CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
THE BATTLE OF THE BULLS.
Next morning the boy hunters were up and stirring at the "peep of day."They felt refreshed and cheerful. So did their animals, for the grasswas good. Jeanette was frisking about on her trail-rope andendeavouring to reach "Le Chat," whom she would have kicked and bittento a certainty, but that the lasso-tether restrained her. Jeanettelittle dreamt how near she had been to her last kick. Had she knownthat, it is probable she would have carried herself with more sobriety,not knowing but that a similar necessity might occur again. ButJeanette knew nothing of it; and, having eaten well and drunkplentifully, she was as frisky as a kitten.
A fire was kindled, and a fresh "marrow-bone" steamed and sputteredamong the blazing branches of the sage. This was soon drawn forthagain, cracked, and its rich contents rifled and eaten. The remainingjoints were packed upon Jeanette; the horses were saddled, the huntersleaped into their seats, and rode joyfully off upon the trail.
The country over which they now travelled was what is termed a "rollingprairie"--that is, a country without trees, but nevertheless, far frombeing level. The prairie is not always a _level plain_, as some peopleimagine. On the contrary, it is often of very uneven surface,containing high hills and deep valleys. The word "prairie" meansproperly an open level country, though it is not necessary that itshould be a _dead horizontal_ level, to entitle it to the name. It maycontain hills, valleys, and long ridges. It is not necessary eitherthat it should be entirely destitute of trees; for there are the "timberprairies," where trees grow in "mottes" or groves, sometimes termedislands--from their resemblance to wooded islands in the sea. The"prairie" is a term used to distinguish those vast meadow-like tracts ofthe earth's surface from the forest, the mountain, and the ocean. Theprairies themselves are distinguished by specific names, according towhat covers their surface. We have seen that there are "timberprairies" and "flower-prairies." The latter are usually denominated"weed prairies" by the rude hunters who roam over them. The vast greenmeadows covered with "buffalo" grass, or "gramma," or "mezquite" grass,are termed "grass prairies." The tracts of salt efflorescence--oftenfifty miles long and nearly as wide--are called "salt prairies;" and asomewhat similar land, where soda covers the surface, are named "sodaprairies." There are vast desert plains where no vegetation appears,save the wild sage-bushes (_artemisia_). These are the "sage prairies,"hundreds of miles of which exist in the central parts of the NorthAmerican continent. There are prairies of sand, and "rock prairies,"where the "cut-rock" and pebble deposits cover the arid plains; andstill another variety, called the "hog-wallow prairies," where thesurface for miles exhibits a rough appearance, as if it had been at someremote period turned over or "rooted" by hogs.
Most of these names have been given by the trappers--the true pioneersof this wild region. Who have an equal right to bestow them?Scientific men may explore it--topographical officers may travel over itin safety with a troop at their heels--they may proclaim themselves thediscoverers of the passes and the plains, the mountains and the rivers,the fauna and the flora--on their maps they may give them the names,first of themselves, then of their _patrons_, then of their friends,and, lastly, of their favourite dogs and horses. They may callstupendous mountains and grand rivers by the names of Smith and Jones,of Fremont and Stansbury; but men who think justly, and even the rudebut wronged trappers themselves, will laugh to scorn such _scientificcoxcombry_.
I honour the names which the trappers have given to the features of thatfar land; many of which, like the Indian nomenclature, are theexpressions of nature itself; and not a few of them have been baptisedby the blood of these brave pioneers.
We have said that our adventurers now travelled upon a "rollingprairie." The surface exhibited vast ridges with hollows between. Didyou ever see the ocean after a storm? Do you know what a "ground-swell"is?--when the sea is heaving up in great smooth ridges without crest orfoam, and deep troughs between--when the tempest has ceased to howl andthe winds to blow, yet still so uneven remains the surface of the mightydeep, still so dangerous are these smooth waves, that ships rock andtumble about, and sometimes lose their masts, or are flung upon theirbeam ends! That is what the sailors call a "swell." Now, if you couldimagine one of these billowy seas to be suddenly arrested in its motion,and the water transformed to solid earth, and covered with a greensward, you would have something not unlike a "rolling prairie." Somethink that, when these prairies were formed, some such rolling motionactually existed, by means of an earthquake, and that all at once theground ceased its undulations, and stood still! It is an interestingspeculation for the learned geologist.
The ridges of the prairie, upon which our adventurers were journeying,extended from east to west, and, of course, the valleys trended in thesame direction. The route was northward; the path, therefore, which thetravellers pursued was a continued succession of ups and downs.
Eagerly looking before them, anxiously scanning the valleys or troughsof the prairie as they surmounted each new swell, they rode onward fullof hope that they would soon come in sight of the buffaloes. But theywere not prepared for the sight was so soon to greet their eyes--a sightwhich one would have supposed would have filled them with joy, butwhich, on the contrary, had the effect of inspiring them with a feelingakin to terror.
They had just climbed one of the ridges that gave them a view of thevalley beyond. It was a small deep valley, of nearly a circular form,and covered with a green turf. Near one side of it was a spring--thewaters of which issuing forth ran nearly around the circumference of thevalley, and then escaped through one of the troughs of the prairie. Thecourse of this rivulet could be traced by the low trees--cotton-woodsand willows--that fringed its banks; so that the central part of thevalley presented the appearance of a small circular meadow almostsurrounded by a grove.
It was in this meadow that a spectacle was offered to the eyes of ouradventurers, which caused them to rein suddenly up, and sit gazing downupon it with singular emotions. The spectacle was that of a number ofanimals engaged in what appeared to be a mixed and terrible combat!There was not over a dozen of them in all, but they were large animals,of fierce aspect and furious bearing; and so desperately were theyassailing one another, that the green turf around them was torn andfurrowed by their hoofs. It was in the middle of the meadow that thisindiscriminate contest was carried on--in the open ground--and a finerspot for such an exhibition they could hardly have chosen, had theywished to accommodate a large number of spectators. The valley itself,with the ridges that encircled it, was not unlike one of the greatSpanish amphitheatres, where bull-fights are carried on; while thesmooth, level surface of the meadow represented the arena. Thecombatants, however, were engaged in no mock encounter to gratify thecuriosity of an idle crowd; nor did they apprehend that there werespectators present.
The contest in which they were engaged was a _real_ fight; and theirangry roars, their hurried rushing backwards and forwards, and the loudcracking of their skulls as they came together, proved them to be inearnest.
That the animals were buffaloes was apparent at first sight. Theirgreat bulk, the lion-like form of their bodies, but, above all, theirbellowing, that resembled the "routing" of enraged bulls, convinced ouryoung hunters that they could be no other than buffaloes--and buffaloesthey were--a "gang" of old buffalo bulls engaged in one of theirterrible tournaments.
I have said that our hunters, on first seeing them, were influenced byfeelings of terror. But why so? What was there in the appearance of aherd of buffaloes to frighten them, since that was the very thing theyhad so long been in search of? Was it the angry attitudes of theanimals, or their loud roaring? Nothing of the sort? No. That was notwhat had inspired them with fear, or, as I should rather term it, withawe. No. The reason was very different indeed. It was not becausethey were buffaloes, or because they were engaged in a fierce battle,--it was because _they were white buffaloes_!
You will again ask, why this shou
ld have been a cause of terror. Was a_white_ buffalo not the very object of the expedition? Should the sightof one not have produced _joy_ rather than _fear_? So the sight of_one_ would; but it was the sight of _so many_--the mysterious spectacleof nearly a dozen of these animals together--a thing unparalleled,unheard of--it was this that inspired our adventurers with awe.
It was some time before any of the three could find words to expresstheir astonishment. They sat in silence, gazing down into the valley.They could hardly believe the evidence of their eyes. With the palms oftheir hands they shaded them from the sun, and gazed still a longerwhile. They saw, at length, there could be no deception. Buffaloes theanimals were, and _white ones_ too!
They were not all of an uniform white, though most of them were. A fewwere darker about the heads and legs, with broad white flakes upon theirsides, giving them a mottled appearance. The general colour, however,was whitish; and, strange to say, there was not a black or brown one inthe herd!--not one of the well-known colour that buffaloes usually are!It was this that rendered them such a mysterious band in the eyes of ouradventurers.
The latter, however, soon got over their surprise. There could be nodoubt that they had fallen in with a herd of white buffaloes. Perhaps,thought they, there is, after all, nothing so strange in such a numberof them being together. Perhaps the individuals of that colour, sorarely met with, usually associate together in this way, and keep apartfrom the black ones. What better fortune could have happened for themthen? If they could only succeed in killing one of these creatures, itwould be all that they could wish for, and all they wanted. The objectof their expedition would then be accomplished; and nothing would remainbut to turn their horses' heads, and take the shortest route homeward.With these ideas passing through their minds, they at once set aboutconsidering how they might kill or capture one or more of the herd.
They were not slow to decide upon a plan. The buffaloes, stillcontinuing their angry conflict, had not noticed them as yet, nor werethey likely to do so. The hunters resolved, therefore, that two of themshould remain on horseback--so as to take the animals upon the "run"--while the third was to endeavour to "approach" them on foot, and get asure shot before they should start off, taking his chance of joining inthe chase afterwards. The latter duty was assigned to Basil; who, afterdismounting from his horse, and looking to his trusty rifle, commencedcreeping down into the valley. Lucien and Francois--still in theirsaddles--remained upon the ridge.
Basil reached the grove of willows without being observed; and, stealingsilently through, found himself within less than fifty paces of severalof the herd. They were still rushing to and fro, raising the dust inclouds, roaring furiously, parting from each other, and then meetinghead to head with such force that each time their skulls cracked asthough both had been broken by the terrible concussion. The hunterwaited until one of the largest, and apparently the whitest of them,came very near; and then, taking aim behind the fore-shoulder, fired.The huge animal was seen to tumble over; while the others, hearing theshot, or scenting the presence of an enemy, immediately left off theircontest; and, breaking through the willows, scrambled up the ridgetoward the open prairie.
Without waiting to look after the one that he had fired at, Basil rantoward his horse--which, at his call, was already galloping to meet him.Francois and Lucien were now in pursuit of the flying herd; and Basil,hastily mounting, followed after. In a few minutes the three were sideby side with the buffaloes; and then could be heard the cracking of gunsand pistols until the weapons of all were empty; but, although not ashot had missed hitting the animals, the latter continued to gallop on,as though none of them had been hurt! Before the hunters could reload,they had the mortification to see the whole band far off upon theprairie, and running as briskly as ever!
Seeing that there would be no chance to come up with them again, theyall turned their horses, and commenced riding back to make sure of theone which Basil had knocked over by his first shot. He was still in thevalley they knew, and as they had all seen him lying prostrate, theyfelt certain they had secured one at least, and that was all theywanted.
On reaching the ridge that overlooked the valley, what was theirsurprise to see the buffalo once more upon his feet, and surrounded by ascore of snapping, snarling wolves! These were rushing upon him fromall sides at once; while the wounded bull was turning briskly about, andendeavouring to keep them at bay with his horns. Some of the wolveswere seen stretched out on the ground--to all appearance dead--whiletheir companions kept up the attack with unrelenting fury. The eyes ofthe buffalo flashed fire, as, wheeling round and round, he endeavouredto keep his assailants in front of him.
It was evident, however, that the wolves were gaining upon him; and, hadthey been left to themselves, would soon have brought him down. Ourhunters at first thought of allowing them to accomplish this feat; whenall at once it occurred to them that, if they did so, the _skin might bespoiled_! The wolves with their fierce teeth would tear it to pieces.This thought decided them upon a different plan; and all three gallopeddown the ridge and out into the meadow--surrounding the buffalo as theycame up. The wolves scattered in every direction; and the great bull,now perceiving his new enemies, commenced rushing from one to the other,endeavouring to carry their horses upon his horns. It was with greatdifficulty that they could keep out of his reach; but at length anotherwell-directed shot from Basil's rifle entered the heart of the animal;and, after balancing himself upon his spread limbs, and rocking awhilefrom side to side, the huge creature fell forward upon his knees and laymotionless, with a stream of blood pouring from his lips. In a fewmoments he was dead!
Having made sure of this, our hunters flung themselves from theirhorses, drew their skinning-knives, and made up to the noble quarry.You may fancy their astonishment as well as chagrin, when, upon gettingclose to the animal, they discovered that what they had taken for awhite buffalo was no white buffalo after all, but a _black one paintedwhite_! Neither more nor less. The thing was too plain. The lime-likecoating which covered the huge animal all over was now apparent; and asthey passed their hands through the long hair, a white substanceresembling pulverised chalk came off upon their fingers!
What could have caused the strange phenomenon, they asked one another.But the explanation was soon found. They remembered the gypsum hillsover which they had ridden on the preceding day. They remembered, too,that it had rained in the night. The buffaloes had been among thesehills; and, according to their usual habit, had rolled and wallowedabout in the wetted dust-heaps. The white, alabaster-like mud hadadhered to their skins--thus giving them the colour which had so muchdeceived and mystified our hunters!
"Well," exclaimed Basil, giving a kick to the body of the dead bull,"even _black_ buffalo is not so bad after all. At the worst we shallhave fresh meat for dinner; and with that let us console ourselves forthe disappointment."
So saying, Basil made signs to his brothers to assist; and all three setabout preparing to skin the animal.