“It’s time my little gal4 had education,” he said, quietly. “Touse or Bent5’s air no place for her, or Santy Fee either, an’ I’m no fit person to raise her. I’ve got kin6 back thar in Missouri, an’ maybe I can put her with some o’ them, so she’ll grow up with white people an’ learn civilized7 ways.”
“Have you been back thar since you come out, Kit?” asked somebody.
Carson shook his head.
“Nope,” he said; “in the sixteen years the only settlements I’ve seen air trading posts o’ plains an’ mountains, an’ Touse an’ Santy Fee. I war a boy when in fall o’ Twenty-six I left home. Ought to have gone back, but didn’t. They say now Missouri’s[57] grown a heap, an’ I won’t know Franklin town, an’ thar’s so many other towns I’ll be lost.”
“Independence air the outfit8 point o’ the Santy Fee caravans9, now,” observed Ike Chamberlain—a fact that all knew. “Franklin air too far down-river. An’ thar’s a new movement on—to Oregon in the Northwest country; starts from the Missouri at Independence same as Santy Fee trade does. Those missionaries11 who went out to the lower Columbia, over the South Pass an’ the Snake River trail, in Thirty-four an’ after, have been making big talks through the States, ’bout how Oregon air the place for ’Merican farmers ’stead o’ British fur-hunters, an’ Congress has been argufying, an’ Lu has jest heard from some o’ his folks that thar’s a regular movement afoot this spring to send a big wagon-train o’ settlers out by the Platte an’ Laramie trail, over South Pass an’ clear through to the Columbia. Isn’t that so, Lu?”
Lucien Maxwell nodded. He was a dark, broad-shouldered young man, about twenty-three, and a favorite of Kit Carson’s. He was not in the Carson company, exactly, but was a trader with the Indians and for the Bent, St. Vrain & Co., on the Santa Fé Trail and between Bent’s Fort and Fort St. Vrain. He was much at Taos, where he had just married the Se?orita Luz Beaubien, daughter of Charles Beaubien, one of Taos’ most cultured residents. As Maxwell was much upon the trader trail to the States, and as he[58] lived, or at least his parents lived, at old Kaskaskia, Illinois, below St. Louis, he carried much news.
“Yes,” he answered. “I’ve a letter and a newspaper from home that say that Doctor White—Elijah White, who’s been missionary12 doctor in Oregon; you fellows have heard him—has been appointed Indian agent for the United States in Oregon; and when he goes out this spring a lot of settlers are going, too, so as to have him take ’em through.”
“Wagh!” grunted13 an old trapper. “Fat doings for Injuns! Thar’ll be hosses to steal an’ ha’r to lift, I’m thinking. Sioux an’ Blackfeet air half-froze for jest sech a caravan10 o’ greenhorns on a trail ’crost continent. Wagh! This chile’d rather go it alone.”
“Thar ought to be a line o’ posts from the Missouri clear to the mountains, all ’long the trail; an’ over across, too, if folks from the States air going to travel it,” declared Chamberlain.
“That ees so. Dose Injuns, dey get mad when dey see so many whites in buffalo15 country; an’ dose Britishers in Oregon, dey jus’ as soon Americans stay on dees side Rocky Mountains,” agreed Mariano, Mexican trapper.
“Well, this paper has a message in it from Washington, and there’s talk of a government expedition going out over the trail this very spring, to survey it and maybe see what can be done,” informed Maxwell.
“Wagh!” grunted the old trapper. “Hyar’s a coon that doesn’t need ary government expedition[59] to show him the trail. He travelled it with Ashley in Twenty-four, he did; an’ he war over the South Pass an’ into the Green River country t’other side, an’ he’s trapped through to the Columbia an’ Vancouver, an’ to Californy, too. Can’t tell mountain-men ’bout the way to Oregon.”
“Yep; an’ those missionary women crossed through in Thirty-six, an’ more in Thirty-eight,” chimed in another. “That broke the trail to the Oregon country, sure.”
“Seems to me the government must be planning a line of forts, and the expedition will spy out and report on that,” remarked Maxwell. “Like as not an army man will lead it.”
“Oregon country air a fine country,” asserted somebody. “Think o’ trying it, myself. ’Most went thar as settler when Joe Meek16 an’ Doc Newell an’ others took the Columbia Trail after last rendezvous17 in Thirty-nine.”
“Trés-belle, ess eet. I hear so from my cousin, who leeve in la valle Weellamette. He was Hudson Bay man, trapper; now he farmer,” volunteered Henri Menard, French-Canadian of St. Louis.
Such was the talk following upon Kit Carson’s quiet announcement that he would go back this spring by early caravan to Missouri, and there leave his little half-Indian Adaline, to give her the schooling18 which he had missed. And Lucien Maxwell said he[60] “guessed” that he would go, too, and visit his parents and other relatives at Kaskaskia.
For the remainder of the company, north led the trapper trail: from old Taos up through the mountains of central Colorado, into the South Park, thence on over by wild passes into the Middle Park. They set their beaver traps in the side streams of the Grand River. It seemed best not to go on further, for Indian trouble was rumored19.
This was Ute country, and the friendly dark Utes with their squaws followed the camps—the squaws skinning the beaver and asking only the carcass or a pinch of sugar, the bucks20 gorging21 and trading. Deer meat, elk22 meat, buffalo meat, and delicious roast beaver-tail which looked like thick gelatin and tasted like saltless pig’s-feet, was the camp menu. It was a very pleasant trapping trip.
About June 1, with eighteen packs of beaver, otter23, and martin pelts24—each beaver or otter bale containing eighty skins—half the company, led by Ike Chamberlain, rode out for Taos; the others stayed in, to rest and “make meat” and repair equipment, until opened the fall fur hunt. In the homeward travelling company was Oliver, now a seasoned trapper as well as an accepted “Carson man.”
Old Taos had not changed in the three months. Only, Kit Carson had gone, as promised, to the States. He had caught the first of the Bent, St. Vrain & Co. goods caravans out of Bent’s Fort for Missouri, five[61] hundred and more miles, to put Adaline where she would get some education. Lucien Maxwell had gone, too.
“Wall, Kit won’t stay long,” drawled Ike—his first remark after hearing the facts. “He’ll find things are different; the frontier’s grown up with people, an’ he’ll feel lonesome, ’mongst ’em. He’ll be coming back to Touse, right soon.”
Indeed, according to opinion ’twas time for his return already; and in mid-afternoon of the day after their own arrival, Oliver, upon the front porch of the Carson house, his attention attracted to a bustle25 and to the hurrying figure of Ike, thought that Kit might be in town or at least at Bent’s Fort. Through the plaza26 hastened tall Ike; straight-footed, slightly bow-legged, carrying, as customary, his long rifle.
“Get yore outfit ready for the trail ag’in,” he bade, quickly, with scarce a pause. “Word from Kit says to meet him at Fort Laramie, pronto! Leave to-morrow.”
“All right,” answered Oliver, astonished, but knowing better than to delay Ike for foolish questions.
Still, this was most sudden and unexpected. What was Kit Carson doing up at Fort Laramie, on the Oregon Trail, when he should have been at Bent’s Fort, on the Santa Fé Trail? Oliver set out after information.
The first of the company whom he encountered was[62] Mariano Medino, the Mexican, squatting27 and filling a powder-horn in a doorway28.
“Yes. What’s news?”
“Ah, that Keet Carson, he say ‘Come to Laramie,’ an’ we come. That all I know,” answered Mariano, busily.
“Who brought the word?”
“Dos (two) Injuns. See? Over there,” directed Mariano, with nod of head.
Oliver looked, and noted30 a little knot of towns-people—mainly Mexicans, shoulders and heads shrouded31 in serapes or native blankets—standing before the Bent, St. Vrain & Co. local warehouse32 and gazing at the doorway. So across the plaza he trudged33.
The knot was scrutinizing34, without much comment, two Indians who leaned, stolid35 and unaffected and haughty36, against the doorway posts. They were Indians of lighter37 coppery complexion38 than the Kiowas or the Apaches or the Utes; they were as light as a Cheyenne, and one had a scraggly moustache of black hairs. By this, and by the beading of their shirts and the shape of their moccasins, Oliver (a mountain-man) knew them to be Indians of a strange tribe. A voice at his elbow interrupted his examination.
“Those are Delawares, boy.” It was Bill Williams who spoke—Bill Williams, sometimes called “Preacher” Williams; not a Carson man, but an odd old trapper who from his lone14 trail occasionally appeared[63] in Taos. “Eastern Injuns they be, who war moved by the government into the Injun country ’long the Missouri frontier. Big hunters an’ fighters, but don’t often get to the mountains.”
“Are they the express from Kit?”
“They are the runners from Kit. Sent ’em from the mouth o’ the Kaw, or Kansas Landing ’bove Independence. Understand they came through, the seven hundred miles, in ’leven days, which is good travel.”
So it was; and evidently, therefore, the message from Carson for his men to meet him at Fort Laramie was urgent. And little time could be spent preparing; none could be wasted; for as everybody knew, Fort Laramie was four hundred miles from Bent’s Fort, and Bent’s Fort was two hundred and fifty miles from Taos.
Now must the Kit Carson men at Taos fall to, making ready. Bullets must be moulded, powder-horns replenished39, repairs put upon saddle and shirt and leggins, new moccasins found or the old ones soled again. Nobody might tell whither this next trail led, nor how long ere it would turn home; and few cared, even though they had just come in from another trail of three months.
Two men were sent back to the summer camp to tell the Sol Silver party what had happened; three were assigned to see the bales of pelts through to market at St. Louis; and before noon of the following day the rest, fifteen of them, under Lieutenant40 Ike,[64] with plenty of horses and mules41 for saddle and pack, clattered42 out of Taos, bound straight for Fort Laramie, more than six hundred miles away.
Riding northward43, on the sixth day the hurrying squad44 emerged in sight of Bent’s Fort, above whose brown, high walls flew the Stars and Stripes: a token and a challenge, planted here on the farthest border where the United States met Mexico.
Fording the Arkansas, in this the southeastern part of present Colorado, the Carson men were in American territory. Swarthy William Bent, proprietor45, who lived at the fort, and whose wife was a Cheyenne woman, welcomed them into the broad gateway46.
Mr. Bent was enabled to supply a little news.
“Why, yes, there’s a lot of talk this spring of emigration to the Oregon country,” he said; “reports from Missouri are, that some one hundred settlers, including women and children, left, middle of May, over the trail for Oregon. And a government expedition’s afoot. Maxwell’s been hired for it. Like as not you’ll find Kit’s mixed up in some of that business, too.”
From Bent’s, with its brave flag, its brass47 cannon48 piece upon the wall, and its sturdy garrison49, on pushed the squad.
Two hundred miles more they rode, until, where green foothills met green plains, under the eye of Long’s Peak, was stationed, as Oliver well knew, Fort St. Vrain, brother post to Bent’s. He was wondering[65] whether Ike was not intending to swing into the west and visit this post, when, like the others, he sighted a horseman approaching at a gallop50.
“White man, I reckon,” cried others.
“Close up, close up,” ordered Lieutenant Ike, gruffly. “An’ keep yore eyes peeled for more.”
Rapidly the horseman approached. Nearer he drew, speeding recklessly, his pony52 now and then jumping to avoid a badger53 hole or prairie-dog hole. Presently could be descried54 his long hair and a kerchief turban streaming in the breeze that he made; above his head he flourished his rifle—its muzzle55 puffed56 smoke, as signal that he was a friend and was coming with empty gun.
“White!” grunted several voices, simultaneously57.
“Wagh!” uttered another. “Not exactly, boys. If that airn’t Jim Beckwith, I’m a beaver!”
Jim Beckwith! Oliver knew Jim Beckwith—or Beckwourth, as he called himself—and had seen him in Taos. He was a mixed blood, half French and half negro, and was celebrated58 because, when early a trapper, he had been adopted by the Crow Indians and made a head war-chief.
Arriving, while jogged the squad, he halted his pony by pulling it to its haunches. A romantic figure he was, with head bare, Indian fashion, with dark, handsome, almost Indian features, his sinewy59, graceful[66] frame sheathed60 in gaily61 fringed and beaded buckskin.
“How,” he greeted.
“How,” and “Hello, Jim,” greeted the squad.
“From Touse?”
“Yep.”
“Where bound?”
“Up to Fort John.”
“What’s the news?”
“Nothing much. Kit sent for us, is all.”
“Wants you on that expedition.”
“What expedition?”
“Government.”
“How’d you know?”
“’Cause part of it’s just passed on up through St. Vrain. I was there and saw it. Young army fellow by name of Frémont’s captain, and he said Carson and rest of the crowd are waiting at Laramie. Maxwell was along, too, and he said same. Maxwell’s hunter, Kit’s guide. Kit took one party up by way the North Platte trail, Frémont and Maxwell came in ’cross country by South Platte. They’re all to meet at Fort John or Laramie.”
“Oregon trail’s being broken by settlers. First company’s already passed Laramie. Sioux are bad, and Gros Vents63 and Cheyennes have joined ’em, for war-path up Sweetwater. They’re hot for Crow and[67] white scalps, and Snake hosses. You fellows are liable to lose ha’r.”
“Wagh! But what’s this hyar expedition for?”
“To make the trail wider. To tell the government at Washington where South Pass is, near as I could find out from Maxwell.”
“But who doesn’t know whar South Pass air!” exclaimed a chorus.
“Wall,” quoth Lieutenant Ike, “if we’ve all been thar once we can all go thar ag’in. Kit’s sent for us, an’ that’s ’nough. Come on, boys.”
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1
beaver
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| n.海狸，河狸 | |
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apportioned
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| vt.分摊，分配（apportion的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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13
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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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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schooling
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| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
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rumored
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| adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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gorging
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的现在分词 )；作呕 | |
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elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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otter
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| n.水獭 | |
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pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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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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plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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warehouse
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| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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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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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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clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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53
badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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54
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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56
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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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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vents
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| （气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩 | |
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