“I don’t know anything of the maneuvers9. The boys kept coming to me, to let them charge; and when I saw a good opportunity, I told them they might go. They were off like a shot, and that’s all I know about it.”
The backwoods lawyer was better fitted to conciliate the good-will than to command the obedience10 of his men. There were many serving under him, who both from character and education could better have held command than he.
At the battle of Sacramento his frontiersmen fought under every possible disadvantage. The Mexicans had chosen their own position; they were drawn11 up across the valley that led to their native city of Chihuahua; their whole front was covered by intrenchments and defended by batteries of heavy cannon12; they outnumbered the invaders14 five to one. An eagle flew over the Americans, and a deep murmur15 rose along their lines. The enemy’s batteries opened; long they remained under fire, but when at length the word was given, they shouted and ran forward. In one of the divisions, when midway to the enemy, a drunken officer ordered a halt; the exasperated16 men hesitated to obey.
“Forward, boys!” cried a private from the ranks; and the Americans, rushing like tigers upon the enemy, bounded over the breastwork. Four hundred Mexicans were slain17 upon the spot and the rest fled, scattering18 over the plain like sheep. The standards, cannon, and baggage were taken, and among the rest a wagon19 laden20 with cords, which the Mexicans, in the fullness of their confidence, had made ready for tying the American prisoners.
Doniphan’s volunteers, who gained this victory, passed up with the main army; but Price’s soldiers, whom we now met, were men from the same neighborhood, precisely21 similar in character, manner, and appearance. One forenoon, as we were descending22 upon a very wide meadow, where we meant to rest for an hour or two, we saw a dark body of horsemen approaching at a distance. In order to find water, we were obliged to turn aside to the river bank, a full half mile from the trail. Here we put up a kind of awning23, and spreading buffalo24 robes on the ground, Shaw and I sat down to smoke beneath it.
“We are going to catch it now,” said Shaw; “look at those fellows, there’ll be no peace for us here.”
And in good truth about half the volunteers had straggled away from the line of march, and were riding over the meadow toward us.
“How are you?” said the first who came up, alighting from his horse and throwing himself upon the ground. The rest followed close, and a score of them soon gathered about us, some lying at full length and some sitting on horseback. They all belonged to a company raised in St. Louis. There were some ruffian faces among them, and some haggard with debauchery; but on the whole they were extremely good-looking men, superior beyond measure to the ordinary rank and file of an army. Except that they were booted to the knees, they wore their belts and military trappings over the ordinary dress of citizens. Besides their swords and holster pistols, they carried slung25 from their saddles the excellent Springfield carbines, loaded at the breech. They inquired the character of our party, and were anxious to know the prospect26 of killing27 buffalo, and the chance that their horses would stand the journey to Santa Fe. All this was well enough, but a moment after a worse visitation came upon us.
“How are you, strangers? whar are you going and whar are you from?” said a fellow, who came trotting28 up with an old straw hat on his head. He was dressed in the coarsest brown homespun cloth. His face was rather sallow from fever-and-ague, and his tall figure, though strong and sinewy31 was quite thin, and had besides an angular look, which, together with his boorish32 seat on horseback, gave him an appearance anything but graceful33. Plenty more of the same stamp were close behind him. Their company was raised in one of the frontier counties, and we soon had abundant evidence of their rustic34 breeding; dozens of them came crowding round, pushing between our first visitors and staring at us with unabashed faces.
“Are you the captain?” asked one fellow.
“What’s your business out here?” asked another.
“Whar do you live when you’re at home?” said a third.
“I reckon you’re traders,” surmised35 a fourth; and to crown the whole, one of them came confidentially36 to my side and inquired in a low voice, “What’s your partner’s name?”
As each newcomer repeated the same questions, the nuisance became intolerable. Our military visitors were soon disgusted at the concise37 nature of our replies, and we could overhear them muttering curses against us. While we sat smoking, not in the best imaginable humor, Tete Rouge38’s tongue was never idle. He never forgot his military character, and during the whole interview he was incessantly39 busy among his fellow-soldiers. At length we placed him on the ground before us, and told him that he might play the part of spokesman for the whole. Tete Rouge was delighted, and we soon had the satisfaction of seeing him talk and gabble at such a rate that the torrent40 of questions was in a great measure diverted from us. A little while after, to our amazement41, we saw a large cannon with four horses come lumbering42 up behind the crowd; and the driver, who was perched on one of the animals, stretching his neck so as to look over the rest of the men, called out:
“Whar are you from, and what’s your business?”
The captain of one of the companies was among our visitors, drawn by the same curiosity that had attracted his men. Unless their faces belied43 them, not a few in the crowd might with great advantage have changed places with their commander.
“Well, men,” said he, lazily rising from the ground where he had been lounging, “it’s getting late, I reckon we had better be moving.”
“I shan’t start yet anyhow,” said one fellow, who was lying half asleep with his head resting on his arm.
“Don’t be in a hurry, captain,” added the lieutenant44.
“Well, have it your own way, we’ll wait a while longer,” replied the obsequious45 commander.
At length however our visitors went straggling away as they had come, and we, to our great relief, were left alone again.
No one can deny the intrepid46 bravery of these men, their intelligence and the bold frankness of their character, free from all that is mean and sordid47. Yet for the moment the extreme roughness of their manners half inclines one to forget their heroic qualities. Most of them seem without the least perception of delicacy48 or propriety49, though among them individuals may be found in whose manners there is a plain courtesy, while their features bespeak50 a gallant51 spirit equal to any enterprise.
No one was more relieved than Delorier by the departure of the volunteers; for dinner was getting colder every moment. He spread a well-whitened buffalo hide upon the grass, placed in the middle the juicy hump of a fat cow, ranged around it the tin plates and cups, and then acquainted us that all was ready. Tete Rouge, with his usual alacrity52 on such occasions, was the first to take his seat. In his former capacity of steamboat clerk, he had learned to prefix53 the honorary MISTER to everybody’s name, whether of high or low degree; so Jim Gurney was Mr. Gurney, Henry was Mr. Henry, and even Delorier, for the first time in his life, heard himself addressed as Mr. Delorier. This did not prevent his conceiving a violent enmity against Tete Rouge, who, in his futile54 though praiseworthy attempts to make himself useful used always to intermeddle with cooking the dinners. Delorier’s disposition56 knew no medium between smiles and sunshine and a downright tornado57 of wrath58; he said nothing to Tete Rouge, but his wrongs rankled59 in his breast. Tete Rouge had taken his place at dinner; it was his happiest moment; he sat enveloped60 in the old buffalo coat, sleeves turned up in preparation for the work, and his short legs crossed on the grass before him; he had a cup of coffee by his side and his knife ready in his hand and while he looked upon the fat hump ribs61, his eyes dilated62 with anticipation63. Delorier sat just opposite to him, and the rest of us by this time had taken our seats.
“How is this, Delorier? You haven’t given us bread enough.”
At this Delorier’s placid64 face flew instantly into a paroxysm of contortions65. He grinned with wrath, chattered66, gesticulated, and hurled67 forth68 a volley of incoherent words in broken English at the astonished Tete Rouge. It was just possible to make out that he was accusing him of having stolen and eaten four large cakes which had been laid by for dinner. Tete Rouge, utterly69 confounded at this sudden attack, stared at Delorier for a moment in dumb amazement, with mouth and eyes wide open. At last he found speech, and protested that the accusation70 was false; and that he could not conceive how he had offended Mr. Delorier, or provoked him to use such ungentlemanly expressions. The tempest of words raged with such fury that nothing else could be heard. But Tete Rouge, from his greater command of English, had a manifest advantage over Delorier, who after sputtering71 and grimacing72 for a while, found his words quite inadequate73 to the expression of his wrath. He jumped up and vanished, jerking out between his teeth one furious sacre enfant de grace, a Canadian title of honor, made doubly emphatic74 by being usually applied75 together with a cut of the whip to refractory76 mules78 and horses.
The next morning we saw an old buffalo escorting his cow with two small calves79 over the prairie. Close behind came four or five large white wolves, sneaking80 stealthily through the long meadow-grass, and watching for the moment when one of the children should chance to lag behind his parents. The old bull kept well on his guard, and faced about now and then to keep the prowling ruffians at a distance.
As we approached our nooning place, we saw five or six buffalo standing81 at the very summit of a tall bluff82. Trotting forward to the spot where we meant to stop, I flung off my saddle and turned my horse loose. By making a circuit under cover of some rising ground, I reached the foot of the bluff unnoticed, and climbed up its steep side. Lying under the brow of the declivity83, I prepared to fire at the buffalo, who stood on the flat surface about not five yards distant. Perhaps I was too hasty, for the gleaming rifle-barrel leveled over the edge caught their notice; they turned and ran. Close as they were, it was impossible to kill them when in that position, and stepping upon the summit I pursued them over the high arid84 tableland. It was extremely rugged85 and broken; a great sandy ravine was channeled through it, with smaller ravines entering on each side like tributary86 streams. The buffalo scattered87, and I soon lost sight of most of them as they scuttled88 away through the sandy chasms89; a bull and a cow alone kept in view. For a while they ran along the edge of the great ravine, appearing and disappearing as they dived into some chasm90 and again emerged from it. At last they stretched out upon the broad prairie, a plain nearly flat and almost devoid91 of verdure, for every short grass-blade was dried and shriveled by the glaring sun. Now and then the old bull would face toward me; whenever he did so I fell to the ground and lay motionless. In this manner I chased them for about two miles, until at length I heard in front a deep hoarse92 bellowing94. A moment after a band of about a hundred bulls, before hidden by a slight swell95 of the plain, came at once into view. The fugitives96 ran toward them. Instead of mingling97 with the band, as I expected, they passed directly through, and continued their flight. At this I gave up the chase, and kneeling down, crawled to within gunshot of the bulls, and with panting breath and trickling98 brow sat down on the ground to watch them; my presence did not disturb them in the least. They were not feeding, for, indeed, there was nothing to eat; but they seemed to have chosen the parched99 and scorching100 desert as the scene of their amusements. Some were rolling on the ground amid a cloud of dust; others, with a hoarse rumbling101 bellow93, were butting102 their large heads together, while many stood motionless, as if quite inanimate. Except their monstrous104 growth of tangled105 grizzly106 mane, they had no hair; for their old coat had fallen off in the spring, and their new one had not as yet appeared. Sometimes an old bull would step forward, and gaze at me with a grim and stupid countenance107; then he would turn and butt103 his next neighbor; then he would lie down and roll over in the dirt, kicking his hoofs108 in the air. When satisfied with this amusement he would jerk his head and shoulders upward, and resting on his forelegs stare at me in this position, half blinded by his mane, and his face covered with dirt; then up he would spring upon all-fours, and shake his dusty sides; turning half round, he would stand with his beard touching109 the ground, in an attitude of profound abstraction, as if reflecting on his puerile110 conduct. “You are too ugly to live,” thought I; and aiming at the ugliest, I shot three of them in succession. The rest were not at all discomposed at this; they kept on bellowing and butting and rolling on the ground as before. Henry Chatillon always cautioned us to keep perfectly111 quiet in the presence of a wounded buffalo, for any movement is apt to excite him to make an attack; so I sat still upon the ground, loading and firing with as little motion as possible. While I was thus employed, a spectator made his appearance; a little antelope112 came running up with remarkable113 gentleness to within fifty yards; and there it stood, its slender neck arched, its small horns thrown back, and its large dark eyes gazing on me with a look of eager curiosity. By the side of the shaggy and brutish monsters before me, it seemed like some lovely young girl wandering near a den4 of robbers or a nest of bearded pirates. The buffalo looked uglier than ever. “Here goes for another of you,” thought I, feeling in my pouch114 for a percussion115 cap. Not a percussion cap was there. My good rifle was useless as an old iron bar. One of the wounded bulls had not yet fallen, and I waited for some time, hoping every moment that his strength would fail him. He still stood firm, looking grimly at me, and disregarding Henry’s advice I rose and walked away. Many of the bulls turned and looked at me, but the wounded brute116 made no attack. I soon came upon a deep ravine which would give me shelter in case of emergency; so I turned round and threw a stone at the bulls. They received it with the utmost indifference117. Feeling myself insulted at their refusal to be frightened, I swung my hat, shouted, and made a show of running toward them; at this they crowded together and galloped118 off, leaving their dead and wounded upon the field. As I moved toward the camp I saw the last survivor119 totter120 and fall dead. My speed in returning was wonderfully quickened by the reflection that the Pawnees were abroad, and that I was defenseless in case of meeting with an enemy. I saw no living thing, however, except two or three squalid old bulls scrambling121 among the sand-hills that flanked the great ravine. When I reached camp the party was nearly ready for the afternoon move.
We encamped that evening at a short distance from the river bank. About midnight, as we all lay asleep on the ground, the man nearest to me gently reaching out his hand, touched my shoulder, and cautioned me at the same time not to move. It was bright starlight. Opening my eyes and slightly turning I saw a large white wolf moving stealthily around the embers of our fire, with his nose close to the ground. Disengaging my hand from the blanket, I drew the cover from my rifle, which lay close at my side; the motion alarmed the wolf, and with long leaps he bounded out of the camp. Jumping up, I fired after him when he was about thirty yards distant; the melancholy122 hum of the bullet sounded far away through the night. At the sharp report, so suddenly breaking upon the stillness, all the men sprang up.
“You’ve killed him,” said one of them.
“No, I haven’t,” said I; “there he goes, running along the river.
“Then there’s two of them. Don’t you see that one lying out yonder?”
We went to it, and instead of a dead white wolf found the bleached123 skull124 of a buffalo. I had missed my mark, and what was worse, had grossly violated a standing law of the prairie. When in a dangerous part of the country, it is considered highly imprudent to fire a gun after encamping, lest the report should reach the ears of the Indians.
The horses were saddled in the morning, and the last man had lighted his pipe at the dying ashes of the fire. The beauty of the day enlivened us all. Even Ellis felt its influence, and occasionally made a remark as we rode along, and Jim Gurney told endless stories of his cruisings in the United States service. The buffalo were abundant, and at length a large band of them went running up the hills on the left.
“Do you see them buffalo?” said Ellis, “now I’ll bet any man I’ll go and kill one with my yager.”
And leaving his horse to follow on with the party, he strode up the hill after them. Henry looked at us with his peculiar126 humorous expression, and proposed that we should follow Ellis to see how he would kill a fat cow. As soon as he was out of sight we rode up the hill after him, and waited behind a little ridge127 till we heard the report of the unfailing yager. Mounting to the top, we saw Ellis clutching his favorite weapon with both hands, and staring after the buffalo, who one and all were galloping128 off at full speed. As we descended129 the hill we saw the party straggling along the trail below. When we joined them, another scene of amateur hunting awaited us. I forgot to say that when we met the volunteers Tete Rouge had obtained a horse from one of them, in exchange for his mule77, whom he feared and detested130. The horse he christened James. James, though not worth so much as the mule, was a large and strong animal. Tete Rouge was very proud of his new acquisition, and suddenly became ambitious to run a buffalo with him. At his request, I lent him my pistols, though not without great misgivings131, since when Tete Rouge hunted buffalo the pursuer was in more danger than the pursued. He hung the holsters at his saddle bow; and now, as we passed along, a band of bulls left their grazing in the meadow and galloped in a long file across the trail in front.
“Now’s your chance, Tete; come, let’s see you kill a bull.” Thus urged, the hunter cried, “Get up!” and James, obedient to the signal, cantered deliberately132 forward at an abominably133 uneasy gait. Tete Rouge, as we contemplated134 him from behind; made a most remarkable figure. He still wore the old buffalo coat; his blanket, which was tied in a loose bundle behind his saddle, went jolting135 from one side to the other, and a large tin canteen half full of water, which hung from his pommel, was jerked about his leg in a manner which greatly embarrassed him.
“Let out your horse, man; lay on your whip!” we called out to him. The buffalo were getting farther off at every instant. James, being ambitious to mend his pace, tugged136 hard at the rein137, and one of his rider’s boots escaped from the stirrup.
“Woa! I say, woa!” cried Tete Rouge, in great perturbation, and after much effort James’ progress was arrested. The hunter came trotting back to the party, disgusted with buffalo running, and he was received with overwhelming congratulations.
“Too good a chance to lose,” said Shaw, pointing to another band of bulls on the left. We lashed138 our horses and galloped upon them. Shaw killed one with each barrel of his gun. I separated another from the herd139 and shot him. The small bullet of the rifled pistol, striking too far back, did not immediately take effect, and the bull ran on with unabated speed. Again and again I snapped the remaining pistol at him. I primed it afresh three or four times, and each time it missed fire, for the touch-hole was clogged140 up. Returning it to the holster, I began to load the empty pistol, still galloping by the side of the bull. By this time he was grown desperate. The foam141 flew from his jaws142 and his tongue lolled out. Before the pistol was loaded he sprang upon me, and followed up his attack with a furious rush. The only alternative was to run away or be killed. I took to flight, and the bull, bristling143 with fury, pursued me closely. The pistol was soon ready, and then looking back, I saw his head five or six yards behind my horse’s tail. To fire at it would be useless, for a bullet flattens144 against the adamantine skull of a buffalo bull. Inclining my body to the left, I turned my horse in that direction as sharply as his speed would permit. The bull, rushing blindly on with great force and weight, did not turn so quickly. As I looked back, his neck and shoulders were exposed to view; turning in the saddle, I shot a bullet through them obliquely145 into his vitals. He gave over the chase and soon fell to the ground. An English tourist represents a situation like this as one of imminent146 danger; this is a great mistake; the bull never pursues long, and the horse must be wretched indeed that cannot keep out of his way for two or three minutes.
We were now come to a part of the country where we were bound in common prudence147 to use every possible precaution. We mounted guard at night, each man standing in his turn; and no one ever slept without drawing his rifle close to his side or folding it with him in his blanket. One morning our vigilance was stimulated148 by our finding traces of a large Comanche encampment. Fortunately for us, however, it had been abandoned nearly a week. On the next evening we found the ashes of a recent fire, which gave us at the time some uneasiness. At length we reached the Caches, a place of dangerous repute; and it had a most dangerous appearance, consisting of sand-hills everywhere broken by ravines and deep chasms. Here we found the grave of Swan, killed at this place, probably by the Pawnees, two or three weeks before. His remains149, more than once violated by the Indians and the wolves, were suffered at length to remain undisturbed in their wild burial place.
For several days we met detached companies of Price’s regiment. Horses would often break loose at night from their camps. One afternoon we picked up three of these stragglers quietly grazing along the river. After we came to camp that evening, Jim Gurney brought news that more of them were in sight. It was nearly dark, and a cold, drizzling150 rain had set in; but we all turned out, and after an hour’s chase nine horses were caught and brought in. One of them was equipped with saddle and bridle151; pistols were hanging at the pommel of the saddle, a carbine was slung at its side, and a blanket rolled up behind it. In the morning, glorying in our valuable prize, we resumed our journey, and our cavalcade152 presented a much more imposing153 appearance than ever before. We kept on till the afternoon, when, far behind, three horsemen appeared on the horizon. Coming on at a hand-gallop, they soon overtook us, and claimed all the horses as belonging to themselves and others of their company. They were of course given up, very much to the mortification154 of Ellis and Jim Gurney.
Our own horses now showed signs of fatigue155, and we resolved to give them half a day’s rest. We stopped at noon at a grassy156 spot by the river. After dinner Shaw and Henry went out to hunt; and while the men lounged about the camp, I lay down to read in the shadow of the cart. Looking up, I saw a bull grazing alone on the prairie more than a mile distant. I was tired of reading, and taking my rifle I walked toward him. As I came near, I crawled upon the ground until I approached to within a hundred yards; here I sat down upon the grass and waited till he should turn himself into a proper position to receive his death-wound. He was a grim old veteran. His loves and his battles were over for that season, and now, gaunt and war-worn, he had withdrawn157 from the herd to graze by himself and recruit his exhausted158 strength. He was miserably159 emaciated160; his mane was all in tatters; his hide was bare and rough as an elephant’s, and covered with dried patches of the mud in which he had been wallowing. He showed all his ribs whenever he moved. He looked like some grizzly old ruffian grown gray in blood and violence, and scowling161 on all the world from his misanthropic162 seclusion163. The old savage164 looked up when I first approached, and gave me a fierce stare; then he fell to grazing again with an air of contemptuous indifference. The moment after, as if suddenly recollecting165 himself, he threw up his head, faced quickly about, and to my amazement came at a rapid trot29 directly toward me. I was strongly impelled166 to get up and run, but this would have been very dangerous. Sitting quite still I aimed, as he came on, at the thin part of the skull above the nose. After he had passed over about three-quarters of the distance between us, I was on the point of firing, when, to my great satisfaction, he stopped short. I had full opportunity of studying his countenance; his whole front was covered with a huge mass of coarse matted hair, which hung so low that nothing but his two forefeet were visible beneath it; his short thick horns were blunted and split to the very roots in his various battles, and across his nose and forehead were two or three large white scars, which gave him a grim and at the same time a whimsical appearance. It seemed to me that he stood there motionless for a full quarter of an hour, looking at me through the tangled locks of his mane. For my part, I remained as quiet as he, and looked quite as hard; I felt greatly inclined to come to term with him. “My friend,” thought I, “if you’ll let me off, I’ll let you off.” At length he seemed to have abandoned any hostile design. Very slowly and deliberately he began to turn about; little by little his side came into view, all be-plastered with mud. It was a tempting167 sight. I forgot my prudent125 intentions, and fired my rifle; a pistol would have served at that distance. Round spun30 old bull like a top, and away he galloped over the prairie. He ran some distance, and even ascended168 a considerable hill, before he lay down and died. After shooting another bull among the hills, I went back to camp.
At noon, on the 14th of September, a very large Santa Fe caravan169 came up. The plain was covered with the long files of their white-topped wagons170, the close black carriages in which the traders travel and sleep, large droves of animals, and men on horseback and on foot. They all stopped on the meadow near us. Our diminutive171 cart and handful of men made but an insignificant172 figure by the side of their wide and bustling173 camp. Tete Rouge went over to visit them, and soon came back with half a dozen biscuits in one hand and a bottle of brandy in the other. I inquired where he got them. “Oh,” said Tete Rouge, “I know some of the traders. Dr. Dobbs is there besides.” I asked who Dr. Dobbs might be. “One of our St. Louis doctors,” replied Tete Rouge. For two days past I had been severely174 attacked by the same disorder175 which had so greatly reduced my strength when at the mountains; at this time I was suffering not a little from the sudden pain and weakness which it occasioned. Tete Rouge, in answer to my inquiries176, declared that Dr. Dobbs was a physician of the first standing. Without at all believing him, I resolved to consult this eminent177 practitioner178. Walking over to the camp, I found him lying sound asleep under one of the wagons. He offered in his own person but an indifferent specimen179 of his skill, for it was five months since I had seen so cadaverous a face.
His hat had fallen off, and his yellow hair was all in disorder; one of his arms supplied the place of a pillow; his pantaloons were wrinkled halfway180 up to his knees, and he was covered with little bits of grass and straw, upon which he had rolled in his uneasy slumber181. A Mexican stood near, and I made him a sign that he should touch the doctor. Up sprang the learned Dobbs, and, sitting upright, rubbed his eyes and looked about him in great bewilderment. I regretted the necessity of disturbing him, and said I had come to ask professional advice. “Your system, sir, is in a disordered state,” said he solemnly, after a short examination.
I inquired what might be the particular species of disorder.
“Evidently a morbid182 action of the liver,” replied the medical man; “I will give you a prescription183.”
Repairing to the back of one of the covered wagons, he scrambled184 in; for a moment I could see nothing of him but his boots. At length he produced a box which he had extracted from some dark recess185 within, and opening it, he presented me with a folded paper of some size. “What is it?” said I. “Calomel,” said the doctor.
Under the circumstances I would have taken almost anything. There was not enough to do me much harm, and it might possibly do good; so at camp that night I took the poison instead of supper.
That camp is worthy55 of notice. The traders warned us not to follow the main trail along the river, “unless,” as one of them observed, “you want to have your throats cut!” The river at this place makes a bend; and a smaller trail, known as the Ridge-path, leads directly across the prairie from point to point, a distance of sixty or seventy miles.
We followed this trail, and after traveling seven or eight miles, we came to a small stream, where we encamped. Our position was not chosen with much forethought or military skill. The water was in a deep hollow, with steep, high banks; on the grassy bottom of this hollow we picketed186 our horses, while we ourselves encamped upon the barren prairie just above. The opportunity was admirable either for driving off our horses or attacking us. After dark, as Tete Rouge was sitting at supper, we observed him pointing with a face of speechless horror over the shoulder of Henry, who was opposite to him. Aloof187 amid the darkness appeared a gigantic black apparition188; solemnly swaying to and fro, it advanced steadily189 upon us. Henry, half vexed190 and half amused, jumped up, spread out his arms, and shouted. The invader13 was an old buffalo bull, who with characteristic stupidity, was walking directly into camp. It cost some shouting and swinging of hats before we could bring him first to a halt and then to a rapid retreat.
That night the moon was full and bright; but as the black clouds chased rapidly over it, we were at one moment in light and at the next in darkness. As the evening advanced, a thunderstorm came up; it struck us with such violence that the tent would have been blown over if we had not interposed the cart to break the force of the wind. At length it subsided191 to a steady rain. I lay awake through nearly the whole night, listening to its dull patter upon the canvas above. The moisture, which filled the tent and trickled192 from everything in it, did not add to the comfort of the situation. About twelve o’clock Shaw went out to stand guard amid the rain and pitch darkness. Munroe, the most vigilant193 as well as one of the bravest among us, was also on the alert. When about two hours had passed, Shaw came silently in, and touching Henry, called him in a low quick voice to come out. “What is it?” I asked. “Indians, I believe,” whispered Shaw; “but lie still; I’ll call you if there’s a fight.”
He and Henry went out together. I took the cover from my rifle, put a fresh percussion cap upon it, and then, being in much pain, lay down again. In about five minutes Shaw came in again. “All right,” he said, as he lay down to sleep. Henry was now standing guard in his place. He told me in the morning the particulars of the alarm. Munroe’ s watchful194 eye discovered some dark objects down in the hollow, among the horses, like men creeping on all fours. Lying flat on their faces, he and Shaw crawled to the edge of the bank, and were soon convinced that what they saw were Indians. Shaw silently withdrew to call Henry, and they all lay watching in the same position. Henry’s eye is of the best on the prairie. He detected after a while the true nature of the moving objects; they were nothing but wolves creeping among the horses.
It is very singular that when picketed near a camp horses seldom show any fear of such an intrusion. The wolves appear to have no other object than that of gnawing195 the trail-ropes of raw hide by which the animals are secured. Several times in the course of the journey my horse’s trail-rope was bitten in two by these nocturnal visitors.
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1
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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5
precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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6
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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7
illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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8
subsisted
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
maneuvers
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| n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 ) | |
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10
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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12
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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13
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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15
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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16
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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18
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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19
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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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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21
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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22
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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23
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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24
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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25
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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26
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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27
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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29
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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30
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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31
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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32
boorish
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| adj.粗野的，乡巴佬的 | |
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33
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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34
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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35
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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36
confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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37
concise
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| adj.简洁的，简明的 | |
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38
rouge
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| n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红 | |
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39
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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40
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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41
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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42
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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43
belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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44
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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45
obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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46
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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47
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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48
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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49
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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50
bespeak
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| v.预定；预先请求 | |
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51
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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52
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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53
prefix
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| n.前缀；vt.加…作为前缀；置于前面 | |
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54
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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55
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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56
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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57
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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58
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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59
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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62
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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64
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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65
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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66
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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67
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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68
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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69
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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70
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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71
sputtering
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| n.反应溅射法；飞溅；阴极真空喷镀；喷射v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的现在分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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72
grimacing
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 ) | |
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73
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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74
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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75
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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76
refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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77
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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78
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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79
calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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80
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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81
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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82
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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83
declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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84
arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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85
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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86
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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87
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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88
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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89
chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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90
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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91
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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92
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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93
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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94
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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95
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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96
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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97
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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98
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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99
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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100
scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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101
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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102
butting
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| 用头撞人（犯规动作） | |
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103
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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104
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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105
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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106
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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107
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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108
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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109
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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110
puerile
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| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
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111
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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112
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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113
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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114
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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115
percussion
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| n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响 | |
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116
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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117
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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118
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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119
survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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120
totter
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| v.蹒跚， 摇摇欲坠；n.蹒跚的步子 | |
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121
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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122
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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123
bleached
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| 漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的 | |
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124
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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125
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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126
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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127
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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128
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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129
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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130
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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131
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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132
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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133
abominably
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| adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地 | |
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134
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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135
jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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136
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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137
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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138
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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139
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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140
clogged
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| （使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞 | |
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141
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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142
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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143
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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144
flattens
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| 变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的第三人称单数 )； 彻底打败某人，使丢脸； 停止增长（或上升）； （把身体或身体部位）紧贴… | |
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145
obliquely
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| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
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146
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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147
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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148
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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149
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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150
drizzling
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| 下蒙蒙细雨，下毛毛雨( drizzle的现在分词 ) | |
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151
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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152
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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153
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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154
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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155
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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156
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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157
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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158
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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159
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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160
emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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161
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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162
misanthropic
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| adj.厌恶人类的，憎恶（或蔑视）世人的；愤世嫉俗 | |
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163
seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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164
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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165
recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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166
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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167
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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168
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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169
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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170
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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171
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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172
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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173
bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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174
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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175
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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176
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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177
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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178
practitioner
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| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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179
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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180
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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181
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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182
morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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183
prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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184
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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185
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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186
picketed
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| 用尖桩围住（picket的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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187
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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188
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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189
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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190
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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191
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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192
trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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193
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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194
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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195
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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