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diff --git a/37100-h/37100-h.htm b/37100-h/37100-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf6e295 --- /dev/null +++ b/37100-h/37100-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,16440 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html lang="en"> + + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Backwoodsman; or, Life on the Indian Frontier, edited by Sir C. F. Lascelles Wraxall.</title> + <style type="text/css"> + +<!-- + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + margin: auto; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .newpg {page-break-before: always;} + + .center {text-align: center;text-indent:0em;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption { + font-size: .7em; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center; + font-family: serif; + text-indent:0em; + margin-left:0em; + } + + .alignright { + float: right; + padding-right: .4em; + } + + + .figcenter {margin: auto;text-align: center;display:block;} + + + .linearound { + border-width: 2px; + border-style: solid; border-color: black; margin-left:10%;margin-right:10%; + } + .firstpara {text-indent:0em;} + .firstwords {font-variant:small-caps;font-weight:bold;} + .toctext {text-align: left;font-size:1em; display: block; padding-left: .5em;} + + .smaller {font-size:.7em;} + .chapterhead {margin: auto; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;text-indent:0em;padding-top:1em;padding-bottom:.7em;} + .transcribers {border: dashed 1px;} + .tn {margin-right:5%;margin-left:5%;text-indent:0em;} +--> + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Backwoodsman, by Various + +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 Backwoodsman + or, Life on the Indian Frontier + +Author: Various + +Editor: Sir C. F. Lascelles Wraxall + +Release Date: August 15, 2011 [EBook #37100] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BACKWOODSMAN *** + + + + +Produced by David Garcia, Linda Hamilton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<a name="Page_i" id="Page_i"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="frontis"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-001.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="417"> +<p class="caption">FIGHT WITH THE GRIZZLY BEARS. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_290">p. 290.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii"></a> + + +<div class="linearound"> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:2em;">THE</p> + +<h1 style="letter-spacing:.2em;word-spacing:.2em;margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:.5em;">BACKWOODSMAN;</h1> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.75em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;">OR,</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:1em;"> +<img src="images/illo-002a.png" border="0" alt="Life on the Indian Frontier." +title="" width="500" height="51"> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="margin-bottom:1em;margin-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-002.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="603" height="700"></div> + + +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.4em;">LONDON:</p> + +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1.25em;text-align: center;letter-spacing:.1em;word-spacing:.1em;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.4em;">WARD, LOOK, AND TYLER,</p> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.8em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:2em;">WARWICK HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW.</p> + + +</div> + + +<a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii"></a> +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv"></a> + + +<div class="linearound"> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:2em;">THE</p> + +<h1 style="letter-spacing:.2em;word-spacing:.2em;margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:.5em;">BACKWOODSMAN;</h1> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.75em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;">OR,</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="margin-bottom:.5em;margin-top:1em;"> +<img src="images/illo-002a.png" border="0" alt="Life on the Indian Frontier." +title="" width="500" height="51"> +</div> + +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.75em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:3em;margin-bottom:.5em;">EDITED BY</p> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1.1em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.5em;margin-bottom:1.5em;">SIR C. F. LASCELLES WRAXALL, <span class="smcap">Bart.</span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="margin-bottom:1.5em;margin-top:.5em;"><img src="images/illo-004.png" border="0" alt="WL&T" title="" width="270" height="264"></div> + + +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:.4em;">LONDON:</p> + +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:1.25em;text-align: center;letter-spacing:.1em;word-spacing:.1em;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.4em;">WARD, LOOK, AND TYLER,</p> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.8em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:2em;">WARWICK HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW.</p> + +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v"></a> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.8em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:.5em;">LONDON:</p> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.8em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:.5em;">PRINTED BY J. OGDEN AND CO.</p> +<p style="font-weight:bold;font-size:.8em;text-align: center;text-indent:0em;margin-top:.1em;margin-bottom:1em;">172, ST. JOHN STREET, E.C.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<a name="contents" id="contents"></a> + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<hr style="width: 15%;"> + +<table border="0" width="70%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="6" summary="Contents" align="center"> +<tr style="vertical-align:bottom;"> +<th style="text-align:right;font-weight:normal;width:15%;padding-bottom: 0em;"><span class="smaller">CHAP.</span></th> +<th style="width:75%;"> </th> +<th style="text-align:right;font-weight:normal;width:10%;padding-bottom: 0em;"><span class="smaller">PAGE</span></th> +</tr> + +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">I.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">MY SETTLEMENT</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter1">1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">II.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE COMANCHES</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter2">6</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">III.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">A FIGHT WITH THE WEICOS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter3">12</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">IV.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">HUNTING ADVENTURES</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter4">19</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">V.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE NATURALIST</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter5">30</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">VI.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">MR. KREGER'S FATE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter6">41</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">VII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">A LONELY RIDE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter7">53</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">VIII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE JOURNEY CONTINUED</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter8">66</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">IX.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">HOMEWARD BOUND</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter9">82</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">X.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE BEE HUNTER</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter10">99</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XI.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE WILD HORSE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter11">114</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE PRAIRIE FIRE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter12">126</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XIII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE DELAWARE INDIAN</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter13">137</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XIV.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">IN THE MOUNTAINS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter14">151</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XV.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE WEICOS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter15">162</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XVI.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE BEAR HOLE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter16">173</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XVII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE COMANCHE CHIEF</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter17">185</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XVIII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE NEW COLONISTS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter18">208</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XIX.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">A BOLD TOUR</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter19">224</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XX.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter20">238</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXI.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter21">253</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii"></a>XXII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">BEAVER HUNTERS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter22">267</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXIII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE GRIZZLY BEARS</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter23">282</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXIV.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">ASCENT OF THE BIGHORN</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter24">300</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXV.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">ON THE PRAIRIE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter25">326</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXVI.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE COMANCHES</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter26">345</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXVII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">HOME AGAIN</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter27">363</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXVIII.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">INDIAN BEAUTIES</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter28">381</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXIX.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE SILVER MINE</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter29">396</a></td> +</tr> +<tr style="vertical-align:top;"> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;">XXX.</td> +<td style="text-align:left;width:80%;"><span class="toctext">THE PURSUIT</span></td> +<td style="text-align:right;width:10%;"><a href="#chapter30">412</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-007.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="355"></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"></a> +<a name="chapter1" id="chapter1"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> + +<p class="center" style="word-spacing:.3em;font-size:1.75em;font-weight:bold;">THE BACKWOODSMAN</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;"> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">MY SETTLEMENT.</p> + + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">My</span> blockhouse was built at the foot of the mountain chain +of the Rio Grande, on the precipitous banks of the River +Leone. On three sides it was surrounded by a fourteen feet +stockade of split trees standing perpendicularly. At the +two front corners of the palisade were small turrets of the +same material, whence the face of the wall could be held +under fire in the event of an attack from hostile Indians. +On the south side of the river stretched out illimitable +rolling prairies, while the northern side was covered with the +densest virgin forest for many miles. To the north and +west I had no civilized neighbours at all, while to the south +and east the nearest settlement was at least 250 miles distant. +My small garrison consisted of three men, who, whenever +I was absent, defended the fort, and at other times looked +after the small field and garden as well as the cattle.</p> + +<p>As I had exclusively undertaken to provide my colony +with meat, I rarely stayed at home, except when there was +some pressing field work to be done. Each dawn saw me +leave the fort with my faithful dog Trusty, and turn my +horse either toward the boundless prairie or the mountains of +the Rio Grande.</p> + +<p>Very often hunting kept me away from home for several +days, in which case I used to bivouac in the tall grass by the<a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a> +side of some prattling stream. Such oases, though not +frequent, are found here and there on the prairies of the Far +West, where the dark, lofty magnolias offer the wearied +traveller refreshment beneath their thick foliage, and the +stream at their base grants a cooling draught. One of these +favourite spots of mine lay near the mountains, about ten +miles from my abode. It was almost the only water far and +wide, and here formed two ponds, whose depths I was never +able to sound, although I lowered large stones fastened to +upwards of a hundred yards of lasso. The small space +between the two ponds was overshadowed by the most +splendid magnolias, peca-nut trees, yuccas, evergreen oaks, +&c., and begirt by a wall of cactuses, aloes, and other prickly +plants. I often selected this place for hunting, because it +always offered a large quantity of game of every description, +and I was certain at any time of finding near this water +hundreds of wild turkeys, which constitute a great dainty in +the bill of fare of the solitary hunter.</p> + +<p>After a very hot spring day I had sought the ponds, as it +was too late to ride home. The night was glorious; the +magnolias and large-flowered cactuses diffused their vanilla +perfume over me; myriads of fireflies continually darted over +the plain, and a gallant mocking-bird poured forth its dulcet +melody into the silent night above my head. The whole of +nature seemed to be revelling in the beauty of this night, and +thousands of insects sported round my small camp fire. It +was such a night as the elves select for their gambols, and +for a long time I gazed intently at the dark blue expanse above +me. But, though the crystal springs incessantly bubbled up +to the surface, the Lurleis would not visit me, for they have +not yet strayed to America.</p> + +<p>My dog and horse also played around me for a long time, +until, quite tired, they lay down by the fire-side, and all three +of us slept till dawn, when the gobbling of the turkeys +aroused us. The morning was as lovely as the night. To +the east the flat prairie bordered the horizon like a sea; the<a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a> +dark sky still glistened with the splendour of all its jewels, +while the skirt of its garment was dipped in brilliant carmine; +the night fled rapidly toward the mountains, and morn +pursued it clad in his festal robes. The sun rose like a +mighty ball over the prairie, and the heavy dew bowed the +heads of the tender plants, as if they were offering their +morning thanksgiving for the refreshment which had been +granted them. I too was saturated with dew, and was +obliged to hang my deerskin suit to dry at the fire; fortunately +the leather had been smoked over a wood fire, which +prevents it growing hard in drying. I freshened up the +fire, boiled some coffee, roasted the breast of a turkey, into +which I had previously rubbed pepper and salt, and finished +breakfast with Trusty, while Czar, my famous white stallion, +was greedily browzing on the damp grass, and turned his +head away when I went up to him with the bridle. I hung +up the rest of the turkey, as well as another I had shot on +the previous evening, and a leg of deer meat, in the shadow +of a magnolia, as I did not know whether I might not return +to the spot that evening, saddled, and we were soon under +weigh for the mountains, where I hoped to find buffalo.</p> + +<p>I was riding slowly along a hollow in the prairie, when a +rapidly approaching sound attracted my attention. In a few +minutes a very old buffalo, covered with foam, dashed past +me, and almost at the same moment a Comanche Indian pulled +up his horse on the rising ground about fifty yards from me. +As he had his bow ready to shoot the buffalo, the savage +made his declaration of war more quickly than I, and his first +arrow passed through my game bag sling, leather jacket and +waistcoat to my right breast, while two others whizzed past +my ear. To pluck out the arrow, seize a revolver, and dig +the spurs into my horse, were but one operation; and a second +later saw me within twenty yards of the Redskin, who had +turned his horse round and was seeking safety in flight. After +a chase of about two miles over awfully rough ground, where +the slightest mistake might have broken my neck, the<a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a> +Indian's horse began to be winded, while Czar still held his +head and tail erect. I rapidly drew nearer, in spite of the +terrible blows the Redskin dealt his horse, and when about +thirty paces behind the foe, I turned slightly to the left, in +order, if I could, to avoid wounding his horse by my shot. I +raised my revolver and fired, but at the same instant the +Indian disappeared from sight, with the exception of his left +foot, with which he held on to the saddle, while the rest of +his body was suspended on the side away from me. With +the cessation of the blows, however, the speed of his horse +relaxed, and I was able to ride close up. Suddenly the Indian +regained his seat and urged on his horse with the whip; I +fired and missed again, for I aimed too high in my anxiety +to spare the mustang. We went on thus at full gallop till +we reached a very broad ravine, over which the Indian could +not leap. He, therefore, dashed past my left hand, trying +at the same moment to draw an arrow from the quiver over +his left shoulder. I fired for the third time; with the shot +the Comanche sank back on his horse's croup, hung on with +his feet, and went about a hundred yards farther, when he fell +motionless in the tall grass. As he passed me, I had noticed +that he was bleeding from the right chest and mouth, and +was probably already gone to the happy hunting-grounds. +I galloped after the mustang, which soon surrendered, though +with much trembling, to the pale face; I fastened its bridle +to my saddle bow, led both horses into a neighbouring thicket, +and reloaded my revolver.</p> + +<p>I remained for about half-an-hour in my hiding-place, +whence I could survey the landscape around, but none of the +Indian's comrades made their appearance, and I, therefore, +rode up to him to take his weapons. He was dead. The +bullet had passed through his chest. I took his bow, quiver +and buffalo hide, and sought for the arrows he had shot at +me as I rode back. I resolved to pass the night at the ponds, +not only to rest my animals, but also to conceal myself from +the Indians who, I felt sure, were not far off. I was not<a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a> +alarmed about myself, but in the event of pursuit by superior +numbers, I should have Trusty to protect, and might easily +lose the mustang again.</p> + +<p>I reached the springs without any impediment, turned my +horses out to grass in the thicket, and rested myself in the +cool shade of the trees hanging over the ponds. A calm, +starry night set in, and lighted me on my ride home, which +I reached after midnight. The mustang became one of my +best horses. It grew much stronger, as it was only four +years old when I captured it; and after being fed for awhile +on maize, acquired extraordinary powers of endurance.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-012.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="500" height="526"></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a> +<a name="chapter2" id="chapter2"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE COMANCHES.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">The</span> summer passed away in hunting, farm-work, building +houses, and other business, and during this period I had frequently +visited the ponds. One evening I rode to them again +in order to begin hunting from that point the next morning. +If I shot buffaloes not too far from my house, I used to ride +back, and at evening drove out with a two-wheeled cart, +drawn by mules, to fetch the meat and salt it for the probable +event of a siege. As I always had an ample supply of other +articles for my garrison and cattle, and as I had plenty of +water, I could resist an Indian attack for a long time. Large +herds of buffalo always appear in the neighbourhood, so soon +as the vegetation on the Rocky Mountains begins to die out, +and the cold sets in. They spread over the evergreen prairies +in bands of from five to eight hundred head, and I have often +seen at one glance ten thousand of these relics of the primeval +world. For a week past these wanderers had been moving +southwards; but, though their appearance may be so agreeable +to the hunter in these parts, it reminds him at the same +time that his perils are greatly increased by their advent. +Numerous tribes of horse Indians always follow these herds +to the better pasturage and traverse the prairie in every direction, +as they depend on the buffalo exclusively for food. +The warmer climate during the winter also suits them better, +as they more easily find forage for their large troops of horses +and mules.</p> + +<p>At a late hour I reached the ponds, after supplying myself +<i>en route</i> with some fat venison. Before I lit my fire, I also +shot two turkeys on the neighbouring trees, because at this<a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a> +season they are a great dainty, as they feed on the ripe oily +peca-nuts. I sat till late over my small fire, cut every now +and then a slice from the meat roasting on a spit, and bade my +dog be quiet, who would not lie down, but constantly sniffed +about with his broad nose to the ground, and growling sullenly. +Czar, on the contrary, felt very jolly, had abundant +food in the prairie grass, and snorted every now and then so +lustily, that the old turkeys round us were startled from their +sleep. It grew more and more quiet. Czar had lain down by +my side, and only the unpleasant jeering too-whoot of the owl +echoed through the night, and interrupted the monotonous +chorus of the hunting wolves which never ceases in these parts. +Trusty, my faithful watchman, was still sitting up with raised +nose, when I sank back on my saddle and fell asleep. The +morning was breaking when I awoke, saturated with dew; +but I sprang up, shook myself, made up the fire, put meat on +the spit and coffee to boil, and then leapt into the clear pond +whose waters had so often refreshed me. After the bath I +breakfasted, and it was not till I proceeded to saddle my horse +that I noticed Trusty's great anxiety to call my attention to +something. On following him, I found a great quantity of +fresh Indian sign, and saw that a large number of horses had +been grazing round the pond on the previous day. I examined +my horse gear and weapons, opened a packet of cartridges for +my double-barrelled rifle, and then rode in the direction of the +Leone. I had scarce crossed the first upland and reached the +prairie when Czar made an attempt to bolt, and looked round +with a snort. I at once noticed a swarm of Comanches about +half a mile behind me, and coming up at full speed. There +was not a moment to lose in forming a resolution—I must +either fly or return to my natural fortress at the springs. I +decided on the latter course, as my enemies were already too +near for my dog to reach the thicket or the Leone before them, +for though the brave creature was remarkably powerful and +swift-footed, he could not beat good horses in a long race.</p> + +<p>I therefore turned Czar round, and flew back to the ponds.<a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a> +A narrow path which I had cut on my first visit through a +wall of prickly plants led to the shady spot between the two +ponds, which on the opposite side were joined by a broad +swamp, so that I had only this narrow entrance to defend. +The thicket soon received us. Czar was fastened by the bridle +to a wild grape-vine; my long holster-pistols were thrust +into the front of my hunting-shirt; the belt that held my +revolvers was unbuckled, and I was ready for the attack of +the savages. Trusty, too, had put up the stiff hair on his +back, and by his growling showed that he was equally ready +to do his part in the fight. The Indians had come within +a few hundred yards, and were now circling round me with +their frightful war-yell, swinging their buffalo-hides over their +heads, and trying, by the strangest sounds and gestures, +either to startle my horse or terrify me. I do not deny that, +although used to such scenes, I felt an icy coldness down my +back at the sight of these demons, and involuntarily thought +of the operation of scalping. I remained as quiet as I could, +however, and resolved not to expend a bullet in vain. The +distance was gradually reduced, and the savages came within +about a hundred and fifty yards, some even nearer. The +boldest came within a hundred and twenty yards of me, while +the others shot some dozen arrows at me, some of which +wounded the sappy cactuses around me. The savages continually +grew bolder, and it was time to open the ball, for +attacking is half the battle when engaged with Indians.</p> + +<p>I therefore aimed at the nearest man—a powerful, stout, +rather elderly savage, mounted on a very fast golden-brown +stallion—and at once saw that the bullet struck him: in his +fall he pulled his horse round towards me, and dashed past +within forty yards, which enabled me to see that the bullet +had passed through his body, and he did not need a second. +About one hundred yards farther on he kissed the ground. +After the shot the band dashed off, and their yell was augmented +to a roar more like that of a wounded buffalo than +human voices. They assembled about half a mile distant,<a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"></a> +held a short consultation, and then returned like a whirlwind +towards me with renewed yells. The attack was now seriously +meant, although the sole peril I incurred was from arrows +shot close to me. I led Czar a few paces in the rear behind +a widely-spreading yucca, ordered Trusty to lie down under +the cactuses, reloaded my gun, and, being a bit of Indian +myself, I disappeared among the huge aloes in front of me, +pulling my stout beaver hat over my eyes. I allowed the +tornado to come within a hundred and sixty paces, when I +raised my good rifle between the aloes, pulled the trigger, +and saw through the smoke a Redskin bound in the air, and +fall among the horses' hoofs. A dense dust concealed the +band from sight, but a repetition of the yells reached my ear, +and I soon saw the savages going away from me, whereon I +gave them the contents of the second barrel, which had a good +effect in spite of the distance, as I recognised in the fresh +yells raised and the dispersion of the band. The Indians, ere +long, halted a long way off; but after awhile continued their +retreat. I understood these movements perfectly well: they +wanted to give me time to leave my hiding-place, and then +ride me down on the plain. Hence I waited till the +Comanches were nearly two miles off, and watched them +through my glass as they halted from time to time, and looked +round at me. I was certain that we now had a sufficient +start to reach the forest on the Leone without risk. My +rifle was reloaded, and my pistols were placed in the holsters. +I stepped out of my hiding-place and mounted my horse, which +bore me at a rapid pace towards my home. The enemy scarce +noticed my flight ere they dashed down from the heights after +me like a storm-cloud. I did not hurry, however, for fear of +fatiguing Trusty; but selected the buffalo paths corresponding +with my direction, thousands of which intersect the prairies +like a net, and at the end of the first mile felt convinced that +we should reach the forest all right, which now rose more distinctly +out of the sea of grass. So it was: we dashed into +the first bushes only pursued by five Indians, where I rode<a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"></a> +behind some dwarf chestnuts, dismounted, and prepared to +receive my enemies. They remained out of range, however, +and in a short time retired again.</p> + +<p>My readers will naturally ask why some thirty Indians +allowed a single hunter to emerge from his hiding-place, and +why they did not compel him to surrender by a short siege? +The Comanches are horse Indians, who can only effect anything +when mounted, and hence never continue a pursuit +into a thicket. They never undertake any martial exploit +by night; and, moreover, the Indian, when he goes into action, +has very different ideas from a white man; for while +the latter always thinks he will be the last to fall, every +Redskin believes that he will be the first to be hit. At the +same time, these tribes set a far higher value on the life of +one of their warriors than we white men do, and they often +told me that we pale-faces grew out of the ground like +mushrooms, while it took them eighteen years to produce +a warrior. The tribes are not large; they consist of only +one hundred and fifty to three hundred men; they have +their chief and are quite independent of the other clans, +although belonging to the same nations. The Comanches, +for instance, reckon thirty thousand souls, spread over the +whole of the Far West. In consequence of the many +sanguinary wars which the different tribes wage together, +it is frequently of great consequence to a clan, whether it +counts ten men more or less, and hence the anxiety felt by +the savages about the life of their warriors. The Northern +Indians have assumed many of the habits of the white men, +and are advancing gradually towards civilization; they nearly +all carry fire-arms, wear clothes, till the ground, and their +squaws, children, and old men, live in villages together. Our +Southern Indians are all at the lowest stage of civilization, +are generally cannibals, have no home, follow the buffalo, +on whose flesh they live, and have assumed none of our customs. +At times they may get hold of a horse-cloth or a +bit, which they have taken from a hunter or stolen from<a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"></a> +a border settlement, but in other respects they are children +of nature; they go about almost naked, and only carry +weapons of their own manufacture. Their long lance is a +very dangerous weapon, owing to the skill with which they +use it; and the same is the case with their bows, from which +they discharge arrows at a distance of fifty yards, with such +accuracy and force, as to pierce the largest buffalo. The +lasso (a plaited rope of leather) is another weapon which they +employ with extraordinary skill; they throw the noose at +one end over the head of an enemy, then gallop off in the +opposite direction, and drag their captive to death. There +are but very few foot Indians in the South; they generally +live in the mountains, as they are always at war with the +horse savages, and would be at a disadvantage on the plains; +but they are by far the most dangerous denizens of these +parts, as the most of them are supplied with fire-arms, and +try to overpower their enemy treacherously at night. The +Weicos form the chief tribe of these foot Indians, and are +pursued both by the mounted Redskins and the white borderers +like the most dangerous of wild beasts: on their +account I have often spent the night without fire, and have +been startled from my sleep by the whoot of the owl, which +they imitate admirably, as a distant signal to one another. +In the conduct of the horse Indians there is something open +and chivalrous, and I never hated them for chasing me; we +contended for the possession of the land, which they certainly +held first, but which nature assuredly created for a +better object than that a few wild hordes should use it for +their hunting and war forages. It always seemed to me an +honourable contest between civilization and savageness when +I was attacked by these steppe-horsemen, and I never felt +that blood-thirsty hatred which beset me when I noticed the +Weicos and Tonkaways creeping about like vipers. I more +than once all but fell victim to their cunning, and it is +always a pleasant memory that I frequently punished them +severely for it.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"></a> +<a name="chapter3" id="chapter3"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">A FIGHT WITH THE WEICOS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">As</span> I mentioned, my fort stood on the south side of the +Leone river, and in front of it lay one of the richest and +most fertile prairies, which ran to the bank of Mustang Creek, +a small stream running parallel to the Leone, beneath the +shade of lofty peca-nut trees, magnolias, cypresses, and oaks, +to join the Rio Grande. The prairie between the Leone and +this stream was about five miles broad; and often, when I +had spent the day at home, I rode off to pass the night there, +in order to shoot at daybreak as much game as my horse +could comfortably carry, and be back to breakfast. I had +found, in a coppice close to the stream, a small grassy clearing, +where Czar was always comfortable. Around it stood +colossal primćval oaks and magnolias, in whose shade many +varieties of evergreen bushes, such as myrtle, laurel, and rhododendron, +formed an impenetrable thicket, as they were intertwined +with pendant llianas and vines the thickness of my +body. In this thicket I had built a sort of hut of buffalo +hides, in which I hid away a frying-pan, an old axe, and a +coffee-pot. At this spot I passed many a hot summer night, +for I found there a cool, quiet bed, which the sun never +reached, for myself and my faithful companions, and ran no +risk of being betrayed by my camp-fire and disturbed by +the Indians.</p> + +<p>After one of these hot days, I rode Czar out of the fort, and +Trusty, released from the chain, sprang joyfully at my horse's +head, delighted at getting into the open country again, and +the prospect of fresh deer or buffalo kidneys. We went +slowly toward the thickly-wooded bank of the creek, which<a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"></a> +bordered the prairie ahead of us like a purple strip, through +large gay fields of flowers, with which the prairie is adorned. +Blue, yellow, red, and white beds, in the most varied hues, +succeeded each other, and filled the air with the sweetest and +most fragrant perfumes. Wherever the eye turned it fell on +herds of deer, that were sheltering themselves from the burning +sun under isolated elms and mosquito trees, and rose on +our approach to be ready for flight. Further on grazed many +herds of migratory buffaloes, from which the prairies at this +season are never quite free, and, here and there, antelopes were +flying over the heaving sea of grass and flowers. As I rode +along, my eye was certainly rejoiced by this abundance of +game, but I did not change my direction on that account, +because I was not any great distance from the thickets in +advance of the forest on Mustang Creek, where I could +approach the game with much less trouble. These wooded +intervals, which run for about a mile into the prairie, consist of +dwarf plum-trees, four feet in height, partly separate, partly +in clumps, which are closely interlaced with wild vines, but +always leave small openings between, and here and there are +overshadowed by a densely-foliaged elm. You are obliged +to wind between these clumps till you reach a broad open +grassy clearing, which extends between these thickets and the +high woods on Mustang Creek.</p> + +<p>I had hardly reached these advance woods, ere I saw a very +large stag standing in the shadow of an old elm-tree, driving +away the flies with its antlers, and feeding on the fine, sweet +mosquito grass, which is much more tender in the shade than +when it is exposed to the burning sunbeams. The beautiful +creature was hardly sixty paces from me, and I seized my +rifle, which was lying across the saddle in front of me. In a +moment Czar, who was well acquainted with this movement, +halted, buried his small head in the grass, and began seeking +the green young shoots which are covered by the dry withered +stalks. I shot the deer, and as I saw that it could not go +far I allowed Trusty to catch it, which always afforded him<a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></a> +great delight. I rode up, threw the bridle before dismounting +over the end of a long pendant branch, and then dragged +the deer into the shade to break it up, and cut off the meat I +intended to take with me. I had knelt down by the deer +and just thrust in my bowie knife, when Trusty, who was +sitting not far from me, began growling, and on my inquiring +what was the matter, growled still more loudly, while looking +in the direction behind me. I knew the faithful creature so +well that I only needed to look in his large eyes to read what +he wished to tell me. They had turned red, a sure sign of +his rising anger: but I believed that wolves were at hand, +which were his most deadly enemies, because he had fared +badly from their claws now and then before I could get up +to free him from his tormentors. I ordered Trusty to be +quiet, as I heeded the dangers which had beset me for years +much less than I had done at the beginning of my border-life, +and bent down again over the deer, when Trusty sprang, +with furious barks, toward the quarter where he had been +looking. I quickly rose, and on turning round saw two perfectly +naked Indians, armed with guns, leap out of the tall +grass about sixty yards from me, and dash away like antelopes. +My first step was to seize my rifle, which was leaning against +the tree, but the savages took an enormous bound over one +of the clumps of plum-trees, and disappeared from sight. In +a few minutes I had unfastened Czar, and rushed after the +Indians through the many windings between the close-grown +bushes. They had gained a great start, and had increased it +by leaping over clumps, which I was compelled to ride round; +still I kept them pretty constantly in sight, and reached the +open prairie in front of the creek, at the moment when the +savages had crossed about half of it. I gave Czar a slight +touch of the spur, and urged him on with the usual pat on his +powerful hard neck; he leaped through the grass as if he +hardly touched the ground, and I was obliged to set my hat +tightly on my head for fear of losing it, for the pressure of +the atmosphere was so great that I could hardly breathe.<a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"></a> +The Indians ran like deer, but the distance between us was +speedily lessened, and I was only sixty yards behind them, +when they were still fifty from the forest. I stopped my +horse, leaped off, aimed with my right-hand barrel at the +savage furthest ahead, and dropped him. In the meanwhile +the other Indian reached the skirt of the wood, and sprang +into the shade of an old oak, at the moment when the bead +of my rifle covered him. I fired and saw him turn head over +heels. At this moment Trusty came panting over the prairie, +who had remained behind as I had leapt over some clumps +which he was obliged to skirt; he saw the first Indian leap +out of the grass, like a hare which has been shot through the +head, and his legs seemed too slow for his growing fury; a +loud shout urged him on still more, and in a few seconds he +and the savage disappeared in the tall grass. A frightfully +shrill yell, which echoed far and wide through the forest, +proved that the Indian was feeling Trusty's teeth, and the +heaving grass over them showed that it was a struggle for life +or death. Loading my rifle detained me for a few minutes +at the spot whence I had fired; then I ran up to Czar, who +had strayed a little distance, and rode to the battle-field. +The contest was over; the savage was dead, and Trusty's +handsome shaggy coat was spotted with blood. He was +standing with his fore paws on his enemy, and tearing out +his throat. A dog like Trusty was invaluable to me, and for +my own preservation I dared not assuage the creature's +savageness; besides, the man was dead, and it was a matter of +indifference whether the buzzards devoured his body or Trusty +tore it piece-meal. In the meanwhile I fastened the dead +man's short Mexican <i>escopeta</i>, hunting-pouch, and necklace +to my saddle; then I called Trusty off, mounted Czar, and +rode back to my deer, as I did not dare venture into the +forest, where a large number of these Weicos were very probably +lying in ambush. The two had come down from the +mountains to the banks of Mustang Creek, whither the great +quantity of game of all descriptions had attracted them; on<a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></a> +hearing my shot, they crept up unnoticed, had got within +distance of me, and in a few seconds would doubtless have +settled me, had not my faithful watcher scented them, or +remarked their movements in the grass.</p> + +<p>On coming within sight of my deer, I saw that a dozen +buzzards had collected, some on the trees, others circling +slowly in the air, and watching with envious glances three +wolves, which had already begun greedily to share my +deer. Although I hardly ever expended a bullet on these tormentors, +I was annoyed at their impudence, for though they +saw me coming, they did not interrupt their banquet. I +shot one of them, a very old red she-wolf, took the loins and +legs of the deer, hung them to my saddle, and rode home to +pass the night.</p> + +<p>My dogs inside the fort announced to the garrison the +arrival of a stranger, and they were no little surprised to see +me return at so unusual an hour. The gate was opened, and +after Czar had been relieved of his rather heavy burden, I led +him once more into the grass to let him have a good roll; +and after he had been put into the stable with a feed of +Indian corn, I described the events of the day at the supper-table. +My news aroused the apprehensions of my men, for +they knew the vengeful spirit of these Weicos, and we therefore +resolved to keep watch during the night. We were still +smoking and talking at midnight, when the dogs, of which I +had fourteen, began making a tremendous row. They all ran +out through the small apertures left for the purpose in the +stockade, and stood barking on the river bank at some foe on +the other side, at the spot where my maize field in the forest +joined the river. It was a pitch dark and calm night. We +listened attentively, and could distinctly hear the trampling +of dry brushwood in the field. It might be occasioned by +buffalo, which had broken through the fence, and were regaling +on my maize. But these animals rarely move at night, and +there was a much greater probability of Indians being there. +We gently opened the gate. I took my large duck gun,<a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></a> +which held sixteen pistol bullets in each barrel, and crawled +down on my stomach to the river bank, where I lay perfectly +quiet. When I arrived there, one of my dogs was yelping, +and I distinctly heard the twang of a bow-string. I noticed +the quarter very carefully; the river was only forty yards +across, and the direction was shown me still more plainly by +the crackling of brushwood. I shot one barrel there, upon +which human cries and a hurried flight were audible; then +I sent the second after it, and fresh groans echoed through +the quiet forest and mingled with the roar of my two shots. +I remained lying in the grass, as I might be easily seen against +the starry sky from the other bank, which was thirty feet +lower. The leaping and running through the maize retired +farther and farther toward the wood, and scarce reached my +ear, when suddenly a wild war yell resounded in the forest, +which was answered by countless wolf howls on the prairie +behind me. This was the last outbreak of fury on the part +of the Indians, of whom I never saw anything more beyond +the various bloody traces which they left in the field. We +found several arrows sticking in the river bank, whose form +led me to conclude that the assailants were Cato Indians. The +damage I received from this nocturnal visit only consisted +in the trampled maize and a harmless wound which one of +my dogs had received from an arrow in the leg. The morning +was spent in following the trail of the savages to the +prairie on the other side of the forest, where a number of +horses had awaited these night-wanderers and borne them +away. In the afternoon I rode again to Mustang Creek +with one of my people—to the spot where the second Indian +had disappeared on the previous day. The entrance into the +wood and the roots of the old oak were covered with blood. +I sent Trusty on ahead to see whether the road was clear, +and if we could penetrate into the gloom of the forest without +danger. We cautiously followed the dog, who kept the +blood-marked trail and reached the river, on whose bank the +Weico was sleeping the last sleep. He was cold and stiff<a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></a> +my bullet had passed through his brown sides. The wounds +were stopped with grass, and his <i>escopeta</i> lay ready cocked +close to him. He was a very young and handsome man, and +death had chosen him a glorious resting-place under the dark +arbour of leaves. The rapid, crystalline, icy stream laved +his small, handsomely-shaped feet, and on a pillow of large +ferns reposed his head, round which his raven silky hair fell, +while the mossy bed beneath him was dyed by his blood, till +it resembled the purple velvet of a lying-in-state.</p> + +<p>We stood silently before this painfully-beautiful picture, and +even Trusty seemed to feel that this was no longer an object +for wild passion, for he lay down quietly in the grass. Death +had reconciled us: the dice had fallen in my favour, and if +they had been against me, I should not have found such an +exquisite grave: my bones would have been bleached for years +by the sun on the open prairie, and greeted with shouts of joy +by passing Indians. Feelings which are rarely carried into +these solitudes, and still more rarely retained there, gained +the mastery over me. I could not leave this noble creation +of nature to the wolves and buzzards. We therefore fastened a +heavy stone round his feet, and another round his neck, and +gently let him down into the clear water, where he found his +last solitary resting-place between two large rocks. Taking +his few traps, more as a reminiscence than as a booty, we +returned to our horses, which we had left in the first thicket. +They greeted us with their friendly neighing and impatient +stamping while still a long distance off, and away we galloped +over the open prairie, up hill and down hill, after a flying herd +of buffalo, at one moment leaping across broad watercourses, +at another over aged trees uprooted by storms, until several +of these primćval monsters had kissed the blood-stained +ground. Our melancholy thoughts had been dispersed by the +light prairie breeze, and, merry and independent, like the +vultures in the blue sky overhead, we returned heavily laden +to our fort, whose inhabitants, down to the dogs, gave us a +most hearty welcome.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></a> +<a name="chapter4" id="chapter4"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">HUNTING ADVENTURES.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">It</span> is scarce possible to form an idea of the abundance of game +with which the country near me was blessed in those days. +It really seemed to be augmented with every year of my +residence, for which I may account by the fact that the +several vagabond hordes of Indians—who prefer the flesh of +deer, antelopes, and turkey to that of buffaloes, whose enormous +mass they cannot devour at once, while the smaller +descriptions of game could be killed in the forests and coppices, +without revealing themselves to the enemy on the wide +prairie—that these Indians, I say, more or less avoided my +neighbourhood, while, for my part, I had greatly reduced the +number of wild beasts, especially of the larger sort. I consumed +a great quantity of meat in my household, owing to +the number of dogs I kept, but I really procured it as if only +amusing myself. There were certainly days on which I shot +nothing. At times I did not get sight of a buffalo for a week, +or the prairie grass was burnt down to the roots, which +rendered it extremely difficult to stalk the game, while just at +this period, when the first green shoots spring up, the animals +principally visit the open plains, whence they can see +their pursuers for a long distance. For all that, though we +had generally a superabundance of meat, and too often behaved +with unpardonable extravagance, I have frequently killed five +or six buffaloes, each weighing from a thousand to fifteen +hundred pounds, in one chase, lasting perhaps half-an-hour, +and then merely carried off their tongues and marrow-bones. +Often, too, I have shot one or two bears, weighing from five +to eight hundred pounds, and only taken home their paws and<a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></a> +a few ribs, because the distance was too great to burden my +horse with a large supply of meat. I could always supply +our stock in the vicinity of my fort, although at times we +were compelled to put up with turkeys, or fish and turtle, with +which our river literally swarmed.</p> + +<p>Bear-meat formed an important item in our larder—or, +more correctly speaking, bear's-grease—which was of service +in a great many ways. We employed it to fry our food, for +which buffalo or deer fat was not so good; we used it to burn +in our lamps, to rub all our leather with, and keep it supple; +we drank it as a medicine—in a word, it answered a thousand +demands in our small household. This is the sole fatty substance, +an immoderate use of which does not turn the stomach +or entail any serious consequences. The transport of this +article, though, was at times rather difficult, especially on a +warm day; as this fat easily becomes liquid, and will even +melt in the hunter's hand while he is paunching a bear. This +is chiefly the case with the stomach fat, which is the finest +and best; that on the back and the rest of the body, which +at the fatting season is a good six inches thick, is harder and +requires to be melted over a slow fire before it can be used in +lamps.</p> + +<p>These animals were very numerous in my neighbourhood. +In spring and summer they visited the woods, where with +their cubs they regaled upon wild plums, grapes, honey, and +young game of all sorts, and at times played the deuce in my +maize-field. In autumn the rich crop of peca-nuts, walnuts, +acorns, chestnuts, and similar fruits, kept them in our forests; +and in winter they sought rocky ravines and caves, where they +hybernated. Very many took up their quarters in old hollow +trees, so that at this season I had hardly any difficulty in +finding a bear in my neighbourhood. Trusty was a first-rate +hand at this, for he found a track, and kept to it as long as I +pleased; and at the same time possessed the great advantage +that he never required a leash, never went farther than I +ordered him, and never followed game without my permission.<a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></a> +When a bear rose before me it rarely got fifty paces away, +unless it was in thorny bushes, where the dog could not escape +its attack; for, so soon as the bear bolted, Trusty dug his +teeth so furiously into its legs, and slipped away with such +agility, that the bear soon gave up all attempts at flight, and +stood at bay. It was laughable to see the trouble the bear +was in when I came up; how it danced round Trusty, and +with the most ridiculous <i>entrechats</i> upbraided his impudence; +while Trusty continually sprang away, lay down before Bruin, +and made the woods ring with his bass voice. Frequently, +however, the honest dog incurred great peril during this sport, +and his life more than once depended on my opportune +arrival.</p> + +<p>In this way I followed one warm autumn day a remarkably +broad bear trail on the mountains of the Rio Grande. +Trusty halting fifty yards ahead of me, showed me that it +stopped at a small torrent, where the bear had watered on the +previous night. I dismounted, examined the trail carefully, +and saw that it was made by a very old fat bear; it was in +the fatting season, when the bear frequently interrupts its +sleep and pays a nocturnal visit to the water. At this season +these animals are very clumsy and slow, and cannot run far, +as they soon grow scant of breath; they soon stop, and can +be easily killed by the hunter—always supposing that he can +trust to his dog and horse, for any mistake might expose the +rider to great danger. I ordered Trusty to follow the trail; +it ran for some distance up the ravine, then went up the bare +hill-side, which was covered with loose boulders and large +masses of rock, into the valley on the opposite side, in the +middle of which was a broad but very swampy pool, girdled +by thick thorny bushes. Trusty halted in front of this thicket, +looked round to me, and then again at the bushes, while wagging +his long tail. I knew the meaning of this signal, and +that the bear was not far off. I ordered the dog on, and drew +a revolver from my belt; feeling assured that the bear would +soon leave the underwood and seek safety in flight. Trusty<a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></a> +disappeared in the bushes, and his powerful bark soon resounded +through the narrow valley. It was an impossibility +for me to ride through the thicket, hence I galloped to the end +of the coppice, and saw there the bear going at a rapid pace +up the opposite steep hill, with Trusty close at its heels. I +tried to cross the swamp, but Czar retreated with a snort, as if +to show me the danger of the enterprise. By this time Trusty +had caught up to the bear at the top of the hill, and furiously +attacked it in the rear. The bear darted round with extraordinary +agility, and was within an ace of seizing Trusty, but +after making a few springs at the dog, it continued its hurried +flight, and disappeared with Trusty over the hill-top. I had +ridden farther up the water when I heard my dog baying; I +drove the spurs into my horse, and with one immense leap, we +were both in the middle of the swamp up to the girths; then, +with an indescribable effort, Czar gave three tremendous leaps, +which sent black mud flying round us, and reached the opposite +firm ground with his fore feet, while his hind quarters +sunk in the quivering morass; with one spring I was over his +head, when I sank in up to the knees, and after several tremendous +exertions, the noble fellow sprang ashore, trembling +all over. Trusty's barking, as if for help, continually reached +me as I galloped up the steep hill-side; I arrived on the summit +at the moment when the bear sprang at Trusty, and buried +him beneath its enormous weight. My alarm for the faithful +dog—my best friend in these solitudes, made me urge Czar +on; he bounded like a cat over the remaining rocks, and I +saw Trusty slip out from under the bear in some miraculous +way, and attack it again on the flank. I halted about ten +paces from the scene of action, held my rifle between the little +red fiery eyes of the bright black monster, and laid it lifeless +on the bare rocks. The greatest peril for dogs is at the moment +when the bear is shot, for they are apt to attack it as it +falls, and get crushed in its last convulsive throes. I leapt off +Czar, who was greatly excited by the sharp ride, went up to +Trusty, who was venting his fury on Bruin's throat, examined<a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></a> +him, and found that he had received three very serious wounds, +two on the back and one over the left shoulderblade, which +were bleeding profusely, though in his fury he did not seem to +notice them. I took my case from the holster and sewed up +his wounds, during which operation he lay very patiently before +me, and looked at me with his large eyes, as if asking +whether this were necessary. Then I took off my jacket and +set to work on the bear, stripped it, and put the hide as well +as a hundred pounds' weight of the flesh on Czar's back. If +my readers will bear in mind that the sun was shining on my +back furiously, and that I was on a bare blazing rock, they +will understand that I was worn out, and longed for a cool +resting-place. The bear weighed at least 800 lbs., and it +requires a great effort to turn such an animal over.</p> + +<p>I was a good hour's ride from the shade of the Leone, +and only half that distance to the mountain springs I +have already described. I therefore selected the latter, +although they took me rather farther from home. I walked, +although I made Czar carry my jacket, weapons, and pouch, +and reached my destination in the afternoon, with my two +faithful companions at my heels. Czar had a hearty meal +after I had bathed him in the pond, and poor Trusty, whose +wounds had dried in the sun, and pained him terribly, felt comfortable +in the cool grass, and did not disturb the linen rag +which I moistened every now and then. Nor did I forget +myself; I rested, bathed, and after awhile enjoyed the liver +and tongue of the old vagabond, until the evening breeze +had cooled the air, and I reached home partly on foot, partly +on horseback.</p> + +<p>Nature seems to have selected the buffalo before all varieties +of game for the purpose of bringing to the door of the +man who first dares to carry civilization into the desert, abundant +food for him and his during the first years, so that he +may have time to complete the works connected with his +settlement, and have no trouble in procuring provisions. +When this time is passed, nature withdraws this liberal sup<a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></a>port +from him; in the course of a few years he must go a +long distance to obtain this food as a dainty, which he grew +quite tired of in the early years, for the buffalo is not frightened +by the pioneer's solitary house and field, but as soon as +several appear, the animals depart and are only seen as +stragglers.</p> + +<p>The woolly hides of the buffaloes supply the new-comer in +the desert with the most splendid and comfortable beds. +When laid over the roof they protect his unfinished house +from rain and storm; he uses their leather for saddles, boot-soles, +making ropes of all sorts, traces, &c.; its meat, one of +the most luxurious sorts that nature offers man, seems to be +given to the borderer as a compensation for the countless +privations and thousand dangers to which he subjects himself. +Buffalo's marrow is a great delicacy, and very strengthening. +The fat can be used in many ways, and the horns +converted into drinking cups, powder flasks, &c.; in a word, +the whole of the buffalo is turned to account in the settler's +housekeeping.</p> + +<p>These animals are hunted in several ways. With an enduring, +well-trained horse, you ride up to them and shoot +them with pistols or a rifle, for a horse accustomed to this +chase always keeps a short distance from the buffalo, and +requires no guidance with the reins; but this mode of hunting +can only be employed on the plains, for in the mountainous +regions the buffalo has a great advantage in its sure footing +over a horse that has to carry a rider. In such regions, and +in wooded districts, you stalk the animals, which is not difficult, +and if you keep yourself concealed you may kill several +with ease, as they are not startled by the mere report of a +rifle. On the prairies, too, where the grass is rather high, +you can creep up to them through it, and if it be not sufficiently +tall to hide you, you make use of some large skin, +such as a wolf's, and covered with this, crawl up within +range. This, however, is always a dangerous plan, for if you +are noticed by a wounded buffalo, you run a great risk of<a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></a> +being trampled to death by it. On these crawling hunts, I +always had Trusty a short distance behind me, who moved +through the grass quite as cautiously as myself, and when +it was necessary, I set him on, and had time to run to my +horse, while Trusty attacked the buffalo and pinned it to the +spot.</p> + +<p>I always preferred riding after buffaloes, for this is one of +the most exciting modes of hunting I am acquainted with, +as it demands much skill from the rider and agility and training +on the part of the horse. Horses that have been used +to the sport for any time are extremely fond of it, and at the +sight of the buffalo become so excited that there is a difficulty +in holding them in. The revolver is the best weapon to <a name="tn_png_032"></a><!--TN: Period added after "use"-->use. +You have the great advantage with it of firing several shots +without reloading. I always carried two in my belt, which +gave twelve shots, and also two spare cylinders. I also had +my double rifle with me, which lay unfastened between me +and the saddle cloth. The American revolvers are admirably +made, and carry their bullets very accurately for a hundred +yards; but at longer distances they cannot be depended on, +as it is difficult to take aim with them. It requires considerable +practice to kill a buffalo at a gallop, for you may +send a dozen bullets into it, and yet not prevent it from continuing +its clumsy-looking though very rapid progress. The +buffalo's heart lies very deep in the chest behind the shoulder-blades; +it can be easily missed through the eye being caught +by the hump on the back; and besides, it requires very great +practice to hit with a pistol when going at full speed. If +you shoot the buffalo at the right spot, it drops at once, and +frequently turns head over heels. The animal is in the best +condition in spring, when it has changed its coat. At this +season its head is adorned with long dark brown locks, and its +hind-quarters are covered with shining black hair. So long +as old tufts bleached by the sun are hanging about it it is +not in prime condition, and the experienced hunter never +selects such a quarry.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></a>On a spring morning—I need not add a fine one, for at this +season the blue sky rarely deserts us for more than a few +hours—I rode at daybreak down the river toward the mountains; +a cold, refreshing breeze was blowing, which had an +invigorating effect upon both men and animals. Czar was +full of playfulness. He often pretended to kick at Trusty, +his dearest friend, who was trotting by his side, shook his +broad neck, and could hardly be held in. Trusty ran ahead, +every now and then rolled in the tall grass, kicked up the +earth behind him, and then looked up at me with a loud +bark of delight. I too was in an excellent humour; the +small birds-of-paradise, with their long black and white tails +and crimson breasts, fluttered from bush to bush. The +humming birds darted past me like live coals, and suddenly +stopped as if spell-bound in front of some flowers, whence +they sucked the honey for a few seconds with their beaks, +and then hummed off to another fragrant blossom. Countless +vultures described their regular circles over my head; +above them gleamed against the ultramarine sky the brilliant +white plumage of a silver heron, or the splendid pink of a +flamingo; whilst high up in ether the royal eagles were +bathing in the sunshine. The prairie was more beautiful +this day than I had ever seen it; it was adorned by every +designation of bulbous plants, the prevailing flora in the +spring.</p> + +<p>Lost in admiration of these natural beauties, which words +are powerless to describe, I reached the hilly ground near the +mountain springs; and first learned from Czar's tugging at +the bridle, and his repeated bounds, that I had come in sight +of a herd of about forty buffaloes, that did not appear to notice +me yet. Probably they were engaged with that portion of +the beauties of nature which most interested them; for, at +any rate, they all had their huge shaggy heads buried in the +fresh young grass. I was never better inclined to have a +jolly chase than on this day, and the same was the case with +Czar and Trusty. I let loose the reins, drew a revolver, and<a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></a> +dashed among the astounded herd, looking for a plump bull. +Surprised and disturbed, these philosophers turned their heads +towards the mountains, raised their tails erect, and started +in their awkward gallop, with the exception of one old fellow, +the very one I had selected for the attack. He looked after +the fugitives for awhile, as if reproaching them with their +cowardice; shook his wild shaggy mane several times, and +then dashed furiously at me with his head down. I was so +surprised at this unexpected attack that I did not fire, but +turned my horse to fly. The buffalo pursued me some thousand +yards, keeping rather close, while his companions halted, +and seemed to be admiring the chivalric deed of their knight. +At length he stopped, as he had convinced himself that he +could not catch up to me, and stamped with his long-haired +front legs till the dust flew up in a cloud around him. I +turned my horse and raised my rifle, to make more sure of +hitting the bull, as his determined conduct had imbued me +with some degree of respect. I fired, and wounded him in the +side a little too far back; at the same instant he dashed ahead +again, but then thought better of it, and tried to rejoin the +flying herd. I now set Trusty on him, who soon brought +him at bay, and I gave him a bullet from the revolver. Again +he rushed at me, and again fled. In this way, pursuing and +pursued in turn, I had given him five bullets, when he left +the herd in a perfect state of mania, and dashed after me. I +made a short turn with my horse; the bull rushed past; I +turned Czar again towards the buffalo; and as I passed I put +a bullet through his heart at the distance of three yards. The +monster fell to the ground in a cloud of dust, and raised up +a heap of loose sand which it stained with its dark blood.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-035"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-035.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="412"> +<p class="caption">AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR. <span class="alignright">[<i><a name="tn_png_036"></a><!--TN: Period added after "p"--><a href="#Page_27">p. 27.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>To my surprise I noticed that Trusty did not come up to +the fallen buffalo, but rushed past it, loudly barking, to the +thicket at the springs, whence I saw an immense panther +leap through the prickly plants. I galloped round the ponds +and saw the royal brute making enormous leaps through the +tall prairie grass toward the mountains. Trusty was not<a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></a> +idle either, and was close behind it. I spurred Czar, and kept +rather nearer the mountains, so as to cut off the fugitive's +retreat and drive it farther out on the plains, while my hunting +cry incessantly rang in its ears. It had galloped about +a mile, when we got rather close to it; it altered its course +once more, and climbed up an old evergreen live oak, among +whose leafy branches it disappeared. I called Trusty to +heel, stopped about fifty yards from the oak to reload my +right-hand barrel, and then rode slowly round, looking for a +gap in the foliage through which to catch a glimpse of this +most dangerous animal. The leaves were very close, and I +had ridden nearly round, when I suddenly saw its eyes glaring +at me from one of the main branches in the middle of the tree. +I must shoot it dead, or else it would be a very risky enterprise; +and Czar's breathing was too violent for me to fire from his back +with any certainty. I cautiously dismounted, keeping my eye +on the panther, held a revolver in my left hand, brought the +bead of my rifle to bear right between the eyes of the king +of these solitudes—and fired. With a heavy bump the panther +fell from branch to branch, and lay motionless on the +ground. I kept Trusty back, waited a few moments to see +whether the jaguar was really dead, as I did not wish to injure +the beautiful skin by a second bullet unnecessarily, then +walked up and found that the bullet had passed through the +left eye into the brain. It had one of the handsomest skins +I ever took; it is so large that I can quite wrap myself up +in it, and now forms my bed coverlet. When I had finished +skinning it and cut out the tusks with the small axe I always +carried in a leathern case, I rode back to my buffalo, with +the skin proudly hanging down on either side of my horse. +On getting there I led Czar through the narrow entrance +into the thicket, where I came upon a freshly killed, large +deer, one of whose legs was half eaten away. It was the last +meal of the savage beast of prey, and I was surprised it had +left its quarry. The noise of the buffalo and the horse galloping, +Trusty's bass voice, and the crack of the revolver in<a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></a> +such close vicinity, must have appeared dangerous to it, and +it had fancied it could slip off unnoticed.</p> + +<p>My buffalo was very plump; it supplied me and Trusty +with an excellent dinner, and for dessert I had the marrow-bones, +roasted on the fire and split open with my axe, which, +when peppered and salted, are a great delicacy. A little old +brandy from my flask, mixed with the cold spring water, was +a substitute for champagne; my sofa was the body of the +deer, covered with the skin of its assassin.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-038.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="543" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></a> +<a name="chapter5" id="chapter5"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE NATURALIST.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">Years</span> had passed since the first establishment of my settlement, +but it was still the greatest rarity to see a strange +white face among us; and though I visited the nearest town +more frequently than at the outset, it led to no settled intercourse. +I rode there several times a year, taking to market +on mules my stock of hides, wax, tallow, &c., and brought +back provisions, tools, powder, and lead. On these occasions +I received the letters which had arrived for me in the interval, +posted my own, took my packets of books forwarded from +New York, and then my intercourse with the world was at +an end for six months. The mules and horses certainly left +traces during these rides in the clayey soil, but they were +soon destroyed by heavy rains or trampled by herds of passing +buffaloes, and thus hidden from the most acute eyes. +Moreover, on these journeys I never kept the same road, as +I always guided myself by the compass, and altered my course +according to the seasons, as I had to pass spots which were +inundated at certain periods, and others where water at times +was very scarce. The first two-thirds of the country was a +wretched sandy region, without grass, on which stunted oaks +grew here and there, very mountainous and dry, where no +one would dream of settling or undergoing the perils of a +pioneer for the sake of the land. Nearer to me no one ventured +to come, as many attempts had been made to settle on +this fertile soil, but had all turned out unhappily; the last of +them entailing the destruction of a family of nineteen persons: +on my hunting expeditions I often saw their bones +bleaching in the sun. As I said, no change had occurred in<a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"></a> +my position, save that my mode of life was safer and more +comfortable; the country alone still remained a solitude, +which no isolated visitor could enter without staking his +scalp.</p> + +<p>Hence I was greatly surprised one morning when the sentry +came into my house and informed me that a white man was +riding alone along the river, mounted on a mule, which is the +most unsuitable of animals in the Indian country. I ran with +a telescope to the turret at the south-east end of the fort, and +not only found the watchman's statement confirmed, but also +that the man had not even a weapon; unless it was hidden +in two enormous packs which dangled on each side of his mule. +The rider drew nearer, at one moment emerging on the ridges, +and then disappearing again in the hollows. At length our +growing curiosity was satisfied, and a white man, a German, +saluted us with an innocently calm smile. On my asking how +he had come here alone and unarmed, he said cheerfully:—"Well, +from the settlement. I was able to find your mule-track +quite easily. Mr. Jones accompanied me for a whole +day, and during the last four I have seen nobody." It soon +came out that his name was Kreger, and that he was a botanist +who had come to examine the Flora about us, which had not +yet been collected. For this purpose he brought with him +two enormous bundles of blotting-paper, which hung on his +Lizzy—so he called his gallant charger—and, like woolbags +in a battery, might have protected him against Indian arrows, +if he had had any missiles to reply with; but he only had a +pistol in his trowsers' pocket, which would not go off, in spite +of all the experiments we made with it. Everybody had +warned him of the danger to which he exposed himself on his +journey to me; and the last pioneer he passed, a Mr. Jones, +had tried to keep him back by force, but he had merely +laughed, and declared that an Indian could not touch him on +his Lizzy.</p> + +<p>There are men who wantonly rush into perils because danger +has something attractive for them, and who seek them in order<a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"></a> +to have an opportunity of expending the energy they feel +within them; there are others who incur danger in order to +display themselves to the world as heroes, though their courage +is not very genuine; lastly, there are men who expose themselves +calmly and delightedly to great dangers, because they +are entirely ignorant of them, and cannot be persuaded of their +existence till they are surprised and destroyed by them. Such +a man was our new acquaintance, Mr. Kreger: we all tried +to make him understand how madly he had behaved, and that +it was only by a miracle he had escaped the notice of the Redskins, +which must have entailed his inevitable death, during +his long solitary journey to us, and while sleeping at night +by a large fire. He merely smiled at it all, and said that it +could not be quite so bad, while making repeated applications +to his snuff-box. As regarded his intentions of making his +excursions from my house, I told him it was impossible; because +when I went out hunting I did not waste my time over +plants, and he, as no sportsman, would be a nuisance to me; +on the other hand, we could not think of letting him wander +about alone, the danger of which I confirmed by telling him +various adventures of mine. For all this, I received him hospitably; +gave him a place to sleep in, and a seat at table; +showed him where to find corn for Lizzy, where he could wash +his sheets—in a word, made him as comfortable as lay in my +power.</p> + +<p>I had long intended to explore more distant countries than +those I had visited during my sporting excursions, especially +the continuation of our plateaux to the north, and had made +my arrangements for this tour, when Mr. Kreger surprised +us by his advent. On the day after his arrival we took a walk +round the fort and the garden, during which he broke off the +conversation every moment, and plucked some rare plant to +put in his herbal, which he called his cannon; and laughed +at the revolver in my belt and the rifle I carried. I told him +that I intended to make a journey, in which, if he liked to +accompany me, he would be able to make his researches, as<a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"></a> +my hunting on this trip would be restricted to my meat supply. +He was delighted, and agreed to come with me; to which I +consented on condition of his riding one of my horses, and I +recommended the mustang, whose powers of endurance I knew +and tried to prove by telling him how it came into my possession. +But it was of no avail, for none of my cattle possessed +the qualities of his Lizzy; and he offered a bet that no +one could catch her. For the sake of the joke, the mustang +and the mule were soon saddled; a mosquito tree on the prairie, +about half a mile from the fort, was selected as the goal; and +away we started through the tall grass. It was really surprising +how fast Lizzy went, cocking up her rat-like tail and +long ears; she accepted with pleasure the shower of blows +that fell on her, and reached the goal only twenty yards behind +me. I laughed most heartily at the amusing appearance of +our naturalist, and expressed my admiration at his mule's +pace; but remarked at the same time, that for no consideration +in the world would I ride her in the country I intended visiting, +because I was well acquainted with the obstinacy of mules, +and knew that when called on to show their speed they refuse +to do so, and neither fire nor sword could induce them. All +such remarks, however, produced no change in Kreger's invincible +faith in his favourite; and, as if he had assumed a portion +of Lizzy's obstinacy through his long friendly relations with +her, he irrevocably adhered to his resolution of only entrusting +his carcass to her during the impending excursion.</p> + +<p>Our preparations, which were very simple, occupied us about +a week; they consisted in removing Czar's shoes, and rubbing +his hoofs frequently with bear's grease, for the Indians follow +the track of a shoed horse as wolves do a deer's bleeding trail; +in grinding coffee, and forcing it into bladders, and in plaiting +two new lassos, for which I fetched two new buffalo hides, in +which chase the botanist accompanied me, and felt a pride in +having given me an indubitable proof of his Lizzy's powers, +for she followed close at Czar's tail during the entire hunt. +Mr. Kreger assisted me in making the lassos. The hide is<a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"></a> +fastened tight on the ground with wooden pegs, a very sharp +knife is thrust into the centre, and a strip about the breadth +of a finger is cut, until the whole hide is transferred into one +very long line, which, though not so long as the one with +which Dido measured the ground to build Carthage on, attained +a very great length. This strip was then fastened +between trees, the hair shaved off with a knife, after which it +was cut into five equal lengths, and these were plaited into a +lasso about forty feet long, which was once more fastened +between trees, with heavy weights attached to it, and thus +stretched to its fullest extent. When such a line has been +dried in the open air, it is rubbed with bear's grease, through +which it always remains soft and supple, and will resist a tremendous +pull. The one made by Mr. Kreger, though not +plaited so smoothly and regularly, was useful, and afforded him +great pleasure as a perfection of his Lizzy's equipment. One +end of this lasso is fastened round the horse's neck; it is +rolled up, fastened by a loop to the saddle, undone when the +animal is grazing, and bound round a tree or bush.</p> + +<p>The day for our start arrived, and the morning was spent +in saddling our horses and arranging our baggage in the most +suitable way for both horse and rider, a most important thing +in these hot regions, for the horse's back is easily galled, and +then you are compelled to go on foot, which is very wearisome +and fatiguing in a country where there are no roads. The naturalist +at length completed his equipment of Lizzy, who looked +more like a rhinoceros than a cross between a horse and a +donkey. In front of the saddle hung the two bales of blotting +paper over the large bearskin holsters, which, in addition to +two pistols I had supplied, were crammed with biscuit, coffee, +pepper and salt, snuff, &c. Over the saddle hung two leathern +bags, fastened together by a strap, on which the rider had his +seat. Behind the saddle, a frying-pan, coffee-pot, and tin +mug, produced a far from pleasing harmony at every movement +of the animal. Over the whole of this a gigantic buffalo +hide was stretched, and fastened with a surcingle round<a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"></a> +Lizzy's stout body, so that, like a tortoise, she only displayed +her head and tail, and caused a spectator the greatest doubt +as to what genus of quadruped she belonged. In order to +complete the picture, Lizzy had two enormous bushes of a +summer plant, which we call "Spanish mulberry," stuck behind +her ears, as a first-rate specific to keep the flies off. I had +repeatedly told Kreger of the absurdity of covering Lizzy with +this coat of mail, in which she would melt away. But he said +that I too had a skin over my saddle, and he wanted his to +protect him at night against rain and dew. On the back of +this monster our naturalist mounted, dressed in a long reddish +homespun coat, trowsers of the same material, though rather +more faded, with Mexican spurs on his heels with wheels the +size of a dollar, and a broad-brimmed felt hat, under which +his long face with the large light-blue eyes and eternally-smiling +mouth peeped out. Over his right shoulder hung his +huge botanizing case, and over his left a double-barrelled +gun of mine loaded with slugs; his hat Mr. Kreger had +also adorned with a green bush, and sitting erect in his +wooden Mexican stirrups, he swung his whip, and declared +his readiness to start. I rode Czar, and the only difference +from my ordinary equipment was that I had a bag full of provisions +hung on the saddle behind me; this and a little more +powder and lead than usual, was all the extra weight Czar +had to carry, and too insignificant for him to feel. With a +truly heavy heart I bade good-bye to Trusty, and most earnestly +commended him to the care of my men. I could not +take him with me to an unknown country, where I might feel +certain of getting into situations where I must trust to the +speed of my horse, and Trusty might easily get into trouble. +The firearms I left at the service of my garrison, and consisting +of nearly fifty rifles and fowling pieces, were carefully inspected. +We then rode off, and soon heard the gate of the +fort bolted after us.</p> + +<p>It was the afternoon when we rode down to the river-side +and waded through the stream. For the stranger this river<a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"></a> +is most beautiful and charming, for at its greatest depth it is +so clear, that, were it not for its motion and the leaves, +brushwood, &c., floating on it, it would be doubtful to say +whether it contained any water or not. This is noticed more +especially with horses which have to cross such a stream for +the first time; generally they object, and look down at the +water, whose depth they are unable to gauge. You see the +stones at the bottom as clearly as if there were no water, and +can distinctly watch the slightest movements of the countless +fish and turtle with which the streams in my neighbourhood +swarm. At the same time the banks are covered with +the most luxurious vegetation, and the gigantic vines cross it +from the tops of the trees, and are in their turn intertwined +with other creepers so as to form a hanging wood over the +darting waters. Most of these creepers adorn the woods +with a magnificent show of flowers, and some trees are so +overgrown with them, that none of their own foliage is visible. +The stream in these rivers is so violent that it is very dangerous +to ride through them, especially at spots where the +water is deep enough to reach the horse's girths, and the +danger is heightened by the extremely slippery soap stones +which cover the bottom.</p> + +<p>I rode first into the river, and Lizzy followed obediently +after me, though it cost some persuasion to make my companion +refrain from riding a few yards lower down in order +to pluck some specimens of the beautiful aquatic plants growing +on the surface, for he fancied it was no depth, while he +and his Lizzy, heavily laden as they were, would have sunk, +and never reached the bank again alive. I remember, while +hunting, swimming on horseback through places where the +current was extremely violent, and carried away my dog, +which reached the bank eventually, bruised by the rocks and +bleeding terribly. We reached the opposite side without any +difficulty, and followed a deep-trodden buffalo path into the +forest; which runs with a breadth of several miles along the +river. After you have been riding ever so short a time in<a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"></a> +the sun, you feel the benefit of the gloomy and impenetrable +shade of such a forest in an extraordinary degree; the air +beneath the leafy aisles seems quite different; it is not only +cool and refreshing, but appears to have been purified in its +passage through the leaves, for these forests grow on elevated +ground, where no swamps or standing waters poison the air +with the exhalations of putrified vegetable matter, as is the +case on the banks of the Mississippi and other eastern rivers +of America. There is not a more majestic or imposing sight +than such a forest; trees of the most gigantic size grow in +the wildest confusion, strangest shapes, and most varied hues, +so closely together that you cannot understand where all +their roots find room. You see, perhaps, twenty varieties of +the oak, among which the burrel oak is the handsomest and +largest; it is eight feet in diameter, and its stem measures +forty feet to the first branches, while its crown attains a +height of one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet. On +the river banks cypresses stand side by side for miles, so +close together that there is hardly room for a man to pass +between them. The black walnut, the tulip tree, the peca-nut, +several sorts of elms, the mulberry, maples, ashes, planes, +poplars, &c., press against each other, and wherever death +makes a gap and restores one of these giant trees to the +earth, young shoots start up from its dust in the opening +through which the blue sky is visible, and soon fill up the +room. Countless varieties of smaller trees flourish in this +gloom, and force their way between the colossi of vegetation, +for instance, the wild cherry, wild plum, a small chestnut, +and several species of nut trees; beneath these the bushes +and cactuses spread with an incredible variety, and relieve +the gloom with their magnificently coloured perfumed flowers, +which seem to maintain an eternal rivalry with the blossoms +of the llianas swinging from tree to tree in the airy height. +Finally, the earth itself, beneath the darkest bushes, is +covered with a dense carpet of delicate plants, which, although +hidden from every sunbeam, are not the less worthy of being<a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"></a> +sought by the fervent admirer of the masterpieces of nature; +they gleam like subterranean fires in the shade, and diffuse +their perfume far around in this palace of foliage.</p> + +<p>The queen of the whole virgin forest, however, is the +magnolia. It raises its haughty head one hundred and fifty +feet above a silver grey, smooth trunk, spreads its branches +regularly far around, and is so closely covered with its broad, +dark green, smooth and shining leaves, that its branches are +rarely illumined by a sunbeam. Among this dark mass of +foliage, which is unchanged throughout the year, it puts +forth in spring its large snow-white roses, with orange petals, +in such profusion that you can hardly see whether white or +green is the fundamental colour. Far around it spreads a +perfume of vanilla which is so strong that it is dangerous to +sleep under the tree unless a breeze be blowing. The flowers +last a long time, and as the pearls fall one by one on the +ground, their place is taken by a bunch of berries, redder and +more fiery than any colour on an artist's palette. They +gleam far and wide through the majestic forest like candelabra +in a cathedral.</p> + +<p>Our path ran with a hundred windings through the +solemn silence; it seemed as if every living creature that had +sought this sanctuary, or fled from the heated plain, were +silently revelling in its beauty and gratefully reposing in its +coolness; not a bird or insect could be heard, not even the +sound of a falling leaf interrupted the tranquillity, and only +the footfalls of our animals and the snorting of Czar echoed +through the forest. Too soon for us, too soon for our horses, +we reached the end of our path, where it entered the prairie +on the other side, after we had walked the greater part of the +distance, because the crossing creepers frequently compelled +us to bow our heads under them, as the makers of the path +did, for we saw their brown shaggy hair floating in all +directions. We followed the path into the prairie, which +begins about two miles from the forest. On either side of +the path deer sprang out of the bushes, and flocks of turkeys<a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a> +darted backwards and forwards with long, quick steps in +front of us. The former I left undisturbed, but I shot one +old fat turkey-cock, and hung it on the saddle behind me.</p> + +<p>The sun was rather low when we rode through the wide +prairie, and we could only advance slowly because the grass +at many spots came up to my horse's back; our cattle were +very worn, and poor Lizzy panted painfully under her +harness, while the perspiration poured from her in streams. +The sun was setting when we reached a small affluent of the +Leone, where I knew of a good camping place, at which I +determined to spend the night. We unloaded our animals, +which I soon completed, as I merely undid the belly-band, +pulled saddle and all over Czar's croupe, removed the bit, and +then gave him a few taps on his damp back, as a sign that +he could go wherever he pleased. My companion was +much longer in removing all the articles of his household from +Lizzy's back; and when he had finished she was a gruesome +sight. White foam and dust had matted her long hair, her +ears hung down and almost touched the ground, and her +generally melancholy face was rendered still more so by the +bushes waving over it. I really felt sorry for the poor +wretch, and bluntly told Mr. Kreger that I would not ride +a step farther with him unless he left the buffalo hide here. +He was also convinced by his Lizzy's wretched appearance, +that she could not carry this weight for long, and we agreed, +that I should tan the hide of the first deer I shot, and let +him use it. Lizzy was led into the grass and tied to a bush, +and we arranged our bivouac for the night. Kreger fetched +dry wood and water. I lit the fire, set coffee to boil, spitted +strips of the turkey breast and liver, rubbed the meat in +with pepper and salt, and put it to roast. Then I laid my +horse-rug on the grass, with the saddle, holsters, and saddle-bag +on it, hung the bridle and lasso on a branch, and took +my seat in front of the fire on my tiger skin, while watching +the naturalist, who was making a thousand arrangements, as +if we were going to remain at least a month here.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"></a>It had grown dark. Supper was over. We fetched our +animals and took them to water. Lizzy was hobbled in the +grass near our camp, and Czar lay down behind a bush, but +kept his head up for a long time, as if looking for somebody. +It was Trusty, his playmate, that he missed; nor did I feel +altogether comfortable under my rug. I dreamed nearly the +whole night of Indians, and continually woke, when I made +up the fire and lay down again with my rifle on my arm. +The botanist, on the contrary, slept like a top, packed up in +his buffalo hide, with his head on an open bundle of blotting +paper; at the same time he snored nearly the whole night, which +did not help to improve my rest. Before daybreak Czar got +up, shook himself, and walked up to Lizzy, who still lay half +dead in the grass, as if to wish her good morning. I roused +my companion. We led the cattle to water, and while I got +breakfast I advised Mr. Kreger to make some botanical +researches, which he did. He came back with such an armful +of plants, that I told him I thought he had better not take +more than one specimen of each, as otherwise, by the end of +our journey, Lizzy would be unable to carry the load. He +laid the plants in the blotting-paper, bound his bundles, and ere +we started, I rolled up the buffalo hide with the hair outwards, +and thrust it between two branches of a thickly-leaved +tree, where it would remain until our return.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-198.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="174"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"></a> +<a name="chapter6" id="chapter6"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">MR. KREGER'S FATE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">We</span> had a good day's journey to our next bivouac, and I was +acquainted with the country so far. We rode rather sharply +in spite of the tall grass, and at mid-day reached another +small affluent of the Leone, where we granted ourselves and +our cattle a few hours' rest. During this time I went down +to the river side and shot a large deer, whose hide I conveyed +to our resting-place, along with some of the meat and +the skull. After scraping the skin quite clean, I split the +skull, took out the brains, made them into a thin paste with +water, smeared the skin on the inside with this, and then +rolled it up tight and gave it to Mr. Kreger to carry, +promising to get it ready for use next day. Brains dress +skins famously, and this is the way in which the Indians +prepare them. After lying in this state for four-and-twenty +hours, they are washed clean, hung up in the shade, and, +while damp, pulled over the sharp edge of a plank or the back +of a bowie knife till they are quite dry, which makes the +skin as smooth and soft as velvet. In order to prevent a +skin prepared in this way from turning hard when exposed to +the wet, it is spread over a hole in the ground in which +rotten wood is kindled, and it is smoked on both sides till it +becomes quite yellow. My botanist employed the halt in +exposing the plants plucked in the morning to the sun, while +he collected fresh ones. The greatest heat was past, and it +was about 3 p.m. when we set out again. The country +here became more broken, the prairies were not so extensive, +and here and there were covered with clumps of trees and +bushes. The grass was not so tall as on the flat prairies,<a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></a> +which considerably accelerated the pace of our cattle. Lizzy +especially seemed to feel the difference between yesterday and +to-day, and trotted lightly and cheerfully by the side of Czar, +who on such tours always ambled, a pace which is very +pleasant for the rider, does not tire the horse, and gets over +the ground wonderfully quick. This pace is natural to barbs. +I knew my Czar's sire, who was one of six stallions presented +by the Emperor of Morocco to Taylor, the President of the +United States.</p> + +<p>At nightfall we reached Turkey Creek, as I had christened +it from the great number of those birds I found here. It +was still light enough to choose a good spot for our bivouac, +where we were near water; we were tolerably hidden, and had +very good grass for our cattle. This evening, however, Czar +was hobbled, that is to say, a short line round his neck was +hooked to a padded ring he always wore on his near forefoot, +so that he was obliged to keep his head to the ground or his +foot in the air, and hence could only walk. This was an invention +of my own, suggested by the fear of losing my horse, +and when fastened in this way, he could not be unexpectedly +scared and driven off. I prefer it to binding the two feet, +for this often lames a horse, and to tying it up with a lasso, +because the horse can easily entangle its feet in the latter +and be seriously injured. In this manner I could leap from +my horse in the most dangerous neighbourhood, and renders +it in an instant incapable of bolting.</p> + +<p>Lizzy was again picketed, and we kept a watchful eye on +the animals during the two hours they were grazing; for I +had nearly reached the end of my <i>terra cognita</i> and the border +of regions which had never yet been visited by Pale-faces. +Ere we went to sleep, the logs were covered with ashes, the +cattle fastened to trees close to us, and we lay down to rest +after supper, but I could not sleep so soundly as when I had +Trusty by my side; the slightest sound disturbed me, and it +was always a long time ere I fell asleep again. About midnight +I started up and fancied I had been dreaming about a<a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></a> +storm; I looked up and saw that all the stars had disappeared; +at the same moment the surrounding landscape was lit up by +a flash of lightning, and a violent thunder-clap rolled down +the valley. I sprang up, blew the fire into a flame, laid wood +on it, and woke the snoring naturalist, who asked, in great +alarm, about the cause of being disturbed. I advised him to +do as I did, then broke off an armfull of bushes, laid them in +a heap, put my pistols and bags on it with the saddle over +them, covered them with the horse-rug, and laid the jaguar +skin over all; after which I helped Kreger to put his traps +in safety, in which he greatly missed the buffalo hide.</p> + +<p>While we were occupied with these preparations, the thunder +rolled almost uninterruptedly, and the incessant flashes kept +the tall trees brilliantly illumined. From the north we heard +a sound like a distant waterfall, and the turmoil soon rose to +the mournful howling of the tempest which is only to be +heard in these regions. I was well acquainted with the approaching +spirit of the storm, for I had often met it; hence +I went up to Czar, put on his head-gear and threw the bridle +over my shoulder, giving Kreger a hint to do the same with +Lizzy. But he had quite lost his head, and ran first to his +heap of traps and then to the mule, when the storm burst +over our heads in all its fury, and made the primćval trees +crack in their very roots. It swept the earth and carried +away with it an avalanche of dust, leaves, and branches; our +fire stretched out long tongues of flame over the ground, and +sent its sparks whirling through the coal-black night into +the gloomy wood. The groans of the hurricane were blended +with the deafening peals of thunder, which at every second +made the earth tremble under our feet, and I had the greatest +difficulty in making Kreger understand that he should come +to me. I had selected a young white oak, whose branches +were interlaced with creepers, to shelter myself and Czar, and +had got out of the way of two lofty planes which were singing +their death plaint.</p> + +<p>The fury of the storm still increased; blast followed blast<a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></a> +crash followed crash; the crowns of the two planes bent more +and more, and with a shock resembling an earthquake, they +suddenly fell across our fire, which scattered in all directions +like a bursting shell, and hurled logs and brands over our heads. +Czar started back, and in his terror would have broken half-a-dozen +lassos, had I not been prepared for this, and followed him +with the bridle, while Lizzy dragged my companion, who would +not loose the lasso, for a long distance through the grass.</p> + +<p>The first drops of rain now fell, and I knew that the greatest +fury of the storm had passed. I led Czar back under the +oak, held my rifle with the hammer down under my armpit, +shouted to Kreger to follow me, and stood as erect under my +broad-brimmed hat as I could. The rain fell in torrents, so +that in a few minutes we had not a dry thread on us; a stream +flowed between our feet, and the storm chilled us to the +marrow. We stood silent, like herons; and though it was so +dark that we could not see each other, we were contented at +being still alive, and having our horses with us. It rained +nearly till morning, which was never more heartily greeted +than by us two; and, ere long, a clear blue sky cheered us. +The greatest difficulty was to light the fire again. My traps +had remained perfectly dry, as they were protected by the +bushes underneath, and the storm had been unable to touch +them; I had the means of making fire, but dry wood was +not so easy to procure: still I succeeded in getting some out +of a hollow old oak, and the botanist's blotting-paper helped +to kindle the flame. It was scarce blazing ere we laid arms-full +of dead wood from the fallen trees upon it, and soon produced +such a heat that it dried us in a very short time. +Kreger's traps had become rather wet, but the damage could +be easily repaired; and we did not the less enjoy our breakfast +on that account. The sun came out with its warming, +cheering beams, and lit up the ruin which the storm had +created during the night, while a calm glad smile on the face +of surrounding nature seemed to contradict the possibility of +it being capable of any such wild passion.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></a>We were ready to start at a tolerably early hour, but an +obstacle offered itself which threatened to take us far out of +our course. The usually insignificant stream had swollen into +such a rapid torrent, and spread so far over its banks, that +we could not hope to cross it. I could not forgive myself +the oversight of not crossing the stream over night, which is +an established rule with travellers and hunters in this country, +for the waters often rise fifteen to twenty feet in a few hours, +and the hunter who incautiously bivouacs on the bank runs +the risk of being so begirt by the swelling tide as to be unable +to escape its fury. Not only men are exposed to this, but +also the quadruped denizens of these parts, and I repeatedly +saw drowned buffaloes and stags being carried away by such +swollen rivers. However, as a rule, the inundation only lasts +a few hours, because the small streams have but a short +course, and are only swollen by the mountain torrents.</p> + +<p>I had no intention to stop here, and preferred riding up the +stream in order to try and find a ford where we could cross +without danger. We rode for a good two hours along the bank. +The trees continually grew scantier, and the road more difficult +through scattered boulders and rocks. Between these, huge +ferns sprang up, and with the fallen trees, frequently blocked +the way, so that we had to make a long circuit to fetch the +river again. At length we reached a spot where the stream +was more contracted, and an old cypress lay across it, which +had been probably levelled by some storm. I went across the +trunk, cut a long bough and sounded the ground on the opposite +bank; it rose at a steep pitch from the water, and was +firm, so that I had no doubt but that our animals could +easily clamber up it. I took the packages off Czar, carried +them across, then fastened the lasso to my horse's bridle ring, +and crossed the stream with it, shouting to him to follow me. +The bank on his side was rather steep, which fact he had discovered +by feeling with his fore feet, but he leaped with all +four feet into the stream, bounded up the other bank, +and set to work on the grass, which had been freshened by<a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></a> +the last night's rain. Kreger followed my example, but Lizzy +would not venture the leap; I therefore went across, suddenly +seized her hind quarters, and pushed her into the stream, +which she entered headforemost, but soon reached the other +side uninjured.</p> + +<p>We loaded again, and rode down the stream opposite the +spot where we had spent the night. It was mid-day by this +time, and though the heat was not oppressive, our animals +required a rest. We dined, and mounted again at about two +o'clock. From this point the country was quite strange to +me, and it was necessary to make sure of the direction in +which we proceeded. I compared the compass let into my +rifle-butt with the one I had in my pocket, and we rode at a +quick pace toward the north-west.</p> + +<p>All traces of the rain disappeared about four miles from our +last bivouac, and hence the hurricane had been limited to the +course of Turkey Creek. This is often found to be the case. +Such storms at times are not more than a mile in breadth, +but dash with equal fury for thousands of miles over hill and +valley, so that nothing remains standing which does not bow +to the ground before them.</p> + +<p>The country again became flat, but very pleasant for ourselves +and our horses. The prairies are frequently covered for +miles with post oaks, that is to say, oaks growing so close +together, that their foliage is interlaced, and hardly allows the +sun a peep at the ground, covered with fine short grass. Large +and small clumps of trees of this sort are scattered over these +grassy plateaux, and give the country an appearance as if +human hands had been active here years agone, and these are +the remaining and border lines of former grounds and gardens. +Riding under this roof of foliage is extremely pleasant: you +are not checked by any obstacle, or diverted from your course, +and the horses move lightly and quickly over the short grass. +It was at the same time a fine day, the wind blew freshly, and +hence we resolved to ride late, as we were in the moon's first +quarter, which promised us light for some time after sundown.<a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></a> +About six in the evening we crossed another small stream, +which probably also flows into the Rio Grande, where we +could have spent the night very comfortably; but we only +filled our gourds, let our steeds take a hearty drink, and rode +on, as we could at all events pass the night now without +water. At about nine o'clock we reached, with pleasant conversation, +the end of the post-oaks, through whose middle a +clear stream wound. We greeted it gladly; for it is always +disagreeable to camp without water near at hand. Our +animals were soon unpacked, a small fire was lit in the +thickest bushes, and at about eleven o'clock we lay down, +with Czar and Lizzy by our side, hoping for a better night +than the last. We slept gloriously, and awoke the next +morning invigorated and in the best spirits.</p> + +<p>The sun had just risen over the horizon when we mounted +and rode over the plain, after taking, with the help of the +compass, the nearest direction to the forest rising in the blue +distance above the wide prairie. According to my calculation, +it was about ten miles off. The prairie was very flat, +and only a few mosquito trees grew on it here and there, +which sufficed to estimate distances, for that is a difficult job +without such marks. I told Kreger it would be better for us +to push on, now the road was good, for a feeling of anxiety +involuntarily oppressed me on this broad plain, where we +could be so easily observed from the woods that formed a +semicircle round it. I spoke to Czar every now and then, +and we had nearly reached the middle of the prairie when my +horse gave a start, and tried to break into a gallop. I +attempted to pacify him, but he soon began snorting, and +could not be held in.</p> + +<p>I had examined the prairie on either side of us, and when +I looked behind, to my horror I saw a band of Indians +coming after us at full speed, in front of a cloud of dust. +My next glance was at the forest ahead of us, to calculate +how far it still was, and then my eyes fell in terror on the +mule at my side. The band of Indians consisted of at least a<a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></a> +hundred, and hence must belong to a powerful tribe, possessing +the best horses and weapons. I turned deadly cold +when I looked at Kreger, who as yet had no idea of our peril, +and was carelessly whistling. I made the utmost efforts to +remain quiet, or at least to appear so, in order not to terrify +my companion, and begged him to urge on his mule, while I +loosed the rein of my snorting steed, and allowed it to make +a few forward bounds. Whether Kreger noticed a change in +my countenance or voice I do not know, but he looked round, +and noticing the approaching savages, with the ejaculation, +"Great heavens, Indians!" he drove his enormous spurs into +his mule's flanks, and pulled his bridle so tight, that the +excessively sharp bit lacerated the wretched Lizzy's mouth, +Kreger had turned deadly pale. He looked wildly around +him, and showered blows with his whip on Lizzy's hind-quarters. +At his first movements I foresaw what would +happen, and tried to make him understand that if he let go +the reins Lizzy would be sure to follow Czar, and we should +be able to reach the forest, where the Indians could not +hurt us. He did not hear—he did not see. A picture of +horror, he stared fixedly before him, and Lizzy, putting her +head between her legs, began kicking out behind. The +danger grew every minute, for the yell of the cannibal horde, +borne on the breeze, was already echoing in our ears. I rode +up to Kreger and tried to drag the reins out of his hand; but +it was of no use; no prayers, no remonstrances, reached his +ear. It was almost impossible for me to hold Czar in any +longer, for at one moment he reared, at another bounded +onward.</p> + +<p>The Indians during this time had drawn so near that I +could hear their several voices, and distinguish the bright +colours with which their faces were painted. Our life was in +the greatest danger. My horse was terribly excited, and any +slip on its part would infallibly entail my death. Once more I +shouted to Kreger to be reasonable, and let go the reins, but +he did not hear me. Minutes pressed. I let Czar go, and<a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></a> +flew like the wind away from the hapless man, who was left +to his fate, and my staying longer would be of no avail. I +quieted my horse, and looked back at my unfortunate companion. +The horde was now close behind him; in a second +a dense cloud of dust surrounded him and the savages, while +a yell of triumph, whose cause I could guess only too well, +reached my ears. I pressed closer to Czar, patted his neck, +and away we flew like light. I looked round again; a dense +mob of Redskins was after me, and by their inhuman yells +they gave me to understand that I was to be their victim also.</p> + +<p>The distance between us, however, had been increased. I +drew a fresh breath, and my passion soon dispelled my feelings +of pity and its sister fear. The forest rose rapidly before me, +and my safety only depended on this question: Was there a +stream on this side the wood? Firmly resolved even in that +event to force Czar in, I clung closer to him with my knees +and gave him a cheery chirrup. Like a swan he flew over +the grass towards the woods, whose single trees I already +distinguished. There was no river on this side, and I soon +reached the dense foliage, and led Czar snorting and champing +in, while my pursuers, now few in number, stopped a long +way from me on the prairie. I took out my handkerchief +and waved it at them to annoy them, for I would but too +gladly have avenged my unhappy comrade; but they turned +round, and I went along the buffalo path into the forest, +dragging Czar after me.</p> + +<p>For about an hour I walked through the gloomy shade, +cutting my way among the numerous creepers, till I reached +a stream whose banks were quite forty feet above the water. +The forest on both sides of the path where it led down to the +river was so overgrown with thorns that it was impossible to +go up or down the river side, especially with a horse; nor +would it do to stay here all night with Czar, as there was nothing +for him to eat; and in event of pursuit I could be easily +tracked. Hence I soon made up my mind, mounted Czar, +hung my pistol-belt and saddle-bags over my shoulders, took<a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"></a> +my rifle in my right hand, and forced him to follow the path +down to the stream. It was so steep that walking was impossible, +but the faithful creature, once on the steep, half +slipped, half fell into the river, as the bank was very smooth +and slippery. The waves, as he fell in, broke over the saddle-bow; +but the horse at once raised the whole of its back above +the surface, and snorting and puffing, passed the crystalline +flood.</p> + +<p>In spite of the rapid current, we reached the other side, +when the path again ran up the bluff; but had it been a few +yards lower down, the horse would never have been able to +climb the steep; the bank, as it was, was very high and precipitous, +but my steed's strength was equal to the emergency, +and burying its delicate feet in the soft loose soil, it sprang up +the bank, forcing me to cling round its neck lest I should slip +off behind. I had noticed from the prairie that the forest +grew lower down the stream and gradually ended, which led +me to the conclusion that further on the banks would not be +so steep, though the river might be broader; hence I rode +down the waterside, for the wood was not so close and impenetrable +as at the spot I had recently left, for about three +miles in this direction, and found a spot where the bank was +not so steep, and I could easily lead Czar to water, while at the +same time wild oats three feet in height, grew close by. +Hence I resolved to spend the night here.</p> + +<p>I led Czar into the nearest thicket, unsaddled and hobbled +him, and lit a small fire, partly to dry my clothes, partly to +make a cup of hot coffee, for I had turned chill, and felt +quite worn out. I had chosen my bivouac so that I could see +for a long distance along the road I had come, and kept my +weapons in readiness, so that I might sell my life as dearly as +possible were I pursued. The scene of horror I had witnessed +so lately, the probably frightful death of the naturalist, +rose vividly before me, and though I had accustomed myself +to society again for a very short time, I now felt very lonely, +and reproached myself for having ever consented to let Kreger<a name="Page_51" id="Page_51"></a> +ride a mule on this journey, when I knew the great danger. +That he had fallen a victim to this error there could be no +doubt; still I resolved to make certain of his fate.</p> + +<p>Night set in; the fire had burnt low; Czar lay close to me, +and I threw myself over his neck, patting him for his pluck +and fidelity: he was very tired, and frequently gave a sigh, +nor did he stir the whole night through. I remained awake +till near morning, and although I dozed now and then, I was +soon aroused by the hoot of an owl, the yell of a wolf, or the +mournful cry of a panther, and I then listened to the sound of +every falling leaf and every leaping squirrel. The night was +cool too, the ground under me rather damp, and the dew very +heavy, so that I really awaited daylight with longing. Czar, +however, would not get up, and I let him lie, for I knew that +he needed rest, and I might very possibly be obliged to trust +to his powers during the day. I had drunk a cup of coffee, +and eaten a slice of venison by the time my faithful comrade +rose. I led him down to the water, and saw a number of turkeys +taking their morning draught at the river side, but dared +not fire for fear of betraying myself. It was about ten o'clock +when I started down the stream again to find a convenient +ford. The forest grew thinner, the shores flatter, and I soon +found a deeply-trampled buffalo path which conveyed me without +difficulty across the river, for though it was very wide it +was quite shallow. Within half an hour I was again on the +same prairie where Czar had saved me yesterday, and where +the poor botanist had probably met his fate. I cautiously examined +the whole plain with my glass, and could not see anything +except a few herds of buffalo, and a number of deer +grazing carelessly among them. I rode up the forest side to +the path, where I found my previous trail, which was crossed +by later hoofmarks, and then proceeded cautiously in the direction +of the spot where I had left my companion.</p> + +<p>While still a long way off, I saw the fearful sight before +me. The sun lit up his bloody corpse stretched out on the +grass. I rode up to him, and found that he was lying on<a name="Page_52" id="Page_52"></a> +his back, without his scalp, and covered all over with lance +and arrow wounds. None of his clothing had been left him; +the only things I found were my destroyed pistols and +double-barrelled gun, from which I removed the locks; even +the blotting-paper had been taken, though for what purpose +was a mystery. I would have gladly dragged the body to +the wood and buried it, but the distance was too great to do +so without help. I therefore bade him a silent farewell, and +turned my horse to the ford where I had crossed the river +that morning.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-061.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="593"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"></a> + +<a name="chapter7" id="chapter7"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">A LONELY RIDE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">My</span> route led me from here through a very fine country, consisting +of undulating plateaux, covered with splendid mosquito +grass, and picturesquely broken up by post oaks; +here and there a single conical mound, whose top was covered +with a thicket, rose some hundred feet from the plain. It +was still early in the evening when I neared one of these +mounds, and let my horse refresh itself in a rippling stream +at its base. The stream came straight down from the thicket +on the mound, and the spot pleased me so well, that I resolved +to pass the night there. I rode up the hill to the +wood, whose tall trees chiefly consisted of holm oaks, with a +thick undergrowth of rhododendra and azaleas. A creeping +bignonia was remarkably beautiful as it clambered to the tops +of the trees and spread over them its scented blossoms like a +shower of fire. The shady green of this wood was relieved +by flowers of the most varied hues, one of which I can still +remember that is rightly called "the traveller's delight." +The flowers of this plant hang in clusters two feet long, +rivalling the purest blue of the sky above them, and greet the +approaching traveller with a perfume which the fabled East +could not surpass. The sources of the stream welled up in +the centre of the copse, and were girdled by beds of flowers +which, as regards colour and form, could not have been better +arranged by an artist.</p> + +<p>Here I encamped and hobbled Czar, who mercilessly plucked +many a beautiful flower and champed it between his teeth +with the tender grass. I then took my rifle in order to see +whether there was any dangerous animal in the wood, which<a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"></a> +was about a thousand yards in diameter. I had crept through +it and met nothing except a few old does that had their +fawns hidden here, and when I stepped out on to the prairie +I saw a herd of large male antelopes grazing about a thousand +yards from me. This graceful animal, though frequent +in our parts, is rarely killed by the sportsman, for it is the +most shy of animals. Great curiosity alone brings it at +times in the vicinity of the watching gun, and hence I tried +to attract the bucks grazing ahead of me. I chose a spot +covered with rather tall grass, lay down on it with my +cocked rifle by my side, but drew my ramrod out and fastened +my handkerchief to it. I then whistled so loudly that +the sound reached the antelopes. All looked round towards +me at once, and I raised one foot in the air and lowered it +again a minute after. I saw that they had noticed it and +were leaping about; I then raised the pocket-handkerchief +and lowered it again, upon which the herd got in motion, +led by one of the largest bucks. They came near me in +a large circle, but I continued my telegraphic motions till +the antelopes, urged by their fatal curiosity, came within +shot, and their leader fell bleeding among the flowers, giving +the flying herd a sad parting glance with its large beauteous +eyes. I jumped up and fired my second barrel after the +fugitives. Clap! I heard the bullet enter the mark, and +another buck fell on the grass after a few more bounds.</p> + +<p>Hunting is the most cruel sport to which a man can devote +himself; I repented of my second shot, for I could make no +use of the animal, as a few pounds of the meat amply satisfied +my wants. The charm lay solely in the query, "Can you hit +or not?" If this doubt be removed, it is all over with the +passion, and no one would go out sporting for the pleasure. +I must naturally see where the animals were hit, for that is +the real enjoyment to know how near you have gone to the +right spot, and hence I walked up to the bucks to choose the +best of the meat for my consumption at the same time. The +one first shot was the plumpest, and carried a pair of large<a name="Page_55" id="Page_55"></a> +beautiful horns which I regretted I could not take with me. +The antelopes do not shed their horns like stags; they are +formed more like goat's horns, and annually grow further out +of the head: they are brown and bent back at the point like +chamois horns. The form of the antelope much resembles +that of the deer, but it is rather lighter on the legs and of a +brighter hue; its weight does not exceed 120 lbs. The eye +of this graceful creature is certainly one of the loveliest that +nature has given to any of her creatures, and I have often +turned away from the look of a dying antelope because I +could not endure the reproach that it expressed.</p> + +<p>I cut off the best lumps of game and went back to the dark +shade, in which Czar greeted me with a whinny of delight, +and rested on my horse-rug, refreshed by the delicious perfumes +of hyacinths, jonquils, daffodils, and narcissuses, that +surrounded me. The night was warm, and I required no fire +after I had finished supper. I slept splendidly, with Czar at +my side, and the sun was high when I awoke, to find my +horse browzing on the grass within reach of his tether. I +washed Czar clean, which I never neglected when I had the +chance, and rode out of my arbour down the side of the hill, +whence I could survey the country before me for many miles.</p> + +<p>A glorious picture was spread out. The sun was not very +high yet, so that the shadows over the landscape were rather +long, and the light mist gave the distance that reddish-blue +tone which renders a landscape with a rich bold foreground +so exquisite. I remained for some time at the spot, examining +the road to the hills whither I was going, but which +were still too far for me to reach them on this day. Up to +these blue mountains the ground appeared to be much the +same as I had ridden over yesterday; rich in arable land, +supplied with the most luxuriant pastures and abundance of +wood, and watered by magnificent streams. This earthly +paradise awaited men to raise the unlimited treasures which +it promised to bestow so bountifully. It was a saddening +thought, that these boundless plains were entirely uninha<a name="Page_56" id="Page_56"></a>bited, +for the nomadic hordes of savages cannot be called such. +From where I stood to the north pole, with the exception of +a few trading ports of the fur companies, no white man had +yet erected his cabin. Westward the enormous regions were +unpopulated almost to the Pacific, and even eastward the +distance to the first settlement was so great that I felt very +solitary, and for the first time was overpowered by a sort of +yearning for the social life which I had left in vexation. Still +these feelings took no deep root in my breast; they were +soon driven away by the joys of hunting, which can only be +found in their full extent far away from the civilized world.</p> + +<p>For two days I wandered through these gardens of nature +without being checked by any material obstacle. On the +third day I reached the mountains, and at evening found +myself at the height where the limestone leaves off and the red +granite begins. To my surprise I saw a splendid spring flowing +from a narrow fissure in the granite, with sufficient grass +growing near it to give Czar his supper and breakfast. I +stopped here for the night, and had a glorious view from this +stony height. The misty blue outlines of the Rocky Mountains +were only just visible; between them and myself I +looked down on the most fertile valleys, which were begirt +by lofty mountains. The precipice behind me was overgrown +with splendid cactuses, which were just opening their cups +after sunset, and diffusing their fragrance. The moon had +risen; it illumined the large snow-white clustering flowers of +the yucca which grew in the rock fissures, and spread over +the whole scene a silvery light, which, though inferior to +that of the day in brightness, was far superior to it in +pleasantness.</p> + +<p>It was a rather cool night, so that from time to time I +made up my fire with the dry wood of old mimosas, the only +<a name="tn_png_065"></a><!--TN: "ree" changed to "tree"-->tree that finds nourishment on these stony heights. Many +of these grew round my fire, which when it flared up, displayed +the beautiful pink flowers with which these trees are +literally covered, so that the delicate pendulous leaves can<a name="Page_57" id="Page_57"></a> +scarce be distinguished. Rarely did a sound disturb the +surrounding silence; now and then the yelp of a white wolf +reached my ear through the cold damp fog from the valley +below me, or the hoot of an owl was repeated by the echoes +among the rocks.</p> + +<p>Day awoke me from a refreshing sleep as the sun was +gilding the summits of the mountains that emerged from the +sea of fog at my feet, round which the large eagles were +circling. Greatly invigorated, I bade adieu to my pleasant +resting-place, and led Czar over the rocks to the nearest +valley, which soon received us under its shady trees. I +traversed the valley for about two hours in a northern direction, +following the course of a clear stream which ran through, +with a thousand windings, like a mighty snake, and was +framed in on both sides by thick bushes and old overgrown +trees.</p> + +<p>About mid-day, as I was following one of these windings, +I suddenly found myself a few paces from a camp of Cato +Indians, and a general "ugh" reached my ear, as the men, about +thirty in number, sprang up, and we gazed at each other in +surprise, watching for a signal of peace or war. My presence +of mind did not desert me; and knowing that these savages, +when they have their wives and children with them, prefer a +peaceful understanding, I waved a good morning to them +with a pleasant smile, and rode, holding my rifle and watching +every movement of the men, to the next bend in the river, +while the savages looked after me with open mouth, as if +petrified. When I had got round a curve and was protected +by the bushes, my first idea was to give Czar the spur and +gallop away, but this would only have been a challenge to the +Indians to pursue me; hence I made him amble, as well as +he could manage it in the tall grass, and hastened to get out +of this unpleasant company. It was highly probable that the +savages would follow me, if only to get hold of my fine +horse; hence I was obliged to calculate my next steps. I had +but the choice of two ways—either to throw out the savages<a name="Page_58" id="Page_58"></a> +by riding in the water and on stony ground, where they could +not follow my trail, and then concealing myself at some +easily defended spot—or else to ride quickly away from them +so far that they could not follow me on their wretched horses. +The former was difficult and dubious, as the Indian's eye surpasses +the nose of the best pointer, and hence I chose the +other, trusting to my horse's speed.</p> + +<p>I cut off a slice of the antelope's leg, which was hanging +on my saddle, about enough for supper, and left the rest +behind, not to give my horse any unnecessary weight; then +I set Czar at a sharp trot where the grass was dry, and when +I reached barren ground made him amble—a pace at which +he could do his mile in three minutes when put to it, though +he took eight minutes when not hurried, and could go on for +hours without a rest. I followed the course of the water, and +at the end of some hours reached a gorge where the river +ran through perpendicular rocks, and where my horse had +scarce room to pass. I could see the water for nearly two +miles ahead; the current was wilder and swifter here, and on +looking down at its surface I noticed several spots where the +water rippled and foamed as it ran over rocks and stones. +On both sides of the pass the granite walls rose many +hundred feet, so that it was impossible to scale them; and +though, farther to the right and left, buffalo paths ran up +them, the Indians must be well aware of this fact, and were +probably lying in ambush for me there, as they must have +noticed from my course that I was quite a stranger to the +country. There was only one choice for me, and I quickly +made up my mind. I put my holsters over my shoulder, +placed in them those articles which must not be wetted, +and guided Czar into the river, in which he floated down +with me at a tremendous pace past the rock walls. I was +not at all afraid about swimming him for an hour; the sole +danger of the undertaking consisted in the large masses of +rock over which the stream broke, and against which we +ran in less than ten minutes. The river bed was here rather<a name="Page_59" id="Page_59"></a> +wider, and hence fortunately the stream not so violent, or +else we should probably both have found a watery grave. +Czar raised himself by his forefeet on the rock, which was +not covered by more than a foot of water, but his hind-quarters +sank as he did so, for he found no bottom, and the +waves dashed over my saddle. The current had turned us +against the rock, when I pressed Czar with my thighs, and +with a frightful effort he worked his way along to the +end of the rock, where I felt that he had a footing, though it +only consisted of a few boulders. I was compelled to cross +this dam, as I could not go back, and the uncertain ground +threatened every moment to bury us between its rocks. My +horse, first slipping off the smooth stones, and then leaping up +again, struggled in vain to find a footing in the rapid stream, +and I saw that any hesitation would be certain destruction. +I therefore dug both spurs into the flanks of my brave +steed; he leaped desperately out of the foaming waves, +sprang on the rocks before us, and scrambled over them into +the river on the other side, where he sank up to the +nostrils, and the waves met over my head. My alarm lest +Czar had injured himself was alleviated by his speedy return +to the surface, and as he blew the water from his nostrils we +followed the stream to a wall of rock, where I noticed that +the water was calm at the right hand end. I steered for this +point, and we swam unimpeded through this channel into the +deep water till the valley opened again before us, and my +brave horse trod on the sand. I led him into the grass, +examined him carefully, and found that he was slightly +grazed on the near foreleg and the knee, but this caused me +no apprehension. I let him rest in the shade for half an +hour, as he was greatly excited, gave him all the white sugar +I had brought expressly for him, and which was now wet, and +then continued my journey along the river, as the grass, +which must have been burnt here late in winter, and the fresh +grown crop had not yet sprung up, did not impede Czar's +speed.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60"></a>The valley constantly grew wider, and trended to the west. +I left it at about 6 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, and followed a stream which ran +from the north. Going along it till nightfall, I reached its +source in the mountains, and was at least forty miles from the +Indians, when I unsaddled Czar, and hobbled him in the soft +grass. I felt quite secure here, for I was no longer frightened +about pursuit by the Catos, and it was not probable that +accident would lead other Indians here at so late an hour, +when they never march except for some special reason. My +bivouac was in the only coppice far and wide, in which the +springs bubbled up at the foot of a very tall cypress. All +around me was a glorious meadow, and, further north, rose +barren rocks, on which only a mimosa, a yucca, and varieties of +brambles and cactus grew. Czar was tired, and soon came to me, +holding up his hobbled leg, begging me to set him at liberty; +and when I had thrown the lasso over his neck, he stretched +his delicate limbs on the grass. I too fell back on my saddle, +and slept so soundly till morning, that I did not once look +after the fire, and on waking did not find a spark among the +ashes. It was soon lighted again and breakfast prepared, +before which I had a bathe in the spring. Then I lit a pipe, +washed Czar all over, and left the well-head, going toward +the mountains in the north.</p> + +<p>The road was so steep and fatiguing that I dismounted; +still, I seemed to be on a path at times trodden by buffaloes, +which was continued when I reached the top, where a wide +tableland covered with rich vegetation was expanded before +me. This plain, only interrupted by a few hillocks, was about +twenty miles in diameter: it was covered with very high +grass and small patches of mosquito trees, elms, dwarf oaks, +and yuccas. The ground was quite black and very rich, and +this earth was in some places fifteen feet deep, as I could see +by the numerous channels cut by rain storms. I did not see +a trace of spring water. This country is entirely dependent +on the rains, which are frequent in these mountains, as well +as the peculiar nature of the soil, which long resists evapora<a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"></a>tion +of the humidity. On all sides I saw herds of grazing +buffalo, but, though my mouth watered for a slice of hump +and a marrow bone, I did not like to distress my horse, or +go too far away from him while stalking. More antelopes +were feeding here together than I had ever seen, and +the same was the case with deer. I rode quietly on +through the tall grass, resolved only to shoot some animal +I could ride up to, and succeeded in doing so toward evening, +when I saw something dark moving in the grass, +which I recognised as a black wolf. In a second I was off +Czar's back, as I should be very glad of such a skin, and was +just about to fire, when I saw, on the other side of a ditch +I had not observed in the tall grass, a very large bear running +away. Owing to the high plants, I could not fire, and, forgetting +my former resolution, I leapt on Czar's back, and flew +after the fat fellow. His road led through a number of low +mosquito trees, so that I was obliged to bend down over my +horse's neck to escape being caught in the branches. I was +close to the bear, but it coursed so rapidly under the branches, +that I could not give it a shot from my revolver. At length +we emerged from the trees, and I flew a few yards after the +bear, when suddenly Czar made such a leap to the right, that +I must have been thrown, had it not been for the heavy +holsters that kept me on. I turned the horse round again, +and then noticed that the bear had disappeared in a gap +before me; and on drawing near, I found a <i>cańon</i>, going down +a hundred feet sheer, and about twenty feet wide at this part. +It was a gully washed out by the rain, which I had not +observed owing to the tall grass. I dismounted, and walked +to the spot where the bear had disappeared: saw that the +bushes had been uprooted about thirty feet lower down, but +could not discover a trace of the bear. What I had been told +by old hunters now appeared to me probable—that a bear +will, in a case of need, put its head between its legs, and roll +like a ball from some height, without hurting itself; which +can be explained by the remarkable elasticity of its bones, and<a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"></a> +the thickness of the fat over its body, I owed it solely to the +agility of my horse, that I had not followed the bear down +the precipice, and I willingly resigned the delicate ribs +which, in imagination, I had seen roasting at my camp fire.</p> + +<p>I continued my journey over the grassy plateau. The sun +poured its last vertical beams on the dry soil, which was intersected +by deep cracks a foot in breadth. This bursting +of the ground during great heat is very common on plateaux +where the earth is very rich, and often endangers the rider, +as the fissures, being covered by the long grass, are difficult +to detect. There was not a breath of air; my horse became +very warm, and looked in vain for water in the deep dry +ditches. I also pined for a fresh draught, for the water in +my pouch had become quite warm, and Czar could not swallow +it when I poured some into his mouth. My horse rug was +so hot that I was hardly able to sit on it, and the barrels of +my rifle almost blistered my hand. I stopped several times +in the shade of an isolated tree to draw a little breath, but +this did not advance my journey, and I could not possibly +spend the night here without water. How far I still had to +ride to the next stream I did not know, but I was aware +that I might travel for days in these mountains without +finding a spring or a stream. The sun was on my left hand +when I reached the end of this plateau, but, instead of perceiving +the longed-for sign of water, a poplar tree, I saw +before me almost impassable hills covered with loose stones, +that rose behind one another like sugar-loaves. I could only +reckon on an hour's daylight, and it was highly probable +that I should have to pass an unpleasant night. So far as I +could see northward, the hills were piled on each other, without +offering a prospect of water, hence I turned my horse +westward, on the chance of reaching the valley which ran +along parallel with the plateau. I was obliged to dismount, +for in the hollows between the hills the torrents had torn +deep ravines in which old trees washed down were piled up +and became very dangerous to pass. The rocks over which<a name="Page_63" id="Page_63"></a> +I wearily climbed were red hot and burnt my feet, and at +the same time I suffered intolerable thirst. I had shared +the last water in my flask with Czar. My mouth was very +dry and my tongue clove to the palate. In vain I looked +from every height I reached for the longed-for sign, and +wandered up hill and down, till the sun sank behind the distant +blue mountains, and the first shadows of night spread +over the land. I had passed over several hills in this manner, +when I saw a valley before me in the twilight which I greeted +with renewed hopes, but the darkness set in so rapidly, that +I was unable to continue my journey. Feeling quite knocked +up, I threw myself on the warm rocks, holding Czar by the +rein, to wait for the rising moon. The sky behind me grew +more and more red; the anxiously awaited light rose slowly +about the hills, and looked down on the deadly silence that +was spread over the whole landscape.</p> + +<p>I had rested about an hour ere it grew light enough to +continue my journey, and I soon reached the plain, where +unfortunately the grass grew very high. I was obliged to +mount my horse again, for it was impossible to walk through +the grass; and though I was very sorry to do it, I urged the +poor creature on, while he continually strove, by hanging his +head and shaking his neck, to make me understand it was +high time to go to rest. I had continued my journey for +two hours without stopping, when the grass grew shorter, +my horse every now and then stepped on stones, and I saw a +tree or two again. I had probably passed the lowest part of +the valley, and as I had found no water in it, there was no +prospect of doing so at a greater elevation. I was awfully +tired and sleepy, and my horse was quite as bad; I therefore +unsaddled under an elm, fastened Czar to the tree by his long +lasso, and in ten minutes I was dreaming of cool crystalline +water; but for all that woke at daybreak exhausted and +feverish, and to my horror missed my horse.</p> + +<p>I sprang up, surveyed the wide plain, and who can describe +my delight when I saw Czar's white coat shining a few hun<a name="Page_64" id="Page_64"></a>dred +yards off over a small mimosa bush, behind which he was +enjoying the fresh grass in a hollow. The knot of the lasso +had come undone, and thus Czar had been able to look +about for more agreeable fodder. I led him nearer my +bivouac, and was just going to light my fire, when I saw smoke +rising in the west, about three miles from me. I quickly +pocketed my flint and steel, saddled, and rode toward the +highest part of the ridge which divided the valley in half. +When I had nearly reached the top I dismounted and crawled +to the highest point, whence I surveyed the valley, and observed +an Indian camp, round which some three hundred +horses and mules were grazing. I saw through the grass +that the various families were sitting at the fires in front of +their leathern tents, with the exception of a few children that +were playing about. The camp was on the other side of a +stream which wound through the valley from the north. +Though I longed so for water, I must avoid the neighbourhood +of these savages, who might prove very dangerous to me in +such an unknown and desolate country. I rode back through +the valley in which I had spent the night, and into the mountains +on its eastern side; for, if I had followed the valley to +reach the river, I must have been noticed by the Indians on +my white horse. The road was tiring, as I was frequently +obliged to walk, and the heat on these barren hills soon rendered +my thirst intolerable.</p> + +<p>It was midday when I with a firm resolution to ride to the +water, cost what it might, guided my horse down a ravine, +and suddenly saw before me the fresh verdure of plants which +only grow at very damp spots, under a heap of dry piled-up +trees, among which a number of turkeys were running; I forgot +the Indians and the risk, shot two old gobblers, and threw +myself between the tall ferns, over the cold springs that welled +up among them, in order to quench my fearful thirst. I lay +for nearly half-an-hour, ate a bit of biscuit, and as I could not +fully quench my thirst, continually applied to the spring. +This was one of the most glorious meals I ever enjoyed, and<a name="Page_65" id="Page_65"></a> +I believe that I would sooner have defended myself against a +whole tribe of Indians than leave this spot unsatisfied. The +shade here was not sufficient, however, and hence I went a +little lower down the stream with Czar and my two turkeys, +where I found a cooler resting-place under a group of elms and +oaks. After this hunger began to be felt, for, with the exception +of a small slice of antelope and a little biscuit, I had +eaten nothing since the preceding morning. I set to work +on one of the turkeys, and spitted such a quantity of the meat, +fat and lean, that I was obliged to laugh at myself. The exterior +of the meat hardly began to get roasted ere I cut it +away. In the meanwhile, the coffee was getting ready and I +concluded my repast; after which I found great difficulty in +keeping my eyes open. I fetched Czar, who had also enjoyed +himself, and fastened him to a tree, took my rifle in my arms, +and in a few minutes was fast asleep, forgetting all the dangers +that surrounded me.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-074.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="494" height="477"></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66"></a> +<a name="chapter8" id="chapter8"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE JOURNEY CONTINUED.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">At</span> about five o'clock I was awakened by the sun, whose oblique +beams were able to reach me through the trees. I felt +refreshed and strong, made Czar get up, saddled, and followed +the stream, which led me to the river I had seen in the morning. +I approached the valley cautiously when I rode out of +the mountain gorge, and carefully surveyed it with my glass, +without finding a trace of the Indians anywhere. It was very +important for me to know whether they had gone up or down +the river; the latter was the more probable, because most of +the buffalo herds I had seen lately were going southward, and +the savages, as a rule, follow these animals. As the banks of +the river were not high, I rode into it, watered my horse, and +without any difficulty reached the other side, when I was soon +on the path of the Indians, who had gone south, as I expected. +I rode up this trail northwards, in order, if possible, to reach +before sunset some stream coming from the mountains, as I +would not pass the night where I was, for it appeared to be a +pass greatly used by Indians, so that I ran greater danger here +of meeting fresh hordes than I did among the hills. I rode +very quickly, and at sunset turned into a narrow valley, bordered +on either side by very lofty precipices. For about two +miles I followed the torrent which wound through loose blocks +of granite, and frequently could scarce get through the tall +ferns and reedy plants which grew between the wildly scattered +boulders. The gorge gradually became narrower and +the granite walls steeper, and in the twilight I saw the end of +it no great distance from me.</p> + +<p>I had dismounted and was going with Czar round a block<a name="Page_67" id="Page_67"></a> +of granite, when a large stag dashed past me from the end of +the gorge, hardly fifty yards off, and I distinctly saw another +darker-coloured animal bounding after it through the tall +grass. In an instant the flying stag, with its broad antlers +thrown back, was twenty yards from me, and bounded over +a rock close by, while at the same moment a panther of enormous +size covered the track of the deer with its gigantic +paws. It had scarce touched the ground, however, ere the +bullet from my rifle crashed through its shoulder-blade, and +the crack, echoing through the gorge, thundered in its ears. +The panther ran its head into the grass, while its hind quarters +flew up in the air, but at the next instant it rose +furiously in the grass, showing its dazzlingly white teeth and +stretching out its claws to leap on me. I held my rifle firmly +to my shoulder, and as the animal rose, fired at the white +stripe under the throat. The bullet passed through its breast, +and rising on its hind legs it turned a somersault and died +with a furious kick. It was very old, and had probably inhabited +this tempting spot for many years, to surprise the game +that came here to drink at the spring, and enjoy the fresh +green pasturage. Eight feet long from the snout to the tail, +the prince of the valley lay stretched out before me, and +round it the bones of its victims were bleaching in the grass. +I found above a dozen skulls of deer and antelopes, all of +which had a hole an inch wide in the top. In addition to +them, the skeletons of two buffaloes and an elk, and countless +bones of other animals glistened in the grass. I went up to +Czar who, probably recognising his foe, had run some hundred +yards down the valley, and was looking after me with his +head up. I led him up to the slain panther, but it needed +much persuasion ere he would draw quite close to this arch +foe of his race. After making Czar stand by the panther awhile, +which I dragged about to remove his natural fear of the creature, +I led him to the end of the ravine where the ground was +covered with young tender grass, unsaddled him, and laid my +traps under the evergreen oaks, in order to prepare my camp.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:408px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-077"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-077.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="408" height="700"> +<p class="caption">FACE TO FACE. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_67">p. 67.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>As the darkness had greatly increased I ran back to the +panther, fastened the lasso round its neck, and dragged it to +my camping-place, intending to skin it in the morning. I +lit the fire, prepared supper, and lay down on my horse-rug, +every now and then turning the spit or piling up the sticks +round the coffee pot. The fire flared brightly, and produced +a peculiarly beautiful illumination on the thick foliage of the +oaks and the projecting shadow of the high reddish rocks, +whose fissures and crevices appeared all the blacker in consequence. +The russet moon was still low on the very dark sky, +it peered into the ravine from the east, and did not spread +sufficient light to overpower my fire.</p> + +<p>While I was observing this pretty scene I noticed a light +spot under the rock which was lit up by the fire. I took it +at first for a buffalo skull, but drew a brand from the fire and +crept under the low-branched oaks to make certain what it +was. I held the brand over it, and saw a human skull grinning +at me out of the damp dark background, and carried it +to the fire. From its shape it was the skull of a Weico with +a low forehead, and strong thick high back part: judging +from the fine, slightly worn teeth it must have belonged to +quite a young man, who probably fancied he had found a safe +resting-place here, and carelessly yielding to sleep had fallen +a victim to the panther, for the marks of teeth were quite distinct +upon it. I kept up the fire during the whole night, +which did not disturb my rest, as I had grown into the habit +of waking up every hour to see all was right and going to +sleep again. If it can be managed, as was the case here, the +hunter chooses a large fallen tree, and makes his fire close +against it with small wood, so that the trunk may catch. +This smoulders during the whole of the night, and the fire can +easily be made to blaze at any time by throwing on brushwood. +The night passed without the slightest disturbance, and at +dawn I skinned my panther, which had a great number of +scars, principally arrow and lance wounds, as it seemed. After +cleaning the skin from all fleshy particles, I spread it out to<a name="Page_69" id="Page_69"></a> +dry at the fire, while I bathed and swallowed my breakfast. +I sought all round the bivouac for weapons or other articles +belonging to the dead man, but found none, and as the sun +was already high I set out on my wanderings again.</p> + +<p>Just as I reached the entrance of the gorge I saw a herd of +seven buffalo bulls grazing. In a second I leaped off Czar and +ran from stone to stone, till I got within ten yards of the +shaggy monsters, from which I was only separated by a +large rock. I crept under this on the ground, till I had the +buffaloes before me; the nearest one stood motionless, with +its broad, hairy forehead turned toward me, and I aimed at the +centre of it, although I had often tried in vain to kill a +buffalo by a shot through the head. This time, however, the +bullet did its work, and the other bulls fled round the rock +toward the valley. As the fat buffalo would supply me with +food for several days, I fetched my horse, took the axe hanging +from the saddle, and set to work cutting out the sirloin, +while Czar grazed by my side and now and then licked up +the blood. It is very difficult for a novice to cut up a +buffalo, for the hide is remarkably hard and elastic, and sits +very close to the flesh, while any attempt to turn the carcase +about is hopeless. We may fairly say that a novice in +these countries, if what the practitioners call a "greenhorn," +would starve with a dead buffalo, if he had not some one to +show him how to cut pieces off it. I thrust my sharp bowie +knife between the ribs close behind the shoulder blade, ran it +up along the spine and down again to the chest, then in the +same way separated the two last ribs from the spine, and +made a cut under the belly to the end of the first cut. I +then hacked the ribs with the axe, lifted the entire side up, +which broke the hacked ribs, and thus opened the interior of +the animal, like lifting a trap door. The entrails were removed +without much difficulty, and the two enormous loins +under the spine cut out. I removed a piece of the hide from +the hump, in order to secure a part of the streaky meat; cut +out the tongue between the jaws, as I could not think of<a name="Page_70" id="Page_70"></a> +opening the mouth, took two marrow bones, and left the remaining +1400 lbs. of meat for the wolves and buzzards. All +these dainties were hung about my saddle, for the hotter the +sun shines on them the less does the meat putrefy. With a +parting glance at the ravine, I again struck the Indian trail, +which I followed northwards up the river.</p> + +<p>At 2 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> I crossed the river, as it trended to the west, +and followed a beautiful valley, for some hours, to the north-east, +where I did not notice a single trace of horses or +Indians, while the path I had hitherto been following +seemed to be exclusively made by nomadic savages. The +valley I now traversed rose gradually with the stream, and +seemed to form a plateau in the distance. It was covered with +splendid mosquito grass, which is only the case with the richest +soil. This grass never grows very high, but is very fine, and +hangs in tresses like hair. Horses are excessively fond of it, +and grow fat on it in a very short time. So far as I could +see, the valley was covered with game of every description, +among which I noticed several moose deer, the first I had +seen on this tour. These animals are only found separately +so far south, while they form herds farther north, especially +in the southern Rocky Mountains. It is a deer of enormous +size, reaching the weight of seven or eight hundred pounds, +the antlers spread very wide, and often weigh as much as +forty pounds. The flesh is not very toothsome, being +hard and fibrous, and is not eaten by the hunter when he can +get any better. The animal is not difficult to kill, for it is +not very fast, and can be caught up by a good horse; the +Indians throw a lasso over it, and then kill it with lances. +For the time I was amply supplied with meat, and hence felt +no great longing for these animals, but let them graze at +peace. Like the other game here they were very familiar, +and allowed me to ride within shot, which was a further +proof that this valley was rarely visited by Indians. The +country was well covered with stately elms, poplars, mosquito +trees, and mimosas (I call the last tree thus to distinguish<a name="Page_71" id="Page_71"></a> +it from the mosquito tree, which is also a mimosa). Of +course, such specimens as grew on the Leone were not to be +found here. This valley will certainly in time be visited by +settlers, for though poor in wood, no better ground can be +desired by cattle breeders.</p> + +<p>At about six in the morning I reached a spot where two +streams joined, and I could not make sure of water further +up the valley. Hence I followed the eastern arm, and +reached at sunset the hills bordering the valley, between +which I bivouacked, as I had everything I required. For +several days I continued to follow a northern course. The +character of the soil varied as before; the mountains had the +same shape, were bare at top, and covered with loose stones, +between which a few low cactuses, aloes, and torch weeds +grew. I also rode over a good deal of tableland, but got +away from it as soon as I could, for through the entire want +of water the ground here grows very hot, and you are +thoroughly roasted.</p> + +<p>I found the grass on the prairie not very high, which made +it easier going for my horse, but more difficult for me to +approach the game, which appeared remarkably shy and +restless. My stock of meat was exhausted, and I ate my +biscuit and salt tongue as rarely as possible, so as to have +food by me in case of need. I dared not ride down the +buffalo, as my white horse could be easily distinguished from +the uplands, and I must spare his strength. Nor did I care +to go far from Czar afoot, as a single foot Indian might +easily be hidden in the grass, and reach him more quickly +than I could. Hence I deferred my chase till I reached the +woods that rose ahead of me.</p> + +<p>I rode over the rolling prairie till, on emerging from a +hollow, I saw three very plump old deer grazing not far from +me behind a few low mosquito bushes. I sprang off Czar, +hobbled him, and crawled on my stomach through the grass +towards the deer, dragging my rifle after me. Although I +had got within shot, I wished to advance a few more yards<a name="Page_72" id="Page_72"></a> +in order to reach a hollow where I should be able to kneel +and fire. On reaching it I pulled my rifle after me, and was +just about to fire when a monstrous rattlesnake glided away +from under my hand. I sprang up in terror, watched it +darting through the grass with head erect, and away fled my +deer over the prairie, and I had had all my trouble for +nothing.</p> + +<p>Though rattlesnakes are so numerous in these regions the +sudden announcement of their vicinity through the movement +of the rattles is a most unpleasant surprise, which +never failed to produce a painful impression on my nerves. +The whole south-west of America is troubled with these and +other snakes, but accidents through their poisonous bite are +rare. In spring and autumn, when the heat is not great, +the bite of a rattlesnake rarely kills, and only in cases +when a large artery is injured. If that be not the case, it +only produces a soft swelling, which soon disappears again, +only leaving a want of sensitiveness for a few days. In +summer, however, when the heat attains its acmé, such a +bite is more dangerous, and curatives cannot be employed +too quickly. Cutting out to the seat of the wound without +a moment's loss of time is the most certain remedy. Salammoniac, +which has so often been recommended, is not of +the slightest use; but sometimes a cure is effected by +rubbing the wound with oil or lard, or by a poultice of the +leaves of the large burr, which is so often entangled in the +hair of domestic animals. The most infallible specific, +however, is a bulb known to all the borderers by the name +of "Seneca root." It has a leek-green leaf a foot long with +a few brown spots. It is chewed into a pulp, which is laid +on the wound and a small portion of the juice is swallowed; +ere long the pain is reduced, the fever disappears, and the +swelling ceases. This bulb may be carried about for years +without losing its virtue. Moreover, all these snakes shun +man, and it is only when they are startled by his sudden +approach that they dart at the limb nearest to them. The<a name="Page_73" id="Page_73"></a> +rattlesnake rarely exceeds eight to ten feet in length, but +the royal variety is somewhat larger, much more poisonous, +and marked with the most brilliant colours. Other poisonous +snakes found in our parts are the brown and black moccassin, +which lives both on land and in the water, and the copperhead, +a small but very venomous snake. When I settled on +the Leone, these snakes were so numerous that after sunset +I did not dare let my horse walk along a buffalo path, +because they used to come out and cool themselves there. +But as my swine increased in number, they gradually disappeared, +for the former are exceedingly fond of eating them, +and are not hurt by their bite.</p> + +<p>I was very much annoyed: sent some strong language after +the snake, and returned to my horse, who had been taking +advantage of his rest in the long grass. I took off his +hobble, and rode toward the forest, which seemed inviting +me to enter its friendly shade. It was midday when I +reached the wood, thirsting for a fresh drink. I hung my +hat on the saddle, and greedily inhaled the cool breeze that +blew through the majestic trees, and then followed on foot a +buffalo path, which wound between the bushes. It led me +to a clear stream, which poured over loose masses of stone, +between rather high banks. I let Czar glide down, for the +path was very steep; watered him, and made him leap up +the other bank: then I filled my gourd, and quenched my +thirst with the cold water.</p> + +<p>I was just going to remount, when I heard the sound of a +herd of peccaries or Mexican swine coming toward me, probably +in search of water. As the undergrowth was not very +dense on the side of the stream, I was able to see them +coming for some distance. There were about twenty old +pigs, with a lot of sucklings; they ran very slowly, and I +had time to pick out a fat boar. I shot it; sprang on my +horse at once, and, as I expected, found the whole herd dash +furiously after me. I had room before me, and dashed +through them into the forest. They did not follow me, and<a name="Page_74" id="Page_74"></a> +I granted them time to bid adieu to their fallen comrade, +while I led Czar into the wild oats which grew luxuriantly +here. In a quarter of an hour I rode back to my game. +The herd had retired; and I at once cut away the musk gland +which the boar had on its back, of the size of an egg: +for if I had allowed it to grow cold it would have been impossible +to eat the meat, owing to the powerful musky taste. +The boar weighed about fifty pounds; I cut off the best +joints, and took one of the tusks as a souvenir, on account of +its remarkable length. The peccari is very frequently met +in the western mountains of America, and often in herds of +a hundred head. It has a handsome, silver-grey, long-haired +skin, an enormous head for its size with tremendous tusks, +and is remarkable for its extraordinary courage. If disturbed, +it will attack a man as soon as a horse or a tiger, and is very +dangerous through its agility, strength, and tusks five inches +long. I have known a hunter to be attacked by a herd, and +forced to take shelter up a tree, where he remained the whole +night till the herd retired.</p> + +<p>I rode for about two miles along the skirt of the next +forest I came to without finding a buffalo path; and yet the +forest was so densely overgrown with thorns and brambles +that I could not enter it without a path. At length I found +one, which had been probably trodden for centuries by +millions of buffaloes. I followed it into the wood, and soon +reached a small river, whose steep banks were about eight +feet high. Here I refreshed my horse and myself, and followed +the path on the opposite side, where the forest grew +clearer, and I soon caught a glimpse of the prairie. The +bushes and a few isolated trees ran for some distance out into +the prairie. I dismounted and led my horse to the last +bushes, in order to survey the plain ere I entrusted myself +to it, and because I was undecided whether I would not +bivouac here. I had advanced to the furthermost bushes, +which were brightly illumined by the western sun, and I +found the prairie was populated by a few deer and buffaloes,<a name="Page_75" id="Page_75"></a> +whose evident watchfulness and restlessness I could not +ascribe to my appearance. I looked down the wood to the +rocks, and to my terror, saw close under them on the prairie +a war-party of about a hundred and fifty Indians, who were +riding towards the forest one behind the other. I sprang in +front of my horse, in order to cover its bright chest, and +hurriedly raised my telescope. They were Lepans. I knew +them by their plumed lances, gaily-decorated shields, and +fine horses; for these Indians are the best mounted and +most warlike on the western steppes. I stood as if petrified, +for fear lest they might see a movement on my part, while I +held Czar by the rein. They had not yet seen me, for they +rode past, and drew close to the wood: a few yards farther +and they would have been out of sight, and the danger +momentarily passed. Suddenly, however, the whole party +halted, and pointed toward me. I had been seen, there +could be no doubt of the fact; for I noticed through my +glass that they were holding their hands over their eyes to +have a better look at me. There was not a mile between us; +my horse had been travelling all day. The wood was very +narrow, and the path leading through it very broad. I was +aware of the courage of these Lepans, and saw no salvation +save in the endurance of my horse. With one leap I was +on his back; threw away the flesh and darted into the wood, +with the whole band of savages after me like a whirlwind. +The river made a number of bends, which I was compelled +to follow. The Indians' horses were extremely swift; this +was the first time I had ever known any horses keep up with +mine. But I had not yet called on Czar: I now drove the +spurs into him and let go the reins. I flew round the next +corner, and then round the next, ere the Indians reached the +first, which was a good mile behind. At this moment I saw +that the river bank was covered for the next half mile with +loose pebbles. I turned Czar round, and leapt him down +the eight-foot bank into the river, whose bottom, composed, +of soft sand and shallow water, he reached without injury.<a name="Page_76" id="Page_76"></a> +I then galloped up the stream in the direction I had just +come, covered by the tall bank, and the wood between it and +the prairie, calculating that the Indians would not miss my +track among the loose stones, but would gallop through them +to the next angle of the wood, which would give me a grand +start. I remained at a gallop for about a hundred yards, so +that the water met over my head, until I reached a deeper +spot, where Czar was obliged to swim for a short distance. +At this moment I heard the savage horde dash past, and the +war yell of these unchained demons echoing through the +forest! Probably the short extent of deep water saved me, +for at this spot only a few thin bushes grew on the bank, +and though the savages were some distance off, they would +infallibly have noticed the water being dashed up by Czar. +I again reached a firm bottom, and followed the stream as +quickly as I could; while the yells of the Indians were +audible a long way behind me.</p> + +<p>I was beginning to feel more secure, when my progress +was impeded by large masses of rock, between which the +shallow water rippled. I leapt on one of these blocks, and +gave Czar a gentle pull to follow me: he sprang up, clambered +across, and reached without injury a good sandy bottom +on the other side. I hurried down the stream—partly +swimming, partly climbing—till I saw the lofty rocks on +my right through the forest, and hence knew that I was +below the spot where the Lepans had halted when they first +sighted me. I still followed the stream, although the water +came up to my horse's girths; but it suddenly made a curve, +and ran close past the rocks, at a spot where they opened +like a narrow gateway, leaving a passage for a rivulet that +flowed from the interior. The entrance through the granite +walls was not more than thirty feet wide, and the gorge about +a hundred feet deep, beyond which was a beautiful little +valley enclosed by the rocks, about a mile in length, through +which the stream rippled.</p> + +<p>I rode up the rivulet; on both sides of which the most<a name="Page_77" id="Page_77"></a> +exquisite flowers grew. Among them I specially noticed a +sort of tiger lily, not only through the brilliancy of its hues, +but the masses that covered the banks, so that the ravine +seemed to be strewn with live coals. Sitting down on a +rock at the entrance, I listened, but did not hear a sound of +my pursuers. The rippling of the stream alone interrupted +the silence, and only at intervals did the shrill cry of the +white-headed eagle rise above it. That the Lepans had overridden +my trail was certain; but it was equally certain that +they would ride back when they noticed their error, and find +my track; for my horse, in leaping into the stream, had left +distinct marks on the bank, and its track might also be followed +in the sandy bed. Moreover the banks were splashed +with water, and that was sufficient to show an Indian the +road I had followed. Hence it was certain that the savages +could follow me, but doubtful whether they would do it, as +they might be sure that I should get under cover, when my +firearms would be very dangerous, and they would be unable +to surprise me. Hence it was far more likely—supposing +that they attached so much value to a white man's scalp or +the possession of a fine horse, as to interrupt the war-trail +for some days—that they would guard the prairies on both +sides of the forest, as it was almost impossible for a horseman +to ride through the latter.</p> + +<p>While I was thus weighing my situation I inspected my +firearms, which had got slightly wet; put on fresh caps, and +was taking a look at my water-tight powder-flask, when a +yell echoed through the wood from the east. I knew its +meaning perfectly well: the Lepans had found my trail, and +were assembling for a consultation. At this sound all prospect +of an amicable arrangement departed, and I was determined, +in the event of an attack, on defending myself here, +as in case of need I could always escape down the stream.</p> + +<p>All became silent again; evening spread her veil over the +earth; the silver herons and flamingoes uttered their hoarse +cry as they flew homewards; and the owl announced the<a name="Page_78" id="Page_78"></a> +setting in of night. The outlines of the trees and rocks continually +grew more indistinct, and it was time to fetch up +Czar, who was nibbling the tender grass along the stream. +I secured him with the lasso to a very large stone behind +the rock on which I was sitting, and threw before him an +armful of grass and weeds, which I picked. In the event of +an attack from the river, he was tolerably protected behind +this rock, and he was close at hand if I wanted to mount in +a hurry. Though I regretted having to leave him saddled +through, the night, I only took the pistols out of the holsters +and laid by them by my side.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a loud, long, lasting yell was raised, which, however, +seemed much farther off, and to come from the prairie +on the south side of the forest. Probably, the Lepans had +found my trail through the prairie, but it was a satisfactory +sign to me that they had not attempted to follow me along +the river bed. In all other directions my hiding-place was +unassailable, unless there was a second entrance into the +valley in my rear, as was probable. It had already grown so +dark, that I could not distinguish my white horse from the +rocks, although the stars shone brilliantly above me. Before +it was quite dark I sat down by the side of Czar, to prevent +him lying down. I grew very sleepy, but the yell of the +Indians still sounded too loudly in my ears for me to indulge +in repose. I tried to keep awake by smoking, which helped +for a while; but smoking in perfect darkness is no enjoyment; +hence I soon grew tired of it, and tried to keep awake +by walking up and down. Czar, too, was tired of standing; +he stamped impatiently with his fore-feet, and tried the +strength of the lasso by tugging at it. At length, nature +claimed her dues, and I could not possibly keep awake any +longer: I took off Czar's load, laid it in the darkness against +the stone to which he was secured, spread out my rug, and +lay down on it with my rifle on my arm. Czar was not long +in following my example, and tried as usual to have a roll +before going to sleep, which might have injured me or the<a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"></a> +saddle in the darkness; hence I pressed his head to the +ground, and we were both, ere long, as soundly asleep as the +rocks around us.</p> + +<p>Day was scarce breaking when I started up and looked +around me with a disagreeable feeling of self-reproach: for +how easily could an Indian have crept up and done to me +while asleep what all the whole tribe could not effect while +I was awake! Czar lay motionless, and I did not disturb +him, for it might easily happen that his strength alone could +bear me away in safety. I went out of the gorge and brought +in some dry wood, lit a fire and made coffee, being obliged +to breakfast on my biscuits and salt tongue, for the dainty +lumps of pork I had cut yesterday had probably served a +wolf for supper. While I was breakfasting, my faithful +steed raised his head and rested it on my knee, that I might +remove the bridle which I had left on during the night. I +did so; hobbled him out in the grass, and then sat down +again at my small fire, where I could see along the river and +up the valley behind me, whose steep granite walls were just +beginning to be illumined by the rising sun. In the valley +itself the fog still lay like a white veil, and only a few tall +trees raised their crowns above it. The stream by which I +was sitting was all aglow with its tiger lilies, with which +the dazzling white of my horse grazing among them formed +a beautiful contrast. The mist in the valley was dissipated, +and revealed the rich vegetation which grew there apart from +the world. I remembered the fairy tales of childhood,—the +enchanted Princes and sleeping Princesses, the Palace of +Glass, and the Magic Valley,—and had they not been +narrated before this continent was known to Europeans, +I should have believed that the fables had their origin in +this valley. I was very curious to learn whether there was +another entrance besides the one I commanded; for if not, +it was very possible that my hiding-place was unknown to +the Indians, as the steep hills around did not reveal that +they concealed such a fairylike kingdom in their interior.<a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"></a></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:463px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-093"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-093.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="463" height="700"> +<p class="caption">AFTER A DAY'S SPORT. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_81">p. 81.</a></i></span></p></div> + + +<p>It was about nine o'clock when, after washing and saddling +Czar, I rode off to examine the secrets of the wonderful +valley. I looked around at the lofty walls of granite, but +could not notice any other connexion with the external +world but the one through which I had come. The valley, +about a mile in diameter, was covered with a most luxuriant +crop of young grass and a number of clumps of trees and +bushes, through which the rivulet wound. It struck me as +curious that I saw no game on such rich pasturage, for, +excepting a flock of turkeys, I had put up nothing, although +I had reached the centre. The turkeys were very shy, and +ran off when I dismounted to shoot one; but just as I was +going to mount again, an old cock came running up, and my +bullet put a speedy end to his existence. The report had +hardly begun to echo through the rocks, ere a swarm of +aquatic birds of all sizes rose right in front of me like flies +in the sunshine; but, as I remained quietly seated on the +grass, reloading my rifle, they soon settled down again. I +walked through the bushes, and noticed a large pond with +flat banks covered with all sorts of gaily plumaged birds, +among which herons and flamingoes occupied a prominent +place. The banks were literally covered with these birds, +some of which were standing sentry on one leg, while others +were up to their knees in the water and engaged in catching +frogs. When I stepped out of the bushes all the birds rose +again, a portion seated themselves with loud croaks on the +nearest trees, while the rest rose in the air, and proceeded in +various directions to less disturbed regions. It now appeared +as if all the inhabitants of the valley had left it, and I was +not sorry at having secured a good meal, for my stomach +was beginning to complain about neglect. I hung the turkey +on my saddle and rode to the pond, whose banks were so +trampled by the birds that not a single blade of grass grew +on them, but I noticed a great number of jaguar tracks, +some old, others quite recent. The animals to which these +tracks belonged must consequently live in the valley, as they<a name="Page_81" id="Page_81"></a> +would not climb over the rocks and had not passed my night +quarters. It was now clear to me why this splendid pasture +was so deserted and only visited by birds, while hundreds of +buffaloes and deer would have found abundant food. I rode +nearly round the valley, with a revolver in my hand, as I +expected at any moment to meet the landlord; but I did not +see him, and not a living creature remained in the valley but +the few turkeys which had probably strayed thither. I rode +back to my bivouac, as it was midday, and both myself and +Czar felt hungry, and prepared a part of the turkey for +dinner, while Czar had a hearty feed of grass. When we +had finished our meal, I tied him up close to me under the +overhanging rocks where the sun did not fall on us. I threw +wood on the fire, and lay down to sleep to make up for the +last night's lost rest. The sun was hardly illumining the +tops of the eastern mountains of the valley when I awoke +invigorated, and led my horse out into the grass again.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-094.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="483" height="500"></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82"></a> +<a name="chapter9" id="chapter9"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-198.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="174"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">HOMEWARD BOUND.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">I had</span> already made up my mind to spend the night here, so +I got about my supper at an early hour, and soon carried a +good stock of wood to my camp with which to keep up my +fire during the night. I slept undisturbed till daybreak, +took a refreshing bath in the cold stream while my breakfast +was getting ready; then rode Czar into a deep spot, +washed him thoroughly, and was soon ready to leave this +mysterious but so pleasant spot, with the resolution to visit +it again sooner or later.</p> + +<p>My road led into the river again, on whose rippled surface +the night mist rolled along with the current. But on further +reflection I saw how many obstacles now stood in my way. +The current was very powerful, and the waves broke against +my horse's strong chest; the bottom, covered with loose +boulders, rendered its footsteps unsteady, and constantly put +it in danger of falling. At length I reached the bed of +rocks which blocked the entire breadth of the river, over +which Czar had clambered with such agility: it now seemed +to me purely impossible that a horse could achieve such a +feat, although the marks of his shoes proved to me the +contrary, I would not venture, however, to make my horse +leap it again, but took my axe out of its sheath, entered the +water, which was shallow here, and cut away the creepers and +bushes hanging over the bank, and thus formed a much +better path beneath them over a very few large but flat stones. +I led Czar across, and then slowly walked on, constantly +thrusting on one side the vines hanging with a length of +fifty feet over the water, in order to force myself through them.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83"></a>After great exertions I at length reached the buffalo path +by which I had crossed the river on the previous day but one, +and followed it again to the skirt of the wood, but this time +with greater caution. I left Czar behind in the thick bushes +and crept out alone to the edge of the prairie, and examined +the latter carefully with my glass. The grassy expanse +before me, far as I could see, was covered with countless +buffaloes and numerous deer, which were grazing quietly and +carelessly, and I recognised at a great distance a large troop +of wild horses, which must consist of several hundred. These +were the surest signs that no Indian had shown himself on +this day upon the plain, so I returned to my horse, and pursued +my journey northward through this prairie.</p> + +<p>In about an hour I drew near the horses, which were giving +vent to their playfulness by rearing, kicking, and galloping +about. I rode along a hollow under the hill, in order to get +as near them as I could, in which I perfectly succeeded as the +wind was favourable. I rode to within a short distance of +them under the hill on which they were standing, when Czar +scented them, suddenly raised his head, and expressed his delight +at the friendly meeting by a loud snort. In an instant the +troop dashed up to greet the stranger. It was led by a coal +black very powerful stallion, whose mane, some five feet in +length, flew wildly round his broad neck. The thunder of +their hoofs rolled along like a tempest toward me, till we +faced each other at a distance of about twenty paces. The +black stallion fell as if struck by lightning, and the nearest +horses fell upon him in the wildest confusion, while Czar gave +them to understand by a friendly whinny, that there was +really no reason for such fear. It was a wondrously beautiful +sight, when these noble powerful animals rose again and flew +over the grassy sea, like smoke before the blast, the black +with wildly flying mane, flashing eyes, and scarlet nostrils +at their head. I looked after them for a long time, and +regretted that I could not risk leading a captured horse home, +as I could have easily thrown my lasso over the stallion. It<a name="Page_84" id="Page_84"></a> +is undoubtedly one of the most exquisite sights to watch +closely a troop of perfectly wild horses in a state of excitement, +especially on the western steppes, where every breed is +represented. These horses are originally descended from +those of the old Spaniards, who established a great number of +military colonies in these parts, each consisting of several +hundred men. These settlements, whose remains may still be +found here and there, were established in the richest districts, +and, when necessary, strongly fortified; maize was planted +there, and silver, copper, and lead mines opened.</p> + +<p>I found in this country numerous relics of the old Spanish +times; more especially well-preserved dams in the rivers +and water-courses, led through large plantations which are +now overgrown with grass. These were employed to irrigate +the country during a protracted drought, and thus always +secure an abundant harvest, which was a matter of great +importance to the settlers, as they were many hundred miles +from civilized Mexico, and thus it was impossible to obtain +provisions thence. The people were entirely left to themselves, +produced their own food, had a great quantity of +cattle, and bred many horses and mules. Even at that day, +when these colonies were flourishing, it might now and then +occur that some of their horses bolted, and lived and propagated +in the glorious climate and on the rich prairies without +the aid of man. At a later date, however, more warlike +Indian hordes poured from the north over the south, which +was inhabited by tribes held in subjection by the invaders, +and destroyed these remote Spanish outposts whose garrisons +they cut down and scalped. From this date, in all probability, +came the numerous troops of wild horses, now spread +over the whole of Western America; for the numerous horses +of the military colonists were set at liberty, and even at +the present day the old Spanish horse, with its long fine mane, +small head, long neck, and hanging long tail can be recognised. +Since, however, eastern civilization has been advancing<a name="Page_85" id="Page_85"></a> +toward the west, these troops have become crossed with all +possible breeds and not of the worst sort, for the men who +risked their lives on the border always spend their last farthing +in taking a good horse with them, in whose speed and +bottom they could trust when they came in contact with the +savage Indian hordes.</p> + +<p>From these border settlements, where the horses are necessarily +turned out to graze on the prairie, some frequently +escaped, as they are constantly surrounded by the wild horses. +And every horse that has once got among such a troop, bids an +eternal farewell to captivity. Hence we find among these +animals the pure Arab blood, we recognise the clumsy +English cart horse, the pony, the thorough-bred, and the +racer. In short, there is such a display of every breed as no +horse-fair in the world is able to show. I especially noticed +an enormous number of greys, piebalds, and black horses +among the troops; and that the differences of colour are far +more frequent among them than with trained horses. They +possess great speed for a short distance; for, on a lengthened +race, owing to their grass feeding, they cannot keep up with +a horse fed on corn, and hence they are often hunted down +and captured by men mounted on the latter. For this purpose, +the lasso is employed, whose noose is thrown over the +horse's neck. So soon as the wild horse's neck is squeezed it +falls quivering on the ground, and the captor finds time to +place a halter or leathern thong round its neck. The noose +is then slightly loosened, and a trial is made whether it will +follow the rider by the halter. If it resists, the operation is +repeated as often as is necessary to make the animal understand +that it must yield to captivity. As a rule it follows +soon; and can be easily tamed, especially when it is not too +old. If these horses are fed on maize for awhile, they +grow very strong and enduring. The fillies are the easiest +to capture and tame. You need only chase a manada for +some miles, and the fillies fall exhausted and do not rise<a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"></a> +again, and if they are raised on their legs after recovery, +they will immediately follow the ridden horse, as their +mares have disappeared with the troop.</p> + +<p>These animals become as tame as dogs, and are of great +value to the borderer, as it costs nothing to rear them, and +they can be put to any work. For all that the wild horse is +greatly detested in the vicinity of a settlement, and many a +noble brute has died there with a bullet in its heart. The +borderer cannot shut up his horses and mules in stables. +They must seek the food which nature offers them in such +profusion, and hence they have the gate of liberty always +open; but they do not fly, because they do not know what +liberty is. But scarce do they see a troop of their wild comrades +dash past, ere they dart off too, never again to bow their +neck to the plough or the bit. They in such cases become +the wildest of the troop, and can always be recognised at its +head. My black stallion, whose wildly flowing mane I followed +for a long distance over the prairie, had, however, +never yet bent his neck beneath the yoke of man, for it displayed +too fully the pride and strength which nature imparts +to liberty alone on its black curly forehead: these animals had +never seen the low roof, the simple palisade of a frontier +house, and no fugitive thence had ever complained to them +about the fate he had endured.</p> + +<p>Czar was beside himself that he was not allowed to join in +the race, and tried for a long time to check the speed of +the fugitives by his snorts; he danced, threw his croupe +from one side to the other, and furiously tore at the bit, but +it was all of no use, and serfdom still lay on his broad neck, +even though with rosy bonds.</p> + +<p>The sun was rather low on the horizon when I found +myself about five miles from what seemed to be a very +large forest, behind which rose the mountains which I had +noticed a few days previously in the azure distance when I +took my first glance at this valley. I leapt from my horse, +hobbled it, and crawled through the grass after two very old<a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"></a> +stags, one of which was quietly grazing behind a fallen +mosquito tree, while the other, as if it had noticed something, +thrust its thick neck over the stump in my direction. I +had left my hat with Czar in order to attract less attention, and +the sun shone hotly on my head; but what will not a hunter +readily endure if it enables him to draw nearer the game? +At length there were about one hundred yards between us, +and I had reached a small patch of flowering jalap trees +which covered me. I raised myself on one arm, and fired, +aiming at the head. I saw that the deer was hit close to the +heart: it ran about fifty paces with its comrade, and then fell +dead.</p> + +<p>After reloading, I rode up to the deer and laid in some +days' supply of meat, hung it on the saddle, and continued +my journey to the forest, which I entered about sunset by a +very broad open buffalo path. I was sure that the forest was +traversed by a stream, and resolved to seek the latter ere +I selected my night quarters. I followed the path with my +rifle on the saddle-bow, when suddenly my horse gave a start, +and a very old bear entered the path hardly twenty yards +ahead of me, stopped, and with its head turned from me, +began nibbling at the roots of a few small bushes. It took +scarce a moment to raise my rifle and pull the trigger, and +in the next I pulled Czar round, and rode for the prairie. +On looking round, however, I perceived that the bear had +only sprung a few yards after me, and was now half sitting, +half lying on the path and showing its savage teeth. When +I slowly approached it, I noticed that its fury was heightened +with every step I took, and only its inability to rise prevented +it from attacking me. I, therefore, rode close up and +sent a second bullet through its head. It was a very heavy +fat bear, and I was really sorry that I could turn it to so +little account.</p> + +<p>Not very far from this spot I found the stream, and resolved +to pass the night on its bank, as the forest on the other side +seemed very extensive, and it was doubtful whether I should<a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"></a> +find there good provender for my horse. I watered Czar, +filled my bottle, and rode back to the bear, from which I +cut a paw, the tongue, and some ribs. I then camped in +the forest at a spot where the most splendid wild oats +awaited my horse. The paw was put to cook in the ashes +for the next morning, but the ribs were to make their appearance +on the supper table. A roasted bear's rib is indubitably +one of the greatest dainties which the desert can +offer the hunter, and I enjoyed it the more because I had +been riding all day and had eaten nothing since my very +early breakfast. A man soon grows used to this mode +of life, which is necessary in the case of violent exertion +in the hot sun, as it is very easy to bring on a fever by +riding with a full stomach.</p> + +<p>The night was dark and rendered the light which my fire +cast upon the dark green roof above my head all the more +attractive, while the giant brightly illumined trunks looked +like pillars supporting it. I lay on my tiger skin and amused +myself with counting the blood-red funnel-shaped flowers of +the bignonia, which swung in long drooping festoons from +one tree to the other, and, lit up by my fire, resembled so many +red glass lamps. Around me a number of whip-poor-wills +strove to outvie each other in uninterruptedly uttering their +name, and frequently circled round my fire. At the same time +fire-flies and huge glow-worms glistened and flashed in all +the bushes, and the rustling of the adjoining stream supplied +the music for this Italian night. My eyes gradually closed, +the pictures of dreams became more and more blended with +those of reality, until a calm sleep fell on me to strengthen +and refresh me.</p> + +<p>Day was breaking when I opened my eyes, and the scene +which had so sweetly lulled me to sleep had faded away: the +fire was out, and instead of the glow-worms a grey mist lay +over the bushes, the grass around me was very damp and the +bear's black hide was silvered over with dew. From all sides +the loud chuckling of the turkeys reached me, and I felt a tick<a name="Page_89" id="Page_89"></a>ling +in my forefinger to bend it upon one of these birds: but +then I looked at the mountain of flesh which lay before me +and rested my rifle again against the tree, and went to the +fire to pull the paw out of the ashes. The fire soon burnt +brightly, and dispersed the cold damp air around me; I put +coffee on and a bear's rib before the fire, led Czar to the +stream and refreshed myself and him. Then I returned to +the fire, led my horse into the oats, and paid my respects to +the bear's paw and rib. The sun was also darting his rays +through the trees, when I was ready to start and rode +through the stream towards the dense forest.</p> + +<p>I rode for about three hours in this labyrinth, passing +from one buffalo path to another, until the ground began to +grow more uneven, and here and there large masses of rock +rose between the trees. I dismounted, and was leading my +horse up a narrow path by the side of a great boulder, when +I suddenly saw, on raising my head, the entire forest literally +covered with wild cattle. I returned to the rock, as a meeting +with these most dangerous animals on an impracticable path like +this was not desirable, and hanging the bridle over a branch, +I again ascended the height in order to convince myself in +what direction the cattle were going. The herd passed me +bound westward, and I am certain I saw over 300 head pass. +These denizens of the desert are the most savage and +dangerous animals in Western America. Like the horses of +the first Spanish settlements they are runaways, and have +now entirely returned to a state of nature. You never see +a spotted or black head among them: they are all chestnut +with black extremities, and a yellow stripe down the back, +and are more lightly and gracefully built than our cattle, and +as rapid as deer. They shun man, but when startled or +excited, they attack with the most frightful courage and +obstinacy, and I would sooner defend myself on foot with a +bowie knife against a black bear than with a rifle against a +furious bull of this description. I remained for about an +hour behind the rock before the last of the herd had dis<a name="Page_90" id="Page_90"></a>appeared +between the trees, after which I rode across their +deeply trampled path, and soon found myself on the edge of +the forest.</p> + +<p>From this point gradually rose a bald desolate mountain +range that ran from east to west, and whose base was covered +with bad grass and a few scattered granitic rocks. These +mountains, the San Saba, are spurs of the Rocky Mountains, +which I had already noticed from the elevation, where the +granite follows on the limestone. I might calculate on +wandering about there for weeks before again reaching +watered valleys. Hence I resolved to alter my course and +go farther east, until I reached the mountains which were the +source of all the streams I had lately crossed, and return +home along their base.</p> + +<p>On this side of the forest the soil was too bad to produce +good grass, hence I looked about for a buffalo path by +which I could cross it again in a southern direction. These +eternally wandering buffaloes, however, appeared to avoid the +sterile mountains, and though here and there a lightly +trodden path entered the forest, it was not open enough to +be followed by a horseman. It was already noon, and I was +still on the outside of the forest, when I noticed a tolerably +beaten path in an angle where the forest jutted out farther +into the mountains. I was very glad of it. Indescribable +was the feeling of comfort when I reached the dense shade +of the first trees: I threw my leathern jacket over the saddle, +hung my hat by its side, and followed the path which ran +between the rocks that rose among the trees and led deeper +into the forest.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a sound reached my ear resembling the fall of +distant water, and the nearer I drew the more distinct it +became. It was possible that the river here took a wide +curve to the foot of the mountains, and I greeted it with +delight. I soon saw that I was not mistaken, for on turning +a large rock I stood close in front of a waterfall, which +aroused my admiration both through the peculiarity of its<a name="Page_91" id="Page_91"></a> +shape and the refreshing coolness that it spread far and wide +beneath the shady trees. A powerful mountain torrent, +about thirty yards wide, fell over an immense rock twenty +feet high, down upon another rock which had been hollowed +to a depth of about three feet by the water, which had +fallen on it for centuries and formed a basin, over whose front +the agitated foaming stream dashed at a height of about +forty feet over widely scattered masses of rocks and aged +trees suspended between them, while on either side enormously +lofty trees laid their thick crowns together over the +roaring cataract and repulsed the inquisitive sunbeams. I +soon stripped Czar, and hobbled him, lit a small fire, put +the coffee-pot on it, and lay down on my blanket close to the +fall in order to make a sketch of it.</p> + +<p>When I was sufficiently rested, I went up to the basin, +undressed and leapt into the foaming water. Never in my +life have I found so glorious a bathing-place as this, which +nature appeared to have made for the express purpose. The +very cold waves dashed up to an immense height, and it was +hardly possible to stand under the cataract, while behind it +I was entirely shut off from the outer world as if I were in +a palace of crystal. I remained till about five o'clock at this +Diana's bath, as I christened it, and it is known by that +name to all the hunters who have since visited it. It was +too early, however, for me to camp; hence I mounted my +horse and rode up once more to bid adieu to the cataract.</p> + +<p>Far through the forest I was followed by the roaring of +the fall, till the rustling of the river I was approaching +overpowered it. At about one hour before sunset I reached +the prairie at the southern end of the forest, and until nightfall +followed its skirt in an easterly direction till I reached a +spot where the stream emerged from it. I camped here quite +concealed, and on the next day rode eastward towards the +mountains. From this point I altered my course to the +south, and rode there for several days. One afternoon, when +greatly troubled by thirst, I reached a pleasant grass <a name="tn_png_104"></a><!--TN: Period removed after "valley"-->valley<a name="Page_92" id="Page_92"></a> +on which several mosquito trees grew; a fresh stream wound +through the verdant bottom, and a few deer were grazing on +either bank. I dismounted to refresh myself with the eagerly +desired draught and grant my horse a little rest. A very large +deer was standing over two hundred yards off, and staring +intently at me. I was well stocked with meat, but the +query whether I could hit it led me away as it had so often +done, and while sitting on the bank I fired at it. The deer +bled, ran a short distance in a circle, and then fell lifeless on +the ground. After reloading I went up to it to fetch the +fillet, and while engaged in fastening it to my saddle I +noticed two foot Indians, one armed with a rifle, the other +with bow and arrows, come out from behind some bushes +and advance some twenty yards before they caught sight of +me. I saw their terror and amazement, and that one of +them crossed his arms on his breast, and laid his arms on +his shoulders, which among them is a sign of friendship. I +made them a signal to be off, and assured them of my +friendly sentiments in the same way. Upon which they +described a large circle round me, and escaped from sight a +long way down the stream. I felt convinced that several +of their tribe were hunting in the vicinity, as they must +have heard my shot, and would assuredly not have emerged +so carelessly from behind the bushes had they not believed it +was fired by one of their comrades. I put Czar at a sharp +amble, as the grass was not high, and hurried down into the +valley, while carefully looking round in order to escape this +menacing place.</p> + +<p>About sunset I reached another small stream, where I +halted, lit a fire, and prepared my supper, while Czar was +enjoying his. Here I rested till night had set in; then +saddled again, filled my gourd, and rode on for about five +miles. Here I led my horse into a thicket which ran between +two steep hillocks, and remained in it during the +night. It was very probable that the Indians had informed +their comrades of the presence of a paleface, and that they<a name="Page_93" id="Page_93"></a> +had followed me to my camp-fire, but had been unable to +strike my trail in the darkness.</p> + +<p>From this point my journey was for several days a most +fatiguing and far from pleasant one. I constantly went up +and down barren, stony hills, and found scarce grass enough +to feed my horse; we also both suffered from the want of +water, which was the more perceptible on the bare, heated +rocks. I could only proceed short distances, as through the +constant marching on very hard stones Czar's feet were beginning +to swell, and though he was not lame, he put them +down very gingerly. There was certainly no lack of game, +as I always met turkeys and deer in the neighbourhood of +water, and on such uneven ground it is very easy to stalk +the game. Although it may offend the feelings of the true +sportsman, I will confess that on this ride I shot several +fawns for the sake of their tender flesh: I also killed a very +large jaguar, which I attracted by imitating the cry of a +complaining fawn. It leaped within twenty yards of me ere +it noticed me, but then stopped, and looked round for its +victim, swinging its long tail high up in the air. The bullet +went through its head and laid it dead. The Indians make +a sort of wooden pipe, which so admirably imitates the moan +of a fawn, that every old animal within a distance of a mile +round comes dashing up, and is startled neither by a horse +nor its rider. I have seen instances where old animals continued +to advance after being missed two, three or four times, +till they lamentably fall victims to their maternal love. I +always carried such an instrument about me, as all the larger +beasts of prey can be easily attracted by it, such as bears, +tigers, panthers, wolves, lynxes, &c., and the beautifully-striped +leopard cats, which are very numerous about us, and +are easily deceived by it.</p> + +<p>I at length again reached the limestone region; but I +must have been a great deal too far east; for the mountain +chain was much lower than at the spot where I had crossed +it. This view was soon confirmed when I went down into the<a name="Page_94" id="Page_94"></a> +valley and found all the streams I crossed small and insignificant. +The country continually became more pleasant and rich, the +valleys grew broader, and the vegetation was more luxuriant +than in the desolate melancholy ravines I had been lately +riding along. I daily expected to see well-known mountains, +and looked about more especially for a very high point on a +mountain chain which runs southward from Turkey Creek to +the Rio Grande, on which the Indians have built a pyramid +of large stones, either put up as a finger-post for the wandering +tribes, or as a border mark between the different +hunting-grounds.</p> + +<p>One morning I had just left camp and was riding through +an extensive prairie, when I fancied I could recognise this +landmark, and convinced myself by the aid of my glass that +I was not mistaken. I felt myself at home again, although +this point was a good day's journey from my house: still, I +knew in which direction my road lay, and eagerly went along +it. About noon I reached one of those most troublesome +cactus woods, which frequently run across the prairies. The +present one ran like a wall for miles across my path. There is +no chance of riding through these thickets, as the prickly plants +grow closely together. Though they are most disagreeable +to the hunter, their appearance is most attractive to the +naturalist, through the brilliant colour of the cactus flowers, +and the peculiar shape of the plants. This obstacle led me +a long way from my route, as I was obliged to ride round it +for several miles.</p> + +<p>While I was riding close along this wall, still hoping to +find a free passage, I suddenly noticed a deer, about twenty +yards off, poking its head out of the prickles, and staring at me +in surprise. I raised my rifle—Czar stopped instantly—and +fired at the head, as I could not see any more of the deer. +I could distinctly see through the smoke that the bullet +smashed the right side of the deer's head, and heard it dash +away a few yards, and then fall; but it was impossible to +penetrate the prickly wall for this short distance, and reach the<a name="Page_95" id="Page_95"></a> + +deer. The cactuses were here from sixteen to seventeen feet +high, and so close together that I could not go a foot into +them. Hence I was obliged to give up the deer, and was +very glad on at length reaching a narrow glade which ran +through the wood.</p> + +<p>Late at night I rode along the bank of a river, which I +took for one of the western arms of Turkey Creek, and was +forced to halt and pass the night here by the numerous rocks +that rose from the tall grass and ferns. The next morning +I passed the spot where I crossed the river with the unfortunate +Kreger by means of the trunk of the tree, and at noon +reached the camp where the storm had treated us so ill. The +revived memory of the unhappy man was very painful to me, +and I hurried from the spot, in order to get rid of the blood-stained +picture of the scalped naturalist. I now came again +into my own hunting-grounds, where nearly every tree and +shrub reminded me of a fine chase, and my desire for home +and my faithful Trusty urged me on. I rode late into the +night, till I reached at ten o'clock a camping-place, where I +and Czar had often stopped before. It was evident that the +sensible creature recognised his home, and again sought the +same spot to rest where he had before stretched his beautiful +limbs.</p> + +<p>When day broke, I rose from my blanket with a feeling +resembling that I felt on my birthday when a child: but +soon wretched doubts forced themselves on me, whether I +should find my little colony all right. Czar, on this day, +was washed extra clean; all the beards of the turkeys I had +shot on the tour were fastened on the bridle: the beautiful +skin of the tiger shot on the mountains was laid over the +panther skin to display it in the best way, and I then continued +my ride toward the Fort, which I hoped to reach at +noon, with a joyously beating heart. The grass, however, +was so high and rendered going so fatiguing for my horse, +that I advanced but slowly, and did not reach our first +resting-place at the commencement of the tour till noon.<a name="Page_96" id="Page_96"></a> +Czar was very hot and tired, so I did not ride on, as I +had intended, but unsaddled and boiled coffee, while the +horse was reposing in the shady grass. When the greatest +heat was passed, and I had washed Czar down in the stream, +I started again homewards, and saw, as the sun was setting, +my beloved virgin forest appear above the prairie, and the +two immense poplars indicating the spot where the buffalo +path that led to my settlement, entered the forest. It was +about ten miles off, so that I could calculate on reaching +home by nightfall without any great effort.</p> + +<p>I had ridden through a small wood and had advanced into +the prairie some hundred yards, when I noticed on my left +at about a mile distance, five horse Indians emerge from a +clump of oaks. Their horses were going at what is called a +dog trot, although it seemed to be increased or diminished +according to Czar's pace. I looked at them through my +glass, and saw that only two of them had bows and the other +three were unarmed. As their appearance did not cause +me any apprehension, I quietly followed my road at a gentle +walk. We constantly came nearer, and I soon saw that the +Indians designed to meet me on the path. I therefore held +my horse in so that they reached the path when I was about +one hundred yards distant from them. They stopped, and +when they saw that I did the same, one of the armed men +turned his horse toward me and rode a few paces nearer. +I made signs to them to go their way, and when I saw they +had no result, I leapt from my horse and raised my rifle, +again intimating to them to ride on. They now shouted to +me, "Kitchi, Kitchi, Delaware, Delaware!" the names of +friendly tribes, and at the same time made the signals +of amity. I, however, signalled to them again, and raised +my rifle to my shoulder, upon which they spoke together +and went up the hill very slowly, one behind the other, till +I lost sight of them.</p> + +<p>The suspicions which I entertained of all Indians induced +me also to ride up the hill to see what had become of them.<a name="Page_97" id="Page_97"></a> +To my great surprise I saw them a long distance ahead galloping +across the prairie. This sudden haste could not be explained +through fear of me. It must have another cause which I +could only find in the fact that their camp was no great distance +off, and that they wished to inform their tribe of my +presence, so as to cut me off on the prairie, and lay wait for +me in the woods on the Leone. From the direction they +followed, if the tribe were encamped no great distance from +the path that led into the wood, they could get there before me, +whence I soon made up my mind and galloped off to another +ford of the Leone, about twenty miles higher up. Czar galloped +nearly the whole distance, and I reached the forest before +sunset. I was now safe, for no one could pass through the +wood on horseback, and the narrow buffalo path could be +easily defended. I reached the Leone, welcomed it with +heartfelt joy, and hurried down the opposite bank toward my +home. About three miles from it I had to cross a hill, +whence I could see my fort. I approached its crest with a +loudly beating heart, because I must here obtain certainty as +to the fate of my settlement.</p> + +<p>I looked across the valley, and on the other side I saw the +fort glistening through the gloom. A heavy load fell from +my heart; I took my glass, everything was quiet, the smoke +rose straight from the kitchen, and suddenly two of my dogs +ran up from the river, and disappeared through the palisades +into the interior of the fort. Czar, too, knew perfectly well +that he was going home, for though I had ridden him unusually +hard, he kept up his amble, while usually when he +was tired he had a habit of stopping and biting the grass.</p> + +<p>It had grown very dark when I rode up the last hill to my +fort, and was received by the loud barking of my dogs which +dashed through the holes in the palisades. But all their +voices were overpowered by Trusty's bass from the interior of +the building. The dogs soon recognised me, and springing up +to Czar expressed their delight at my return by loud whining. +I now raised my hunting cry, which was responded<a name="Page_98" id="Page_98"></a> +to by Trusty tugging furiously at his chain, and a hearty +welcome from my garrison. The chain of the gate fell, and +Trusty flew out and up at me, so that I was hardly able to +keep my feet under his demonstrations of delight. My three +comrades received me most heartily, and strove to show how +much they were attached to me. My horses and mules +raised their voices from the interior of the fort, and Czar +answered them by his friendly whinnies.</p> + +<p>When the first greeting was over, my three men asked almost +simultaneously, "but where is Mr. Kreger?" I pointed to +heaven and intimated by a short "by-and-bye," that I would +tell them all about it presently. Czar was soon liberated +from his burden, rolled himself heartily at his old place in +the grass, and consoled himself with his long absent maize-leaves, +while I doffed my travelling accoutrements indoors, +and made myself comfortable by a wash and change of dress. +We were soon seated round the old table at supper, at which +I refreshed myself with a draught of fresh milk, and then I +described the unhappy fate of my companion Kreger. An +almost unanimous "did I not foretell it?" burst at the end of +my narrative from the lips of my comrades, who all felt great +sympathy in the unhappy man's fate.</p> + +<p>In spite of my weariness it had grown rather late. Hence +I rose, went out once more to Czar, who had heartily enjoyed +his husked corn, and then proceeded indoors with my +faithful Trusty, who resumed his old post on a thick bearskin +with delight. But I felt so confined in my room that I +was obliged to open all the doors and windows, and lie down +on a buffalo hide on the floor, instead of resting in my bed. +It is remarkable how soon a man forgets rooms when he has +been living for any length of time in the open air, and how +he feels like a fish out of water when he returns to them.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99"></a> +<a name="chapter10" id="chapter10"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE BEE HUNTER.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">I was</span> the first to rise from my bed when day broke, and went +forth to enjoy the cooling breeze. Czar was not yet awake, +and merely raised his head a little from the ground, gazing +at me with his glorious eyes as if he wished to say that it +was too soon to rise, and then laid his head down on the +ground again and accepted my patting without stirring. The +cream-colour whinnied and turned about till it came up to +me, when it took from my hand a piece of biscuit: the dogs +leapt about me, but kept at a respectful distance, because +Trusty was by my side and none dared venture near him. I +aroused my garrison and then proceeded to the river, whence +I could survey my maize field, which glistened like a dark +pine forest, and in which a horseman would have been completely +hidden; then I went into the garden, which I found +in admirable order, and in which the most magnificent +melons were ripening. When I returned to the fort the +milch cows were leaving the enclosure, and shone in the +morning sun as if they had been curry-combed. My favourite +cock, Whip, called his numerous harem out to breakfast on +the prairie; and two pigs hurried with their farrows towards +the river, for the purpose of going to the wood.</p> + +<p>After breakfast I saddled the cream-colour, for which the +saddle girths had grown much too tight, and rode with one of +my men and Trusty to the other side of the river, towards the +old buffalo path that led to the prairie; we reached the +skirt of the wood, and had not ridden far through it when +Trusty, who was ahead, stopped and looked up at me. I dismounted +and perceived a number of footsteps made by<a name="Page_100" id="Page_100"></a> +mocassins. A little farther on the grass was trampled down +by a great number of horses' hoofs. My foreboding was then +confirmed. The entire Indian tribe had laid wait for me in +the woods, and I should certainly have fallen a victim to +their treachery if my good star had not warned me of their +design. I silently thanked my guardian angel, who had +already led me through so many dangers, and rode back to +the fort, which I reached shortly before noon, with a very +fat deer I had shot on passing through the wood, and which +hung across my comrade's saddle.</p> + +<p>A few days' rest at home did me a wonderful deal of +good; and I felt remarkably comfortable. In the afternoon +I swung in a hammock in the verandah before my house, +smoking a cigar; and in the evening I sat till a late hour in +a rocking chair in my neatly furnished room, and sang to the +guitar songs from the past days of youth and passion. My +house consisted of but one large room, whose walls and ceiling +were covered with the finest dark-haired buffalo hides, while +a carpet of smooth summer deer hides enlivened the floor. +Over my bed was the skin of a splendid spotted jaguar, and +in front of it was spread a coal-black bear skin, on which +Trusty slept. The walls were adorned with excellent oil-paintings; +among them being a very fine specimen of Murillo; +and from the ceiling hung a lamp, which, throwing its faint +light on the dark walls, produced a weak but pleasant illumination. +On the table in front of the glass stood two +large orange-hued gourds filled with water, in which stood +splendid bouquets of magnolias, which spread their vanilla +perfume through the whole room; close by was a glass case +containing my firearms; and on all the walls were displayed +the most <a name="tn_png_113"></a><!--TN: "splended" changed to "splendid"-->splendid antlers of our common deer, the giant +deer, elks, moose, and antelopes. A collection of good engravings, +a small library, and my drawing apparatus, completed +the furniture of this asylum, to which I frequently +retired when I returned home from a long tour, covered with +dust and blood, and was beginning to grow tired of this<a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"></a> +rough, savage mode of life. At such times I looked out the +clothes of civilization—the tail coat and polished boots; and +Trusty in his amazement would not take his eyes off me, as +if he were afraid that I should at last become quite another +man. Although this metamorphosis may appear so ridiculous, +it had something about it most soothing and pleasant +for me. I then occupied myself for some days with reading, +answering my letters, drawing, and music; after which I +again donned my deer-hide suit, and threw myself into the +arms of nature with my faithful companions.</p> + +<p>I had been at home for about a week, had only hunted close +to the fort, and in addition to domestic arrangements, occupied +myself principally with fishing, for which purpose I +fastened a strong cord across the stream, on which were a number +of lines and hooks hanging baited in the water. A small +bell in the middle of the cord informed us when a fish or turtle +was tugging at it, and we fetched them ashore with the canoe. +We only cared for large fish, and it was no rarity for us to pull +up cat-fish and buffalo-fish weighing thirty pounds, trout of +twelve, and turtles of forty pounds.</p> + +<p>Early one morning I was engaged in shoeing Czar's forefeet, +as I always kept a stock of shoes and nails by me, after +which I returned to my room to write letters, as I intended to +send one of my men in a few days with commissions to the +nearest settlement. I had been writing about half an hour, +with Trusty lying under the table in the middle of the room, +when the door opened, and I of course expected it was one of +my own people. Trusty, however, sprang up barking, from +under the table, and pulled me down as I tried to hold him +back by the tail. In an instant the furious animal leaped at +the throat of a stranger dressed in leather, who came into the +room with a long Kentucky rifle, pulled him down, and would +certainly have killed him in a few minutes, if I had not thrust +my hands between the dog's jaws and forced them open, +though his teeth were buried deep in my fingers.</p> + +<p>With all my strength I lay on the desperate dog, and my<a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"></a> +men dragged the stranger out of the door, while I was scarce +able to hold back the animal, which leaped up madly at the +closed door. I hurried out to the stranger, in whom I recognised +a bee-hunter, who had paid me a visit about a year +previously. He was seriously hurt, though not mortally, as +it seemed. I at once took him into the house, continually +applied cold bandages and nursed him as well as I could during +the four days he remained with me. Then I discharged him, +after stocking him amply with powder and ball, coffee and +salt, needles, thread, and other articles, and begging him, when +he next visited me, to knock at my door first. I was very +anxious not to have these bee-hunters against me, as they +might prove even more dangerous than savages. They are +generally scape-gallows from the States, and live in the desert +with their horse and rifle by hunting, and collecting honey and +wax, the former of which they pack in fresh-sewn deer hides, +and carry it with the wax and peltry to the Indian settlements +for the purpose of selling or swapping. He left me +perfectly contented, and with assurances of gratitude and +friendship, and I was very glad to get rid of this unbidden +guest.</p> + +<p>One evening, as the sun was setting, I felt a necessity of +hearing the crack of my rifle. Czar had fattened up again, +and Trusty was anxiously awaiting the day when I should +recover from my indolence. I rode down the river to a small +pond on the prairie, which was filled with rain water in the +winter and retained it till far into the summer. Strangely +enough, all animals prefer this water to any other, and will go +a long distance to drink it. I led Czar into the bushes, threw +his bridle over a branch, and sat down on the edge of the +forest upon the roots of an old oak, waiting for the game that +might come to water.</p> + +<p>It was growing dark when a herd of deer came across the +prairie and posted themselves on a hill behind the pond. +They were all rather large, but one of them had antlers far +larger than the rest. After a short halt they advanced up to<a name="Page_103" id="Page_103"></a> +the water hole, with the big deer at their head. It had +drunk, and was raising its head with the mighty antlers, +when I pulled the trigger, and the bullet struck behind the +shoulder blade. He ran away from the other deer to a +broad, rather deep ravine, formed by the torrents, and which +gradually grew narrower. I mounted Czar after reloading, +and rode after the deer, which suddenly rose before me and +leaped up the steep wall of the ravine. It was already very +dark, and I was afraid of losing the deer, hence I called +Trusty to follow it. Nothing could please him better; he +ran after it up the wall, and pursued it into the prairie +with loud barking. As the spot was too steep for me, I ran +back, and when I reached the prairie lower down I saw the +deer proceeding towards the woods, and two dogs instead of +one following it. I gave Czar the reins, in order to cut the +deer off; but Trusty caught it at the moment, and the supposed +second dog, an enormous white wolf, attacked my dog. +All three lay atop of each other, when I leaped from my +horse within shot, and hurried to the scene of action. +The wolf noticed me and tried to bolt, but Trusty held it +tightly, and I ran within ten paces of them. The two +animals were leaping up savagely at each other, when my +bullet passed through the wolf's side, and Trusty settled it. +The deer, which had thirty tines, had got up again, but +soon fell on a leap from Trusty, and I killed it. I then rode +home, fetched a two-wheeled cart drawn by a mule, drove out +with one of my men, and brought back the deer and the +wolf, whose skin, though not so fine as in winter, still made +an excellent carpet under our dining-table.</p> + +<p>There was nothing to do now in the fields, whence we +seldom went there, and our visits were limited to one of us +crossing the river at daybreak in a canoe hollowed out of a +monstrous poplar, and walking round the field with a fowling +piece, in order to put a check to the countless squirrels +which sprang over the fence to reach the forest at daybreak, +partly because they did great damage to the young maize,<a name="Page_104" id="Page_104"></a> +partly because they supplied an excellent dish for breakfast. +Another animal which we killed in these walks was the +racoon, which also injured the maize, and inhabited our +forests in incredible numbers. We merely shot it because it +injured the maize, for its flesh is uneatable. Its skin, though +highly valued in Europe, fetches no price among us. It visits +the fields at night, clambers up the maize stalks, nibbles a +few seeds out of a cob, and then runs to another plant. The +result is that the gnawed cobs rot and die.</p> + +<p>I was taking this walk one morning round the field, when +I saw on the railings at the hinder end several whole stalks +hanging, and found one on the ground in the forest. I went +into the field and found large spaces where all the stalks had +been pulled up and carried off, but could not recognise a trail +on the soil, which was thickly overgrown with weeds and +grass. I followed the trail into the forest, and found at no +great distance from the first maize stalk a footprint on the +ground, which seemed made only with the heel, and which I +took for a mocassin. The maize, however, was not ripe yet, +and not even large enough for boiling, and hence it seemed +to me improbable that Indians had carried off the plants. I +sought farther, and soon found a quite distinct enormous +bear's footprint, which indicated the thief more clearly. +When evening came, I and one of my men seated ourselves +in the maize with Trusty on a couple of chairs we carried +there. I had my large double-barrel loaded with pistol +bullets, and my comrade a double rifle. We sat for a long +time, as the moon shone now and then; but at length we +grew tired of waiting, and I got up to go home, but at the +same moment fancied I could hear the crackling of drift +wood. I fell back on my chair; at the same moment the +railing in front of me grew dark, and almost immediately +Bruin appeared with his broad chest, and peered about in all +directions. Piff! paff! I let fly both barrels at him; he +disappeared behind the railing, and we could hear him dashing +through the wood. We went home, and on the next<a name="Page_105" id="Page_105"></a> +morning at daybreak we followed the trail along which +Trusty led us to the dead bear, which had only run a mile. +Its fat and meat fully compensated for the damage it had +effected in the field.</p> + +<p>It was the summer season, and the heat was growing very +oppressive. Hence I carefully avoided hunting buffalo, for +fear of tiring my horse too much, and restricted myself to +supplying our wants with deer, turkeys, and antelopes in the +vicinity; but our supply of salted and smoked meat was at +an end, and I resolved to go after buffalo on a day which was +not quite so hot. Trusty had run himself lame in following +deer recently, as his feet had grown soft through doing +nothing, so I left him at home and rode down the river on +Czar early one morning.</p> + +<p>About ten miles from home I saw from the wood whose +skirt I was following, a small herd of about twenty buffalo +bulls grazing on an elevation on the prairie. I hid my rifle in +a bush that I might ride more easily, took a revolver from my +belt, and went cautiously under the hill as near as I could to +the animals. Suddenly they saw me, broke into a gallop, and +tried to escape; I went after them, and though I had to ride +over many stony broken places in the bottom on the other +side, I soon caught them up, and fired a bullet behind the +shoulder blade of a fat old bull; it at once went slower, remained +behind the herd, and bled profusely from the mouth +and nostrils, but still galloped on, as I did by its side a short +distance off.</p> + +<p>At a spot where a valley entered the prairie, I shot ahead, +and, as I expected, it turned aside into the bottom. It was in +a very bad state, and I awaited it to turn at bay any moment, +when I would kill it with another shot; still it kept up its +speed, and I, tired of the chase, rode up behind to kill it with +a shot from a short distance. I had hardly risen in the right +stirrup, however, and leant over to fire, when the bull turned +with lightning speed, drove his horn under the stirrup, and +hurled me such a height in the air, that, on looking down<a name="Page_106" id="Page_106"></a> +from above, I could see Czar dash off frantically and fall in the +tall grass.</p> + +<p>In an instant I sprang on my legs again, and three paces +from me stood the monster with its head on the ground, +braying furiously, and stamping its fore feet. It was nearly +all over, but still I held my revolver pointed between the +bull's little blood-red eyes, and waited like a statue for the +moment when it charged, to send a bullet through its shaggy +forehead. But it was in too bad a state, and hence turned +away a few minutes after and went round me; the mortal +spot was now exposed, I fired, and the bull fell dead; I then +ran up the nearest hillock, through the tall grass, where I +arrived greatly fatigued, and looked about for Czar, whom I +saw in the distance flying over the prairie with his snow-white +tail fluttering in the breeze.</p> + +<p>I felt terribly frightened at this sight, for this region was +rarely free from wild horses, and I was well aware that if +Czar once got among them he would be eternally lost to me. +I was looking after him in desperation, when I noticed in front +of him a long black line apparently coming towards me; I +looked through my telescope, and recognised a herd of buffalo +which, aroused by some cause, were galloping towards my +horse in a long line; Czar stopped, raising his head high in +the air, then turned and came straight towards me with flying +mane; I collected all my strength to reach one of the +highest spots around that lay in the course of my terrified +horse. He dashed through the last bottom over the trailing +grass, dragging the tiger skin after him which hung down on +one side of the saddle.</p> + +<p>On hearing my cry he stopped and recognised me, ran to +me, and stood trembling all over by my side, while timidly +looking round at the pursuing column. With one bound I +was on his back, and felt myself once more lord of the desert. +The buffaloes halted on the nearest elevation, looked at me +for some minutes, and then dashed into the bottom on the +right. I then rode back to my buffalo, broke it up, hung its<a name="Page_107" id="Page_107"></a> +tongue and fillet on the saddle, and started home, fetching +my rifle as I passed. I reached the fort at noon, saddled the +cream-colour after we had drunk coffee, and then went out +with the cart, to fetch the very fat meat of my vanquished +foe. It was then cut into long thin strips, and packed into a +cask with alternate layers of salt; after it had lain thus for a +few days it was put up on long sticks, and hung over a very +smoky fire in the burning sun, when in a few hours it became +dry enough to be carried into the smoke-house, where it kept +good for a very long time.</p> + +<p>One morning my men were busily engaged in hanging up +the dried meat in the smoke-house, when one of them came +running up to me and informed me that a herd of buffaloes +was coming up close to the garden on the river. I seized my +rifle and darted out, shouting to my men to keep back the +dogs, but to let them all loose when I waved my handkerchief. +I ran out of the fort, and in a stooping posture along +a prairie hollow, in order to get before the buffaloes, which +were marching two and two in a long row up from the river to +the prairie, and lay down in the long grass under an elevation +for which they were steering. I had been lying there but a +few minutes when the first bulls appeared on the heights, and +I shot one of them, though without showing myself. The +buffalo stopped, sank on its knees, and fell over, while the others +gathered round it, looked at it for a long time, and then tried +to make it get up by pushing it with their horns. If you do not +show yourself, you can in this way kill a great number of these +animals, as they are not frightened by the sound of a rifle.</p> + +<p>After reloading I rose on one knee and shot a second, which +I hit in the knee, however, instead of behind the shoulder. +I saw that it had noticed me, for it turned round, and, with +its head down, dashed upon me from the heights. I sprung +up and waved my handkerchief, and then threw myself +full length in a narrow gully, while the hunting cry of my +people in the fort reached my ear, and I recognised Trusty's +voice among my dogs.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108"></a>I heard the thunder of the savage bull approaching me, as +it made the ground shake under me, and I looked up, expecting +every minute to see the monster leap over me; but when +it was within about twenty yards of me it stopped with a +terrible roar, as it had lost me, and now saw my dogs dashing +up the valley like unchained furies. Prince Albert, one of my +young bloodhounds, was the foremost, and behind him came +Lady Elsler, his bitch, both equally fast and courageous. They +dashed past me. I rose, and now came Trusty with his mouth +wide open, furious that another dog should dare to assault the +enemy before him. My hunting-cry echoed far over the +prairie, where the two bloodhounds hung by the thick hide of +the infuriated buffalo on its wounded side, while Trusty +pinned its monstrous muzzle, in which he buried his fangs, +which never loosed their hold.</p> + +<p>The buffalo fell back a few paces, and then rose, with +Trusty still hanging to its snout, on its colossal hind legs, +snorting furiously. I could not shoot on account of the dog, +and the raging brute dashed over the prairie, holding Trusty +in the air, who only every now and then was able to touch +the ground with his feet. Ere long, however, the whole pack +had caught up the fugitives, and the brave dogs hung like +leeches from the buffalo's shaggy coat. Still it dashed on +with them toward the river, at a spot where the bank was +forty feet high.</p> + +<p>I looked after them with terror, for there was no doubt but +that the buffalo would dash over, and in that case most of my +dogs, and Trusty more especially, would be buried beneath it. +A few more leaps, and they would have reached the precipice, +but at this moment the monster rose in the air and turned +over, covered by my dogs. It roared and raged, till the sound +echoed through the forest, but was unable to get on its forelegs +again, because Trusty kept its head pinned down to the +ground. I could hardly breathe when I reached the buffalo: +I held my rifle to its broad forehead, and sent a bullet through +its hard skull. The fight was at an end, and Trusty came up<a name="Page_109" id="Page_109"></a> +to me, panting and wagging his tail, while he looked up +to me as much as to say that it had been a tough job. +He limped a little, and Leo, a very brave dog, had a considerable +wound between the ribs, but none of the others +were hurt.</p> + +<p>We returned to the fort, and were preparing to fetch the +meat in the cart, when we saw a horseman coming down the +river, who soon dismounted at the gate, and walked up to me +with a pleasant good morning, and shook my hand. He was +indubitably the handsomest man I had ever seen, and the +beauty of his form was heightened by his tight-fitting and +neatly-made leathern dress. He was scarce twenty years of +age, above six feet high, with a small head, long neck, broad +retreating shoulders, a full chest, a very small waist, and muscular +though handsomely-shaped legs, which were supported +by very delicate ankles and feet, almost too small for his +height. His lofty forehead was surrounded by black shining +silky locks, and beneath his sharply-cut black eyebrows his +blue eyes shone with a calmness and decision, but also with +a kindliness, that it was impossible to offer him an unfavourable +reception. His black silky beard passed under his +straight nobly-formed nose round his smiling, partly-opened +mouth, between whose cherry lips two rows of transparent +white teeth were visible, and heightened the white complexion +of his oval face and the fresh ruddiness of his cheeks. Thus +this god of the desert stood before me with a grace and propriety +such as are rarely met with in the gouty circles of high +society; and I thought to myself that his appearance would +attract attention and respect, in spite of the leathern garb, +among the nobility of the Old World.</p> + +<p>Without asking him who he was, I gave him the hearty +welcome which his amiability claimed, led him to the dining-room, +had his luggage brought into the fort, and his horse +put in a stall and supplied with maize leaves. Then a breakfast +was set before my guest, and after begging him, in the +old Spanish fashion, to make my house his home, I apologized<a name="Page_110" id="Page_110"></a> +for being obliged to leave him a little while, as I had shot some +buffaloes close by, which I wanted to get home.</p> + +<p>"Will you allow me to assist you? I am a good hand at +it," was his reply. He had soon finished his breakfast, and +went with me out of the fort to the river bank where the +buffalo lay. Although I had introduced Trusty to the +stranger, the dog still pressed between him and me, which he +noticed and remarked.</p> + +<p>"You have a fine hound there, who has grown up in the +desert. I have heard of him before. He is no friend of bee-hunters, +and yet he does not seem savage with me."</p> + +<p>I begged him not to touch Trusty, as he might misunderstand +it, and we soon reached my quarry. The stranger, +whose name was Warden, as he told me, laid aside his leathern +jacket, which was tastily ornamented with fringe, turned up +his shirt-sleeves, displaying thus his finely formed muscular +and white arms, and drew a splendid hunting-knife from its +sheath. We set to work together in skinning the buffalo, in +which operation Warden displayed a remarkable skill, then +broke it up, and while my people carried the meat to the +fort we proceeded to the other buffalo higher up the prairie, +and prepared it in the same way for removal.</p> + +<p>While we were engaged in skinning this animal, Warden +remarked he was surprised at my using rifles of so large a +bore, as it was a settled fact that the long Kentucky rifles, +one of which he carried, produced much greater effect with +small bullets. I contradicted this assertion, and an argument +ensued, as neither would give up his opinion. Warden offered +a wager, and staked his rifle against one of mine, which I +accepted. We cut off the buffalo's head with the skin +attached to it, and had it carried to the fort with the meat, +in order to try our rifles on it. It was noon when we got +back. We cleaned ourselves and enjoyed our dinner, a +buffalo fillet roasted on the spit, and some of the marrow-bones.</p> + +<p>After drinking coffee and smoking a cigar, we carried the +buffalo head outside the fort, put it in front of an oak, pressed<a name="Page_111" id="Page_111"></a> +a piece of white paper on the forehead, and then walked +eighty paces back, I shot first, and my bullet passed through +the paper into the head, and an inch deep into the oak. +Warden fired next, and also sent his bullet into the piece of +paper, but there was no trace of the bullet on the tree behind +the head. We removed the skin from the skull and found +Warden's bullet lodged under it, close to the hole which +mine had made. Warden at once allowed the bet lost, but +at the same time requested me to sell him a gun, as he could +not exist without one. I naturally laughed, as my only +object in the matter was conviction, and the bet had only +been a joke. Warden, however, shot with surprising accuracy +at one hundred yards with his rifle, which was four feet and +a half long, the whole weight resting on the left hand in +front; but his ball rarely passed through a deer, except when +he was close to it.</p> + +<p>After supper, while we were lying on the grass on the river +bank, my guest told me that he was a native of Missouri, the +son of a farmer, but had been compelled by unfortunate circumstances +to quit home, and had been living for five years as +a desert hunter. At first he remained on the frontiers of his +own State, but the cold winters had continually driven him +to the south, until he at last got so far down to a country +whose climate agreed better with him. He remained a whole +week with me, and made himself useful during the day +through his skill in making all sorts of trifles; for instance, +carvings in poplar and cypress wood, plaiting strong tight +lines of different coloured horsehair, tanning skins, making +neatly ornamental powder flasks out of buffalo horns, and +charge measures of the fangs of bears and jaguars, while in +the evening he described in a most lively manner the numerous +dangers he had fortunately escaped, and the many fights +he had had with the Redskins during the five years.</p> + +<p>The unchanging calmness which usually covered his noble +face often deserted him when describing these scenes; his +eyes flashed like daggers in the moonlight, his brow con<a name="Page_112" id="Page_112"></a>tracted, +and we could read on his forehead that he must be a +terrible foe when aroused. But these outbursts of passion +soon passed away, and the ordinary gentleness spread once +more over his features. Among the feelings reflected on +various occasions in his face, there was an unmistakeable +melancholy, which must be produced by events of his life +before the period when he bade farewell to human society, +and this was proved by the fact that he spoke reluctantly about +that time, and always became silent when the conversation +was accidentally turned to it. Hence I carefully avoided +alluding to the period, for if a heavy crime lay hid in his +bosom, I was ready to excuse it; while if he was suffering +undeservedly, I pitied him, and would not augment his sorrow +by unnecessarily evoking his reminiscences.</p> + +<p>I would have gladly kept him with me, as he was a +pleasant, attractive companion in my solitude; but he would +go, and it seemed to me as if the tranquillity he enjoyed at +my house did not permanently satisfy him, and as if he +wished to deaden memory by the wild, perilous life he led +on his hunting expeditions. I equipped him as far as lay in +my power with everything that could soothe his fatiguing +life, and took a hearty leave of him in front of the fort. He +parted regretfully, and was greatly excited when he shook +my hand in farewell and mounted his powerful horse, which +he had trained like a dog. He promised to pay me another +visit soon, and galloped at such a pace over the prairie, as if +he wished thus to dispel the thoughts which had mastered +him. I watched him for a long distance, till he disappeared +in a cloud of dust on the edge of the prairie.</p> + +<p>Some time after I learned from the bee-hunter whom +Trusty received so savagely the history of this amiable but +unfortunate man, whom the former had known as a lad in +Missouri. Warden's father was the son of one of the first +families in Virginia; was educated at a first-rate school and +studied medicine. He got into bad company, turned +gambler and then highwayman, and was for some years the<a name="Page_113" id="Page_113"></a> +terror of post travellers in North Carolina and Virginia. +About this time he fell in love with a very beautiful, +fashionably educated young lady in Virginia, and ran away +with her to Missouri, which was just beginning to be colonized. +He altered his mode of life, was greatly respected by his +fellow-citizens, and in a few years sent to Congress as deputy +for Missouri. Thus he lived most creditably till his son was +twelve years of age, and his daughter was married at the age +of seventeen to a farmer. One day, however, he rode to the +nearest town where a court was being held, and for the first +time during many years tasted spirits. He had scarce done +so, ere his old wicked foe seized on him again with all its +might, and he rode daily, in spite of all the prayers and representations +of his family, to the town, and returned at night +in a most frightful state of intoxication.</p> + +<p>On the next court day he was about to ride again to town, +when his wife begged her son-in-law to accompany him. +Warden had been drinking already, and said he had a feeling +he should be killed during the day. He made his young son +take a solemn oath to follow his murderer to the end of the +world and take his life. Then he rode off to the town, soon +became intoxicated, began quarrelling, at length began wrangling +with his son-in-law, who tried to hold him back, and drew +his knife on him; the latter defended himself, and Warden +ran on his knife, and was carried home in a dying state. +Warden once again reminded his son of the oath he had taken, +and expired. The law was put in work against his son-in-law, +who fled to Indiana and lived there in concealment. Warden's +son grew up, and in his sixteenth year was the favourite of +the whole countryside, but then he took his rifle and his horse, +bade good-bye to his mother and sister, rode to Indiana, and +shot his brother-in-law in his own house. He escaped from +the police with great difficulty, and fled to the desert, where +he had been living five years when he visited me.</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114"></a> +<a name="chapter11" id="chapter11"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE WILD HORSE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">The</span> departure of the unfortunate Warden, who had fallen a +victim to passions which had not been held in restraint at an +early age, was very painful to me, and the evenings, which I +generally spent alone, grew very long, as I had before gossiped +half the night away with him. Hence I went to bed early, +and followed my old habit of rising before daybreak, I generally +took my rifle, went with Trusty across the river to the +forest and watched for game. At that hour the wood was +most beautiful; the coming day drove the darkness before it +through the mighty masses of foliage, the birds aroused one +another from their sleep, owls, blinded by the morning light, +darted like the last shadows of night into the densest thickets, +and deer returned home from their nocturnal excursions +through the dewy grass; the bear, startled by the rapidly-increasing +light, trotted with hoarse growls towards its secret +hiding-place, while the herons, bearing the first golden sunbeams +on their silver plumage, rose from the tall trees and +passed with flapping wing through the refreshing morning +breeze.</p> + +<p>I was cautiously walking one morning along this my +favourite spot, and inhaling the thousand perfumes which had +filled the recesses of the forest during the tranquil night, avoiding +every dry branch for fear of startling its denizens, while +Trusty followed at a short distance all my windings round the +bushes and fallen trees. It had become tolerably light, +when I fancied I heard a rustling at an open spot, in the +centre of which stood several very large pecan-nut trees. I +stood still for a moment and listened, holding my breath, for<a name="Page_115" id="Page_115"></a> +a repetition of the noise. I heard it again, like the breaking +of twigs ahead of me, but in spite of my utmost efforts could +not perceive that even a leaf was moving.</p> + +<p>Once again the same breaking and rustling reached me, and +on looking up accidentally I saw a thick black lump shining +among the foliage of the pecan-trees. I soon distinguished +a young bear busily engaged in drawing to it with its long +paws the thin branches of the nut-tree, and putting the unripe +nuts in its mouth, I quickly sprang under the tree, so as to +make sure of the bear, which was about the size of a sheep; +but I remembered its mamma, who might be in the neighbourhood, +and easily come up to fetch her pet home. I +stationed myself under the tree on which the cub was, and +made Trusty lie down by my side, as he was beginning to +growl, and pressing his nose against the tree.</p> + +<p>The bear saw me, and became greatly alarmed; sprang +from one branch to the other, and looked timidly down to +me. I did not move, but listened carefully to every sound +in the vicinity, while my neighbour came down to the first +floor, above my head; and, sitting among the lowest branches, +produced a cry like that of little children. It soon repeated +its wail, and I heard far away in the forest a hob, hob, hob, +hob, coming towards me. I sprang up, and placed myself +behind the trees, after again forcing Trusty's head into the +grass. I distinctly distinguished by the leaps that it was an +old bear hastening to the help of her cub. I pointed my +rifle in the direction whence it was coming, and suddenly it +parted the foliage in front of me with its broad shoulders, +whereupon I gave a loud "pst." In a second the bear sat up +on its hind-quarters, and as the fire flashed from my barrel +it made a couple of leaps towards me, but was rolled over by +a second bullet through the head, while I shouted a "Down, +sir!" to Trusty, who was on the point of springing up. I +drew a revolver, ran up to the old bear, and sent a bullet +through her brain, as she was still furiously hitting out with +her terrible paws.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116"></a>I next reloaded my rifle, and looked up at my neighbour, +who had fled to the top of the tree, and was swinging with +the branches. I called Trusty away from under the tree, bade +him lie down in the grass behind me, and gave the cub something +which brought it down like a ball, crashing through the +foliage to the ground, when I put the other barrel to its forehead, +and stopped its young bearish existence. After reloading, +I broke it up, to give Trusty his share of the spoil—the +kidneys, the only bear-meat he ever touched, unless he was +very hungry. I then hastened home, and after breakfast I +went back to the forest with one of my men and three mules, +when we broke up the old bear, and carried the meat home +on two of the animals, and the cub entire on the third.</p> + +<p>Thus several weeks passed, during which I went little +beyond the immediate vicinity of my house, in order to lay +in our stock of meat either in the morning or evening, when +the heat was less oppressive. During the day we were cutting +steps in the perpendicular river-bank, out of which a +very strong spring gushed about ten feet from the top, and +in building a small dairy over it. We led the spring through +wooden troughs, in which we kept the milk and butter sweet; +while we hung up on the walls meat which remained fresh +for several days. The dairy was on the north side, so that +it was very slightly exposed to the sun, whose effects we also +neutralized by a thick layer of overhanging reeds. This spot +was most agreeable in the midday heat, at which time the +atmosphere in the houses was most oppressive, while here it +always remained cool and refreshing through the ice-cold +water. The spring, however, was not so pleasant for drinking +as the one I had on the side of the prairie near the garden, +from which we fetched our drinking water.</p> + +<p>After finishing my job, most of my stores were nearly +expended, and I required a number of new tools. Hence I +went myself to the nearest settlement, sold there my stock of +hides, honey, wax, and tallow, and took home the articles I +needed on my pack animals. While at the settlement I met,<a name="Page_117" id="Page_117"></a> +at the store-keeper's with whom I was bargaining, a Mexican +lad, sixteen years of age, who had accompanied a brace of +mules brought here from Mexico for sale, and had remained as +waiter at the hotel. His name was Antonio, and he offered +to go with me and stop. He was recommended to me by +an acquaintance as a first-rate horseman and lassoer, and as +he pleased me in other respects, I accepted his offer, and he +rode with me home.</p> + +<p>Antonio's skill in riding was extraordinary; it was all the +same to him whether he had a bridle or not—whether he sat +in a saddle or bare-backed; once on the animal's back, no +rearing or kicking could throw him. I have often seen him +go up to mules grazing on the prairie, and approach them +quietly, lounging round them as if seeking something in the +grass, till he was near enough to them, when with a spring +he was on the back of one of them, and the terrified creature +made all sorts of bounds and leaps to get rid of him. But it +was all in vain. Antonio responded to the mule's efforts +with his monstrous spurs, which he dug into its flanks at +every volley, till he grew tired of riding, and sprang off again +with the same lightness.</p> + +<p>He also threw the lasso with a master hand. I have frequently +seen him at full gallop catch a mule by the foot which +I indicated. One day he lassoed by the fore leg a wild cow +which had joined my milch kine on the prairie, hurled it to +the ground, and so bound its four feet together that we dragged +it along to the enclosure where my cows passed the night. +Then we fastened it up to an old tree, and on the next morning +Antonio leaped on its back, cut away the rope round its head, +and galloped off into the prairie, where the cow leapt about +as if mad. At last, after a lengthened contest, she threw herself +on the ground; but Antonio stood by her side, gave her +laughingly a cut with his whip, and the awfully terrified +creature galloped away to the forest.</p> + +<p>Between the fort and the mountain spring there were +always a great number of wild horses, especially in the vicinity<a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"></a> +of a considerable elevation on the prairie, whose highest point +was covered with a small very thick wood, where a white +stallion resided with his harem. Owing to his beauty and noble +blood, the Indians revered this animal with superstitious fear. +The hunters had tried for years in vain to capture him, and +the bards of America had raised him to immortality in their +ballads and narrations. Very numerous are the wondrous +tales which spread at that day about the noble animal over +the continent of America, and even distant Europe. He was +described in them as "the star of the prairie," as "the light +of the steppe," or "the white spirit of the desert." While his +titles varied so, the statements as to the position of his kingdom +varied equally. But all these were merely traditions of +the hunters of the Far West, the existence of the horse was +still half fabulous, and I believe that I am the only man +capable of saying anything on the subject from personal +observation.</p> + +<p>I have seen and admired this horse a countless number of +times, as my hunts so frequently passed in his region, and +quite as often I have yearned to possess, and revolved the +means to get, him into my power. This was one of the reasons +why I took Antonio into my service, as through him alone I +had a prospect of attaining my wish. I have frequently +crawled up to the animal for miles through the tall grass with +the utmost exertions, and lain down on a small mound near +him, with the resolution of creasing him, as the hunters call +it—that is to say, sending a ball through the skin of a horse's +neck, upon which it falls as if struck dead, and you have time +to hobble it before it recovers. But when I raised the rifle on +the noble creature, and had my finger on the trigger, it seemed +to me to be murder, and I could never make up my mind to +fire. I have often ridden up to him, and, so soon as he noticed +me, he came toward me, proudly raising his graceful head in +the air, with his white silky tail erect, and with a coat as +white and tender as the finest alabaster or the plumage of the +silver heron, with whose flight I have often seen him compete.<a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"></a> +He frequently came within fifty yards of me, looking round +pretty often at his flying harem, then stopped and snorted +through his dilated purple nostrils; then he trotted round me, +and would fly like an arrow over the grass to his friends, at +such a pace that no rider in the world would have made the +attempt to catch him up.</p> + +<p>In the past winter I went to his domain with the intention +of capturing one of his children, and gave one of my +men who accompanied me my rifle and revolver, in order to +make myself as light as possible. I had got no great distance +from the troop, ere the stallion noticed me, and when +the others fled, he as usual trotted toward me. I gave Czar +his head, and galloped towards him. The wild stallion reared, +then turned, and dashed after his troop and past it, in order +to assume the leadership. At the end of five miles I caught +up the troop again, which consisted of about fifty head, and +selected an iron-grey mare with black mane and tail, which +appeared to be between a two and three-year old.</p> + +<p>Had I possessed any great skill in using the lasso, I was +near enough to the mare to noose her; but as it was I could +only take advantage of my horse's greater endurance, and remained +close behind the troop, up hill and down dale, while the +stallion flew from one side to the other, as if encouraging his +relatives to persevere, and this race was merely play to him. +The animals became covered with foam, their breathing grew +gradually shorter, and several left the ranks on either side, +in order to seek safety in an altered direction.</p> + +<p>At last only four old mares and the iron-grey followed the +stallion, who as yet displayed no signs of fatigue; when +suddenly the grey turned off into a hollow, fell into a walk, +and at last stopped; so that I could ride up and throw the +lasso over her head. She was so exhausted that she could +hardly breathe, and stood motionless, while the perspiration +ran down her in torrents. It was nearly a quarter of an +hour ere she so far recovered as to be able to struggle against +the fetters laid on her. The noose round her neck tightened;<a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"></a> +she fell to the ground, trembling all over; and I leapt from +my horse to open the noose, before she was quite throttled. +My companion now came up, hobbled his own horse and +Czar, and helped me to convince the mare by repeated strangulation, +that she must yield to her captivity: we made a +halter out of a second lasso, while still keeping the noose +round her neck, and I dragged her after my horse, while my +companion urged her on. We thus reached home in the +evening; and in a few weeks the mare was so tame that she +could be treated precisely like my other horses: she was +handsomely built, displayed all the signs of Arab blood, and +became one of my best horses.</p> + +<p>As I said, the possibility of capturing this stallion—the +pride of the western deserts—was the reason of my engaging +Antonio; and we at once set about our preparations to carry +out the task. I owned a thorough-bred mare, Fancy, who +belonged to the best blood that ever ran on American soil. +Her sire was the renowned Waggoner, who was never beaten +in speed either north or south, and for fourteen years won +all the great stakes at American races. Her dam, Blossom, +was an English thoroughbred, and had been imported to the +United States from England: she won all the stakes she was +entered for in the Southern States, and was purchased by one +of the first breeders for a very large sum, that he might become +owner of her noble progeny. Fancy, then, as regards +breed, was as fine and noble as any horse that ever trod an +American course, and defeated all her rivals until I purchased +her. I bought her as a four-year old when I bade farewell +to civilization, and took her with me into the desert, where I frequently +rode her, when I went out into the prairie with greyhounds +to hunt deer or kill wolves. On my ordinary hunting +trips, however, she could not take the place of Czar or the +cream-colour, as she was not so attached to me by constant +riding or so trained and familiar with a thousand dangers +as they were.</p> + +<p>The mare was now treated with very great attention, both as<a name="Page_121" id="Page_121"></a> +regards food, and cleanliness, and exercise; she had no more +grass, and the corn given her was previously sifted. She +was ridden every morning by Antonio, and the distance she +had to gallop was daily increased. Then she was led about +for half an hour, and when brought back to her stall rubbed +down till she was quite dry and cool. Toward evening she +was taken out again for half an hour's walk, and before she +went to rest had a douche or a swim in the river. In a fortnight +she hardly turned a hair after galloping several miles; +she had grown thinner, but her flesh was firmer, and her +golden-brown hair so fine that every vein could be traced +under the skin. In the meanwhile, Antonio had been practising +with the lasso, and had horribly tormented my mules +with this disagreeable instrument.</p> + +<p>The preparations lasted three weeks; after which, on a +cool morning, we left the fort: Antonio riding a mule and +leading Fancy, one of my colonists on the cream-colour, and +I on Czar—in order to seek the stallion, and, if possible, deprive +him of liberty. It was one of those days—not rare in +our country—when the sky is covered with a thin stratum +of clouds, which deprive it of its glorious azure, and which, +though it does not conceal the sun, breaks the power of its +beams. At the same time there was a breeze, so that the +day was more like autumn than summer. We rode down the +river, and soon saw the height emerge from the prairie, in +whose vicinity the stallion usually had his head-quarters. +Our horses were very active; Czar coquetted by the side of +his lady friend, Fancy, in his most elegant prancing movements; +shook his bit, and snorted through his moist nostrils; +while turning his dark large eyes toward the lady, Fancy, +conscious of her noble breed, walked delicately along, and +carefully selected the footpaths.</p> + +<p>While still some distance off, I noticed to the side of the +wood on the knoll a dark patch, which I recognised through +my glass as horses, but could not make certain whether it was +our stallion's family. We approached slowly, and from every<a name="Page_122" id="Page_122"></a> +new height distinguished more clearly the shape of the animals. +I had no doubt about it being the troop we were in +search of, although I could not yet notice the stallion. A +broad valley still lay between us, when we halted, and I saw +through my glass the snow-white creature rise from the grass +and look across at us, while many horses of the troop still lay +on the ground around him. We rode down into the valley, +the stallion stood motionless, and gazed at us; but when we +reached the bottom, he suddenly trotted about among his +troop. All the horses lying on the grass leapt up, looked at +us, formed into a body, and dashed at a gallop over the +heights.</p> + +<p>Antonio now sprang into Fancy's saddle, gave his mule to +our companion, took the lasso in his right hand, and only +waited for my signal to give his horse her head. The stallion +came toward us at a swinging trot, while we moved forward +at a fast pace and bent low over our horses' necks. A finer +picture could not be painted. He carried his small head high, +long white locks floated over his broad forehead, and his long +mane danced up and down at every step, while he raised his +tail straight out, and its long curling milk-white hairs fluttered +in the breeze. His broad back glistened as if carved out of +Carrara marble, and his powerful shoulders and thighs were +supported on graceful little feet.</p> + +<p>I rode behind Antonio. The stallion was not fifty yards +from us when I shouted to the Mexican "Forward!" and +Fancy flew at such a pace toward the stallion that she came +within five yards of him ere he recovered from his terror. +The moment for his fate to be decided had arrived. He turned +round and made an enormous leap ahead, that showed me the +flat of his hind hoofs, while he held his head aside and looked +back after his pursuer. The lasso flew through the air, the +noose fell over the stallion's head, but it hung on one side of +his muzzle, and the next instant the lasso was trailing on the +ground behind Fancy. The stallion seemed to know that it +was a fetter which had touched him, for he shot away from<a name="Page_123" id="Page_123"></a> +the man like lightning. Antonio coiled up the lasso again, +and followed him over hill and vale, over grass and boulders, +at full gallop, just as the tornado darts from the mountain +into the plain. Czar was beside himself at the idea of being +last, but I purposely held him back, partly not to excite the +mare, partly to save his strength. There was still a hope that +the stallion, living as he did on grass, would not keep his wind +so long as our horses, and though he was now several hundred +yards ahead, we might be able to catch him up. Up to this +point, however, we had not gained an inch upon him, and our +horses were covered with foam, though both still in good wind.</p> + +<p>We had been following the stallion for about two hours, +when he turned off to the mountains, and flew up them with +undiminished speed. The ground now became very stony and +unsafe, but he seemed to be as much at home on it as on the +soft grass-land he had just left. He reached the summit between +two steep mountains, and disappeared from our sight +behind them. We dashed past the spot where we had seen +him last, but the noble creature had reached the steep wall on +the other side of the valley when we dashed down into it.</p> + +<p>I saw plainly that he had a difficulty in keeping at a gallop +on this steep incline. We gained a deal of ground down hill +and through the grassy valley, and reached the wall before the +stallion was at the top of it. Full of hope I could no longer +remain in the background. Digging both spurs into Czar I +flew on, past Fancy, and reached the summit to find the stallion +trotting scarce fifty yards ahead of me. Fancy was close +behind me, and I shouted to Antonio to follow me. But my +cry seemed to have poured fresh strength through the brave +fugitive's veins, for he dashed down into the valley, leaving +behind the white foam with which he was covered at every +bound he made on the rocky ground. Once again I drew +nearer, and was only forty yards from him, when I saw ahead +of us a yawning <i>cańon</i>, out of which the gigantic dry arms of +dead cypresses emerged. Here the stallion must turn back and +fall our prey while ascending the hill again.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124"></a>But he went straight towards the abyss—it was not possible, +he could not leap it. I remained behind him, and in my terror +for the noble creature's life, held my breath. One more bound, +and he reached the <i>cańon</i>, and with the strength of a lion, and +that desperation which only the threatened loss of liberty can +arouse, he drew himself together and leapt high in the air +across the gap which was more than forty feet wide.</p> + +<p>I turned Czar round toward the hill, and kept my eyes away +from the fearful sight, so that I might not see the end of the +tragedy; but Antonio uttered a cry, and I heard the word +"over." I looked round and saw the stallion rising on his +hind legs upon the opposite deeper bank, and after a glance at +us he trotted off quite sound down the ravine, and disappeared +behind the nearest rock.</p> + +<p>We stopped, leapt from our horses, and looked at each other +for a long time in silence; then I solemnly vowed never to make +another attempt to deprive this princely animal of liberty. +Our horses were in a very excited condition; the water poured +down them in streams, and the play of their lungs was so +violent that they tottered on their legs. We let them draw +breath a little, and then led them slowly back to the mountain +springs, where we intended to give them a rest ere we returned +home. In the afternoon we reached the spot, excessively +fatigued, and found there our comrade, who greeted us with a +regretful—"that was a pity;" and had already spread our +dinner on a horse-cloth.</p> + +<p>We stopped here till the evening, and then started for the +fort, which we reached late at night. For several days after +this chase I could not shake off the excitement which had +overpowered me, and even now I feel a cold shudder when I +think of the chasm, and see the noble stallion, the pride of +the prairie, hovering over it. I had now given up once for all +all thoughts of capturing him, but I should have felt sorry +had he at once left my dangerous neighbourhood, because +his presence always caused me great pleasure, and I might +have an opportunity of getting hold of some of his offspring.<a name="Page_125" id="Page_125"></a> +I sought him in vain during my hunting excursions the +whole of the summer, and it was not till autumn, when the +vegetation probably began to fail in the mountains, that he +returned, to my great delight, to his old station; but whenever +I approached him he did not trot towards me, but +always took to flight as soon as he noticed my horse.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-138.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="673" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126"></a> +<a name="chapter12" id="chapter12"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE PRAIRIE FIRE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">The</span> summer passed away amid sporting pleasures which, +though they always consist of very monotonous events and +results, still do not lose their charm for the man who feels a +true passion for the chase. Otherwise how could a veteran +sportsman, who in his time has shot so many thousand +partridges, still feel a pleasure whenever he brings one down, +and always find something new, something peculiar in the +fact? How much greater and more permanent is this +attraction in sports, where a thousand dangers offer themselves +to the hunter, as is the case in hunting the larger +animals of prey! I gratefully saluted every new day as +the offerer of fresh joys: disregarding difficulties and fatigue, +I constantly seized my good rifle again, and merrily followed +the same routes.</p> + +<p>The summer was at an end, and colder nights set in. On +an autumn morning I was riding through the prairie about +five miles from the fort; the grass was very high, and had +been perfectly dried up by the burning summer sun, while the +newly springing up grass grew splendidly in the shadow of +the old. I had reached a bottom which was covered with a +forest of sunflowers, which raised their golden disks high +above my head, and whose long stems were girdled with +bright varied creepers. I had not left this gleaming forest +of flowers far behind when a very large deer got up from the +grass just before me, arched its back, and then lay down +again as if it had not seen me; while I noticed several old +deer lying about in the grass.</p> + +<p>Czar at once drooped his head as I raised the rifle to my<a name="Page_127" id="Page_127"></a> +shoulder. I shot the deer, but a little too far behind. It +darted ahead, and Trusty looked up at me so imploringly, +while showing the tip of his blood-red tongue, that I could +not refuse him leave to follow the deer. I gave him a sign, +and he shot through the grass along the blood-stained track. +I loaded my rifle, while keeping my eye on the deer, which +disappeared no great distance off in a small clump of low +elms. I had just put on the cap when I heard Trusty's deep +bass. I felt certain it was not the deer he was barking at, +for he would have made but slight ceremony in that case, so +I gave Czar his head, and in a few minutes reached the +thicket.</p> + +<p>I leapt down, ran in a stooping posture under the pendant +elms, and saw Trusty lying on the ground defending himself +with widely opened jaws against a tremendous panther, which +was leaping over him, and every time it came down lacerated +the dog's back with its tremendous hind claws. Trusty +recognised the superiority of this savage foe, but defended +himself as well as he could. But he hardly saw me arrive +ere he leapt up with one bound, pinned the panther by the +throat, and wrestled with it, while the latter dug its terrible +fore claws into either side of his collar.</p> + +<p>At the first moment I could not fire for fear of hitting the +dog. The panther saw me, and tried to get away, but Trusty +clung to it like a burr. The animal now turned, and my bullet +passed through its heart and laid it lifeless. Trusty was +terribly maltreated, and the wounds on his back were of the +width of a finger, and I believe that his strong collar had +alone saved his life. I sewed up his wounds, washed them +with water, and then broke up the deer. Then I stripped +the panther, and packed the game on both sides of my +saddle, laid the skin over it, and placed Trusty on the top +of all. I told him that he must lie quiet, and started +homewards, leading Czar by the bridle. Trusty cut the most +absurd face, but for all that did not stir, and after he had +ridden a few hundred yards he helped me with his hind legs,<a name="Page_128" id="Page_128"></a> +when he slipped a little on one side, and I believe he would +not have fallen off at a gallop. It was a week ere I could +draw the threads out of the wound, and during that period +Leo had to accompany me when hunting. At the end of a +fortnight my faithful comrade had so far recovered that he +was able to accompany me on short trips.</p> + +<p>About this time I was riding, when the sun was rather +low, up the river to the bank of a small stream, which joined +the Leone a few miles above the fort, and slowly wound +between its level banks through the prairie. It was here +and there covered with bushes and groups of trees, while +every now and then its bed widened and formed small pools. +On this stream there were always a great many turkeys, and +indeed the banks were visited by game of every description +at all seasons. I rode down the quiet bright stream, and on +coming out of a thicket on to a small clearing bordered at +the other end by tall pecan-trees, I saw a flock of turkeys +stealing away from me among the bushes on the bank. I +ordered Trusty on, who had his nose already to the ground +sniffing; he was among the fugitives like the wind; they +ran, noisily and loudly pursued by Trusty, and settled on the +trees. I rode close up to the wood, for so long as the turkeys +see the dog springing about under them they are terrified, +and look timidly at their pursuer, stretching out their long +neck in all directions instead of flying away. I dismounted, +shot an old cock on a tree growing close to the water, and +saw it flutter down. I then turned with the other barrel to +a second, which was standing on an oak farther in the thicket, +and fetched it down also. I now looked round and missed +Trusty. I had no reply to my shout, and the agitation +in the pond aroused a fear that he had leapt in, and that an +alligator, for such are always concealed in the deeper water +of these streams, had seized and dragged him down.</p> + +<p>I waited a good half-hour, it grew dark, and yet no sign of +poor Trusty. Beside myself with grief at this irreparable +loss I hung the turkey on the saddle, and mounted my<a name="Page_129" id="Page_129"></a> +horse, as longer waiting would be of no use. At this moment +I suddenly saw Trusty at the head of the wood, lying down +to rest by the side of the gigantic cock turkey. My delight +knew no bounds. I galloped up the stream, dashed through +it, and found my favourite on the other bank. I leapt from +my horse and took him in my arms, whereon he gave vent +to his joy by a widely echoing howl, and lashed his tail. I +hung the turkey, which weighed over twenty pounds, and +which he had carried Lord knows how far, to my saddle, and +the faithful dog leaped up to my horse and barked in the +utmost delight as we proceeded homeward.</p> + +<p>We were busily engaged for a week in making some +machinery on the river by which to employ the water power +in turning a mill to grind the maize. A raft was fastened +to the bank. A roller was placed on it, from one end of +which a rather large wheel hung down into the water, while +the mill was fastened to the other, whose hopper we enlarged +so that we might not have to put in maize so frequently. +It worked famously, and we all rejoiced at a successful +operation which saved us a fatiguing job.</p> + +<p>Owing to this I had not gone out much, and we were all +longing for good fresh meat. As there were a good many +buffaloes in the very neighbourhood, I resolved to hunt them +on the morning after our mill was finished, as one of my +men had seen large herds during the day on the prairie across +the river. The morning arrived, but with it sprang up a +very violent westerly wind, and a few light straggling clouds +proved that it would not sink in such a hurry. In doubt +whether to ride out or wait another day, my men persuaded +me to the former course, as the chase would probably be +soon over. Hence I rode off, but left Trusty at home, as on +these prairies the dry grass was extraordinarily high and +it would tire him too much to force his way through it, +especially if we had to go quickly. I was soon across in the +wood where, though the wind did not meet me, still it shook +the tall trees so terribly that the dry wood constantly<a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"></a> +whizzed round my head. I reached the prairie on the other +side of the forest, and saw several herds of buffalo in the +distance.</p> + +<p>Binding my hat firmly under my chin, I rode through the +tall grass in a northern direction toward them. The storm +grew more violent, and laid the grass so flat on the ground +that I could not think of putting my horse beyond a walk +in any other direction than with the wind, as, when the wind +is blowing fiercely all game is usually more cautious than +in calm weather, as it has to make up by the sight for what +it loses in smell. The buffaloes noticed me and my horse, +which was brilliantly illumined with the sun, a long distance +off, and took to flight. I turned toward another herd, but +with the same result, and saw at last that in this way I +should not get within shot. After several hours of useless +exertion I turned to the east, toward a spot on which some +scattered oaks grew. Here I fancied it would be easier to +approach the game.</p> + +<p>The distance to the first tree-covered hill was about five +miles, and I saw through my glass at the elevations behind +a great number of buffaloes, which, however, seemed to be +in a strange state of excitement. My horse found it hard +walking owing to the dry grass, in which Czar was compelled +to part the sharp tangled stalks at every step. I looked constantly +toward the highland, and remarked, while the storm +howled past my ears, that the sky was growing obscured and +that the sunshine was not so bright as it had been a few +moments previously. I looked around me, the heavens appeared +to be veiled by a grey mist, and grew darker behind me, +and on the edge of the prairie were perfectly black. I felt +a cold shudder, for I knew the fearful element which had +become allied with the storm, and would roar over the plain +scattering ruin around. The prairie was on fire. It is true +that I could not yet see the fire, but the black smoke clouds +rose higher and higher on the horizon, and the storm soon +bore them past me over the last blue patch of sky. Only<a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"></a> +one chance of escape remained. I must reach a knoll +where the grass was shorter, and without reflecting I gave +Czar the spurs and his head, and flew in rivalry of the storm-wind +over the grassy plains before me.</p> + +<p>I looked round; the whole black expanse behind me was +gloomy and obscure as if night were setting in, and beneath +the dark rising smoke-clouds the deep red glowing flames +stretched out their long forks and cast their fearful light over +the outlines of the cloudy columns of smoke. The whole +plain seemed to grow alive. Far as eye could see, it was +covered with flying herds of the denizens of the desert, +whose black forms were surrounded by a fiery halo as they +pressed over the plain. It was like the picture of the last +judgment, which my fancy had frequently depicted.</p> + +<p>Czar ran with long leaps through the tall grass, looking +neither to the right nor left. With every moment it grew +darker around me, and the reflection of the spreading sea of +flame more and more tinged my horse's snow-white neck. +It was not his ordinary strength that urged the horse to +reach the knoll, but the force which desperation imparts to +men and animals, but soon wears them out and ends in utter +exhaustion. The sharp spurs and the thunder behind him +urged my horse constantly on at a mad speed, but I felt his +bound gradually lose its lightness and force.</p> + +<p>I was not far from the hill in front of me; once more the +spurs and my shrill hunting-cry, and I flew up the knoll, and +hobbled my trembling, snorting horse on the bare table-land, +which was covered with pebbles and thin patches of grass. +I ran back to the tall grass with a lucifer in my hand, lit it, +and in an instant the flames rose, struggling wildly against +the storm, and darted round my hill, till they joined on its +eastern side, and dashed along like an avalanche with the +howling storm. I now looked back for the first time, holding +my brave horse by the bridle, at the fearfully animated plain, +and watched the dark living forms hurrying past on either +side of the knoll. The whole animal world seemed assembled<a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"></a> +here, and to be exerting their last strength in escaping a +death by fire. On both sides beneath me thundered past in +wild confusion herd after herd—buffaloes, horses, deer, and +antelopes were pressed together, and between them rushed +bears, tigers, panthers, and wolves, one after the other, with +their faces averted from the glow, which the storm blew with +a thick black cloud of ashes over the land. Dark, black night +now encompassed me; only a pale reddish glare gleamed +through the dense ashes; while the hurricane developed its +highest fury, and blended its howling with the hollow, earth-shaking +thunder of the flying masses of animals below me.</p> + +<p>The sea of fire was scarce half a mile from me, when the +ashes passed over my head, and granted me a full look at +it. The flames right and left, far as eye could see, lay +obliquely over the ground and stretched out their quivering +tongues for at least fifty feet over the grass. They darted +forward with frightful rapidity, and caught up countless +animals flying before them, whose wearied limbs could no +longer carry them along quickly enough. Three old buffaloes +collected their last strength to reach my knoll, but at the +foot of it the flames closed over them, I saw them rear, fall +back, and disappear. The heat was stifling; I and my horse,—who, +trembling all over, yielded to his fate—turned our +backs to it, and the stream of fire passed us on both sides, +crackling and hissing.</p> + +<p>Gradually daylight returned, and the sky became blue +over my head. Thousands of large and small predaceous +birds followed the flames, and fell now and then in them. +On all sides lay the black carcases of the countless victims +which this prairie fire had destroyed, and many animals +struggling with death were rolling in their agony on the +plain. Czar and I were completely covered with ashes. I +now mounted my horse to get away as quickly as possible +from this scene of destruction and death, and reach the green +forests of the Leone by the straightest line. I rode down to +the three buffaloes, two of which were not dead and strove to<a name="Page_133" id="Page_133"></a> +rise, but fell back powerless on the earth. It was a fearful +sight offered by these burned monsters, and their frightened +snapping for air and blind rolling of their heads induced me +to put an end to the pain of the poor tortured creatures. I +put a bullet through each of their flat foreheads, and after +reloading, I rode in a southern direction towards the Leone.</p> + +<p>I saw many animals still wrestling with death on both +sides of the road, and might have expended the whole of my +ammunition in trying to help them out of their agony. Most +of the burnt animals were buffaloes and deer, but I also saw +a bear and a horse and a number of wolves lying lifeless on +the ground.</p> + +<p>My road over the black, bare, burnt fields of desolation +was tiring, and my horse was so worn out that I frequently +dismounted and led him: although the wind was no longer +so violent, it brought with it a quantity of fine ashes, and +rendered both seeing and breathing difficult. I frequently +came across birds of prey, whose wings only displayed the +bare quills, the feathers being burnt off: they sate helpless +and wretched on the ground, and tried in vain to rise into +the air when I approached them. These birds regularly +follow the prairie fires in large numbers, in order to eat its +countless small four-footed denizens, after the fire has passed +over them, and either rendered them helpless or killed them. +They looked at me in terror with their large rolling eyes, +spread out the quills of their wings, and uttered a complaining +cry. I went past them as I could not help them.</p> + +<p>About a mile from the wood on the Leone I saw, to my +great surprise, on my right hand a very large deer and a horse +walking together across the plain to the wood. They tottered +along slowly side by side, and seemed not to notice me at all. +I rode up to them: I fancied they had been blinded by the +fire, but it was not so; for they now stopped and gazed at +me with their bright eyes, as if imploring me not to prevent +them from reaching the wood. Both were slightly +scorched, though the horse had lost mane and tail: they<a name="Page_134" id="Page_134"></a> +appeared to have suffered more from excessive exertion, +and to be yearning for the water of the Leone. I could +easily have killed the deer, but I pitied the creature, and besides +did not care to eat its hunted flesh or put a further load +on Czar. Hence I quitted the poor creatures, and reached +the wood, which is not very broad here; and soon after the +river, where Czar refreshed himself for a long time in the +cool waters.</p> + +<p>Annually nearly all the western prairies are burnt by the +Indians, towards spring: when they leave the south and go +north to hunt they fire the old grass, so that when they +return in autumn they may find on these extensive plains +fresh food for their large troops of horses and mules. They +have, however, I fancy, another motive. If these plains were +not singed with fire, a perfectly different vegetation would +arise on them within a few years. Trees and bushes would +rapidly grow up and convert the prairies into an impenetrable +chapparal or forest, which would be very troublesome to the +horse Indians, in their hunts and journeyings. In this way, +however, fire destroys every growth but that of grass. If a +sapling springs up in spring from seed borne thither by the +wind or by animals, it is burnt down in autumn. Prairie +fires are generally dangerous neither to men nor beasts, as +the fire, with an ordinary wind, advances very slowly, and +over a limited region. If you arrive at very tall grass where +the fire would kill, you have always time to get away from +it; and when the grass is not unusually high, you can always +find a spot to leap over the flames. If the storm is accompanied +by rain the grass does not burn at all, hence, only a +hurricane with a clear sky, as is not rare among us in autumn, +produces in alliance with the fire such destruction among the +occupants of the steppe.</p> + +<p>It was evening when I reached home, tired and without +booty. My people had seen, by the smoke which covered +the sky over them, that the prairie was on fire, and they +were very anxious about me on account of the violent storm.<a name="Page_135" id="Page_135"></a> +I soon sought my bed, and slept till the sun rose. Czar +would not get up when I went into his stall; while my +other horses and mules, with the exception of Fancy and +the cream-colour, who stood in the large enclosure round the +fort, had been grazing for some time outside, fastened to +their long lassos. I made Czar rise, led him down to the +river, where I gave him a good swim, and then led him back +to the rich grass, where, however, he soon lay down again +in the shade of an elm.</p> + +<p>The day was fine and perfectly calm, and as we had no +fresh meat, I determined to procure some, without tiring +myself excessively. The prairie hens had already collected +in large coveys, and I had lately seen very many of these +pretty birds in the neighbourhood of the fort. Hence I +resolved to try my fortune with them; saddled the cream-colour, +took my shot gun, and rode out with Tony, a spaniel.</p> + +<p>These hens are very like our heath-powts in size, shape, +and manner of life, save that they have golden red plumage, +and the cocks are ornamented with a yellow and black collar, +like the golden pheasant. They are extraordinarily shy, and +fly off in a straight line when approached. If you follow +them they sit closer, and after being put up a few times, they +settle down separately in the tall grass, where they hide themselves +till the dog puts them up with its nose.</p> + +<p>I had not ridden very far when a covey of about fifty got +up before my dog, and settled again about half a mile farther +on the prairie. I rode up to them, leapt from my horse, +followed the dog, and again the covey got up at a long distance. +I fired both barrels among them, but was too far off +to hurt them much with my rather small shot; they flew +some distance, and I saw them settle on a mosquito-tree, so +I reloaded and rode slowly towards it, when the dog stood; +I leapt off, went up to it, and ordered it on: the hens +rose, and I brought down seven of them with my two +barrels, while I looked after the rest, and saw them settle +separately not far from me. I now hobbled my horse and<a name="Page_136" id="Page_136"></a> +sought the hens concealed in the grass, and in half an +hour shot some twenty of them.</p> + +<p>This sport affords much pleasure through the ease with +which it is performed, and the very delicate game most +amply rewards the sportsman for the slight trouble. I was +home again by noon, when we had some of the birds +for dinner; a number of the others were hung up in the +dairy to keep fresh, while the rest were cut in pieces, boiled +in water with laurel leaves, spice, and isinglass, vinegar +poured over them, and the whole set to cool in a large +earthenware pot, in which the liquid soon becomes a jelly. +Game preserved in this way remains for several weeks good +and tasty.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-149.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="500" height="418"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137"></a> +<a name="chapter13" id="chapter13"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE DELAWARE INDIAN.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">One</span> day after dinner, when we had drunk coffee, my sentry +shouted that a party of Indians were coming up the river, +and I perceived through my telescope that they must belong +to one of the civilized tribes, as they were not armed with +lances, and bows and arrows, but with firearms, and wore +clothes, if we may call them such, consisting of leathern +breeches and jackets, and a coloured handkerchief wound +round the head like a turban. There were ten Indians, who +halted at the great gate of the palisade which enclosed my +fort, in a large semicircle, with both its ends joining the +river. They shouted "Captain," and then gave me to understand +that they wished to speak with me. I went out, accompanied +by Trusty, with my large gun loaded with slugs on my +arm, and found that the men belonged to a tribe of friendly +Delaware Indians, whose chief I knew, and who had several +times camped in the very neighbourhood and paid me a visit.</p> + +<p>They told me they had encamped several miles down the +river, where they had arrived on the last evening; their chief +had sent them to tell me that the prairie fire on the previous +morning had been caused by the negligence of his men, +but that it had spread against their will, and had not been +purposely caused. Then they asked whether the chief would +be allowed to visit me, and rode back to camp after I had +appointed his visit for the morrow.</p> + +<p>The next morning at about seven o'clock the chief of the +Delawares duly rode up with three of his men. They bound +their horses by lassos to pickets which they drove into the +ground, carried their baggage into the fort, and accepted my<a name="Page_138" id="Page_138"></a> +invitation to enter the house, where our parlour and kitchen +were. Delawares have always been on the most friendly terms +with the United States Government, fought on their side +against England in the War of Liberation, and have assumed +a number of customs from the whites. They have, as their +property, a district of land on the Kansas, where their villages +are situated, and their squaws, children, and old people carry +on agriculture and cattle breeding, while the men, with some +of the squaws, hunt in the desert for nine months of the year.</p> + +<p>The Delawares are generally good-looking; the men tall +and well-built, with expressive, marked features, aquiline noses, +large dark eyes, long black hair, and not a very reddish-brown +complexion. The women are small, but neat and pretty, and +in spite of their darker hue, produce a pleasing impression +through their regular sharply-cut features, dark curly hair, and +brilliant coal-black eyes. They dress themselves with some +degree of taste. Their clothes consist of gaily-painted deer-hide, +ornamented with beads, and the gayest calicoes, which +they obtain from the Government trading posts by bartering +peltry for them.</p> + +<p>After our guests had taken their places, I lit a pipe, and +handed it to the chief, who, after taking some twenty pulls at +it, passed it to his next man, and so it went from hand to +hand, or rather, from mouth to mouth, till it returned to me. +During this ceremony of the pipe of peace not a word was +spoken, but the chief now broke the silence. After puffing +out a portion of the swallowed smoke in a dense cloud from +his lips and nostrils, he told me they were the best friends of +the white men, and would remain so, and intended to stay +for some weeks in the neighbourhood for the purpose of hunting. +I assured them that we entertained the same feelings +toward them, and that I intended to pay them a return visit +at their camp.</p> + +<p>After this dinner was served up, which they greatly enjoyed. +They behaved with great propriety at it, were acquainted with +the use of knives and forks, and it could be seen by their con<a name="Page_139" id="Page_139"></a>duct +that they frequently came into contact with white men. +After dinner the chief imparted to me, that his people wished +to have a deal with me, and swap tanned deer and antelope +skins for powder, lead, and flints. I told him I should be delighted, +and should expect them in the afternoon. One of +them, who called himself "Black Tiger," pleased me remarkably. +He was a young, good-looking man, of about eighteen, +tall, thin, with an open, kindly face, and displayed great +animation and conversational powers for an Indian. He spoke +English very well, and seemed much attached to me, which he +repeatedly told me, and at last displayed more fully by expressing +a wish to remain with me. I took it for a joke, +laughed, and told him that in that case I would build him a +house for himself and give him everything he wished to have.</p> + +<p>They then rode away, after indicating the position of the +sun when they intended to return in the afternoon for the +purpose of making the barter. At about 4 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, some +twenty Delawares dismounted in front of the fort, and displayed +their wares on the prairie. No tribe prepares hides so +finely as this one, and I was very glad to obtain a number of +them for use by myself and my men, as we made our clothes +out of them, and were unable to prepare them so handsomely +ourselves. The exchange was soon arranged to mutual satisfaction, +although I had given but little powder, lead, flints, +and pressed tobacco in proportion. The chief was presented +with a small portion of the above articles, as is the custom on +such occasions, and then the whole party followed me into the +fort, where I regaled them with coffee and bread.</p> + +<p>When they prepared to depart, the chief told me that one of +his men, Black Tiger, would stop with me, as I had offered to +build him a house and give him everything he required. He +would in return be a very good friend to me, and he (the +chief) would hear on his return in the following year whether +he remained a Delaware. I saw now that it was no jest, and +replied that I would be a good friend to him as to all the +Delawares. On parting I gave him the assurance that I would<a name="Page_140" id="Page_140"></a> +visit them next morning at their camp. Black Tiger remained +behind in great delight, carried his saddle and pack into the +fort, placed his long rifle and hunting pouch in the parlour, +and then came to me begging I would build him the promised +house. I intimated to him that this would take some time, +but in the meanwhile I would give him a handsome tent. I +fetched a very large white and red striped marquee and asked +him where I should put it up for him. He pointed out a spot +at the eastern end of the fence under an elm-tree on the slope +over the river, and when I told him that I locked the fort +gate at night, he laughed, and replied that in that case he +would shut up his house too.</p> + +<p>He was quite beside himself with joy when the handsome +tent was up, and the long red, white, and blue American pennant +floated over it. He now refused to have another house, +as this one was much finer than mine. A trench was dug +round the tent to carry off the rain water, and the ground +inside was covered with some buffalo hides, after which Tiger +carried in his baggage and weapons, quite delighted with his +house. In order to delight him even more, I hung upon the +tent-post a looking-glass, put in a chair, and gave my young +friend a gay coloured silk handkerchief, with which he bound +his fine black hair on the right side of his head, and let the +end hang over his shoulder. After supper my new guest went +to his tent, and when we closed the fort, a merry fire was +still blazing before it, behind which he sat on his stool and +smoked a short pipe which I had also given him.</p> + +<p>The next morning, almost before sunrise, I went to Tiger +and saw him turning some spits at the fire, on which he had +placed the breast of a turkey, while by his side lay another +young cock which, as he said, he had fetched for me. He +had been hunting on the other side of the river, to which he +had crossed in my canoe. An hour after he came to breakfast +with me, and enjoyed it heartily, especially the milk and +bread. Then he went to his tent, and slept till I called him +to ride with me to the camp of his tribe.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141"></a>I had mounted Czar, and one of my men the cream-colour, +when my young Tiger rode up to us in full costume. The +lower part of his face, from the corners of his mouth to the +ear-tips, was painted pure red with vermilion; from this a +black stripe ran to the eyes, while the edges of the eyelids +were again thickly daubed with vermilion. His hair, fastened +with the silk handkerchief, hung over his shoulders, and in +front of his chest he had hung from a leathern thong the +looking-glass from his tent, which completely covered it. +He glowed with pride and joy, and was of opinion that his +brothers in camp would stare when they saw him with these +splendid things.</p> + +<p>Tiger was mounted on a magnificent piebald, with an +enormous black mane and tail. The saddle was of wood, and +home manufacture, and from it hung two large wooden stirrups +by leathern straps. Over the saddle lay a shaggy buffalo +hide, under which the tomahawk, fastened to the saddle bow, +and a rolled-up lasso peeped out. The bridle was composed +of leathern straps fastened under the horse's jaw with a slipknot, +and vermilion dyed strips of deerhide were plaited in +the mane. The long single rifle hung downwards over Tiger's +left shoulder, while he laid his powerful forearm on the stock. +A small medicine bag of beaver skin hung on his right side, +and on the strap passing over his right shoulder a number of +strips of shaggy buffalo hide were fastened as a rest for the +rifle. The young rider's dress consisted of leathern breeches +adorned on the sides with a delicate fringe of the same +material, and fastened at top by a strap to the short leathern +petticoat that was gathered round his hips, and decorated +with very long fringe. On his feet he had deerhide mocassins, +round his neck was a collar of very large white beads, very +finely cut out of shells, and round his arms was a number of +polished brass rings. He sat his horse nobly, and turned his +flashing black eyes in all directions.</p> + +<p>We soon reached the Delaware camp, hobbled our horses +in the grass close by, and went up to the chief, who was<a name="Page_142" id="Page_142"></a> +lying at his fire, in front of his great buffalo hide tent, and +being served with food by his two young squaws. Without +rising, he invited us to sit down by his side and smoke the +pipe of peace with him, while he silently gazed in admiration +at Black Tiger. The camp consisted of some forty tents, of +white buffalo hides, erected under clumps of trees on the river +bank, and before which an equal number of fires was burning. +From the trees around hung a number of skins of every description, +stretched out to dry in the sun, while men, women, +and children lay round the fire and were eating their dinner. +A heap of dogs were running about the camp, while some +hundred horses and mules were grazing around. We sat +down on a buffalo hide by the chief's fire, and he at once told +us about his journey which he had made in spring in the +Rocky Mountains; he wished to remain during the winter +in the south, and next spring pay a visit to his home on the +Kansas. He described in a very animated way the hunts he +had made there, and the bloody fights with hostile tribes; +gave me a very attractive description of the mountains, rivers, +and valleys of those parts, and remarked, with a slightly +jealous look, that I occupied the best land. I answered him +that this land was free as before to friendly Indians like the +Delawares: the latter could sleep the more tranquilly, +because I only pursued the foes of my Indian friends, and had +cast my bullets solely for them. This speech produced a +very good effect upon my red friend, and with a cordial laugh, +he took my hand in his two and shook it with an expression +of the most hearty and sincere friendliness. Soon after he +said a few words to one of his squaws, and one of his little +ones, about four years of age, came out of the tent soon after, +dragging an enormous tanned, exquisitely painted buffalo +hide, which he presented to me, while his father nodded +kindly.</p> + +<p>While we were sitting thus cosily together, several of the +Indians in the other tents prepared to go hunting, mounted +their horses, called their dogs, and rode off; while others got<a name="Page_143" id="Page_143"></a> +their fishing tackle ready, or sported with the girls at the +fire. Two young squaws went out in front of the camp +followed by several youths, and stood side by side to try their +speed in running. They were sixteen or seventeen years of age, +gracefully built and really pretty; they only wore their leathern +fringed petticoat, a couple of long red strips of leather round +their hanging black hair, with beads on their neck and brass +rings round their pretty arms. With their brilliant fiery +eyes they waited, dancing on their little feet, laughing and +teasing each other, for the signal to start, and the two +goddesses of the desert glided like lightning through the +short grass, scarce touching the ground with the tip of their +feet, while their long hair, with the red streamers, flew out +behind them. Far away on the prairie stood the tree, which +they touched almost simultaneously, and they darted back with +a laugh that displayed their pearly teeth. I involuntarily rose +at the sight of these pretty creatures, and was surprised at +myself, for years had elapsed since a female glance had melted +the ice of my heart. I looked for a long time at these +graceful little savages, as they teased each other and bounded +about with the most pleasing movements; then I once more +assured the chief of my friendship, and rode back to the fort.</p> + +<p>The young Indian was already quite at home and always +in good spirits. I was thoroughly acquainted with the +character of these men, who had grown up in a state of independence, +and knew that my only way of keeping him was +by gradually accustoming him to the minor pleasures of +civilized life, while at the same time avoiding everything that +might lessen his liberty, such as he enjoyed in the nomadic +life of his tribe. Eating played a great part in this—coffee, +milk, bread, eggs, cheese, and butter were delicacies which he +heartily enjoyed, and he soon grew accustomed to them. +Whenever his hunting permitted it, he was rarely absent +from meals. At times he disappeared, struck his tent, and +we saw nothing of him for several days; at others, he +stopped at home, and hardly crossed the river to shoot a<a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"></a> +turkey or deer. It was an incalculable advantage to have +a trustworthy Indian with me, as any hostilities against +me affected him and consequently his tribe, and would be +avenged by the latter. The Delawares are the most respected +among the savage western hordes, as they have better +weapons and more weight with the United States Government +than all the rest. Hence, I regarded this chance enlistment +as very fortunate, and was resolved to make every +effort to retain my guest as long as I could. Among other +amusements, which I strove to procure him, was chessplaying, +which he soon learnt and passionately loved. He became so +excited that he would spring up and dance about as if mad, +and would frequently play far into the night.</p> + +<p>If by chance any of my horses or mules got loose and +bolted, Tiger was soon galloping after them, and drove +them home; it was the same with my milch kine when they +did not come to be milked at the regular hour. In smoking +meat, plaiting lassos, tanning hides, &c., he was very useful +to me, and he very often accompanied me on my hunting +excursions, when he proved a pleasant companion and famous +adjunct. Shooting with shot guns was something new to +Tiger, and afforded him great amusement; and as the clouds +of passenger pigeons had arrived to devour our abundant +mast crop, we frequently went across to the forest in the +evening when the birds were settling, sent our shot among +them, and brought down hundreds.</p> + +<p>It is incredible in what countless numbers these pigeons +fly, I remember on several occasions watching from the fort +their flight over the forest, when they flew in a line from one +end of the horizon to the other, almost uninterruptedly for +two hours. In the woods where they settle to devour the +mast, in a few weeks not an acorn is literally to be found, and +at the spots where they rest at night many trees do not retain +a single leaf on their branches, because the latter are broken +by the birds settling on them in masses. In those parts of +America where pig breeding is carried on extensively, these<a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"></a> +birds are regarded as a plague, as they entirely eat up the +mast in a very short time. The pigeons are very good eating, +but we who had such an abundance of large game only followed +these smaller varieties for fun, and it is a rarity to +find a shot gun on the border.</p> + +<p>Our horses had enjoyed a rather long rest, when I one +morning rode across the river with Tiger to the northern +prairies for the purpose of procuring fresh meat. We had +been an hour under way when we reached a stream, which +winds through the prairie to the Leone and is densely overgrown +on both banks with birch bushes. The stream +through its windings forms here almost an island, as it flows +past again only a few yards from its own bed. I saw from a +distance a remarkably fat buffalo in the young fresh grass of +this island, and on the other side in the prairie a herd of +about four hundred of these animals. I dismounted behind +the birches, and left Tiger with the horses; then I sprang +through the stream, and crawled on my stomach through the +grass toward the buffalo, Trusty following me exactly in +the same way. The buffalo continued to graze, and did not +seem to notice me at all. The sun burnt fiercely, although +the breeze was very fresh, and I became frightfully hot on +this march. The buffalo was one of the largest bulls in +the herd, and seemed to have selected this luxuriant spot +for itself; it frequently looked across to its friends, and +drove away with its huge fat tail and horns the flies which +on this day were most troublesome. Not far from it grew +an old mosquito-tree, the only one on this round, rather +large meadow, and a very long, strong, but withered branch +grew horizontally out of its trunk about four feet from the +ground.</p> + +<p>I was near enough to shoot with certainty, but the +buffalo was turned from me, and I was obliged to wait till it +moved before I could kill it. I lay for a long time motionless +with Trusty behind me, whose head I pressed down to +the ground. At last the bull started round, as the flies had<a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"></a> +probably given it too fierce a sting, and exposed its whole +enormous side to me. I aimed just behind the shoulder-blade, +and as soon as I had fired laid myself flat on the ground. +The buffalo darted round several times looking for its enemy, +but then tottered against the tree, where it leant against +the withered branch to keep itself from falling, while it +burst into a fearful roar and rolled its enormous head. I +gave Trusty a nod, and with a few leaps he was in front of +the buffalo and pinned it by the nose. I had just reloaded +when the bushes parted on the other side of the meadow at +a hundred points, the whole herd of buffaloes dashed through +and galloped towards me. They had heard the complaints +of their lord and Trusty's furious barking, and hurried up +to help their comrade. I stood quite exposed, and expected +that on seeing me they would take to flight, but they dashed +on straight towards me. The foremost of the herd were +only thirty paces from me when I took out my white pocket-handkerchief +and waved it in the air. The ranks now broke, +and the terrified animals dashed past me on the right and +left; upon which I sent two bullets after them, which certainly +went home, but were carried away by the wounded. +Tiger at this moment came through the bushes with the +horses, and said to me, laughingly, that if I had not had the +handkerchief the herd would certainly have run over me. +We went up to the shot buffalo, while our horses grazed near +us, paunched it, and then put up a number of white rags we +had brought for the purpose, and fastened to sticks, and laid +a white cloth over it to keep off the carrion crows. Then +we mounted our horses for the purpose of riding home and +fetching the meat in the mule cart.</p> + +<p>We were in our saddles when a herd of about 400 +buffaloes appeared on a rise in the prairie, halted in a long +point, and stared at us in amazement. The distance was +scarce 300 yards. Tiger looked at me with a smile, and +cried "Alligator Creek," while pointing to the herd. I made +him a sign to ride on, and we were soon galloping behind<a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"></a> +the flying buffaloes, which pressed close together and thundered +on ahead of us in a cloud of dust. Tiger's clear hunting +yell urged the terrified monsters to a more rapid flight, and in +ten minutes we approached a swampy stream which crossed +the prairie obliquely, and which we had christened "Alligator +Creek," from the number of those animals in it. The banks +were very steep and above twelve feet high, the water almost +dried up, and the deep bed only contained black thick mud.</p> + +<p>The dense mass hastened before us towards the banks of +the river bed, and rushed down into the swampy bottom with +deafening <a name="tn_png_160"></a><!--TN: "roar sand" changed to "roars and"-->roars and grunts. Buffalo after buffalo fell into +the ravine till we pulled up on the bank above them and +laughed at their confusion and the efforts with which they +ascended the other bank all coated with mud. I fancied +that at least one half must break their necks, but not one of +them remained in the mud. They forced their way to the +other bank atop of each other, and sprang, apparently at +least, quite unhurt up it. I had dismounted and shot a fat +cow, which had borne a calf this year and hence was very +plump. The cows only drop one calf every two years, and +for this reason it is the more inexplicable that the number of +these animals is not more rapidly reduced by the great +destruction that takes place among them. The cow followed +the herd but a short distance, and then fell dead on the +prairie. We were obliged to go a long way up the bank +before we could find a low path by which to cross, but soon +reached the cow, put up rags round it, but left the paunching +to my people, as we did not care to dirty ourselves with +the mud that covered it.</p> + +<p>We now rode the shortest way to the forest on the Leone, +and again crossed the stream on which I had shot the bull +about three miles below the spot where it lay. We passed +through the thick bushes out into the prairie, but Trusty +did not follow us. He trotted down the stream, stopped +every now and then, looked up to me and gave his deep +bark. I looked at him curiously, for I knew that he was on<a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"></a> +some track, when all at once he disappeared in the bushes and +stopped. I gave Czar, whom the well-known voice had +rendered impatient, his head, and soon reached the bushes +among which Trusty was baying, with a revolver in my +hand. I turned Czar into a gap between the bushes, when +suddenly the shaggy head of a furious buffalo rose above the +bank within a yard of me. My startled horse swerved, and +cleared the bushes by a tremendous leap, while the monster +dashed past me with a roar and galloped across the prairie. +I soon got out of the bush, however, and went after it, while +Tiger came to meet me. I was close behind the bull, when +Tiger flew past it and gave it a bullet from his long rifle +near the neck. The buffalo followed the piebald with terrible +fury, dyeing the prairie with its blood, when I darted past it +and gave it a bullet from my revolver behind the shoulder-blade, +which lamed its left fore leg. Trusty now attacked it +in the flank, and it stood at bay, holding its head close to the +ground, with its nose between its fore feet, and holding one +of its short sharp horns against the dog. The buffalo stood +motionless with its tail erect, while Trusty sprang barking +before it, waiting for the moment when it should raise its +head. But its hour had arrived. I rode within twenty +yards, and shot it through the heart: it fell lifeless.</p> + +<p>It was one of the bulls I had wounded in the morning, +when they hurried to the assistance of their comrade: feeling +bad it had gone to the water to cool itself, and Trusty had +followed its trail to the spot. We put up rags round this +one too, and rode sharply to the fort, whence I sent off two +of my men with the cart and two mules, accompanied by +Tiger. They returned late at night, and brought a heavy +load of meat home, which we cut up and salted the next +morning. Of the three hides, they only brought the one +shot first, which was employed in making a very long lasso.</p> + +<p>Hunting occupied us pleasantly through the autumn, and +Tiger grew more and more used to our mode of life: it became +rare for him to remain away several days without our<a name="Page_149" id="Page_149"></a> +knowing what had become of him; he also took greater +pleasure in domestic jobs, and applied himself to them more +frequently than at the first period of his stay with us. He +learned to milk the cows, and readily helped in it as he was +so fond of milk, as well as in making vinegar, which he also +liked much, and which is made of the large wild grapes with +which the prairie thickets are covered. For this purpose I +had two large empty whisky casks fetched from the settlement, +and this year our vinegar turned out first-rate. Previously +we had made it in smaller quantities of mulberries, +plums, or honey, which was not half so agreeable as that +made of grapes.</p> + +<p>Tiger was able to make butter and cheese, and at a pinch cook. +Our table was now always well covered, as we had a superabundance +of the finest vegetables. The potato crop had +turned out very well, and we had more especially an extraordinary +quantity of sweet potatoes, as they are called. This is a +tuber like the potato; the plant itself consists of tendrils, +which spread flat and thick over the soil, and can be easily +multiplied in spring. The shoot bears in autumn an extraordinary +number of tubers, which are employed precisely like +potatoes, except that they have a much more agreeable +flavour, resembling the chestnut. A small, most prolific +bean, which we plant between the maize, and which spreads +over the whole field, had produced us a large stock, while the +less hardy vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, and cabbage, +covered the garden all the winter through.</p> + +<p>The winter in this region is very mild, and may fairly be +termed the pleasantest season of the year. We have no +lasting rainy season, although rain falls more frequently +then than in the summer months, but it rarely lasts longer +than a day, and then the cloudless blue sky gleams pleasantly +over us again. Frost is rare and trifling; but sometimes it +sets in towards morning, and will last a whole day if accompanied +by a wind blowing down from the northern Rocky +Mountains. These Northers are usually called something<a name="Page_150" id="Page_150"></a> +terrible in the whole of the United States, but in reality +they do not at all merit this reputation. Certainly the cold +is felt much more among us than elsewhere; because, as men +accustomed to warm weather, we rarely lay in a stock of +winter clothes. The houses, too, are not calculated for cold, +as they are built very airily and lightly, and have no stoves—only +fireplaces. When the Northers blow the people fly +to these fires, while the cattle seek bottoms and dense +thickets, where they conceal themselves.</p> + +<p>I remember on a splendidly warm forenoon the sky +becoming overcast from the north, and it began to blow and +rain, which caused the whole country to be covered with ice +in a short time. If such a storm assails a traveller in his +light summer dress, he is certainly in an unpleasant position, +and if he is a stranger it easily happens that he tells a terrible +story about it when he gets home. These disagreeable storms +from the north, however, are infrequent; we have perhaps +six or eight in a winter, and they rarely last longer than four-and-twenty +hours, and are then driven away by very bright +warm days. The winter proper—which may bring cold +weather—does not begin till January, frequently later; +hence we have a very long delicious autumn. The days are +no longer oppressively hot, and the nights become so cool +that we are glad to snuggle under a buffalo robe or a woollen +blanket. This is the season when we recover from the +exhausting continuous summer heat, and the body regains +its energy.</p> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-163.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="124"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151"></a> +<a name="chapter14" id="chapter14"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">IN THE <a name="tn_png_163"></a><!--TN: Period added after "MOUNTAINS"-->MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">It</span> was on a bright healthy morning in November that I, +accompanied by Tiger and Trusty, left the fort, and rode +down the river toward the Rio Grande Mountains. I had +never made any excursions far beyond that river, and even +when hunting had rarely reached its banks, as it is enclosed +on both sides by savage rocky mountains, which neither man +nor brute can easily traverse. Tiger had formerly been +several times on the other side of the Rio Grande, and told +me there was more game, and more especially more bears +there, while rich valleys ran between the mountains. Hence +I resolved to spend some weeks in those regions, and provided +myself for this tour with provisions, some buffalo robes, and +a small tent, which articles were carried by Jack, a most +excellent mule. The animal followed my horse without being +led, and I may say that it could not be kept away from it +except by force. We had no trouble with it but to saddle +and load it in the morning, and take off its burden again at +night. It would certainly stop now and then at a fresh patch +of grass and snatch a few mouthfuls, but then it galloped +after us again and followed at our heels.</p> + +<p>We rested at noon at the mountain springs, which I had +not visited for some time, and we were forced to cut an +entrance into the little thicket, as it was completely overgrown. +They rewarded us on our arrival with some fat +turkeys, which were never absent there, and whose delicate +meat we enjoyed, while our horses rested from their hot march +over the open prairies. About 3 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> we started again, and +rode in a northern direction toward the foot of the moun<a name="Page_152" id="Page_152"></a>tains, +as Tiger told me that higher up a river ran towards +the Rio Grande, with a rather broad valley on either side, +and I believed that this stream must be Turkey Creek. We +crossed the Leone toward evening at a shallow spot well +known to me. This spot, at which I had often rested, surprises +the traveller coming from the open prairie with a very +pleasant scene. Bordered on both sides by the grandest +vegetation, magnolias, plane-trees, and enormous oaks covered +with the most splendid creepers, the foaming silvery stream +dashes between scattered masses of rock, with such a roar that +visitors can hardly understand each other. The atmosphere +beneath these dense masses of foliage is cool and constantly +fanned by the breeze produced by the violent motion of the +current as it breaks on the rocks, and falls over them in +countless small cascades.</p> + +<p>When we arrived the scene was enlivened by silver herons +and flamingos, some soaring high in air, others standing on +the dry rocks jutting out of the water, and forming a +striking contrast with their white and green plumage +against the dark green background. We cautiously guided +our horses between the rocks, while Jack followed close +behind, and the birds raised a hoarse croak of surprise over +our heads. The primeval forest on the other side of the +stream is broad, and day had yielded the supremacy to night, +as we moved along the buffalo path which was only at intervals +illumined by the moon. I knew here nearly every step, +and we reached the prairie all right, when we remounted, and +half an hour later reached the equally familiar sources of a +stream which falls into the Leone a little lower down.</p> + +<p>It was a favourite spot of mine, where we took the load off +our animals. A cheerful fire soon blazed and threw its light +upon them, while they lay in the young grass around us. +The moon had not set when we had finished supper and fell +into a refreshing sleep. The eastern sky was already tinged +with red, when I woke and saw several spits with meat +already put before the fire. The horses were grazing round<a name="Page_153" id="Page_153"></a> +our camp, but I missed Tiger, whose weapons lay on his +buffalo hide. I went a little way round the bushes, and saw +him on the open prairie on his knees with folded hands and +uplifted face, awaiting the appearance of the sun, in order to +offer his adoration to it. I heard him speaking softly to +himself as it sent its first beams towards us, and he continued +his prayer till it had fully risen above the horizon; then +he rose, and with a pleasant smile came back to his seat at the +fire. He then produced his small mirror and box of vermilion, +laid the former on his crossed knees and painted his +face, as he supposed, very grandly; then he arranged his +splendid hair with a comb I had given him, rubbed it with +bear's grease and tied it up with strips of red leather.</p> + +<p>During breakfast Tiger told me about his last tour in the +Rocky Mountains; of the mountains covered with eternal +snow; the beautiful valleys containing famous pasturage; +his fight with a desperate grizzly bear, which he killed, &c., +and accompanied his words with the most animated gestures. +It is a peculiarity of Indians to enliven their remarks with +signs and gestures which render it easy to understand what +they say; and Tiger, in spite of his knowledge of English, +had retained the sign language, which had grown habitual to +him. I remarked that I felt a great inclination to take a +trip there in the next spring, and he was delighted at the +prospect of being allowed to accompany me.</p> + +<p>It was late when we started, and continued our journey +in a northern direction. The prairies here grew narrower; +the woods closer connected, and the country more uneven. +Although we kept as far as we could from the mountains on +our left, we crossed small streams, which either came down +from the mountains and went to form the larger streams, +with which they flowed through the hills to the Rio Grande, +or which had their sources in the eastern plateaus, and pursued +the same course. The country was picturesque; the +small prairies, beset by clusters of bushes and clumps of +trees of the most varying shapes, were covered with juicy<a name="Page_154" id="Page_154"></a> +fresh grass and a quite new flora; here and there huge blocks +rose out of it, in whose crevices grew large yuccas and +mimosas of different sorts, cactuses and aloes, which represented +the southern world of plants; on the left the hills +rose over each other in terraces, and indicated the course of +the large river.</p> + +<p>We had ridden the whole morning and not fired a shot +at game, although we had seen a good deal. Our fresh meat +was quite finished, and I was just saying to Tiger that it +would soon be time to shoot something as the dinner hour +was at hand, when I saw turkeys running in a small scrubby +patch ahead of us, and made Trusty a sign to follow them. +In an instant he put them up, but as a dense forest rose +just before us, they all but one entered its impenetrable +foliage. The latter, an old cock, rose straight in the air, +and settled on the top of a very tall cypress which grew on +the skirt of the forest, and whose roots were washed by a +small spring. It waved backwards and forwards on the +thin branch, as if challenging the hunter who would dare +to fire at it, while Trusty leapt up at it and barked loudly. +Tiger looked at me laughingly, pointed upwards, and asked, +"What do you think?" I gave him a nod to try his luck. +He sprang from the piebald, took a long aim, fired, and the +cock did not stir, but continued to oscillate and look down at +Trusty. I felt an itch to try my skill. I sprang from my +horse, raised my rifle, and with the detonation the haughty +bird opened its wings for the last time, fell like a ball and +smote the ground heavily. Tiger laughed, and said that he +would have brought it down too, if it had not swung so on +the bough. It is a curious fact that the Indians armed with +rifles, and even the Americans, never think of firing when the +object is moving at all quickly, although they have so many +opportunities of practising it. The chief motive may lie in +the very long and heavy guns they carry, which cannot be +moved so rapidly and lightly as our rifles.</p> + +<p>We could not have chosen a better spot than this for our<a name="Page_155" id="Page_155"></a> +mid-day rest, as our horses found the best grass, the clearest +spring water flowed close past us, and the virgin forest offered +us its cool shade. We therefore quickly unsaddled, hobbled +our horses, and set to work cooking the turkey. We unwillingly +left this pleasant spot a few hours later, and were +obliged to ride a couple of miles up the forest before we found +a buffalo path wide enough for us to pass through. For about +an hour we rode through the leafy labyrinth, ere we reached +the open plain again on the other side. Here Tiger rode up +to me again, and talking and jesting, we kept our horses at a +brisk amble, while Jack trotted after us.</p> + +<p>Suddenly I heard a "hugh!" from Tiger's lips, and pointing +to the ground before us he stopped and said that the buffalo +dung on the path was quite fresh and the animals must be in +the vicinity. He galloped on and we soon reached a narrow +wood, which ran through the prairie in nearly the same direction +we were following, and through whose centre ran a small +stream. We had scarcely reached this wood ere Tiger leapt +from his horse, pointed to the ground before us, then pointed +to his ears, and made a motion with his hands as if breaking a +stick. He sprang away with the lightness of an antelope, scarce +touching the ground with his toes, and never treading on a +branch, which might produce a sound; then he suddenly stopped, +lowered his head slightly and listened for some minutes. +After which he shot ahead again at such a pace that I could +hardly keep up with him. He presently lay down on the +ground and made me a sign with his hand that the buffaloes +were entering the water just under us, and were going across +to the prairie. In a few minutes he leapt up again, signed to +me to follow him, and flew down the wood, through the stream, +and up the other bank, where we arrived behind the last bush +on the prairie, just as the buffaloes had only gone a few yards +along it, and two of them were standing on the other side of +the bush and staring intently at us.</p> + +<p>We both had our rifles raised and I gave Tiger a nod to fire +first. I kept the sight between the eyes of the buffalo, stand<a name="Page_156" id="Page_156"></a>ing +on the right, and as the flame poured from Tiger's gun, +I fired and ran round the bush to be able to use the other +barrel; but it was unnecessary, for the two gigantic animals +were rolling on the ground at the last gasp. Tiger's buffalo +was shot through the heart, and the bullet had smashed the +skull of mine. We hurried to our horses and packed the best +bits of our ample booty on faithful Jack's back.</p> + +<p>The sun was not very high above the mountains, but it was +too early to spend the night here. Our cattle had rested a +little, and so we merely allowed them to drink, filled our own +bottles, and rode merrily on in a northern course. Tiger was +remarkably colloquial on this evening, and the time slipped +away and we scarce noticed that the night had spread its dark +wings over the road, which now wound between conical barren +hills. I remarked to my comrade that we should have a hard +camp, which he denied, and moving his hand across a long +chain of hills in front of us, he said that we should sleep +softly on the other side of it. While saying this he laid his +cheek on his hand and closed his eyes.</p> + +<p>It was late when we reached this chain of hills. The mountain +side was very steep; although we selected the lowest spot +to cross, we were obliged to dismount and lead our horses. +Our foothold grew more and more uncertain on the loose +pebbles, and our horses, too, were obliged to exert themselves +in clambering over the many large stones with which the +ravine was covered.</p> + +<p>While we were clambering on in this way, Trusty suddenly +growled, trotted a few yards past us with bristling hair, and then +barked into the depths behind us. Tiger said a jaguar was following +us, and put his rifle under his arm. We at length reached +the top, where we let our animals breathe, and looked back for +a long time at the valley behind us, but could see nothing of +our pursuer, although Trusty continued to growl. We marched +along the top, which soon sloped down and allowed us a glance +at the valley on the other side. The slope was not so steep +as the one by which we ascended. The valley before us looked<a name="Page_157" id="Page_157"></a> +gloomy with its black shadows, and its depths were covered +with a white strip of fog, while the opposite mountain side, +illumined by the moon, glistened with indistinct bluish +tones.</p> + +<p>We descended the hill, and in an hour reached the grassy +damp bottom, where we remounted and shortly after pulled +up on the bank of a large river whose other side was bordered +by a thick wood. Here we unloaded our cattle and soon sank +into the most tranquil sleep, leaving to faithful Trusty the +care of our safety. His powerful voice soon awoke us, however, +and made us clutch our rifles. We called him back, +stirred up our fire, and as we could see nothing of a foe, we +fell asleep again. The faithful dog awoke us again several +times, but when morning broke, he lay rolled up by the fire, +and was fetching up the rest he had lost in the night.</p> + +<p>We were up at an early hour, and Tiger found in the dewy +grass not far from our camp the trail of a very large jaguar, +which had prowled round it during the night and disquieted +Trusty. We bathed in the deep clear river, then breakfasted +and set out again. The river flowed westward through a +rather wide vale, bounded on the north by a wood, on our side +by rich prairies, while a range of bald conical shaped lime +hills ran along either side. Judging from its distance from +the Leone, this river could only be Turkey Creek, on whose +banks I had spent that stormy night with the unhappy +botanist. We followed its windings westward for several +hours, crossing a number of small streams which came down +from the ravines. The valley was here considerably broader +than at the spot where we passed the night, but in front of +us the hills approached each other again; then the river +turned a little westward and afforded a prospect between the +rocks of the western cedar-grown banks of the Rio Grande.</p> + +<p>The prairie over which we rode led us to the banks of this +large river, which runs at a depth of at least fifty feet between +the widest masses of rock. At this time it contained +very little water, as it does not begin to swell to any extent<a name="Page_158" id="Page_158"></a> +till January, and we at once made preparations to cross it. +We selected from the quantity of dry driftwood, with which +the steep bank was covered, pieces of light cedar-wood, +bound them together as a small raft, and anchored it to a +great tree trunk on the bank. We laid our provisions, saddle-bags, +and clothes upon it, and Tiger leapt in the very +rapid stream, holding the loose end of the lasso between +his teeth, and swam to an island covered with willows, +which lay about fifty yards from our bank. When he +had swam so far as to haul the lasso taut, I thrust the raft +off, and it rapidly followed the current behind Tiger, who, +however, guided it to this island and landed about two +hundred yards lower down. Then he went to the end of +the island, dragging the raft after him, and pulled it into the +calmer water on the other side. Then he threw the lasso +over his shoulders, and easily pulled the raft to the other +bank, where he fastened it to some heavy driftwood. He was +soon back by my side. I hung my holsters over my +shoulders, took rifle in hand, and we flew on our horses down +the stream obliquely till we reached the island, which we soon +crossed and guided our horses into the quieter water on the +other side. We landed on the western bank of the river at +the moment when Jack, who had reached the island, uttered +a frightful bray of delight, while looking over at the horses: +then he cautiously entered the river again, and soon trotted +up to his comrades, who enjoyed the scanty grass that grew +on the bank while we were dressing.</p> + +<p>As it was noon, and high time to eat something, we lit +a fire a little higher up the hills under a leafy plane, and prepared +our meal, while I reclined on my buffalo robe and gazed +in delight at the wildly romantic scene that was expanded +before me. The very deep river bed, cut in limestone strata, +is very wide higher up, so that the river, when swollen in +spring by the mountain torrents, quite fills it up, and attains +a width of half a mile. On both sides of the bed rise grey +masses of rock in the wildest shapes, leaving yawning ravines<a name="Page_159" id="Page_159"></a> +between them, through which the torrents flow to the river. +The mountains on the eastern side are generally bare, and +bushes only grow in these narrow valleys, out of which a +solitary cypress here and there raises its crown to heaven: +the western heights, on the contrary, are covered with dense +cedar woods, whose dark lustreless foliage, added to the grey +steep precipices, imparts a saddening and gloomy aspect to +the scenery. In face of us, however, opened between a lofty +rock gate the pleasant valley of Turkey Creek, through which +we had come. Foaming and roaring, it leaps over gigantic +strata of stone into the deep bed of the Rio Grande; while +on its south side, far up the valley, the prairie glistens with +its fresh verdure, and on the north the dark shadows of a +colossal virgin forest run along the mountain range.</p> + +<p>We took leave of these banks for a short period, and +marched up a steep ravine to the dark shade of the cedar +woods, which soon offered us their agreeable coolness. The +mountains here were of a conical shape, and so closely overgrown +with not very tall cedars, that we were compelled to +dismount on our buffalo path—although it had been used by +the Indians on their expeditions for centuries—in order to +get along at all. Never in my life did I grow so tired of a +road; it seemed as if we rode round every hill, and after we +had ridden for an hour and had a prospect eastward for a +second, the wild rocky valley of the Rio Grande lay at our +feet just as if we had but just left it. But a perfectly new +and beautiful flora rewarded me for the monotonous, slow +ride; in these shadows grew a number of exquisite plants, +whose seeds I collected to transfer them to my home.</p> + +<p>We had been marching for three hours through these +woods, when the country became clearer, the mountains +formed into large masses, and the valleys between grew wider. +It was twilight, and we had, as I thought, surmounted the +last short but steep rise, when Czar suddenly darted back, +and a jaguar appeared about thirty yards ahead, gazed at +me for a moment, lay down flat on the grass, and drew up<a name="Page_160" id="Page_160"></a> +its hind legs for a spring. This did not take an instant; and +I had pointed my rifle over the neck of my rearing steed at +my enemy, when it made its first leap. At this moment I +fired, but heard simultaneously the crack of another rifle behind +me. Czar turned round at my shot, and almost leapt +on Tiger, who was standing behind me on foot, and then +darted down the hill. I shouted to him to stop my horse, +and saw the jaguar appear on the top of the steep. I sent +my second bullet through its chest, and it rolled down toward +me in the most awful fury. I called Trusty to me, and fired +a couple of revolver shots into the gigantic body of my foe, +which ere long gave up the ghost with savage convulsions. +My first bullet had passed through its left side; but Tiger's +had seriously hurt the spine behind the left shoulder. Tiger's +shot had certainly gained the victory, as it robbed the brute +of its springing power, and it caused him great delight when +I acknowledged his victory, and surrendered to him the fine +large skin, which I bought of him on the same evening for +a number of trifles to be delivered when we returned home.</p> + +<p>It was rather dark when I lit a large fire, and we set to +work stripping off the fine spotted skin of the royal beast. +As it was very uncertain whether we should find water, we +unsaddled, hobbled the cattle, and put on the coffee water to +boil. We soon had the jaguar's huge skin off, and hung it +stretched on young cedar branches, on a tree close to the fire +to dry. Then we prepared supper, drank coffee, and ere long +were asleep near our horses, while Trusty patrolled round +camp.</p> + +<p>A splendid morning awoke us from our dreams and displayed +to us the wild but beautiful scenery we had noticed on the +previous evening. We had camped at the entrance of a plateau, +bordered on the east by the cedar-clad hills sloping down +to the Rio Grande, while on the west a chain of large mountains +ran northward. The plateau was abundantly covered +with grass, but its surface did not display the same monotony +as those lying to the east of the Rio Grande; it was covered<a name="Page_161" id="Page_161"></a> +with patches of wood, and here and there huge masses of rock +arose. We marched northward, and as the mountains to the +west appeared to us too difficult, we soon crossed a splendid +small stream where we watered our horses and filled our flasks. +For three days we followed its course through this park; at +times over fresh green prairies, at others through thick woods or +<i>cańons</i>. We met a great many antelopes and deer, but only +saw a few buffaloes at a great distance. Among others Tiger +pointed out to me a buffalo on the western mountain side, +and said it was lying on the ground. After repeated search I +managed to discover a small black dot in the direction indicated, +and when I called my glass to my help I really saw an +old solitary buffalo lying there among the rocks, and was +astonished at the extraordinary sight of my young Indian +friend.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-174.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="539" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162"></a> +<a name="chapter15" id="chapter15"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE WEICOS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">On</span> the third evening we approached the western mountain +chain, which bordered the northern end of the plain we were +crossing. Our road slowly rose, while we steered toward a +gap in the mountains, where we hoped to find an available +path. For an hour our path was steep and vegetation had +nearly entirely disappeared, only a few reeds were visible in the +crevices between the rocks. Deep yawning gorges and <i>cańons</i> +opened between the overhanging limestone strata, round which +we had to make fatiguing circuits, while frequently we had +hardly room to lead our horses along the precipices over deep +abysses. The sun was setting, and the lofty mountain sides +cast their broad shadows over the rocky depths. It soon became +dark, but we pushed on, still hoping to find a suitable spot for +camping. We had almost reached the highest point, when we +saw gigantic red granite walls rising in front of us like a +fortress. They hung a long way over us and the deep abyss, +from which wildly scattered colossal blocks, illumined by the +parting sunbeams, rose, while on the other side of the gorge +the mountains were heaped up against the dark purple evening +sky. Our path was very narrow and strewn with small +pebbles, so that we were obliged to lead our horses with a short +rein.</p> + +<p>All at once Tiger shouted to me to halt, and immediately +after I heard him utter "Pah," in his Indian language. It +was water he wished to indicate, and he told me he could +hear the rustling of a stream. Our path grew rather +broader, and ran into the granite masses on our left, while on<a name="Page_163" id="Page_163"></a> +our right the slope was not so steep, and sank into the +ravine between a few large blocks of stone. We had scarce +gone one hundred yards when the road before us proved to +be blocked by scattered masses of stone, between which +stunted oaks and bushes grew, while I found myself in short +grass, which Czar greedily attacked. I shouted to Tiger +that I could go no farther, and he led his piebald up to my +side, who with the never-failing Jack also went at the grass. +Tiger was of opinion that it was a famous spot, as the water +was close at hand below us, and disappeared among the rocks. +He soon returned, dragging after him several dry branches, +while we broke up and lit a fire, which soon lit up the immediate +neighbourhood. The rocks on our left were deeply +excavated, and hung in large strata with broad cracks, +covering a large tract of ground, which bore at various +points traces of fires which must have been lit by Indians, +who had camped here like ourselves. We prepared our +supper, but had great difficulty in putting the spits up before +the fire, as Tiger had not lit it on the grass, but under the +rocks. While we were thus employed the moon rose slowly +behind the mountains, and threw her first pale rays into our +wild valley. Gradually her light became more brilliant, and +the dark masses around us emerged in their various shapes. +Tiger now leapt up, placed one of my revolvers in his belt, +took a cedar brand, and went down a narrow path between +the rocks, carrying our two large gourds by a strap over his +shoulders. I watched the ruddy dancing light of the torch +which lit up at one moment the rocks, at another the dark +green foliage of the oaks; it continually grew smaller, till it +appeared in the depths below like a bright point. It soon +returned, however, and Tiger appeared between the rocks +with our bottles full of spring water, so cold and clear +that my lips had not tasted anything to equal it for a long +time. He told me that below was a small pool, into which +the springs ran; buffaloes must have been standing there a +little while before, and he therefore believed that we should<a name="Page_164" id="Page_164"></a> +be able to lead our cattle down to water by daylight. I gave +Czar a share of the refreshing draught.</p> + +<p>We seemed to have entered the kingdom of owls, for their +hoot was audible on all sides. Tiger listened for awhile very +attentively to these sounds, but then lay down tranquillized +on his buffalo hide, saying that one of the sounds resembled +the voice of a Weico; but he had not signalled again, or he +(Tiger) was mistaken. The fire was supplied with large +logs, and we then wrapped ourselves in our skins and slept +till daybreak. We blew up our fires, put on our horses' +bridles, and led them down the hill side to water, along a +path on which we now distinctly noticed fresh buffalo signs. +It was a tiring road by which we at length reached the +bottom, where a small basin filled the entire breadth of the +gorge, into which a clear stream noisily poured. The basin +was washed out of the stony ground, and we led our horses +into it after a number of mocassin and rattlesnakes had taken +to flight with a menacing hiss. We then turned back to +reach our camp again. Tiger led his piebald in front, but +stopped and said he felt much inclined to climb up the +opposite wall of the gorge, as it was full of crevices in which +doubtless bears were hybernating. He also said he had +heard from his people that the Delawares always shot a +great number of bears at this spot, though he had never +visited it before himself. I hence took his horse's bridle, and +called Czar to follow me, while Jack completed the party, +and Trusty trotted on ahead.</p> + +<p>After a fatiguing climb I again reached our camp, where I +hobbled the cattle in the grass and sat down to the fire to +get breakfast ready. I had just finished and lit a pipe, when +the crack of a rifle reached me from the opposite wall, and I +supposed that Tiger had shot a bear, when a few moments +later a second shot was fired, and the frightfully shrill sound +of the Indian war-whoop echoed through the gorge. There +was no doubt but that Tiger had come into collision with +hostile Indians. The yell rolled down the valley, and ere<a name="Page_165" id="Page_165"></a> +long two shots were fired in rapid succession. I quickly +threw our saddles and baggage behind large rocks, and led +the piebald some way down the slope, while Czar and Jack +followed me; then I fastened the cattle up to trees a little +off the path, and sent my hunting cry across the gorge at +the full pitch of my lungs. Tiger at once answered me. I +ran down to the pond and up the opposite wall, continually +uttering my cry and receiving an answer. Trusty went a +little ahead to clear the way, and then I climbed on from +rock to rock, until another shot was fired, and I heard Tiger's +yell higher up the mountain. I carefully noticed the direction +whence the yell came, and calling Trusty to me, I ran +forward rapidly, though cautiously, between the scattered +boulders.</p> + +<p>I was standing before a small grass-covered mound when +Trusty growled and sniffed; I went up in a stooping posture, +and hardly had reached the top when I saw Tiger with his +back turned to me, holding in one hand his rifle, in the other +the bleeding scalp of his murdered foe, and gazing at the +latter, who lay outstretched in the grass: without turning, +he told me that the Weico had almost sent him to his +fathers, but his heart trembled, and hence he aimed badly. +Tiger had seen his enemy first, and fired soonest, but missed, +and the other had not hit him either, as he ran. Tiger pursued +him, and both reloaded while running, till the Weico +reached the spot where he now lay, and the Delaware sprang +on the grass plot a little higher up. The Weico fired and +missed again, and Tiger in response sent a bullet through his +loins, though without being aware that he had hit him. The +Weico disappeared in the grass, and Tiger too, as he fancied +the other was reloading; but when he had performed the +same operation himself and saw nothing of his foe, he crept +to an adjacent rock which he mounted, and saw the other in +the grass reloading, upon which he sent a bullet through his +heart and speedily scalped him. Tiger now took his conquered +foe's gun, medicine-bag, beads, and armlets, and made<a name="Page_166" id="Page_166"></a> +me a sign to return to the horses, while he sprang from rock +to rock with the lightness of a deer.</p> + +<p>We saddled, and soon left our camp, as Tiger said there +were several Weicos in the neighbourhood, for on the previous +evening they had made each other signs with the owl hoot. +Our road ran from here close to the precipice, and for some +few hundred yards was very difficult. We were obliged to +lead the horses, and make them leap over several granite +blocks, while the grass grew to a man's height between the +loose stones, and we could not see where we stepped. Here, +however, the road became better and led us in a pretty valley +through which a stream wound, while on both sides granite +walls begirt it to a height of at least three hundred feet. +Trusty was some distance ahead all the time, and was trotting +along the birch-covered bank, when he suddenly barked, and +I saw something leaping through the grass on his left. The +piebald darted past me at the same moment, and Tiger +shouted "a panther." I had no inclination, however, to +join in the hunt, but merely cantered on, saw the piebald +leap several times through the bushes, and a little later heard +Tiger's rifle crack. But when I joined him he laughed, and +said that the panther had too many feet, and pointed to a +thicket on the right-hand hills, in which it had disappeared.</p> + +<p>The valley here became very broad, and we saw, a long +distance off, three buffaloes grazing under some mosquito-trees, +and, when we drew nearer, Tiger proposed to chase them, +as, in the fresh close grass, there was no other way of getting +within shot of them. Suddenly the buffaloes noticed us and +fled, but Tiger set his horse in a gallop, and stormed after +them down the valley. I was just able to see that he had +caught them up, when a small blue cloud of smoke rose before +him, and I shortly after heard the crack of his rifle. He disappeared +with the flying buffaloes on the prairie, and I followed +him at a quick amble. At the spot where I last saw +my comrade, thick bushes ran along both sides of the stream. +I went into them, but was obliged to dismount in order to<a name="Page_167" id="Page_167"></a> +pass through the thicket. Crossing the wood, I gave my +hunting-cry, which was answered close by, and, a short +distance farther on, Tiger came to meet me, and said that it +was no go with the buffaloes either; he had hit one of them +clumsily, and not killed it. The piebald was in a frightful +perspiration, so Tiger turned him round and we reached the +skirt of the wood, where we sat down in the cool shade of the +lofty trees, while our cattle, freed from their loads, grazed +around us.</p> + +<p>The stream wound out of the forest close by. I had gone +to it to fill my bottle, when I noticed a number of bees on the +bank, which, however, did not fly into the wood, but into the +prairie before us. I called up Tiger, who seated himself by +my side, and we accurately observed their course by the compass, +and saw that they all flew to an old plane-tree which grew +in the grass about a thousand yards from us. We went up to +the tree, and found that the bees went to a very large bough, +which had an opening at the top. We fetched our weapons +and axes, and brought out our cattle under the plane, where +I also ordered Trusty to lie down. Then we went up to the +tree, whose stem was at least eight feet in diameter, threw a +lasso over the lowest branch, clambered up it, and went to the +branch containing the bees. It was at least a foot and a-half +in thickness, and we had to work with our small axes for +nearly an hour before it gave way, and fell with a crash to the +ground, whereon the startled bees rose like a pillar of smoke, +and swarmed off toward the forest. We soon went down the +lasso, and began eating the clear honey which flowed out of +the broken branch. We ate, and took pieces of the largest +combs to our camp, where we laid them in the shade.</p> + +<p>Europeans will be surprised, and ask how it is possible to +take the honey from the irritated bees without being stung to +death. The bees in this country, however, are not so spiteful +as in the Old World: it is only when you are near a filled bee-tree, +and strike at the bees with a branch or a cloth, that you +are attacked and pursued by them; but if you go quickly up<a name="Page_168" id="Page_168"></a> +to the honey, and are careful not to touch any bees, you are +never stung. The honey of these wild bees is far sweeter and +more toothsome than that in England: it is very spicy, but +at times so impregnated with pepper, that much of it cannot +be eaten. I have often felled bee-trees whose honey was so +clear that it could not be distinguished from a glass of water +put by its side. If you are near home when you cut down a +bee-tree, you drive the creatures, which have collected close +by in a swarm round their queen, into a bag, take them home, +and shake them out into a hollowed tree, nail a board at top +and bottom, cut a hole in the lower board, and place it above-ground +at a spot protected from the north wind. The bees +at once set to work, continuing it winter and summer, and in +a short time the hive is filled with honey and wax. We only +regretted that we had no vessel in which we could take a +supply of this exquisite honey with us.</p> + +<p>We had eaten heartily of it when we set out about 3 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> +and continued our journey down the stream. The sun was +sinking behind the mountains on our left, when we again +struck the stream which we had left in pursuing a northern +course, and resolved to pass the night here. The valley was +narrow to the west and to the east; the prairie rose towards +the mountains, and some old oaks grew on it. We had unsaddled, +hobbled our horses, and lit a fire, when Tiger +took his rifle and went towards the western hills to see +whether he could procure any fresh game, as our stock was +entirely exhausted. The sun had set, the time hung heavy +at the fire, so I rose, took my rifle, and walked slowly down +the stream, while Trusty ran ahead in the scrub. I had +hardly gone a hundred yards when I noticed that the stream +turned to the west a little lower down, and its banks were +covered with rocks. Suddenly there was a crash in the +scrub ahead of me, and I heard a loud wail which filled me +with terror, for I knew the sound but too well—it was the +wail of a jaguar cub, which Trusty held in his teeth. +I ran up and saw him shaking one, while another was escaping<a name="Page_169" id="Page_169"></a> +in the bushes. As I knew exactly what would happen, I +looked around, with my cocked rifle in my hand, and saw the +mother coming down with terrible bounds from the oak +clumps higher up. There was not a tree near, and I must +await it in the open. Trusty placed himself close to my side, +and with every hair bristling he uttered his most savage +bass notes through his gnashing teeth. The only thing now +was to hit, or else Trusty at least was lost, and myself +too very probably. Forty paces from me the infuriated brute +crouched, displaying its fangs and lashing its sides with its +long spotted tail. When I shot, the beast turned over, but +then flew towards me with a fresh spring. I shot again, and +it rolled on the ground. The ball had broken its spine, and, +unable to move its hind-quarters, the raging brute rolled and +roared, and dug its mighty claws into the grass, which it +dyed with its blood. It was now harmless, and I regretted +that I had not my sketch-book with me to draw it in +its paroxysm of fury. It was a majestic animal, and the +splendid golden yellow of its coat, with its black and white +spots, was heightened by the dark red of the blood which +streamed from its back and chest. Lying on the ground with +its hind-quarters, it stood erect on its mighty fore-legs, and +with its thick round neck slightly bent down, it raised its +savage open jaws towards me, while the large, yellow, catlike +eyes flashed. At the same time the brute made the +valley ring with the most fearful roars uttered at intervals. +So soon as I approached it it sprang towards me, and +dragged its hind-quarters along on the grass, while showing +its terrible claws. I went up close to it, and fired a revolver +bullet through its head, whereon it fell lifeless.</p> + +<p>After reloading, I went back to camp to wait for Tiger, +whom I had also heard firing. It was dark when I heard +him coming, and saw his brown elastic form coming through +the bushes. Over his right shoulder hung two deer legs, +and the stripped-off meat of the back was thrown across +the barrel of his long rifle, which rested on his left shoulder.<a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"></a> +He threw down his load, lay on his stomach on the river +bank, and quenched his thirst. Then he returned to the fire, +and said that I had been shooting too, and intimated by +three fingers the number of shots I had fired. I answered +him that my deer was lying down the stream, but we would +sup first and then fetch it.</p> + +<p>We now attacked the excellent venison and enjoyed a +hearty supper, when I gave Tiger a sign to follow me. I led +him to the jaguar, and he uttered a loud cry when he saw it +lying on the grass with the cub by its side. The moon lit +us while we stripped off its splendid skin, which was larger +than the one we had obtained a few days previously. We took +the cub to camp, as Tiger told me its flesh was a great dainty; +then he stripped and paunched it, and hung it up to a tree. +We then stretched out the large hide, put it in front of the +fire, and slept quietly and undisturbed till morning.</p> + +<p>I was very curious about the new dish which I was to +taste for breakfast. The very white meat of the young +jaguar, which was about the size of an ordinary shepherd's +colley, looked very tempting, and I put some pieces of it +before the fire, while Tiger made his breakfast entirely of it. +I tasted it when it browned, and it was very nice, though +it had a musky flavour which prevented me from eating +much of it. Hence I applied once more to the deer meat, +which I liked better, and concluded my meal with the rest of +the honeycomb which I had carried on Jack, wrapped in large +magnolia leaves and a piece of deer hide. Tiger revelled +in his meat, and on saddling packed up the rest for supper.</p> + +<p>On this day we followed the stream, which flowed for about +five miles westward, but then suddenly turned round a tall +hill to the east, and probably fell into the Rio Grande. Here +we left it, however, and rode up a small stream which joined +it and came from the west. We followed the narrow valley +through which it ran and found there a rather broad, though +at times stony road. It was bordered on both sides by +granitic hills, and ran rather steeply up to the heights, where<a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"></a> +it expanded into a table-land. This plateau lay on the top +of the mountains which we had seen to the west when riding +up, and I resolved to follow it in that direction, so as if possible +to reach the declivity on the other side before night +surprised us, as the barrenness of these lofty plateaus recalled +unpleasant reminiscences. This plateau was about fifteen +miles in breadth, and in the afternoon we reached its western +side, where an endless plain stretched out at our feet, bounded +in the remote distance by very lofty mountains, a few spurs +of which ran out into the valley. The valley was thickly +covered with grass, and, as it seemed to me, well watered and +wooded. From our stand-point it must be at least one hundred +and fifty miles broad, and to the south we could not see +its termination. The plain, as far as we could survey it, was +covered with herds of buffalo, while nearer to us deer and wild +horses were grazing. How many thousands of men could easily +find a living here, while in old Europe law-suits are carried +on for years about an acre of land, and yet I was the only white +man whose eye had rested on the inexhaustible treasures +which nature had stored up here. Still the time will come +when the plough will cross this beautiful plain in all directions; +the smoke will rise from the hearths of prosperous +planters; the church bells will summon the neighbours to +church, and "hell in harness" (as the Americans call the +locomotive) will snort and whistle through their valley.</p> + +<p>Our road down to the plain, though not very steep, was +fatiguing and wearisome, as the hill-side was here and there +cut up by broad <i>cańons</i>, which we were compelled to ride +round. As we were going down one of these ravines, one of +the beautiful leopard-cats, so frequent in these mountains, +sprang out of the loose stones not far from us. I sent Trusty +after it down the ravine, and ere long he began barking. We +hurried on as quickly as we could, and on looking down I saw +the beautifully-spotted creature crouching on an isolated rock, +while Trusty was leaping round it and barking. It was too +far to fire with a certainty of killing, for though Trusty was<a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"></a> +quite as strong, he might easily be so injured as to be unfitted +for the fatigue of our tour. Hence I dismounted, and crept +near the stone on which the leopard-cat lay. I went up high +enough to see it, and sent a bullet through its head. The +rock was too high for me to climb up it and fetch the beast +down, so I was obliged to wait till Trusty arrived. I raised +him on to the rock, and he pulled the creature down. Then +I returned to our cattle, while Tiger stripped the cat and +brought me the skin.</p> + +<p>These handsomely-marked animals are most dangerous to +game: they kill, even when quite full, merely for the sake of +the blood, and never miss an opportunity to capture their +quarry. They creep with incredible skill and certainty, as +well as indefatigable patience, up to the game, on which they +leap with lightning speed, and do not let it go till it has given +them its blood. When wounded or beset, they attack their +pursuer with great fury and determination, and many an +Indian, under such circumstances, has been severely injured +by them. They generally live and hunt in couples, and prefer +rocky regions to the plains, but also come down to the woods, +where they leap down from the trees on the game, and bite +it to death in the neck. Tiger shot two more of these animals +before we reached the plain, which took place in the +afternoon, and we camped on a stream at an early hour.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173"></a> +<a name="chapter16" id="chapter16"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE BEAR HOLE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">For</span> about a week we traversed this extensive plain, first +northward, following the base of the hills we had crossed, and +then westward, towards the more western ranges. Everywhere +we found the richest soil, and water in abundance, as well +as game of every description, and many wild horses. We lived +like fighting cocks, always had the best buffalo meat, as many +deer as we wanted, and also killed several antelopes. In a +narrow patch of wood Trusty aroused a one-year-old bear from +its winter sleep, which it was enjoying under some old fallen +trees, and drove it out into the prairie. We followed it, and +Trusty pinned it to the spot by a few bites in its breeches. +I was just going to fire when Tiger cried to me not to do so, +sprang from his horse, and ran towards the bear, laughing +and leaping, with his long knife drawn. Trusty leaped, barking, +in front of the irritated animal, which showed its teeth +savagely, and kept him off with its forepaws, while Tiger +crept behind it, and—worthy of his name—leapt past the +bear, digging his knife into its side. The bear made a blow +at him, but too late; and Trusty attacked it on the other +flank. Tiger soon passed again behind the bear, and buried +his knife between its ribs; and thus the two fought till the +bear fell breathless, and Tiger stabbed it to the heart. He +was not a little proud of his grand exploit, laughed, and said +that he had killed an old bear in the same way once, but had +unfortunately lost his good dog. I was obliged to promise +him a son of Trusty, to whom he henceforth especially gave +his friendship. The bear weighed some hundred pounds, and<a name="Page_174" id="Page_174"></a> +supplied us with excellent meat, in addition to its skin. We +packed a good lot of it on honest Jack, and improved our +meal with it that evening at the foot of the Rio Grande +mountains.</p> + +<p>Here the limestone rocks ran down to the plain, and on the +distant heights we could again notice dark masses of cedar +forests which had so impeded our progress. From this point +our road became fatiguing and at times dangerous, as the +whole country consisted of rent limestone mountains, through +whose gorges and crevices we had to wind our way. In the +fear of being possibly obliged to camp without water, we followed +a rivulet up stream into these mountains: though we +frequently had to leave it, we still kept as close to it as we +could; about noon we reached a plateau which was entirely +covered with petrified wood, of which thick branches and even +trunks lay scattered about. It was apparently cedar wood, +and I took several fine specimens of it as souvenirs. In the +evening we again reached our stream, and though it was still +early, and the grass not particularly good, we unsaddled, and +arranged our camp. While I was thus occupied, Tiger took +his rifle and soon disappeared among the rocks, which were +scattered about in enormous blocks on our left, while on the +right they were several hundred feet high, and displayed +numerous rifts, out of which a tree here and there grew. +Tiger soon returned and told me he knew where a very old +bear was asleep. We would go and fetch it next morning; it +was lying in a rock crevice, and judging from its track it must +be a sturdy fellow.</p> + +<p>Day had scarce broken ere we quickly finished our breakfast, +and in a short time came to a spot where good grass +grew; here we unsaddled, fastened our horses to a tree, and +then ascended the hill-side, which became steeper the farther +we got. Quite at the top, between the highest peaks, Tiger +went to an overhanging rock, and stopped before an opening +only a few feet wide, which ran downwards. Here he plucked +a quantity of long dry grass from between the stones, rolled it<a name="Page_175" id="Page_175"></a> +rapidly into a long, thick, loose band, and then made me a sign +to stand near the hole; he next lit the torch and crawled on +all fours with his rifle into the rocks. I could hear only for a +few minutes the sound he produced by crawling farther into +the cave, and then there was a silence again. I stood with +Trusty for some time without hearing the slightest sound; +when suddenly a stifled echo, resembling a powerful gust of +wind, came out of the crevice, and directly after, a scratching +and rustling were audible, advancing towards the orifice, till +all at once a heavy black bear appeared with a bleeding +face.</p> + +<p>I was standing only a few yards from the cave, and for the +sake of Tiger wished to let it come out entirely ere I fired, as +I felt convinced that the brute was wounded, and by firing +prematurely I might turn it back on my comrade. I pressed +close to the rock, and the bear had made some forward bounds, +when I sent both bullets through it, although without checking +its pace. The bear disappeared behind the nearest rock, +and at the same moment Tiger came out of the cave all right, +and ran off as quickly as a deer after the bear. I followed, +and was compelled to use every exertion to keep Tiger in +sight, when I noticed that in running he reloaded, and suddenly +sinking on one knee, fired. But he at once sprang up +again, and while reloading, sprang from stone to stone, till +he knelt once more and fired. I kept as close as I could behind +him, and was running up a rather steep incline, over +large masses of stones, when I heard Tiger's rifle crack for +the third time. In a few minutes I got round a large rock +table and saw him carelessly sitting on a stone and re-loading. +When I went up to him he raised his left arm and pointed to +a heap of piled-up rocks, where to my surprise I saw the bear +peeping over one of them like a preacher in his pulpit. It had +flown there, mortally wounded, to defend itself, and showed +us its bleeding terrible range of teeth.</p> + +<p>I quickly loaded and shot it through the head, upon which +it rolled down from its elevation. I took out my pocket-<a name="Page_176" id="Page_176"></a>book +and made a sketch of the rocks, while Tiger skinned +and broke up the bear. I did not notice the latter retire; +but when I missed him I rose and looked about for him. On +going a few paces round the rock, I saw him on his knees +among the bushes praying, while before him smoke curled up +from a fire of leaves. I quietly walked nearer, and heard +him muttering to himself, while a piece of the bear hung +before him on the bush over the smoke. He soon rose, came +up to me, and when I asked him what he had been about, he +laughed cunningly, and answered that this meal of meat out +of the bear's chest was for the god of hunting; other Indians +were not acquainted with this, and hence the Delawares alone +shot fat bears, while the others had lean ones. I asked him +how it was the bear had not choked him in the cave. He +said, laughingly, "Bear no love fire," and told me that he +had crept a long way into the rocks, till the cave became +very spacious; then holding his torch aloft he looked about him, +and saw the bear's eyes glittering a long way in the background. +He fired at it, but his bullet hit the beast on the +cheek. The bear sprang up and rushed at him, but he placed +himself close to the rock and held out his torch, while the +bear rushed past him.</p> + +<p>We hurried back to our horses, which took us nearly half +an hour, although we went for the most part down hill. They +whinnied as we approached, and waited impatiently to be +noticed. Tiger mounted his piebald and rode back to the +bear to fetch the skin, claws, and some of the meat, and was +back in camp by noon. We merely drank coffee, packed our +animals, and laid the bear's enormous ragged skin, with the +fleshy side upwards, over Jack, who looked terrible in consequence.</p> + +<p>We still followed the rocky valley up till about evening, +when we reached a capital spot for our cattle, and I had dismounted +to pass the night here; but Tiger pointed to the +north, where the sky was slightly overcast, and then up the +hill, where brushwood was hanging about the loose stones,<a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"></a> +and said, "We must go higher up the stream, or else we +should sleep in the water." He now showed me that this +brushwood had been lodged among the stones by the swollen +stream, and we consequently camped higher up. For the +first time during this tour our tent was put up, and our +baggage placed under it. Then we dug a deep trench round +it, and laid in an ample stock of firewood. We lit the fire +under a large rock, so that it was protected from the north +wind and drove strong pickets into the ground in order to +fasten up our cattle close to the tent. We consequently let +them graze by the water side till it grew dark, and then led +them up to the camp, where we secured them. We sat till a +late hour over the fire, while all nature seemed to have gone +to rest. There was not a breath of air, and only the crackling +of our fire interrupted the silence, and lit up the great +masses of rock around us.</p> + +<p>As we were both sleepy, I went into the tent and +lay down on my buffalo robe, but Tiger lay by the fire, +and we were both in the deepest sleep, when a frightful +crash startled me, and a flash of lightning illumined my tent. +I leaped up and found Tiger busied in blowing the fire. A +pitchy darkness surrounded us, so that I could not see the +horses, which were but a few yards off. Suddenly the lightning +shot down the rocks, accompanied by a deafening peal +of thunder, which was quickly followed by other peals. The +storm soon rolled over the hills, and the rain fell in torrents. +Although we had blown our fire into an enormous +flame, it was put out by the rain. The flashes darted here +and there, and an uninterrupted thunder rolled along the +valley, while the rustling and plashing of a rapid stream became +audible, and we soon saw beneath us the white foamy +crests of a terrible stream pouring over the banks of the +rivulet, where our horses had been peacefully grazing a +few hours previously.</p> + +<p>We stood by our horses with our buffalo robes over our +heads, turning our back to the wind, and waited longingly<a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"></a> +for the moment when the storm would break. It lasted, +however, till shortly before daylight.</p> + +<p>"How are we to light a fire now?" I said to Tiger, for +our wood was wet, and no hollow trees grew between the +rocks around us, in which we could look for dry wood. He +laughed, however, ran a short distance, returned with an +armful of dry twigs which he had hidden there on the previous +evening under a rock, and said, "Indian more cautious +than white men." Our fire soon burnt up again, and +produced a tremendous glow, before which we hung up our +buffalo robes and tent to dry. The bearskin of the previous +day not being dry yet either, we also hung it up to the fire, +and then prepared a breakfast, a meal our cattle were obliged +to go without, as the grass was completely flooded.</p> + +<p>So soon as the wet things were dry, we started for the +higher mountains in order to find a spot where our cattle +could satisfy their hunger; as the road was very bad we +progressed slowly, crossing a great number of morning +trails of panthers, leopards, and ocelots, which were deeply +trodden into the soft lime soil, and reached about noon a +grassy plateau which extended to the dark cedar woods. +Here we hobbled the cattle while we lit a fire against a +withered mosquito-tree, and enjoyed the delicate bear meat. +The air was cool, and the conical mountain peaks covered +with cedars were smoking.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we rode toward the gloomy forests to try +and find a path through them. We certainly found a number +of small tracks, but not one old and used enough for us to trust +it, so we went southward on the plain till darkness stopped +our march. We stopped for the night at a hollow filled with +rain water, and on the next morning continued our journey +along the woods till, to our great joy, we found a much +trampled buffalo track, by which we entered them. It led +us down between two high hills, and hence I was afraid lest +it might be a path which, made by animals grazing on the +hill down to a stream, would terminate there. In half-an-<a name="Page_179" id="Page_179"></a>hour +we reached some large springs which gushed out of a +rock and flowed in a south-eastern direction through a very +narrow gorge covered with bushes, dry wood, and overarching +cedars. The path, however, ran hence, to our great joy, +eastward, and we dismounted, as the cedar branches hung too +near over the path.</p> + +<p>We had almost reached the top, where only a few cedars +stood before us. Suddenly I fancied I could hear a tremendous +rustling some distance off. I cautiously ascended to the top +of the hill, and saw here, about forty yards ahead of me, three +enormous condors, one of which was standing on the ground +with expanded wings, while the other two were springing +round it, and rising each time some feet from the ground. I +sank on one knee, and sent a bullet into the broad chest of +the first, while the other two fluttered their wings with a +frightful yell, and soon rose high in air above me. Just as I +was going to fire the second barrel, Tiger's rifle cracked behind +me, and the eagle I was aiming at turned over in the air and +fluttered down. I turned round to the third, and fired at +it as it was soaring over the depths near us. I saw the bullet +enter the soft feathers under the belly, and it shot like a dart +with outstretched wings between the hills, where it disappeared +among the dark cedars.</p> + +<p>Tiger had cut off his eagle's head by the time I ran up to +mine, and found under it an antelope, which the brave bird +had just killed, and which had only lost its eyes and tongue. +Its body was but slightly ripped up, but the whole back was +covered with blood, which flowed from countless small holes +produced by the eight-inch long claws of these rulers of the +air. Tiger was beside himself for delight, for the wing and +tail-feathers of these birds are the greatest ornaments an +Indian knows, and he will readily give his best horse for them. +He wears them on the band which confines his hair, and the +claws, sewn on a strap, form a necklace. I told him I intended +to skin mine, and take it home to stuff; but he was of opinion +that he must fetch the feathers of the third condor, which had<a name="Page_180" id="Page_180"></a> +fallen into the valley, and he at once disappeared. I did not +consider it possible to get down there, and utterly so to find +the eagle, for I had watched it fly at least a mile. I at once +set to work skinning my bird, and had not finished when +Trusty growled, and Tiger really soon ran up with the spoils +of the other bird.</p> + +<p>These condors rarely come down into the lower hills; they +live exclusively on the highest points of the Andes, which no +human foot treads, and from the lower lands can only be seen +as black dots on the blue sky. The last night's storm must +have surprised these wanderers in their eyrie, and carried them +before it, till they sought shelter in these mountains. Starving +from their involuntary journey, they wished to taste the delicate +game of these countries, which are not situated so near +the clouds, when our bullets cut off their return home. The +condor I first shot was by far the largest, and probably the +mother of the other two, which she was training to plunder; +while, on the division of the spoil, she reserved the right of +taking her share first. The outstretched wings of this bird +measured from end to end very nearly fifteen feet.</p> + +<p>It was noon when we mounted our horses and rode down +the stony incline. We moved along around the hills again, +and seemed hardly to leave the spot, for we frequently rode +for half an hour, and then suddenly found ourselves again in +front of an old withered tree, or a rock emerging from the +cedars which we had seen before. We rode without interruption +until the sun hid itself behind the highest peaks, +and cast long shadows over the hills glistening in the evening +light. The sunny spots on the mountains constantly grew +smaller, until at length only a single cone stood up as if gilt +above the dark country. We had not yet seen a trace of the +Rio Grande, and we must still be a good distance from it, for +from the highest points we crossed we could see nothing as +far as the horizon, except the same conical hills covered +with gloomy foliage.</p> + +<p>We halted in one of the countless hollows of these stony<a name="Page_181" id="Page_181"></a> +mountains where rain-water had collected, and decent grass +grew on a small open space, took the burdens off our very +wearied horses, and soon lay on our skins near the fire. A +very large dry cedar trunk rose with its upper half out of the +coppice. We lit our fire against its side, so that it soon +began to smoulder and gave out a great heat. During the +night we scarce needed to look at it, and in the morning +found small flames still playing round the half-burnt tree. +A strong breeze was blowing when we crawled out from under +our buffalo robes. We threw plenty of wood on the burning +trunk, and felt very comfortable in the warmth. While our +cattle were eating their scanty breakfast, we roasted bear and +antelope meat, and drank in coffee the health of the condors +that had supplied us with the game. Ere long, however, +we mounted, in order to bid farewell the sooner to these +inhospitable forests, and see once more the frontiers of my +home—the Rio Grande.</p> + +<p>We pressed on, uphill and downhill, at one moment riding, +at another leading our horses, and frequently impeded by wide +torrents and broad ravines. About noon we had a prospect of +a deep rocky valley, on whose sides no cedars were to be seen, +and greeted it as the bed of the long-looked-for river. The +mountains sank, our path ran in a straighter line towards the +valley, and in little more than an hour we were riding in a +long broad gully through the rocks which bordered it. The +familiar river lay before us, a little deeper than we swam +through it a little while previously; but, to our sorrow, the +rocks on the opposite side, as far as we could see, were so steep +that it was impossible for our cattle to climb up them. Nor +was it possible to ride down the river, owing to the boulders +and masses of drift-wood which covered the whole bank, and +hence nothing remained but to ride back and seek a passage +to the south among the mountains. Our cattle certainly shook +their heads when we turned them back into the gully, but +Tiger laughed and said that we should still sleep this night +across the river. On reaching the summit we at once selected<a name="Page_182" id="Page_182"></a> +the nearest hollow, and turned to the south, following the +river. It was a fatiguing journey through loose stones, fallen +trees, and at times dense cedar woods, but for all that we progressed +better than I had feared, and at the end of an hour +we saw at an angle of the river that another large stream +flowing from the eastward, fell into it, which seemed to me to +be the Leone. We were obliged to go higher up the hills +here on account of numerous obstacles, and lost sight of the +river for awhile; still the sun had a good hour before setting +when we entered a broad buffalo path which led down in a +straight line to the river. I soon recognised on this road objects +I had seen before, and was now certain that the eastern +river was the river of my home.</p> + +<p>So we found it to be when we rode down the Rio Grande, +and unsaddled our horses there. We consulted in what way +we should get across, and agreed to make a raft again. We +soon had a couple of cedar logs fastened together, a heap of +brushwood laid on them and our baggage on the top, and +lastly we covered it all with the large bearskin, and secured +it all round with straps. Tiger left his rifle behind and rode +into the stream, which was not very deep here. He held the +end of the lasso fastened to the raft in his right hand, and +thus dragged it along. When he had gone across about a +third of the river his horse was obliged to swim. The current +pulled him down stream, and he was compelled to follow with +his horse. He was now in the strongest current, and I +noticed that he had great difficulty in keeping on his horse, +when he suddenly fell off it, but kept the line between his +teeth and worked his way into dead water. He soon reached +the other bank and gave a loud yell, while his faithless piebald +had turned back in the middle of the river and trotted +up to me, shaking himself. Tiger secured the raft, ran a +little way up the bank, and swam across to me with incredible +speed. We now mounted our horses and swam across, Jack +saluting his native land with a song of joy.</p> + +<p>The sun was setting as we trotted up the Leone in order<a name="Page_183" id="Page_183"></a> +to reach a camping place in the hills, where I had rested +many a night undisturbed, and to which I knew the road +perfectly. It soon became dark, but the stars were shining. +We could see enough not to lose our way, and hurried forward +wrapped in our buffalo robes, for the wind blew hard, +and we had become chilly in crossing the river.</p> + +<p>When near our destination, we were riding slowly up the +last ascent, when Tiger uttered his familiar expression of surprise, +"Hugh," and turning round pointed behind him, to the +Rio Grande. I looked back and saw a column of flame rising on +the hills on the opposite side, which rapidly spread southward. +The flames covered the whole hill, and the brilliantly +illumined smoke clouds rolled away over them. The fiery +waves poured savagely and uninterruptedly from hill to hill, +checked their speed but for a short time in the deep valleys, +and then darted with heightened fury up the next hill, +devouring everything that came in their way. The cedar +woods were on fire, and probably our last night's camp fire +was the cause of it. The violent wind had doubtless blown +the ashes of the burning trunk into the coppice and assailed +the surrounding cedars; ere long the whole southern horizon +was a sea of fire, out of which here and there isolated hills, +spared by the flames, rose like black islands. We lay till late +at night by our small camp fire, and watched the terribly-beautiful +scene, regretting our incautiousness or neglect, +which had entailed such fearful destruction. How many +thousand animals had found a martyr's death on that night, +and how probable it was that Indians resting there had been +devoured by the flames! After lying silently for a long +time looking across, Tiger uttered the words, "Poor Indians, +sleep warm," accompanied by a deep sigh.</p> + +<p>It was not till morning that fatigue overpowered us, and +we fell back on our saddles. We awoke when the sun was +pouring its golden light over the world, and brilliantly illumined +the gloomy scene of desolation. The bare, black +burned lime hills rose there above each other, wrapped them<a name="Page_184" id="Page_184"></a>selves +in black smoke-clouds, and seemed to accuse us to +awakening nature as the cause of the disaster. It was really +a disagreeable reproach cast at me by those hills, and we soon +set out, in order to escape the sad sight, and refresh our eyes +as soon as possible by a view of our cheerful home.</p> + +<p>We crossed the Leone about noon, at the same pretty spot +as when we began our journey, and soon saw the pleasant mountain +springs on our right. Our cattle also knew that we +were going home, and increased their pace. At length we +reached the hill where the first view of the fort could be +obtained, and joyfully greeted its grey wooden walls. It +was still early when we rode up to my settlement from the +adjoining valley, and two shots of rejoicing welcomed us from +the western turret of the fort, to which we responded by +firing our rifles. Everything was in the old state, the garrison +healthy, and the cattle in excellent condition; the only +change that had occurred was, that one of my mares had enriched +me with a young Czar, that several calves had been +dropped, and some dozen little pigs more were running about +the fort.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-197.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="500" height="385"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185"></a> +<a name="chapter17" id="chapter17"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-198.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="174"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE COMANCHE CHIEF.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">I felt</span> very comfortable in my pretty house, and Tiger informed +me with great satisfaction that no one had been in +his tent during our absence, in accordance with a promise I +gave him when we set out. For some days we hardly left +the fort, but enjoyed a rest. Tiger tanned the skins we had +brought home. I stuffed my condor, at which my young +friend was greatly amazed, and firmly declared that I restored +the bird to life. After this we rolled cigars, made new +clothes, repaired our saddles and bridles, and employed ourselves +with the thousand domestic jobs which gather even +during a short absence. But after we had attended to the +chief matters, several wants became visible which we could +only satisfy on the prairie. Thus, among others, our substitute +for sugar, honey, was expended, and at the supper table +we resolved on going out on this hunt the next morning, if it +was fine.</p> + +<p>The morning dawned bright and calm, and both conditions +are required for a winter bee hunt, as at this season the bees +only work in warm weather, and their course cannot be +watched when the wind is blowing hard. We got ready +immediately after breakfast, Tiger and I, armed as usual, +but Antonio and one of my colonists provided with heavy +sharp axes and buckets, while Jack carried two empty casks, +a copper kettle, large wooden spoons, and a tin funnel. Thus +we trotted over the spangled prairie across to Mustang +Creek, crossed it and its thick wood by a broad buffalo path, +and then rode down the prairie to a fork formed by the forest +on an affluent of the Mustang, joining that on the latter river.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186"></a>Here we halted, stuck a long pole, on which a small tin +frying-pan was fastened, into the ground, lit dry touchwood +in it, and laid on the top a piece of comb in which some honey +remained. Not far from this we put up another pole with a +paper smeared with honey upon it. The smoke of the boiling +wax and honey serves the bees cruising over the prairie as a +guide to the paper, and soon the busy gatherers arrive from +all the bee-trees in the neighbourhood, load themselves as +heavily as they can, and then go straight home in a direct +line. The hunter now observes in which direction the greatest +number of the insects swarm, because this leads him to expect a +richer tree as well as a shorter distance to go. When he has +decided on his route, he follows the swarm with his bait as far +as he can see it, then puts up the pole again and waits till they +settle, or the honey ones move and then fly home. Thus he +follows the industrious insects, till by their restless activity they +show him the spot where their treasures, collected during many +years, are concealed, and he then disturbs the colony with cruel +hand, robs it of its laboriously gathered stores, kills thousands +of the colonists, and drives the rest away homeless.</p> + +<p>We, for our part, behaved no better, except that we had +brought sacks in which to carry the shelterless bees home, +and give them an abode. A very large swarm went toward +the Leone and another to the affluent on the left. We decided +for the former, however, and in less than half an hour +found ourselves in front of a gigantic maple that grew on the +skirt of the forest, in whose long trunk, between the lowest +branches, the orifice of the tree was completely covered with +the insects. We hobbled our horses some distance from the +tree, lit a fire near it, and two of us set to work with the +axes to cut it down. Tiger and I had the first turn, and +when we were tired the two others took our place, till we thus +working in turn made the proud tree fall with its whole weight +on the grass, where its splinters flew a long way around.</p> + +<p>Each of us seized a firebrand and ran with buckets, spoons, +and knives to the cracked part of the trunk, where the<a name="Page_187" id="Page_187"></a> +honey was exposed while the bees circled high above us in +the air in a dense swarm. The firebrands were laid on the +ground near the honey, old damp wood was laid on them to +increase the smoke, and we hurriedly cut out the comb, and +poured the liquid honey into a bucket which we emptied into +the kettle which was slightly warmed by the fire. Honey +runs from the cells with a gentle heat, and when it is liquid +enough, the latter are pressed between two boards, till all the +honey runs out, after which it is strained through a coarse +sieve into the cask.</p> + +<p>By the time we had secured our booty it was noon, and we +recovered from our fatigue over a cup of coffee and maize cake, +then we went back to the spot we had started from and followed +the swarm to the small affluent, where we found the bees in +another old plane close to the prairie. We also robbed this +tree; it was even richer than the first, and contained layers +of honey probably fifteen years old, the oldest of which +were nearly black. When we had finished this job our two +casks were full, and the bucket loaded with quite fresh comb.</p> + +<p>Evening had arrived, and the bees had collected in a dense +mass on a branch of the felled tree. We held an open sack +under them, shook them in, and then rode back to the first +tree, whose colony we also took. We returned home with +our sweet stores, emptied our sacks into two hollow trees, +and placed them on a scaffolding near the fort. The honey +was conveyed to the storeroom, and the wax melted and laid +by when cold in plates. The Indians keep their honey and +bear lard in fresh deer hides, which they slit as little as +possible in skinning; they cut off the neck and legs, sew the +openings up very tightly with sinews, fill the skin, and close +the last opening in the same way, into which they thrust +a reed and squeeze the honey as they want it through the +latter. The honey keeps in this way very well, and is easier +to carry on horseback than in hand vessels. We employed +the honey in every way sugar is used in the civilized world. +We sweetened our coffee and tea with, it, employed it in<a name="Page_188" id="Page_188"></a> +cooking various dishes, in preserving fruit, such as grapes, +plums, mulberries, &c. In a word, it fully took the place of +that expensive and hardly procurable product of civilization, +and could always be obtained in such quantities that we +never ran short of it. When hunting in the neighbourhood +we very often found bee trees, which we marked in order to +plunder them as we wanted.</p> + +<p>Our table was now enriched by a fresh delicacy which we +enjoyed during the winter months: it consisted of wild +ducks and geese. These birds visited our river at this season +in great numbers, and spread in flocks over the water. The +very lofty banks, the numerous sharp turns, and the insignificant +breadth of the stream rendered it extraordinarily easy +to kill heaps of these birds in a short time. I usually took +with me two guns and a man with a pack horse, who followed +at some distance and placed the dead birds on the saddle. I +followed the steep river bank, every now and then creeping +down to the incline, and could then see from one bend to the +other where the birds were resting on the water. I generally +contrived to creep through the wood exactly over this spot, +without the birds perceiving me. I then whistled, while +holding the muzzle of my very large gun over the bank, and +the birds in their fright drew closer together. Then I sent a +charge of shot among them, and fired the other right among +the rising flock. Then I took the other gun and sent the +contents of both barrels after the flying ducks or geese. I +frequently shot in this way twenty in one flock. The remainder +generally joined the next flock farther down the +stream. Trusty and some spaniels accompanied me on this +chase and fetched the shot birds.</p> + +<p>Most of the ducks and geese that visited us were very +like the European, though rather larger; both are very fat +and well tasted, which is probably caused by the splendid +acorns they find among us. We generally carried a whole +load home, from which we merely cut the breasts, legs, and +livers, and boiled them into a jelly.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"></a>One afternoon, when Tiger had ridden off at an early hour +in pursuit of game, I took my gun to go after geese down +the river, which I heard croaking from the fort: I went out +without calling a dog, and ran down to the water; I passed +the garden and the ford, where the river winds to the north +in the wood, and went into the bushes in order to approach +the geese, which I had seen about a hundred yards farther +on. All at once I heard something like the footfall of a +horse echo through the forest on the opposite side. I listened, +and convinced myself that I was not mistaken. Tiger had +gone southward in the morning to Mustang Creek, and I +could not imagine how he was now returning from the north. +I lay down among the bushes, so as to keep an eye on the +ford: the noise drew nearer, till a mounted Indian appeared +on a path on the opposite side, who stopped there and looked +cautiously around.</p> + +<p>After a while the Redskin crossed the ford, ascended the +opposite bank, and taking his long rifle in his right hand, he +led his horse into a thick bush about forty paces ahead of me. +There he fastened it up, laid his rifle across his left arm, and +shook fresh powder into the pan from his horn. What could +the Indian intend, and to what tribe did he belong? These +questions occurred to me simultaneously with the suspicion +that he might probably have hostile designs. My gun was +loaded with not very heavy shot, but it carried as far as the +Indian's rifle, though it did not kill so certainly. I had, +however, some slugs in my hunting pouch, and while he was +repriming, I, as I lay flat on the ground, pulled out two of +the largest bullets that fitted my gun. I thrust them both +into the barrels, and then slowly drew the ramrod, pressed +two paper wads on the bullets, and returned the ramrod to +its place.</p> + +<p>During this the Indian had returned his powder-horn to its +place, taken his tomahawk from the saddle and thrust it +through his belt, woven several large leafy branches of evergreen +myrtle and rhododendron under his saddle, so that they<a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"></a> +concealed the colour of his light horse, and then, leaving the +path, went in a stooping posture through the wood toward my +garden. I cautiously followed him at a distance of about one +hundred yards, bending down close to the ground, continually +keeping behind the bushes and disappearing in the grass when +he stopped or made a movement as if to look round. He +seemed, however, only to keep his eye on the garden, and bent +lower the nearer he got to it. Suddenly he fell into the tall +grass between the evergreen bushes, and disappeared from my +sight. Had he heard me or seen me fall down? The point +now was which of us should see the other first. The grass +in which I lay was not very high, but green bushes hung +down to the ground in front of me, too close to be seen through +by my foe, but still leaving me sufficient gaps through which +to peep, while the bushes round him were scrubby and the +grass alone concealed him. If he had seen me he would certainly +not remain lying, as he would have the worst of it.</p> + +<p>I had raised myself sufficiently to survey his place, and +after a while noticed the grass waving a little to the left of +the spot where I had last seen him. Everything became still +and motionless again, and we lay thus for nearly a quarter of +an hour, when I saw the Indian raise his head out of the grass +and look about him; he had not noticed me yet, or else he +would not have exposed himself so recklessly to my fire. He +rose slowly and glided towards the garden; he got close to the +fence, which was made of ten logs placed in a zigzag over +each other, and on the outerside were heaped up the branches +of the trees from which the wood for the palisades had been +cut. I had put this up to prevent the buffaloes and deer from +forcing their way into the garden.</p> + +<p>The Indian now stepped close to the wall of dry branches, +while I lay in the bushes about a hundred yards behind him. +He stopped, looked into the garden for a long time, and then +round the wood; he then stooped and crept under the brushwood +up to the fence, seated himself crosslegged close to the +latter, and laid his rifle across one of the logs. While he was<a name="Page_191" id="Page_191"></a> +working his way through the branches and brushwood, I crept +on all-fours nearer to him and remained behind an oak about +forty yards from him. Just as I reached the tree, I broke a +thin dry branch with my hand, and the very slight sound +scarce reached the savage's ear, ere he started round and gazed +intently in my direction. I did not stir, but held my gun +firmly, with the determination that he should not leave the +spot alive.</p> + +<p>He looked towards me for nearly a quarter of an hour, still +trusting to the sharpness of his ears, when suddenly one of +my men, who was coming down from the fort with two +buckets to fill at the spring, could be heard whistling on the +other side of the garden. The Indian started round, thrust +his rifle through the fence, pointed at the spring, and knelt +down behind its long barrel. At the same instant I sprang +out from behind the oak, raised my gun, and sent the charge +of the right-hand barrel between the savage's shoulders; he +leapt up, and while doing so, I gave him the second charge, +after which he fell backwards into the brushwood. I shouted +to my man who, in his alarm, was running back to the fort, +and rushed to the Indian, who was writhing in his blood and +striking around with hands and feet. My comrade hurried +through the garden, and clambering over the fence, gazed +down at the shot man in horror. I explained to him in a few +words how accident had preserved his life, as the savage had +been lying in wait for him and had his rifle pointed at him, +and I then buried my knife in the heart of the quivering +savage. We took his rifle and medicine bag, fetched his horse +after I had reloaded, and took it up to the fort, where we +fastened it inside the enclosure.</p> + +<p>I impatiently waited for Tiger to obtain an explanation +from him, as I feared lest the shot man might be a Delaware. +The evening came and Tiger was not back yet. A thousand +suppositions, a thousand suspicions involuntarily crossed my +mind. Could Tiger be a traitor? could the Delawares have +broken their long-tried friendship with the white men? We<a name="Page_192" id="Page_192"></a> +drove our cattle in earlier than usual, rode them down to +water, laid our weapons ready to hand, and prepared to oppose +any possible attack. I went to the eastern turret and gazed +over the wide prairie, when I suddenly noticed far on the +horizon a black point that seemed strange to me. I looked +through my glass, and to my great delight recognised the large +white spots of Tiger's piebald.</p> + +<p>I now felt lighter at heart, ran down and waited for him at +the gate. At length he rode up to me from the last hollow, +loaded with deer and bear meat, and the hide of a small bear, +leapt from his horse and heartily shook my hand. I told +him what had happened, and he listened most attentively. +His eyebrows were contracted and his usually pleasant eyes +flashed savagely. He said nothing but "kitchi kattuh," +made me a sign to enter the fort, and when we reached the +dining-room where the dead man's hunting-bag lay, he cried, +"Kitchi," placed two fingers of his right hand before his +mouth, so that they seemed to be emerging from it, and repeated +"Kitchi," <i>i.e.</i> two tongues. He then led me out of the +fort, when he stopped, and said to me that the false kitchi +had laid watch for him in the garden and intended to take his +life, so that the Delawares might fancy we had killed him and +take their revenge on us. It had indeed gradually grown a +custom in the fort that Tiger, when he was at home, fetched +fresh water from the spring before supper, and his supposition +appeared to be well founded; still the unexpected appearance +of one of my men seemed to have turned the kitchi from +his original purpose, because he was on the point of sending +the bullet intended for Tiger through the chest of the latter.</p> + +<p>We now helped to hang up the meat brought in by Tiger, +and sat down to supper, when the occurrence naturally became +the sole subject of conversation, and was regarded from every +side. We agreed to bury the Indian, and I went, accompanied +by Antonio and Tiger, with a spade and a cedar-wood +torch, through the garden to the dead man. Tiger drew him +out of the brushwood, took off his beads, armlets, and leathern<a name="Page_193" id="Page_193"></a> +breech clout, and then dragged him with Antonio's help nearer +the river, where we dug a deep hole and buried the corpse.</p> + +<p>We soon forgot this incident, and went on with our winter +avocations as before. We slightly enlarged our field, which +was a fatiguing job, as it lay in the wood, and the bushes +grew very close together there. These and the smaller trees +were cut down and piled up round the larger ones, after the +latter had been out into the wood. After they had dried for +a week, they were kindled, which dried the bark of the large +trunks, and thus killed the tree. We then set to work with +a heavy plough to turn up the ground: this operation is +always performed twice or thrice through the winter, before +the seed is put in the ground in spring. It may be asked +why we did not lay out our field in the prairie, as we should +thus have saved this labour? The reason is that the prairie +soil is remarkably difficult to plough, because it consists of a +black hard earth, in which the delicate young plants have +unusually large roots, as hard as glass. I afterwards cultivated +land of this sort, and at the first breaking up had six +or eight draught cattle fastened to the plough. Then again, +this land, owing to its hardness, produces scarce no crop in +the first year, in the second a very poor one, in third a moderate +one, and not till the fourth a full crop. It is always +much more difficult to cultivate than the forest land, as the +heavy rains in the winter season always more or less restore +its firmness, while the forest soil bears prolifically in +the first year.</p> + +<p>In the garden we had plenty of work too; the potatoes +were laid in beds, in order to grow the tap roots, which are +cut off in spring and planted out in the field. Then the +tobacco beds were put in order, from which the young plants +were transplanted in February. The same plant produces +among us three or even four crops, as we always leave a +young shoot to grow, when the leaves are ripe enough to cut. +Then there were vegetables to sow, vines to prune, fruit-trees +to graft; in short, we had our hands full, and I only went<a name="Page_194" id="Page_194"></a> +with Tiger away from the fort to hunt bears, whose fat we +were obliged to collect at this time, as it is not nearly so +abundant at other seasons.</p> + +<p>One morning I resolved to go to Mustang Creek, and +choose a suitable spot where I could build a carriage bridge +across it, as I frequently had meat to fetch from the prairies +on the other side, and I also intended to make, by degrees, +a passable road to the settlements. I rode away at an early +hour, accompanied by Trusty, but at some distance from home +I noticed that Milo, an old bear-finder, was running after me, +which was a bore, as the good old dog, if he by chance hit on +a fresh trail, would be sure to follow it, and I had not intended +to hunt bears on this day. The dog was much too +slow and deaf, and I only gave him food for the many faithful +services he had rendered me: I did not care to ride back, +and hence called him closer up to my horse, and continued my +journey.</p> + +<p>I soon reached the river and was busy examining the +banks, when suddenly old Milo gave tongue, and had run too +far into the bushes for me to check him. I was sorry, for if +the old fellow had a row with a bear by himself, it would be +all over with him. I heard his bark going farther and farther, +and though I felt grieved, I was obliged to leave him +to his fate. After a while I fancied that I heard him continually +barking at the same spot. I listened, and it seemed +more than probable that he had attacked a bear. I must +hurry to his assistance, so I rode as far as I could into the +bushes, tied up my horse, and forced my way through the +thicket.</p> + +<p>I soon leaped through the last bushes, and to my surprise +saw Milo sitting in front of an old cypress and barking up at +it. I examined the gigantic trunk, and clearly saw on its +bark the traces of a bear which had climbed up it. In the +first fork the tree was hollow from top to bottom, and I did +not doubt for a moment but that Bruin was having his +winter sleep in it. To cut down the tree was a heavy task,<a name="Page_195" id="Page_195"></a> +as it was above eight feet in diameter, and then, too, it stood +among a number of other giants, against which it might +easily lean in falling, when we should not be able to get at +its occupant. I tapped round the tree to see whether it was +hollow far down, but I could not settle the point satisfactorily, +as I had no axe with which to hit hard enough.</p> + +<p>I quickly formed my resolution, caught up Milo, carried +him away from the trail, and hastened to my horse, which +speedily bore me home. Tiger was at the river washing +deer hides, when I arrived on the bank and informed him of +my discovery: he quickly packed up his skins, ran to his +tent, and hurried to the prairie to fetch the piebald. In less +than half an hour we were <i>en route</i> for the bear, accompanied +by Antonio and one of the colonists armed with axes, while +Jack followed us with a large pack saddle, and Trusty leaped +ahead of us. We soon reached the river, led our horses some +distance down it, and tied them up in the thicket; then we +went to the cypress in which our sleeper was. We examined +it and found it quite sound for over eight feet from the +ground, but from that point hollow, and more so on the +western side.</p> + +<p>We soon raised a framework of thin branches round the +tree, on which one of us was raised by turns, and cut an +opening in the trunk at the spot where the hollow began. +While one was engaged in this way, the others brought up +dry wood, which we piled up against the opening like a bonfire. +We then lit it, and ere long the flames crept up the +stem, and the dried bark fell off with a cracking sound into the +fire. We arranged ourselves round the tree at some distance +in such a way that we could cover it pretty well from all +sides, and expected every moment to see the bear quit its +winter quarters. We had been standing there, however, for +above an hour, and the gentleman did not make his appearance, +though the smoke was rising from the hollow. The +bear probably lay below the hole, and the smoke passed over +it without annoying it.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196"></a>All at once I saw sparks flying out of the tree, which +proved that it was beginning to catch fire inside. I shouted +to the others to look out, and just after I heard a crash, and +with it appeared the black form of a very old bear between +the first branches. The fright and embarrassment of my +gentleman were extraordinary, when he looked down into the +fire under him, and moved backwards and forwards undecided +what path to choose. I had told my men not to fire so long +as the bear was over the fire, but to let it advance on the +long branches far enough not to fall into the flames, which +would have deprived us of its splendid skin.</p> + +<p>Master Bear had by this time selected a very stout branch +and crept cautiously along it, looking down first on this side +and then on that at the flames, and was on the point of +making itself into a ball to have a drop, when I fired at it, +and in falling it clutched the branch with its claws in order +to drag itself up again. At the same moment, however, four +more bullets flew through it, and it came down with an enormous +blow. I ran up with a revolver, and shot it through +the head, whereupon it became quiet. It was one of the +finest bears we had killed during this year, and gave us a +large quantity of fat and a splendid skin. We broke it up, +packed on Jack as much as he could carry, and distributed +the rest among our horses. We then went home heavily +laden, and sat till late in the kitchen, busied in melting down +the grease, after enjoying some roast bear ribs for supper.</p> + +<p>At times there were slight domestic annoyances. A pig or +a calf was torn by the wolves, a few hen's nests plundered +by the racoons, a dog killed by the snakes, or a horse ran +a thorn into its foot. However, up to the present we had +preserved our health, we knew naught of sorrow, and the +thousand passions which civilized life entails, and which +become the source of endless suffering, were entirely lulled +to sleep among us. On the other hand we were deprived +of many enjoyments which social life affords, but at the same +time had countless pleasures, which must be given up there.<a name="Page_197" id="Page_197"></a> +The hardest thing to me was that I could not obtain books +without great trouble and expense, while events in the civilized +world were more or less unknown to me. At times I +received a packet of old newspapers, whose fragments, however, +only helped to render my confusion worse confounded. +To tell the truth, I was beginning to yearn for a nearer +connexion with the world and a little more society.</p> + +<p>One morning the dogs barked in an unusual manner, and +one of my men ran up to me and told me that one of my +buffalo calves, which I had captured in the last summer, and +of which I possessed eight, had leapt into the river, because +the dogs were tormenting it. I ran down to the river, and +after considerable exertions we succeeded in getting the +animal out, uninjured, but very fatigued. These calves were +remarkably tame, more so than those of our cows, and never +went far from the fort. In spite of their terrible appearance +they were very comical; all had names to which they +answered, and caused us much fun. I intended to train them +for working, and to breed a mixed race with my cattle, which, +however, only offers an advantage in meat and size, as the +buffaloes yield much less and worse milk than our domestic +kind. It is not possible to produce a breed between our +tame cow and the buffalo, as the cow cannot give birth to the +calf owing to the hump on the shoulders, and almost always +is killed by it; but the opposite breed flourishes and is +capable of further procreation. Buffalo oxen are excellent for +work, as they grow very tame and possess enormous strength; +the only fault is that when they are thirsty, no power on +earth can restrain them from satisfying their thirst. I knew a +planter on the Rio Grande, who employed a couple of these +animals, that ran away once with a heavy cart to the river, +and dashed over its steep bank to satisfy their thirst, but he +got them out again all right.</p> + +<p>Just as we were taking the saved buffalo up to the fort, +the sentry came to me and announced that five white men +were riding down the river, upon which I went to the turret<a name="Page_198" id="Page_198"></a> +and saw that the new arrivals were three white men, a negro +and a mulatto. About half an hour later the strangers rode +up to the fort and dismounted at the gate, while the coloured +men took their horses and unsaddled them. A fine looking +man of nearly sixty years of age advanced to me, shook my +hand and introduced himself to me as a Mr. Lasar, from +Alabama, one of his young companions as his son John, and +the other as his cousin Henry, of the same name. The old +gentleman had something most elegant and attractive about +his appearance, which evidenced lengthened intercourse with +the higher social circles; over his high bronzed forehead shone +his still thick though silvery hair, while long black eyebrows +overshadowed his light blue eyes, and his fresh complexion +seemed to protest against his white hair. Though fully six +feet high he carried himself with the strength of a man of +thirty, and his bright merry eyes proved that his mind was +still youthful. He was an old Spaniard, had settled when a +young man in Alabama, and though the blue eyes contradicted +his origin, it was manifested in all the rest of his countenance. +His son John was shorter and lighter built, with black curling +hair and very dark, but pleasant eyes, a nice looking +youth of seventeen, and cousin Henry a young man of +twenty odd, of middle height and narrow between the +shoulders, showed by his auburn hair and grey eyes, that his +blood was mixed.</p> + +<p>I conducted the strangers to the parlour and set before +them a breakfast, among the dishes being one of duck's breast +in jelly. The old gentleman was greatly surprised, and said +that he had not expected to find anything at my house +beyond very good game and roasted marrow bones. When +I treated them to French wine and cigars, and they surveyed +the ornaments of my room, they expressed the utmost surprise +at the amount of comfort they found, and John said that I +had everything precisely as his father intended to have it +when he settled here. The old gentleman now informed me +of his intention to come into my neighbourhood and requested<a name="Page_199" id="Page_199"></a> +my advice and aid. He had a cotton plantation in Alabama, +but the number of his negroes had increased so considerably +that he could not employ them all on his estate, and must +hire out the majority at very low wages; land was too high +in price there, so he preferred taking up Government land +here and submitting to the privations and dangers of a life +on the border. He now proposed to inspect the land, then +return and send on John with fifty negroes, so as to get a +maize crop ready, while he would follow in autumn with his +family and five hundred slaves. I was very glad to have such +neighbours, so I gladly offered him my services in showing +him as much fine land as he wanted close to mine.</p> + +<p>My guests rested for a few days and amused themselves +with inspecting my farm and arrangements, and making small +hunting trips in the vicinity, in which old Mr. Lasar eagerly +joined. It is true that he shot deer and turkeys with his +large fowling-piece loaded with swan shot, through which +many a head escaped him, and I reproached him for doing +so, as I considered this shameful butchery. He allowed his +fault, but said that no other weapon was employed in shooting +where he came from, but when he came out to join me, +he would also introduce the rifle.</p> + +<p>After my guests had rested sufficiently, I rode with them +over to the Mustang river, passed through its woods and +followed its course southward to its junction with the Rio +Grande. Here we turned back up the stream, and rode +along the forest to our morning track, so that the strangers +had ample opportunity for examining the land on both sides +of the river. Mr. Lasar was much pleased, and at once decided +on this land, as it fully satisfied all his wishes. We reached +home at a late hour, and Lasar was so perfectly contented +that he proposed returning home at once; but I urged him to +look at other land to the north of me, for which tour we made +our necessary preparations on the next day. On the third +morning we rode up the Leone to the spot where my border +line crossed it two miles from the fort. From this point to<a name="Page_200" id="Page_200"></a> +the source of the river lay very fine land too, although the +woods were not so extensive as lower down it.</p> + +<p>We spent the night at the wellhead, and then rode northwards +to Turkey Creek, in which tour we found a great deal +of land well adapted for ploughing, although the smaller quantity +would have rendered it better suited for small settlers. +Still the country here aroused Mr. Lasar's admiration, and he +declared that before two years had passed it should be all +occupied by friends of his from Alabama. I reminded him of +the human skulls and bones, which I had shown him at the +sources of the Leone, belonging to settlers murdered by the +Indians, who had come from Georgia, and only enjoyed the +pleasures of a border life for a few months. He said, however, +that so many families must arrive simultaneously +as would hold the Indians within bounds. For his own part +he decided on Mustang River, and on reaching the fort again, +he rested two more days with me, which we employed in +talking over and settling everything. On this occasion I +proposed to hire of him twelve negroes whom he could send +with his son, for I wanted to begin cotton planting. He +agreed most willingly, as, when he settled, he would require a +good many things of me, such as maize, pigs, cows, fowls, +tallow, bear's grease, &c., and we could deduct their value from +the rent. On the third morning I accompanied my guests +some distance and then rode home with the brightest prospects +for the future.</p> + +<p>A most unexpected event brightened my hopes for the +future even more. A few days after Lasar's departure a +party of seven Comanche Indians came riding up the river, +armed with unstrung bows, and no lances. They rode up to +the fence, and one of them shouted—"Captain, good friend," +and I went out to them and asked what they wanted. One +of them spoke English very well, and appeared to me a +Mexican, who had probably been stolen by them in childhood +and had since lived among them. He said that the chief of all +the Comanches, Pahajuka (the man in love) had sent them<a name="Page_201" id="Page_201"></a> +to ask me whether he might come and make a friendship +with me? He had heard that I was a good friend to other +Indians, and wished me to become his friend as well. The +message greatly surprised me, as hitherto, when I had come +in contact with men of this nation, we had used our weapons. +My first feeling was a suspicion that they wished to effect by +treachery what they had not been able to do by arms: still +I would not entirely repulse them, and said that if they were +speaking to me with one tongue, and desired my friendship, +I would readily give it to them; but if they were double-tongued +I would become still more their enemy, and in that +case they would not be able to sleep peacefully in these +parts.</p> + +<p>I told them at the same time that I should expect their +chief on the next morning, on which their speaker intimated +that their tribe were encamped a long way off, and Pahajuka +had sent them down from there, but when the sun rose for +the tenth time he would be here. I promised to wait for him +on the appointed morning, and then the savages rode away +and soon disappeared behind the last hill on the prairie. +Whatever might be the results of the impending conference, +I was resolved to make every effort to produce, if possible, +more pleasant relations between myself and the Comanches, as +by far the greater number of Indians who visited our country +belonged to this nation, and the incessant hostilities with +them became the more annoying to me in proportion as my +cattle and property became augmented.</p> + +<p>It was now winter, and in addition to our domestic tasks, +we principally employed our time in hunting bears, as I greatly +needed their grease on the arrival of the expected new settlers +and could sell it very profitably. For the sake of fun we +also went out singly at night to shoot deer by the system of +pan-hunting, so usual in the Eastern States, but which I rarely +employed, although it is remarkably productive. This hunt +is effected on horseback: the sportsman carries over his left +shoulder a stout stick about six feet in length, to the upper<a name="Page_202" id="Page_202"></a> +end of which a frying-pan with a high rim is fastened. In +this pan he lays some small-cut pieces of pine-wood, which, +when kindled, burn for a long time with a very bright flame, +and allow him distinctly to see every object for a long distance, +while himself seeing nothing of the fire behind his +back.</p> + +<p>Deer, antelopes, and other animals when they see the moving +fire, hurry up to it in order to satisfy their curiosity. The +hunter can see the animal's eyes glistening at a distance of eighty +yards, while he is scarce visible himself. He rides nearer up +to distinguish the body more clearly, but generally contents +himself with the eyes, which he takes as his mark, and discharges +his rifle at them. Owing to the light which falls +from behind on the barrel and the back of the sight, a most +careful aim can be taken, and as a rule you can ride up to +within thirty or forty yards of the animal. Even after the +shot I have seen the unhit animals only run a few yards and +then stop curiously, so that I have been able to give them a +second barrel. Over the horse's hind-quarters a large wet +blanket or hide is laid to protect it from the sparks or coals +that might fall out of the pan. It is the easiest way of +killing game, and in places not thickly covered with wood +this mode of hunting promises an extraordinary charm, +through the wondrous illumination which the fire produces +on the green, flower-clad foliage. A whole forest may be depopulated +in this way, and hence I regard it as quite unworthy +of a true sportsman.</p> + +<p>For all that, we now and then went pan-hunting for the +sake of the fun, but never shot till we could plainly distinguish +the animal, which prevented any butchery. In the +old States, where people only care about killing the game, +this mode of hunting is almost exclusively employed, and in +those regions where game still exists, you rarely enter a +planter's house without seeing a pan behind the door. Very +frequently, though, in those inhabited districts, the nightly +sportsman is disagreeably undeceived by the yell of agony<a name="Page_203" id="Page_203"></a> +from his own steer, mule or horse, which he has attracted +from its pasture by its fire, for the flashing eyes do not tell +the nature of the animal. I remember going one night on +foot, with the pan on my shoulder, round my field to check +the deer, which were doing great damage to my beans. Suddenly +I saw a pair of large eyes gleaming before me which +slowly approached and constantly became larger and more +fiery. They came slowly along the fence to me, and seemed +such a height from the ground that I could not imagine to +what fabulously large animal they belonged. They stopped, +but I did not know whether at a distance of twenty or fifty +yards. I fired, heard something dash across the field, and +the eyes disappeared. The next morning I went with Trusty +to the spot where I had fired, and we soon found a dead lynx, +which had come toward me in the darkness walking on the +fence. In those parts, where the cattle graze at liberty, this +sport is consequently most dangerous, as you run as much +chance of killing your best horse as a deer or tiger-cat.</p> + +<p>We also had great fun this winter in destroying the wolves, +which we pursued in every possible way, as they were very +dangerous to my cattle. The easiest way of killing them is +poisoning with strychnine, but I did not employ it near my +house through fear of hurting my dogs. For this object we +always rode some miles away, threw a fresh deer-paunch on +the ground, and trailed it after us by a long rope. Thus we +rode past the wood out into the prairie, where we pulled up the +paunch at a spot which displayed little grass, and then scattered +the little lumps of poisoned meat. This was always +done in the evening, and on the next morning we rode back +to the spot, where we found the dead wolves lying about, +which rarely went a hundred yards from the spot where they +devoured the meat.</p> + +<p>It caused us greater pleasure, however, to capture them in +traps, a quantity of which we always had set round the fort. +They were made in the following way:—Four stout posts +were driven into the ground, forming a square of about four<a name="Page_204" id="Page_204"></a> +feet, and inside of them other longer posts were laid till they +formed walls about three feet in height: we then drove four +more posts into the angles of the walls, and fastened them +securely to those outside. In these chests we placed a +flooring, so that the captured animal could not escape by +scratching up the ground, and on the top of the cage a cover, +weighed down in front by large stones. The other end of +the cover was fastened to the trap with very strong withes, +and the forepart was raised, a prop was placed under it, which +fell at a slight touch, and caused the cover to shut. At night +we trailed a fresh deer-paunch from a long distance to the +trap, threw meat in, then dragged it to the next trap, and so +on till all were baited. We caught a great many wolves in +this way, which we often took home alive and let the dogs +hunt them to death on the prairie. In order to take them +alive out of the trap we used an iron fork, which we struck +into the ground over the wolf's neck, and then pressed its +head down till we had fastened its feet. It is remarkable what +an innate dislike dogs entertain for these animals. Frequently +when I had killed one of them, whose skin was not worth +taking home, I merely cut off its nose and threw it on the +ground near the fort, upon which all my dogs gathered round +and kept up the most fearful barking for hours.</p> + +<p>At length the day arrived on which the chief of the +Comanches had appointed his visit, and at about 7 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> three +of these savages came up to the fort to inform me that their +leader was encamped half-an-hour's distance off in the woods +of the Leone, and expected me there. I asked Tiger's advice, +and he advised me to ride out, as the Comanches meant +honestly. I therefore saddled and rode, accompanied by +Tiger, one of my colonists, and Trusty, out to the Indians, +and told them they could ride on and I would follow. We +soon reached the spot where Pahajuka was encamped, and I +noticed to my satisfaction that only a squaw and a single +man were seated at his fire.</p> + +<p>I dismounted, left my man with the horses, and walked up<a name="Page_205" id="Page_205"></a> +to the chief, who now rose and folded me in his arms twice. +Then his squaw came to me and evidenced her friendship in +the same way. Pahajuka was a man of about sixty years +of age, of middle height, plump, and possessing a very +pleasant, kindly appearance. He was entirely dressed in +deer-hide, had very fine beads round his neck, and in his raven +black hair he had fastened a tail of plaited buffalo hair five +feet in length, on which a dozen round silver plates, four +inches in width, were fastened. He wore this tail hanging +over his right arm, and it seemed to me as if this ornament +was only worn on solemn occasions, as I never saw it again, +though I met this savage frequently. The squaw was a +powerful, stout, extremely pleasant matron, who appeared to +take a great interest in establishing friendly relations between +us. She was very talkative, and the interpreter could scarce +keep pace with her tongue.</p> + +<p>After the first explanations why they desired my friendship, +the squaw fetched several sorts of dried meat in leathern +bags, spread them on a buffalo hide, and begged me to take the +meal of friendship with them. Tiger, too, sat down, and my +other companion was obliged to do the same. It tasted very +poor to us, whose tongues were spoiled by the culinary art; +still we did our best, and the same with the pipe, which +Pahajuka sent round afterwards. When these forms had +been gone through, the old squaw packed up her traps again +on her mule, and mounted it, while the chief seated himself +on a similar animal, which was of very rare beauty.</p> + +<p>We now rode, followed by the Indians, to the fort, where +the latter camped outside, while Pahajuka and his squaw sat +down in our parlour. I had coffee and pastry served up to +them, both of which it seemed they had taken before, and +they disposed of them heartily. Then I gave them both a +pipe and tobacco, and then the conversation began, in which +the interpreter's services were greatly called upon. They +told me that before I came into these parts, the Comanches +had always been able to sleep here quietly, and their children<a name="Page_206" id="Page_206"></a> +and cattle had grown fat; but since I had been here, their +hearts had always beaten with terror, and they were unable +to sleep at their fire at night. They now wished to make +peace with me, and when they came to me, carry their +weapons into my house, and fold their arms, so that their +cattle might graze in peace, and their children grow fat.</p> + +<p>After this affair had been long discussed, and all possible +assurances of friendship given on both sides, I turned the +conversation to my guests, and heard that Pahajuka was +supreme chief of the whole Comanche nation, and his wife a +person of importance in all consultations. The old lady was +very sensible and really amiable. She moved with a great +deal of gracefulness, and was constantly in the merriest +temper. She laughed and joked with her husband as if she +were a young girl, and if he reproached her for it by a serious +look, she turned laughingly to me, and asked me if she looked +so old as not to be allowed a joke? At dinner the two old +people behaved very properly, although they could not quite +manage to eat with a knife and fork, and frequently helped +with their fingers. They enjoyed everything excessively, and +said they would take with them a bit from each dish. I was +curious whether they would sleep in the fort or prefer the +camp of their people. The evening came, and after we had +supped, and food had been given the Indians outside, I prepared +a bed for the old couple in the parlour, put up two +tallow candles for them, and told them when one was burnt +out to light the other, as candles delighted them uncommonly. +Then I intimated to them that I always closed the fort at +night, as they must tell their Indians. They were quite +satisfied and lay down on the unusual bed, laughing and +jesting.</p> + +<p>I chained up all the dogs during the night to prevent any +disturbance of the peace, and was awakened at a very early +hour by my new friends rapping at my door. They had both +slept famously, and assured me that ere long all the chiefs +of their nation would come to make friendship with me,<a name="Page_207" id="Page_207"></a> +and wherever Comanches lived, I could now ride and lie +down to sleep in safety. The old people had something so +honest in their manner, that I no longer doubted the truth +of the sentiments they expressed; and though I never carelessly +trusted to the honesty of isolated Indians of this tribe, +the assurance of the couple was confirmed, and I was never +again engaged in hostilities with these people.</p> + +<p>My guests remained three days with me, after which I +dismissed them with numerous trifling presents, consisting of +articles of clothing, coloured handkerchiefs, tobacco, a couple +of blankets, small hand-glasses, &c. I accompanied them on +their first day's journey, slept with them that night, and then +took leave with promises of a speedy meeting. Afterwards +they visited me regularly several times a year, and as they +had predicted, all the tribes of their nation came in turn to +make peace with me, and their example was followed by +others, such as the Mescaleros, Kioways, Shawnees, &c.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-220.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="500" height="325"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"></a> +<a name="chapter18" id="chapter18"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE NEW COLONISTS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">A few</span> months had passed since my Alabama friends left me, +and I had heard nothing more of them, when one morning +the watchman told me, with great joy, that a long train of +men, draught cattle, and carts was coming down the river. I +soon recognised through my glass young Lasar and his cousin +Henry, surrounded by a large number of negroes. The train +moved very slowly onwards, and did not stop before the fort +for some hours, when I greeted the new-comers most heartily. +John had sixty odd strong negroes with him, twelve of whom +were intended for me; and brought stores and tools with him +on five large waggons, each drawn by six oxen. He had made +the journey by steamer, <i>viâ</i> New Orleans, and partly on the +Rio Grande. When they landed he bought the draught cattle, +and had reached me without any accident. I kept them a +few days with me to let them rest, and then proceeded with +them across to Mustang River, where they camped on the +ground selected by Mr. Lasar.</p> + +<p>They chose for their maize-field a spot in the advance +woods, where the soil was rich and loose, and the trouble of +blazing the trees and ploughing round them was saved. The +negroes advanced in their job with almost incredible rapidity, +and in a short time a field of some hundred acres was cleared, +ploughed, and fenced. Up to that time, the negroes lay at +nights under tents or in their carts, but now they built blockhouses +and put up fences, in which the mules and horses +rested at night. John rode over to me regularly to spend the +night with me, and on Sunday we hunted in the neighbourhood. +He was a good shot, laid aside the shot-gun for the<a name="Page_209" id="Page_209"></a> +rifle and pistols, and soon learned to use these weapons +excellently.</p> + +<p>My life from this time underwent a change. I had twelve +negroes at my disposal, and must so employ them as not +only to get their hire out of them, but also attain the object +for which I had hired them, namely, making a profit. With +this the careless, happy life which had surrounded me for +years, far from humanity, was at an end, and the god of gold, +with his thousand sufferings, hatefulnesses, and sorrows, began +to establish his despotic rule even here. I now made a second +extensive field which was sown with maize, by the side of my +old one, while in the latter I planted cotton, as this plant +does not flourish in new ground. I took young oxen from +the pasturage and forced them into the strange yoke. My +mules, which had hitherto only fetched at rare intervals our +few wants from the settlements, were now attached to the +plough at daybreak, and forced with the whip to toil till sunset. +My colonists had so much to do all day that they went +to bed at an early hour, and we no longer sat, as of yore, cozily +round the table, talking and jesting about the unimportant +events which had occurred during the day. In a word, the +whole colony felt the change. Peace had departed and made +room for the restless activity of civilization. Tiger did not +like the change, although I carefully avoided everything +which might render his residence among us less agreeable. +He was now obliged to ride out hunting alone, while we +required far more meat than before. Still I frequently tore +myself away and went with him for three or four days into +the desert, in order to recall past times, if only temporarily. +Summer arrived with a rich harvest, and with it again +fresh, uninterrupted toil. My neighbours had also been +rewarded for their exertions by an immense maize crop, and +employed the late summer in building larger houses for +the reception of Lasar and his family. Strangers came to +prospect the land in our neighbourhood, and all went away +contented with an assurance that they would soon settle here.<a name="Page_210" id="Page_210"></a> +Among them were many unpleasant characters, but I consoled +myself with the thought that they would not become +near neighbours of mine, for I possessed all the forest land +down the river, so far as it was suitable for cultivation, and +up stream Lasar had purchased a large district adjoining my +frontier. They could not settle on the open prairie without +water or wood, and hence they must proceed to the streams +farther north, where I was tolerably out of their reach.</p> + +<p>In autumn, Mr. Lasar arrived with his wife, two daughters, +and a younger son, and brought with him about five hundred +negroes, a number of fine horses and splendid cattle. Our +social circumstances thus advanced a stage. This highly educated +and amiable family offered me pleasures which appeared +to me quite new and attractive, and I did not reflect that I +had bidden farewell to them some few years back through +sheer weariness. The deer-hide dress was now frequently +changed for the costume of former days, the razors looked +up, an old negress hired who knew how to wash and iron, +and imperceptibly many long-forgotten follies and considerations +crept into our simple, natural life. Civilization, however, +had set its foot in our paradise once for all, and nothing was +able to oppose its rapid advance.</p> + +<p>The winter brought several large planters to Mustang +River, above Lasar's estate, and the land toward the northern +rivers was occupied by others, while to the south of us the +settlements of the Rio Grande also increased. All these new-comers +were persons who occupied large districts, by which +the disagreeable small neighbourhood was avoided. Still a +few squatters had already settled here and there on the less +valuable small lots between our estates, and among them were +some most unsatisfactory persons.</p> + +<p>One Sunday morning I was riding several miles above the +fort through the woods in the direction of the Leone. I had +thrown the reins on Czar's neck and was no great distance +from the river bank, when Trusty stopped and looked round +to me with a growl. I called him back and rode slowly up<a name="Page_211" id="Page_211"></a> +the small elevation whence I could look down at the river. +To my surprise, I saw there a pretty young woman, with a +man's arm round her waist, sitting on the bank, where they +had made coffee over a small fire, and were now comfortably +drinking it. Not far from them a powerful horse was grazing, +and close by stood a two-wheeled cart, which contained some +household articles and provisions. The long single rifle lay +by the man's side, and a couple of deer legs and a turkey +were hanging on the tree behind him. "Hilloh, sir, you are +on Indian territory!" I shouted to the stranger, and he +hurriedly leaped up rifle in hand, but I rode up to him with +a smile, and blamed his recklessness, remarking that if I had +been an Indian he would no longer be among the living.</p> + +<p>I was surprised at the beauty of the female, whose raven +shining hair formed an admirable contrast with the deep carmine +of her cheeks and lips, and the transparent alabaster of +her delicate skin. She also rose and looked at me with her +large blue eyes, from under her long lashes. A loose, light +dress was fastened round her waist by a red silk handkerchief, +and advantageously displayed her tall graceful figure, and +little feet thrust into light shoes of deer-hide. I asked whither +they were going, and if they were acquainted with the country? +The stranger said that he intended to settle in the neighbourhood: +he had followed the wagon trail of the planter +who had settled on the Mustang, and was told by him that +no more land was to be had here; hence he resolved to go +farther north and look for a farm. The restless, shy look of +the man displeased me, and hence I did not invite him to rest +with me and lay in fresh provisions, but wished him luck in +his undertaking and continued my journey. I heard afterwards +that he was living twenty miles to the north of me; +that the woman he had with him was the wife of a prosperous +planter in Kentucky, whom he had murdered: they fled +together and reached the desert, where human justice could +not follow them. Some years later I saw him again near his +small log hut, wretched and wasted, and shortly after he died<a name="Page_212" id="Page_212"></a> +of an arrow wound in the chest, which an Indian dealt him. +Such persons unfortunately are always among the first +pioneers of civilization, and disturb the social relations of the +borderers.</p> + +<p>Although our changed mode of life offered many pleasant +and interesting hours, still I was unable to drive from my +heart the yearning for the old utter independence, which had +almost grown a second nature. Frequently, when I rode at +an early hour through the dark woods, the sounds of my +neighbour's axe aroused me from my dreams; or, when I rode +over the wide prairies, where I was accustomed to see the +endless expanse covered with grazing herds of buffalo, I now +only noticed here and there small bands of these animals passing +hurriedly and timidly as if frightened at having strayed +among the settlements. The antelope, that ornament of the +prairies, could only be seen on the most remote heights; the +deer had remained more constant to their grazing-grounds, +but they too had grown more restless and attentive to the +heightened danger.</p> + +<p>The other side of the Rio Grande was less changed, and +game will be protected there for many years to come, by +the insurmountable mountains that surround the valleys; +but it required a much greater outlay of time to seek +the game there which formerly animated the immediate +vicinity of my residence. Tiger was beginning to grow impatient, +and often said to me that the game in our vicinity had +now got too many eyes and feet, and he would go northwards +to the great mountains before spring arrived. For a long +time past I had been desirous of passing through the Rocky +Mountains, but never was the yearning greater to throw myself +once more into the arms of virgin nature than at this moment, +when civilization drew me back by force into its sphere. +In spite of the repeated representations which reason and my +material interests urged against such an undertaking, I resolved +to start in February for these unknown countries. One +of my men was an excellent farmer, and in every way deserving<a name="Page_213" id="Page_213"></a> +of my entire confidence, so that I could with safety place the +management of my settlement in his hands; while one of the +other two, of the name of Königstein, insisted on accompanying +me, to which I readily assented, as he had given me a thousand +proofs of his fidelity and devotedness. With these qualities, +so valuable for me, he united a determination and courage +which nothing could daunt, and I have often seen him in the +most desperate circumstances laughingly defy the danger. +John Lasar was enthusiastic when I told him of my intention; +he earnestly desired to accompany me, and begged me +to procure his father's consent. The enterprise appeared to +the old gentleman rather daring, and he made all possible +objections, but he at last yielded to our entreaties, and +equipped his son with a brace of splendid revolvers, while I +supplied him with one of my double-barrelled guns. Königstein +was armed with a double rifle, but also carried in a +leathern sheath fastened to his saddle a four-barrelled gun, +two pistols in his belt, and two in his holsters.</p> + +<p>While we were engaged in making our preparations for the +great journey, several of Lasar's friends arrived from Alabama, +among them being two young men, a Mr. MacDonald and a +Mr. Clifton, who came to me with John, and earnestly asked +my leave to form the party. I was glad to have them, as their +exterior was very pleasing, and our number was still small for +a journey in which thousands of dangers and fatigues awaited +us. We worked hard at getting ready, in which John's elder +sister materially assisted us. New suits of deer-hide were +made, two small tents prepared, and a large sheet varnished to +make it water-tight and thus protect our baggage from the +rain. Then biscuits were baked, coffee, salt, pepper and +sugar stamped into bladders, a small cask filled with cognac, +cartridges made, and our saddlery inspected; in short, there +were a thousand matters to attend to, and thus the last days +of January found us with all hands full of work for our expedition, +while we had appointed February 1 for the start.</p> + +<p>On the last day of January there was a grand review in<a name="Page_214" id="Page_214"></a> +front of the fort, where we appeared fully equipped for a start +in order to inspect everything and discover anything that +might still be wanting. An invention of mine caused us +great amusement. It was a transportable boat to convey our +traps across large rivers, consisting of a large round very +firmly sewn piece of linen, resembling an open umbrella +put on its point. The edge was covered by a very broad +leather, in which was a drawing cord. The linen was thickly +covered with linseed varnish and hence quite waterproof. +When in use, eight stout sticks were laid crossways, with +the ends thrust into the edge of the linen, so that they +expanded it and drew the running cord tight. We expanded +it, carried it to the Leone, placed Antonio in it, and Tiger swam +through the river on his piebald and dragged the vessel after +him to the other bank and back again, while Antonio was +not touched by a single drop of wet. After the sticks had +been taken out the linen was rolled up, and formed a small +bale, which was packed with other articles on the mule. I had +seen something similar among the Indians, who take for this +purpose a fresh buffalo hide and stretch out in a similar way +with staves. Our equipment was hence as perfect as it could +be for a journey on which the traps can only be carried on +mules, and the second of February was appointed for the +start, while we would take leave of the Lasars on the first.</p> + +<p>Pleased and full of enthusiasm about our enterprise we +spent the day, and on saying good-bye in the evening Lasar +promised to accompany us with his family and spend the first +night of our camp life with us. The next morning found us +busied at an early hour in arranging our baggage and dividing +it among our cattle. Czar displayed his full beauty and +strength, and expressed by loud neighing his delight at +starting this time with so large a party. Königstein saddled +the cream-colour for himself, who also looked the picture of +strength, and proudly raised his long black tail over his +croup. Tiger's piebald impatiently stamped with his forefeet, +and responded with a neigh to every mark of joy from Czar<a name="Page_215" id="Page_215"></a> +and the cream-colour. Antonio saddled for himself the iron-grey +mare, and decorated its bridle and saddle with gay +ribbons and strips of leather. Honest Jack was loaded with +provisions and other effects, which were placed in two baskets, +while our tent was laid atop, and the whole covered with the +waterproof linen. Trusty was still chained up and attentively +watched our movements, but knew already that he was +going to accompany me, as I frequently spoke to him and had +put him on his new broad collar.</p> + +<p>We had almost completed our preparations when we saw +a long train of riders coming from Mustang River over the +prairie, led by a gentleman on a powerful <a name="tn_png_228"></a><!--TN: "apple-grey" changed to "dapple-grey"-->dapple-grey, and a +lady on a black horse. They were our friends from the +Mustang; at their head rode old Mr. Lasar on a fine +Virginian thoroughbred, and by his side pranced a coal-black +stallion, who did honour to his pure Andulasian descent from +his muzzle to the tip of his flying tail, and proud of the load +he carried on his back, bowed his strength before the delicate +hand, which guided him by a dazzlingly white bridle. Julia, +Lasar's eldest daughter, was the mistress of this splendid animal. +Her tall graceful form, her brilliant black locks falling under +her tall hat, her dark eyes overshadowed by long lashes, and +the long white feather which waved in her hat, reminded me +of her noble ancestry in the days of Ferdinand and Isabella. +Behind them rode John Lasar by his mother's side on a +chestnut mare of pure Arab blood, then came the youngest +daughter and the youngest son, MacDonnell and Clifton, +several neighbours from the Mustang, and lastly loaded pack-horses +with a number of mules. The caravan came over the +last height to the Fort, and was joyfully welcomed by us. A +cup carved out of a buffalo horn, filled with Sauterne, was +handed to the guests on horseback, and then also emptied by +us to the toast of a pleasant journey and fortunate return, +and we at once took leave of home for an indefinite period.</p> + +<p>The end of our journey, as we had temporarily arranged, +was the highest yet known point on the Rocky Mountains,<a name="Page_216" id="Page_216"></a> +the Bighorn, which is situated in the 42° of latitude, and to +which we had a distance of about eight hundred miles to ride. +Our road ran eastward from the mountains and did not +ascend the Rio Grande, along whose bank is the road through +the several old Spanish forts, which begins at El Paso del +Norté and passes through Santa Fé to Taos. If it is borne in +mind that the entire distance had hardly ever been trodden by +white men, and that consequently no settlement existed there; +that no other roads led through the Rocky Mountains and +almost impenetrable forests except buffalo paths; that our journey +would be made through the hunting-grounds of the most +savage and hostile cannibal hordes—it will be felt that the +moment of parting was an earnest one. The charm, however, +which dangers, privations, and difficulties possess for man—the +thought that entirely new scenes of nature, a whole new +world was about to be presented to us, rendered the leave-taking +light. And so we turned our horses away from home +toward these unknown regions.</p> + +<p>Tiger led the file, and at once commenced his duties as +guide. I followed by the side of Julia Lasar, whose proud +steed appeared to be jealous of Czar, then came the other +friends in pairs, till our pack-horses completed the train. +Trusty bounded before us and expressed by barking his +delight at the large party, which was a novelty to him. A +little way below the Fort we crossed the river, where each +watered his horse, and then proceeded towards the wood on +the opposite side along a narrow buffalo path. I cut away +the creepers and vines hanging over the path, in which Tiger +helped me, for this was the first time it had been ridden by +white ladies. On reaching the prairie on the other side of the +wood, where the grass was still very short and offered no impediment +to our horses, we rode in frequently varying +groups, galloped from one to the other, tried the speed of our +horses, and shortened the length of the road by jokes and +laughter.</p> + +<p>We had chosen Turkey Creek as our halting-place, and rode<a name="Page_217" id="Page_217"></a> +at a quick pace in order to reach our camping-ground by daylight. +At noon we made a short halt at an affluent of the +Leone, to give our ladies time to dine, and at the same time +allow our horses to graze. During this short delay the buffalo-horn, +filled with wine, was passed round, and was accompanied +by singing and merriment. No one appeared to +reflect that the next morning would bring a parting more or +less hard for us all, but all yielded to their gay humour without +a check. At about one o'clock we held the ladies' stirrups—helped +them on their horses again, and ere long the whole +party were moving northward. The short rest had done the +cattle good, and they hastened in a quick amble across the +prairie, which was already beginning to be adorned with its +spring beauty. The breeze was fresh, the sky clear and +diaphanous, and everything around seemed to be powerfully +cheered by the splendid weather. Snorting and neighing, our +horses pranced after Tiger's flying piebald, and right and left +amazed deer, and at a greater distance rapid antelopes leaped +up.</p> + +<p>While riding through a narrow coppice, we suddenly saw +before us, at no great distance, a herd of grazing buffaloes, who +for a moment gazed at us in astonishment, and did not +appear to have formed a decision as to whether they should +bolt or stand an attack. A loud hunting shout ran along our +ranks, and I saw on all sides pistols and revolvers being torn +from the belts. In vain did I strive to master the enthusiasm +of my comrades, and hold them back by the observation +that we were heavily loaded, were not hunting, but +commencing a long journey, in which we must spare the +strength of our horses. Away the cavalry flew after the +piebald. I could hardly hold back my impetuous steed by +the side of Miss Julia's black, whom the very sharp bit alone +prevented from bolting, till the lady uttered a wish to follow +the chase, as these were the first buffaloes she had seen. Her +younger sister joined her, and thus only Lasar and his wife, +the negroes and pack animals, remained behind.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218"></a>On flew the noble black stallion, guided by the steady hand +of his young mistress, from whose hat the white feather +floated, while the ends of the long red scarf tied round her +riding habit fluttered behind her. I held Czar in a little, so +as not to excite the black horse too much, while Julia's +sister's pony followed us at some distance, and behind it +honest heavily-loaded Jack came panting, whom the negroes +had been unable to keep in the ranks of the pack cattle. We +were soon close to the flying herd, whose thundering hoofs +drowned the sound of my comrades' pistols. We dashed past +an enormous buffalo, which had sunk seriously wounded with +its hind quarters on the ground, and standing on its huge +fore-legs was holding its broad shaggy head towards us. Immediately +after we saw another quit the ranks in front of us, +and dash after John, who was flying before it on his fast +mare. I shouted to Julia to check her horse, in which she +succeeded after some efforts, and we now rode up to the +wounded buffalo, which, with head down, was preparing for +action. We stopped about fifty yards from it, when John, +who saw that I had raised my rifle, shouted to me not to fire, +as he wished to kill the animal himself. He fired, and the +buffalo rolled over in a crashing fall. Our comrades also collected +in the distance round one of the animals, which, being +wounded, stood at bay, and was soon killed. Then they rode +back with shouts of triumph, and stopped with us till Mr. +and Mrs. Lasar came up. The ladies were delighted with +the savage, though splendid scene, and confessed that hunting +possessed an attraction which might easily render a man +passionately fond of it. We left the negroes behind with a +few pack animals, to take the hides and best meat from the +killed buffaloes, then ordered them to follow our trail, and +rode on to the camping-ground on Turkey Creek, which we +reached at sunset.</p> + +<p>Lasar's spacious marquee was quickly put up, and the long +pennants hoisted over it: in front of this tent a large fire was +lit, and buffalo hides spread round it, on which the ladies<a name="Page_219" id="Page_219"></a> +reclined. We attended to the horses, carried our baggage to +other fires at which we intended to spend the night, and then +gradually collected in front of Lasar's tent, where the coffee +was already boiling and various kettles for supper were standing +in the ashes. The negroes too soon rode up with heavily-loaded +cattle, and each of us put some of the meat on a spit +in front of the fire, or laid a marrow-bone to roast. The +night was magnificent, not a breath of air stirred the dark +leaves of the primćval evergreen live oaks, which spread out +their long horizontal branches over our heads. Between +them the moon, in its first quarter, spread its silvery light +over us, and the sky was covered with twinkling stars. In +the dark distance we could hear the notes of nocturnal birds +of passage, which proved to us, by their northward flight, +that the winter there could no longer be very severe; till +these notes were lost in the rustling of the adjacent stream, +which filled up every pause in our animated conversation.</p> + +<p>We sat for a long time round the brightly-burning fire, till +the ladies retired inside the tent, and we proceeded to our +several fires and wrapped ourselves in our buffalo robes. +Trusty alone still sat with his nose in the air when my eyes +closed, and it was his voice woke me, when one of Lasar's +negroes rose. I also leaped up, led Czar—though he felt no +particular inclination to rise—into the grass; took my rifle, +and went to the river, where I could hear the gobbling of the +turkeys. It was still too dark to shoot with certainty, when +I got under the lofty pecan-nut trees which stood on its +banks. On their highest branches the birds were sitting and +saluting the dawn. I listened to them for a long time ere I +raised my rifle, and sent a bullet through one of them. It +fell from branch to branch, and startled the others, which +flew off noisily, while the hundreds standing on the trees +around, timidly thrust out their long necks, but would not +leave their night quarters.</p> + +<p>The cock had fallen into the river, and was flapping its +wings violently in the quiet waters, so I cut a stick with a<a name="Page_220" id="Page_220"></a> +hook in order to pull it in. I had scarce secured it, ere a +platoon fire burst forth all round me from my comrades' rifles, +whom my shot had aroused from sleep, and now ran up to +take part in the morning's sport. They produced a terrible +slaughter among the poor foolish birds, and each of them +carried at least two to camp. I went down the river a little +way, however, to have a bathe. When I returned all were busy +and seeking by occupation to avoid beginning a conversation +which must necessarily hinge on the approaching leave-taking. +The ladies helped in getting breakfast ready, the young men +packed up their traps, the negroes struck the tent and rolled it +up, and old Mr. Lasar went from one to the other offering his +advice. At length nothing more was left but to eat breakfast, +saddle the horses, and say good-bye. We silently collected round +the large fire; coffee was swallowed, and with it many a tear, +which involuntarily ran from the eyes. No one ate properly. +Even Tiger thoughtfully scraped a bone with his knife, solely +by this employment to make the heavy time pass more quickly. +At last feelings could no longer be overpowered—hearts found +a vent in tears, words, and sobs; and without further delay +we exchanged assurances and signs of affection and friendship. +When all were mounted, we turned our horses toward +the river, waving a farewell to our friends as long as we could +see them.</p> + +<p>We soon passed through the wood on to the prairie, which +ran along its north side, and halted to have a last inspection +of our small corps. I, who had been elected captain, now +assumed my duties, as from this moment our journey really +began. I examined how the goods were divided among the +mules, of which animals two others accompanied us besides +Jack, Sam and Lizzy, whom John Lasar had supplied; for +it is important on such a journey to take the greatest care +that the animals are not galled by the saddles or baggage. +The best protection against this is a thick blanket of woven +horsehair, which is laid on the animal's back under the saddle; +the hair, through its elasticity, always offers a passage for the<a name="Page_221" id="Page_221"></a> +air, and hence avoids the great amount of heat produced by +woollen cloths.</p> + +<p>When I had convinced myself that everything was in +order, I called my party's attention to the fact that strict +obedience to my regulations was indispensably necessary for +our common safety. Tiger was entrusted with the guidance, +and always rode about a hundred yards ahead, while one of +us formed the rear-guard by the mules. I had with Tiger a +long consultation as to the route we should follow, and while +I proposed to keep more to the north-west, he insisted on a +due north direction. I was of opinion that the lowest passage +to the north would be found at the spot where the Rio Grande +mountains sloped down to the east and joined the San Saba +mountains; while, on the other hand, Tiger asserted that the +mountain chain could be passed most easily due north, near +the sources of the Rio Colorado. It is remarkable with what +certainty the Indians know the nature and course of mountains +and rivers, as well as the climatic circumstances of the country, +and judge distances. The sense of locality is marvellously developed +among the savages. Without being able to explain why +it is so, the savage will indicate in an instant—without any +examination of trees, rocks, &c.—the exact direction of the +point he wishes to reach. Animals, and especially horses and +mules, obey the same instinct. Frequently, when I have been +hunting buffaloes in all directions over the prairie, and evening +warned me about returning home, I have been in doubt as to +the direction in which the Fort lay. I certainly knew that, +for instance, I was on the north side of the Leone, and hence +must ride southwards; but I could not determine whether I +ought to proceed farther east or west, and an incorrect course +might easily bring me to the river miles above or below the +Fort. The horizon was bounded by the sky, as if I were at +sea, and not a hill or forest reminded me of any familiar +point. In such cases I laid the bridle on my horse's neck, +let him graze for awhile, and then told him to go on, though +without touching the bridle. The horse, missing the usual<a name="Page_222" id="Page_222"></a> +guidance, looked around him for a few minutes with upraised +head, and then went in a straight line homewards. Remembering +this, I followed Tiger's advice and went due north.</p> + +<p>The weather was glorious, and the sun poured down its +cheering beams upon us from a clear sky. With jokes and +anecdotes, our hearts filled with expectation of the marvels that +lay before us, we trotted after the quick-footed piebald, who +appeared as pleased as his master to leave the civilization of +the pale faces behind him. It is true that the grassy plains +over which we rode were not spangled with flower-beds of +every hue as in spring or autumn; but for all that the +illimitable bright-green expanse did our sight good, while we +were greeted by a few budding flowers. Even though the +coppices, rising every now and then from the prairie, were +not clothed in the luxuriant dark foliage of other seasons, +still they did not display that picture of utter death, which +the traveller finds during winter in the forests of northern +climes. The soil of the forests is at this season covered with +wild oats, growing to a height of four feet. The scrub consists +principally of evergreen bushes; above it rise many +varieties of trees of moderate height, which never entirely +lose their glistening leaves, and these again are crowned by +the different families of the magnolia, which do not lose their +ornament either. Evergreen creepers climb to the highest +branches, and hang down from the airy height in long +streamers, which serve as a plaything to the slightest breath +of air.</p> + +<p>Four fine days we passed over these extensive plains, from +whose lap higher and steeper hills gradually rise, until the +latter form into a chain and impart to the landscape the +character of mountainous scenery. We were among the spurs +of the San Saba mountains, which do not run so far south +here as they do farther west, and everywhere found water for +ourselves and provender for our cattle. But now the stone-covered +hills gradually became higher and the valleys narrower; +we frequently crossed large ranges of table-land, on<a name="Page_223" id="Page_223"></a> +which the mosquito grass grows scantily; and as this is the +only sort that remains green in winter, we could not let any +opportunity slip to feed our cattle when we came across good +pasturage. We need not be so anxious about water, as nearly +all the valleys between these mountains are supplied with it +in winter.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-236.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="669" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224"></a> +<a name="chapter19" id="chapter19"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIX.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">A BOLD TOUR.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">We</span> had been going for several days through the mountains +with considerable difficulty, when one afternoon we reached a +splendid pasturage, where we resolved to let our cattle rest. +It was at the same time warm. We had doffed our leathern +jackets and felt very comfortable when we found thick cedar +wood on the western side of this meadow and were able to +rest in its shade. We had scarce lit our fire to prepare +dinner, when Tiger sprang up, pointed to the north, where +several small clouds were rising, and then laid his ear on the +ground. "A hurricane (a fearful storm frequent in the +Rocky Mountains) is coming up. We must place our cattle +in safety," he said, as he leapt up; and we all set to work +dragging our traps to the other side of the meadow, where a +low rock hung over and covered a considerable space.</p> + +<p>After carrying across our traps, partly on our animals, +partly in our arms, we hastened to collect as large a supply +of dry wood as we could, in which an old trunk lying near +the rock was of great service to us. This was cut into several +pieces, which were rolled under the stone roof, and a fire was +lit against one of them, while our horses were quietly grazing. +We had scarce completed these preparations when the sky +grew dark, and we heard a roaring and hissing, which quickly +increased with the growing obscurity. We brought our cattle +under the rock and fastened them to pickets we drove into +the ground.</p> + +<p>The cloud grew heavier and darker with each moment and +rolled over the mountain crests in a southerly direction. With +the roar of the wind was blended dull thunder, and an icy cold<a name="Page_225" id="Page_225"></a> +spread over the ground. These were merely the announcers +of the frightful hurricane, which now dashed down from the +Rocky Mountains and announced its approach with a crash +that shook the earth. The thunder was so deafening that we +could not hear each other speak, and standing silently by our +trembling horses we watched the storm drive the clouds of +icy rain in almost horizontal direction over our heads, and +level the cedar-trees so that the roots stood up instead of +the crowns. The cold increased every moment, and ere long +everything was covered with a thick crust of ice, while the +rain was frozen and hurtled round us in heavy hail. The +ground shook under us, and the peals of thunder were repeated +by a thousand echoes on the sides of the mountain. Under +these circumstances we could consider our situation a fortunate +one; for if we had been surprised by this storm, we +might easily have fallen victims to it, or at least we must +have lost our animals, which no human strength could have +mastered in the icy rain. Though pressed closely round the +fire and wrapped in our buffalo robes, we shivered from cold. +The storm howled till late in the evening, at which time, +though dense rain fell, the wind had sunk, and by nine o'clock +the clouds broke too. A dead, frozen landscape surrounded +us; the moon's bright light shone down into our frozen +gully as into a palace of glass, and wherever we looked we +saw transparent masses of ice, while the reflection of our fire +glittered in brilliant colours on the crystals of ice near us. +Not a breath of air stirred, and had it not been for the +numbing cold and the glistening ice around to prove the reality +of this fearful scene, we might easily have been tempted to +regard it as a dream.</p> + +<p>Our cattle, too, felt the cold greatly and trembled all over. +We covered them with all the blankets we could spare, and I +took special care of Czar, whom I fastened up as near the fire +as I could. We made a tremendous blaze in order to render +the cold to some extent endurable. One of us was obliged in +turn to watch at the fire during the night, while the others<a name="Page_226" id="Page_226"></a> +lay round it and stretched out their feet to it. Morning +arrived, and with it we welcomed the sun which appeared over +the mountains in the blue sky. Everything glittered and +shone around, as if the world were covered with a sheet of +glass and brilliants; the grass plot was hidden by a layer of +transparent pieces of ice, which brilliantly reflected the sunbeams; +every bush, every shrub glittered with the hues of +the rainbow, and the ice almost blinded our eyes. The sunbeams +gradually rendered the cold more endurable. We crept +out from under our rock and tried to warm ourselves by +jumping. We were compelled to leave our horses tied up, as +the grass was covered with ice, even where there was no drift. +We could not go up to the spring which bubbled up in a +gorge below the destroyed cedar-wood, because the path +leading down to it was too smooth and slippery; hence we +filled our pots with hailstones and thus procured water for +our breakfast. The ice disappeared again as quickly as it had +fallen on the unusual ground; it was only where the hail had +drifted in large layers that the masses of ice lay for a longer +period.</p> + +<p>We resolved to remain here till the next day, because both +our horses and ourselves required rest. My comrades wished +to obtain permission to go out hunting, as Tiger had already +done so without asking my leave, for he paid little heed to our +laws. John Lasar and Mac, as we called MacDonnell for the +sake of shortness, went off in different directions. The former +followed the spring which joined a stream about a mile from +us, whose banks were covered with a dense undergrowth, while +Mac went north into the hills. The rest of us remained in +camp. Shortly before sunset Mac returned, told us he had +shot a large deer and two turkeys close at hand, put a pack-saddle +on Sam, and went with Antonio to fetch the game. +He had scarce left ere Tiger came in and triumphantly +informed us that he had killed a big bear in its lair, and we +must go and fetch it in the morning, for it was dark when +Mac and Antonio returned with the game, and John had not<a name="Page_227" id="Page_227"></a> +turned up yet, which rendered us rather anxious. Still I had +heard him fire several times, so he could not be far off; but +I was afraid that an accident had happened to him, as it was +now getting on for nine o'clock. We repeatedly fired our +guns, and though it was so late, Tiger went down the stream +and raised his hunting yell, but received no reply. At night +it was impossible to follow his trail, so we lay down to sleep; +but at daybreak we swallowed our breakfast and prepared to +go in search of John. I took Tiger and Mac with me, and +told Antonio to follow us on Jack. Trusty trotted ahead, +and we had not gone many hundred yards from camp when +John came riding down between the hills. We were very +anxious to learn what had caused him to spend the night +away, and he now told us that he had got among a herd of +peccaris in the wood, and after shooting one of these animals, +was compelled to seek shelter in a tree which they invested. +Although he shot several of them, they did not retreat, and +hence he was obliged to wait for daybreak. Of course, he had +passed the night in the cold, shelterless, and was now very +anxious for rest. He rolled himself in his buffalo robe, while +I, with Tiger, Antonio, and Mac, left camp in order to fetch +the bear. We took Jack and Lizzy with us to carry ropes +and an axe.</p> + +<p>We ascended the hills on the east for about half an hour, +till Tiger went round a lofty rock and showed us a small round +opening about six feet above the spot where we were standing. +Tiger crept into the hole with a lasso to noose the bear's +throat. He soon came out again, and we all three tried, but +in vain, to drag it out with the rope. We harnessed Jack in +front and Tiger crept in again to the bear to push: now +matters went better, and the black monster soon appeared in +the opening, and rolled down the little slope to us. Jack +and Lizzy, startled at the sudden apparition, leapt on one +side, but were soon pacified, and we began skinning and +breaking up the animal. I was anxious to have a look at the +interior of its abode, and crawled into the entrance, which was<a name="Page_228" id="Page_228"></a> +at first very narrow, but then widened, and at length became +two walls leaning together at the top, but about eight feet +apart at the bottom. The floor of the cave was covered with +cedar branches, on which the bear reposed. I lighted a wax-taper, +and was thus enabled to examine the cave narrowly. +Tiger had crept up to the bear with a lighted wisp of grass +in his hand, shot it in the left eye, and killed it on the +spot.</p> + +<p>We packed the best of the meat and fat, as well as the +skin, on our mules, and returned to camp, where we arrived +at about ten o'clock. We packed up, and were under way +again by two <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, following Tiger, who led us through the +mountain passes, which here became much steeper. We rode +nearly the whole day up hill, and only at intervals came to +small table-lands, on which our cattle rested for a while. +Trees grew rarer; here and there a small clump of cedars +rose from a gorge, or an isolated group of prickly yuccas +decorated the rocks, and at times a mimosa hung over our +path from a crevice. A plant, whose three feet long narrow +leaves grew out of the rock in tufts, and are used by the +Indians for plaiting baskets and mats, was very common +here: in the spring it has a whitish yellow flower, which +grows on a stalk nearly six feet high, and through its graceful +form is a real ornament to the landscape.</p> + +<p>After a tiring ride the sun began to decline and illumined +the red bare granite mountains that now rose before us, and +which we could still have reached; but, as we found grass +and water here, and our cattle longed for rest, we halted and +made our camp. We were all hungry and tired, and hence +enjoyed the capital bear meat, and stretched ourselves before +the fire in our buffalo robes, where we awaited the morning +without any disturbance. Refreshed, and strengthened, we +gazed down from our elevation at the dense clouds which filled +the valleys below us, while the dark sky in the east over the +mountains continually became redder, until all at once the +sun appeared like a burning ball over the distant misty blue<a name="Page_229" id="Page_229"></a> +range of hills. It shot a few golden red beams over the +awakening earth, and quickly rising poured its fiery stream +of light over the world. From the sea of mist beneath us +the sharp howling of the jaguars reached us, and we saw a +long train of rapid antelopes, probably flying before these +beasts of prey, darting over a hill that emerged from it. We +had soon finished breakfast, and the mist in the valleys had +not entirely dispersed, when we guided our horses up the +hill of granite before us. The air was so cool that we buttoned +up our jackets, and pulled over our laps the part of +our saddle-cloths hanging over the holsters.</p> + +<p>Before us the mountains illumined by the morning sun +rose ever higher and higher, while the valleys between them +were wooded and seemed to contain a great many evergreen +oaks. Our path ran at a rather great height along precipices, +and it was not till noon that we crossed a ridge, where a +valley ran across before us, and we were compelled to go +down to it. This valley, which was not more than three +miles broad, surprised us by its peculiarly beautiful appearance: +it was literally covered with rocks of the most gigantic +size, which lay near and on each other, as if rained down +from the sky. In some places these were so piled up that +at a distance they resembled castles with their turrets and +keeps. Between these red masses of stone groups of live +oaks emerged, and here and there small ponds could be seen +glistening.</p> + +<p>We had for a long time been enjoying this strange scene, +and were on the point of going down to the rocky valley, +when a loud yelling and barking was heard on our right +beneath us, which rang through the valley, as if raised by a +thousand animals. It rapidly drew nearer, and on looking in +the direction of the sound we saw, at the foot of the precipice +on which we were standing, a foam-covered old buffalo dash +past with a pack of about fifty white wolves at its heels. +The old fellow seemed very tired, and with flying mane raised +its weary feet in its gallop, spurred on by the yells of its<a name="Page_230" id="Page_230"></a> +bloodthirsty pursuers. It soon disappeared with its tormentors +round the rock, and far into the valley we heard the +wild chase; but certainly the hunted brute eventually fell a +prey to the furious band. It is only at this season that +the white wolves collect in large packs, when they make +very daring attacks on the largest animals, and even man, +and many a western hunter has before this fallen their +victim.</p> + +<p>We rode down into the valley, following a very deeply-trodden +buffalo path, which ran between the blocks of granite, +some of which were as tall as a house, and at noon reached a +small stream in its centre, which ran westward. Its water +was clear, like all the small streams in the west, and was +thronged with fish and turtle. Mac and Clifton soon threw +their lines in and fetched out the fish as quickly as the hook +fell. They had pulled out several cat and buffalo fish weighing +twenty pounds apiece, when Mac hooked a very large turtle, +and was afraid lest it might break his line. John, who was +known as a good fisherman, ran to his help, took the rod from +Mac, but slipped, as the turtle gave a sharp tug, down the +steep bank, and sank up to his head in the clear waters. +<a name="tn_png_243"></a><!--TN: "He" added before "was"-->He was an excellent swimmer, like all Americans, at once came +up and darted after the rod, which was hurriedly following +the stream; we threw him a lasso and pulled him and it out. +Then we let down a lasso, which Antonio managed to put +over the turtle, and we dragged it ashore. It weighed some +thirty pounds, and afforded us a first-rate dinner with the +fish.</p> + +<p>Our horses had here excellent grazing grounds, which are +much larger than they had appeared to us from the mountains, +and as we did not wish to hasten our journey and reach +the north too soon, where the vegetation was still dead, we +resolved to rest here for a few days. Still, as the stream +might perhaps swell rapidly, we thought it better to pass it +and camp higher up. It was about fifty yards wide, and +rather rapid, and the buffalo path on which we were went<a name="Page_231" id="Page_231"></a> +down into it at such a pitch that it was difficult to convey +our traps across. Tiger and I consequently went up the +stream in search of a spot easier of access. We had hardly +gone a mile between the rocks, when we saw four large elks +grazing on a meadow, which did not notice us. We were +obliged to make a lengthened ascent to get to windward, +and after a fatiguing clamber up and round the stones, we at +length reached a large rock about eighty yards from them. +We marked the animals we would fire at, and pulled triggers +almost simultaneously. Tiger's elk fell dead, but mine got +up and went off with my second bullet which I gave it, +though it was in a very bad case. I sent Trusty after it, and +heard him bark once, and then become silent. The distance +at which I had heard him was too far for me to run the risk +of seeking him, and hence I sounded a couple of notes +on my hunting horn to recall Trusty. While we broke +up the elk the faithful dog came in, bearing the signs of +victory on his blood-stained coat; we followed him to the +elk, which he had captured, and found it dead with its throat +torn out.</p> + +<p>We broke this one up too, and then returned to the river +to find a convenient passage. About a mile farther on we +came to a buffalo path, so deeply trodden in the bank that it +led with a lower pitch to the water, while on the other side +the bank was low and the stream shallow; we therefore +hurried back to camp, and marched up the river with our +baggage. Tiger, Königstein, and Antonio rode off with two +mules to fetch the game, and rejoin us at the indicated spot +on the river. On reaching the latter we at once prepared to +cross, and on this occasion our boat was used for the first +time. We unpacked it, laid it on the grass and expanded it, +after which we carried it to the river, and secured it with a +lasso to the bank. It floated splendidly, and was packed with +those articles which must not get wet. Ere long our comrades +came in with the game, of which they had only taken +the best joints. Antonio laid down his weapons and saddle-<a name="Page_232" id="Page_232"></a>bags, +and rode into the river with the cord in his hand, which +was fastened to the coracle. He got across all right, but the +water was too shallow to bring the boat close to bank, and +he had nothing to which he could fasten it in the stream, +but Tiger soon helped by jumping into the river, swimming +across, and carrying the articles severally on land; then he +brought back the coracle to us, as there were several more +articles which must be protected from the wet, and because +he also wanted to cross the river with a cargo.</p> + +<p>We packed our boat again, and Tiger laid his long rifle on +the top, though we dissuaded him from doing so. He swam +off, and had reached the middle of the river, when the rifle +lost its balance through a pull at the lasso, and sank in the +river before Tiger could catch it. He seemed, however, to +care but little about the accident, for he laughed heartily and +swam quietly across to Antonio, who held the boat while the +Indian carried its contents on land. When it was unloaded, +it lay light as a feather on the water, and was pulled up and +fastened to the bank. The young savage now leaped into the +river again, dived like a stone at the middle of it, and came +up a few seconds later with his rifle in his right hand, +while he swam with the left. He mounted his piebald, and +we all followed him into the stream, holding our weapons +above our heads, and reached the other bank all right. When +in camp on an elevation a short distance from the bank, +Tiger lit a fire, and laid his rifle barrel in the ashes until the +damp powder in it exploded and drove out the bullet, after +which he ran down with it to the river, and cooled it in the +water.</p> + +<p>For three days we rested our horses here, and amused ourselves +with fishing and hunting, for which the valley afforded +every opportunity, as all sorts of game swarmed and the +covered ground enabled the hunter to approach it. At night +the whole valley seemed at times to be alive; the tramping +of flying buffaloes rang on our ears, which were close to the +ground, and the yells of hunting wolves could be distinctly<a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"></a> +heard: now and then the terrible roar of the jaguar rang +through the damp moonlit night, and often so close to camp, +that we leaped up and seized our rifles, while Trusty replied +with furious barking. The couguar or maneless American +lion (panther), which is very frequent here, often raised its +plaintive cry; while the hoarse, dull growl of the bear echoed +through the rocks. Countless owls floated spectrally, with +lengthened flapping of their wings, over this nocturnal landscape, +or glided like a breath over our camp. Although we +were frequently roused from sleep by this night life of the +animal world, it never disturbed us for long, for so soon as +we convinced ourselves that there was no danger for us, +we fell asleep again. During our stay we killed a great +quantity of game, of which we only used the tidbits, and +thus behaved no better than all these four-footed beasts +of prey, whose behaviour is after all far more chivalrous +than ours.</p> + +<p>On the morning we had appointed for our departure I +was awakened by the yell of a jaguar. I sprang up, and +heard it again at no great distance from our camp. Our fire +was rather low, and hence it had ventured rather nearer to +us, and our cattle had probably aroused its appetite for blood. +I made Tiger a sign to go with me, took my rifle and crawled +with Trusty at my heels in the direction whence I had heard +the jaguar. The grass was very damp, so that we could creep +on without making the slightest noise. We stopped and +listened. I fancied I had heard the puffing sound I had +previously noticed with these animals, and which, I believe, +is produced by their blowing out the dew which impedes +their organs of scent. I heard it again, and not very far off, +when suddenly the sharp snapping yelp was raised close +before us, I hurried up some rocks, and saw the huge +creature standing on a small clearing about thirty yards +from me. The grass on which it was standing was still +rather dark, and only the highest haulms displayed heavy +drops of dew, while the breaking dawn was reflected in the<a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"></a> +brute's smooth yellow-black spotted body. I had fallen on +one knee on the grass, when the royal brute again raised its +half-open throat and uttered its murderous cry, accompanied +by a blast of its hot breath, which rose like a strip of mist in +the cold breeze. It stood motionless. I rested my arm that +held the rifle on my knee, and everything was so still that I +could distinctly hear my heart beat. I now fired, and with +an awful roar the brute first rose straight in the air, then +turned over and writhed in the grass. I had shot it near the +heart, and in a few minutes it was quite dead. Tiger was +greatly delighted with the splendid skin, which he stripped +off the brute with extraordinary skill, and left the huge claws +on it.</p> + +<p>At about ten o'clock we were ready to start, and rode +through a narrow gorge toward the hill ahead of us, which +soon brought us to a wide plateau, on which we and our +horses were greatly troubled by the sun, as the breeze was +very slight. For several days we proceeded without any +great difficulty through the mountains, which constantly +surprised us both on the heights and in the valleys with the +most beautiful landscapes, the wildest rocks, cascades, uprooted +trees piled on each other; and then again the pleasantest +and most peaceful valleys, in which we every moment +expected to see the smoking chimneys of a settlement or a +slowly turning mill-wheel. The mountains now grew much +more impracticable, their sides steeper and the valleys narrower; +our paths frequently led us from our course, wound +round the precipices, and at times trended due south; so that +during a day's ride we only advanced a few miles to the north. +We reached a small river, which wound through the rocks +from the north-east, and which Tiger told us was the Rio +Colorado, which flowed in a great curve through these mountains +and Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. We had great difficulty +in passing its steep banks, and spent half a day ere we found +a spot where we could ride through it. On its banks we +found enormous cypresses and live oaks, and a generally rich<a name="Page_235" id="Page_235"></a> +vegetation for these regions, and above all, musquito grass, +which was of incalculable advantage for our cattle.</p> + +<p>We had hardly scaled the heights on the opposite side +and were riding through a narrow path between two not very +steep slopes, when we heard the barking of a hunting dog +rapidly advancing towards us. I leaped from my horse and +at the same moment there appeared on the left-hand precipice +a flying antelope and at some distance behind it a black and +white spotted dog, which only barked faintly at intervals. +The buck was very fast and took enormous leaps over the loose +boulders, and when it passed within a hundred yards of us a +shower of bullets was sent after it. It turned a somersault +and rolled down the precipice to our feet, when we cut it up +and divided the game among our mules. The dog, however, +halted on the rock with hanging tail, and looked at us for a +while thoughtfully, then turned and slowly made back tracks. +Tiger said it was an Indian's dog, but not thoroughbred, as +the latter never bark (I do not know whether they cannot, +but I never heard them bark). As we rode along we looked for +the dog's master, but did not catch sight of him.</p> + +<p>The farther we went from the river the less steep the +mountains' sides became, and the valleys widened again. On +the following day we crossed two other rivers, which were +also arms of the Colorado, and went down toward the northern +spurs of the San Saba mountains. The mountain chains here +ran severally over larger surfaces, on which a great many +hills rose, but they had nearly all already donned the garb +of the prairies; they were covered with a red grass that is +rather hard, but does not die in winter, while in the +lowlands grew the fine hair-like musquito grass. Numerous +patches of postoak crossed this country, and here and there +the hills were covered with thick leaf wood. The streams, +begirt by fine forests, all ran eastward, and were all full of +fish, and the crystalline water which so greatly distinguishes +Western America from all other countries. We found here +again large troops of wild horses, though we had seen none on<a name="Page_236" id="Page_236"></a> +the mountains, and enormous quantities of game of all sorts. +The prairie more especially was covered with buffaloes as far +as we could see. We were constantly supplied with the +finest meat which we shot in passing, without stopping any +length of time or tiring our horses.</p> + +<p>One afternoon, however, we noticed among a herd of +buffaloes two white ones which excited our cupidity, and we +resolved to hunt them. We left Antonio and Königstein behind +with the mules, laid aside our superfluous baggage and slowly +approached the buffaloes. They were standing on a knoll on +the prairie, and allowed us to ride rather close up ere they +took to flight. We galloped after them and were soon in +their ranks, which gave way as we pressed in, and spread on +both sides with such roaring and snorting as deafened the +thundering noise of their hoofs. The two white animals, an +old bull and a cow, were right in the front. In spite of the +choking cloud of dust in which we were enfolded we kept +them in sight and at last got up to them. Tiger was some +paces ahead and first up to the buffaloes, but at the moment +when he raised his long rifle to fire the bull turned on him +and the piebald gave a tremendous start: Tiger lost his balance +and would assuredly have fallen, had he not caught hold of +the mane and sprung from his rearing horse. At the same +instant the buffalo received our bullets, and dashed furiously +first after one then after the other, while being continually +wounded afresh, until it at last sank on its knee exhausted +and received the death shot from Tiger's rifle. I now rode +back to those in the rear and brought them to the dead bull, +while the others skinned it. The hide was splendid, very long +haired, and shaggy, and snowy white without spots. A white +buffalo is a rarity. The savage Indians regard it with superstitious +awe, and make a sacrifice of sumach leaves ere they +attack and kill it. They set an extraordinarily high value on +the hide of such an animal, and either use it as a valuable +present or sell it for a large sum. After the bull was killed, +I had the greatest difficulty in keeping Tiger from following<a name="Page_237" id="Page_237"></a> +the herd which was out of sight in order to take the hide of +the white cow, and it was not till I assured him that +the hide of the dead one belonged to him and that I +would purchase it of him, that he remained with us. An hour +later the bargain was concluded, and my Indian perfectly +contented. White deer, antelopes, and bears are more +common, but for all that are regarded as rarities.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-250.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="500" height="349"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238"></a> +<a name="chapter20" id="chapter20"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">We</span> now reached open plains, where only here and there an +isolated musquito tree or a thickly foliaged elm offers a little +shade on the boundless glowing surface, and the sky forms +the horizon all around. To these single shady trees the +deer and antelopes fly in the midday heat, and lie down close +together, so that you may be always certain to find game +under these trees, so long as their leaves are standing. At the +same season the grass is high also, and it is easy for the hunter +to creep unseen within shot, and shoot the fattest deer +through the head. Even at the time of our visit, when the +leaves had fallen, these animals frequently reposed under the +scattered trees and rose as we passed, forty or fifty in number, +gazing anxiously at us. The buffalo, on the other hand, +always remains in the sunshine, and seems able to endure the +greatest heat, but also the greatest cold before all other +quadrupeds. It marks its endless marches from north to +south and from south to north by its skeletons, which bleach +for many a year in the sun. Now, when the grass was short, +the whole surface in the distance had a whitish tinge, which +is produced by these bones, out of which the skulls rise like +shining dots. For about a week we rode through such land, +only here and there interrupted by small elevations, and +frequently suffered with our animals from drought. During +this period we were often obliged to quench our thirst with +standing water, with which the heavy showers fill great +hollows in the prairies, and which remains in them even at the +driest season. As the inhabitants of these plains, and especially +the buffaloes, must also quench their thirst in them, and<a name="Page_239" id="Page_239"></a> +also wallow there, we frequently found the water as thick and +warm as chocolate, and were obliged to strain it through a +cloth to get rid of the hairs before we could drink it.</p> + +<p>After a very hot day, on which we had suffered greatly +from thirst, we suddenly saw from a knoll a large expanse of +water before us, and greeted it at the first moment with great +delight. We hurried on in order to reach this oasis as soon +as possible, but surprised to see no bushes or trees on its +banks, and even more when on drawing nearer we found far +around only thin, dark grass, between which the ground shone +quite white. Tiger shouted to me that it was salt water, +and neither we nor our horses could drink it. This affected +us the more deeply as we had indulged in the hope of a +hearty drink, and we silently turned again to the west, in +order to ride round the lake. Tiger laughed and said that we +should have good water, as several large streams flowed into +it from the west. This proved to be the case; for after riding +about five miles along the bank of the lake, we reached a +perfectly clear, sweet-water stream. We halted in order to +refresh ourselves and our cattle, but we were obliged, as was +the case nearly the whole week, to kindle a fire of <i>bois de +vache</i>, to prepare our supper. At times, when in passing over +these prairies we found a dry musquito tree, we fastened a +few logs to our saddle, so as to have firing for the evening; +but this was too tiring, and we always hoped to come across +wood, whence this precaution was generally neglected. In +such regions there were no objects to which we could bind +our horses; but this is easily managed by cutting a long, +sharp wedge out of the very firm soil, thrusting the knot of +the lasso in as far as possible and stamping in the wedge +again with the foot. As the bound animal pulls almost horizontally +at the very long lasso, while its end goes down +nearly perpendicularly into the ground, the rope offers such a +resistance that it will sooner break than be pulled out of the +ground.</p> + +<p>Gradually we saw more hills, and among them forests, while<a name="Page_240" id="Page_240"></a> +a few distant chains of mountains ran from west to east. One +afternoon I was riding with Tiger about a mile ahead of our +party, in order to have a better chance of approaching game, +when we heard two shots behind us. We looked round and +saw our friends gathered in a knot on a small knoll, and a +swarm of about fifty Indians galloping round them. We +gave our horses the spurs and flew back to them, while Tiger +raised a hideous yell, in which I supported him to the best of +my strength. Our friends now fired a general salvo at the +assailants, which knocked over two horses, but their riders +were immediately picked up by their comrades. On seeing +us the savages took to flight with gruesome yells. We rode +up to our companions, who had placed all the animals in the +centre to protect them. Königstein had luckily seen some +horses' heads over the crest of the next hill which aroused his +suspicions, and had employed the time in assuming a posture +of defence, or else we should probably have lost our mules. +Tiger saw, from the saddles of the shot horses, that they +belonged to the Mescaleros, who are considered the most +savage tribe in the west, and would certainly not have given +up their attack so soon had they not recognised Tiger's war-whoop +as that of the Delawares. The number of Mescaleros +is not large, and they are constantly at war with many other +tribes, so that they do not care to make fresh enemies among +their red brothers. This little danger, which we escaped +without loss, was not unpleasing to me, as our precautions, +which had nearly been forgotten, were aroused once more +by it.</p> + +<p>For about a week we marched through a very pleasant +country, and arrived at a rather large river, which Tiger +stated to be the Brazos, and which falls into the gulf to the +eastward of the Colorado. I had seen it before at San Felipe, +and would not have recognised it, for there it moves sluggishly +through a thick-wooded bed of heavy clay, and has a +dirty red colour, while here it rolls merrily over rocks, and +its crystal surface is covered with a snow-white foam. From<a name="Page_241" id="Page_241"></a> +this point we proceeded to the north-west, as Tiger noticed +that we had gone a little too far east, and would have much +greater difficulty in crossing the rivers than farther west, +where, though the country is mountainous, the streams nearer +their sources are smaller and more frequent. The mountains +were composed of limestone, and contained exquisite little +valleys, where the vegetation was already bursting into new +life. All the softer-wooded trees were budding, and the +flowers were springing up all over the prairies. We seemed +to keep equal pace with the reawakening of the vegetable +world northwards, and even to go faster than it.</p> + +<p>On a warm day we had been riding without a halt over +desolate, stony hills, and were quite exhausted. When our +tired and thirsty horses clambered up a barren height, we +suddenly looked down into a lovely valley covered with fresh +verdure, through which a broad stream wound. The view +soon enlivened horse and rider, and we merrily hurried down +to the bank of the stream. We had hardly reached it and +ridden our horses in to let them quench their thirst, when a +long train of Indians appeared on the opposite height +bordering the valley and came straight toward us. Tiger +looked at them for a moment, and told us to wait here while +he rode across to see who they were. We dismounted, led +our horses together, and got our weapons in readiness. Tiger +galloped through the valley to the hill side down which the +Indians were coming, and checked his piebald at its foot. We +saw him making signs from a distance to the approaching +horsemen, which were answered in the same way, and ere +long the whole party pulled up around him. They held a +long consultation and then rode toward us with Tiger at +their head. They were Kickapoos out on a hunting expedition, +and had recently left their villages on the Platte, +where they have settlements like the Delawares, and their +squaws and old men grow crops and breed cattle.</p> + +<p>I had a long conversation with the chief, in which Tiger +played the interpreter, told him the purpose of our journey,<a name="Page_242" id="Page_242"></a> +invited him to visit me on the Leone next winter, and asked +him how far it was to the next water. He assured me that +we should come to good water and grass before the sun sank +behind the mountains, and so we parted, very glad to get +away from the fellows, whose appearance was anything but +satisfactory. The party consisted of about eighty men, twenty +squaws, and a number of small children. The first were +dressed in deer-hide breech-clouts, and had round the body a +leathern belt, through which a very long and broad strip of +coarse red cloth was passed, whose two ends were pulled +through between the legs and fastened into the belt behind. +In addition, several of them had deerskin coats, others calico +coats, but the majority merely wore a buffalo robe over their +bare shoulders, and nearly all were armed with rifles. The +squaws wore a short leathern petticoat round their loins, and +a buffalo robe on their shoulders, while those who had infants +carried them fastened to a board upon their backs. They had +already unpacked their horses and prepared their camp to +halt here, as we rode away from them over the hills, and +Tiger came up to me, saying, "Kickapoo no good—two +tongues." I had heard before that these Indians were false, +spiteful, and hostile to white men, and only the advantage +they derive from being on friendly terms with the United +States induces them not to appear publicly as their enemies.</p> + +<p>We quickly advanced, and reached at a rather early hour a +valley in which we found grass and water, and chose our +camp at a spot where the stream ran close under a precipice, +while on this side was a small copse in which we could fasten +our cattle at night. It was an almost circular kettle enclosed +by steep limestone walls, which had an opening only on one +side, through which the bright stream flowed. The sun was +sinking behind the lofty gray rocks and dyeing the dark blue +sky with a glowing tint which no artist would venture to reproduce +on his canvas. About midnight Trusty aroused us +by his loud savage bark: he was at the opening of the valley +and would not lie down again, but we could not discover his<a name="Page_243" id="Page_243"></a> +motive, as it was quite dark. Tiger fancied, however, that the +Kickapoos were trying to steal some of our horses. When day +broke and cast its first faint light over the gray walls of the +valley, I awoke and saw at the entrance a herd of deer apparently +browsing down the stream. As it was still rather dark +I hoped to be able to approach them behind the few leafless +bushes that grew on the bank, as crawling through the dewy +grass was too fatiguing a job to be rewarded by a deer, especially +as we still had a supply of game.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-0257"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-257.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="414"> +<p class="caption">OCELOTS HUNTING IN COUPLES. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_243">p. 243.</a></i></span></p></div> + + +<p>I crept down the stream, and had got within shot, when +I made a forward leap in order to reach a rather thick bush, +from which I could fire more conveniently. At the same +instant the deer started apart in terror, and I saw that an ocelot +had leaped on the back of one of them, which laid back its broad +antlers and galloped down the stream, while a second cat followed +it with long high bounds. Two of the terrified deer +darted past me, but I did not fire, as I felt an interest in +watching the hunt of the two beasts of prey, which I followed +as quickly as I could out of the valley. The deer ran about +a mile down the stream, then reared and fell over backwards, +when the second cat also sprang on it, and hung on its +neck.</p> + +<p>The deer collected its last strength and tried to rise on its +hind legs, but sank exhausted and sent its plaintive cries echoing +through the mountains. I crept, unseen by the beasts of +prey, within thirty yards of the scene of battle, and shot the +first, while I missed the second, as it bolted, but sent Trusty +after it, and soon heard him at bay lower down the stream. +I soon reloaded and hurried after Trusty, who was barking +round a small oak in which the ocelot had sought shelter. I +shot it down and dragged it up to the other, which was lying +by the dead deer. All were up in our camp, as they had heard +my shots, and John and Königstein hurried toward me to see +what I had killed. My clothes were as wet as if I had been +in the river, and I turned myself before our fire while the +others went out with Jack to bring in the game. Higher<a name="Page_244" id="Page_244"></a> +north I did not come across these small leopards, while farther +south they are very frequent.</p> + +<p>For several days longer our road ran through mountains, +which were bordered by savage precipices and crossed by +grassy valleys; then we rode for some days across open, boundless +prairies, and again reached low ranges of hills, between +which we crossed the southern arm of Red River, which divides +Texas from Arkansas and falls into the Mississippi in Arkansas, +after flowing a distance of nearly one thousand miles. There +it is of a dirty red, and muddy, and moves sluggishly between +lofty poplars and planes which overshadow its flat banks, +while the long gray grass hangs down from thence to the surface +of the water and literally covers the trees. This moss +hangs from every branch in creepers twenty feet long, and +conceals the swampy soil in which those fearful monsters, the +alligators, lie by thousands and await in their pestiferous lair +the unhappy victims whom accident leads to them. Here +and there a half-decayed blockhouse peeps out from under +these weeping banners, and as everything there offers the picture +of rapid desolation, you see in this house, where so many +families have died out one after the other, the pale, yellow +wasted faces of the new-comers peering out, like candidates +for death, till it becomes too late to escape from this pestilential +abode.</p> + +<p>How perfectly different, however, the river appears here! +Clear as crystal to the bottom, it dances from rock to rock; +refreshes as it darts past the luxuriant ferns and the thousand-hued +flowers with its waves, and displays to the visitor its +living wealth, as well as the vegetable world on its bed, in the +most brilliant hues. The purest, lightest breeze sports over +its high banks and drives the diseases, which are the curse of +South-Eastern America, out of the paradise which lies beneath +the haughty cypresses, pecan nut-trees, planes, maples, and +colossal oak-trees that border it. How is it possible that +men can be terrified by the dangers of the West, and patiently +expose themselves to a certain, slow, awful decay in those<a name="Page_245" id="Page_245"></a> +poisoned forests, where Death inexorably swings his scythe +all the year round?</p> + +<p>The Rocky Mountains now rose in the west, and glistened +with their snowy peaks, while around us the plants announced +spring by their bursting buds. We drew nearer to them, +although in this way our route became far more fatiguing +than farther eastward, where the wide prairies extend to the +north. But Tiger employed this precaution in order to get +out of the way of the great Indian hordes pursuing the buffalo, +who do not find in these mountains sufficient food for their +troops of horses and mules, and cannot hunt the buffaloes +there so well as on the prairie. Hence our journey was continued +more slowly; but at this season we could reckon on +water, and the small valleys offered our few cattle abundance +of food. The mountains constantly afforded us more game +than we needed for our support, and we could approach it with +greater ease than on the prairies.</p> + +<p>We had been winding for some days through wildly romantic +mountain gorges, and our eyes were involuntarily fixed on +the distant reddish mountains which rose in the north toward +the transparent sky. We had left many a charming valley, +turbulent current, and precipice behind, when at about noon +one day we were stopped by a deep ravine, through which +noisily dashed one of those mountain torrents which escape +from the snows of the Andes and make their long course +through the valleys to the Gulf of Mexico. Here we could +not think of riding through, for the precipices on either side +were at least fifty feet deep, while the width of the cavern +was several hundred paces. We rode up the ravine and got +among such rocks and loose stones that we were forced to +dismount, and with the greatest difficulty reached a plateau +where the banks of the stream were not so tall and steep, and +we were able to remount. A few flat rocks were scattered +over the bank where we were, while the opposite one rose +steeply, and was covered with thick scrub and low wood.</p> + +<p>I was riding with Tiger ahead of our party when, on turn<a name="Page_246" id="Page_246"></a>ing +a rock, we saw a very plump bear leap from the bank +through the shallow but foaming stream, and disappear in a +coppice opposite. It was too quick to enable us to fire, and +when we reached the spot where we first saw it, we found a +large elk lying behind some thick prickly bushes, which was +still warm, and hence must have been recently killed. One +leg was torn up, but the rest was in good condition, and we +halted to await our friends and put the game on the mules. +When I was about to dismount, Tiger remarked that the bear +would return to the elk in the evening, and as we should soon +be obliged to camp, owing to the growing darkness, we could +hunt it.</p> + +<p>Our friends came up and we marched about a mile farther, +where we found excellent grass in a gorge on the left of the +river. We unsaddled, hobbled our cattle, and prepared supper, +although it was rather early. The question then was who +of us should go after the bear, and as all wished to do so we +agreed that the dice should decide. The lot fell on myself, +Clifton, and Königstein, and without delay we took our +weapons and walked down the stream to the spot where the +elk lay. We advanced cautiously, as the bear might already +be at its quarry, and as we noticed nothing of it we selected +our posts no great distance from the elk. I was at the centre, +behind a large rock, Königstein lay on my right near the +stream in the dry grass behind some bushes, and Clifton was +on my left, covered by a fallen dead tree.</p> + +<p>We had a good wind, and if the bear returned we should +have it under our guns, and it would hardly be able to escape. +We sat without moving: the sun sank behind the mountains +and scarce illumined the heights, while around us the gloom +was already gathering; there was not a breath of air, and +only the buzzing and chirruping of insects and the rustling of +the stream disturbed the silence. Trusty, who had hitherto +been lying at my feet, raised his head, looked at the thicket +opposite and then up to me. I shook my finger at him not +to growl, which he quite understood, and thrust his head<a name="Page_247" id="Page_247"></a> +down on the ground. Directly after I heard a cracking in the +thicket, which soon became more distinct. At length the bear +burst out of the scrub and came down a small path to the +stream. We had agreed not to fire until it reached the elk +on this side. It stopped for a few minutes in the water to +drink, then leapt from stone to stone up the bank, and walked +slowly toward the elk. The bear had scarce reached the +prickly bush ere we fired simultaneously, and it rolled over, +but got up again and leapt into the water. Clifton and +Königstein sent two bullets after it, which, however, did not +seem to hurt it much, for it dashed ahead to the other bank. +Königstein at once leapt, revolver in hand, into the stream +after the bear, and was standing between it and me, when he +put a bullet into its leg at a short distance. The bear, noticing +its pursuer, turned and went toward him with a hoarse roar, +while Königstein, still standing in the water, put a second +bullet into its chest. I ran up and fired my rifle bullet into +the left breast of the furious animal, while Clifton gave it +another in the belly from his long pistol. The bear fell into +the water but a few yards from Königstein, who, seeing it rise +on its fore paws, shot it through the head with his revolver. +Though the water was shallow, it was so rapid that it would +have carried the bear away, so we both threw away our weapons, +leapt into the stream to Königstein, and dragged the +beast on land. Here we let it lie, reloaded, and returned to +camp, where our comrades were, greatly pleased at the lucky +result of our hunt. We waited till the moon had risen, then +took two mules, and I proceeded with Tiger and John to our +quarry, in order to fetch its skin and the best meat.</p> + +<p>It was late when we got back to camp, still our appetite +had been excited again, and instead of going to sleep, we sat +joking round the fire, each with some spitted bear-meat before +him. The coffee-pot also went the round, and the steaming +pipe accompanied us to our buffalo hides, on which we lay conversing +for some time. Clifton insisted that he ought to +be rewarded handsomely by Königstein for saving his life by<a name="Page_248" id="Page_248"></a> +the pistol-shot, while the latter tried to prove to him that he +had aimed too low to hit the bear's heart, and hence, as a +punishment, ought to have its paw stuck on his hat. The +answers, however, gradually became rarer, and we soon were +all fast asleep. Excellent health, and a consciousness of +strength, of which the polished world is ignorant, are the +blessed companions of such a natural life; and no awful nightmare, +no frightful dreams, such as visit the silken beds of civilization, +venture to approach the hard couch of our Western +hunters.</p> + +<p>I was awakened by the cold about an hour before daylight; +sprang up, poked the fire, which was nearly burnt out, wrapped +myself in my buffalo robe, and fell asleep again soundly, till +my comrades shouted to me that the coffee was ready. The +whole neighbourhood was covered with a thick white rime, +and though the frost was not heavy, we felt it severely. Our +large fire, however, soon dispelled the cold, and we lay very +cozily round it eating our breakfast. We soon mounted, +crossed the stream without difficulty, and followed a buffalo-path +up the hills. Our journey during the last day had been +fatiguing for the horses, and, in spite of the long distance we +had ridden, we had advanced but little northwards, so we +gladly followed an easterly course, which brought us nearer +the great prairies. From here we also noticed that the +highest mountain peaks were a little farther to the west, and +consequently off our track.</p> + +<p>The sky became overcast, and in the afternoon it began +raining, so that we were obliged to put our buffalo robes over +us, and at night pitched our small tents to protect us from the +heavy, incessant rain. Tiger, though, refused to crawl into +the tent, but collected a great heap of brushwood near the +fire, laid his saddle-cloth on it, sat down a-top, with his knees +drawn up to his chin, and pulled his buffalo-hide with the +hairy side out over him, tucking it under him, so that he +looked like a huge hairy ball. During the night we were frequently +obliged to feed the fire to keep it burning, and in the<a name="Page_249" id="Page_249"></a> +morning we saw no sign that the clouds were about to break. +We could hardly distinguish the nearest peaks, and round our +camp rivulets had formed that conveyed the rain to the valley. +We could not think of starting, as all our traps were wet +through. Hence we grinned and bore it; killed time with +eating and smoking, and looked at our cattle, which, with +hanging head and tail, let the rain pour off them.</p> + +<p>Thus the whole day and the next night passed, and it was not +till ten the next morning that we saw a patch of blue sky. This +lasting heavy rain proved to me clearly that we were already +in a more northern region, as in our country the showers are +much heavier for the time, but never last longer than a day. +We lay up for this day too to let the ground dry a little, and +a strong cold wind which had sprung up helped to effect this. +Our cattle had good grass, we were amply supplied with firewood, +and had abundance of the best game, so that we wanted +for nothing. John and Mac went out shooting together, and +killed some turkeys and a deer, which they brought into camp +on Sam. Tiger went out alone, and returned in the evening +with two deer legs and a beaver, having surprised the latter +on land while nibbling off the branches of a fallen tree. +Our supper-table was hence splendidly covered again, and we +greatly enjoyed the beaver tail, which is one of the best +dishes the West offers.</p> + +<p>Our various skins, tents, blankets, &c., were now tolerably +dry, and the next morning we left camp and travelled northwards, +towards the sides of the mountains, and the spurs +they shoot out, into the great prairies. The sky was still +covered with a few clouds, between which the sun shone +warmly and pleasantly. Two days later we altered our +course again to the west, in order not to leave the mountains, +which here enclosed large patches of grass-land. Crossing +these low mountain spurs, we passed through many extensive +valleys with excellent soil, firewood, especially oak, and +abundant water, which assuredly ere long will be sought +by civilization advancing from the East. In the West the<a name="Page_250" id="Page_250"></a> +mountains now rose higher, and raised their white peaks +far above the clouds. They were probably a hundred miles +from us, and the horizon was enclosed by mountain ranges +like an amphitheatre. The mountains rose higher and higher +above each other in the strangest forms and colours, terminating +in peaks on which the heavens seemed to be supported. +Tiger called them the Sacramento mountains, which run southward +nearly to Santa Fé.</p> + +<p>One evening we reached a stream, which came down from +these mountains through a rather wide valley, which Tiger +told us was an arm of the Canadian river that falls into the +Arkansas, between which and the Kansas the territory of the +Delawares is situated. When a boy, Tiger added, he had +often been hunting up this river and in these mountains with +his father, and in a few days we should reach another arm of +this river, on which his father's brother was torn to death by +a grizzly bear. On that river there was a very large iron +stone, which had fallen from heaven, and with which the god +of hunting killed a Weico, who was hunting here improperly. +When we reached the river bank, we found its water very +turbid, and so swollen that we could not ride through, owing +to the furious current. Hence we unloaded, though it was +still rather early, and found ourselves on a steep bank, where +the stream could not hurt us, even if it rose higher. Tiger +was of opinion that the water would have run off by the next +day, and enable us to continue our journey, as these torrents +rarely last longer than a day. John and Mac went down the +river to hunt, and Tiger went up it, while we looked after the +cattle and prepared the camp. The first two came back early +with an antelope, while Tiger was not in camp when night +had settled on the mountains. I had heard him fire twice, +and we were beginning to fear that an accident had happened +to him, when he came out of the gloom into the bright firelight +with his light, scarcely-audible step, but without any +game, which was a rarity. He had fired thrice at a black +bear, followed it a long distance, but had been obliged to<a name="Page_251" id="Page_251"></a> +leave it owing to the darkness, especially as he had hit it +awkwardly, and it was strong enough to run a long distance. +The night passed undisturbed, morning displayed a bright +cloudless sky, and promised us a beautiful day; but the river +had not fallen so much as we expected, and we preferred +awaiting its fall here to going higher up and seeking a shallower +spot.</p> + +<p>The sun had scarce risen over the low hills in the east +when I took my rifle and went down the river with Trusty +to try my luck in hunting. I soon reached a low thin skirt +of bushes, which covered the valley, and through which many +small rivulets wound to the river. I had not gone far into it, +when I noticed a great number of turkeys running about +among the leafless bushes. I ran up to them, frequently +crossing the brook, till I at last got within shot of an old +cock, and toppled him over. I hung the bird on a tree, close +to the brook which I fancied was one of those that came +down the valley no great distance from our camp, and had +scarce gone a hundred yards beyond the brook when I saw +some head of game, which were too large for our ordinary +deer and too dark-coloured, and yet did not resemble elks.</p> + +<p>I crept nearer and convinced myself they were giant deer, +which are not uncommon in the Andes. I shot at a very +large stag, which had already shed its antlers, and it rushed +upon me, but soon turned away, and I gave it the second +bullet. It went some hundred yards bleeding profusely, so +that I expected every moment to see it fall, then stopped, and +I employed the time to reload and get within eighty yards +of it. I was on the point of firing, when it dashed away and +got out of sight. I put Trusty on the trail, and followed +him, crossing the brook several times up the valley toward our +camp, as I fancied. At length I saw the stag standing under +an old oak, and I succeeded in getting within shot. I fired, +and saw the bullet go home; but for all that the deer ran up +a hill on the left and disappeared. My eagerness in following +the animal was more and more aroused; I reloaded and went<a name="Page_252" id="Page_252"></a> +with Trusty after the bleeding trail over the hill and down +the other side, then through a thicket in the valley and over +another hill to a stream, where I at last found the stag dead. +It was a splendid giant deer, distinguished from our royal harts +by its size, blackish-brown coat, and proportionately higher +forelegs. I broke it up, gave Trusty his share, and it was +not till I was ready to start that I thought of my road to +camp.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-267.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="554" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253"></a> +<a name="chapter21" id="chapter21"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">It</span> was near noon, and I had generally walked fast. I looked +around me, and tried to recollect the numerous windings I +had made, but soon saw it was impossible to recall them, as +I had paid no attention to them during the chase. I now +looked at my compass; I knew that the stream on which we +were camping ran down the valley from west to east, and +that hence I was on its southern side to the eastward of our +camp. I must therefore go due north to reach the stream, +and then follow it in order to reach camp. The calculation +was correct, and could not fail to bring me home soon. I +therefore walked on quietly, and every now and then blazed a +tree, or laid a bush upon a rock, to be able to find the stag +when we went to fetch it. The first hour passed: at one +time I walked through thinly-wooded, narrow valleys, then +over stony hills, or crossed small streams and grassy meadows, +but saw no sign of the river.</p> + +<p>The second hour, during which I doubled my pace, passed +in the same manner, and yet I saw nothing of the river. I +looked repeatedly at the compass on my rifle stock and the +one I carried in my pocket. My calculation was correct, of +that there could be no doubt; but how was it that I had not +yet reached the river? It might possibly make a small bend +northwards here; but I must strike it, as it belonged to +Canadian river, and all the waters from these mountains flow +to the east. I was certain of my matter, and laughed at +myself for imagining for a moment that I had lost my way. +I marched cheerily on, especially up the hills, as I fancied I +should see the looked-for river from each of them, and did<a name="Page_254" id="Page_254"></a> +not notice that I was exerting myself excessively. A certain +anxiety crept over me involuntarily. I hurried on the faster +the deeper the sun got behind the mountains; I ran down the +hills and hurried up them, dripping with perspiration, with a +strength which only the feeling of impending danger can +arouse. My energy and presence of mind still mastered my +growing anxiety, as I hoped, felt almost convinced, that I +should soon reach the river which had disappeared in so +extraordinary a way, until at last the sun sank behind the +highest peaks of the Cordilleras, and the gloom of night +spread its mantle over the earth. Exhaustion followed long +unnatural exertion so suddenly, that I sank down on the last +hill I ascended, and my strength of mind and body gave way +utterly. In a few minutes I fell into a deep sleep, and must +have lain there for five hours, as when I woke I felt on my +watch that it was midnight. I remembered everything I had +hitherto done, and the last thought which had accompanied +me up to my unconsciousness startled me out of it—the +thought that I had lost my way.</p> + +<p>When I got up, my faithful Trusty nestled up to me and +licked my hands, as if wishing to remind me that he was +still with me, and I was not quite deserted. I threw my arm +round his strong neck, and pressed him firmly to me, for at +this moment he was an unspeakable comfort, and restored my +resolution and strength of will. I soon reverted to my old +rule, which I had kept for years, of always assuming the +worst in disagreeable situations, and making myself familiar +with it; then a man has nothing more to fear. I had lost +myself, and must seek my road to camp in some direction alone. +I felt strong enough to do so, but must reflect on the mode of +doing it. I had sufficient powder and bullets for my weapons; +this was a precaution which I had constantly urged on my +comrades since our start, never to go out with half-filled +powder-horn or a few bullets for the sake of convenience.</p> + +<p>My box was full of lucifers, and I had also flint, steel, and +punk. I carried bandages and a housewife, as well as a little<a name="Page_255" id="Page_255"></a> +bottle of old brandy in my knapsack, and a rather large gourd +at my side, I was fully equipped to make this tour, which, +honestly speaking, was now beginning to appear interesting +to me, and I laughingly thought of the friend of my childhood's +years, "Robinson Crusoe," who at that day sowed the +first seed of my later irresistible desire for such a life. I was +soon decided, and regained my entire calmness. I sprang up, +and went cautiously down hill to reach the valley, in which +on the previous evening I had looked in vain for the river. +The darkness and the rocky sloping route made my walk very +difficult; but still I reached my destination at the end of an +hour, and entered a very narrow valley, in which I soon found +enough dry wood under the trees to light a fire. I had +turned cold, and the warmth it spread around me did me +good. Close by I found a fallen tree, to which I carried the +burning logs, in order to produce a longer lasting fire to +throw out more heat; then I piled up a heap of bushes and +brushwood, laid myself on it, with my bag under my head, +and after drinking some brandy and water, fell asleep as +soundly as if I had been in my bed on the Leone.</p> + +<p>The sun was high in the heavens when I awoke, I felt as +strong as usual, and lit a fire for breakfast, drank some more +water from my gourd, and went northwards in good spirits. +I thought of the possibility that this river might not be the +one named by Tiger, and might lose itself in a subterranean +bed; but, extraordinary to tell, I did not for a moment reflect +that it could run due north parallel with mine; my only idea +was, that it perhaps made a great bend. I had been walking +near an hour, and had crossed several stony hills, when I +looked down into a narrow gorge, in which alders and poplars +grew, leading to the supposition of water, and on going down +I noticed an old animal quietly grazing. I crawled very +cautiously nearer to it, for now I seriously needed some meat, +and on looking up from a deep ditch excavated by the rain, I +saw a small deer by the side of the old one, which was staring +at me over the bushes, I fired and saw the deer dart among<a name="Page_256" id="Page_256"></a> +the bushes, but knew that it bore death in its heart. The old +animal dashed close past me, but I did not fire as I was +certain of securing the deer and did not care to waste a bullet +unnecessarily.</p> + +<p>I reloaded, went back to the bloody trail, and found the +deer dead about thirty yards ahead. I broke it up, skinned +it, and placed the rump and bits of the liver before the fire +which I lit, while Trusty had the kidneys and then amused +himself with the shoulder blades. I stretched the skin out +before the fire, as I intended to take it with me to sleep on. +I enjoyed my breakfast, to which I ate but little of the salt +I carried in my bag in a bladder in case of need. Trusty had +also eaten heartily and pacified his hunger. I cut some good +lumps off the deer's back, filled my flask with fresh water, and +set out once more, still hoping to reach the river. I walked +up hill and down, having on my left the lofty mountain +ranges, and in front of me a sea of rocks whose end I could +not see. I was accustomed to such scenes of solitude, still I +now greatly felt what a difference there is in looking down +from the back of a stout horse on the desert and having to +cross the enormous tracks on foot. The only anxiety that +oppressed me was the agony my comrades must be feeling +about me, as they would naturally suppose that some accident +had happened to me. I knew they would not quit these +mountains till they were certain of my fate, and I listened +continually for signal shots. I dared not fire them for fear +of expending my ammunition, and it would have been unnecessary, +as they would certainly not neglect this method of +showing me the road to them.</p> + +<p>The day passed without my hearing the echo of a shot, and +the sun was rather low when I reached a small stream whose +banks were both rather thickly covered with wood. I resolved +to spend the night here, as I had wood and water, and was protected +from the weather, which had got up rather fiercely since +the afternoon, I looked for a suitable spot, carried wood to a +fallen tree, and was about to light my fire, when I looked up<a name="Page_257" id="Page_257"></a> +at the hill before me and felt a desire to take a look from it +at the valley beyond to see whether the long looked-for river +was there. It was still early, the sun had not yet set, and +though I was tolerably tired I set out. I walked up a steep +gorge into which several narrow passes opened on both sides; +it was covered with several large masses of rock and loose +stones, and the nearer I got to the top the narrower it grew, +and the steeper were the precipices enclosing it.</p> + +<p>I had just passed one of these narrow gorges on my right +and was approaching a second, when I noticed an opposite +pass on my left. I cautiously crept along the rock to be able +to have a peep into this pass, and see whether there was any +game in it, and was only a few yards from the angle of the +wall, when suddenly a small bear, which I took for a one-year-old +black bear, though it looked different, sprang from the +pass on my right and hastened up the opposite one. As I +said, it appeared to me rather smaller than a one-year-old +black bear, but there was no time for reflection, and its skin +might be of great service to me. I raised my rifle, fired, and +saw the bear roll over the stones like a ball, uttering plaintive +cries like those of a child; at the same instant the hasty +bounds of a heavy animal reached my ears simultaneously with +an awful roar. It became dark at the angle of the precipice +before me, and the upright gigantic form of a grizzly bear appeared +only a few paces from me. I fell back a step in horror, +involuntarily stretched out my rifle to keep the bear off, and at +the same moment saw Trusty fly past me under its belly. +The rifle exploded—a fearful blow hurled me <a name="tn_png_272"></a><!--TN: "backs everal" changed to "back several"-->back several yards +against the precipice—my eyes flashed fire—I lost my senses +and fell.</p> + +<p>I must have lain here about half an hour, and on opening +my eyes again felt that my forehead was wet and cold. I saw +that Trusty was standing over me with his honest face and +licking me. I got up and sprang on one side in horror, for +close to me lay the shaggy body of the bear, with widely +opened throat, from which a stream of black, curdled blood<a name="Page_258" id="Page_258"></a> +ran under me. It was a she bear whose three months' old cub +I had shot, and she had wished to avenge its death. My +guardian angel had saved me, for my bullet, which entered its +throat and passed through the skull, had killed the bear on +the spot. In its fall it had torn the rifle from my hand, and +forced me back so violently that I had struck my head against +the rock, and the pain deprived me of consciousness. As on +so many previous occasions, an invisible hand had again saved +me from a terrible danger, whose extent I could appreciate +now that I saw the monster lying before me. I stood motionless +reflecting on my position, when the hoot of a passing +owl reminded me that night had set in. While reloading, I +remembered that this was the pairing time of the bears, and +that very possibly male bears would be following the female, +and hence this was the most dangerous spot I could select. I +went up to the cub, threw it on my back, and hurried down +the gorge to my camping place, where I at once made a blaze, +the safest and only way of protecting oneself against the +four-footed denizens of these regions. I now saw for the first +time that brave Trusty was covered with blood, and had +three severe wounds on his back, dealt him by the bear. Two +of them I at once sewed up and washed them repeatedly with +the clear cold water by which I was camped. I then skinned +the cub, put a sufficient quantity of its tender fat meat to +roast at the fire, made a bed of brushwood, and after supper I +rolled myself in the shaggy, fresh bear-hide upon my deer-skin, +and fell into my usual sound sleep.</p> + +<p>I had not been sleeping long when Trusty barked sharply +several times, and I sat up and seized my rifle. A frightful +howling of wolves rang from the heights through the valleys, +and between it a hollow roar resembling that which the bear +raised when she attacked me. The night was very dark, and +the fire, which had burnt down, solely lit up the nearest spots, +while I could only distinguish the outlines of some evergreen +holly-trees around me standing out against the clear star-lit +sky. I quickly threw some small wood in front of the glowing<a name="Page_259" id="Page_259"></a> +trunk and blew up the flame. At this moment I heard something +dash away close by, and directly after, at the foot of +the ravine, renewed howls and roars, while Trusty stood close +by my side growling. I carried some heavy logs to the +fire, rolled myself again in my warm skin, and fell asleep, +though I only allowed one ear to sleep, as Tiger said. The +howling lasted the whole night. I looked after my fire every +now and then, and was waked by the dawn without having +had my sleep any further disturbed. After breakfast, I hung +the two skins on my back, and followed the valley for about +three miles ere I crossed the heights to the north, as I wished +to avoid the spot where the bear lay, upon which the wolves +and bears had held a grand feast during the past night. On +reaching the saddle of the mountain, the idea occurred to me +for the first time that the lost river must necessarily flow to +the north, and I was amazed at myself for not thinking of +this sooner. Hence I marched due west, and saw about noon +a chain of hills whose direction lay northward, which animated +me with fresh hope of finding my comrades again. At the +foot of these hills, from which spurs stretched out eastward +like ribs, the valleys were thickly wooded, and displayed +generally a richer vegetation than the small gulleys in which +I had hitherto been marching. With much difficulty and toil +I reached the mountain chain in a few hours, exhausted +and starving; but the longing to learn whether I should find +at its top a pleasanter change in my prospects did not let me +rest. I selected the least steep spot, and climbed up over +loose boulders which constantly rolled away under me and +brought me down. I had only one hand at my service to +hold on to the few mimosa bushes or to pull myself up, for I +carried my rifle in the other, and would sooner have injured +myself than it.</p> + +<p>At last I climbed the last patch, bathed in perspiration +and red-hot, and words fail to describe the joyous surprise +which befel me, on seeing before me the wooded vale and river, +which I had been seeking so long in vain. In the first joy of my<a name="Page_260" id="Page_260"></a> +heart I forgot that it was still very uncertain whether I should +find my comrades there, and that my existence might depend +on a charge more or less in my possession. I fired my rifle +and listened attentively to its echo as it rolled away along +the mountains. I halted for a long time awaiting an answer, +but to no effect. I looked long up the river with my excellent +telescope to try and discover smoke, but also without +success. Far and wide the rocky landscape lay before me, +with no other sign of life than that of the buzzards circling +round the heights. I had been resting for about half an +hour and cooling myself in the fresh breeze, when I seized my +rifle and proceeded down to the valley, which I reached in a +much shorter time. I went up it to the foot of the hills, where +I had fewer obstacles to contend with than in the wood that +covered the river banks, till the declining sun as well as +hunger and fatigue warned me to select my camp.</p> + +<p>I had gone a considerable distance when the sun stood over +the distant hills, for I had walked on without resting, and had +no rocks to scale. I turned off to a spring in the wood, and +threw off my skins on the first bushes I came to, as they +fatigued me too much, though their weight was not great. +My fire was soon lighted at the roots of a stump, a stock of +wood collected, my meal made, and supper eaten, which consisted +of the remainder of the bear meat. Before I entered +the wood, I had looked up to the hills above me, and reflected +whether at nightfall I should light a fire there, which would +certainly be seen a long way down the river. I might possibly +give my friends a hint of my whereabouts, but equally +well betray my halting-place to hostile Indians, who, if any +were in the neighbourhood, would see something unusual in +it. But then again it was an easy matter to hide myself +from them, and as I was without a horse, seek a refuge which +could easily be defended. I resolved to carry out my design, +took my weapons and went up the hills, whose summit I +reached at nightfall. I then collected fallen branches and +brushwood round an old stone piled them up to a great<a name="Page_261" id="Page_261"></a> +height, and the fire quickly darted up crackling and roaring. +I carried up a great number of logs from the trees lying +around and threw them on the fire, which reminded me of the +bonfires we used to light at home when I was a boy. When +I thought the pile of wood large enough to last at least an +hour I left the hill and went to the nearest knoll, where I sat +down near some rocks and lit a pipe, which enjoyment I +only allowed myself morning and night in order to make my +tobacco last as long as possible, as the leaves of the sumach, +which are a good substitute for tobacco, were not to be had. +I had been sitting there for about half an hour when +Trusty got up, uttered an almost inaudible growl, and gazed +at the slope under my feet. I pressed his head to the ground, +laying myself on the top of him, and distinctly heard beneath +me light human voices and some footsteps, which went under +the precipice to the hill on whose top my fire was burning. +What had I better do? Should I call out? They might +be my friends, but if they were strange Indians, I should +expose myself to unnecessary danger; if they were my friends, +on reaching the fire, they would certainly make themselves +known by their voices or by firing. I remained perfectly +quiet and gazed steadfastly at my fire. After a while I saw +a dark object moving before it, then another and another, and +I was soon able to see clearly through my telescope that the +men moving round it wore no hats. They were consequently +Indians, and I was very glad I had not betrayed myself.</p> + +<p>All at once I saw a long way off to the south-west a light +which rapidly grew larger, and in spite of the great distance +so increased that I could distinctly perceive the smoke through +my glass. I greeted it with a loudly beating heart as the +answer of my friends, for no one in these dangerous regions +lights a widely gleaming fire save under such circumstances, +and I was now certain I should join them again next day, +for they were safe to keep up the fire, so as to show me my +course by its smoke. I remained quietly seated under the +rocks, and did not think of sleep though I was very tired, for I<a name="Page_262" id="Page_262"></a> +did not dare return to my camp, as the fire was certainly still +burning there, and the Indians would have seized my skins, +whose absence I now severely felt. I was beginning to chill, +and as I could not await daylight on these bare heights, I +resolved to march during the night as well as I could. I +crept in a stooping posture from my seat to the nearest +hollow which ran down from the hills to the valley, and on +reaching the foot of them, I walked slowly on through the +darkness.</p> + +<p>I had been walking for about an hour, and had fallen several +times, though without hurting myself, when I heard a shot +right ahead of me. It was doubtless fired by my friends, who +were seeking me in spite of the darkness: my fatigue disappeared, +and I walked with greater certainty over the bare +sloping ground. I soon heard another shot, and now could +no longer refrain from answering it. I fired, and soon after +heard two shots responding to me. It was a terribly tiring +walk, for though it was bright starlight I could not distinguish +the boulders and small hollows sufficiently to avoid them. I +also got several times among prickly scrub and swamps +between the hill sides.</p> + +<p>I was just forcing my way out of such a damp spot overgrown +with thorns, when the crack of a rifle rang from the +hill side in front of me, and I at the same time heard Tiger's +hunting yell, though a long way off. I fired again, and was +again answered by two shots. I breathed freely and hurried +over the slippery rocks, and just as I came under a hill slope +I heard Tiger's shrill yell over me; I answered with all my +might, and ere long this faithful friend and the equally worthy +Königstein welcomed me. Their joy, their delight were indescribable. +Trusty sprang round us as if mad in order to +display his sympathy, and I was obliged to call to him +repeatedly and order him to be quiet, ere he mastered his +delight. It was a strange meeting among these wild mountains, +whose dark forms we could now distinguish against the +starlit sky, while the deepest night lay around us. Tiger<a name="Page_263" id="Page_263"></a> +proposed to light a fire; but when I told him that Indians +had passed me and gone to the fire, he said it was better +for us to keep moving. I was too tired, however, and must +rest first, so we lay down under some large rocks where the +wind did not reach us. I took Trusty in my arms and +pressed him to me to keep him warm.</p> + +<p>In order not to fall asleep, I now told my comrades how I +had fared, and heard that Tiger had explained my disappearance +to my friends precisely in this way. At length the first +gleam of coming day showed itself, and was saluted in the +valley by the voices of numerous turkeys. We leapt up, +went down to the wood, where these early birds were standing +on the trees, and brought two of them down. A fire +blazed, and the breasts of the turkeys twirled before it while +we warmed ourselves at it. Königstein had a tin pot and +coffee with him, which improved our meal, and when the sun +was beginning to shine warmly we started for the camp, +from which we were about five miles distant, and where news +of me was anxiously awaited.</p> + +<p>The joy at meeting again was great. From a distance we +were welcomed with shots: all ran to meet us, and each +wanted to be the first to shake my hand and express his joy +at my rescue, as they all except Tiger had given me up for +lost. Czar raised his head and the forefoot buckled to it, and +neighed in delight at seeing me, while Trusty ran up to him +and leapt on his back. All were in the most cheerful temper, +and a thousand questions and answers flew round our camp fire.</p> + +<p>My friends had gone in search of me on the evening when +I did not return to camp, and Tiger had found the turkey +shot by me, and followed my trail to the first stony knoll +over which I pursued the wounded stag; but from this point +he had been unable to find my track, and returned to camp +when darkness set in. The next morning at daybreak he returned +to the same spot, and had gone ahead of my trail in +a wide curve, in order if possible to recognise it in crossing. +Toward evening he had really succeeded in finding first<a name="Page_264" id="Page_264"></a> +Trusty's trail and then mine in the valley where I shot the +deer on the first morning, and reached the spot where I made +my breakfast off its meat. But from this point every sign +disappeared, and any further search would be useless as night +had set in. Afterwards they lit a large fire on the nearest +height, and kept it up all night, though I had not noticed it. +On the next morning Tiger left camp at an early hour with +Königstein, and told the others that they would be back in +eight days if they did not find me before. They looked for +me during the whole day, and had just collected wood on a +knoll over the river to light a signal fire, when they saw +mine flashing against the dark sky, and hurried toward me.</p> + +<p>After all the events of the last restless days had been sufficiently +discussed, I longed for rest. I made my bed in the +shade of a live oak, covered myself with a buffalo robe, and +giving my comrades directions not to wake me under any +pretext, I slept undisturbed till the sun withdrew its last +beams from the valley, and sank behind the glittering peaks +of the Andes. I felt strengthened, and after dipping my +head in the river to refresh me, I sat down with my friends +and ate a hearty supper composed of all the dainties of +hunters' fare.</p> + +<p>The next morning found us mounted at an early hour to +scale the heights on the other side of the river, whence we +followed its course in the next valley. Toward noon, however, +the road became fatiguing, as we had to climb rather +large hills that jutted out from the mountain chain on our +right, and we were soon so wedged in among steep precipices +that we saw no prospect of advancing. After many attempts +nothing was left us but to turn back and recross the saddle +we had last surmounted, after which we followed the valley to +the north-west. Here, too, our road was rendered very tiring +and dangerous by huge scattered masses of rock, as we often +had to lead our horses over them, and they might easily have +been injured by slipping upon them. We wound our way +through, however, without any accident, and were riding<a name="Page_265" id="Page_265"></a> +towards evening over grassy meadows under a steep precipice, +when we noticed on the top of it a herd of about twenty +buffaloes, following a path that ran over a plateau several +hundred feet above our heads. It was remarkable with what +certainty these apparently clumsy creatures followed the +path which was at times hardly a foot in breadth, close to an +abyss on which a man might have hesitated to venture.</p> + +<p>I dismounted and aimed at an old bull which led the file, +while I shouted to my comrades to fire at the fifth head in +the herd, which was a cow that would not bear a calf this +year, and hence must be very plump, which can be easily +seen by the dark glistening hair. We shot nearly together. +My buffalo made a spring forward, rose on its hind legs, and +fell over the abyss, falling on projecting rocks till it came +down to us in the valley regularly smashed. The cow, hit +by many bullets, fell on its knees, and, as if foreseeing its fate, +remained in this position for some minutes, till its strength +deserting it, it lost its balance and fell head-foremost from +rock to rock down to us. Both animals were frightfully +smashed, their ribs and bones protruded from their torn +hides, and large pieces of rock had been forced into their +monstrous carcases. The other buffaloes trotted along the +path till they disappeared from sight behind a knoll. The +smashed animals were perfectly suited for our use, as we only +took the best bits, and especially the loins from the spine, cut +the tongues out of the broken jaws, and removed the marrow-bones, +leaving the rest to the vultures and buzzards which +soon circled over our heads.</p> + +<p>Towards evening we reached a small stream which wound +through the mountains to Canadian River, and offered us a +very pleasant camping-place through the fine grass on its +flat banks, as well as an abundance of dry wood.</p> + +<p>We were lying in the twilight round our fire, when we +heard a long way up the valley the hoot of an owl, and at +the same time saw a large very white bird flying along the +dark precipice. We all seized our rifles to bring it down,<a name="Page_266" id="Page_266"></a> +when it settled on a projecting rock opposite to us. None of +us had ever seen a bird like it before. Several of my comrades +ran up nearer to it, and fired simultaneously; it swung +itself in the air, however, with a loud flapping of wings, and +circled round our camp, flying no great distance above me. +I had more luck than my friends, for I tumbled it over with +a broken wing. It was a snow white owl of extraordinary +size, and with such beautiful plumage that I kept its skin to +stuff. I therefore killed it, hung it up, and on the next +morning skinned it, and prepared the skin for carriage.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-281.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="515"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267"></a> +<a name="chapter22" id="chapter22"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-198.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="174"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">BEAVER HUNTERS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">We</span> left our camp at a rather early hour, and soon found +below it numerous signs of beaver trees, a foot and a half in +diameter, lay with a great number of smaller ones along the +banks of the stream, and farther in the wood we saw trees +glistening whose bark had been peeled off several feet above +the ground. Any one unacquainted with these animals and +their habits would surely have believed that new settlers +had been busy here, and cut down wood for their block +houses. The splinters lay in heaps round the bitten-through +trees, as if we had been in a carpenter's shop, and many of the +felled trees had been stripped of their branches. These most +interesting animals generally settle on the smaller streams +and brooks, and their families at first consist of but few +members. On such a stream they cautiously select a spot +where several tall soft-wooded trees, such as poplars, aspens, +ashes, maples, &c. stand on both sides of it, then proceed +together to one of the trunks, stand on their hind legs, and +follow each other slowly round it, tearing out of the tree at +each bite great bits of wood, as if they had been hewn out +with an axe. They cut away more wood on the side of the +tree turned to the river than on the opposite side, so that it +becomes overbalanced and falls over into the water. Thus +they fell one tree after the other across the stream, nibble off +the branches, and carry other bits of wood between and under +these trunks down to the river bed, while they fill up the +interstices with twigs. After this is finished, they fetch on +their broad flat tails mud and earth from the bank, and +plaster the wooden dam, till it becomes so tight that the<a name="Page_268" id="Page_268"></a> +water rises before it, and overflows on both sides frequently +for miles.</p> + +<p>In this lake, produced by their art, the beavers build their +houses, which are generally of three storeys, though at times of +four. They are round and pointed like a sugar-loaf, are about +twenty feet in diameter at the bottom of the water; the +floors are about two feet high, and separated by a flooring, in +the centre of which is a round hole, by means of which they +go up and down the house. The only entrance is at the +bottom of the water, and generally only the highest floor +emerges from the water, so that the latter is always dry. +The creatures build their house of branches three feet in +length, which they bind together with twigs and earth, and +make the walls nearly a foot thick. They thus build one +floor over the other, each higher one being smaller, till the +highest one terminates in a point. They line the interior +with grass and moss, so that it affords them and their young +a dry, warm abode in winter.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-284"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-284.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="413"> +<p class="caption">BEAVERS BUILDING A DAM. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_268">p. 268.</a></i></span></p></div> + + +<p>The females give birth at the end of May, or beginning of +June, to from two to six young, which are brought up in the +colony and remain there; on the other hand, they never admit +a strange beaver, and fight sanguinary battles with it, if it +tries to force its way into their settlement. In proportion as +the family increases, more houses are built, and I have often +seen lodges in which a dozen houses peeped out of the water. +The beavers, however, do not fell the trees solely to build +their houses, but also to procure food from the tender bark of +the thinner branches. They convey these branches in autumn, +cut in lengths, to their houses, and pile up a large supply in +the lower rooms, on which they live in winter. They go on +land at this season, too, and for this purpose keep holes open, +in the ice on the banks of their ponds, and I have also found +their track in the snow; but as a rule, they remain at home +at that season. If the family grow too numerous for the +space and the food to be found in the vicinity, several members +of it emigrate and establish a new lodge close by: frequently<a name="Page_269" id="Page_269"></a> +an old beaver colony will contain a hundred. The beaver is +one of the most cautious and timid animals in creation, and it +is very difficult to get at it on land and kill it with firearms; +on the other hand, it is wonderfully easy to capture in traps, +and in this way an entire colony can be extirpated to the last +one in a very short period.</p> + +<p>The male beaver carries in two bladders the <i>castoreum +officinale</i>, a very powerfully-scented, oily fluid, which the +hunter collects in a bottle and mixes with spirits, partly to +keep it from putrefying, but principally to impart to it another +odour, by which the beaver is induced to believe that it emanates +from a stranger. In this bottle the hunter thrusts a +twig, the point of which he moistens with its contents, then +thrusts the other end of it into the bank of the beaver pond, +so that the point projects over the water at a spot where it is +not very deep. Exactly under this twig he places in the +water his heavy iron trap, to which he fastens, by a long +thong, a very large bush, which he throws on the bank. So +soon as a beaver raises its nose on the surface of the pond, it +smells the castoreum on the twig, swims up to convince itself +whether it emanates from a stranger, and while going on +land steps on the trap, which closes and catches its forefeet. +It darts away with the trap into deep water, and wrestles +furiously with the torturing iron, for which reason a beaver +thus captured is never found to have sound teeth—till, quite +exhausted, it tries to rise to the surface to breathe. The +trap, however, keeps it down, and the prisoner is drowned in +its own element. The next morning the hunter sees the bush +floating over the spot where the beaver is lying, and pulls it +up with the trap. The beaver hunters who visit these +western deserts often take some dozens of traps with them, +so that when they arrive at a colony, it is speedily destroyed, +on which occasion they also capture in the same way the +otters living there.</p> + +<p>Usually these hunters go quite alone into the desert with a +horse that carries the traps, some buffalo hides, salt, gun<a name="Page_270" id="Page_270"></a>powder, +and bullets, and lead thus, several hundred of miles +away from civilization, a most dangerous and fatiguing life +for two or three years. At night they set their traps, and in +the morning take out the captured animals, whose skins they +dry before the fire, while their flesh serves them as food. +When they have cleared out the spot, they pack up the skins, +conceal them in caves, under rocks, and in hollow trees, and go +farther with their traps. In winter, when the hunt is not +very productive, they build huts of skins, or seek a cave in +the rocks, in which they find a shelter from the harsh climate, +and hunt other varieties of game, while they keep their horse +alive on a stock of dried grass, collected in autumn, weeds, or +poplar bark. At the end of some years, during which such +a hunter has collected a large stock of skins, he proceeds to +the nearest settlement, fetches pack animals thence, takes a +sufficient number of men into his service, and proceeds to his +hunting-grounds, in order to carry to market the produce of his +lengthened labour. It is often the case that such a hunter +receives from three to four thousand pounds for the skins collected +during this period, but still more frequently he pays for +his daring with his scalp and his life. The Indians themselves +do not kill beavers, but regard the trappers as the pioneers of +the white men, who eventually advance farther into their +hunting-grounds, and take from them one piece of land after +the other, by which they are daily driven farther back, and +come into hostile collision with one another. Hence the +trappers are hated by all the Indians, and pursued by them +whenever they are seen. Only the great concealment and +difficult approach to the regions where they hunt, and the +great caution with which they manage to hide their abode +from the eyes of the Indians, render it possible for them to +lead this life for years, and constantly deceive the savages, +when they accidentally acquire a knowledge of their presence. +It is incredible what acuteness and skill such iron characters +develope, and we must feel surprised that a single one of +these adventurers ever sees his home again, I have lain for<a name="Page_271" id="Page_271"></a> +whole nights at the little fires of these people, and listened to +their stories—how they became familiar with this life in their +earliest youth, and returned to it when grey-haired, although +able to live comfortably on their savings in the civilized world. +As the seafarer dies on the water, the desert becomes the +element of this hunter; and he rarely closes his eyes elsewhere—with +the rifle on his arm.</p> + +<p>The sign of beaver lodges which we saw was so fresh and +numerous that probably no one had as yet appeared here with +traps: the stream spread far over its bank and formed a very +large pool, from whose surface a number of houses peeped out; +but we could see nothing of the mysterious denizens of the +settlement. We were compelled to ride close under the precipice +on our right, where our cattle were up to their knees +in water, in order to cross the inundation, while below the +dams the stream remained in its narrow bed.</p> + +<p>We reached Canadian River, which, however, here trended +so to the east that we took the first opportunity of crossing +the hills that bordered it and pursuing our course toward the +north. On the other side of them, which we reached about +noon, we came to another small stream, on whose banks we +saw a number of peeled trees, and also found here a beaver +lodge. We rode through the stream, and had left it about +a mile behind us, when we suddenly heard a shout in +our rear, and saw a man, who had stationed himself on an +isolated rock, and was making signs to us. Tiger told me he +was a beaver trapper. We rode back to bid this son of the +desert good day and hear whether we could be of any service +to him. When we drew nearer, the tall dark form disappeared +from the rocks, and a man stepped from the thicket on our +left, with a long rifle in his hand, and came up to us with the +question—"Where from, strangers?" He was above six +feet high, thin, but muscular, with extraordinarily broad +shoulders, a dark bronzed face and neck, a long grey beard, +and a haughty demeanour; his small, light-blue eyes flashed +with great resolution under his thick black brows, while a<a name="Page_272" id="Page_272"></a> +pleasant smile softened the impression which his glance might +have produced on a stranger. His exterior revealed at the +first glance that he had endured a good deal in his time, that +he had often defied fate, and that nothing could easily happen +to him which would throw him out of gear and make his resolution +totter. Deer-hide tight trowsers, shoes of the same +material, and a jacket of the same composed his dress, and a +scarlet woollen shirt, unbuttoned, allowed his bronzed chest +to be seen. A beaver-skin cap proved that it was made by +the wearer, and the same was the case with the hunting-bag +he carried over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>I rode up to the stranger and replied—"From the Leone on +the Rio Grande," and offered him my hand, which he shook +heartily. "Are you a trapper? and where from?" I asked +him. "From Missouri; my name—Ben Armstrong—has +been known for the last forty years in the Rocky Mountains, +and I have now been back for a year from the old State." +He invited us to go to his camp and spend the night with +him, as he longed to hear something about events in the old +States. We accepted his invitation, and followed him along +a narrow path through the bushes and rocks to a spot some +hundred yards above the pond, where we dismounted in front +of some thick scrub, and passed through it with our host. +We stepped on to a cleared spot, from which the axe had +removed the bushes, at whose northern end heavy masses of +rock rose above each other, and hanging over at a height of +thirty feet, covered a large space. Over the whole place a +number of dried beaver skins was suspended from the branches, +as well as the hide of a grizzly, and many others of deer +and antelopes. Under the rocks lay several bundles of beaver +skins, while one of them drawn up near the fire seemed to +have served our host as a seat.</p> + +<p>Antonio and Königstein went down to the pond with our +horses, where there was excellent grass, and watched over +them in turn with my other comrades. I saw a track of a +horse leading to our host's abode, and asked him whose it<a name="Page_273" id="Page_273"></a> +was, to which he replied that on this trip, for the first time +in his life, he had taken a partner, a young Kentuckian of the +name of Gray, who was at present out hunting on horseback, +to get some venison, as they were sick of beaver meat. The +next day, he said, they intended to leave their camp, as they +had trapped all the beavers round, otherwise he would not +have been so incautious as to lead so many horses to his +hiding-place and thus betray it to passing Indians. He +always led his own horse through the scrub up the stream, +and let it graze on the opposite side, so that its track might +not lead to his camp.</p> + +<p>Our host now filled a cup from a small cask of whisky +three of which lay under the rocks, and, as he told us, constituted +his sole luxury. He loaded an extra mule with them +when he started, but it had been killed some months previously +by a couguar, as it had got loose at night. He readily +offered us his favourite liquid and a cup of fresh spring +water, and after taking a hearty pull himself he put six +beaver tails in front of the fire, and we put all our coffeepots +with them, and unpacked our small stock of biscuit, +while we set the remaining marrow-bones from yesterday to +roast.</p> + +<p>The sun had not set when our friendly host's partner +arrived with his horse, loaded with deer meat. He was +greatly surprised at finding so large a party, and very pleased +to have an opportunity of hearing news from the States, even +though it was not of the freshest. He was young and tall, +with a healthy, merry face, brown eyes, pleasant mouth, a +commencing beard, and long, dark brown curls hanging over +his shoulders. His tight-fitting leathern dress was made with +more coquettishness than Armstrong's, and displayed his +handsome person, while a broad-brimmed black beaver hat +slightly pulled over one ear, imparted to his whole appearance +something resolute and determined.</p> + +<p>Our cattle were now brought up and fastened to the +withered trees in the open space—then we lay down on our<a name="Page_274" id="Page_274"></a> +skins round the fire and enjoyed the beaver tails, while our +hosts paid special attention to our biscuits and coffee, which +were a rarity for them. After supper Armstrong sent the +whisky-cup round again, then pipes were lighted, and we +first answered the thousand questions asked us about the state +of affairs at home, and which principally referred to politics. +When this subject was exhausted, Armstrong spoke and told +us the principal events of his life since he last bade farewell +to civilization, his various bloodthirsty fights with the Indians, +the dangers they had often escaped with difficulty, and the +fatigues and unpleasantnesses they endured, among which +he mentioned the hailstorm, which had also annoyed us. +He told us of successful hunts with the traps, and promised +to show us the next morning the last beaver to be found in +these parts.</p> + +<p>Then he told us how the ex-owner of the monstrous bearskin, +which hung behind us on a tree, had paid a visit one +evening to their camp, and how they killed it. For fear of +the Indians they dared not light a large fire, and the few +coals had not frightened the bear, which advanced within a +few yards of them, when both fired their rifles at its head, +and laid it dead on the ground. While telling this story, +Armstrong pulled off his shirt and showed us on his sides and +back a regular mass of scars which he had received from +the embraces of dying grizzlies. He narrated so picturesquely +that the matter was fully brought before the listener: his +powerful deep voice, which kept pace with the fire of his narrative, +the passionate gestures by which he accompanied +his narrative, as well as his coarse form, illumined by the +fire and the surrounding scenery, produced a remarkable and +permanent impression on me. We listened to the stories +till a late hour, when fatigue at length closed our eyes.</p> + +<p>At the first beam of dawn we led our cattle into the grass, +got breakfast ready, and then went with Armstrong about +half a mile down the stream, where he had traps still set. +We pulled up three beavers with the bushes floating on the<a name="Page_275" id="Page_275"></a> +water, and our host remarked that now there was only one +old fellow left, who had escaped his traps several times and +would not go near them again in a hurry. On returning to +camp, we packed our animals and took leave of our kind +hosts, to whom, to their great joy, we gave a portion of our +stock of coffee. We then described to them accurately the +district where we had seen the numerous beaver lodges, and +wishing them all possible luck, rode again up the mountain's +side where we had heard Armstrong shout.</p> + +<p>For several days we followed our course without any particular +difficulties, while the country retained much the same +character. The Sacramento mountains seemed to run farther +to the west, and attained their greatest height here. We +soon got among higher mountains, and found we should have +done better by going more to the east into the prairies, for +we were obliged to turn and ride a long way back, as we +could not pass through the mountains. At length, however, +we reached a river of some size, which flowed to the north-east, +and resolved to follow it until we reached lower and +more accessible regions where we could pursue our course +again. We spent the night on the north side of the river, +and found, after riding a few miles down its bank, that the +valley through which it flowed constantly grew narrower and +the precipices on its sides steeper. It was still early, and +the sun had been unable to overpower the thick fog which +had gathered in the valleys during the night. It appeared, +indeed, still uncertain whether it would rise or fall, as it hung +about the rocks in long, narrow strips. It was as cold as on +a damp autumn morning; the grass and bushes were as wet +as after a heavy shower, and heavy dewdrops hung on the +old spider's webs between them. We had put on our buffalo +robes and guided our horses between the many loose blocks of +stone and step-like strata, while the river constantly displayed +larger and smaller cascades, some of which were +twenty feet high, and its bed continually became deeper.</p> + +<p>We had just reached one of these falls when we noticed on<a name="Page_276" id="Page_276"></a> +the other bank two very large grizzly bears, one of which +squatted on its hind-quarters and stared over at us. They +could not hurt us, as the stream above the fall was too rapid +for them to swim across without being carried so far that +they would go over the fall, and below the latter the banks +were at least fifty feet high, and so steep that it was impossible +to climb them. Tiger, for all that, advised us not to fire at +them, as he was of opinion that they might find a spot where +they could cross to us, and then they would give us a good +deal of trouble. We therefore rode past without disturbing +them, and only watched them as they licked their paws and +passed them over their clumsy heads, while sniffing at us +from time to time, and even following us a few yards along +the bank.</p> + +<p>The gorge down which the river dashed grew deeper and +our route the more dangerous, until we suddenly came to a +ravine which ran across our road into the river bed. Our +farther progress was here checked, and we were obliged to +try and make a path up it, which was effected with great +difficulty, as the stones lay wildly about. We soon reached +an old very practicable path, which, as it appeared to us, was +used not only by buffaloes, but also by Indians, and which +ran north-west. Tiger was of opinion that this was the road +through these mountains to Santa Fé which the foot Indians +employed, as they avoid the prairies in order to get out of the +way of the mounted tribes, and because travelling in the tall +grass is too fatiguing for a pedestrian.</p> + +<p>We gladly followed it, for the road through the rocks was +more impassable than ever; it ran up hill rather sharply toward +the highest mountain saddles. The nearer we advanced to +them the better and more passable the path became, and our +horses scaled these high hills at a good pace, and at times +had an opportunity of drawing breath on small plateaus. The +sky was perfectly cloudless and the sun warm, so that we +welcomed the light north wind. Eastward the low hills lay +at our feet in the extreme distance, between which we could<a name="Page_277" id="Page_277"></a> +watch the various mountain torrents for a long way, while +here and there the rich green of the fresh turf peeped out +between the red masses. On our left, the mountains were piled +on each other in the strangest forms until their glistening +ice-peaks rose into the azure sky. Our path frequently wound +along the precipices, where it could be seen for a long distance +like a white stripe, and it did not seem possible to pass along +it; but when we reached the spot our horses stepped lightly +over it, and we found that it looked worse than it really was.</p> + +<p>Thus, toward evening, when the sun was sinking behind +the mountains, we saw our path suddenly disappear behind +an abrupt precipice, and expected a dangerous bit. When we +arrived there we considered it really better to dismount and +lead our horses. The path constantly grew narrower under +the precipice, and the abyss beneath us steeper and deeper at +every step. We advanced as it was no longer possible to turn +back, and with each foot our situation became more serious. +We wound round the face of the rock and looked down into +a dizzy ravine, whose bottom was already hidden by the +gloom. The path was only a few feet wide, and at many +places washed away by the rain. Tiger, with his piebald, was +ahead of me, and was leading his horse by a long bridle; all +at once he cried to me, "Take care," and I saw his horse step +down and then spring up again. The rain had excavated the +path here to some depth, and by its side the rocks went down +sheer. Without hesitation, I seized the end of the bridle, +quickly crossed the dangerous spot, and Czar did the same +gallantly. Königstein followed me, and then one after the +other till the mules at length came up. Jack was ahead; he +went cautiously up and down, and I saw the basket on his +left side graze the precipice; still he got across safely. Lizzy +followed at his heels; but Sam swerved when he arrived at +the spot, made a leap to get across, struck his basket against +the precipice, and was hurled out into the abyss, down which +he fell with all four feet in the air. A general "Ah!" was +the sole sound that passed our lips, for we were not yet out<a name="Page_278" id="Page_278"></a> +of danger ourselves. Ere long, however, the path grew +broader, and ran over a grassy plateau, whence we could look +back at the dangerous point and into the dark abyss. Had +we arrived from this side, not one of us would have dared to +lead his horse over it, and we should have been obliged to ride +round a long way.</p> + +<p>The loss of Sam was serious to us, for he carried our coffee, +spirits, several buffalo robes and articles of clothing. A little +coffee was still packed on Jack, as we had opened a fresh +bladder that very morning, and that animal carried all the +articles for daily consumption. Still the matter could not be +helped, and we regarded the loss as a very fortunate one, as +we might just as easily have lost one of our horses, which +would have been far more serious. We unpacked, as the sun +had set and we did not know what roads we might still find. +We had grass for our hungry cattle, and water for ourselves +we carried with us. We made a small fire of <i>bois de vache</i>, +to which Tiger presently brought a few twigs of mimosa, so +that we were able to cook our supper; then we supplied our +friends whose bedding had fallen into the abyss with such +blankets and hides as we could spare. The night was very +cold, and we missed a good wood fire terribly. We rolled +ourselves tighter in our blankets and skins, but could not +keep warm, and were glad when daylight came and we could +make our blood circulate by moving about. All of us, except +Antonio, hurried off to look for firewood, in search of which +we had to go some distance; still the movement did us good, +and each brought an armful of wood back, so that we soon +had a good fire at which to warm our benumbed hands.</p> + +<p>It was very early when we rode off with our buffalo robes +over our shoulders: we pulled the large woollen blankets +that hung over the saddle across our lap, so as to keep our +knees warm, and throwing the bridle on the horse's neck, we +put our hands in our jacket-pockets. The whole landscape +looked as if sugared, the grass and bushes sparkled in the <a name="tn_png_295"></a><!--TN: "unbeams" changed to "sunbeams"-->sunbeams +with their coating of hoar frost, and the rocks com<a name="Page_279" id="Page_279"></a>pleted +the wintry scene by the cold blue tinge they had in +the shade. This picture, however, passed away very rapidly, +and in an hour the rime was hardly to be seen even at the +shadiest spots. Our path continually ran upwards, and went +up and down from one mountain saddle to another. We saw +several bears climbing up the rocks, for in these remote regions +they are not very particular as to the mode of going home, +and came across a herd of antelopes, some of which we shot. +About noon we reached a hollow between two ranges of hills, +where we found fresh grass and a stream whose banks were +covered with low bushes.</p> + +<p>We noticed about a mile to our left at the spot where the +stream ran out of a precipitous and very narrow gorge, eight +buffaloes quietly grazing, and resolved to hunt them. We +left our cattle under Antonio's charge and crept toward the +animals. Here my comrades hid themselves in a dry bush +overgrown with raspberry creepers that stood nearly at the +centre of the opening, and Tiger and I crept up to the +buffaloes, which were standing at the highest point of the +ravine: we reached some bushes not more than ten yards from +the animals without their perceiving us, and lay down on the +ground in the midst of them. We had each selected a buffalo, +when they stared into our bush with tails erect, as they had +probably scented us; we fired together, and at the same moment +there was a trampling over us as if a cavalry regiment were +charging. I jumped up and fired again at the flying monsters, +which now had to run the gauntlet of my comrades' guns. +One dropped close to them and a second fell a little farther +on, while the rest galloped down the stream. Tiger sprang +up too and cut off a buffalo near our bush, which he said was +the one I had shot: his had fled with the others. For my +part, I had not seen it, for the powder smoke still hung over +my rifle, when the brutes charged over us, and we might +consider ourselves fortunate that they had not trampled us +with their huge feet. We skinned one of them in order to +use the skin as a substitute for the one we had lost, although<a name="Page_280" id="Page_280"></a> +an untanned buffalo hide is a very clumsy thing to carry on +pack-animals.</p> + +<p>We laid in a stock of the best meat, took all the marrow-bones +and tongues, and then followed a very decent path, +which here left the main road and went down the stream +eastward. After a little while the path trended more to the +northern hills, where we saw the smoke of numerous fires +rising farther to the north. Tiger said it was lucky we had +chosen this road, as on the other we should have ridden right +into an Indian camp.</p> + +<p>For two days we followed our path and crossed various +streams which flowed more to the south, till the low hills +became more scattered and the glens between them wider. +The vegetation was springing up here, and the good pasturage +induced us to grant our cattle some days' rest, as they had +been on short commons lately. We selected a very pretty +camping-place, where a small stream ran under a precipice +and was covered on one side with scrub and a few leafy trees, +while on the north and east a rich prairie opened out, and to +the west the forest became thicker. We had abundance of +game of every description, and many a head bled to death +around us, merely for the sake of the fascination which hunting +exerts. All had left camp in turn to hunt except Clifton +and myself, and the latter asked leave on the second morning +to try his luck. It was a fine day and I proposed to accompany +him, but stipulated that we should ride. Clifton was +delighted, and quickly saddled his iron-grey, a horse of remarkable +value, who up to the present had been the least fatigued +of all our cattle by the journey.</p> + +<p>We rode away from camp and received from our laughing +comrades a seasonable hint to take care and not lose ourselves. +We rode up the stream, from which a thick wood soon +separated us, on whose skirt we had followed the prairie. +We had ridden for about an hour, when we noticed a little +distance off some wild cattle proceeding toward the wood. +Clifton was very eager to kill one of these animals, but I<a name="Page_281" id="Page_281"></a> +warned him to be most cautious, and reminded him that this +was a most dangerous hunt. We rode slowly to the skirt of +the wood and reached the spot where the herd had entered it, +when Clifton pulled up under a young oak, wound his horse's +bridle round a branch, and ran off with his rifle and knelt +behind a large plane tree. He had done this almost before I +knew what he was about. I rode a few paces farther and +saw a large bull grazing with its head turned towards us, but +at the same moment Clifton fired. The bullet was hardly +out of the rifle ere the bull rushed at him with lowered head, +and Clifton, throwing away his gun, took to flight. He +reached a young tree and swarmed up it, while the savage +brute dashed under his swinging legs and charged the iron-grey, +which attempted in vain to tear away its bridle from +the branch. In an instant the bull drove its head under the +poor horse, and with its monstrous horns tore its entrails out. +The horse fell to the ground with a fearful piercing cry, and +at the same moment I sent a bullet through the bull's +shoulder; it turned and followed me furiously into the prairie, +where I fled before it in a wide circle. It became exhausted, +stopped, and uttered a furious roar, while hurling up the +turf with his horns and stamping on the ground with its feet. +I turned Czar a little to the right, kept Trusty back, and sent +my second bullet between the bull's shoulders, upon which it +sank on one knee and soon rolled over.</p> + +<p>I now hurried to Clifton, who was standing with tears in +his eyes over his dead horse and repenting his want of caution, +but too late. Mourning over this sad loss, we went back to +camp on foot and there aroused great sorrow by describing our +misfortune. We consulted as to what was now to be done, +and there was no choice left but for Clifton to ride the mule, +Lizzy, while we divided her load between Jack and Antonio's +mare. We sent to the scene of the accident to fetch Clifton's +saddle and some meat from the bull, and remained all day in +camp in sorrowful mood.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282"></a> +<a name="chapter23" id="chapter23"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE GRIZZLY BEARS.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">The</span> next morning we followed the river for some hours, and +then entered a path which ran northward through a lateral +valley. We had done a good day's march, and were busy +preparing supper in a small wood at a spring, when Trusty +began barking, and we heard the sound of horses. We all +ran to our horses and brought them together, while we got +our weapons in readiness, when Tiger leapt out of the bushes +and shouted some words we did not understand, to which no +answer was given, though the sound of the horses' hoofs +ceased. Tiger hurried back, shouted to us to fasten up our +horses in the thicket, which was effected in a moment, and +then post ourselves round it behind the trees, as he believed +that they were hostile Indians. All at once a single voice +was heard not far from us, whose language was equally incomprehensible +to us, but which Tiger at once replied to; +and springing up behind his tree, he uttered his hunting yell. +He ran in the direction where we had heard the voice, and +shouted to me they were friends, Delawares. Our joy was +great, for our position would not have been a favourable one +if we had been attacked here by a superior force: it was +dark, and our thicket was commanded by thick scrub and +trees, so that our cattle at any rate would have been exposed +to bullets or arrows from a close distance. Tiger now +came up to our fire with an Indian, whom we soon joined, +and he introduced to us his friend, the Chief of a Delaware +tribe, whom he called Young Bear. Several of his men soon +joined us, most of whom spoke English, and all were very +friendly to us. They seemed all to have known for a long<a name="Page_283" id="Page_283"></a> +time that Tiger was living with us. Every one questioned +him and appeared satisfied with his answers. The chief +remained at our fire, while his people went to camp close at +hand. He told us they had just left their settlement, and +were going to the Southern prairies, where the most buffaloes +were, but intended to march down the mountains to kill +bears and lay in a stock of grease and skins. Farther east +there were a great many Indians on the prairie, and we should +do better in not leaving the hills entirely, although no tribe +would venture openly to attack us so long as Tiger remained +with us. He stopped to supper, and then returned to his +camp.</p> + +<p>The next morning we visited the Delawares, and were +pleased at the cordiality with which they welcomed us. +There were about forty warriors, about half as many squaws, +and a heap of children. They had at least a hundred horses +and mules with them, some of which were remarkably handsome. +Clifton requested me to ask Young Bear whether he +could supply him with a good horse, as his people appeared +to have more than they required. The chief spoke to them +on the subject, and ere long several came up with horses, +which I advised Clifton, however, to decline, as they were +not good; for I was aware they would produce their worst +horses first. After we had inspected and declined a number +of horses, a young Indian came up with a black horse, which +was really handsome. It was a powerful, finely-proportioned +animal, and showed in all points its noble breed. The price +he asked was two hundred dollars, upon which I offered him +thirty, and after a long chaffering we agreed on fifty, which +Clifton paid. He was delighted with his purchase, and had +long reason to be satisfied, for the horse turned out most +useful and excellent in every respect.</p> + +<p>We breakfasted, Young Bear sharing the meal with us, +and were busily preparing for a start, when the chief came +to me and said that one of his men was inclined to go with +us, and it would be better for us to have him with us; he<a name="Page_284" id="Page_284"></a> +had often been on the Rocky Mountains, and was acquainted +with the tribes living there, while Tiger was only a young +man. I was very pleased at the offer, which seemed to me to +be made chiefly on Tiger's account. I told the chief I should +be very glad, and we would pay the man for his services; he +had better ask him what he expected. The Indian, a powerful +man, between thirty and forty years of age, now came forward, +and we agreed that we should pay him five dollars for +every month he spent with us, till we returned home. He +was very pleased, fetched his horse, and joined our party. +We stopped at the camp of our friends, bade them a hearty +farewell, and marched northward, animated by fresh courage.</p> + +<p>Our new comrade, whose name was White Owl, was a very +quiet, good-tempered, and sensible man, who in a short time +gained the goodwill of all; he helped us in everything, and +appeared anxious to supplant Tiger in our favour by his +activity and valuable services. He was at the same time a +first-rate hunter and good shot. So that he rarely returned +to camp from hunting without game.</p> + +<p>In a few days we reached open prairies; the mountains to the +west seemed here much farther off, and resembled blue clouds. +These were the mountain chains in which Santa Fé lies, and +whence annually enormous sums of silver are sent to Mexico; +on the eastern side they are bordered by rich boundless +prairies, while their western slopes are washed by the Rio +Grande. On these plains we found vegetation more advanced, +and though the fresh grass was not enamelled by such a +varied flora as the prairies on the Leone at this season, still we +saw around us several pretty flowers, which offered an agreeable +variety to the eye. Small knolls and bushes, as well as +clumps of trees, frequently broke the dead level and saved +the eye from resting on an indistinct horizon. At the same +time these plains were enlivened by an extraordinary number +of buffaloes, large herds of wild horses, antelopes, and deer; +so that at every moment the hunter's straying eye rested on +something to interest him. We marched for eight days due<a name="Page_285" id="Page_285"></a> +north, during which time we crossed many rivers flowing to +the east, and came across hunting-Indian tribes repeatedly. +One night we camped with a party of Shawnees, whose chief +was called Greengrass, and who behaved in the most friendly +manner to us. He promised to visit us next winter, and +made us a present of several beautifully dressed deer-skins, as +he thought we should soon want them. In addition we met +Osages, Creeks, Choctaws, and a small tribe of Pawnees: the +latter displayed unfriendly intentions, but as we treated them +sternly and resolutely, they soon quitted us. Tiger shouted to +them on parting that we could see their scalps at night as +well, and so they had better keep away from us. The Pawnees +are the most warlike tribe among the Northern Indians, are +splendid riders, have first-rate horses, and live between the +Platte and Missouri rivers; in proportion to the other +northern tribes, they are armed with but few firearms, but +use the lance and lasso with remarkable skill.</p> + +<p>At the sources of the northern arm of Canadian River we +crossed the path, which runs from Santa Fé to Fort Bent, on +the Arkansas, and thence to Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri, +and a few days after crossed another road, running +from Independence, on the Missouri, <i>viâ</i> Taos in New +Mexico, to St. Francisco and Saint Fé. The country here +became very hilly; the vegetation had scarce sprouted, and +the nights were cold. Our cattle were badly off here, for +grass was scanty, the roads very stony and covered with +loose boulders of red granite, which hurt their bare feet, and +they also suffered severely at night from the cold. We now +began to feel the loss of our coffee, which lay buried between +the mountains with Sam, and we equally missed on these cold +nights the brandy which had shared the same fate. In a few +days, however, we shook off these habits, and our meals did +not taste the worse without these articles of luxury.</p> + +<p>We proceeded west-north-west, in order to enter the real +Rocky Mountains, and see the Spanish peaks, the highest in +this range, which lie to the south of the Arkansas, from which<a name="Page_286" id="Page_286"></a> +river we were now no great distance. The weather favoured +us; it was warm in the day, and the young grass was sprouting +in the valleys. During these days we generally ascended +and crossed a number of small streams that flowed from these +mountains to the Arkansas, and always found good provender +for our cattle on their banks. The mountains in the west +continually rose, and the snow-clad Spanish peaks, of which +three were much higher than the rest, stood out more and +more distinctly against the blue sky. We reached a mountain +saddle, and on its plateau, a rather frequented path, which +appeared to have been originally made by buffaloes, though +we noticed old horse-tracks upon it. As it trended to the +north, we followed it, as it must certainly lead to the banks +of the Arkansas. The path became very fatiguing for our +cattle, as it was covered with flinty boulders, some of which +had very sharp edges, and injured the hoofs. At the same +time we found but little food for them on this bleak elevation, +and noticed with sorrow that they were losing both +flesh and strength.</p> + +<p>We had been following this path for four days, when we +were compelled to lead our horses and expose our own feet to +the sharp pebbles, for all were more or less lame and unable +to carry us any farther. Jack was the only one that underwent +no change, though he placed his little feet very cautiously +on the ground. We marched from sunrise to dusk, +without meeting with grass or a drop of water. Our feet +were painful, too, and we eagerly scaled every elevation in +the hope of finding consolation on the opposite side. The +sun had set, and night would long before have put an end to +our journey, had not the moon lighted us. Tiger, who had +gone on ahead, awaited us on a knoll with the cheering news +that there was excellent pasturage here for our cattle, and +water probably no great distance off. We passed through a +rock-gate into a glen, where we soon stood in high grass, and +our animals greedily bit at it, while we hobbled them, and +Tiger went off with Owl to look for water. The latter soon<a name="Page_287" id="Page_287"></a> +returned, and told us that a stream ran along the valley on the +right, after which he informed Tiger of his discovery by several +shrill yells, and we now rose from the stones among the grass, +on which we had sunk greatly fatigued, to reach the desired +water. Tiger soon found us, and he and Owl led us between +huge masses of scattered rock down to the stream, where we +refreshed our cattle. A crackling fire of brushwood soon illumined +the surrounding scenery, as we found plenty of wood +to keep it up. Late at night we lay round it, and watched +our cattle enjoying the sweet grass, for we felt a reluctance to +fetch them in and tie them up. At last, however, weariness +compelled us to place them in our vicinity under Trusty's +charge, so that we might rest after our exertions.</p> + +<p>Morning showed us that we had camped in a small glen, +which, being watered by numerous springs, displayed a rich +vegetation for its elevated situation. The grass was fresh, +and mingled with many juicy plants, which our cattle seemed +to be very fond of. The stream on which we had camped +had a good deal of bush on its banks, out of which grew a +few stunted trees, which by their growth, and the moss +covering their bark, clearly showed that they did not feel at +home in this region. We were very pleased to have reached +this oasis, and resolved to let our cattle rest here for at least a +week, not only to enable them to regain their strength, but +also to give vegetation more time to sprout.</p> + +<p>We made many hunting excursions, but always on foot, as +we wished to grant our cattle perfect rest, and we could get +through the mountains better in this way. We did not find +the common deer here, but the elk, whose dry flesh soon became +repulsive to us. Now and then we killed an antelope, +and Tiger brought in one evening a mountain sheep, an animal +exactly like the ibex, which lives in large flocks in these +mountains. Its meat is agreeable and tender, and its skin +produces first-rate leather for clothes.</p> + +<p>Our stock of game was again reduced to the dry flesh of +an elk, when at daybreak I cooked a bit of it for breakfast,<a name="Page_288" id="Page_288"></a> +and, after eating it, seized my weapons and left the camp with +Trusty to go in search of better game. I followed the stream +some distance, and soon reached the bare slopes which ran +down to the Arkansas: here I turned to the stream which +ran through the valley about six miles under me, and its +banks were covered with green meadows and numerous bushes. +Down to it ran bare, smooth strata of rock, between which +countless gorges opened on to the stream, which had been +hollowed out by the mountain torrents in their furious course. +Between them lay, on the steep slopes, patches of large and +small rocks, often piled up on each other as if human hands +had arranged them. Little vegetation was to be seen here. +A few bushes rose from among the stones, while here and +there the broken, withered stems of torch weeds, which +plant seemed the most common here, stood in groups. Not a +tree or bush offered a relief or variety to the eye gazing over +this solitude: right and left, as well as across to the mountains +on the other side, so far as I could distinguish objects, nature +seemed to be utterly dead. I looked again at the narrow, +green strip which ran like a long snake along the glistening +stream, and tried to discover the game grazing on it +through my glass.</p> + +<p>I noticed several elks, as well as a single buffalo, and had +walked about half an hour along the rocky strata, when I +reached a group of stones which attracted my attention by +their remarkable and picturesque arrangement. The lower +layer consisted of three enormous rock-plates, at least five feet +thick, on which again smaller ones rested, and several stones +rose in this way, so that the edifice resembled from a distance +a pyramid, which could be seen through at several spots. I +had walked to the base of this mass of stone, and was examining +its strange form, when, on looking back to the river, +I noticed three dark forms, which were moving sideways toward +me up the steep, and were scarce half a mile from me. +At the first glance I recognised in them three grizzly bears, +rapidly advancing at a sling-trot behind one another. I knew<a name="Page_289" id="Page_289"></a> +the danger of meeting these savage brutes, and quickly measured +the distance back to camp. But I was on foot, and felt +as if I had lead boots on which bound me to the spot. It was +hopeless to think of escaping; the animals were following +a course as if they wished to pass above the rocks near which +I was standing, when they must cross the recent track of +myself and Trusty, which they would indubitably follow at +once.</p> + +<p>It was pairing time, at which season all beasts of prey +are more savage and active, and hunt more from the pleasure +of killing than to pacify their hunger. The grizzly +is so fast that it can catch up a buffalo or a horse going at +full speed, and its gigantic strength renders it more enduring +than any other animal. Only one chance of escape is left the +man it pursues, and that is, a tree, for this bear cannot climb. +But then there was not a tree anywhere around, and besides +I could not take Trusty up one with me, and he must be saved. +I had no time for reflection, as the peril rapidly approached. +I laid my rifle on the first layer of rock, seized Trusty round +the body, hoisted him on my shoulders, and helped him on +the rock, up which he scrambled: with one bound I was by +his side, then aided him up the second and third layers, and +laid myself close to him on the uppermost blocks, where I placed +my weapons and ammunition ready to hand.</p> + +<p>If the bears passed under my fortalice I would let them go +in peace, for in that case it was probable they would not find +my track; but if they passed above it, I must throw away no +opportunity to render them harmless as soon as possible. I +peeped over the rock with my rifle, when the three monsters +were scarce fifty yards from me, proceeding to cross my trail +above me. An old she-bear slouched carelessly along in front. +Close behind her followed a gigantic, very old he-bear, and a +short distance in the rear came a rather smaller male. The +old one drew up to the she-bear and laid his right paw on her +leg, but she was greatly offended by this caress, and dealt my +lord such blows with her enormous paws that the hair flew<a name="Page_290" id="Page_290"></a> +out of him. He sprang back; she sat up, showing her frightful +teeth, and with her side turned to me, I pressed my barrel +firmly against the rock, and pointed it at the heart of the she-bear. +I fired; she crossed her paws over her face, and sank +lifeless in a second. The old bear ran up to her and laid his +paws over her, but his rival came up, and a fearful struggle +began between the two monsters, in which they rolled over +and over, and tore out each other's greyish brown wool in +great masses. The old bear had the best of it, however, and +sat up, uttering frightful growls at the smaller bear. By this +moment I had reloaded and sent a bullet into the brute near +the heart. With one bound it leapt on its foe, which tried to +escape it, but the old bear held it tight in its fore-claws, and +dug its monstrous teeth into the other's back. The other +bear defended itself desperately, and soon found that the old +brute's strength was giving way: it sprang on it and buried +its tusks in its chest, and standing over it tore it up with its +two hind-paws.</p> + +<p>I was certain of the victory, and was so careless as not to +reload my rifle, but fired my second barrel at the younger +bear without concealing myself properly behind the rock. I +hit it well, but it scarce felt my bullet ere it turned its savage +head toward me, and galloped toward the rock with an awful +roar. In an instant it reached the base of my fortress, and +sprang with its fore-legs on the first layer, while it opened, its +blood-stained throat, and, with smoking breath, uttered the +most fearful sounds. At the moment when it raised itself on +the rock I held my revolver as near as I could, and fired between +its small glowing eyes: it fell back, but at once got up +again, and tried still more furiously to scale the rock, by +springing with all four feet at once upon the first stage, and +raised its blood-dripping face just under me. I had pulled +out my second revolver, and held it cocked in my left hand. +I pointed both barrels at the monster's head and fired them +together: it turned over, and rolled motionless on to the +ground. I looked at the two others which still lay quiet side<a name="Page_291" id="Page_291"></a> +by side, and could scarce believe my eyes as they gazed down +on the victory which I had gained over these three terrors of the +desert. I quickly reloaded, and looked around carefully from +my fort, especially in the direction from whence the brutes +had come, for other male bears might easily follow their track. +I could see nothing to alarm me, and now sprang down from +the rock with Trusty, went cautiously up to the bears, and +found them all lifeless. They were three monstrous brutes: +the old bear must have weighed at least fifteen hundred +pounds, the she-bear one thousand, and the smaller bear eight +hundred.</p> + +<p>These beasts are often found on the Rocky Mountains, +where they are very numerous, as the hunters do not care to +pursue them. Everybody is glad to get out of their way, +and only uses weapons against them when he is attacked, or +can fire at them from a place of safety, such as a boat on a +river, when the bears are on land, or from a stout tree. The +Indians also only fight them in self-defence, and hence their +claws are considered the greatest mark of honour with which +they can adorn themselves. The value of a grizzly stands in no +proportion to the danger the hunter incurs in pursuing it, for +its hide is too heavy, and its hair not so fine as that of the +black bear: it never becomes so fat as the latter, and its flesh +is not so delicate. Hence people are glad to avoid it, and the +hunter willingly surrenders his booty to it, when on following +the bloody track of a head of game he runs a risk of being +caught up by the grizzly. This animal does not know what +fear is, and once irritated it will fight and hit as long as it +is able. I know instances in which a grizzly had some +thirty bullets in its body ere it was killed; but if hit at the +right spot, it falls as easily as any other animal. The she-bear +gives birth, from November to January, to two or four +cubs, which soon follow it on its forays, and are trained to +hunt, which speedily develops the savage, cruel qualities of +the young monsters. It hunts both in the mountains and on +the prairies: in the former it lays in wait for the game, and<a name="Page_292" id="Page_292"></a> +darts down from the rocks on its unhappy victim, while on +the latter it will chase its terrified quarry for miles, and mercilessly +rend it when captured; for instance, it seizes buffaloes, +horses, wild cattle, &c., at full gallop by the hocks, tears out +the sinews, and in a second renders them incapable of flying +farther. When caught quite young and trained, these animals +become very tame, but they must never be trusted, as any +negligence may cost one's life, and I knew several instances +on the frontier of men being torn by such tamed bears, or at +least losing an arm or a leg.</p> + +<p>I had had enough sport for to-day, and fled from the battle-field, +as I was fearful of the advance of other foes. I went +straight to camp, and was saluted by a hurrah! as my early +return indicated a successful hunt. I had the two mules got +ready, and invited the Indians and John to go with me. +They all wanted to know what I had killed, but I merely told +them that I had killed a heap of game, as they would soon +see. We made a hurried dinner, and then started with the +mules. We soon reached the slope, and rode quickly down to +the river, during which I constantly saw my rock fort, but it +was too far to notice my quarry. My comrades believed that +the game lay on the river, and kept their eyes turned towards +the latter, while I led them a little to the west of my rock, +to keep them from seeing the bears as long as I could. When +we were in a right line with them, I turned aside, and +we suddenly caught sight of them. The amazement and surprise +of the Indians were very great, and were expressed by +the most extraordinary outbreaks. They danced as if stung +by a tarantula, swinging their rifles over their heads, round +the dead bears, and imitated their roar in a remarkable +manner. At one moment they crept close to the ground up +to the animals, then ran past them with fierce yells, or leapt +over them, swinging their guns with wild shouts of delight. +After they had finished this dance of triumph, they sat down +on the old bear, sharpened their knives on small stones they +took out of their medicine-bag, and wished to cut off its<a name="Page_293" id="Page_293"></a> +claws. I told them, however, that I wished to keep this +skin with the claws on, but the two others were at their disposal; +with which they were perfectly satisfied. We skinned +the largest bear, and cut out the best meat and the fat, which +we intended to take with us. We took the paws and fat of +the other two, after the Indians had appropriated the claws. +I pulled all the tusks out of the three heads, and we now +packed the mules to convey our booty to camp. As we +intended to remain a few days here, I asked the Indians if +they would dress the large skin for me, to which they readily +assented; for this purpose they split the head with an axe, +and took out the brains.</p> + +<p>We rejoined our comrades before sunset, who were also +very pleased at my success. We at once took some of the +bears'-grease we had brought, and fastened it with strips of +hide round the hoofs of our cattle, as this fat refreshes the +horn, and deprives it of the brittleness which is the principal +cause of its breaking when marching over stony ground. My +bearskin was staked out on the grass, and we all set to work +with our knives scraping off the flesh and fat, after which the +brains were rubbed in and the skin rolled up. We then laid +heavy stones on it and hurried to supper, which we greatly +enjoyed after our powerful exercise during the day.</p> + +<p>We repeatedly changed our camping ground, partly to get +fresh grass for our cattle, partly to have a new stock of dry +wood at hand; and thus went farther down the stream. We +stopped here nearly a fortnight, by which time our horses +were quite restored, my large skin dressed, and we bade good-bye +to the glen which had given us such a kind reception. +We followed the path again which had brought us here, and +in a few hours reached the Arkansas, on which we found +excellent pasture. In the afternoon we crossed it and rode +up its northern bank, till evening put an end to our march, +and we camped in a wood, which was already adorned with +young foliage. The next morning we discovered close by, to +our great delight, a bee tree, out of which the warm morning<a name="Page_294" id="Page_294"></a> +sun had already drawn the busy artisans. It was an old +plane several feet in diameter. We soon attacked it with our +axes, and ere an hour had passed it crashed to the ground, +and the hollow burst open filled with most delicious honey. +We had a glorious feed, and a man must, like us, have been +for awhile put on simple fare in order to appreciate the +pleasure which such a variation produces. Unluckily we had +no vessels in which to carry off much of it; still we packed a +large stock of comb in deer-skins, and carried it with us for +some days, but the comb soon ran and dirtied our baggage, so +that we were obliged to leave it behind.</p> + +<p>We had ridden up the river for two days, when we reached +an arm of it coming from the north, up which we proceeded +for a day, and met with no special difficulties. One path ran +through a pretty glen, on the right side of which the mountains +gradually rose, and stretched out their peaks far in the +distance, while on our left the river-bank was overhung by +colossal precipices, over which the mountain chain rose steeply +with its snow-covered pinnacles. On the fourth morning, +however, our bank became very rocky, and we rapidly +ascended toward the mountains. We spent several nights +without fire or water, and even during the day the latter, as +well as grass, was very scarce. My large bear-skin, which +Owl had made very soft, was of great service to me with its +long close hair, as it was large enough to wrap three of us in, +for the nights were chilly, and my comrades complained greatly +of cold. We here crossed the highest point we had yet +reached, and the snow peaks did not appear to be very far +from us; still we found sufficient grass for our cattle in the +gullies between the mountains.</p> + +<p>We halted for a day at one of these grassy spots, and I +went with Tiger early from camp to procure meat, when a +flock of mountain sheep drew us farther into the mountains. +We had fired several bullets at them to no effect, and followed +them in growing excitement from one rock to another until, +some hours later, we reached a plateau which was shrouded<a name="Page_295" id="Page_295"></a> +in fog. Our sheep flew over this and disappeared in the mist. +We stood amazed at this phenomenon, whose cause we could +not explain, for it was a clear, bright morning, and the hills +around shone in the brightest sunshine. We went up to the +plain, and found to our surprise that the mist covering it +came from hot springs, which rose to the surface in immense +numbers, the highest with a jet of about three feet. The +plateau, which was about a mile in diameter, was quite covered +with these springs, which produced a great calcareous deposit. +This lime formed a rim round each spring, over which the +water poured and collected into a rivulet, which ran down the +eastern slope under a thick cloud of steam. We could drink +the hot water, though we could not hold our finger in it +for a minute. We walked between these hot springs, on +which the sun produced the most brilliant rainbows, to the +eastern side, where the water flowed away, and reached it +bathed in perspiration, for the steam was very hot, and we +were constantly enfolded in it. We could watch the course of +the stream far through the mountains, for steam continually +rose above it. The water had a slightly saline taste, and was +very like weak chicken-broth. There is no doubt but that +these springs are mineral water, which probably in a hundred +years, or a shorter period, will prove most valuable to suffering +humanity. At the spot to which a flock of mountain +sheep led me and an Indian there will then rise palaces, and +gaily dressed ladies and gentlemen will drive out, and the time +when only naked savages and a few adventurers admired these +beauties of nature will be forgotten. But whether it will be +so beautiful there then is questionable; for it is this very untouched +nature which is so charming, with its mosses and +weeds on the bare rock, its bushes growing out of the crevices, +its clumps of trees, and its solitary gigantic pines, +behind which are the distant blue ranges. All these pictures +will be altered by human hands, but as a rule not improved. +Before we proceeded after the game, I carved my name +and the date of the year in a large upright rock, and we<a name="Page_296" id="Page_296"></a> +looked back frequently from the mountains at this strange +scene.</p> + +<p>We soon found sheep again, but they fled on our approach to +the most inaccessible rocks, where they leaped with wondrous +strength and certainty from one pinnacle to another, and +sometimes after a desperate leap reached a peak on which +they had scarce room for their four feet. In such cases they +looked round for a few minutes in their airy position, and +then flew with equal strength across to the nearest precipice, +frequently over dizzy abysses whose bottom was concealed by +mist. After a long, tiring, and unsuccessful stalking we +scaled a height, and saw below us a flock of these animals +standing on a slope over which they could not leap. We had +cut off their retreat, and did not consider it possible that they +could find their way across the scattered peaks to a lateral +valley, which was about twenty feet broad and about fifty +long. We would not fire at them where they stood, as they +would have fallen over the precipice, and we could not have +got at them; hence we showed ourselves and shouted, on the +supposition that they would dash up hill and pass us. But +they no sooner saw us than an old ram leaped with an +enormous bound on to a projecting stone, and thence to a +second, till he reached the gorge on our right, and darted up +it. We ran up to the gorge, and I toppled the ram over with a +bullet. The other animals followed it leap by leap, and all +reached the other side of the gorge, excepting one ram, which +jumped short and fell backwards into it. We looked after it, +and I felt certain that it would be killed and become our +prey; but it fell on the monstrous horns which nature has +given these animals as a protection in such dangers, turned +over, and leaped with the lightest bounds up the gorge, where +both Tiger and I missed it. We reached the dead ram by a +long circuit, paunched it, loaded ourselves with the best meat +and the handsome skin, and returned to camp. About a mile +farther on we shot down another large sheep from a rock, and +sent Owl out to bring it in.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297"></a>The mountain sheep, as I said, bears a great likeness to the +ibex. The ram has enormous curved horns, with the points +turned slightly outwards, as thick as one's arm close to the +head, and surrounded with rings. Its hair is more like that +of a goat than a sheep, of a brownish gray colour, and with a +dense coat of underwool. The female has also horns, but they +are smaller, and not turned outwards at the point. They bear +two lambs, which, while still very small, follow them on their +dangerous paths in the mountains. At night the mountain +sheep descend to the lowlands, and are there easily killed by +the hunters who lay in wait for them, while following them +day by day in the mountains is most fatiguing, dangerous, and +generally unsuccessful. The skins of these animals are greatly +sought by the Indians to make clothes of, as they furnish a +handsome, soft leather; their meat is fat and agreeable. They +live in large flocks, and may be seen by day in the Rocky +Mountains standing about the highest peaks, at spots which +it appears impossible for a quadruped to reach.</p> + +<p>We had no lack of game, but saw to our great regret our +supply of salt running out, for the greater part of it was lost +with unlucky Sam. Our clothes, too, were beginning to get +defective, especially our linen, as we had lost our changes on +the same occasion. We mended our shirts as well as we +could, and cut off from the tails to repair the damage higher +up; but for all that they were speedily wearing out. Our +stock of tobacco was all but expended, but this article was +the easiest to supply, as the leaves of the wild sumach represent +it very well. We were provided with the essentials, +however, especially powder and ball, as these were distributed +among the animals, and we had enough to last us a year. A +great privation was impended over us when our salt was +consumed, and we so restricted its use that it would last for +some months, in the hopes of obtaining a fresh supply at one +of the forts of the fur companies, which are in the vicinity of +the Rocky Mountains. Our good spirits did not desert us, +however, but enabled us to endure all the fatigues of this<a name="Page_298" id="Page_298"></a> +mountain tour. We passed two nights on fields of snow, +where we could hardly find sufficient firing to prepare our +supper.</p> + +<p>At length our route descended to lower hills, and we +reached at their base a plain, which, as it seemed was +enclosed by even loftier mountains, whose saddles still bore the +signs of winter, while on the streams in this elevated valley, +which our Indians called Salade Park, May was flaunting in +her spring garb. Although the vegetation that surrounded +us here could not be called luxuriant, it did our cattle a deal +of good. For a long time past we saw for the first time +herds of wandering buffaloes, among which we produced great +destruction, as we had long been yearning for their marrow-bones +and tongues.</p> + +<p>One morning we approached a herd which was grazing +among large scattered rocks, and we all crept up to them +under cover of the latter, with the exception of Antonio, +whom we left with the horses. We lay in a long line in the +grass and behind stones, and had shot five of the animals +without being noticed, when Mac fired and got up after doing +so. He had hit the old bull he fired at badly, and the latter, +slightly wounded, charged furiously at him. At this moment +Clifton jumped up not far from Mac, fired his two bullets at +the infuriated animal, and then bolted with Mac. The +buffalo dashed furiously after them, while the two fugitives, +running at full speed, threw away their rifles and lost their +hats. Fright carried them over the grass as if they had +wings, between the numerous rocks, and they had contrived +by making a long detour to get within hail of us again, when +Trusty, whom I had laid on, caught up the bull, and attacked +it in the flank. A kick from its hind leg, however, threw +the dog on his back, and without stopping the savage brute +dashed after our comrades, and was only a few yards from +them when Mac slipped and fell among the rocks just as we +discharged all our rifles at his pursuer. The buffalo flew over +him, followed Clifton but a short distance, and then turned<a name="Page_299" id="Page_299"></a> +with a fearful roar on Mac, who was trying to get up. It +sprang with lowered head toward the fallen man, when a +second shower of bullets was sent at it; but it would certainly +have impaled Mac had not Trusty come up and pinned +it by the snout. Our shouts encouraged the brave dog; the +buffalo rose with him on its hind legs and fell backwards on +the ground, while we ran up and honeycombed it with pistol +bullets. We now helped Mac up, who had not, as we feared, +been trampled by the buffalo, but had sprained his leg, and +complained of great pain; hence we put him on his horse, rode +with him back to the stream we had crossed shortly before, +where he bathed his foot, while we returned to the dead +buffalo, and cut out the best meat, the marrowbones, and +tongues. The result of this chase afforded us great dainties, +on which we revelled for some days, as the meat kept good +for a long time in the cold temperature.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-316.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="514"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300"></a> +<a name="chapter24" id="chapter24"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">ASCENT OF THE BIGHORN.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">In</span> a week we crossed the valley by short stages and again +reached the loftier mountains. One afternoon we arrived at +a stream where we resolved to pass the night, as we did not +know whether we should find water farther on. Tiger at +once hastened off to look for game, and as my comrades preferred +a rest, I set out to try my luck too. I told Antonio +to follow me on Lizzy, that I might not have to carry the +game myself, and had got about a mile from camp when I +noticed from a clump of oaks a herd of deer on a grassy spot +ahead of me, which looked like the ordinary Virginia deer, +but were darker-coloured. I took up a deer-call to draw them +toward me, as the spot where I was standing was too barren +for me to be able to stalk them. I posted myself near an oak, +and Antonio sat on Lizzy behind me. The herd advanced +toward me on hearing my call, and were near enough when +Antonio cried to me, "Here! here!" I fancied he was alluding +to the approaching deer, and whispered that I could see +them; but he repeated his "here!" and presently added, +"Look to your right!" I turned and saw an enormous snow-white +bear forty yards from me, I tried to fire, but the bear +got behind a large oak, and then behind another, and so was +a good distance off ere I could despatch a bullet after it, +which I heard enter a tree. It escaped me, as I had left +Trusty in camp, for his feet were sore from running over sharp +stones lately. The bear heard the call and hurried up, +believing that there was booty for it. It was only a variety +of the common black bear. I would gladly have secured its +beautiful skin, as it is a rarity, but it was out of my reach,<a name="Page_301" id="Page_301"></a> +and hence I returned to the deer, which after my shot +had disappeared in a distant wood. I went after them, and +found them grazing again: when I emerged from the bushes +I shot a large deer, and found to my surprise that it belonged +to a genus I had never seen before. It was of a very dark, +almost black, colour, much larger than a Virginia deer, and +more lightly built, with a longer black scut. It had cast its +antlers, and the new ones had already grown to some size. +We packed the entire animal on Lizzy, and carried it to camp, +where Owl called it a mule-stag or black-tail deer, a variety +not uncommon in the lower regions of the Rocky Mountains.</p> + +<p>Our road rapidly ascended from here to the higher mountains, +and became daily steeper and poorer in vegetation; still +the path we followed was very fair, so that we rather rapidly +surmounted the heights, on whose small plateaus our cattle +were able to rest again. We left behind us in a few days +many mountain chains with their narrow valleys, when suddenly +the mountains before us became covered with snow, +and we were soon in the wintry landscape again. We suffered +terribly from the cold, as our clothes were not at all suited +for such a temperature; and though we wrapped ourselves in +our skins we could not keep warm. I was the best protected, as +I hung my large bearskin over me, and, sitting upon it, wrapped +myself up from head to foot; but for all that I did not get +warm during the ride, and we were very glad when we reached +a hollow in the evening, where we found but little snow and +a clump of fir-trees, in which we camped, and warmed the +atmosphere around us with an enormous fire.</p> + +<p>On the following day our road ran principally over snow-covered +rocks, but we came now and then to spots where the +sun had melted it, while all around us rose mountains which +even at midsummer do not doff their winter garment. At +last, early one morning, after spending the night at a very +poor fire, we ascended a saddle, whence we looked down into +a plain, whose end in the blue misty distance was bordered +by high mountains, while on the west and east it was begirt<a name="Page_302" id="Page_302"></a> +by immense ranges, whose lower chains ran down sharply +on both sides in the most remarkable shapes. The steepest +rocks here rose precipitously over the valley, and the white +stone formed long pinnacles, round domes, globes resting on +their pillars, in a word, the strangest shapes, so that our +wondering eyes were tempted to see in them towers, castles, +and monuments, while farther on the mountain masses rose +above each other with a reddish-blue tinge, and touched the +clouds with a few isolated peaks. The valley itself, if it may +be called so at this elevation, was well watered, and from +south to north glistened at the base of the western mountains +the surface of a large river, while on the right-hand side +signs of water were also visible. Except the forest of pines +on the sides of the mountains, vegetation seemed to be restricted +to the vicinity of this water, where we noticed a +good deal of bush and some rather lofty trees of the aspen +and poplar kind. The greater portion of this extensive undulating +plain only displayed desolate tracts of stone and +rocky knolls. Our Indians call this mountain glen Old +Park, and the river before us the sources of the Rio Colorado, +which flows through New Mexico and California to the distant +Pacific, where it falls into the Gulf of California.</p> + +<p>We hastened to the lower regions, and on the third day +reached the river, whose course we followed. A few days +after we were surprised by two men, as we were letting our +horses graze at noon. They were beaver trappers who had +been hunting for some years in these mountains, and paid +us a visit in the hope of procuring provisions from us. We +showed them, however, that in this respect we were almost as +badly off as themselves, and that with the best will we could +not meet their wishes. They were both Canadians, of French +origin, and had led this life in the desert for many years. +They were men of very slight education, with repellant manners, +and a disagreeable, very coarse appearance, so that we +were not sorry when they took their rifles and went away with +a hurried farewell.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303"></a>We marched for about a week near this river, till we +reached a bend, when it suddenly trended to the west, and +thence pursued its uninterrupted course through the enormous +plains. We crossed here an arm of the river which +came from the east, and followed another up stream to the +north-east. We constantly drew nearer to the mountains on +the east, and ere long the highest peak, clad in eternal snow, +rose distinctly against the blue sky before us. The Indians +called this the Bighorn, which agreed with the statement of +the two trappers, of whom we had inquired. I had been +determined from the commencement of the journey to get as +high as I could up this peak, and hence steered toward it.</p> + +<p>On the second evening we reached the outer hills, and resolved +to take our cattle as far as was safe regarding food for +them, and then continue our journey afoot. It was the +second half of June, the weather splendid, and the heat at +times oppressive by day, while the nights remained extraordinarily +cold. The farther we advanced in the mountains the +scantier food became for our cattle, but on that account they +were all the safer during our absence from an attack of hostile +Indians, who rarely venture so far into the mountains. On +the third day, after crossing a considerable chain of mountains, +we reached a small glen, which, on the east side, was +enclosed by precipices, and on the south-west offered an open +view of the mountains of Old Park. It was covered with +good grass, amply supplied with pine-wood, and watered by +a beautiful stream, which forced its way through the ravine +by which we had entered. This spot exactly satisfied our +purpose, as it was remote from regular paths, protected +against possible storms, and could be easily defended. Hence +we formed our camp here, conveyed our traps under overarching +rocks, where they were protected against storm and +rain, and hunted for some days in the neighbourhood, in +order to provide those who remained behind with food for +some time. I had selected Tiger to accompany me, and +wished only to take one other of my comrades with me, while<a name="Page_304" id="Page_304"></a> +the other four remained in camp, I proposed that John, +Mac, and Clifton should draw lots as to who should accompany +me; but the two latter gave way in favour of John, +who gratefully accepted.</p> + +<p>On the morning of our departure I rolled up my large bearskin +and sewed straps to it, in order to be able to carry it on +my back; John and Tiger did the same with buffalo hides, +and ere long all our preparations for a start were completed. +We urged on our comrades the greatest caution, and then +said good-bye in the hope of finding them all right on our +return.</p> + +<p>We walked bravely up the mountains, from one chain to +the other, Tiger being ahead and Trusty behind. Sometimes +we came to paths along which we went pleasantly; at others, +we crept on hands and feet up the steep granitic strata, and +with every hour we had a more extensive view to the west. +On the first day we covered a considerable distance, at +least five-and-twenty miles. We saw an incredible number +of mountain sheep, which, at our appearance, flew up the +precipices and gazed down at us in amazement. Tiger shot +a large ram, and we each took a lump of the flesh with us, +while we left the rest to Trusty. Toward evening we came +to a stream, and though it was still early we halted, as we +found plenty of scrub in the vicinity with which to light a +fire and roast our meat. It was an exquisite spot where we +camped; beneath our feet we recognised quite distinctly the +white rock towers which border Old Park, and between +which our friends were encamped. We gazed at the immense +mountain valley below us and the windings of the stream +through it; we noticed on its western side the mountain +chains that ran up to it, and saw clearly where the water +forced its way through them, taking a south-western course. +Still these mountains formed the border line of our view, as +we were not yet high enough to be able to see over them. +The air was pure and clear, but it soon became very cold, and +so soon as the sun sank behind the mountains we rolled our<a name="Page_305" id="Page_305"></a>selves +up in our hides. We had collected a large stock of +wood in order to be able to make a blaze quickly, but determined +to keep it up all night; but we had forgotten our +fatigue, which soon made us fall asleep, and we did not wake +till daybreak.</p> + +<p>Dawn aroused us, and animated the extensive landscape +around us, whose glens were covered by a thick damp fog, +while a fresh breeze blew round the heights. We soon +finished breakfast, and when the sun shone on the first peaks +of the western mountains we were again ascending the +mountain in the direction of our object. After filling our +gourd-bottles afresh, we went the whole day indefatigably up +the steeps, through desolate rock strata, almost entirely denuded +of vegetation, between which, with the exception of a +few clumps of fir, only grasses, reeds, and torch-weeds sprang +up. We very frequently came to water, which indubitably +had its source in the snow melting on the peaks. Toward +evening we reached a plateau, which seemed to separate the +higher regions from the lower, and extended up and down +the mountains, with but slight breaks, as far as we could +see. It was at least three miles in breadth, and offered us a +free prospect of the mountain saddle and its isolated peaks, +of which the Bighorn rose far above the others. All these +peaks were covered with a bluish coat of ice, and shone and +glistened so in the sun, that it hurt the eyes to look at them +for any length of time, while the hollows displayed the pure +white of the snow. A number of snowy peaks stood in a +large circle around us, among which two enormous domes +rose to the sky, the northernmost being the highest, and +bearing the name of the Bighorn. On its northern side +it is a perfect precipice, while on the south it forms several +steep terraces, while the lower peak bears to some degree a +resemblance to a truncated cone.</p> + +<p>We soon recognised the impossibility of reaching these icy +heights, still it appeared to us feasible to scale the back of +the mountain farther to the north, as we noticed there in a<a name="Page_306" id="Page_306"></a> +deep gap which ran almost to the summit isolated spots free +from snow.</p> + +<p>The sun was now approaching the distant mountains in +the west, the sky gradually turned red and at last stretched +out over them like a stream of fire, from which their ice-clad +peaks stood out like gleaming flames, the whole boundless +landscape around us was suffused with a warm red light, +and the peaks in the east had changed their brilliant white +into a dark transparent carmine. We stood in silent admiration +and saw the last beams of the glowing sun disappear +behind the mountains; ere long the gloom of nightfall spread +over the earth. The eastern sky was covered with the +nocturnal dark purple blue, and the still illumined snow +peaks alone looked down on us, like the last gleam of +departing day. An icy cold wind reminded us that it was +time to look for a resting-place, and without long consideration +we went toward the mountains and reached a group of scattered +rocks, between which we found a species of moss and dry hard +grass, which offered us a softer couch than the bare stones.</p> + +<p>We were not quite asleep, when the fearfully plaintive tone +of some animal which was probably bidding farewell to life +in the claws of a grizzly bear rang through the mountains; +still this did not prevent us from falling into the soundest +sleep, and trusting our safety to the faithful dog. The +rising sun saw us again <i>en route</i> over very difficult ground. +The ravines which we always followed in order to skirt the +precipices, were at times so full of large blocks that we could +not jump from one to the other without danger, while the +rock strata we were compelled to climb were often too high +for us to lift ourselves upon them. Hence we were obliged +to make numerous circuits and could not advance so rapidly +as the distance would have allowed. About noon we were +scaling a height when suddenly a mighty condor spread out +its enormous wings with a loud yell, and rose from a rock +with a great effort, and we saw a mountain sheep hanging in +its claws. It swung itself on to the nearest peak and sat down<a name="Page_307" id="Page_307"></a> +there, looking over at us with extended wings and croaking +hoarsely. We raised our rifles almost simultaneously and the +eagle sank lifeless on its quarry. Tiger climbed up and threw both +down to us. The sheep was a one year old ewe and welcome +to us as delicate food: while Tiger appropriated the eagle's +feathers and claws, we cut the flesh from the sheep and rubbed +salt into it, after giving it a hearty beating, for thus when +our stock of roast meat was expended, we should be able to +fall back on raw meat, as we had no fire materials.</p> + +<p>We continued our journey and soon reached snow, which +only remained, however, on the north side. The air became +very cold, which rendered breathing difficult, and we could +not walk fast. Evening surprised us completely surrounded +by snow, and we had to go a long distance ere we found under +southern precipices a spot where the sun had melted it away. +Here we slept and my comrades woke me several times and +asked whether I was not frozen—they could not close an eye, +while I was tolerably warm. They shook me again before +daybreak and we continued our journey, pulling our skins +tightly round us. The snow was frozen very hard and had +generally a rough surface, so that we passed easily over it. +Our long sticks, which we frequently sharpened, here served +us in good stead, as at doubtful spots we felt with them +whether the snow would bear us, and no doubt we frequently +crossed deep places, into which we might easily have sunk.</p> + +<p>At eleven in the forenoon we at last scaled the highest +point after excessive toil and stood on a wide snow field, which +sloped down on the east to a hollow, behind which other +snow mountains rose, and in the extreme distance the sky +formed the background. To the south rose the white peaks +of our saddle, above which extended the two mighty crests +of the Bighorn. The bluish cold colour of these enormous +snow domes contrasted with the warm reddish tint of the +mountains and the sunlit landscape below them, and the icy +peaks dazzled our eyes when we looked up at them. Before us +in the west stretched out a scene which I cannot find words<a name="Page_308" id="Page_308"></a> +to describe faithfully. To the right and left on the sides +of the snowy mountains which formed a semicircle we saw a +sea of hills and rocks in the most eccentric shape; above them +rose to an immense height the various peaks vividly illumined +by the sun, and between them lay the dark shadows of the +mighty glens, which were enclosed by precipices. Only +rarely did the living green of foliage peep out of the desolate +scene, which was slightly enlivened by the more frequent +clumps of pines, and the straying glance gladly rested on the +isolated patches of grass, whose fresh juicy green imparted a +warmth to the landscape. At our feet we gazed at the +depths, till our eyes rested on the snow-white wondrous outline +of the precipices which surrounded Old Park on this side, +and we followed the silvery ribbon of water that wound +through it. Old Park lay like a narrow glen before us, lost +in the mist and often crossed by ranges that connected +the eastern and western ranges. Far away in the misty +distance, above the mountain chain that borders Old Park +on the west, our eyes rested on the enormous plains +which sink from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, and +in the extreme distance their outlines became blended with +the sky. They seemed to be crossed by but few ranges; to +the south-west we could distinguish lower chains of hills, +while in the west and north-west a long dark cloud was visible, +which indicated to us the snowy mountains or maritime +Alps of California. So far as we could see, this country +appeared to us but slightly wooded and not very well watered. +The course of the Rio Colorado was alone marked by lower +ranges of hills and the hue of the vegetation.</p> + +<p>Our eyes were fixed for a long time on this grand landscape, +and we found it difficult to bid it a last farewell; but +the cold warned us to start, so that night might not surprise +us on these inhospitable heights, on which we did not see a +sign of a living creature. It was one o'clock: we once more +bade adieu to the cold, desolate spot, which had afforded us +this enchanting prospect, and then hastened to our last night's<a name="Page_309" id="Page_309"></a> +camping-place, where we arrived with frozen beards. We +passed a very cold night here, for the wind had got up, and +we felt very happy when we left the snow behind us on the +following day. At noon we rested and pacified our hunger +with the remainder of the raw flesh, which the condor had +provided for us; then we continued our journey, and reached +before evening the foot of a hill, where we found water and +sufficient scrub to prepare a supper of a fat ram which we +had killed on the road.</p> + +<p>On the next day we joined our comrades again all right, +found them in the best spirits, and our cattle rested and +strong. Before the camp they had erected a number of small +scaffolds of sticks, on which meat cut in strips was being +smoked over fires, and a very large and a small bear-skin hung +on the rocks proved the nature of the meat which was drying. +Owl had shot close by an old she-bear and one of her cubs, +whose meat our comrades were now drying for the purpose of +taking with them. This was very welcome, for when a little +bear-meat is roasted with dry venison, the latter becomes +dainty and fat. We heartily enjoyed the tender meat of the +young bear, which weighed some sixty pounds, and the fire +which we had so missed for some nights. Unfortunately our +salt was now out, and the same with our tobacco, while we +could not expect to find in these mountains any sumach +leaves which we could smoke. In a word, we were out of +everything, except ammunition, for our clothes literally consisted +only of deer-hide, and we merely carried with us the +remains of our linen to use as bandages in the case of a wound. +Still we were in good spirits and healthy as bears, and comforted +ourselves with the thought that in a few months we +should obtain supplies at one of the forts to the east of the +Rocky Mountains.</p> + +<p>We started on the morning after our return to camp, and +went back through Old Park and up an arm of the Colorado. +We followed its windings across the hills to the point where +as a mountain torrent it formed the most exquisite cascades<a name="Page_310" id="Page_310"></a> +in falling over the rocks. We halted a long way up it, and +though we were once compelled to quit it through the impassable +nature of its banks, we sought to reach it again soon, +as its crystalline waters contained delicious trout, some weighing +twelve pounds, abundance of game grazed on its banks, +and the latter always afforded us plenty of wood for our camp +fires. Moreover, it continually formed the prettiest bathing-places, +in which we refreshed ourselves morning and evening. +At last, however, we were compelled to say good-bye to this +pleasant friend, as it broke up into several small streams, and +we ere long reached the highest point of the hill-range, which +we had scarce crossed, however, ere we found on its northern +side an exactly similar stream, which, instead of flowing southward +to join the Pacific, runs due north and in a great curve +round the black mountains on the North Platte river, and +then through Missouri and Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. +We greeted this stream with great joy, as it afforded us +the same comforts as the one we had just left, and followed +its course down to the spurs of the mountain chain, which +we reached on the second evening, and found in its valleys a +rich vegetation for these regions, which seemed, however, to +be confined to the vicinity of water. The hill-side, on which +we camped, was covered with oaks and pines, through which +our torrent wound down to the valley in front of us, which +we could survey from our elevated post. The hills gradually +descended into it, and in its centre rose a conical lofty rock, +whose pinnacles had exactly the shape of a ruined castle. +Our stream wound round this rock, and glistened in the wood +that covered its banks; we also saw a few buffalo scaling the +lower rocks to crop the scanty weeds that grew among the +crevices.</p> + +<p>It was getting on for sunset, and still early enough to +secure a few marrowbones from these emigrants: hence +Tiger, John, and Clifton hurried off, Antonio following them +on Jack. In a quarter of an hour we saw our hunters emerge +from the wood at the base of the rock, and approach the<a name="Page_311" id="Page_311"></a> +buffaloes by stepping behind the stones. Light clouds of +smoke rose above their heads, and the crack of their rifles +reached us, while we saw one of the animals fall in a heap, +and the others flying up the mountain side. Next Antonio +with the mule joined our comrades, who had collected round +the animal, and were busy in breaking it up. Königstein +and I had meanwhile lit a roaring fire, and Mac and Owl +pulled some trout out of the adjoining stream, so that, when +we were all assembled again in camp, we had the prospect of +a glorious supper.</p> + +<p>The next morning we finished packing our cattle at an +early hour, and were about leaving our camp, when we saw +behind the rock in the valley the smoke of many fires rising, +which indicated a very large Indian camp. We must employ +the precaution of first finding out to what tribe they belonged, +and in which direction they were going: so we rode down into +the glen and concealed ourselves in the thick wood. Tiger and +I then went to the rock and climbed to the top of it, whence +we could survey the valley on the opposite side. Who can +describe our surprise on seeing at our feet a large, animated +camp, with all the signs of civilization! From the numerous +gay tents pennants blew out in the fresh breeze, and between +men, horses, and mules were moving in the strangest confusion. +Here and there laggards crept out of the tents and +ran off to the stream to remove the last traces of sleep in its +clear waters. Round the fire other men, in the strangest +costumes, were busied in preparing breakfast, while others +were proceeding to and from the stream with horses and +mules. Our amazement was great, and our joy knew no +bounds. I pulled out the last remnant of a pocket handkerchief, +fastened it to the end of my rifle, and then discharged +both barrels, while swinging my white flag high +above my head. I saw that the attention of all the occupants +of the camp was directed to us, and many arms were +raised pointing at us. A salvo of at least fifty shots answered +my greeting, and handkerchiefs were waved in the air. We<a name="Page_312" id="Page_312"></a> +soon descended from our observatory, and hurried back to +our comrades to impart the pleasant news to them, and we +galloped along the stream, round the rock, and toward the +camp, where our little party were received with a thundering +hurrah.</p> + +<p>In an instant we were surrounded by a crowd of curious +persons, who assailed us with a thousand questions. I gave +Antonio and Königstein the charge of our cattle and traps, +and then went with my other friends into camp, following +the eager crowd, who led us to a large marquee in the centre, +from which a long white pennant floated. A man came to +meet me whose features seemed familiar to me at the first +glance, and on whose face I could plainly read that I produced +the same impression on him. We offered each other +a hand with an inquiring glance, and after the first few words +of greeting, I recognised an old acquaintance, Lord S——, +whom I had last seen ten years before on the east of the continent. +The pleasure of meeting again was heightened by +the most peculiar circumstances under which it took place.</p> + +<p>We sat down at the fire, and I described my journey to this +spot, and my plans for its continuation. A thousand questions +interrupted my story, and when we reached the present +moment, we leapt back to the time of our last meeting, and +followed the course of my life up to the commencement of +the present tour. His lordship was already acquainted with +some of the details, but I had much to tell him of since the +day when I bade farewell to civilization. I then heard from +him in return the story of his life, which, though moving +along a smoother surface, claimed my entire attention. During +the period he had been back to Europe, and made a lengthened +excursion to Asia; still his passion for this great, unadulterated +nature had brought him back to the mountains of +the New World, to bid them a last farewell, as more +serious duties recalled him home. He had started from +Independence, in Missouri, with a large party of friends, +Europeans and Americans, and a number of voyageurs and<a name="Page_313" id="Page_313"></a> +half-breeds, engaged for the tour, in a small steamer up the +Missouri, and then proceeded up the Yellowstone as far +as the depth of water allowed. They landed there numerous +saddle and pack animals, provisions, tents, and other +traps, and had gone overland through the mountains to the +banks of the Platte, which they had followed to this point +round the Black Mountains. The whole company consisted +of about eighty persons: they had about one hundred animals +with them, most of which they purchased of Indians at the +fort where they left the steamer, and had also taken a dozen +of the latter into their service.</p> + +<p>This small army offered the most curious sight I ever +beheld. All sorts of dresses, from the lightly-clad savage to +the most elegant gentleman were before us. Many young +swells from the Eastern luxurious cities of this continent, as +well as from those of the Old World, educated in ballrooms, +operas, and concert rooms, had followed their fancy in +the selection of their costumes, and appeared in medićval garb, +with broad-brimmed plumed hats, jerkins with slit sleeves, +leathern breeches, tall Napoleon boots with enormous spurs, +large gauntlets, and had put on the swords of their forefathers; +others had preferred the old Spanish costume, and +donned loose velvet blue or green paletots, while the hat of +an Italian brigand chief, with its red-cock's feather, covered +their long perfumed locks, and a broad white shirt-collar was +turned down over their shoulders. The open sleeves displayed +the fine linen of their shirts; wide trousers were forced +into long red morocco leather boots, on which large wheeled +spurs rattled, and a brace of handsomely inlaid pistols and a +long dagger ornamented their belt. Others, again, had read +Cooper, and chosen his heroes as their model; they were dressed +in leather from head to foot, with a broad-brimmed gray hat, +a long heavy hunting-knife at their side, and leaning on an +enormous rifle. They seemed to envy me my shabby +clothes, all stiff with blood, while their dress, which had only +just left the tailor's hands, had not a spot on it. Others,<a name="Page_314" id="Page_314"></a> +again, had remained faithful to the appearance of the gentleman +of the Broadway, New York, had put on a broad-brimmed +hat instead of the "chimney-pot" of civilization, and went +about the camp in comfortable slippers, smoking fine Havannah +cigars. Only one fashion had gained the victory over +the national and fancy costumes here represented, this was +the beard, which had not been troubled by a razor for a long +time.</p> + +<p>We soon formed acquaintances among this medley of +characters, and led a life than which a better could not be +found at the Palais Royal. The most delicate wines graced +our table, which was covered by artistic cooks with the +daintiest dishes; we smoked the best cigars and drank the +finest mocha. All these things so precious to us were rendered +more agreeable by the cheerful humour that prevailed +all through the camp, and was displayed in every conversation. +We spent the time in firing at a mark, in riding races, +in various sports in which agility was displayed, in card-playing +and in dicing, in hunting, which sport, however, only +appeared popular with a portion, while the rest amused themselves +nearer camp. Owing to the great number of animals +our new acquaintances had with them, they had not always +found sufficient forage for them on the mountains, whence +they had selected this rich pasturage, to give them time to +rest and to enjoy a little repose themselves.</p> + +<p>I remained with my comrades four days in camp, during +which time we were favoured with the most splendid weather, +and on the fifth we got ready, after breakfast, to continue +our journey and bid adieu to our friends, who intended to +spend some time here. My friend S—— had supplied us +with all the requisite stores for the pleasant continuation of +our tour, had pressed upon us many luxuries, and given us a +perfectly new outfit, so that we were now better equipped than +when we began our journey. Owl and Tiger were handsomely +remembered, at which they felt very happy, hung themselves +and their horses with numerous ornaments, and never let<a name="Page_315" id="Page_315"></a> +their looking-glasses out of their hand. S—— and several +others would have been glad to buy Tiger's piebald, and +offered him about 200 dollars for it, but he had no thought +of entering into any bargain of the sort, and he always pretended +not to hear when the subject was brought up. When +we at last led our horses out of camp, S—— accompanied us +with a few of his friends, while a final farewell was given us +by a salvo of rifle shots. The gentlemen rode several miles +with us, and then returned to their friends, accompanied by +our warmest thanks and heartiest wishes for their welfare.</p> + +<p>We were now reduced again to our own small number, but +were in a very different state from that prior to our meeting +with our new friends, as we had all our wants again supplied, +and they now afforded us double enjoyment after the +lengthened privation. Our pipes again burnt incessantly, at +times we even had a cigar as a change, and at the spring we +reached, brandy was often mixed with the water we drank. +We halted at a very early hour, although we could easily +have ridden for another hour, as we were following the river; +but the supper that awaited us was too inviting for us to +delay it any longer; for now once again coffee was drunk, +our meat peppered and salted and biscuit eaten with it, and +before going to bed a glass of grog swallowed; which comforts +people cannot always value at home, but which afford great +enjoyment after having been missed for so long a time.</p> + +<p>We had again reached a valley which runs between the +Rocky Mountains, and is called New Park. The mountains +on both sides drew very closely together here, and at some +spots hardly left space for the river to pass, which was swollen +by numerous torrents, and already had a rather powerful current. +It was still only a torrent, however, which dashed over +large rocks, and hurried along foaming and roaring between +the hills. The mountains on our right hand are called by the +Indians the "Medicine Mountains." Our road here was often +very fatiguing, and was rendered smooth and slippery by +several violent showers; so that we were often obliged to<a name="Page_316" id="Page_316"></a> +dismount and lead our horses on the descents, for fear of them +falling.</p> + +<p>One evening we reached a rather lofty point, where we +found a little grass and a few live oaks; the river rustled +below us, scarce a mile distant, through the rocks, and received +there a spring which ran from a small coppice near us. +We had been awakened on the previous night by a sudden +shower, and as our traps had been lying about us uncovered, +many of them were wet through before we could get them +under shelter in the darkness. As the sky was also overcast +this evening, we thought it advisable to put up our small +tents. After supper we gathered our traps together under +the tarpaulin, on which we laid large stones, and then crept +into our tents, after wishing each other good-night. The +night was calm and warm, so that when Königstein lay down +by my side, and fastened up the opening of our tent which +faced to the north, I got up and opened it again, as it was +oppressively hot in our confined space. Our conversation +was but short, our tongues grew heavy; the rustling of the +neighbouring stream was blended with the sound of our +broken sentences, and a deep sleep carried us into the land +of dreams.</p> + +<p>An icy-damp breeze awoke me suddenly, and when I started +out of my sleep the storm drove the cold rain through the +entrance of the tent into my face, and violently shook its +sides. I roused Königstein, and was about to jump up, when +a violent blast raised the tent above us, and carried it off into +the darkness, while streams of rain lashed us. All my companions +shared the same fate, and ran about in the darkness +seeking their blankets, hats, and articles of clothing. At the +same time we heard the sound of flying horses, probably ours, +which, startled by the flapping of our tents, had torn themselves +loose. We ran to the spot where we had secured them, +and only found Czar and John's mare, but no sign of the +others except the broken lassoes. In the darkness I had +thrown my large bearskin over me, and concealed my weapons<a name="Page_317" id="Page_317"></a> +under it. So I remained with Czar, turning my back to the +storm, and bade him be quiet, while I saw the others running +back and forwards like shadows.</p> + +<p>The storm grew more furious still, and the powerful tornado +seemed desirous of carrying away with it everything that did +not bend before it. I leant my shoulder against a young oak +in order to keep on my feet, but the tree often bent so low as +to touch the ground with its foliage. My comrades had disappeared—at +least I could not notice them anywhere, for the +darkness was so dense that I could not see a yard before me. +It was impossible to call to each other, as you could not even +hear your own voice. At the same time the rain still poured +down in almost a horizontal direction, and formed a stream +round my feet. There was lightning in the north, but neither +thunder nor lightning had approached us, until suddenly the +eastern mountains were lit up by brilliant flashes, which displayed +their white peaks, and the ground trembled beneath a +tremendous clap of thunder. For more than an hour the +lightning did not cease for longer than a few seconds, and the +thunder roared uninterruptedly between the hills. But at +last the storm moved up the valley and left an impenetrable +darkness behind. We gradually came together again, and +would assuredly have laughed at each other had this been the +time for it, for we were wet to the skin, stood in the cold +night breeze upon saturated, bottomless ground, and what +was worst of all, most of our cattle had bolted. It was simply +impossible to light a fire, so we made no attempt to do so, as +we could not seek dry materials in the darkness. Nothing +was left us but to wait quietly till day arrived, which on this +occasion seemed to delay terribly.</p> + +<p>At length the new light gleamed over the hills, and we +could soon distinguish objects around. We had a melancholy +prospect: here lay a wet buffalo robe, a blanket, or a leathern +jacket; there some hats were half buried in the mud; farther +on we saw one of our tents hanging on an oak; wherever we +looked, storm and rain had left traces of their destruction. A<a name="Page_318" id="Page_318"></a> +joyous surprise was prepared for us with the return of light: +we saw honest Jack grazing higher up the valley, and Königstein's +cream-colour following him. Tiger and Owl soon set +out to seek the other horses, which would be easily found if +no accident had happened to them, and there were no thick +woods in this valley to hide them from us. We fetched up +Jack and the cream-colour, and while the Indians followed +the trail of the horses, we sought under the stones dry grass +and roots with which to light a fire, which caused us great +difficulty, and only succeeded after several failures. Then we +put up sticks round it in order to dry our traps, and finally +looked up those which had been blown away. The articles +under the tarpaulin had remained quite dry, as the water ran +through the brushwood on which we had laid them, while the +heavy stones kept the cover down. In time we got everything +in order again, and about noon we saw our Indians +coming down the valley and driving our animals before them, +which they had found a long way in the mountains in two +parties. During the whole day we were occupied in repairing +damages. The tents had to be mended, the broken lassoes +reknotted, the saddles and bridles cleaned from mud and dirt—in +short, the whole day was spent in getting ready to start +again. The next morning, however, we mounted again, and +no one could notice that our equipment had suffered severely.</p> + +<p>Since our leave-taking from Lord S—— and his friends +about ten days had passed, during which we never went far +from the Platte River, as the impassable precipices of the +mountains on both sides ran down almost close to the river. +At last the latter opened, the mountains on our left trended +to the west, and before us was spread out an extensive and +hilly tract, which, offered rather decent pasturage for these +rough regions. I intended to follow the river generally to +the large prairies on the east of the Rocky Mountains, in +order to visit Fort Lamarie, and then proceed homewards +across the open plains to the south.</p> + +<p>It was a warm afternoon when we cut off a large bend<a name="Page_319" id="Page_319"></a> +which the river described, and riding over a grassy plain got +several miles away from it. The sun shone hotly on our +backs, the horses walked with drooping heads through the +tall grass, and we jolted silently in our saddles, every now +and then putting straight the embroidered blankets on which +we sat, as folds in them become disagreeable in hot weather. +I was riding on the left wing of our cavalcade, and had turned +to Trusty, who was stalking behind Czar with hanging tail, +when, on looking across the prairie, I fancied I saw about +half a mile off two human forms conceal themselves in the +grass. Without checking my horse, I called Tiger up, and +imparted to him what I fancied I had seen. He advised me +not to look round, as he was riding on my right hand, and, +without exciting suspicion, while talking to me, could keep +in sight the entire plain on our left. We had been riding on +for a long time when Tiger suddenly pulled round his piebald +and galloped across the prairie, in the direction where I +believed I had seen the men. We stopped to look after him +and watched him ride through the grass, but presently turn +his horse toward us. He told me they were probably Blackfoot +Indians, who were following S——'s trail, in order to +steal some horses from his party. Close to the spot where +he had seen one of them was a reed-covered pool, and hence +it was useless to seek him, as he would have concealed himself +in it. However, he was of opinion that we must be on our +guard here, so that they might not get hold of any of our +horses, for these Indians had eyes in the darkness, and could +walk more softly than sleep.</p> + +<p>During the following night, we again encamped on the river, +and fastened our horses near camp, where Trusty mounted +guard over them. He appeared extremely restless, got up +several times, went growling round our camp, and barked +frequently; but our rest was not otherwise disturbed. Early +the next morning, as we were folding up our furs, Tiger +returned to the fire saturated with dew. He had gone over +the neighbourhood and said there was a number of Black<a name="Page_320" id="Page_320"></a>feet +close by; the dog had prevented them from approaching +our camp at night; but they could not be an entire tribe, or +else they would have ventured an attack by day. He had +found several tracks going round our camp at some distance. +Tiger told us that the Blackfeet live farther north, and only +come so low down for purposes of plunder; but here they had +to be on their guard against the Utahs, Sioux, Pawnees, Sacs, +and Foxes, who occupied this country and lived at war with +them. The Blackfeet are pursued by nearly all the other +Indian tribes when they venture south, and in former years, +when they prowled about the present state of Missouri, they +were hunted by the first settlers there like wild beasts. The +power of these Indians is very considerable, and their number +is probably the largest of all the numerous tribes of natives. +They live between the sources of the Missouri and Yellow-stone +River, tolerate no other tribe there, and are warlike and +cruel to their conquered foes. The Crows, their neighbours, +are much fewer in number, but for all that oppose them in +the field and wage the most sanguinary wars with them. +Neither nation, however, dares to cross the Yellow-stone, +without being pursued by the Indians living on the opposite +side; they only do so when they have a prospect of committing +a robbery without any great risk, or capturing a few +scalps from their enemies.</p> + +<p>We followed the river to the spot where the Medicine-bow +River falls into it, and Tiger and Owl made an excursion +along its banks, and brought in the news that some forty +Blackfeet had crossed the river, probably expecting that we +would follow the Platte farther up to the Black Mountains, +to watch for us and attack us in the narrow passes. They +told us these enemies would not leave us till we had passed +that region, and we must constantly keep a watchful eye on +them. We camped on this side of the Medicine-bow River, +and talked over our further tour over the camp fire, and Owl +was of opinion that we should do better by following the +course of this river and effecting our retreat through Lamarie<a name="Page_321" id="Page_321"></a> +plains, between the Medicine and Black Mountains, as on +this route we should be less troubled by Indians than on the +great Eastern Prairies, and, with the exception of buffaloes +and wild horses, might expect to find much more game there. +We heard Tiger, who was of the same opinion, and soon +agreed to follow this road.</p> + +<p>We fished in the river till it grew quite dark, and had just +put supper on the fire, when Tiger and Owl took their rifles, +and, after telling us to keep a bright look-out for the Blackfeet, +went up the river, and soon disappeared. I ordered +Königstein to mount guard at the end of the small wood in +which we had camped, at the spot where it joined the Platte, +and promised to relieve him in an hour. We thus changed +sentries until about eleven o'clock, when I relieved John. It +was not very dark, although the moon was not shining, and +sitting on the ground I could not only see across the Platte, +but distinguish objects in the grass for some distance. Trusty +lay by my side, with his head resting on his crossed paws; +suddenly, however, he raised his nose, and I heard his low +growl, which I stopped by a wave of my hand. He kept his +nose turned obstinately up stream, in which direction I also +kept my eyes fixed on the grass. I felt with the hand I had +laid on Trusty that his attention was growing greater, for he +began trembling all over, which he did when he was forced to +master his growing excitement.</p> + +<p>Still I could not distinguish anything that appeared to me +strange. The grass in front of me was not tall, and there +were but few patches of scrub. All at once I fancied that a +bush, about fifty yards from me, had moved, but it might be +imagination, as I had been gazing at it so intently. A profound +silence brooded over the landscape, which was only interrupted +by the continuous monotonous rustling of the river. +In our camp no voice was audible, and the bright fire, which +had lit up the surrounding trees and bushes, had burned down, +and only indicated its position by a glimmering light. When +I took my post half an hour previously Owl and Tiger had not<a name="Page_322" id="Page_322"></a> +returned, and since then I had not heard them arrive. The air +was very damp and cold, and the grass around me felt quite +wet. I now fancied I could be certain that the bush had +moved: I rose a little and looked at it more sharply; it +moved again, and a dark object, in the shape of a large stone, +slowly rose out of the grass. Now I could entertain no doubt +it was a living creature: but what could it be? That was a +matter of indifference to me, so long as it was not either +Tiger or Owl, and they would not approach our camp so +cautiously and suspiciously. It could be none but a Blackfoot. +I rose on one knee, cautiously lifted my rifle, and +aimed as well as I could for the darkness, at the object whose +indistinct outline now covered nearly the whole bush.</p> + +<p>Bang! the flame flashed from the rifle, and a hollow plump +into the river followed a few seconds later, before the smoke +had risen on the damp atmosphere. I looked at the dark, +shining surface of the water, and noticed that large circles +surrounded a black spot, and were moving with it toward the +middle of the stream. I fired my second barrel at it: I clearly +saw through the gloom that the motion of the water became +very violent at the moment, but then it was all over, and the +next minute the current flowed on as usual, and nothing on +its surface revealed what was passing in its depths. I had +scarce fired the second shot when my comrades dashed up +under arms. I quickly told them what had happened, and +we remained under arms awaiting the return of our Indians, +of whom we had as yet heard nothing. About an hour later +they returned, and Tiger at once asked why we had been +firing: then he told us what had happened to him, and that +my shots had robbed them of several Blackfeet scalps. They +had crossed the river a little higher up, at a point where it +was shallow, and lay down on its banks, as they expected +that the savages would return during the night to try and +get hold of our horses. Shortly before I fired, Tiger had +heard and seen the branches of a neighbouring bush parted, +but after that all became quiet again. Tiger fancied that<a name="Page_323" id="Page_323"></a> +their number was considerable; but we had nothing more to +fear from them on this night, and could go to sleep in peace. +However, we posted sentries till daybreak, when I and Tiger +examined the spot at which I had fired. We found that my +bullet had cut away a spray in the centre of the bush, and +noticed the track of an Indian, which was distinctly marked +on the bank, and Tiger recognised it as that of a Blackfoot. +Owl swam across the river and examined the opposite shore +to see whether he had landed there, but could not discover +any sign, and, pointing to the river, supposed he was sleeping +under that.</p> + +<p>We slept quietly till eight o'clock, then breakfasted, and +packed our animals, so as to continue our journey on the new +plan. Tiger said that the Blackfeet would be cheated out of +a day, for they were awaiting us farther down the Platte, and +if they had not their horses with them they could not catch +us up before morning: if their number was large, however, as +he believed, they had their horses with them, and would be +camping in the thickets on the opposite side of Medicine-bow +River. It was nearly noon when we struck camp and marched +up the river. The grass was not very high, and our path +slightly covered with loose stones, so that we could keep our +horses at an amble, and when the sun sank behind the distant +hills on our right, we had covered a distance of at least +twenty-five miles. After riding past a stony knoll, round +which the river described a short curve, we reached a stream +flowing between deep banks, which fell into the Platte, and was +densely overgrown with alders. The spot pleased us to spend +the night at, and we were engaged in unpacking our cattle, when +suddenly a fearful yell rang behind us, which came toward us +accompanied by a dense cloud of dust. The Blackfeet! all +shouted, and seized their weapons. Tiger, however, shouted +to us to follow him, as he led his piebald through the alders +into the stream, and the next minute all the cattle were left +in charge of Antonio, who fastened them to the bushes.</p> + +<p>We had scarce returned to the bank when a body of forty<a name="Page_324" id="Page_324"></a> +Indians dashed up to us like a tornado; lying behind their +horses' necks, and covering their left side with their large +shields, they allowed a very small portion of their bodies to +be seen. We permitted them to come within fifty yards before +we fired. The band hesitated, and we saw through the dust +several horses lying on the ground, and many of the horsemen +engaged in taking others up behind them, while the greater +number galloped back to the hill, and uttered a frightful yell. +They had not galloped far, however, when one of them, +mounted on a powerful black horse, darted to their head, and +casting himself in their way, swung his long lance before +them. His horse reared in front of the flying horde, and the +thundering voice of the leader distinctly reached us through +the yelling. At the next instant the band turned back, with +the warrior on the black horse in front of them. We had reloaded, +and I shouted to my comrades to expend but one +bullet, and reserve the other for shorter range. The savages +had galloped up to within about the same distance as before, +when I shouted, Fire! and aimed myself at the leader of the +band. The black horse reared and fell over with its rider, +while another horse fell dead by its side, whose rider ran with +the speed of an arrow after his comrades, who were now flying +in the utmost confusion. The rider of the black horse, however, +had scarce fallen with it ere he crept from under it, and +at the same instant we saw Tiger leap out of the willow +bushes on the river bank, and, swinging his tomahawk, catch +up the Blackfoot warrior with a few leaps. The latter fell back +a pace, and threw his iron axe at Tiger with such force that, +missing its mark, it flew far out into the river. Tiger now +buried his axe with lightning speed in the chest of his recoiling +foe, and both fell to the ground like two intertwined +snakes. It was the work of a few minutes, and the yell of +the flying Indians was still ringing in our ears when we +dashed up to the combatants in order to help Tiger. It was +no longer necessary, however, for he rose from off his lifeless +foe, and setting his knee on the other's bent-back neck, he<a name="Page_325" id="Page_325"></a> +passed his knife round the head and tore off his scalp. During +this time Owl had scalped the other Blackfoot, and our Indians +danced frantically round the dead men, waving the reeking +scalps and knives, while the blood poured down Tiger's +back from a gaping wound in his left shoulder. At length +they concluded their dance of victory, and then our Indians +plundered their slain foes and the dead horses. The dress of +these Blackfeet is made of leather, with remarkable taste, +adorned with paintings and long fringes, porcupine quills, +shells, scalp-locks, and coloured pebbles; the leather is smoked +of a very dark hue, and gives the savages a gloomy and terrifying +aspect. Their weapons are lances, bows and arrows, +tomahawks, and knives; only a few have firearms.</p> + +<p>I examined Tiger's wound, which had only cut the flesh +obliquely, and was produced by his enemy's knife; while the +latter had a bullet through his left thigh, a gaping wound in +his chest, and a stab in his heart. Tiger had run down to +the willows on the river without our noticing him after the +first attack of the Blackfeet, and had thence fired at the +chief, whom he afterwards killed with his knife. "Now," he +said, "we can sleep; the Blackfeet have lost their head, and +will go home and tell how the Delawares have some more of +their scalps in their tents; their squaws will not even take +their dead with them, and not let them sleep with their +fathers."</p> + +<p>We camped close to the stream, but posted sentries all +through the night, as I feared lest we might have to oppose +a nocturnal surprise. The night, however, passed undisturbed; +but we heard incessantly a fearful yelling of wolves, +which prowled round our camp, but owing to the huge fire +did not dare approach the corpses, which lay not far from us +in the grass. The next morning we quitted the spot, for +which movement the numerous wolves were watching, and +they attacked the dead Indians and horses almost before we +had crossed the stream. + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326"></a> +<a name="chapter25" id="chapter25"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">ON THE PRAIRIE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">We</span> hastened up the river for five days, during which time +we crossed a number of small streams which fell into it. +Then we reached the eastern spurs of the Medicine Mountains, +in which the river rises and pours over the rocks in +the shape of a large torrent. Here we crossed it, and following +the base of these hills in the plain, we reached on the +second evening a small stream, which flows for at least a +hundred miles due east through this broad plain, which the +Indians called Lamarie, to the Black Mountains bordering +the plain, and, as Owl told us, winds through the latter till it +falls into the Northern Platte to the east of Fort Lamarie. +These mountains, which in height and shape exactly resemble +the range from which the Bighorn rises, are to the north of +that snow peak. We marched along the stream to the eastward +to the Black Mountains, and then turned up an arm of +it coming from the south until it was lost in the plain. We +marched from here for a whole day without water, and were +obliged to pass the night, too, without it or fire, as the desolate +plain over which we rode showed us not a single tree. +Toward evening the next day we reached a lake, which was +about three miles in circumference, but its waters were +slightly impregnated with salt: following its banks, however, +we arrived on its western side at some clear streams of +fresh water. Here we refreshed ourselves and camped, +though it was early in the afternoon, and amused ourselves +with shooting geese and swans. On the next evening we +came to a similar lake, with fresh-water streams on its<a name="Page_327" id="Page_327"></a> +western side, so that we again had a splendid camp, and took +advantage of the opportunity to bathe in the lake.</p> + +<p>During the next day our road again ran over a desolate, +melancholy plain, but toward evening we saw a low wood in +the distance, and reached another arm of the river which +runs through the Black Mountains to Fort Lamarie. Here +we had everything we could desire, a protected camp in the +wood, and a splendid trout stream, in which we refreshed +ourselves and our horses. We shot several fat buffaloes, and +a few black-tailed stags. The wood above us sufficed to put +us in good spirits, for we were very tired of the monotonous, +desolate plains over which we had been marching for a long +time. Before sunset our horses neighed, and we heard them +answered from, outside the wood. All at once there was a +thundering burst through the low bushes, and the leader of a +troop of wild horses fell in terror immediately in front of our +fire, and the animals behind him one over the other, after +which they got up again in the utmost fear and confusion +and dashed out of the wood. The stallion was a splendid +iron-grey, very powerfully built and finely shaped, and we all +regretted that we were unable to take him home.</p> + +<p>The next morning we left the river and went south, and +for the whole day without finding water. The sun sank behind +the hills, and nowhere was there a tree or a sign of +water; the grass, too, was bad, but our cattle were very +weary, and we too longed for rest. We made a poor fire of +<i>bois de vache</i> and small bushes, large enough to cook our +supper, then we put up our tents and secured our traps under +the tarpaulin on a bed of stones, for the sky was overcast and +led to expectation of rain. At nightfall it began to blow and +rain, and went on the whole night till daybreak, when the +clouds gathered together again, and hanging on the base of +the mountains displayed the snow peaks brilliantly illumined +by the sun. We quickly started, and marched from this +disagreeable spot, looking for pleasanter signs ahead. At +length, toward noon, wood rose again from the barren surface.<a name="Page_328" id="Page_328"></a> +We drove our animals into a quicker pace, and in a few hours +were resting again on a river fringed by trees, upon glorious +grass, which our starving cattle eagerly devoured. It was +still very early, and we all felt inclined to go hunting, as the +rain had refreshed the country, and the verdure of the forest +and the meadow does the eyesight good. A few preferred +fishing in the neighbouring stream; several went up the +river to hunt, while I went down it, accompanied by Trusty +only. I had gone about a couple of miles along the skirt of +the wood when I saw something moving on the prairie behind +some very low bushes. I crept cautiously up to the +last bush, and before me stood, at about the distance of a hundred +and twenty yards, a herd of some forty large and old +giant stags. The beautiful animals—the pride of the animal +world—stood in a long line before me, with their faces turned +to me, and raised their powerful antlers like a forest of horns. +It was a sight whose beauty only a sportsman can estimate. +I lay for some minutes lost in contemplation, but when I +raised my knee and rifle the whole herd turned and galloped +past me. I had long had my eye on the largest stag, for its +antlers rose far above the others with their broad lines. I +aimed behind the shoulder and fired, heard the bullet distinctly +go home, and saw, that though it was bleeding profusely, +it kept up with the others. The next largest stag, +being just behind this one, I fired the second barrel at it, +heard the thud of the bullet again, and saw that it was +mortally wounded; but it too remained in line, and I watched +the stags till they disappeared a long way off in a hollow.</p> + +<p>I loaded, and on reaching the spot where the stags were +hit, Trusty at once put his nose to the blood trail and stopped, +looking up at me. I made him a sign that it was all right, +and when he had gone a little distance he went off slightly to +the right, took up the trail of the second stag, and then +again pointed with his nose to the ground, while looking at +me inquiringly. I again urged him on, and he went first +to one trail, then to the other, till I was able to look down<a name="Page_329" id="Page_329"></a> +into the valley, where I saw the two stags lying dead, hardly +ten yards apart. I hastened up to them, and counted, on the +antlers of the largest, eight-and-thirty tines, and on the +smaller one six-and-twenty; the length of the two antlers +was between five and six feet, and their weight between +thirty and forty pounds. The antlers of this stag only differ +from those of our stag through their size and the greater +number of tines: the great difference between them is in the +weight, as the giant stag is often double the size of ours. +Both animals, it seemed, had died nearly at the same moment, +for they lay side by side with their heads stretched out, as +they had been running. After looking at them for awhile in +delight, I broke them up, gave Trusty his share, cut out a +couple of grinders as a recollection, and then went back to +camp, when my comrades were equally pleased at the result +of my sport. The other hunters had also been fortunate, and +had killed a fat buffalo, while the anglers had pulled a +number of large fish out of the river. Owl went with Antonio +and Königstein to my stags, in order to fetch their +skins and meat, and I requested them to bring me the antlers +of the largest one, as I wished, were it possible, to carry them +home. Though we liked the place so much, we left it again +next morning, abundantly supplied with the best game, and +Jack trotted after us with the enormous antlers on the top of +his packages.</p> + +<p>The country here became again intersected by low ranges +of hills, which crossed the plain from east to west; their +heights were long and barren, but the large valleys between +them ornamented with small prairies and woods, in the latter +of which we frequently found springs. The variety was a +relief to our eyes, and offered us many a fine prospect, with +the mountains approaching each other. Isolated masses of +rock again rose out of these valleys, and before us in the far +South were visible loftier ranges, some of them branching +off from the Medicine Mountains, others from the Black +Mountains. The colouring of these landscapes in the west<a name="Page_330" id="Page_330"></a> +of the continent is much warmer and more hazy than in the +Eastern States, or in the countries of Old Europe. The distances, +although transparent and extraordinarily distinct, float +in a delicate reddish-blue tinge, in front of which the deep +dark shadows and flashing lights produced by the glowing +sun stand out the more powerfully. The shadows which the +clouds throw on the landscape are also, like the latter, dyed +with carmine and cobalt, and not, as in England, black and +white, the mere sight of which produces a shudder. The +streams reflect on their surface the dark ultramarine of the +heavens, and the rich green of the woods and prairies loses +through its countless tints and rich flora its wearisome monotony.</p> + +<p>With every hour the beauty of the country increased, +and the animal world became more animated. Countless wild +horses of the most varying colours flew at our approach over +the green hills, large herds of dark-haired buffalo galloped +awkwardly over the wide stretches of grass, and from the stony +heights the light-footed antelopes gazed down curiously at +us. Up hill, down hill, we jolted in the saddles of our +ambling steeds, when, on a calm warm evening toward sunset, +we rode down from a grassy knoll to a stream, which was +closely overhung with alder bushes, and separated the base +of the hill from a wide prairie, round which it wound with +numerous meanderings. Tiger was riding about forty yards +ahead, and had just disappeared with his piebald in a patch +of scrub, when he dashed out of the other side of it with a +loud cry and an enormous grizzly bear after him. We galloped +through the stream after him, while his rapid horse +bounded over the grass toward us, and gained a slight advance +on the grizzly. All our rifles were fired at the monster, and +turning away from Tiger it came toward us with long leaps, +and pursued John with an awful roar; once again our rifles +cracked behind it, but the bullets did not check its clumsy +but yet rapid course. John turned his mare again toward +us, and had hardly joined our ranks when we fired a salvo<a name="Page_331" id="Page_331"></a> +from our revolvers at the maddened bear, and galloping after +it, kept up our fire. Königstein, on the cream-colour, was +the nearest to it on the left, and gave the bear a shot at +short range, when the latter turned on him and smashed his +broad, wooden stirrup into a thousand chips between its +savage teeth. Königstein, however, had pulled his foot out +and flew with his horse to our side. Again we sent a hailstorm +of bullets into the broad back of the infuriated animal, +upon which it sank on its hind-quarters, as a bullet had +smashed its spine. Its fury and the roars it uttered were +fearful, and turning in a circle on its monstrous forepaws it +covered a large space around it with its blood, which streamed +from its shaggy carcass.</p> + +<p>I shouted to my friends not to fire, as I saw Tiger had dismounted +and was hastily loading his rifle, and I wished to +grant him the pleasure of killing the bear. He fired his +bullet into its head, and then cut off its claws with great +satisfaction. We took the paws, tongue, and liver of the +huge animal, while Tiger rode back to the stream, and thence +shouted to us to join him. We rode up, and found in the +water a two-year old, very handsome chestnut horse, which +the bear had captured on the prairie, and, as the trampled +grass showed us, had dragged to the stream, in order to enjoy +its meal without being disturbed. I took the tusks of the +slain animal, and with the new matter for conversation which +this fight gave us, we shortened the road to our camp, which +lay in an exquisite hollow on the south side of lofty crags, +under which a clear torrent rolled over loose stones that +glistened like gold. They contained a substance which really +resembled this metal, so that they shone through the water +hurrying over them like lumps of pure gold. Some stately +palms, maples, and oaks overshadowed our camp, and served +as a cool retreat for the countless songsters that saluted us +with their evening hymn.</p> + +<p>It is incomprehensible why the belief prevails throughout +Europe that American birds are very brilliantly plumaged,<a name="Page_332" id="Page_332"></a> +but cannot sing, while most certainly there are sweeter +songsters and more varieties of them on this continent than +in Europe. A single bird is wanting, the nightingale, but it is +compensated a thousandfold by the mocking bird. All other +classes of birds are represented, though with different and finer +plumage. The belief may arise from the fact that emigrants +from Europe land in the large eastern cities, and in +their walks in their vicinity see no birds, from the circumstance +that boys there of ten years old run about with guns and +kill every bird that shows itself: and then again, these persons +only seek the shade of the trees and bushes during the heat +of the day, when all birds silently hide themselves from the +burning sun. If they went out in the morning, however, +when nature is awakening, they would hear quite as good +singers as in their old home.</p> + +<p>Before us the valley wound between partly wooded low +hills, behind which the higher base now rose. For several +days we marched along this valley, till on one afternoon we +looked down from a hill on the blue crystalline waters of +the southern Platte, which coming down from the Medicine +hills, rustled through the valley at our feet. The river was +large even here, and shot with the speed that characterizes +the streams in this country, and with many windings between +its wood-clad banks. Before us, where the river described a +sharp curve, the banks were stony on both sides, and seemed +from time immemorial to have been used by the inhabitants +of these countries as a ford. At this moment, when probably +for the first time the eyes of white men rested on this ford, +a countless herd of buffaloes was occupied in crossing. They +were coming southward from the mountains, and pressed +shoulder to shoulder in dense masses to water in the river, +while others came down the hills in a black line. The roars +of these thirsty wanderers filled the air and rang through the +hills in a thousand echoes. They dashed by hundreds impetuously +from the high bank into the deep, rapid stream, on +either side of the ford, and drifted with it into the dark over<a name="Page_333" id="Page_333"></a>arching +wood. We stopped for a long time gazing down at +this scene and awaiting the end of the herd, whose head had +disappeared some time previously in the valley on our left, +while dense masses still continued to pour down without a +check from the hills to the water. At length, at the end of +an hour, only a few laggards came, after at least five thousand +buffaloes had crossed the river, and yet the number of these +animals is said to be quite insignificant compared with what +it was twenty years ago. Who knows whether fifty years +hence they will exist anywhere but in natural history? We +were obliged to let the wanderers pass, as we also wanted to +cross the river, though in the opposite direction, and we +should have run a risk of the whole herd marching over us, +had we got in their way. We now rode down into the river; +but, although so great a number of huge animals had passed +through it, the water was as clear and bright as if a stone had +never been stirred on its bottom. We watered our cattle, and +followed the path by which the buffaloes had found their way +to this ford, on the supposition that they had rendered it +quite passable, and that they had come from the southern +prairies to which we were bound.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-351"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-351.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="426"> +<p class="caption">BUFFALOES CROSSING A RIVER. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_333">p. 333.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>We had scaled the first hill, when we saw about two miles +off a few buffaloes trotting towards us, which had probably +lagged behind, and now wanted to catch up the herd. We +rode about thirty yards off the path, to a spot where we +were covered by rocks and commanded the sloping path down +to the water. Ere long we heard the heavy trot of the approaching +animals on the stony ground, and presently several +cows, and behind them a fat old bull came past us. We all +fired together, and the old bull rolled over and over down +the slope, and lay dead at the bottom. We took as usual +its tongue, marrowbones, and loins, and left the rest to those +that came after us.</p> + +<p>We could not have found a finer road through these hills: +broad and trodden smooth, it wound along the crags, so that +we were often able to advance at a quick amble. It frequently<a name="Page_334" id="Page_334"></a> +ran over dizzy precipices, whence we surveyed the pleasant +valleys, whose dark shadow seemed to invite us, while the +hot sun and its reflection from the bare rocks over which we +were marching, was hardly rendered endurable by the fresh +breeze blowing up here. We crossed a number of small +streams, which came down from the western hills, and all +flowed to the Platte, until at the end of a week we again +reached the latter river, at the point where a large affluent, +coming from the Bighorn, joined it. We appeared to be +here on the last slopes of the enormous mountains, over +which the snowpeak was visible in all its splendour as a farewell +salutation. It rose higher above its smaller comrades, +and glistened like the purest silver in the blue sky, while the +edge of the mountains displayed no snow, and seemed like a +thin strip of fog above the nearer hills. Eastward we noticed +on the horizon of the extensive plains only low ranges of hills, +while to the north the Black Mountains raised their mighty +crests and a few snow-clad peaks.</p> + +<p>We crossed this southern arm of the Platte, and camped +on the other side of it, in order to grant our cattle a few +days' rest there, where the most splendid grass and a cool +thick wood covered its bank. The bright streams offered us +the most glorious fish, which can be almost selected in these +streams, as we see them swarm round the bait, and the latter +can be dropped before the fish you wish to catch. The neighbourhood +of our camp was enlivened by game of every description; +on the slopes of the neighbouring Black Mountains we +found mountain sheep and black-tailed stags; in the forests +between them and the Platte the majestic giant stag was preparing +for the rutting season, and with swollen neck whetting +the numerous tines of its splendid antlers on the trees. The +prairies near us brought to us the elegant Virginian stag and +the swift, black-eyed antelope, while the buffalo incessantly +passed in all directions: not far from our camp we also found +a warren of those interesting little creatures, which are falsely<a name="Page_335" id="Page_335"></a> +called prairie dogs, as they do not belong to this family, but +to that of the badger.</p> + +<p>We went out and shot some dozen of these dogs, as they +afford a nice dish for a change. They live in burrows under +ground, which they throw up like the rabbits, and a hundred of +them are frequently found close together. They are very shy, +but easy to shoot, as, if you lie down for a little while in the +grass, they come out of their holes and give a snapping cry, +which has been falsely called barking by some naturalists. They +are badgers, about fifteen inches in length, which only live on +vegetables, carry a large winter stock into their subterranean +houses, and form very numerous families. They frequently +quit a place without any visible reason, and wander a long +distance over hill and dale in order to seek a new home.</p> + +<p>Our horses and pack-cattle were recruited, and we too had +recovered from the fatigue of our journey over the last +mountains; hence we set out again, and casting many a parting +glance at the Bighorn, we followed the Platte in an eastern +direction, till at noon we reached a well-trodden path which +runs from Fort St. Brain on the southern arm of this river +down to the Missouri. We crossed it, and proceeded more to +the south-west, in order to escape the numerous Indian hordes +going up and down this path. A few days after we crossed +the hills we had seen from our last camp, and the sky now +rested before us on the interminable horizon of the prairie.</p> + +<p>For nearly a week we marched over this green plain with +scarce any change in the scene. It was, however, undulating, +the flora in the grass gay and varied, and a few trees afforded +us shade and firewood morning and evening to prepare our +meals. At length hills rose on the horizon, and we soon saw +again the darker verdure of forests, which received us into +their shady gloom towards evening. In this tour we were +so broiled by the sun that we entered the wood with delight, +and at once resolved to rest a few days here, if, as we anticipated, +there was water at hand. We hurried along a buffalo<a name="Page_336" id="Page_336"></a> +path into the depths of the forest, and soon heard to our +delight the rustling of a neighbouring river, whose banks we +speedily reached, and it proved to be a rapidly flowing stream +overhung by tall ferns. Owl told us it was one of the +numerous sources of the Kansas, which runs eastward to the +Missouri. "Here let us build tabernacles," we cried in +one voice, but followed the path across the stream to the +skirt of the wood, which was no great distance off. We unloaded +our cattle in a small clearing off our path, lit a fire, and +really built tabernacles, as we made a roof of bushes between +several young oaks, which kept off every sunbeam, and in +whose immediate vicinity were trees enough to tie up our +cattle every night.</p> + +<p>After a long ride over the open prairies of Western America +the comfort of a spot like this is very great and almost indescribable. +The eyes are refreshed by the rich green, after the +continued view of the horizon, which is rendered still more +painful by the quivering sunshine of these plains. The breeze +under the trees is most refreshing, while on the prairie it is +dry and oppressively hot: we felt very jolly and comfortable +in our hut, roamed about the neighbourhood, which was very +rich in game; went along the streams and caught magnificent +trout, or destroyed colonies of bees and plundered their rich +stores of honey. To the south small prairies continually +alternated with narrow patches of wood, through which the +streams that spring up in them run under cover to join the +Kansas.</p> + +<p>After resting our cattle for some days, I went out one +morning after breakfast to hunt and have a nearer view of +the country round. I rode in a southern direction, followed +by Trusty, and in going off, said to my comrades that if I +lost my way, I would follow the course of one of these streams +till it joined the river; then I would wait till they came to me, +in which they could not fail, as we knew that all these small +streams joined.</p> + +<p>In a few hours I had crossed several of these streams, and<a name="Page_337" id="Page_337"></a> +had ridden out of a wood into a small prairie glade, when +suddenly a horse Indian darted toward me with a furious +yell from a thicket of tall oaks and swung his bow over his +head, while his long lance hung on his right arm. It was too late +to dismount and make use of my rifle. I quickly drew my +revolver, put Czar at a gallop, and flew towards the Indian, +turning my horse to the left, as he on his right side could +make less use of his bow than I could of my revolver. However, +he soon perceived my object, guided his chestnut to get +on my left hand, and we galloped on in the same direction +some distance out of shot. Suddenly, however, he turned +and dashed toward me with his bow raised over the head of +his rapid steed. I too had urged Czar to his full speed, and +when we were about sixty yards apart, I fired. I had not +expected to hit, still it was possible, and I had five shots +left in my weapon. The savage's horse leaped on one side, +stumbled and fell forward on its chest. A few blows of the +whip forced it to make a last effort, but it then sank lifeless +under its rider, who disappeared like lightning in the not very +high grass behind it.</p> + +<p>At the moment when I saw his horse fall, I turned mine +away and pulled up about one hundred yards distant. The +horse lay with its back turned to me, and the Indian was concealed +behind its belly. I took out my telescope to try and +get a better sight of my enemy, but it was of no use, he had +disappeared. All at once I saw an arrow shoot up behind the +horse and fly toward me in a large curve, but I easily pulled +Czar out of its way and it sank harmless by my side with its +point in the grass. While the Indian was firing the arrow I +distinctly saw his hands holding the bow projecting above the +horse's belly. I leapt from Czar's back, threw the bridle +over his shoulder, and fired with my rifle at the horse's back. +I heard the thud of the bullet, but the savage did not show +himself. I reloaded both rifle and revolver and walked at +the same distance round the dead horse till I got to the side +on which its hind-quarters lay. I could now look under its<a name="Page_338" id="Page_338"></a> +belly and saw the Indian creep under the animal's chest and +roll himself up behind it in a ball: still the surface by which +he was hidden was now too small to cover him entirely, and +I could distinguish the upper part of his body. I fired +again and noticed a quick convulsive movement on the part +of the foe, but only at the moment of firing. I had recourse +to my glass once more, and saw that his head was now under +the horse's chest, but his legs lay behind its neck, and he was +peeping at me between its forelegs. I reloaded, and now having +become much calmer, I aimed again at my mark; I fired and +at once saw the savage throw up his legs, then try to rise +but fall back again. I drew closer to him and watched him +through the glass, as he had got a little way from the horse. He +did not stir and lay on his back, but he was an Indian, and +such a man a white man must not trust even in death. I +fired again and heard my bullet go home, but he remained +motionless. After reloading, I walked with cocked rifle nearer +and found that life had left him, and that he had my second +bullet in his right hip, the third in his head over the right +ear, and the last in his chest, while I found one bullet in the +horse's chest and another in its back. He was a man of about +thirty years of age, tall and powerfully built, of a very dark +colour and with sharply marked features; his remarkably long +hair hung wildly round his head, with two eagle plumes thrust +into the topknot, while his neck was decorated with a necklace +of bears' claws, and his arms with brass rings. The lower +part of his face and the eyelids ruddled with vermilion, and +his forehead and cheeks painted black, gave him a terrific, +uncomfortable aspect, which was heightened by the dazzlingly +white teeth visible between his drawn-back lips. I only gazed +for a few minutes at the corpse, took his bow and quiver of +arrows, hung them on my horse and speedily beat a retreat, +as the comrades of the dead man were certainly not far off, +and might very easily be on the road to the spot, guided by +my shots. I rode back on my trail and soon reached camp, +when I told my friends what had happened.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339"></a>Tiger was out hunting and not yet returned. I ordered a +rapid start, had the horses packed and everything ready to be +off. We had scarce completed our preparations when Tiger, +bathed in perspiration, came back along my track, and said +he had heard my shots, followed their direction, and found +the Indian and his horse. He was a Pawnee, whose tribe was +certainly close at hand, and when his companions missed him +they would seek him and easily find us too, in which case we +should run a great danger, as they were brave men. He +quickly packed his horse, and in a few minutes we left camp. +Tiger rode ahead into the stream, and we followed him, riding +singly down the water, which offered us no obstacles beyond +here and there a fallen tree, as it ran over pebbles, was +nowhere deep, and had flat banks. Evening arrived, and the +sun was already low on the western horizon. We marched +almost constantly in the stream till we found on its right +bank a wide plain covered with pebbles, when we turned off +to the south at a right angle. We reached on the other side +of the plain a similar stream, which was also overshadowed +by trees, entered a thicket and dismounted to let our horses +graze without unsaddling them, and to await nightfall. The +moon was already up, and though her light did not brilliantly +illumine the country, it was sufficiently strong to enable us +to distinguish objects at a slight distance. We then left our +hiding-place, marched out of the thicket into the prairie, and +urged our horses on at a quick pace. Without interruption, +we hurried on through the silence of the night, which was +only disturbed by the howling of the countless wolves and +the roar of the buffaloes we put up, until shortly before daybreak +the moon withdrew her light from us and the darkness +did not allow us to advance. We sat down on the damp grass +round our cattle and waited till the first new light appeared +on the eastern horizon, then we remounted and hurried on +toward a distant strip of wood which rose before us on the +prairie. The sun was standing high in the heavens when we +reached it and led our wearied animals to a stream. Here<a name="Page_340" id="Page_340"></a> +we unsaddled and let them graze, hobbled, in a small glade, +while we prepared breakfast at a small fire.</p> + +<p>We were very tired and after the meal could hardly keep +awake. We posted sentries in turn to watch the plain behind +us, and kept lively by smoking and telling stories. Our cattle +wanted sleep more than grass, and we were sorry at being +obliged to saddle them after a short rest, but Tiger and Owl +insisted on our going on, as we were certainly pursued by the +Pawnees, and could only escape them by keeping the start +we had on them. It was hardly noon when we started again +and spurred our horses on toward the southern prairie. They +only moved because they felt the sharp steel in their sides, +and we were obliged to lead the mules by lassos and appoint +a man to drive them, as they refused to follow. The heat +was oppressive, there was not a breath of air, and the plants +on the plain we crossed hung their leaves in exhaustion, an +incessant buzzing of the insects in the grass filled the motionless +air, and a trembling dazzling light lay on the wide +expanse around us. The sweat ran in streams from our cattle, +and was mixed with the blood which the countless musquitos +sucked from their coat, so that under their belly their colour +could not be distinguished. But not noticing their sufferings +or fatigue, we urged them on and looked back at the distant +horizon to see whether our pursuers appeared on it, till the +sun sank and in the distance a wood rose, which crossed the +prairie to the east like a mist. Tiger said that we should be +safe there; this was the wood running along the Arkansas, +and the horses of the Pawnees could not go so far without a +rest. The sun mercifully withdrew its beams, and the +moon's cool light showed us our road, when we expended the +last strength of our cattle and so reached the forest.</p> + +<p>We had ridden for over fifty hours since yesterday morning, +a greater part of the distance without any path, through +rather tall grass and over stony soil. On the whole route we +had been exposed to the burning sun, and only once had been +able to cool our fevered lips at a stream. For our cattle, it<a name="Page_341" id="Page_341"></a> +is true, we had more frequently found water, though only +standing rain, which collects in large hollows on the prairie, +but at this season is more mud than water; at the same time +it is almost boiled by the sun, and if it can keep a man alive +it does not refresh him. We as well as our cattle were utterly +exhausted to such a degree that we would incur any danger +for a few hours' rest. We rode into the wood and followed a +buffalo path, but had not ridden far when Tiger, who was +ahead, stopped, saying he had lost the path and could go no +farther. The foliage over us was so thick that only here and +there the moon's pale light stole through it, and only a few +leaves and small spots on the branches glistened like silver in +the obscurity. We turned our horses in all directions seeking +the path, but after going a few yards were continually stopped +by the hanging creepers. Tiger now leapt from his horse +and sought in the darkness dry grass, which he twisted into +a torch and came to me to light it. It soon spread a light +around, and while I held it up Tiger collected a larger stock +of dry grass and made a thicker torch, which we lit, and soon +found an issue from this impenetrable thicket.</p> + +<p>We soon reached a small arm of the Arkansas, on whose +fresh, cool water we and our cattle fell insanely. We now lit +a fire, though there was no grass for the cattle near at hand, +as the small, open spot on the bank of the rushing stream +was surrounded by a dense wall of forest. At this moment, +however, rest was more necessary than food, and our cattle +had scarce been freed from their load when they all sank on +the ground and fell into a deep sleep; we did the same, and, +after drinking several draughts, fell back on our saddles and +forgot that we still stood a risk of being caught up by the +Pawnees. We had collected our fire into a small pile, so that +it only coaled, and spread no light over the crests of the tall +trees, which might possibly have been noticed from the +prairie. We slept without moving a limb till the turkeys in +our neighbourhood awoke us, and, though Tiger and Owl +protested most strongly against it, we shot four of the birds,<a name="Page_342" id="Page_342"></a> +resolved to defend ourselves to the best of our ability if the +shots betrayed us to our pursuers.</p> + +<p>Tiger now mounted his piebald, rode through the river, and +soon disappeared in the forest on the other bank, where he +sought pasture for our cattle. In half an hour he returned +and told us that between this wood and the Arkansas there +was a fine prairie, on which we should find excellent grass for +them. We followed him across the river and out of the wood +to a small glade, which was overshadowed by close-growing +trees. Here we camped and prepared breakfast, while our +cattle greedily browsed on the fresh, dewy grass. We rested +here till the sun cast the shadow of the forest far across the +prairie; then we set out again and rode to the Arkansas, +which here rolls its foaming waters between low banks. We +reached the opposite forest and rode into its cool shade before +sunset, so that the last beams still lighted us as we marched +over the next prairie and hurried to a low scrub, from whose +centre several tremendously tall poplars rose and announced +water near their roots.</p> + +<p>The sun had just set when we came to a stream running +toward the Arkansas, and covered on this side with bushes, +while on the other the most splendid grass hung over its +crystalline waters. We watered our cattle and then rode +down stream on the other side, as the pasturage seemed more +luxuriant lower down. In a few minutes we reached a small +cascade, where the stream fell over rocks about ten feet, and +below this fall formed a deep basin, whose bottom was also +composed of stone slabs, and on one side was overhung by +rock strata about twenty feet in height, which covered a considerable +space near the basin, whose bottom and sides also +consisted of bare stone. We camped on the top of this overhanging +ledge, as a number of medlar-trees grew there, to +which we could fasten our horses at night round the camp, +and at the same time the richest grass grew all around. We +unsaddled, hobbled the horses in the grass, lit a fire, and put +the supper before it, and then went to bathe in the basin<a name="Page_343" id="Page_343"></a> +under the rock. After we had cooled and refreshed ourselves +we supped and then prepared our resting-place; but John +took his weapons and skins and said he would sleep on the +stream under the crag, as it was much cooler and pleasanter +there, and he should not feel the heavy dew so much as in +the grass. We wished him pleasant dreams and shouted to +him not to let himself be devoured by a bear.</p> + +<p>We had fastened up our horses, and had fallen into a deep +sleep, when the sharp crack of a rifle aroused us, and we all +leapt up, arms in hand. At the same moment a second shot +was fired below us on the water. We were only a few yards from +the edge of the crack, and on hurrying there saw an enormous +panther slowly walking among the low bushes on the opposite +bank, and looking over at us. We showered bullets upon it, +and induced it to hasten its pace till it disappeared like a +shadow in the mist. Now John ran up to us with his baggage, +and told us he had accidentally waked up. He fancied +he heard a growling; rose on his arm, and recognised the +moonlit shape of a panther walking towards him hesitatingly, +with lashing tail, round the basin. He quickly +seized his rifle—fired one barrel at it, and gave it the +second in the water, into which it leapt. Providence had +aroused him, for before we could have hurried to his help +from above the brute would probably have killed him, and +we might very easily have known nothing of it till we found +our comrade's lacerated body on the next morning. However, +we soon forgot this incident, and slept till dawn woke +us and showed us the grass around wet as if from a shower, +while a thick fog brooded over the flat country. We led our +horses out to graze, put our breakfast to cook, and then I +went with John and Tiger, accompanied by Trusty, to the +spot on the opposite bank, where the panther had been standing +when we fired at it. We found here a quantity of hair, +and soon after blood, which increased with every step, and +presently came to a spot where the jaguar had halted and +covered a large space with its blood. We went about a<a name="Page_344" id="Page_344"></a> +hundred yards farther when Trusty stopped, looked round at +me, and then into the bushes with his tail erect. I called +him to me, and crept cautiously to the spot, when I saw the +panther lying under the roots of an old poplar, with its head +turned towards me, and showing its teeth. I shot it through +the skull, and Owl took off its fine coat to prepare it for John, +who wished to preserve it in memory of the danger to which +he had been exposed during this night.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-363.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="592"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345"></a> +<a name="chapter26" id="chapter26"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-150.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="153"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE COMANCHES.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">Our</span> route ran from here through the most pleasing and rich +countries, crossed by numerous streams running eastward. +Generally this country had the character of the prairie; it +was undulating, and covered with fine grass; the hills and +woods on the streams gave it variety, so that the wearied eye +did not stray over interminable plains, seeking in vain for a +resting-place. Prairies alternated with coppices and patches +of forest oak, and here and there an isolated hill rose, which +gave the country greater diversity. The grass, though +rather tall, was fresh and juicy, and hence did not greatly +impede our horses, while it rendered it easy for us to stalk +game, large quantities of which we found here. We had +been marching for nearly a month through this pleasant +region to the South, and had crossed the Red Arm as well as +several other affluents of the Arkansas, when one evening we +reached the Saline. It was fringed with forests, which were +much thicker and richer than those farther to the North, +and offered us splendid wild plums as refreshment when we +rode through.</p> + +<p>We crossed the river, and went through the wood on its +south side, and had just unsaddled our horses and picketed +them in the prairie, when suddenly several hundred horse +Indians came round the nearest angle in the wood, and halted +a few yards from us, while we gazed at each other in amazement. +At the head of them rode a single Indian, with a +smoking piece of wood, who at the sight of us gave a piercing +yell. We saw that great excitement was produced in the +ranks of the caravan, and that the men collected in the fore<a name="Page_346" id="Page_346"></a> +ground, while the squaws and children hurried to the rear, +and hastily drew back the numerous pack animals. We, too, +ran at full speed to our horses, and were removing them to +the bushes, when Tiger shouted to me that they were +Comanches. The name at once tranquillized me, and I told +him I believed they would do nothing hostile to us when +they heard my name. He went towards the savages, and +shouted my name to them, upon which they raised loud cries, +and an old man, on a large mule, trotted towards us, in whom +I recognised my friend Pahajuka. He was followed by his +squaw, and both testified their joy at seeing me. The whole +band was now coming towards us, when Pahajuka checked +them in a loud voice and with commanding gestures. They +turned away, and disappeared again soon after round the +angle of the wood. He told me his people were impudent, +and would rob us if he did not keep them away, and for that +reason he had ordered them to camp lower down the river. +Both the old folks dismounted, and sat down on their buffalo +robes, while Antonio lighted a fire before them. I sat down +with them, and gave them a couple of cigars. We prepared +our supper, which my savage friends shared and enjoyed, and +the squaw gave full vent to her eloquence. She told me they +were going to the sources of the Puerco on the western side +of the Sacramento Mountains, where a great council of all +the Comanche tribes was about to be held. They invited me +to go there, but I declined, as in spite of the friendship of +these two, I did not care to trust myself among so many +savages.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-366"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-366.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="415"> +<p class="caption">THE INDIAN CAMP. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_346">p. 346.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>Gradually several men, with their squaws and children, +crept up and camped curiously round our fire. Their number +quickly increased, more and more of them crawled through +the bushes and sat down around us, till it appeared that the +whole tribe was collected. They pressed round our baggage, +and I was obliged to call to Antonio and Königstein to keep +a sharp eye on it, as I saw they were beginning to examine it. +Suddenly old Pahajuka leapt up, and in a furious voice<a name="Page_347" id="Page_347"></a> +shouted some words we did not understand to the intruders, +upon which the whole band disappeared again in the bushes, +except a very pretty girl of about sixteen, whom the chief +introduced to me as his granddaughter. She was a nice +creature, gracefully formed, with a remarkably pretty head, +from which a great mass of glossy black hair floated loosely +over her shoulders. Her finely-chiselled, slightly aquiline, +nose, her small mouth with its pearly teeth, and the modest, +shy glance of her large black eyes, would have rendered her +a perfect beauty had her skin been white, but even with her +dark complexion she was handsome, and her appearance produced +an extremely pleasant impression. The leathern petticoat +which hung from her hips was finished with considerable +taste and exquisitely painted; her finely-formed long neck +was adorned by a necklace of white beads, and on her plump, +graceful arms she had a number of polished brass rings. Her +father, Pahajuka's son, so the old squaw told us, was shot in +a foray in Mexico, and the old people had adopted her as +their daughter. I was sorry that I had nothing with me to +make her a present of, but I promised her lots of pretty +things if she would visit me at home with the old folks, and +the latter promised to do so.</p> + +<p>The moon was up, and my guests rose to mount their +mules, in which I assisted the squaw. I wished to accompany +them to their camp. They rode in front and I followed +with their daughter Tahtoweja (Antelope) along the skirt of +the wood, and reached the camp not long after them, which +consisted of some forty large tents of white buffalo hides, +which were put up in two long rows and formed a wide street, +on both sides of which the fires were burning in front of the +tents. Pahajuka dismounted in the middle of this street, +and his squaw was leading his horses away when I reached +the first tents with the young Indian girl, and the old chief's +thundering voice rolled along the camp, while he walked +quickly up and down the tents with the most animated +gestures. My companion pulled me back by the hand when<a name="Page_348" id="Page_348"></a> +I was going up to him, and led me aside behind the first tent, +where she sat down and peeped round it at him, while I +noticed that all the Indians had crept into their tents and +only popped their heads out. For half an hour the old fellow +stormed up and down the camp, during which time no other +sound was heard, and not one of the Indians ventured to +come out of the tents. All at once he came up to me as +calmly and pleasantly as if he had not uttered an angry +word, took me by the hand, and led me to his fire, where I +was obliged to sit down. He told me he had been giving his +people a reproof for the impudence with which they had +forced themselves into my camp, so that they might learn +how to behave with white friends. I remained with them a +long while, and listened to the animated, sensible stories of +the old squaw, which were at times interrupted by a reproving +look from Pahajuka, when he fancied she was more +lively than propriety admitted, and that her remarks slightly +wandered from the literal truth; then, however, she bent over +him, laughingly pressed his head to her bosom, and patted +him on the back with her hand till he freed himself from her +affection.</p> + +<p>Tahtoweja too became more lively, took part in the conversation, +and laughingly supported the old lady in her +amicable dispute with Pahajuka. At the same time she +became quite impatient when the interpreter did not express +her remarks quickly enough, and tried by signs and gestures +to make up for his omissions or incorrect rendering. Her +language was quick and fiery, her large eyes, in which the +flame of our fire was mirrored, flashed with the stream of her +eloquence, and her little hands or fingers sought to render +her meaning clearer, and in all these movements there was +extraordinary power, decision, and grace. So soon, however, +as she ceased speaking, she sat motionless, looking down or +attentively listening to the remarks of her foster parents, +while her dark eyes were fixed on them. She sat slightly +back from the fire, so that the outline of her dark form was<a name="Page_349" id="Page_349"></a> +blended with the obscure background, and the small fire only +lit up her eyes and her beautiful teeth when speaking, by +which her appearance acquired a peculiar and mysterious +charm.</p> + +<p>It was late, and except our little party there was not an +open eye in camp. I got up, offered my hand to my hosts, +wished them good night, and when I put my hand to +Tahtoweja she sprang up and laughing pointed in the direction +of my camp, that she would accompany me, and at the +same time gave the old squaw an inquiring glance. The +latter nodded her assent, adding that she would accompany +me too, but her feet were no longer so light as those of +Antelope, and so the latter passed her graceful arm through +mine and walked with me along the forest through the dewy +grass. The distance was only a few hundred yards, and when +we turned round the angle of the wood our camp was blazing +brightly, and lit up my still waking comrades who were sitting +round it smoking. Here Tahtoweja stopped, pressed my +hands kindly while wishing me good night, and flew through +the light mist back to her camp.</p> + +<p>The next morning before daybreak Pahajuka with his +squaw and pretty daughter joined us. The latter ran up to +me with the pleasantest morning greeting, took the pipe +from my mouth, and placing it between her cherry lips, sat +down among tiger skins by the fire, making me a sign to do +the same. We prepared as good a breakfast as our means +allowed in honour of our guests, served up the last of our +biscuit and handed round afterwards some Madeira which I +owed to the kindness of Lord S——. After our friends had +enjoyed themselves thoroughly, they returned to their camp +to prepare for a start, for, as Pahajuka told me, they wished +on this day to reach the northern arm of Canadian River, +between which and the stream on which we now were, no +water was to be found. I went across with them to see the +large tents loaded, while my comrades packed our animals, +for, as our road ran in the same direction. I wished to accom<a name="Page_350" id="Page_350"></a>pany +our savage friends. When we arrived in camp we found +perfect quietude there, the various families were lying round +the fires in front of the tents engaged in breakfasting, while +the children were amusing themselves in the long tent street +with shooting arrows, throwing stones, wrestling, and running +races, in which they were observed, praised or blamed by their +parents. Pahajuka stopped at the first tent and shouted a +few words I did not understand, upon hearing which all the +squaws hurriedly rose and set to work striking the large tents. +The latter are about fourteen feet high, pointed at the top, +and some twenty feet in diameter on the ground. There are +openings above on the sides which can be pulled open in the +direction of the wind to let the smoke out when the weather +is cold and the fire is lit in the middle of the tent. The +buffalo hides of which the tents are composed are tanned +white, and adorned inside and out with paintings. They are +very thickly sewn so that no rain can penetrate, and in +winter when the fire is burning the interior is very warm and +cozy.</p> + +<p>In a quarter of an hour all the tents had disappeared, and +at the spot where they had stood lay bundles bound with +straps. The squaws came up with the horses and mules, hung +on each side of them a very long tent pole which was allowed +to trail behind, and a few feet from the end fastened cross +bars, on which they placed the tents, buffalo hides, cooking +utensils, and all their traps, and then seated either themselves +or their children atop, while others mounted horses or mules, +and took two or three or even four children up with them. +While the girls and squaws were performing this operation +the warriors lay smoking round the fire, and only rose when +their horses and weapons were brought to them. In less +than half an hour everything was ready for a start, and one +of the Indians took some firebrands of musquito wood, which +keeps alight for a very long time, and rode ahead of the party +southward, while I, accompanied by Pahajuka, his squaw,<a name="Page_351" id="Page_351"></a> +and Tahtoweja, returned to my camp and mounted Czar, and +we then followed the Indians.</p> + +<p>It was a glorious day: the sharp breeze rendered the heat +endurable, while clouds every now and then obscured the +sun. We rode sharply on without a check, as the distance +to the appointed camping-place was over sixty miles. +Still our horses did not object to it, as we followed the track +of the Indians, and their numerous cattle formed a smooth +road, and they often made the last ride at the head of the +file, so as not to fatigue individual horses too much. Our +road ran over an open prairie, and the sky line soon formed +the horizon. The grass around us glittered in the darkest +green, which in the distance grew lighter and lighter, till at +the extreme point of sight it melted away into the blue colour +of the sky. Flowers of the most varied hues sprang up out +of the rich verdure, and for a long distance dyed various spots +on the prairie with their prevailing colour. Pahajuka and +his squaw trotted in front of us on their capital mules, while +Tahtoweja kept her stag-like little pony at an amble by my +side, and took all possible trouble to keep up a conversation +with me by means of signs. On her saddle lay several +folded hides, on which she sat like a cushion, and her little +feet were thrust into wooden stirrups on either side of her +horse's neck. She frequently swung her small, graceful +leather-woven whip over her horse's head, and spoke to it in +her sweet voice, while pulling up its head with the bridle.</p> + +<p>Without resting we rode the whole day, and had only now +and then opportunity to water our horses at standing pools, +till the sun sank beneath the western prairie, and we could +scarce recognise to the south the blue outline of the woods +on Canadian River. Darkness very rapidly spread over the +plain around us, while the sky was still red over the departed +sun, and in the east a pale yellow patch on the horizon +announced the rising moon. Our horses had fallen into a +swinging walk, when the new light appeared above the<a name="Page_352" id="Page_352"></a> +prairie and rose like a glowing ball above us, while the clouds +were gradually lit up by its silvery light. A fiery shower of +fire-flies glistened over the extensive plain, and in front of us +lightning flashes in the distant southern heavens every now +and then displayed to us the dark contour of the forest which +we were approaching. It was not far from ten o'clock when +we unloaded our wearied animals on the skirt of the forest +near the long-looked for river, and camped close to our +savage friends. After supper no long time was granted to +conversation, for each soon sought his bed to rest after the +exertions of the ride. The next morning Pahajuka, his +squaw, and daughter, again shared our breakfast, and then +prepared to go on, while we resolved to rest for the day. +The two old people were very sorry at being obliged to leave +us, but promised, without fail, to come to my house after the +great council on Puerco River and remain some time. Tahtoweja +tried by laughing to hide the tears which glistened in +her long lashes as I helped her on her pony and bade her +good-bye. She gave me a small leathern pocket very artistically +worked in beads which hung from her belt, while she +was unable for her sobs to utter the words she wished to +say. She pointed to my eyes, then to the parcel in my hand, +laid her little hand on her heart, and said—Tahtoweja. Once +again she offered me her hand, and then hastened to join her +grandparents, who were already leading the file behind the +fire-bearer.</p> + +<p>Carrying fire from one camp to the other appears to be a +custom peculiar to most of the savage tribes in this country. +They halt on the last elevation, whence they can look back +at the deserted spot, lay a still smoking brand on the ground, +wave a farewell across, and then try, by swinging and blowing +the brand, to keep it alight as long as possible: on a +long ride they naturally do not bring it burning into the new +camp.</p> + +<p>We halted this day on the northern Canadian River in +order to rest our cattle, which had the most splendid pasture<a name="Page_353" id="Page_353"></a> +here, and the next morning marched south again. Toward +evening we reached a spring which ran out of a low range of +hills. Here we found a pleasant camping spot, and followed +the course of this stream on the following day to the +Southern Canadian River, on whose bank we unsaddled, after +crossing it with much difficulty. From this point we +altered our course, as we went up stream, in order to reach +its springs, the southernmost of which well up in the Sacramento +Mountains, at the point where the latter form a low +pass which separates them from the mountain chain which +runs parallel with the Puerco river, in nearly a southern +direction, to the San Saba Mountains, and form an extensive +rich valley between themselves and the former river. On the +western side of the Puerco, between it and the Rio Grande, +with which it also runs parallel, again rise large ranges, +forming beautiful valleys toward both rivers, until the former +river falls into the Rio Grande at the western end of the San +Saba Mountains. All these rich regions on both sides of the +Puerco as far as the Rio Grande and the western settlements +in Texas, the Comanches and Mescaleros regard as their property, +and only tolerate there a few of the civilized tribes, +such as the Delawares, Kickapoos, &c., because they fear +them, and do not care to be engaged in war with them.</p> + +<p>This district is indubitably by far the finest in the whole +of the States, as regards richness of soil and climate, as here +tropical and northern vegetation are blended. The banana, +the cocoa-nut, the orange, the plum, the apple, and the cherry +flourish, and vines spread over all the woods: the soil in the +valleys is extraordinarily rich and productive during the whole +year. The pasturage is incomparable, and cannot be equalled +in the whole world: it is covered with the splendid musquito +grass, which remains green and juicy in winter as in summer, +and sooner or later these valleys will support as many domestic +animals instead of the countless herds of wild creatures now +living there. The climate is magnificent; the great summer +heat is rendered endurable by the cooling winds from the<a name="Page_354" id="Page_354"></a> +Gulf of Mexico, while the winter has no long lasting rain, and +a very slight frost is only felt rarely, just before daybreak. +There is no visible cause for diseases, as there are no swamps, +and the forests as well as the prairies consist of undulating land, +from which the water left by heavy showers or inundations of +the rivers quickly recedes. The region is abundantly traversed +by the clearest streams, which well up in the neighbouring +granite mountains, and through their remarkably +rapid fall render it an easy task to irrigate the surrounding +land should ever a drought occur. The great variety of +plains, hills, mountains, and the most luxuriant vegetation in +the virgin forests as well as on the plains, impart to these +regions remarkable picturesque attractions which are heightened +by the transparency of the atmosphere, the dark blue +sky, and the peculiar light effects.</p> + +<p>Our road now ran along the south side of the Canadian +River to the west, and in a few days the Sacramento Mountains +rose before us. We reached an affluent of this river, +on which some miles farther up the iron stone was said to lie +with which Tiger told us the god of hunting had killed a +Weico. As it would not take us very far out of our course if +we rode to it, I requested Tiger to lead us to it. Before sunset +we reached a prairie, round which the little wooded stream +ran in a semicircle, and saw in the centre of it the stone rising +about three feet out of the short grass. It was a meteorite +of enormous size; its circumference on the plane measured +twelve feet, and it did not rest on rock; it must have sunk a +great distance into the ground, although the latter is excessively +hard on the prairie. It had considerable magnetic +power, was of a dark rust colour, and so hard that it cost us +great difficulty to knock off a few splinters with the back of +our axes. It is certainly the largest stone of this sort in existence—at +least the largest I know are much smaller, and it +would repay the trouble and expense to fetch it from this +desert and convey it to some museum.</p> + +<p>We slept here for the night, and had to hear several times<a name="Page_355" id="Page_355"></a> +the story of the Weico who was slain with this stone. The +next morning we left the river, marching westward along the +mountains, and camped again on the banks of Canadian River. +For about a week we followed this course, to the spurs of the +Sacramento Mountains, where we left the river, and went +along the former to the south, until in a fortnight we reached +the sources of the Red River, which flow from the eastern +slopes of these mountains. We rode up them to their source +among the granite rocks, where we found at a considerable +height a splendid camping place, on which we found the remains +of several Indian camps, made by foot Indians, who do +not carry large tents with them. They consisted of long thin +sticks, four or six of which were crossed and had both ends +stuck in the ground; over these sticks they hang skins, and +thus obtain a decent shelter against rain and cold. A much-trodden +path led on the north side of this stream to the camp, +and from here ran up to the saddle of the hill, and thence, as +Owl and Tiger told us, down it to the south, over the San +Saba range, to the sources of the Rio de las Mires, which +stream falls into the Gulf of Mexico at Corpus Christi. This +is one of the oldest connecting paths of the Indians between +the northern lands of the Rocky Mountains and the Gulf, and +proves by the depth it is worn in the rock that it has been +used since the earliest period by these wanderers as well as +the four-footed denizens of the desert.</p> + +<p>The springs at which we camped welled up under immense +granite crags, which rose in terraces, and formed in front of +them a small basin in which they collected and flowed in a +rivulet through the plain on which our cattle were grazing, +and thence to the wide prairies which we had recently crossed. +Around us lay large masses of rock, which had probably +fallen from the heights, between which the path wound upwards. +On the east we gazed at the immense plains through +which Canadian River marked its course by the rich woods +that overshadowed it, and at our feet we looked into savage +gorges, from which here and there small patches of grass and<a name="Page_356" id="Page_356"></a> +scrub peeped out, and a few enormous cypresses raised their +gigantic branches, inviting the wanderer in these deserts to +enjoy a fresh draught in their shade, as these noble trees only +flourish in the vicinity of water.</p> + +<p>Day had scarce broken on the next morning, when we prepared +breakfast, and the sun had not risen over the eastern +horizon, and the valleys were still covered with mist, when +we were already mounted and going up the path, to take +advantage of the cool of the morning, as during the day we +might calculate on great heat upon these barren rocks. The +morning was splendid. The fresh, cool mountain breeze refreshed +us, and every plant, every blade of grass between the +rocks seemed to enjoy the treat. We had ascended a considerable +height when the sun spread its beams over the earth. Our +path ascended from hill to hill, till at about ten o'clock we +reached a barren table-land, which in some parts was broad +and others narrow, and overshadowed by crags. The landscape +on either side of us was remarkably fine, and frequently +the crags in our immediate vicinity offered very pretty pictures. +When we drew near the western slopes, we looked +down into luxuriant valleys on both sides of the Puerco, as +far as the hilly range which divided that river from the Rio +Grande, or a distance of from 150 to 200 miles. Farther +south, in the valley on this side of the river, was an isolated +mountain, whose peak ascended to the clouds, and which the +Indians called the Guadaloupe Mountain. When our road ran +nearer the eastern slopes, or the plateau along which we were +riding became narrower, our eyes rested on the rich grasslands +to the south of the river in the vicinity of the Salt +Lake we had passed on our journey, as well as on the numerous +streams which spring up on the eastern side of our +mountains, and flow, some to the Brazos, others to the +Colorado. It was now very hot, however, in spite of the +violent breeze; but a rest without any shade could not refresh +us. The stony strata along which we rode, and which at times +were deeply trodden in, reflected the sunbeams and rendered<a name="Page_357" id="Page_357"></a> +the heat almost unendurable; our animals dripped with perspiration, +and trotted on with hanging heads, as if anxious to get +away from this glowing surface. Nowhere, however, did we +see a spot to receive us in its shade, as the sun was vertical, +and the few lofty rocks we passed cast no shadow. No path +ran on either side downwards, which might afford us hopes of +reaching water, and the few cypresses which indicated it to +us were too far down in the bottoms for us to attempt to get +to them. Our cattle became more and more tired, and at +last hardly able to move, when the sun had sunk a long way +on the western horizon. We halted several times in the +shadow of large rocks to let our cattle breathe, and gave +them the juicy pear-shaped fruit of the cactus, which grew +here abundantly, and they eagerly devoured it. My comrades +also ate them contrary to my advice, and several of +them became very unwell in consequence. Such a rest +could not do us much good, and so we continually urged our +horses on, till after passing about sunset between tremendous +crags, we found a broad path, which soon wound down the +eastern slope, when about a mile farther on we saw a copse of +low cypresses. With great delight we accepted their invitation, +and followed the path which ran into a small glen, where +we found good grass and splendid spring-water.</p> + +<p>Here, too, we found the traces of several Indian camps, +some of which seemed to be quite recent. The few halting-places +in the vicinity of this mountain path are well known +to the savages who go over these mountains, and are used by +them like hotels by travellers in the civilized world. We kept +up a large fire during the night, as we here heard for the first +time the howls of the jaguars rising from the valley to us, +so soon as darkness lay over the earth. We allowed our +cattle to graze till far into the night, when they lay down, +and we brought them near our fire and slept quietly till +dawn.</p> + +<p>The sun had scarce risen, when we left this spot and hastened +back to the road across the ridge. Our cattle walked<a name="Page_358" id="Page_358"></a> +quickly along the path in the cool morning breeze, and at +about nine o'clock Guadaloupe hills lay to the north-west, +while the western mountains on the opposite side of the +Puerco opened, and allowed us a view through a broad pass +of the Rio Grande and Paso del Norté. This is the only +easily accessible pass through the Cordilleras, through which, +too, ere many years elapse, the locomotive will snort from +the Atlantic to the Pacific. Between this pass and the +mountains on which we were standing, stretched out the +rich green valleys on both sides of the Puerco, and through +it we saw in the extreme distance the blue contour of the +mountain ranges beyond the Rio Grande. Though it was so +grand up here, we longed to be down below on the banks of +the Puerco, and resolved to seize the first opportunity of +descending afforded us by a direct path. During the whole +day, however, we only found indistinct traces where buffaloes +had descended the western slopes, till at about four <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> we +found a very practicable path, which crossed ours from east +to west, and which we went down. It was at places so steep +that we were obliged to lead our horses, and the latter slipped +down on their hind-quarters after us: then again it wound +round crags, past precipices, and between isolated peaks, up +hill and down, until about sunset we reached, greatly fatigued, +a rivulet, upon which our cattle greedily fell. The path ran +down from the spring, and we followed it for about half an +hour, till about nightfall we reached a small leafy coppice, in +which we camped. Tiger and Owl were of opinion that the +path led down to the valley, as it ran past the springs, and +because a path corresponding with it had run down the eastern +side of the mountains.</p> + +<p>The next morning we ate our last meat at a very early +breakfast, and Tiger saddled his horse to make certain +whither the path ran, and also to try and shoot a deer or an +antelope, of which there were large numbers on these mountains. +During this time we wished to let our cattle graze +and recover, as they greatly needed rest; and in the event of<a name="Page_359" id="Page_359"></a> +our being obliged to ride back to the ridge, we wished to halt +here till the next day. The sun had just risen when Tiger +left us. We lay in the shade of the closely-growing elms +and poplars, and were drinking coffee at noon, as Tiger had +not yet returned, when we suddenly heard the footsteps of a +horse beneath us, and directly after saw the piebald come +round the precipice. Our surprise was great, however, on +seeing that the horse's handsome white seemed dyed quite +red on the neck and breast, and Tiger too, when he drew +nearer, was quite bloody. I hurried toward him, and saw, to +my terror, that he had serious wounds on his left shoulder, +and that the blood covered his arm and the whole of his left +side. I took his rifle, helped him off his horse, and went back +with him into the shade of the elms, while Antonio looked +after the piebald. Tiger now told us he had been riding +about three miles down the stream through a small coppice +when suddenly an immense jaguar leapt at his horse's neck, +but at the same instant he buried his hunting-knife between +the beast's ribs. At this moment he slipped off his terrified +rearing horse—the jaguar buried its claws in his right shoulder, +while he dealt it several stabs, and it then fell dead. The piebald +bolted down the stream as fast as his legs would carry +him over the stones, and Tiger believed that he should never +see him again when he noticed him on a bleak crag: he +shouted to him from a distance, and the faithful creature at +once hurried up to him. He then washed his own and the +horse's wounds, and returned to us, suffering great pain. He +had four wounds on his shoulder, close together, as if cut +with a knife, and which ran about four inches down his arm. +The foremost was so deep that I was obliged to sew it up. +I bandaged him as well as I could, laid all the rags we possessed +in a moist state on the wound, and made him moisten +them pretty frequently in the neighbouring stream. Then I +examined the poor piebald, who had on his back four deep +wounds from the jaguar's fangs, and several injuries on the +neck from the claws; still none appeared dangerous, and<a name="Page_360" id="Page_360"></a> +though the throat swelled considerably, constant washing +soon produced an alleviation.</p> + +<p>Owl now went up the hills in search of game, while I +proceeded down the stream with Antonio and Königstein to +fetch the jaguar's hide. We reached the scene of action, +where the jaguar lay outstretched on the bank, and the ground +was trampled by the horse's hoofs; the animal had five knife +stabs near the heart, and the earth and grass around were +dyed with its blood, while we were able to follow the blood-stained +track of Tiger and the piebald down the stream. +My two comrades at once set to work removing the splendid +skin, while I followed the path for the purpose of procuring +meat.</p> + +<p>I had gone some distance without getting within shot, +though I frequently saw game, and the low position of the +sun warned me to commence my return to camp, I was +following a small affluent of the stream, which came down +from the hills a little more to the south, in order not to return +by the same road I had come, when I suddenly heard +about half a mile off a roar that exactly resembled that of a +lion. I ran in the direction whence the sound came, and soon +saw on the bank of the stream two giant stags engaged in a +most furious contest and surrounded by a herd of does, and +further on some large stags on the watch, I ran up within +forty yards of them unnoticed, while with their huge antlers +intertwined they butted each other, and frequently sank on +their knees. I shot the largest, which fell, and its enemy +at once buried its tines in the flanks of its overpowered foe, +not suspecting that the same rifle which had slain its opponent +still held a deadly bullet in readiness. I could easily +have killed it, but preferred a fawn, which was standing no +great distance off, and killed it. I now got up behind the +rocks to reload, and the startled herd darted off to the mountains. +I went up to the stag, which had two-and-twenty +tines, and was very plump; after which I hurried to reach +camp before it grew dark, and met Owl, who had shot no<a name="Page_361" id="Page_361"></a>thing. +As we had nothing left to eat, we at once started +with Jack to fetch in the game, taking some firebrands of +pine-wood as torches. The night was dark, but the torchlight +illumined all the objects around the more distinctly in +consequence. Antonio walked in front, I followed with Trusty, +and Königstein, with Jack, formed the rear. We soon reached +the stags, and loaded Jack with a large supply of meat, with +which we arrived in camp about ten o'clock. Our hunger +was great, as we had eaten nothing since morning, and we sat +till a late hour round the fire turning our spits. Tiger was +much better; the pain was reduced, and the swelling of the +wounds was slight. The next morning, however, as the +bandages had not been wetted during his sleep, his arm was +very stiff, while the pain was greater, and hence I resolved to +stop where we were at least for the day.</p> + +<p>It was scarce daylight when I took my weapons and went +to pay another visit to the rutting stags, John accompanying +me. The morning was cool, and the dew lay in heavy +pearls on grass and stones, the valleys below us were still +veiled in mist, and large white clouds hung on the hill-sides. +We reached the spot where I had shot the stags, and heard +thence the roars of the animals echoing through the valleys. +They were standing, however, rather higher up the stream, as +they probably remembered my last night's visit. We pressed +through the tall ferns, from which the dew dripped upon us +like rain, and reached a plateau that hung over a dizzy precipice. +Here stood the game, and nearest to us an old stag, +which had its proud antlers thrown back, its thick swollen +neck outstretched, and was roaring furiously. All around +the other stags responded from the hills, and we listened for +a long time to the concert of these jealous lovers ere we +thought of hunting them. As it was the first giant stag +John had had a chance of firing at, I readily granted him +the first shot, and allowed him to stalk the stag. The majestic +animal, hit by my comrade's deadly bullet, fell on its +knee in the midst of a roar, raised its head once or twice, and<a name="Page_362" id="Page_362"></a> +then fell lifeless on the scanty grass that covered the rock. +John could not master his delight, and ran up to the stag, +by doing which he put an end to our sport here for this morning, +as all the deer flew at the sight of him. The stag had +six-and-twenty tines, and a pair of colossal antlers, whose ends +were like shovels. We broke it up, threw the paunch over +the precipice, and hoisted John's white handkerchief near it +in order to keep beasts of prey aloof.</p> + +<p>It was still very early, the first sunbeams were just illumining +the highest points of the steep precipice on the opposite +side of the abyss on which we were standing, and the cool +breeze was too refreshing for us to think of hurrying back to +camp. We followed the plateau therefore, from which the +opposite one continually retired, until the gorge widened into +a rocky glen, from which colossal masses of stone rose in wild +confusion. Far down the valley, at the point where it +trended to the east, round the opposite hill side, we distinctly +noticed a path which ran along the base of the mountains, +and was probably the continuation of the one on which we +were camped. As we still heard numerous stags roaring we +advanced till we were able to look down into the valley on +the east, and follow our path for a long distance through it. +We stopped to gaze at the wondrous forms of the mountains. +I took out my telescope, looked at the path, and saw a long +way off dark forms moving among the rocks, which I soon +discovered to be a large party of horse Indians. No doubt +but the path they were marching along was ours, and they +would be in our camp in less than an hour, while we had a +good half hour's walk to it. We therefore turned and hurried +at full speed to join our friends.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-163.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="124"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363"></a> +<a name="chapter27" id="chapter27"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-198.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="174"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">HOME AGAIN.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">Tiger</span> advised us to saddle at once, while he and Owl carefully +removed everything that could betray our recent presence +here. All the logs were carried into the stream in a deer +hide, the horse excreta and scraps of food hidden in the +neighbouring bushes, and after giving our camp the appearance +as if its occupants had left it some days previously, we +led our horses over the firm stones down to the stream +where I had shot the stag on the previous evening, and then +along it till we could survey our path from a distance of about +two miles from camp. Here we led our cattle into a coppice +where they were hidden from the Indians by the bushes and +rocks. Ere long the latter marched up the path. Tiger +recognised them as Apaches who were probably on the road +to the eastern trading ports of the United States, as they had +their squaws and children and large bales of hides with them. +We let them pass in peace. We then rode down the stream to +the path and put our horses at a sharp amble in the direction +from which the Indians had just arrived. The path led us round +many blocks of granite into the glen, down into which we +had gazed that morning while stag hunting. John looked +up at the overhanging crag, on which his stag and pocket-handkerchief +were, but could not see it from here, and only +regretted that he could not take the antlers with him as a +memento. He spoke about it several times, and said he +would willingly give ten dollars to have them. On this Owl +rode up to him and said he would procure them for him by +the evening, after which he turned off into the rocks. He +shouted something to Tiger that we did not understand and<a name="Page_364" id="Page_364"></a> +disappeared, while we soon reached the spot where the valley +turned to the east. On both sides of it rose the barren +mountains, and only an isolated yucca or mimosa grew out of +the crevices. The valley itself, here about two miles in width, +was covered with loose stones, and only from time to time +did we notice on the stream that wound through it a small +clump of trees or patch of grass. In spite of the great heat +we hurried on till the sun was rather low, and the mountain +wall that closed the extremity of the valley cast a long +shadow into it. From here it trended to the south-west. +The crags that enclosed it sank, and we looked down into the +valleys of the Puerco River, between which and us lay smaller +hills and mounds frequently covered with forest. When the +sun sank behind the southern pillar of the mountain gate in +front of Paso del <a name="tn_png_385"></a><!--TN: "Norte" changed to "Norté"-->Norté, the Diablo Mountains, we unpacked +at the first wood we reached after leaving the glen, and +camped on the bank of the stream which we had followed +nearly all through it. It was one of the numerous exquisite +points we had found during our tour, and the wonderful +evening light did much to heighten its beauty.</p> + +<p>We had lit our fire under the dark foliage of the oaks +and thus illumined the surrounding scenery, when Trusty rose +from my side, walked a few paces toward the pass and began +growling. I called him to me coaxingly and bad him lie down +by my side, and at this moment we heard the sound of a +horse rapidly approaching us from the valley. We knew it +was Owl, but for all that every one seized his rifle and awaited +the arrival. Our friend soon rode up to the fire, took the +enormous antlers with the entire head of the stag off his +horse, silently laid them and the handkerchief before John, led +his horse into the grass, and lay down on his buffalo robe near +the fire without saying a word. I asked him whether he +had seen anything of Indians, upon which he stated that he +had left his horse in the glen and gone up alone to the stag: +after cutting off its head and taking the handkerchief he went +to our camping place and ascended the nearest hill whence he<a name="Page_365" id="Page_365"></a> +could have an outlook. The whole party of Indians were +quietly camping on the spot, and at least a dozen columns of +smoke were rising from it.</p> + +<p>We cut the antlers off the head and put them with the skull +bone to dry at the fire, and then got supper ready, while Owl +turned the stag's tongue on a spit. In the morning the +familiar notes of awakening turkeys aroused us again once +more. After a long time we cheerily seized our rifles and +hurried down the stream toward them to the spot where +large peccan-nut trees enthralled them by the rich crop of +nuts. We behaved most unmercifully to these dainty birds, +and when we returned to camp had a perfect hill of them lying +before us. We set to work roasting and frying, in which we +were greatly aided by the extraordinary quantity of delicate +fat which these birds have in autumn. The remaining +turkeys were cleaned, rubbed with salt, and wild pepper, +which is very common in the woods at this season, and +packed on the mules; we then continued our journey down +through the hills to the long looked for valley of the Puerco.</p> + +<p>Our road was very fatiguing, and we were frequently obliged +to dismount and lead our horses down the steep slopes; at the +same time the path was covered with small sharp stones, which +rendered going down hill still more wearisome to the cattle, +and it often ran over loose blocks of stone, where they ran a +great risk of breaking their legs. Still all went well, and toward +evening we rode out between the last hills into the fresh +verdure of the Puerco valley, and camped on the stream whose +course we had been following for some days, and which here +ran as a small river to the Puerco. We preferred riding down +the valley along the hills, in order to keep out of the way of +the wandering Indians who generally marched up and down +the river, and whose number was large, especially now, as all +the tribes of the Comanches and their relatives were <i>en route</i> +for the great council at the sources of this river. Then, again, +we could calculate on finding more game on this side of the +extensive valley, and had only one disadvantage, that we must<a name="Page_366" id="Page_366"></a> +at times go without water. Nature everywhere showed us +that we were approaching home: the prairie was again ornamented +with the gorgeous flora which had so often delighted +us there; the sky above us was darker, and, in the distance, +more hazy than in the north, and a warmer life seemed to be +stirring in everything. Still the vegetation, especially that +of the woods, did not bear the peculiar southern character +which is so striking at our home. We started very early, +rode till far into the evening, and rested, when we could +manage it, at noon in some shadow, for the heat was most +oppressive from eleven till three. Moreover, we were in the +moon's first quarter, which lighted us a little when the sunshine +had departed, and enabled us to employ the cool of the +evening on these smooth plains in pushing on.</p> + +<p>We marched, thus without halting for about a week along +the hills, during which the mountain chains on the west of +the Puerco constantly drew nearer to us and contracted the +valley. We had followed our course one whole morning without +finding water, till about two o'clock p.m., when the heat +became unendurable, and we looked out ahead for some shadow +in which we could rest for a few hours. At length we caught +sight of a clump of trees, and to our indescribable joy we saw +distinctly that they were poplars which retained their fresh +foliage, an infallible sign that there was water near; for such +trees often stand in pools, and when the water dries up their +leaves turn yellow and fall off. We urged our cattle on in +order to reach the trees as speedily as possible, for now that +we might expect shadow, and probably water, we felt the sun's +heat doubly. On these plains objects are seen so clearly and +distinctly for incredible distances, that you often deceive yourself, +and such was the case with these poplars; we constantly +believed that we must reach them in a quarter of an hour, and +yet hours passed ere we really arrived. We hastened into the +thick shade of the old trees, and I can scarce describe the +cheerful feeling that possessed us all on seeing close to them, +instead of a pool of muddy slime, two ponds of the clearest,<a name="Page_367" id="Page_367"></a> +freshest spring water, one of which the poplars overshadowed +with their long branches. The cattle were quickly unloaded, +and rolling themselves on the grass they dried their wet backs, +while we, reclining on the turf, inhaled the cooler air. The +pools, like the mountain-springs near my house, had no visible +connexion with any other water, but for all that retained +their freshness, though almost constantly exposed to the burning +sun.</p> + +<p>We lay without stirring, so as to avoid any movement which +might have impeded our rapid cooling: not a breath of air +stirred, the easily-agitated leaves of the poplars hung motionless +from the long stalks, while over the water lay that quivering +dazzling glow which announces the highest degree of heat. +The insect world alone seemed to revel in this heat, and filled +the air with an uninterrupted monotonous buzz, like that +which a patient hears in his fever dreams. Near me there +rose from the roots of an old poplar a chameleon, which probably +found it too warm. This wondrous lizard glistened and +sparkled with a thousand hues, puffed up the large orange-coloured +bladder under its chin, and displayed every tint, as if +illumined by a variegated light in its inside: it sat motionless, +with widely-opened mouth, fixing its large golden eyes on me, +as if asking whether I would leave it the cool spot it so enjoyed? +I lay with my head on the roots of a poplar quite +still, so as to be able to gaze at the beautiful creature for as +long a time as possible; then my eyes turned from it to the +ponds whose surface dazzlingly reflected the sunlight, but +quickly returned to the blessed shade which we and our cattle +were enjoying.</p> + +<p>I accidentally looked again toward the sparkling water and +noticed a trunk of a tree in the middle of it, which I had not +seen a few moments previously. What could have raised it +from the bottom of the pond to the surface? I sat up a little +and saw a second and a third emerge by its side: I did not +stir, but continued to gaze, and in ten minutes the pools were +covered with old wood. I cried in a low voice to Tiger to<a name="Page_368" id="Page_368"></a> +look, but he had scarce done so ere he laughed, and said they +were alligators enjoying the sunshine. The surface of both +pools was literally covered with these monsters, mostly of a +large size. I cried to my comrades to take their rifles, quietly +aim at their heads, and fire when I gave the signal. I did +so; our guns exploded simultaneously, and the water spirted +up furiously, and bedewed the grass for a long way round. +Only two of the monsters remained in sight, shooting backwards +and forwards in the water, and beating their tails so +furiously that the spray dashed over us. At this moment +Antonio came up with a lasso, and in an instant threw the +noose over one of the furious creatures. We all ran with the +end of the rope over the grass, and dragged the alligator on +land, when it snapped savagely around with its fearful jaws, +and lashed its tail. We now set to work with pistols, and +ere long its head had so many holes in it that it could not +move its dangerous jaws. Its comrade was still swimming +quietly on the top of the water, so we fetched it out too on to +the grass, when it behaved as furiously as the first, but we +soon put an end to its fun. They were two gigantic animals, +nearly sixteen feet long, and their throats were armed with +rows of terrible teeth, some of which we all took as a memento.</p> + +<p>It is a riddle to me how the creatures got here, for the +nearest stream was many miles away, while they never quit +the banks of the water in which they live, and are as awkward +as tortoises ashore, so that a land journey was impossible. +But even assuming that one of the creatures had strayed and +reached this spot after a long wandering, it could not be assumed +that hundreds of them had emigrated together to a +spot so distant from their element. Another question presented +itself which was more easy to answer, however, and +which was settled before our departure—on what such large +creatures lived here? They were supplied by the unfortunate +inhabitants of this country, who came many miles to this spot +in order to quench their burning thirst at these glorious<a name="Page_369" id="Page_369"></a> +springs, and strengthen their wearied limbs, during which +they were dragged under by the watchful monsters, and torn +to pieces by thousands of teeth. I am convinced that even +a buffalo, in spite of its gigantic strength, would be overpowered +and killed by these monsters, if, fatigued by a long +journey over the prairie, it ran into their ponds to cool +itself.</p> + +<p>The sun was near the hills, we had satisfied our hunger +with turkey breasts and venison, and were ready to leave this +pleasant spot, when Königstein slit up an alligator with his +hunting knife and drew out of the belly of one some deer feet, +and then out of the other the leg of a turkey. We would +gladly have extirpated the whole nest of disgusting monsters, +but not one of them was now visible, and the evening sun +played as cheerily on the surface of the water, as if no horrors +and dangers were concealed beneath it. We watered our +horses once again and then trotted on in order to cover a +good bit of ground, for the nearer we got to our home, the +greater grew our longing for it and all the friends whom +we had left there.</p> + +<p>We continued our journey for about a week, and crossed +a number of small streams, which ran into the Puerco, till +one noon we reached another rivulet, on whose shady bank +we resolved to rest. From this point we surveyed in the +south a large forest which ran across our road from the +eastern mountains to the Puerco, while we saw above it +distant ranges of mountains running in the same direction, +which we saluted as the San Saba Mountains. These were +the only ranges that separated us from home, and full of +desire of them as old friends, we saddled toward evening, +and at midnight entered the forest, which we had seen before +us ever since our midday halt. The moon had hitherto +distinctly shown us the buffalo paths, but here her rule was +at an end, and only now and then did a ray fall through the +lofty masses of foliage which now roofed us over. We stopped +on a very trampled path, which we could not follow, however,<a name="Page_370" id="Page_370"></a> +through the forest, for even if our cattle kept the road, the +creepers hanging over it rendered our progress difficult. Our +cattle were very thirsty, and as we had no doubt of finding +water in the forest depths, we resolved to try and reach it. +We dismounted, gathered dry grass, out of which Owl and +Tiger twisted torches, one of which we lit, and then pressed +on, leading our horses. We had not gone more than one hundred +yards into the forest when Tiger cried that he was at the +river, and shortly after we led our thirsty horses down the +bank and refreshed them in the cool stream: we filled our +gourds and returned by the same road to the prairie, where +we fastened up our cattle in the grass and lit our fire. As +the horses were very hungry we did not drive them out of +the grass, but set a sentry over them who was relieved every +half hour. At daybreak we shot turkeys in the wood for +breakfast, bathed in the adjoining river, and then fetched up +the sleep we had lost in the night.</p> + +<p>We stopped here till about 3 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, and then continued our +journey southward. As the banks of the stream were very +steep here, we were delayed a little till we had all our baggage +across, but then rode for two hours without a halt +through the glorious shade of the forest, in whose gloom only +now and then a bright yellow patch was lit up by the inquisitive +sunbeams. We felt here as much at home as on the +Leone or the Mustang, and the conversation throughout the +whole day turned upon home and our friends there, for nature +all around offered pictures of those regions. The trunks of +the trees here rose again side by side; from their lofty branches +<a name="tn_png_391"></a><!--TN: "lianas" changed to "llianas"-->llianas covered with gayest hues swung across, and under +the evergreen bushes the flowers displayed their brightest +colours. The parrots with their lustrous plumages hung +high above us on the branches head downward, and innumerable +bright red cardinals flew like live coals through the dark +foliage. Here a proud stag with mighty antlers peered out +from a cozy glade, and there a timid antelope fled with its two +fawns behind it through the thicket. When we rode through<a name="Page_371" id="Page_371"></a> +the last clumps and reached the prairie on the other side of +the wood, the sunbeams were falling on it obliquely, and we +did not miss the delightful shade so much as we should have +done had we exposed ourselves to the sun a few hours earlier. +We rode sharply, and at about 9 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> unsaddled at the foot of +the San Saba Mountains, and camped on a torrent that ran +down thence to the Puerco.</p> + +<p>The next morning we followed the stream to the river, and +about noon reached the principal Indian path that led from +these valleys over the San Saba Mountains, and greatly facilitated +our passage over them. On the third morning we looked +down on the hills near our home, on which we camped the +same evening. The next day we reached Turkey Creek at +sunset, and would assuredly not have camped, but ridden +home without resting had not our cattle been so fatigued. It +was very late ere we thought of lying down to rest, and even +then the conversation was carried on for a long time. After +the old fashion the turkeys announced to us that day was +breaking. On this occasion, however, we did not shoot any, +but each breakfasted quickly and got ready for going home. +A little more attention was paid this day to our costume; +although we could not make much of it with the greatest +skill, still we looked altogether tidier when we left camp, and +each galloped on to be the first. I was obliged to hint that +we still had a long way to go, and ought not to begin with +galloping. The journey to-day seemed very long to us, +although our horses advanced sturdily, as if they too noticed +that we were going home. At about ten o'clock we made a +half-way halt and let our cattle rest for a few hours, while we +lit a fire at the same spot where we had made coffee at the +beginning of our journey, and drank it again: at about two +o'clock, however, we saddled and spread over the baggage of +the mules the finest jaguar skins, above which the two +splendid stags' heads were displayed.</p> + +<p>We were still busy with our horses, when suddenly Jack +kicked up behind, gave a few springs, and then trotted along<a name="Page_372" id="Page_372"></a> +the path that led to the Leone. He would not be deprived +of the pleasure of being first, for so soon as we approached +him he doubled his pace, and even galloped when it appeared +necessary. All our cattle now plainly showed that they +knew they were near home, and could not be held in. Long +before sunset we passed through the wood on the Leone, and +entered the prairie below the Fort, where we fired all our shots. +We were greeted from the Fort in the same way, and its inhabitants +ran out to meet us and overwhelm us with congratulations. +Everything was as before, except that another +good harvest had been got in, that horses, cattle, pigs, and +dogs had multiplied, and that numerous new settlers had +arrived both north and south.</p> + +<p>John was impatient to get home, and left me no time to +change my clothes, as I wished to accompany him. I therefore +saddled Fancy, left Königstein to look after Czar and +Trusty, and rode with my companion toward Mustang River. +From a distance we could see that the Lasars had built a +large new house with glass windows and galleries, whose +whitewashed walls glistened through the gloom. We had +reloaded and announced our return to our friends some distance +off. Soon after we saw white handkerchiefs waving, light +dresses hurrying out of the garden gate, and old and young, +black and white, hurried to meet us and welcomed us with +expressions of joy and congratulations. I had to apologize +for my dress and retire, but I was obliged to stay to supper, +which meal we took under the verandah, and after it we sat +in the garden before the house, where the perfumes of splendid +flowers surrounded us, which, illumined by the moonbeams, +formed graceful groups around us. The bottles went so +rapidly the while, that I thought it advisable to seek my +homeward road before I had any difficulty in finding it.</p> + +<p>It was about midnight when I reached the Fort, where I +found everybody up and also cheered by wine, for I had +ordered Königstein, when I rode away, to give them a treat. +I, however, soon sought my bed-room with Trusty, and slept<a name="Page_373" id="Page_373"></a> +with open doors and windows till the sun stood high in the +heavens. I hastened down to the river, and after a bathe the +old trunks were opened and the garb of olden times was +taken out.</p> + +<p>Some weeks passed ere I was quite at home again; all the +works looked after, others to be undertaken arranged, and +repairs and improvements carried out. I frequently came +across the Lasars; visited, with the old gentleman, the new +settlers in the neighbourhood; consulted with him about +making roads and bridges, and was appealed to by him in any +important undertakings in his private affairs. Although we +now felt no alarm about the Indians coming to the numerous +new settlements, their friendly visits now grew wearisome +and disagreeable. Every moment a new tribe arrived, of +whom we had scarce heard, to make friendship with us and +receive presents. Something must be given them, else we +ran a risk that they would take it out on our cattle, or fire +the prairie when a violent wind was blowing, or take some +other revenge which would do more injury than the value of +the presents. They no longer ventured on open hostilities +within range of our settlements; to such only the more distant +squatters were exposed, who lived nearer to the desert.</p> + +<p>Shortly after our return, arrived a Mr. White, from Virginia, +with his wife, two sons of twelve and fourteen years of +age, and two younger daughters. He applied to Lasar and +myself to show him a good bit of land on which he could +settle. The people pleased us, they were friendly and honest, +lived on good terms together, as we noticed on our frequent +visits to their camp on the Leone, and were the right sort to +defy such a mode of life. Lasar and I resolved to take them +under our wing, and induced them to settle at our old camping +place on Turkey Creek, for which purpose we set out +early one morning with them, Lasar ordering twenty negroes +to come with us and prepare an abode for the new-comers. +We built for them there in a few days a neat double blockhouse, +that is to say, two houses about twenty yards apart,<a name="Page_374" id="Page_374"></a> +over which and the space between one long roof was thrown. +Then we surrounded the house with a palisade, in which they +could lock their cattle at night, and fitted for them a lot of +wood, with which they could fence in a garden. Lasar gave +them a handsome cow, and I gave them a breeding sow, some +fowls, and maize to eat and to sow for the coming spring. +White was one of those resolute, unswerving men, who, after +struggling for a long time with misfortune in the civilized +world, turn their attention to the western deserts, where they +try to extort from fate what has been refused to them elsewhere. +With his peculiar energy and restless execution of +everything he had once undertaken, he set to work in his new +home, in order, as soon as possible, to lay the foundation of +his own and his family's future prosperity; but unfortunately +he was only able to see the foundation, for the garden was +hardly fenced in and the maize field taken in hand, ere he fell +ill, and a violent fever carried him off in a few days. His +eldest son, Charles, rode over to me to bring me the melancholy +news, and tell me that his mother wished to speak to +me. I rode across the next morning with Königstein and a +negro. The widow was sitting inconsolably by the side of +her dead husband, without any plan for the future; and on +my entrance pointed—with sobs, and unable to utter a word—to +the dead body. I at once ordered the negro to dig a +grave, and buried the poor fellow; after which I sat down by +the widow's side, and tried to give her some consolation by +offering her my assistance. I proposed to her to settle near +me till her sons were old enough to look after their present +farm. But she was of opinion that they were able to do so +already, although not strong enough to do the heavy field +work, such as clearing the land from bushes and trees as well +as felling and clearing the wood itself. If this could be done +for her, she would not leave the spot, as her lads could plough +and use the pick, while both fired a rifle as well as any frontierman; +and she, too, if it came to the point, knew how to +use her husband's fowling-piece. I made every possible<a name="Page_375" id="Page_375"></a> +objection to her plan of living here alone, but promised my +help and Lasar's if she insisted on adhering to it.</p> + +<p>The next morning I said good-bye to the woman, who was +determined to stop here, and promised to send her help to +prepare her garden and fence, and bring her a few trifles for +her comfort. I got home at an early hour, and rode in the +evening to Lasar's to tell him what had happened. The old +gentleman at once declared that he would send John off the +next morning with the requisite number of slaves to arrange +everything for the widow, and all the members of the family +vied with each other in displaying their sympathy by sending +articles of clothing and stores of every description. In a week +everything was in order at White's—the garden was laid +out, and a field of five acres prepared for planting with maize, +beans, gourds, and potatoes. The best varieties of vegetables +were sown in the garden, and seeds of all sorts given to +the widow. The woman had for the present only to keep the +garden in order, while the sons procured game, which they +could shoot at times from their own door, for all her other +wants were amply supplied. Thus peace and contentment +soon returned to this house, and the love of her children +restored Mrs. White the activity and determination which +the loss of her husband had palsied. Dawn found her busy +with domestic duties—cleaning the rooms, dressing her +daughters, milking the cows, preparing breakfast, salting and +drying game, in short, with all sorts of occupations; after +that she was seen sitting in the shadow of the roof between +the houses, cleansing and spinning cotton to make clothes for +her children, while the two little girls sported around her, and +the sons were busy in the garden or hunting close at hand. +She could recall them at any moment by sounding an immense +cow-horn which hung in the passage between the two houses, +near the door of the keeping-room.</p> + +<p>Shortly after peace had settled down again on this solitary +abode, the widow was seated as usual in the cool passage with +her daughters, while her second son, Ben, had gone to the spring<a name="Page_376" id="Page_376"></a> +to fetch water, and Charles had gone into the neighbouring +wood with his rifle. All at once the very sharp dogs which +guarded the family made an unusual disturbance and ran +barking across the yard that surrounded the house. Mrs. +White jumped up and saw several Indians standing in front +of the nearest wood, and then retire into it again directly +after. She seized the horn, sounded it with all her might, +then ran into the room and took down her deceased husband's +fowling-piece that was loaded with slugs, with a resolution +and courage such as has grown almost entirely strange to the +feminine sex in civilization, and is only found on rare occasions +on its outermost frontier on this continent. In a few minutes +Ben ran up and found his mother already behind the palisade +with the gun in her hand. "Quick, Ben, your rifle!" she +cried to her twelve year old son; "but don't forget your bullet, +boy;" and then blew the horn again. The dogs now came +in again, and Mrs. White closed the hole in the fence through +which they passed. All at once a frightful yell was heard +from the wood, and from its gloom sprang a swarm of some +thirty red-skinned fiends, who dashed over the grass toward +the house with an awful war-cry. "Don't fire, Ben, till I have +loaded again!" Mrs. White cried, and then rapidly discharged +both barrels, sending some forty leaden pellets among the +charging horde. The effect of the two shots at hardly fifty +yards distance was so tremendous that the horde darted in +all directions as if struck by lightning, and eight remained on +the grass while the others ran howling to the wood. "Fire, +Ben!" Mrs. White cried to her son, who had thrust his rifle +through the palisades, while she poured a handful of slugs +down her gun, and placed two cotton wads upon them. Ben +fired into the thickest of the fugitives, and one of them fell +with his feet in the air, while the yells of the others filled the +air. "I have hit, mother," the boy said, as he poured fresh +powder down the barrel. "Bravo, Ben! but where is Charles? +He ought to have been here by this time, as he has not been +gone long. Run into the house and have a look at Fanny<a name="Page_377" id="Page_377"></a> +and Bessie, but come back again directly." Thus Mrs. White +called to her son while she was hurriedly making cotton wads, +which she moistened with her lips, and threw back her long +raven hair which hung over her shoulders. "Mother, Charles +is coming with Kitty!" Ben cried, as he ran out of the house +and hurried to the hind part of the fence to open the gate for +their cow Kitty, which was trotting over the grass in front of +Charles. The latter had heard the horn and the shots and +yells of the Indians as he hurried home, had come across +Kitty, and had driven her home.</p> + +<p>Everything was quiet, and the Indians did not make the +slightest sound. Charles and his mother secured the two fence +gates with logs of wood, and then the mother went to her +young children, leaving her sons orders to call her if they saw +anything of the Indians. The day passed without the savages +making a fresh attack on the settlement; but the greater on +that account grew the widow's alarm, lest they should take +advantage of the night to satiate their vengeance. Toward +evening, she bade her sons lie down and sleep, so that they +could keep awake during the night, while she kept guard in +front of the house. The sun set and darkness was lying over +the country, when Mrs. White and her two sons took their +places behind the palisade, and carefully surveyed the open +prairie. It was about nine o'clock, when they saw the light +of a fire coming through the wood, rapidly grow larger, and +presently appear on its outermost edge. Again the fearful +yell was raised, with which the savages always accompany +their attack, and the light moved from the forest over the +grass. A dark object moved across the plain toward the +house, and the light shone out on both sides of it. The object +slowly drew nearer, and Mrs. White soon saw that it was a +framework of bushes behind which the Indians were concealed, +and pushing it before them. This leafy wall had advanced +within twenty yards, when Charley and Ben fired at it, and +the groans of the wounded were distinctly heard amid the +yells of the assailants. For all that, the wall moved slowly<a name="Page_378" id="Page_378"></a> +forward, and in a few minutes leaned against the corner of +the palisade, after which flames suddenly darted up and set +the fence on fire. The savages had brought a heap of dry +wood with them behind the screen, piled it up against the +palisade and kindled it, after which they ran back about forty +yards and lay down flat in the grass.</p> + +<p>The space behind the fence round the house was now so +brilliantly illumined that Mrs. White feared lest the savages +might fire arrows through the palisades at her boys; hence +she retired with them into the house, and went up under the +roof, whither she took her daughters, too, while the dogs ran +furiously along the palisade. Then she raised several of the +shingles with which the roof was covered, and placed others +under them, so that she could survey the brilliantly-lighted +prairie, where she saw the Indians lying in the short grass. +At the same instant, however, sparks fell down from the roof, +for the savages had fired a number of burning arrows, which +set fire to the dry shingle roof of cedar-wood. An inhuman +yell of joy from the savages greeted the first flash of the flames, +which soon ascended with a crackling sound. "Charles, the +axe!" Mrs. White shrieked to her son, while she thrust her +double-barrel through the roof and fired at a group of savages +lying together in the grass, who doubtless fancied themselves +safe from the besieged. The unhurt men leaped up with a +yell and darted back to the wood, while the second barrel was +fired after them, and again brought down several. Charles +handed his mother the axe, with which she soon made a hole +in the roof and pulled out the blazing shingles, so that the +fire was extinguished in a few moments. Then she ran with +axe and gun down into the yard, reloaded, and checked the +fire at the palisades, which, as there was no wind, spread very +slowly and was speedily put out. The corner of the palisade +was certainly burnt down, and there was a large opening in +it, while outside a large heap of burning coals remained from +the fire. Mrs. White, with her sons' help, pulled the small +cart which had conveyed their little property hither into the<a name="Page_379" id="Page_379"></a> +opening, and then filled up all the gaps with logs of firewood. +The night was passed under arms, and when dawn lit up the +country the heroic woman looked out of the roof at the battle-field +in front of her fortress without being able to see a trace +of Indians. The savages had carried off the corpses of their +comrades in the darkness, and had probably departed with +them in the night to let them rest with their fathers; for the +Indians take the dead bodies of their friends with them and +carry them hundreds of miles to the burial-place of the +tribe.</p> + +<p>Late on the following night the barking of my dogs awoke +me, and when I shouted out of the fort, asking who was there, +Charles White announced himself and told me what had happened. +I had his wearied horse looked after, gave him a bed, +and early next morning rode with him to Lasar, to consult +with the latter what was to be done. This humane man soon +formed a resolution, and told me he would let a faithful old +negro, who was not of much use to him, live at Mrs. White's. +He could sow a bit of land with cotton, the proceeds of which +would be his own, and the family would have a protector in +him, as he was an excellent shot and a fearless, determined +man. Within an hour, we were mounted and rode past my +fort, in order to fetch Owl and Tiger. We arrived in the +evening at White's, where we saw the damage done by the +savages, and then heard the story from Mrs. White's own lips, +on which occasion she praised Ben's bravery, who during the +narration stood by his mother's side with her arm thrown +round him. The woman was most grateful for our kindness +and sympathy, and said that, with the help of the old negro, +Primus, she would withstand a whole Indian tribe. Primus +remained there, and this settlement was really never again +disquieted by Indians. It was, however, less the presence of +the negro that made them refrain from hostilities, than Mrs. +White's heroic defence. At a later date, Indians told me +that the aggressors were Mescaleros, and Mrs. White fired so +many bullets among them all at once, as if the storm-god<a name="Page_380" id="Page_380"></a> +had been scattering a hail-storm on the earth. Since then +an Indian was hardly ever seen there. Such atrocities +often happened at the outermost settlements, while very +possibly the same Indians who committed them came to us +as friends and were dismissed with presents and assurances +of amity.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-401.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="508" height="700"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381"></a> +<a name="chapter28" id="chapter28"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-127.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="109"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">INDIAN BEAUTIES.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">Shortly</span> after the occurrence on Turkey Creek, I was sitting +one afternoon in the verandah before my house and drinking +coffee, when I saw a long way down the prairie a cloud of +dust coming down the river. Curious as to who it could be, +I went into the house and fetched my telescope. I saw three +Indians on horseback, a man in front, and two squaws following +him. They rode very fast, in spite of the great heat, and +soon came up the hill to the Fort. I went out to them, and +all three came through the palisade gate, and pulled up in front +of my house. The warrior leapt from his horse, while the +two girls remained seated on theirs. He told me in English +that a tribe of Indians wished to make friendship with me, +and the chief had sent to inquire whether he would be allowed +to pay me a visit with his people. I asked him to what nation +they belonged, which question appeared, as it seemed, to be +disagreeable to him, and he passed it over in silence. He then +said something to the two girls which I did not understand, +and then told me they were Mescaleros, but not of those who +made the attack on Mrs. White. The chief of the latter was +no good friend of the white men; but the father of these two +girls was a very good friend, and hence he wished to come and +tell me so himself. I replied, that I should be glad to see +him here, and invited the girls to drink coffee with me, which +invitation they did not at once accept, but, with their elbows +resting on their horses' necks, gazed at me curiously, and then +took side glances through the open door of my house at the +interior. I offered them cigars, and took a lucifer match out +of my box, the lighting of which surprised them immensely.<a name="Page_382" id="Page_382"></a> +I lighted my cigar at it first, and then handed it to them, and +they loudly expressed their satisfaction at the excellence of the +tobacco. I then took a drink of coffee, and handed the cup +to one of the girls, who first examined it curiously all round, +and then raised it to her lips to taste the contents. She had +scarce tasted it, however, when she emptied the cup at a +draught, and gave it back to me, with an intimation that I +should give her sister some. I gave her a full cup, too; she +emptied it at a draught and asked for more, so that in a few +minutes my whole supply of coffee was expended. I gave +them cakes, which they ate with equal appetite, and then +went into the house to fetch a bottle of sweet Spanish wine. +I poured out a glass, tasted, and handed it to one of the +Indian girls, but she declined it, and after saying a few words +to the man, their glances lost the calmness and merriment +which they had gradually assumed.</p> + +<p>I emptied the glass and placed it on the table, without +again offering them wine, but handed them a light for their +cigars, which had gone out. After a while the man asked me +whether it was fire-water the bottle contained, and when I +replied in the negative, and assured him it was capital wine, he +said that one of the girls wished to taste it. I filled the glass, +put it to my lips, and handed it to her on the horse: she +raised it to her lips rather timidly, but drank the wine off at a +draught so soon as she had once tasted it. Her eyes beamed +with joy, and as she sat up on her horse, and passed her hand +from her neck over her breast and stomach, she said, with an +expression of delight, "Bueno," and handed me the glass back +with a sign to give her some more. I filled it again, but gave +it to her sister, who was looking on silently but eagerly. +She, too, liked the wine, and emptied the glass, which I set +on the table. At this moment both girls leapt from their +horses, gave the bridles to the Indian with a disdainful gesture, +while one of them told him imperiously to take the +horses to graze; I at least concluded so from the gestures +with which she accompanied her words, and from his at once<a name="Page_383" id="Page_383"></a> +going off with the horses. The speaker then turned to me +with a most gracious smile, and, after throwing a contemptuous +glance at the man, said to me "Mexicano," and now it became +clear to me that he was a slave, probably stolen by this Indian +tribe when a boy.</p> + +<p>The two young savages now ran up to the verandah in +front of my house, and I saw for the first time properly what +remarkably pretty visitors I had; for both girls had been so +crouching on their horses that but little of their figure could +be seen. The one who seemed to me the younger, was very +tall, slim, and most beautifully formed; her shape was elegant, +but round and full, and her bones so delicate, that the +comparison between horse and deer involuntarily occurred to +me; her hands and feet, like those of all Indians, were very +small, and so gracefully shaped that the white colour was not +missed. On proportionately broad shoulders and a plump, +round neck, she carried her head freely, and her demeanour +proved that she was perfectly well satisfied with herself. Her +glossy black silky hair hung, fastened together on the left side +of her head with a strip of vermilion leather, for a length of +four feet over her shoulders, and on the top of the red fillet +floated by the side of her head a round bush of countless +feathers of the most brilliant colours, which heaved up and +down at every movement. Her fine lofty forehead was adorned +by sharply-cut, glistening eyebrows, beneath which black eyes +flashed; but their wild expression was toned down by the +shadow of long eyelashes, and only in moments of excitement +did the passionate look return to them. The small, pretty +nose turned up slightly at the end, and gave a saucy look to +the face, while the laughing, fresh, half-parted mouth, with its +full cherry lips, cut in the shape of a Cupid's bow, heightened +the expression. When the laughing lips parted they displayed +the most beautiful and regular teeth, and in the peach-coloured +cheeks were two deep dimples. At the same time +her mien was elegant, her movements were rapid but graceful, +and her whole appearance was full of young life, unchecked<a name="Page_384" id="Page_384"></a> +and wild, but attractive and pleasant. Her dark colour passed +easily from light brown to olive, and announced that under +it dwelt those warm feelings which are only born under a +hot sun.</p> + +<p>Though the interpreter was absent, our conversation now +went on better than before, as the eyes of the Indian girl and +her gestures rendered a dictionary quite unnecessary. She +quickly disposed of another glass of wine, and would certainly +have drunk a good deal more, had I not filled the glass again +and handed it to her sister, and then locked the bottle up in +a cupboard. The sister displayed less of the passionate Indian +blood; she was quieter in her movements, and though she, +too, frequently opened her mouth to smile, she did not burst +into a loud laugh, and while the former looked all around, the +eyes of the quieter girl were fixed the more firmly on the +object she was surveying. She was shorter than her younger +sister, but much plumper, more of a Titian's beauty, had also +splendid hair, arranged in the same fashion, coal-black, but +smaller flashing eyes, a graceful aquiline nose, and a smaller +mouth. Her colour was rather darker than that of her +sister, and it was doubtful whether a dazzling white or this +transparent brown was the more beautiful colour for the +skin.</p> + +<p>The name of the elder sister, who was about nineteen years +of age, was Cachakia (sparkling star), while the younger was +called Pahnawhay (fire), and had not seen more than sixteen +summers. The costume of these two savage beauties was +much alike. Over their shoulders hung a handsomely painted, +costly dressed deer-hide, in the centre of which was a long slit, +through which they thrust head and neck. This mantilla was +ornamented all round with a fine long leathern fringe, to whose +ends glistening stones and shells were attached; it hung lower +down before and behind, and left the pretty round arms at +liberty. Round their hips was a petticoat, also of leather, +adorned with long fringe, and handsomely painted in colours, +while the leathern trousers were also decorated at the sides<a name="Page_385" id="Page_385"></a> +with similar fringe. Their little feet were thrust into deer-hide +shoes, also ornamented with, stones, shells, and +fringe.</p> + +<p>Pahnawhay was the first to run up into the gallery; at +each step she rose on her feet as if walking on whalebone, +while Cachakia came on with a quieter but scarce audible +step. Both sate down at the table, and the younger sister +took the wine-glass and drained it, while making me signs to +give her more wine. I made her understand that she had +better not drink any more, as it might send her to sleep; +but I would give them some more before they rode away. +Pahnawhay had looked for a long time curiously at my room; +at last she jumped up and ran to the door, and leaning against +the lintel, thrust her head in as far as she could. With a loud +cry of amazement she sprang back several steps, clapped her +hands, and, with a beaming face, said something to her sister, +and then ran back to the door. I went into the room, and +made her a sign to follow me; but she only took one step +across the threshold, looked around her in amazement, and +then cried to her sister to come, who, however, did not obey +her. I now went to Cachakia, took her by the hand, and led +her into the room, where I made her sit down in my large +rocking-chair. The admiration and surprise of the two girls +were extraordinary; they remained for a long time motionless +and silent, looking from one object to the other, until +Pahnawhay first found her speech again. Running to my +bed, she drew a red blanket from under the jaguar skin, that +served as counterpane, and hung it proudly over her shoulders. +As she had not yet noticed my large looking-glass, I led her +in front of it, and a loud cry of surprise burst from her pretty +mouth. She turned round before it, and at last ran up and +from it with the most graceful movements, while Cachakia +looked at her in silence, but showed by her flashing eyes that +she would like to be in her place. I now led her in front of +the mirror, took a bright silk handkerchief from a chair, bound +it round her thick hair under the tuft of feathers, and made<a name="Page_386" id="Page_386"></a> +her understand that it was hers. I then took another blue +and yellow one out of the chest of drawers, and fastened it +round Pahnawhay's hair, for I knew if I did not it would be +all over with her good temper.</p> + +<p>Everything in the room was now examined, and if possible +handled, and I had to explain its use. Cachakia too became +gradually more animated and took a greater share in the +conversation, always trying to make me understand that her +sister knew too little and her chatter was not worthy of +attention. Everything pleased her, and when she saw anything +she wished particularly to have, she made me understand +that we would swap, but never said what she intended +to give me in exchange. Still I could not help giving both a +number of trifles, such as knives, thimbles, needles, cotton, +and sewing-silk, and I was very glad when the negroes came +and announced that the dinner I had ordered for my guests +was on the table, through which their desires took a different +direction. I conducted them to the dining-room, and was +obliged to dine with them again in order to show them the +use of knife and fork, which they, however, soon laid aside +and employed their little fingers instead. They liked everything, +but the pudding most, and when coffee and cakes were +again served, it seemed as if they intended making a separate +meal of them. After dinner I gave them cigars and intended +to keep them in this room till they rode off, but they soon +got up, and after pointing round the room and saying with a +dissatisfied expression, "no bueno," they walked off straight +to my house. Whether I would or no, I was obliged to +admit them, and Cachakia was now the first to nestle up to +me and point with her little hand to the wine-glass, while +she looked up at me with her sparkling black eyes and +laughingly displayed two rows of pearly teeth. I could not +possibly refuse her, and when I had filled the glass to the +brim she raised the golden liquid to her lips and drank it to +the last drop. Pahnawhay also drank a glass, but then I +locked the bottle up again, and in spite of Cachakia's lan<a name="Page_387" id="Page_387"></a>guishing +looks and her sister's more stormy requests I did +not take it out again.</p> + +<p>Pahnawhay had again taken the red blanket from my bed +and walked round me praising it loudly, while I was sitting +by Cachakia, but she seemed not to have the courage to ask +me for it. I noticed her embarrassment, and as I had long +wished to have a dress like these girls were wearing, I +pointed when she again stood before me to the various articles +of her costume, then to the woollen blanket, and made the +sign of exchange. As if the greatest piece of good fortune +had happened to her, she fell back a step and repeated my +signs inquiringly as if not believing her luck, and when I +again affirmed it, she threw off in a few moments all her +clothing, folded herself in the blanket, and stretching out her +arm under it, carefully laid her leathern dress on my bed. +I was so surprised at this instantaneous metamorphosis that +at the first moment I did not think how Cachakia would be +humiliated by it; but Pahnawhay pointed to her, and said I +must give her a blanket as well. In truth the thermometer +had already fallen in the eyes of my pretty neighbour, so I +got up quickly and opened a chest in which I had several +blankets, but not a red one; however, there were five blue +ones among them, which pleased Cachakia remarkably, +and in an equally short period her dress was also lying +on my bed, and she was seated, highly delighted, in +the Turkey blue blanket in my rocking chair smoking her +cigar.</p> + +<p>The sun had already set, and darkness was spreading over +the landscape, when my princesses trotted out proudly into +the prairie, wrapped in their blankets, with an assurance that +they would return early the next morning with the whole +tribe. At an early hour I had a very large kettle of coffee +made and extra bread baked before the cattle were driven +out to pasture, a fat ox was driven into the enclosure, the +dogs were chained up, and I ordered my men to keep the +Fort closed, as the Indians whom I wished to enter it would<a name="Page_388" id="Page_388"></a> +be led through my house, which stood at the south-eastern +angle, and had an entrance through the palisade.</p> + +<p>At the appointed hour we saw the party of Indians coming +down the river, and soon halt in front of my fence. I went +out, received the chief with the usual ceremony, and saluted +his two daughters who on this day only wore snow-white +bran-new petticoats, painted in the brightest colours with very +considerable taste. They wore necklaces of very handsome +beads, earrings of the same material hung down on their +shoulders, and their round arms were ornamented with flashing +brass rings, while a new long tuft of feathers of the most +brilliant hues was planted on the left side of the head. They +left the blankets, which had hung loosely on their shoulders +while riding, on their horses, and the latter were led off by +the Mexican slave. After this both girls, but Cachakia not +so quickly as her sister, hurried to me, and we exchanged the +usual signs of good-will in the customary fashion; they +pressed my hands, wound their pretty arms around me, and +would assuredly have kissed me were not this mark of affection +quite unknown to the Indians, and would have seemed +to them highly ridiculous. After the first greetings they +pointed to their father and then to my house, saying "Vino," +and making the sign of drinking. The chief was a man of +about fifty years of age, about six feet high, with broad +shoulders, and arched chest, regular handsome features, +straight nose, sharp black eyes, lofty forehead, and—a rarity +among the Indians—a heavy moustache twisted into points. +He had a haughty, imposing mien, and something very +determined in his appearance, which was however kindly and +hearty, so that we fraternized in a few moments. I proposed +to lead him and his daughters to my house, but he turned to +his tribe and said something I did not understand, upon +which two men stepped out of the mob and joined us. We +reached the gallery in front of my house to which I had had +all my chairs carried, in order, if possible, to keep the interior +clear for the curious guests. I made them sit down at table,<a name="Page_389" id="Page_389"></a> +and handed the chief the pipe I had myself lighted; he passed +it to his neighbours, and so it went the round; while the two +girls swung themselves in the rocking chair or the hammock +hung up in the gallery, and smoked cigars. After the +calumet of peace had passed round, the chief informed me of +the purpose of his visit, to make peace with me, and introduced +the other two Indians to me as the Chief of Peace and +the Sage in Council, in which the Mexican acted as interpreter. +Dinner was now served, the chief employing knife and +fork as I did, while the two others used their fingers. +Pahnawhay had fetched a buffalo robe out of the house and +laid it on the ground, and sat upon it with her sister to have +her dinner. I handed them the plates of food, but they +returned me the knives and forks, saying it was easier work +with their fingers. They amused themselves famously on +their buffalo hide, and teazed each other with the heartiest +merriment, for which their father gave them several warnings, +to which they responded with a laugh. The chief now explained +to me that many tribes of his nation entertained +hostile feelings against the white men, but he hoped they +would soon see it was to their advantage to enter into friendly +relations with them, and that his tribe from henceforth would +never commit any act of hostility against us.</p> + +<p>We had finished dinner, and I told the chief that I now +wished to give his men their dinner, on which he rose and +said that he had better be present or else no order would be +kept. We went out in front of the palisade after I had +locked my house door, unseen by the two girls, and had the +caldron of coffee, sweetened with honey and mixed with +milk, brought out, as well as the bread, which last the chief +distributed among the various families, telling them to use +in coffee-drinking their own utensils, which consisted of shells, +horns, and cocoa-nuts. There were above two hundred souls +in camp, though among them all were only forty warriors.</p> + +<p>I now showed the chief the fat ox, which I had shut up +in the cow's milking enclosure, remarking at the same time<a name="Page_390" id="Page_390"></a> +that I intended to give it to his people, and asked whether +it should be shot now, to which he assented. Königstein +brought me a rifle and I shot the ox through the skull, after +which some of the Indians skinned and carried the joints to +camp. Ere long some thirty fires were lighted, round which +the Indians lay and roasted the meat, while constantly running +to the coffee-caldron to fill their vessels.</p> + +<p>I was standing and admiring the appetites of these people, +when Cachakia thrust her arm through mine and affectionately +tried to induce me to go to my house with her to +open the door, which, as she made me signs, she could not +manage. I told her I would wait for her father, so that he +might drink coffee with us. I walked through the groups +of Indians to him, with my young lady friend hanging +tightly on my arm. These Mescalero Indians were certainly +the least civilized I had as yet seen: their dress consisted of +leathern breech-clouts fastened round their hips, and large, +strangely-painted dressed buffalo-hides. In the whole camp, +however, I found nothing emanating from white men. On +all their faces something shy, mistrustful, and savage could +be noticed, which is not generally the case with other tribes. +The people were, on the average, not very tall, but sturdy and +broad-shouldered, and well fed; the women, however, were +nearly all good looking, and I do not remember having seen +so many pretty Indian girls together as in this camp. As +we walked from fire to fire, which appeared to please the +savages, Pahnawhay dashed every now and then like a young +filly through the grass to my side. It had taken too long +to open the house, and she now hung on my other arm, and +pulled my beard as a punishment for having kept her waiting +so long. I told her I was waiting for her father, she could +go and bring him to my house while I went on in front with +Cachakia. On arriving, my companion could not at all understand +in what way the door was closed so tightly, and was +quite surprised when I opened it with the key. She wished +to try the experiment herself, and said she would keep the<a name="Page_391" id="Page_391"></a> +key so as to let herself in when she pleased, and it was not +till I made her understand that in that case I could not open +the house without her, that she returned it to me.</p> + +<p>I now took my guitar from its case, and sitting down on +my bed, let my fingers stray over the strings. Cachakia stood +with widely-opened eyes and mouth before me, and became +quite beside herself when I began playing. With one leap +she sat cross-legged on the bed behind me, and peeping over +my right shoulder, watched my performance. She was really +delighted at the music, attempted to play the guitar herself, +and became very angry and impatient when she could +not manage it. At last Pahnawhay arrived with her father +and the two ministers: we again took our seats in the verandah, +and I ordered the coffee and cake, which my guests +tremendously enjoyed, then I gave them all cigars to smoke, +after which the chief told me that his people were well satisfied, +were very good friends of mine, and would remain so. +I took him to the arms-case in my house to let him see my +weapons, about fifty first-rate implements. They did not +fail to arouse my guest's admiration, and when we returned +to the gallery I took a revolver, and at about one hundred +yards put a bullet into a young tree, not nearly so wide as a +man, and then fired the other five rounds in rapid succession. +After this I placed in a few seconds a fresh cylinder in the +lieu of the discharged one and fired the six rounds with equal +rapidity, remarking the while that I could go on firing thus +uninterruptedly. This weapon excited my guest's attention +in the highest degree, and he looked at it for a long time +with the greatest astonishment, and declared with the utmost +seriousness that it was the grandest medicine he had ever +seen. I made him a present of a very pretty hunting-knife, +whose handle was composed of a roe-foot mounted with a +silver shoe: his joy at it was childish, and in his excitement +he assured me that he would lift the hair of the first enemy +he conquered with it: this knife was also a great medicine.</p> + +<p>The girls now left me no peace. I must fetch wine, which<a name="Page_392" id="Page_392"></a> +the three men at first looked at very suspiciously, but on my +assurance that it was not fire-water, they tasted it, and drank +with great satisfaction. When I carried the bottle back +to the cupboard I filled a glass and put it on the table, making +Cachakia a sign that it was for her, but at the same time +I laid my finger on my lip so that she might not let the +others know it, as I did not wish to open a fresh bottle, and +this one was nearly empty. She understood me perfectly +well, and as a proof nodded to me when I came out of the +house, while a quiet smile played round her little mouth. I +returned to my seat, and she carelessly rose, walked into +my room, took the glass from the table, and gave me a nod +unseen by the others, as she slowly drank the contents. Then +she walked back into the gallery carelessly and sat down +with us, like a person who is proud at having been preferred; +but she cast her eyes down, as their sparkle might betray +her.</p> + +<p>Evening arrived; we supped, and when the moon had fully +risen, went out to the Indian camp, as the chief wished to +spend the night with his men, because the latter might be +alarmed about him if he slept in the Fort with me. We had +hardly reached the first fire, when we heard a fearful row at +the other end of the camp, and the chief ran with his two +colleagues in the direction of it. I was anxious about what +was going on there, and hastened after them, accompanied by +the two Indian girls. Two young men had quarrelled, and +were engaged in a violent dispute when we came up, while +the voices of the chief and his colleagues were raised to a +loud key. Suddenly, however, the two men rushed to different +fires, seized their bows and arrows, flew about a hundred +yards apart into the prairie, and in a few minutes disappeared +from sight. The chief shouted after them, but no one +pursued them. The Mexican was standing not far from us +at the next fire, and I called him up to give me an explanation +of the disturbance. Pahnawhay, however, explained to me with +a few very intelligible signs, that the two young men loved the<a name="Page_393" id="Page_393"></a> +same girl, and she had given her affection to both, upon which +they quarrelled, and had run off to kill one another. The +Mexican confirmed this statement, on which I asked why no +one tried to prevent it, but I received the laughing reply, as +if the thing were self-evident, that this was impossible.</p> + +<p>A number of Indians had by this time collected round one +of the fires, and Cachakia, taking me by the arm, drew me to +it, when we saw a weeping and loudly lamenting girl seated +with her head between her knees, with dishevelled hair almost +concealing the whole of her person. This was the sweetheart +of the two jealous knights, one of whom had probably by this +time the deadly arrow in his heart. We were standing by +the side of the unhappy girl, when a frightful yell echoed far +across the moonlit prairie, the war-cry of the combatants, who +had now met in open fight, as they had not been able, probably, +to discern each other by crawling through the grass. +The first note scarce reached us ere the weeping girl sprang +up, threw back her hair, and hurling back the people +standing round her, ran off with a shrill scream and disappeared. +A deadly silence set in, as everybody expected to hear +at the next moment that the fire was over; and all +looking in the direction where the girl had disappeared, seemed +to be anxiously holding their breath. At this moment the +girl's piercing scream rang through the night air, and immediately +after a fearful yell that pierced the marrow, and was +answered by all the occupants of the camp pretty nearly. It +seemed as if the latter had only been waiting for this signal, +for now a number of men and squaws, some of whom held +firebrands, ran off, and we could see these fires collected into +a point far away. Cachakia said to me, "He is dead," and +pressed her head down with her right hand to the left side, +and closed her eyes. We soon saw the light moving towards +us, until we could at length distinguish the separate torches, +and the procession marched into camp. Four Indians bore +the bloody corpse of the murdered man to the first fire, and +laid it on the ground. I took a torch to see whether life still<a name="Page_394" id="Page_394"></a> +remained, but the last spark had disappeared. On his left +side, near the heart, gaped three fearful wounds, which +almost divided the chest in two parts, and his hair was bound +into a mass by the curdled blood, while his head was cleft +with a tomahawk. The Indians only take a scalp when it +belongs to an enemy of their tribe. He was carried to the +middle of the camp and covered with a buffalo robe. I asked +Cachakia what would become of the other man and the girl? +and she told me that the warrior must fly within four and +twenty hours, and keep away till he had made it up with the +dead man's relations, or otherwise they would take his life +in return. Thus time was allowed him to fetch his traps, and +if he came into camp during the period, he would not be +molested, but after that he would be nowhere safe from +them.</p> + +<p>The chief now held a council with the relations of the dead +man, which was just ended, when the victor's sweetheart +appeared, silently led his horses to his fire, packed all his +traps on them, and then went out into the night again without +a word, while no one in camp appeared to have noticed +her, although she walked openly towards the blazing fires. +Indians do not consider it any harm for a girl to be a coquette, +but they punish the infidelity of a wife, and frequently +with death; but it is more common for the husband to cut +off her nose, which indulgence is chiefly occasioned by the +squaws being a portion of the husband's fortune, as he is +obliged to buy them, employs them as servants and labourers, +and can sell them again for ever, or for a time, as he pleases. +I missed in this tribe more female noses than in any other I +had seen.</p> + +<p>In a very short time all became quiet again in camp, as if +nothing extraordinary had happened; and after I had sat for +a while with the chief, I wished him good-night, and was +accompanied home by Cachakia, which attention appears to +be one of the forms of politeness on the part of the savages; +and even though the home of a parting guest is a long way<a name="Page_395" id="Page_395"></a> +from their camp, they always accompany him to the last +highest point, whence they can look back on their camp.</p> + +<p>Day was hardly dawned when I opened my door, and +stepped out into the gallery to greet the fresh morning. In +the Indian camp all appeared to be still resting except a few +forms moving about in it. I saw through my glass that they +had with them a horse and a mule, and ere long an Indian +mounted the latter, and two others raised something that +was wrapped in a large buffalo hide up to him. Then another +Indian mounted the horse, and they went off up the river +with the mule in front. I conjectured that it was the corpse +of the murdered man which the two were carrying to the +burial-place of the tribe, and found my supposition confirmed +when I entered the camp. I had another caldron of coffee +and a great quantity of maize bread carried to the camp, +invited the chief, and his two councillors of state, and his +daughters to breakfast, after which he told me that our +friendship was now eternally concluded, and that he would +depart with an easy mind. I made him a number of trifling +presents, such as blankets, tobacco, looking-glasses, vermilion, +&c.; gave the daughters several keepsakes as well, and my +guests quitted me apparently remarkably well satisfied.</p> + +<p>During the two days Owl and Tiger had not shown themselves, +as the Delawares, though not open enemies, are not on +very friendly terms with the Mescaleros, and so they went off +hunting. Owl had received his wages long before, but still +remained with us, as he seemed to enjoy himself, in which +our cooking played a great part; but he now came one morning +to me, and said the time had arrived when he promised to +join his family, and so he must leave us, as he did not wish +to render his friends alarmed about his safety. He rode to +Lasar's and took his leave, when he received handsome presents: +I, too, gave him numerous trifles for his fidelity and +devotedness, and he went off, accompanied by Tiger, promising +to pay me a visit very shortly.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396"></a> +<a name="chapter29" id="chapter29"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-006.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="132"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE SILVER MINE.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">It</span> was now the busiest time in the fields. The storms had +blown down a great number of huge dried trunks standing in +the fields, which had to be cut up and rolled away, which +business was one of our hardest jobs. Moreover, I had the +field enlarged, fenced in a very large extent of land, part +prairie part forest, where I could turn my mares and colts out, +and on rainy days had wood felled to let it dry, and afterwards +employ it for building purposes. Axe and plough +were equally active on the Mustang, and on many smaller +streams in the vicinity, where civilization had set its foot. +Thus whole patches of forest disappeared before man's busy +hand, and the soil was robbed of its natural protection: the +roots were turned up to be burnt or rot, and the earth was +thus forced to receive and generate seeds foreign to it. The +prairies, which a few years back had only been traversed by +the desert animals, were now inhabited by herds of tame +domestic creatures attached to a home, and the traveller's ear +in these regions was no longer startled by hearing the unexpected +sound of a cattle bell.</p> + +<p>But nature will not allow laws to be prescribed to her without +taking vengeance, or have changes made in her domestic +arrangements forcibly by human hands. With the felling of +forests and the turning up of the soil she sends diseases which +check her insulter in the work he has begun, and punish him +for his audacious inroads. It usually takes half a century ere +nature is appeased and ceases to contend in this way with the +mortals who trouble her; at least in Continental North +America the diseases produced in this way usually increase<a name="Page_397" id="Page_397"></a> +for thirty years, and decrease for so long a period, until they +entirely cease. This is the case with the interior, but not in +the cities, where other relations occur in proportion with +their expansion. At my settlement there had been for many +years no malady, save those caused by external injuries; but +now one or the other frequently complained of ague, bilious +fever, flux, &c., and we often cursed the time when we saw +the first white face settle amid our solitudes. At Lasar's +matters were proportionately worse, for a hundred negroes +would be down at the same time. For my part I had as yet +been spared, while all my companions had been ill.</p> + +<p>It was a very hot day when I rode to the nearest town, as +usual only provided with a blanket, and during the nights +lay by my fire in the open air with it pulled over me. I remained +several days in town, and during the period felt a +never-before-known ailing, and a reduction of my strength. +My business being ended, I rode off about noon to reach the +next house, whose inhabitants were friends of mine. I arrived +there about an hour before sundown, but found the +family in a great state of disorder, as the head of it had just +died of a violent attack of fever. Although I felt very unwell, +I did not like to be troublesome to the family, and rode +on after a short halt. My illness increased with every quarter +of an hour; at one moment I shook with cold, at another I +felt as if I were being burned alive, and my head ached as if +it would burst. I rode on, although I could hardly sit my +horse, and at last tottered in the saddle, quite incapable of +thinking; at the same time an indescribable burning thirst +tortured me, and my tongue seemed to cleave to my roof, +while I had a singing in my ears, as if there were thousands +of grasshoppers inside my head.</p> + +<p>It was nearly dark when I reached the middle of a very +wide plain, that was covered with fine, very white sand, and +in which the horse at every step sank above the hocks. I +could no longer remain in the saddle; dismounted; sat +down on the red-hot sand, fell back, and became perfectly<a name="Page_398" id="Page_398"></a> +unconscious: presently I fell into a profound sleep, from +which I did not wake till the next morning. I looked around +in surprise, and it was some time ere I could remember what +had brought me here. I jumped up, and Trusty the faithful +leapt barking around me, but I did not see Czar. My feet +would hardly carry me, and my head was as heavy as if I had +lead inside it. I looked for my horse's track, dragged myself +along it, and to my great consolation saw the faithful creature in +a hollow, nibbling some cactuses, and saddled and bridled +as I had left him on the previous evening. I got on to his +back with difficulty, and turned him in the direction of home. +Thirst now began to grow unendurable. The sun burst forth, +and poured its burning beams upon me with such fury, that I +fancied I should never be able to reach a pool, about five-and-twenty +miles distant, which contained the only water in the +neighbourhood. This pond was at last the only thought of +which I was capable; at the same time my head threatened +to burst, and the fever shook me mercilessly. My horse +walked along the familiar path through the heat, and bore +me, when the sun was vertical, down a sand-hill to the edge +of the pond, where I sank powerless, and crawled to the water +in order to moisten my burning lips. But it was no water, +but a thick, dark red mud, which was nearly boiling, and in +which buffaloes had been wallowing very shortly before. No +matter, I lay with my mouth over the thick fluid, and swallowed +as much of it as I could. It was really a comfort, for +the dryness of my throat was removed; but my helplessness +was so great that I could not resolve to leave the spot, though +I lay exposed to the burning sun on the hot sand, and was +only a short distance from shady trees.</p> + +<p>I lay as I was, and had but one thought that the sun must +kill me here, but still I could not muster up the courage to +go away. At length, toward evening, when the sun was lower, +the terrible fever gave way a little. I crept slowly into the +shade, and soon was asleep under the tree. It was quite dark +when I awoke, and though very faint, my head was clearer.<a name="Page_399" id="Page_399"></a> +I went up to Czar, who had been grazing by my side all this +time, got into the saddle, and continued my journey, on +which the pleasant light of the new moon lit me, and the +cool evening breeze refreshed me. I rode till ten o'clock, when +I reached the Lynx Spring, which I had christened after one +of those animals that I had found dead here many years ago, +and whose water was the best for miles around. I was +quickly off Czar's back among the roots of the magnolia, +beneath which the spring bubbled up, and I drank as if I +should never be satisfied. I had a biscuit and a paper of +coarse sugar about me. This was my supper and I washed it +down with the pure fluid. I felt much refreshed, drew many +a deep breath in the powerful breeze, and gazed at the patches +of light around me which were thrown by the moon through +the dense foliage, and through the violent motion of the +leaves trembled and continually altered their shape. It was +a very dangerous spot, as this water was the only spring for +miles round, and wandering Indians often select it as their +destination after travelling for a day through the desolate, +waterless sand-plains; but I would not have ridden away +even if I had been compelled to defend myself against a +whole tribe. I had a few good cigars about me and lit one, +which I smoked leaning against a tree, and, as I fancied, +inhaling fresh strength at every breath.</p> + +<p>It was about midnight when I set out to reach a camping-place +at which I should not be so threatened as at +the present one, and after filling my gourd with water I rode +away, faintly lighted by the waning moon. I knew the road +thoroughly, and the outline of the trees was sufficient to +enable me to keep my course. I could, if my horse went +at any pace, reach within an hour a well-known camping-place +at which I had passed many a night, and which lay but +a little way off my route. It certainly had no water, but +excellent grass for my horse, and hence various sorts of game +could generally be found there. The main point was, that it +lay some distance from the principal Indian path and was<a name="Page_400" id="Page_400"></a> +tolerably concealed, so that a fire could be lighted there without +any great risk of being seen from a distance. It soon +became very dark after the moon had sunk behind the hills +in front of me, and I was obliged to yield the reins to Czar, +and leave it to him to find the road, while I sent Trusty on +a little way ahead to make certain there was no danger. +Every now and then, however, I saw by familiar clumps of +trees or knolls that I was still on the right track, and I +approached my destination rather quickly, considering the +circumstances. The country through which I rode consisted +more or less of sandy hills, covered with isolated black oaks, +without any scrub, under which grew a very tall grass, disliked +by cattle, which had now entirely decayed. So far as +I could judge in the darkness, I was no longer any great +distance from my camping-place, for I saw in a hollow on my +left a wood running along my route, and which I knew to be +a swampy patch, in which all the rain-water of the neighbourhood +collected. On my saddle hung several new tin cups +and a coffee-pot of the same material, which rattled at every +movement of my horse and thus produced a ringing sound +which could be heard for some distance. I dismounted and +twined dry grass between them to keep them quiet.</p> + +<p>I had just remounted my horse and was riding up a hill, +when suddenly bright flames sprang up not far behind the +latter and illumined the whole country around. In terror I +stopped my horse, and saw in a few minutes that not only on +the right of the hill the flames rose to the branches of the +surrounding oaks, but that the fire was spreading with extraordinary +fury on my right and in my rear. There was only +one opening in this circle of fire on my right, near the swamp. +I turned Czar round and galloped through the low oaks and +tall grass toward the valley, in which I was obliged to trust +to the safe foothold of my horse, as I could not see a sign of +a path. The wind luckily was not very violent, or else I +could not have escaped; as it was, I reached the wood before +the fire darted down into the bottom behind me. I stood here<a name="Page_401" id="Page_401"></a> +on moist ground, between green bushes which the flames +could not reach, and saw that they had fired the oaks and +converted each of them into a fiery pyramid. The whole +country ahead of me was now a mass of fire, whose tongues +rose over fifty feet, in which the flames of the trees could be +recognised by their dark red hue, while above them the ruddy +clouds of smoke rose to the sky. Ere long, however, the +burning oaks stood alone like pillars of fire on the denuded +knolls, and the sparks flew out of them with a terrible roaring +and crackling. I stood before this fire till day broke and +showed me the black skeletons of the still burning trees, and +the dark smoke-clouds rising above them. Ere long, only +small flames crept round the bare trunks. I mounted my +horse to get away from this scene of conflagration and rode +up the wood, being obliged frequently to draw nearer to the +burning trees to escape the swampy ground, until at last I +was compelled to pass through the fire, owing to the impassable +nature of the ground. The smoke, the black ash, and +the heat were almost unendurable, and frequently heavy +branches fell close to me. I rode as sharply as I could, and +in an hour reached an open burnt clearing, where I was once +more able to draw fresh breath. The fire had undoubtedly +been lit simultaneously at different points for the purpose of +burning me by the Indians, but none of them had ventured +on to the prairie leading down to the bottom, as I could see +over it, and if a fire had been lit there, I could have detected +the culprits.</p> + +<p>I hurried along in the refreshing morning breeze, and +arrived about noon at a stream, on whose bank I turned into +the adjoining wood, and granted my horse and myself a rest. +On the road I had shot a turkey, which pacified my hunger +and Trusty's, and I strengthened myself by a sound sleep, +from which I did not awake till evening. During the whole +day I had felt tolerably well, but looked with terror for the +next, as I must expect that my fever would return every +second day, so I rode till a rather late hour in order to reach<a name="Page_402" id="Page_402"></a> +a camp where I was tolerably certain I could pass the day +without disturbance. Before I rode off, I dug up some roots +of the tulip-tree and chewed them, swallowing the juice, till +I reached camp. These roots are one of the best remedies +against fever which nature offers in these regions. I slept +till the sun disturbed me, and woke with aching head and +weary limbs. I took Czar to graze, and then lay down on my +blankets, after placing my gourd full of fresh water by my +side. The attack of fever was not very violent: about 2 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> +I was able to continue my journey, and slept that night on an +affluent of the Mustang. The next morning I mounted at an +early hour, in order to reach the Fort as soon as possible, and +made Czar step out, as I felt very well.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-424"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-424.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="426"> +<p class="caption">TRUSTY AND THE ALLIGATOR. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_402">p. 402.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>About ten o'clock I rode through a prairie which ran down +to the Mustang, which here an insignificant stream, flowed +between high banks over loose pebbles, and was only deep at +isolated spots. The prairie was covered with clumps of tall +cactus and sunflowers, and I was riding between some of them +when a large stag got up before me and stopped a little way +ahead. I turned Czar half round and shot the stag, which +fell, but got up again and ran off to the Mustang. As I saw +that it was very sick, I sent Trusty after it, who soon disappeared +with it in a thicket, and I had scarcely reloaded +when I heard his hoarse bark and recognised by its tone +that he was occupied with something else than the stag. +I went up the wood as fast as Czar could carry me, leapt off +and ran through the bushes to the bank where I heard Trusty's +voice. A mortal terror assailed me on seeing Trusty in +shallow water near a deep spot, with his left hind leg in the +jaw of an alligator, whose skull he was smashing with his +teeth, though this did not make it open its clenched teeth. +I sprang at one bound into the river, in order to prevent the +horrible brute from reaching deep water, to which it was +retreating and was only a few feet from it. I sprang on the +beast's back, held it between my knees tightly, and lifted it +into the shallow water while it lashed its tail madly. I now<a name="Page_403" id="Page_403"></a> +pulled out a revolver, held it against the hinge of the jawbone, +and fired one bullet after the other till the bones were +splintered and the lower jaw fell off, liberating Trusty from +his arrest. I examined him and found that his leg bone was +not injured, though the flesh had suffered severely: at the same +time he was losing much blood and appeared to be enduring +great pain. The stag lay close to the scene of contest, so I +drew it ashore and cut off the haunches; then I fetched Czar, +bound one of them on either side of the saddle, packed a lot of +bushes on the lot and spread my blanket over them, on which +I raised Trusty, after I had bound up his wounds as well as +I could with wet pocket handkerchiefs. I reached home in the +afternoon, and at once made a decoction of the roots of the +tulip and pomegranate and willow bark, in order to check the +fever, which it soon effected, combined with a strict regimen.</p> + +<p>Though these illnesses may usually be checked so easily, +their frequent return affects the body greatly, and makes it +more and more susceptible to injurious climates and atmospheric +influences, so that the slightest change is often sufficient to +bring back the fever. Still, all the diseases produced in these +regions by an alteration in the surface of the ground are less +dangerous than in any other part of the United States, which +may be chiefly ascribed to the free unimpeded motion of +the air, and the fact of no large swamps or standing waters +existing here.</p> + +<p>Tiger returned, after accompanying his friend to the Puerco +River, whence the latter travelled on alone to Santa Fé, at +which place he had promised to meet his friends about this time. +My young Indian friend now complained very often that I +allowed him to ride out hunting alone, which was most disagreeable +to him, as I did not permit him to take Trusty, who +was of such great value in the bear hunts, which are principally +carried on at this season. I had certainly placed Leo, +an excellent dog, at his service, but he was only half the value +of Trusty. One evening Tiger returned from hunting, and +told me that he knew where a very large bear was sleeping,<a name="Page_404" id="Page_404"></a> +but it would be difficult to get at it, as it was living in an +old cypress that grew in the middle of the river and was too +large to fell. He described the spot to me, and I at once +recognised the tree. We talked about the matter at supper, +and resolved to make an attempt to get hold of the sleeper on +the next day.</p> + +<p>On the following morning we put our weapons, axes, and +dinner in the canoe and floated down the river in it. It was +carried along by the current like a dart, so that we were +obliged to steer very carefully between the numerous rocks. +In an hour we stopped at the cypress, which was nearly six +feet in diameter. We cut down some saplings on the bank, +conveyed them to one side of the tree, and fastened them +together so as to form a raft on which we could stand; we +then placed the canoe on the other side of the tree, and set to +work with our axes felling it. In addition to Tiger and +myself, Königstein and Antonio had come, so that one of us +was always able to rest. About noon we had got some distance +through the tree, and as we had heard nothing of the bear, +we began greatly to doubt whether it was in it; but +Tiger insisted, in spite of our laughter and chaff, that +it was sleeping there. We dined, drank the health of the +occupant of the tree, and then set to work again. In a few +hours the supports of the tree became so weak that it was +time to take precautions lest it should fall on us. We had +hewn it on the side of the raft, toward which it naturally +hung, and we now all proceeded to our canoe and held ourselves +in readiness to push off at any moment. We gave the +tree a few more cuts, and ere long we heard the first sound of +cracking in its wood. We were certain that it could only +fall over the raft, and the only danger was that it might slip backwards +from the stump, in which case we might easily be sunk. +A couple more blows and the lofty crown of the cypress bent +more over the raft, one more stroke and it groaned and cracked +at its base: we pushed off, and with a frightful crash it fell +into the river and splashed up the water so high that we were<a name="Page_405" id="Page_405"></a> +completely wet through, while the splinters and broken +branches flew in all directions. We involuntarily held our +heads down into the boat, which was raised a great height by +the waves; but after the first oscillation, we all burst into a +hearty laugh and mockingly asked Tiger, "Where is our +bear?" At the same moment, however, the bear leapt out +of the middle of the splinters covering the surface of the river, +and while the water poured down and prevented it from seeing, +it laid its huge fore-paws on the floating pieces of wood and +sought a support, by means of which it could lift itself out of +the disagreeable element. "The bear!" everybody shouted, and +we seized our rifles and fired at it. At the moment when it +reached the stern of our boat and was trying to get into it by +means of its paws, Königstein ran at the brute with his sharp +axe and buried it deep in the skull of the enormous animal, +and then drove into its carcase the bent iron point of the +boat-hook to prevent it from sinking. We pulled quickly +ashore, where we hauled in our quarry with lassos.</p> + +<p>Antonio ran back to the Fort and fetched our cart with two +mules, with which he joined us before sunset. With the help +of the animals we pulled first the bear and then the canoe on +land, rolled the former into the cart, then raised the canoe on +the back of it, where we secured it, and so drove back to the +Fort, with the stern of our boat trailing along the grass. The +bear gave us a large quantity of splendid fat, and its smoked +flesh long supplied our table.</p> + +<p>We and our friends on the Mustang now rarely visited the +districts lying beyond the distance of a day's journey, as our +domestic duties kept us more or less constantly at our settlements; +but we became all the better acquainted with our +immediate neighbourhood, and on our hunting excursions +learnt every path and locality. I had found but a few miles +from us the traces of an old Spanish settlement, and the +remains of a forge, whence I concluded that the precious +metals had been found here, and that they still existed in the +vicinity. Old Lasar was a man of most enterprising spirit,<a name="Page_406" id="Page_406"></a> +and as he had more working power at his command than +he could employ profitably on his cultivated ground, he always +desired some other speculation by which he could derive +greater profit from his slaves. A silver or gold mine was +always one of his favourite schemes, and he quickly turned +the conversation to the subject, expressing an opinion that +the mountains near us certainly contained the precious +metals. He came to me one day greatly excited, and told +me with great mystery that an Indian had been to him and +told him under a promise of the profoundest secrecy, that he +knew a spot where the old Spaniards worked silver mines, and +offered to show it to him if he would promise to hold his +tongue as to whom he obtained his information from, as the +Indians would certainly kill him if they discovered that he had +revealed the spot. Lasar stated that he had told the Indian +to return in eight days, when he would ride with him, and +reward him if he really pointed out the silver mine. The +old gentleman then begged me to join him on this excursion, +on which he only intended to take his son John. I promised +to do so, and when the appointed day arrived, I rode over to +Lasar's, accompanied by Trusty, and found the Indian there, +whom I took for a Mescalero, though he stated himself to be +a Shawnee.</p> + +<p>We left Lasar's settlement at noon, rode west toward the +Rio Grande, and crossed the hills on that river by a path +which I had not known before. We passed the night on the +banks of this river, and on the next morning proceeded into +the hills in a south-west direction. The path, to the great +comfort of our horses, wound along the hill-sides without +crossing any steep ascents, and our Indian guide appeared quite +at home here, for he often left the main path and followed +scarce visible tracks, which always brought us back sooner or +later to the main path, while we had escaped a steep hill or +a thick cedar coppice. We found here, too, though many +miles farther south, traces of the forest fire which Tiger and +I had occasioned against our will, and many bare knolls rose<a name="Page_407" id="Page_407"></a> +between the cedar woods which had been robbed on that occasion +of their leafy covering. We passed the third night on +the western slopes of these hills, and on the next day reached +their spurs, whence we looked down on a very extensive plain, +which appeared to be excellently watered, and displayed a rich +tropical vegetation in its summer garb. Although these +plants, which belong to the real tropical region, especially +the varieties of the palm, do not attain such luxuriance and +such gigantic size as they do farther south, they still grow +in these protected valleys very powerfully, and surprise the +traveller by their foreign but agreeable appearance. We +marched through the valley, and camped for the night at the +foot of the hills bordering it on the west, not far from which +spot was said to be the ancient mine to which the Indian +promised to lead us on the following morning.</p> + +<p>It was one of those mild southern spring nights when man +feels beneath the star-enamelled vault of heaven that he is +nowhere better in health or stronger than in the open air. +The odour of the flowers had sunk upon the earth with the +motionless air, and the glistening insect world sparkled and +flashed like streams of diamonds from the dark shade of the +evergreen shiny foliage. Lying round our small camp-fire, +we were soon lulled to sleep by the feathered songsters of +the night, among which the mocking-bird appealing to its +mate was the most remarkable, and we negligently allowed the +last flames to die out; but at a late hour we were startled +by the roar of a jaguar close to us, and on awaking we recognised +the sound of flying horses. We ran to our cattle, and +only found Czar and John's mare, snorting and dragging at +their bonds, while the Indian's horse and Lasar's mule had +bolted, and we heard Trusty barking down the glen. We +quickly blew up our fire, and threw fresh wood on it; but +the damage was done, and we might reckon with certainty +on the loss of one if not both beasts. We spent the rest of +the night on the watch, and just as day dawned, and we +had breakfasted I rode accompanied by Trusty, down the<a name="Page_408" id="Page_408"></a> +glen, while John and the Indian proceeded to the mountains +in search of our fugitives. Only Lasar remained in camp, +as walking through the grass was too fatiguing for him. I +followed the foot of the hills, along which ran a stream overshadowed +by yuccas, tree-like aloes, gigantic cactuses, palms +and mimosas, and had ridden about four miles, following the +tracking dog, when the latter showed me on the clayey bank +on which no grass grew the hoofmarks of our mule and the +imprints of a jaguar running down to the stream. Not long +after, on riding round a projecting clump of shrubs, I noticed +in the grass Lasar's mule, and upon it an enormous +jaguar, which appeared to be asleep, as its golden-spotted +body lay stretched out and motionless. I led Czar back into +the bushes, and then crept down the stream nearer to the +beast of prey, until I concealed myself within shot in a tuft +of old mimosa trees, from which I could survey it. Laying +my rifle on a low branch, I aimed at the centre of the brute's +back, which was turned toward me, as its head rested on the +mule. I fired, the jaguar sprang up, but fell on its side immediately, +and while uttering an awful roar, looked about the +valley in search of its assailant. It was unable to rise on +its hind-legs, and strove to drag itself on its forepaws to the +adjacent water. I had reloaded in the meantime, and stepped +out of my hiding-place on to the grass plot. The jaguar +now saw me, its fury increased with every step I took, and +dragging itself toward me it made the hills ring with its +savage roars. I walked pretty nearly up to it, and put an +end to its life with a bullet through the head; then I went +to Lasar's mule, whose belly was slit up, and one of its legs +devoured. The jaguar must have caught it up while running, +for on its croup I found numerous wounds where the +beast had buried its claws.</p> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:700px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-432"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-432.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="700" height="424"> +<p class="caption">THE JAGUAR DISTURBED AT BREAKFAST. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_408">p. 408.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>After taking the animal's skin, I rode back to camp, and +bore Lasar the sad news, which painfully affected him, as +this mule was a favourite of the whole family, and its +loss the more grieved him, because it belonged to his wife,<a name="Page_409" id="Page_409"></a> +and was always ridden by her. It was not to be helped, +however, and so when John and the Indian returned with +the horse, we started for the silver mine. Lasar saddled +the Indian's horse and rode it, while the latter walked +ahead of us.</p> + +<p>In about two hours we really arrived at an old deserted +shaft, into which we were able to go about fifty paces; then, +however, it was blocked up, and any farther advance was impossible. +In it we saw a number of scattered pieces of ore, +and also found several of them under the turf at the entrance +of the shaft, which proved that a long time must have elapsed +since any works had gone on here. We took a good deal of +the ore with us, and after carefully noticing the bearings of +the place, we rode back to the valley, from time to time making +a sketch of the localities, so that we might find them again +hereafter. On our homeward road the Indian guided us on +foot, so that we did not progress so rapidly: but for all that +we got back without any misadventure, and produced great +grief in Lasar's family by the announcement of the death of +the faithful mule. The old gentleman was determined to +take the requisite steps next year with the Mexican Government +to buy the land on which the silver mine was, and then +set to work on it.</p> + +<p>A few days after my return to the Fort, I was surprised +by an unexpected visit from my old acquaintance Warden, +whom I had not seen for a long time, and who declared that +he could no longer resist the desire of seeing me again. He +had been living principally on the western side of the Cordilleras, +and during his perilous hunting expeditions on the +Gela and the Rio Colorado had got as far as the Gulf of +California. His powerful horse had been killed there in a +skirmish with the Apaches, and he had saved his own life +under the greatest dangers, after the savages had incessantly +pursued him for several weeks. We again sat till far into the +night, and listened to the interesting stories of this daring +man who had gained nothing by all his privations, fatigue,<a name="Page_410" id="Page_410"></a> +and frightful perils, except the recollection of them, but had +thus perfectly carried out his sole object. As before, he remained +some weeks with us; but then he felt compelled to +leave this quiet life, which he could not endure. He saddled +his horse, in order to continue his solitary life. On parting I +made him a present of a brace of pistols, for which he was +most grateful, and he galloped over the prairie and disappeared +from my sight on the horizon. It was the last time I saw or +heard of him. I often asked western hunters about him, but +none could give me any news of him, and in all probability he +at last met the fate, which he seemed to desire and seek, a +solitary death in the desert.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-435.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="407" height="660"></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" class="newpg"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411"></a> +<a name="chapter30" id="chapter30"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:2.5em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-112.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="650" height="114"></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + +<p class="chapterhead">THE PURSUIT.</p> + +<p class="firstpara"><span class="firstwords">Lasar</span> and I were occupied for several weeks on the settlement +of Messrs. Clifton and MacDonnell and a Mr. Wilson. +The latter had arrived from Georgia with a considerable fortune +and numerous negroes, and the three young men settled +together on Turkey Creek, in the neighbourhood of Widow +White. We helped them by word and deed, and in a short +time a very large lot of ground was cleared and sown with +maize, although it was late in the year for it, and a large garden +laid out, and the necessary buildings erected at a spot where +very recently an axe had never been laid against a tree, or a +plough had turned a furrow in the earth. The three young +men set eagerly about the heavy work which such a new +settlement demands, and were busy the whole day in the +garden or the field, or else in felling wood. While doing so, +they often forgot that they and not we were now living on +the outermost Indian frontier, and constantly went from +home unarmed. They went into the woods with an axe to +fell trees, or rode without any weapons into the prairie, to +drive home their milch kine, or fetch their draught oxen. +Lasar and I had frequently blamed them for this negligence, +but it was of no use, and often when we visited them, one or +the other was away from home unarmed; while we, during +the years, that we had no neighbours, when working in the +field, chained up our dogs round it, in order to be informed +of the approach of stalking Indians, and carried our rifles +either on the plough or on our backs, they ploughed and +worked for days without a dog or any other weapon but their +hands. Their dwelling stood on the south bank of the river<a name="Page_412" id="Page_412"></a> +where it joined the prairie; but they had their field on +the northern side in a wood, which extended for a considerable +distance.</p> + +<p>At an early hour one morning they all three crossed the +river with a few negroes, in order to thin the growing maize +crop, which operation is generally performed in the morning, +as you are obliged to stoop constantly, which is very fatiguing +in the hot sun. All three took their weapons into the field, +and rested them against the fence, as they thought it too +much trouble to carry them on their backs. They followed +the rows of maize, one behind the other, from one end of the +field to the other, and were again nearing the spot where they +had placed their rifles, when suddenly some fifty Indians +dashed over the fence with a loud war yell and attacked them. +They could not think of flight, as the Indians surrounded +them before they could recover from their first terror. Resistance +was equally impossible, as they were quite unarmed, +and hence the sole chance of escape lay in the mercy of the +barbarians to whom they surrendered. The two negroes were +accidentally at the other end of the field, and, at the first +glimpse of the Indians, leapt over the fence into the woods, +to save themselves by hiding in its recesses; on looking round, +they saw that each of the three young men was surrounded +by a party of Indians busied in tying his arms behind his +back. They ran through the wood to the river, swam across +it, and on reaching the houses, leapt with the other negroes +on horses and mules, fled with the utmost speed toward the +south across the prairie, and reached my Fort before sunset, +horrified and half frightened to death.</p> + +<p>The terrible news aroused all my people. I at once sent a +negro to Lasar's to tell him of what had happened, and at the +same time beg him to join me as speedily as possible, in order +to pursue the Indians, and, if possible, save the prisoners, +during which time we made our preparations for immediate +departure. I had provisions got ready and packed on a mule, +which this time was not faithful Jack, as he had been galled<a name="Page_413" id="Page_413"></a> +by a badly fastened saddle; after this a stock of ammunition +was laid in, and we sat down to supper, which meal we had +hardly finished when our friends from Mustang Creek, eight +in number, galloped over the prairie, led by old Lasar himself, +who was fire and flame, and vowed revenge like the youngest +of us. Tiger, Antonio, Königstein, and one of the colonists +of the name of Lambert, accompanied me, and we were soon +urging our horses at full speed through the gloomy forest.</p> + +<p>Tiger led our party, who trotted on as long as the moonlight +lasted, but then fell into a walk, and towards morning +reached the deserted blockhouses of the prisoners. We expected +that the Indians would have burnt them down, but +found them uninjured, which proved to us in what haste +they must have departed with their quarry. We rode through +the river into the wood, and found the spot where the savages +had lifted their prisoners over the fence, and led them to its +northern end. Here we found the traces of numerous horses +galloping in the direction of the northern mountains. Tiger +examined all the signs very carefully, and after we had followed +the trail for about an hour, dismounted and sought +about in the grass. Ere long he stretched out his arms and +parted fingers to the north and north-west, and told me that +the fellows we were pursuing had divided here, and were pursuing +different routes, which fact I was also able to recognise +after a slight investigation. I asked Tiger what we were to do, +but he laughed, and joining his hands together and pointing +to the north, he stated that the Indians would come together +again on the other side of the mountains in two days.</p> + +<p>We now followed a trail which ran along a deeply-trodden +buffalo-path, and reached before sunset a spot in a valley +covered with isolated rocks, trees, and bushes, which was bordered +on both sides by steep hills. Here Tiger suddenly +stopped and leapt from his horse. I rode up to him, and he +showed me on the bare rocks that several horses had left the +track and turned off to the left down the glen. He showed +me several pebbles which had been turned over by the horses,<a name="Page_414" id="Page_414"></a> +and on the rocks the graze of their hoofs, as well as here and +there a trampled leaf or a broken blade of grass. He followed +this trail carefully, and requested me to follow him, while +making a sign to the others to remain on the path. A few +thousand yards farther on the track wound between large +masses of stone till we reached a clearing, on the other side of +which we found signs of an extinguished fire near a spring. +Tiger picked up a blackened bit of wood and showed me by +rubbing it with his finger that the wood was still wet, and +hence, as it lay in the open sunshine, must have gone out +shortly before. He now begged me to call up our comrades, +so that we might rest ourselves and our tired horses here for +a little while. I rode up to them, and when we returned to +Tiger, he showed us behind the spring the shambles where +one of the unhappy prisoners had ended his life. On a large +flat stone we saw a quantity of curdled, half-dry blood, and +behind it lay the entrails of a man. Round the stone we +found marks of boot-heels, which had probably belonged to +the murdered man, and had been put on by one of the savages. +Our fury against them was terrible, and we would gladly have +pursued them without resting had our horses been able to +carry us, but they were too tired, and greatly required +a rest.</p> + +<p>We supped, and slept till near day, and by dawn we were +following the trail again, along the path which we had +quitted on the previous evening. Without halting longer +than was necessary, we rode hard all day through the most +impassable regions of the San Saba mountains, and reached +in the evening the prairies on their north side. We were still +on the same trail, which had been made by five or six horses, +and unsaddled when the sun had long disappeared behind the +hill, and Tiger was unable to follow the trail. We had +ridden very sharply, so that our horses would hardly touch +the good fodder here offered them, and we had no sooner +watered them in an adjacent stream, than they lay down in +the grass with a long breath and fell asleep. We did not tie<a name="Page_415" id="Page_415"></a> +them up, so that they might graze directly they awoke, but +kept up a good fire the whole night, and posted a sentinel.</p> + +<p>At daybreak we were <i>en route</i> again and hurrying after +Tiger, who led us along the foot of the mountains. About +noon we rode through one of the streams that flow into the +Colorado, and found in the wood on its bank a deserted camp, +from which the fugitives could not be gone long, as the bushes +and weeds trampled by the horses were not dry yet. We +merely watered our horses and then urged them on, for Tiger +believed that we must catch up the Indians that same evening, +as their horses were tired and did not raise their feet +high from the ground. Evening arrived, and in the distance +another forest rose out of the prairie, which we reached with +night; but our foe had gone farther on, and we were compelled +to halt again, as we could not follow their trail. Our +guide consoled us with the morrow, and said their horses +could not last out any longer. We rode the whole day, however, +without seeing anything of the Indians, save the track +of their horses. About sunset we rode into another forest, +in which we hoped to find running water: we soon halted on +its bank and noticed on the other side the last camping-place +of the Indians, for several of their fires were still burning, +and Tiger said that they now supposed themselves out of +danger and would not ride so fast. We crossed the stream, +in order to occupy the deserted camp, but had scarce reached +it when Tiger called to me and pointed to a young tree, with +a smooth shining bark, the lower part of which was dyed +with blood. He told me that one of the white men had been +murdered here: the Indians had tied him up to the tree and +fired arrows at him, and the bark displayed numerous marks +of their points. At the height of a man the tree was sprinkled +with blood, and over it we found a deep cut, which appeared +to have been made by a tomahawk. The Indians seemed to +have come together again here, for a number of fires had been +lighted, and the trampled ground indicated a large troop of +horses. We all insisted on riding on at once, but Tiger<a name="Page_416" id="Page_416"></a> +reminded us that it was impossible to follow the trail, and by +overriding it we might easily lose much time, and give the +cannibals a chance of escape.</p> + +<p>Our impatience had attained the highest pitch, all were +ready to start, but it was still too dark: we stood by our +grazing cattle and counted the minutes till dawn appeared, +and allowed us to see the track of our enemies once more. +Then we hastened on, and joyfully greeted every thicket in +front of us, as we hoped to find the cannibals in it and be able +to take vengeance on them for our friends. Our hopes were +frequently disappointed, and the sun was approaching the +western hills when we still urged on our awfully tired horses, +following the trail of the Indian horses, which could not +possibly be far from us, as their excreta on the path plainly +indicated. Once again a wood rose before us on the prairie, +but it was still so distant that we could not hope to reach it +before dark. Tiger told me that we must either ride very +sharply so as to reach the wood by daylight, or camp on this +side and approach the wood at dawn, as we should get the +worst of it if we came upon the savages in the darkness. We +resolved on the former course, and collected the last strength +of our animals. Spurring and flogging we went on at a trot +or a gallop, as if certain of reaching our destination to-day. +One of our friends might possibly be saved by a few minutes' +sharp riding, and so we paid no heed to the fatigue and pace +of our horses. We rapidly approached the wood, but so did +the sun the hills, which soon spread their lengthened shadow +over the plain. The country before us became more uneven +and covered with large blocks of stones, and here and there +rose an isolated clump of trees and bushes, while the forest +appeared to be half an hour's ride distant. The darker it +grew the sharper we rode, and we dashed at a gallop between +the rocks toward a patch of young oaks, with Tiger some +distance ahead of us. While galloping round some rocks I saw +him suddenly turn his piebald towards us and halt in the +clump of trees, which we reached in a few minutes, and Tiger<a name="Page_417" id="Page_417"></a> +informed us that the savages were sleeping no great distance +ahead on the barren bank of a river.</p> + +<p>Our excitement was frightful; trembling with eagerness we +fastened our steaming horses to the long branches of the young +oaks, thrust our holster pistols in our belts, and advanced, +leaving Antonio with the horses, silently and noiselessly after +Tiger, when it had been arranged that I should give the +signal for a general attack by firing first. The moon was +high but lighted us poorly; the daylight, however, had not +quite faded away when we emerged from the rocks and +reached a small knoll, over which we saw almost invisible +columns of smoke rising at various points. We spread out +here in a long line, and crept up the hill, covered by some +isolated rocks. When we reached the top, we saw the savages +about thirty yards from us collected round several fires. A +deadly silence brooded over the slightly illumined landscape, +which was only broken by the rustling of the rapid stream, +on whose banks the Indians were encamped. The glow of +the fires cast a dark red reflection over the brown bodies of +the reclining savages sufficient to enable us to see them more +distinctly, while the light of the moon illumined the sights on +our rifles.</p> + +<p>All our barrels were pointed at the cannibals, and we could +hear our hearts beating, while they did not suspect the +approaching vengeance, and were most of them asleep. The +wide chest of one of the ruffians was lit up by the fire right +in front of me, while he was gazing into the ashes with his +head resting on his right arm. The sight of my rifle was +pointed at his heart when I pulled trigger. At the same +moment the rifles of all my comrades cracked, and directly +after we fired our second barrels among the rising Indians, +who for a moment raised their war yell, but then fled in great +confusion and dashed into the river, beneath the fire of our +revolvers and pistols. In this faintly lighted scene of fury +and terror, the long red and white striped silk handkerchief +on Tiger's head waved, the broad blade of his heavy knife<a name="Page_418" id="Page_418"></a> +glistened in his right hand, his shrill voice filled the ears of +the cannibals with the war cry of the Delawares, and immediately +after the first shot he flew, worthy of his name, among +them, and spread death among their ranks. Trusty, too, +forgot his usual obedience, and pinned one of the savages by +the throat who had fired an arrow at him; he killed the +Indian in a few minutes, and then dragged him about in the +grass, satiating his fury. In a short time the battle field was +deserted by the enemy, with the exception of two-and-twenty +killed and wounded they left on it, the latter of whom Tiger +soon sent to join the former with his tomahawk. His war +axe flew from skull to skull, and with every blow drove a soul +out of its earthly tenement, after which he raised the hair of +several whom he had killed in action.</p> + +<p>The fight was hardly over, when a familiar voice called +several of our names, especially Lasar's, mine, and Tiger's. +It came from a little way off the camp and reached us but +faintly. We ran in the direction, and to our joyful surprise +found MacDonnell bound hand and foot lying on the grass behind +a rock. His bonds were quickly cut, but he was unable to +get up; we bore him to the nearest fire, blew it into a bright +flame, and now looked at the death-like face of our poor +friend, who since his captivity had endured death in a +thousand shapes, and envied his two comrades their release +from torture. He was so fatigued that he was unable to sit +up. The joy at our appearance, and the fear lest we might +go away again without finding him, had given him the +strength to raise his voice, but now a greater faintness naturally +set in, and he could scarce make signs to us to give him +water. The fresh draught was handed him, then we laid +him on a bed made of buffalo skin and left him to sleep, +which, with the consciousness that he was saved and among +friends, did him more good than anything else we could have +offered him. The large fire lit up the plain around us, and +displayed the victims we had sacrificed to the blood of our +friends: farther on it shone on the great number of utterly<a name="Page_419" id="Page_419"></a> +exhausted Indian horses, most of which were lying fastened +to lassos among the large stones in the grass. Although we +did not apprehend any attack from the fugitive savages, +many of whom had doubtless killed themselves by leaping off +the high banks into the river which dashed over rocks, and +who too possessed no weapons that could be dangerous to us, +we still posted sentries on both sides of the camp, and lit +large fires in order to be able to watch the horses, as it was +very probable that the Indians would attempt to recover +them toward morning, after the moon had gone down. Our +own horses we tied up in the grass close to camp, and then +lay down by turns to rest as far as our state of excitement +permitted it.</p> + +<p>Morning dawned without our having been disturbed, and +with the growing light we began to survey the field of battle +and investigate the details of the events of last evening. The +savages were a tribe of Mescaleros, and as we afterwards learned +the same who had made the attack on Mrs. White a few +months before. Among the dead was their chief, who had +been killed by the first shot fired, which was the principal +reason why the assailed did not offer a greater resistance, for +they only discharged a few arrows, one of which hit Trusty, +while another passed through Königstein's thigh. The +weapons lay scattered about the battle-field. On the lofty +bank were distinct signs where the fugitives had leapt off it; +but we found below no signs of them on the rocks jutting +out of the river, as they had apparently fallen into the deep +water between them. For all that, there was no doubt but +that many had not reached the opposite bank alive, for the +stream was too rapid for a man to swim across it.</p> + +<p>Our friend <a name="tn_png_444"></a><!--TN: "Macdonnell" changed to "MacDonnell"-->MacDonnell still lay motionless asleep, and we +did not disturb him. It was bright daylight when John +Lasar summoned us to the fires of the savages, where we +found the roasted and partially-gnawn bones of one of the +murdered men, while Königstein discovered other remains +of the dead bodies behind a rock. At about ten o'clock,<a name="Page_420" id="Page_420"></a> +MacDonnell woke and felt greatly strengthened; we gave him +food and a cup of wine to drink, but he was very weak and +terribly excited, so that we prohibited him from talking about +his own sufferings or those of his own comrades. About noon, +we prepared to start and carry off the horses, of which we +had captured forty-six, among them being several first-rate +animals. Tiger at once sought out the leader of the troop, +an old mare, whose head and tail were hung with all sorts +of ornaments, and so soon as he led it away all the others +would follow it. He bound the mare to a tree, let loose the +other horses and wound the lassos round their necks, upon +which they all collected round the old mare. We then +saddled our horses, selected the best saddle of the savages, +very handsome Mexican one, for MacDonnell, put it on one of +the captured horses which appeared good-tempered and safe, +and covered it with a buffalo hide, a large quantity of which +we also found, then we lifted our suffering friend on the +horse. Tiger marched ahead of us, leading the mare behind +us by a lasso and followed by all the Indian horses, while we +rode behind and drove on the laggards. Thus we rode slowly +to the south, and camped at sunset in a narrow strip of wood +on a stream, where we found good pasture for the numerous +horses. We merely fastened up the leading mare and our own +cattle near the fire. MacDonnell rapidly recovered; the ride +had done him good, and he was now able to walk again. We +made him a soft bed by the side of the fire, and he told us +the chief events of his captivity.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the savages seized the three young men in +the field than they bound them, lifted them over the fence, +and then carried them to their horses. Here three Indians +took them before them, and the whole band flew out of the +wood into the prairie, where the savages soon halted and +went off in different directions. MacDonnell was taken off to +the right with ten horsemen, while Lyons followed the path, +and Clifton was carried to the left. The savages rode without +halting all that day and the next night with MacDonnell,<a name="Page_421" id="Page_421"></a> +without giving him water or food, until they allowed their +horses to graze for a few hours the next morning, when they +gave him some roast meat. Then they hurried on with him +again, and only stopped to water their horses, until the latter, +toward evening, refused to go any farther, in spite of the +incessant blows. They unsaddled in a wood by a stream, and +roasted meat at a fire, after laying him with his feet bound +among the bushes. His hands had swollen through the bonds, +and pained him terribly, but his complaints and groans were +unheeded by the cannibals, and it was only after long entreaty +that they gave him a drink of water. Toward morning, they +rode on, and reached in a few hours a river, on whose bank +they unsaddled in a thick wood, and rested with the utmost +carelessness, while he was placed with his back against a tree +near the fire.</p> + +<p>Soon after, another troop of Indians came up, and +MacDonnell recognised the man who had given orders at the +outset, and whom he took for the chief. He was now wearing +a portion of Lyons' clothes and had put on his boots. This +savage brought his horse to the fire, and to his horror, +MacDonnell saw the severed limbs of his unhappy companion +hanging from the saddle, which the Indians now unfastened +and threw near the fire. The savages then gathered together +and the chief placed bits of the flesh of the unfortunate +Lyons on spits and devoured them when roasted. The +Indians seemed to pay no attention to MacDonnell, but to +listen to every sound, and several times the chief laid his ear +on the ground in order to hear more distinctly. Ere long, +other Indians arrived, and at noon the last of them with +Clifton. He looked at MacDonnell inquiringly, but neither +had the heart to utter a word. Clifton's feet were also +bound, and he was placed against a tree, while all the savages +lay around the fire and talked with much animation, pointing +first to Mac and then to Clifton. At last the chief stretched +out his hand toward Clifton and said several words in a commanding +voice, upon which several men leaped up, carried the<a name="Page_422" id="Page_422"></a> +prisoner to a tree a little lower down the wood, and fastened him +to it in a standing position with leathern thongs. Most of the +young Indians, in the meanwhile, assembled with bows and +arrows about fifty yards from Clifton, and awaited the chief's +signal to commence firing. The signal was given, and the +first arrow was buried in the entrails of the unhappy victim, +whose cries of agony made the forest ring. Thus one fired +after the other, till Clifton's whole body was pierced with +arrows and his head hung down. Upon which the chief leapt +up, swung his tomahawk over his head, and hurled it at the +murdered man. It flew into the tree close to Clifton's head +and remained imbedded. The chief went up to Clifton, +plucked the hatchet out of the tree, and buried it deeply in +the unhappy man's skull. After this the cannibals fell upon +the corpse, which they cut up and each carried a piece to the +fire. MacDonnell witnessed the whole fearful scene, and now +the chief came up to him and said something he did not +understand, while pointing to the north, whence Mac assumed +that the same fate awaited him farther on in that direction. +The savages started again ere long and rode by shorter stages +to the camp where we surprised them, and where they had +arrived but a few hours before us.</p> + +<p>This description had recalled to Mac's mind all the scenes +of horror, and he fell back exhausted on his bed. We restored +him with a little wine-and-water, and begged him to hold his +tongue and rest while we got supper ready and looked after +the horses. During the night we posted four sentries and +lit up the Indian horses with large fires. It passed without +disturbance, and the next morning we continued our progress +to the south. We now made but short marches, as our own +horses were very tired, but the captured ones were so exhausted +that we could hardly drive them on with long sticks. <a name="tn_png_447"></a><!--TN: Comma removed after "We"-->We +on several occasions unsaddled at noon because we found good +pasturage on water, and rested till the next morning, so that +we might not have to spend the night at a worse spot.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:427px;padding-bottom:.5em;padding-top:.25em;"><a name="illo-448"></a> + +<img src="images/illo-448.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="427" height="700"> +<p class="caption">THE <a name="tn_png_448"></a><!--TN: Period added after "TORTURE"-->TORTURE. <span class="alignright">[<i><a href="#Page_422">p. 422.</a></i></span></p></div> + +<p>One evening we found ourselves in the middle of an open<a name="Page_423" id="Page_423"></a> +prairie, on which only isolated mosquito trees could be seen, +and camped at a spot where there were several ponds, and an +old fallen mosquito-tree lay, which, judging from the fire +marks, had offered burning materials to earlier travellers +across this plain. The nearest woods to the south lay on the +remotest horizon on the San Saba Mountains, and we did not +calculate on reaching them till the next day. We lay in a +hollow of the prairie, between two small elevations, and +fastened our riding-horses and the leading mare to lassos +driven into the ground, while the captured horses grazed on +the bottom. The evening was splendid, and as Mac was all +right again, we were in the best spirits. After supper the +conversation turned on the captured horses, and we resolved +to throw dice for them. The mare was allotted to me without +throwing, as I gave up my chance of all the rest. Ere +long all the horses had owners. Antonio and Lambert resolved +to try theirs the next morning, as they were not very +well mounted, and everybody praised the good qualities of his +horse, and expounded how the animals must be treated and +ridden to make first-raters of them. Thus the night arrived, +during which we again posted sentries on the nearest mounds, +but it passed without any alarm. Day dawned; we blew up +our fire and got breakfast ready, while the horses were grazing +around us. The sun rose while we were lying carelessly on +our buffalo robes round the fire and drinking coffee, when +suddenly a fearful yell reached our ears over the next height, +and a band of thirty horse Indians thundered down the hill-side +towards us, waving in one hand their buffalo-robes over +their heads, shaking in the other tin pots, gourds, and buffalo-bladders +filled with pebbles, and uttering the strangest +and most awful yells. In an instant the troop passed us, and +dashed right through our fire and camp. They went over us +like a tornado, and our terrified horses, which had torn +themselves loose, dashed over the prairie in front of them, +trailing the broken lassos after them. Before we had seized +our rifles, the Indians were so far off that the bullets we sent<a name="Page_424" id="Page_424"></a> +after them produced no effect, and we silently stared after +them till they disappeared from sight over the last rising +ground on the prairie. We asked each other, with our eyes, +what was to be done, but no one was yet able to speak, the +fright and the heavy loss had fallen upon us too unexpectedly, +and it was long ere we could think of the immediate future: +at length all eyes were turned to me, as if I could help them. +This confidence restored my power of speech, and I told my +companions in misfortune that I was able to lead them home +without horses, and that <a name="tn_png_451"></a><!--TN: "Macdonnell's" changed to "MacDonnell's"-->MacDonnell's life was worth more +than our animals.</p> + +<p>I had hardly spoken to this effect, when Königstein shouted +to me, and pointed in the direction where the horses had +disappeared; and though it was so far off, I recognised Czar +and the cream colour flying over the prairie, pursued by five +Indians. I ran towards them as fast as my legs would carry +me, and fired a bullet at the Indians long out of range, but +which they must have heard "pinging," for they gave up +their pursuit and merely fired a few harmless arrows after the +horses, which now dashed up to me and stopped panting and +snorting. Czar came up to me and laid his head on my +shoulders while looking round in wild terror after his pursuers. +I led him into camp, where both the horses were +greeted with loud shouts of joy. We now held a grand +council, and soon agreed to cache our baggage in a hollow +near at hand, cover it with turf, and then start for home on +foot, in which, of course, we could only cover short distances; +at the same time we arranged that Mr. Lasar should ride the +cream colour, and Mac Czar, while we also packed our food +on the animals.</p> + +<p>The whole day passed before we had cached our baggage, +so that we slept another night at this inhospitable spot. The +next morning we saddled and packed, and after carefully +taking the direction of the nearest tree with the compass, we +began our wearisome journey. On reaching the tree we +blazed it with a knife, and then started for another, and so<a name="Page_425" id="Page_425"></a> +on, carefully marking each, so that we might be able to find +our way back to our traps from tree to tree. The road to +the San Saba Mountains through the tall prairie grass was +one of the unpleasantest I ever followed. There, however, +the ground, though hilly and stony, was still adapted for +human feet, and we soon grew accustomed to walking. Tiger +had not a word to say for himself, he was revolving vengeance +on the Lepans, who had stolen his faithful piebald, and swore +that the Delawares should take many of their scalps in +return.</p> + +<p>After several weeks of unspeakable fatigue and privation, +we at length arrived one evening at Widow White's, who received +us with great cordiality and delight. We at once sent +her son to the Fort to fetch riding horses for all of us, as we +had had quite enough walking, and stopped the while with +our kind hostess. Late the next evening the long-looked-for +horses arrived from the Leone; we let them rest for the night, +and on the next morning said good-bye to the widow, and +started for home, which we reached at an early hour and +found horses there for Lasar and his companions to carry +them at once to Mustang River. The loss of Lasar's handsome +horse and of John's mare again caused fresh sorrow in +the family, with whom they had been favourites; but I willingly +put up with the loss of my two horses and mules, and +considered myself remarkably fortunate in recovering Czar +and the cream colour. The last lesson which we gave the +Mescaleros seemed to have had an intimidating effect on the +Indians generally, as we neither saw nor heard anything of +them for several months.</p> + +<p>Tiger, during this period, rode a splendid black horse of +mine, which I had been always obliged to leave at home, as +it was too timid and impetuous for hunting purposes. Now +that it was ridden daily, it became a first-rate horse, and +Tiger often said that it was better than his piebald. Great was +my surprise when Tiger knocked me up early one morning, +and on going out of my house I saw the piebald quietly<a name="Page_426" id="Page_426"></a> +grazing: on waking Tiger had found it tied up in front of his +tent, and told me that the Lepans were frightened, because +his tribe would come in the autumn and learn their hostile +behaviour. With a sad look he remarked that he would now +be obliged to give me back the black horse, he supposed, and +was quite beside himself with joy when I told him that I +made him a present of it.</p> + +<p>In the course of the summer friendly Indians visited me, +but never stopped long, and gave me to understand that I +lived too much among the white men. It would be much +better for me to move nearer to them and then they would +visit me more frequently. Thus arrived one evening just +before sunset my old friend Pahajuka, accompanied by his +good old squaw, and his granddaughter, and a few Comanches. +The joy of the old folk was great, and they said that +had not the white men blocked the road to me, they would +willingly stay some time with me, but as it was we were daily +more separated. Tahtoweja said nothing, but her black eyes +plainly expressed that she too felt happy at being with me +again. She could not in her silent admiration gaze sufficiently +at the decorations of my room; and for hours she would gaze at +the pictures on the walls, or turn over the sketches in my portfolio, +when business prevented me from being with her. +Music seemed to be her delight, and she often came late at +night into the gallery and begged me to play the guitar, when +she seemed to fall into a happy dreamy state and entirely +forget the world. She too begged me to come away from +among the pale faces and settle nearer to them: the +Comanches loved me more than they did. The people +remained some weeks with me, but one morning they came +into my room, and the old lady said with tears, that this was +the last visit they would pay me, as the road to me was +growing too narrow. I was obliged to promise them a visit +at the parts where the buffalo still grazed, and the antelopes +and stags had not so many feet as here.</p> + +<p>After breakfast I saddled Czar and rode with my guests to<a name="Page_427" id="Page_427"></a> +the mountain springs, where we spent the night, and the next +morning we took leave of one another. I promised to join +them the next winter on the Puerco, when a great council of +the Comanches was to take place. They often looked with +tears in their eyes in the direction of the Fort: then they +offered me their hand once again and rode off, never again to +cross the threshold of my house, to which they were so attached.</p> + +<p>Tiger too seemed dissatisfied at the new settlements, and +could not understand how people could have an objection to +his pulling down the fences and riding across the fields to save +distance. They had also forbidden him taking dry corn +leaves for his horse out of the stacks, or fastening his piebald +to the grand stockade in front of the house, while he went in +to beg a drink of water. What I had long foreseen happened, +he was beginning to feel the trammels of civilization and +wrestled against them, while its comforts still attracted him. +Shortly after Pahajuka's departure Tiger's tribe arrived in +the neighbourhood of the Fort, and the chief paid me a visit +with several of his warriors. He told me that Tiger wished +to go home with them, in order to see his relations and return +to me in the following spring. Though I felt sorry for it, I +saw that he could not remain much longer in our settlement +without parting from us on unfriendly terms: hence I offered +no objection, and on the day of their departure I accompanied +them as far as Widow White's, as I wanted to pay a visit to +Mac on Mustang River. I took a hearty farewell of Tiger, as +I was really attached to him, and he was obliged to promise +me a visit ere long.</p> + +<p>The next day I rode to <a name="tn_png_454"></a><!--TN: "Macdonnell's" changed to "MacDonnell's"-->MacDonnell's, when I found everything +prospering. His field had produced a rich maize crop, +and was now covered with beans, potatoes, melons, gourds, +&c. His orchard already contained fine young trees; his +garden supplied him and his negroes with magnificent vegetables. +The yard round his house was crowded with poultry +of every description, and the interior of his blockhouse was +very neat and tidy. A large new patchwork quilt was thrown<a name="Page_428" id="Page_428"></a> +on his bed; over the mantelpiece was a handsome looking-glass, +and by its side hung the framed portraits of three men, +which are very frequently found in frontier houses, and by +which the Americans do not pay themselves the worst compliment. +They represent the greatest, the best, and the most +useful men of our century—Washington, Alexander von +Humboldt and Liebig.</p> + +<p>The now frequently traversed road from Turkey Creek to +the Leone shortened the distance between the two rivers +much, as the greater portion of it could be galloped over. +I reached the Fort again at an early hour, and helped Königstein +in his preparations for a start on the next morning. He +was going with Antonio, Lambert, and several pack animals +to fetch our saddles and traps, which we cached after the loss +of our cattle in the prairie to the north of the San Saba +Mountains.</p> + +<p>Although we are still living on the frontier of the desert, +we have now in front of us a line of settlements facing the +Indians, which keep off us the ordinary dangers of a frontier +life; and we are rarely reminded by the personal appearance +of these savages in our vicinity, that their hunting-grounds +are not a great distance from us.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="padding-bottom:1em;padding-top:1em;"><img src="images/illo-455.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="550" height="274"></div> + +<hr class="newpg" style="width: 65%;"> + +<div class="transcribers"><h2>Transcriber's Note</h2> + +<p class="tn">Illustrations have been moved +near the relevant section of the text.</p> +<p class="tn">Page numbers are documented as links within the source code.</p> +<p class="tn">Inconsistencies have been retained in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, hyphenation and grammar, +except where indicated in the list below:</p> +<div style="margin-right:15%;margin-left:15%;"> +<ul> +<li><a href="#tn_png_032">Period added after "use"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_036">Period added after "p"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_065">"ree" changed to "tree"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_104">Period removed after "valley"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_113">"splended" changed to "splendid"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_160">"roar sand" changed to "roars and"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_163">Period added after "MOUNTAINS"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_228">"apple-grey" changed to "dapple-grey"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_243">"He" added before "was"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_272">"backs everal" changed to "back several"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_295">"unbeams" changed to "sunbeams"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_385">"Norte" changed to "Norté"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_391">"lianas" changed to "llianas"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_444">"Macdonnell" changed to "MacDonnell"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_447">Comma removed after "We"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_448">Period added after "TORTURE"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_451">"Macdonnell's" changed to "MacDonnell's"</a></li> +<li><a href="#tn_png_454">"Macdonnell's" changed to "MacDonnell's"</a> +</ul> +</div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Backwoodsman, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BACKWOODSMAN *** + +***** This file should be named 37100-h.htm or 37100-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/0/37100/ + +Produced by David Garcia, Linda Hamilton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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