indians has come to get them out of a great +scrape, and that the sooner they take themselves away from this the +better." + +The Indians, astonished at his sudden appearance, hung back, and no one +attempted to attack him, as I fully expected they would have done. +Noggin, on hearing the voice of his old friend, instantly called his +companions around him, we meantime taking care to reserve our fire for +our old enemies the Dacotahs. Presently we saw the Pawnees drawing off, +while the old hunter, indulging in all sorts of fantastic gestures, came +hurrying back to the camp, no one attempting to stop him. I asked him +why he had not brought his friend Noggin with him. + +"Ah, he is an honest fellow," he answered. "He refused to come without +Mrs Noggin. The poor girl had trusted to him, had saved his life, and +he would not desert her. I honour him for it, but I do not despair of +seeing him and her yet. If he can induce her to come, he will bring her +as soon as he can make his escape from her tribe. He has no wish to +live the life of a red-skin for the remainder of his days. It is my +desire, and I think it will be his, to join my fortunes to yours. From +what I hear you are bound for California, and I should like to go and +try my luck in that country too. I may be of use to you, and you will +afford me that companionship which I begin to feel the want of in my old +age. I have no fancy again to run the risk of being scalped or roasted, +or having to lie down and die by myself like a worn-out old wolf, or +other wild beast in the desert." + +The Raggets and I expressed our satisfaction at the thoughts of having +so experienced a hunter as our companion, and that matter was settled +off-hand. The Dacotahs had retired when they saw the Pawnees drawing +off. They probably tried to ascertain the cause of this desertion. +They made but one more very faint attack, and finding, as we supposed, +that their chance of success was less than ever, finally retired out of +sight into the wood. We could not restrain our Indian allies from +rushing out to scalp the slain, though we warned them against surprise, +and charged them not to touch the wounded; but I suspect they did not +much heed our words. They came back with fully thirty scalps, saying +that our bullets had made such sure work, that every one was killed +outright. As the day drew on, we were more and more convinced that our +enemies had had enough of it. We sent out our scouts, who felt their +way cautiously, following their trails. The chief body of the Dacotahs +had gone off to the north and east, while the Pawnees had taken the +direction of the north-west. The latter had retired with deliberation +and order, while the former had made a hurried retreat. A little later +in the day a scout came in, saving that the Pawnees had halted about +five miles off. + +"Then I know the reason why," observed Short. "Noggin has persuaded +them to halt, and, depend on it, he will try to escape with his wife. +If some of you would aid me, I should like to go and meet him, to help +him along." + +Obed and I and John Pipestick agreed to accompany him, with four of our +Indian allies. As soon as it was dusk we set off on our expedition. We +crept cautiously along from the very fist in Indian file, the scout who +had discovered the trail leading, and Short going next. Indeed, the man +who wishes to keep the scalp on his head cannot be too cautious when in +the Indian country, and with enemies in the neighbourhood. Not a word +was spoken, scarcely a sound was heard, while we kept our rifles +trailing by our sides, ready for use at a moment's notice. We could not +tell, of course, whether the Dacotahs or Pawnees might not have taken it +into their heads to come back and attack us, or, at all events, might +not have left some scouts to watch our proceedings. We went on thus, +till the sounds of drums beating, bones rattling, keeping time to the +voices of human beings, creating a most unpleasant sort of music, warned +us that we were in the neighbourhood of the Pawnee camp. It was +difficult to say when Noggin might take the opportunity of slipping +away. It might be at once, while all the noise was going forward, or it +might not be till the inhabitants of the camp were asleep. So we all +sat down and watched in silence. + +It was agreed that Short should go forward and meet his friend, so as +not to alarm him. I must own that I had fallen asleep, and was dreaming +of old England and my comfortable arm-chair, when I was awoke by finding +my companions rising and beginning to move on at a rapid rate--I was so +sleepy that I could not tell where. On we went, no one speaking, +following each other as before, so I judged that it would be wise not to +speak either. + +It was still very dark, all I could do was to see the person immediately +preceding me. On, on, we went: at last we began to go up hill, and I +found that we were approaching our own camp. The light of our fires was +shining brightly from it. Obed answered with a cheerful voice to the +challenge of our sentinels, and as we entered our stockade I found, for +the first time, that our party was increased by two persons. One was +habited in the full costume of a red-skin chief, and a big +commanding-looking fellow he was; the other was an Indian squaw; she was +a fine but modest girl, and she seemed to shrink back with true feminine +timidity from the gaze of so many strangers. To my surprise I found +that the handsome chief, who decidedly would have created a great +sensation in any London drawing-room, and, perhaps, have won the hearts +of half a dozen young ladies, and persuaded them to settle down as the +mistress of his faithful retainers in his extensive territories in the +Far West, was no other than Tom Noggin, whose adventures I had just been +hearing. I do not know what sort of an orator Tom might have made as an +Indian, his English vernacular was not of the choicest. + +"I wish some-on you chaps would get this young woman of mine stowed away +with some of her own kind among the Indians, they'll know her, and +comfort her a bit, poor thing," quoth Tom. The words and tone were +really kind and kindly meant, but they sounded odd as coming from the +lips of a full-fledged red-skin warrior. Noggin at once fell into old +Short's plan, and having all laid down to take some rest, we packed up +our traps and were once more on the move. We accompanied the +kind-hearted Ottoes three days further on their road till they +considered themselves out of the reach of their enemies. Had I pressed +John Pipestick I believe he would have brought his wives and joined our +party, but I did not altogether admire the young gentleman's notions on +things in general, so I kept silent on the matter. I had an +affectionate parting from old Waggum-winne-beg, who once more pressed +his beautiful Firefly on me; but my heart was proof against even her +brilliant attractions. The young lady pouted a little when I wished her +good-bye, and, I have no doubt, thought me a man of very bad taste. +Once more our course was turned towards the West. With a good supply of +ammunition, little baggage, and forming as we did a band of practised +hunters and backwoodsmen, together with a body of faithful allies, we +had no fear as to the result of an attack which any Indians might +venture to make on us, provided we exercised all necessary precaution in +our advance. + +More than once we were aware that Indians were on our trail, or hovering +round our camp; but when they ascertained the state of preparation we +were in, being assured that they would have to buy victory, if they got +it at all, at a very dear rate, they thought it wiser not to attack us. +We expected to have been pursued by the Pawnees, but for some reason or +other they did not seem to wish to get back Noggin or his wife. They +followed us, however, and ten days afterwards two of them made their +appearance in our camp. We watched them narrowly, for they are thievish +fellows, and would have stolen anything they could have laid hands on. +They came, they said, to bring a message from their chief to his +daughter, which, as far as we could make out, was equivalent to his +blessing; telling her at the same time that as she had chosen to marry a +white man, she must follow his fortunes for the future, and not look to +the red men for support. The young lady replied that she was perfectly +contented with her choice, and had no intention of going home again. +Short all the time kept out of sight of the Pawnees, for he thought his +appearance would not fail to enrage them he advised us, however, to +follow theirs trail as they went away, to ascertain in what direction +they were going, and to assure ourselves that they were not plotting +some piece of treachery. We found, however, that they went right away +to the north-east, and were not likely to trouble us any more. We +travelled steadily on, making good twenty miles a day at least. + +The instant we arrived at a wood or other fit place for camping, some +collected wood and lighted fires, others tore down strips of bark and +branches of trees to form wigwams, while the sportsmen ranged round to +look out for game, and the scouts explored the neighbourhood to +ascertain that no enemies were lurking near. Mrs Noggin made herself +very useful in cooking our provisions, and her husband and Short helped +her. The latter had not yet recovered from his long run and the +exertions he had made to free himself, and it seemed wonderful that he +should be able to support the fatigue of travelling as well as he did. +Altogether, we led a very pleasant life; but I was not sorry, I own, to +see in the distance the stockade in which my old friends the Raggets, +and two or three other families who had associated themselves with them, +had passed the winter. We arrived just in time before the frost broke +up. After that, till the warm dry weather began, travelling would have +been very difficult. Our friends were very glad to see us all back +again safe, and gave a hearty welcome to old Short and to Noggin and his +wife. They were not people to turn up their noses at a red-skin. With +all due respect to my white friends, Mrs Noggin appeared to great +advantage alongside them. She was a very well-mannered, amiable, kind, +sweet young woman, and though some of her ways were not just quite what +a refined Englishman would admire, I do not think friend Noggin objected +to them, and they seemed as happy as possible. + +We had altogether not an unpleasant time in the stockade, and we had +plenty of work in repairing the wagons and tents, and in making other +preparations for our further progress through the wild passes of the +Snowy Mountains. The travelling, barring the attacks from the +red-skins, had hitherto been easy; we were now to enter on a region wild +and rugged in the extreme, where we should have to encounter dangers +innumerable from grizzly bears, avalanches, mountain torrents, and steep +precipices, added to those we had already gone through. However, their +contemplation in no way daunted any of our party. From old Mr Ragget's +forethought and judgment, he had amply supplied his camp with provisions +before the winter set in, and the same qualities he was now exerting in +making preparations for our journey. We thus avoided many of the +disasters and miseries from which so many parties of emigrants suffered +proceeding over the same route in following years. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +OUR WINTER ENCAMPMENT--OUR HUTS--HOW WE SPENT OUR TIME--A NIGHT ALARM-- +VISIT FROM A GRIZZLY--MY ENCOUNTER WITH THE SAME--SHORT SAVES ME--WE +START IN SEARCH OF MRS. BRUIN--WE ENTER THE FASTNESSES OF THE ROCKY +MOUNTAINS--SHORT'S BATTLE WITH THE BEAR--HIS PERILOUS SITUATION--STILL +IN DANGER--WE GO ROUND TO ASSIST HIM--THE SNOW MOVES THOUGH THE BEAR +DOES NOT, AND WE FIND OURSELVES ON THE TOP OF AN AVALANCHE--A MOST +UNPLEASANT MADE OF LOCOMOTION. + +I cannot say that I looked forward with any rest degree of satisfaction +to the idea of spending the remaining months of the winter, without +books or any other means of intellectual enjoyment, in the encampment at +the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The Raggets were very worthy people, +and kind and considerate in every way; but some of our other companions +were somewhat rough and uncouth, and none of them were addicted to +literary pursuits, so that there were not six readable volumes of any +sort or description to be found among all the party. At times I felt +quite a craving for books, when my fingers grew weary mending harness, +or manufacturing snow-shoes or moccasins; when conversation, which was +never very brisk, altogether flagged. Still I had one great resource, +and that was my note-book, though what I was putting into it my +companions were very much puzzled to guess. My friends at home will not +have much difficulty in guessing what I was writing about. Take it all +in all, however, we spent a very pleasant time up among the snow, though +it was brought to a conclusion rather sooner than we expected. + +We had plenty of provisions; we had made ourselves tolerably snug; our +numerous well-armed party might set any prowling red-skins at defiance; +and, above all things, we had laid in such a fine stock of good-humour +and good-nature, that we had nothing like a quarrel or an angry dispute +during the whole of the time. We also cut out plenty of employment for +ourselves, and in spite of the cold, were never long shut up in our huts +without making an excursion in one direction or another. Sam Short, +Obed, and I, with the other Raggets, slept in one hut by ourselves. It +was the outer hut of all, and forming part of it was our principal +store, in which the greater portion of our provisions were kept. Here +were piled up casks of flour, and sugar, and salted meats, and fish, and +many other necessary articles. We none of us were much addicted to +lying long in bed; but when we did turn in, we slept sounder than, I am +sure, any tops ever did. We might generally have all snored as loud as +a dozen bears growling away in concert, without in the slightest degree +disturbing each other. One night, however, a piece of salt tongue had +stuck somewhere on its downward passages or Mrs Ragget had given me too +strong a bowl of green tea, as a special mark of her favour, or from +some other unaccountable cause, I could not for some time get to sleep. +I found out that Sam Short did snore, and most lustily and variously +too, with notes resembling what one might fancy a broken-winded bagpipe +with a bad influenza would give forth more than any other sounds. My +other friends were not much behind him in the loudness of their snores, +though rather less varied and musical. At length, in spite of the +delicious concert, I did manage, by dint of counting and repeating my +own name over and over again, and other similar devices, to get into a +sort of dose. Still, though I was asleep, I could hear all the noises +as clearly as before, only I forgot where I was, and a variety of +strange and ever-changing notions came into my head. + +I thought that I was at sea, when a violent storm arose, and that a huge +whale got hold of the vessel, and towed her on at a terrific rate, +spouting away and roaring most furiously. Suddenly there was a crash, +and I found that the whale had dragged us against a rock, and ran itself +on shore. There it lay floundering away, till suddenly it gave a +curious kick with its tail, and sprung back again right over our heads +into deep water. I never saw a whale, or indeed any creature for that +matter, give such a leap. I had very serious doubts, however, whether +it was a real whale after all. As it went off skimming over the sea, it +looked back with such a wicked expression in its little twinkling eye, +as much as to say, "There, I've done for you. I hope you may like it;" +at the same time snorting and blowing louder than ever, in a way most +unusual, at all events for whales, which, except when in a flurry, are +generally quiet, well-behaved creatures. + +The boiling sea soon knocked the vessel to pieces, and the crash of the +wreck made me start up to swim for my life. There really had been a +crash, though not so loud as I supposed, for it had not awakened the +rest of the sleepers. The noise still continued, as if some one was +breaking into the hut or store, and turning over the articles piled up +in it. I jumped into my clothes, for with the thermometer twenty +degrees below zero, it is not pleasant to run out without some covering, +and calling up my companions, seized my rifle and axe, ever ready at +hand, and rushed out to ascertain what was the matter. I fully believed +that the camp was attacked by red-skins, and that we were about to have +a desperate affray. The door of the store was close to that of our +sleeping hut, but it was closed of course at night. I opened it and +sprang in with my axe, ready to strike, hoping by the suddenness of my +attack to scare the Indians, and prevent them from defending themselves. +The moon was shining with a splendour which she never exhibits through +the denser atmosphere of merrie England, and she was just then casting +her beams through the open doorway. There was a window in the hut which +had been boarded up, but the boards had been torn away, and a glistening +sheet of snow was seen through it. Thus there was enough light in the +shed to render a lantern unnecessary. I started back; for, instead of +the party of red-skins I expected to see, my eyes fell on a huge grizzly +bear, who was busily rolling the casks about, in a vain attempt to get +at their contents. + +He was a ferocious-looking monster, gaunt and hairy, and had evidently +been driven out to forage in our camp by the pangs of hunger. When he +saw me he gave forth a fierce growl of defiance, and instead of +decamping, as I expected he would, he made a desperate rush at me. I +stepped back and lifted my axe, intending to make its sharp edge fall +with all my strength on his head; but he was too quick for me, and +seizing my arm, in another instant the savage brute had me fast locked +in his deadly embrace. He would have killed me in an instant, I verily +believe, had I not as he caught me, shoved the head of the axe into his +open mouth, where it served the purpose of a gag, and considerably +incommoded him. It may be supposed that I sung out pretty lustily at +the same time for help. As to doing anything for myself, I found that +was impossible, beyond the holding the axe with all my might in the +bear's mouth. I felt certain that the moment it got out would be my +last. + +"Help! help! Obed, Short! Quick, quick!--a huge grizzly bear has got +me," I shouted. + +The monster seemed to comprehend the meaning of my cries; for he made +off with me through the aperture by which he had entered, carrying me +along as easily as if I was an infant in arms. As he made off through +the window, my companions, whose responding shouts I had just before +heard, made their appearance at the door. It would have been easy for +them to shoot the bear, but in doing so they would very likely have hit +me, so I begged that they would not make the attempt. They therefore +followed the bear and me with their glittering axes in hand. If my +weight did not prove much of a hindrance to him, my axe at all events +did, and they were not long in overtaking us. A bear's winter coat is +almost as impervious as a suit of armour, and for some time, though they +hacked away at him very lustily, their axes had but little effect. At +length, Short, who had his rifle loaded in his hand, and was ever as +cool as a snow-ball, which, I conceive, is cooler than a cucumber, +managed to get ahead of the bearish marauder, and looking him full in +the face, levelled his weapon. + +"Shall I fire, Dick?" he asked. "I know that I can hit him." + +"Yes, yes; fire," I grunted out as well as I could; for the brute, +fearing that he was going to lose me, began to give me some unpleasantly +strong hugs. I was afraid also that should my strength fail me he might +get the axe out of his mouth, when he would soon have made mincemeat of +my nose. + +"I'll hit his right eye, then," cried Short. + +"Fire," I cried. + +There was the crack of his rifle, a loud roar, and I found myself well +bespattered with bear's grease, rolling over and over in the snow, but +at length Bruin turned on his back, opened his claws, and to my great +delight I found myself free. On jumping out of bed I had slipped on my +thick buffalo-skin coat, which fastened round the waist with a thong, +and this had much preserved me, or I should have been mangled terribly. +As it was, I could scarcely rise to get clear of the bear; and if my +friends had not come to my assistance I could not have crawled home. +Bruin was dead and fit for smoking. While Obed helped me along, the +rest dragged him to the camp, where we found all the rest of the men +afoot to ascertain what was the matter. I went to bed feeling very much +bruised and knocked about, but by rubbing myself over plentifully with +grease I was next morning tolerably limp and pliable. After breakfast +we cut up the bear, but as may be supposed, he was in very bad +condition, nearly all sinews and bones, though when in good condition he +could not have weighed less than eight hundred pounds. We, however, +managed to get some ham and a few steaks out of him, and a small supply +of fat, while his skin afforded a very acceptable addition to our bed +coverings. Just as the operation was concluded, Short, who had gone +out, came back, saying that, a little snow having fallen in the first +part of the night, he could make out the bear's trail. + +"If we follow it up, we may come upon Mrs Bear's lodgings, and find +some young ones at home. Who's for the game?" he exclaimed. + +The project suited our tastes, and the young Raggets and I, with two or +three others, declared ourselves ready to set out forthwith. Off we +set, with a little pemmican and bread in our pockets, and our rifles and +long poles in our hands, fully expecting some good sport. Short said +that the she-bears and cubs are supposed to hibernate; but that no doubt +we should be able to poke them out of their holes. We soon left the +plain, when the trail led us up among the rugged defiles of the +mountains. I confess that I could not have distinguished the marks of +the bear's feet in the snow; but Short's more practised eye did so, and +he every now and then pointed them out to me, so that we knew we were on +the right track. + +Our undertaking was a very hazardous one. There is not a more +ferocious, at the same time powerful and cunning monster, among all wild +beasts than the grizzly bear. When he meets a man, he has something to +fight for besides the honour of victory; for he eats him for his dinner +or supper as the case may be. As we advanced we found ourselves in a +scene of almost terrific wildness. Dark rocks rising out of the snow +towered above our heads, so as to completely shut us in, while +mountain-ranges appeared one beyond the other, showing us the elevation +we had attained. The old grizzly had certainly chosen a very +inaccessible post for his domicile. The cold was very intense, though +the exercise we were performing kept our blood in circulation. I own +that I felt very much inclined to turn back, for the hug the old bear +had given me had made my bones ache, and I doubted, as the French say, +"whether the game was worth the candle;" in other words, whether it was +worth while running so great a risk as we were doing, and getting so +cold, and enduring so much fatigue, merely for the sake of killing an +old she-bear. However, I said nothing, as I knew that my companions +would not enter into my views of the matter. On we plunged farther and +farther into the wild recesses of the mountains, till Short made some +remarks which led us to suspect that even he began to doubt whether we +should find the bear after all. + +"Well, Sam, but where's the trail?" asked Obed, looking round. + +"The trail, boy; why, that's just gone and lost itself long ago," +answered Sam, with a quizzical look on his dried-up countenance. + +"If the trail has lost itself, don't let us go and follow its example," +remarked Elihu Ragget, laughing. "However, I vote we sit down and have +some dinner, while we agree what's next to be done." + +His proposal met with universal assent. We accordingly all sat down on +the snow in the most sheltered spot we could find and opened our store +of provisions, but Sam Short very quickly jumped up, and taking his +share in his hand said he would go and explore a little ahead while we +finished our repast. We were none of us sorry to rest; but before we +had quite finished our frugal meal, a loud shout was borne down the glen +to our ears. We had little doubt that it was Sam calling to us. We +seized our rifles, and rushed on. + +We had not gone far before we saw him standing in front of a large rock, +and in the rock there was a cavern, and at the mouth of the cavern there +appeared a huge grizzly she-bear rubbing her eyes, Elihu declared, as if +just awoke out of her winter's sleep. I rather think she was licking +her lips at the thoughts of the repast she was going to make of Sam +Short. She would have found him a tough morsel I suspect. Why she did +not at first rush on and try to gobble up our friend I could not tell, +till Elihu observed that she probably had her cubs inside the cave, and +that she was guarding them. Our appearance, however, instead of +daunting her increased her rage, and with a savage roar she began to +waddle towards Short. He retreated slowly. We sang out to him to give +him confidence. He had before not thought it prudent to fire, lest, as +was very likely, his shots should not kill the bear; but when he heard +our voices, he lifted his rifle and fired. I thought that the ball had +gone through her head; but I suppose that it did not, because on she +came at poor Sam faster than ever. + +Near the cavern was a precipice, with a glen or gully below it. The +precipice did not go sheer down, but there were several ledges on the +way covered with snow, while the bottom of the glen was filled with +snow, how deep it would have been difficult to ascertain. As we drew +nearer we discovered, to our dismay, that this glen ran up between where +we then stood and the cavern, to get to which Short had made a +considerable circuit, though his keen eye had detected it from the hill +on which we were. How to render him the most effectual assistance was +now the difficulty. While some ran round, Obed and I went to the edge +of the glen to fire across it at the bear. As the bear advanced, Short +sprang back and seized the barrel of his rifle to use it as a club. A +walking-cane would have been of about as much use to him. Still he +wielded it gallantly, and gave the bear an ugly knock on the nose. This +naturally enraged Mrs Bruin, and grasping the fire-arm she pressed on. +Poor Sam! One of three dreadful deaths seemed prepared for him, either +to be torn by the bear or to be dashed to pieces down the precipice, +with the very great chance of being shot by us, his friends, should we +attempt to fire at the bear. He dared not look back to see where he was +going, lest the bear should seize him. He felt his left foot over the +edge of the precipice. + +"Fire, fire," he shouted, dropping on his knees almost under the bear. +Mrs Bruin had sense enough to know that the consequence of a fall to +her would be very unpleasant, and she was as unwilling as Sam to fall +into the ravine. She therefore instinctively drew back. That instant +one ball entered her head, and another her shoulder. The former from my +rifle staggered her. It prevented her from seizing Short with her +teeth; but what was our terror to see the snow give way under our +companion's feet, and to all appearance inevitable destruction awaiting +him. He struggled violently to save himself, and just as the greater +part of his body was over he caught hold of one of the hind paws of the +bear, who had fallen on her back, and lay kicking furiously in an +attempt to rise. Sam, however, held on with all his might. It seemed +his only chance of safety. I was afraid lest the bear in her struggles +should slip over also. + +Neither Obed nor I had been idle while watching the scene. We both +loaded our rifles, and now stood ready once more to fire. By moving a +little on one side, we saw that we could get a good shot at her without +hitting Short. Not a moment was to be lost. Running on I fired, Obed +followed my example. The bear's struggles grew less violent, and Sam +began to try and haul himself up by her leg. It was a dangerous +proceeding; there being an inclined plane at the edge, his weight +appeared to move the body of the bear on. She could not rise, but she +turned round and dug her sharp claws into the snow to save herself. +Now, instead of wishing her to die, we were anxious that she might +survive till the rest of the party could get up to her. Her growls +became more and more feeble. She could scarcely hold on another minute. +Poor Sam! We trembled for his fate. We shouted to the rest of the +party to hasten on. They had had a difficult place to cross in single +file at the head of the gully. Now they came on, hurrying over the +snow. The bear gave two or three convulsive struggles. I wished that I +could have leaped across the chasm to poor Sam's help. I thought that +the bear was slipping down again. If she had got any way on her, as +sailors say, it was evident that the united strength of the party could +not stop her. They sprang on, and just as I felt sure the bear would +have slipped over the precipice, they seized her by the fore-paws. She +was not dead, however, for in return for the act of kindness she made +some desperate attempts to bite them. + +"Haul away, haul away," sang out Sam, and they did haul with all their +might. Though they could not move the bear, they prevented her from +slipping down. She gave several severe kicks with her hind foot. Sam +clung on to it, and by the most violent efforts managed to drag himself +up by her shaggy coat till two of the party caught hold of his collar +and hauled away till they got him up from the edge and placed him in +rather a safer position, but still not one free from danger. For the +first time for some minutes I breathed freely, and as we could do no +more where we were, Obed and I hurried round to help the rest. When we +arrived the bear had received her quietus, but it was astonishing how +many shot and what terrific blows she had received before she was +killed. We were congratulating ourselves on the additional supply of +hams and steaks she would afford us when a crack appeared in the snow +just below our feet, and to our horror we found that the whole mass, +carrying us and the carcase of the bear with it, was slipping off over +the precipice. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +WE FEEL AS IF WE WERE GOING OVER THE FALLS OF NIAGARA--SMOTHERED BY +SNOW--WE APPEAR BY DEGREES--OBED MISSING--WE GIVE HIM A WARM BATH INSIDE +THE BEAR--OUR DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT--HOW TO GET OUT OF THE RAVINE--SAM +APPEARS ABOVE US--WE CLIMB OUT WITH NO LITTLE DIFFICULTY--THE BEAR'S +CAVE--HAVING HAD ENOUGH BEAR-HUNTING WE RETURN HOME--FIND A NATIVE +VISITOR, WHO INFORMS US THAT WE MAY EXPECT SOON AN ATTACK FROM AN +OVERWHELMING FORCE OF RED-SKINS. + +We were all standing round the carcase of the huge she-bear, when it and +the surrounding mass of snow began perceptibly to glide onwards over the +edge of the terrific precipice. I have seen a poor fellow sitting in a +boat, utterly beyond his control, gliding rapidly down the rapids +towards the falls of Niagara. Quicker and quicker it has moved, till, +reaching the edge, it has seemed to hover for a moment, as if unwilling +to make the fatal plunge, and then over it has leaped with the rapidity +of lightning, and it and its hapless occupant have been for ever hid +from human sight. I felt at the moment very much the same sort of +sensations which I can fancy the occupant of the boat must have +experienced, as the mass of snow, increasing in speed, rapidly neared +the precipice. From where I was, I had not the slightest power to leap +off it. I fancied that all my companions were in a similar condition. + +There is an eastern story, in which a man puts his head into a basin of +water, and during the few seconds he holds it there, he finds that he +has gone through the adventures of a lifetime. I do not think that many +seconds could have passed from the moment that the snow began to move, +till Short and I, and the rest, found ourselves, with the body of the +bear, rolling over and over, and bounding from rock to rock, amid +confusing heaps of snow, down into the bottom of the glen. How I am +alive to tell the tale I do not know, and that fact makes people listen +to me with no small amount of incredulity. I was more blinded, stunned, +and confused than I had ever been in my life before, and each bound I +made I thought would knock the breath out of me; but as for reaching the +bottom, I never expected to do that--at all events alive. Now I got a +kick from one of my companions in misfortune; now I was knocked against +the hairy carcase of the bear; now I was almost suffocated with the +overwhelming masses of snow which were showered around me. One thing I +own--I did not just then think much about anybody else; I could not help +anybody, and I knew that no mortal could help me. Down I went, as I was +saying, bounding away, snow above, below, and round me. At last I was +quiet. I opened my eyes--I was under the snow--I felt a suffocating +sensation. + +"After having got thus far without broken limbs, it won't do to have the +breath squeezed out of my body for want of exertion," said I to myself, +working away with arms and shoulders, till, as a chicken cracks the +shell of its egg, I broke through the covering of snow which was above +me, and once more I popped my head into daylight. I was in the midst of +a sea of snow, the hind paw of the big bear was close to me, so I hoped +that friend Short was not far-off, while I could make out several of my +other companions struggling up through the snow around us. High above +us towered the cliffs, and it seemed indeed wonderful that any of us +could come down such a height alive. + +There is a Greek fable I remember reading as a boy at school, of the +ground being sown with teeth, and out of it coming armed men. I cannot +help thinking that we must have looked very much like those ready-made +heroes, as I and my companions struggled up out of the snow. Elihu +Ragget was the first who joined me. Sam Short did not appear; I told +Elihu that I thought he must be near--probably under the bear, and that +if not released, he would certainly be smothered. So, without a word we +set to work with our hands, shovelling out the snow as well as we could. +We thought, as we worked away, that we heard a groan. This made us +redouble our exertions to release our friend. We had not been a minute +at work, when a shout reached our ears, and on our looking up, there +appeared the very man we were in search of, standing on a ledge of +rocks, high above our heads. He seemed unhurt, and he was shouting to +us to ask how we were. We thought, therefore, that we must have been +mistaken as to the groan, when some one asked, "Where is Obed Ragget?" + +"Oh, lads, help me!" cried Elihu; the thought that his young brother lay +buried beneath our feet, and that he had not missed him, striking him +with shame. + +"Ay, ay," was the answer, as we all set to with even more energy than +before. We dug and dug away round the bear, till at length a man's leg +appeared, and then his body, and in a few seconds the snow was cleared +away, and my friend Obed Ragget was drawn up out of the snow. But we +gazed at him with sorrow, for not a spark of life appeared in him. The +rest were going to give him up as dead, but I entreated them not to +despair. I examined him, and found that, as far as I could judge, there +was not a bone broken, and when I put my mouth down to his, I felt sure +that he still breathed. + +"What he wants is warmth," said I, just then recollecting that the body +of the bear would still afford it. No sooner thought of than done. It +was a desperate, and not altogether a pleasant remedy. We cut a huge +slit in the body of the bear, and stripping off Obed's outer garments, +we clapped him in, keeping only his head outside, while all of us stood +round to assist in giving him warmth. We watched anxiously for the +result. First one eye opened, then another; then he sighed heavily; and +at last he sang out, and asked where he was. In a little time he +laughed quietly. + +"Don't call me a cub," said he, "that's all; I think that I am +wonderfully better. I am much obliged to you and the bear, but now I +would just as soon come out into the world again." + +After this we had no longer any anxiety about him, and certainly our +remedy had a very wonderful effect in restoring him to animation. Now +came our difficulty as to how to get out of the gully into which we had +fallen. There was an outlet, but the way to it was evidently almost +impracticable, and where it might lead we could not tell. Besides this, +there was Sam Short, perched like an eagle above our heads; only Sam, +not having wings like an eagle, could not get down to us, nor, as far as +we could see, could we get up to the top of the cliff above him. We +shouted, but we could not make each other hear. + +"If the big bear was up at the top, we should not be long before we +would be up to him," observed Obed; "Sam would soon cut her hide up into +strips and haul us up." + +We looked about; as to climbing up, that was out of the question. For +fifty feet above our heads there was a perpendicular wall of rock. +Above that there were numerous ledges or platforms, and the cliff seemed +comparatively easy to climb. While we were looking about and discussing +the matter, we saw Sam attempting to climb up the cliff. After many +attempts he succeeded in reaching the top, and disappeared from our +sight. He was absent for some time, and when he was again seen, he had +a coil of something or other, we could not exactly make out what, round +his neck. We now saw him, after carefully examining the cliff below +him, begin to descend. We watched him anxiously, for our very existence +depended on his success. He reached at last the place where he had +before stood, then he cautiously commenced descending still lower. + +"What donkeys we have been!" suddenly exclaimed Elihu; "the coil of +stuff he has got won't drag any of us up, we must make a rope for +ourselves." + +We quickly had our knives going, and soon had Bruin completely flayed, +and his hide cut up into short strips joined together. All the time we +were at work, we every now and then looked up to see how Sam was getting +on. The fear was that he might slip on the frozen rock, and come +toppling down unable to save himself. Just as we had finished our rope, +a shout from him proclaimed to us that he had reached the lowest ledge +he could hope to gain. Without a moment's delay he began to unwind his +line. It was a very thin one, and had numerous knots and joints in it. +As we watched it, we were in doubt whether the end would reach us; it +just came down above our heads. By leaping up we could touch it; but as +to making a rope fast to the end, that was out of the question. Sam +soon discovered our difficulty. The rope was drawn up a little, and +then down it came, so that we could make fast to it the end of our newly +formed bear's-skin rope. "Haul away!" we sang out, and up it went. + +There was a doubt, however, whether that would be long enough. We +watched it anxiously as it drew near the end, and then up, up, up it +went, far beyond our reach. We went back and shouted to Sam. What he +said in return, we could not make out. Here was a bitter disappointment +indeed. Our labour had been fruitless; our hope of escape well-nigh +vanished. Presently we saw the end of the rope descending till it came +easily within our reach. Short, directly afterwards, appeared at the +edge of the cliff. + +"What will you do? Shall I haul you up, or will you climb up?" he +asked. + +We were unanimously of opinion, that it would be safer to climb up, as +we might help ourselves a little by placing our feet on the inequalities +in the side of the cliff, and there would be less chance of the rope +chafing and breaking. We drew lots who should go up first. The lot +fell on Obed. + +"Stand from under if I come down," he said, laughing, and seizing the +rope. + +Up he began to mount. He was very active and muscular in proportion to +his weight. Still it was no light undertaking to have to ascend such a +height. For his sake, as well as our own, we watched him with intense +anxiety. Up, up he went. Now he swung off from the cliff, now his feet +were planted on a ledge of rock, and he stood there to rest. Then again +on he went. The fresh hide stretched fearfully, and it seemed as if to +a certainty it would give way. There was no turning back, however. Now +he came to a part of the cliff where he had to trust entirely to the +rope. With hands, and knees, and feet, he worked away. None but a +seaman or a backwoodsman could have accomplished the undertaking so +rapidly, if at all. He was almost at the top. Sam reached over to help +him. We held our breath. Now seemed the critical moment. How was he +to scramble up over the edge of the cliff, exhausted as he must be with +his exertions? Sam seized him by the collar and throwing himself back, +dragged him up by main force. Now we all uttered a loud shout of +congratulation, for thus far Obed was safe. Three or four of the other +men followed. The last, having more friends to help them over the edge +of the cliff, found it easier than Obed had done. + +My turn came at last. Only Elihu and another man had to follow. My +arms ached as I got half-way up, and the sickening idea came over me +that the bear's hide was chafed, and would break with me just as I got +up to the most critical part. I rested for a moment on the last spot +which afforded space for my feet, and then swung off into mid-air. I +now knew the sensations which my companions must have experienced. They +were very like those which one has occasionally in a nightmare sort of +dream; to feel that one ought to be climbing up, and yet scarcely to +have strength to lift one's arms. It must be remembered that we were +all clad to keep out extreme cold, and that a buffalo coat is a pretty +heavy weight to have on one's shoulders even under ordinary +circumstances. My great consolation was, that the snow was pretty soft, +and that if I did fall, I might possibly, having once taken the tumble, +escape without breaking my neck. + +To make a long story short, I did reach the ledge at last, and so did +the rest of my companions; and then we hauled up the bear's hide, and +commenced our still more perilous ascent to the top of the cliff. By +the bye, Elihu and the other man had bethought them that we might be +hungry after our exertions, and had brought up a supply of bear steaks, +which added not a little to their weight. I doubt if one man alone +could have succeeded in scaling that height, for it must be remembered +that Sam Short had only gone up the higher part. Still, with a number +together, all heartily assisting each other, we found the task +comparatively easy. When we came to a difficult place, we shoved the +lighter ones up first, and then they let down a rope, and the rest +hauled themselves up by it. + +At length we all stood on the top of the cliff, not far from the bear's +cave, and when we looked down into the valley we were indeed surprised +that we had escaped with our lives, and I hope that we all felt truly +thankful for our preservation. Short now told us that he had, when he +had before gone up to the top, caught and killed one of the young bears, +and had cut up its hide to make a line, but that one or more still +remained. I had a great fancy for a young bear, so Obed and I resolved +to try and capture one. Accordingly, while the rest of the party were +cutting some wood to light a fire for the sake of cooking the bear +steaks, Obed and I started away with part of our rope towards the cave. + +"I suppose there are no more big bears inside there," said Obed; "they +are mighty ugly customers to beard anywhere, but especially in their own +den." + +"No fear," I answered; "if one had been in there, he would have appeared +long ago. We shall only find a cub or two, and there will not be much +difficulty in capturing them." I ought to have said that most of the +party had recovered their fire-arms. Obed and I had left our rifles far +back, away from the snow which had slipped with us over the cliff, so +that we had them now uninjured. The cave was large, and for some +distance there was light enough to enable us to see our way, but it at +length became so dark, that we could not see ahead. All we could do was +therefore to feel our way with our rifles. + +"I think we must be near the end," said I at last. We had a tinder-box: +Obed struck a light. The blue glare of the match showed us two hairy +bundles rolled up near the the wall of the cave. While he lighted +another match, I rushed up to one of the bundles, which I found, by +receiving a sharp bite, was a little bear. I soon, however, had the +young gentleman's fore-paws bound tightly together, and was dragging him +out towards the mouth of the cave. Obed seized the other, while the +match was still burning on the ground, and we thus had them both +captives. We brought them in triumph to our friends, who were feasting +on their mother. We did not offer them any of the poor brute, and I +dare say they thought us very greedy for not doing so, not probably +entering into our delicate feelings on the subject. + +Having refreshed ourselves, all hands agreeing that we had had quite +enough bear-hunting for the day, we set off on our return to camp. We +had no little difficulty in getting our young bears to move along. Poor +little things! they did not like the cold, and of course missed their +mother. Still, by dint of poking and pulling, we made them keep up with +the rest of the party. Now the excitement was over, I must say that I +never felt so tired in my life. Still I would not relinquish my +captive. Indeed it would have been barbarous for us to have done so, as +it would have died of cold and starvation. At last, at nightfall, we +did get in. We found all the camp in a great state of agitation, very +much on our account, and not a little on their own. When we inquired +what was the matter, they took us into the general sitting-room, and +pointed to an Indian, habited in the full-dress warrior costume of +winter, who was squatting down before the fire. He looked pleased when +he saw us, and counted our numbers. "Good!" he exclaimed, in the +deep-toned voice of his people. "Now fight well; drive away bad man." +The English vocabulary of our guest was very small, and no one in the +camp had been able to comprehend exactly the information he came to +give, except that an attack might be expected, at some time or other, +from a large tribe or tribes, hostile to the white man. Short, however, +who understood several of the Indian dialects, now came in to act as +interpreter. The information he elicited was still more alarming. It +was to the effect that before long we might expect to be attacked by +overwhelming numbers of red-skin warriors, from whom, if they took us by +surprise, we should have very little chance of escaping. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +SHORT AND NOGGIN ACT AS INTERPRETERS--WE PREPARE TO MOVE ONWARD--THE +WHITE DOG--WE GUARD AGAINST SURPRISE--I GO OUT AS A SCOUT--PURSUED BY +RED-SKINS--RETURN TO THE CAMP--MORE VISITORS--WE SUSPECT TREACHERY-- +WHITE DOG WARNS US THAT THEY ARE ENEMIES--WE PREPARE FOR A START WHILE +NOGGIN HOLDS A PALAVER WITH THE INDIANS--THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER-- +THEIR CHIEF'S TREACHEROUS ATTEMPT TO KILL LABAN, BUT GETS KILLED +HIMSELF--WE SEIZE THE REST--NOGGIN'S REGRET THAT WE DO NOT KILL THEM--WE +START ON OUR JOURNEY--WHITE DOG ACCOMPANIES US--WE PUSH ON--OUR FIRST +ENCAMPMENT--A FRESH ALARM. + +The report brought by the Indian warrior of the intended attack of the +red-skins on our camp soon collected all the party together in the +common hail. Our men had pretty well strung nerves, and the women, old +and young, were in no ways given to fainting; so, although the latter +listened with the greatest attention, and the former spoke gravely and +deliberately, there was not much excitement, and no great amount of +anxiety perceptible on their countenances. Our feather-bedecked, +skin-clothed visitor was not much addicted to giving forth long-winded +speeches as are some of his countrymen. Short and Noggin were his chief +interrogators, as they understood his dialect, and they translated his +answers for the benefit of those who did not. He was asked how it was +he became acquainted with the information he had brought us. + +"Can you say, O white-skins, how the blossoms come on the trees? how the +mist fills the air? how the snow melts on the ground?" was his reply. +"I heard it; I speak the truth; enough." + +"But when, friend, are they coming?" asked Short. + +"Can you say when the thunderbolt will fall? when the tempest is about +to burst? where the prairie-fire will break forth?" he replied. + +Short and Noggin seemed perfectly satisfied with his answers. But that +was more than I felt, when he replied to the questions put him as to +their numbers. + +"Can you count the flakes which fall in early winter? do you know the +number of the stars in the blue canopy above our heads? can you reckon +the buffaloes as they scamper across the plains in a stampedo?" + +Noggin on this got up, and bowing to the old chief who was squatting on +his hams by his side, in a most polite way, observed--"All this +rigmarole, which this old red-skin here has been telling to us, comes to +this, as far as I can make out. He has heard the plot of those +thieving, varmint red-skins through his wife, or some friend or other. +When they will come he does not exactly know, but it will be about the +time that the snow begins to melt, and travelling is pretty heavy work, +and then they'll come down upon us in no small numbers, enough, I guess, +to make us look pretty foolish if we don't keep our powder dry, and our +eyes wide awake around us. The question now is, shall we stay here and +fight the varmints, or shall we strike tents, and push away over the +mountains?" + +Various opinions were given on this point. If we remained where we were +the red-skins would attack us, and though we might beat them off, they +would probably surround us, and come again and again till they starved +us out, or compelled us to retreat at a disadvantage. The moving our +provisions and baggage was our great difficulty. Still, the general +opinion was, that it would be better to move on at once. Laban Ragget +at last stood up, and gave the casting vote. + +"You see, friends," said he, "where there's a will there's a way. +That's been my notion through life. Where I've had the will to do, mind +you, what ought to be done, I've never failed to find the way. I've +fought the red-skins often, and I'd fight them again, if need be, with +pleasure; but I don't want to expose the women and children to the +chances of a battle with them; and so I say we'll move on. We'll put +runners to the wagons, and make snowshoes for ourselves, and by +to-morrow evening we'll be ready for a start. Then we'll lie down and +rest, and by early dawn we'll be on foot and away. Meantime, some of +the young men will keep a lookout round the camp, to watch that we are +not taken by surprise." + +I give Laban's speech entire, because his proposals were carried out to +the letter. All agreed and, literally, I do not believe that a minute +had passed before everybody was busily engaged in preparing for our +departure. Some were making snow-shoes; others runners for the sleighs; +others packing our goods and provisions in small, light parcels easily +carried; the women were as active as the men, and several were cooking +and preparing the flesh of the bear we had killed the night before, by +making it into pemmican. Mrs Noggin was very useful in making +show-shoes, and so was the old Indian. His name, by the bye, was +Wabassem-mung, or the White Dog, and to prove his title to the name, he +would set up a barking, which no one could have supposed was from the +voice of a human being. He had only about twenty followers, all the +rest of his tribe having been treacherously murdered by the Flintheads, +against whom he had now come to warn us. He wore a white mantle, as +appropriate to his name, or, probably, he obtained his name from his +fancy for wearing a white mantle; at least, one that was white by +courtesy, for it had become so smoke-dried and stained, that its +original purity was considerably damaged. Our venerable friend assured +us that there was no chance of the Flintheads attacking us that night, +and that we might, therefore, sleep in peace, because his own people +were on the watch, and would give us timely notice. This was +satisfactory, for, after our bear-hunting expedition, I, for one, was +very glad to get some rest. Few people have ever slept sounder than I +did on that night for a few hours, notwithstanding all the bustle and +noise going on in the camp. + +By the evening, as Laban had promised, everything was ready for our +departure. This night it was judged prudent that scouts should be sent +out to watch for an enemy, and Obed, Elihu, Sam, Noggin, and I, with a +few others, were appointed to that duty by Laban. He had been chosen +leader and dictator, and we were all bound implicitly to obey him. We +scouts, with our rifles in hand, started away together, two and two. +Obed was with me. With the snow on the ground, and a clear sky in those +regions, it is never dark, and our difficulty, as we advanced, was to +conceal ourselves from any lurking foe. Still we worked our way on, +taking advantage of every mound, or the tops of trees, or bushes +appearing above the white smooth plain. It had been agreed that, as +soon as we should see an enemy, we were to retreat at full speed to the +camp. If we were discovered, we were to fire off our rifles as a +warning to our friends, but if not, we were to reserve our bullets for +the bodies of our foes. We each had on tight snow-shoes, with which we +could walk well enough, but running with such machines is altogether a +very different affair to running in a thin pair of pumps. Having +proceeded about, as we judged, three miles from the camp, we began to +circle round it, for it was just as likely that the cunning redskins +would approach from the east or south, as from the north. They, wiser +than white men, never commit the fault of despising their enemies, but +take every advantage which stratagem or treachery can afford them to +gain their ends. + +Obed and I began to think at last that it must be near dawn, and turned +our eyes eastward, in the expectation of seeing the pale red and yellow +streaks which usher in the rich glow, the harbinger of the rising sun. +That was my idea, not friend Obed's. He remarked, "Daylight will soon +be on, I guess, and it is time we were back at camp to get some +breakfast, before we begin our trudge over the mountains, for I'm mighty +hungry, I calkilate; ain't you, Dick?" + +I agreed with him; but just before we turned our faces campward, I +climbed up the south side of a rocky mound, above which I allowed only +my head to appear, that I might take a leisurely survey of the country +beyond where we then were. Obed followed my example. We gazed through +the shades of night for some time. + +"I'm main hungry, Dick," said Obed, "let us be going." + +Still something kept me there. Just as I was getting up, I thought I +saw some dark shadows moving along over the white sheet of snow. + +"Look, Obed," said I, "what are those out there?" + +His eyes were even sharper generally than mine. + +"Indjens, red-skins," whispered Obed. "It's time that we cut. They are +not far-off." + +We first, before moving, satisfied ourselves that we were not mistaken; +there were a dozen or more people, probably the advance guard. We then +slipped down from our height, and began striding towards the camp as +fast as our legs and snowshoes would carry us. It was a satisfaction to +feel that there was a high mound between us and the Indians, or our +scalps would not have felt comfortable on our heads. We did not turn +our eyes to the right hand or the left, but looked straight on, keeping +our legs going with a curious movement, between sliding and running, and +skating and kicking. It was fatiguing, but we got on rapidly, and we +had an idea that our enemies were not advancing nearly so fast. It was +a race for life or death. Strange to say, I rather liked the +excitement. + +I always prefer having an object when I walk; now I had got one. We +knew that if the Indians crossed our trail, they would instantly find us +out and give chase, but then it was a satisfaction to know that they +could not go faster than we were going. We had got almost within sight +of the camp, when we heard a shout from behind us. I was unwilling to +stop to look back, but if I did not stop, and attempted to look over my +shoulder, I should very likely, I knew, topple down on my head. On we +went again. There was another shout. We could just see the tops of the +huts. I turned my head round, and there I saw a dozen or more red-skin +warriors scampering like mad creatures over the snow, and flourishing +their tomahawks. Fast as we were going, they were going faster. Still +we might reach the camp before them, but it was necessary to warn our +friends. As I ran, I unslung my rifle, not to fire at them, for that +would have been useless, but to discharge it in the air as a signal. I +did so, but by some means, by this act, I lost my balance, and toppling +over, down I came at full length. I tried to rise, but that on soft +snow is no easy matter to do at the speed circumstances demanded; and +then, what was my horror to find that I had broken one of my snow-shoes! +I gave myself up for lost, and entreated Obed to fly and save his life. + +"Fly, Dick!" he exclaimed indignantly; "that ain't the way of the +Raggets, boy. No; if the redskins want your scalp, they must have mine +first, and I'll have a fight for both of them, depend on't." + +While he was saying this, he was helping me to rise, and as one +snow-shoe would be worse than useless, I cast them both off, and then +did what was the next best thing, loaded my rifle; and turning our faces +to our approaching foes, we stood ready to receive them. When they saw +us stop, they came on more leisurely. As they got nearer, I counted +about a dozen of them only. On this my heart began to beat more +regularly. + +"I say, Dick, my scalp sits pleasanter, like, on my head," observed +Obed. + +In a short time the Indians got near enough to us to hail. "What are +they saying?" I asked of Obed. + +"Why, Dick, as far as I can make out, that they are friends," he +answered; "but, you know, these red-skin varmints are so treacherous, +that we mustn't trust them on no account. They may be old White Dog's +friends, or they may be some of the Flintheads. If they are the last, +they'll scalp us in another minute, or maybe they'll try and get into +the camp, and then play us some scurvy trick." + +These surmises were not pleasant. Still, we could not hope to cope with +twelve well-armed Indians, with any chance of success, and we must +therefore, we saw, attempt only pacific measures. In another minute +they were up with us. They held out their hands in a friendly manner, +and we observed that their general appearance was very similar to that +of old White Dog. In a friendly manner, therefore, we proceeded towards +the camp. When we got near, we made signs that we would go and prepare +our friends for their reception. They made no objection to this, but, +letting us go, squatted down on the snow about two hundred yards from +the camp. Immediately we got in, we told Noggin, who interpreted our +report to White Dog. + +"Tell him not to show himself," said Laban. + +The old chief was, however, far too wide awake to do that. Covering +himself up with one of our cloaks, so that even the sharp eyes of an +Indian could not discover him, he crept to the north of the hut, and +looked through the stockade. Noggin accompanied him. + +"Flintheads," whispered Noggin. "He says they are not his people. They +are up to some deep treachery. They, of course, don't know that old +White Dog is here, and that we are warned of their intentions. What is +to be done? I wish Short and the rest were here." + +Laban, after Noggin had spoken, stood for a minute or two in an attitude +of reflection. I believe that if a great gun had been let off at his +ear he would not have heard it just then. At length he said--"Wait till +they come, and then we will let the red-skins enter the encampment. As +they do so we must seize every mother's son of them, and bind them all +to the posts of the huts. We won't brain them, as they would have +brained us, and maybe the lesson we thus give them will teach them that +the religion of the white-faces is better than that of the red-skins." + +We eagerly looked out for the return of the other scouts, for we were +afraid that they might have been picked off by some prowling bands of +Flintheads. Soon after daylight, however, they came in, without having +seen any one. Our arrangements were speedily made. The women were to +keep out of the way, and to pretend to be nursing the children. As we +far outnumbered the Indians, two of us were told off to take charge of +one of them, the rest were to act as a party of reserve to seize any who +might escape. The instant they entered the camp they were to be seized, +as, seeing us prepared to move, of course their suspicions would be +aroused. Noggin, who best knew their ways, undertook to tell them that +they might come in. + +"The varmints, knowing their own treacherous ways, are so suspicious, +that if we show that we are too willing to let them come, they'll fancy +that we've some plot in hand, and will be off to their friends." + +The gate of our stockade being opened, Noggin carelessly sauntered out +and squatted himself down before the Indians, as if prepared for a +regular palaver. Not to lose time, the rest of us got our breakfasts, +harnessed the horses, and prepared for an immediate start. I must say I +never bolted my food at such a rate as I did that morning. At last +Noggin got up, and he and the Indians came towards the stockade. My +heart beat in a curious way. We watched Noggin. He looked glum, and +made no signal that we were to alter our tactics. The Indians all +trooped in one after the other, looking sedate and quiet enough, but +their dark eyes rolled furtively about, and there was a scowl on their +brows, which showed that they were not altogether at their ease. + +We waited for Laban to give the expected signal. It was to be the +instant the chief of the party reached him and held out his hand, as we +knew he would. Slowly, a tall athletic warrior, with a very malignant +countenance, however, advanced, casting his suspicious glances on every +side, till he was close up to Laban. Obed and I were to seize the same +man, but I could not help following the leader, and I felt sure that his +hand was stealing down towards his tomahawk. Laban must have thought so +too. In an instant the tall warrior's weapon was in his hand, and was +descending on Laban's head, when a shot from behind a hut struck him on +the forehead, and he fell forward dead at our friend's feet. At the +same moment we all threw ourselves on his followers; but many of us +received some severe cuts in our attempts to secure them, for all of +them, prompted by the same feeling, had grasped their axes, with the +intention of fighting their way again out of the camp. We had a severe +struggle with them before we had them all secured; scowling and +vindictive glances enough they cast on us when we had them fast. Old +White Dog had, we found, saved the life of Laban Ragget by taking that +of the chief. Never had a more treacherous plot to murder a whole party +been more mercifully counteracted. Still neither the Raggets nor I +would consent to kill our captives. Our proposal was simply to deprive +them of their arms, and having fed them, to leave them bound, knowing +that the rest of the tribe would, before long, visit the spot and +release them. This plan, however did not at all suit old White Dog's or +Noggin's notions on the matter. + +"The treacherous red-skin varmints! you don't suppose they'll thank you +for letting 'em live?" exclaimed the latter. "They will be after us, +and follow us up like bloodhounds the moment they are free, that they +will." + +"Never mind, friend Noggin," replied Laban calmly. "Right is right all +the world over. It would be wrong to kill a prisoner, do you see, and +so I guess it's right to let these people live. I'll stand the +consequences, come what may." + +Noggin said no more; and now everybody was busily engaged in preparing +to start. The sleighs were loaded, the horses were put to, and in a +long line we filed out of the fort. All the women walked, and carried +the children; there were not many of the latter, for it was a rough life +we were leading at the bush, and not fitted for such delicate beings. +Many of the men also had to drag hand sleighs, and, as it was, they were +obliged to leave behind them some of the heavier baggage. Old White Dog +volunteered to accompany us. He had been looking for the arrival of the +small remnant of his tribe, and as they had not appeared he began to +fear that they had fallen into the hands of their enemies. When all the +party had gone out, and proceeded some hundred yards, Obed and I went +back, by the directions of Laban, and put some food within reach of our +captives' mouths. + +"They won't take a very pleasant meal, but they won't starve," observed +Obed, as we left them. + +Laban, meantime, had undertaken to watch the old Indian and Noggin, whom +he suspected of an intention of going back and scalping our captives. +We, however, watched them so narrowly that they could not accomplish +their object. We now pushed on as rapidly as we could towards the +mountains, as it was most important that we should gain a secure +position at a considerable height before night. At first, where the +snow was beaten down, we went on merrily enough, but when the ascent of +the mountain really began, it was very heavy work for man and beast. +Our horses were not in good condition, as they had had nothing but dry +prairie grass and very little corn all the winter, but they were very +little animals, all bone and muscle, and had no weight of their own to +carry, at all events. + +As we proceeded, we kept a very bright lookout behind us, both to the +north and south, to ascertain that we were not pursued. + +At length we entered the pass in the mountains for which we had been +making, and here our difficulties began. High black cliffs towered +above our heads on each side to the height of many hundred feet, while +before us were masses of the wildest and most rugged mountains, over and +between which lay the path we had to pursue. Short, who had crossed the +mountains at this place two or three times, acted as our guide. +Frequently one party had to go ahead with spades and clear the way, and +we had also often to take out the horses, and drag on one sleigh, and +then come back and get the next. We had reason to be thankful that on +this occasion we had no enemy to molest us. Old White Dog was very much +astonished to see the men work as we did, and hinted that if he had the +direction of affairs, he should make the women labour as those of his +people are compelled to do, while he sat still in dignified idleness. +He did not gain many friends by his remarks, among the gentler sex of +our party. A sheltered platform, surrounded by rocks on the mountain +side, had been described by Short, and fixed on for our resting-place. + +Up, up, up, we worked our way. At last we reached it, pretty well +worn-out. I never felt my legs ache so much before. It had not a very +inviting aspect when we were there. It had, however, a great advantage, +as from its position it might easily be defended, should we be pursued +and attacked by the Flintheads. Having driven our sleighs on to it, we +set about the business of encamping. As usual, we placed the sleighs in +a circle, so as to form a breastwork, with the cattle inside it. The +side of the mountain was covered with pine trees. We cut down a number +of these, at least, so much of them as appeared above the snow, and +having beaten hard a large circle in the centre of the camp, by walking +over it with our snow-shoes, we placed them side by side so as to form a +large platform. On this we piled up all the branches and logs we could +collect dry and green, and set the mass on fire. The platform, it will +be understood, served as our hearthstone, and kept the burning embers +off the snow. Otherwise, they would quickly have burned out a cavern, +into which they would have sunk and disappeared. We required, as may be +supposed, a large fire for so numerous a party, and it was a curious +sight to watch the different countenances of the travellers, as we sat +round it eagerly discussing our evening meal. We did not neglect the +usual precautions to prevent a surprise, and two of the young men at a +time took post as sentinels a little way down the mountain, to give +timely notice of the approach of a foe. After supper, all the party +sang a hymn, led by Laban Ragget, and very sweet and solemn were the +notes as they burst through the night air, and echoed among those rocks, +never before, too probably, awakened to sounds of praise and +thanksgiving. + +"It's an old custom of mine," said Laban to me, "when I cannot expound +to my family, or hold forth in prayer as usual. If, Dick, we didn't +keep up our religious customs very strictly in the back settlements, we +should soon, as many do, become no better than heathens." + +As I had been on my legs for the best part of the last two days and +nights, I was excused doing sentry's duty, and no sooner had I wrapped +myself in my buffalo robe, with my feet towards the fire, and my head on +a pine log, which served me as a pillow, than I was fast asleep. How +long I had slept I could not tell, (it was, I afterwards found, some +hours), when I was awoke by the most unearthly shrieks and cries, which +seemed to come directly from under the very spot on which I lay. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +A SUDDEN ALARM--WHITE DOG NEARLY ROASTED--CONTINUE OUR MARCH--MY YOUNG +FRIENDS GOG AND MAGOG--DISAPPEARANCE OF SHORT AND OBED--I DESCEND TO +SEARCH FOR THEM--A MAGNIFICENT ICE CAVERN--CROSS A FROZEN LAKE--INDIANS +AHEAD--FRIENDS--A SCENE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS--CAMP, AND FORTIFY +OURSELVES--APPROACH OF FLINTHEADS--DESPERATE CONFLICT--AN AVALANCHE +COMES THUNDERING DOWN ON US. + +I was describing how I was fast asleep in our first night's encampment +on our winter's journey across the Rocky mountains, when I was awoke by +the most terrific cries, whence proceeding I could not tell. I thought +a whole host of the Flintheads were upon us, and, seizing my rifle, +sprang to my feet. When I was really awake, however, I found that the +sounds came from under the platform, and a large hole near me soon +showed what had happened. I had left our friendly old chief, +Wabassem-Mung, or the White dog, fast asleep there. He had selected it +from being the warmest place and nearest the fire. The consequence was +that the snow had there melted more rapidly, and a deep chasm of seven +or eight feet having been formed, he had glided into it, and only awoke +when he found the hot ashes coming showering down on his head and +burning the tip of his long nose. For once, in his astonishment and +fright, he forgot his dignity, and shrieked out as heartily as any +paleface. Laban and I and Short, who were nearest, stooping down, soon +dragged him out of his uncomfortable position, and except that his nose +was a little burned, and his feathers were singed, and his cloak was a +hue or two darker, he was not much the worse for his adventure. He took +it very good-naturedly, and seemed somewhat ashamed of having expressed +his terror in the noisy way he had done. + +Even before dawn we were on foot, and, having taken our morning meal, +harnessed the horses and began our march. Our great object was to get +to a certain elevation, to which we knew the Indians of the plain could +never attempt to mount, even for the sake of glutting their revenge on +us. We hoped also, should they attempt to follow us, to be better able +to defend ourselves in the mountain passes than, from the smallness of +our numbers, we could in the more open ground. In the hurry of +describing more stirring events, I forgot to mention my two young bears. +I did not like to desert them, as I might not have an opportunity of +capturing any others. + +Laban at first objected to my dragging them along with me; but at length +he consented, observing, "Well, you know, Dick, if we get hungry, we'll +eat 'em." + +Of course I could not but consent to this arrangement. Although the +full-grown grizzly bear is the most ferocious of the ursine race, these +little creatures in a few hours became comparatively tame and contented +with their lot. They trotted alongside of me very willingly, and at +night lay coiled up together like a ball of wool, to keep each other +warm. I gave them a small piece of fat and a little meal porridge, and +that was all they seemed to want, besides sucking their paws, which they +did as babies do their fists when they are hungry. Poor little things! +they seemed to know that they had nobody else but me to look to as their +friend. My friends, the Raggets and their companions, were very kind +people, but they had a decidedly practical turn, and would have eaten my +pets forthwith if I would have let them. I called one Gog and the other +Magog, names about which the honest backwoodsmen, who had never heard +even of Guildhall, knew nothing. + +In appearance there was very little difference between them, but there +was a considerable amount in their characters. Gog became much sooner +tame, and was of a more affectionate, gentle, and peaceable disposition. +Magog would sit and growl over any thing given him to play with, and +run off with it away from his brother, while Gog would frisk about and +seem to take pleasure in getting the other to join in his sports. Of +course Gog became the favourite with all hands, and even the children +were not afraid of playing with him, whereas Magog would snap at them, +and very often tumbled them over and hurt them. + +"I say, Dick," said Obed to me, "if we want food, we'll eat that Magog +of yours up first." + +That is what Magog got for his surliness and ill-temper. + +We continued to push on over the mountain-range. It was not all ascent. +Sometimes we came to a level on a wide open space where there was not +much snow, and then we got on rapidly. Our only passage through one +part of the route was up the bed of a torrent frozen hard and covered +with snow. It was very heavy work, but Short assured us that it would +not last long, so we pushed on. + +Obed, Short, and I, with others, were clearing the way with our spades, +when suddenly, without the slightest warning, the two first, who were +ahead of me, went right through the ice and disappeared. Horror almost +overcame me, for I knew that the torrent would have the power of +sweeping them down in an instant far out of our sight. Obed was my +greatest friend. Short's loss to all the party was irreparable. The +three other men with me and I shouted to our friends, several of whom +had long poles to assist their progress, to hasten to our aid. +Fastening four of these together, two and two, I secured a rope round my +body, which the others held, and then worked myself forward till I was +over the hole. Another rope was made fast to the poles; by this I +descended. I was surprised to find the chasm so deep, for I thought +that I should see the water rushing down a little below the surface. +Instead of that, there was below the hole a hard, very nearly smooth, +floor, I lowered myself gently, and found it perfectly firm and strong; +but, alas! neither Obed nor Short were to be seen. + +Under other circumstances I should have been delighted with the +appearance of the place in which I found myself. It was like a +magnificent cavern of the purest white marble, ornamented with glass +stalactites of the most brilliant rainbow hues. I should call it rather +a gallery, because it extended up and down to an indefinite distance. +No work of art could be more light or graceful. + +But my thoughts were with my friends, and all the beauty which +surrounded me seemed only to mock my anxiety for their fate. I heard +those above, Laban Ragget and his sons, asking eagerly if I had found +them, and I had to answer mournfully, "No." Still I saw that they could +not have gone through the ice into the stream itself, for that +everywhere appeared unbroken. Then it struck me that, as the floor was +an inclined plane, they had probably slipped down over the smooth +surface without meeting anything to stop them. This was a solution of +the problem of the cause of their disappearance, but it did not relieve +my anxiety as to their fate. I sung out to my friends above to lengthen +the rope as far as they could, for I had no inclination to proceed +without it, and slid down to as great a distance as its length would +allow me to move. I shouted and shouted, but there was no answer. I +began truly to despair. "Poor fellows, they must be gone," I thought. +"It will be a sad report I must take to Laban." + +I began to ascend to get under the hole again. I found that I could +easily crawl up the incline on hands and knees. I turned to rest for an +instant, and thought that I would give one shout more. There was a +roaring, rumbling noise of the water underneath, which made it necessary +to sing out very sharply to be heard at any distance. I therefore +shrieked out this time at the very top of my voice. + +A few instants passed while the echoes died away, and then a faint cry +came up from far, far down the long ice gallery. It was repeated. +There could be no doubt that it was from my friends. I waited to +consider whether I should return and get others to come down with more +ropes, so that should Short and Obed have fallen into an ice-pit, we +might help them out; or whether it was best to wait and see if they were +working their own way up, as I found from experience they might be able +to do. It was while thus waiting for them that I was able to admire the +beauty of the scene. The floor was dark blue, the sides were white, and +the ceiling was of every variety of green and red and yellow, and in +some places so transparent that it seemed surprising that any person, +much less a horse or sleigh, could have passed over it without breaking +through; then there were in the distance arches and columns, and whole +buildings and statues, of every grotesque form imaginable, at least so +my imagination carved out the excrescences and masses of ice I saw piled +up in a long vista before me. I did not stay long without shouting +again, and once more the voices of my friends assured me that they were +drawing near. My heart was now much lighter, and at length I caught +sight of their heads as they crawled up like two four-footed creatures +in the distance. I was truly glad when they got up to me; they had +been, they owned, not slightly alarmed, and were, they showed, very +tired and out of breath. + +On breaking through the ice, the impetus they got sent them sliding down +the sloping floor at so great a rate that they could not stop +themselves. On, on they went, not knowing when their journey would end; +but dreading that it might be into some deep hole, or perhaps the +torrent itself. They were well pleased, therefore, when they were +brought up suddenly against a mass of rock which rose out of the bed of +the stream; and doubly grateful were they when, on looking beyond it, +they saw that on the other side there was a deep fall, through which the +water itself was forcing its way. + +We were all soon dragged up again to the surface, and though I described +the magnificence of the icy gallery, no one seemed inclined to pay it a +visit. We had now to drag our sleighs up a steep bank, and to proceed +with the greatest caution, our progress being very slow. At last we +once more got on level ground, and soon reached a long narrow lake, out +of which the torrent descended. This accounted for there being water +under the ice. Many of the torrents we came to were frozen completely +through. + +It may seem in theory very pleasant work walking in snow-shoes over the +smooth surface of the snow, often high up among the boughs of trees, and +level with the roofs of cottages; but when a person is not accustomed to +the proceeding, it becomes painful in the extreme. + +Snow-shoes are frames of light wood from four to six feet long, pointed +at both ends like a boat. The intermediate space is filled up with +network. They are secured to the feet by leathern thongs, and there is +a hole in which the heel works. From their shape and size they present +a very wide surface to the snow, and prevent the walker from sinking in. + +Great care is required in fastening the thongs, which must be tight; but +if they are too tight, when they get wet, as they frequently do, and +shrink, they cut into the ankles and cause serious injury. Often the +feet are so benumbed with the cold that, at the time, no pain is felt, +and it is only when the sufferer comes to take off his shoes, that he +finds the thongs have disappeared in a mass of swelling. We had no +fears as to the ice on the lake bearing us, so we merrily slid on to it, +and proceeded faster than we had done since we left the camp. The +horses especially seemed to enjoy the ease, with which they dragged on +the loads which had before seemed so heavy, while the rest of us, taking +off our snowshoes, glided over the smooth surface as rapidly as they +did. Fortunately, but little snow had fallen in this region, and the +wind had blown it off the ice. This was the first, and indeed only, +advantage we gained by travelling before the frost broke up. Had we not +begun our journey as we were now doing, we should have had to wait +several weeks longer, till the snows had melted from the mountain-tops, +and the streams had subsided to their usual level. Still we could not +conceal from ourselves that we had many dangers to encounter, even +should we not be pursued by the red-skins. + +I was generally in the van with Obed and Short and my two bears. I did +not venture to let the Masters Bruin go loose, but yoked them together, +and had a rope fastened to them besides. Thus united they waddled on; +not lovingly, for very often they grumbled and growled, and seemed to be +making far from pleasant remarks to each other. They kept on all fours, +it must be understood. Bears only stand on their hind legs when they +have learned to dance, or are going to eat a man, or at all events are +standing at bay. On reaching the end of the lake we found that a +considerable portion of the day had been spent, but still we had some +distance to go before we could reach the spot proposed for our +camping-ground. However, it was thought advisable to push on. I +suggested to Short that it might have been better to camp on the shore +of the lake. + +"So it would, Dick, if we hadn't to guard against these cunning +red-skins. But old White Dog has heard, and I believe that he is right, +that there is another path over the mountains, which leads to the very +spot near where we propose camping; at least a little to this side of +it. Now, if our enemies know of this, and it's not likely they'll be +ignorant, and they make chase after us, some of the cunning varmints +will take that path to cut us off, depend on't. We haven't told the +women of it, nor the men generally, because there's no use making them +anxious till the time comes; and then there's no fear but that they'll +all behave as they ought." + +I could not but admire the calm self-possession of my friends, who, in +expectation of so fearful an event, could show so little concern, and at +the same time placed such implicit confidence in the nerve courage of +their companions. I must own that I felt very anxious, and carefully +examined the lock of my rifle, and assured myself that I had properly +loaded it. Soon after this we entered a broad defile with high broken +rocks on either side of us, beyond which towered up to the sky the white +masses of mountain-tops. The defile as we advanced gradually narrowed, +till I found that we were approaching a narrow gorge with cliffs rising +on each side almost perpendicularly above it. Just then I thought that +I saw something moving among the rocks before us. I asked short. His +quick eye had detected the movement. + +"Indjens!" he exclaimed. "Oh! the treacherous varmints." + +Scarcely had he uttered the word than from behind the rocks in our front +up sprang a numerous band of Indians in war-paint and feathers, uttering +the most terrific shrieks and cries, and dancing and leaping about in +the most extraordinary manner. Our rifles were in a moment in our +hands. I was on the point of firing at an Indian whom I had covered, +when old White Dog rushed to the front, exclaiming what Short +interpreted to mean, "Don't fire; they are friends, my people." + +This was satisfactory information, for, however pleasant fighting may be +to some people, in our case it would not bring either honour or plunder. +The fact was that, posted as they were, they might, had they been +enemies, have picked us off, supposing they had rifles, without our +being able in any way to get at them, except by climbing up the rocks, +when, of course, they would have picked us off in detail. After White +Dog's followers had amused themselves sufficiently with dancing and +shrieking, they came down from their position, and paid their respects +to their chief, who inquired how it was they happened to be where we had +found them. They all seemed to be very eager to tell him, but he +selected one as the spokesman, and told him to narrate what had +occurred. It appeared that after their chief had left them they got +notice that the Flintheads purposed to attack their lodges and destroy +them. To avoid this result they had packed up their goods and fled from +the spot, merely leaving some scouts to watch the proceedings of their +enemies. They had not to wait long before they observed a party of +warriors approaching. This party seemed very much disappointed at +finding their lodges deserted. Having set fire to everything that would +burn, they continued their route towards our camp, followed closely by +the scouts. When these saw them enter within the intrenchments, they +instantly set off back to their companions. A council was then held, +when it was agreed that it was their duty to set off to help their +chief, who might be in danger. + +Old White Dog had, I found, left directions outside our camp, which they +would clearly understand, telling them to follow him. On reaching the +camp they found that we had deserted it, but before going on, they very +naturally took a glance round inside. There they found the unfortunate +Flintheads whom we had left bound. + +"I hope, Short," said I, "that they respected our intentions, and left +them there unhurt." + +"They left them there, you may be sure, Dick," answered Sam quietly. +"But you may be equally sure that they cut the throats of every mother's +son of them." + +"Cruel, murderous wretches!" I exclaimed. + +"It's their way of doing things," said Sam. "As they are taught in +their youth, so they act now they've grown up. If you had been taught +to scalp your enemies when you were a boy, you'd do the same with +pleasure now, whenever you had a chance!" + +I could not deny that this would too probably have been the case, and +therefore made no further remarks on the subject, only feeling thankful +that I had been born in a Christian land, and brought up with Christian +principles. + +The meeting with these Indians caused another short delay, and they and +their wives, and children, and dogs, falling into the rear of our party, +we all proceeded together. The women and children, I ought to have +said, had been hid away among the rocks, and were only produced at the +last moment, as we were moving on. We could not object to White Dog's +tribe accompanying us, but as they came but scantily furnished with +provisions, we were under some considerable apprehension that they would +create a famine in our camp. + +A strong party of us, consisting of Short and Noggin, and some of the +Raggets, and myself, with old White Dog and several of his tribe, now +pushed on to occupy the pass which led into the one through which we +were travelling. We soon reached it, and, climbing up the surrounding +heights, looked around. As far as the eye could range, not a moving +obstacle was visible; all was silent and solitary. We had purposely +concealed ourselves in case an enemy should be approaching, and as I +stood on that mountain height looking out into the distance over +interminable snow-covered ranges of rock, I was more sensible than I had +ever before been of the sensation of solitude; never before had I +remarked silence so perfect. Truly it seemed as if Nature was asleep. +So she was: it was the sleep of winter. + +In England, where birds are constantly flying about, and often insects +humming, even at Christmas, we have no conception of the utter want of +all appearance of life in the mountain regions in which I was now +travelling. We waited on the watch till the main body of our party came +up, and then, seeing no enemies, pushed on to our camping-ground. I +must say that I was very glad to get there without meeting with the +Flintheads. I felt sure that as soon as they found out the fate of +their friends, they would track us, and, if they could, not leave one of +our party alive. Probably Laban and others thought the same, but wisely +kept their thoughts to themselves. + +We fortified ourselves as usual, and kept a strict watch during the +night. The weather was much less cold than it had been; indeed, there +were evident signs of the coming of spring, and it became more than ever +evident that we must push on before the frozen-up torrents should again +burst forth, and render many spots impassable. After a hurried +breakfast, we were once more on our way; we marched in true military +order, with an advanced and a rear guard; the first carried spades, and +acted as a pioneer corps. This morning I was in the rear guard, with +Obed and Short, and all the Indians with their old chief. We had +marched about a mile, and had just entered one of the defiles I have +spoken of, with lofty cliffs on each side, and the mountains rising, it +seemed, sheer up above our heads for thousands of feet, when I saw the +Indians prick up their ears; then they stopped and bent down to the +ground as if to listen. There was a great talking among them, and old +White Dog called to Short: and Short announced to us the unpleasant +information that we were pursued by a large body of Flintheads. They +could not have overtaken our party in a position more advantageous to +us; for, from the narrowness of the pass, even should they be very +superior in numbers, we could show as good a front as they could. While +our main body moved on with the women and children and goods, I and +about a dozen young men remained with the Indians to defend the pass, +and to drive back, if we could, our enemies. + +"There's one thing we may look for," observed Sam Short; "they'll fight +to the last gasp, rather than lose the chance of their revenge; only +don't let any of us get into their hands alive, that's all; they'd try +our nerves in a way we should not like, depend on that." + +Every man among us looked to his rifle, and felt that his hunting-knife +was ready to his hand in his belt. We advanced a little farther, and +then halted at a spot where it seemed impossible that the Indians could +scale the heights to get at us. We had not long to wait. Suddenly +before us appeared a band of Indians just turning an angle of the pass. +On they came at a rapid pace till the whole road, as far as the eye +could reach, seemed full of them. As soon as they perceived us, they +set up the most terrific yells, and rushed frantically forward. We +waited for them steadily, but I feared, by the very force of their +charge, that our people would be overthrown and driven back. + +"Now, lads," exclaimed Laban, as they came on, "be steady. Wait till I +give the word. Fire low. Don't let the bullets fly over their heads. +Bring down the leading men. Now ready--Fire!" + +All obeyed our brave leader, and several in the front ranks of the enemy +fell. Yet it did not stop the rest, but rushing on with the fiercest +shrieks, they threw themselves madly upon our party. The White Dog's +followers bore the brunt of the charge, and very gallantly did they +behave. Again and again the Flintheads were driven back, and again and +again they came on. They seemed resolved to conquer or die. There must +have been nearly a hundred warriors among them. The air was at times +darkened with their arrows, besides which a number had rifles. Four or +five of our Indian allies had been killed, as had one of our people, and +numbers had been wounded. We kept up at them a hot fire all the time, +and many of them fell. Still, in proportion to our numbers, we had lost +more men than they had. Once more the whole column rushed on together. +I fully thought that we were lost, when, as I glanced my eye upward, I +saw what I fancied was the mountain-top bend forward. Yes, I was not +mistaken! Down it came with a wild, rushing noise directly towards us, +shaking the very ground on which we stood. The Indians saw it too, but +it did not stop them, as with headlong speed they were rushing towards +us, about to make another onslaught. They and White Dog's people met, +and the last I saw of them they were dashing their tomahawks into each +other's brains. + +I shouted frantically to Laban and the rest to retreat. It was a mighty +avalanche, a vast mass of snow and ice. As it descended it increased in +size, gathering fresh speed. As one mast of a ship drags another in its +fall, so did one mountain-top seem to lay hold of the one next to it, +and bring it downwards into the valley. Down, down came the mountains +of snow, thundering, roaring, rushing. My brain seemed to partake of +the wild commotion. I cannot attempt to describe the effect. I was +leaping, running, springing back from the enemy, with every muscle +exerted to the utmost, in the direction the women and baggage had gone. +Laban and his sons were near me, I believed, but already dense showers +of snow, or rather solid masses, the _avant-coureurs_ of the avalanche, +were falling down on us and preventing me seeing anything many feet from +where I was. Unearthly shrieks and cries of terror and despair reached +my ears; a mass of snow struck me, and brought me to the ground deprived +of consciousness. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +I FIND MYSELF UNDER THE SNOW--MY ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE APPEAR TO BE VAIN-- +STRUGGLE ON--AM FREE, BUT FIND MYSELF ALONE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS--PUSH +ON--ENCOUNTER A GRIZZLY BEAR--A FIGHT--WILL HE EAT ME, OR SHALL I EAT +HIM?--THE PLEASANTEST ALTERNATIVE OCCURS, AND BRUIN SAVES MY LIFE--I +HURRY ON IN THE HOPES OF OVERTAKING MY FRIENDS--TAKE UP MY LODGING FOR +THE NIGHT IN A CAVERN. + +When I saw the avalanche come thundering down towards me, although I +used my utmost exertions to escape, I in reality had completely given +myself up for lost. My feelings were very bitter, but they were of +short duration, when I was brought stunned to the ground. I came to +myself at last, or I should not be writing this; but where I was, or +what had occurred, it was some time before I could recollect. At last a +dim consciousness came over me that something terrific had happened, and +I opened my eyes and looked about; I was under the snow, or rather under +a mass of ice in a space ten or twelve feet long, and about three high, +being rather wider at the base. This was a very respectable sized tomb, +and such I feared that it would prove to me, unless I could work my way +out of it. Of course I knew that I might be released when the snow +melted, but I should inevitably be starved long before that event could +take place, not to speak of dying of chill, and damp, and rheumatism. + +My principle has always been never to say die; if it had been otherwise +I should not be again in Old England. My rifle lay on the ground close +to me where I had fallen; my hand still grasped the long pike I always +carried, and the ever constant weapon of the backwoodsman, my hatchet, +was in my belt. I crawled along to one end of the icy cavern, tapping +the roof to ascertain if there was any crack through which I may work my +way, but it was one solid sheet of ice; the end was blocked up also by a +solid mass, through which, after making several attempts, I found it +impossible to bore. Finding all my efforts useless at this end, I went +to the other. Appearances were not promising; still I would not allow +myself to believe that by some means or other I might not work my way +out of my icy prison. Not a moment was to be lost; my friends might go +away and suppose I had perished, or I might be starved or exhausted +before I could reach the open air. It was a great thing having a little +space to start from, though it was little enough. I set to work at +once, therefore, with my axe, and began chopping away at the ice. My +idea was to cut myself out a circular shaft, and thus, like a mole, work +my way up. I chopped and chopped away, and when I had cut a couple of +feet out of the mass, I carried the chips to the farther end of the +cave; my object in doing this was to obtain sufficient air to breathe, +for I found that I very soon consumed what there was in the cave, and +that the heat of my body had already begun to melt the ice above me. I +suffered, therefore, rather from heat than from cold; I went chopping on +till I had space enough in which to stand upright. This was a very +great advantage; I felt most encouraged, and could now work with far +greater ease than at first, when I had to be on my back, and to chop +away above me. I felt very thankful that I was not a miner, either in a +coal, iron, or lead mine. + +Sometimes as I was working away I fancied that I head the voices of my +friends calling to me, but when I stopped there was again a perfect +silence. On I went again, but still it appeared as if I was as far as +ever from getting out of my prison. I had now cut my shaft as high as I +could reach, so I had to make steps in the walls on which I could stand +while I worked upwards. This I did till I had got up a dozen feet or +more. It showed me the great thickness of the block of ice which had +fallen above me, and how mercifully I had been preserved, for had it +come upon me, it would have crushed me as thin as a pancake. I was now +exposed to a new danger: should I fall as I was tunnelling away, I +should break my legs. I already had removed, as I said, a considerable +portion of the ice I had cut out to the other end of the cavern. I now +saw that it would be better not to remove any more; so, securing my +rifle at my back, and taking my pike in my left hand, which indeed I +found very useful in keeping me firm, I determined not again to descend, +but to continue working upwards as long as I had strength left. + +To decrease the risk of falling down, I contracted the diameter of my +shaft, and thus got on also faster. At length, as I gave a blow above +my head, what was my satisfaction to feel that my axe had entered a mass +of snow. Ask an engineer if he would rather bore under a river with a +rocky, or a sandy and muddy bed, and he will tell you that the rock he +can manage, but that the sand or mud is very likely to baffle him. So I +found with regard to the snow; I got on rapidly through the ice, but as +I worked up through the snow, I had reason to dread every instant that +the superincumbent mass would fall in and smother me. I found that I +made the most progress by scraping it down and beating it hard under my +feet, forming a rude stair as I went on. I had got up ten feet or so +through it, when either my foot had slipped, or a mass of snow had come +down upon me, I could not then tell; but I know, to my horror, that I +felt myself sent toppling down, heels over head, as I feared, to the +bottom of the shaft. I began to give myself up for lost, and would have +shrieked out; perhaps I did so, in very grief and disappointment more +than through actual fear, when I found that I was brought up by my pike, +which had become fixed across the shaft. I held on for some time till +the snow had ceased sliding down below me, and I looked up, and there to +my delight I saw, far above me, through a narrow aperture, the clear +blue sky. I now could have shouted for joy; but my emancipation was not +yet complete, the smooth side of the funnel was to be scaled. + +Having secured my pike, I set about it. I tried to run up and gain the +height by a dash. That would not do, I quickly found, for the snow slid +down with my feet as fast as I could lift them, and that made still more +come sliding towards me. The only way to gain the top was by slow and +patient progress, I discovered, after many experiments. I therefore +carefully made step above step, beating each one down hard as I +progressed, and with infinite satisfaction I found that I was again +making an upward progress. At last my perseverance was rewarded with +success, and I found myself standing on a vast mass of snow, which +blocked up the whole of the valley for a considerable distance on the +eastern side and for some way on the west, so far, indeed, that my first +delight at my own deliverance was very much damped by the fears which +seized me for the safety of my friends and companions. There I stood, +in the most silent and complete solitude, amid a heaving ocean, as it +were, of snow, with the dark granite peaks rising up here and there out +of it, and increasing the appearance of bleakness and desolation which +reigned around. I shouted again and again, in the hopes that possibly +some of my companions might be within hearing; but my voice sounded +faint, and indeed, almost inaudible, it seemed, while no echoes reached +me from the surrounding rocks. + +I did not, however, waste much time in hallooing, for instant action was +what was required. I felt very hungry, and that fact made me suppose +that I must have been some time in my icy cavern before I returned to a +state of consciousness. I took out my watch; it had stopped. It was +early in the morning when the Indians had attacked us. The sun had not +now risen any considerable height in the eastern sky. This made me feel +sure that one whole day, if not more, had passed since the catastrophe, +and that if I would preserve my life I must push on to overtake the +travellers. I had left my snow-shoes in the camp, so that I had great +difficulty often in making my way over the snow in some of the spots +where it lay most loosely. More than once I sank up to my shoulders, +and had it not been for my pike I should have had great difficulty in +scrambling out again. I had got on some way, and was congratulating +myself on having got over the worst of it, when I felt the snow giving +way under my feet. I tried to spring forward, but that only made me +sink down faster; down, down, I went in a huge drift. I had sunk to my +middle; then the snowy mass rose to my shoulders, and, to my horror, I +found it closing over my head. Though I knew if I went lower I might +struggle on for some time, yet that death would be equally certain in +the end. My feelings were painful in the extreme. I could not get my +pole across above me, but I succeeded in shoving it down below my feet, +and, to my infinite relief, after I had made several plunges, it struck +the point of a rock, or a piece of ice. I kept it fixed there with all +the strength I could command, and pressing myself upwards got +sufficiently high to throw myself flat on the snow and to scramble +forward. This I did for some distance, holding my staff with both hands +before me. It was not a pleasant way of making progress, but it was the +only safe one. + +At length I got into the main pass, where the snow lay at its usual +depth, and where it was beaten down by the passage of men, and wagons, +and horses. This gave me renewed spirits, though, on examining the +traces, I discovered that they were at least a day old, perhaps older. +My chief immediate wish was to have something to stop the cravings of +hunger. I felt in my pockets. I had not a particle of food; nor had I +a scrap of tobacco, which might have answered the purpose for a short +time. I tried chewing a lump of snow--that was cold comfort; so all I +could do was to put my best foot forward, and to try and overtake my +friends as soon as possible. I might have walked on for three or four +hours engaged in the somewhat difficult endeavour to forget how hungry I +was, and to occupy my mind with pleasing fancies, (I suspect few people +would have succeeded under the circumstances better than I did), when I +heard a loud growl, and on looking round to my right, I saw, sitting at +the mouth of a cavern formed in a rock in a side valley of the main pass +along which I was travelling, a huge grizzly bear. There he sat, +rubbing his nose with his paws, putting me very much in mind of pictures +I have seen of hermits of old counting their beads; nor was he, I +suspect, much less profitably employed. + +I stopped the moment I heard him growl, and looked firmly at the +grizzly. I knew that it would not do to turn and run. Had I done so, +he would have been after me in a moment, and made mincemeat of my +carcass. I do not know what he thought of me: I do know that I thought +him a very ugly customer. I bethought me of my rifle. The last shot I +had fired had been at the Indians; I had not since loaded it. I dreaded +lest, before I could do so, he might commence his attack, which I +guessed he was meditating. He had probably only just roused up from his +winter nap, and was rubbing his eyes and snout as a person does, on +waking out of sleep, to recover his senses, and consider what he should +do. To this circumstance I owed, I suspected, my present freedom from +attack. I, meantime, loaded my rifle as fast as I could, and felt much +lighter of heart when I once more lifted it ready for use to my +shoulder, with a good ounce of lead in the barrel. + +"Now, master Grizzly," said I to myself, "come on, I am ready for you." + +Bruin, however, was either not quite awake, or wished to consider the +best means of making a prize of me. The truth was that both of us were +hungry. He wanted to eat me, and I wanted to eat him: that is to say, I +determined to do so if I could, should he attack me. If he left me +unmolested to pursue my journey--I felt that discretion would be in this +instance the best part of valour--that it would be wisest to leave him +alone in his glory; for a grizzly, as all hunters know, even with a +rifle bullet in his ribs, is a very awkward antagonist. He was so long +rubbing his nose, that I at last lost patience, and began to move on. I +had not taken a dozen steps when his warning growl again reached my +ears. I stopped, and he went on rubbing his nose as before. + +"This is all nonsense, old fellow," I exclaimed. "Growl as much as you +like. I am not going to stop for you any longer." + +So, putting my best foot forward, as I had need of doing, I stepped +quickly out. I very naturally could not help turning my head over my +shoulder, to see what Bruin was about, and, as I did so, a growl louder +than the previous one reached my ear, and I saw him moving on at a +swinging trot after me. This I knew meant mischief. Flight was totally +out of the question. I must fight the battle like a man. It must be +literally victory or death. + +Strange as it may seem, my heart felt more buoyant when I had made up my +mind for the struggle, independent of certain anticipations of the +pleasure I should derive from the bear steaks I had in contemplation, +should I be successful. I speak, perhaps, too lightly of the matter +now, because I do not want to make more of my deeds than they deserve; +but it was in reality very serious work, and I have cause to be deeply +thankful that I did not become the victim of that savage beast. Let +this be remembered, that I was then, and I am now even more so, most +grateful; yet not grateful enough; that I also feel for the merciful way +in which I was brought through all the perils to which I was exposed. +This being clearly understood, I shall consider myself exonerated from +the frequent introduction of expressions to show that I was not a +heartless, careless mortal, without a sense of the superintending +providence of a most merciful Creator. I do feel, and I have always +felt, that there is no civilised being so odious among all the races of +man as a person of that description. + +Well, on came the huge bear. I knelt down and took my pike, as a rest +for my rifle. This was a great advantage. Growling and gnashing his +teeth, the enemy advanced. I prayed that my arm might be nerved, that +my hand might not tremble, and that my rifle might not miss fire. Thus +I waited till the brute got within six yards of me. Had I let him get +nearer, even in his death struggles, he might have grappled me. I aimed +at his eye. I fired, and the moment I had done so, I sprang back, and +did not stop till I had placed twenty paces between myself and the bear, +scarcely looking to see the effect of my shot. When the smoke cleared +off, I saw the monster struggling on, with the aim, it seemed, of +catching me. I was thankful that I had been impelled to spring back as +I had done, for I certainly had not previously intended doing so. I +knew how hard the old grizzlies often die, and so I put some dozen or +more yards between me and him. He fell, then got up once, and made +towards me again, and then rolled over, and I had great hope life was +extinct. I had meantime reloaded my rifle, and approached him with due +caution, for bears are, I had heard, cunning fellows, and sometimes sham +death to catch the unwary hunter. When I got near enough I poked at him +with my pike, and tickled him in several places, and as he did not move, +I got round to his head, and gave him a blow with my axe, which would +have settled him had he been shamming ever so cleverly. + +Without loss of time I cut out his tongue and as many steaks as I could +conveniently carry, and stringing them together with a piece of his hide +threw them over my back, and hurried on till I could find a sufficient +collection of wood or lichens, or other substance that would burn, to +make a fire for cooking them. I need not dwell on what I did do, but +the fact was I was ravenously hungry; and let any one, with the gnawings +of the stomach I was enduring, find his nose within a few inches of some +fresh wholesome bear's meat, and he will probably do what I did--eat a +piece of it raw. I was very glad that I did, for I felt my strength +much recruited by my savage meal, especially as I only ate a small +piece, very leisurely chewing it as I hurried on my road. + +It was a satisfaction to believe that I was going much faster than the +women and vehicles could progress, and so I hoped to overtake them in a +day or two at furthest; still, as long as there was daylight, I did not +like to stop, and so on I tramped, till just before it grew dark I +reached a broader part of the pass, where, in a nook in the mountain +side, I discovered the remains of the camp formed by my friends, and +left, I had little doubt, that very morning. There was wood enough +about, with a little more, which I set to work to collect, to keep a +fire burning all night. While thus engaged I found in the side of the +rock a cave of good depth. I explored it at once, while there was +light, to ascertain that it was not the abode of another grizzly. +Having assured myself that the lodgings were unoccupied, though no +signboard announced that they were to be let, I piled my wood up in +front, and collected all the branches of fir trees and moss which I +could find, to form a bed for myself inside. These arrangements being +made, I lighted my fire and sat down with considerable appetite to cook +and eat my bear steaks. My adventures for the night were not over. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +A NIGHT IN A CAVE--I FORTIFY MYSELF, AND GO TO SLEEP--UNWELCOME +VISITORS--MY BATTLE WITH THE WOLVES--I DRIVE THEM OFF, AND AGAIN GO TO +SLEEP--CONTINUE MY JOURNEY--NIGHT AGAIN OVERTAKES ME--I BUILD A CASTLE +FOR MY RESTING-PLACE--VOICES OF FRIENDS SOUND PLEASANTLY--ESCAPE OF MY +COMPANIONS--FATE OF SURLY MAGOG--REACH THE CAMP--THE SUMMIT OF THE +PASS--COMMENCE OUR DESCENT--AN IRISHMAN'S NOTION OF THE BEST WAY TO GO +DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. + +I soon got up a good fire, which threw its ruddy glare on all the rough +points and salient angles of the cavern, but cast the hollows and +recesses into the deepest shade. I glanced my eyes round, however, on +every side, and having satisfied myself that it had no previous occupant +in the shape of a grizzly and her hopeful family, I proceeded with my +culinary operations. Having skewered a supply of bits of bear's flesh +sufficient to satisfy my appetite, on as many thin willow twigs, I cut +out a number of forked sticks and stuck them round the fire. On these, +spit-fashion I placed my skewers, and turned them round and round till +they were roasted on every side. A few, to satisfy the immediate +cravings of my appetite, I placed very close to the fire, but they got +rather more burned than a French chef would have admired. + +After that, as I had nothing else to do, I could afford to take my time, +and to cook them to perfection. I should have liked to have had a +little pepper and salt to eat with them, and something more comfortable +than melted snow to wash them down. I could not afford to expend my +gunpowder, otherwise the nitre in it affords a certain amount of +flavour, counterbalanced, to be sure, in the opinion of some people, by +the sulphur and charcoal. I don't think, however, any one need fear +being blown up by partaking of such a condiment. After I had finished +my supper, I sang a little to amuse myself and any bats which might have +been hanging on by their claws to the roof of the inner part of the +cave, and then, having no book to read or anything else to do, I +prepared my bed and made up my fire for the night. In other words, I +collected a bundle of sticks and fastened them together to form a +pillow, and scraped into a heap all the dry earth I could find to make +myself a mattress. This a backwoodsman would have considered great +effeminacy; and though I always adopted their ways when with them, I +must own that, when left to myself, I could not help indulging in some +such approximation, as I have described, to the luxurious habits of my +college life. It was pleasant to recall my arm-chair and slippers, my +cheery coal fire, my table covered with books, and a cup of coffee, or +perhaps a bottle of port and a plate of biscuits, to apply to in case, +after my mental exertions, my physical being should require some slight +renovation. Some lazy fellows might rather think that I had not changed +for the better. + +I was on the point of stretching myself on the aforesaid luxurious +couch, when I bethought me that it would be more prudent to erect a +barrier of some sort between my dormitory and the entrance of the +cavern, that, should any uninvited visitors intrude, I might have time +for taking measures to protect myself. It, by the way, also occurred to +me that a wall might guard me from the cold wind which blew in at the +mouth of the cavern. I, therefore, shaking off my drowsiness by an +impulse I can scarcely now account for, built a wall of all the stones +and earth and bits of wood I could heap together, nearly two feet high, +reaching from the fire to one side of the cavern. I then carefully +examined my rifle, and placing it by my side, lay down alongside my wall +with my feet towards the fire. Why I did this, I repeat, I cannot say. +The idea that such a precaution might be necessary had not till that +very moment crossed my mind. The additional exertion somewhat wearied +me, and not a minute after I placed my head on the pillow, and like a +hen had worked myself a hole to fit my body in the sand, I was fast +asleep. I don't know what occurred after that, till I awoke by finding +my feet very cold, which was no wonder, for the fire had almost gone +out, and the thermometer was down to zero. I lifted myself up on my +elbow while I was recovering my senses after my sleep, when not five +paces on the other side of the wall I saw what looked like at least a +dozen sparks of light in a row, reaching across the mouth of the cave, +while farther off appeared several other small fiery orbs. I looked and +looked again. + +"Fireflies," said I to myself, half dreaming. "Bosh! fireflies in +midwinter on the top of a mountain!" I rubbed my eyes. "Sparks from my +fire?" Several peculiar low snarling growls made me start up, wide +awake with a vengeance. "Wolves!" I said to myself; "there is no doubt +about it." The brutes had smelt me out, and with their usual caution, +they were making this advance to commence an attack. + +How many there were I could not tell, but there must have been a flock +of them--parents and children, the biggest and fiercest as usual in the +van. I concluded that they had not yet seen me in the dark, but I knew +that they would find me out as soon as I moved. I felt quietly for my +rifle, and got that ready to fire when it was required. Then I lay +watching the brutes as slowly they crept on, one foot before the other, +just as a pointer advances towards where the covey lies hid. In another +instant they might spring upon me. It struck me that they probably did +not like the embers of the fire, so I took my long pole, and beat or +stirred up the ashes with it, making them send forth showers of sparks. +I fancied that the wolves were retreating, so I jumped up, and threw the +bundle of sticks which had served me for a pillow, as well as all others +on which I could lay my hands, upon the ashes. This act exposed me to +the view of the hungry brutes, who instantly, with loud growls, rushed +back towards me. Just then the dry sticks, aided by a puff of wind, +ignited, and blazing up exhibited the whole savage troop to me. It was +a highly picturesque scene I doubt not, the fire blazing up, and the +dark rugged walls of the cavern, and my figure brought into strong +light, with my gleaming brand pointed towards my savage assailants; but +I don't mean to say I thought about that just then. All I saw were the +fierce glaring eyes, the shaggy coats, and the hungry-looking fangs of +the brutes, as they licked their jaws in anticipation of the feast they +hoped to enjoy off me. I did not, however, like to throw away a shot +among them, which could only have killed one, so I waited to see what +they would do. In my late combat with the bear, I had the anticipation +of a meal off my foe, should. I prove the victor, but on this occasion +I had not that incitement to exertion, for a man must be very hard up +for food who could complacently dine of the flesh of a gaunt wolf at the +end of winter; and even the cubs, though probably not quite such tough +morsels as their parents, had already far too much muscular development +to afford satisfactory employment to the jaws. Though, however, I did +not want to eat the wolves, they wanted to eat me, which was quite +sufficient reason to make me excessively anxious to gain the victory. + +After baying at me for some time, the brutes in the front line once more +stealthily advanced, followed by those in the rear, whose forms appeared +less and less distinct, till all I could make out of them were their +fierce eyes, glaring like hot coals through the darkness. By this time +a good portion of the sticks had caught fire. As the wolves got nearer, +the scent of the remainder of the bear steaks, which I had put aside for +my breakfast, filled their nostrils; their eagerness increased, and, +with a loud howl, they in a body sprang towards me. I must conquer +gloriously, or die and be eaten ignominiously; so, seizing a bundle of +the burning sticks, I threw them in among the advancing ranks, and then, +with loud shouts, grasping my pole, sprang out towards my foes, and +belaboured them with might and main about their heads. They snarled and +bit fiercely at the pole, but did not advance. Still they would not +take to flight, and as it was very evident I should have a disturbed +night's rest if they remained in the neighbourhood, I was very anxious +to make them decamp. I got together, therefore, an additional supply of +burning sticks. These I put in readiness for use. Then I levelled my +rifle at one of the foremost and biggest wolves, and knocking him over, +brandished my pole in one hand, and hurling the burning sticks among +them with the other, I made a second furious onslaught on the wolves. + +With unearthly howls and cries away they fled, leaping and scrambling +over each other like an affrighted flock of sheep, and in complacent +triumph I returned to my sandy couch, expecting to enjoy a quiet and +comfortable night's rest. A heap of stones served me now for a pillow. +Some of my readers may say, if you had had a downy couch or a +feather-stuffed pillow, in a nice room with curtains, and a good fire, +you might have had some reason for your hopes; but let me assure them +that our ideas of comfort arise from comparison. The first night I +slept in a feather bed after my camp life I caught the worst cold I ever +had. Well, leaving the dead body of the wolf where he had fallen, I +took the precaution to make up the fire with the remaining sticks I had +collected, and lay down once more to enjoy the sweets of repose. Can it +be believed! I had not been ten minutes wrapped in the arms of +Morpheus, when I was again roused out of them by a terrific snarling and +barking and growling. I looked up. There, as I expected, were the +wolves, unnatural brutes, tearing away at the carcass of their ancient +kinsman, and quarrelling over his limbs. "If that is what you are +about, my boys, you are welcome to your sport, only let me alone," said +I to myself; and leaning back I was immediately fast asleep again. The +truth is, not having had a comfortable night's rest for some time, I was +very sleepy, which will account for my apparent indifference to the near +neighbourhood of such unsatisfactory gentry. + +In spite of snarling, and barking, and howling, and growling, and every +other variety of noise which the genus _canis_, whether in a tame or +wild state, is capable of making, I slept on. To be sure I could not +help dreaming about them; sometimes that they were running off with my +ten toes, then with my fingers; then that a big fellow had got an +awkward grip at my nose. The last dream, which was so particularly +unpleasant, made me lift up my hand to ascertain whether that ornament +of the human visage was in its proper place, when I felt several hot +puffs of air blow on my cheek, and opening my eyes I beheld the glaring +orbs of half a dozen wolves gazing down upon me over my barricade. Had +not my dream given me warning, in another instant they would have been +upon me. As it was, they seemed inclined to make a spring and to finish +the drama by eating me up, which I calculated they would have done in +ten minutes, when, seizing my spear, I swept it round, and as I knocked +one off after the other the loud yelling they made showed the force of +the blows I had, in my desperation, dealt on them. + +I then got up, and scraping a portion of the fire within reach of my +hands, I kept the ends of a number of sticks burning in it, and as soon +as the wolves came back, which they did not fail to do, I hove one at +their noses. This made them wary. They must have taken me for a +Salamander or some fire-spitting monster; at all events, although some +of the bolder ones every now and then came and had a look at me, licking +their jaws and wishing they could eat me up, the singeing I gave their +whiskers quickly drove them away, while the greater number kept at a +respectful distance. At last when morning light returned, I started up, +and uttering shouts and shrieks with the most hearty good-will, fired +again at the foremost, and, as before, laying about me with my pole, put +the remainder to an ignominious flight. I had not enjoyed a quiet night +certainly, but I was much warmer than I should have been had my fire +gone out. + +"It's an ill wind that blows no one good." + +"Good may be got out of everything," I say. + +So the wolves said, when they supped of their old grandsire instead of +me. Having also enjoyed a warm breakfast, I shouldered my rifle and +pushed on as fast as my legs could carry me to overtake my friends. I +was extremely anxious to get up with them before they descended into the +plains; for as I supposed that the snow would be melting there, I knew +that I might have great difficulty in following their traces. I pushed +on till noon, and then stopped but ten minutes to dine, or rather to +rest and chew a bit of bear's flesh. That done, on again I went as fast +as before. I did not at all like the notion of having to camp out by +myself, for I was so sleepy that I fancied I might be torn limb from +limb by wolves or a bear without awaking; and certainly I might have +been frozen to death. The evening came, the sun set, and though I was +on the track of my friends, I could see nothing of them. Still I pushed +on, because I might overtake them before dark; but at length the shades +of night crept up the mountain's sides, and for what I could tell I +still might be many hours distant from them. I could see very little +way ahead; but I had arrived at a part of the mountain-range where there +were some very ugly-looking precipices on either side of the pass, and I +thought it more than likely, should I push on, that I might slip down +one of them, when very probably I should not be brought up till I had +had a jump of a couple of thousand feet or so. + +I could find no dry wood for a fire; but there were plenty of stones, +and a superabundance of snow and a big overhanging rock near at hand. +I, therefore, built myself a hut with the stones and snow, the big rock +forming the back. There was no door nor window, seeing that such would +have been more useful to an enemy than to myself; but as there was no +roof the space where it should have been enabled me to get into my +abode, and allowed air and such light as the stars afforded to enter +also. Some men would not have taken so much trouble for a single night, +but as I thought that I very probably should be eaten if I did not, I +did not think the trouble thrown away. + +My castle being complete, I climbed over the wall, and sat down on a +stone, which I intended as my pillow, to munch a piece of bear's flesh. +I felt much better after it, and before going to sleep I bethought me +that I would exercise my voice a little, and fire off my rifle to +frighten away any prowling bear, who might otherwise take a fancy to +inspect my fortress while I might be asleep. My voice rang loudly +amidst the solemn silence of that mountain region, and the crack of my +rifle echoed from rock to rock, but I heard no sound in return, and +having reloaded my rifle, and sung a few songs and a hymn, I knelt down, +said my prayers, and placing my head on my rough pillow, went to sleep. +I had slept some time when I was awoke by hearing a noise as if some one +was climbing over the walls of my tower. Grasping my rifle, which I had +placed leaning against the wall nearest me, ready for instant service, I +looked up and there I saw the head of a bear looking down upon me. I +was on the point of firing, as was natural, when I heard a voice say-- + +"Hollo, stranger, you snore loudly." I sprang to my feet. + +"Why, Obed and Elihu, old boys! is it you?" I exclaimed. "And my young +friend Gog!" + +"I might well say, is it you, Dick?" cried Obed and his brother, almost +wringing off my hand. + +"We thought you were some hundred feet under the snow, with all the +red-skins, the White Dogs, and Flintheads, and none of us ever expected +to see you again, that we did not, let me tell you; but it won't make us +less glad to find you come to life again. How is it you are here? Tell +us." + +In reply, I gave them a rapid sketch of my escape and adventures, and +inquired anxiously after my friends. He told me that only two white men +of our party had lost their lives, though several had been dug out of +the snow, whereas, of the Indians, only old White Dog himself had +escaped. + +"And Magog?" I asked, "my other young bear." + +"Oh, we ate him," answered Obed; "he was an ill-natured brute, and as he +bit one of the children, and we wanted some fresh meat, father ordered +him to be knocked on the head. I guessed it would come to that. Now, +the moment we heard your shots and shouts, Gog was full of fidgets, till +he saw us starting off to see what it was about, and then up he got and +followed us like a dog. He's a sensible little brute, that he is." + +This conversation took place while I, like a Jack in a box, stood inside +my castle, and my friends outside. At last I bethought me that I should +like to be on the move, if it was only the sooner to enjoy a cup of hot +coffee and a pipe, luxuries I had had all day an especial longing for. +They had been so eager to learn what had occurred to me, that it did not +occur to them that the sooner we could get back to camp, the better for +me. It was pitched, I found, in a sheltered nook, in a valley some way +down the mountain, and thus their fires had been hidden from me, as well +as the sound of their voices. Off we set, therefore, little Gog jumping +and frisking before me as playful as a young puppy. It was a wonder he +did not tumble over the precipices in the dark. I received a warm +welcome and got a warm supper, and when I did once go to sleep, I +believe that it would have taken a pretty heavy piece of ordnance fired +over my head to awaken me. + +We had now reached the extreme western edge of the Rocky Mountains, and +our course was henceforth to be all down hill. We had expected to have +had easy work of it, but when we stood on the edge of the cliffs and +looked down the terrific precipices, the bottom of which we had by some +means or other to reach, we very soon changed our minds. First we had +to search for the side of the mountain with the least slope; that is to +say, forming the greatest angle with the base. When found we saw that +no oxen or horses could, by themselves, prevent a loaded wagon rushing +down and being dashed to pieces. We therefore held a council to +consider the best means to be adopted. Two plans were agreed on +according to the nature of the ground. Where the descent was short and +steep we unharnessed the cattle, and making one end of a rope fast to a +rock or tree, we passed it through a block in the hinder part of the +wagon, and thus lowered the vehicle down gradually to the next platform. +The ropes were then unrove and secured to another rock or tree. It was +a very slow operation, but it was the only safe one. Indeed, in some +places the descent was so precipitous that we had to unload the wagons +altogether, and carry each article down separately. + +Two days were thus occupied; but when we looked up and saw the heights +from which we had descended, and the steepness of the precipices above +us, we had reason, I thought, to be thankful. We now came to a series +of sheer descents, long, excessively steep slopes of half a mile or more +each. They were of a more treacherous character, and required as much +caution. We first cut down as many trees, with their branches on them, +as we had wagons, and secured the butt-ends to the axle-trees, while the +thick branchy tops trailed behind digging into the ground. We were too +wise, however, to risk the whole at once. First we got one of the +lighter wagons with a steady pair of horses ahead. Then we locked all +the wheels, and besides that made fast some stout ropes to either side. + +We remembered that: "The greater haste the worst speed." + +"Gently, so ho," was the word. On moved the wagon. Obed and I went to +the horses' heads. It was ticklish work with all our care. Downward we +slid. Often we could scarcely keep our own footing. I was very glad, I +know, when we reached the bottom of the first descent. We had several +more, however, to accomplish. Others, seeing our success, came +following with the same caution, and succeeded as well. All but one +party, a family of Irish emigrants, agreed that our plan was the only +safe one. Pat Leary, however, and his sons, and sons-in-law, and wife, +and daughters, and daughters-in-law, for though the eldest was not +twenty, they were all married, cried out lustily against our +proceedings. + +"Arrah, now, why are ye afther bothering so long on the side of the +mountain?" exclaimed Leary the elder. "Jist let the wagons now take an +aisy slide down by themselves, they'll raich the bottom safe enough. +Don't ye see no harm has come to any one of them yet, at all, at all?" + +"For the very reason, friend Leary, because we have taken proper +precautions to prevent an accident," observed Mr Ragget, who had +adopted a peculiarly sententious tone in speaking to Pat, a great +contrast to the other's rapid style of utterance. + +Pat was not to be convinced. One of the longest and steepest of the +descents lay before us. On one side was a precipice of some six or +seven hundred feet in depth. Pat insisted on leading the way. He and +his boys were certain that they could trot their horses down it. "It +was all so straight and aisy." + +We entreated them to let the women and children remain behind. With a +bad grace they consented, charging us to bring them on to Californy +after them. On they went. The descent was tolerably gentle for some +way. They looked round laughing at us, cracking their whips. However, +steeper and steeper it grew, and faster and faster they went, till, +dashing on at a terrific speed, they were hidden from our sight. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +SAD FATE OF THE POOR LEARYS--GRIEF OF THE MOTHER AND SISTERS--WE GO IN +SEARCH OF THE MISSING ONES--FIND THEM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAVINE--THE +BURIAL--WILD SCENE--RETURN TO CAMP--GO ON A SPORTING EXPEDITION--MY +BATTLE WITH THE HAWKS--VERY NEARLY BEATEN--SHORT COMES TO THE RESCUE-- +CONSEQUENCES OF INDULGING IN A FIT OF ROMANCE ON A JOURNEY--GO TO SLEEP, +AND FIND THAT MY ONLY COMPANION IS A HUGE RATTLESNAKE. + +I was describing our passage down the western slopes of the Rocky +Mountains, our worthy companion Pat Leary having taken it into his head +that he had discovered a much more rapid way of reaching the bottom than +the slow one which the rest of our party thought it prudent to pursue. +As we stood on the platform immediately above the slope he had taken, we +saw him dashing on at a furious speed not at all conscious of the danger +he was running. As his wife and daughters, however, saw his rapid +descent, they became so, and screamed out for him to stop. He was a +great favourite with us all, in spite of a few eccentricities, for he +was a capital fellow in the main; and had he not been so, the cries of +the women would have made us anxious for his safety. + +Obed and I, who were in advance of the rest of the party, could not +resist the temptation of setting off to see what had become of him and +to render him any assistance in our power. Leaving our wagon, +therefore, in charge of two lads, we ran down the slope of the mountain +as fast as our legs would carry us. On we went till we were almost done +up, but the only sign of the Learys were the ruts which their wagon +wheels had made in the softer spots on the mountain side; often they +approached fearfully near the edge of the precipice on the left, and +then apparently the animals, seeing the danger, had inclined again to +the right. We were already carried much farther down the mountain than +we intended, and began to repent having come, and to think of our long +climb up again, when we saw, a considerable way below us, close to the +precipice, some objects moving, which, on descending farther, we +discovered to be human beings. They were lying on the ground and waving +their hands. As we proceeded we found that the nearest was our poor +friend Leary. + +"Oh, help them!--save them! murther, murther, or they'll all be dashed +to pieces," he shouted out, pointing down to the deep glen or gorge +below us, through which rushed a rapid, roaring, foaming stream. + +Two of his sons lay close to him almost stunned. Four had started in +the wagon. Where were the other two? Where was the wagon? The marks +of the cart wheels verging to the left, and the broken ground at the +edge of the precipice, told us too plainly what had occurred. We looked +down the fearful ravine. No attempt we could make to aid the two +unfortunate young men would avail. Far, far, down amid masses of rocks +at the edge of the torrent lay a confused mass, amid which we could +distinguish the wheel of a wagon, and the head of one of the animals +which had drawn it, but nothing moved, no sound was heard. It was our +conviction that both men and beasts had been, long ere they reached the +bottom, deprived of life. + +We did not describe to the poor father what we had seen. He was hoping +against hope that his sons had escaped. We needed no one to describe to +us how the accident had occurred. The road sloped away to the left, and +the animals, losing their footing, had been forced by the impetus of the +wagon over the precipice, while he and his other two lads had +mechanically leaped out at the moment it was about to make the fatal +plunge. The two lads were stunned and so much bruised that when they +came to themselves they could not walk, while Leary, though less hurt, +what with grief and regret at his folly and alarm, had his nerves so +completely unstrung that he lost all command over himself. To leave +them in this condition was impossible, so I volunteered to climb up the +mountain to hurry on some of the party with assistance; but Obed would +not hear of it, and insisted on my remaining while he returned. I +consented to his proposal, and having assisted me in dragging the three +men to a distance from the precipice, off he started. My watch was a +very painful one. Poor Leary was constantly raving, asking why his boys +did not come up from below there, and crying out that he would go and +look for them. I often had great difficulty in restraining him. One of +his sons, too, was so severely hurt that I feared he would sink before +assistance could come. The other, who was the eldest, was fully +conscious of what had occurred, and groaned and cried bitterly, blaming +himself and his father as being the cause of the death of his younger +brothers, which was indeed too true. Many an anxious look did I cast up +the mountain in the hope of seeing my companions on their descent. I +expected them long before they could possibly arrive, for I had not +calculated how much time it would occupy Obed in ascending, and the +wagons with their wheels locked, and the trees astern in descending the +mountain. + +The state of my poor friends almost unnerved me, and I began to think of +grizzly bears and wolves, and all sorts of monsters which might scent us +out. Though I had my rifle at my back I could scarcely hope to defend +myself and my companions. Still I, of course, determined to do my best. +As I looked towards the glen into which the wagon had shot over, I saw +high in air several huge birds rapidly winging their flight from various +directions, and hovering over the spot ere they made a pounce down on +it. I knew too well what they were--vultures drawn by their keen scent +from afar to their dreadful banquet. They knew, whatever we might have +hoped, that death was there. At last the wagons appeared, and the sound +of female voices shrieking and wailing gave me notice that Obed had told +the poor wives and sisters of the sufferers what had occurred. It was a +most piteous scene. As soon as the wagons could be safely brought to a +stop, some of the women threw themselves by the side of the sufferers, +and hung over them, and kissed them, and embraced them convulsively, +while the bereaved widows cried out for their husbands, and asked what +had become of them. + +This state of things might have continued all day had not Mr Ragget +arrived and somewhat restored order. He first judiciously applied such +remedies as were at hand to the sufferers, and then had them all lifted +into a wagon, and on we proceeded to the bottom of the mountain. Soon +after this we reached a spot whence what appeared a vast plain was seen +stretching out before us, and became aware that we were near the +termination of the mountain portion of our journey. Here and there we +observed slight elevations, while several silvery lines meandering amid +groves marked the course of what seemed small rivulets flowing towards +the Pacific. We afterwards found that the slight elevations turned into +considerable hills, the groves into vast forests, and the small rivulets +into rapid rivers, which cost us much toil and danger to pass. We had +still some way to descend before we reached a level spot, when, near the +edge of the stream which rushed out of the gorge I have mentioned, we +halted to encamp. + +Leaving the rest to make the usual arrangements, without stopping to +take food, I and three of the Raggets, with Leary's sons-in-law, and one +or two others, set off up the gorge to try and find the spot where the +wagon and the bodies of our late companions lay. I should say that as +we descended the mountain we had looked out for any practicable place by +which we might reach the bottom of the gorge, but none could we +discover. We had, of course, our rifles at our backs and our axes in +our belts, and either crowbars or poles in our hands. The ground was +rugged in the extreme. Sometimes we had to climb the sides of the +precipices, now to wade along the edge of the stream, running a great +risk of being carried off by the current. Sometimes we came to marshy +spots, into which we sank nearly up to our middle; then we worked our +way onward under trees, swinging ourselves from bough to bough, but the +greater part of the way we had to climb over huge boulders with crevices +between them, into which it would have been destruction to slip. We had +all climbed to the top of one huge rock, expecting that we should see +from it the spot at which we were aiming, when, on looking down the +opposite side, we found that there was at the bottom a watercourse with +a fall of nearly twenty feet into it, while nothing could we see of the +broken wagon. We had, therefore, to slip down the way we had come up, +and to progress as before. It was weary, fatiguing work. Still we +persevered; for there was, of course, a possibility that the poor young +Learys might be alive, though of this we had very little hope. + +We had been deceived as to the distance, and we judged that we must +already have travelled a league, or three miles. Obed suggested that we +might have passed the spot, but this I did not think possible. Our +course, as I mentioned, lay along the side of the torrent; but +frequently we lost sight of it, though we did not cease to hear its loud +roar, as the foaming waters rushed over its rocky bed. I calculated, as +I looked at it, what a mighty torrent would be shortly hurrying onward, +when the snows above melted by the heat of the approaching summer. At +length, climbing another rock, we saw not fifty yards from us the sad +spectacle of which we were in search, the fragments of the wagon and the +dead horses. We hurried on and soon reached the spot. Already over the +horses were hovering eight or ten huge vultures, flapping their wings as +they alighted, while with unearthly cries they tore away the flesh with +their sharp talons and hooked beaks. They seemed inclined to dispute +their prey with us; but on Obed and I firing we killed two of them, and +the rest flew off; but we could see them hovering in the distance, ready +to pounce down again as soon as we had retired. + +We instantly set to work with our crowbars and poles to turn over the +broken wagon. The sight which met our eyes was sad indeed. There lay +the two young men, fearfully crushed and mangled, directly under the +wagon. They must have clung to it as it descended, or have been +entangled among the goods in it. They must instantly have been killed. +We had wished to carry the bodies back to the camp, but in consequence +of the impracticable character of the road we had come over this was +impossible. We hunted about till at last we discovered a sort of basin +among the rocks, into which the earth from above had washed. Here we +dug two graves as deep as time would allow, and with scant ceremony, +though not without a tear, we placed in them the two brothers. We knew +that prayers for them were of no avail; they had gone to their account; +but we did pray that we might not thus be hurriedly snatched away +without a warning. There were plenty of slabs of stone on the side of +the mountain chipped off by winter frosts and summer heats and rains, +and so we placed one at the head of each grave, and then we left them to +sleep on undisturbed. Probably many ages may roll by before that spot +is again visited by human footsteps. So engaged had we been in our +painful employment that we did not perceive how rapidly daylight was +decreasing, and before we had proceeded half-a-mile on our return +journey we came to the disagreeable conclusion that we should be +benighted before we could possibly reach the camp. Still we of course +pushed on as long as we could see our way. As we had had no food since +the morning, we were desperately hungry; but as Obed observed, "I guess +we've plenty of water, mates, and maybe we shall kill a rattlesnake, and +that won't be bad eating." + +The cold we did not much mind, though somewhat icy blasts came down the +glen, for we were pretty well inured to that; but as we had had nothing +since the morning, our stomachs craved lustily for food, and I would +have tried my teeth on the flesh of a gaunt wolf, or even on one of the +vultures we had killed, if we could have got at them. We found our way +in among a circle of boulders, and there we passed the night, and a most +unpleasant one it was. At the earliest dawn we were on foot, but it +took us nearly two hours to reach the camp. I will not describe the +lamentations of the Leary family when we gave them an account of our +proceedings--the shrieks and wailing which the poor women commenced and +continued for the greater part of the next twenty-four hours. As there +was plenty of wood, water, and grass for the cattle, we determined to +remain there a day to prepare for our journey along the level country. +To avoid the lamentations of the unhappy wives, as soon as I had +performed the part of the work allotted to me for the general good, I +stole from the camp to enjoy some portion of quiet. When the sun got +up, as the wind was from the west, the heat became very great, and I did +not feel inclined to move very fast. + +Soon after leaving the camp, I observed several hawks hovering round a +spot in the wood, the abode probably of some rabbits, hares, or other +small game. By cautiously creeping on, I got within shot of one of +them. I fired, and down tumbled the monster bird. He was a huge +creature, with a large hooked beak and immense claws, who, if he could +not have carried off a lamb or a goose, would have had no trouble in +flying away with a duck, or a fowl, or a rabbit. I observed where the +others went to, and followed them till I reached a tolerably accessible +cliff, at the top of which a whole colony seemed to reside; big and +little, sires and offspring, were circling round, and making themselves +quite at home. Having a fancy to examine the nature of their +habitations, I looked about me to see how I could get up the cliff, and +with my pole alone in hand commenced the ascent. This, from the nature +of the ground, was not very difficult; and I had got within a dozen feet +or so from their nests, and was standing on a broad ledge, looking up to +ascertain how I could best ascend higher, when they espied me, or, as +they had been all along watching me, they probably came to the +conclusion that it was time to put a stop to my further proceedings. I +had just discovered their nest, which was as large as the baskets market +women carry on their heads. It was composed of twigs and small sticks, +none less than an inch in circumference. On the ledge below it were +scattered numerous bones, and the skeletons and half-mangled bodies of +pigeons, hares, and a variety of small birds. Without much +consideration, I constituted myself the champion of the smaller denizens +of the wood, and, axe in hand, was ascending to knock the robber +stronghold to pieces, when old and young, with fierce cries, made a +desperate sortie to drive off the assailant of their castle. Down they +came upon me with the most desperate fury, dashing at my head and face, +and evidently aiming at my eyes. I struck right and left with my axe, +but it is a bad weapon for defence, and they laughed at all my efforts, +only wheeling round to renew the attack. + +Ten times rather would I have had a combat with a dozen wolves, or a +hungry grizzly. I should instantly have had both my eyes torn from +their sockets, had I not kept my left arm like a shield before them; and +as it was, my forehead got some ugly blows which almost drove in the +bone, while the blood flowing from the wounds nearly blinded me. Never +have I felt so unmanned,--so terribly alarmed. It was like being +attacked by a host of demons. I could not seek safety in flight, for I +should have broken my neck, as I dared not for a moment move my left arm +from before my face, while my right was fully occupied in dealing blows +on every side at my fierce enemies. I shrieked out at the top of my +voice with downright terror, but I was too far from the camp, I fancied, +to have any hope of being heard. Even my right arm began to get weary +with striking at the empty air, and at the same time the boldness of my +assailants increased. They attacked me in rear as well as in front, +darting against my neck and the back of my ears; and so terribly did +they beat me that I began fully to believe that I should be done to +death by birds. Still, had it not been for the dread of losing my eyes, +I could easily have escaped. + +At last, one big fellow, the father of the brood, pounced down and hit +me on the temple within an inch of my right eye. + +Just then, when almost in despair, I heard the voice of Sam Short +shouting out, "Throw yourself on the ground, Dick; face downward, Dick." + +I did as he counselled, and the next moment a shot from his rifle +brought down my chief foe, who fell close to me. Still he was not dead, +and with the fury of despair, flapping his way up to me, he began to +make such determined attacks on my head, that I feared he would have +bitten off my ear before I was able to disengage my right hand, with +which I then gave him a blow on his head, which made him quiet for ever. +Still the rest of the amiable family kept circling above me, giving me +most disagreeable prongs, till another shot from Short's rifle killed +two more, and the rest, discovering that I had an ally in the field, +took to flight. He then came up, and having destroyed the nest, helped +me down the cliff, for I really could scarcely have descended by myself, +so completely shaken were my nerves with the novel contest in which I +had engaged. I begged Sam not to mention in camp what had occurred, but +he kept my counsel very badly, for he could not resist asking when I +would like to go birds'-nesting again, and made so many other allusions +that I thought it was best to tell the story, and got heartily laughed +at for my pains. I, however, have always felt that it was no laughing +matter, and that I was never in greater peril than on that occasion. + +We next day proceeded on our journey, and for ten days or so made but +slow progress, as we had numerous rivers to pass, and the change of +climate from the cold of the mountains to the heat of the plains was +very trying to man and beast. We now took to encamping during the +middle of the day, and travelling very early and late. In that way our +animals got two unbroken rests instead of one, which was a great +advantage. + +One day, after a long morning's journey, we had camped near a stream +bordered by rich pastures of red and white clover. As I have hinted, +although I was on the most friendly terms with all my companions, I now +and then had a longing to be by myself, to commune with my own thoughts, +and to call to mind friends whose ideas and manners were so different +from those of my present associates. As I frequently did, therefore, I +left the camp, and wandered on up the stream till I came to a little +grove of sumach and cherry trees, under whose shade I sat down to enjoy +the cool air, and to watch the clear water which flowed bubbling by. +The sweet-scented flowers of spring were bursting out from many a bush, +and encumbering the ground around me. Their balmy odours filled my +nostrils, the fresh air played round my brow, and the murmur of the +stream sounded in my ears, till my pleased senses became completely +overcome by the surrounding soporific influences, and wandered far away +amid the regions of dreamland: in other words, I went fast asleep. At +last I awoke, and rubbed and rubbed my eyes; I had good reason for +rubbing them, for the beautiful landscape on which they had closed was +no longer before them. There was the murmur of the stream, and the +scent of the flowers, but obscurity was around me, and the stars were +glittering brightly overhead. How far in the night it was I could not +guess. How to follow my companions too, was a question, as it was so +dark that I could not have found my way to the camp, even if they had +been there. The only cause I could then assign for my having slept so +long, was that I must have been surrounded by some herbs of soporific +power, though, perhaps, the perfect tranquillity of the spot, the heat +of the weather, and the exertion I had of late gone through were +sufficient reasons for the unusual length of my nap. Having no hopes of +overtaking my friends that night, I judged that the best thing I could +do was to stay where I was and go to sleep again. This was, however, +not very easy to do. I was lightly clad, and the night damp had made me +feel very chilly. It was not, therefore, till morning that sleep again +overpowered me. It would have been better for me had I kept awake. +Suddenly I opened my eyes with a start. The sun had already risen, and +was glancing through the woods on my head. I heard a noise--a rustling +in the grass. I turned my head, and there, to my horror, I beheld a +huge rattlesnake about to spring on me. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +A FIGHT WITH A RATTLESNAKE, AND A DESCRIPTION OF MY ENEMY--FIND THE CAMP +DESERTED--FEEL VERY HUNGRY--KILL A GOOSE--SEE SOME HORSEMEN IN THE +DISTANCE--FIND A RIVER BETWEEN ME AND THEM--BUILD A RAFT, AND TAKE A +LONGER VOYAGE THAN I INTEND--SHOOT A FALL, AND HAVE THE PLEASANT +PROSPECT OF BEING CARRIED DOWN A CATARACT. + +I sprang up as if I had been galvanised, and leaped a dozen feet or more +away from the fangs of the rattlesnake. I had left my pole at the camp, +and I had placed my rifle by my side when I went to sleep. There it lay +close to the rattlesnake. My axe was in my belt, but it is not a good +weapon for the attack of either birds or snakes. My enemy was advancing +towards me, his tail rattling ominously. My foot, as I leaped back, +struck a stone--the only one appearing thereabouts among the grass. I +seized it, and dashed it down on the head of the reptile, who was not +then a yard from me, with such force that it drove its body right down +into the earth, while its tail wriggled and rattled away in a vain +endeavour to extricate itself. I ran and picked up my rifle, and looked +round to see that I had left nothing behind me. I could not help +stopping, before I proceeded on my way, to examine the creature I had +killed. + +It was of a yellowish-brown colour, marked all down its back with spots +of a dark-brown, while from the head down the neck ran three +longitudinal lines of the same hue. The head was large and flat, and +covered with small scales. It was about five feet long, and as thick as +my wrist, and altogether a very formidable-looking snake. The +rattlesnake has a small set of teeth, which serve to catch and retain +its prey, and the poisonous fangs with which it kills them. These +latter are placed in the upper jaw, and when not employed remain flat +along it. It is one of the most deadly of poisonous serpents, and would +be very dangerous were it not that it is very sluggish in its movements, +and that it has a rattle at the end of its tail, with which it cannot +avoid giving notice of its approach. The rattle is a collection of +bones, formed something like the backbone of a human being. It looks as +if it were fastened on outside the tail, at its very tip. The broad +part of the rattle is placed perpendicularly to the body, and it is so +contrived that each bone strikes against two others at the same time, so +as to multiply the rattling sound. I have often thought how glad the +rattlesnake would be to get rid of his rattle, just as a person with a +bad character, justly obtained, would like to have the stigma removed, +that he might commit more mischief on the unwary. + +The more I have travelled, and the longer I have lived, the greater +reason I have to admire the wonderful and beautiful arrangements of the +Creator of all things. Why venomous serpents were formed I cannot say, +though I am very certain it was for a good object; but it is very +evident why the snake I have been describing was furnished with a +rattle--that man might be warned of its approach. My examination of the +snake did not last long. I afterwards saw and killed many others. +Quitting the spot, I hurried towards the camp. When I thought that I +had gone a sufficient distance I expected to hear the voices of my +associates; but all was silent. I pushed on as fast as I could among +the trees. The camp had been placed in a pleasant open glade. I was +certain that I had reached the spot. I looked round on every side. No +one was there; but there were the black patches where the fires had +been, and a few bones, and straw scattered about, and other signs of a +deserted encampment. From the character of the ground the trail was +very indistinct. Still I thought that I could follow it, and off I set +as fast as I could walk. I had not gone far before I became aware that +I had lost the track. I looked about in every direction in vain. I +could not find it. I was getting very hungry. At last I could go on no +longer; so I bethought me that I would kill some bird or beast for +breakfast. On examining, however, my powder-flask, what was my dismay +to find that I had only five or six charges at the utmost. At that +early time of the year there were no berries or wild fruits ripe. Later +I might have found wild cherries in abundance, and raspberries, and +strawberries, on which I could have supported nature. + +"I must take care not to throw a shot away," I said to myself, as I +looked about in search of game. Just then I saw the glimmer of water +through the trees, and walking on, I found myself by the side of a +beautiful lake, a mile or more long, and half a mile wide. I was not +certainly in a humour to contemplate its beauty, but I was very much in +the mood to admire some flocks of geese and ducks which were disporting +themselves on its surface, in happy ignorance of the presence of man. I +almost trembled with anxiety as I crept along the margin of the lake, +till I could get near enough to obtain a shot at one of them. A duck +would have satisfied me, but as a goose, being larger, would last +longer, I waited till one came near. A stately fellow came gliding up, +picking insects off the reeds close to the margin. I fired. He rose +and fluttered his wings awhile, and then down he flopped close to me. I +sprang forward like a famished wolf, and very nearly toppled heels over +head into the water, when, had I escaped drowning, I should, at all +events, have spoiled the remainder of my powder in my eagerness to grasp +my prey. At first he fluttered away from the land, but something turned +him, and he came back so close that I caught hold of a wing, and, +hauling him on shore, very soon put an end to his sufferings. To +collect sticks, light a fire, pluck, and clean out my bird, was the work +of a few minutes. I cannot say that the first part I ate of him was +very much done, for I tore off a wing and then put the body back to get +more roasted while I satisfied the more violent cravings of hunger. I +washed down my breakfast with a draught of water from the lake, and then +hurried on again towards the west. + +Before, when I had lost my friends, I dreaded suffering from cold, now I +had to fear the heat. The sun came down with terrific force on my head, +and seemed, at times, as if it would scorch my brain to a cinder. At +last I felt that if I went on longer I might be struck down by it, so I +threw myself on the ground under the shade of a wide-spreading cedar, in +a little wood, which contained besides cedars, pine trees, birch, wild +cherries, hawthorn, sweet willow, with honeysuckle and sumach. I slept +an hour or more, and, having eaten some more goose, continued my +journey. Though I kept my eyes actively engaged on every side I could +discover no trace of my friends. + +It was evening, when, as I was travelling along the banks of a river +towards the west, I saw on the opposite side, and on the summit of a +rocky ridge, which extended at a distance for some miles parallel with +it, two horsemen. From the way they rode along I had no doubt that they +were my friends the Raggets in search of me. Had they been going east I +might have had hopes of cutting them off on their return; but they were +moving west, and going from me. I shouted at the top of my voice, +though at that distance they could not possibly hear me. I took off my +jacket; I waved it frantically. I was about to plunge into the river to +swim across, but the current was very strong and rapid, swelled by the +melting snows of the mountains. I had good reason to dread being +carried away should I make the attempt. I ran on, hoping to find a ford +or some high spot whence my signals might be more easily seen. No +elevated ground appeared, but the banks were very uneven, sometimes +rocky, in some places overgrown with brushwood, so that my progress was +very slow, and the horsemen disappeared in the distance. + +It soon after this grew dark, and this circumstance made me hope that +should the horsemen I had seen have been the Raggets, the camp could not +be very far-off; but then again I had sufficient experience to teach me +that it would be vain to attempt reaching it in the dark. I had now to +look about for a place in which to pass the night. I wished to avoid +the vicinity of rattlesnakes as well as of bears and wolves. I selected +a dry bank near the river, and set to work to collect a quantity of long +grass which grew about, not only to form a mattress, but to protect me +from the cold and the dew of the night. The thick grass cut my hands +sadly as I plucked it, and laughed at the efforts of my axe to cut it +down. At length, however, I managed to cut and pluck enough for my +purpose, and piling it in an oblong heap, I burrowed under it longways, +keeping a bundle in my hands to serve as a pillow. I was surprised to +find how warm and comfortable I felt. + +I was congratulating myself on this, and was just dozing off into sleep, +when I was roused up again by the dreadful sound of the rattlesnake's +tail. I started up to listen from which side the serpent was +approaching; for had I moved I might have run directly on it. A horror +seized me. It appeared as if I was surrounded by the creatures. On +every side of me there was the same noise. I began to fancy that I was +dreaming. I had never heard of so many rattlesnakes being found +together. Still I was sure that I was awake. There was the noise +again. It was quite close to me. I put out my hand and caught a +grasshopper, or rather a sort of locust. The sound of their wings +resembles very much that made by the rattlesnake when about to dart on +its prey. I was sure that was the noise I had heard. "There may be +thousands of them for what I care; they can't eat or sting me," I said +to myself; and then I went fast asleep. + +I awoke very much refreshed, but so strongly had the thought of +rattlesnakes been impressed on my mind, that my first impulse on waking +was to look cautiously round to ascertain that none were near. Finding +that, as far as I could see, the coast was clear, I jumped up and shook +myself, then bathed my face in the river; and having said my prayers, +which I never failed to do, and returned thanks to Him who had hitherto +so mercifully preserved me, continued on my journey. + +I was now anxious to get to the other bank of the river, which I was +convinced my companions had crossed by some ford higher up, and which I +had missed. In vain, however, I searched for one; the river, as I +advanced, grew wider and more rapid, as more streams poured into it; and +at length I came to the conclusion that I must either go back again till +I had found the ford, or swim the river and ferry over my gun and +powder-horn, or construct a raft, and attempt the passage on it myself. +While I was balancing in my mind which I should do, my eye fell on a +patch of withies or osiers, growing in a shallow bend of the river close +to the bank. This decided me. I would make a raft, for the withies +would enable me to fasten it together. I set to work, and cut down with +my faithful axe a number of young trees, selecting firs and those of the +lighter description of wood. That reminds me, that I would advise every +traveller in wild countries to carry an axe, and to know how to use it. +It is a weapon which to use properly, requires both care and practice. + +In my search for fit trees I came upon several dry logs, which, from +being so much lighter than the green trees, were very valuable. Having +collected my materials, I commenced the construction of the raft, and +finished it in half an hour, very much to my satisfaction. I built it +partly in the water, so that I might have less difficulty in launching +it. I had to prepare a very essential implement to enable me to perform +my voyage, namely, a long pole with which to shove the raft along. I +had cut down a tall sapling, and cleared it of its boughs, when I heard +a rushing noise louder than that hitherto produced by the current. + +I ran towards the river, dragging my pole, when, as I got near it, I saw +that a fresh body of water, caused by the rapid melting of the snow, or +by the giving way of some natural dam higher up the stream, was rushing +down the channel, and raising its waters considerably above their usual +level. I was just in time to see my raft, which I had constructed with +so much labour, and which I had left safely resting on the shore, slowly +gliding away from it. I could not bear the idea of losing it, and, +without a moment's consideration, I made a rush into the water, caught +hold of it just as I found myself up to my middle, and with a spring +threw myself flat upon it, still, however, keeping hold of my pole. The +shove I of necessity gave the raft sent it further from the shore, and +by the time I gained my feet, and was in a position to attempt guiding +the raft, I found that it had got completely out into the impetuous +current, and was being rapidly hurried down it. I tried to reach the +bottom with my pole, and though I succeeded, I could in no way stem the +current. I should have been wiser had I tried to get back to the shore +I had left; instead of this, by following up my first purpose of +crossing, I quickly got into a stronger part of the current, and was +sent whirling more quickly downward. Holding my pole, I balanced myself +as well as I could, prepared for any emergency. The river was four or +five hundred yards wide at least, and I saw that I could not hope on +this part to reach the opposite or northern shore. The river seemed +free from rocks, and as there was no particular danger that I saw to be +apprehended, it occurred to me that I was prosecuting my journey in a +far more expeditious and pleasant way than I had expected. + +I was congratulating myself on this circumstance, when I became suddenly +conscious that the noise of the rushing water had greatly increased. +Looking ahead down the river, the water seemed to bubble and foam more +than where I was, while a cloud of mist hung over the spot. The +dreadful conviction forced itself on me that I was approaching a rapid, +or perhaps a waterfall, down which I should be whirled hopelessly, and +dashed to pieces. Again I plunged my pole to the bottom, but it only +made the raft whirl round--I had no power of guiding it. On it went. +The raft began to tumble and pitch; it was in a rapid of considerable +length. The additional rush of water hid many of the rocks; now and +then, however, I saw their black tops rising out of the mass of foam +which surrounded them. I prayed that I might not strike one. I looked +anxiously ahead with compressed lips. The water roared, and foamed, and +hissed about me. I might have been proud of my raft-making skill; had +not my ark been well built it would soon have gone to pieces. + +Before long my fears were with reason increased. Before me rose a line +of black rocks. There seemed scarcely room for the raft to pass between +them. I could no longer keep my feet. I sat down, holding my pole. +The raft was driving directly down upon a rock. It swerved a little. I +shoved my pole against the rock, and it glanced clear. On it went--but +numerous other dangers appeared. I was whirled by the rocks, the foam +dashed from them, flying over me. I felt a dreadful blow; the raft +quivered. I thought all was over with me, but it floated clear of the +rock against which it had struck, and on I went. Suddenly the jerking +motion of the raft ceased. I was clear of the rapid. I tried again to +pole towards the shore, but the water was so deep, and the current so +rapid, that I was able to make but slight progress across the river, +when the raft began to pitch again, and I found that I was in another +rapid. Away I was whirled as before. There were more rocks in this +rapid; at all events the raft drove against more, and it began to suffer +from the repeated shocks it was receiving--parts of it got loosened, and +I dreaded every moment to see it part asunder, and to find myself +hurried amid its fragments to destruction. Again a space of smooth +appeared, but it was smooth because it was deep, and I could make but +little way towards the shore among its whirling eddies. Still for the +present I was safe, and had time to look about me. Thus I floated on, +when a loud thundering noise assailed my ears, and a mass of mist rose +before my eyes, giving evidence indubitable that I was approaching a +formidable cataract. I had seen Niagara. Should this be only half its +height it would be sufficient to make mincemeat of me. In vain I looked +around for aid, and clinging desperately to my raft, I resigned myself +to my fate. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +UNEXPECTEDLY REACH THE BANK, AND LAND IN SAFETY--MY CLOTHES ARE IN +TATTERS--AFTER MAKING A LONG JOURNEY FIND THAT I HAVE RETURNED TO THE +VERY SPOT I LEFT--ENCOUNTER A HUNGRY WOLF--SUFFER FROM WANT OF WATER-- +MEET A LYNX, BUT FIND NO LIQUID--GO TO BED AMONG SOME NESTS OF +RATTLESNAKES--SLAUGHTER A HOST OF SNAKES AND SIP THE DEW OF THE +MORNING--MORE RATTLESNAKES--MY ONWARD JOURNEY CONTINUED--MY CRY IS STILL +FOR WATER--OBTAIN A LARGER SHARE THAN I REQUIRE--I SWIM DOWN THE STREAM, +AND ON LANDING AM RECEIVED BY A HUGE GRIZZLY. + +There was only one way I conceived by which, humanly speaking, I could +possibly have been saved. I was whirled furiously down the current. I +saw, a short distance before me, the commencement of the rapid which led +to the cataract, when I felt the raft turn slightly round, and half +stop, as it were, and by the appearance of the water I was convinced +that it had got into an eddy. I darted down my pole. It speedily +struck the bottom. I shoved on with all my might. New energy returned +to me. I sprang to my feet. The raft no longer advanced towards the +rapid, but I found that I could urge it surely and steadily towards the +shore. A shout of joy, and an exclamation of thankfulness escaped my +lips as it reached the bank, and, by the aid of my pole, I leaped on to +the dry land a dozen feet at least from the edge. I was preserved from +immediate death. But where had I drifted to? Where were my friends? +What prospect had I of obtaining food to sustain life till I could find +them? All these were questions which I asked myself, but to which I +could give no satisfactory answer. Scarcely had I reached the shore +than my raft, which I had not secured to it, began to drift away. +Onward it went down the stream. I could not recover it; so a very +natural impulse made me follow its course along the banks. I ran on for +two or three hundred yards, when I arrived at the edge of a roaring +cataract, some forty feet deep at least. First, there was a foaming +rapid, with here and there black rocks appearing amid the sea of froth, +and then came a dark treacherous mass of water, which curled over and +fell downwards in a broad curtain into a deep pool, out of which there +arose a cloud of dense spray with a deafening roar; and then the river +went gliding away, dark and smooth, in innumerable eddies, showing the +rapidity of the current, till it was concealed by thick woods and rocks. +I now felt more than ever how deeply grateful I ought to be for the way +I had been preserved, for not an instant longer could I have existed had +I once reached the edge of the cataract. + +I had, however, no time to lose, so, shouldering my rifle and pole, I +struck off at a right angle from the course of the river, hoping thus to +across the track of my late companions. I had, it must be remembered, +but two charges of powder remaining, and as at that season of the year +there were no fruits ripe, my existence depended on my making an +economical use of them. + +I had another source of anxiety. I had left the camp in a pair of thin +old shoes, and they were now so worn-out and coming so completely to +pieces, that they no longer afforded any protection to my feet, which +were already cruelly cut. My only resource, therefore, was to tear off +the sleeves of my jacket, with which I bound them up. This afforded me +some relief; but the ground near the river was in many places rocky, so +that these bandages quickly again wore out. The sky, too, became +cloudy, and the wind changed constantly, so that when I got into a +hollow where I could not see any distant object by which to guide my +course, I was often uncertain in which direction I was going. I found +also, after I left the river, a great scarcity of water; the heat had +dried-up all the water-holes and rivulets, and I thus began to suffer +much from thirst. The pangs increased as I walked on. I might have +killed a bird, or some animal, and quenched my thirst with their blood; +but as I might require their flesh for food, I did not wish to expend a +charge of powder till my present stock of meat was expended. It was +getting dark. I was more thirsty than hungry; so on I went in the hopes +of reaching a spring before it was quite dark. I looked about me. +After a time, I could not help fancying that the features of the country +were very similar to those through which I had passed some hours before, +and at length the disagreeable fact forced itself on me that I had +returned back on my own track, and that all my late exertions had been +completely thrown away. For an instant I felt very much inclined to +despair of reaching my friends, but I quickly recovered myself, and the +clouds clearing away in the west, the glow of the setting sun showed me +the right direction to take. I therefore determined to push on as long +as the least glimmer of light enabled me to find my way. + +I had not gone far, however, when I heard a rustling noise in a copse +close to which I was passing, and presently out of it stalked a huge +gaunt wolf, and planted himself before me in a threatening attitude, +some twenty paces in advance, as if he had resolved to dispute my onward +progress. My first impulse was naturally to fire, but I recollected +that if I did, I might not possibly kill him, as I had only small shot, +and that though I did kill him, his flesh would be far from pleasant +food. I knew that if I showed the slightest symptoms of fear he might +fly at me, so I faced him boldly, as I had faced many of his brethren +before, and tried to look somewhat braver than I felt. I waved my long +pole towards him, and advanced a pace or two, on which he retreated, +still keeping his piercing eye fixed savagely on me. Again I advanced, +and began shouting as loud as I could, hoping thus to frighten him away, +but instead of this he set up the most terrific howls, which I could not +help interpreting as invitations to his comrades to assemble from far +and near, in order to make a meal on my carcase. The more he howled the +louder I shouted, and the odd idea occurring to me that if I shouted out +real names the wolf would be more alarmed, I called by name on all the +Raggets, and Short, and Noggin to come to my assistance, and looked +round, pretending that I expected them to appear. The wolf, I thought, +winked his wicked eye, as much as to say, "That's all gammon; don't +suppose you can do an old soldier like me;" but I cannot say positively, +as it was growing dark. Still he would not move, and I had no wish to +get nearer his fangs. I continued shouting, and he went on howling, and +a sweet concert we must have made, for I had bawled till I was hoarse. +I have an idea that my shouts kept his friends away. Perhaps it +prevented them from hearing what he was saying. + +At length, much to my relief, I saw him turn his head, first on one side +and then on the other, and then about he went, as if he had given up all +hopes of his expected supper, and away he skulked into the wood. On +seeing this my courage rose to the highest pitch, and after him I went, +shaking my pole and shouting and shrieking and hallooing at the very top +of my voice to expedite his movements; and it is my belief that he was +so frightened that he did not stop again to look round till he had got +many a mile from where he met me; though I own that, when we first set +eyes on each other, I was much the more frightened of the two. + +The shades of evening were now approaching, and I was anxious to find a +place in which I could spend the night in tolerable safety. Scarcely, +however, had the wolf disappeared, than an old lynx, followed by a young +one, trotted up close to me. I got my rifle ready, but rather than fire +I began shouting and shrieking as before, and they continued their +course without molesting me. My great wish was now to find water. A +draught of the pure liquid would have appeared like the richest nectar. +Hurrying on, I saw a green spot with some rushes growing near. + +"There must be water," I exclaimed, rushing on with eager haste, like +the pilgrim in the desert, towards the longed-for oasis, even fancying +that I saw the shining surface through the trees. I reached the spot; I +looked about; there were the rushes sure enough, and there had been the +water, but it was dried-up. Oh, how thirsty I felt! I thought I might +find some moisture at the roots of the rushes. I pulled them up and +sucked eagerly at them, but they afforded no moisture to my parched +lips. I had no resource, therefore, but to go liquidless to bed. It +was rapidly getting dark, so I had no time to lose. I saw a large stone +at a little distance, and thinking that it would afford me some +protection if I slept beside it, I began to pull up some rushes with +which to form my bed. Having collected as many as I could carry, I took +them to the spot and threw them on the ground. I went back for more, +and having scattered them about and piled up a few for a pillow, was +about to throw myself on this quickly-formed couch when I saw, just +under the stone, what I at first took for a stick, but which then +beginning to move, exhibited itself to me as a monstrous rattlesnake, +with its body coiled up and its head erect, its fierce eyes glittering, +and its forked tongue moving rapidly to and fro as if eager to bite me. +I had disturbed it from its slumbers, and it was naturally excessively +angry. I did not stop to let it bite me, but sprang back several feet +before I recovered my usual coolness. I felt sadly conscious that I was +not like myself, and that my nervous system was very much upset. +Regaining my self-possession pretty quickly, however, I once more +advanced, and settled the creature with a blow of my stick. + +The strokes I gave the ground soon roused up several other rattlesnakes, +and I found that a whole brood were collected under the stone. As they +are slow-moving creatures, I was able to kill every one of them before +they could escape. They would have been somewhat unpleasant companions +to me during my nocturnal slumbers. Scarcely had I despatched my +rattle-tailed enemies than, turning over with my foot some smaller +stones near the big one, out wriggled a number of other snakes, black, +brown, and yellow, twisting and turning amid the grass, many making +directly towards me. To be surrounded, even in daylight, by such +creatures would have been especially unpleasant, but in the dusk, when I +could scarcely see them, the sensations I experienced were scarcely +bearable. I felt inclined to shriek out at the top of my voice, but I +restrained myself, and began slashing away right and left with my stick. +Some I killed, but the others being more nimble than the rattlesnakes, +escaped. Still I could not venture to proceed in the dark, nor could I +stay on my legs all night; but I had no fancy to sleep near where I had +killed the snakes. I looked about, therefore, for another suitable +spot, and having selected it, I lashed about in every direction with my +stick, so that any lurking serpent must of necessity be killed or put to +flight. Then I collected more rushes, and taking a suck at a piece of +dry duck for my supper, threw myself at my length on them and tried to +go to sleep. It was no easy matter to do this, as I could not help +remembering that I was surrounded by venomous creatures and wild beasts +of all sorts, who might find me out during my slumbers and rouse me up +in a very unpleasant way. + +At last, however, I closed my eyes, and so tightly did they remain +sealed that the sun had arisen before I awoke. I started up and looked +around me. Neither venomous serpents nor wild beasts were near, but the +bodies of the snakes I had killed lying about showed me the reality of +what had occurred. I started to my feet, and a few shakes completed my +toilet. I had hoped to awake before daylight, that I might have time to +collect the dew from the branches of the trees and from the long grass, +that I might at least moisten my lips. I felt as if all the liquid +would be dried-up before it got down my throat. But, alas! when I +looked round, so hot was the sun, and so dry the atmosphere, that +scarcely a drop could I find, even in the shade, sufficient to wet my +tongue. I however plucked some cool grass and chewed it, and then +continued on my journey. I was now able to proceed with more certainty +than on the previous day. + +As I walked on, my glance was turned on every side for the sort of +vegetation which might indicate the vicinity of water. Every height I +came near I ascended, that I might enjoy a wider range of vision. I was +all this time suffering dreadfully from my feet. Sometimes I passed +over a wide extent of ground covered with small sharp stones, which +speedily wore out all the bandages which I had fastened round my feet. +That was bad enough; but soon afterwards I came to a tract overgrown +with stunted prickly pears, or _cacti_ as they are called. It was very +much as if the ground were planted thickly with short swords, daggers, +dirks, and penknives. Walk as carefully as I could, my feet and legs +were constantly striking against them, and from my shins to the soles of +my feet I was covered with wounds and blood. My jacket was soon used +up, and I then had to begin on the lower part of the legs of my +trousers, off which I tore shreds as I required them. At last I sat +down on a stone to apply fresh bandages to my feet, and what with the +heat, and thirst, and hunger, and weakness, and sickness, and pain, and +anxiety, I felt more inclined to cry than I had ever in my life before; +but I did not cry. I was too much dried-up for that, I suppose. My +next impulse was to throw myself down on the ground and give up the +struggle. + +However, I did not remain long in that mood. It is the worst mood to +encourage. I had always belonged to the "try" school. "No, I will not +give in," I exclaimed suddenly; "I will trust to Providence to carry me +out of my difficulties." Still I was so weak and I felt so helpless +that I sat and sat on till I was about to fall into a sort of lethargy, +from which I might have had no power to arouse myself. Suddenly, +however, my ears caught the well-known and justly-dreaded sound of the +rattlesnake's rattle. I sprang up all alive in a moment, and saw the +creature half a dozen paces from me, approaching through the grass. A +blow with my long stick, however, soon stopped his rattle, and +remembering how much time I had lost, I hurried on. I bethought me as I +did so, that I had offered but an ungrateful return to the poor snake +for the service he had rendered me, for had it not been for him I might +never have stirred from the stone on which I was sitting till I had +fallen off into the arms of death. + +I now walked on more rapidly than before, and in about an hour saw +before me a more thickly-wooded country than I had yet passed. I +pressed forward towards it. I should find shade, and perhaps--what I so +earnestly wished for--water. The wood was extensive, and looked gloomy +enough when I first entered it, though I felt the shade most grateful +after the glare of the open prairies. The sun, also, found its way +sufficiently through the foliage, only now bursting forth, to enable me +to steer my course as before. I have described the silence of the snow +mountains. I might now speak of the language of the woods. I sat down +to adjust my feet coverings, and when my feet ceased to tread on the +grass and dead leaves, I became conscious that I was surrounded by a low +rustling noise. At first I thought that the sound was caused by the +wind among the dry leaves, but I was soon convinced that it was made by +the young buds breaking forth from the cases which had shielded them +during the cold of early spring--that I literally heard the trees +growing! + +I did not rest long, for I was afraid of falling into my former state. +On I limped--unable to help uttering every now and then complaining +"Oh!" as my foot trod on a thorn or knocked against a stone. I grew +faint and more faint--"Water! water! water!" I ejaculated. How +dreadful is thirst! "I cannot stand it longer," I cried out; but I felt +it would be suicide to stop as long as I could move, and the next +instant a low, murmuring, rushing sound reached my ears. I thought it +was fancy, but still I dragged on as fast as I could my weary steps. +The noise increased--it was that of a waterfall--I was certain of it. I +tried to hurry on my feet, and scarcely felt the pricks and cuts they +were receiving. I caught sight of the glittering spray through an +opening in the woods. I fancied that I felt the coolness of the air +passing over it. On I went. There was the water rushing, gurgling, +foaming away; but as I sprang on, forgetting my weakness, I found myself +on the top of a rock, over which I very nearly toppled into the +sought-for stream, twenty feet or more below me. + +I looked about for a path to lead me down to it. I saw, a little way +higher up the stream, a part of the bank less steep than the rest. I +ran towards it. I slid down; but what was my dismay to find that I +could not stop myself, and into the water I plunged, with my rifle and +powder-flask at my back! I had now more of the element I had been so +eagerly desiring than was pleasant. My feet, however, touched the +bottom, and stooping down, I let the water run into my mouth and wash my +dried-up face. Oh, how delicious it was! It revived me and restored my +strength; and then I began to consider how I was again to get out of the +stream. The current was so strong that I dare not let go the bank, lest +I should be carried off my feet. I could not hope to climb up that down +which I had come, and those on each side were still steeper. The matter +was soon settled for me, for suddenly I felt myself taken off my feet, +and down the stream I drifted. I kept as close to the bank as I could, +grasping at the rocks as I passed, and endeavouring to climb up by them +out of the water. My anxiety was to ascertain whether or not I was +above the waterfall. If above it, I might be carried down, and fall +into the very danger I had before escaped. I tried to make out by the +sound, but could not tell, nor could I see the spray which I had before +observed. Still I hoped that I was below it. On I went, drifting down +the stream just as I have seen a dog carried along a river when he is +trying to climb up on a steep bank. Some bushes appeared. I caught at +them--several broke in my grasp. I caught eagerly at others. My +strength was failing me. At length I seized one which held. Close to +it I saw that there was a resting-place for my feet. I was about to +draw myself out of the water when, on looking up, what should I see on +the top of the bank but a huge bear gazing intently down on me, and +licking his jaws as if in contemplation of a pleasant repast. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +I LOOK AT THE BEAR, AND THE BEAR LOOKS AT ME--I CLIMB UP AND HE TRIES TO +CATCH ME, BUT I DODGE HIM AND ESCAPE--PROCEED ON--FIND A HOLLOW FALLEN +TREE, AND MAKE MY BED IN THE INTERIOR--PLEASANT SLEEP UNPLEASANTLY +DISTURBED--MY FRIEND THE GRIZZLY AGAIN--I ESCAPE UP A TREE, AND BRUIN +OCCUPIES MY BED--WE TRY EACH OTHER'S PATIENCE--I WATCH FOR AN +OPPORTUNITY OF ESCAPING, AND HE WATCHES TO CATCH ME. + +The bear looked very fierce; but I felt desperately desperate, and +determined not to be compelled by him to continue my voyage. So, +grasping the branch, I gradually drew myself up by it nearly out of the +water. I got one knee on the bank; the bear gave a growl; then I got +the other knee on _terra firma_; the bear growled again. I was not to +be intimidated. I had never let go my pole. I sprang to my feet and +stood looking up at the monster. He growled more fiercely than ever, as +if to warn me that I was intruding on his domains. + +"Growl away, old Bruin," I exclaimed, "I do not fear you. Stop me from +getting to the top of the bank you shall not." + +I flourished my stick as I spoke. He took the movement as a challenge, +and began to descend. The top was not nearly so steep as the place on +which I stood. The bear got down tolerably well, growling as he +advanced, and picking his way. My rifle was loaded, but I had every +reason to doubt that it would go off, after the ducking it had got, +though the muzzle had not got under water. I flourished my pole, +therefore, at the bear, and shouted at the top of my voice, but it did +not stop him. Just above me was a ledge. I climbed up to it, and there +waited the approach of the bear. The ground above was very steep and +slippery. On he came, faster and faster. My shouts had enraged him, +and he was eager to have a grab at me. I ran up a little way higher, +and then turned as if I would spring back into the water. He was afraid +he should lose me, and forgetting his previous caution, he sprang on to +catch me. + +As he did so I leaped nimbly on one side, and he toppled over, head +foremost, souse into the water. I saw him struggling away to regain the +bank; I did not stop to watch him, however, but sprang upwards with all +the agility I could exert, and did not stop till I had reached the +summit. Never have I gone through so many adventures for the sake of a +mouthful of water; I had not even, as it were, had enough, so I +determined to keep down the stream for the rest of the day. + +My clothes very quickly dried, which is not surprising, considering that +I had on only the remnants of my jacket, a shirt, and the upper part of +my trousers. The legs were bound round my feet. The water, had, +however, so much revived me that I began to feel a greater sensation of +hunger than I had before experienced. I had but one piece of my dried +duck left. I nibbled a bit as I walked on, keeping the remainder for +supper. On what I was to breakfast was a question which, if my powder +failed me, might be difficult to solve. Sometimes I lost sight of the +water, but quickly regained it, and ever and anon returned, where the +bank was practicable, to take a refreshing sip. As may be supposed, I +took care never to get out of the hearing of its pleasant sound. I did +not see the waterfall, and therefore concluded that I must have fallen +into the stream a short way below it. + +Night was now again approaching. I looked about in every direction for +a spot in which I might pass it. At last I came upon a huge pine tree, +which had been struck by lightning and lay prostrate on the ground. The +centre part of the trunk was hollowed out something like a dug-out +canoe, and on examining it I bethought me that it would make a +peculiarly comfortable abode for the night. I therefore set to work to +clear out all the rubbish inside which might conceal any creatures, and +I then collected some large sheets of birch-bark which lay stripped off +some neighbouring trees. This I placed over the top to form a roof, and +a very comfortable sort of abode I considered that I had made. It was a +safe one also, I thought, for no snake was likely to climb into it, nor +was it probable that any wild animal would find me out. I now ate my +last piece of meat, and then went down to the river and took a hearty +draught of water, and felt far more invigorated than I had been for a +long time. + +This done, I returned to my hollow tree, crept in, drew the sheets of +birch-bark over me, and went comfortably to sleep. Oh, how I did enjoy +that sleep! I felt so much more secure than I had ever been at night +since I commenced my wanderings. I awoke in the middle of the night, +but it was to turn myself round and to think, how comfortable I was. I +had, however, some causes for anxiety. How should I protect myself if +attacked either by savages or wild beasts? how should I procure food, +and how should I defend my feet when all my bandages were worn-out, +should I not succeed in finding my friends? The most pressing matter +was how to procure food. + +Suddenly I recollected that I had once put a couple of fish-hooks in a +pocket-book which I carried with me. I could not sleep till I had +pulled it out and ascertained that they were there. A rod I should have +no difficulty in forming; but how to make a line was the puzzle. At +last I remembered that my jacket was sewn together with very coarse +strong thread, and I thought that I could manufacture a line out of it. +Having come to this satisfactory conclusion, I again went to sleep. + +I had but a short time closed my eyes, when once more I was awoke by a +noise, as if something was scratching on the outside of the tree in +which I lay. What could it be? The scratching continued, and then +there was a snuffing sound, as if a snout was smelling about in the +neighbourhood. The noises were suspicious and somewhat alarming. I did +not like to move to ascertain what caused them, but I could not help +dreading that they were made by some wandering bear who had smelt me +out, and was now trying to get a nearer inspection of me. The +scratching and the snuffing continued, and then I was certain that the +creature, whatever it was, was climbing up on the trunk. It had done +so, but it tumbled off again. Soon, however, it came close up to me. I +could contain myself no longer. I wished to ascertain the worst. I +gently slid off the piece of bark above my head and sat upright. I +speedily, though, popped down again. My worst suspicions were +confirmed. It was a bear, and very likely the same bear from whom I had +escaped the day before. The moment he saw me he poked his snout over my +narrow bed-place, but I was too far down for him to get at me, +notwithstanding all the efforts he made to effect that object. Still it +was not pleasant to have such a watcher over my couch, as I could not +help dreading that he might possibly get his claws in and pull me out, +and that at all events the moment I sat upright he would give me an +embrace, but anything but a friendly one. The moon came out and shone +on his bearish eyes, and I saw him licking his jaws in anticipation of +his expected repast. The very way he did this convinced me that he was +my friend of yesterday. + +I had outwitted him once, and I determined to try and outwit him again. +I saw that near me was a tree with short branches, reaching close down +to the ground. I thought that if I could climb up it, I might get out +of the reach of my persecutor. Mustering all my strength, I suddenly +started up, shrieking out at the top of my voice, and flourishing my +stick, which I brought down with all my force on the bear's head. Bruin +so little expected the assault that, without attempting to attack me, he +turned round and trotted off to the distance of forty yards or so, when +he stopped and looked very intently at me. I seized the moment of my +emancipation to climb up the tree near me. + +The bear, the instant he saw me take to flight, uttering a deep growl, +sprang eagerly back to the foot of the tree; but I was beyond his reach. +What, therefore, was my dismay to see him put his huge arms and legs +round the trunk and begin to ascend. Up he came, and as he advanced, I +ascended higher and higher. Every now and then he looked up at me, and +performed the to me unpleasant ceremony of licking his jaws. He was a +cautious brute, for, as he got higher, he felt the boughs and shook +them, to ascertain if he could trust his weight on them. I at last was +obliged to retreat along a wide extending bough, from which I could just +reach my enemy's head as he came near me. I shouted and banged away +with all my might, which so much annoyed him that he gave up the chase. +The moment I saw him hesitate I redoubled my blows, and at last, +infinitely to my satisfaction, not liking the treatment he was +receiving, he began slowly to descend the way he had come up. I shouted +and poked at him, but nothing would hurry him. + +At last he reached the bottom, but instead of going away, he sat himself +down to watch me. Then we were just like the fox and the crow in the +fable. I the crow, and he the fox, only he wanted to get me instead of +the cheese. I sat on my bough flourishing my stick at him, and at last +he grew tired of watching me; but he did not go away--not he. My +astonishment was not small, to see him crawl into the bed-place I had +left, and quietly roll himself up and go to sleep. He must have slept, +however, with one eye open, for whenever I commenced descending from my +bough, he popped up his head as much as to say, "You had better not, or +I'll be after you," and then down he laid again. As I could not have +made much progress in the uncertain light of the moon, I climbed into a +forked branch of the tree, and tying my arm to a bough that I might not +tumble off, I tried to get a little more sleep. It was not very sound, +for the recollection that the bear might possibly take it into his head +to pay me a visit kept me wakeful. I felt certain that the rascal must +have known that my powder was wet, or he would not have been so +impudent. Once or twice I thought that I would try and make my rifle go +off, and I withdrew the charge of small shot, and put a bullet in +instead. At last I took aim and pulled the trigger, but no report +followed. + +I was thankful that I had not had to depend on my weapon for my life. +Bruin just lifted up his head when he heard the snap, but seeing that I +was safe, lay down again, and began either to snore, or to pretend to +snore, for the cunning rogue was up to any trick, I was certain of that, +to deceive me. For half an hour or more after this I lay quiet, and I +had great hopes that Bruin had really gone to sleep. The country to the +west along the banks of the stream appeared, as far as I could see by +the moonlight, pretty clear. I thought that I might make good some +distance before the bear awoke. + +Down I crept very cautiously, for fear of making the slightest noise, +from my lofty perch. I had got to one of the lower forks of the tree, +and was considering whether I could not drop without much noise to the +ground, from a branch which projected below me, when a low growl +proceeded from my recent bed-place, and the ogre lifted up his head with +one eye still shut, but with the other turned towards me in the most +malicious manner--at least, so I thought. I cannot quite vouch for this +last fact; but that was my impression at the time. I was in a most +uncomfortable position, so that I had to move one way or the other. I +began by moving downwards, and he then rose more, and gave another +growl. I then climbed up again, and as I ascended higher and higher, he +gradually lay back till his head was concealed inside the hollow of the +tree. Still, when I leaned forward, I could see his snout sticking up, +and could just catch the twinkle of his wicked eye turned towards me--I +mean the eye which, awake or asleep, as it seemed to me, he always kept +open. + +Under the circumstances, it is not surprising that I did not sleep very +soundly, still I did go to sleep, with my arms twined tightly round two +neighbouring boughs. I longed for daylight, which might enable me to +take some active measures one way or the other. At last, as I looked +out beyond the tops of the neighbouring trees, I could see a pale pink +and yellow hue suffusing the eastern sky, and the light crept forward, +as it were, on one side, while the forest on the other remained shrouded +in darkness. Not as in our own land, however, did the birds welcome the +coming sun with a full chorus of song. They were not altogether silent; +but even in that spring time of the year they only exhibited their +pleasure by a faint untuneful twittering and chirping. Bruin was, I +found, an early riser. I saw first one leg come out of his bed-place, +then another, as he stretched them forth; then up went his arms, and I +heard a loud yawn. It was rather more like a grunt. Then he began to +growl, and to make all sorts of other strange noises, and finally he +lifted up his head and gradually sat upright on his haunches. He winked +at me when he saw that I was safe up the tree, and I fancied that he +nodded his head, as much as to say, "Stay a bit, I'll soon be up to +you." Then he turned one leg out of the bed-place and then another, and +then he walked up to the tree, and sat himself down under it, and began +to growl. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +I EXHAUST BRUIN'S PATIENCE--MANUFACTURE SOME FISHING-LINES, AND DESCEND +FROM MY PERCH IN THE TREE--CATCH A BIG FISH TO MY GREAT JOY, WITH NO +LITTLE TROUBLE, AND COOK IT--MANY A SLIP BETWEEN THE SPIT AND THE LIP-- +MY FISH IS ADMIRABLY DRESSED BUT DISAPPEARS, THOUGH NOT DOWN MY THROAT-- +I SET TO WORK AGAIN AND CATCH MORE FISH--CONTINUE MY JOURNEY; AM ALMOST +STARVED--MY AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED--SEE SOME HORSES--FALL IN WITH SOME +INDIANS--THEY PROVE TO BE FRIENDS--ACCOMPANY ME ON MY JOURNEY, AND +CONDUCT ME TO THE CAMP OF THE RAGGETS--WE REACH CALIFORNIA, WHERE I +TERMINATE THE ADVENTURES WHICH I NOW GIVE TO THE PUBLIC. + +I do not mind confessing that I felt anything but happy perched up at +the top of a tree in that wild American forest, with a hungry and +cunning bear growling away for his breakfast below me. I too was +beginning to feel faint for want of food. The bear seemed to know that, +and to have hopes of starving me into submission. On that point, +however, I determined to disappoint him. Sooner than go down and be +eaten I resolved to die up in the tree, and then he would get nothing +but my dry bones for his pains. I tried his patience I saw, for he +growled and growled louder and more fiercely, and then began to lick his +paws, as a baby does its fingers to amuse itself when hungry. Two or +three times he began to climb up the tree; but the way in which I +flourished the pole in his face, and his recollection that he could not +reach me at the end of the branch to which I retired, made him speedily +again descend. The sun was now up and warm, and it struck me that if I +could dry some of my powder I might turn the tables on him, and eat him +instead of his eating me. I therefore cleared out a hollow in a branch, +into which I poured a charge of powder, and then cleaned my rifle and +picked out the touch-hole. + +I was determined not to be idle, and so, remembering my fish-hooks, I +set to work to manufacture a line. The threads were short, but I +knotted them neatly. I tried the strength of each one separately, and +those which broke I strengthened with line, which I twisted up. I thus +sat knotting and spinning, with as much coolness as I could command, +till I had finished my line, and thought my powder was dry. I then put +up my line, carefully loaded my rifle, and muttered, "Now, Master Bruin, +look out for yourself." Whether he divined what I was about, or had +grown tired of waiting for his breakfast and was going elsewhere in +search of it, I cannot say, but before I could find a satisfactory rest +for my piece, so as to point it down at him, he turned round and began +trotting briskly away. I instantly fired, in the hopes of obtaining +some bear steaks for my breakfast. The rifle went off, nearly knocking +me over from my bough, and the ball hit him, but not in a vital part, +for on he went, growling furiously, till he was lost to sight in the +depths of the forest, and I must say that I heartily hoped I might never +see his ugly face again. I suspect that I considerably damped his +appetite for breakfast. As mine was sharper than ever, and I could not +make it off bear, I descended from my perch that I might try and catch +some fish. I quickly cut a fishing-rod, and a piece of light bark to +serve as a float, and my movements being hastened by hunger, in a few +minutes, having caught some creatures on the bank to serve as bait, I +was bending over the stream as assiduously as old Izaak Walton himself. + +What was my delight in a few minutes to feel a bite! I was an expert +fisherman, but so great was my agitation that I could scarcely give the +necessary jerk to hook my fish. It is very different fishing for +pleasure, and fishing for the pot or spit when starving. Away went the +float bobbing down the stream. It must be done. I jerked up my rod. +How breathless I felt! The fish was hooked, of that I was sure, as also +that he was a good-sized fellow. Down the stream swam the fish, and +along the bank I followed him. I knew that my tackle was not over +strong, and I was anxious to secure a good place for landing him. + +At last I reached a flat rock. "Now I will have him," I said to myself, +and I drew his nose up the stream. I got sight of him through the clear +water. He was a trout, three or four pounds weight at least. What a +hearty breakfast I would make of him! I felt very nervous, because as +there was very little bend in my rod, if he gave a sudden jerk he would +too probably snap the line or the hook, and be out of my sight for ever. +The water was somewhat deep below me, or I should have pushed into the +stream and clutched him in my arms, much in the same way as the bear +would have clutched me, if he could, and with the same object. Slowly +and cautiously I drew him nearer and nearer the shore. He came along +pretty quietly. He was pretty well exhausted with his previous swim. + +Had I possessed a landing-net I could have had him ashore in a moment; +but I trembled when I thought of the little pliability there was at the +end of my stick to counteract any sudden jerk he might give. There he +was, scarcely six feet from me, and yet I could not reach him. I drew +him still closer, kneeling down as I did so, and then lowering my rod I +made a dart at him. He was quicker than I was, and with a whisk of his +tail off he darted, with the hook still in his mouth, dragging the rod +after him. I made a dash at the rod, but missed it, and away it floated +down the stream. After it I went though, watching it as it bobbed up +and down, and dreading lest it should catch fast among some stones, and +the fish break away. The stream was here narrow, deep, and rapid. +Lower down it was broader, and I hoped might be shallow. I ran on, +therefore, and found it as I had hoped. Down came the rod towards me. +"Was the fish on to it, though?" I seized hold of the butt-end and +lifted it up. Yes, there he was. He could scarcely escape me now. +Slowly I drew him up toward me, and slipping my fingers down the line, +eagerly seized him by the gills. I had him fast, and was not likely to +let him go. I carried him on shore, and throwing him on the ground, +speedily began to collect sticks to make a fire. Those near at hand +would not burn, so I went further away from the stream to collect some +more. + +While thus engaged, I saw a lynx steal out of the forest and go in the +direction of my proposed fire. I had collected as many sticks as I +could carry, and was returning as fast as I could, when I saw the lynx +go close up to where I had left my fish. It stooped down, and then +trotted on. I rushed on, as fast as my legs could carry me, till I +reached the spot. My fish was gone. I shrieked and shouted after the +lynx, whirling my stick at him, but it was to no purpose. He had found +a good breakfast, and was not going to give it up in a hurry. I shouted +and shrieked, and ran and ran, till at length I knocked my foot against +the sharp end of a broken branch which brought me crying out with pain +to the ground. The lynx, holding the fish in his jaws, turned a look of +derision at me, as he disappeared in the forest. Did I lie there and +howl like a wounded dog? No; I should be ashamed to acknowledge it, had +I done so. Instead of that, as soon as the pain would allow me, I got +up on my feet, hobbled back to where I had left my rod, searched for +some fresh bait, and set to work to catch another fish. + +Not a minute had passed before I got a bite. I quickly hooked my fish, +and hauled up one of about half a pound weight. As that would not be +sufficient for my breakfast, I thought it would be wise to restrain my +appetite till I had caught some more, as possibly when the sun rose +higher they might not bite so readily. Not half a minute passed before +I caught a second, and in five minutes, with very little difficulty, I +had caught as many fish as would equal the weight of the one I had lost. +This time I took care to keep them about me till I had lighted my fire, +and stuck them on sticks roasting round it. I kept, too, vigilant watch +lest my old enemy, Bruin, or the watchful lynx should return to rob me +of my repast. + +One of the fish was soon sufficiently warmed to enable me to eat it, and +one after the other disappeared, giving me a satisfaction which the most +highly seasoned feast has never been able to afford. I washed the fish +down with a copious draught of water, and then felt myself ready for +anything. This part of the river was evidently well supplied with fish, +so before leaving it I again took my rod in hand, and in half an hour +caught enough fish to last me for a couple of days. I had lost my hat +in the river, so I now made myself a curious conical-shaped +head-covering with some rushes and long grass, and what with my bare +legs, my feet swathed in bandages, and my sleeveless jacket, I must have +had a very Robinson Crusoe appearance. As there was no one to see me, +this was of no consequence. + +I now shouldered my pole and fishing-rod, and with my rifle slung at my +back, continued my course. + +I kept down the stream for some way; but as I had not passed the tracks +which my friends must have left, I felt convinced that they were to the +north of the line on which I had been travelling. I therefore crossed +the stream by a ford, at which I arrived in the afternoon, and with much +regret left its pure waters to wander into what might prove an arid +desert. I had, unfortunately, nothing in which I could carry water, so +that I had to depend on the supply which I might find in my path. I +pushed on as fast as I could. It was almost night, however, before I +reached a pool of water. It was stagnant, and so bad tasted that I +could only moisten my lips with it, after I had cooked and eaten one of +my fish. A number of birch trees were growing near. I quickly built a +shanty with their bark, and with the same material formed myself a +mattress and an ample covering for my body. + +After my long vigil on the previous night I speedily fell asleep, but +even in my slumbers I heard the occasional serenades of bears and +wolves, who seemed to be the principal inhabitants of that wild region. +I awoke more than once, and was convinced that the noise was a reality, +and not the fancy of my brain; but I felt that unless they had come and +routed me out, as the bear had on the previous night, nothing would have +induced me to stir. Off I went to sleep; but much to my satisfaction +day returned without any of them having found me out. + +I need not record the adventures of each day. I suffered so much from +my feet that my progress was of necessity slow. My fish were gone, I +had found no other friendly stream; but I hoped to come across one +before long. I had dried the remnant of my powder. I had enough for +one full charge and a little over. I loaded my rifle, still wishing, if +possible, to keep it for my defence. This was early one morning. I had +had no breakfast. As the day advanced I grew very hungry. A small +animal, like a hare or rabbit, came near me. I seized a stone at my +foot and hit the creature on the leg, and broke it. Away it went +limping, still at a rapid pace. I made chase as fast as my sore feet +would let me. I was gaining on the creature, but was afraid that, after +all, it might get into some hole and escape me. This made me exert +myself still more, when I caught sight of a burrow ahead, for which I +suspected it was making. I sprang on, hunger giving an impetus to my +feet, and not a yard from the spot I threw myself forward and caught it, +as it was about to spring into the hole. + +The poor creature turned an imploring look at me; but like a savage, as +I felt, I speedily squeezed the life out of it, and in another ten +minutes I had it skinned and roasting away before a fire of sticks, +which I had in the meantime collected. I felt, as I ate the creature, +what reason I had to trust in the care of Providence, for each time, +when most in want, I had been amply supplied with food, and I doubt not +that, had I possessed some botanical knowledge, I should have found a +still larger store of provisions in the productions of the earth. The +creature was rather lean, so that the best half of him only served me +for a meal, and I finished the remainder at night. + +The next day I was less fortunate. Towards the evening, as I was +proceeding along an elevated ridge, I saw in the valley below me a black +spot, as if a fire had been there. I hurried down to the place; I was +not mistaken. There were the charred embers of sticks, and round it +were scattered the half-picked bones of grouse, partridges, and ducks, +as if a numerous party had camped there. I looked about, but could find +nothing to indicate that they were my friends, hunger made me do what I +should not otherwise have fancied. I collected all the bones, and with +a pile of sticks, left by my predecessors on the spot, I made a fire, at +which I speedily cooked them. As there was plenty of birch-bark about, +I then built a wigwam and formed a comfortable couch within it, in which +I might pass the night. + +These bones were all the food I got that day. Several deer had on the +previous day come skipping around me, fearless of the approach of man. +The next day again hunger assailed me. I had been wishing that some +more deer would come, when a herd came racing by, and when they saw me +they all stopped staring at me, as if to ask why I had come there. + +The pangs of hunger just then made me very uncomfortable. Here was an +opportunity of supplying myself with food for a week to come. A fat +buck stood in the centre; I fired. The whole herd were in full flight, +but the buck was wounded, I saw by the drops of blood which marked his +track; I hurried after him. What was my delight to see him stop, then +stagger and fall! I ran on. He rose and sprang forward, but it was a +last effort, and the next moment he rolled over on the ground. I could +have shouted for joy. I had now got food in abundance, and what was of +great consequence to my ultimate preservation, the means of covering my +feet. I finished the poor animal with a blow of my hatchet, and then +set to work to skin him and cut him up. + +I had one drawback to my satisfaction. There was no wood or water near. +I therefore cut off as much of the hide as would serve me for moccasins +and leggings, loaded myself with all the flesh I could carry, and struck +away towards the west. I had been unable to follow up the tracks which +led from my last sleeping-place, and this convinced me that the camp had +been formed by Indians. Whether they would prove friends or foes, +should I fall in with them, was a question. At all events, I felt +rather an inclination to avoid than to find them out. + +At length I came to a wood, through which ran a stream of pure water. +Sticks were quickly collected, a fire was lit, and some of my deer was +roasting away. While it was cooking, I ran down to the stream to take a +draught of water and to wash my feet, and then hurried back to enjoy my +repast. I did enjoy it; and as there were still two hours more of +daylight, and I felt my strength increased, I hurried onward. + +Scarcely had I got again into the open country than I came on some +recent tracks of horses. Could my friends be ahead? There were no +wheel tracks, though. A beaten track appeared. It must lead somewhere. +I had not gone half a mile when I fancied that I heard the neighing of +a horse. My heart thumped away in my breast. I listened with +breathless attention. Again a horse neighed loudly. I could not be +mistaken, and hurrying on I saw across a rapid stream, which passed at +the base of the hill on which I found myself, a whole herd of those +noble animals frisking about in a wide rich meadow spread out before me. +I hurried down the hill, and by the aid of my pole, though not without +difficulty, hurried across the stream. One of the horses as soon as I +landed, came trotting up to me; but seeing that I was a stranger, and +rather an odd-looking one too, off he went again. I thought how +satisfactory it would be if I could catch one of them to make it carry +me the rest of the journey. I remembered, however, that the animals +must belong to some one. Perhaps, however, the owner might lend one to +me. Crossing the meadow, I saw before me a wreath of smoke gracefully +curling up among the trees. It must proceed from some human habitation. +Was it from the hut of a white man or from the temporary encampment of +Indians? If the latter, would they prove friends or foes? Knowing the +necessity for precaution, I hid myself behind every bush and tree, till +I got into the wood, and then I advanced with equal care, looking out +ahead before I left my shelter, and stooping down in Indian fashion, +trailing my rifle and stick after me as I made my onward way. + +I soon came to an open glade, in one corner of which appeared a +skin-covered wigwam, before the entrance to which sat two squaws busily +engaged in some culinary occupation. If found looking about I might +naturally have been suspected of treacherous intentions, so slinging my +rifle, and grasping my pole and fishing-rod in one hand, I advanced, +holding out the other. The old woman looked up, and uttered a few +grunts, but seemed in no way alarmed. What they took me for I do not +know. I must have seemed to them rather a strange character. I had +advanced a few paces, when two men sprang out of the hut. This was a +trying moment. Greatly to my satisfaction, they stretched out their +hands in a friendly way as I hobbled on towards them. Though they had +painted faces, and were dressed in skins, I saw by the kind expression +on their countenances that they commiserated my condition. Blood was +even then streaming from my feet. At once they lifted me up in their +arms and carried me into the hut, where they placed me on a couch of +skins, and the old woman brought water from the river which flowed close +by, and washed my feet, and bound them up with salves. The pain from +which I had so long been suffering quickly disappeared. + +They then brought me a piece of salmon, which I thought delicious, and +some soup, which, under other circumstances, I might have thought +suspicious. This, with some roots which they roasted, made up a repast +more refreshing than I had eaten for a long time. + +I could not speak a word of their language, nor did they understand +English, but I tried by signs to make them comprehend that I had parted +from my companions, and that I wished to get to them. At last they +appeared to fancy that they comprehended me, for they nodded and smiled, +and uttered the same sounds of satisfaction over and over again. They +signified, however, by their gestures, that I must sleep in the hut that +night, but that on the following morning, as soon as the sun rose, we +would set off on our journey. + +I offered them the deer's flesh which I had slung about me, and which +they seemed to value. Just before dark, however, they brought me in +another salmon, which I preferred to the somewhat high flavoured meat. +I cannot describe how I enjoyed that night's rest. I had perfect +confidence in my hosts, and I had no longer the dread of being visited +by a wandering bear or prowling wolf. I felt like a new being when, +next morning, the good-natured Indian roused me from my slumbers. The +rushing sound of waters invited me to take a bath, and going down to the +river, I stretched my limbs with a pleasant swim, and then returned to +enjoy a hearty breakfast on salmon, roots, and some decoction which +served the purpose of tea. My hosts, too, had provided some new +moccasins in which to shield my feet. + +It was a completely patriarchal establishment. There was an old father +and four sons, with an old mother, and another old woman and the wives +of the younger men, and eight or ten children. The skin-covered huts of +the younger couples were close at hand, under the trees. The old man +and his eldest son now brought up three horses, they mounted me on one, +and they leaped on the others. A deerskin served as a saddle, and rough +thongs of leather as a bridle. + +I wished all the family a hearty good-bye, resolved in future to think +better of Indians than I had done, and off we set. How delightful it +was to move along over the prairie at the rate of eight or ten miles an +hour, instead of creeping along with suffering feet, as I had been so +long doing. I travelled on two whole days on a westerly course with my +Indian friends. I could not hold much conversation with my guides, +except by signs, but we soon appeared to understand each other perfectly +well. + +I made out that we were approaching the camp of my old companions, and +as I drew nearer my eagerness increased to be once more among them. +After a time I saw wreaths of white smoke curling up from a valley below +us. They must proceed from a considerable encampment. The Indians and +I rode on in silence, till I heard voices, which I judged came from the +spot where I had seen the smoke ascending. Presently a boy, whom I +recognised as one of the emigrant children, ran back, shouting out, +"Injins--Injins!" His cries brought out the Raggets, and a number of my +friends with rifles in their hands, ready to do battle in case of +necessity. They saw that we were peaceably disposed; but they did not +recognise me till I was in the middle of them, and had addressed them by +name. + +I was cordially welcomed. In truth, most of them had given me up for +lost. They showed that they placed some value on me by loading my +Indian friends with presents. + +I am sorry to say that I must bring my adventures in the Far West to a +conclusion. We struck our tents next morning, and continued our +journey. After a variety of adventures we reached California, and at +once proceeded to the gold-diggings. Most of the party separated and +worked for themselves. The Raggets kept together, and were the only +family who succeeded in securing an independence. For myself I will say +nothing, but that I was thankful to find myself back in old England, if +not a richer, I hope at all events a wiser man, than when I left its +deservedly well-loved shores. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dick Onslow, by W.H.G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK ONSLOW *** + +***** This file should be named 21459.txt or 21459.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/4/5/21459/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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