Our friends left the Missouri some distance beyond old Fort Osage, where the stream changes its course, and instead of flowing directly east, comes from the north. They headed a little south of northwest, and when we look upon them again the four were in the western part of the present State of Kansas and below the Arkansas River. Had they turned south they would have had to cross only a comparatively narrow neck of Oklahoma to enter the immense State of Texas.
By this time it was early summer and the region was like fairyland. The surface was rolling prairie, and the luxuriant grass was dotted with an exuberance3 of wild flowers, brilliant, beautiful and fragrant4, while the soft blue sky, flecked here and there by snowy patches of cloud, shut down on every hand. North, south, east, west, every point of the compass showed the same apparently5 limitless expanse of rolling prairie, watered by many streams and fertile as the “Garden of the Lord.”
The party had become accustomed to the varying scenery which greeted them from the hour of leaving their distant home, and especially after crossing the Mississippi, but they were profoundly impressed by the wonderful loveliness on every hand. Mul-tal-la had passed over the same ground before, but it was not clothed in such enchanting6 verdure. Not a single tree was in sight, but the grass in some places brushed the bellies7 of the horses, and no one needed to be told that at no distant day the region would become one of the most prosperous on the continent.
At intervals8 the horsemen came to higher swells9 in the prairies, upon which they halted and surveyed the surrounding country. While the weather was warm, there was just a touch of coolness which made it ideal for riding, walking or, in fact, living and drawing one’s breath.
The best of fortune had attended the little company thus far. There had been some delays and checks in crossing the streams, and once Zigzag’s stubbornness came within a hair of losing the contents of the pack strapped10 to his back. Bug11, the horse of Mul-tal-la, wandered off one night, and he, too, developed such a spell of obstinacy12 that it was a whole day before he was found again. Had he not been recovered just when he was he would have been run off by a party of Pawnees, who seemed disposed to make a fight for him. These warriors13 were large, finely formed and numerous enough to wipe out the four, but the exercise of tact14 finally adjusted matters, and nothing more of an unpleasant nature occurred.
But, without dwelling15 upon these and other annoying incidents, we find our friends in the section named on this bright, sunshiny forenoon in early summer, riding at a leisurely16 gait toward the setting sun, for the time had not yet come to turn northward17 and make for the hunting grounds of the Blackfeet.
Deerfoot checked his horse on the crest18 of the moderate elevation19, with one of the brothers on either side of him, and Mul-tal-la farther to the left. All carefully scanned the horizon and the grand sweep of prairie that inclosed them on every side.
“Do my brothers see anything more than the stretch of plain?” asked Deerfoot.
Naturally one of the first things done by George Shelton at such times was to bring his spyglass to his eye. It was a good instrument and proved of value to all. He had been thus engaged for several minutes when the Shawanoe asked his question.
“No,” was the reply. “There seems to be no end to waving grass and shining flower.”
“Let my brother look to the northward,” said Deerfoot, pointing in that direction, “and tell me what he sees.”
George did as directed. At first he saw nothing unusual, but as he peered he observed a change in the color of the landscape. Far off toward the horizon he noted20, instead of the variegated21 hue22, a dark sweep, as if the prairie ended on the shore of a dun-colored lake or sea. It covered thirty degrees of the circle. His first thought was that it was a large body of water, for as he studied it closer he perceived a restless pulsation23 of the surface, which suggested waves, though there was not a breath of wind where the company had halted.
“It looks to me like a big body of water,” said the boy, lowering his glass.
“Let me have a squint,” remarked Victor, reaching for the glass, which was passed to him.
Deerfoot and Mul-tal-la did not speak, but exchanged significant looks.
Victor held the glass to his eyes for several minutes, while the others waited for him to speak.
“It looks like a body of water,” he finally said, without lowering the instrument, “but, if it is, it’s coming this way!”
It was the Blackfoot who grinned and uttered the single word:
“Buffaloes!”
“So they are! You might have known that, George.”
“You didn’t know it till Mul-tal-la told you.”
Very soon the animals were identified by the naked eye. Numbers had been seen before, but never so large a herd25 as that upon which all now gazed with rapt attention. There must have been tens of thousands, all coming with that heavy, plunging26 pace peculiar27 to those animals. Sometimes an immense drove would be quietly cropping the herbage, when a slight flurry would set several in motion. Then the excitement ran through the whole lot with almost electric suddenness, and all were soon plunging in headlong flight across the plain.
The buffalo24, or more properly the American bison, is a stupid creature and subject to the most senseless panics. Thousands have been known to dash at the highest speed straight away. Sometimes the leaders would come abruptly28 to the top of a lofty bluff29, perhaps overlooking a stream deep below. In vain they attempted to hold back or to swerve30 to one side. The prodigious31 pressure from the rear was resistless, and they were driven over the cliff into the water, with the others piling upon them, and those again borne under by the remainder of the herd until hundreds were trampled32, smothered35 and drowned in the muddy water beneath. Only those at the extreme rear were able to save themselves, and that not through any wit of their own.
As the seething36 host bore down upon the horsemen it was seen that the front, which was spread out over an expanse of several hundred yards, was coming straight for the elevation upon which our friends were waiting and watching them. Bellowing37 mingled39 with the thunderous tread of the mighty40 mass, and the sight was enough to awe41 the stoutest42 heart.
“They will trample33 us to death,” called the scared Victor, looking at Deerfoot, who was calmly contemplating43 the approaching army. The horses raised their heads, looked toward the brown, undulating mass, snuffed, snorted and trembled with terror, for their instinct told them that the peril44 was bearing down upon them with hurricane swiftness.
It would not do to wait, for the most frightful45 of deaths threatened the party. Mul-tal-la slipped from his horse and whipped the blanket from his back. Deerfoot also dismounted, but did not take his blanket with him, though he carried his gun.
“Let my brothers come with me,” he said sharply to the boys, who nervously46 sprang from their saddles and hurried to his side.
The Blackfoot ran a few paces in front of the three and began vigorously waving the blanket over his head, shouting at the top of his voice. At the same moment Deerfoot leveled his gun and fired at the nearest bison, which was less than a hundred yards off. The bullet struck the gigantic head, but the beast did not suffer the slightest harm. He plunged47 forward with the same impetuosity as before.
Deerfoot caught the gun from George’s grasp and fired again, but with no more effect than at first. The horses were snorting and rearing and in danger of breaking off in the irrestrainable panic shown by the bison. The Shawanoe reached for the rifle of Victor, and the lad eagerly passed the weapon to him.
“Let my brothers look to the horses,” he called, still cool but under restrained excitement. The boys ran to the animals and immediately found their hands full, for a horse frantic48 with fear is one of the most unmanageable of creatures.
Deerfoot did not discharge the third weapon, but awaited the chance to make his shot effective. It was a waste of ammunition49 to launch a bullet at the iron-like front of a bison. The surest avenue to his seat of life is back of the foreleg. The heads were held so low by the plunging brutes50 that they acted as shields to the vulnerable portions from that direction, and the position of the Shawanoe did not allow a favorable aim.
Mul-tal-la ran several steps toward the thundering herd, and then began leaping into the air, swinging his blanket and shouting like a crazy man. In any other circumstances his antics would have caused a laugh, but this was no time for merriment. Deerfoot was the only tranquil51 member of the party, and he stood with weapon half raised, unable to decide what to do to avert52 the peril sweeping53 down upon them like a hurricane.
Seconds were beyond value. Unless the bison were diverted at once the breath of life would be crushed out of the four and out of their animals. Wild bellowings filled the air, and peculiar crackling, rattling54 sounds, limitless in number, were heard. These were caused by the contact of the horns of the bison, which were crowded so close in many places that the wonder was how they were able to move at all.
The last hope seemed to lie in the Blackfoot. Unless his shoutings and contortions55 with the fluttering blanket, which threatened to be whipped into shreds56, checked the furious beasts, they could not be stayed at all. He produced no more effect than the flicker57 of a straw in the wind.
At this appalling58 juncture59, Deerfoot, with both arms outstretched, the left hand holding the rifle of Victor Shelton, dashed toward the head of the herd, which was only a few rods away. He was seen to make a tremendous leap, which landed him on the back of an enormous bull. Instead of firing the gun, he grasped it by the barrel and smote60 the bison with the stock, the blow descending61 upon one of his eyes. The youth’s strange position, which he managed to maintain, gave him the first chance to make a telling shot. Like a flash he fired at the nearest bison, sending the bullet down through the forepart of his body and into a spot so vital that, with a frenzied62 bellow38, he stumbled forward and rolled over and over like a huge block of wood driven from the throat of a giant piece of ordnance63.
While executing his lightning-like movements, the Shawanoe added his shoutings to those of his friend, and then laid about him with the clubbed weapon. The unique performances of the two did the business. The fall of one bison, the strange figure dancing as it seemed in mid-air, injected a panic into that part of the herd, which split into two divisions that thundered past the terrified group as if the elevation formed a small island in the center of a rushing torrent64.
Deerfoot allowed himself to be carried a number of yards on the back of his frantic steed. When abreast65 of the horses he sprang from his perch66 and ran up beside them, where the boys had all they could do to restrain the animals. As if nothing unusual had occurred, the Shawanoe joined in their efforts, and, by main force, restrained the brutes from breaking away and diving among the bison, where they could not have survived more than a few minutes.
The wedge having been inserted into the onrushing herd, nothing more remained to be done. The dividing point not only was maintained, but the bison began separating farther back, so that by and by the partition point was twice as distant as at first.
None of the rifles was loaded, and no attempt was made to ram34 a charge into them while the stampede continued. The Blackfoot, however, seemed to catch the wild ardor67 of panic, and, dropping his blanket, brought his bow into play. Arrow after arrow was launched at the bison. Though none fell, a number were grievously hurt and, as they dived past, more than one showed an arrow projecting like a giant feather from some part of his body. So enormous was this herd of bison that nearly an hour passed before the last galloped68 by and followed with undiminished speed the thousands that were headed southward and running as if they would never stop.
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1
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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3
exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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4
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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5
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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6
enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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7
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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8
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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9
swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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10
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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11
bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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12
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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13
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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14
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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15
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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16
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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17
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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18
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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19
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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20
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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21
variegated
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| adj.斑驳的，杂色的 | |
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22
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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23
pulsation
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| n.脉搏，悸动，脉动；搏动性 | |
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24
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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25
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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26
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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27
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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28
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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29
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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30
swerve
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| v.突然转向，背离；n．转向，弯曲，背离 | |
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31
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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32
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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33
trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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34
ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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35
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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36
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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37
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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38
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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39
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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40
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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41
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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42
stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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43
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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44
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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45
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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46
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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47
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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48
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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49
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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50
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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51
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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52
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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53
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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54
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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55
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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56
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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57
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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58
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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59
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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60
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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61
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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62
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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63
ordnance
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| n.大炮，军械 | |
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64
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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65
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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66
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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67
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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68
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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