There are periods in the life of almost all menA when misfortunes seem to crowd upon them inrapid succession, when they escape from one dangeronly to encounter another, and when, to use a well-knownexpression, they succeed in leaping out of thefrying-pan at the expense of plunging2 into the fire.
So was it with our three friends upon this occasion.
They were scarcely rid of the Blackfeet, who found themtoo watchful3 to be caught napping, when, about daybreakone morning, they encountered a roving band ofCamanchee Indians, who wore such a warlike aspectthat Joe deemed it prudent4 to avoid them if possible.
"They don't see us yit, I guess," said Joe, as he andhis companions drove the horses into a hollow betweenthe grassy6 waves of the prairie, "an' if we only can escape theirsharpeyes till we're in yonder clump7 o' willows8, we're safe enough.""But why don't you ride up to them, Joe," inquiredDick, "and make peace between them and the Pale-faces,as you ha' done with other bands?""Because it's o' no use to risk our scalps for thechance o' makin' peace wi' a rovin' war party. Keepyer head down, Henri! If they git only a sight o' thetop o' yer cap, they'll be down on us like a breeze o'
wind.""Ha! let dem come!" said Henri.
"They'll come without askin' yer leave," remarkedJoe, dryly.
Notwithstanding his defiant9 expression, Henri hadsufficient prudence10 to induce him to bend his head andshoulders, and in a few minutes they reached theshelter of the willows unseen by the savages12. At leastso thought Henri, Joe was not quite sure about it, andDick hoped for the best.
In the course of half-an-hour the last of the Camancheeswas seen to hover13 for a second on the horizon,like a speck14 of black against the sky, and then to disappear.
Immediately the three hunters vaulted15 on their steedsand resumed their journey; but before that eveningclosed they had sad evidence of the savage11 nature ofthe band from which they had escaped. On passingthe brow of a slight eminence16, Dick, who rode first,observed that Crusoe stopped and snuffed the breeze inan anxious, inquiring manner.
"What is't, pup?" said Dick, drawing up, for heknew that his faithful dog never gave a false alarm.
Crusoe replied by a short, uncertain bark, and thenbounding forward, disappeared behind a little woodedknoll. In another moment a long, dismal17 howl floatedover the plains. There was a mystery about the dog'sconduct which, coupled with his melancholy18 cry, struckthe travellers with a superstitious19 feeling of dread20, asthey sat looking at each other in surprise.
"Come, let's clear it up," cried Joe Blunt, shakingthe reins22 of his steed, and galloping23 forward. A fewstrides brought them to the other side of the knoll,where, scattered25 upon the torn and bloody26 turf, theydiscovered the scalped and mangled27 remains28 of abouttwenty or thirty human beings. Their skulls29 had beencleft by the tomahawk and their breasts pierced by thescalping-knife, and from the position in which many ofthem lay it was evident that they had been slain30 whileasleep.
Joe's brow flushed and his lips became tightly compressedas he muttered between his set teeth, "Theirskins are white."A short examination sufficed to show that the menwho had thus been barbarously murdered while theyslept had been a band of trappers or hunters, but whattheir errand had been, or whence they came, they couldnot discover.
Everything of value had been carried off, and all thescalps had been taken. Most of the bodies, althoughmuch mutilated, lay in a posture31 that led our huntersto believe they had been killed while asleep; but one ortwo were cut almost to pieces, and from the blood-bespatteredand trampled32 sward around, it seemed as ifthey had struggled long and fiercely for life. Whetheror not any of the savages had been slain, it was impossibleto tell, for if such had been the case, theircomrades, doubtless, had carried away their bodies.
That they had been slaughtered33 by the party of Camancheeswho had been seen at daybreak was quite clear toJoe; but his burning desire to revenge the death of thewhite men had to be stifled34, as his party was so small.
Long afterwards it was discovered that this was aband of trappers who, like those mentioned at the beginningof this volume, had set out to avenge35 the deathof a comrade; but God, who has retained the right ofvengeance in his own hand, saw fit to frustrate36 theirpurpose, by giving them into the hands of the savageswhom they had set forth37 to slay38.
As it was impossible to bury so many bodies, thetravellers resumed their journey, and left them to bleachthere in the wilderness39; but they rode the whole ofthat day almost without uttering a word.
Meanwhile the Camanchees, who had observed thetrio, and had ridden away at first for the purpose ofdeceiving them into the belief that they had passedunobserved, doubled on their track, and took a longsweep in order to keep out of sight until they couldapproach under the shelter of a belt of woodlandtowards which the travellers now approached.
The Indians adopted this course instead of the easiermethod of simply pursuing so weak a party, becausethe plains at this part were bordered by a long stretchof forest into which the hunters could have plunged,and rendered pursuit more difficult, if not almost useless.
The detour40 thus taken was so extensive that the shadesof evening were beginning to descend41 before they couldput their plan into execution. The forest lay about amile to the right of our hunters, like some dark mainland, of whichtheprairie was the sea and the scatteredclumps of wood the islands.
"There's no lack o' game here," said Dick Varley,pointing to a herd42 of buffaloes43 which rose at theirapproach and fled away towards the wood.
"I think we'll ha' thunder soon," remarked Joe. "Inever feel it onnatteral hot like this without lookin' outfor a plump.""Ha! den5 ve better look hout for one goot tree toget b'low," suggested Henri. "Voilà!" he added, pointingwith his finger towards the plain; "dere am a lotof wild hosses."A troop of about thirty wild horses appeared, as hespoke, on the brow of a ridge44, and advanced slowlytowards them.
Wild horses! my rifle to a pop-gun there's wilder menon t'other side o' them.""What mean you, Joe?" inquired Dick, riding closeup.
"D'ye see the little lumps on the shoulder o' eachhorse?" said Joe. "Them's Injun's feet; an' if we don'twant to lose our scalps we'd better make for the forest."Joe proved himself to be in earnest by wheelinground and making straight for the thick wood as fast ashis horse could run. The others followed, driving thepack-horses before them.
The effect of this sudden movement on the so-called"wild horses" was very remarkable, and to one unacquaintedwith the habits of the Camanchee Indiansmust have appeared almost supernatural. In the twinklingof an eye every steed had a rider on its back, andbefore the hunters had taken five strides in the directionof the forest, the whole band were in hot pursuit,yelling like furies.
The manner in which these Indians accomplish thisfeat is very singular, and implies great activity andstrength of muscle on the part of the savages.
The Camanchees are low in stature47, and usually arerather corpulent. In their movements on foot they areheavy and ungraceful, and they are, on the whole, aslovenly and unattractive race of men. But the instantthey mount their horses they seem to be entirelychanged, and surprise the spectator with the ease andelegance of their movements. Their great and distinctivepeculiarity as horsemen is the power they haveacquired of throwing themselves suddenly on either sideof their horse's body, and clinging on in such a waythat no part of them is visible from the other sidesave the foot by which they cling. In this mannerthey approach their enemies at full gallop24, and, withoutrising again to the saddle, discharge their arrows atthem over the horses' backs, or even under theirnecks.
This apparently49 magical feat46 is accomplished50 bymeans of a halter of horse-hair, which is passed roundunder the neck of the horse and both ends braided intothe mane, on the withers51, thus forming a loop whichhangs under the neck and against the breast. Thisbeing caught by the hand, makes a sling52, into which theelbow falls, taking the weight of the body on the middleof the upper arm. Into this loop the rider drops suddenlyand fearlessly, leaving his heel to hang over thehorse's back to steady him, and also to restore him to hisseat when desired.
By this stratagem54 the Indians had approached on thepresent occasion almost within rifle range before theywere discovered, and it required the utmost speed of thehunters' horses to enable them to avoid being overtaken.
One of the Indians, who was better mountedthan his fellows, gained on the fugitives55 so much thathe came within arrow range, but reserved his shaft56 untilthey were close on the margin57 of the wood, when, beingalmost alongside of Henri, he fitted an arrow to hisbow. Henri's eye was upon him, however. Letting gothe line of the pack-horse which he was leading, hethrew forward his rifle; but at the same moment thesavage disappeared behind his horse, and an arrowwhizzed past the hunter's ear.
Henri fired at the horse, which dropped instantly,hurling the astonished Camanchee upon the ground, wherehe lay for some time insensible. In a few secondspursued and pursuers entered the wood, where both hadto advance with caution, in order to avoid being sweptoff by the overhanging branches of the trees.
Meanwhile the sultry heat of which Joe had formerlyspoken increased considerably58, and a rumbling59 noise,as if of distant thunder, was heard; but the flyinghunters paid no attention to it, for the led horses gavethem so much trouble, and retarded60 their flight so much,that the Indians were gradually and visibly gaining onthem.
"We'll ha' to let the packs go," said Joe, somewhatbitterly, as he looked over his shoulder. "Our scalps'llpay for't, if we don't."Henri uttered a peculiar48 and significant hiss53 betweenhis teeth, as he said, "P'r'aps ve better stopand fight!"Dick said nothing, being resolved to do exactly whatJoe Blunt bid him; and Crusoe, for reasons best knownto himself, also said nothing, but bounded along besidehis master's horse, casting an occasional glance upwardsto catch any signal that might be given.
They had passed over a considerable space of ground,and were forcing their way at the imminent61 hazard oftheir necks through a densely-clothed part of the wood,when the sound above referred to increased, attractingthe attention of both parties. In a few seconds theair was filled with a steady and continuous rumblingsound, like the noise of a distant cataract62. Pursuersand fugitives drew rein21 instinctively63, and came to adead stand; while the rumbling increased to a roar, andevidently approached them rapidly, though as yet nothingto cause it could be seen, except that there was a dense,dark cloud overspreading the sky to the southward.
The air was oppressively still and hot.
"What can it be?" inquired Dick, looking at Joe, whowas gazing with an expression of wonder, not unmixedwith concern, at the southern sky.
"Dun'no', boy. I've bin64 more in the woods than inthe clearin' in my day, but I niver heerd the likes o'
that.""It am like t'ondre," said Henri; "mais it nevair dostop."This was true. The sound was similar to continuous,uninterrupted thunder. On it came with a magnificentroar that shook the very earth, and revealeditself at last in the shape of a mighty65 whirlwind. Ina moment the distant woods bent66 before it, and fell likegrass before the scythe67. It was a whirling hurricane,accompanied by a deluge68 of rain such as none of theparty had ever before witnessed. Steadily69, fiercely,irresistibly it bore down upon them, while the crash offalling, snapping, and uprooting70 trees mingled71 with thedire artillery72 of that sweeping73 storm like the musketryon a battle-field.
"Follow me, lads!" shouted Joe, turning his horseand dashing at full speed towards a rocky eminencethat offered shelter. But shelter was not needed. Thestorm was clearly defined. Its limits were as distinctlymarked by its Creator as if it had been a living intelligencesent forth to put a belt of desolation roundthe world; and, although the edge of devastation74 wasnot five hundred yards from the rock behind which thehunters were stationed, only a few drops of ice-coldrain fell upon them.
It passed directly between the Camanchee Indiansand their intended victims, placing between them abarrier which it would have taken days to cut through.
The storm blew for an hour, then it travelled onward75 inits might, and was lost in the distance. Whence itcame and whither it went none could tell, but far asthe eye could see on either hand an avenue a quarterof a mile wide was cut through the forest. It hadlevelled everything with the dust; the very grass wasbeaten flat; the trees were torn, shivered, snappedacross, and crushed; and the earth itself in manyplaces was ploughed up and furrowed76 with deep scars.
The chaos77 was indescribable, and it is probable thatcenturies will not quite obliterate78 the work of thatsingle hour.
While it lasted, Joe and his comrades remainedspeechless and awe-stricken. When it passed, no Indianswere to be seen. So our hunters remounted theirsteeds, and, with feelings of gratitude79 to God for havingdelivered them alike from savage foes80 and from the destructivepower of the whirlwind, resumed their journeytowards the Mustang Valley.
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1
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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4
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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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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6
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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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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9
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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10
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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13
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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14
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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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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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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23
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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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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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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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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35
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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frustrate
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| v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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39
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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40
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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41
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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buffaloes
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| n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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reining
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的现在分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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47
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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48
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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49
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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50
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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51
withers
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| 马肩隆 | |
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52
sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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53
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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54
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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55
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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56
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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57
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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59
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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60
retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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63
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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64
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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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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67
scythe
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| n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割 | |
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68
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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69
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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70
uprooting
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| n.倒根，挖除伐根v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的现在分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园 | |
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71
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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72
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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73
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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74
devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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76
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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78
obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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79
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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80
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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