At length The Whirlwind and his warriors15 determined16 to move. They had resolved after all their preparations not to go to the rendezvous17 at La Bonte’s Camp, but to pass through the Black Hills and spend a few weeks in hunting the buffalo on the other side, until they had killed enough to furnish them with a stock of provisions and with hides to make their lodges18 for the next season. This done, they were to send out a small independent war party against the enemy. Their final determination left us in some embarrassment19. Should we go to La Bonte’s Camp, it was not impossible that the other villages would prove as vacillating and indecisive as The Whirlwinds, and that no assembly whatever would take place. Our old companion Reynal had conceived a liking20 for us, or rather for our biscuit and coffee, and for the occasional small presents which we made him. He was very anxious that we should go with the village which he himself intended to accompany. He declared he was certain that no Indians would meet at the rendezvous, and said moreover that it would be easy to convey our cart and baggage through the Black Hills. In saying this, he told as usual an egregious21 falsehood. Neither he nor any white man with us had ever seen the difficult and obscure defiles22 through which the Indians intended to make their way. I passed them afterward23, and had much ado to force my distressed24 horse along the narrow ravines, and through chasms25 where daylight could scarcely penetrate26. Our cart might as easily have been conveyed over the summit of Pike’s Peak. Anticipating the difficulties and uncertainties27 of an attempt to visit the rendezvous, we recalled the old proverb about “A bird in the hand,” and decided28 to follow the village.
Both camps, the Indians’ and our own, broke up on the morning of the 1st of July. I was so weak that the aid of a potent auxiliary29, a spoonful of whisky swallowed at short intervals30, alone enabled me to sit on my hardy31 little mare32 Pauline through the short journey of that day. For half a mile before us and half a mile behind, the prairie was covered far and wide with the moving throng33 of savages35. The barren, broken plain stretched away to the right and left, and far in front rose the gloomy precipitous ridge36 of the Black Hills. We pushed forward to the head of the scattered37 column, passing the burdened travaux, the heavily laden38 pack horses, the gaunt old women on foot, the gay young squaws on horseback, the restless children running among the crowd, old men striding along in their white buffalo robes, and groups of young warriors mounted on their best horses. Henry Chatillon, looking backward over the distant prairie, exclaimed suddenly that a horseman was approaching, and in truth we could just discern a small black speck39 slowly moving over the face of a distant swell40, like a fly creeping on a wall. It rapidly grew larger as it approached.
“White man, I b’lieve,” said Henry; “look how he ride! Indian never ride that way. Yes; he got rifle on the saddle before him.”
The horseman disappeared in a hollow of the prairie, but we soon saw him again, and as he came riding at a gallop41 toward us through the crowd of Indians, his long hair streaming in the wind behind him, we recognized the ruddy face and old buckskin frock of Jean Gras the trapper. He was just arrived from Fort Laramie, where he had been on a visit, and said he had a message for us. A trader named Bisonette, one of Henry’s friends, was lately come from the settlements, and intended to go with a party of men to La Bonte’s Camp, where, as Jean Gras assured us, ten or twelve villages of Indians would certainly assemble. Bisonette desired that we would cross over and meet him there, and promised that his men should protect our horses and baggage while we went among the Indians. Shaw and I stopped our horses and held a council, and in an evil hour resolved to go.
For the rest of that day’s journey our course and that of the Indians was the same. In less than an hour we came to where the high barren prairie terminated, sinking down abruptly42 in steep descent; and standing43 on these heights, we saw below us a great level meadow. Laramie Creek44 bounded it on the left, sweeping45 along in the shadow of the declivities, and passing with its shallow and rapid current just below us. We sat on horseback, waiting and looking on, while the whole savage34 array went pouring past us, hurrying down the descent and spreading themselves over the meadow below. In a few moments the plain was swarming46 with the moving multitude, some just visible, like specks47 in the distance, others still passing on, pressing down, and fording the stream with bustle48 and confusion. On the edge of the heights sat half a dozen of the elder warriors, gravely smoking and looking down with unmoved faces on the wild and striking spectacle.
Up went the lodges in a circle on the margin49 of the stream. For the sake of quiet we pitched our tent among some trees at half a mile’s distance. In the afternoon we were in the village. The day was a glorious one, and the whole camp seemed lively and animated50 in sympathy. Groups of children and young girls were laughing gayly on the outside of the lodges. The shields, the lances, and the bows were removed from the tall tripods on which they usually hung before the dwellings51 of their owners. The warriors were mounting their horses, and one by one riding away over the prairie toward the neighboring hills.
Shaw and I sat on the grass near the lodge of Reynal. An old woman, with true Indian hospitality, brought a bowl of boiled venison and placed it before us. We amused ourselves with watching half a dozen young squaws who were playing together and chasing each other in and out of one of the lodges. Suddenly the wild yell of the war-whoop came pealing52 from the hills. A crowd of horsemen appeared, rushing down their sides and riding at full speed toward the village, each warrior14’s long hair flying behind him in the wind like a ship’s streamer. As they approached, the confused throng assumed a regular order, and entering two by two, they circled round the area at full gallop, each warrior singing his war song as he rode. Some of their dresses were splendid. They wore superb crests53 of feathers and close tunics54 of antelope55 skins, fringed with the scalp-locks of their enemies; their shields too were often fluttering with the war eagle’s feathers. All had bows and arrows at their back; some carried long lances, and a few were armed with guns. The White Shield, their partisan56, rode in gorgeous attire57 at their head, mounted on a black-and-white horse. Mahto-Tatonka and his brothers took no part in this parade, for they were in mourning for their sister, and were all sitting in their lodges, their bodies bedaubed from head to foot with white clay, and a lock of hair cut from each of their foreheads.
The warriors circled three times round the village; and as each distinguished58 champion passed, the old women would scream out his name in honor of his bravery, and to incite59 the emulation60 of the younger warriors. Little urchins61, not two years old, followed the warlike pageant62 with glittering eyes, and looked with eager wonder and admiration63 at those whose honors were proclaimed by the public voice of the village. Thus early is the lesson of war instilled64 into the mind of an Indian, and such are the stimulants66 which incite his thirst for martial67 renown68.
The procession rode out of the village as it had entered it, and in half an hour all the warriors had returned again, dropping quietly in, singly or in parties of two or three.
As the sun rose next morning we looked across the meadow, and could see the lodges leveled and the Indians gathering69 together in preparation to leave the camp. Their course lay to the westward70. We turned toward the north with our men, the four trappers following us, with the Indian family of Moran. We traveled until night. I suffered not a little from pain and weakness. We encamped among some trees by the side of a little brook71, and here during the whole of the next day we lay waiting for Bisonette, but no Bisonette appeared. Here also two of our trapper friends left us, and set out for the Rocky Mountains. On the second morning, despairing of Bisonette’s arrival we resumed our journey, traversing a forlorn and dreary72 monotony of sun-scorched plains, where no living thing appeared save here and there an antelope flying before us like the wind. When noon came we saw an unwonted and most welcome sight; a rich and luxuriant growth of trees, marking the course of a little stream called Horseshoe Creek. We turned gladly toward it. There were lofty and spreading trees, standing widely asunder73, and supporting a thick canopy74 of leaves, above a surface of rich, tall grass. The stream ran swiftly, as clear as crystal, through the bosom75 of the wood, sparkling over its bed of white sand and darkening again as it entered a deep cavern76 of leaves and boughs77. I was thoroughly78 exhausted79, and flung myself on the ground, scarcely able to move. All that afternoon I lay in the shade by the side of the stream, and those bright woods and sparkling waters are associated in my mind with recollections of lassitude and utter prostration80. When night came I sat down by the fire, longing1, with an intensity81 of which at this moment I can hardly conceive, for some powerful stimulant65.
In the morning as glorious a sun rose upon us as ever animated that desolate82 wilderness83. We advanced and soon were surrounded by tall bare hills, overspread from top to bottom with prickly-pears and other cacti84, that seemed like clinging reptiles85. A plain, flat and hard, and with scarcely the vestige86 of grass, lay before us, and a line of tall misshapen trees bounded the onward87 view. There was no sight or sound of man or beast, or any living thing, although behind those trees was the long-looked-for place of rendezvous, where we fondly hoped to have found the Indians congregated88 by thousands. We looked and listened anxiously. We pushed forward with our best speed, and forced our horses through the trees. There were copses of some extent beyond, with a scanty89 stream creeping through their midst; and as we pressed through the yielding branches, deer sprang up to the right and left. At length we caught a glimpse of the prairie beyond. Soon we emerged upon it, and saw, not a plain covered with encampments and swarming with life, but a vast unbroken desert stretching away before us league upon league, without a bush or a tree or anything that had life. We drew rein90 and gave to the winds our sentiments concerning the whole aboriginal91 race of America. Our journey was in vain and much worse than in vain. For myself, I was vexed92 and disappointed beyond measure; as I well knew that a slight aggravation93 of my disorder94 would render this false step irrevocable, and make it quite impossible to accomplish effectively the design which had led me an arduous95 journey of between three and four thousand miles. To fortify96 myself as well as I could against such a contingency97, I resolved that I would not under any circumstances attempt to leave the country until my object was completely gained.
And where were the Indians? They were assembled in great numbers at a spot about twenty miles distant, and there at that very moment they were engaged in their warlike ceremonies. The scarcity98 of buffalo in the vicinity of La Bonte’s Camp, which would render their supply of provisions scanty and precarious99, had probably prevented them from assembling there; but of all this we knew nothing until some weeks after.
Shaw lashed100 his horse and galloped101 forward, I, though much more vexed than he, was not strong enough to adopt this convenient vent11 to my feelings; so I followed at a quiet pace, but in no quiet mood. We rode up to a solitary102 old tree, which seemed the only place fit for encampment. Half its branches were dead, and the rest were so scantily103 furnished with leaves that they cast but a meager104 and wretched shade, and the old twisted trunk alone furnished sufficient protection from the sun. We threw down our saddles in the strip of shadow that it cast, and sat down upon them. In silent indignation we remained smoking for an hour or more, shifting our saddles with the shifting shadow, for the sun was intolerably hot.
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收听单词发音
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1
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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emigrant
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| adj.移居的，移民的；n.移居外国的人，移民 | |
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emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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eluding
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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egregious
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| adj.非常的，过分的 | |
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defiles
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| v.玷污( defile的第三人称单数 )；污染；弄脏；纵列行进 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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auxiliary
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| adj.辅助的，备用的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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40
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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41
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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43
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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44
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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45
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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46
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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49
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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50
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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52
pealing
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的现在分词 ) | |
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crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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55
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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incite
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| v.引起，激动，煽动 | |
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emulation
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| n.竞争；仿效 | |
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urchins
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| n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 )；淘气鬼；猬；海胆 | |
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pageant
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| n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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64
instilled
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| v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stimulant
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| n.刺激物，兴奋剂 | |
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stimulants
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| n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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75
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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77
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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prostration
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| n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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81
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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83
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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84
cacti
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| n.（复）仙人掌 | |
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85
reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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86
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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88
congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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aggravation
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| n.烦恼，恼火 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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fortify
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| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
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contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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scarcity
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| n.缺乏，不足，萧条 | |
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99
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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100
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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101
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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102
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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103
scantily
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| adv.缺乏地；不充足地；吝啬地；狭窄地 | |
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104
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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