They had not rested more than five minutes, when their attention was again attracted to the prairie. Another herd2 of antelopes3! Strange to say, it was; and, like the former, these were making directly for the spring. The hunters knew they were not the same; for this herd was much larger, and there were several males in it, easily distinguishable by their forked horns.
The guns were again loaded, and Marengo was called up—lest he might frighten them off.
These, like the others, marched in order, in single file—led by a large buck4. There appeared to be about thirty or more in this herd. They had, no doubt, been pasturing all day on some far plain, and were now on their way to the water, determined5 to have a good drink before going to rest for the night.
When they had arrived within four or five hundred yards of the spring, they turned slightly to the left. This brought them at once to the rivulet—where they entered, and having drunk, went out again, and commenced browsing6 along the bank. It was evident they did not intend coming any nearer to the butte, or the grove7 of willows8, where our hunters had concealed9 themselves. This was a disappointment. All three had once more set their minds upon an antelope supper; and now their chances of getting it seemed every moment growing less—as the animals, instead of coming nearer, were browsing away from them over the prairie. There was no cover by which they might be approached. What, then, could the hunters do, but leave them to go as they had come?
But there was an expedient10 which suggested itself to the mind of Basil. He had heard of it from old hunters; and the curious conduct of the first herd, so lately shown in regard to the wolves, recalled it to his remembrance. He resolved, therefore, to try this expedient, and secure an antelope if possible.
Cautioning his brothers to remain quiet, he took up one of the red blankets that lay near. He had already cut a long forked sapling, and sharpened it at one end with his knife. He now spread out the blanket, holding it up before him; and, with his rifle in one hand, and the sapling in the other, he passed out of the willows into the open ground—keeping the blanket between him and the animals, so that his body was completely hidden from them. In this way he advanced a few paces, walking in a bent11 attitude, until he had attracted the attention of the antelopes. He then stuck the sapling firmly in the ground, hung the blanket upon its forks, and knelt down behind it.
An object so odd-looking, both as regarded form and colour, at once excited the curiosity of the herd. They left off feeding, and commenced approaching it—halting at short intervals12, and then continuing to advance. They did not move in single file—as the former herd had done—but first one, and then another of the bucks13 took the lead, each wishing to make a display of his courage. In a few minutes one of the largest was within range; when Basil, who was lying flat along the grass, took sight at the animal’s breast and fired.
The buck leaped up at the shot; but, to the great disappointment of the marksman, turned in his tracks, and fled along with the rest of the herd, all of which had bounded off on hearing the crack of the rifle.
Basil beheld14 this with some surprise. He had taken deliberate aim; and he knew that when he did so, it was seldom that his rifle failed him. He had missed this time, however, as he thought, when he saw the antelope run off apparently15 unhurt; and, attributing his failure to the hurried manner in which he had loaded his piece, he took up the blanket, and turned with a mortified16 look towards his companions.
“Look yonder!” cried François, who still watched the retreating antelopes; “look at the wolves! Away they go after.”
“Ha!” exclaimed Lucien, “you have wounded the buck, brother, else the wolves would never follow. See! they are running upon his track like hounds!”
Lucien was right. The animal was hit, or the wolves would not have embarked17 in a chase so hopeless as the pursuit of a prong-horn; for, strange to say, these cunning creatures can tell when game has been wounded better than the hunters themselves, and very often pursue and run it down, when the latter believes it to have escaped! It was evident, therefore, that Basil had hit the animal—though not in a deadly part—and the wolves were now following with the hope of hunting it down.
A new idea came into Basil’s mind. He thought he might yet be in at the death; and with this idea he ran up to his horse, drew the picket-pin, and leaping upon his bare back, directed him after the chase. He was soon in full gallop18 over the prairie, keeping the wolves in sight as he went. He could see the antelope, he had fired at, some distance ahead of the wolves, but far behind the rest of the herd, and evidently running heavily and with pain.
It cost the young hunter a five-mile gallop; and, at the end of that, while he was yet half-a-mile in the rear, he saw the wolves come up with the wounded antelope, and drag it down upon the prairie. He made all the haste he could—putting Black Hawk19 to the top of his speed. In a few minutes he was upon the ground, and scattered20 the wolves as he galloped21 among them; but once more he had arrived too late. The body of the antelope was torn to pieces, and more than half devoured22; while only half-picked bones and pieces of skin remained to reward him for his long ride!
With an ejaculation, which came very near being a French oath, the disappointed hunter turned his horse, and rode slowly back—wishing the wolves far enough as he went.
When he returned, François assisted him in his maledictions; for François was tired of the bear-meat, and was vexed23 at being thus a second time cheated out of something fresh for supper.
Lucien, however, assured them both that the flesh of the antelope, as he had heard, was “no great eating,” after all; and this, in some degree, pacified24 them—so that, with a stew25 of the jerked bear and parsnips, and some piñon bread, which Lucien had prepared according to the Indian fashion, all three made a supper that was not to be sneered26 at under any circumstances. When it was eaten, they brought their horses closer to the camp—so as to have them near in case of necessity—and, having wrapped themselves in their blankets, they once more sought the refreshment27 of sleep.
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1
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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2
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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3
antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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4
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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6
browsing
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| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
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7
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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8
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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10
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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11
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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12
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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13
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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14
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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15
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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16
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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17
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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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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19
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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20
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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21
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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22
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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23
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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24
pacified
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| 使（某人）安静( pacify的过去式和过去分词 )； 息怒； 抚慰； 在（有战争的地区、国家等）实现和平 | |
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25
stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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26
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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