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diff --git a/24621.txt b/24621.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..be0dd2a --- /dev/null +++ b/24621.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9816 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The American Family Robinson, by D. W. Belisle + +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: The American Family Robinson + or, The Adventures of a Family lost in the Great Desert of the West + +Author: D. W. Belisle + +Release Date: February 15, 2008 [EBook #24621] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AMERICAN FAMILY ROBINSON *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE.] + + + + +THE + +AMERICAN FAMILY ROBINSON; + +OR, + +The Adventures of a Family + +LOST IN THE + +GREAT DESERT OF THE WEST. + + + +BY + +D. W. Belisle + + + +With Illustrations + + + +PHILADELPHIA: +PORTER & COATES. + + + + +Preface. + + +The lofty mountains, mighty forests, rivers and valleys of the West, +many portions of which have never been explored, furnish abundant +resources for the gratification of the Naturalist, the Lapidary, and +the Antiquarian. It is with the view of directing attention to these +sources of information, that the author has grouped together in this +little work, many startling incidents in prairie life, and alluded to +relics of antiquity, bearing unmistakable indications of a high order +of civilization and science, in regard to which subsequent discoveries +have proved the hypothesis he assumes correct. That this country has +been peopled by a civilized race of sentient beings anterior to the +existence of the present tribes of Indians or their ancestors, is no +longer a matter of uncertainty; for everywhere throughout the West, and +in many places East of the Mississippi Valley, incontrovertible +evidences attest the high antiquity of monuments and relics of a +people, whose race, name and customs have been lost in the deep gloom +that hangs over the mighty past. In order more successfully to call +attention to these ancient reminiscences of our own country, and to +incite a spirit of inquiry in the minds of the young, he has +incidentally alluded to them while following the family of Mr. Duncan +in their toilsome journey and wanderings through the Great American +Desert. To those unacquainted with the antiquarian characteristics of +this continent, some of the allusions may appear improbable; yet +sufficiently competent authority has been consulted in the preparation +of this work to give the allusions reliable authenticity. If we shall +be successful in awakening such an inquiry, we shall be content, and +feel that our labors have not been unrewarded. + +Philadelphia 1853. + + + + +Contents. + + +CHAPTER I. + PAGE + +Mr. Duncan's Discontentment. He starts for the West in search of a +place of Settlement. 9 + +CHAPTER II. + +The Journey. Encampment. Buffalo hunt. Anne and Edward lost. They +discover an old fort. Fight with a Wolf. Take refuge in a Tree. +Rescued by Howe and Lewis. Return to the Camp. 16 + +CHAPTER III. + +Howe's Story of a singular piece of Metal, resembling a shield or +helmet, found on Lake Superior. 36 + +CHAPTER IV. + +Their journey continued. Finding a Prairie. Encamping for the Night. +Singular incident. A Mirage on the Prairie. The Prairie on fire. +Flight to the Sand Hills. Their final escape. Finding a stream. +Encampment. 49 + +CHAPTER V. + +Heavy Storm. Straggling Indians seen. Preparations for defence. A +friendly Indian approaches and warns them of their danger. The Camp +Attacked. Capture of Five in the Camp. Recovery of some of the +Captured. 62 + +CHAPTER VI. + +Strength of the Tabagauches. Attack of their camp. Flight of the +Whites. Pursuing the Indians. Desperate Engagement. Taken Prisoners. +Carried off captives. Singular Springs of Water. Kind treatment by +the Indians. Discovery of Gold. 81 + +CHAPTER VII. + +Their continued Captivity. They are cautiously watched and guarded. A +singular Cave. Preparations to escape into it. Lassoing the Guard. +Enter the Cavern and close the Door. They are missed by the Indians. +They follow the Cavern. Mysterious discoveries. Discovery of an outlet. +They halt for repose. 100 + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Entering the unknown Wilds. Their encampment attacked by Panthers. They +save themselves. The Panthers kill one of their pack. They continue +their journey. Whirlwind becomes lost. Everything strange about them. +Encampment at the base of a mountain. 122 + +CHAPTER IX. + +Encounter with a Wolf. Sidney seriously wounded. Whirlwind procures +medicine. They Build a Cabin. Fears entertained of Sidney's death. +Talk of Pow-wowing the disease. Miscellaneous conversation on the +matter. Their final consent to the Pow-wow. 137 + +CHAPTER X. + +The apparent solemnity of Whirlwind. The Pow-wow. Its effects upon +Sidney. Favourable turn in his fever. His health improves. They proceed +on their way. Encamp for the night. Singular trees discovered. +Preparations for spending the winter. 151 + +CHAPTER XI. + +Search for winter quarters. Strange Discoveries. Works of the lost +people. Their search among the Ruins. Walls, roads, and buildings +found. Their state of Preservation. They prepare to locate themselves. +A salt spring. Their joy at their discoveries. 163 + +CHAPTER XII. + +Astonishment of the Children. The Antiquity of the Ruins. The Chief's +contentment. Strange discoveries. Discovery of wild horses. The chief +captures a colt. The winter sets in. A series of storms prevail. They +discover an Indian woman and her papoose. 174 + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Jane's reception of the Indian woman. Condition of the party. They +cannot calculate the day nor month. The chief imagines he has found +the Arapahoes' hunting grounds. Deer chased by a wild man. The +chief lassoes him. A desperate struggle. The wild man captured and +taken into camp. 193 + +CHAPTER XIV. + +The return of spring. Their thoughts of home. Preparations to continue +their journey. Escape of the Wild Man. They suffer from want of water. +A party of Indians. A beautiful Landscape. A terrific storm. The chief +rendered insensible by a stroke of lightning. He recovers and returns +to the camp. 214 + +CHAPTER XV. + +They endeavour to conceal themselves from the Indians. They are +discovered. A frightful encounter. Escape of Mahnewe. They pursue +their journey in the night. Discovery of a river over which they +cross. Come to a prairie. Approach a sandy desert. They provide +themselves with ample provisions and set out over the cheerless +waste. 231 + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Encampment in the sand. An island discovered. Singular appearance of +rocks. Human skeletons found. Dreary prospects. They arrive at an +oasis. They come to a lake. They discover a cavern in which they find +mysterious implements. The cavern supposed to have been an ancient +mine. Its remarkable features. 240 + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Recovery, and continuance of their journey. A joyous prospect. It +changes to gloom. Discovered and followed by Indians. They finally +escape. They wander on unconscious of their way. They meet with +friendly Indians who give them cheering intelligence. They rest +with them a few days. 263 + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +They proceed on their journey. Jane bitten by a rattlesnake. Taken +back to the village. It causes a violent fever to set in. She becomes +delirious, but finally recovers. A war party returns having two white +prisoners. Minawanda assists them to escape by a sound imitating that +of a whippoorwill. They proceed on their flight unmolested. 281 + +CHAPTER XIX. + +They arrive at a stream of considerable magnitude over which they +cross. They ride in the water to elude their pursuers. Jones and Cole +give them information relative to their friends. The joyful reception +of the news. Arrival at the base of the Sierra Nevada. Fear of +crossing the mountains in the snow. They construct themselves winter +quarters. 298 + +CHAPTER XX. + +The cold increases. Abundant supplies of game. Jones and Cole tell +some of their adventures in the gold regions. Comfortable condition +of the children. Howe describes an adventure he experienced near Lake +Superior. Whirlwind relates a circumstance that occurred to himself +and Shognaw. 309 + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Departure of winter. Joy at the fact of knowing which way they were +travelling. They reach the first ranges of the Sierra Nevada mountains. +Discovery of gold. Discovery of singular ancient walls. An engraved +slab of granite. They reach the foot of the Sierra in safety. They +arrive at the residence of a Spanish Curate. They tarry awhile at his +house. 319 + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Return to the family of Mr. Duncan. Lewis and his father succeed in +getting back to camp. Cole and the chief reach the camp of the +Arapahoes. They continue their course to Mr. Duncan's camp. Joy at the +news they bring. They start again for the west. Thirty Arapahoes +accompany them. They arrive at the Sierra Nevada. 335 + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +The Curate becomes much attached to the Wanderers. Arrival of Mr. and +Mrs. Duncan and family. Whirlwind demands Jane in marriage. Jane +refuses, and the Indians take their departure. The curate gives an +account of the discoveries he made of a singular road, city and +pyramid. Prosperous condition of Mr. Duncan's family. The lapse of +twelve years. Change of their condition. Conclusion. 342 + + + + +THE WANDERERS: + +OR, + +LIFE IN THE WESTERN WILDS. + + + + +Chapter First. + +Mr. Duncan's Discontentment. He starts for the West. + + +Near the Cold Springs, in Lafayette county, Missouri, lived Mr. Duncan, +a sturdy woodsman, who emigrated thither with his father, while the +Mississippi valley was still a wilderness, inhabited by wild beasts, or +the still more savage Indians. His grandfather was an eastern man; but +had bared his brawny arm on many a battle field, and had earned the +right to as many broad acres as he chose to occupy. So, at least, he +said, on leaving his eastern home, after peace had been declared, for +the then verge of civilization--the Ohio. Here the soldier lived to see +the wilderness blossom like the rose, and here he died, grieving that +infirmity prevented his flying from the din of the sledge hammer, and +the busy hum of mechanical life. Mr. Duncan's father, in the vigor of +manhood, crossed the Mississippi, and settled at the Cold Springs, a +region then isolated from civilization, as the Ohio was many years +before the white man had planted his foot west of the Alleghanies. But +he lived to see the silent echoes resound to the shrill whistle of the +engine, and luxury with its still but mighty sway enervate the sons and +daughters of the pioneers, until the one quailed at the sight of danger +and the other dosed away the morning in kid slippers and curl-papers. +Time claimed its own, and he died; and then his son, the Mr. Duncan of +our narrative, began to turn his attention to the west, as his +grandfather and his father had done before him. He had married a +trapper's daughter, twenty years before, and his family consisted now +of four sons and two daughters, an adopted son, and his brother-in-law, +Andy Howe, who had spent his life in trapping, and trading with the +Indians. + +Lewis, his eldest son, nineteen years of age, was a man in strength, +proportion and judgment, cool and prompt in emergencies, but on +ordinary occasions caring for little else than his dogs, gun and uncle, +whose superior knowledge of all that pertained to the forest, made him +an oracle among the less experienced. + +Edward, a boy of seventeen, passionate and headstrong, but generous and +brave. + +Jane, a girl of fifteen, the mother's supporter and helper, high +spirited, energetic and courageous. + +Martin, a pleasure-seeking, fun-loving, mischief-making lad of twelve +years. + +Anne, a timid child of ten years, who went by the soubriquet of the +baby, by all except Lewis, who understood her better and called her the +"fawn." + +And last, but not least, the son of his adoption, Sidney Young, a noble +young fellow of eighteen, whose parents dying left him to the care of +Mr. Duncan, who had reared him with as tender care as that he bestowed +upon his own children. + +"Little Benny," or Benjamin more properly, we must not forget to +introduce, a manly little fellow of eight, who could handle a bow and +arrow, or hook and line, and propel a canoe with as much dexterity as a +young Indian. + +Such was the family of Mr. Duncan, when he resolved to penetrate the +almost unknown region of the west. No hypochondriac papa or aristocratic +mamma, can I introduce, but a hale, robust yeoman, who looks upon +himself as in the prime of manhood, though nearly fifty years of age, +and who boasts of never having consulted a physician or taken a drug. +Mrs. Duncan wore her own glossy hair at forty-five, without a thread of +silver among it, while her step was as elastic, and eye as bright, as +in her girlhood. Her cheek was less rounded than it was formerly; but +the matronly dignity and motherly kindness that characterized her, +amply compensated for its loss. True types of man and womanhood were +they, whom no dangers or vicissitude could daunt, no trials swerve +from the path of right or _inclination_. Mr. Duncan well knew the +undertaking he proposed was not one to be entered into thoughtlessly, +or without due preparation. His habits from earliest infancy, of daily +encountering the perils of border life, had taught him this, and with +it taught him to love the boundless forest, the dashing waterfalls, and +the deep stillness that retreated as refinement advanced. + +"This is no place for me," he said, as he heard of some new innovation +on old customs, as having taken place in the vicinity. But when a +favorite haunt by a small stream was taken possession of, the trees +felled, the brooklet dammed, and a factory set in motion, he for a +moment seemed astounded, his eye wandered inquiringly from one member +of his family to another, and finally rested upon Howe, as though +expecting him to provide some remedy to stay the hand of innovation. + +"It cannot be done, Duncan," said the trapper, comprehending the +unspoken inquiry. "We are completely ensnared. Don't you see we are +surrounded?" + +"Had they only chosen some other spot for this last shop, or factory, +or whatever else you call it, I would have tried to borne it. But +there--no, it is too much." + +"I have news that will be as unpleasant as the mill. The surveyors will +pass near here in laying out a railroad to-morrow," said Lewis. + +"I will never see it," said Mr. Duncan. "The world is wide enough for +all. It may be for the best, that there should be a general revolution +in the mode of manufactures and commerce, but I cannot appreciate it; I +am willing to fall back to the forest to give place to those who can." + +It must not be inferred that Mr. Duncan was an illiterate man. On the +contrary, he was well posted on all the great events that transpired, +and was conversant with many ancient and modern authors. He had +carefully instilled into the minds of his children, a love of truth and +virtue, for the contentment and nobleness it gave, and to despise vice +as a thing too contaminating to indulge in by thought or practice. This +love of forest life had become a part of his being, and he could no +more content himself among the rapidly accumulating population that +sprang up around him, than a Broadway dandy could in the wilderness. +When driven from his accustomed fishing ground by the demolition of the +forest, whose trees shaded the brooklet with their gigantic arms +stretching from either side, interlacing and forming an arch above so +compact as to render it impenetrable to the noonday sun, he wearied of +his home, and sighed for the forest that was still in the west. Here he +had been accustomed to resort to indulge in piscatory amusement; with +his trusty rifle, full many a buck and even nobler game had fallen +beneath his aim, as lured by the stillness they had come to quench +their thirst at the brook, unconscious of the danger to which they were +drawing near. He had long looked upon this haunt as peculiarly his own, +not by the right of purchase, but by the possession, which he had +actually enjoyed many years, until he considered it as an essential to +his happiness. + +For Mr. Duncan to resolve was to accomplish. Seconded by his family, +his farm was sold, his affairs closed, and May 10, 1836, saw him +properly fitted out for a plunge into the western wilds. Three emigrant +wagons contained their movables, each drawn by three yoke of stout +oxen. The first contained provisions and groceries, seeds and grain for +planting, with apparatus for cooking. The second contained the +household furniture that was indispensable, beneath which lay a +quantity of boards, tent canvass, an extra set of wagon covers ready +for use, twine, ropes &c., and was also to be the apartments of Mr. and +Mrs. Duncan, and the girls. The third was loaded with agricultural and +carpenter's tools, and contained the magazine, and was appropriated to +the use of Andy Howe and the boys. Two saddle horses, five mules and +three milch cows, with six as fierce hunting dogs as ever run down an +antelope, constituted their live stock. + +Thus prepared the family bade a glad adieu to their old home to find a +more congenial one. I say a glad adieu, for certainly the older members +of the family went voluntarily, and the younger ones, carried away by +the hurry of preparation, had no time to think, and perhaps knew not of +the dangers they would have to encounter. Youth is ever sanguine, and +they had learned from the older ones to look upon the forest freed from +the Indians as the Elysium of this world. + +Onward to the west the tide of emigration is still rolling. Three +centuries ago, the Massachusetts and Virginia colonies were the west to +the European, three thousand miles over the Atlantic ocean. Brave was +the soul, and stout the heart, that then dared it. A century later +Pennsylvania and New York was the west; the tide was rolling on; still +a century later its waves had swept over the Alleghanies, and went +dashing down the Mississippi valley, anon dividing in thousands of +rivulets, went winding and murmuring among the rugged hills and +undulating plains. But even the burden of its murmurings was _the_ +west, still on to the west. And now where is the west? Not the +Mississippi valley but the fastnesses of the Rocky Mountains. That +part we find on charts as the "_unknown_." A valley situated among +mountains, sunny and luxuriant as those of a poet's dream; but guarded +by a people driven to desperation. This is now the west. + + + + +Chapter Second. + +The Journey. Encampment. Buffalo hunt. Anne and Edward lost. They +discover an old fort. Fight with a Wolf. Take refuge in a Tree. Rescued +by Howe and Lewis. Return to the Camp. + + +Mr. Duncan chose the trader's route to Oregon as the one most likely to +lead him to his desired haven. He was familiar with this route, having +frequently made it some years before. To Andy Howe, every rock, tree, +and river, was like the face of a friend so often had he passed them. +Mrs. Duncan had no misgivings when they entered on the forest. She had +so often heard the different scenes and places described as to +recognize the locality through which they passed, and with perfect +confidence in the forest craft of her brother and husband, she gave +herself no trouble, save that of making her family as comfortable and +pleasant as circumstances would allow. + +No incident disturbed their journey, worthy of note, day after day as +they easily moved along. It was not Mr. Duncan's policy to exhaust his +teams at the outset by long weary marches; but like a skilful general, +husband his strength, in case of emergencies. The road was smooth and +level, being generally over large extended prairies. + +The fifth day out they crossed the Kansas, when the country became more +broken, and they saw the first buffalo on their route, which Lewis had +the good luck to kill. With the aid of Howe it was cut up and the +choicest parts brought to camp. Never was a supper enjoyed with more +zest than that night. Delicious steaming beef stakes, wheat cakes, +butter, cheese, new milk and tea, spread out on a snow white cloth, on +their temporary table, to which they had converted two boards by +nailing sheets across the back, and resting each end on a camp stool, +made a feast worth travelling a few days into the wilderness to enjoy. + +Their camp was pitched for the night on the mossy bank of a small +stream, overshadowed by large cotton-woods through which the stars +peered, and the new moon with its silvery crescent gleamed faintly as +the shadows of evening closed around them. + +After night fall the party was thrown into quite an excitement by the +approach of figures which they supposed to be Indians, but which turned +out to be a herd of deer feeding. Howe laughed heartily at the fright, +for the Indians were to him as brothers. His father had been known and +loved for many acts of kindness to them, and had been dignified as the +great _Medicine_.[1] Accompanying his father on his trapping excursions, +while still a boy, he had spent many a day and night in their wigwams, +partaking of their hospitality, contending with the young braves in +their games, and very often joining them in their hunts among the +mountains. Hostile and cruel they might be to others, but Howe was +confident that he and those with him would meet with nothing but +kindness at their hands. + + [1] A name applied by the Indians to their benefactors. + +Antelopes were now seen often, and sometimes numerous buffalo; but +nothing of importance had been killed for two days. The morning of the +twenty-fifth dawned clear and beautiful. Howe and Lewis brought the +horses, and with Sidney mounted on a fleet mule, the three set out on a +hunt. They had been tempted to this by a moving mass of life over the +plain against the horizon, that resembled a grove of trees waving in +the wind, to all but a practised eye; but which the hunters declared to +be a herd of buffalo. Such a sight creates a strange emotion of +grandeur, and there was not one of the party but felt his heart beat +quicker at the sight. The herds were feeding, and were every where in +constant motion. Clouds of dust rose from various parts of the bands, +each the scene of some obstinate fight. Here and there a huge bull was +rolling in the grass. There were eight or nine hundred buffaloes in the +herd. Riding carelessly the hunters came within two hundred yards of +them before their approach was discovered, when a wavering motion among +them, as they started in a gallop for the hills, warned them to close +in the pursuit. They were now gaining rapidly on them, and the interest +of the chase became absorbingly intense. + +A crowd of bulls brought up the rear, turning every few moments to face +their pursuers, as if they had a mind to turn and fight, then dashed on +again after the band. When at twenty yards distant the hunters broke +with a sudden rush into the herd, the living mass giving away on all +sides in their heedless career. They separated on entering, each one +selecting his own game. The sharp crack of the rifle was heard, and +when the smoke and dust, which for a moment blinded them, had cleared +away, three fine cows were rolling in the sand. At that moment four +fierce bulls charged on Sidney, goring his mustang in a frightful +manner, and would probably have terminated his hunting career, had not +the sudden shock of the onset thrown him some distance over his +mustang's head. He was not much hurt, and before the buffaloes could +attack him again, they were put to flight by Howe and Lewis. On +examining the animal they soon saw he could not live, and shot him to +end his suffering. + +This they felt was an unlucky incident, and with saddened hearts turned +their faces campward, which on reaching they found in consternation at +the prolonged absence of Edward and Anne. They had gone out a few +moments after the hunters, Edward to fish in the brook by which they +had encamped, and Anne to gather curious plants and flowers, of which +she was passionately fond. Mr. Duncan had been in search of them and +came up as the hunters were dismounting. + +"Have you found them?" was asked by every one in a moment, as he came +up. + +"No! but I found this, and this, about two miles down the stream," said +he, holding up a fading wreath of wild flowers, and the skeleton of a +fish that Edward had evidently cut away to bait his hook with. + +"It is now nearly noon, and by the looks of that fish and those +flowers, they have laid in the sun three hours. Give us a lunch, Mary, +and now for the dogs, Lewis. No time is to be lost," said Howe. + +"I fear the worst," said the father; "I saw signs of Indians." + +"What were they?" quickly asked the Trapper. + +"A raft on the opposite bank of the stream." + +"They will bring them back, if they have taken them," said Howe, to +which the surmise was not new, for it had occurred to him the moment he +found the children were gone, but did not like to say so, lest he +should raise an unnecessary alarm, But there was no outcry, no +lamentation or dismay, though all was bustle and hurry. They knew it +was time to act, not to spend their time in useless sorrow. + +"Bring up two mules," said Howe, filling his pockets with bread and +cheese, which he told Lewis to do also, "for," said he, "we may not +come in to supper, certainly not unless we find them." + +"I will go with you," said the father. + +"And I," said Sidney, decidedly. + +"No: a sufficient force is necessary here; you will take care of the +camp, and if you hear the report of three guns in succession, bring the +horses, which must be fed immediately," said the Trapper. "But, if we +do not have to go a long distance, the mules will do." + +"How will you know whether they are lost or have been carried off by +savages," asked the mother, and though no coward, she shuddered and +turned white as she asked the question. + +"Easily enough known, when once on the ground. I know the red-skins as +thoroughly as I do my rifle. Here Buff, here Lion," cried the Trapper, +calling two noble bloodhounds to him--"Now, Mary," he continued, "give +me a pair of Edward's and Anne's shoes, that they have worn." They were +given him, and taking the hounds by the collar, he made them smell the +shoes until they got the scent, then leading them to the bank of the +stream pointed to them the tracks made in the morning. + +"They have it! they have it!" shouted the family, as the hounds, with +their noses to the ground, led off in fine style. + +"Take Prince and Carl in the leash, Lewis, and fasten it to your +saddle, then mount and away," cried the Trapper, throwing himself into +his saddle, and giving the mule the spur, he was rapidly following in +their wake. + +Two hours passed, when the signals were given for the horses. Sidney +saddled them, took a basket of provisions which Mrs. Duncan had put up +with her usual thoughtfulness for others, and started in the direction +from which the firing proceeded. + +Edward and Anne, in the morning, had followed the course of the stream +as far down as their father had traced them, Edward whiling away the +time in drawing the finny tribes from their element, Anne in weaving in +wreaths the gorgeous tinted wild flowers, sweet scented violets, and +glossy green of the running pine. The children heeded not time, nor the +distance they were placing between themselves and the camp, but +wandered on. The wild birds were trilling the most delicious music, +which burst on the ear enchantingly, and was the only sound that broke +the solemn stillness that reigned around, save the soft gurgling of the +water, as it glided over its pebbly bed. The forest was dense, the +foliage above them shielding them from the sun, while the bank was +smooth, mossy, and thickly studded with wild spring flowers, now in all +the luxuriance of their natural loveliness. When they came to the bank +of the stream where their father lost their track, they had their +curiosity excited by a grove of willows on the opposite side, in the +midst of which they could discern trunks of large trees piled up +systematically, with a quantity of rubbish laying around. Thoughtlessly +they resolved to cross over. The stream was about forty feet wide, but +very shallow, not over three feet deep at any point, and in many places +not more than two. But in order to get over, it was necessary to make a +raft. Edward was at no loss how to begin; he had too often seen his +father make temporary rafts to hesitate. Indeed, he looked upon it as a +thing too small to be of much importance. Collecting two as large +pieces of drift-wood as he could manage, he drew them to the bank, +collected fallen limbs and brush wood, laying them across the drift +wood, until he found, by walking upon it, that it would sustain their +weight; then seating Anne in the centre, and with a long pole in his +hand, placed himself beside her, and with the end of his pole pushing +against the bank, launched his strange looking craft into the stream, +their weight pressing against the water and its density resisting the +pressure, kept the raft together. Slowly but securely they moved along; +by pressing the pole against the bed of the river he propelled it until +they finally reached in safety the opposite bank, where, drawing their +raft a little out of water, that it might not float out of their reach +into the stream, they prepared to explore the grove of willows that had +drawn them thither. It was the sight of this raft across the stream +that caused Mr. Duncan's alarm about the Indians. + +On entering they found a large space cleared of its primitive growth, +in the centre of about three acres, which was slightly overgrown with +stunted shrubs, but the willows that formed the grove were of gigantic +proportions, many of them three and a half, and some four feet in +diameter. + +In the centre of the clearing, was an immense fort, evidently built of +the willows that had been felled to clear the space. The logs had been +cut, straightened, and made to fit each other, with some sharp +instrument, the corners being smoothly jointed, making the whole +structure solid and impregnable to gun-shot or arrows. What had +evidently been the door was torn away, and lay mouldering on the +ground. The whole structure was apparently very old, and had been long +deserted. The grass was growing within the enclosure, with weeds and +briers, while the logs that formed it were covered with moss, and were +crumbling to decay. + +The children's curiosity was now blended with an absorbing interest, +and Anne longed to follow Edward into the enclosure, but hesitated +until he called out, "Only look! Anne! what can this be?" Then +forgetting all her timidity, she hastened to see what he was dragging +out of the rubbish, and as he held it up triumphantly for her +inspection, she looked on with wonder and amazement. + +"It is a huge plate cover; here is the handle," said Anne, turning it +round with eagerness. + +"Hardly that," said her brother; "this is two feet across, and is +hardly the right thing for a plate cover; it is made of some metal." + +"We will take it home," said Anne; "father and uncle Howe will know +what it is, don't you think so?" + +But Edward was not listening, and did not answer. He was digging down +where he had found the thing, and came to a quantity of arrow heads, +evidently made of the same material as the other, but of what it was he +could not determine. Anne, with a strong stick in her hand, commenced +searching, and soon came upon what they knew to be a stone mortar, for +they had often seen them before. + +Anne now began to complain of hunger, and Edward said he would give her +a treat, Indian-fashion, to celebrate their arrival into, as he +facetiously said, an Indian palace! + +"But what can you give? We brought nothing with us; besides we have +been out quite as long as we ought to, and had better return +immediately." + +"Oh, no; we have not. You know the camp will not move to-day, and I +intend to make a day's work of it." + +"We certainly must return; they will be alarmed about us. Come, let us +go back." + +"Not until we have the feast. Now keep quiet, Anne, until that is over, +and then I will return with you." + +"A funny feast it will be, composed of nothing." + +"A finny feast it is to be, composed of fish. Now see how I will make a +fire." And taking a flint he had found, he struck his pocket knife +blade slant-wise against it, when it emitted sparks of fire in +profusion, which, falling on a sort of dry wood, known to woodmen as +"punk wood," set it on fire, which Edward soon blew into a blaze, and +by feeding it judiciously a fire was soon crackling and consuming the +fuel he had piled on it. In the mean time he had taken the fish he had +caught, dressed and washed them at the stream, and laying them on the +live coals until one side was done, turned them on the other by the aid +of a long stick he had sharpened for the purpose, and when done he took +them up on its point, and laid them steaming on a handful of leaves he +had collected, and presented them to his sister. + +Anne was sure she had never ate fish that tasted so delicious, a +conclusion an excellent appetite helped her to arrive at. Edward was +highly elated at his success, and laughed and joked over a dinner they +enjoyed with a relish an epicure might covet. There is an old proverb +about stolen waters being sweet; certainly their stolen ramble and +impromptu dinner had a charm which completely blinded them to their +duty to their parents, and even their own safety; for Edward proposed +they should take a short ramble on the other side, where they were to +try if they could discover some other ruins like those at the fort, and +overruling the slight opposition Anne made, they gathered up the relics +they had found, and moved on from the stream towards the deep luring +shades, that were the same for many thousand miles, unbroken by the +bound of civilization, but bewildering by its still mystic loveliness. + +On they went, regardless of taking any notes or landmarks until the +exhaustion of Anne warned Edward it was indeed time to return. Changing +their course for one they mistook for that they had come, they plunged +deeper and deeper at every step into the woods, without discovering +their error, until they knew by the distance they had traversed they +ought to have reached the old fort: but now it was no where to be seen, +neither were there any signs of a river. They wandered to and fro, +hoping every moment to make out the true direction to take, yet +becoming more confused and bewildered at every step. Finally, Edward +laid his ear to the ground, and listening, was sure he heard the faint +murmuring of water. They hastened on towards the direction whence it +proceeded, guided by the sound, until, oh joy! a stream burst upon +their sight. Reaching its banks, Edward took his sister in his arms, +plunged into the water, and was soon in safety on the opposite shore. +He was now in a great quandary, for though he had gained what he +supposed to be the bank he had left, without having lost time in +building a raft, yet he knew if he missed his way he would not be able +to gain the camp by sunset, for he saw by the long falling shadows that +the sun was rapidly descending. + +Anne was greatly terrified, and wept bitterly. "Do not grieve," said +Edward, "they will of course miss, and come in search of us, if we do +not get home soon. I am very certain we are very near the camp +already." + +"I am afraid we are lost," Anne replied, sobbing, "and if we are, we +may never get back again!" + +"Fie! Anne, don't be a coward, for I am very certain we shall, and that +within the hour." + +"How can you be certain? you do not even know which direction to take." + +"Oh! yes I do: we came south, and of course must go north to get back +again." + +"If we only knew which way was north. No stars are to be seen to +indicate it." + +"Easily enough told,--come, we must not lose a moment, and as we go I +will tell you an unmistakable sign." + +"Oh! I am so weary I can go no farther," and again the child sobbed +bitterly. + +"Never mind, I am not tired, and can help you," and passing one arm +around her he rendered her great assistance, and again they were +hurrying on. + +"You observe these trees," said he; "the bark on the side that faces +the way we are going is quite smooth and even, while the opposite side +is rough and the branches jagged. It is always so on forest trees, and +a person may rely on this as a natural sign, when he has none other to +go by, with perfect security. I have heard uncle Howe and father say +that they have repeatedly lost themselves in the woods, but by +following in one direction to a given point they could soon find +themselves again." + +"It is getting so very dark. Oh! Edward, what shall we do?" + +"The first of every thing we _must_ do is, to keep up our courage." + +"Hist! what is that?--There it is again! Oh! Edward, let us run! There! +there it is!" screamed the terrified girl. + +Edward turned to the direction indicated, and a wolf was crouching with +glaring eyes, ready to spring upon them. Edward's only weapon was a +pocket-knife, one of those long two-edged bladed weapons, so common in +the west; yet he did not despair, but placing Anne behind a large tree +stationed himself before it, and with his knife open and a huge club he +awaited the approach of the wolf. + +It soon came. The wolf was lean and desperate, and with a terrific +growl he bounded forward, but was met by the brave boy, who sprang +aside as he came, and before the monster could recover his leap, Edward +had dealt him several deep and deadly blows. Following up his advantage +he sprang at the wolf with his knife, plunging it again and again in +his side. The brute feeling he was being conquered, with a mighty +effort turned on Edward with jaws extended, and would have done him +harm had not Anne sprung forward with the circular metallic relic they +had found at the fort, and placed it before her brother. This drew the +attention of the enraged wolf on her; but before he could spring, +Edward had felled him a second time to the ground, where he soon +dispatched him. + +It was now too dark to make their way farther, and Edward was forced to +acknowledge the only hope of getting to camp that night, lay in their +being found by his friends and carried back. Many a boy would have been +discouraged, but Edward was not; though but seventeen he was athletic +and brave, and felt that he was answerable for his sister's safety, +whom he had led into this difficulty. "I _can_," said he to himself, +"and I will; and where there is a _will_, there is a _way_." + +He immediately kindled a fire, as he had done in the morning, in order +to keep other wild beasts away, as well as to prepare some supper; then +taking his line he soon had some fine fish, (for he was on the river +bank he had last crossed,) which he broiled on the coals. + +He could not shut his eyes to the terrible truth that they were in a +very dangerous place; for, although they piled on fuel to frighten the +beasts, yet they could hear the fierce growl of the wolf, the yell of +the panther, and their stealthy tread, and see their eyes flash and +glare in the surrounding gloom. The smell of the broiling fish seemed +to have collected them, and sharpening their voracious appetites, made +them desperate. To add to the difficulty of the children, the fuel was +getting scarce around the fire, and they dared not go away from it, for +it would be running into the very jaws of their terrible besiegers. + +"We must get up into a tree, Anne," said Edward; "it is now our only +hope." + +"Then, Edward, there is no hope for me; I cannot climb, but you can. +Save yourself while you can!" + +"No, Anne, these monsters shall never have you while I live; never fear +that. I know you cannot climb of yourself, but I can get you there. We +must make a strong cord somehow. My fishing-line doubled twice will +help, and here is a tree of leather-wood;[2] this is fortunate, I can +now succeed." + + [2] _Dirca palustris_, a very tough shrub, of the _Thymalaeae_ + species, growing in the deep forests. + +Collecting together all the fuel he could, he piled it on the fire, +then taking his knife, stripped off the leather-wood bark, and tying it +around Anne's waist, with the other end in his hand, he climbed up to +the lowest limb, and then cautiously drew her up after him. Seating her +securely on that limb, he climbed higher up, drawing her after him, +until he reached a secure place, where he seated her, taking the +precaution to fasten the cord that was around her to the tree. It was a +large hemlock tree, and the limbs being very elastic, he proceeded to +weave her a bed, that she might take some repose, for the poor child +was wearied with fright and fatigue. Disengaging part of the cord from +her, he bent together some limbs, and fastened them securely with the +leather-wood string; he then broke some smaller branches, and +interlaced them with the larger ones, until he had made a strong and +quite comfortable bed. In this singular couch he placed Anne, where she +soon fell asleep. + +Gradually the fire died away, and nearer and nearer their dreadful +enemies approached, until they came to the carcass of the dead wolf, +which they tore into pieces and devoured, amidst frightful growlings +and fightings. When nothing but the bare bones were left, they +surrounded the tree in whose friendly branches the children had taken +refuge, and kept up a continued howl through the night. Edward sat on a +limb by his sister through the night, his knife ready for use, +wondering if ever there was a night so long before. To him it seemed as +though day would never dawn; and when he espied the first faint glimmer +in the east, his heart bounded with gratitude that he had escaped the +perils of the night. But would the wolves go away with the darkness? +alas! they did not, but still prowled around, so that they did not dare +to descend from their place of security. + +Howe and Lewis had discovered the place where the children had ate +their dinners at the fort, and had traced them until they came to the +place where they first found they had missed their way. Here the hounds +became perplexed in consequence of the children having doubled their +track, and were unable to make out the path. After some delay it was +again found, and followed to the river bank, which Howe hesitated to +cross, as it was now quite dark; accordingly they encamped for the +night. At dawn the next morning they crossed the river; the dogs were +turned loose, and after a few moments they set off at a rapid pace in +one direction; Howe and Lewis followed, and came in sight in time to +see the dogs give battle to the wolves that were watching the children +in the tree. + +"Our rifles are needed there," said Howe, as his practised glance took +in the combat, and drawing his eye across his trusty gun, a sharp crack +was heard, and a wolf was felled to the ground. Again it was heard, and +another bit the dust. Lewis had not been idle; he too had brought down +two of them, and the remainder fled, with the hounds in pursuit. + +The children's joy I will not attempt to describe, as they saw their +rescuers approach, nor yet the agony of the parents, as the night wore +away and the absent ones came not. Lewis took his sister in his arms, +holding her on the saddle before him, and bore her back to camp. She +would not relinquish the trophies found at the fort, which she had +purchased so dearly, but carried them with her. + +"My children, how could you wander away so, when you well knew the +dangers of the woods?" said the father, when they were once more safely +in the camp. + +"It was not Anne's fault, father: do not blame her. I persuaded her to +cross the river, and after leaving the old Indian fort, somehow we got +turned around, and instead of recrossing the river, we went on and +crossed over another stream," said Edward. + +"Neither was it all Edward's fault," replied Anne; "I wanted to see +what was in the Willow Grove, and when once there the woods were so +shady and looked so cool and inviting----" + +"Wolves and all, sister?" said Benny. + +"The wolves were not there then; nothing but birds and squirrels, and +such bright flowers and----" + +"Were you not very much frightened, when you found you had lost +yourselves?" asked Jane. + +"Oh! yes; and when the wolf jumped at Edward, I thought we should never +see any of you again." + +"Where is your 'plate cover' you used so effectually," said Edward, +"for I want you all to know that when the wolf was getting the better +of me, Anne, usually so timid, suddenly became very courageous, and +with this for a weapon turned the brute's attention on herself, and +thus perhaps saved my life." + +"Give me Anne's 'plate cover;'" said the father, "I am curious to +examine what seems to have played so active a part in your adventure." + +"A curious thing, very," said he, examining it closely. "Howe, did you +ever come across anything like it in your wanderings? It is heavy, +evidently of some kind of metal." + +"Once, and once only. But its description would be a long story. Scrape +away the rust, Duncan, and see if it is made of copper." + +Mr. Duncan cut away a thick scale of corroded metal, then scraping it +with a knife a pure copper plate was exposed to view. + +"I thought so," said Howe. "It is a strange story, but I will tell you +all I know of it." + + + + +Chapter Third. + +Howe's Story of a singular piece of Metal. + + +In compliance with Mr. Duncan's wish Howe related the story of the +singular piece of metal he had seen, similar to the one they had +discovered. + +"Some twenty years ago," said he, "my father and I carried on an +extensive traffic with the Indians around Lake Superior for furs, often +being gone a year on our expeditions, during which time we lived +entirely with the Indians, when not in some inhabited region, by +ourselves, which we often were, for a trapper penetrates and brings to +light hidden resources, of which the Indian never dreams. During one of +these excursions, we had been struck with the singular appearance of an +old man, tottering with age, who belonged to the wigwam of the Indian +chief with whose people we were trading. His thin hair, falling from +the lower part of his head, was long, curling and white, leaving the +top bald, and the scalp glossy. His beard was very heavy, parting on +the upper lip, and combed smoothly and in waving masses, fell on his +breast. His must have been a powerful, athletic frame in his manhood, +for when I saw him he was over seven feet high, and though feeble and +tottering, his frame was unbent, and his eye was blue and glittering, +with a soul his waning life could not subdue. His features, as well as +complexion, were totally unlike the rest of the tribe. His forehead was +broad and high, his chin wide and prominent, his lips full, with a +peculiar cast about them I had never seen on any other human being, +giving the impression of nobleness mingled with a hopeless agony and +sorrow. Such, at least, was the impression made on my mind, which time +has never effaced. He was a strange old man, with such a form and face, +and so unlike any other human being, that his very presence inspired +the heart with feelings of reverence. The Indians have no beard. This +fact impressed us with the idea that he was a white man; but when I +compared him to the white race, he was as unlike them as the Indians. +Singular in all his ways and manners, he seemed a being isolated from +every human feeling or sympathy. + +"My father said he had known this man for thirty-five years, and when +he first saw him he was old, but then there was a woman with him, whom +he tenderly cherished, and who, but a few years before, died of extreme +old age. Otherwise he knew nothing more of them, as he never sought to +learn farther than what the chief had told him. When he asked who they +were, he was answered that they were all that was left of a nation +their ancestors had conquered so many moons ago, and the chief caught a +handful of sand, to designate the moons by the grains. + +"I was more deeply impressed with the sight of this old man than I can +describe; and what I heard of him only deepened the impression, until +it haunted me continually. Who was he? How came he here? And where came +he from when he came here? Who were his kindred, and of what race and +nation was he? These were questions that I asked myself day after day, +but was unable to answer them. I resolved to find out, and attempted to +make friends with him as the most tangible way of succeeding. He was +reserved and haughty, and I doubted my success; but I was agreeably +surprised when he deigned to receive and converse with me, though at +the same time he treated me with a degree of contempt by no means +agreeable; yet it came from him with such a glance of pity in his eye +as if he earnestly commiserated my inferiority, that I half forgave him +at the moment. He conversed about everything save the one subject +nearest my heart--_himself_. But on this point he was silent, and when, +day after day, I entreated him to give me a history of himself, the +thought seemed to call up such agonizing recollections as to make every +renewal of the subject difficult for me and painful to him. + +"Many months went by, but as yet I was no farther advanced than at +first, on the one great subject of which I so longed to be familiar. I +fancied of late the old man had become more taciturn and reserved than +formerly, showing a disinclination to converse on any subject, and I +could not avoid seeing his steps grow slower; he took less exercise +than had been his custom, and I saw plainly he was passing away. Then I +feared he would never relent; that death would come upon him and his +history remain unknown. + +"One evening, after I had in vain endeavored to gain access to the old +man through the day, I wandered out and stood on a high cliff, against +whose base the waves of the lake beat with a sullen roar; and looking +far away over the turbulent surface of this prince of inland seas, was +wondering if ever its waters would become tributary to the will of my +race, or if, as now, the canoe of the Indian was all the vessel that +should breast its rugged waves. The place where I stood was a sort of +table, or level rock, the highest peak of the cliff, rising in a +cone-like shape, some thirty feet above. Below it was irregular, and +the path to the place where I stood tortuous, difficult, and dangerous; +but when once there, one of the grandest views on the whole lake was +presented. I had not been there long, when, hearing a footstep +approach, and thinking it a dangerous place to be caught in if it +should be an unfriendly Indian, I caught hold of some shrubs growing in +the crevices of the rock, and silently let myself down a few feet below +the table, whose overhanging rock I knew would protect me from +observation, and where I could have a full view of the rock by looking +through the shrubs, by whose friendly aid I had descended to my +retreat. + +"I had scarcely secreted myself when, to my astonishment, the old man +advanced slowly up the path, his labored breathing showing how painful +to him was the exertion. Fearing no harm I was soon by his side, +begging him to lean on me and to allow me to assist him. He looked down +on me with a peculiar expression, akin to that I should express should +Benny here insist on going out buffalo hunting, and which annoyed me +exceedingly, of which he, however, took no notice. + +"After standing with folded arms, looking intently over the water +towards the far south, he turned to me and said: + +"'It shall be even so. Come hither, son of a degenerate race, and learn +the secrets of the past. Long before your race knew this continent +existed, my people were in the vigor and glory of national prosperity. +From the extreme north, where the icebergs never yield to the sun, +through the variations of temperature to the barren rocks in the +farthest south, were ours, all, from ocean to ocean!' + +"He paused for a moment, as if endeavoring to recall some +half-forgotten facts, then proceeded in a sorrowful tone. + +"'But troubles came. Our kings had fostered two different races on +their soil, who were at first but a handful, and who had at two +different periods been driven by winds on our shore. The first that +were thus cast on our hospitality were partially civilized in their +ways, and though far removed above the brute, were not like us; so wide +was the difference that an intermarriage with them would have been +punished with death. They were human, and therefore protected, their +insignificance being their greatest friend; for my ancestors no more +thought of laying tribute on them, even when they came to number +themselves by thousands, than you would on an inferior race. The other +race were savages of the worst character; more savage than beasts of +prey, and so they multiplied and became strong, and even preyed upon +themselves. Thus our forests became filled with beasts in the shape of +man, and our districts with an imbecile race. Centuries rolled onward, +and the savages multiplied and grew audacious. They even penetrated our +cities and preyed upon us, while we, paralyzed by such acts of +ingratitude, were weakened by what should have made us strong. We +passively beheld a loathsome reptile, that might at first have been +crushed in an hour, thrive to become a monster to devour us. + +"At length, but, alas! too late, we awoke to the danger of our +situation. We drove them from our cities to the mountains, but ere we +could take active measures to prevent a recurrence of these outrages, +the other race we had fostered started up like a swarm of locusts, and +declaring themselves our equals, demanded to be recognized as such. So +preposterous was this demand, that we were at first disposed to treat +it only as the suggestion of a disordered intellect, but, of course, +could never comply with so degrading a request, for nothing we could do +could invest them with strength, intellect, or form like ours. Soon +after our refusal they too grew audacious, and forming a league with +the savages, set up a king whom they said should make laws and govern +the land. Then commenced a terrible war of extermination. This whole +continent was drenched with blood. _We_ fought to save _our_ homes and +our country, _they_ to gain the supremacy. It was not a battle of a +year or of half a century. As many years as I have seen, the torrent +was never stayed, and when an advantage was gained, on either side, +life was never spared. By slow degrees, they possessed themselves of +fortress after fortress, and city after city: _we_, the while, growing +weaker, they stronger, until we were compelled to take refuge in the +cities of our king. These cities were built and walled with granite, +and we supposed them to be impregnable; and laying as they did in the +_centre_ of the continent, and in proximity to one another, we hoped +yet to withstand them. But, alas! we had another foe to encounter. +Gaunt hunger and famine came with their ghastly forms and bony arms, +blighting the strong and the brave. But it could not make traitors or +cowards of us, and dying we hurled defiance at our foes. The walls of +our cities unmanned, were scaled--the gates thrown open; and our +streets filled with the murderers whom we had reared to exterminate us. +A few were found alive, and these few were saved by the victors that +the arts and sciences might not die. From these I am descended; but +though we refused to transmit this knowledge to them, they treated us +with great care, hoping that after a lapse of time we would amalgamate +with them. But we were made of sterner stuff than that. We could see +our race and nation blotted from existence, but not degraded. After the +lapse of many centuries we were forgotten in the struggles of a half +civilized race and the savages for supremacy, and my people dying out +year by year, are all gone save _myself_, the last of the rightful +owners of this continent." + +As the old man concluded, his head fell forward on his breast and he +remained silent and motionless so long, that I feared the recalling of +the past had been too great a task for him, and going up to him, I laid +my hand on his. Throwing it aside, he said: "Young man, I have told you +of the past, and now there is a page of the future I will unfold to +you. Your race shall possess the heritage of my ancestors. And as the +savages exterminated us, so shall you them. But, beware, you too are +fostering a serpent that at last will sting, and perhaps devour you." +"The arts and sciences of your race speak of them; were they like +ours," I said, anxious to learn more of this strange people: "Yours," +he replied with more warmth than he had exhibited, "are not unlike +ours, though far inferior to them. Your race boasts of discoveries and +inventions! ah! boy, you are but bringing to light arts long lost, but +in perfection centuries of centuries before your people ever knew of +this land." + +"Is there any proof of this? is there nothing remaining to give ocular +demonstration of these facts?" I asked. + +"A few," said he. "Nothing very satisfactory, but what there is, you +shall see." + +So saying, he let himself down to the same spot where I had, in hiding +from him, I following. On removing a few pieces of loose rock the door +leading to a cavern was visible, which we entered. It was a large cave +running back into a lofty arched room, as far as I could see in the +surrounding gloom. The old man took a couple of torches from a pile +that lay on a shelving rock close by the door, lighted them, and giving +one to me bade me follow. The farther we went the wider and loftier was +the cave, until I began to wonder where it would end. At this moment he +paused before a stone tablet of immense proportions, raised about three +feet from the floor, the ends resting on blocks of granite. All over +its surface was hieroglyphics engraved in characters I had never seen +before, though I have often found similar ones since. + +"Here," said he, "are recorded the heroic deeds of our race while +fighting to save our firesides from a rapacious foe. Every character is +a history in itself. Yet your race know it not; but still boast of +sciences you do not possess." + +"No," said I, "we cannot decypher these characters, we have never +claimed to have done so; but if you can give me a key to them, tell me +how we may make an alphabet to it, we may still be able to do so." + +"It would be useless for me to do so," said he, with his old manner of +superiority, "your intellect could not grasp it; you would not +understand me." + +"Try me," said I, eagerly, "try me and see." + +But he only beckoned me away, then advancing a few paces took from a +recess in the rock, a heavy flagon not unlike our own in shape, and +placing it in my hand, informed me that their vessels for drinking were +like that, varied in shape and size according to taste. Holding it to +the light, I was astonished to find it was made of gold, fine and pure +as any I had ever seen. There were instruments of silver, also, which +he assured me, would carry sound many miles, and others of glass and +silver to shorten objects to the sight at an equal distance. And these, +said he, handing me some curious shaped vases are like the material of +which we made many of our ornaments to our dwelling. They appeared to +be made of glass, yet they were elastic. He said the material was +imperishable. There were helmets, shields, curiously shaped weapons, +chisels, and many things I knew not the use of, all made of copper, +among the rest a shield precisely like the one you have, Anne." + +"Did you bring nothing away? uncle," asked the children. + +"No: when he had shown me all he desired me to see, he led me back to +the mouth of the cave, and motioning me out, followed, closing the +opening he had made and ascending to the table where we stood before. + +"Then I begged the old man to tell me more of his race, to unfold the +curtain that hung like a pall between them and us. He shook his head +sadly, and standing with his face towards the south, communing with +himself awhile, turned to me, and said: 'You believe in a God, good and +evil, rewards and punishments?'" + +I answered in the affirmative. + +"Would you hesitate to break an oath taken in the name of the God in +which you believe?" he asked. + +"I would not dare to commit such a crime," I answered. + +"Then, swear," said he, "that what I have told and shown you, you will +never reveal to human being by word or sign." + +"Oh, no, you cannot mean that; leave us some clue to your lost race," I +entreated. + +"Yes, swear," repeated he imperiously. + +"No: oh! no, I cannot. Though for your sake," I said, "I will be silent +any reasonable number of years you shall dictate to me." + +He gazed sternly on me for a few moments, then said. + +"Let it be so. When I have passed away you are absolved from your +oath." + +"You will teach me to read the recorded past," I said inquiringly, "and +tell me of the arts now lost, at some future day!" + +"It is too late, my days are spent, he said; then rousing himself, he +exclaimed, in a voice that still rings in my ears: 'Son of a +degenerate race, go over this whole continent and there trace the +history of my people. Our monuments are there, and on them are chiseled +our deeds, and though we moulder in the dust, they can never die; they +are imperishable. Go where the summer never ends, where the trees +blossom, still laden with fruit, and there we once were mighty as these +forests, and numerous as the drops in this lake; there read of our +glory--but not of our shame--that was never chiseled in our monumental +pillars; it is here, (placing his hand on his heart) and with _me_ must +die. Go, (said he, waving with his hand towards the path that ascended +the table) go, and leave the last of a mighty race, to die alone. It is +not fitting you should be here: Go? I am called.'" + +I obeyed him reluctantly, but I never saw him again. + + + + +Chapter Fourth. + +Their journey continued. Finding a Prairie. Encamping for the Night. +Singular incident. A Mirage on the Prairie. Alarm in the Camp. The +Prairie discovered to be on fire. Flight to the Sand Hills. Their final +escape. Search for water. Finding a stream. Encampment. + + +The next day the camp was struck and packed; the oxen, rested and +invigorated by roving over and cropping the rich grasses that grew in +luxuriance along the banks of the river by which they had encamped, +moved with a brisk step along their shady track, while the voices of +the drivers sounded musically, reverberating through the stillness of +the forest. Towards noon they came to one of those singularly +interesting geological features of the west, a _Prairie_. This was +something entirely new to the younger children, who had never been far +from the place where they were born, and it very naturally surprised +them to see such a boundless extent of territory, without a house, +barn, or fence of any kind--nothing but a waving mass of coarse rank +grass. + +"Oh! father," cried little Benny, as the vast prairie burst on his +sight, "see what a great big farm somebody has got! But where does he +live? I don't see any house." + +"And the fences, apple, peach, and pear trees?" said Anne. + +"It is not a farm; it's a big pasture kept on purpose to feed buffaloes +and deer in," said Martin. + +"You are all wrong," retorted Lewis, "for though buffaloes and deer do +feed on the prairie, it is not kept for them alone; it has always been +so--trees will not grow on it." + +"You, too, are wrong, Lewis," said Mr. Duncan. "Though it is true trees +will not grow on the prairie now, yet it was not always so. Geologists +tell us that the vegetable growth, some thousand years ago was, in many +respects, different from what now covers the solid surface of our +earth. Changes of temperature and constituents of soil are going on +from age to age, and correspondent changes take place in the vegetable +kingdom. Over large tracks, once green with ferns, stately trees have +succeeded, followed in their turn, in the course of ages, by grosser +and other herbaceous plants." + +"According to that theory, after a regular course of time has elapsed, +these rank grasses will be succeeded by some ether form of vegetable +growth," remarked Sidney. + +"Certainly," replied Mr. Duncan. "When one class of trees has exhausted +the soil of appropriate pabulum, and filled it with an excrement which, +in time, it came to loathe, another of a different class sprang up in +its place, luxuriated on the excrement and decay of its predecessor, +and in time has given way to a successor destined to the same ultimate +fate. Thus, one after another, the stately tribes of the forest have +arisen, flourished, and fell, until the soil has become exhausted of +the proper food for trees, and become fitted for the growth of +herbaceous plants." + +After pitching their camp that night, the children in rambling round +it, came to one of those landmarks with which the prairies are so +thickly studded along the different trails--_a grave_. Saddened at the +thought of any one dying in that lonely place, they gathered around it, +wondering if the hand of affection soothed his last, his darkest hour, +if tears bedewed his resting place, or whether he died unmourned, +unwept, hurried with unseemly haste beneath the sod, and only +remembered by a mother, wife or sister, who a thousand miles away was +wondering why the absent one, or tidings of him, came not. + +The children assembled thus in a group, Howe drew thither also, to +ascertain what they had found. + +"A grave," said he, "ah! poor fellow, he sleeps well in his prairie +bed." + +"Here is a name cut in this bit of board at the head, uncle, but it is +done so badly I can't make it out," said Martin. + +"Let me try," said Howe; "it is plain enough, sure." + + "JOSHUA CRANE + "DIED + "OCT. 20, 1834, AGED 27." + +"Now, children, would you like to see Mr. Joshua?" said Howe. + +"Why, uncle," said they, "how can you make light of such a thing?" + +"I am in earnest; for, from various indications about it, I am of +opinion that he is a curious fellow." + +Anne, with a tear in her eye, cast a reproachful look towards her +uncle, while the rest were too much surprised to do anything but stare +at him in wonder. + +"Bring me a crowbar and shovel, Edward. I find I must convince these +little doubters that I am really in my senses." + +"Oh, uncle!" said Jane, "you could not have the heart to disturb the +dead!" + +"Bless me, child, who thinks of disturbing the dead; I am only going to +show you what a funny fellow Joshua is. Now," said he, raising the +crowbar, "if Joshua is sleeping here, this iron cannot reach him; but, +if as I suspect, why, then, you see"--and down went the crowbar in the +loose earth. "Now give me the shovel," said he, and commenced removing +the dirt, the children looking on in astonishment. He soon brought to +the surface, and rolled on the grass a _barrel of brandy_. The broad +lonely prairie fairly resounded to the shouts and laughter of the +children, as they danced about the barrel; Howe standing by enjoying a +deep ha! ha! peculiarly his own. + +"What a curiosity, Joshua is! Who would have thought of finding such a +thing there?" + +"It is a rare thing, I own," said Howe, "yet occasionally resorted to +when oxen have given out, or died. Sometimes wagons have been +over-loaded, and then unable to make their way over the rough roads, +some heavy article is taken and buried with all the signs of a grave +about it, to prevent its being disturbed and stolen, as in the present +instance. Probably the owner will be along here for it, or sell it to +some one who will come for it in course of the summer." + +"Will you leave it here, or bury it again?" + +"The prize is mine; I shall carry it along with me," said Howe. + +"That would not be right," rejoined Martin. "It is another man's +property." + +"Which he forfeited by false pretences. No, children, whatever found +without an owner in these wilds, falls to the finder by right," said +the Trapper. + +"I think the children are right," said Mrs. Duncan, who had come hither +at the sound of their mirth. + +"Suppose the owner is dead and never comes for it," said Howe. + +"It in no wise alters the case. It is better that it never finds an +owner than possess ourselves of what has purposely been hid from us." + +"Such notions are right and proper for a settlement, but for a place +like this, it is carrying it to too nice a point." + +"The rights of others should be as sacred to us in one place as +another," replied Mrs. Duncan. + +"Suppose somebody had trapped beaver and foxes in some particular +locality, would that make the animals that were uncaught in that +locality his own?" + +"Certainly not. The case is different; as the beaver uncaught never +were his, he had no claim on them. But if he caught a hundred beaver +and cured the skins, and secreted them in some place until he chose to +sell them, it would be decidedly dishonest for any one to take them +away as their own, because they had found the place in which they were +hidden." + +"I believe you are right, Mary. Joshua shall be reinterred," said Howe, +rolling the barrel in its old bed, and proceeding to cover it. + +"Mother is always right," cried the children, as they wended their way +back to camp. + +Early the next morning, as they were moving over the prairie, a +beautiful vision burst on their sight. It was a mirage of the prairie. +As the sun rose in all the splendor of an unclouded sky in the east, +the objects in the west became suddenly elongated vertically, the long +rank grass stretching to an amazing altitude, while its various hues of +green were reflected with vivid accuracy. As the emigrants approached +the optical illusion, it gradually contracted laterally above and below +towards the centre, at the same time rapidly receded towards the +horizon, until it assumed its original aspect. As the sun approached +the meridian, the atmosphere become so intensely warm that Mr. Duncan +thought it prudent to rest until it began to descend, to which they all +joyfully assented, as their oxen appeared to be almost overcome with +the heat. They had been a day and a half on the prairie, and as the +water they brought with them would not last them longer than the next +morning, they were anxious to make the distance to the hills, which +were looming faintly before them in the west, where they were sure of +finding an abundant supply. Accordingly, the oxen were turned loose, +the horses and mules being picketed, and all resigned themselves to the +disagreeable necessity of an encampment in a burning noonday sun on the +prairie, with not even a shrub to shelter them from its rays. But there +was no help for it, the oxen could not proceed with the wagons, and +they were obliged to wait until the heat of the day was over. + +Towards evening, a light breeze began to stir the heated air, and borne +on its wings, came also a disagreeable odor caught only at long +intervals, but which served to put Howe and Mr. Duncan on their guard. + +"There is a fire on the prairie, away at the north," said Howe, "and +there is not a moment to be lost, if we would save our baggage, cattle, +or even our lives!" + +"It is true, there is fire, and now I see the smoke away yonder, +looking like a thin mist against the sky; should it blow this way, our +only refuge is the Sand Hills, that I know lay yonder towards the +forest," said Mr. Duncan, looking intently towards the point whence the +odor came. + +"Saddle the horses and mules, boys," said Mr. Duncan, "and place Mary +and the children on them. Benny, you must ride with your mother, I am +afraid to trust you alone on a mule chased by fire. You must sit still, +my boy, and keep up your courage; the Sand Hills are yonder, not more +than three miles over the plain; you see them, Mary," he continued, +"but do not mind the trail; keep your horses headed direct for them, +and ride for your lives. I do not think there will be any danger for +any of us; but it is better to make all ready for the worst." + +"But, suppose you, with the oxen, wagons, and cows, are surrounded with +fire," said Mrs. Duncan. + +"We will do our best in the emergency. But I hope to gain the hills in +safety. Perhaps the wind will shift and blow the fire in another +direction. We must hope for the best, doing everything in our power for +our safety. Now go; give the horses and mules a loose rein." + +And away over the plain the cavalcade went, followed by the wagon as +fast as the oxen could travel, but the progress they made was slow in +comparison to that of the fire. On it came, and on went the cattle, +goaded by the drivers at first, but at last catching sight of the +heavy, rolling wave of fire that was sweeping towards them, they +started into a gallop, frightened and seeming to comprehend the danger +that menaced them. Mr. Duncan saw his wife and children gain the Sand +Hills in safety, and then the smoke and half consumed grass filled the +air, hiding the rescued from view as the burning wave swept toward +them, maddening the oxen and making the stout hearts of the pioneers +quail, as the burning fragments eddying through the air, fell thick and +fast among them. Prairie dogs, in droves went howling past, wolves and +panthers laying their bodies close to the ground in their rapid leaps, +heeded not each other, and even an antelope joined in the flight +unmolested, from their common foe. Innumerable prairie fowls filled the +air with their cries; but, above every other sound arose the roar and +crackling of the scorching billowy mass, as on, still on it came, now +rising until its seething flame seemed to touch the sky, then falling a +moment only to rise the next still higher. + +A prairie on fire is a sublime spectacle, which those who have had the +good fortune to see, in a place of safety, will not soon forget. But a +horrible ordeal it is for those who are overtaken by the raging flame; +for, if the grass is dry, with a slight breeze to fan the flame, it +travels with the speed of a whirlwind. + +Mr. Duncan could not abandon his noble beasts in the extremity, for he +knew if left to themselves, unaccustomed to the ground, they would lose +themselves, and ensure their destruction; but, in keeping by their +sides, encouraging them by his presence and urging them on, he still +hoped to save them, although half blinded with smoke and the hot air +that surrounded them. Howe had charge of one of the teams, and Sidney +the other, who, following the example of Mr. Duncan, stood their ground +bravely, resolving to share the fate of their cattle. + +Mrs. Duncan and the children, from their hill of refuge, saw with +terror the fearful and unequal race on the plain below, until they were +entirely enveloped in smoke, and then their suspense was harrowing till +a puff of wind lifted the smoky cloud, which it occasionally would, +giving them for an instant a glimpse of their friends, as on they came +towards them in their headlong career. But, as nearer, still nearer +came the flames, the cloud became too dense to be lifted by the wind, +and all was one circling, eddying wave, hiding every object from view. +A few moments of suspense, during which no words were spoken, and then +bursting through the cloud came their noble oxen, their tongues dry and +blackened and hanging from their mouths, their hair scorched from their +sides, and the wagon covers on fire, while the drivers feeling they +were safe sank on the sand, half way up the hill from exhaustion. + +Mrs. Duncan, and the children, were soon by the wagons, tearing off the +covers, and by so doing, saved the contents from burning. Then pouring +water over and down the throats of their exhausted oxen, they were soon +able to breathe freely. In the meantime, by Mrs. Duncan's direction, +Anne had taken a basin of water and bathed the faces and hands of the +drivers, so that they were, though quite exhausted, very comfortable. +The fire rolled past them without reaching them further, and finally, +after having spent itself died away, leaving the broad prairie that was +at noon so heavily covered with verdure, a blackened plain. + +"This is a pretty fix for us to get in, Duncan," said Howe, as the fire +rolling away, left them clear of smoke, and gave them a full view of +their position. "Here we are," he continued, "every drop of water +spent, without a blade of grass around us, begrimed with soot and +smoke, looking worse than any Indians I ever saw." + +"We ought to be thankful," said Mr. Duncan, "that no lives are lost. We +have escaped better than we had reason to hope, placed as we were." + +"To be sure we have escaped ourselves, but see what a pitiable plight +our oxen are in. They will not be able to draw another load in a week, +at least; and what are we to do in the meantime?" + +"I declare, uncle, I think you have the horrors; for whoever before saw +you at a loss for an expedient under any circumstances?" said Jane, +with a merry twinkle in her eye; for this was a peculiar phase in her +uncle's character, to hold up to others the worst side of any +circumstance, while at the same time he was taking active measures to +remedy it. So in this instance: for he had already made arrangements to +reconnoitre the forest, that lay west of the Sand Hills, not over two +and a half miles distant. Accordingly, mounting one horse, with Lewis +on the other, they galloped over the plain, and striking the forest at +the nearest point, they found it dry, destitute of grass, and totally +unfit for a camping ground. Taking a circuit in a southerly direction, +where the surface seemed more broken, they found they were on higher +ground, and as they rode on, the thick undergrowth all the while +growing more dense, encouraged them to proceed; for which they were +rewarded by striking a small brooklet of pure water, whose banks were +lined with rich grasses, sheltered by tall trees that grew on either +side. Here he resolved the camp should be pitched, and lighting a fire +to mark the place, they galloped back to the Sand Hills. To remove the +heavy wagons was no easy task, as the oxen were only able to walk +without a burthen. + +There were two pairs of mules and one of horses, and these being +hitched to one of the wagons, were taken to the place designated by the +stream, and then brought back for another until all the wagons were on +the ground, which the last reached about ten at night. In the meantime, +Mrs. Duncan had walked thither with the children, Mr. Duncan, with the +other boys, driving the oxen a little way at a time, and at last +reached the camp ground as the last wagon came up. + + + + +Chapter Fifth. + +Preparing a Supper. Heavy Storm. The Place of their Encampment. +Straggling Indians seen. Apprehensions of an Attack. Preparations of +defense. Approach of the Crows. A Fight. The Camp Attacked. Capture of +Five in the Camp. The Pursuit. Recovery of some of the Captured. The +pursuit Continued. Tabagauches meet the Crows, and defeat them. They +are discovered. Encampment. + + +Tired and sleepy, our travelers provided themselves with supper, having +pitched their tents, and laid down to court sleep the great restorer +for body and mind. The sky was cloudless betokening a clear night; and +presuming on this they had not re-covered their wagons, intending to +leave it until they had slept off their fatigue. But in this, even Howe +had something to learn. People under such circumstances should presume +on nothing, but make everything sure, for at one hour they are not +certain that the next will find them secure. It did not them, for they +had slumbered scarcely three hours, when the whistling winds and +creaking of their tent poles aroused them from their slumbers. +Springing from their beds they were almost blinded by the lightnings' +glare, as flash followed flash, in quick succession, each accompanied +by a deafening peal of thunder that reverberated portentously through +the forest. Mr. Duncan hastened into the open air. The sky was overcast +with fleecy clouds, while from the northwest came slowly up a dark +heavy cloud stretching over the whole of that part of the sky. As +higher and higher it rose, louder grew the thunder, and more vivid the +lightning, the wind sweeping round in angry blasts until it seemed as +if every element in nature was in commotion. + +Immediately every hand was brought in requisition to fasten the tent +poles more securely, and by the time it was accomplished, the storm, +with all its fury burst upon them, while they were straining every +nerve to fasten the tarpaulin covers on the wagons to protect the +contents from the storm, should the rain penetrate the tent. The cover +on Mrs. Duncan's wagon they had succeeded in fastening, and were +proceeding to the next, when a terrible crash was heard near them, that +shook the ground. + +"There is high wind to-night," said Howe. "It must have taken more than +ordinary force to have blown down that tree--there goes another--crash! +what a fearful night it is!" + +"The smoke from the burning prairie has formed itself in clouds, which, +becoming overcharged with moisture, are discharging themselves," +remarked Mr. Duncan. + +"A glorious cooling we shall get, after being nearly baked," remarked +Sidney. + +"Oh! what is that!" cried Mrs. Duncan, as a heavy body fell against the +tent, crushing it as if it had been a feather. + +But no one could answer, for in a twinkling their light was out, and +the rain in torrents pouring in upon their water-proof wagons. The +whole family had taken refuge in Mrs. Duncan's wagon, after having +secured the covers in their proper places; and it is well they did, or +they would have been deluged in an instant; for it seemed as if the +heavens had opened their windows, and were pouring from thence a flood +of water. They could only catch a glimmering of the mischief done to +their tent by the flashes of lightning; but they saw enough to +ascertain that a tree had fallen across it, and had crushed one of the +wagons beneath its weight. They had escaped unhurt, being buried +beneath the falling canvass by its splitting in the centre. Gradually +the storm spent itself, and by morning, but a few flitting clouds were +seen above the horizon. + +Less stouter hearts than those of our pioneers would have been dismayed +at the destruction which had been going on in the night, and which the +light revealed. Their tent, rent in a dozen pieces, one of the wagons +badly broken, and everything out of the wagons saturated with water. +Right manfully, however, they went to work. The tent was spread where +the sun would fall upon it, and everything that had been wet during the +night, together with the blackened suits that went through the fiery +ordeal the day before, were taken to the brook-side by Mrs. Duncan and +Jane, and very soon were waving in spotless purity from the bushes +where they had been hung to dry, giving the scenery around the +encampment a home-like appearance. + +The place of their encampment was a lovely spot; but truly refreshing +after their tiresome journey over the prairie; and though their first +night was exceedingly uncomfortable, it was owing to the warring +elements, and not to any fault of the place. Before the night again set +in, busy hands had been at the tent, and once more it reared its +conical shaped head among the forest trees, but bearing marks in its +numerous patches, of the tempest that had raged so fiercely through the +past night. + +Day after day wore away, and still the cattle exhibited a great deal of +lassitude, so much so, as to preclude the possibility of moving on. +This was no great annoyance to the travelers, as it was early in the +summer, and their only object was to find a place that would suit them +for a permanent settlement, before cold weather set in, which they were +sure of not effecting, should they be detained a month in their present +encampment. Besides, their camp being in a lovely valley, on the +borders of a clear stream, surrounded by everything that could make the +lordly groves enchanting, game of almost every kind abounded, to which +they paid particular attention, as their stock of dried meat and +roasted ribs, broiled steaks, and savory soups, could testify. + +Howe's time was spent, when not following game, in giving the boys +lessons in distinguishing one kind of game from another by signs before +they were near enough to see it; and then the best mode of bringing it +down and disposing of it. They practised shooting at a target, with +both gun and bow, hurling a knife or tomahawk, and handling the +Indian's war club daily. Mrs. Duncan's tent bore more the semblance of +a large room in a thriving farmer's house, than a temporary camp in the +wilderness, so homelike was its appearance. A cupboard made by standing +two boards perpendicular, with cleats nailed across, in which were laid +the shelves, held her crockery and tinware; a temporary table, made in +equally as primitive a style, but now covered with a table cloth, stood +at one side, while at the left, was a barrel covered also by a white +cloth, on which was set a dressing glass, the top wreathed with +mountain laurel, and wild flowers, and placed in that post of honor by +little Anne, who was sure to renew it every day. Camp stools stood +around the tent, while the whole surface of the ground in the tent was +matted with dried buffalo skins, making it free from dampness, and not +altogether uncomely in appearance. + +Mrs. Duncan, had ever been noted for a love of orderly household +arrangements, and now, as ever, they developed themselves in a thousand +little comforts that she had thoughtfully stowed away; and now that +they were needed, added essentially to their comfort and pleasure. +Hardly an article was desired that she did not produce from some +corner, its whereabouts unknown to the rest of the family, until +wanted; and when she one day brought out an old familiar boot-jack, one +being wished for, Mr. Duncan said he believed she was in possession of +Aladin's lamp. + +They often saw around their camp a straggling Indian of the friendly +tribes, to whom some of them were known. But this was not always to +continue, for a few had been spies, that had carried to their tribes an +account of the emigrants, their heavily loaded wagons containing a +coveted prize, and the owners too few to protect it from any great +force against them. Some of these were "Crows," a tribe noted for +treachery, and others "Arapahoes," in whose professions of friendship +Howe and Mr. Duncan had great confidence. They were under no +apprehension of being molested, and retired every night as usual, with +the precaution of a single guard. Everything went on as usual for a +week, when they were aroused with caution, and armed by Howe, who was +sentinel that night, who said he saw things in the forest that, at the +least, looked very suspicious. Nothing transpired, however, to confirm +his suspicions until daylight, when Howe cautiously reconnoitered the +ground around. He discovered traces where they had been, but so +artfully had they covered their trail, that, without the tact of +detecting it, possessed by the trapper, it would have passed +unobserved, for the rest of the travelers declared they could see +nothing. + +"Their designs are against us; their approaching and then returning +without coming into camp, proves it a certainty," remarked Howe, after +satisfying himself that they had not only been there and gone away, but +were anxious to obliterate all traces of their presence. + +"We must not be taken by surprise," replied Mr. Duncan. "Courage has +more effect in subduing an Indian than even a ball. However, I do not +apprehend that they really intend to make an assault on us." + +"Perhaps not," said Howe, "but they act very suspiciously, prowling +about like beasts. Why don't they show themselves, if friendly? But," +he continued, "if they want to skulk about, and pounce upon us, let +them take the consequences, our rifles do not miss fire." + +"We had better use great precaution about wandering from camp, for a +few days, or they will carry all off while we are away. Perhaps it is +only a straggling war party returning home, and in a few days we will +be rid of them." + +That night they retired, but Howe was too suspicious of treachery to +allow any one else to be sentinel but himself, and as he had slept a +while during the day, he was equal to the self-imposed task. As the +shades deepened, his practised ear detected sounds that others would +have thought little of, but which he considered, unmistakably to be +produced by the stealthy tread of Indians. As hour after hour went by, +shadows were flitting from tree to tree, and then Howe knew for a +certainty that the camp was surrounded by hostile foes. + +Stealthily every one in the camp was awakened, and armed with rifles, +with the exception of Benny and Anne, who were placed in a secure +position. Mrs. Duncan and Jane could handle a rifle with as much +precision as was necessary to protect themselves in an emergency. Mr. +Duncan and Howe, disposed their little band so as to bring their arms +to bear on three different points from which they were certain, in case +of an attack, the foe would come, by the moving figures in the shadows +but dimly seen, but which could be traced by keeping the eye intently +fixed upon them. + +"Make no movement or noise," was the order, "but at the first sound +from the savages, every one be ready to fire; probably when they find +their fire anticipated, they will retreat, if not, give them another +volley on the moment." They had stood in this position for half an +hour, when a single savage stept from behind a tree, advanced a yard or +two into the open glade that lay for a few rods around, and divesting +himself of his tomahawk, scalping knife, bow and arrows, laid them on +the ground, and after pointing at them, as if to draw attention to +them, advanced with finger on his lip towards the camp. + +Howe had observed his movements, but when he saw him lay down his arms +and come towards them, he felt certain the Indian desired a conference. +Duncan thought it a ruse to draw some of them from the camp where the +ambushed Indians could make a sure target of them. + +"I agree with you that it is not safe to go out of the camp, but there +can be no harm in letting the savage in. He is unarmed, and at the +first appearance of hostility, he must be dispatched," replied Howe. + +"If he enters the camp to-night, he must not return until daylight," +said Mr. Duncan. + +"Certainly not! Hark! he is close to us; see, he pauses: what can he +mean?" + +"Arapahoe! white man's friend," distinctly they heard him pronounce. + +"What are you doing here, then?" said Howe, "don't you see I could +shoot you like a dog, that comes stealing around, as if afraid of +daylight?" + +"The son of the 'Great Medicine' would not hurt Whirlwind," replied the +Indian. + +"Ha! Whirlwind, what are you doing here, you are indeed, safe," said +Howe, lowering the barrel of his rifle. + +"Whirlwind, returning to his village with his braves, found a snake +encircling his white brother's wigwam, and has crept within the circle +to save them," returned the Indian. + +"What is that you say? are there other Indians beside your own, about?" + +"The hills are dark with 'Crows,' who stand ready at the sound of the +war-whoop, to sweep down on my brothers, drink their blood, and steal +their goods." + +"Perhaps it is not so easily accomplished," said Howe, "you know we are +no cowards, to give our lives and property without striking a blow to +save them." + +"My brothers are a handful, the Crows cover the hills; but my warriors, +though but few, are brave and will fight for their white brothers." + +"If things are as bad as you represent, this is very kind of you; but, +how are we to know that the 'Crows' are around in large numbers to +attack us?" + +"The tongue of Whirlwind is not forked; he cannot lie;" returned the +Indian proudly. + +"I know it, Whirlwind, I know you are true, as well as brave. The +danger forced the thought, though I really did not doubt your truth for +a moment. I will take your advice, Whirlwind. What is the most +effectual mode of protecting ourselves?" + +"My white brothers will guard their camp, and should the Crows press us +too hard, help to repel them," said the Indian, and by his tone, he +evidently had not forgotten the suspicion cast upon his veracity. + +"You do not intend to stand the brunt of the fight, do you?" said Howe. +"No, Whirlwind, I can't allow that." + +"The braves of the Arapahoes have, for many moons longed to meet the +'Crows' in battle; now, surely, my white brother will not go between +them." + +"I certainly shall not consent to any blood being shed," interposed Mr. +Duncan, "without provocation. We wish to be on friendly terms with all +the tribes, and will not do anything that will have a tendency to +irritate them." + +"Yonder, the Crows, in numbers, await the signal of their chief, to +drink the blood of my brothers, and carry their wives and children +prisoners to their wigwams; when this is done, it will be too late to +strike a blow. But it shall not be; see, yonder in the thicket, a +hundred Arapahoe warriors are panting for the onset. The children of +the 'Great Medicine' shall be saved. They are in Whirlwind's hunting +grounds, and he will protect them." So saying, the irritated Chieftain +turned on his heel, and strode away, pausing to collect his arms, when +he disappeared in the thicket. + +A council was immediately held in camp; but before any decision was +determined upon, a deafening war-whoop was heard from the hills, at the +same moment the battle-cry of the Arapahoes broke from the thickets +around the camp. Then a charge was heard and the combatants' yells, +shrieks and groans were mingled with the fierce war-whoop, as the +Indians rushed on each other. The Crows astounded to find they were +confronted by their deadly foes, at first broke and retreated; but the +taunting jibes of the Arapahoes as they pressed on them aroused the +demon in their natures, and turning, they charged on their pursuers, +driving them back before them, towards the camp, at the same moment +making the forest re-echo their cry of victory. Howe heard the hoarse +note, as it swelled fiercely on the air, and springing from the camp, +cried, "Come! now is our time: follow me!" and dashing into the forest, +followed by Mr. Duncan, Sidney and Lewis, he met the retreating +Arapahoes who, encouraged by this timely assistance, faced about, and +the rifles of the pioneers telling with fearful effect, caused the +Crows to fly with terror; and as their pursuers loaded running, the +constant volleys prevented the Crows rallying, and in a few minutes the +whole band was either killed, wounded or dispersed through the forest. + +"Back to your camp, there is trouble there," cried Whirlwind, "my +braves will pursue the Crows," and calling a dozen warriors to his +side, he bade them follow on with him after the pioneers. + +When the Crows gave the cry of victory, about a dozen of them rushed +through to secure the whites prisoners, and having been unobserved by +the Arapahoes, or our pioneers, when they heard their own tribe a +second time driven back, they determined to carry them off as first +intended, hoping to secrete themselves before the victors returned. + +With varying sensations of hope and dismay, Mrs. Duncan heard the +combatants advance, retreat, advance again, and at last retreat, +followed by their rescuers, and at the moment when she supposed they +were freed from danger, the swarthy robbers burst into her camp, and +were in the act of seizing her when the sharp crack of a rifle was +heard, and the foremost savage leaped in the air with a hoarse yell, +and fell dead at her feet. Martin had saved his mother, for stepping +back on the instant, she raised her rifle and another fell beneath her +aim; at the same moment Jane's rifle disabled another; but the savages +closed so fast around them that they were disarmed and overpowered, +their hands bound and they were hurried away over the stream towards +the South. Not ten minutes had elapsed before they were pursued by +their friends; but in that short time their captors had effected their +escape, and morning dawned on the agonized pioneers still scouring the +forest in search of the lost ones. They were ably seconded by the +Arapahoes, a few of them having been left in charge of Anne and Benny +who, having been concealed in one of the wagons, had been saved. Those +stolen were Mrs. Duncan, Jane, Edward and Martin. + +At daylight the dogs were let loose, and mounting the horses and mules +they renewed the pursuit with hearts determined to perish or bring back +the fugitives. After two hours' hard riding they over-hauled two of the +savages who had Mrs. Duncan in charge, and she was borne back +triumphantly to camp. She could give no account of her children, not +having seen them since their capture, but thought they had gone in a +more westerly direction. Every art was used to persuade the Crows taken +to give some intelligence of them, but they were obstinate, and were +finally placed, bound, into the hands of the Arapahoes, who had charge +of the camp, for safe keeping. + +About noon they came up with two more Indians having Martin in charge; +but he knew nothing further; the two that carried him off having +separated from the rest, the more easily to escape detection; and the +Crows, like those that had charge of his mother, refused to give any +intelligence, and were placed with the others in custody. The pursuers +were again bewildered and were obliged to find a new trail, before they +could proceed further, which they succeeded in doing as the evening +shades were setting in; but as it was impossible to follow it in the +dark they reluctantly returned to camp to spend the night. At the first +dawn of light they were again in the saddle, provisioned for a number +of days, as they anticipated a long chase, from the fact that the +fugitives had a long start of them, and they could scarcely hope to +overtake them the first day. But the other pursuers were more sanguine; +they knew not the stratagems of the Indians so well as the trapper. +After five hours' hard riding they came to a spring of water in a deep +glen where the Indians had evidently breakfasted the day before. And +from the quantity of bones around, and the trampled grass, it was +apparent that there was a number of them. + +"Some six or eight persons, certainly. I think this time we shall +secure both the missing ones," said Howe. + +"We will do as they did, take a lunch, and let our horses feed on this +grass by the spring. Perhaps we shall overtake them very soon if we +rest and then ride hard," replied Mr. Duncan. + +"We shall not see them before to-morrow, depend upon it. They travel, +when pursued, like bloodhounds." + +Refreshed, and again in the saddle, they went over hill and valley, +forded streams, and crept through narrow defiles, still keeping the +trail, by the aid of the dogs, without much difficulty. About three in +the afternoon, they came to the place where the Indians had encamped +for the night. The pursuers were evidently gaining on the pursued. +Again they rested themselves and horses for awhile and then continued +the pursuit. After two hours rapid riding, while going through a +defile, they came to a spot which gave indications of a struggle having +taken place. Dismounting and examining closely, they found places where +evidently some heavy body had laid and bled profusely. The blade of a +broken scalping knife lay among the leaves, with a broken bow and a +war-club. These the Arapahoes identified as belonging to the Crows. +Searching a thicket of laurel, a little farther on, they found three of +the Crows dead. They had probably been mortally wounded, and crawled +there to die. They had been scalped, perhaps, while still alive, as the +scalp on the crown of the head was gone. + +"Tabagauches! Tabagauches!" yelled the Arapahoes, as they discovered a +fragment of a blanket, on which was embroidered, in gay colours, the +crest of that tribe. "There, away where the sun sets, over the Medicine +Bow Mountains, they are. They have conquered the Crows and taken them +alive, with the pale faces, prisoners, to their village." + +"We must follow them. We may overtake them, for evidently, the fight +occurred this morning," said Mr. Duncan. + +"Is my brother mad, that he thinks to compel a great nation to give up +its prisoners, with a handful of warriors?" interposed Whirlwind. + +"Can you think I would desert my children?" said Mr. Duncan, in a +severe tone. "No! we white men are made of sterner stuff than that. I +will save them, or die with them." + +"If my white brother is brave Whirlwind is braver," returned the +Chieftain. "What you would attempt and fail to accomplish by force, I +will accomplish by stratagem. Let my white brother return, and leave +the recovery of the children to me." + +"Never!" replied Mr. Duncan, decidedly. "My children are prisoners, in +the power of merciless foes, and until I recover them, I will never +again turn my back on their path." + +"My brother has spoken, but has not spoken well," said the chief. + +"We will lose no time in delay--an hour may be of the utmost +importance," was all the answer of Mr. Duncan. + +At nightfall, as they were casting their eyes around for a good and +secure position to encamp in, they discovered smoke arising from a deep +ravine that lay below them. + +"The camp-fire of the Tabagauches," said Whirlwind. + +"Ha! we have overtaken them, at last," exclaimed the trapper. "We must +fall back to a secure covert, and send out scouts to see if they have +the children, and ascertain their numbers." + +Selecting a pine grove, they secured their horses, and sat down to take +a lunch of cold bread and meat they had brought with them, not daring +to light a fire, knowing it would be a beacon to guide their foes to +their retreat. After resting a moment, a guard was posted, and Howe and +Whirlwind set out to ascertain the desired information respecting their +foes, while the rest of the party threw themselves on the ground to +take an hour's repose. + + + + +Chapter Sixth. + +Strength of the Tabagauches. Attack of their camp. Flight of the +Whites. A Council. Pursuing the Indians. Desperate Engagement. Taken +Prisoners. Carried off Captives. Submission to their fate. A Curious +Dream. Singular Springs of Water. Kind treatment by the Indians. +Discovery of Gold. Displeasure of Whirlwind. His story of the early +white men. A herd of deer, &c. + + +Cautiously Howe and Whirlwind crept onward, and coming within pistol +shot of the blazing camp fires of the Tabagauches, discovered that they +were full two hundred strong, probably, a war party, in search of +adventure, intending to fall unawares on some neighbouring tribes. By +the middle fire, in the centre of a group of some twenty savages, were +Jane and Edward, looking pale and wearied. A little behind them, on the +ground, with stoic-like indifference, sat five Crows, the remainder of +their captors; but now like themselves prisoners. Evidently, their fate +was being decided upon. As cautiously as they went the scouts returned +to the pine grove, and decided to make an immediate attack for the +recovery of the captives. There were eleven Arapahoe warriors with +their chief, and these, together with Mr. Duncan, Howe, Sidney, and +Lewis, made fifteen, all well armed and mounted. + +Led by Howe and Whirlwind, they noiselessly gained a place where they +could obtain a fair view of the enemy, who were in high altercation on +some point on which they seemed to be divided. + +"Now is our time," said Howe. "Let every gun be discharged when I give +the signal, and every one mark his man. Fall into a line, and bring +your rifles to bear on the right hand savage of the centre group, and +you the next, so on down the line that no two shots be aimed at one +Indian, for we have none to lose. Now, are you all ready?" said Howe, +running his eye from his little band to the foes, who stood revealed by +their blazing fires perfectly distinct, but entirely unconscious of the +danger that menaced them. Not a word was spoken, but Howe knew all was +right; then, in a low distinct tone, he gave the word "_fire_." There +was but one crack of rifles heard, so simultaneously every gun was +discharged, and as they were discharged, fifteen Tabagauches fell dead, +with scarcely a sound uttered. "Quick! fire again!" said Howe, "mark +your men, the savages are stupefied." Aiming their rifles on the +instant, fifteen more fell dead. + +Their second fire revealed to the Tabagauches the direction whence the +attack proceeded, and with maddening yells of rage they sprang after +them. + +"Save yourselves;" cried Howe, but he had no need to give the order, +for every one had placed a tree between himself and his foes, according +to the custom of warfare with Indians, and as they came on, every +moment, one or more fell by their unerring aim. They had the advantage, +for the Tabagauches were between them and the light, and could be +picked off as fast as the guns could be loaded, while they rushed +headlong into the darkness, their only guide the flash from the rifles +that were thinning their ranks at every fire. But, as the savages +gathered closer and closer around them, they were obliged to fall back +towards the pine grove, and as time after time they retreated into the +darkness, they could distinguish their foes with less certainty, and +finally they were obliged to make a scattered flight to save themselves +from being surrounded. Strange to tell not one of them had been +wounded, which could be only accounted for by the gloom, in which they +were enveloped, hiding them from an accurate aim. They were sure fifty +of their foes had been slain. + +The Tabagauches retreated to their camp, putting out the fires and +keeping silent, so as not to guide their foes a second time to them. + +On gaining the pine grove, a council was held to devise what was the +most prudent step to take. + +"I," said Whirlwind, "think it best to hover around them and find out +their next movement and guide ours by it." + +"That is impossible," said Mr. Duncan. "They will be so on their guard +that no one can approach without detection, which would be instant +death." + +"Whirlwind has said and will do it. Here await his return." So saying, +with noiseless strides the chief vanished in the gloom. + +"A strange compound of generosity, bravery, and recklessness!" said Mr. +Duncan. + +"Depend upon it, he knows what is for the best," replied Howe. + +"Then you think we had better not take any step until the chief +returns?" + +"That is my impression. He will return in two hours, or so." + +Two, three, and nearly four hours elapsed before the chief returned, +and the suspense had become painful, when, without warning, or their +knowing he was near, he stept into their midst. + +"Why, Whirlwind, had you dropt from the clouds you could not have come +more noiselessly. What success did you have?" said Howe. + +"The Tabagauches are cowards, they will not fight, but will steal away +like dogs. The pale faced prisoners are even now moving toward the +west, guarded by fifty of their braves." + +"We must head them," cried Sidney, springing to his feet. "They shall +never escape thus." + +"The pale faced brave has spoken well. We must divide our warriors; +part attack the cowards in the rear, to prevent them joining those in +charge of the white prisoners, while the other part must ride ahead and +attack them in front, and secure the children." + +"If we break up our force in this way, all will be lost," said Mr. +Duncan. "It is my opinion we had better all keep together, and try to +get ahead of the main body by a circuitous route, and thus be more +certain of overcoming the savages." + +"Certainly, father, the party must not be divided, the half of fifteen +is almost too few to attack seventy or a hundred," remarked Lewis. + +"Let us keep together, by all means," said Sidney. + +"I do not think we had better divide our force," said Howe, after +hearing all their opinions, and finding they all coincided with his +own, excepting the chief. "We will be too few for them." + +"The white chief forgets we cannot expect to overcome them by a fair +fight, but must depend on strategy for success." + +"If we have as good success as we had last night, I think we may," +returned Howe. + +"They will build no more fires to give us another such a chance," said +the chief. + +"We had better follow Mr. Duncan's suggestion," said Howe, "and try to +head them off by a circuitous route. Come boys! Lead on chief; we will +follow you." + +Light began to break in the east, so that they could see to make their +way, and rapidly they pursued it, their animals refreshed by the +night's rest. On they went, and about sunrise, saw the detachment of +Indians not more than a mile ahead. Whirlwind threw the halter (the +only accoutrement, his half-tamed prairie horse boasted,) loosely on +the proud steed's neck, and with his body bent almost on a level to his +back, rode like a Centaur over the ground. The rest gave their horses +the spur, but they were out-stripped by the Arapahoes, who one by one +darted past them, in the wake of their chief. Before Mr. Duncan and his +party had accomplished two-thirds of the distance, the war-whoops of +the combatants burst on the air, and when he joined them many a brave +had gone to the "spirit land." + +And now, fiercer than ever the battle raged, the Tabagauches retreating +as they fought, and being on foot were slain or dispersed at will, +until they saw the other detachment of their tribe advancing, when they +turned and fought with the fury of demons. This furious charge killed +one of the Arapahoes, badly wounded Mr. Duncan in the shoulder with a +tomahawk, and Lewis slightly in the thigh with an arrow. + +During this time they saw nothing of Edward and Jane, but distinctly +heard their voices as they called out to encourage their friends, from +a little distance, where they were bound and closely guarded. + +Encouraged by the thought they were so near the captives, and maddened +by the obstinacy with which the savages contended for the captives, +they made a desperate charge, breaking through the savages, and falling +upon the guard that surrounded the children, shot them, and unbinding +the thongs around their hands, and placing Edward on the dead +Arapahoe's horse, and Jane behind Edward; they then attempted to fly. +While doing this, the two detachments had joined, and now bore down +with terrible force on the little band. But they were met with volley +after volley, until desperate from the loss of their braves that fell +around them, the savages closed in and attempted to drag them from +their horses. Mr. Duncan, Lewis, and three of the Arapahoes, being +mounted on high mettled steeds, finding all would be lost if they fell +into the hands of the savages, spurred their steeds, and bounding over +the assailants, escaped into the forest. Not so fortunate were the +rest, for Howe, Sidney, Whirlwind, Edward, and Jane, were pulled from +their horses, overpowered, and bound prisoners. The rest of the +Arapahoes had fallen by the hand of their foes. + +Mr. Duncan, faint with the loss of blood, and suffering severely from +his wound, would still have plunged into the midst of the savages, had +not Lewis and one of the Arapahoes ridden at his side, with his bridle +rein in their hand to prevent him from plunging into certain +destruction. They bent their course to the east whence they came, and +the second day reached camp half dead with fatigue and distress they +endured at the inevitable fate of the lost ones. + +Terrible was the revulsion to Edward and Jane, for now they had no hope +from their friends, as Sidney and their uncle were captives with them, +and they supposed their father and Lewis had fallen by the savages who +went in pursuit. They knew all was lost unless they could elude the +vigilance of their pursuers, which they could not expect to do, bound +and guarded as they were. + +Calmly they resigned themselves to a doom they could not avert, to be +offered as burnt-offerings to the spirits of those who had fallen in +battle. The savages having lost half of their number, were intoxicated +with rage, and with demoniac yells, goaded on their prisoners with the +points of their arrows, causing the blood to flow from numberless +punctures. Occasionally they would bring their tomahawks circling round +their heads as if to sink them in their skulls; and then with savage +gestures retreat and make the forest ring with their howls of rage. For +three days they were hurried on deeper and deeper into the wilderness, +now passing over broad level prairies, then plunging into swamps and +deep ravines; anon climbing precipices, rugged mountains, and then +passing over the deeply shaded valley, through which streamlets sung +year after year their sweet songs of peace and love. + +The third day, towards night, as they were going through a thick +coppice that skirted a prairie they had just crossed, they were +surprised by a party of Pah-Utah Indians, and after a short but fierce +engagement, in which the Tabagauches were completely cut up, the +captives fell into the hands of the victors. They had eaten but very +little since they were captured, and faint and exhausted from their +sufferings, they hailed any change with joy. The Pah-Utahs treated them +with great kindness, washed and dressed their wounds, presented them +with parched corn and dried meat, and fitted them a bed of ferns and +dried leaves to sleep upon. They were congratulating themselves on +their happy change, when they saw with horror, the Indians roast and +devour with great avidity the dead Tabagauches: they were at the mercy +of cannibals! Late in the night the revolting feast was prolonged, and +then all was still, save the soft tread of their guard, as he hovered +around them. The next morning a deer was given them which had been just +killed, and they were shown a large fire, and given to understand they +were to cook and eat it. This they did with very good appetites, and, +together with the parched corn, made a savory repast. When this was +done, they were placed on horses and driven on, now taking a south-west +direction. Though treated very kindly, their wants anticipated, and +provided for, yet they were given to understand that an attempt to +escape would be punished with death by fire. + +Whirlwind told his fellow captives that their safest way was to assume +an air of indifference, and even gaiety, in order to deceive their +captors, and impress them with the idea that they had no hope of +escaping. "There is a possibility that we may throw them off their +guard and slip away, if we are cunning, at stratagems; but, should we +fail, they will eat us without further delay." + +Accordingly they rallied their drooping spirits, and appeared more like +a party roaming through the forest for pleasure than doomed captives, +for such their captors held them, and only delayed their death, that +they might enjoy the horrid feast in their village at leisure. They +journeyed on, and the second day when the savages halted they were +astonished to see them, instead of kindling a fire, touch a burning +torch to what they had taken for springs of water that bubbled up from +the base of a rugged range of hills, but which blazed with a clear, +strong flame on being touched with fire, and by which the savages +cooked their supper, by placing it on a forked stick and holding it in +the flame.[3] + + [3] This curious phenomena was at that time entirely unknown to + the white man, but has since been discovered to exist four + hundred miles east of the land of the Amachuba. + +The captives gathered around the singular phenomena with astonishment, +which so amused the Indians that, taking a burning stick, they ran from +place to place lighting the curious liquid where it bubbled up in jets, +until fifty fires were blazing around them, lighting the forest with +brilliancy. On examining this liquid they found it clear, and having +the appearance of pure spring water. The Pah-Utahs gave them to +understand that it flowed unceasingly, and was much used by them for +light and heat. It was a great curiosity, and elicited a great deal of +speculation as to what uses it might be applied if it could be conveyed +to the haunts of civilization. That night they slept quite soundly, +considering the circumstances under which they were placed, and arose +much refreshed. + +"I really feel well this morning," remarked Howe, "and do believe we +shall yet escape from these demons." + +"The white chief has dreamed," said Whirlwind. + +"I believe I did dream a curious dream last night," said Howe. "It +seemed as though I stood on a precipice looking calmly on the plain +below, when an eagle came down, and taking me in his talons, carried me +to his eyrie, which seemed to be perched on a mountain whose summit +passed the clouds; and there, oh! horror, a hundred eaglets with open +mouths stood ready to devour me. Then it seemed as if a heavy cloud +passed by, and with a fearful leap I sprang upon it and floated through +the sky until it began gradually to grow thinner and thinner and I lay +unsupported in mid-air. Then I began to sink, first slowly, but +gradually increasing in velocity until I seemed to go swifter than the +wind, and at every moment expected to be dashed to pieces. But as I +neared the earth I began to descend slower; when, lo! I softly alighted +at the door of our camp, and there I found Duncan and Lewis. Indeed it +seemed we all were there as if nothing had happened." + +"A singular dream, uncle," said Jane, "but you know it could not come +true. Besides," she added sadly, "there is little hope that father and +Lewis escaped." + +"I am impressed with the idea they did," said Sidney. "Had they been +murdered, the savage murderers would not fail to have scalped them and +exhibited the scalps in triumph." + +"The young brave is right; they have escaped," said Whirlwind. "The +Tabagauches would have scalped the white chief had they taken him." + +"You always said you did not believe in dreams," said Jane, upon whose +imagination it seemed to have considerable influence. + +"Neither do I, generally. But now, even a dream of freedom and friends +is gratifying, and I cannot help feeling elated by it." + +"The Great Spirit visited the white man in his slumber. Believe what he +showed to thy slumbering spirit, lest he be angry and destroy thee," +said Whirlwind earnestly. + +"Really, Whirlwind, it is as absurd as singular," remarked Edward, "and +is taxing credulity too much to ask an implicit confidence in it." + +"The brave is young, and cannot interpret the signs of the presence of +the Great Spirit. His children know him better, and recognize his +teaching." + +"Oh! well, chief, I hope he is in earnest now, at least, and will +succeed in getting us out of the clutches of these promising children +of his," said Edward. + +"Then the young brave must not anger him," returned the chief, +solemnly. + +"I should like to know how far we are from camp, and how much farther +they intend taking us," said the trapper. + +"Their village is half a day's march to the setting sun," replied +Whirlwind, "and we evidently are from six to seven days' journey from +our camp." + +About noon they entered their village, displaying their captives in +triumph to the rest of the tribe, who surrounded them in great numbers, +grinning and twisting their naturally ugly visages into frightful +grimaces, at the same time filling the air with yells of delight and +satisfaction. + +That night there was another revolting feast. The victims being three +Indians of a peculiar form and features different from any they had +ever seen. + +"They are from over the desert," said Whirlwind to Howe's inquiry of +what tribe they were, "and have been taken in battle. The tribes all +through this region are very warlike, and every year countless numbers +are taken and sacrificed at their feasts. The tribes are cannibals, and +eat their enemies as you see these do; therefore, they fight with more +desperation knowing they must conquer and feast on their foes or be +conquered and feasted upon." + +"What is our chance, do you think, of being sacrificed?" asked Howe. + +"We shall be, of course, unless the Great Spirit saves us. It is the +fate of war," replied the chief, with as much indifference as if he was +discussing a puppy stew.[4] + + [4] A great delicacy with Indians. + +"I could bear it for myself, Whirlwind, but these children!--No; we +must out-wit them and escape," replied the trapper. "Prudence and +cunning may save us." + +The village of their captors was situated on a low, level plain, +sloping gently towards the south and west, bordered by the Wahsatch +mountains on the east, a spur of which, branching from the regular +chain, ran a number of miles from east to west, and formed a high +barrier on the north, rising in perpendicular precipices to the height +of three hundred feet. The village was very populous, the corn fields +numerous, and now just in bloom, promising an abundant yield. The +lodges were large, convenient and well stored with furs and skins, +while large quantities of arms for defence hung around, intermixed with +curiously wrought baskets, elaborately embroidered tunics and +moccasins, gay colored blankets, scalps of fallen foes, eagle plumes, +bears' claws, antlers of deer, and innumerable tails of fox and beaver. + +The captives were distributed among the different lodges, at first +closely guarded; but as they evinced perfect content, they were allowed +gradually more and more liberty, until at last they were permitted to +roam through the village at will, with a single guard, whose duty it +was to give the alarm in case they should attempt to escape. This +greatly elated them; and, as not one of the tribe understood English, +they were able, at all times, to converse and devise plans without fear +of detection by being overheard. + +About two weeks after their captivity, they were wandering around the +outskirts of the village, and approaching the precipice at the north, +penetrated the thick underbrush that grew at its base, and seated +themselves in its cool shade, their sentinel taking up his position a +few rods from them in the path by which they had entered. Some of them +sat so as to recline against the rock that rose above them, whilst +others leaned in thoughtful mood against a cluster of bushes that were +entwined with the wild grape, forming a strong but easy support. Jane +was pulling up the ferns and wild flowers, and as they drooped in her +hand threw them aside and gathered fresh ones until there were no more +in her reach; then her eye becoming attracted by some rich, green +mosses, she gathered them, when among the black earth from which they +were taken something gleamed bright and distinct from everything around +it. Sidney, who was nearest her, regarding her with a sorrowful look, +was the first one attracted by its glitter, and being undecided what it +was, called the attention of Howe to it. + +"It is gold!" cried the trapper, after closely examining the tiny flake +Sidney had placed in his hand. + +"Gold! let me see it," they all cried. "Is gold always found in that +shape?" queried Edward. + +"Not always," he replied. "Sometimes it is imbedded in the rocks, and +has to be dug out by blasting; while, at others, it comes in globules, +called nuggets, often of great value." + +"Perhaps there is more around here; let us see," said the trapper, and +taking a stick he dug among the soft earth, when, lo! it was speckled +with the precious ore. + +The sentinel seeing them gathering up the glittering scales with great +eagerness, came forward, and with his hatchet struck a few heavy blows +against a fragment that projected from a fissure in the rock, when it +split from the solid mass, and revealed the precious ore, intermixed +with quartz rock; then turning away with disdain, left them to amuse +themselves, and took up his former position in the pathway. + +"We can gather as much as we please; and if we have the good luck to +escape the vigilance of these demons, we shall be rich," said Sidney. + +"It is something, at least to have made the discovery. These mountains, +I judge from the fragment broken, must be full of ore?" said the +trapper. + +"The Indians," said Whirlwind, "say there are stones still farther +towards the setting sun that give light like stars, and glitter in +their bed with a hundred fires; but they are never seen in these +hunting grounds. All through the mountains these are to be found in +abundance," said he, pointing to the gold that lay glittering in the +earth. + +"You never told me of this before, Whirlwind," said the trapper. "Why +were you so wary about what you must have known was of importance?" + +The chief drew up his tall, athletic form, and pointing with his finger +to the sky, said: + +"As many moons ago as there are stars yonder, when the sun is in the +west, there came to the hunting-grounds of the red man a band of white +men. They were few, and my fathers fostered them; and, when the white +men found the glittering earth accidentally, as you have, they showed +them where it could be scooped up by handfuls, and where the star +stones lighted up the caverns. Then grew hatred between the red and +white man; for the star stones are bad spirits who stirred up evil +passions in the heart, then laughed and mocked at their warring. The +white man grew many and strong, and more came from beyond the big +water. Then they made the earth red with each other's blood, and my +forefathers were obliged to give up their hunting grounds, and fly into +other possessions, where there was again war for a place to hunt in, +until the earth was again red with blood. And now all between the swift +water and the great sea towards sunrise is covered by the pale faces' +lodges, while, we, a remnant of former days, are forced to give way +until we shall have all perished, and the graves of my ancestors become +the play grounds of the white man's papoose. Then let the glistening +earth sleep where the Great Spirit buried it, that the evil spirits may +never again gloat over the earth dyed with the blood of its people. +Whirlwind has spoken, let his white brother hear, that their love be +not turned to anger, and that they slay not each other." + +As he ceased speaking, he quietly walked from amid his fellow captives +and taking a position but a few feet from them, bent a decisive look of +commiseration on their every movement. + +"Throw down the stuff," said the trapper, "the chief is angry, and we +can have no use for it here, so it is not worth while to provoke him by +even retaining what we have." + +The children obeyed, for they were not willing to risk the friendship +of the chief for whom they entertained great respect, although they +could not always appreciate his curious logic. He seemed relieved when +he saw them do so, and proposed they should quit the dangerous spot, +which they acceded to. + +Towards evening of the same day, they were wandering leisurely on the +southern border of the corn-fields, when they were startled by a drove +of deer bounding past them, and making for the forest beyond. A noble +buck was the leader, with head erect, making ten feet at every jump. +Away they went, casting the earth from their slender hoofs, caring for +neither brush or brake, for a relentless pursuer was on their track. + +"See! there goes three small specks close to the ground; there they +are, three monstrous black wolves with glistening coats, their fiery +eyes sparkling, and jaws distended." + +They were larger than the largest dog; long, gaunt limbs, small, and +all muscle, and so persevering that every thing tired before them. They +seldom, when they start in a chase, give up their prey. + +"Without doubt, the weakest of that noble herd will make a supper for +their rapacious foes," said Howe. + +Such is the black wolf of the western wilds, attacking every thing he +meets when hunger is on him; even the buffalo falls a prey to him. + + + + +Chapter Seventh. + +Their continued Captivity. Attempt to Escape. They are cautiously +watched and guarded. Fears and apprehensions. They discover Gold in +various quantities. A singular Cave. Preparations to escape into it. +Lassoing the Chief. Enter the Cavern and close the Door. They are +missed by the Indians. Tumult in the Camp. They follow the Cavern. +Singular adventure. Jane rescued from Drowning. Strange appearance of +the Cave. Mysterious discoveries. They Continue on. Cross a stream. +Discovery of an Outlet. They halt for repose. + + +Six weeks elapsed and they were still prisoners, treated with great +kindness; although they were forced to be present at the revolting +feast on human flesh, as often as a war party returned, which was +almost every week. And, though they saw the Indian captives sacrificed +with relentless cruelty, yet the fear that they should be made victims +had partially subsided, as week after week went round, and, except the +single sentinel who was relieved from duty morn and night, they were +left entirely to themselves to do as they pleased. They had often +attempted to draw him into the forest with them, but when he had +accompanied them to a certain boundary, he gave them to understand they +must return immediately to the village; and, as they knew the penalty +of attempting an escape they did not dare to undertake it, knowing they +would be pursued with fleet horses, and perhaps be taken and sacrificed +the same day. They were wearied with their captivity, and became gloomy +and sad. The Pah-Utah saw this, and directed the sentinel to give them +a wider range. This they hoped might facilitate an escape. But in this, +they were mistaken; for the sentinel used renewed vigilance. The moment +they were beyond the prescribed boundaries, the guard, with his fiery +eye fixed on them with a lynx-like keenness, would follow them with his +horn trumpet to his mouth, ready at a second's warning, to sound the +note of alarm. + +Things were in this state when they went together to the base of a +precipice, half a mile to the east from where they found the gold. Here +they whiled away an hour discussing the ever present theme of their +captivity, except Edward who, not having the fear of the chief before +him began to tear up mosses, and dig into crevices in search of +precious ore. While doing this, his foot slipped from under him, and he +fell heavily forward against a smooth, slab-like surface of the rock, +when, to his dismay, it gave back a hollow sound, and a large block +yielding an inch or two, showed an aperture within. + +Calling his uncle, he pointed it out to him, who after examining it +closely, declared it to be a cavern within; but how the stone came +fitted into the door way, was a question they could not solve, for the +Pah-Utahs had no way of shaping stone with such precision, and +evidently were not aware that the cavern existed. + +"Walk quietly away, and appear to be busy about anything you choose, in +order not to draw the attention of the sentinel this way, and I will +communicate it to Whirlwind," said the trapper. The chief after +examining the place, retreated with Howe a few rods distant, and then +said. "That cavern will prove our deliverance. Evidently it is one of +those of which tradition speaks, and that it communicates to some +distant point. That stone door is unknown to the Pah-Utah for the +trailing mosses have become imbedded in the fissures of the rock in a +way it would have taken a hundred years to have accomplished, showing +it could not have been entered in that time." + +"Had we better enter it, and try to find another outlet?" asked the +trapper. + +"I hardly like to decide; the undertaking is very hazardous. We might +possibly find it, if there is an outlet, but if we should not, a +horrible death awaits us--buried alive; or if we should return, a worse +one at the hands of our captors." + +"What reason have you to suspect there is an outlet at a distant +point?" asked the trapper. + +"The similarity of this opening to one on the side of the Medicine Bow +Mountains, towards the rising sun. That has been known by the red men +since the Great Spirit gave them their hunting grounds; and at that +time he told my fathers they were built by a people whom he had +destroyed in anger. And to this day they are strewn with bones and +utensils of the lost people." + +"Is this story of the opening a tradition, or have you seen it, and +what is the appearance of the interior of the cavern?" + +"I have been through it often. In some places it is rough, and in +others as smooth as sleeping water. It is a long, toilsome journey; and +at its end opens at the base of a hill a day and a half's journey +towards the west," replied the chief. + +"Then you think this cavern is similar to the one you have seen, and +that, if we enter it, we shall escape in safety?" + +"Were I alone, I should not be afraid to venture in it. Whirlwind is +not a coward, and pines in captivity. If he escapes, it is good, he +will then be a free chief. If he dies, he will go to the hunting +grounds of the Great Spirit, where the deer, beaver, and buffalo are as +plenty as the leaves in the forest." + +"For one, I am willing to make the trial, and am certain the children +will be also. We must provide some food and light before we try it. It +would never do to venture in unprovided with these." + +"My brother would betray us if we should attempt to conceal either, for +the Pah-Utah are as vigilant as brave, and would be sure to know it and +determine our fate on the instant. Our only way of escape is to fast, +and be fleet of foot." + +"Perhaps you are right. When would it be prudent for us to make the +trial, do you think? For my part, I am ready at any moment. It is five +days since these demons made one of their horrid feasts; and as we came +by the chief's lodge, I saw him in council with his warriors, and I +thought they looked very suspiciously towards us as we passed." + +"Whirlwind also saw it; but his heart was then almost dead within him. +It is alive now, and we will enter the cavern. My white brother will +tell the children of our design, and lead them to the mouth of the +cavern, and keep his eye on the sentinel. The moment he sees this +around his enemy's neck, roll away the rock, and have it ready to put +in its place again as soon as I enter," said the chief, taking from +beneath his tunic a strong, long cord made of hide, formed into a +lasso. + +"He will blow his horn, and draw the whole tribe on us if you attempt +to strangle him. I think we had better try to slip in one by one, and +not disturb him," said the trapper. + +"We should be missed before we could replace the stone, and they would +drag us from our hiding place as soon as we entered it. Whirlwind's +step is as noiseless as the wing of a bird, when after a foe. But +should the sentinel give the alarm, enter and close the door; for, +perchance, I may escape from them at last; if not, I shall have drawn +his attention from you so as to enable you to facilitate your escape." + +"No, brave chief, we are captives together, and we will all be saved, +or perish together. You shall not be left alone for them to wreak their +vengeance upon. We will not enter the cave unless you are with us." + +"My white brother speaks like a child. Whirlwind has said and will do +it," returned the chief, who possessed a truly royal soul, imperious in +decision, impatient of contradiction, and never turned from a course he +had determined to pursue, when assured it was for the good of others. + +As he ceased speaking, he left the trapper, and disappeared in the +bushes. Howe thought it most prudent to obey the injunction of +Whirlwind, and making a sign to the children to follow, he carelessly +made his way to the spot, and with palpitating heart, awaited the +signal. The children shared with him the anxiety, till at last so +intense it became, that their hearts almost ceased to pulsate. Life or +death was in the throw, and death itself could not exceed the agony +they endured. The signal came at last--a circle in the air--which in an +instant tightened on the sentinel's throat; five minutes elapsed, when +the chief came bounding towards them with a tame deer, that belonged to +the tribe, in his arms, then rolling away the stone, and entering the +cavern, they replaced it with great precision, so as to prevent +detection. But great was their surprise and gratification to see the +cavern was quite light, by the rays penetrating innumerable small +fissures in the rocky precipice. Whirlwind immediately killed and +dressed the prize that so fortunately happened to be in his path; and +distributing it among them, they prepared to penetrate into the +darkness of the cave. Where they entered, it was about twenty feet +wide, and about fifty feet high, having the appearance of the rock +having been blasted, and hewn down smoothly at the sides. The floor was +of a solid rock, smooth and level, though strewn with some rubbish, +which they did not stop to examine. They were too anxious to place +distance between themselves and the cannibals, to think of anything but +how to ensure their safety. Accordingly they pressed boldly on, but had +not gone over twenty rods, when yells of disappointment and rage made +the air quiver as they echoed and re-echoed through the cavern. Their +escape had been discovered; and now, if the door to the cavern was +known, they knew they had but a few moments to live. + +"Give me your hand, Jane," said Whirlwind; "take hold of Edward, Howe, +that we may not be divided. The young brave will keep in our tracks, +now, let us proceed, and, perhaps, if the cave is found we may hide in +some of its recesses." On they went, and louder and fiercer grew the +yells, as the village poured out its hordes, until it seemed to our +heroes as if every rock had a tongue, and was telling, in thundering +echoes, the place of their retreat. Still on they went, and now, the +voices began to soften in the distance; then they grew fainter, until +nothing but low, confused sounds were heard. The cavern was level on +the bottom, which facilitated their flight; being actuated by the most +sacred passion of our nature--the love of life, which gave them courage +and strength, and with the hope of freedom beckoning them on, they made +unprecedented speed. They had been blessed for about half a mile by the +rays of light that penetrated the cavern at the mouth; but for the last +hour they had been plunging on in total darkness, not knowing where +they went; but now, as no sounds were heard, and they were getting +fatigued, they halted and began to devise some means of guiding them on +their way. + +Howe commenced moving around in the darkness to see where the +boundaries of the cave were, and the rest following his example, part +of them touched one side, and feeling its smooth surface, thought the +cavern must be uniform throughout; for, as near as they could tell, by +feeling, it had the same appearance as it had at the entrance. + +At that moment Jane, who was groping round to find the other side, +uttered a piercing scream which was quickly followed by a heavy splash +in water. + +"Jane! Jane!" they all cried; and the chief, at the moment springing +towards the place where she had stood, with a half-uttered exclamation, +fell heavily with a loud splash also. + +"Keep back! keep back! there is danger here!" he cried; "I can save her +if any one can! Jane! Jane! where are you?" he called eagerly, as he +splashed round in the water, which was so deep he could not touch the +bottom. "Jane! Jane!" he cried, but no sound came from the still water, +till at last a faint bubbling sound was heard, and a hand grasped him. +Catching her round the waist, he raised her head above the water, when +the half-drowned girl began to revive; but too much exhausted to assist +herself in the least. The chief swam with her towards the place where +they had fallen, hoping to find a projecting rock to support her on, +but he was disappointed, although he was enabled to obtain footing in +three feet water, where he stood holding her in his brawny arms. + +"All safe," he cried, the moment he had obtained footing. "But how we +are to get up there is a different affair." + +"Keep up your courage," cried the trapper; "we must have a light. I +have a flint, knife, and punk-wood; so far all is well, but what are we +to burn?" + +"There is wood in here I know," said Sidney, "for I have stumbled over +it a number of times?" + +"Have a care how you hunt round for it, or you will go down after Jane +and the chief," said Edward. + +"Here is wood, plenty of it," said Sidney, bringing forward a handful +of sticks. In the meanwhile the trapper had struck fire, and was +blowing the punk into a blaze, and taking some of the sticks in his +hand to communicate with the burning punk, found them in a crumbling +condition but perfectly dry, and they quickly ignited. A cheerful blaze +was in a few minutes lighting up the cavern; they then cautiously +approached the place where Whirlwind and Jane had fallen, who were +patiently awaiting light and assistance from above. Holding some +blazing sticks over the edge they discovered the chief and Jane ten +feet below them, with water smooth and placid, full thirty feet beyond, +and extending along the cavern as far as the eye could reach. Evidently +they had been making their way on its verge quite a distance, and the +least deviation on that side would have plunged them all into its +waters. The rock was rough and jagged with many small fissures in which +they could get a foothold, and by the assistance of Sidney, who +descended a few feet, Jane was soon lifted up to the floor of the +cavern, where, with the agility of a deer, the chief followed her. +Saturated with water, without a single extra garment, they were in a +very uncomfortable condition, yet they laughed heartily over their +mishaps; for, indeed, they thought anything preferable to being in the +power of cannibals. Piling together the half decayed wood and wringing +their clothes as dry as they could, they were in a fair way of +recovering from the ducking, and as they apprehended no further danger +from their enemies, they concluded to make a short halt and examine the +locality around them. The cave in this place was no more than twenty +five feet high, but was very wide, as well as they could determine over +a hundred feet, thirty of which was water, and beyond which they could +not distinguish the appearance of the cave. But the other side was as +singular as wonderful. Eight feet from the floor it was smooth and even +as hewn rock could be made; then there was a vast niche cut in, +extending to the top of the cave, thirty feet wide and sixteen deep. +This niche was ascended by a flight of six very steep steps cut in the +rock in the centre of the front of the rock below the niche and were as +perfect and uniform as if just made. Ascending these steps they +discovered a chair of graceful form cut out of a huge stone, +fantastically carved, which they found themselves unable to move by +reason of its great weight, but being of a different material than the +rock of which the cave was composed they supposed it to be separate +from it. On each side of this curious chair there arose a tripod three +feet high and two in diameter, the top being scooped out concavously, +like a basin, in the centre of which was a round orifice, half an inch +in diameter, out of which bubbled up a clear liquid, which, filling the +basin, ran down its sides into a drain cut in the rock, and was +conveyed into the lake in which the chief and Jane had fallen. + +"Astonishing!" cried the trapper, examining the curiosities as well as +his light would permit. + +"The place of refuge of the lost people!" said the chief. "Our +traditions say that they were mighty and strong, and, like the tall +trees for strength; they had skill in cutting stone, and digging copper +from its bed, and making it into armor and utensils." + +"And these were their fountains: well, I think they were people of +taste. That chair is good enough for the president, and I suspect he +has not got one half as curious. We will take a drink at their +fountain, replenish our light, and see if there is anything else +around." + +Bending his head to take a drink in a primitive way, he drew a mouthful +of the clear and transparent liquid, but quickly discharged it, with a +grimace. "Whew! they must have been a strong people to drink such +strong drink," cried the trapper. + +"Perhaps it is not water;" so saying, the chief touched the brand he +had in his hand to it, when, lo! it blazed with a strong white flame. +Touching the other also, two clearer, purer lights never illumined a +cavern. The light penetrated the recesses and laid open every object to +view, and as their eyes fell once more on the curious chair they +uttered an exclamation of wonder. It was sparkling and glowing with a +thousand rays. Approaching it they saw it was covered with dust, which +they brushed away; and if they were astonished before, now they gazed +with speechless wonder at the curiosity before them, that threw back +the light that fell full upon it, in flashing rays, dazzling the eyes +of the beholders. + +"The fire stones! Touch them not!" cried the chief, waving the rest +back with his hand imperiously. "The evil spirit presides in this spot, +and we are in his power. Provoke him not, or we shall be all destroyed +like the lost people were, a thousand moons ago." + +"Pshaw! Chief, you are ridiculous. This has evidently been a chair of +state, and has been made for one high in power to sit in. The material +appears to be quartz, studded with diamonds enough to enrich a kingdom. +The bad spirits are all in your imagination; they will keep a +respectful distance from us, I promise you." + +"Glad to hear you speak up, uncle," said Sidney, "for unless we +overcome Whirlwind's prejudice against carrying any of these wonderful +things home with us, to give occular proof of what we saw, every one +will think our account exaggerated. For instance, now, I intend +breaking off one of the arms of the chair to give proof of what it is +composed." + +"No, no; not for any consideration shall it be mutilated. It would be +desecration to do it. If we never get home, it could do no good; and if +we do, the day may come when we can return in safety, and remove it +whole, or at least we might give the information that would lead to its +removal," returned the trapper. + +"Oh! well then, I must find something else that will answer my purpose +as well," and going to one of the corners of the niche, or rather an +elevated room, he came to a pile of rubbish which he commenced pulling +away, and, which, on examining, proved to be a human figure. Starting +back, with a cry of terror, the rest hurried to where he stood staring +with distended eyes toward the form that was stretched on the rocky +bed, in the corner; when they saw the figure, they too stepped +involuntarily backwards, and Howe, advancing, laid his hand on the form +before him, discovered it was stone--a petrified human body. + +On examination, it proved to have been a man nearly nine feet high, of +extraordinary muscular proportions. He had evidently been slain here or +wounded elsewhere, and crawled in this cavern to die, for a javelin was +sticking in his side, which he had endeavoured to extricate, but died +in the act, as his hand was clenched around it. It proved to be made of +copper, a fact which they ascertained by scraping the corroded metal +away, leaving the pure copper beneath. They attempted to withdraw the +javelin, but could not move it. The body, in petrifying, had closed +around it like a vice--the hand holding it in a position slanting +downwards, as if in that direction he had attempted to draw it from the +wound. On examining the rubbish that Sidney had pulled off him, they +found a helmet, precisely similar to the one found by Edward and Anne +in the old fort, which was in a good state of preservation. Besides +these, there was a broken javelin--the two pieces looking as if, when +whole, it had been a formidable weapon. Scraping these relics away with +a quantity of other things, too much decayed to ascertain what they +originally were, they came to what they had supposed to be the floor, +but which they discovered to be a skin of some kind petrified also. It +did not have the appearance of a buffalo skin, for it had a soft, +silky, or furry appearance. In the other corner, there was a large pile +that looked as if something had been stowed away, but on its being +disturbed, a dry musty vapor filled the air, and the heap became a +shapeless mass--the original character of which they could not +ascertain. Time had claimed its own; and what once, perhaps, were +costly and beautiful fabrics, was now a pile of dust. + +Descending the stone steps to the cavern, they found that the brilliant +light from the tripods dispelled the gloominess around them, and gave, +as far as the eye could reach, a lively appearance to the place. + +The party were now quite hungry; after roasting and eating some of +their venison, they prepared to penetrate still further in search of an +outlet. At first they thought of leaving the lights burning, but on +prudent second thought, they concluded to extinguish them, that, in +case their enemies did discover the cave, they might not discover that +they had been there. + +"If we had a vessel to carry some of it in to light us on our way, we +should be saved much trouble," remarked the trapper. + +"Perhaps we shall find something," said Sidney; "let us not despair, +but look around." + +"I think we had better spend no more time," said Jane; "I long to be +going on. We can make light enough to guide us with sticks." + +"The pale-faced maiden speaks well," said the chief; "let us proceed, +and save ourselves while we can. The venison will not last long, and we +must find an outlet or die." + +"I think so likewise," said Edward. "Come, uncle, let us be moving." + +"Very well; but we must beware of the gulf by our dim light, or we +shall all be in it in a twinkling," said the trapper, as he prepared +his torch. + +Again they were moving on. Sometimes the cavern presented a low, narrow +defile, with hardly ten feet of rock to pass on; then it again widened +and grew lofty, until they could not make out its size by the rays of +their lights, which illumined out a few feet around them. After +proceeding about a mile further, they came to an abrupt halt, for a +barrier was in their track. The gulf extended across the cave from side +to side, and so wide that they could not see the opposite shore. Here +was a barrier, indeed, which they knew not how to overcome. They could +all swim, for that is an accomplishment that our borderers, of either +sex, never fail of acquiring. But they had great objections to plunging +into water of an unknown extent or depth. + +"I will explore it," said the chief, throwing off his moccasins and +tunic; and with a torch in one hand, he let himself down with the +other, and then moved cautiously out into the unknown lake. + +The chief was an adept in swimming, and made good headway with the only +hand at liberty. After swimming about twenty rods, his feet touched a +pebbly bed, and in a moment more he was in shallow water enough to +obtain footing; and wading a little further on, he came to land. +Astonished beyond measure, he looked around, and at a little distance +saw what looked as though large masses of rock had been cut away--the +bottom of which was about two feet higher than the ground; and in the +centre of this slight elevation, stood a single tripod, like the one +they had seen in the niche that they had passed. This was also filled +with the singular liquid that burned; and on the chief's touching it +with his torch, the cavern around was illumined in an instant.[5] A +shout of exultation burst on the air from those on the other shore, as +the brilliant light showed them that the chief had gained his object. + + [5] By filling a tumbler nearly full of water, and pouring a + small quantity of ether upon its surface, on application of a + torch, it will burn with a very beautiful light. + +After lighting the tripod, the chief saw, a little way up the shore, +three objects that, from their resemblance to a canoe, attracted his +attention. Going close to them, he found the largest ten feet long, and +four wide in the middle, oval at the bottom, and tapering to a point at +the ends. They seemed to be made of metal, for, though quite strong, +they were covered inside and out with corroding rust. A thought struck +the chief that, perhaps, they were canoes, and might still be used. To +settle the point was but a moment's work; and he dragged one to the +water, when, lo! it floated in a handsome style, and jumping in, and +using his hands for paddles, with wild delight beaming from his bronzed +features, he gained the other shore. As he approached, they laughed and +shouted with pleasure. One at a time was conveyed over, until all, in a +little while, were landed safely on the beach. Here the water evidently +terminated; but the sides were still precipitous, although the cavern +was of much less height than formerly, and they had some hope that they +were near the outlet. The shore was covered with smooth white pebbles, +that shone brightly in the light, and had much the appearance of quartz +worked by the constant action of water. The children, who were eager to +find something that they could convey away without the knowledge of the +chief, searched eagerly among these pebbles; nor was their labor lost, +for every few minutes one or the other found a "_star stone_," as the +chief called them, and adroitly placed them in their pockets. In this +way they had made quite a collection by the time they were called to +move on. They found, also, at this spot, piles of what had evidently +been of some importance, but so much decayed by time, as to defy the +possibility of telling their original compositions. + +On they moved, but, still, they came to no outlet. The bottom had the +same pebbly appearance, the sides precipitous, the top low; and, for +more than a mile, there was not the slightest variation in the +appearance of the cavern. + +"This is a long cave," said Howe, "and the strangest I ever saw. And +that is saying much, for a trapper gets in all sorts of places." + +"Strange enough, that is true," said Sidney, "I wonder if there is an +end?" + +"I guess so," said Edward, "everything that has a beginning has an end, +I believe; but, whether we shall find it, is another question." + +"I propose we halt and rest," said Jane. "For one, I am exhausted, I +think it must be far into the night." + +"I suspect it is," said the trapper. "Suppose we take a little sleep, +and then start afresh. But, then, if we do this, what shall we do for +light? No sticks are to be gathered on these pebbles, and ours will not +burn an hour longer. If it is possible for you to stand it, Jane, we +had better move on. I can help you, for I am too much used to +travelling to tire." + +"Perhaps, we can find more of the burning water, if we keep a look +out," said the chief. + +But on they went; yet no tripod met their eye, until they feared Jane +would be unable to proceed, and worst of all, two of their torches gave +out, and the rest would not last twenty minutes longer. + +"The braves and maiden, will await us here," said the chief, "while my +brother and I bring relief. Come," said he, to Howe, "we are the +strongest, let them rest, and when we have found light we will return." + +"Perhaps it is best," said the trapper. "Sit here, we will leave the +venison with you, that we need not be encumbered. Sit down on these +pebbles, they are dry and much easier than the fire of the cannibal. +Keep courage, and sleep if you can," so saying, he and the chief, took +the torches to light them on the way, and soon disappeared in the +distance. Sidney seated himself on the pebbles beside where Jane had +sank quite exhausted, and drawing her to him rested her head in his +arms, where she soon fell asleep. Edward was also soon in the land of +dreams, while Sidney watched over them with the care of a mother. Here +his whole life passed before him. His orphanage, the care of Mr. and +Mrs. Duncan, the tenderness they had bestowed upon him, his boyhood, +and dawning manhood, his capture by the Indians, and providential +escape, up to the present moment, and finally his present position. +Long did the children sleep, and long did he watch without a ray of +light, in a darkness more intense than anything he had ever imagined +surrounding him. No sound was heard, not even the faintest breath, save +the soft respiration of the sleepers. The time seemed to him endless; +and the oppressive silence had become more painful than can be +expressed, when, oh! joy, the distant sound of a human voice was heard, +which every second grew louder and louder, and then a bright glittering +light was seen in the distance approaching. His uncle and the chief had +returned, bearing new torches, the light of which awoke the sleepers, +who were much refreshed by their repose. + +"Come," said Howe, "we must make our way some three miles farther, +where we can find not only daylight, but plenty of wood and water, and +as I am getting ravenous, we must hurry on." + +"Then you have found an outlet!" cried the children. "Oh, uncle, we may +yet see home again." + +"Certainly, you not only may, but probably will. We have undoubtedly +gone right through the mountain, and as the cannibals will never think +we have effected this, all we have to do is, to be wary, so as to +escape from roving parties, and we shall be safe enough." + +They were soon at the outlet, which they found was concealed by a +stone, like the inlet, and the only way the trapper and chief had +discovered it, was by the daylight that came peeping through its +crevices; for night had already gone and the day again was nearly +spent. They thought it prudent to build their fire for cooking a little +way in the cavern to prevent being discovered, and after satisfying +their hunger with broiled venison, for which their long fast had +sharpened their appetites, they put out their fire, and as it began to +grow dark, fastened the outlet of the cavern, and laid down to rest. +Their only bed now was the earth, having left the pebbles, full a mile +behind them. Sweet and calm were their slumbers, for they felt secure +and free. + + + + +Chapter Eighth. + +A Night of invigorating Repose. Entering the unknown Wild. They capture +a mountain sheep. The encampment attacked by Panthers. They save +themselves by climbing a tree, and building up fires. The Panthers kill +one of their pack. They continue their journey. Whirlwind becomes lost. +They find a wild Goat. They start for the mountains. Everything strange +about them. Their Deception. Talk of preparing for Winter. Encampment +at the base of the mountain. + + +Our wanderers awoke the next morning from a long and refreshing sleep, +and on rolling away the stone from the outlet of the cavern they found +the sun up, and the forest vocal with the feathered songsters. Never +sounded melody sweeter than that; and, as the birds jumped from branch +to branch, or soared away on free wing, trilling their sweet notes, +breaking into the wildest gushing songs, they involuntarily exclaimed, +"We too are free, and sing with great joy of our deliverance!" + +After consuming the rest of their deer for a morning's repast, they +plunged into the unknown wild, for so various had been their trials +that they had lost all conception of distance or place; and, save the +knowledge that they had travelled sometimes south, then again west, +they had no idea where they were. Taking a north-easterly direction as +near as they could determine the points of compass, they boldly set out +and travelled until the sun was high in the heavens; then faint and +weary, they sought for a place to rest, and something to satisfy their +hunger. They soon found a cool shady spring, and after quenching their +thirst, saw with pleasure, a little way beyond, where there had been a +windfall, and as berries generally grow profusely in such places, they +hastened to it and found, as they had anticipated, an abundant supply, +as it was now the season for their ripening. After eating as many as +they desired, the chief took some stout twigs, and weaving them into a +basket, lined it with leaves, and recommended filling it with the +fruit; which they did, and then returned to the spring where they sat +down to rest. + +"Well, chief," said Howe. "I don't think we shall make much headway, +living on berries. We must contrive some means of taking some of the +game with which these woods are filled." + +"True," said Sidney. "I, too, do not think a dinner of berries is at +all necessary. The game here, evidently, has never been hunted, for it +is remarkably tame. I almost laid my hand on a pheasant once or twice +before it flew away, while picking berries." + +"I must say, a roasted pheasant would be very welcome now," said +Edward, "I wish you had quite laid your hands on it." + +"Hark!" said the chief, "I hear steps: something is coming to the +spring to drink. Stay in your positions without making a noise, and I +will see what can be done." So saying, he swiftly and noiselessly crept +among some bushes that grew on the side of the spring, which would +bring him a few feet behind any animal that approached by a small path +which had probably been beaten by the denizens of the forest as they +came here to slake their thirst. His only weapons were a tomahawk, a +long hunting knife, and bow and arrows, which he had taken from the +sentinel. Indeed, these were all the weapons of any kind in the +possession of the whole party, except a hunting knife that the trapper +had adroitly concealed from the cannibals. Whatever game was +approaching, it evidently intended to take its time, for they could +hear it, every few minutes stop to browse, which argued well for its +being a deer, and which they earnestly desired it should be. At last it +came in sight, and they beheld a small mountain sheep. Though it was +not what they anticipated, yet it was a welcome prize, and the chief's +unerring aim secured it. + +They dressed and broiled a few steaks of it, but hesitated to build a +large fire, for fear that straggling Indians might see the smoke rising +above the tree tops, which would direct them on their trail. After +satisfying their hunger, taking the remainder and the basket of +berries, they again set out on their journey and travelled until +sunset, when they encamped in a valley for the night. They had put out +their fire, and with Whirlwind for sentinel, had a feeling of security, +which they acknowledged by the deep sleep which enshrouded them. At +midnight he was relieved by the trapper, and he too slept soundly. + +About the second hour of Howe's watch, his ear was attracted by +stealthy advancing steps, and in a few moments within ten paces of the +sleepers, gleamed a pair of glaring eyes flashing in the darkness that +surrounded them, like coals of fire. + +"A panther," muttered the trapper, and then he continued as if the +beast could understand him, "you had better stand back, old fellow, if +you have any respect for yourself. We shall not accommodate you with a +meal to-night, so keep back." + +But the panther did not understand him, or, if he did, he did not heed +the advice; for the trapper could tell by his low growl that he was +preparing to spring; quickly drawing the bow, and taking aim between +the flashing eyes, he gave him an arrow. With a howl of rage, the beast +sprang back into the bushes, and retreating to the top of the hill, set +up a quick, fierce, and wailing cry, which sounded like that of an +angry child, only fiercer, until it seemed as if the whole forest had +taken up and echoed the sound. The beast's first howl had awakened the +sleepers; and when they heard him on the hill, all were frightened, for +they well knew it was the panther's call for help. + +The panther being eminently a social animal, it is said, go in bands, +but usually search for food singly; and when found, if too formidable +to be secured by the finder, he retreats a little distance, and then +sets up his call for help. + +"We must take to trees," said the chief; "nothing can save us if they +come down with the whole pack, which they will be likely to do by what +that coward is telling them." + +"Why, chief, do you suppose the beast is telling his mates that we are +five strong, and he cannot kill us all, and if he should, there would +be too much for one to eat?" + +"Yes," replied the chief, "and not only that, but there are two old +ones, and the rest are young, so they must fetch their mates and cubs, +that all may enjoy the great feast." + +"Ha! ha! chief," laughed Howe; "but that is going it strong for the +brutes!" + +"Don't laugh, uncle," said Jane. "It is really horrible to be torn to +pieces by these animals." + +"Why, who intends to be torn to pieces by these howling vagabonds? Not +I; nor do I intend any of us will. Here, Sidney, you climb this tree +and fix a place for Jane. Edward, help yourself into this one +also--catch hold of that limb. Jane, place your foot on my hand, and +raise yourself so as to catch the next limb. Help her, Sidney. There, +all are safe now but us, chief, and I believe we know how to take care +of ourselves. Had we better kindle a fire? The panthers, you know, +would as soon run up these trees as not; but a fire would have a +tendency to keep them at a respectful distance." + +"And, perhaps, draw the cannibals on us!" + +"I think not, chief. I think that in going through the mountain we +escaped from their territory." + +"Build the fire and run the risk. They can climb trees like cats; and +as we have no weapons but our clubs to defend ourselves with, they +would have us, if they come in numbers, in a twinkling." + +"Oh! yes, do!" cried Jane and Edward, as they now heard the yells of +the beasts from distant parts of the forest, giving back the call from +the hill. + +"Let us run the risk, chief, and light three or four fires around the +tree, keeping within the circle, and then, if they press us too hard, +we can climb the tree also. It is large and strong, and will hold us +with ease." + +Accordingly the dry brush wood that always covers the grounds in our +primitive forests, was hastily scraped together and fired; and as the +blaze lighted up the forest, three other heaps were collected in a +circle around the tree, which were also fired, and larger sticks +brought and heaped upon them--the smoke and heat of which drove the +children to the topmost limbs of the tree. It is well they had decided +on the fires, for they had not been blazing ten minutes, when the whole +pack of beasts, numbering full fifty, with ferocious growls, came down +from the hills around them. They came within a few feet of the fires, +then retreated into the darkness; but in a few moments advanced again, +wrangling among themselves, and endeavored to penetrate the ring of +fire. But the heat drove them back a second time, when the fighting and +wrangling became frightful from the din they made. After a while they +again advanced, eyeing the tree and fire alternately, keeping up the +growls for half an hour, when they formed a circle around a solitary +panther which occupied the centre, with drooping head and tail, and +after eying him a moment, precipitated themselves upon him with a +bound, tearing him into fragments, and devouring him.[6] They then +quietly separated, and bounded away into the gloom, leaving our young +friends astonished at the singular termination of the fray. + + [6] A fact which was related to the author by a trader, who was + one among some others that saw a similar circumstance. + +"Why, uncle, do panthers prey upon each other when hungry?" asked +Edward. + +"Seldom; but when they do, it is to punish one of their number that +offends them. In this instance, the panther was destroyed because he +had deceived them by calling them when it could do no good." + +"Do you think that was the panther that yelled so on the hill?" + +"Quite certain of that," said Whirlwind. "He was calling his mates, but +did not tell them we were surrounded with fire, or in a tree, and that +they could not reach us; because, when the brute saw us, we were on the +ground, and without that element. Most beasts fear fire. It was for +this they destroyed him. They were led to expect a feast, and being +disappointed, devoured him to punish him for the deception." + +"Really, Whirlwind, do you suppose beasts reason, and have a language +so as to converse?" + +"The reasoning part I cannot answer for; but that they can convey +thought and feeling as well as the passions, from one to another, there +is no doubt. You and I understand what each other wishes to be +understood by language; but we cannot comprehend the first sound a +beast makes, yet, they not only understand their own language, but many +words of our own. Which then has the most intellect?" + +"You are not in earnest when you would compare man and beast together?" + +"The Great Spirit made them both, and gave to each the attributes best +suited to the station it was to occupy; and when those attributes are +exhibited as they were to-night, it would anger the Great Spirit to +believe they were not bestowed upon a creature, because that creature +was not a man." + +"It is a truth well known to those who have spent the greater part of +their lives in the forest as I have, that the scene we have witnessed +to-night, is not of rare occurrence. This is the third time that I have +had to save myself by stratagem from panthers in my life," said the +trapper. + +The next morning they again bent their course towards the north-east; +and as the day began to wane, the lofty peaks of a range of mountains +loomed up before them directly in their path. + +"What can that mean," said the trapper, calling the attention of the +others to them. "It cannot be the Wahsatch mountains, for we went +through them; besides, they ought to be nearly a hundred miles behind +us. And they are not the Medicine Bow Mountains, for I am familiar with +them, and these are quite unlike them." + +"Oh! uncle, it cannot be we have been travelling the wrong direction, +and are quite lost," said Jane, anxiously. + +"I hardly know myself," he replied, with some trepidation. "I was sure +we came south and west when carried away, and then of course the +opposite direction is north-east, and we have, as near as I could tell, +been travelling that direction. Yet," he added, musingly, "I ought to +know the ground, but I do not recall one feature of it as familiar. +What do you think about these mountains?" he asked of the chief, who +stood moodily apart gazing upon the distant range with a troubled look. + +"It is time Whirlwind visited the hunting grounds of the Great Spirit, +for he is no longer a chief to lead his warriors to victory, but is a +child that cannot find his way to his village through the forest," +returned the chief. + +"Then we are lost! I feared it! Oh! we shall never see home again!" +said Jane, weeping. + +"Why, child! there is none of your mother about you," said the trapper. +"When she was not more than half your age she and I wandered off into +the forest, got lost, and saw no human face for fourteen days, and +during that time, although we had to eat leaves, berries and roots, she +never shed a tear; but if she saw I was getting sad, she would begin +some funny story that was sure to get us laughing. But there are no +more girls like your mother was; they are all down in the mouth at the +sight of danger now; nervous they call it, I believe." + +"No, no, uncle, Jane is none of that; but she is tired, and will have +courage enough when rested," spoke up Edward. + +"I believe it is all your work, chief; you have frightened her, she +places such confidence in your wood craft that she supposes if you +cannot find your way out no one can." + +"My shoes are worn to shreds," said Jane, holding up the remnant of +what once had been a pair of strong leather shoes, "and my feet are +lacerated and bleeding. I am sure I have been patient; for, though I +have been travelling with great pain, I have borne it uncomplainingly, +hoping every day we should arrive at some place where relief might be +obtained." + +"My poor sister you shall have mine," said Edward, taking them off; +"for, though much worn, and too large, yet they will be a better +protection than your own." + +"Young brave, put on your shoes again. I can provide the antelope[7] +with moccasins that will be softer, and more effectually protect her +feet than your shoes." + + [7] A pet name bestowed on Jane by the chief for her agility in + travelling. + +So saying, the chief took off his tunic, which was made of fawn-skin, +laid it on the ground, and bade her place her foot upon it, and then +drawing his hunting-knife around, cut the exact shape of her foot in +the skin. Then taking some strips of leather wood he split it and +twisted it into a strong thread, after which he punctured small holes +with the point of his knife in the shoe he had cut, and drawing the +thread through, soon had completed a pair of strong soft moccasins. + +"Well done, chief," said Jane, delighted with his handy work; "I did +not think of this resort to a covering, but own it is effectual and +very neatly done. You must kill another fawn and I will make you a new +tunic to replace the one you have spoiled." + +As it was getting late they encamped on the spot, there being water but +a few rods distant, and visiting it, the chief pulled from the earth +some roots, at the same time crying, "Yampa! yampa!"[8] + + [8] A root much used by the Indians as food. + +"Nothing so welcome in our situation," cried the trapper. "Collect +enough of them, while I try to kill some turkies that I have a glimpse +of yonder." + +Sidney and Edward went to work and soon had a nice fire blazing, and +then began to clear away the rubbish from around it, so as to make it +more comfortable. This accomplished, the chief returned with his arms +full of vegetables, and directing Sidney and Edward where plenty of +berries could be had near the spring, he proceeded to cook them. In a +little while the trapper returned, but instead of a turkey he brought a +string of very large fish. + +"Where did those come from?" they all exclaimed. + +"From a river, of course," he replied laughing. "You don't suppose they +grew on bushes, do you?" + +"Certainly not; but are we really near a large river?" + +"Within half a mile of it," he replied. + +"Then, can't we find our way out, if we follow it to where it empties?" +asked Jane. + +"I should think not. Now, for supper; there come the boys laden with +fruit, and between them and our fish and vegetables, I intend to have a +feast." + +"Hist!" said Jane, "I heard a noise--a bleat, I am sure; There it is +again; don't you hear it?" + +"Now I do, and will soon know what it is," said the trapper, making his +way towards it, guided by the noise. About fifty rods distant he found +a goat with its leg wedged between two rocks, so as to hold it fast, +and preclude the possibility of its escaping. The goat was much +emaciated, and had probably been there two or three days. But a few +paces distant, was its kid, being about five months old, browsing with +perfect unconcern. Howe released the goat and attempted to drive her to +the camp, but she was too weak to walk, and he was compelled to take +her in his arms, and carry her, the kid following, as though it was +nothing new to have its dam carried away. + +"He has found a goat," said Edward, "now we can drive it with us and +keep it for milk." + +"Poor thing!" said Jane, "it is almost dead: see how parched its mouth +is? Take it to the spring and let it drink, and we will collect +something for it to eat. What a pretty thing the kid is, and so very +tame. You will not kill it, will you?" + +"Not unless necessity compels us to. If we can get a little strength in +this goat, I think, myself, she will be of service to us. Now for +supper, for this mountain air gives me a voracious appetite." + +"And after supper, uncle, we had better build a bough-house, for last +night the dew fell heavy and cold. I think the summer must be over and +September already here." + +"The young brave is right; the harvest moon is yonder a crescent. When +it is full, comes the harvest feast; and, then, unless Whirlwind +returns, another will be chief in his place." + +"If we are not there then, we have this consolation, others have been +in as bad situations as we are." + +"But, uncle, supposing we are still wandering around the forest when +the snows begin to fall?" said Jane. + +"Why, then we must make the best of it we can." + +"That is, lay down and freeze." + +"Does the red man lay down and die, when the snows fall?" asked the +chief. "If we cannot find our homes, we must make a new one. Then we +shall be content again. The antelope shall sit in her lodge happy as +the singing bird, while her brothers bring her venison, fish, and the +choicest fruits that grow." + +The next morning they were again in motion, making direct for the lofty +peaks before them, expecting to find a pass, and hoping when on the +other side to find a country with which they were familiar. For turn it +as they could, they arrived at the same conclusion at last, that they +ought to travel towards the northeast, a course they believed they +constantly kept. But they were mistaken in supposing the cave went +through the Wahsatch mountain; for, instead, it went through a spur of +it, leaving the principal range on the east, instead of the west as +they supposed. And now another spur lay between them and the principal +range, rising in lofty peaks, beyond which was an extensive level plain +many miles in extent, before the principal range could be reached. The +reason they were so deceived in the locality was, that they had never +been on the western side of the Wahsatch mountains, until carried +prisoners there; and, supposing the outlet of the cavern was on the +eastern side, they boldly pushed ahead. Had they known of these two +spurs--(the one the cavern conducted them through, and the one that lay +before them,) they would have known precisely where they were. But, as +the savages had gone round them by crossing the mountains a hundred +miles below, when they took them prisoners to their village, they had +no means of knowing it. + +That night they encamped at the base of the second spur, by which ran a +small brook, and after a hearty supper, laid down to rest, with Sidney +on the watch, who was to be relieved at twelve by the chief. + + + + +Chapter Ninth. + +Encounter with a Wolf. Sidney seriously wounded. They construct a bed. +Whirlwind procures medicine. Dressing Sidney's wounds. They Build a +Cabin. A high fever sets in. Fears entertained of Sidney's death. Talk +of Pow-wowing the disease. Howe's story of encountering a Polar Bear. +His faith in the Indian's Medicine Man. Miscellaneous conversation on +the matter. Their final consent to the Pow-wow. + + +Hardly an hour of Sidney's watch had elapsed, when, feeling very +thirsty, he stepped down the embankment to the stream, (which was only +two rods from the camp fire,) to get a drink; when in the act of +raising it to his lips, a huge black wolf sprang at him from beneath a +coppice of laurel that skirted the bank, and planting its huge teeth in +his shoulder, crushed the bones in a terrible manner--at the same time +his great weight bearing him to the ground. + +The attack came so suddenly, that he was totally unprepared; and the +mangled shoulder sending a sickening effect through him, caused him to +faint with a single cry for help. However, it had been heard; Howe and +Whirlwind bounding to their feet on the instant, with their clubs in +their hands, which they always slept with by their sides, sprang on the +beast that was now growling ferociously over the insensible boy. + +"Let him have it!" cried the trapper, dealing him the first blow; but +scarcely were the words uttered, when, with a leap, the wolf sprang +past the trapper at Jane, who stood on the bank above gazing with +horror on the mangled form of Sidney below her, and catching her by the +side, bore her also to the ground. Scarcely had she fallen, when a +powerful hand grasped him by the throat, and the chief's hunting knife +was buried a dozen times in the monster's heart--its life-blood almost +suffocating the prostrate and terrified girl. + +Raising her in his arms, the chief carried her to the brook, bathed her +face, hands, neck, and even her hair--which was saturated with +blood--in the water. Then cleansing her dress, carried her back to the +camp-fire, and calling Edward to watch her, hastened to the side of +Sidney to assist the trapper, who was dashing water in his face in his +endeavors to bring him to consciousness. + +"Hold, there!" cried the chief; "would my brother drown the young +brave?" + +"Not exactly; only put a little life in him," said the trapper, dashing +over him some more water. + +"Stop, or you will kill him! He must be brought up the embankment +nearer the light, so as to give us a better chance to care for him. +Raise his feet while I lift his shoulders. Oh! he is dreadfully +lacerated. Gently, gently; there, lay him softly down. He is +recovering! see, he breathes and turns his eyes." + +"Sidney! Sidney! look up: are you much hurt?" + +A heavy groan, and a relapse into unconsciousness, were all the answers +he could give. But it was very expressive to the wanderers, who were +without surgical aid, or even a bed to lay him on, or roof to shield +him from the dews of night. + +"A terrible business, this," said the trapper. "I fear the poor boy has +received his death-wound. How is it with Jane? is she much injured?" + +"I think not," said the chief; "the monster jumped too far to do much +harm, save that which she received by the fall, and I gave him no +chance to try a second time." + +"We must take off his clothes, examine his wounds, and dress them," +said the chief, "but first, we must make a bed to lay him on. My +brother will watch him while I make it--it is but a few minutes' work." +So saying, he took his tomahawk, cut and drove four stout posts into +the ground, notched at the top, across which he placed two stout poles, +which constituted a strong bedstead, though of a very primitive order; +yet it was better than lying on the damp ground. + +The bed was next to be manufactured, which was done by placing short +poles across the structure. On this hemlock boughs were placed, and on +these again a thick covering of dried leaves. Nor was this bed as hard +as a person would imagine who had never reposed on one. The poles that +upheld the upper structure were springy; the boughs were soft and +yielding, while the leaves filled all the little crevices, and made it +smooth and easy. + +Lifting their patient upon his couch, they took off his upper garments, +and then saw, to their dismay, the bones broken and protruding, the +flesh mangled and torn, presenting a terrible spectacle. Besides, there +were two other flesh wounds, but these alone would not have been +dangerous. + +"Nothing can be done until I collect some medicine leaves," said the +chief, "which I am not sure of doing before daylight; but as the case +is so urgent, I will try." + +Taking a torch of pitch pine knots, he began searching round in the +forest for the plant he desired, which he succeeded in finding very +soon. Pressing some of the leaves so as to start the juice, he put them +into a gourd, filled it with water, and after replacing the fractured +bones as well as he could, with Howe's assistance, who had some +practice that way during his roving life, proceeded to cleanse the +wounds with the decoction: after which he held some of them in his +hands until they were wilted, then laid them smoothly over the wound, +confining the whole with the small fibre of leather wood--that +never-failing substitute for thread or cord. + +Jane was next attended to; but, on examination, hers proved to be a +mere flesh wound, neither deep nor large, but which they thought +prudent to dress so there need not be any danger of inflammation. + +"We will take care of the monster's skin," said the trapper, "for we +may need it, if we can save Sidney's life, to protect him from the cold +before he recovers." + +To take off and stretch the skin for drying, was but the work of a few +minutes for their practised hands; and the rest of the night was spent +in endeavoring to determine what was the safest plan to adopt; but the +morning broke, leaving them as undecided as at first. At one moment +they were for dividing their force, part remaining until the wounded +could be removed, or, as they feared, died, the rest hasten on, and +return with assistance as soon as possible. This was rejected, as it +would be weakening their numbers, already too small to provide for +their sick properly. Thus project after project was rejected, for their +condition was bad enough before, but now they felt it was doubly +appalling. Sad, indeed, they were; for they dreaded every hour the fate +of him who had been as a son and brother; and to have him die there, +and be buried in the vast wilds, the location of which they knew not +themselves, and, perhaps, could not point out should they be so +fortunate as to escape a similar fate, was enough to wring the stoutest +heart. But it was now the time that the untutored Indian showed his +superior tact and energy. Howe was cheerful, still hopeful, but not +resigned, like the chief, who, at first, had pined for the station of a +free leader of a free people; but, as the time advanced when the +authority would be given to another, unless he returned by the harvest +feast according to custom, and the injury Sidney had received, would +prevent their travelling, he nobly resolved that let the consequences +to himself be what they might, he would not desert the young man in his +hour of need. + +Anxiously they watched by the couch hour after hour, until dawn of day, +when the poor fellow began to call for water; a fever had set in. When +this new evil became apparent, it destroyed what little hope remained, +and though they sought every way to baffle the disease, yet it was +through a desire to leave nothing undone, that might possibly in any +way relieve him. The trapper gathered some roots noted for their +cooling properties, and bruising them extracted their juice which was +given to the patient, while a tea made by soaking slippery elm bark, +was his constant drink. It all seemed to do no good; for his fever rose +higher and burned fiercer, until his brain wandered, his eyes grew +wild, and his skin became dry and husky. He raved alternately of home +and his wanderings. At one time, talking familiarly with his friends, +as though he was by the old fireside in Missouri, then in piteous +accents calling on some one to save him from the fire of the cannibals +who he said were roasting him, alternately with praying them to kill +him with their arrows to end his sufferings. Again, he imagined the +wolf was at his throat, and it then required all their tact to soothe, +and keep him from tossing about, and again displacing the fractured +bones of his shoulder. + +They built a hut of boughs, making the corners of four saplings which +they cut off at the proper height, where they formed a crotch +supporting strong poles, across which other poles were laid, and which +they covered with hemlock boughs; this again was covered with bark they +had detached from fallen trees, and which made a good defence against +heat or rain. The sides were fitted up the same way, with the exception +of a door which they closed by a large piece of bark, when they +desired. + +Day after day went by, and though they could not see that their patient +was better, yet he was, certainly, no worse. This encouraged them. + +"If we can keep him quiet, so as to give the mangled bones time to set, +the fever will die off itself. For, no doubt, it is caused by the +irritation of the wounds," said the trapper. + +"If the Medicine Man[9] of the Arapahoes was here, to pow-wow the +disease, the young brave would live," said the chief. + + [9] Physician. + +"That would only frighten him," said Edward, who had often seen this +same mode of curing diseases exercised, and had no very high opinion of +it. + +"The more complete the fright, the sooner the recovery," retorted the +chief. + +"Suppose you pow-wow him," said the trapper, "you know the virtue lies +in you by your right of chief, if you choose to exercise it, which you +should be willing to do, if it would heal him." + +"Oh! no, no; don't think of such a thing, he could not bear it. The +least noise makes him worse, even the chirping of the birds and +squirrels in the trees overhead, irritates him; and only an hour ago, I +had to lead the goat and her kid farther away to tether them; for, at +every bleat they made, he started nervously, and moaned," said Jane, +who had great faith in quietness, and soothing applications in +restoring the sick. + +"He has got no medicine bag," said Edward, "and could not, very +happily. Any one that is well and can stand a pow-wow, ought to live +forever, but I am sure if I was as sick as poor Sidney is, and they +undertook to raise such a rumpus about me, I would die to get out of +the noise." + +"Hush! you don't know anything about it. I am sure I should have died +once if I had not been pow-wowed," said the trapper. "As for the +medicine bag, every chief is gifted with making one at will." + +"Why, uncle, you would not consent to have such a din raised around +Sidney, would you? I am sure it would kill him." + +"I rather think it would help him. A sick man among the wilds and one +in a populous district are to be treated on different plans, and the +one recovers as often as the other. Still there is this difference: the +one, if he recovers, carries a poison in him that finally does its +work; while the other, if he recovers, soon regains his former vigor," +said the trapper. + +"Really, uncle, I did not think you superstitious before; but this +seems like it," said Jane. + +"Prejudiced, Jane; he has been among the natives until almost one of +them," said Edward. + +"Call it what you like. I have reasons for it. When I was about thirty, +I, in company with my father, had been trading with the Hudson's Bay +Company, and were preparing for a homeward voyage when it occurred to +us that our collection would not be complete without a polar bear skin. +This we resolved to have, and supposing it could be had from the +natives, we started out one morning to visit the different lodges that +were located around the station in search of our object. We found +enough that had been divided into parts, but there was but a single +complete one to be found, and that was the skin from a young cub which +would give but a faint idea of the size and strength of the full grown +animal. It was our object to get a complete one, as a large price had +been offered for a perfect skin of full size. + +"There were reports of polar bears having been seen at no great +distance, within a few days, and my father was too famous a hunter to +be baulked when bears could be had by hunting. Engaging six Esquimaux +to accompany us with their dogs and spears we set out. We knew it was +dangerous game that we were after, but we thought two rifles, six +Esquimaux spears and dogs were strong enough for them, and we went +carelessly on, guided by a native until we were in their haunts, as the +natives informed us. + +"'You don't pretend to say that the beasts are in that ugly looking +hole, do you?' said father, as the guide pointed to a low hole that ran +beneath a high cliff, bordering the bay. + +"'There,' said the native, still pointing to the hole; 'one, two, big, +one little.' + +"'Three of them! Why, you rogue, what made you lead us into their den? +A pretty time there will be if they all charge us at once!' + +"'White man shoot one big one, other white man shoot one big one, red +men and dogs, six men, six dogs kill little one,' said the Esquimaux, +smiling at the allotment he had made. + +"'All very well if they have the goodness to die at the first, or even +second fire; but there have been animals of this kind that have +required twenty balls before it was safe to approach them. If wounded, +without being disabled, they are ferocious.' + +"'Bear eat white man then; bear very fond of him,' said the native, +enjoying the scrape he had led us into. + +"'Look here, you villain,' said father, 'if we are killed I will blow +your brains out, depend upon it, when we return to the station!' + +"'White man may, when he gets back, if he is killed,' said the guide, +who stood grinning horribly with his keen, serpent-like eyes fixed on +the den of beasts. + +"The ground was covered with snow, and the bay for half a mile out with +ice strong enough to have held a hundred tons in one solid body. +Beyond, the bay was filled with a sea of floating ice, that ebbed in +and out again as the wind or tide carried it. I said the cliff skirted +the bay; still there was a beach some twenty rods wide that lay between +it and the bay which was covered with snow as every thing else is in +that region in March. + +"'We are in for it, Andy,' said father. 'Keep a good look out that the +beasts do not get at you; if they do, depend upon it, they will give +you cause to repent your hunt. See! the natives are pricking them up +with the points of their spears. Stand back so as to give him a wide +berth, and we will let the natives see that some things can be done as +well as others.' + +"'Back! back!' yelled the natives; at the same moment a savage shaggy +head protruded from the den, and with angry growls, made for the +nearest native. Every one of us, in our haste to clear the way for his +bearship, tumbled over each other until he was in a fair way to have us +all in a heap to devour at leisure. + +"'Pretty doings this, with our backs to the game!--face round every one +of you. Seek him! Seek him, there! Now, you red rogues, give him your +spears while he is engaged in boxing over the dogs as fast as they get +at him. Ho! that makes him sorry,' said father, who was all alive with +sport, for the old bear was a male of the largest kind; and he was just +congratulating himself on the easy victory he was obtaining, when his +mate came with flashing eyes and ferocious growls towards us. + +"I was the first to note her exit from the den, and drawing my rifle to +my shoulder gave her a ball in the side. With a roar of rage she +bounded towards me and giving her another ball I attempted to save +myself in flight, but my foot slipping on the snow, threw me on the +ground, at the mercy of the terrible brute. Father saw the affray, and +after discharging every ball in his rifle at her, clubbed her with +blows that shivered the stock of his gun into splinters. So I +afterwards learned, for the first blow she dealt me with her huge paw, +took me on the temple, and I knew no more of the terrible whipping she +gave me until it was all over. That was soon enough, for I thought my +last hour had come for many a week. The physician at the station gave +me over, and as a last resort the medicine man of a neighboring tribe +took me in hand, pow-wow'd me, and from that hour I began to recover." + +"You really think that the medicine man saved your life, do you?" +queried Jane. + +"Certainly--nothing can be clearer. The Indians know more of the art of +healing, than half of your pop-in-jay doctors." + +"How about the noise: it must have set you most wild," said Edward. + +"It was a little too strong, I thought at the time, but afterwards was +convinced it was all for the best." + +"And the bears: were they secured?" + +"Oh! yes, and the cub, too. But they told me it was a terrible fight." + +"My brother has seen the efficacy of our medicine men. The Great Spirit +would assist his son to cure the young brave, if the white chief +desires it should be done," said Whirlwind. + +"I am inclined to think it would help him, and at least could do no +harm." + +"Let him try, uncle. I am willing anything to save him should be +tried," said Edward. + +Jane was silenced, but not convinced, by her uncle's story; and though +doubting the termination, offered no more opposition. Whirlwind +retreated into the forest, desiring that no one should follow him, +where he remained all night--during intervals of which, they heard his +voice alternately in entreaty, command, and supplication. + + + + +Chapter Tenth. + +Preparations for a grand Pow-wow. The apparent solemnity of Whirlwind. +He dresses himself in the wolf-skin. The Pow-wow. Its effects upon +Sidney. He becomes delirious. Favourable turn in his fever. His health +improves. They proceed on their way. The Indian acknowledges himself +lost. Encamp for the night. Their journey continued. Singular trees +discovered. Preparations for spending the winter. + + +At noon the next day, the chief returned, carrying in his hand a small +bag made of bark, and filled with something they did not attempt to +ascertain, well knowing the chief would look on such an act as +unpardonable profanity. He had gone into the forest without supper, and +had taken no breakfast, yet he refused anything to eat. They did not +urge him, for they had never seen such an expression of humility and +meekness on the chief's features before as they wore then; and Jane and +Edward felt rebuked for the levity they had exhibited, for evidently he +was acting the farce in which he was engaged, with a sincerity and +purity of motive that commanded respect. + +With eager curiosity, blended with fear for the result, they watched +every movement of the chief's preparations, which were as unique as +singular. After depositing his bag with great care on the limb of a +tree, he took the now dry wolf-skin, wrapped it around him, running his +arms through the skin of the fore legs. The skin of the head, which had +been stretched and dried whole, he drew over his own, confining the +body of the skin around him with a string, leaving the long bushy tail +dragging behind him. Then taking his medicine bag in his hands, he +assumed the appearance of the wolf; and thus accoutred, no one would +have taken him for a human being, so completely was he metamorphosed. +With stealthy tread, he crept slowly round the couch on which the +patient lay, snuffing the air like a hound on a scent; then placing his +hands on the side, raised his head, and, after taking a survey of the +sick man, again dropt down, and commenced moving around very slowly, +and snuffing the air for full half an hour. Suddenly, with a yell that +made the old forest ring, and a bound, he darted round the couch with a +velocity truly astonishing. He did not run, nor bound, but jumped, and +at every jump, sent out one of those hideous yells, that startled the +echoes from their retreats, and sent them forth with a hundred voices. + +After whirling around the bed in this way a number of times, with +frantic howls he sprang upon the bed, and commenced snuffing round the +patient. Starting with terror, the poor boy half raised his head, and a +glance of intelligence lighted his sunken eye, as he cried, with +gestures of fear and horror, "The wolf! the wolf! Save me! oh, save +me!" and then sank back, fainting. They at first thought he was dead. + +"You have killed him. Stop! for mercy's sake, stop!" cried Jane, +placing herself between the hideous looking object and Sidney. + +"The young brave will live," said the chief, suddenly raising himself, +and speaking in his natural tones; and after divesting himself of the +skin, without another word, disappeared in the forest. + +"Give me water," said Jane, "and chafe his hands while I bathe his +temples." + +"Put some water in his mouth," said the trapper. "I fear we did wrong +in this affair. Poor boy! he thought the wolf had him again." + +"We certainly ought not to have permitted it. The shock to the nervous +system must be terrible. Should he never have his reason again, I shall +never forgive myself. That Whirlwind would adhere to so ridiculous a +farce is not to be wondered at; but that we, born and bred among a +civilized nation, educated, and with claims to intelligence and +refinement, should consent to such mummery, is a libel on humanity." + +"I believe you, Jane," said the trapper. "The poor boy was too ill to +bear it. As for myself, I think, when I was pow-wowed, I must have been +already on the mend. But these savages _do_ exert an influence over +one. I don't know how it is, but I never knew a person that had been +much with them, but what was forced to acknowledge it." + +"See! he breathes. Edward, hide away that ugly skin that he need not +get another fright.--Sidney! Sidney! don't you know me!" said Jane, as +the invalid slowly opened his eyes, and then with a shudder, closed +them again. + +"Come, Sidney, rouse up," said the trapper. "We are only waiting for +you to be able to travel in order to start for home. We cannot be far +from it now." + +"The wolf! the wolf! take him away!" cried Sidney, in piteous accents, +and then once more fainted with terror and fright. + +"Now, keep out of sight, every one of you, and be careful that not a +sound or noise is made. I think I can manage him best alone," said +Jane, as she commenced bathing his temples with water. + +Slowly his eyes again opened, and as they rested on her, she smiled +softly, as she said in gentle tones; "You know me, surely, Sidney, +don't you?"--and then she added, after a moment's pause, "there is no +one else around, but me, and I do not frighten you, do I?" + +Suddenly his eye lit up with an intelligent light, and a half smile +hovered round his lips, as he said: "Oh no, I am not afraid of you, +Jane, but what has happened? what am I lying here for?--Ah! ah! my arm, +I cannot move it," said he, as a sharp pain ran through his shoulder, +when he attempted to raise himself. + +"Do not attempt it," said Jane, laying her hand on his to keep him +quiet, as he again stirred. "You are very ill, and your life depends on +your keeping quiet. You must neither move nor talk much." + +"Then I have not been dreaming; a wolf has----" + +"Yes, you have been dreaming; there is nothing here, except myself, and +I really think, I frighten you, and will have to go away." + +"Oh, no, do not: but I am quite sure I did see a great black----" + +"Hush! hush! if you talk so strange, you will frighten me. There is, +nor has been nothing here. Come, now, don't you feel better. I am sure +you do; you look like yourself again. Here are some delicious +blackberries, cool and juicy, try one," she said, putting one to his +lips. + +"Delicious, give me more. But Jane, I am quite sure there was a +monstrous black----" + +"Come, if you do not stop such nonsense, I will give you no more +berries," said Jane, gaily. + +"Well, then, I will, yet I saw his great, shaggy----" + +"I tell you, Sidney, you dreamed; and, as dreams all go by the rule of +contrary, I presume you never will see one. Come, you must sleep +now--not another word," and she playfully placed her hand over his +mouth to enforce her command. + +It was the tenth day, since he was hurt, and the first that he had +showed consciousness--and tremblingly the young girl watched his +slumbers, fearing lest, when he awoke, the delirium would return. If it +did not, he was certainly improving, and he would live. If it did--she +shuddered to think of the probable consequences. Long and quietly he +slept, and when he opened his eyes, he turned them quietly to the +watcher, and observed: + +"I think, Jane, I did dream of the wolf, for I have been dreaming of +him again, and this time I thought I killed him; and as I know I have +killed no wolf, I conclude the whole is a dream." + +"Now, you talk rational, and are better, I am sure." + +"I think I am, for I am hungry," said Sidney, pleasantly. + +Sending Howe to watch by the couch, Jane began to consider what could +be procured among their limited resources that would be nourishing, and +yet harmless. Cooking utensils they had none. Their whole stock of +vessels consisted of the shells of wild gourds that grew abundantly in +the forest. Necessity often compels a resort to recipes in cooking not +laid down in all the editions of gastronomy. It did in this case, and +grateful was Jane that she had the shell of the gourd to prepare a meal +in for Sidney. Taking some smooth white stones from the bed of the +stream, she placed them in the fire, and then put the wings of a +partridge into a gourd half-full of water, and as soon as the stones in +the fire were at a red heat, one was taken up by running under it a +forked stick; the dust that adhered to it was blown away, when it was +dropped into the gourd, and in a short time the water was boiling. As +soon as it ceased, another stone was put in, and in a little while a +broth not unsavory, though so rudely cooked, was ready and eaten by him +with relish. + +At sunset the chief returned from the forest, all traces of the recent +farce were gone from his face, on which rested the old expression of +pride and _hauteur_. He asked no questions, expressed no concern; after +eating a hearty supper, he threw himself on the ground by the +camp-fire, and was soon asleep. + +From the first night that Sidney had been attacked by the wolf, up to +this time, not a night or a day had elapsed that some kind of wild +beast had not been seen prowling about them; though they kept up large +camp-fires, they were in fear of a whole pack making their descent upon +them, when they must all be devoured, in defending Sidney, or leave him +to fall a defenceless victim. They found, to their dismay, that they +were in a portion of the forest overrun by beasts, which no doubt, +looked upon them as trespassing on their rights; the dislike of which +proceedings they evinced, by threatening in plain enough language to be +understood by our wanderers, to eat them for their audacity. After +enduring these hints a week longer, during which time the beasts had +become so venturesome as to come in uncomfortable proximity to them, +they began to think the most prudent course would be to vacate the +neighbourhood as soon as Sidney could be removed with safety, which +they had hopes of being soon, as he was rapidly gaining strength. The +broken bones were in a fair way to join, and the wounds to heal. + +The nights were becoming cool, and as the time flew by, they became +anxious to remove from their dangerous position, as well as to be on +their journey in order to find their way out of the forest before the +winter set in. Without tools to work with, or weapons to defend +themselves, or proper clothing, they quailed at the thought of being +caught by the frost and snow in the mountains. But Sidney did not +recover his strength very fast, and they put off their departure day +after day on his account, after they had first set the time to start, +until two weeks had now elapsed when they crossed the small stream and +began to ascend the mountain. It was slow work, and at night they +encamped on the summit, where no water could be had, instead of +descending it, as they in the morning had calculated. That night Sidney +was unable to sleep, and moaned until daylight. After breakfasting they +began to descend; he insisted he was quite able to go, but the rest saw +it was too great an exertion for him. To remain on the mountain they +could not; to return to the place they had left was impossible. There +was no other alternative but to go on. The chief on one side and the +trapper on the other, he was half carried most of the distance; a +little after the middle of the day they reached the foot of the +mountains, and found themselves in a beautiful valley, along which ran +a clear stream about a quarter of a mile from the base of the mountain. + +Their first thought was to build a couch for Sidney, who had lain down +on the ground with his head on a pile of leaves for a pillow. They +could not shut their eyes to the reality that he was really quite ill +again. Selecting a spot favorable for building a couch, they had one +soon completed, on which he was laid, and a temporary cover of hemlock +boughs and bark was thrown over it. They then commenced preparations +for supper. That night they were unmolested by wild beasts, which +augured well for their selection of a good ground to encamp on. + +The next morning Sidney was much worse, and a cold, drizzling rain +having set in during the night, drove them all under the shelter +through the day, and even sent the goat and her kid, who had become +very tame, bleating to their side. As the day advanced the storm became +more furious, so much so that the water penetrated the roof and began +to fall upon Sidney's couch. + +"This will never answer," said the trapper. "We must have a more regular +layer of bark over the cabin. I saw plenty of it but a little distance +where some large trees have fallen." Starting out with the chief, they +were peeling off the bark with the tomahawk by the aid of a lever, when +they discovered further down the stream a herd of deer feeding. Seizing +his bow and arrows which the chief had taken with him, he stole +cautiously towards them, and before they had taken the alarm a noble +buck and a doe had each an arrow shot through the heart. They were +conveyed to the cabin, and the successful hunters returned to cutting +their bark. After having rendered the cabin impervious to water they +dressed their game, stretching the skins to dry; "for," said the chief, +"snow will come and much skin be wanted." The venison was then cut in +slices and hung up to dry, so that it would be on hand if the game +should become scarce around them. + +Towards night the chief with his tomahawk in his belt and his bow in +his hand went out to explore the country around in order to determine +what course was best to pursue. Taking a south-east direction, the face +of the country was level and very fertile, producing wild fruits and +nuts in abundance, which were now ripe, and with which the trees were +loaded. + +"We shall not starve, at least," said the chief to himself, "if we +cannot go any farther, which I fear we shall not this fall. It is plain +the young brave cannot travel, and if he could, we are perhaps farther +from home now than ever. The Great Spirit only knows which way is the +right one to travel in order to find ourselves." He was surprised as he +went on to find the trees of the forest of less primitive growth, +especially those peculiar to the soil; and still greater surprised to +find them interspersed with trees now laden with ripe fruits of a +species he had never seen before; and more surprising still, these +trees were much larger than the wild ones, appearing of not more than a +hundred years growth. As he went further on the scenery became +perfectly enchanting. It had the appearance of having been a garden +deserted and run to waste after many years of high cultivation, rather +than a part of the wilds in a new world. Satisfied with discovering a +spot more congenial for building a hut that would withstand the winter +storms which were approaching, and around which he saw no signs of wild +beasts, he returned to the cabin and reported what he had seen. + +"We are lost," said the chief, "past all doubt. The forest here is as +new to me as if I had never seen a tree before, and our safest way is +to prepare for winter." + +"Prepare for winter!" said Edward, gloomily, "what have we to prepare? +No warm garments to make, for we have neither cloth, nor anything to +make them with if we had." + +"There is much that can be done," said the trapper, "if we are obliged +to winter here, which I fear we shall be, as it will soon be here, and +Sidney is confined to his couch again. I will go in the morning and see +the place you speak so highly off and if we then agree upon it, we had +better endeavor to erect something that will defend us from our enemies +as well as cold and rain." + + + + +Chapter Eleventh. + +The storm subsides. Search for winter quarters. Strange Discoveries. +Works of the Lost People. Their search among the Ruins. Walls, roads, +and buildings found. Their state of Preservation. The Wanderers decide +upon selecting a place to spend the winter in. They prepare to locate +themselves. Hunting deer and other Game. They find abundance of fruit. +A salt spring. Their joy at their discoveries. + + +The next morning the storm had passed over, and the sun arose bright +and clear upon our wanderers, who felt relieved as they found Sidney +much improved, though yet quite ill, but in a fair way to be able, in a +few days, to be on his feet again. Making everything as secure as +possible for those they left behind, the chief and Howe set out to +visit the spot where the chief earnestly desired their cabin should be +located. When arrived at the spot, Howe was not surprised at the +enthusiasm of the chief; and was astonished at the loveliness, as well +as the strangeness of the whole landscape that lay before him. +Penetrating the alluring wood before them half a mile further, the +scene still retaining its strange beauty, they came to a stream with an +artificial embankment, built of stone, cemented, five feet high from +the river's bed, and running up and down the stream as far as they +could see in the distance. + +"The work of the lost people!" said the chief, endeavouring to displace +some stones from their artificial bed, but which resisted all his +efforts. + +"This does look as though civilized people had lived here," said the +trapper. "This wall has been built to confine the water to its channel, +in times of heavy rains, so that it shall not inundate the plain. +Probably, these strange fruit trees are the seed of some brought here +from other regions by those builders which have planted themselves, +flourished, grown, and outlived all the changes that time has wrought." + +"My forefathers have a tradition that it was a strong people that built +these things, more cunning and powerful than the white man, until the +Great Spirit became angry with them, and then they dried up like the +grass on the prairie when there is no rain; for, who is there that dare +brave him without being consumed with his anger?" + +"We will go down to that copse yonder," said the trapper. "If I am not +mistaken, there is more than trees there." + +"An herd of deer, perhaps," said the chief, preparing his bow for +action. + +"I think not, unless deer are grey, and of inordinate proportions. From +here, it looks like piles of stone. Perhaps more of the work of those +who curbed these waters," said Howe. + +As they drew near, large blocks of stone, squared and smoothly hewn, +lay in their path, and covered the ground around them. Crossing over +these, they came to a range of grey stone, that had the appearance of +once having been a high building, but which was now thrown down, and +tumbled into a shapeless mass. To the right of these stones they saw a +small square enclosure, strongly built of grey hewn stone, and the +joints fitted with a precision that would do credit to a stone-cutter +in our day. Every layer was strongly cemented with a composition that +seemed to have amalgamated with the stone, for on striking it with the +tomahawk, it did not even chip off, but gave back a ringing sound, like +the hardest granite. One thing they noticed was very singular, both in +the wall of this enclosure and in that by the river. The cement in +which it was laid was much darker than the stone, being almost black, +while the fallen building which they first came to was laid in a white +cement, quite like, in appearance, our own. + +Going around this enclosure they were astonished to find that they were +in a city in ruins. Before them lay whole squares of shapeless masses, +overgrown with trees and shrubs, but the perfect regularity of the form +and finish of the blocks of stone, of which they had been composed, +with the mortar in which they had been laid still clinging to them, +were sufficient to convince them that they had once been buildings of +more than ordinary proportions and finish. + +They attempted to force their way over this irregular pile of rubbish; +but found it a dangerous undertaking, as the blocks on which they +placed their feet yielded to their weight, and slipping from their +beds, threw them on the sharp edges of the stones--a proceeding they +did not at all relish. After receiving three or four such falls apiece, +and preferring the longer route as the safest, they started to go +around it, in order to investigate the forest beyond as they caught a +glimpse of some buildings still standing, through the leaves, that hid +the main structure from sight. + +Taking their way around the western side of the obstruction, they came +to a long wide avenue, on which nothing but moss and small dwarf shrubs +grew, and which was perfectly smooth and level. + +"This is singular," said the trapper. "I wonder why it is not overgrown +like the rest?" + +"Perhaps it is a road," said the chief. "Sometimes they covered their +highways with stones, and laid them so close together, that a tree +could not take root in them." + +"Did you ever meet with one?" asked the trapper. + +"No: but tradition speaks of them, as once having been quite common. We +can soon see whether this is one by scraping away the leaves and dirt +that have accumulated over it." So saying, he commenced digging away +the accumulated earth, which was no easy task, as the rain the night +before had saturated the surface, making it adhere tenaciously to +whatever it came in contact with. Scraping away about four inches in +depth of forest mould, they came to a layer of stone blocks, the only +one which they laid bare being twelve feet long, and eight wide, the +thickness of which they could not ascertain, as it was so closely +fitted to the adjoining one, that the blade of a knife could not be +inserted between them. + +Following this avenue, it led them around a graceful curve for half a +mile, and there terminated at a flight of stone steps, which ascending, +they found themselves on a high elevation of earth, that contained as +near as they could calculate, about five acres of ground, in the centre +of which, on another elevation of about half an acre, which was also +mounted by stone steps, stood a large imposing structure, still +magnificent in its ruins. This building they found likewise laid with +the dark cement, as indeed all the buildings were which they found +standing. The ingenuity of man had cheated time of its prey. + +Entering this pile, they were struck with awe at the evident symmetry +and beauty that had once reigned within, for though time had +accumulated mould and moss over its walls, and covered its floors to a +depth of several inches with earth made up of dust and leaves that had +penetrated its open doors and windows; yet the walls themselves were +there, heavy blocks of granite in an iron-like cement that bound them +in place, perchance for a thousand years that have gone, and bid fair +to withstand the ravages of time for ages to come. + +"Here," said the chief, "is a big house already built, which we can +winter in. It will save us the trouble of building, and be more secure +than anything we could make." + +"Well," said the trapper, "I guess, by the trouble they took to put it +up here, that it was a palace or a temple. In either case, they had it +built a little tasty, and we will acknowledge the merit due them by +preferring it to any other." + +"There is the forest full of fruits and nuts," said the chief, waving +his hand towards it, "and if we winter here, we must gather them in +before the rains come. The leaves are thickening on the ground, and +when another moon is spent, the rains will fall and the winds come down +from the north." + +"You are right, chief. It is our place to make due preparation against +hunger and cold, for all the year roots, berries, and game cannot be +then as easily obtained as now. The sun is at the meridian, and they +will be alarmed at the cabin, if we do not return soon. But, we will be +here in the morning again, and clear out some of this rubbish, so that +we can take up our abode here as soon as Sidney can be moved, and then +we will devote our time in preparing for every contingency in our +power." + +Following the avenue out until it was obstructed by rubbish, they +turned in the direction they knew their cabin lay. After proceeding +twenty rods through the lovely grove, with fruit trees blending with +the growth of the forest, they came to a small stone structure not more +than twenty feet square, nor eight high, in perfect preservation. It +had no floor, but in the centre bubbled up a jet of transparent water, +while all around its edges, and even on the side of the wall, as well +as over head it was encrusted with a white substance as though spray +had congealed over it. + +"What a new wonder!" cried the trapper, "really I don't think they will +ever cease, for this excels them all. I would like to know if that is +really water." + +"Perhaps it is the burning water," said the chief, "dip your hand in +and taste it." + +"Salt! a salt spring!" cried the delighted trapper, on placing a drop +of the water on his tongue. No wonder it caused a sudden excitement and +great joy; for it was months that they had been without it, and it was +a privation under which they had suffered greatly, as its loss made +many a dish unpalatable that otherwise would have had a fine relish. + +"The Great Spirit has led us here, and will finally deliver us from our +wanderings," said the chief, who was equally as well pleased, but it +was not his nature to make any extravagant exhibition of passion. + +"Well, chief, the Great Spirit has our thanks, for this last blessing. +It is a gift of great value in our isolated position," said the +trapper. + +On arriving at the cabin, they found them all safe, but suffering from +great anxiety at their prolonged absence, which fled on their return in +safety, their arms laden with the fruits they had gathered, the quality +of which they desired to test. The children listened with wonder at +what they heard in regard to the discoveries, it sounded so like a +fairy tale, and when assured that it was all really there as described, +and that they should see it themselves within a few days, they seemed +to forget their forlorn condition in the pleasure it afforded them. + +The crusted salt they had gathered, gave them more real pleasure at +their dinner that day than is often experienced in many a life time--a +pleasure, satisfaction and joy that they could never have enjoyed, had +they not been deprived of it so entirely as they had been. + +Here we might moralize if we had the room, but moralizing is out of the +question. We have a history, a complication of incidents to relate that +caused certain effects to develope themselves, and it is our only aim +to cause others to moralize--to lead inquiring minds into certain +directions by revealing something of the heretofore unwritten past. + +The next morning Howe and the chief returned to the temple, as they +called the building on the elevation, and scraping the accumulated mass +of rubbish from the floor swept it with a broom made by tying the twigs +of hemlock on a long stick. A rude broom enough, but one often used as +far east as the new settlements in Pennsylvania to this day. When this +was done, they found the floor covered by a slippery black mould that +could not be swept off, and which they would have to remove by +scrubbing. Here was a new dilemma. They had no bucket in which to bring +water from the river, and their gourds would not hold over a quart +each, which would make the task of bringing it from such a distance +almost an endless job. + +"We must do it," said the trapper. "This is a little too much filth for +civilized people. We can bring each four gourds full at a time which +will do something towards it. If we could turn the river into it we +could clear out the shell of its filth in a very short time." + +"Perhaps," said the chief, "we can find something to bring water in if +we hunt over the big house." + +"Not worth while now, chief: wait until the children are with us and +then we will go over it; at present our business is to make one room +habitable." + +So saying they set out towards the river for a supply of water; but on +descending the first elevation at the side on which the building stood, +the chief, when partly down, placed his foot into a trough-like duct, +running parallel with the elevation which was filled with leaves so as +to obscure the sight of the water until it penetrated his moccasin. + +"Water plenty!" cried the chief, drawing his foot from the unexpected +bath, and then commenced clearing the place from the leaves and earth +with which it was partially filled. They soon found it was an +artificial duct about one foot deep and two feet wide, built of the +same kind of grey stone as the rest of the ruins around, and still +supplied with water. They went on clearing it of rubbish in order to +see how far it extended; but after removing it a few rods they became +weary, and filling their gourds, hastened to finish their renovating +task. + +That night they found Sidney up and cheerful, insisting he was quite +well enough to be removed. Howe would not venture it, but insisted on +waiting a few days more, during which he and the chief spent the time +making couches in the temple for their accommodation, and hunting, in +which sport he was very successful, having killed a number of deer, +turkeys, and mountain sheep. In searching for game they rarely +attempted to take any other than those whose skin would be valuable to +them as well as the meat, owing to their anxiety to secure as many +skins as possible while game was plenty, as skins and furs were all +they had to rely on as covering for their beds and for clothing. + + + + +Chapter Twelfth. + +Astonishment of the Children. The Antiquity of the Ruins. Preparations +for making the temple their quarters. Building a chimney to their +house. The Chief's contentment. He asks to marry Jane. Sidney's anger. +Strange discoveries. Set out on a hunting expedition. Discovery of wild +horses. The chief captures a colt. He presents it to Jane. The winter +sets in. A series of storms prevails. A deer hunt. They discover an +Indian woman and her papoose. They take her into camp and provide for +her. Her inexpressible thanks for her deliverance. + + +The children were filled with wonder and astonishment at the +magnificence as well as the evident antiquity of the ruins, and spent +many days of actual pleasure wandering among them. They had read of +similar remains having been found in Europe; but these were rendered +vague in outline by distance, and meagre in description by their utter +impossibility to comprehend the actual appearance of things, the like +of which they had never seen. These were more tangible. They saw and +felt them; ascended and descended the symmetrical steps; ran their +fingers along the seams of wonderful cement that bound the pile in its +place like ribs of iron; drank water from a duct where a thousand years +ago others had drank, but of what nation, race or name they knew not. +Oblivion with her sombre mantle had closed over them, to remain, until +a mind capable of grasping the past shall arise, and with its giant +intellect give back the forgotten alphabet--the key that shall open to +us the rise, progress and fall of a nation, the relics of whose once +powerful but unknown people may be found over the whole continent. + +They covered the floor of the room they had cleared with dried skins, +laying them with the hairy side up, thus making a comfortable carpet; +large blocks of stone were piled at intervals around the rooms for +seats, and these were also covered with soft skins, making very +passable but immovable seats. A table was built by setting four blocks +of stone up endwise in the centre of the room and laying one large, +smooth, thin slab on its top, around which were placed five movable +seats to be used while eating. + +What annoyed them greatly was, there was no way of warming the room, +and as the weather now was becoming cold, they found it a great +discomfort, as the sun could not penetrate the thick stone walls to dry +the dampness that gathered on them. They were quite puzzled to know how +they were to be comfortable in that place without a fire, there being +no place in which to build one. There were two windows that extended +from the floor five feet, up which, probably, had been frames, that +were once filled with some perishable material, but of which not a +vestige now remained. These openings they always closed at night by +hanging skins before them, which were taken down in the morning to let +the light in. The door-way that led into the room, was entirely +destitute of any vestige of a door, although they found grooves cut in +the blocks of stone that ran along the side on which a door had been +hung. This door-way opened into a long hall, that ran through the house +from the front portal to the back--the doors that led into the four +rooms of which the temple was composed, opening on the inside. This +hall, which was truly a magnificent one, was thirty-five feet wide, and +fifty long, forty feet high, tapering towards the centre overhead, in a +lofty dome. + +"We must have a fire," said the trapper, one morning, after an +unusually frosty night. "This is too cold. Can't we build one in the +hall, chief?" + +"The smoke will suffocate us; we could not stay in doors with it," said +Whirlwind. + +"Why don't you build it in one of the windows? the smoke could then go +out, while much of the heat would come in," said Edward. + +"Better yet," said Sidney: "build a chimney by one of the windows, then +all the smoke will go out, and all the heat come in." + +"You have it exactly," said the trapper. "I wonder we did not think of +it before. What say you, chief--shall we have the chimney?" + +The chief, not only assenting, but entering with alacrity into the +project, the whole party went to work to collect the material, of which +there was plenty, but as the blocks were nearly all large ones that lay +round them, they had to bring them from the mass of ruins by the river, +which was of smaller material, and which they could handle to better +advantage. They worked hard all that day, Sidney standing by quite +uneasy, because they would not allow him to help. The next morning they +mixed some mud and clay for mortar, and commenced laying up the +chimney, and succeeded by night in finishing a very serviceable, though +not a very beautiful one. They found, on building a fire in it, that it +worked to a charm, filling the room with a genial warmth and cheerful +light, while it carried away all the smoke. + +They had gathered some twenty bushels of fruit, that tasted like our +apples, but resembled a pear in shape and color, which was very hard +and tough, not fit to eat then, but which, the chief said, would be +good in midwinter. They had taken the precaution to gather them by his +advice--he having made some large baskets of the pliable twigs of +willow, in which they were conveyed from the trees to the temple, where +they were deposited in the room they occupied. + +"The fire will injure them," said the chief. "We must put them in +another room in order to save them." + +"There is one adjoining us, that opens like ours from the hall. We can +clear out that as we did this, and make it a store house. We shall need +some place to keep our fruit and nuts in, which it is time now to +gather, and also our dried venison," said the trapper. "It is best to +make ourselves as comfortable as we can while here, for as the winter +will soon be on us, nothing but an especial providence can get us out +of the scrape we are in, until the weather is warm enough for us to +travel again." + +"I am the cause of your wintering here. If it had not been for me, you +would all have been home now, instead of being, we don't know where," +said Sidney, who was often gloomy in his weakened state. + +"Perhaps we should, and then, perhaps, we might have wandered into a +worse place. Indeed, we ought to be thankful for the shelter and fruits +we have found. I hardly think many that are carried away by savages, +escape as well as we have, and then find such winter quarters," said +Jane, glancing complacently round the room, for, to tell the truth, she +felt a sort of pride in the ample blazing fire, soft skin-carpeted +floor, numerous seats, with gay colored skins thrown over them, and +their couches, on which they slept, neatly spread over with skins, +while at one corner, in a little nook screened from view by skins +joined together and hung around, was a couch appropriated to her own +use, covered with the finest furs they had taken--for the trapper had +set his snares from the first day of their abode there, and their store +of furs and skins was fast accumulating. + +"We are here, that is a fact that cannot be doubted," said the trapper, +"and if I knew the way out, and had my rifle, ammunition, a supply of +hounds and traps with me, I would not leave it until spring, if I +could, for the whole valley is filled with the right kind of game. +There is a beaver dam a mile down the stream, which contains some of +the finest coated fellows I ever saw. I have got some more there, and +will show fur that is fur, or else I will give you leave to call me no +trapper." + +"What matters it whether we are in one part of the forest or another?" +said the chief, addressing Howe. "We have lost our home, now we have +made one, even better in some respects than the red man ever has. The +hunting ground is good--then let us be contented to live here. +Whirlwind is a warrior; he has taken the scalp from his enemies in +battle--he is a chief; he has led his warriors to victory. Let the +white chief give him the antelope for his squaw, and he will no more go +out to battle; but remain here, where the Great Spirit has led him, and +spend his days in filling his wigwam with the softest furs, best fish +and venison in the forest, and the antelope's life shall be happy as +the singing bird, and bright as the sun.' + +"Why, Jane, what does this mean?" asked Edward, bursting into a fit of +uncontrollable laughter, that awoke the echoes from the venerable pile +that had slept through a long list of ages. But Jane did not know +herself what it meant, as the expression of blank astonishment on her +face amply testified. But Sidney for one, knew precisely the meaning of +it, and with flashing eyes and clenched hand, he limped to the side of +the chief, with a threatening attitude. Howe saw the material he had to +deal with, and thought it best to interfere to prevent ill-feeling, as +well as to get such an idea out of the chief's head. + +"When Jane has grown up she can speak for herself. The white men do not +give away their maidens: when they are old enough they select for +themselves." + +"Whirlwind can wait," said the chief complacently. + +Jane turned her head, and placed her hand over her mouth to keep down +the smile that would come, as her eye caught her uncle's grave +countenance, for he saw at a glance it would now require all his tact +to undeceive him, in regard to the possibility of such a union, and yet +retain his friendship. Sidney would have had the matter settled on the +spot, but the trapper motioned him to keep silent, which he did, though +his lips were compressed, and his looks angry and threatening. + +"Come," said the trapper, cheerfully, "we will clear out the adjoining +room, and take these apples from here, then we will be ready to gather +in our nuts to-morrow. + +"A disagreeable place this," said he, as he commenced scraping up the +accumulated mass and throwing it out of the window. + +"Probably, it is a long while since it was cleansed," said Jane. "A +very singular place, and if we could get home safe at last, it would be +worth a little trouble and privation to have seen it." + +"Something new again: wonders will never cease," said the trapper, +holding up a vessel of some kind of heavy material, oval at the bottom, +and capable of containing some two gallons. + +"It looks like a dinner kettle; but how could a dinner kettle get +here?" + +"You don't think the people that used to live here lived without +eating, do you?" said Howe. + +"Or, that they knew how to build houses like this, and did not know how +to make a dinner pot." + +The rest thought they must have known how to do so natural a thing, as +the proof of it was before them, and then the question arose; could +they use it themselves? "For, if we can," said Jane, "we can have such +nice stews and soups." + +"Which we can eat with a _split stick_, as we do our meat, especially +the _soup_," said Edward. + +"We can have some nice wooden spoons made for that," replied the +trapper. "I really think the kettle can be put in a cookable order, by +taking off a coat or two of rust." + +"Here is another just like it," said the chief, dragging out a similar +vessel. + +"You see," said Howe, "the people must not only have eaten like +civilized people, but had a good appetite, or we should not find so +many vessels in one place." + +The room being cleansed, the fruit and dried venison were removed from +the warm room, and the next day they began to gather in their store of +nuts. Butternuts, walnuts, and hickory nuts, were gathered in large +quantities, as well as acorns which, when roasted, formed a delicious +as well as nutritious food. Chestnuts were also gathered, as well as +the pine knots; these last were mostly for the light they would give +when burning, the only thing excepting their fire, which they were +dependent on to illumine their house. The collection of these occupied +them a number of days. Then the chief and Edward took the baskets, and +went down the stream in search of yampa, a root much used for food by +the Indians. This they found in abundance, about two miles distant, and +collected a number of baskets full of it. + +When these precautionary measures were completed, they felt a security +and satisfaction about them which they had not felt before. The fact of +their being lost was shorn of half its terrors. Their door was +barricaded against the cold and starvation. Sidney had made up his mind +it was his fate to have the worst of the trouble; for, weak in body, +his arm still in a sling, he was unable to join in the busy +preparations that the rest entered into with such a keen relish. This +worried him; but not half as much as did the assiduous, delicate +attention which the chief bestowed on Jane. Had the chief been hunting +and procured game, it was laid at her feet; did he secure a bird of +rare plumage, its plumes fantastically arranged, were modestly +presented to her; and furs of rare softness and beauty in profusion +adorned her apartment, at the request of the chief. Unwilling to +offend, and as he had never spoken on the subject to her, she could do +nothing but accept them with the best grace she could. She saw how it +irritated Sidney, though she thought little of it after the moment, +supposing his illness caused the irritation as much as the singular +mode of winning favor pursued by the chief. + +No buffalo had yet been seen in the valley, and the chief had more than +once expressed his belief they could be found by following the open +country down the valley a few miles. Making himself a strong lasso, and +with hunting-knife, bow and arrows, and tomahawk, he set out one day, +more for the sport than anything else. After proceeding about seven +miles over a broad, heavily wooded valley without any signs of the +desired game he began to think he was too far in the mountains from a +prairie for them, and was about to retrace his steps when a rustling at +a little distance attracted his attention. Going thither, as he +approached, a wolf darted up from the spot, and with a few leaps was +out of sight. The chief soon saw he had been feeding on a wild horse +that had died of old age and looked as though it had lain there some +days. However the sight seemed to excite him, and after marking the +trees to designate his course, he closely scanned the tracks around and +then started farther down the valley at a rapid pace. + +After travelling some ten miles farther, he had the satisfaction to +come up with the drove. They were not feeding, but some were laying +down, others standing leisurely around, evidently unaware of the +proximity of the chief, who divesting himself of all his weapons but +the lasso, with exceeding caution crawled along the ground without +rustling the leaves or branches until within throw of the nearest, +which was a young brown colt of great beauty and graceful proportions. + +Winding one end of the lasso around his wrist, he gently raised +himself. The lasso whirled above the colt, and the next instant closed +around its throat. The rest of the horses with a snort darted away, +leaving the terrified colt plunging and rearing with the Indian who had +sprung on its back, where he now clung with perfect security. Seeing +its companions flying down the valley it too leaped away after them +making fearful jumps over brooks and logs for many miles, every few +minutes rearing and plunging in its mad endeavors to free itself from +its burthen, until covered with foam and trembling in every limb it +paused, and turning its head gazed wildly and terrified on the chief, +who smoothed it gently as he spoke to it mildly, and then holding the +lasso tight in his hand, slipped off its back. Feeling the burthen +removed it attempted to escape, but being still held it was soon +subdued and induced to follow the chief. The colt seemed to understand +that it was a captive, for its manner became subdued and quiet under +the hands of its captor who viewed its symmetrical proportions with the +eye of a connoisseur. The chief actually laughed aloud at his success. +He had now a horse, it was so like old times, and with this he could +pursue the herd until he caught others, when he had it perfectly +trained. Satisfied with his day's hunt, he followed the tracks of the +herd back, sometimes riding, then again walking, as the fancy struck +him, until he reached the temple about sunset, where he and his prize +were greeted with every demonstration of joy. + +With a grave, dignified countenance he led the colt to where Jane +stood, and placing a halter, which he had tied around its neck in place +of the lasso, in Jane's hand, he said: + +"Whirlwind's gift to the antelope," and walking away left the young +girl in possession of his noble love-token. + +Puzzled and blushing at her awkward position. Jane turned to her uncle +an imploring look, who amused and laughing, came forward and catching +her by the arms, seated her on her prize. + +"Ride her round a few minutes, the chief expects it," he whispered in +her ear. Obeying him, she walked it back and forth before them a few +times, then slipping off placed the halter in her uncle's hand. + +"Here chief," said the trapper, "Jane is well pleased with your present +and desires you to take good care of it for her, and will never be +better pleased than when she sees you on its back." + +The chief, with a gratified look, led away the colt, and fastening it +to a sapling, took a skin from which he cut a long stout halter so that +it could have the range of a few rods, and fastening it left it to feed +on the wild grass and herbage around. + +"Look here, uncle," said Sidney, as the chief walked away, "I wish I +was dead or well, I don't particularly care which." + +"Why, boy, what is in the wind now? Why the rest of us are trying to +make out something good of a bad business, while you are fretting and +fuming like a caged lion. Be easy, boy, and if you cannot be easy, do +as we do, and be as easy as you can." + +"It is well enough to say be easy, crippled, helpless, and obliged to +eat of the things the rest of you bring in; to sit here all day long +and be pitied, while that black rascal----" + +"Hold! hold!--not another word like that," said the trapper, sternly. +"We are too much indebted to as noble a heart as ever beat, for a +return like this. What matters it, then, that his ways and complexion +are not like ours? His father was my father's friend, as well as my +own; and him I have known from earliest boyhood, and to this hour have +never known him guilty of a mean or dishonest act." + +"What greater, more dastardly act of meanness could he perpetrate, than +stealing away the heart of that young girl, or are you so blind you +cannot see through his manoeuvring?" + +"Sidney, you are not yourself to-night," said the trapper, "I am +convinced of that, and I do wrong to chide you: sickness and suffering, +toil and privation have unnerved you. When you are well, you will see +things clearer than you do now. Come, I must take you in, the night dew +is falling fast and cold around us. I see and know all that is going +on, and understand the chief much better than you do. Trust in my +management of the affair, and you will have no cause to complain at +last, however appearances at times may be against you." + +The chief was now as contented and happy as if he had never known other +scenes than those that lay around him. The lodge, as he called their +abode, was filled with fruit, venison, skins and furs; the antelope +accepted his offering, and a half-tamed, high mettled colt was at his +command, on which, sometimes for a whole day, he went dashing madly +through the forest, a piece of hide around the colt's neck his only +accoutrements. Then he was in his element and free, with the fresh +mountain air fanning his dusky brow, infusing into his stalwart frame +new life and vigor. + +Snow now began to fall, and the fierce northern winds swept through the +forests, creaking the leafless limbs of the trees as they swayed them +to and fro, anon rending them in twain, and scattering the fragments +over the white mantled earth. The wanderers now spent most of their +time within the temple, by their glowing fire that blazed so +cheerfully, the window and door closed tightly by skins, shutting out +the cold air. Here they amused themselves in recounting past scenes, +and strange wild legends with which they had become familiar. Without a +written language, the Indian preserves his national and domestic +history solely by oral instruction, handed down from father to son. +Thus every tribe has its own legends, while many vague traditions of +national history are peculiar to the whole of the North American +Indians without regard to tribe. + +They had been kept within the tent for many days by a series of storms, +and their stock of fresh meats had become quite exhausted, when Howe +and the chief announced their determination to go on a hunt for game. +They could not take the colt, as in the deep snow it would make more +trouble than it would be of service to them. Telling the children to be +of good cheer, and keep up a good fire, they launched forth, protected +from the cold by the thick, warm fur garments they had manufactured for +themselves, and armed with their bows and arrows they had made also, +they gaily took the way down the valley as the one where game was +generally most abundant. A pair of partridges, a wild turkey, and an +antelope, were soon brought down; but as it was early in the day, and +they were only warmed in the sport, they hung these on a sapling, and +proceeded on. + +"I tell you what, chief," said the trapper, "I am in for a buck. They +are never so fat and tender as now, and I intend to have the plumpest, +nicest venison steak for supper there is in this forest, if I have to +work for it. There are signs of them about, and a little further down +we shall find where they have been browsing, if I am not mistaken." + +"My brother is right," said the chief; "yonder they have passed, and +their trail is still fresh in the snow. There are many of them, and our +wigwam will again be full of fat venison. Hist, yonder they are; they +will see us if we do not move with great caution. You take the circuit +round that clump of spruce to the right, and I will keep farther down +to the left." + +Warily they made their way until within shot of them, when they +discharged their arrows, and one fine doe selected by the chief, fell, +shot through the heart. Howe was not so fortunate, he having selected a +noble buck, who bounded away with the arrow sticking in his side, but +from the quantity of blood that flowed from his wound, staining the +snow, they knew he could not run far. Hanging up the doe after dressing +it, they set out to recover the buck, which they expected to find dead +not far off. In this they were mistaken: he led them many miles before +he gave out, and by the time he was dressed, and they were ready for +returning, the sun had passed the meridian. + +They had not retraced their steps more than half a mile, when a wailing +sound was faintly heard from a thicket a few rods distant. They paused +in a listening attitude. Again came the sound like the wail of a young +child. + +"A panther," said Howe, "he wants some of our venison, perhaps a bite +of us. Let us on or we shall have to fight." + +Again it was heard now louder, and then followed a heavy sob and groan. + +"No panther," said the chief throwing down his load and making for the +thicket. Howe began to think so too, and was following, when the chief, +with a cry of surprise, disappeared beneath in the thicket. Howe +hastened forward, and there on the bare ground which she had cleared of +snow lay a young squaw with a papoose but a few years old huddled in +her arms which she was vainly endeavoring to shield from the cold. They +were terribly emaciated, with the seal of gaunt famine in their sunken +eyes and hollow cheeks. The mother's limbs were frost bitten and +entirely benumbed with cold. + +"Lost," said the chief; "she has been lost like us in these +interminable wilds." + +"We must save her," said the trapper. "Wrap her in that skin from the +venison while I build a fire to warm her by and cook her some meat. +Poor thing, she looks as though she was nearly dead with hunger and +cold. She is human, see the tears in her eyes as she hugs that little +thing closer in her arms. Bless me but it makes a child of me--poor +thing! poor thing!" + +Gathering some wood, the trapper soon had a large place cleared from +snow, and a fire was quickly kindled, in the fierce heat of which some +of their slices of steaks were held a few minutes then given to the +famished woman. Eagerly seizing them she held one to the mouth of the +child, when it seized it and commenced sucking the juicy food with +great voracity, while the rest disappeared with a rapidity that +astonished even the chief, who was so rarely astonished at anything. + +"I would like to know who she is and where she came from," said Howe. +"Ask her if you can make her understand." + +But she could not understand them, nor could they her. She told them by +signs that she had been wandering a long while and could not find her +home, and begged them not to leave her there to die. + +"That we will not, chief; you stay with the woman and I will take a +load of venison home and return with the colt for the woman to ride on, +for she is too weak to travel." + +The squaw looked her thanks while she pressed her child to her bosom as +if she would "say we shall still live perhaps to see home and kindred +when the snows melt from the hills." + + + + +Chapter Thirteenth. + +Jane's reception of the Indian woman. Whirlwind's indifference. +Condition of the party. Sidney begins to use his broken arm. Their +health. They cannot calculate the day nor month. The chief imagines he +has found the locality of the Arapahoes hunting grounds. He becomes +enamored of Jane. The party troubled about it. Howe explains his +experience in love matters. A reconnoitre suggested. Edward joins them. +Deer chased by a wild man. The chief lassoes him. A desperate struggle. +The wild man captured and taken into camp. Things in the camp, &c. + + +The young mother and her babe received a warm welcome from Jane, whose +tender heart ached as she scanned the half frozen, emaciated beings +before her; and even repining Sidney was forced to acknowledge that his +sufferings had been nothing in comparison to those the mother and babe +had endured. A few weeks spent under the hands of their gentle nurse +had a wonderful effect in their condition, and the babe, especially, +had regained its infantile merriment, and played at rough and tumble on +the soft skins before the fire like any other child of two years, as +the squaw reckoned its age. It was very lively and frolicsome, and +served to make merry many an hour that otherwise would have lagged +heavily on their hands. Not so its mother; she had regained her +strength, but no effort could bring back the smile to her lip or chase +the look of sadness from her brow. She had, from the first, exhibited +great signs of fear of the chief, and did she catch his eye resting on +her she would hurriedly gather her child in her arms, and with a wild +look of terror cower away into the corner of the room farthest from him +she could get, and there sit murmuring in wailing tones to the babe +nestling in her arms. + +The chief, after the first day of her rescue, exhibited perfect +indifference to her presence, and rarely gave her a glance; but they +had noticed that when his eye did rest on her or the child it had a +peculiar exulting savage glitter seen at no other times, for his eye +usually had a mild expression, and they had known him to exhibit +disinterested humane acts that set at defiance the supposition that he +was devoid of sensibility. + +This was a new phase in the character of the Indian, and one that +highly amazed the young people. As for Howe, though he did sometimes +open his eyes with wonder, it did not interest him, and he never spoke +to them of the "by play" that was every day growing more interesting to +the younger ones, and becoming a great torture to the young mother. +Jane, who was daily becoming more and more attached to her guests, used +every art in her power to inspire her with more confidence, and at the +same time assure her of the kindness and friendship of the chief, but +without success. She was equally silent as to what tribe she belonged; +for, though she had learned to use many words correctly in expressing +her wants, she never seemed to learn any to express the past with +regard to herself, except that she was lost, and could not find her way +home. Jane had made her and the babe clothing before she had recovered +her strength; but, though it was as neatly done as that she herself +wore, the squaw had, as soon as she was able to move around, taken some +skins, and had manufactured a suit for herself and child, that was +really pretty, so neatly was it done. This finished, she made one also +for Jane, presenting it to her with gestures of gratitude for the +kindness she and her babe had received at her benefactress' hands. + +Jane looked really much better when adorned in the handiwork of the +young squaw, than she did in her own, for the suits they had on when +carried off by the Indians, had been worn and torn to shreds in their +wanderings, and they were all dressed in skins dried with the fur on, +having been made soft and pliable under the skilful hands of Howe and +the chief. + +It was now midwinter, and the valley was covered with a mantle of snow, +but not as deep as they had anticipated it would be. They found they +were partly defended from the storms, by a spur curving round to the +principal range of mountains, giving the valley the form of a horse +shoe--three high, precipitous sides breaking the storms of wind and +snow, so as to make it really a very desirable situation. And a most +fortunate one it was to the wanderers, the trapper often declaring, +that if he ever reached home again, he would conduct the whole family +to the spot, as it would not only make a desirable farm, but afford +rare facilities for hunting and trapping, which desideratum was of the +utmost importance to both Howe and Mr. Duncan. + +It is really surprising to one reared in the lap of luxury, how little +is actually necessary to support the human body healthfully. Take these +wanderers, for instance, utterly debarred from procuring the simplest +products of civilization, entirely thrown on such resources as savages +are called to practice to sustain life and health, yet they have not +only surmounted great obstacles, but are undaunted by those that lay +before them, and have actually made themselves comfortable. Simple as +their abode and fare were, nay, even extremely rude, yet they +experienced a satisfaction and enjoyment when they retraced their +wanderings since they were carried away captives, and the feeling of +thankfulness for their wonderful escape from the savage cannibals, +begat one of contentment in their present lot. It is true, they were +fortunate in having found and occupied the building in ruins, as it +afforded them a more secure shelter than they could have built, with +the small complement of tools they possessed, yet it is a safe venture +to conclude, that had they not discovered them, they would have made +themselves an abode that would have shielded them from wet and cold. + +There were four rooms in the temple, two only of which had been +cleared. They had often been in the others, but as they had no use for +them, they were left unmolested. The goat and the kid were stabled +nightly in the hall, but as she had become so tame as to return at +nightfall, she was allowed to roam at pleasure through the day. +Following her instinct, she sought her food among the crags and defiles +of the mountains, thus relieving them from the trouble of providing for +her. When the snow first began to cover the ground in early winter, it +caused them much anxiety as to how she was to be provided for until +spring. Her milk was of too much importance to think of killing her, or +turning her loose to run wild again, and she was at first tethered so +as to prevent her wandering away. This was relinquished after a while, +when they saw she returned of her own accord. + +The colt caused them more trouble. Recently captured, they did not dare +to turn it loose to seek food as they did the goat; and the only way +left for them, was to tether it in the thickets of maple and +basswood--the young tender growth of which the wild prairie horses are +very fond of. These thickets were usually studded with a luxuriant +undergrowth of small shrubs and evergreens that were very nutritious, +and of which the fat condition of the wild horses, buffaloes, deer, +antelope, mountain sheep, and goats that feed thereon, is sufficient +proof. Often in the winter, plats of grass may be found in patches +sheltered from the storms; but the chief dependences for food of the +multitudes of cattle that roam through the western wilds, is the +luxuriant growth of shrubs that spring up uncropped in the summer, as +the cattle then prefer the tender grass on the prairies. + +Sidney, to his great satisfaction, now began to use his arm without the +slightest difficulty, and with his strength his spirits resumed their +wonted healthful vigor, greatly to the relief of the trapper and Jane, +who had been under the necessity of keeping a watch over him to prevent +his coming to a rupture with the chief. He was now active, and only +laughed heartily at what had annoyed him before, and tormented Jane +unmercifully on the conquest she had made. + +They were all in excellent health, and only waited with impatience for +the winter to break up, so that they could resume their journey in +safety in search of home. One thing alone grieved them--the evident +increasing terror with which Mahnewe, the Indian mother, regarded the +chief. In order to free her as much from his presence as possible, Howe +had proposed long hunts, by going to the forest at early dawn, and not +returning until evening. They enjoyed the sport, as it not only placed +Mahnewe at ease, but they gained a perfect knowledge of the surrounding +country, which was of much importance to them, as well as kept their +larder supplied with abundance of game. + +They had lost the day and month; and now their only guide was the +fluctuations of the weather, of which, fortunately for themselves, they +were good observers, and could calculate within half a month of the +time at any season of the year. About the middle of February, as they +calculated time, Howe and the chief went out one morning for a hunt, +and following the valley down a mile or two, crossed the stream, and +ascending a knoll, stood on its summit, surveying the country around +them. The trees being shorn of their foliage, gave them an +uninterrupted view of the broad valley, with its barrier of hills, and +peak rising above peak, until they towered up and seemed almost to +pierce the sky. + +"I do not think it would be safe for us to cross this mountain," said +the trapper. "Our homes, I do not think, are in that direction. We must +have been deceived in our course." + +"Yonder," said the chief, pointing down the valley, "are the hunting +grounds of the Arapahoes. Far away, over a broad prairie, four days' +journey, the warriors of Whirlwind follow another chief to battle, and +listen to him in council, as they were wont to their lost chief, whose +death song they have sung amidst the wail of the squaws. Yet Whirlwind +does not grieve. He has found another squaw, fleeter than the antelope, +more graceful than the fawn, whose voice is like the singing birds, and +face fairer than imagery of the spirit land. Let my brother go to his +home, but Whirlwind's home is where the antelope is, he will live and +die with her." + +"Pshaw! chief. You will be as much the chief of your people when you +return as ever. Probably they have supposed you dead and elected +another chief; still, according to your customs, if you return, the +authority would be by universal acclamation, given back into your +hands. As for that other little matter, why the child is too young to +talk of it. Our first great object is to find our way out of this +scrape, and the rest will then come natural enough." + +"Whirlwind will hunt the deer and beaver here: this is his home; he is +not a child, but a warrior, and can wait for the antelope," said the +chief in a tone of decision not to be mistaken. + +"I can tell you, chief," said Howe, "we will find our way out, and +bring the whole family here. This place will exactly suit Jane's +father, and then you know she would be so much more contented if they +were here?" he added. + +The chief regarded the speaker with an inquiring glance for a moment, +then said: "Whirlwind is not to be played with. When the antelope says +she will go with him, he will take her, if she is hemmed in with +arrows." + +"Whirlwind, I will be plain with you," said Howe, "for I know you are +noble, generous, and brave. Jane is not my child, and is not mine to +dispose of; but as she has no other guardian here, I will protect her +until once more restored to her family. You must wait until then, and +if her family consent, and she desires it, I shall make no objections. +Perhaps by that time your love fit will be over, and you will not want +her. There is Mahnewe, why don't you make love to her?" + +"The eagle mates not with the owl, nor the Arapahoe with the Snake," +retorted the savage angrily. + +"Oh! well, just as you like; yet I think she is rather pretty. Come, +chief, you cannot help but see it, as well as I. Don't you think she +would make a wigwam look comfortable, and more homelike than Jane?" + +"I cannot tell; I never see the stars when the sun shines," returned +the Indian. + +"It is a pity no one but an old bachelor heard that compliment it is +such a waste," laughed the trapper. "I see you are over ears in love, +chief. I know precisely how you feel. I was once in love myself. It did +not last long though, for my flame gave my keepsakes to a good for +nothing popinjay from down east; one for a string to bind round a +broken knapsack, the other to carry home with him for a show. That was +enough for me. I just told her I was done with her." + +"You in love! that is capital! ha! ha!" rang out a voice behind the +speaker, who, turning round, stood face to face with Edward, who had +taken it into his head to share in the sport, and, following their +track in the snow, had come up with them unperceived. + +"What sent you here? anything the matter at the camp?" they asked in a +breath. + +"Nothing at all, that is why I came. I mistrusted you had some fun +together out here, and I came to share it. Come, uncle, give the whole +history of your love making. The bare idea of your being in love is +rich," and the merry boy laughed until the woods rang with the joyous +peals. + +"I shall do no such thing. Do you think because I am old and ugly now, +that I have always been so. There has been a day, boy, when----" + +"You were once handsome, uncle, that is a fact, and they do say I look +just as you used to. Come now, tell us about this affair." + +"Well," said the trapper, mollified by the flattery, "when I was about +three-and-twenty, I was just about as green as young, and took it into +my head to get married, having persuaded myself that I was in love, and +that, if I did not, I should not live long. Polly Crane was a nice +girl, she could hoe corn, thresh grain, break fractious colts, or shoot +a bear, just as well as I could myself. She was just the one for me, +and we had got everything all fixed to be married, when a chap came +travelling up there, (making mischief I thought) dressed exactly like a +minister, only I knew he was not, he used such profane language. Well +what does he do but begin making love to Polly, which made me very +angry." + +"'Never mind, Andy,' said Polly. 'You know I don't care for him or +anybody else but you. I am only trying to see how bad he will feel when +we are married.' + +"'Go ahead then,' I said, 'if that is your game,' and sure enough she +did go ahead, as I soon found out. When I was up round Lake Superior, +the winter before, trapping with father, we got one night by mistake, +into a grizzly bear's den, intending to spend the night. We soon found +out our mistake, when we saw some cubs, and got ourselves out of the +scrape as soon as we got in; but, as the cubs were such pretty things, +I thought what a nice keepsake one of them would make Polly. So I hid +one under my jacket unbeknown to father, until the old bear came +snarling about us, after we had built a fire and laid down to sleep.' + +"'Wonder what's the matter with the beast,' said father, 'guess she has +tracked us from her den.' + +"'Guess she misses her cub,' said I. + +"'By George, Andy, you have got us in a fine scrape. However, my lady,' +said the old man to the bear, 'you can't have that cub now: we never +give up to anybody;' and, with that, he fired a ball between her eyes. +But instead of dying, she attacked us, and we had a desperate fight. +She got the worst of it though, for we carried off both her skin and +cub. You ought to have seen the cub, it was a beauty, and when I gave +it to Polly, she pretended that she thought it the nicest keepsake she +ever saw. The other was, the skin of a snake. It was nearly six feet +long, and very wide, spotted all over its back with white, brown, and +black spots, and its sides were striped with brown, so that, when I +split it open in the middle, it looked like a ribbon. I made it as +soft, smooth and pretty as anything you ever saw. + +"I did really think Polly was trying to deceive him, until he was going +away, when I saw that pretty snake skin tied around his plunder, and as +if that was not enough with a string in hand, he was leading away the +cub of the grizzly bear that I had brought all the way from Superior +for her." + +"My brother's squaw's tongue was forked--the antelope's tongue is not +forked, she cannot lie," said the chief. + +"Look here, chief; they are all alike. When they say they will have +you, they mean they will if they don't get out of the notion of it." + +"My brother's heart is dark, and, looking through it, he sees nothing +but gloom, where I see sunshine," returned the chief. + +"That is, I am to understand, you are in love, and uncle thinks it is +an exploded fallacy," said Edward, laughing; for, in truth, he was in a +merry mood, and his uncle's mishaps did not have a tendency to lessen +it in the least. + +"It is nonsense, all nonsense," said the trapper. + +"Hist!" said the chief, laying his finger on his lip, "there is large +game approaching!--there! I hear it again: have your arrows in +readiness," he continued, after a moment's pause. + +"Deer, perhaps," said the trapper, "it comes in leaps; I hear it +distinctly." + +"Yes, deer," said the chief, drawing his bow to his shoulder as a noble +buck bounded in sight, with his tongue protruding from his mouth, and +his eyes had a wild look of agony and terror, such as is only seen at a +moment of despair. + +"Chased by a wolf! let the deer pass and shoot the pursuer," said the +trapper; but, scarcely were the words spoken, when a giant form covered +with hair, but bearing in form a semblance to humanity, came bounding +after, clearing from ten to twelve feet at every bound. On he came, +and, at the base of the knoll on which they stood, overtook his prey, +and grasping it by the throat, with one hand dealt it a succession of +furious blows on the head which knocked it down, when choking it until +life was extinct, he stood upright contemplating his prey. + +They had instinctively dropped their arrows when they saw the pursuer; +and Whirlwind motioning the others to keep still, glided on towards the +singular creature, slipping from tree to tree until within a few rods +of him, when, taking from beneath his tunic his lasso, which he always +carried with him, he cut a circle with it in the air, then giving it a +throw, it quickly descended, girdling the strange being in its fold. +With an unearthly yell, he attempted to free himself from its coil. +Unfortunately it did not confine either arm, as the chief hoped it +would, and the creature finding it could neither break the stout hide +nor gnaw it off, sprang with ferocity at his captor, who had just +succeeded in fastening the other end of the lasso to a tree, and before +he had time to get out of the way, seized and threw him on the snow +with terrific force. + +Howe saw the chief at the mercy of the monster, and in a moment an +arrow winged its flight, burying itself in its shoulder, causing the +monster to lose his hold. Another and another were shot in quick +succession, striking where they would not give a mortal wound, for it +looked so human, the trapper would not kill him if he could save the +life of the chief otherwise. This new attack puzzled the monster for a +moment; then seeing Howe and Edward, who had approached within a few +yards of him, he rushed with such force upon them, that they had no +time to get out of reach, and they were also caught by him and hurled +to the ground, but not before a blow dealt by Edward with a club had +broken his left arm. At that moment the chief, who had recovered from +the stunning effect of the fall, rushed upon the monster, and with a +single blow of his tomahawk, felled him to the ground, and before he +could rally, the lasso that was still on him, was tied around his arms +and feet to render him powerless. In defiance of the wounds he had +received, he was in nowise tamed, but glared on them, howling and +gnashing his teeth, while the foam rolled from his mouth, and he +writhed and rolled with rage on the snow a captive. The stout lasso of +hide they had cut in pieces, and so tied his hands and feet that he was +powerless to do them harm. + +They now had a chance to examine the powerful creature at leisure. He +was entirely naked, with a perfect human form and face, but was +perfectly covered with hair, except the forehead, eyelids, palms of the +hands, and soles of the feet. They were surprised to see that the skin, +where it was protected from the sun by the hair, was white and fair as +their own. He was powerfully built, full six feet high, and uttered no +sound that approached the pronunciation of words; a succession of +snarls, growls, and yells, were all the sounds he uttered, and these +approached, when accompanied by his efforts to release himself, the +terrific, nearer than anything they had ever heard. + +"Well, uncle, what will you do with him now you have got him?" said +Edward. + +"Kill him," spoke up the chief, indignantly. + +"Take him home and tame him," said the trapper. "He is a human being +like ourselves; probably has been lost in infancy, and grown up wild, +without doubt, never having seen his kind before to-day." + +"He will kill us if you take him home," said the chief; "better shoot +him." + +"No, chief, I could not kill him, but will see he does us no harm. I +will make him as tame as a kitten in a month." + +"How will you get him home, uncle? We can not carry him, and if you +untie his feet he will run away." + +"That is what I was just thinking about. I think one of us had better +return for the colt, and make him ride." + +"Very good, if you can get him on and make him stay there," said the +chief. + +"Make him go himself: tie him so he cannot run away," suggested Edward. + +"I am not sure but that would be the best plan," said Howe. "I am sorry +he got that blow on his arm; I am sure it pains him; see how he +attempts to raise it, and groans at every motion he makes." + +"Do you really think, uncle, he is human? It strikes me he is a monkey, +or an orang-outang, rather than human." + +"There is neither monkey nor orang-outang in the North American +forests. One such snow as now lies on the ground, would kill a myriad +of them. I am quite confident of the customer I have to deal with. He +is no more nor less than a wild man, whose long exposure to the +elements, and total isolation from every human being, has caused the +hair to grow over his body. This also explains why he cannot speak like +us." + +They then endeavored to get him forward, having partly untied his feet +so as to allow him to move. The chief, with a stout cord, went forward +and endeavored to urge him on, but the wild man refused to move. After +exhausting every plan they could devise, they bethought themselves of +coercion. Howe accordingly raised a club as if he would strike, when, +with a wild cry of alarm, he raised his eyes imploringly, at the same +time starting forward, when the chief moving on, gave him to understand +he was to follow. + +On perceiving what was required of him, and finding it was useless to +attempt an escape, he made no further opposition to follow, although it +was not safe to be near him as he gnashed with his teeth at every one +that approached him. + +Reaching the temple without further trouble, Edward called the +attention of Jane to the new addition to their family, and said with +perfect gravity-- + +"I really think you have one of the most devoted wooers; see what a +rare prize he has risked life and limb in securing for you, which he +begs you will have the kindness to accept from him in token of the love +he bears you." + +"Why, what a monster it is," said Sidney, walking round and round it. +"It is a comical keepsake to give a girl, I must say. Really, chief, +you Indians have curious tastes about such matters." + +"My brother gave his squaw a cub," retorted the chief, angrily, as they +all burst into a laugh at the very idea of the monster being presented +to Jane, who was casting furtive glances from it to the chief, and was +just beginning to think that she might next be called on to accept a +wolf or panther, and was casting in her mind the chances she had in +escaping such an infliction, when the chief said, as if divining her +thoughts. + +"It is not for the antelope. See, Whirlwind kill it," and he raised his +tomahawk, and would have driven it into the wild man's skull had not +his arm been caught by the trapper. + +"Chief! would you be a murderer?" asked the trapper, sternly. "See him +crouch! he fears you, and depend upon it, if we use our power over him +discreetly, we shall tame him." + +The chief dropped his arm and doggedly walked away. Jane brought some +nuts and placing them where he could reach them, begged her uncle to +unbind the cord around his hand so that he could eat them. This he did +not think prudent to do until the broken bone was set, which, after a +great deal of trouble, he succeeded in doing, effectually binding up +the fracture with soft strips of the mountain sheep skin, of which they +had an abundance in their store room. + +After this was done he was dressed in a tunic and small clothes, the +long hair was cut from his face as well as they could with their +hunting-knives, to which they had given an extra sharpening for the +occasion. Tightening the cord around his feet they unbound the cord +that confined his hands, when he seized the nuts, cracked them with his +teeth and devoured them with avidity. + +"Broil him some steaks, Jane," said the trapper, "I think he is +hungry." + +"There is a cold haunch of venison in the store room; perhaps he will +eat that," said Jane. + +"Of course he will; bring it in." Cutting off some thick slices she +laid them before him; eyeing them intently for a moment as if not +knowing what they were, he cautiously turned them over and then turned +his eye with an inquiring look towards Jane, who smiling, cut off +another slice and commenced eating it. Seeing the action he cautiously +raised his slice to his lips; but as soon as he had tasted it all doubt +seemed to vanish, for the venison disappeared rapidly. Jane continued +to cut as long as he continued to eat, and when he had done gave him a +gourd of water to drink. + +"I am afraid we have fed him too highly for his broken arm. There will +be danger of fever," said the trapper. They miscalculated his nature, +and supposed causes produced the same effects in a healthful and an +enervated constitution. This knowledge gradually dawned on them as day +after day went by without exhibiting the least derangement in his +system. From the first, he had been docile and obedient to Jane, and +when in the most violent paroxysms, if she spoke to him, his anger +vanished and his countenance assumed a pleasing expression. He had eyes +of clear, deep blue, large, quick and varying as the emotion in his +heart. They could see the passion that held sway over him by his eye; +for he had not, like his brothers, learned to dissemble and hide the +workings of the soul within. Howe had also become a great favorite with +him; but he feared the chief, always cowering and uttering a shrill cry +of fear if he came near him. Edward was also a favorite and spent much +of his time in learning him to pronounce words in which he was quite +successful, his powers of imitation seeming to be boundless. After he +had pronounced the first the difficulty seemed to vanish, and he was +never tired of repeating words after others. The greatest trouble they +experienced with him was during his fits of passion. Then he was +furious, tore his fur garments in shreds, and threw down every thing in +his reach. They had not dared to liberate him on account of these +paroxysms of anger, over which he did not seem to have the least +control. He evidently pined to be free again; for if left to himself he +uttered a low moan, while tears chased each other down his +weather-beaten cheeks. + + + + +Chapter Fourteenth. + +The return of spring. Their thoughts of home. Preparations to continue +their journey. The chief insists upon their course being wrong. Escape +of the Wild Man. They discover a borough of Prairie Dogs. Traces of +Buffalo observable. They suffer from want of water. A party of Indians. +A beautiful landscape. A terrific storm. The chief rendered insensible +by a stroke of lightning. He recovers and returns to the camp. + + +The warm south wind now began to stir the air, while the lengthened +days, swelling buds, and melting snows, assured them the patiently +waited for and much desired spring had come. + +"Home--father, mother, brothers, sister; for, where they are, there is +home. Shall we indeed see you and once more be folded in your arms? +Shall these wanderings ever cease, of which our souls are weary, and +our hearts are sick? Oh! home; thou hope of the weary, and haven of +rest, though thy place be the tomb, when shall we see thee!" they sadly +and feelingly exclaimed. + +Howe and the chief made daily excursions down the valley, in search of +wild horses, being anxious to secure each member of their party one for +riding and two for pack horses. "For," said Howe, "we will start with +good horses, and as the summer is before us, it will go hard with us, +if we do not find home before cold weather comes again." + +"Before the snows again fall," said the chief, "we will not only have +found the son of the great Medicine, but will be back here, never more +to leave again." + +They were successful in their hunts, and a finer set of horses never +wore a halter than those wild ones they had secured, and which twice a +day they rode round the forest, in order to tame, and accustom them to +carry burthens. They had quite a store of nuts still on hand, packed in +bags made of skins, which they lashed on one of the horses' backs; and +their jerked and dried meats, together with a quantity of salt that +they collected at the salt spring, were packed on another; as was also, +half a dozen gourd shells, and one of the kettles they had found, which +had, from the many uses to which they applied it, become a necessity. +Three or four skins according to their thickness, that had been cured +with the hair on, were tightly sewed together for a saddle with small +strings, and the whole firmly bound on the horses' back by a broad +band. By means of the leather they had been enabled to make a very good +bridle for Jane and Edward, but Howe and the chief preferred riding +with a single band or string for a halter, and this they rarely held in +their hands, but went dashing through the forest, their hands free, and +their bodies bent almost to their horses' necks. + +With something like the feeling of parting with a friend, they bade +adieu to the friendly shelter that had protected them from the wet and +cold so many months; the beautiful valley with its park-like trees, +many now in bloom; and the smooth verdant sward, its ruins, the sole +links of the present with the past, and the only token left that others +had lived, known joy and sorrow, and died on a land, supposed to have +never, before the present race become its masters, known a civilized +people. + +They rode gaily forth--Howe with his niece and nephew, the Indian +chieftain, the timid Mahnewe with her child, and the wild man, whom +they had christened Oudin, from a habit he had of repeating a sound +very much like the pronunciation of that word. He had become quite +docile, understood many sentences, and could be made to understand by +words and signs all that was required of him. He also attempted to use +words in conveying his wants to others, and they noticed with pleasure, +his fits of passion were less frequent, and when they had passed away +he seemed ashamed of them. + +Taking their course down the valley, which grew broader and gradually +assumed the appearance of a primitive forest, and pursued their way +along the stream that kept its course at the base of the mountain on +their right until night, when they encamped on its bank. At early dawn +they again commenced their journey, and leaving the stream, took their +course farther to the left, as the chief persisted in his belief that +their whole course had been wrong, and that in order to find their +friends, they must take another direction. Howe readily assented to +this; for, in fact, he was so completely bewildered that he was at a +loss what course should be pursued. The forest now began to lose much +of its grandeur, the soil grew sandy, and every species of verdure had +a stunted and gnarled appearance. At night they encamped on the verge +of a broad prairie that stretched far away towards the horizon. They +had much difficulty in procuring a supply of water for their horses +that night, the surface around where they were having a parched, arid +appearance; so different from the fresh verdure of the forest through +which they had been travelling, as to cause a feeling of momentary +sadness to come over them. This was, however, dispelled by the chief +who was highly elated at having struck the prairie. + +"Over yonder," said he, stretching his hand towards the wide expanse +before them, "our friends await us. Let not our hearts fail us, for +before two more suns shall set, we will be among them!" + +"So soon! Oh, what joy!" said Jane, transported with the thought. + +"They may have left the encampment, and pursued their journey, if they +had the good fortune to get out of the hands of the Crows; and, then, +it may be many days before we overtake them." + +"No," said the trapper. "If your father is living, he never leaves the +ground on which he was encamped, until he ascertains the fate of his +children. Probably he has built a cabin, and is cultivating a patch of +ground around it. He will never leave it if we do not return. If it is +not so, I have a wrong conception of the man." + +With the chief for a guard, they lay down to sleep. On awakening the +next morning, they found, to their amazement, that Oudin had escaped to +the forest. This was a great disappointment to them, after they had +taken so much care to keep him safe and tame him, as he gave promise of +much intelligence when he should become civilized. There was no help +for it, as he had evidently watched his opportunity to escape and, +perhaps, was now miles away. + +"The ungrateful wretch," said Edward, "to thus run away after we had +done our best to civilize him." + +"Good!" said the chief; "glad he is gone. He would kill us some day had +he remained." + +"I think not," said Howe. "But it is a mystery to me how he escaped +your vigilant eye and ear. Whirlwind, I think you must have slept +during your watch." + +"No," returned the chief, proudly, "Whirlwind never sleeps when on +guard. Whirlwind saw Oudin loose his bands, but kept still, and when he +stole softly away, did not pursue him." + +"What! you saw and permitted his escape?" said the trapper, hurt at the +want of good faith in the chief. + +"He pined for the forest even as I should pine in the white man's +village. What right had we to detain him in a place, and confine him to +a life for which he had no inclination? Let him go; he is free, and it +is all he craves." + +"We had the right of the civilized over the savage. It was our place to +instruct and enlighten him, and we have done him a great wrong in +permitting him to return to the brutish life he led when we found him." + +"Would he be happier when civilized, and had learned to curse the Great +Spirit, and drink the white man's fire water? Is the red man happier +than he was before the white man came?" asked the Indian, scornfully. + +"You know, chief," said the trapper, "no one regrets the wrongs my race +have inflicted on your own more than I do. I hope there is a brighter +dawn in store for you, and that you may live to bless the coming of my +people to your shores." + +"The dawn of a never-ending day in the spirit land awaits us--no other. +I give you my hand, brother; let there be peace between us," said the +chief, sadly. + +The trapper grasped the offered hand in a moment, and after due +preparation, they once more pursued their journey, taking their way +directly across the prairie that stretched out before them. Their +horses were fleet travellers, and they hurried over the smooth, green +sward that covered the prairie, for two hours, when they were brought +to a sudden pause by stumbling on a borough of prairie dogs, the ground +being tunneled in every direction underneath, leaving a thin crust of +earth, through which the horses broke, sending the yelping denizens +howling from their dens over the prairie in admirable fright and +confusion. Making a circuit round the deceptive traps of the snarling +curs, they again struck out for the distant boundary of the prairie, +which they hoped soon to reach. At noon they rested by a pool of +stagnant water, the first they had seen since morning, which was unfit +for use but of which the horses drank sparingly. The spring grass, now +tender and nutritious, was cropped with avidity by the horses, and +after a halt of two hours, they again pursued their journey. They soon +found the first buffalo they had seen since the preceding autumn, and +they hailed the sight of them as an omen of good. About sunset, +Whirlwind had the good fortune to kill one, and they deemed it prudent +to encamp, as it would be impossible for them to reach the boundary of +the prairie that night. Steaks constituted the chief feature of their +supper, and a rarity they were, having so long been deprived of them, +and which, with the addition of the Indian bread-root, made a no mean +repast. + +They had searched every ravine, cavity, and hollow for more than a mile +around for fresh water, but without success. A pool of unwholesome +water similar to the one they rested by at noon, being all they found. +This was a little relief to the distressed horses, but none to them. +Dividing the milk of the goat between them, they lay down to sleep. At +dawn, they were again in motion; and after three hours' hard riding, +they saw the distant forest, that bounded the prairie, looming against +the horizon. Buffalo, antelope, elk, deer, and fowl now became quite +numerous, giving indications that the forest was well watered and +fertile. With renewed energy, they rode on, and about noon entered the +welcome heavily timbered forest--the surface of which was uneven and +rolling, sometimes rising in gentle hills, then towering in precipitous +cliffs, interspersed with sylvan dells, through which streamlets wound, +sometimes in quiet beauty, and again dashing down ledges of rock, +lashing their waters to a foam. + +Eagerly they drank the waters of the limpid stream for which they as +well as their beasts had been suffering. Tired with their rapid marches +which the necessity of procuring water had forced them to take they +resolved to rest the remainder of the day. Selecting a spot by the +stream, shut in by tall cliffs on either side, they secured their +horses and were preparing to spend the night when the chief hurriedly +motioned them to be silent. He then with noiseless tread ascended the +cliff behind them. Evidently some new danger awaited them, and with +terror they clung to each other for protection from the unknown evil. +In half an hour he returned. "Indians yonder!" said he, briefly, +pointing towards the cliff on the opposite side of the stream. + +"Have you seen and do you know them?" asked the trapper, adding, +"Perhaps we are nearer home, and they belong to some friendly tribes?" + +"Does she?" asked the chief, turning with a scornful gesture towards +Mahnewe. + +The squaw rising from the bank where she had been sitting advanced with +the look of sadness entirely dispelled from her face, which was now +sunny and radiant with joy. + +"Mahnewe," said she, speaking earnestly and rapidly, "is the friend of +the white man, and so are her people. Over the hills yonder is their +village and these are their hunting grounds. Let not the white man +fear; he has saved the life of a wife of the chief, and Mahnewe will +answer for his safety." + +"Are you sure of what you say?" asked Jane, whose dread of cannibals +was the torture of her life. + +"Mahnewe cannot mistake the place of her people," said the squaw, +looking amused at the evident fright of the young girl. + +"I mean of what tribe are they,--are you, Mahnewe?" + +"The squaw will not tell," said the chief, tauntingly. "She knows they +are the enemies of the Arapahoes. The Snake fears the Eagle." + +"Mahnewe is the daughter of a chief, and the wife of a chief. She is +not a coward; red blood is in her veins. She is a Snake, and fears not +the Arapahoe!" + +"Come, this will never answer, chief! Leave Mahnewe to me. Now, tell me +truly,--are we on the hunting-grounds of the Snakes, and are you one of +that tribe?" + +"Mahnewe has said it, and cannot lie," returned the woman earnestly, +and with great dignity of manner. + +"If this is true, we are saved," said the trapper. "I have friends +among that people, and know my way home from their hunting-grounds." + +"Are you sure of what you tell us, Mahnewe?" asked Sidney; "for a +mistake on this point might involve us all in destruction." + +"Are not yonder the hills where my childhood's years were spent? Who +can forget the home of their kindred, the place of their birth?" + +"Sometimes hills in the distance bear a resemblance to others, which +vanishes on a nearer approach," observed the trapper. + +"Let Mahnewe go to her people, she fears not of finding strangers in +their place," said she, in pleasing tones. + +"A good idea, uncle, let her go and ascertain positively; but keep the +child to prevent treachery," suggested Sidney. + +"Mahnewe goes not without her child, if all our lives should depend on +her going!" said the squaw, decidedly. + +"But consider, Mahnewe, if they should not prove to be your people the +child would only hinder your retreat, and if they should be, you can +return and claim it in safety," said Howe. + +"If my brother listens to the forked tongue of the Snake's squaw, she +will guide the warriors of her people to our retreat, where we shall +all be slaughtered," said the chief. + +"I think not, chief; there is an air of sincerity about the squaw that +dispels all thought of treachery in my mind; besides, she is under +great obligations to us for saving her own and the child's life. The +Indians are not ungrateful you know, chief, and I think we do her wrong +to suspect her motives in wanting to go." + +"The Snakes are friends of my brother, and will not harm him. Let the +squaw conduct the dogs to our camp; Whirlwind knows how to die," +returned the chief. + +"They shall not hurt you while we live," said Edward. "Those who are +our friends must not offer harm to you, unless they want us their +enemies." + +"Do not go, Mahnewe," said Jane. "Some harm might result from it for +which we should all repent. We shall find out in the course of +to-morrow at furthest if these are the Snakes, and if they are you can +join them when we are assured no harm can result to us from it." + +Mahnewe turned her dark, liquid eyes imploringly to Howe as if to gain +his voice in her favor, but they were evidently all against it, and he +did not like to take the responsibility. + +"Not to-night," said he, kindly, "but perhaps to-morrow you may go." + +Sad and sorrowfully she walked away, and they saw how bitter was her +disappointment. + +"Never mind, child," said Howe, "it will all be well yet. Patience and +perseverance will overcome everything. Our first business must be to +secure ourselves on the defensive. From the appearance of the Indians, +I do not think they suspect our being in this vicinity, and I propose +that our horses be secured in this thicket that skirts the bank here, +where they can feed and not be detected. We must do without a fire, and +one of us had better go cautiously to the top of the cliff yonder, and +reconnoitre." + +"Whirlwind, will go. Keep watch of the squaw, or she will betray us." +So saying, the chief started on his scouting expedition. + +Following the course of the brook until it curved around a sudden bend +of the cliff, he crossed it, and striking a narrow ravine overhung on +one side by shelving rock, he followed on within its shadows for over a +mile, when the ravine began to widen, the sides gradually lessen in +height, and which, a mile farther on terminated in rolling acclivities, +covered with verdure, while the ground between became a beautiful dell, +shaded with tall, stately trees, the branches of which were vocal with +a hundred bird voices, filling the air with their melody. The dell was +quite free from undergrowth, and the sun was excluded by the primitive +trees, that interlaced their branches, making the forest almost +impenetrable. The soul of the Indian was entranced, as he gazed on this +scene, so wild and silent in its beauty. It was his beau-ideal of the +Spirit-Land; and, as he gazed, he drew his hand across his eyes to see +if he, indeed, was waking. Still, there lay the landscape before him, +with the melody above. At that moment the spell was broken by a herd of +deer, leisurely crossing the dell. Drawing his bow, he was on the point +of shooting, when recollecting his errand thither, he recovered his +prudence; for, should the deer escape with an arrow sticking in it, and +be seen by the Indians, he was in search of, it would give them to +understand that others were near them. + +Cautiously he proceeded across the enchanting landscape, and, after an +hour's walk, discovered an opening in the forest. "Here," thought the +chief, "I shall get a glimpse of the dogs, and if, as I think, they are +Snakes, it will go hard with me, if I don't carry off one scalp at +least," and his eyes glared with the ferocity of a tiger. He was as +much a savage still at heart as ever. Nearing the opening, he saw +before him a lake to which he approached by a smooth grassy plat, of +several rods wide, dotted here and there with mosses, ferns, and +beautiful wild flowers, with an occasional tree shorn of half its limbs +which lay scattered along the water's edge. The opposite bank skirted +the base of the hills they had seen from the encampment, rising in +peaks, barren and rocky on their summits. The water of the lake was +transparent and calm, and looked as placid as though nothing had ever +penetrated the lonely spot in which it was nestled, to mar its surface. +The chief on emerging into the open glade, saw the sky had become +flecked with clouds that were scudding across the heavens, in a +thousand fantastic waves, while just above the peak of the topmost hill +over the lake, a black cloud, heavy and portentous with a gathering +storm, was rising slowly, leaving a long streak of light unbroken cloud +against the horizon. + +The chief surveyed the lake, the hills and the forest from which he had +emerged, with the surrounding scenery long and earnestly, and then +murmured to himself in a tone, that betokened a sorrowful certainty; +"It is not true, these are not the hunting grounds of the Snakes; they +have none so good and beautiful as these. We are lost! lost! in the +interminable wilds of the West, where hope or deliverance may never +come." And the stern but proud chieftain bowed his head in despair for +a moment: then stretching his hands towards the sky, which dimly shone +through the dark rolling clouds, he cried: "Father, Manito! why hast +thou left thy child to wander from his people, and cast a spell[10] over +his feet so that he cannot return?--Has he done an evil in thy sight, +that he is thus punished?--Great Spirit, Manito! thy prophet awaits thy +sign!" + + [10] The Indians imagine that good and evil spirits can cast a + spell over any person they desire, and while under it, they have + no control over their own actions, but are obliged to follow the + inclination of the spirit by which the spell is cast. + +As he concluded, a peal of thunder that shook the ground, burst from +the clouds above, followed by a blinding flash of lightning, which was +quickly followed by another, and another; and, as the wind came +sweeping down in angry blasts, it seemed as if every element in nature +were warring against each other. The chief stood unmoved on the spot, +his arms still raised, his lips parted but motionless, stupefied by the +storm around him. The Great Spirit he imagined had spoken to him +angrily in the storm, and superstitious as all the Indians are, it +filled his soul with horror. Large drops of rain soon began to fall, +the wind rose furiously, lashing the water on the lake into huge waves, +while wild fowls and birds darted frightened through the air. Still the +chieftain stood there. What was now the storm to him? Was not the Great +Spirit angry? and as the rain fell on his upturned face in torrents, +the lightnings descended, shivering a tree near where he stood, and +stunning him with the shock. He was prostrated, and lay on the green +sward motionless, the rain forming a pool about him, which was every +moment augmented as the torrents came down upon him. + +When consciousness again returned, the sky was clear, without a single +cloud to mar its serenity. It was night, and the heavens were dotted +with a thousand gems that apparently smiled at the forlorn appearance +of the half-drowned chief as he slowly dragged himself from his +unsought bath. The lake was as placid as when he first saw it, and +there was nothing to remind him of the commotion that had raged around +him, save the shivered tree and his saturated garments and hair. + +"It is the abode of the Evil Spirits," said he, "and they have lured me +hither." Starting in the direction whence he came, he saw within half a +mile, a camp-fire dimly burning as if struggling with wet fuel. Highly +elated at the discovery, as it plainly showed by their lighting a fire +that they were unaware of others being around, he crept noiselessly +towards them. Approaching within a few rods he saw they were a party of +about thirty, who were evidently on a hunt. They were not Snakes; he +was sure of that; but of what tribe they were he could not tell. +Evidently not of any tribe of which he had any knowledge, and they had +a stronger resemblance to the cannibals than to any others he had seen. +With this information he returned about midnight, much to the relief of +the rest at the camp, who had feared he had been captured, and were in +great suspense for his safety. + + + + +Chapter Fifteenth. + +They endeavor to conceal themselves from the Indians. They are +discovered. A frightful encounter. Escape of Mahnewe. They pursue their +journey in the night and take a wrong direction. Discovery of a river, +over which they cross. Came to a prairie. Desolate appearance of the +country. Approach a sandy desert and conclude to cross it. They provide +themselves with ample provisions and set out over the cheerless waste. + + +All the next day they remained concealed in order to escape +observation, and to allow the strange Indians to go far enough away so +that they could proceed without being molested. Which way to journey +next was a difficult question to them, but as it would be quite +impossible to cross the barren, rocky hills before them, they finally +determined to go down the stream until they came to the terminus of the +hills that the chief had seen, and instead of crossing over as he had +done to strike out into the woodland beyond the dell, and take their +course on as far as it extended. Having made everything ready for an +early start the next morning, they laid down to sleep. About midnight +they were awakened by the blinding glare of torches, and found three +hideous savages bending over them with raised tomahawks. Comprehending +at once the nature of the assault, they sprang to their feet and +attacked their assailants. The chief had the fortune to cleave the +skull of the one nearest him at the first blow of his tomahawk, and +turning, saw another who had the trapper at disadvantage, with tomahawk +raised above his head, and with a dexterous blow he disabled the arm +raised with the murderous weapon. In a moment he would have killed the +Indian had not the screams of Jane, whom the remaining savage attempted +to carry off in his arms after knocking Sidney senseless with his +war-club, made him forget all else, and spring to her rescue. The +trapper, who was not hurt, made a blow at his assailant, but he evaded +it and tied into the forest where Howe thought it not prudent to +follow, as he imagined a whole ambuscade of Indians might be in waiting +to seize upon him. Hastening to the assistance of Whirlwind, he saw him +closed hand to hand with the savage, their hunting-knives being their +only weapons, both having dropped their tomahawks. Howe saw they were +equally matched, and fearing the chief would get a bad wound, raised a +club and dealt the savage a blow that felled him to the ground. The +chief soon despatched him, and then they turned to Sidney and Edward. +Already were they reviving, not having received any serious wounds. The +copious gourds of water that Jane had sprinkled over them were all the +care they needed. They now bethought themselves of Mahnewe. She was +gone; not a vestige or clue remaining of her or the child. + +"Betrayed!" said the chief with compressed lips and glistening eyes. + +"Oh, no; she has never betrayed us!" said the trapper. "I fear there +was more than three of the savages, and they have stolen her." + +"It is horrible! they will kill her! Oh, uncle, cannot we pursue and +overtake them?" said Jane. + +"I will go and bring her scalp," said the chief. "She is a foe and has +led the dogs to murder her benefactors." + +"No; we shall have to leave her to her fate," said Howe. "One of the +Indians has escaped to give the alarm, and perhaps within this hour or +as soon as daylight, the whole tribe will be down upon us. Our only +hope for our own lives is in flight. Our horses may out-travel them if +they defer the attack until daylight. Fortunately for us the horses are +fresh and strong." + +Hastily mounting in the darkness, with no light save the faint glimmer +of the stars, they plunged into the unknown wilds before them, +Whirlwind leading them as a guide. But instead of taking the direction +they had determined on after a long consultation the day before, they +mistook the route in their haste and the darkness, and fled north-west +of it; but they pursued their way in silence. + +At last the welcome day broke, and halting to take a drink themselves +and water their horses, they remounted, and galloped rapidly through +the forest. In about two hours they came to the bank of a river, the +largest they had seen in their wanderings. Entering this in order to +throw their pursuers off the track, they rode up it as long as the +river continued wide, but as it contracted the water became too deep to +be breasted by the horses, and they crossed to the opposite bank. Here, +to their great sorrow, their goat and her kid gave out, and no urging +could induce them to proceed. The animals had evidently gone as far as +they were capable, and with sorrow they turned them loose and left +them. The goat's milk had been such an indispensable addition to their +store that they felt as if parting with one of their main reliances in +leaving her behind. + +Still they pursued their way, avoiding the hills as much as possible +until the sun was high in the heavens; when becoming weary with their +hard ride, and faint for want of food, they halted in a spot where a +cool spring gushed from beneath a huge boulder that looked as if it had +been hurled from a rocky acclivity above to its bed. Tethering their +horses where they could feed, they set a guard and began with all haste +to eat such as their provision bags afforded. Cooking was out of the +question, for the smoke would point out the exact spot where they were, +a thing they were most desirous to hide. + +They now calculated they were thirty miles from the place of their last +encampment, and beyond the danger of being overtaken, provided their +enemies had no horses, which they thought quite probable. However, they +deemed it imprudent to rely on such a supposition; and after an hour's +halt, they again moved on, pausing occasionally to refresh themselves, +until towards sunset, when the ground became more even and the soil +more sandy. Here they noticed the vegetation was becoming more sparse, +what trees there were having a stunted and gnarled appearance; after a +long search they found a spring of pure water, by which they encamped +for the night, being now relieved from the fear of an attack; for, had +they been ever so well mounted they could not have made a greater +distance than they had, and having the advantage of a start of their +pursuers they calculated on a certain escape. They were unmolested +through the night; and early in the morning they again set forth. At +noon where they halted the face of the country was much as it was when +they set out in the morning; but, after a rapid ride in the afternoon, +the vegetation entirely disappeared except the rank grass, leaving a +broad prairie before them. Here they paused, resolving to rest +themselves before they proceeded farther. + +Alas! had they only known which way to proceed,--what direction would +lead them to their home and friends, it would have been well with them. +But they had pursued so many different directions they had become +bewildered, and all courses seemed to them alike. The next and the next +day passed over and found them undecided whether it was best to cross +over the prairie or not; but the third day they concluded to do so, and +refreshed and invigorated they set out. Two days of their journey they +found occasional supplies of water, and on the third towards noon they +came to its boundary. The forest skirting the border of the prairie was +a clump of stunted trees, and there was very little grass or shrubs +growing around. Everything looked forlorn and desolate about them, +offering but scanty subsistence for themselves or beasts. + +Following the forest down a short distance they found a tolerable +camping ground where they spent the night. The next day on riding +through the forest about three miles they found that it terminated, +leaving a field of sand without a blade of grass or shrub growing upon +it. It was nothing but sand, drear and desolate as far as the eye could +reach. They were stupefied, and gazed sadly on the barren waste before +them. + +"This," at last said the trapper, "is the desert of which we have heard +by vague rumors and traditions, but of which, until now, I never +believed existed. We have undoubtedly made our way on the opposite +side, and it will be necessary for us to either go across or round it +in order to get home. The nearest course is across, and even when +there, we shall be many hundred miles from home." + +Jane could hardly repress the sob that arose as her uncle announced the +dismal prospect that lay before them, and even hope almost died in her +heart. For the first time she entertained the thought that there was a +probability of ending their days in those unknown, unbroken regions. +Whirlwind saw the emotion that was stirring her heart, for he was a +keen observer, and read human nature with that accuracy peculiarly +characteristic of the Indian. Placing himself by her side, he said in a +mild tone-- + +"Why is the antelope troubled? is not her warrior by her side to make +her a new home? The wilderness encircles us on every side, and the +Great Spirit makes a barrier of sand that we cannot escape. It is his +will that we remain; let us not attempt to leave the forest." + +"Look here, chief, let Jane alone," said Sidney, angrily, as he +attempted to draw her from Whirlwind. + +"Sidney," said Howe, in an authoritative tone, "how long will it be +before you learn prudence?" + +An angry retort rose to his lips, but catching the pleading eye of the +young girl fixed upon him, he remained silent and walked away. + +"Come, chief, what say you, shall we strike the desert or not." + +"Were I to consult my own inclination, I should say not, but return to +our quarters, and prepare for winter." + +"That is out of the question, chief; go home we must," spoke up Edward, +with a tone of energy and decision quite new to him. + +"Yes, go home! we not only _must_, but _will_," said Sidney. + +"If we can get home," added Jane, sadly. + +"We will do our best," said Howe, in a cheerful tone. He saw, too, that +he had an arduous trial to contend with in the angry feelings Sidney +entertained for the chief, which to his credit the chief never seemed +to notice or resent. He knew the temper of the chieftain well, and knew +him patient and forgiving, but knew him also unrelenting in his hate, +when his anger was aroused. Howe's policy was to keep up a unity of +feeling and purpose between every member of his little band, as he well +knew a division would weaken their exertions, and cripple their efforts +to extricate themselves from the trials that every day were thickening +and becoming more complicated around them. + +A consultation ensued, in which they came to the conclusion to cross +the desert; but, as tradition said there was not a drop of water or a +blade of grass to be had between the two boundaries, and that the +desert was two days' journey across, they retreated to a spot where +grass and water could be collected in quantities sufficient to last +them the three days they would be in crossing the barren waste. Happily +they were well provided with horses, having still in their possession +those that had been appropriated to the use of Oudin and Mahnewe, as +well as the two pack horses. Gathering large quantities of grass by +cutting it up with their hunting knives, they bound it in compact +bundles; then taking some skins, they sewed them up, making them tight +and secure for water-bags. The morning of the third day found them +ready for their perilous adventure. Each one taking a water-bag, a +bundle of grass and provision on his own horse, sufficient to last them +through the first day, which, together with the four horses heavily +laden with provision, water and grass, they thought quite sufficient to +last them, double the time they intended being on the desert. + +Hope again gilded the future to the wanderers as they surveyed with +satisfaction the result of their labors; and, when they turned their +horses towards the sandy plain before them, their hearts were elated, +and a feeling of security against its terrors made them even gay and +joyous. It is well the future is always hid from view; were it not, the +heart would faint and shrink from its trials when called to endure +them, and instead of bravely contending with them, it would be palsied +and weakened by fear. + + + + +Chapter Sixteenth. + +They set out over the Desert. Encampment in the sand. An island in the +sand discovered. Singular appearance of rocks. Human skeletons found in +the sand. A mirage. Dreary prospects. Some of their horses give out. +They arrive at an oasis. Beautiful scenery. They come to a lake. +Singular geological features, They discover and explore a cavern in +which they come upon mysterious implements. Gold found in abundance. +The cavern supposed to have been an ancient mine. Its remarkable +features. + + +The sky was overcast with clouds as they entered the desert, which +broke and finally cleared away before the day was half spent. It had +been their intention to ride as fast as their horses could travel; but +they found that travelling in the sand, where, at every step the +horses' hoofs sank above the fetlock, was easier talked of than +performed, and to their dismay, they found themselves reduced to a +walk, by the time they lost sight of the forest whence they started. A +feeling of loneliness now crept involuntarily over them which deepened +by finding the desert bestrewed with bones bleached in the sun, of +those who had probably been lost in this barren waste, and had perished +with hunger and thirst. The mid-day sun now poured its rays on their +unprotected heads, causing a feeling of dizziness, while its glittering +reflection from the sand almost blinded their sight. At sunset, when +about to halt for the night, they caught a faint glimmer of a body +rising against the horizon, brought into relief by the expiring light. +"A forest!" they all shouted joyously at the sight. But, as they were +now fatigued and hungry, and the object ahead, if a forest, was +apparently miles away, they concluded to spend the night where they +were. That night the sand was their bed, the skins they used for +saddles their pillows, and the star-gemmed canopy above their only +covering. At dawn they were again on their march, and as they proceeded +the objects they had seen the night before faint and indistinctly, +became more clearly defined, having the appearance of uneven bodies, +scattered over a considerable extent of territory. In a few hours, they +came to them and found, instead of a forest, a singular mass of rocks, +sometimes rising in smooth perpendicular columns, some of them capped +by a huge flat rock laying as regularly as if placed there by the hand +of mechanical skill, and then again they were thrown down and lay +scattered around as if by some violent throe of nature. Though there +were vast fields of rock, not a shrub, nor any sign of vegetation could +be seen. All was desolate, sand and rock. What struck them as being +very singular about these rocks, was the fact that, they were divided +into two distinct parts, leaving a pathway through them fifty feet +wide, unincumbered by boulder or stones, and which was smooth and even. +Guiding their horses through this defile, which seemed like a portal to +the desert beyond, they could not refrain from the thought that the +hand of man had built here a barrier, to prevent the incursion of some +foe; still these rocks were so massive, rude, and in such gigantic +proportions, it almost set at defiance the supposition that human +agency could have placed them there. Riding further on a few miles, +they came upon the skeleton of an Indian, half buried in the sand, +entirely denuded of flesh, and laying as if he had calmly lain down to +die. Shuddering at the spectacle, they rode on a few paces, when +another, and another, met their sight, until they had counted fifteen +skeletons. They had probably been a party lost in the desert, and being +unable to extricate themselves had miserably perished in that dreary +spot. + +Surveying these a moment, and then with a glance at their own store of +provisions, they urged on their horses until night, when they were +obliged to halt, for their animals exhibited signs of giving out from +fatigue, although no indication of the expected forest, with its supply +of water and game, was in view, as they had anticipated. Nothing but a +plain of sand, occasional rocky beds, and huge boulders scattered among +them were seen. Well it was for them that they had taken an extra +supply of provisions, or they, too, might have perished by a death more +lingering and terrible than cannibals could inflict. With heavy hearts +and dread forbodings when light again dawned, they once more resumed +their journey, the desert retaining the same appearance it had the day +before, until towards night, when, to their joy! a forest loomed +against the horizon. Forgetting their fatigue, they urged their wearied +beasts on, mile after mile, until darkness hid every object in its +mantle of gloom. Still on they went, till the horses paused, trembling +and tottering, ready to fall. They could proceed no farther. Giving +them water and grass, they ate their own supper and lay down to sleep, +with the expectation of being in full view of the forest when daylight +should break upon them. + +Worn with fatigue they slept soundly, forgetting for a few hours, the +terrible anxiety that tortured them when awake, and the sun had already +risen before they awoke from dreaming of beautiful forests, through +which clear streams went murmuring, and where game of every +description, from the huge buffalo to the tiny singing bird, abounded. +Rousing themselves, their first thought was of the forest, and looking +around not a vestige was to be seen, and the truth gradually dawned +upon them as they gazed horror stricken in each other's bloodless +faces, that they had seen a mirage, and that, instead of terminating, +it betokened that the desert extended far beyond them. Seeing the panic +into which they were all thrown by this discovery, Howe said in a +cheerful tone-- + +"Come! come! this will never do: we have provision and water enough for +us and the horses for to-day, and we can easily divide, and make it +last two days. We are caught and must do the best we can; at least we +can never free ourselves, if we stand still and bewail our fate." + +"Oh, uncle! this is terrible," said Edward, gazing abstractedly around +where nothing but desolation met his eye. + +"We can do no better than help ourselves out of it," said Jane, +encouragingly. "Be a man, Edward, and, doing your best, take your +chance with the rest." + +"That is a brave girl," said Howe, with a nod of approval. "Let us be +courageous; the darkest hour of the night is that just before the dawn. +Is it not so, chief?" + +"Always," answered the chief. "I have heard our old men speak of these +deserts, but they are more vast and dreary than even the report +portrayed them. But if we would escape, every moment is precious, and +we must haste away." + +Alas! a new evil had visited them, for on going to their horses they +found them lame, stiff, and hardly able to move. One refused to rise +from the bed of sand, and no effort could move him. Constant travel in +the desert beneath the burning sun, had done the work for him; he was +useless, and to save his dying from thirst and starvation, they killed +him. They did that with sorrowful hearts, well knowing if they waited +to take him with them, it would be death to them, and that he could +never escape from his girdle of sand, if left alive. + +The other horses soon began to show sufficient activity to warrant +their travelling, and again they rode on. That day they had sufficient +to last them, but they could not make it hold out longer unless they +put themselves on short allowance. Halting at noon, where not a ray of +deliverance shone upon them any more than their first day out, they +concluded to kill the three spare horses in order to save the water and +grass for the rest. Selecting the three that exhibited the greatest +signs of lassitude, they killed them. Confident now of holding on their +course another day, they took their luggage on the horses they rode, +and again set out. A copious shower of rain fell before night which was +a great relief, as it refreshed their heated bodies as well as their +horses, and cooled the temperature of the sand, from which they had +been greatly annoyed by its scattering, and sometimes almost blinding +their eyes, causing them to become inflamed and exceeding painful. That +night also rain fell; but making a covering of the skins they used for +saddles, they managed to get a few hours' sleep, and as it served to +refresh them and the horses, and knowing that rain in the desert is of +rare occurrence, they felt as if it was truly providential. They also +found their horses in the morning in better condition than they had +expected, and with a faint hope that they might reach a forest that +day, they set out expecting that, in all probability, they were near +land well moistened, and the showers they had received had been only +the extension of a larger one that had passed over a tract of country +supplying moisture for plenteous evaporation. This they knew the desert +could never do, and it caused their spirits to elate with hope. In a +few hours more a small speck was seen circling in the air. "A bird! a +bird!" cried the chief, pointing at the object. Howe's quick eye caught +the sight of it, when it disappeared, and was lost in the distance. + +"Thank Heaven," cried Jane, fervently; "we shall be saved at last!" and +tears of joy filled eyes that trials could not dim. + +"Yes, we are near a forest," said the chief; "the dark hour is passing; +may the day in its brightness repay us for its darkness." + +"Amen to that!" said Sidney; "and may the day bring no evil worse than +the night." + +"What can be worse," indignantly asked Edward, "than the terrible days +we have spent on these burning sands." + +"Do not repine, Edward," said Jane, gently "Those bleaching bones we +passed indicate that others have fared worse than we have', for _we_ +still live." + +"They were nothing but Indians, and they get used to such things," said +Sidney. + +"Does the young brave think the Indians cannot feel?" asked the chief, +reproachfully. "He will not repine at his lot, because red blood flows +in his veins, and he scorns to be a coward. Those that wail most feel +the least; they throw their griefs to the winds; but the Indian is too +proud to be pitied, and hides the grief in his heart, singing his +war-song to cover its workings." + +"You make heroes of your people, chief," said Sidney, touched by the +deep tone of feeling with which these words were uttered. + +"We are warriors and braves," returned the chief. + +About noon the waving tops of trees became visible, strangely +intermixed with bold outlines which they found on a nearer approach to +be rocks. This time the trees proved to be real; and as they +approached, the forest grew more clearly defined, and towards night to +their inexpressible joy, they came to patches on which were found +sparse and stunted vegetation. Halting, they used their last water for +themselves and horses, consumed their last provisions, and lay down to +rest, until daylight should enable them to explore the place around +them. Alas! when the rising sun lit up the scenery around them, they +saw that they had not gained the main land, but had come to an oasis of +about three miles in circumference, much of which was quite barren, and +the rest covered with coarse grass, large beds of slate rock, with here +and there a huge boulder, and the whole intermixed with scattered trees +that looked as if they had struggled hard to maintain existence. The +whole tribe of cactae was here represented, stretching its long +snake-like arms over the rocky place, giving it a peculiarly ugly +appearance. Fortunately, a few shrubs grew scattered over the oasis, on +which their horses might feed, and turning them loose to glean where +they could find anything, being well assured they would not of their +own accord, enter the desert, they dispersed in search of water and +something to satisfy their own hunger. For, having been on short +allowance the day before, they did not relish the idea of fasting any +length of time. + +Edward and Jane took a course to the right, while the rest separately +took courses in different directions, with the understanding that they +were to communicate with each other by hallooing, if they found either +water, roots, or game. The children's course at first was over a pebbly +bed, which terminated in a disjointed mass of sandstone, which towered +up to a considerable height, and was one of the objects that had +attracted their attention from the desert. Ascending to the top of this +with much difficulty, a vision of loveliness met their sight--a vision +which gladdened the hearts of the half famished children. A vale lay +before them shaded by luxuriant foliage, and covered with a green +sward, in the centre of which, a lake spreading over about three acres +of ground slept in tranquil beauty, its waters dotted with numerous +water fowl of brilliant plumage. + +They stood for some time silently contemplating the scene before them; +their hearts were too full for words, and a feeling of gratefulness +that they had been led thither, made them forget for the time all they +had suffered. + +"Shout, Edward, and call them to us," said Jane, as the trance-like +feeling that first seized her, wore away. + +The hallo of Edward rung out on the clear air, answered the next moment +by another, and then another, until all had been apprized of their +discovery. Guided by Edward's voice, they all arrived on the ledge of +rocks in half an hour, and as they, in turn, looked down on the scene +below, they were almost overcome with joy, at the sight of the +deliverance at hand. They soon descended the rocky ledge, which they +found exceedingly hazardous, as the pebbles gave way under their feet, +often precipitating them on the sharp stones below. They heeded not +their difficulties, for the vale lay invitingly before them, and with +their eyes on that, they finally reached the bottom in safety, and +entered the welcome shade. They found the soil was rich and productive, +teeming with vegetation, and the woods filled with fowl. No signs of +other game were around, but they saw the lake was filled with fine +fish, which were so tame that they swam close to the water's edge. + +"Build a fire; we all want breakfast," cried the chief, exultingly, as, +with stick in hand, he waded out a few feet, striking right and left +among the finny tribes. In a few minutes a number of large fish, +stunned by the blows, turned over on their sides, and floated on the +surface, when they were caught up by the chief, and thrown on the +shore. A plentiful repast was soon ready, and having satisfied their +hunger, they turned their thoughts to their future. + +"We will encamp here," said the trapper, "until we shall have recruited +ourselves and horses. Our luggage, though it is so scanty, is of +incalculable value to us, and must be brought thither also." + +"How the poor horses will relish this tender grass and cool water?" +said Jane. + +"I am going for them," said the chief. "Let one of the young braves go +with me, and all may be brought at once." Sidney and the chief set out +on their way, following the base of the ledge of rocks in order to get +around it, when they met the horses making their way towards them at a +rapid gait. The instinct of the wild prairie horse had caused them to +scent the water, for which they were making by the nearest route. Poor +things! they were worn almost to skeletons, lamed and crippled, and +were pitiable sights to look upon. + +Building themselves a hut to shield them from rain and dew, they made +preparations to remain a number of days before they again ventured on +the dreary desert. They supposed by the large quantities of fowl, that +they were at no great distance from main land; but as this was mere +conjecture, they dared not rely upon it. Past experience, dearly +purchased, warned them to presume on nothing, and that their own +boasted woodcraft was of little avail, under difficulties like those in +which they were now placed. + +For the three first days of their sojourn at that place they were so +fatigued and debilitated that they were content to keep quiet by the +lake, the delightful repose which they enjoyed so intensely, after the +harassing terrors of the desert, strengthened the spirits of the +wanderers as well as their bodies. + +The fifth and sixth days they began to explore farther around the +place, and the seventh they had become quite strengthened, so magically +had the pure water and an abundance of fish and fowl, together with the +numerous roots which they found, acted upon them. They found this lake +had no streams entering or running from it, and that no motion stirred +its placid bosom save a singular circular one that never changed from +the slow monotony of its course. + +In one of their rambles they had noticed a singular opening in the +rocks that formed the ridge; but something else attracting their +attention at the moment, they had passed it by without a close +inspection of it. A week afterwards they chanced to be in its vicinity, +and they at once resolved to explore the cavern, for such the opening +they had no doubt would lead them to. Providing themselves with +torches, they ventured in, the chief leading the way. The opening was +about eight feet high and three broad, resembling a doorway; and +holding their torches close to the edge they found it had been actually +cut, as distinct traces of where the rock had been broken off were +still visible. Passing over the rubbish that had accumulated at the +mouth, they came to a solid rocky floor quite smooth as if worn so by +constant friction. For about fifty feet the passage had a uniform +appearance, the sides and roof looking as if recently cut by a mason's +hand. The passage suddenly terminated, and they found themselves in a +place about six feet wide, and running parallel to the ledge. How long +it was they could not see, as it extended in two directions. Taking the +one leading to the right they had gone but a few feet when a peculiar +glittering in the opposite side of the cave arrested their attention, +which on close inspection they pronounced to be particles of gold mixed +with the rock. They found, as they proceeded, that they were ascending +gradually, and that the passage was of a uniform height; and, as the +particles of gold were plainly visible imbedded in the rock, they came +to the conclusion that they had come to an ancient gold mine, and the +tunnel had indeed been cut by human skill. + +They soon came to the terminus of this part, and when they returned +they resolved to explore the cavern at the left, being very anxious to +do so. The chief, however, dissented, for he had been troubled from the +moment they had discovered the particles of gold. At first he +peremptorily refused to go with them until he found they were resolved +to go even if he remained behind. Then yielding a reluctant consent he +took his torch and led the way. This passage was precisely similar to +the other, with the exception that it descended gradually while the +other ascended. Here too the particles of gold were discovered +glittering in the rock that formed one of the sides of the passage; +and, as none of the precious ore was visible on the roof or other side, +they supposed a vein had run through the rock in a dip formed by an +upheaval of the rock, and which having been discovered by some unknown +persons, the ledge had been tunneled and the ore taken from its hidden +bed. + +Following the tunnel a short distance, they came to a single step, +about two feet high, which descending, they found others at regular +intervals of about ten feet apart, until they had counted fifty of +them. The sides along which the vein ran bore indications of having +yielded vast quantities of ore, with still enough to repay the labor of +crushing the quartz in which it was imbedded, and extracting the gold. +The steps now terminated, and the passage branched in two directions at +right angles with each other. In one of the branches they found the +continuation of the vein of precious ore, and followed it up. Instead +of its descending, they found it perfectly level, the passage having +the same width and height as at its mouth for a considerable distance, +when it suddenly opened into a large room, which they found, by pacing +it, to be three hundred feet long, and two hundred and twenty wide, in +the longest and widest parts. Its shape was very singular, jutting out +here and there, and as the glare of the torches lighted up the gloom, +millions of particles from every crevice and jutting point of its +rugged sides, reflected back their light in flashing rays. + +"The abode of evil spirits!" cried the chief, in great alarm, with more +agitation perhaps than he would have exhibited before a shower of darts +aimed at him, or than at the stake of an enemy. "Fly!" he continued, +"before it is too late! The anger of the Evil Spirit is fearful, when +aroused; fly! fly! and save yourselves," and, with a vice-like grasp, +he caught up Jane and bounded up the passage. Howe saw the movement, +but the chief had been so quick, that he had made half the distance of +the passage before he could overtake, and get ahead of him so as to +block up the passage. + +"Put her down!" thundered the indignant trapper, with menacing gestures +to the chief. + +Sitting her on her feet, he glanced first at the trapper who stood +before him with compressed lips and flashing eyes, then at the +terrified girl, from her around the cavern, as if he expected a demon +to pounce upon them at every moment. + +"Chief! this is hardly what I should have expected from you!" said the +trapper, angrily. + +The chief seemed stupefied, and stood gazing around him like one +suddenly demented. + +"No violence shall be offered to Jane, while I live," continued the +trapper. "I am her guardian here." + +"And after you, I, and her brother," said Sidney, defiantly. + +"Don't be too hard on the chief," spoke up Edward. "He intended no +wrong, and, judging from his actions, I take it, he thought he was +doing her a great kindness by securing her from some imagined danger. +What say you, Jane? is the chief culpable or not?" + +"He was frightened, I presume," returned the young girl, evasively. + +"I am not a coward; yet, who is there that dare contend with invisible +spirits?" said the chief, in an humble tone. "This is an evil place, +and the evil spirits that have their abode here, have stirred up strife +among us already! Come, let us hurry away, else we shed each others' +blood!" + +"Take my hand, chief, and forgive my anger," said the trapper, kindly. +"I was wrong to deal so harshly with prejudices taught at your mother's +knee, and which are inherent with your very nature." + +"That is right, uncle," said Edward. "Jane and I have long been under +the impression that it is no way to eradicate prejudice by becoming +angry with it. This," he added, addressing Sidney, "is quite as much +for your benefit as any one's." + +"There, the evil spirit is at work again!" said Jane, as a cutting +retort fell from Sidney. "Come," she added, "I have not seen half +enough of that wonderful room; let us return and give it a thorough +exploration." + +"No, no," said the chief, in alarm, "do not go, we have seen too much +already." + +"I shall go, and so shall Jane," said Sidney, decidedly, "you can +return any moment you like; but your heathen prejudices shall never mar +our pleasure." + +"Oh, yes, chief," said Edward, kindly, "we must explore the cavern. If +bad spirits preside there, they will not harm us; you need not go; we +shall think none the less of you for returning." + +"We are desirous to give this cave a thorough exploration, and while +doing this, you get us some ducks for dinner," said the trapper. "We do +not desire you to accompany us since you have such a great repugnance +for doing so." + +"Does the white chief think his brother is a coward, that he asks him +to desert him in the hour of danger? If you go and rouse their anger, I +go also to share your fate; though that be death!" So saying, the chief +caught up some broken rocks with which the floor was scattered in one +hand, and drawing his hunting knife in the other, cried out in a tone +of desperation, "lead on; I am prepared for them!" + +This last act of the chief of arming with missile and knife to fight +invisible spirits was too much for Edward's risibility, and the +consequence was a shout of laughter in which they all joined save the +chief. The merry, mocking tones reverberated through the cavern, +swelling and gathering strength from a thousand echoes that threw back +the sound until it seemed as if a legion of demons were mocking them +from every crevice and niche of the passage. They were silent for the +moment, and glanced around them in terror. The superstition of the +savage had not been without its influence, although reason refused to +acknowledge it. + +"You are not frightened at an echo, are you? why I believe you are all +cowards, scared out of your wits at your shadows!" said Howe, in a +subdued voice; for, in truth, he did not care himself to awaken the +echoes needlessly. + +Entering the room they had left so unceremoniously, they found the vein +of ore had probably once covered the whole area and had been about +seven feet thick, as the vein of pure ore commencing about two feet +from the bottom of the cavern extended that height and then it was +mixed with quartz rock three feet further up. The whole cavern was +about eighteen feet high, and had the appearance of being entirely +artificial. The children could not repress a cry of astonishment as +they comprehended the vastness of the hidden treasures before them--a +treasure sufficient to enrich kingdoms. It might, for aught they knew, +cover miles in extent around of the same thickness; certainly what was +visible was unparalleled for purity and extent by any that had ever +been discovered. Heaps of quartz rock, in which particles of gold +glittered, strewed the bottom of the cavern as if they had been blocked +out and cast aside in digging the purer metal. Among these were found a +number of chisels made of a metal which, by reason of its being so +corroded, they could not make out. Mallets of stone were also found, +looking as if but lately used. These instruments had cheated time of +its prey, and lay there in their pristine distinctness a link binding +the past with the future. They also found an instrument which was +something like our pick-axe, and had evidently been used in dislodging +the treasure from its bed. + +"The relics of the lost people whom the Great Spirit destroyed in his +anger!" said the chief. + +"Rather say, the treasure-house where the natives obtained their +treasure before our people came to this continent, and for which +misguided Europeans put thousands to death for not revealing the +locality where the golden deposit lay!" said Howe. + +While carelessly tumbling over the masses of rock that lay scattered +over the floor, they came to a circular helmet of copper, similar to +the one they had previously found; and by its side a javelin resembling +that found sticking in the petrified body in the cavern through which +they escaped from the cannibals. Stimulated by these discoveries they +began to search with earnestness and were soon rewarded by the +discovery of a quantity of bones, some of them still quite perfect, +sufficiently so for them to ascertain that they were those of a man, +and that he had been of extraordinary size. Pushing their exertions +farther on they came across a massive urn of pure gold bearing the +appearance of having been cut out of a solid lump. The brim was +elaborately wrought, as were also the handles and the three feet on +which it rested, leaving a space running through the middle perfectly +plain with the exception of several beautifully carved hieroglyphics +that were placed with great regularity and precision around the centre. +The trapper took the urn in his hands, and after clearing it from dust +and mould held it close to the torches and examined the hieroglyphics +long and minutely and laying it down, said-- + +"Could we tell the meaning of these characters we should have more +light to illuminate the gloom that enshrouds the history of a nation +that once held this continent and enriched their coffers from this +cavern. This urn has been the work of the ancestors of the old man of +Lake Superior. The characters on it are identical with those he showed +me, and may the day be not far distant when we may be enabled to read +these records of the past." + +"How beautiful!" they all remarked, as this discovery came to light, +with the exception of the chief, who sullenly stood apart regarding the +discoverers with unmistakable disapproval. + +"This must be ours," said Sidney; "if we should ever find our way home +it would be a great curiosity sufficient to repay us for some of the +suffering we have endured." + +"Oh, yes; this is too beautiful to leave here any longer," said Jane. +"We can wrap it in grass and furs and carry it on the horses very +well." + +"I agree with you in this," said Howe, "and think it would be a +sacrifice of the beautiful to leave such a mark of civilization in this +lonely spot." + +"My brother forgets himself, as he will sacrifice the lives of the +children of the great Medicine for a paltry love of a glittering +bauble," said the chief, sadly. + +"We must have our way this once, chief," said Howe, good humoredly, +"but promise you faithfully whatever else we may find may remain." + +"That you may safely promise, for nothing more rich and beautiful could +be found," said Jane. + +"Unless we find another chair of state set with star stones, as the +chief calls them, but which I believe are veritable diamonds," said +Sidney. + +On further examination numerous pieces of pottery were found, and also +more bones, javelins and helmets, but nothing different from what they +had seen. Leaving this vast treasure-house, they retraced their steps +to the place where the other avenue branched off, and there depositing +their treasures, prepared to explore this part of the cavern. This +passage they found grew wider as they advanced about a hundred feet, +when it enlarged into a lofty, spacious room remarkable for nothing +except being of an extraordinary size, and faintly lighted by an +opening in the top which permitted a few rays of light to penetrate and +soften the gloom below. This part of the cavern was evidently a natural +freak of nature, for they found no traces of hewn rock or precious ore. +From the opposite side of the cavern they found a low opening which, on +entering, they gradually descended winding round in a curve, the +passage enlarging a little until two could pass abreast without +stooping. Following this a distance of nearly two hundred feet they +were astonished to hear the roar of water which sounded like the +breaking of surf against rocks. The sound grew louder and louder as +they advanced, until its roar filled the cavern with stunning echoes +reverberating along its hidden passages. The cavern now became more +lofty and wider, the sides more rugged, and at last it terminated on +the brink of a stream which boiled and lashed its rock-girt sides with +its troubled waters. To attempt to penetrate further would have been +dangerous, and they retraced their steps. They concluded that they had +found a connexion with the lake above, which was some reward for +exploring that part of the cavern. + + + + +Chapter Seventeenth. + +Recovery, and continuation of their journey. A joyous prospect. They +discover a Lake. It changes to gloom. Discovered and followed by +Indians. They finally escape, though compelled to leave their baggage, +&c.. They wander on, unconscious of their way. Discover a beautiful +valley, by which they encamp and rest themselves. Their journey +continued. They meet with friendly Indians, who offer them their +hospitality. The Indians give them cheering intelligence. They rest +with them a few days. + +Six weeks had now elapsed, and they, with their horses, were fairly +recovered from the wearying effects of their journey over the desert, +and they were ready to launch once more on the unknown barren waste +before them. Large quantities of fish and fowl had been provided--some +by smoking, and others by drying--which, together with the fresh and +dried fruits and vegetables they had secured, they calculated would +last them five or six days. There were no animals of any kind, +consequently they had not such facilities for preparation of dried +meats as before; and being without any salt, it was both inconvenient +and difficult for them to preserve their provisions. Loading their +horses with what they had prepared, and with a supply of water and +grass, they set out on foot, for it would be impossible for the beasts +to carry them and the baggage, and they would be obliged to travel on +foot for two days at least, until the provisions were consumed +sufficiently to relieve the beasts of part of the weight. It was now +mid-summer: they knew that by the intense heat that poured its +scorching rays upon them so that they were obliged to halt before noon, +and entrench themselves behind a mass of rock they found, to protect +themselves from its burning rays. When the greatest heat of the day was +over, they again set out, and after an hour's travel, came in sight of +a dense forest, which they reached long before the sun had set. They +now laughed heartily at the idea of their sojourn on the oasis so long, +preparing with so much pains and anxiety for so short a journey. +Whithersoever they went they found the forest increasing in fertility, +and they knew by the extent of it this time, they had reached the main +land, and had really crossed an immense desert. + +They were not all joyous feelings that agitated them that night; for on +every hand they saw traces of Indians, and should they prove to be +unknown, hostile tribes, they feared sad consequences. The night +passed, however, quietly enough; and when morning broke, they set out, +taking the precaution to move cautiously along, and though they often +came upon places where Indians had encamped to cook their meals, and +sometimes found the brands of fires still smoking, they had the good +fortune to travel three days without falling in with them. On the +fourth day, about noon, as they were turning the bend of a stream that +wound round a hill, they were suddenly confronted by a party of five +fierce looking savages, entirely naked, who seemed to be as much +surprised at the meeting as they were, for they stopped, glanced wildly +around them a moment, and then precipitately fled. + +"Well, chief," said the trapper, "how do you like the looks of these +customers?" + +"They are a people I know nothing of, and this is the first time they +have ever seen a pale face." + +"I fear we have not mended matters by crossing the desert," said Jane, +sadly. "The sight of Indians does not speak well for our speedy return +to the land of civilization." + +"Let not the antelope be fearful. Strong hearts and hands are still +around her," said the chief. + +"Which can avail but little against the hordes of savages that infest +these wilds," remarked Jane. + +"What is that Jane? You were lecturing me awhile ago, about doing our +best,--courage, &c.--and leaving the rest for time to unravel," said +Edward, cheerily. + +"I am glad you reminded me of it," said Jane, "for the old feeling of +despair was fast creeping into my heart." + +"I do not see anything to fear," remarked Sidney, "evidently the +savages are afraid of us, and if they are not, so long as they run away +from us, we are surely safe enough." + +"You do not know the treachery of the Indians who apparently infest +these regions," said Jane. "Perhaps they are cannibals, and it would +then be terrible to fall into their hands." + +"The Indians are not naturally treacherous; but the wrongs they have +endured have perverted their nature, and they meet treachery by the +treachery they have learned while smarting under it," said the trapper. + +"The white chief speaks like one of us," said Whirlwind, proudly. "We +have endured wrong and suffering, and been submissive; but, at last, +goaded to resistance, our lands were drenched with the blood of our +wives and children, because our warriors dared to strike a blow for +freedom. All this we have suffered, and must finally suffer extinction, +while the pale faces will thrive on the soil enriched by our blood, and +to future ages hold us up as a nation notorious for all the vices and +crimes ever known, even that of drunkenness, which the Indian never +knew until the white man came to our then peaceful shores." + +"You are not all treacherous, even now," said the trapper, "and whether +the tribe is to which these belong is for the future to determine. One +thing is certain, we must keep out of their hands if possible, and to +do this, we had better ride on as fast as we can, and place as great a +distance between us and them as we can before dark; for, if they +interfere with us, it will be undertaken after we are encamped for the +night." + +Much to their relief, they were not molested, although they were kept +in constant excitement by seeing the Indians hanging on their trail, +keeping at a proper distance from them, halting when they halted, and +travelling when they travelled. This continued for several days, and +then the Indians entirely disappeared, greatly to the relief of our +wanderers. + +For the last few days they had been travelling first in one direction +and then in another--alas! they knew not whither, perfectly bewildered. +They seemed to be disheartened in pursuing a regular course, and went +where their judgments dictated for the hour, perhaps retracing their +steps the next. One afternoon they came to a high, rolling part of the +forest, which terminated at the foot of a range of hills rearing their +heads in mural peaks, and on ascending them, they found that they +overlooked a beautiful plain below, in the centre of which a vast lake +stretched away over many miles, and lay nestled in that wilderness like +a gem in a setting of emerald. This lake was studded with numerous +islands which were heavily timbered, and formed a beautiful scene. +Taking a circuitous route so as to reach the lake in safety, they +encamped on its banks as the last rays of the setting sun were +reflected in golden gushes from its placid bosom and nestling isles. As +they gazed on the enchanting scene before them, it seemed as if nature +had reserved all her beauties for this chosen spot, denying to the vast +desert they had traversed fertility enough to make it inhabitable. + +On the opposite side of the lake arose precipitous ridges, varying in +height from five hundred to a thousand feet, covered with the +balsam-pine, whose dark stately green, formed a magnificent contrast +with the graceful foliage of the aspen, which bordered the lake. A +curious phenomenon here attracted their attention. Beneath the +transparent waters of the lake were distinctly visible, trees of +enormous proportions, standing erect, with the leaves and branches +entire, looking as though they had grown there, or been sunken in their +watery bed. Making themselves a raft of dry wood, they explored every +part of the lake, and found beneath them in the water the same +forest-like appearance, and they concluded that the lake had once been +unobstructed, and that there had been an immense land-slide which had +precipitated itself from the ridge over which they had entered the +valley into the lake; part of the wood drifting on the surface, had +formed itself into the little isles, while the rest had become +submerged, and still rested at a great depth beneath the waters that +closed placidly over its topmost branches. + +Innumerable fowl filled the branches of the trees in these isles, while +countless numbers of them were sporting in the water, undisturbed by +the intrusion of our wanderers. Evidently they had never seen man +before, and had yet to learn he would prey on their numbers to sustain +life. Here they also found the salmon trout, grown to great size, so +large that one was enough for a supper for the whole party. There were +also great quantities of tender grass which, growing undisturbed in a +constant shade, was as tender, and which the horses cropped with as +much avidity, as the grasses of early spring, although now the +mid-summer, with scorching sun, was upon them. + +Not a trace of a native was visible, and the whole valley, nestled +among the high ridges on every side, had probably never before echoed +to the voice of civilized man, or the soil pressed by his foot, for +ages on ages--at least, by any race now known. Perhaps, too, thousands +of years ago a race knew of its existence, when the world was young, if +that time ever was. For the world is always young to the young, but +when old age comes on, it becomes hoary to his heart also. The heart of +every man is his world. When it is young, joyous, and happy, the world +is seen through the emotions that hold his soul in rosy meshes, and it +is thus tinged to his sight with youth, love, hope, and a joy that +fills the heart with a fulness and ecstasy of happiness that leaves +nothing further to be desired. Let the rosy meshes fall, and hoary age, +or the long list of hours of a misspent life, hold up another scene, in +which despair contends with the waning hours, and sombre clouds obscure +the future! Then the world is always old, always sad, hard, and cold; +and man learns too late that the beauty and gracefulness of age can be +only with the heart that is still young, though it has seen long +years--and that, to enjoy life to the latest hour, the heart must still +be kept green. + +As enchanting as this valley was, they dared not spend a day in it +longer than was necessary, and with reluctance they left it to launch +forth, they knew not where. Crossing over the ridge, they came to a +high table land, broad, and over which a fresh pure air constantly +circulated. This was lightly timbered, and they feared another desert +was before them. They were, however, relieved from this fear by coming +to a high range of hills, which, on crossing, they found a succession +of ridges, the first ridge having hid the summits of the others; as +they crossed one after another, they became more and more entangled +among them, and continued for two days wandering among shady dells, and +over rocky, craggy precipices, until they sat down at night exhausted, +with their flesh torn by the thorns and stones over which they had made +their way. For the last two days, they had been unable to ride, the +ground being so broken that they found it quite as much as their beasts +were able to do, to make their way along unburthened, and now they were +lame, their hoofs being much bruised, and the flesh around the hoofs +swollen. Selecting a narrow defile, the best spot for a camp they could +find, they turned their horses loose to graze, having no fear they +would run away, and then turned to provide for their own wants. + +This was soon over, and then they lay down to rest. When the morning +broke, their horses had disappeared, and on examining the trail where +they went, they discovered they had been led away in Indian file, +having been stolen by savages. Here, now, was new trouble for them; +for, without doubt, the Indians would hang around, and attack them, +perhaps, the first moment it suited them, or that they could be sure of +success. + +"There was but a small party of them last night that stole the horses; +I am sure of that, and they will return with augmented numbers very +soon, or I shall be deceived," said the trapper. + +"We can fight as well as they," said the chief; "so let them beware." + +"Yes, we can do that; but we must get out of this spot. There is not an +uglier one in the whole continent to be attacked in," replied the +trapper. + +"How can we get away? our horses gone, and if here, would be as +helpless almost as we are, and ourselves so worn out that very little +life is left in us," said Jane, in a desponding tone. + +"While there is life there is hope," said the trapper. "Do not give up +so, we have passed too many severe trials to despair at the loss of our +horses." + +"Than which, a greater calamity could not have happened," said Sidney; +"but, as uncle says, we must get out of this place, for if we are +obliged to defend ourselves, we shall stand but little chance of doing +it effectually, hemmed in here." + +"Look! look! and save yourselves; we are too late!" cried Edward, +pointing upward towards the top of the precipice that overhung the +defile, and from which, as they raised their eyes, they saw a dozen +savages on its verge, in the act of hurling a shower of rocks upon +them. + +The savages, seeing their whereabouts was discovered, set up an +unearthly yell, which was given back by the chief with one of defiance, +as he darted behind a tree, an act the rest had performed at the first +moment of alarm. The stones and arrows flew around them like hail, but +glancing against the large trunks of the trees behind which they were +entrenched, fell harmless at their feet. After keeping up this mode of +warfare upwards of an hour to no purpose, they held a council on the +cliff, and after a short debate dispersed again, but now about half of +the number began to let themselves down by catching hold of the +saplings that grew along the cliff, and bending them, held on to the +tops until they obtained a foothold several feet below, and then +repeating the operation until they were two-thirds down. The chief said +to Howe, "It will never do to let them among us--better pick them off +before they get down." + +"So I think," returned the trapper; "you stop the swinging of the lower +one, and I will take the next." + +Drawing their bows, two messengers of death hissed through the air, +propelled by strong, true hands, and the two lower savages fell to the +ground, striking on the very stones they had hurled down from the +summit, and were horribly crushed and mutilated. The rest seeing the +fate of their comrades, with a wild cry of alarm quickly swung +themselves up again, and the whole party precipitously fled. The +savages had evidently supposed they were unarmed, and on finding to the +contrary, had probably retired to take counsel how to more safely carry +their point. + +"Now," said the chief, "is our time to save ourselves; for they are +exasperated at the loss of the two warriors, and will never rest +satisfied until they have destroyed us, if we remain within their +reach." + +Starting down the ravine, for about a mile, they ascended a cleft-like +formation of the hills, which terminated at the base of an overhanging +precipitous ledge of rocks rising two hundred feet above them, with +rents occasionally along the line, extending from the top to the bottom +in yawning chasms, in one of which they hoped to shield themselves from +further pursuit. Ascending one of these chasms to the top of the ledge, +they saw the savages running to and fro along the valley in search of +them, having evidently lost the trail, much to their satisfaction, for +now they could gain on their pursuers. + +Following up their present advantages, they descended the mountain on +the other side, and finding themselves at the foot of another less +lofty, ascended it also, from which they saw before them a beautiful +plain, level and well timbered, stretching away as far as the eye could +reach. It was now dark, and secreting themselves the best they could, +they spent the night supperless; for, alas! they had nothing to eat; +their whole stock of provisions, furs, gourds, kettle, and, indeed, +every article they had accumulated, being left behind them in their +flight from the savages. Very little game was to be found on the +mountains; but as day dawned, they struck out on the plain, hoping to +find abundance. + +The sun had far advanced, and they had become faint and weary, when +they came to a stream which was filled with excellent fish, from which, +with some berries and roots, they made a plentiful repast. While +despatching this, deer came to the water to drink, and a fine doe was +shot by the trapper, much to their satisfaction. Cutting it up, they +shouldered it, and pursued their way. At nightfall they halted much +exhausted, and had the savages then found them, they would have fallen +an easy prey. But as they saw nothing of them they hoped they had +relinquished the pursuit. + +The next and the next day, they found themselves too sore and lame to +move, and the third attempting to travel, they proceeded about three +miles, when they gave out, building a bough hut by a clear spring of +water, and resolved to stop until better fitted for travelling. No +traces of Indians were visible, and they now found their greatest foes +were beasts of prey, with which it seemed as if this part of the forest +was filled. They managed, however, to spend three weeks without +sustaining any serious injury from them, although they nightly prowled +around their camp. + +The days now began to shorten perceptibly, and the nights to lengthen, +and the disagreeable truth forced itself upon them that the summer was +waning, and they were as far, for aught they knew, as ever, from +attaining the sole object of their lives,--their lost friends. Crossing +the plain which extended many miles, they came to another range of +hills which was so barren that they endeavored to avoid crossing it by +going around them, and with this object, followed them down two day's +journey, when they found the hills decreased to half their former +height, and assuming a more fertile appearance, so they started to go +over them. On arriving at the summit a scene of grandeur met their +vision, although it appalled the stoutest hearts. Before them, +stretching away in the distance and rising until its summit, capped +with snow, pierced the clouds, a range of mountains lay--a formidable +barrier over which they knew they ought not to go--and then came the +conviction that they had wandered to the foot of the great barrier that +separated the Pacific from the vast unexplored sandy desert, and the +snowy peaks that rose before them were those of the Sierra Nevada. Now +they were more certain of their whereabouts than they had been before; +for, though they had never seen the great Sierra, they had heard of it +often and knew the snows never left its summit, and to attempt to cross +it was a feat they had no disposition to undertake. They knew moreover, +that their friends were this side of the great Mountain, and that the +desert they had passed must consequently have been between them. Then +came the conviction that they had not wandered round the desert before +they had crossed it, as they supposed, but had been on the eastern side +instead of the western, and had from that moment been travelling +directly from home during the journey in which they had endured so +much, forced itself upon them. And yet, with the certainty of these +facts, they did not dare to turn back and retrace their steps, for to +do so in the bewildered and weakened state in which their minds and +bodies were, would be almost sure destruction, could they hope or +attempt to make their way through the territories of the savages that +they had so fortunately evaded in their journey thither. + +Long they stood on the summit of that mountain, their position +commanding a view of the country for many miles around them, +overlooking everything but the great Sierra that lifted its hoary head +above them, as if commanding them to retreat. Awe and terror held them +in breathless silence for a while, when a half sob was heard, and Jane +pressed her hand tightly over her mouth to restrain the emotion which, +in her weakened state, she could not control. Seeing her distress, the +chief took her gently by the arm, and led the way down the mountain, +until they came to a spring, where they stopped, kindled a fire, cooked +their supper, and as the night air bid fair to be very cold before +morning, built a temporary shelter of boughs. With a large fire burning +to frighten beasts and dispel the damp air, they laid down to sleep. + +Refreshed the next morning, they were better fitted to calmly reflect +on their condition than the night before; still they were unable to +form any decided course to pursue further than to remain through that +day near their present encampment. After breakfasting, they descended +to the valley, and there, to their surprise, found an encampment of +Indians. Frightened, they turned to ascend the mountain, when the +Indians came running towards them making unmistaken signs of +friendship. + +"They are friendly tribes, thank Heaven! for it betokens assistance +when we least expected it," said Howe, joyfully, as he advanced to meet +them. + +"You had better be careful, uncle, and not get in their power, as they +may prove treacherous," cried Jane. + +The chief turned with a sorrowful look to her, and said, + +"The pale faced maiden has no faith in the words of her darker skinned +brothers. Is it because they have wronged her people more than they +have suffered wrong; or because they dared in their manhood to defend, +to the last moment, the houses of their wives and children, and the +graves of their kindred?" + +"No, no; not that, chief," said Jane, earnestly. "Why let such thoughts +forever disturb you? Some cannot be trusted, and these may be of the +number, for that reason I bade uncle be cautious. You, we never +suspected, and you wrong us in being so sensitive on this subject." + +"It would be a fearful thing," returned the chief, "to see your race +and kindred blotted from existence, to see their homes and pleasant +places occupied by those who may be the cause of their extinction, and +to know when the last of the race shall have departed, their name will +be held synonymous with treachery and cruelty to futurity! Maiden! +maiden!" added he, with a wild look, distorting his dark features, "may +you never experience the torture of this feeling, nor the agony that +hourly and yearly is mine." + +"Think you, chief, the sorrow you feel for the extinction of your +people is greater than that the people felt whom you extinguished in +ages gone by, and whose existence can be traced only by the works of +art they left behind them, which alone have survived, and still defy +ages to come?" + +"Listen to me, girl; for I speak from the promptings of the _Great +Spirit_. The day may come when no longer our lands shall be yours, for +another race may arise and avenge my people by the extinction of your +own. You will be spared the torture of seeing it, as I do the struggles +of my people. Nevertheless, the day will come when this shall be." So +saying, with a hasty step and defiant brow, he turned from her, and +joined the group of Indians who were conversing with Howe, Sidney, and +Edward. + +These Indians had evidently seen white men, or heard of them before; +but could not speak a word of English, or any dialect the wanderers +understood. They were, however, very communicative, and by signs and +lines drawn on pieces of bark, gave them to understand that two moons' +journey down the mountains was a pass over them, and on the other side +there were plenty of people like themselves. But as it was now getting +late in the season, they had better defer their journey until spring +came again. At the same time they offered to take them in their +village, and provide for them until they could depart in safety. They +would not listen to this proposition, but accepted with eagerness their +hospitality for a few days, in order to have an opportunity of making +further inquiries as to the route and locality of the country they +would have to pass through. + + + + +Chapter Eighteenth. + +Thirty persons in the village. Their stay with the Indians. They +proceed on their journey. Jane bitten by a rattlesnake. Taken back to +the village. Frightful effects of the poison. It causes a violent fever +to set in. Fatal consequences apprehended. She becomes delirious. The +chief's unremitting exertions to counteract the disease. It slowly +abated and Jane finally recovers. A war party returns having two white +prisoners. Fears entertained of their safety. Minawanda assists them to +escape by a sound indicating that of a whippoorwill. The white men also +accompany them as guides. Their joy at their anticipated deliverance +from the wilds of the forests. Miscellaneous conversation. They proceed +on their flight unmolested. + +There were about thirty persons in the lodges, the rest of the Indians, +with their women and children, having gone out on one of their yearly +hunting expeditions, as well for the excitement as for the supplies +which they gather from them. These few were left to look after the +village in the absence of the rest, and were principally those who were +too old or ill to travel and hunt. After remaining a few days to +prepare themselves, they set out, persuading an old Indian to accompany +them as a guide two days' journey, in order to get them once more +started in the right direction. They had no hope of returning directly +to their friends. In fact, they knew that would be an impossibility to +do by crossing the Sierra, and their object at that time was to find a +settlement where they might know their whereabouts, and in what +direction to go in order to return. The old Indian was positive there +were people like themselves over the mountain of snow, and knowing they +must have wandered a great way to come to it, they determined to make +the most direct route to the nearest European habitation; for they had +wandered so long that their friends had become a secondary object with +them. Their first thoughts were to free themselves from the +interminable forest, and sustain life. + +About mid-day, as they were making their way among a thick growth of +brush, a quick rattle was heard, which they all recognized as the +warning of a deadly snake; but before they could save themselves, it +had struck its poisonous fangs deep into the fleshy part of Jane's +right foot. + +Howe saw the snake bite her, and was at her side in a moment, and with +a heavy club killed the terrible reptile on the spot. He then proceeded +to bind the limb to prevent a free circulation of the blood, which in a +few minutes would have conveyed the poison to the heart, and proved +fatal. In the meantime, the chief and Sidney had been gathering an +herb, which they bruised between two flat stones and poured over the +wound, and put a few drops of the juice in her mouth. + +She soon began to suffer excruciating pain, the limb swelling rapidly +and turning a livid hue, while the bruised herbs which were bound over +the wound every few minutes had to be exchanged for fresh ones, so +rapidly did the poison act upon them. + +"I feel it here!" said the poor girl, laying her hand on her heart; "it +chokes, it suffocates me! Oh, it is terrible to die here! can you do +nothing more? can nothing save me?" she added, turning her eyes +inquiringly from one to the other of the group around her. + +"We will do our best," said Sidney, "but that is very little," he added +bitterly. + +"Be brave, my poor child and never say _die_ while there is life. As +yet I see nothing to fear. The Indian's remedy is doing its work; we +see that by the poison it extracts," said Howe, at the same time +turning aside to hide the emotion that was welling up from his heart. + +"The antelope shall not die," said the chief, "there is another remedy +if the plant can be found," and with these words he hastened away into +the forest. Her breathing now became more labored, her eye grew glassy, +and languor began to pervade her whole frame. With breathless anxiety +they awaited the return of the chief; for, if even successful in +finding what he was in search of, he might be too late, as already life +was waning; and as they knelt around her in speechless agony, and saw +the distorted features and glassy eye, they knew that unless some +active and powerful stimulant could be procured immediately she would +be dead. + +After twenty minutes' absence, though it seemed to them to be an hour, +the chief returned with his hands filled with roots freshly torn from +their bed, and laying them between two flat stones crushed them. Then +pressing the juice into a drinking cup they had procured at the Indian +village, held it to her lips. She made a motion as if she would drink, +but her limbs were powerless, her teeth set, and every muscle rigid. +With a low moan she closed her glassy eye, and hope then even fled from +her heart. Not so the chief; prying open her teeth with the aid of his +hunting-knife, he poured the extract down her throat, and then with a +solution of it mixed in water, washed the wound, binding over it the +bruised roots from which he had extracted the antidote. He then +procured more of the same roots,[11] extracted the juice and repeated +the process, continuing his efforts for half an hour, when she slowly +opened her eyes, looked around, and whispered faintly, "I shall not die +now, uncle. I breathe easier," then closed her eyes again with a sweet +smile playing around her lips. + + [11] Rattlesnake root--Botanical, _Polygala senega_--being an + active stimulant, will counteract the bite of this most poisonous + of reptiles. + +Still the chief did not for a moment relax his exertions; he knew too +well the subtlety of the poison of the rattlesnake, but while the rest +were active in building a soft couch of boughs and leaves on which to +lay her, he continued extracting the antidote with as much energy as at +the first moment. + +Her skin now began to assume a more natural hue; the eye lost its +glassiness, and she could articulate with ease. An hour afterwards the +swelling began to subside, and the danger was past. The chief had again +saved her life. + +He said not a word in exultation of his success, but it gleamed from +his dark eyes, flushed his swarthy cheek, and swelled his brawny chest. +Never strode he with loftier step or more regal carriage--a very +impersonation of barbarian royalty. His superior knowledge in many +emergencies into which they were brought in their primitive mode of +life, his coolness, courage and energy under the trying circumstances +that often occurred, commanded their voluntary reverence for the +untaught, uncivilized Indian chief. The day and night wore away, and +when they had hoped to resume their journey they found that a fever had +succeeded the prostration produced by the poison, and she was too ill +to travel. Dismayed at this new calamity, they were at a loss for +awhile how to proceed. Their guide settled the point for them by +insisting that the sick girl should be conveyed on a litter back to the +village, where she could have a better shelter, and where her wants +could be better supplied than in that lonely spot. + +This they gladly acceded to, and when the sun again set she lay tossing +in feverish delirium on a couch of skins within the tent of Minawanda +their benevolent guide. + +Cooling drinks were given her, and her throbbing, burning temples laved +with cold water, fresh from the fountain. This soothed the pain, but it +did not arrest the raging fever that burned in her veins, wasting her +strength, and reducing her to a state as helpless as that of infancy. + +The women in the village were untiring in their exertions to alleviate +her suffering, and although they rendered her condition comparatively +comfortable, yet the fever grew higher and stronger each day, until she +became deprived of both reason and strength. The chief stood by the +door of her lodge day and night, apparently without observing anything +that was passing around him, and with the one feeling filling his +entire soul--that of the antelope lying at the point of death, and he +could do nothing to save her. Sidney was more active, and never left +her couch, save to procure something for her. He, with Edward by her +side, caressed her in her wild ravings until the excitement passed, and +she was again calm. Then they would renew their exertions to assuage +the fever, and cool the brain by laving it with water. It was all the +remedy they had, and they used this freely. The ninth day of her +illness the fever suddenly died away, and closing her eyes she slept as +peacefully as the sleep of infancy for half an hour, when her breathing +grew shorter, her chest heaved laboriously, and she unclosed her eyes, +from which the light of reason once more shone. She whispered faintly, +"Edward, come nearer; where are the rest of you? I feel so strangely! +is this death?" + +"We are here--all here!" cried Sidney, with a broken voice; "and you +know us now, do you not, sister?" + +"Yes, I know you now; but I feel so weak, and so strangely! have I been +sick long? I remember now," she added, "the snake bit me, and I am +poisoned, and shall die!" + +"No, oh! no, you will not," said Howe, in his cheering tones; "you will +not do any such thing. You are a brave girl, and will live many a long +year yet. Here is a good draught for you, take it and keep quiet, and +you will be well in a few days," he added, as he presented her some +whey he had made from goats' milk and ripe grapes. Then ordering every +one from the lodge, he shut out the light, and stationing himself by +her side, bade her sleep, taking the precaution to arouse her every few +minutes to administer to her the whey. She slept at intervals till +sunset, when she again awakened perfectly conscious, and declared she +felt much better. She now improved rapidly, and in a week's time was +enabled to walk with assistance in the open air. Her appetite returned +which, together with the pure air, caused her rapidly to improve, and +regain her strength again; but they were at a loss in what manner to +prosecute their fatiguing journey with her. To set out on foot was out +of the question, as she would probably give out the first day, and to +be carried on a litter she would not consent to, as she rightly argued +it was as much as one was able to do to get himself along, without +carrying a burthen. + +There was not a horse or a mule in the village, although the Indians +insisted that the hunting parties that had gone out had some with them, +and if they would await their return, they could obtain one for her. +While hesitating what course to pursue, shouts of the returning party +were heard from the summit of the hill, and were recognized as those +that betokened a great victory. The answer was taken up by every +inhabitant of the village, and echoed back in full chorus. + +In half an hour, the Indians, in admirable confusion, came galloping +into the village, decorated in all the savage panoply of war; their +grotesque features made still more repulsive and hideous by the paint +with which they were besmeared. This, together with the shouts of the +women, and wild yells of the children, constituted a more vivid picture +of pandemonium than anything earthly. + +One group of the returning party seemed to concentrate the curiosity of +the Indians in the village more than another, and going thither they +saw with surprise two white men confined as prisoners, their hands +bound behind them with leather thongs. They looked almost worn out with +fatigue and anxiety. Apprehensive for their own safety, they retreated +to the lodge of their guide, and there learned that these two men had +been captured three hundred miles south, and that they belonged to an +overland emigrant party, who, in a battle with the Indians, had all +been killed, with the exception of the two, and these, with the oxen, +horses, and baggage, had fallen into the hands of the savages, and were +conveyed to their village. + +"This does not look well for our own safety," said Sidney. + +"Not an arm will be raised against the pale faces who have eaten and +smoked beneath the lodge of Minawanda," said the guide, solemnly. + +"Perhaps not, with your consent," retorted Sidney, "but they may not +think it worth while to ask it." + +"The rights of hospitality are sacred with my people; let not the young +man fear; no harm will come to him," said the guide, indignantly. + +"One thing is certain, a light is breaking on our path. We have found +some of our own race, though under unfavorable circumstances. Yet we +may learn from them how to find our homes," said the trapper, +encouragingly. + +"If we get a chance to speak to them," said the chief, pointing +significantly towards a lodge whence rose the wail of despair for a +warrior who had gone out in the pride of manhood and returned not. +"They will be avenged for the warriors who fell in the fight with the +whites," he added, "and though they will respect us while guests of +Minawanda, they will hem us round so we cannot escape, at last falling +into their hands, if the blood of the two prisoners do not satisfy the +bereaved friends of their lost warriors." + +"We must deceive them some way and slip away privately," said the +trapper, in a subdued voice as the guide left the lodge, and wended his +way over to the lodges whence proceeded the mournful sounds. + +"Let us fly from here, now we are alone and free," said Jane, +nervously. "The deepest recess of the forest is preferable to staying +here." + +"We cannot do that; we should be discovered, brought back, and strictly +guarded, and thus be frustrated in all our chances of escaping. No, no; +we want some of their horses to give us a start, besides several hours +of the night to cover our retreat," said the chief. + +"Besides this," said the trapper, "it is hardly a Christian act to +leave these two men to perish by the hands of the savages. I do not +think they will offer us any harm, and we may not only effect their +escape peacefully, but induce the Indians to carry us to the nearest +settlement with their horses. We must keep a strict and vigilant watch, +and see which way things turn, and act accordingly." + +The day passed and the sun had set, yet Minawanda had not returned to +his lodge, from which the wanderers had not ventured for fear of +further exasperating the Indians. This occurrence troubled them, and in +truth looked ominous, as it had never occurred before, and with great +impatience they watched for his coming. Still, hour after hour passed, +and he came not, and with forebodings of evil, they proposed that one +of them should reconnoitre the village under the cover of darkness to +discover what was brewing among them. The chief volunteered his +services, as possessing a subtlety which was unequalled, and with his +noiseless tread, he went silently forth; but, before he had gone twenty +yards from the door a hand was laid on his shoulder, and the voice of +the guide whispered in his ear, "return to the lodge! your life depends +upon it. I will be there in an hour!" + +The chief stood irresolute a moment, then as silently returned to the +lodge and related the circumstance, and asked the advice of the rest +whether he had better wait or proceed. + +"I think Minawanda is our friend, and we had better do his bidding," +said the trapper. + +Silently they remained a few moments, when the sound of a light step +fell on their ear, and the _Fawn_, a child of twelve years, and a +daughter of the guide stepped within the lodge, and with a startled +look stood irresolute for a moment, then going up to Jane, nestled +close to her side fixing her dark starry eyes on hers with a bewildered +gaze. + +"What would you with me?" inquired the young girl, as she endeavored to +reassure her. + +"My father can no longer protect the white strangers," she replied, +"but he can save them if they will place themselves under his +directions." + +"What says the young squaw?" asked the chief, whose acute ear had +caught the low tones of the child. + +Jane repeated what the fawn had said, when the trapper placed himself +by her side and demanded what they were to do. + +"I do not know, except that, when the Whippoorwill is heard behind the +lodge, you are all to go out silently, and as the cry is heard, you are +to follow the sound until you meet others who will be in waiting for +you----" + +"To lead us to the stake!" said the chief. "Is my brother mad, that he +listens to this chattering, and will he run into the snare laid to +entrap him?" + +"Really, chief, you see through the treachery of these savages better +than any one else, and do credit to your education," said Sidney. + +"We will not go to them to be murdered in the dark," said Edward. "If +they want anything of us, here we are, and here we will be until +daylight." + +"It will then be too late," said the fawn, sadly. "My father bade me +say the two pale faced prisoners would be there, and when day broke, +and it was found they had escaped, my people could not be restrained, +but would sacrifice you in their stead. He would have come himself to +tell you this, but feared to be from the council that has been held, +for fear of suspicion, as it is known to all the returned hunters that +you are in his lodge." + +"I do not believe that Minawanda meditates treachery," said Howe. "If +he wanted to give us up, why take the precaution? He knows we are in +his lodge, and he could lead his warriors to take us any moment, if +that was his object. I think he is sincere, and, for one, am willing to +place myself in his hands." + +"I, too, am willing to trust him," said Jane. "We cannot make matters +worse, and it may be the means of our return to our friends. The sight +of others inspires hope, and if we could get away with them, they could +probably lead us out of the forest." + +Their conversation was here cut short by the clear shrill notes of the +Whippoorwill, close behind the lodge. + +"There it is," cried the fawn, bounding to her feet. "Go! go! do not +hesitate, or you will be lost!" + +"Come," said the trapper, taking Jane by the hand; "I feel assured +there is truth in that child's face. Let us hasten on." + +"If you go, I do," said Edward; "I can stand as much, and more than you +can." + +"And I," said Sidney. + +"If the antelope goes, I will go to defend her," said the chief, +following, as the trapper, with Jane, moved away in the darkness, in +the direction whence the sound had come. Hurrying into the thick forest +that skirted the back of the lodge, they were at a loss which direction +to take, when again some distance ahead the shrill cry burst on their +ears, and they noiselessly and rapidly advanced as near as they could +imagine a quarter of a mile, when it was again heard ahead of them. +Still following, they travelled about the same distance again, when the +hand of Minawanda was laid on Howe's arm, as he said--"Stand still a +moment!--I will apprise the others of your presence!" and disappearing +in the darkness, they heard him talking low, but rapidly, for a few +moments; then he once more stood before them, and bidding them follow, +led them on a short distance where, by the faint glimmer of starlight, +they saw men and a number of horses standing. "Mount!" said Minawanda; +"there are horses for all. Here is the best one for the young squaw;" +so saying, he lifted Jane from the ground, and seated her firmly on her +horse's back--and placing the bridle in her hand, turned to assist the +rest; but they had all mounted, and were waiting directions which way +to proceed. Up to this moment they had not heard the voices nor seen +the forms of those who were to accompany them, save by the dusky +outlines which did not even reveal the number, and so quiet and rapidly +had the whole transpired, that they had no time to think of anything. + +"Guides! move on!" said Minawanda; "follow, brothers, they will lead +you to your own people--and when there, forget not that a generous, +disinterested deed may be performed by an Indian, although he risks +life in so doing." So saying, he shook hands with them all in rapid +succession, and darting away, they were alone with the guides, whom +they saw were two in number, and mounted like themselves. + +"Well, Jones," one of them said, in a very subdued tone, "if this is +not one of the queerest pieces of work I ever saw, then call me an +Arab." + +"Never mind, Cole," the other answered, "push ahead as fast as you can, +or the Indians will broil us yet. We must get a good start to cheat the +rascally red-skins." + +"Hush about the broiling, you make me nervous. How about our company? +All there?" again sung out the one called by his companion, Jones. + +"Here! all right; five of us, following we do not know who, nor where +he will lead us to," said Howe, in a merry tone. + +"Don't know? Well, perhaps you never heard of Jones, son of old Major +Jones, away down in old Connecticut. That is me, and I guess you will +not be sorry you are following me, especially as Cole says, we were all +to be broiled in a heap by those red skins." + +"That I shall not, and right glad I am of your services to help us out +of as deep an entanglement as I think ever a set of Christians got +into," said the trapper. + +"Well, I do not know, but I guess we will cheat them; the moon will be +up soon, and then we can ride faster," replied Jones. + +"Are you sure of the way you have to go?" asked Sidney, who was still +nervous about getting bewildered in the forest. + +"I guess I am," replied Jones. "Did I not come over it this morning?" + +"Yes, but you might miss your way," returned Sidney. + +"Might miss! Why young man, where was you educated, to learn the +possibility of doing such a thing? There is no such word as failing to +a downeaster." + +"I think you must have failed once, or you would not be here," retorted +Sidney, facetiously. + +"The best failure for us that was ever made," said Jane, earnestly. "We +shall find our way out by that means." + +"Only that object is attained, I do not care for the rest," remarked +Edward. "See yonder the moon is rising, and welcome enough will be its +light." + +They made their way quite rapidly, and as mile after mile was placed +between them and the village, their hopes of eluding their pursuers +were strengthened. Jane did not feel the fatigue, so excited had she +become, although, Howe had taken the precaution soon after they +started, of riding close by her side, so that he could assist her at a +moment's warning; for he knew she was too weak to bear such rapid +travelling over fallen trees, stones, brush, and marshy ground long, +and he feared that a reaction would ensue. He did not know how strongly +the love and desire to reach home again burned in her heart, +strengthening by its power every muscle and nerve. + + + + +Chapter Nineteenth. + +They arrive at a stream of considerable magnitude over which they +cross. Encampment on its bank. They ride in the water to elude their +pursuers. Jones and Cole give them some information relative to their +friends, having met Lewis at Fort Laramie. The joyful reception of the +news. Desire to return. The lateness of the season prevents it. They +continue on. Arrival at the base of the Sierra Nevada. Fear of crossing +the mountains in the snow. They retreat to a place of security with +intentions to encamp for the winter. They construct themselves winter +quarters as well as they can. + + +At daylight the fugitives came to a considerable stream which they +crossed and halted on the opposite bank. They turned their horses loose +to feed and rest, and taking some fish from the stream by means of +shooting them with their arrows,[12] they broiled them. The fish, +together with some roasted _yampa_ roots, made a plentiful and +nourishing repast. Letting their horses rest as long as they dared, +they mounted and entering the stream, followed it down a mile, so as to +deceive the Indians, should they be pursued, then again taking to the +bank they rode with great speed, until their beasts began to flag, when +again halting on a position that overlooked the country around, they +prepared themselves a dinner, turning their horses loose to graze while +they ate. After partaking of their meal, Jane fortunately fell asleep, +and when they feared to remain in that position, they awoke her, and +proceeded on till late in the night. Again halting, and posting a +sentinel who was relieved every two hours, they lay down to sleep, for +they were worn out with their rapid marches. At the first faint streak +of light, they were in motion, and thus pursuing their way rapidly for +three more days, they were glad to halt, as their horses were +emaciated, lame, and sore, and were scarcely able to keep their feet, +so galling and toilsome had been their journey. + + [12] A common mode of taking fish among the Indians. + +They calculated they had saved themselves from pursuit, and accordingly +prepared for a few days' rest which was made doubly sweet to them by +the prospect of the dear home and friends which loomed up before them. +Building a temporary shelter, they spent several days in that place and +became more acquainted with their two new companions. Jones was a +curiosity in himself, fearing nor caring for nothing but being broiled +alive, a fate for which he evinced the utmost repugnance, and declared +he would be willing to adopt any emergency than encounter it, an +alternative they all coincided heartily in, with the exception of Cole, +who expressed a decided belief that it was preferable to many things, +and delighted to hold up its advantages, but what they were he never +specified to his more sensitive companion. + +They were both from Connecticut and had been some years sailors, their +ship having been driven and wrecked by winds on the Pacific coast they +were obliged to content themselves as best they could; and as they +enjoyed a large share of constitutional Yankee restlessness, sought to +turn their misfortunes to some account. While waiting for relief they +explored the deep unbroken wilds that surrounded them. In doing this +they encountered many difficulties, and often hazarded their lives, but +were rewarded by finding, as they asserted, gold mines scattered over a +large district. Returning home by an overland route with specimens of +the ore, they had induced others to return with them, accompanied by +their families, their object being to take up the land on which the +precious metal was found and settle it, guessing with characteristic +shrewdness that as soon as it was known in the Eastern States that +there was gold in the place, the land would be of immense value. + +There were eleven of them all, two women and two children, one ten and +the other twelve years old; the rest being well calculated for such a +daring enterprise. It was their intention to keep the same Indian trail +back they had gone over in returning home, trusting to memory to keep +them from straying. When their journey was two-thirds accomplished the +Indians had come unawares upon them and after fighting as long as they +could hold out, all were killed but these two, who were made prisoners +with all their baggage. "It was a struggle for life, and two days we +kept them at bay," said Jones, "but we were one after another picked +off until but five of us were left, when the savages maddened by the +sight of their killed and wounded which must have been in great +numbers, closed around us and we fought hand to hand for a few minutes, +when Cole and myself were overpowered, disarmed and captured, the rest +were killed, scalped, and their dead bodies left on the ground unburied +to become a prey to beasts scarcely more savage than the Indians. Our +fate was decided on in council the same evening we were taken to the +village. We were sentenced to run the gauntlet.[13] If we survived we +were to become part of the tribe to supply the places of the lost +warriors; if we fell, the stake awaited us. We looked upon ourselves as +doomed, when an old Indian came to us, and displacing the thongs with +which we were bound, bade us follow him. The rest you know, and we are +here together." + + [13] The gauntlet consists in drawing up the members of the + village in two files facing each other four feet apart, through + which the victim has to make his way, the Indians striking at him + as he runs with clubs, knives, tomahawks or any weapon they + choose to arm themselves with. Not one out of a hundred get + through the file, and if they do they are sure to meet with + kindness; but if beaten down they are either killed on the spot + or carried wounded and bleeding to the stake where they perish + amidst horrible tortures. + +"For which I am really grateful," said the trapper, who informed them +of the principal events of their wandering for the last year and +a-half. They listened with great interest until the recital was +finished, and then Jones said, musingly, "It must be that you are the +same of whom we heard so much, more than a year ago, although your +friends believed you had perished by the cruel hands of the Indians." + +"Then you have seen them! Are they well? Have they removed from the +encampment by the brook?" and numberless other questions were showered +in a breath upon them. + +"One at a time," said the imperturbable Yankee; "one at a time, and I +will answer them all." + +"Then, are they alive and well?" asked Jane, who could not restrain her +anxiety. + +"They are, as far as I know," said Jones. "I saw but one they called +Lewis, and he was well, and I heard him tell another man who was +inquiring for the rest of the family that the rest were. + +"Thank heaven for that," said Jane, fervently. + +"Where are they?" asked the trapper. + +"I don't know, exactly," said Jones. "The young man I saw was at Fort +Laramie. He had heard there were several distant tribes of Indians +encamped there to trade with the whites, and had come to see if he +could learn from them the fate that had befallen you." + +"Then I suspect," said the trapper, "they have remained near the spot +where they were encamped when we were stolen." + +"Who is the chief of the Arapahoes?" asked Whirlwind. + +"I think he is called the Bald Eagle, but I don't remember distinctly. +When I passed through their country last spring, I heard about a great +Medicine man, who was likewise their chieftain, who had been killed or +carried away at the same time part of the family of Mr. Duncan had." + +"This is the chief," said the trapper, "he still lives, and I hope will +for many a long year yet to come." + +"That would be great news for the Arapahoes," said Cole, "and their joy +could scarcely be exceeded by that of Mr. Duncan's family, could they +know their lost ones were safe." + +They had somewhat recovered from the fatigues of their flight, and +proposed renewing their journey. The autumn, which was far advanced, +warned them it was time to be on the move, if they intended to reach +the haunts of civilization before the snows began to fall, and as Cole +and Jones assured them they would certainly strike a trail that led to +the Pacific coast in three or four days' travel, they were impatient to +be on the move. They suffered much with the cold, as the nights were +keen enough to create ice an inch in thickness, and the frosts +destroyed a great deal of the herbage on which the horses subsisted. +The third day the sky began to grow heavy in the morning, and as the +air was keen they feared snow would fall, but it partially broke away +before night, greatly to their satisfaction. They lay down by their +camp-fire with the stars gleaming, though faintly, above them. + +About midnight they were awakened by flakes of snow falling on their +faces, and on awaking, they discovered the ground white around them. +Before morning the white covering was three inches deep. The winter had +set in uncommonly early, and they with saddened hearts rode all day +through the falling snow. Night came on, and scraping the ground clear +of leaves and snow, they built themselves a temporary shelter, leaving +one side open, by which the camp-fire was built. They had nothing to +eat, having laid by no supply of roots or meat, and the ground was +covered with snow so that the roots could not be found. Leaving Sidney, +Edward, and Jane in the camp, the rest went out to get some game, and +in half an hour the trapper returned with a pair of wild turkeys. He +was followed soon by Cole who brought some pheasants and a grey +squirrel. As the shades of night began to gather around them, the +others came in with a fawn and a mountain sheep. There was no fear then +of their being supperless; and, after eating a hearty meal, they laid +down to sleep with the snow still falling around them. When they awoke +in the morning the sky was clear and the sun arose warm, and by noon +had softened the snow so much as to make it wet their clothing, as they +brushed it from the pendant branches in riding along. When they +encamped that night, Jane was shivering with cold, and too ill to eat; +but the rest lay by the fire, and slept as well as the disagreeable +situation in which they were placed would allow. Jane was quite ill the +next day, and they did not think it prudent to travel; but by night she +felt much better, and as they calculated they could strike the trail in +another day's journey, they determined to be in the saddle by daylight. + +Riding, as fast as the rugged uneven country through which they were +travelling would permit, for three hours, they came to the trail +earlier in the day than they had anticipated, greatly to their relief. +Here now they were on a road that would lead them to their friends from +which they had so long been separated, during which time they had +encountered so many trials and so much suffering. The sight of it +dispelled all fatigue from them, and they were ready, nay, eager, to +turn their horses homeward. They were restrained from such mad +proceedings by the cool, undisturbed equanimity of Jones, who said: +"The journey home requires three months' hard travelling, and if we +undertake it in our present unprepared condition, we shall certainly +perish by cold and hunger. On the other hand the trail in the opposite +direction, will lead us to a safe harbor, in a third of the distance +which, when accomplished, we shall be willing to stay in till spring +comes again. It is always dangerous travelling through these wilds when +prepared, but in our destitute condition it is most hazardous." + +"Lead us on; we can endure it," cried the children, enthusiastically. + +"No, no; children," said the trapper, "Jones tells the truth, we can +never cross the country that lies between us and our friends, in the +dead of winter. We must content ourselves in a place of security, if we +can find one, until spring again comes." + +"Yonder," said the chief, pointing towards the west, where the Great +Sierra arose with its snowy peaks towering among the clouds, "are the +Snow mountain. To reach the white settlement beyond we must cross it. +We are too weak and destitute to do it. Let us build a lodge here and +gather what provisions we can before the snow is deeper, and the deer +all leave us." + +"I believe it is the best thing we can do, for our safety," said the +cautious trapper. + +"Oh! no; do not think of such a thing!" said Sidney. "I am sure we can +cross the mountain, and when over them, it cannot be far to civilized +habitations." + +"You are young and sanguine," said the trapper, "and do not know the +dangers before you." + +"We might as well pursue the trail a day or two," said Jones, "and +then, if we think we cannot cross the mountain, we can build winter +quarters. For my part, I do not relish a winter here, any more than +Sidney." + +"Well," said Cole, casting an admiring glance towards Jane, "I think +quarters might become tolerable, if well supplied with venison--and I +think they might, between us all." + +The chief saw the look, and a close observer might have for an instant +observed a peculiar glitter in his eye, but no word or movement of his +indicated that he had witnessed it, or if he did, cared for it. +Resuming their journey, they were soon made aware that the ground +before them was rising, and covered with a greater depth of snow. By +noon they had come to the base of high ranges of hills that rose one +above another, and above all towered the Sierra Nevada. Over these the +trail extended, and they were compelled either to encamp on the spot, +go back, or cross over the mountains. To pass over them seemed +impossible--to encamp on the exposed slope on which they were would +subject them unnecessarily to severe suffering from cold; and their +only safe alternative was to fall back to some secure unexposed +position, and raise a winter camp. + +A few miles back, a sheltered position was discovered; the snow was +cleared away, and all working with an earnest will, a commodious hut +was soon erected consisting of strong poles for the frame work, which +were covered with bark, and this again thickly studded with boughs to +keep out the cold. The ground was also strewn with them, for they had +no skins to spread over it, nor even to make themselves a covering +through the night with--a want from which they suffered much. Taking +advantage of their experience the last winter, they collected stone +from beneath the snow, and built themselves a rough but efficient +fire-place, which occupied nearly one side of the hut, and in which +they could build large fires that diffused their genial warmth over the +room without endangering the frail fabric. + + + + +Chapter Twentieth. + +The cold increases. The men take large quantities of fur. Abundant +supplies of game. Conversation on various matters. Jones and Cole tell +some of their adventures in the gold regions. A boulder of gold. +Shooting it from a precipice. Jones loaded down with riches. +Comfortable condition of the children. Howe describes an adventure he +experienced near Lake Superior by falling into an Indian's deer-pit. +Whirlwind relates a circumstance that occurred to himself and Shognaw +in reference to their escape from the Crows. The party's resignation to +their lot. + + +As the severity of the winter increased, they took daily hunting +excursions, in order to procure the necessary furs and skins to help +ward off the cold, always preserving their game, which was brought +home, dried and smoked by the fire, to preserve it against an hour of +need. They soon had their hut lined throughout with skins, the edges +joined with sinews or slender strips of hide, which kept the wind from +finding its way to them through the openings. They also covered the +ground with skins, reserving the fur of the foxes and beaver which they +snared, as well as the lighter skins, to make themselves new and warm +clothing. Their food was almost entirely animal, as they rarely +succeeded in getting anything of a vegetable character. They +occasionally found a "nut-pine" tree, from which they gathered its +fruits, but they disliked the taste of them, and gathered them more for +the light they gave when on fire, than for eating. Though they were not +as comfortably housed, or as well provided with the necessaries of +life, as the winter previously; yet they did not suffer so as to +endanger health, by either hunger or cold, and their greatest +discomfort arose from the want of vegetable food and salt. For the last +article they had searched in vain, and had come to the conclusion that +there were no saline beds within many miles of them. Jones and Cole +never grew tired of listening to their account of the hidden wealth +they had discovered, and they would spend days speculating on the best +plan of opening a communication with the districts containing the +golden prize. + +"I would have kept the urn," said Cole, "if a whole legion of Indians +had been at my back." + +"Perhaps not," said Jones. "I myself have seen the time when gold was a +burthen." + +"The time you shot the boulder!" remarked Cole, laughing. + +"Laugh as you will," said Jones; "that was a lucky shot if it was an +almost fatal one." + +"What is it?" they all asked, seeing there was more than Jones felt +disposed to tell. + +"Why," said Jones, "when among the gold mines on the other side of the +mountain we were not satisfied with the flakes of gold in the sand, and +supposed, of course, that there was a solid bed of it somewhere up the +river, from which it was washed down by the constant action of the +waters. As we proceeded along the river the ground became more rugged +until it led us into a cluster of hills and precipices jumbled up +together. Entering a narrow ravine we soon came to a curious looking +place with smooth sides standing perpendicularly, about twenty feet +apart, which was gradually contracted to within two feet, leaving the +end narrow and jagged. We soon saw there was ore in it, and on +examining closely we discovered places where large blocks of the +precious metal had been torn from its bed, with the marks of the mining +tools still plainly visible. Looking around us we picked up among the +loose pieces on the ground some lumps of pure gold, which were among +the specimens we carried home." + +"Yes, yes; that is all very well, and very true," said Cole, "but it is +not all; tell the rest." + +"They will not believe it if I do. They never did in the States, so +what is the use of it?" said Jones. + +"We have seen such wonderful things ourselves that we are prepared for +anything," said the trapper. + +"He may if he chooses," said Jones, pointing to Cole. "I shall not, it +is of no use." + +"The narrow place," said Cole, "where we found the gold was about fifty +feet high, and nearly half way up to the top we discovered a huge +boulder of pure gold, as large as a bushel basket, hanging by a slim +thread of gold no larger than your finger. This thread was fully four +inches long, and seemed to have been cut that way by some one who had +been supported while doing so from above, for the boulder was in that +position that if worked at from below it would crush the artisan in its +fall. We were equally resolved to get hold of this mammoth prize, but +the question how we could get it was not so easily solved, as it rested +against the opposite side and would evidently turn and fall if this +narrow thread was broken. + +"'I have it!' said Jones, exulting at the happy thought. 'I'll shoot it +off,' for we both had rifles. + +"'And be crushed with its weight,' said I; but the words had not died +on my lips when the sharp crack of the rifle was heard, and down came +the prize. Both turned to fly from the danger, but Jones's foot caught +in some loose stones and he was prostrated, and the boulder rolling as +it fell deposited itself exactly across him. I removed the +uncomfortable load as soon as possible, but Jones's stomach has been +out of order ever since, especially when he sees solid bodies +overhead." + +"What became of the lump of gold?" asked the trapper. + +"We hid it in the earth; but should have been to it again before this +time had we not been overhauled by the Indians." + +"A fortunate escape," said Howe, "equal to one I made many years ago, +ere I learned to distrust the ground I walked over before testing its +security. Being on one of our trapping expeditions, father and myself +found ourselves on the territory of the St. Croix Indians, who evinced +great friendship for us, insisting we should take up our abode in their +village as long as we thought fit to remain in their territory. We soon +became domesticated among them, and spent our nights there although our +days were spent in the most secret recesses of the forest in setting +our traps, curing skins, and in observing the habits of the wild +denizens of the forest. One day father and myself separated, he to look +after our traps set in one direction, I in another; and as I neared the +place of destination, while walking over ground smooth and level as you +ever saw the ground in the forest, suddenly it gave way, precipitating +me into a hole full ten feet deep with smooth, perpendicular sides that +defied all attempts to climb them. I had fallen into an Indian's deer +trap, dug and covered over so as to deceive them; but which would +readily give way precipitating the game into the snare, the escape from +which was impossible. I laughed at my stupidity at first, as I knew +within an hour, father would be along when with his assistance I could +be easily extricated. I soon had enough to do without laughing, for in +half an hour after, I heard a step above, but before I had time to +speculate on it, the nose of a half grown cub was thrust over the top, +and in the next moment its ugly carcase came tumbling down and fell +with a crash at my feet, uttering a cry of pain as it fell, which was +answered by a growl from above, and in a minute more its dam stood on +the brink growling fiercely at me, as she saw her cub lay helpless and +moaning on the ground. With a spring she lighted on her feet within six +feet of where I stood, for I had retreated into the farthest corner, +not at all relishing a fight in such close quarters, for the hole was +only about eight feet square--and not a very agreeable place to be +cornered in with an enraged bear. Fortunately I had clung to my rifle, +in falling, and had also my hunting knife in my belt, so I concluded if +she was in for a struggle, not to back out of it. I saw at once the cub +had been killed in the fall, for the old bear smelt round and moaned +softly to it, and then finding it did not stir, turned it over and over +with her paw. Finding it still exhibited no signs of life, she turned +towards me with gnashing teeth and flashing eyes, and then, I must say, +I really felt cornered. You know I told you," he added apologetically, +"that I was young then; in fact not more than twenty. Well, the beast +raised herself for a spring at me, when I gave her a pair of bullets, +that made her howl; but she sprang and grasping me in her huge arms, +fastened my arms to my side so that my knife was useless in my belt, +and I was making up my mind that all was over with me, when father +halloed above, he having been drawn thither, by my calls for help, +followed by a leap into the hole, and a half dozen thrusts of his knife +into the monster's heart, relieved me from the closest embrace I hope +ever to encounter." + +"I should suppose you could have seen some signs to indicate the trap," +said Edward. + +"The Indians take good care that there are none; covering slender poles +over with a thick layer of leaves that hides effectually the abyss +beneath." + +"My brother was in danger," said the chief, laughing at his mishaps, +"but it was not equal to one of my warriors who, with me, went out once +to recover some horses the thieving Crows had driven away. We found the +horses, and starting for home had proceeded about a mile, when we +discovered a whole army of the Crows start in pursuit. Our only hope of +safety for ourselves lay in flight, and abandoning our horses for which +we had risked our lives, we went scouring through the forest at a +furious rate. The animals we rode were jaded, and those of our pursuers +fresh, and we soon saw they gained upon us, and abandoning our horses +behind a sharp curve that hid us from sight, we made them gallop away, +and then betook ourselves to trees for safety. In ten minutes after the +Crows galloped past us, leaving us safely secreted in the friendly +branches in which we had taken shelter. Shognaw had climbed a large +beech tree that stood within a few feet of the one in which I had taken +shelter. I once or twice thought I heard a growl like that uttered by +cubs, but the excitement I felt for our safety, dispelled it the next +moment. As soon as we were left alone, and the sounds of the pursuers +died away in the distance, I felt some alarm, for I knew if there were +cubs about, the old bear would dislodge us, and, in all probability, +our retreat would be discovered by some straggling Crows. At that +moment, Shognaw, calling my attention in a low tone, said, 'I have got +into a bear's hole, full of young cubs, what shall I do? for the old +one will not be away long, as she, on finding a commotion raised by the +Crows will, for her own safety, take refuge in her den.' + +"'We cannot fight her, that is certain,' said I, 'for we should then be +discovered; but, if we watch our chance, we may get away from this +spot, and find safety in some other, but we must be very cautious that +no Crows are in sight first.' + +"'I think there are none now,' he replied, not at all relishing the +idea of trespassing on the domicil of madam Bruin. + +"'Hist! there they are,' said I, as we saw a number of them come +yelling towards us, and on looking again, I discovered them in pursuit +of something which, in a few minutes, bounded from a clump of bushes +and made for the tree in which Shognaw had hid, and then to our dismay, +we saw it was the old bear pursued by the Crows. He too saw her coming, +and ascended to the topmost branches high above the hole, and well he +did, for in a moment more, she had crawled in just as the hunters came +to the foot of the tree. They were foiled of their game, and after +consulting for a moment whether it was best to cut or burn down the +tree, they concluded to burn it, as the less laborious way to dislodge +the old bear. Accordingly, they dispersed in search of fire, leaving +half their number to guard the tree while away. I saw at once that we +were caught in a trap, and that nothing but coolness and strategy could +save us. The tree in which I was, being a little out from the one they +were watching, favored my escape, which I effected by noiselessly +descending, and edging away by darting from tree to tree, until I had +attained a safe position that overlooked the spot where I feared +Shognaw would meet his doom. The fire was soon kindled, and being fed +with dry brush, soon wound and crackled up the trunk, and began to +scorch and consume the branches and leaves of the tree. I began to +think I ought to face the whole band single handed, in an attempt to +rescue the poor fellow, when I saw him swing himself down from limb to +limb, and drop to the ground in the midst of the astonished Crows, and +take to flight. For a moment they were too surprised to comprehend that +it was really a man, and a foe; but they soon recovered from the panic, +and sounding their war cry, the whole band gave chase. Shognaw took to +a river half a mile distant, and plunging in, rose among some rushes +that skirted the bank, among which he hid himself till dark, when he +made his way in safety home, which he reached before I did, for I was +looking out for him the whole night, and returned when I made up my +mind that he had at last fallen into the hands of the Crows." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-First. + +Departure of winter. Joy at the fact of knowing which way they were +travelling. Their encampment by the side of a beautiful lake. They +reach the first ranges of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Whirlwind offers +to go to Mr. Duncan's encampment and guide them through the forests. He +starts on that expedition accompanied by Cole. The children pursue +their journey. Discovery of gold. They experience great difficulties in +crossing the Sierra. Three of their horses dashed to pieces over a +precipice. Narrow escape of Jones. Discovery of singular ancient walls. +An engraved slab of granite. They reach the foot of the Sierra in +safety. Their route continued. They finally arrive at the residence of +a Spanish Curate. They consent to tarry awhile at his house. + + +Winter gradually wore away--the snow-girt hills and valleys were +divested of their mantle of gloom, and were clothed with vestments of +green, spangled with crimson, blue, and gold flowers, the perfume of +which called forth the soft hum of bees as they flew from flower to +flower, extracting the honied dews. Far from the sunny South the birds +came with their glad, cheering voices, giving forth a welcome to the +dawning spring. The winter had been long and tedious, cheered only with +the certainty that they knew which way they had to travel in order to +reach the haunts of civilization; and though they had kept the hunger +wolf at bay, their strength gradually gave out under their unhealthy +diet, and when they were ready to travel, they were in a pitiful +condition to endure its fatigues. Their horses were even worse off than +themselves. Worn with privation to skeletons, they were drooping and +spiritless; and had not the wanderers used great exertion to collect +the young grass for them, they would have perished, for they were too +languid to crop it themselves. + +Slowly at first new vigor became infused into them, and in a few weeks' +delay, and the spring rains being over, their horses gathered strength, +and they determined to proceed on their journey. Upon mature +deliberation they considered it prudent to cross the mountains to the +Pacific coast, and then send word to Mr. Duncan where they were, as +they did not deem themselves strong or well enough prepared to make the +distance back to their friends. Whirlwind heard the decision, and then +told them he thought it best that one or more of them should return to +Mr. Duncan, and as he could be spared best, offered to go, if either +Jones or Cole would guide him on the road; "for," said the chief, +"Duncan and the rest can come to you better than you can go to them, in +your present condition." + +"Always generous," said Jane, with gratitude beaming in her eye, for in +truth she felt heart-sick at the thought of placing a still greater +distance between herself and those her heart yearned to see. + +"It is nothing," said the chief. "Whirlwind would give his life, if it +would save the antelope a pang of sorrow or grief." + +"I think Duncan would as soon settle here as in Oregon, his original +destination," said the trapper; "and if we can so arrange it as to make +it safe for us, I think myself it would be a better plan, than for all +of us to proceed over the mountains, and then, when we are able, return +again." + +"In doing this," said Cole, "we can reach Mr. Duncan's camp, if still +where you left him, which I think he is, before midsummer, and then he +will be able to reach you at the nearest settlement by the time frost +again comes. I am willing to accompany the chief, while Jones can guide +you in safety over the Sierra before you." + +Selecting two of the best horses for the use of Whirlwind and Cole, +they took leave of them, charging them with a multitude of messages for +their friends, and when they started on the homeward route, they too +moved on towards the mountain before them, whose snow-crested head +loomed up among the clouds. At noon our wanderers halted at the spot +they retreated from when they went into their winter quarters, and +after resting, began to climb the rugged ascent, Jones leading the way; +and, save an occasional path beaten by the denizens of the forest, +their only landmark was the blazed trees.[14] Jones had been over the +ground before, and as his memory was very tenacious, he saved them from +much anxiety, and often from danger, as well as unnecessary fatigue. +Their progress was necessarily slow and painful, but they were still +brave at heart, and bore it in silence. At night they halted by the +side of a beautiful lake, around which the hills curved gracefully, +forming a natural basin, which held the transparent waters against the +side of the mountain. Its banks were richly covered with grass, and +shaded by aspens which, with the rugged peaks of the mountains that +towered above, gave it a sylvan appearance. + + [14] Bark cut off from trees to indicate a certain course through + the forests. It is a very common practice among the pioneers of + the West. + +Numerous flocks of ducks were seen on the surface of the lake, and some +of them contributed to the supper of the travellers, whose appetites, +sharpened by the mountain air, relished their delicious flavor. +Following down this lake the next morning for nearly half a mile, they +passed round it, and commenced the ascent of the range above them. +Innumerable springs dotted the trail on either side, while shrubs and +the earliest spring flowers hung and overrun every crevice in the rocks +around them. The scenery was wilder here than any they had met with +before in all their wanderings. Their path led them often between +stupendous, curious looking rocks, which rose on either side, narrowing +the pass so that they were obliged to travel in Indian file. It was a +singular place--the grey, smooth, rocky precipices--the strip of blue +sky far above--an open chasm, in which one would naturally expect if +anywhere, to encounter spirits and hobgoblins. Happily for our +wanderers, they were well aware they had not emigrated from the old +world, but in their place feared to encounter hostile Indians. Emerging +from this defile, they continued their course over a rocky surface, the +vegetation every moment growing more sparse, and when night came on +they were nowhere near water, and all they had to relieve their thirst +was what they found in crevices of rocks that had collected there +during the last rain. A little scanty herbage was all their horses +could find after their hard day's travel, and had they not brought a +supply of fowl from the lake where they had camped the night before, +they would have gone supperless to rest. + +At early dawn they left that inhospitable spot, and by sunrise came to +the top of the acclivity of the range. Below them lay a beautiful +valley clothed with verdure, through which flowed a considerable river, +and beyond the range of hills that skirted it on the other side, rose +the topmost snow-covered peak of the Sierra. They found the descent +into the valley far more difficult than the ascent, the trail often +leading them along a narrow footpath, the rocks rising perpendicularly +on one side, while on the other were yawning chasms a hundred feet +below, apparently ready to receive them, should they stumble, or +deviate from the rugged path before them. They made the descent in +safety, and rested themselves for the remainder of the day on the bank +of the river. On examining the stream, they found it too deep to be +forded in the usual way of riding their horses over. They built a raft, +on which they crossed, holding the horses by the halter, making them +swim by its side. + +The next morning, with a day's supply of provisions for themselves and +animals, they began the ascent of the range before them, the summit of +which they gained the next day with perfect safety, and then began the +opposite descent, camping for the night on the western side. The slope +at this point was less rugged and difficult of descent than the other, +and they encamped at its base, having made extraordinary marches the +last few days, taking into consideration the dangerous path over which +they had travelled. There was no valley here, the ground between this +range and the Sierra being a commingling of rolling hills, shady dells, +and narrow ravines, all densely covered with verdure, through which +small rivulets murmured, taking their rise at the base of the Sierra, +and wound their way through the broken surface, now in tranquil beauty, +and anon dashing in waterfalls down ledges of rocks, their clear limpid +waters lashed to a foam. Large quantities of deer, elk, antelope, and +mountain sheep, were found there, as well as wild turkeys, geese, +partridges, duck, and numerous other smaller fowls. Secure in the +mountain fastnesses the game had multiplied till it had completely +filled the whole country, and Howe declared that during all his hunting +and trapping career, he had never encountered such a variety and +quantity in so small a space of territory. + +"I cannot think it a small space," said Jones. "In my opinion, it +extends many hundred miles each way, giving game range enough." + +They were now at the foot of the last and most formidable object that +debarred them from civilization, and here they thought it prudent to +halt a few days to recruit their own as well as their animal's +strength, and prepare provision to carry with them. The second day of +the halt while they were in search of the roots of the yampa, they +found on turning up the earth that it was specked with fine particles +of gold. They were highly elated at this, for now, with a fair prospect +of freeing themselves from the wilds, it had its old intrinsic value, +and doubly valuable would it be to them, on gaining a settlement, as +not one of them had an article of clothing about them that was not made +of skins, and many in not over good repair. + +"We can save this now, I suppose," said Sidney, "that the chief is not +by with evil spirits?" + +"Certainly, as much as you like," returned the trapper. "I intend to +find some on my own account." + +"You will not find any that will equal in quantities and value, that of +the cavern in the oasis," said Edward. + +"You don't know that," returned his uncle. "I have always noticed where +gold is found in flakes, mixed with earth, that it has been washed in +ages past into its present bed, from where it originally was in a pure +state. At least such is the conclusion formed by present appearances." + +"No harm in searching for it," said Jones, who was in ecstacies at the +discovery of gold, and he began to tear up the loose earth in every +direction around him. Leaving the rest picking out the tiny flakes from +the earthy bed, Howe and Jones spent the day in examining the +localities around where they thought it most likely the ore was to be +found, but obtained only torn hands and feet for their labor, and were +glad to give up the search and return to camp. During their absence the +children had collected a great deal, sometimes finding nuggets as large +as a walnut. + +"Oh! well," said Jones, in a fretful tone, when the children displayed +their wealth before him, "I can get enough when I am over the +mountains, if I have missed it to-day." + +"As for that, we will share with you," said Jane. "You have lead us so +far out of the wilderness where, without your aid, we might have +perished. We do not forget this, and what we have to bestow, which is +very little, is at your command." + +"Well, well, there is no need of it: I tell you I have lumps of gold +over the mountains larger than I can lift. Besides, can I not get some +myself out of the earth to-morrow?" + +After a few days' sojourn here, they prepared themselves as well as +their scanty means would allow, to cross the barrier before them. All +day long they rode over the broken ground, along which the trail lay, +and at night halted far up its rugged side, where they could look down +upon the rolling valley below. Here they found the night air very cold, +and they were obliged to enclose boughs around them to break the wind +from their miserable retreat while they slept. + +Taking an early breakfast, they started on, and at night, having made a +good day's ride, reached within a short distance of the summit of the +mountain. Here they experienced much difficulty in respiration. The +vegetation also became very sparse; the ground sometimes in large +spaces being covered with piles of slate and limestone, among which, +not a shrub could take root. They often terminated in precipices making +the trail through their windings difficult and dangerous. By the aid of +large fires they spent the night very comfortably, and the next morning +determined, while still refreshed by rest, to cross the summit and make +the descent so far as would make respiration less difficult, for even +now they were at times dizzy and faint. To ride through these difficult +places was impossible, and dismounting, they passed up the narrow path +one at a time; sometimes the ascent was so glassed with ice and so +steep that they were obliged to pull themselves up by clinging with +their hands to the rocks above them. A crust of ice and snow covered +the ground, and the horses being unshod, floundered and stumbled, and +often made narrow escapes from being precipitated into the abyss below. +The poor beasts seemed to comprehend the danger, and carefully tried +the ground at every step before venturing their weight fully upon it, +and shuddering and trembling, kept as far from the edge of the +ice-bound rocks as the narrowness of the pass would allow them. The sun +shone brightly, but it created little warmth, and in the middle of June +they were suffering the rigors of winter. + +Safely they stood upon the summit of the Sierra! Away to the west a +smooth blue belt girt the horizon, while to the east a long range of +mountains rose against the sky. It was the Pacific on the west, and the +Wahsatch mountains on the east, with the broad valleys basking in a +summer sun between them, through which rivers wound their dark +serpentine lines, while away to the north-east the great desert lay, +with its white sands glittering beneath the rays that fell upon it. + +What struck them as peculiar, was numerous dark spots scattered at +intervals over the barren waste, while in the centre lay some of +immense size, clothed with dark verdure, from the midst of which rose a +mountain, looking from that distance, like a shaft against the sky. +They concluded to themselves, these must be strips of land, yet in +their wanderings they had come across but one. They did not relish the +idea of being caught in darkness on that inhospitable elevation, and +turning their steps once more into the trail, began the descent. +Greatly to their relief, they found this more even and less steep, and +descended a few hundred feet without any great exertion. They now could +breathe freer, and began to be much relieved. Ice and snow also +disappeared, and keeping on their way steadily, by night they reached a +refreshing spring, around which grass grew in abundance, and by which +they encamped for the night. Tired and weary as they were, they were +more cheerful and happy that night than they had been for months +previously, it seemed to them that the great barrier had been overcome, +and they had safely passed the last fiery ordeal they should be called +to encounter. They felt as though the night had passed, and day was +dawning on their weary and forlorn prospects. + +They were in no great hurry to be on their road the next morning, for +on awaking they found themselves sore and stiff in their limbs, and +their beasts' hoofs torn and swollen. Towards noon, however, much +refreshed, they once more started, and after proceeding on their +journey about two hours, they came to a dangerous pass--the path being +not over three feet wide, steep, and difficult of descent.[15] Directing +Sidney, Jane, and Edward ahead, Howe and Jones began the descent with +the horses; when in the most difficult place, one of the animals became +restive, and rearing, was precipitated below, dragging Jones, who had +hold of the bridle, with him. One terrible cry of distress was heard as +the horse went over the side, and then a crash on the jagged rocks, and +the noble beast was dashed to atoms two hundred feet below them. +Frightened at the plunge and cries of mortal anguish, the rest of the +horses broke, and bounded wildly down the path. Howe, seeing he could +not control them, sprang close to the wall of rock, thus saving himself +from being crowded over the abyss by the terrified beasts who, in their +headlong career, heeded nothing before them. As they came to a sharp +angle in the trail, as it wound down the mountain, the two foremost +horses, instead of turning, plunged over the side, and with a neigh of +terror, were soon crushed, like their companion, on the rocks in the +deep abyss below. The others seeing the two disappear, paused +sufficiently to avert the danger, and turning the angle, landed safely +on the table, where the children had preceded them. + + [15] Since 1840 this pass over the Sierra has been abandoned, and + one far easier and less difficult discovered twenty miles below + it. It was originally used by the Indians, as the shortest route + to the valley beyond. + +Terrified at seeing the horses without Howe and Jones, they hastened up +the mountain to where the first catastrophe had occurred, and arrived +in time to see their uncle assist Jones into the path from a jutting +rock a few feet below, where he had landed in no wise hurt, with the +exception of a few bruises. The rock that had caught him was but a few +feet broad, and it was nearer a miracle that he was not dashed to the +bottom of the abyss than we are accustomed to experience. The poor +beast was a pitiful sight to look upon, and at a glance at his mangled +body they turned sickened away. The other two had also been crushed +instantly and lay lifeless where they had fallen. Thankful for their +own escape, yet grieving for the fate of their faithful animals that +had been through so many privations with them, they encamped on the +broad table below, where they found a spring of pure water and plenty +of grass for their two remaining horses. + +The next day as they were wending their way slowly along, they came to +a range of walls so singular in their conformation as to make them +pause in their journey to examine them. On a broad table, girt in on +either side by the rocky fortresses of the Sierra, a column arose +twenty feet long and sixteen wide at the base, diminishing as it rose +to a height of thirty feet so as to leave the top eight by twelve feet +in dimensions. This column was ascended by a flight of steps, regular +and perfect in their construction. They were not long in ascertaining +this to be a work of art, and perhaps for centuries on centuries it had +stood there defying the elements, and was even now as solid and +perfect, with every block of granite in its place, as when first laid. + +"This is the work of the ancestors of the old man of Lake Superior," +said Howe, thoughtfully. + +"Perhaps the savages he told you of, whom he said inhabited the +mountains built it," returned Jane. + +"It was never built by a people destitute of the arts and sciences. +Mark the accuracy with which each stone is made to fit its place, hewn +and polished until it is as smooth as marble. Note also the cement in +which it is laid, black and hard as glass, like that in which the +temple was laid where we spent our first winter. No, no; depend upon +it, a civilized people have been here centuries before our forefathers +ever heard of this continent." + +A cry of astonishment from Edward who had ascended to the summit, +called their attention there also. Gaining the top, they found on the +centre, raised on blocks of granite, a foot from the smooth floor, a +heavy slab of granite six feet long and two wide and six inches thick, +elaborately carved on the edges, the design being entwined serpents, +the heads laying over the ends with closed mouths and open eyes. They +were represented as being scaly, and each scale was chiseled with some +strange device, all differing in shape and finish. On this slab lay a +flint, the edges sharp, hollowed into a slightly oval form, being made +into a sharp and thin scoop with the shape of a shell. By its side lay +a stone mallet perfect also in its finish. With feelings of awe they +left this memento of the unknown past, and pursued their journey. + +The rest of the descent they found comparatively easy, and they were +once more where birds sang and flowers bloomed, game roamed, and +savages prowled. Making easy journeys, in a few days they hailed with +joy a clearing which they saw was inhabited. The owner proved to be a +Creole missionary from a Spanish settlement below, who had been +stationed there to look after the spiritual welfare of the Indians, and +who received our wanderers with great kindness. When they told him who +and what they were, the benevolent curate, like a good christian, +insisted they should make his domicil their home until they heard from +their friends. This offer they gladly accepted; and in exchange for +their gold which fascinated the pious man's eyes in a wonderful degree, +they obtained some clothing, and when once more dressed in the garb of +civilization, they began to think their wanderings were indeed over. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Second. + +Return to the family of Mr. Duncan. Lewis and his father succeed in +getting back to camp. The effect the capture of the children produced +on the health of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan. Cole and the chief reach the camp +of the Arapahoes. Their surprise. They continue their course to Mr. +Duncan's camp. Joy at the news they bring. They start again for the +west. Thirty Arapahoes accompany them. They arrive at the Sierra +Nevada. + + +Having followed our wanderers through many exceedingly trying and +difficult scenes, since they became separated from the rest of the +family and were lost in the deep and dreary desert, to the hospitable +fireside of the curate beyond the Sierra Nevada where they again met +with the comforts of civilized life, we will leave them for the present +and return to the family of Mr. Duncan. The last we saw of Mr. Duncan +and Lewis was in the battle with the Crows; but they succeeded in +making their escape, and finally returned to their camp, only, however, +to convey the sorrowful intelligence of the sad fate of all who had +gone out to the rescue except himself and Lewis. This sad event +confined him to a bed of sickness from which he arose after many weeks +of suffering, with feeble and tottering steps, and locks whitened by +suffering. Grief had done what time had not--it had made him old and +grey. + +Mrs. Duncan submitted meekly to the terrible blow; but the elasticity +of her step was gone, the light from her eye, and the usual glad smile +from her lips had disappeared. Had her children sickened and died, she +could have laid them away in the grave, with the consoling thought, +that all must lay there at last. But the harassing idea of the torture +they would be subjected to, and the terrible death they must at last +suffer, if indeed they still lived, was a constant source of agony to +her. + +"If I only knew that they were dead and at rest, I would be content; +but, alas! I fear they still live!" she often said to herself, and then +the throbbings of her heart would not be still. Poor mother! her +thoughts made her life a torture of the deepest intensity. + +Lewis would not believe they were dead, and had devoted the whole time +of their absence in wandering from tribe to tribe, in his endeavors to +gain some information of them. Once he heard there were some white +persons captive in a distant Indian village, but he could not learn the +name of the tribe, or in what part of the vast western wilds they were +located. Twice he had been through to Oregon in hopes of obtaining a +clue to their whereabouts, but heartsick had returned only to sink the +already drooping spirits of his parents still lower. Mr. Duncan had +removed his family farther east, where he would be less liable to be +annoyed by hostile Indians, and there taking up his abode determined to +await until he could learn the fate of his children. + +Cole and the chief travelled with great rapidity. They were inured to +hardship from infancy, and with nothing to impede their progress, +sometimes riding, and sometimes walking, the fourth week out they came +to the Arapahoe village in the evening just as the shades of night were +drawing to the lodges, the men, women, and children who had scattered +themselves during the day through the forest. The chieftain's eye +kindled as the old familiar faces passed before him, and his breast +heaved with pride us he read in their cheerful steps and careless ways +the security and prosperity of his tribe. Cole and the chief were +standing in the shadow of a large chesnut tree, which protected them +from observation, but from which they saw all that was passing in the +village without being seen. Gradually the Arapahoes seated themselves +on the bank of a small stream in little groups, and then the chief saw +who it was that had succeeded him in command--it was his best +friend--the brave and good Eagle. + +"Stay here, till I return," whispered the chief to Cole, and then +folding his arms over his brawny chest, he walked with a proud step +into their midst. Every tongue seemed to be paralyzed, every limb +nerveless, as they, with horror depicted on their swarthy faces, saw +him approaching. + +At last one old man slowly arose and stretching his long bony hand +toward him, said--"Does not our chief rest well in the spirit land, +that he comes back to his people again? or does he come to warn us of +danger?" + +"The Arapahoes have forgotten their chief," said Whirlwind, bitterly. + +"No, no: not forgotten him!" cried a young girl--his sister--bounding +into the circle, and throwing herself, into his arms. + +"The Singing-Bird does not forget," said the chief, holding her tightly +in his embrace. + +"We did not forget, but thought you dead!" they all cried, after fairly +recovering from their panic. The Eagle was one of the first to give him +a hearty welcome back, and as he did so, he laid his plume on the +returned chieftain's head--thus resigning his title and authority. + +"No, keep it yet for awhile," returned Whirlwind, "I must leave you for +a time." He then explained the disasters that had befallen them, and, +finally, his self-imposed duty in uniting the severed family. + +The Indians never do a generous act by piecemeal. They are either warm +friends or bitter enemies, knowing no medium between the two. They will +lay down their lives to serve a friend, and murder a friend's enemy for +the same reason, although they have never seen him before, and +personally have no animosity towards him. The Arapahoes applauded the +noble design of their chief, and furnished fresh horses to him and +Cole, with which to accomplish the distance to the frontier, where Mr. +Duncan and his companions were. + +Mr. Duncan and family were seating themselves at their evening meal, as +the two horseman halted at the door. A glance was sufficient to tell +them one was a stranger, and the other--could it be?--was the Arapahoe +chief, who was taken captive with his lost ones! They all with one +impulse started for the door, but Mrs. Duncan, too overcome with +anxiety, stood trembling, pale and speechless, leaning on a chair, from +which she had just arisen. Mr. Duncan reached the door, but the words +he would have spoken died on his lips, as Lewis bounded past him, and +grasping the chiefs arm convulsively, cried--"Do _they_ live!--speak, +if you would not see _them_ die!" pointing to his father and mother--"do +they live?" + +"All live!" said the chief; and as the words fell from his lips, a cry +of joy and gladness resounded from the chastened hearts of the family. +The certainty that the lost ones still lived, though they yet knew not +where nor under what circumstances, roused their enervated energies, +nerved their limbs and called back the healthful flush to the cheek, +and the light of joy to their eyes. + +"To be sure they are well," said Cole to their inquiries, "and we have +come all the way from the Sierra Nevada mountains to bring you the +news, and take you to them." + +"Yes, yes; we will go. To-morrow we will be on the road to see them," +said Mrs. Duncan. + +"Not so fast as that," returned Cole; "I lost all my traps by the +red-skins, and must collect some more. Besides, you need more +preparation than could be made in that time, or you will fall into +savage hands the second time." + +"Let it be a week, then; we can be ready in that time," said Mr. +Duncan. Their wanderings were recounted by Whirlwind, and when he had +concluded, Mrs. Duncan's joy was nearly turned to sorrow, for fear they +had not escaped the dangers of the Sierra. Accordingly, their +arrangements were made to set out after a week's preparation. Mr. +Duncan's equipments being nearly the same as those with which he had +started two years before, when his journey was so unfortunately +interrupted. Their destination now was somewhat different than what it +was then; their only object being to recover their lost children. Cole +had given such glowing descriptions of the country west of the Sierra +that they thought it probable they should settle there; still, this was +a minor consideration with them. + +They reached the Arapahoe village in safety, where they found thirty of +their warriors ready to accompany them as a guard. Their love and +devotion to their chief prompted them to this disinterested act. They +were all well mounted on half-tamed prairie horses,--their swarthy +forms fantastically painted, and their heads and tunics adorned with +shells, beads, and feathers, which gave them a wild, grotesque, but not +unbecoming appearance. This was their gala costume, prepared after the +most approved Indian style, and France never looked upon her sovereign +with more pride when decked in his costliest regal vestments, than this +tribe of savages did upon these thirty warriors, that the whole village +had been laid under contribution to decorate in befitting pomp for this +occasion. It is unnecessary to follow them minutely as they progressed +in their journey. Suffice it that their guard protected them from the +depredations of other Indians, and at the same time kept them supplied +with meat and fish in abundance, cleared the path when obstructed, and +daily rendered invaluable service to the emigrants. On reaching the +Sierra, they were shown another pass by some Indians they met with, +which was less dangerous, although farther over, and quite as toilsome +in crossing. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Third. + +The Curate has become much attached to the Wanderers. Arrival of Mr. +and Mrs. Duncan's family, accompanied by a number of Arapahoes. +Whirlwind demands Jane in marriage. Duncan's feeling in the matter. +Jane refuses and the Indians take their departure. The curate gives an +account of the discoveries he made of a singular road, city, pyramid. +The marriage of Jane and Sidney. Prosperous condition of Mr. Duncan's +family. The lapse of twelve years. Change of their condition. Age +whitens their locks. Conclusion. + + +We will go back again to the Pacific valley. The good curate had formed +a strong attachment to our wanderers who had been so unceremoniously +thrown upon his hospitality, and he held out such strong inducements +for them to settle permanently there that Howe had taken some land, and +by the aid of Indians whom the curate had partially civilized and +taught to labor, cleared a few acres and built thereon a neat and +convenient house for the reception of Mr. Duncan, whose arrival he was +expecting daily. + +Not long after this was completed, as they were all assembled on the +porch, a troop of wild looking horsemen emerged from the forest, and +galloped towards the house. + +"It is a party out on a hunt," said the curate, "we have nothing to +fear from them. They will no doubt give us a call, and then hasten away +to the forest again." + +Howe had been looking intently towards them from the first moment they +came in sight, as if in doubts as to who and what they were. The +approaching Indian's vision was keener than Howe's, for recognizing the +trapper, Whirlwind's joyous shout rang in the air in a prolonged "_tu +tu-la-la-lah_!" + +"The chief! it is the chief!" cried Howe, recognizing the sound, "he +has come to bring us joyful tidings." + +"May it be so for your sakes," returned the curate, with apparent joy. + +Approaching with their panting horses, the Indians were dismounted the +next moment, and shaking hands with the little group; but, when the +chief came to Jane, he caught her in his arms and gazed wistfully in +her clear blue eyes. + +"They are all safe and close at hand," said he speaking rapidly, +anticipating her inquiry, "and I have come to claim the antelope. Will +she not now go with her chief?" + +"I cannot tell you yet; my mother! father! let me see them," cried the +bewildered girl. + +"They will be here very soon. The hill yonder is all that now hides +them from view," replied the chief, releasing her from his embrace. + +"We will go to meet them," said Sidney who, in gratitude to the chief +for safely conducting his more than father and mother over the dreary +wilds, forgot to evince jealousy at the embrace to which the chief had +so unceremoniously treated himself. + +"Yes, yes; let us go to meet them," responded Jane, eagerly. + +"The white mother longs for her children," said the chief; "you shall +go to meet her. The antelope can ride,--will you?" he continued, +pointing to his horse, and before she had time to speak he caught her +in his arms, and with the agility of a chamois, sprang on the horse's +back, placing the half terrified girl before him, and then galloped +away to the forest in the direction whence he came, with the rest, +including the curate, following after them. Turning the curve of the +hill, they came suddenly upon the emigrants, who at sight of their +children, uttered an exclamation of joy, and ran forward, catching Jane +who was the first to come up, from the chief's arms, and who, with a +glad cry, sprang to meet a long embrace from her father and mother. + +"Mother! father! Jane!" was all they could say, for their hearts were +too full to speak. + +"I come! father! mother--I come!" cried Edward, rushing into their +arms, which were glad to hold him there again. + +"Oh, God! I thank _Thee_, that _Thou_ hast restored me these lost +ones!" cried the mother fervently, still holding her recovered children +in her arms. + +"Amen!" responded the curate, gently. + +"Joy, for your arrival--joy for our escape and re-union," cried Sidney, +returning the warm embrace with which he was greeted. + +"These children make children of us," said Howe, shaking Mr. and Mrs. +Duncan by the hand, while endeavoring to keep his joy at again seeing +them in becoming bounds, for the children's volubility was becoming +contagious. + +Lewis, Martin, Annie, and Benjamin were not behind the rest in their +greeting. Indeed they were extravagant in their joy. + +The emigrants were now conducted to the dwelling prepared for them, +which gave them a pleasant surprise, for they had not anticipated +finding a house awaiting their arrival. The baggage was soon placed in +it, and by nightfall they were fairly domiciled in their new home. +Tired of being unsettled, Mr. Duncan, on examining the locality around +him, determined to make himself a permanent home, much to the +gratification of the curate, whose choice of society had been hitherto +necessarily limited, as there were but few settlers within twenty miles +of his station. Jones and Cole refused to take up their abode there. +Visions of gold mines constantly haunted them, and after a week's delay +they departed for their hidden treasure. + +The chief now became impatient to return, and to the astonishment of +all, and great indignation of Sidney, formally demanded of Mr. Duncan +that he should give authority for him to marry Jane, in order that he +might be on his journey back to his people. This demand was so +extraordinary that the father did not know what to do, and sought Howe, +to see if he could throw any light on this singular freak of the chief. +A shade of sorrow settled on the brow of the trapper when Mr. Duncan +told him his errand. "The chief," he remarked, "has been making love in +his fashion to Jane ever since we have been away, greatly to the +annoyance of Sidney, who looks upon her as if he thought no one had a +right to make love to her but himself." + +"How is it with Jane?" asked Mr. Duncan, anxiously. + +"If I am not greatly deceived, she prefers the chief to Sidney. I am +not certain of it, however. She was too guarded in her looks for me to +ascertain positively." + +"This is strange! What am I to do?" + +"Not strange at all, Duncan," returned the trapper. "Do what is right, +and all will be well enough." + +"The question then is, what is right?" + +"Not a hard one, by any means, to answer. If she prefers him, and he +will abandon his savage habits, live and be civilized like other +people, let her take him by all means. He is a noble, generous fellow, +and we are under great obligations to him, and common gratitude demands +from us any consistent return." + +"But this mixing of the races!--I must acknowledge I can but feel a +repugnance to it; but we will see what Jane says, and leave it all to +her." + +On approaching, they found her in earnest conversation with the chief, +and as they came up, they heard her say--"Do not ask me to leave them; +I feel as if a separation from all my kindred would be fatal to my +happiness. Your people are strangers to me; and though they would +undoubtedly, as you say, be kind to me, yet it would not be like my own +people. Their ways are not like ours; and though I could not live among +them, you could with ours." + +"Whirlwind was cradled in the forest, and he is not a child to die in a +white man's wigwam," returned the chief. "If the antelope will not go +with him to his people, he must leave her;" and though the words were +slow and measured as they fell from his lips, his chest heaved +convulsively, and his eye was bent with intense light on her, as if he +would read the secret workings of her soul. + +"Oh, I cannot, cannot go!" she said, extending her clasped hands +appealingly, as she raised her eyes towards him. + +"Because you do not love as I do," said he, clasping her in a long and +close embrace, then releasing her with a single bitterly uttered +"Farewell! we may never meet again," bounded away, leaving the poor +girl alone to ponder on the strange conduct of the chief. + +"She is better alone," said Howe, "let us away," and retreating, they +found the Arapahoes in commotion, and before they could rightly +comprehended the meaning of what had transpired, they formed into a +body, each one holding his horse by the halter, and at a signal from +the chief, were firmly mounted on their steeds. Waving their adieu to +their host, they were out of sight before Mr. Duncan and Howe were +conscious of their design. + +"Poor fellow," said the trapper, "he has carried away a sad heart--an +inadequate return, indeed, for all he has done for us." + +"I would willingly have had it otherwise, but it seems they were both +too strongly attached to customs and kindred among which they were born +and which have become a part of their being, to give them up for each +other." + +"Well, well," said Howe, "I have little faith in broken hearts; at +least what I have had was never strengthened by observation or +experience. It is all for the best, I suppose, but I liked the chief, +and feel as though I had parted from a brother." + +While assembled together in a group a few evenings after, of which the +curate occupied a prominent position, our wanderers had been recounting +some of the wonders they had seen, among which Mr. Duncan related to +the curate the story of the Old Man of Lake Superior, and Howe gave +them a description of the ruins among the mountains. The curate +listened silently, but, evidently, with great interest to the recital +until its conclusion. He then commenced telling what he had seen: + +"Last summer I was in Nacogdoches, an inland village of Texas, and +while transacting some business that had called me thither, I +incidentally heard a curious road spoken of, and much speculation was +entertained as to who could have been the builders. 'It never was built +by the Mexicans,' said one, who seemed both learned and gentlemanly, +'for had it been some record would have survived, and I am confident +there is none, for I have made the early annals of the country my sole +study for years, and must have found a record or something to throw +light upon such a costly and stupendous undertaking had it been built +by them.' This was enough to arouse my curiosity, for I had already +seen works of art still perfect, that were known to be older than any +erected by the inhabitants of this continent at the time of the +conquest; and, joining the group of gentlemen, learned that the road +referred to was a broad paved avenue leading west, and was said to +extend many hundred miles: so far indeed into the wilderness that its +termination was unknown. Rumor said it terminated at the Pacific Ocean. +My resolution was at once taken. I determined to return to the Pacific +valley by this route, for if there was such a road it would be +conferring an incalculable benefit on travellers to explore it. My +business completed, in company with four others, one of them being Don +Quavale, an amateur antiquarian, with his servant, Jose, and a man by +the name of Campbell, we set out. I had a servant, Diego, the same who +you see here every day. It was a small party for such an adventure, but +we were not aware of the dangers that lay before us, and we entered the +wilderness with light hearts." + +"You followed it up, then?" said Howe; "bravo! you priests have nerve +as well as kind words, it seems." + +"Yes: we followed it up," replied the curate, quietly. "Light hearted +and eager to explore the whole extent of this stupendous monument of a +lost people, we entered the wilderness, and soon struck the object of +our search. We examined it closely and found it about eighty feet wide +and paved with granite in slabs twenty feet long and ten wide, and were +evidently of great thickness. The whole road was covered with a soil, +made up of decayed leaves and branches sometimes, more than a foot in +thickness. Still we were enabled to follow the road without the +slightest difficulty, as it would not support a large growth of trees, +for the blocks of granite were so closely fitted against each other +that it precluded the possibility of their taking root between them. +Consequently they ran along the surface, and as soon as the branches +attained any large size the wind overturned them, leaving a broad +avenue through the tall forest trees. We followed this road through the +day; sometimes the ground had been raised, as was plainly visible from +the low lands on either side; then again it went through hills that had +been excavated, as they rose on either side in their original height, +giving the road the appearance of a broad defile between them. Towards +sunset of the fourth day we came to a cluster of what we at first +thought to be rocks overgrown with shrubs and moss, but which, on a +closer view, proved to be a large building in ruins. Removing the +accumulated soil we found it still perfect in some of its parts. One of +its doors in particular had its lintel of granite on which rested a +huge mass of fallen stone without displacing it. Passing inside this +door we entered a room perfect in all its proportions, being about +twenty feet square; but what excited us still more than the discovery +of the ruins was some beautiful hieroglyphics carved on one side of the +room directly beneath a human figure cut in relief and curiously +decorated, holding a sceptre in its hand. + +"Observing a curious knob in one side of the room, Don Quavale took +hold of it roughly to see if it was a part of the wall, when to our +astonishment it clicked heavily, and an unseen door slowly swung open +revealing an inner room of the same size as the first, but different in +appearance. Having been kept closed and, as near as we could tell, +air-tight, it was still in its original appearance. The floor which was +entirely destitute of rubbish, was of beautiful white marble, smooth +and even as glass, while the sides were covered with paintings drawn on +the wall of the size of life, the colors still vivid and beautiful. The +characters drawn were men, birds and fishes, and sometimes a +nondescript animal--half eagle and half man--a perfect monster in +appearance. Overhead was a representation of the sun, the rays +emanating from the centre in flashing colors covered the surface and +finally died away in the softest possible tints of rose color. A more +perfect representation of the sun I never beheld, and as we gazed upon +it, it seemed as if we were contemplating some beautiful creation of an +artist of our own day rather than the remains of a people of whom we +know not even the name." + +"What you have seen, exceeds in finish our discoveries," said Howe. + +"Yes: we found there stranger things still," continued the curate. +"Ranged around three sides of the room, at regular intervals, were +knobs like the one on the door by which we entered, and on pressing one +with considerable force it slowly opened, and within we discovered a +small, low niche in which lay a corpse as perfect as if just deposited +there. It was that of a young woman with symmetrical form, dimpled +cheeks and flowing hair, decorated in rich habiliments of gorgeous +dyes, her waist encircled by a zone of diamonds, and her arms with +bracelets of precious stones. Wonder stricken at what we saw we gazed +in silence upon her, and while we gazed the body slowly crumbled away +and in half an hour it had dissolved in air leaving but a handful of +dust and the glittering gems that had decked her a bride of death, to +mark the spot where she lay. Turning another knob another door opened +like the previous ones, and in a niche before us lay a warrior in the +prime of manhood. He was very tall and muscular, a perfect Hercules in +proportions, with a broad, massive forehead and prominent features. He +was attired in a sort of uniform of curious workmanship. This +apparition vanished quicker than the other, owing probably, to the room +being better filled with fresh air. We had, without doubt, lighted on a +mausoleum of the lost people; and wishing to preserve the rest of the +niches for scientific investigation, we did not open any more. With +reverence we left the bodies of the builders of these ruins to their +repose. + +"Proceeding onward we came, in two more days, to a high table land, on +which was a place known as Gran Quivira. It is now in ruins, but bears +the appearance of once having been a large populous city, regularly +laid out in streets at right angles. The city is about three miles +long, running from north-east, to north-west, and nearly a mile in +breadth. It is built of stone hewn and accurately fitted together. Some +of the houses are still standing, though the greater part of them are +thrown down. Entering one of these which exhibited signs of original +magnificence amidst the crumbling ruins around it, we found ourselves +in a capacious hall, the walls of which were covered with paintings of +which a faint tinge of distinct coloring was visible, but as the +figures had been cut in the wall before being colored they were easily +defined, and were similar to those we had found in the mausoleum two +days before. This room was so filled with rubbish, among which were the +dried bones and decayed carcasses of animals, that we were on the point +of quitting the disagreeable vicinity, when Campbell called our +attention to a stairway that descended to some place below. Descending +the steps with care--for the slabs of granite which composed them were +loosened and seemed ready to tumble down--we found ourselves in a room +entirely empty about eighteen feet square, the walls of which were +covered with figures in bas-relief and colored elaborately, the tints +being still vivid and quite fresh. + +"We discovered on examination that we were on a level with the street, +and that time had accumulated a soil to the depth of many feet, hiding +the exterior of what had been, originally, the first floor, from view. +This room was also strewn with rubbish, but we saw enough of it to +suppose that the structure had been an imposing one when in the +possession of its builders. Leaving this structure, we followed some +fallen and shapeless masses of ruins until we came to a range of hills, +where we found a curious opening in them, which we soon ascertained to +be artificial, with the rock hewn away so as to give free egress from +within. Providing ourselves with torches, we penetrated this cavern, +and discovered it to be an ancient mine, with the implements of the +miners scattered around, as if the artisans had been suddenly +interrupted in their labors. There were crowbars quite like our own, +though not of iron, chisels, hammers, and a kind of axe more wieldy +than ours, but not unlike it. These implements of mining were black, +and all of the same kind of metal, but what metal it was, we could not +determine. We found also here vessels of pottery, beautiful in shape +and highly colored.[16] + + [16] Since the above was written, a gentleman who became + acquainted with the above facts from the Curate, visited the spot + and made other discoveries of importance, which he communicated + to the Maryland Historical Society in an important document, to + which the reader is referred. + +"Returning from the hills, we came to a large building, which must have +been five or six stories high, of which half of the walls were thrown +down. On clambering over the blocks of granite, we found, by what +remained that it had been a guard-house, as there were port-holes in +the walls which were four feet in thickness. This building, like the +others we had seen, was made of hewn stone, smoothly cut and fitted +together without any cement. Indeed they needed none, for the thinnest +knife-blade could not have been inserted between them. To the north of +this guard-house we found a reservoir in the form of an ellipse, its +axis one hundred and fifty yards in length, its breadth at least one +hundred, and its depth about fifty feet, paved at the bottom, and built +up at the sides with hewn stone. At the northern side an aqueduct +entered it, and this we followed a long way, but not finding where it +terminated, and being too fatigued to pursue it farther, we +returned.[17] The width of this channel is about twelve feet, and ten in +depth, finished at the bottom and the sides like the reservoir. +Continuing our journey, we followed the road which led us a little +north of west. We often saw Indians entirely nude who fled from us, and +as we took the precaution of getting out of their vicinity as soon as +our horses could carry us, we were not molested by them. We saw nothing +further of interest, until we struck the desert through which the road +lay, and, for the first time, we found it difficult to follow, as the +desert was without vegetation, the dry sand covering the whole extent +for miles around, with an arid and even surface. We should, in all +probability, have lost ourselves in that trackless waste, had there not +been huge shapeless piles of stone at intervals, and we soon found that +on digging down near these, we came to the paved road, and that on +removing the sand from around one of these piles of stone, we came upon +unmistakable evidences that they had once formed a building in all +probability to refresh travellers while journeying over this barren +waste. + + [17] Within a year past the aqueduct has been traced forty miles, + terminating at the banks of a beautiful stream, which now empties + its waters into the Pecos, the mouth of the aqueduct being + blocked up. + +"Keeping in the track as near as possible, we came to the Colorado, and +crossing over on a raft we made for the purpose, we saw on the western +side, rising from the plain at a considerable distance, a curious +shaft, and we soon found that the road ran by it. It must have been six +or eight miles from the Colorado, for we rode two hours before coming +to it, and when we did our astonishment was overwhelming to find a +pyramid rising one hundred and twenty feet from its base. It was level +at the top, and about fifty feet square, and afforded an easy ascent on +the opposite side from which it leaned. This pyramid projected ten +degrees from the perpendicular. I am inclined to think it was not built +in that position, but has been thrown out of an erect construction by +some convulsion of nature which, at the same time, displaced and threw +down the top. This conclusion we arrived at unanimously on examining +the structure, and a mass of fallen stone that lay at the base on the +side towards which it leaned. These were in a pile, shelving from the +pyramid, looking as though but lately fallen from above. If we were +right in our conclusion, the structure must have been one hundred and +fifty feet high. The sand had accumulated about its base to a great +depth, a fact we ascertained by digging it away a few feet. To lay bare +the shaft to the base was a greater task than we were able to +accomplish, and we left it to be more thoroughly explored by some +future antiquarian.[18] + + [18] Early in the year 1853, a party of California explorers came + across this same pyramid, but as they were not prepared to + investigate it nothing new was elicited. + +"It is impossible to describe the sensation we felt in standing before +this monument of the past--this proof of a once strong and powerful +people, who erected the structure. We knew that no European had ever +gazed on it before, and we almost expected to see the builders, +indignant at our intrusion, start up from the desert around, and drive +us from their shrines. Pursuing our journey, we found the road dotted +on either side, at intervals, with evidences of a once civilized +people; but nearly every vestige of peculiar interest about them had +been destroyed by time, save the bare blocks of granite, cut into +various forms to please the mysterious builders, all, all was gone! and +desolation had made their pleasant places her abode." + +Twelve years have passed since Mr. Duncan and his family settled on the +California coast of the Pacific; and, in conclusion, let us look in +once more upon them and witness their prosperous condition. + +In a neat and tastily arranged cottage sits a woman in the prime of +matronly beauty, with love and happiness beaming from her soft blue +eyes, as they wander in gratified pride from a fine boy some eight +years old, who stands at her side, to a man who sits reading by a +window that overlooks the beautiful landscape. This is the home of +Sidney and Jane, and they are now enjoying a life of contentment that +cannot fail to encircle their lives with a halo of bliss which gold can +never buy. They never recrossed the Sierra in search of the riches that +still lie buried in the mountains and desert, for the mere mention of +them, vividly recalls the recollection of the terrible sufferings they +endured in their wanderings through the wilds of the west. The rest of +Mr. Duncan's children are also happily settled near them, while the +trapper is an inhabitant of each cottage and the forest alternately, as +inclination dictates, and is supposed to be the most contented man in +the Pacific valley. + +We said that twelve years had elapsed since our wanderers reached the +Pacific Valley--that is a short period of time, yet it is long enough +for events to transpire whose influences shall be felt for centuries to +come; long enough to develop the strength and resources of a continent. +Great is the change which civilization has made in that portion of the +west. The broad and almost interminable forests have yielded to the +woodman's axe; the streams and rivers, and even old Ocean itself, have +become transformed into channels of commerce and trade, and bear upon +their bosoms the auxiliaries of progress and science. The mountains and +valleys, where once nothing but the wild shouts of untutored savages +and the howls of beasts of prey broke the stillness of the dismal +solitude, are now vocal with the voice and bustle of civilization, as +in giant strides science and art triumph over the rough barriers, and +open avenues for the advancement of moral reform. + +The changes have been equally advantageous to the prosperity of Mr. +Duncan, whose evening of life is surrounded with ease and wealth, while +peace and the love of his children render those years the most blissful +of an eventful lifetime. Everywhere throughout the Pacific border of +the Sierra Nevada, the indomitable spirit of enterprise and the +unchecked perseverance of Americanism are busy at work, and the _golden +results_ bid fair, in a few years to convert that auriferous region +into a granary of wealth and agricultural prosperity. + + +THE END. + + + + +STANDARD AND POPULAR BOOKS + +PUBLISHED BY + +PORTER & COATES, PHILADELPHIA, PA + + +WAVERLEY NOVELS. By SIR WALTER SCOTT. + +*Waverley. +*Guy Mannering. +The Antiquary. +Rob Roy. +Black Dwarf; and Old Mortality. +The Heart of Mid-Lothian. +The Bride of Lammermoor; and A Legend of Montrose. +*Ivanhoe. +The Monastery. +The Abbott. +Kenilworth. +The Pirate. +The Fortunes of Nigel. +Peveril of the Peak. +Quentin Durward. +St. Ronan's Well. +Redgauntlet. +The Betrothed; and The Talisman. +Woodstock. +The Fair Maid of Perth. +Anne of Geierstein. +Count Robert of Paris; and Castle Dangerous. +Chronicles of the Canongate. + +Household Edition. 23 vols. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and +gold, per vol., $1.00; sheep, marbled edges, per vol., $1.50; half +calf, gilt, marbled edges, per vol., $3.00. Sold separately in cloth +binding only. + +Universe Edition. 25 vols. Printed on thin paper, and containing one +illustration to the volume. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, per +vol., 75 cts. + +World Edition. 12 vols. Thick 12mo. (Sold in sets only.) Cloth, extra, +black and gold, $18.00; half imt. Russia, marbled edges, $24.00. + + This is the best edition for the library or for general use + published. Its convenient size, the extreme legibility of the type, + which is larger than is used in any other 12mo. edition, either + English or American. + + +TALES OF A GRANDFATHER. By SIR WALTER SCOTT, Bart., 4 vols. Uniform +with the Waverley Novels. + +Household Edition. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, per +vol., $1.00; sheep, marbled edges, per vol., $1.50; half calf, gilt, +marbled edges, per vol., $3.00. + + This edition contains the Fourth Series--Tales from French + history--and is the only complete edition published in this + country. + + +CHARLES DICKENS' COMPLETE WORKS. Author's Edition. 14 vols., with a +portrait of the author on steel, and eight illustrations by F. O. C. +Darley, Cruikshank, Fildes, Eytinge, and others, in each volume. 12mo. +Cloth, extra, black and gold, per vol., $1.00; sheep, marbled edges, +per vol., $1.50; half imt. 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Large clear type. Beautifully illustrated +with 8 engravings on wood. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, $1.00. + +Alta Edition. One illustration, 75 cents. + + "Dickens as a novelist and prose poet is to be classed in the front + rank of the noble company to which he belongs. He has revived the + novel of genuine practical life, as it existed in the works of + Fielding, Smollett, and Goldsmith; but at the same time has given + to his material an individual coloring and expression peculiarly + his own. His characters, like those of his great exemplars, + constitute a world of their own, whose truth to nature every reader + instinctively recognizes in connection with their truth to + darkness."--_E. P. Whipple_. + + +MACAULAY'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. From the accession of James II. By +THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY. With a steel portrait of the author. Printed +from new electrotype plates from the last English Edition. Being by far +the most correct edition in the American market. 5 volumes, 12mo. +Cloth, extra, black and gold, per set, $5.00; sheep, marbled edges, per +set, $7.50; half imitation Russia, $7.50; half calf, gilt, marbled +edges, per set, $15.00. + +Popular Edition. 5 vols., cloth, plain, $5.00. + +8vo. Edition. 5 volumes in one, with portrait. Cloth, extra, black and +gold, $3.00; sheep, marbled edges, $3.50. + + +MARTINEAU'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. From the beginning of the 19th Century +to the Crimean War, By HARRIET MARTINEAU. Complete in 4 vols., with +full Index. Cloth, extra, black and gold, per set, $4.00; sheep, +marbled edges, $6.00; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, $12.00. + + +HUME'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. From the invasion of Julius Caesar to the +abdication of James II, 1688. By DAVID HUME. Standard Edition. With the +author's last corrections and improvements; to which is prefixed a +short account of his life, written by himself. With a portrait on +steel. A new edition from entirely new stereotype plates. 5 vols., +12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, per set, $5.00; sheep, marbled +edges, per set, $7.50; half imitation Russia, $7.50; half calf, gilt, +marbled edges, per set, $15.00. + +Popular Edition. 5 vols. Cloth, plain, $5.00. + + +GIBBON'S DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. By EDWARD GIBBON. With +Notes, by Rev. H. H. MILMAN. Standard Edition. To which is added a +complete Index of the work. A new edition from entirely new stereotype +plates. With portrait on steel. 5 vols., 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and +gold, per set, $5.00; sheep, marbled edges, per set, $7.50; half +imitation Russia, $7.50; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, per set, +$15.00. + +Popular Edition. 5 vols. Cloth, plain, $5.00. + + +ENGLAND, PICTURESQUE AND DESCRIPTIVE. By JOEL COOK, author of "A +Holiday Tour in Europe," etc. With 487 finely engraved illustrations, +descriptive of the most famous and attractive places, as well as of the +historic scenes and rural life of England and Wales. With Mr. Cook's +admirable descriptions of the places and the country, and the splendid +illustrations, this is the most valuable and attractive book of the +season, and the sale will doubtless be very large. 4to. Cloth, extra, +gilt side and edges, $7.50; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, $10.00; +half morocco, full gilt edges, $10.00; full Turkey morocco, gilt edges, +$15.00; tree calf, gilt edges, $18.00. + + This work, which is prepared in elegant style, and profusely + illustrated, is a comprehensive description of England and Wales, + arranged in convenient form for the tourist, and at the same time + providing an illustrated guide-book to a country which Americans + always view with interest. There are few satisfactory works about + this land which is so generously gifted by Nature and so full of + memorials of the past. Such books as there are, either cover a few + counties or are devoted to special localities, or are merely + guidebooks. The present work is believed to be the first attempt to + give in attractive form a description of the stately homes, + renowned castles, ivy-clad ruins of abbeys, churches, and ancient + fortresses, delicious scenery, rock-bound coasts, and celebrated + places of England and Wales. It is written by an author fully + competent from travel and reading, and in position to properly + describe his very interesting subject; and the artist's pencil has + been called into requisition to graphically illustrate its + well-written pages. There are 487 illustrations, prepared in the + highest style of the engraver's art, while the book itself is one + of the most attractive ever presented to the American public. + + Its method of construction is systematic, following the most + convenient routes taken by tourists, and the letter-press includes + enough of the history and legend of each of the places described to + make the story highly interesting. Its pages fairly overflow with + picture and description, telling of everything attractive that is + presented by England and Wales. Executed in the highest style of + the printer's and engraver's art, "England, Picturesque and + Descriptive," is one of the best American books of the year. + + +HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA. By the COMTE DE PARIS. With Maps +faithfully Engraved from the Originals, and Printed in Three Colors. +8vo. Cloth, per volume, $3.50; red cloth, extra, Roxburgh style, uncut +edges, $3.50; sheep, library style, $4.50; half Turkey morocco, $6.00. +Vols. I, II, and III now ready. + + The third volume embraces, without abridgment, the fifth and sixth + volumes of the French edition, and covers one of the most + interesting as well as the most anxious periods of the war, + describing the operations of the Army of the Potomac in the East, + and the Army of the Cumberland and Tennessee in the West. + + It contains full accounts of the battle of Chancellorsville, the + attack, the monitors on Fort Sumter, the sieges and fall of + Vicksburg and Port Hudson; the battles of Port Gibson and + Champion's Hill, and the fullest and most authentic account of the + battle of Gettysburg ever written. + + * * * * * + + "The head of the Orleans family has put pen to paper with excellent + result.... Our present impression is that it will form by far the + best history of the American war."--_Athenaeum, London._ + + * * * * * + + "We advise all Americans to read it carefully, and judge for + themselves if 'the future historian of our war,' of whom we have + heard so much, be not already arrived in the Comte de + Paris."--_Nation, New York._ + + * * * * * + + "This is incomparably the best account of our great second + revolution that has yet been even attempted. It is so calm, so + dispassionate, so accurate in detail, and at the same time so + philosophical in general, that its reader counts confidently on + finding the complete work thoroughly satisfactory."--_Evening + Bulletin, Philadelphia._ + + * * * * * + + "The work expresses the calm, deliberate judgment of an experienced + military observer and a highly intelligent man. Many of its + statements will excite discussion, but we much mistake if it does + not take high and permanent rank among the standard histories of + the civil war. Indeed that place has been assigned it by the most + competent critics both of this country and abroad."--_Times, + Cincinnati._ + + * * * * * + + "Messrs. Porter & Coates, of Philadelphia, will publish in a few + days the authorized translation of the new volume of the Comte de + Paris' History of Our Civil War. The two volumes in French--the + fifth and sixth--are bound together in the translation in one + volume. Our readers already know, through a table of contents of + these volumes, published in the cable columns of the _Herald_, + the period covered by this new installment of a work remarkable in + several ways. It includes the most important and decisive period of + the war, and the two great campaigns of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. + + "The great civil war has had no better, no abler historian than the + French Prince who, emulating the example of Lafayette, took part in + this new struggle for freedom, and who now writes of events, in + many of which he participated, as an accomplished officer, and one + who, by his independent position, his high character and eminent + talents, was placed in circumstances and relations which gave him + almost unequalled opportunities to gain correct information and + form impartial judgments. + + "The new installment of a work which has already become a classic + will be read with increased interest by Americans because of the + importance of the period it covers and the stirring events it + describes. In advance of a careful review we present to-day some + extracts from the advance sheets sent us by Messrs. Porter & + Coates, which will give our readers a foretaste of chapters which + bring back to memory so many half-forgotten and not a few hitherto + unvalued details of a time which Americans of this generation at + least cannot read of without a fresh thrill of excitement." + + +HALF-HOURS WITH THE BEST AUTHORS. With short Biographical and Critical +Notes. By CHARLES KNIGHT. + +New Household Edition. With six portraits on steel. 3 vols., thick +12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, per set, $4.50; half imt. Russia, +marbled edges, $6.00; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, $12.00. + +Library Edition. Printed on fine laid and tinted paper. With +twenty-four portraits on steel. 6 vols., 12mo. Cloth, extra, per set, +$7.50; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, per set, $18.00; half Russia, +gilt top, $21.00; full French morocco, limp, per set, $12.00; full +smooth Russia, limp, round corners, in Russia case, per set, $25.00; +full seal grained Russia, limp, round corners, in Russia case to match, +$25.00. + + The excellent idea of the editor of these choice volumes has been + most admirably carried out, as will be seen by the list of authors + upon all subjects. Selecting some choice passages of the best + standard authors, each of sufficient length to occupy half an hour + in its perusal, there is here food for thought for every day in the + year: so that if the purchaser will devote but one-half hour each + day to its appropriate selection he will read through these six + volumes in one year, and in such a leisurely manner that the + noblest thoughts of many of the greatest minds will be firmly in + his mind forever. For every Sunday there is a suitable selection + from some of the most eminent writers in sacred literature. We + venture to say if the editor's idea is carried out the reader will + possess more and better knowledge of the English classics at the + end of the year than he would by five years of desultory reading. + + They can be commenced at any day in the year. The variety of + reading is so great, that no one will ever tire of these volumes. + It is a library in itself. + + +THE POETRY OF OTHER LANDS. A Collection of Translations into English +Verse of the Poetry of Other Languages, Ancient and Modern. Compiled by +N. CLEMMONS HUNT. Containing translations from the Greek, Latin, +Persian, Arabian, Japanese, Turkish, Servian, Russian, Bohemian, +Polish, Dutch, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese +languages. 12mo. Cloth, extra, gilt edges, $2.50; half calf, gilt, +marbled edges, $4.00; Turkey morocco, gilt edges, $6.00. + + "Another of the publications of Porter & Coates, called 'The Poetry + of Other Lands,' compiled by N. Clemmons Hunt, we most warmly + commend. It is one of the best collections we have seen, containing + many exquisite poems and fragments of verse which have not before + been put into book form in English words. We find many of the old + favorites, which appear in every well-selected collection of + sonnets and songs, and we miss others, which seem a necessity to + complete the bouquet of grasses and flowers, some of which, from + time to time, we hope to republish in the + 'Courier.'"--_Cincinnati Courier._ + + "A book of rare excellence, because it gives a collection of choice + gems in many languages not available to the general lover of + poetry. It contains translations from the Greek, Latin, Persian, + Arabian, Japanese, Turkish, Servian, Russian, Bohemian, Polish, + Dutch, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese languages. + The book will be an admirable companion volume to any one of the + collections of English poetry that are now published. With the full + index of authors immediately preceding the collection, and the + arrangement of the poems under headings, the reader will find it + convenient for reference. It is a gift that will be more valued by + very many than some of the transitory ones at these holiday + times."--_Philadelphia Methodist._ + + +THE FIRESIDE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF POETRY. Edited by HENRY T. COATES. This is +the latest, and beyond doubt the best collection of poetry published. +Printed on fine paper and illustrated with thirteen steel engravings +and fifteen title pages, containing portraits of prominent American +poets and facsimiles of their handwriting, made expressly for this +book. 8vo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, gilt edges. $5.00; half calf, +gilt, marbled edges, $7.50; half morocco, full gilt edges. $7.50; full +Turkey morocco, gilt edges, $10.00; tree calf, gilt edges, $12.00; +plush, padded side, nickel lettering, $14.00. + + "The editor shows a wide acquaintance with the most precious + treasures of English verse, and has gathered the most admirable + specimens of their ample wealth. Many pictures which have been + passed by in previous collections hold a place of honor in the + present volume, and will be heartily welcomed by the lovers of + poetry as a delightful addition to their sources of enjoyment. It + is a volume rich in solace, in entertainment, in inspiration, of + which the possession may well be coveted by every lover of poetry. + The pictorial illustrations of the work are in keeping with its + poetical contents, and the beauty of the typographical execution + entitles it to a place among the choicest ornaments of the + library."--_New York Tribune._ + + "Lovers of good poetry will find this one of the richest + collections ever made. All the best singers in our language are + represented, and the selections are generally those which reveal + their highest qualities.... The lights and shades, the finer play + of thought and imagination belonging to individual authors, are + brought out in this way (by the arrangement of poems under + subject-headings) as they would not be under any other system.... + We are deeply impressed with the keen appreciation of poetical + worth, and also with the good taste manifested by the + compiler."--_Churchman._ + + "Cyclopaedias of poetry are numerous, but for sterling value of its + contents for the library, or as a book of reference, no work of the + kind will compare with this admirable volume of Mr. Coates. It + takes the gems from many volumes, culling with rare skill and + judgment."--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._ + + +THE CHILDRENS BOOK OF POETRY. Compiled by HENRY T. COATES. Containing +over 500 poems carefully selected from the works of the best and most +popular writers for children; with nearly 200 illustrations. The most +complete collection of poetry for children ever published. 4to. Cloth, +extra, black and gold, gilt side and edges, $3.00; full Turkey morocco, +gilt edges, $7.50. + + "This seems to us the best book of poetry for children in + existence. We have examined many other collections, but we cannot + name another that deserves to be compared with this admirable + compilation."--_Worcester Spy._ + + "The special value of the book lies in the fact that it nearly or + quite covers the entire field. There is not a great deal of good + poetry which has been written for children that cannot be found in + this book. The collection is particularly strong in ballads and + tales, which are apt to interest children more than poems of other + kinds; and Mr. Coates has shown good judgment in supplementing this + department with some of the best poems of that class that have been + written for grown people. A surer method of forming the taste of + children for good and pure literature than by reading to them from + any portion of this book can hardly be imagined. The volume is + richly illustrated and beautifully bound."--_Philadelphia Evening + Bulletin._ + + "A more excellent volume cannot be found. We have found within the + covers of this handsome volume, and upon its fair pages, many of + the most exquisite poems which our language contains. It must + become a standard volume, and can never grow old or + obsolete."--_Episcopal Recorder._ + + +THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THOS. HOOD. With engravings on steel. 4 vols., +12mo., tinted paper. Poetical Works; Up the Rhine; Miscellanies and +Hood's Own; Whimsicalities, Whims, and Oddities. Cloth, extra, black +and gold, $6.00; red cloth, paper label, gilt top, uncut edges, $6.00; +half calf, gilt, marbled edges, $14.00; half Russia, gilt top, $18.00. + + Hood's verse, whether serious or comic--whether serene like a + cloudless autumn evening or sparkling with puns like a frosty + January midnight with stars--was ever pregnant with materials for + the thought. Like every author distinguished for true comic humor, + there was a deep vein of melancholy pathos running through his + mirth, and even when his sun shone brightly its light seemed often + reflected as if only over the rim of a cloud. + + Well may we say, in the words of Tennyson, "Would he could have + stayed with us." for never could it be more truly recorded of any + one--in the words of Hamlet characterizing Yorick--that "he was a + fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." D. M. MOIR. + + +THE ILIAD OF HOMER RENDERED INTO ENGLISH BLANK VERSE. By EDWARD, EARL +OF DERBY. From the latest London edition, with all the author's last +revisions and corrections, and with a Biographical Sketch of Lord +Derby, by R. SHELTON MACKENZIE, D.C.L. With twelve steel engravings +from Flaxman's celebrated designs. 2 vols., 12mo. Cloth, extra, bev. +boards, gilt top, $3.50; half calf, gilt, marbled edges, $7.00; half +Turkey morocco, gilt top, $7.00. + +The same. Popular edition. Two vols. in one. 12mo. Cloth, extra, $1.50. + + "It must equally be considered a splendid performance; and for the + present we have no hesitation in saying that it is by far the best + representation of Homer's Iliad in the English + language."--_London Times._ + + "The merits of Lord Derby's translation may be summed up in one + word, it is eminently attractive; it is instinct with life; it may + be read with fervent interest; it is immeasurably nearer than Pope + to the text of the original.... Lord Derby has given a version far + more closely allied to the original, and superior to any that has + yet been attempted in the blank verse of our + language."--_Edinburg Review._ + + +THE WORKS OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. Comprising the Antiquities of the Jews; +a History of the Jewish Wars, and a Life of Flavius Josephus, written +by himself. Translated from the original Greek, by WILLIAM WHISTON, +A.M. Together with numerous explanatory Notes and seven Dissertations +concerning Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, James the Just, God's +command to Abraham, etc., with an Introductory Essay by Rev. H. +STEBBING, D.D. 8vo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, plain edges, $3.00; +cloth, red, black and gold, gilt edges, $4.50; sheep, marbled edges, +$3.50; Turkey morocco, gilt edges, $8.00. + +This is the largest type one volume edition published. + + +THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE EGYPTIANS, CARTHAGINIANS, ASSYRIANS, +BABYLONIANS, MEDES AND PERSIANS, GRECIANS AND MACEDONIANS. Including a +History of the Arts and Sciences of the Ancients. By CHARLES ROLLIN. +With a Life of the Author, by JAMES BELL. 2 vols., royal 8vo. Sheep, +marbled edges, per set $6.00. + + +COOKERY FROM EXPERIENCE. A Practical Guide for Housekeepers in the +Preparation of Every-day Meals, containing more than One Thousand +Domestic Recipes, mostly tested by Personal Experience, with +Suggestions for Meals, Lists of Meats and Vegetables in Season, etc. By +Mrs. SARA T. PAUL. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black and gold, $1.50. + +Interleaved Edition. Cloth, extra, black and gold, $1.75. + + +THE COMPARATIVE EDITION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Both Versions in One +Book. + +The proof readings of our Comparative Edition have been gone over by so +many competent proof readers, that we believe the text is absolutely +correct. + +Large 12mo., 700 pp. Cloth, extra, plain edges, $1.50; cloth, extra, +bevelled boards and carmine edges, $1.75; imitation panelled calf, +yellow edges, $2.00; arabesque, gilt edges, $2.50; French morocco, +limp, gilt edges, $4.00; Turkey morocco, limp, gilt edges, $6.00. + + The Comparative New Testament has been published by Porter & + Coates. In parallel columns on each page are given the old and new + versions of the Testament, divided also as far as practicable into + comparative verses, so that it is almost impossible for the + slightest new word to escape the notice of either the ordinary + reader or the analytical student. It is decidedly the best edition + yet published of the most interest-exciting literary production of + the day. No more convenient form for comparison could be devised + either for economizing time or labor. Another feature is the + foot-notes, and there is also given in an appendix the various + words and expressions preferred by the American members of the + Revising Commission. The work is handsomely printed on excellent + paper with clear, legible type. It contains nearly 700 pages. + + +THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. By ALEXANDRE DUMAS. Complete in one volume, +with two illustrations by George G. White. 12mo. Cloth, extra, black +and gold, $1.25. + + +THE THREE GUARDSMEN. By ALEXANDRE DUMAS. 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