CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
A DOG-TOWN.
Black Hawk strayed off to some distance in search of grass, for thelatter was scanty near the spot; and what there was of it had been eatenas close to the ground, as if a thousand rabbits had been feeding uponit! Basil did not hinder his horse from going. He knew that he was toowell trained to run away, and that he could recall him at any moment bya whistle. He sat still, therefore; now scanning the prairie to theeastward, and now endeavouring to kill time by examining the strangelittle mounds on the other side. Of these there were thousands--indeed,they covered the plain, both to the north and south, and west, as far asBasil could see. They were shaped like truncated cones, about threefeet in diameter at the base, and not over two in height. Near the topof each was the entrance--a hole not much larger than would have beenused by a rat. There was no grass immediately around this hole,although the sides and tops of the mounds were clothed with a smoothgreen turf that gave them the appearance of having been constructed along time ago.
The inhabitants of these singular dwellings soon began to showthemselves. They had been terrified by the thundering tread of thesteeds, and had hidden at their approach. All was now silent again, andthey thought they might venture abroad. First one little snout peepedout, and then another, and another until every hole had a head and apair of sparkling eyes looking forth. After a while the owners of theheads became more courageous, and boldly stepped out-of-doors; and thencould be seen hundreds of these strange creatures. They were of areddish-brown colour, with breasts and bellies of a dirty white. Theirbodies were about the size of the common grey squirrel; but theirgeneral appearance partook of the squirrel, the weasel, and the rat--allthree of which they in some respects resembled, and yet were not likeany of them. They were a distinct species of animals. They were_Marmots_, that species known by the fanciful appellation of"prairie-dogs," (_Arctomys ludoviciana_). Their tails were very short,and not bushy as those of squirrels; and altogether their bodies had notthe graceful symmetry of these animals. In a short time every mound hadtwo or three on its top--for several individuals dwell together in thesame house. Some sat upon all fours, while others erected themselves ontheir hind-feet, and stood up like little bears or monkeys--all thewhile flourishing their tails and uttering their tiny barking, thatsounded like the squeak of a toy-dog. It is from this that they derivethe name of "prairie-dogs," for in nothing else do they resemble thecanine species. Like all marmots--and there are many different kinds--they are innocent little creatures, and live upon grass, seeds, androots. They must eat very little; and indeed it is a puzzle tonaturalists how they sustain themselves. Their great "towns" near theRocky Mountains are generally in barren tracts, where there is but ascanty herbage; and yet the inhabitants are never found more than half amile from their dwellings. How, then, do thousands of them subsist onwhat little grass can grow in a pasture so circumscribed? This has notbeen explained; nor is it known why they choose these barren tracts fortheir dwelling-places, in preference to the more fertile prairies. Allthese things await the study and observation of the historian of nature.
Basil was surprised to observe that the marmots were not alone theoccupants of their town. There were other creatures moving about of anentirely different kind, and they also seemed to be perfectly at home.There were white owls, about the size of pigeons, of a species he hadnever seen before. These were the burrowing owls (_Strix cunicularia_),differing altogether from their blind cousins of the night who dwell inthick woods and old ruins. He saw these little owls gliding about onsilent wing, or standing erect upon the tops of the houses, at adistance looking exactly like the marmots themselves.
Besides the marmots and owls there were other live creatures in sight.There were small lizards scuttling about; and crawling among the moundswas seen a hideous form--also of the lizard kind--the "horned frog"(_Agama cornuta_). These creatures were new to Basil; and their uglyearth-coloured bodies, their half-toad half-lizard shape, with the thornlike protuberances, upon their back, shoulders, and head, inspired himwith disgust as he gazed upon them. He could see, too, the smallland-tortoise (_Cistuda_) squatting upon the ground, and peepingcautiously out of its box-like shell. But there was another creature inthis community more fearful than all the rest. This was the _groundrattle-snake_, which could be seen, coiled up, and basking in the sun,or gliding among the mounds, as if searching for his prey. Basilnoticed that it was a different species from any of the rattle-snakes hehad seen--differing from them in its shape and markings, but equallyvicious in its appearance and habits. It was the _Crotalustergeminus_--found only in barren grounds, such as those inhabited bythe prairie-marmot.
Basil could not help falling into a train of reflection about thisvaried community of creatures. Were they friends to each other? or didthey form a chain of destruction, preying upon one another? Friendsthey could not all be. The marmots lived upon grass; and the lizardsupon insects and prairie-crickets, of which there were numbers around.Upon these, too, no doubt, the tortoises supported themselves; but uponwhat fed the owls and snakes?
These questions puzzled Basil. He could not satisfy himself about them;and he thought of Lucien, who understood the habits of these variousanimals better than himself. He began to think both of Lucien andFrancois--for two hours had now passed, and they did not make theirappearance! He was fast becoming uneasy, when a small group of objectswas seen approaching from the eastward, which, to his joy, proved to bethe party.
In half an hour afterwards they rode up greeting their brother withjoyful shouts. They had been travelling briskly ever since the morning,and upon Basil's tracks too, showing what a stretch of ground he musthave passed over in his wild gallop. They saw at once that the whitehorse had got off; and Basil, in a few words, gave them an account ofthe chase and how it had come to an end.
As it was now afternoon, and the butte still appeared distant, they madebut a short halt--just long enough to swallow a morsel of meat and takea drink from their water-gourds, which, owing to the intense heat, werenow better than half empty. Their animals already suffered from thirst;so, without delay, the young hunters got into their saddles, with theintention of continuing their journey.
"Across the dog-town?" inquired Francois, who had mounted first. "Shallwe ride through it or go round?"
Here was a difficulty, indeed. The dog-town lay directly between themand the butte. To keep straight forward they would have to ride throughit. That would impede them to a considerable extent, as they could onlyride slowly and in zig-zag lines without danger. To go round it, on theother hand, might lead them miles out of the way--perhaps many miles--for these marmot villages are frequently of large extent.
"Let us go south a bit," advised Lucien. "Perhaps we may come to theend of it that way."
They all turned their horses for the south, and commenced riding in thatdirection.
They rode for at least two miles, keeping along the border of thesettlement: but they could still see it ahead, apparently stretching formiles farther.
"We have come the wrong way," said Lucien; "we might have done betterhad we turned north. We must cross it now; what say you, brothers?"
All agreed to this; for it is not very pleasant to be going about, whenthe goal of one's journey is within sight. So the heads of the horseswere brought round once more facing the butte; and the party rode inamong the mounds, and proceeded slowly and with great caution. As theyapproached, the little "dogs" ran to their hillocks, barked at theintruders, shook their short tails, and then whisked themselves off intotheir holes. Whenever the party had got past, a hundred yards or so,the marmots would come forth again, and utter their tiny cough-likenotes as before; so that, when our travellers were fairly into the"town," they found themselves at all times in the centre of a barkingcircle!
The owls rose up before them, alighting at short distances; then, oncemore startled, they would fly farther off, sometimes sailing away untilout of sight, and sometimes, like
the marmots, hiding themselves withinthe burrows. The rattle-snakes, too, betook themselves to the burrows,and so did the lizards and agamas. What appeared most strange, was,that all of these creatures--marmots, owls, snakes, lizards, andagamas--were observed, when suddenly escaping, sometimes to enter thesame mound! This our travellers witnessed more than once.
Very naturally the conversation turned upon these things; and Lucienadded some facts to what Basil had already observed.
"The holes," said he, "had we time to dig them up, would be found todescend perpendicularly for two or three feet. They then run obliquelyfor several feet farther, and end in a little chamber which is the realhouse of the marmot. I say the _real_ house, for these cone-like moundsare only the entrances. They have been formed out of the earth broughtup from below at the making of the burrows. As you see, this earth hasnot been allowed to lie in a neglected heap, such as rats and rabbitsleave at the mouths of their burrows. On the contrary, it has beenbuilt up with great care, and beaten together by the marmots' feet untilquite firm and smooth; and the grass has been allowed to grow over it tosave it from being washed down by rain. It is evident the animal doesall this with design--just as beavers, in building their houses. Now,upon these mounds the marmots love to bask, and amuse themselves in thesun; and it is likely that they can watch their enemies better from thiselevated position, and thus gain time to make good their retreat."
"But some of the mounds look quite dilapidated," observed Francois."Look yonder, there are several of them caved in, and guttered by therain! What is the reason, I wonder?"
"These are the ones in which the owls live," replied Lucien. "See!yonder goes an owl into one this very moment! It is supposed that theowls have taken these from the marmots, and use them exclusively fortheir own dwellings; and, as you perceive, they do not keep them inrepair. All they care for is the hole to take shelter in, leaving theoutside works to go to ruin as they may. Certain it is that, althoughwe have seen them and the dogs rush into the same hole together, it isbecause we came suddenly upon them. They do not live thus. The marmotshave their own dwellings, and the owls theirs, which last are the ruinedones you have noticed."
"But do not the owls eat the marmots?" inquired Basil. "The great owlsof the woods prey upon animals as large. I have seen them kill rabbitsin the dusk of the evening."
"These do not," answered the naturalist; "at least it is supposed theydo not. Many that have been shot and opened proved to have nothing intheir stomachs but insects and beetles--such as these we see upon theprairie. I think it is probable the owls make an occasional meal of thehorned frogs and lizards; though I have no proof of this farther thanthat birds of this kind usually prey upon such reptiles."
"But how live the rattle-snakes?" inquired Francois; "what do they feedupon?"
"Ah!" replied Lucien, "that is the puzzle of naturalists. Some assertthat they are the tyrants of the community, and devour the old marmots.This can hardly be, as these snakes are not large enough to swallowthem, in my opinion. Certain it is, however, that they preyoccasionally upon the young, as many of them have been killed with youngmarmots in their belly?"
"Why, then," rejoined Francois, "the snakes seem to have it all theirown way. If they eat the young marmots, what is to hinder them fromkilling as many as they please? They can enter the burrows with as muchease as the marmots themselves!"
"That is true," replied Lucien, "but not half so nimbly; and perhaps thelatter can even escape them within. The rattle-snake is a very slowcrawler; and, besides, only strikes his prey when coiled up. Perhaps,in these subterranean galleries, he is still less able to capture it;and the old marmots may, after all, have some mode of defending boththemselves and their young from his venomous attacks. As yet verylittle is known of these creatures. The remote regions in which theyare found place them beyond the observation of naturalists; and such ofthese, as have visited their towns, have been only allowed time to makea hurried examination of them. They are very shy; rarely letting youget within range of a gun. They are, therefore, seldom shot at.Moreover, it takes great trouble to capture them by digging--on accountof the depth of their burrows--and as their skins are not very valuable,and their flesh but a bite at best, they are not often molested by thehunter."
"But are they eatable?" inquired Francois.
"Yes," answered Lucien; "the Indians are very fond of their flesh, andeat it whenever they can conveniently get it; but, indeed, they will dothe same for almost every living creature."
"What do marmots feed upon in winter, when there is no grass for them?"inquired Francois.
"They then lie torpid. They have nests in their subterranean chambers,and curious nests these are. They are constructed of grass and roots,are as round as a globe, and so firmly woven together, that one of themmight be kicked over the prairie like a foot-ball. The nest is within,with a small hole leading into it, just large enough to admit yourfinger--for when the marmot goes inside, he closes all up, except thislittle hole, through which he gets all the air he requires. In thesesnug beds they lie asleep during the cold season, and at that time arerarely seen outside their burrows."