Dick Onslow Among the Redskins

  CHAPTER THREE.

  THE RED-SKIN PROVES TO BE A FRIEND--HE AND OBED LEAVE ME ALONE IN MYGLORY--I FORTIFY MYSELF FOR THE WINTER--VISITED BY WOLVES--A TERRIFICSTORM--THE WOLVES MY NIGHTLY VISITORS--I KILL SOME AND EAT THEN, BUTFIND THEM O'ER TEUCH--AN OBJECT MOVING IN THE DISTANCE--RED-SKINS ANDENEMIES--I PREPARE FOR THEIR RECEPTION--I KILL ONE OF THEM--A FEARFULSTRUGGLE--I ENDEAVOUR TO OBLITERATE THE SIGNS OF THIS VISIT--MY TERRIBLESOLITUDE--MORE WOLVES AND MORE INDIANS--I PREPARE A BANQUET FOR THEM--THE SUSPICIONS OF MY GUESTS AROUSED--THE UNPLEASANT TERMINATION TO OURFEAST.

  Obed and I were not easily taken by surprise. Our hands instinctivelyclutched our rifles, and in a moment the breast of the Indian wascovered by their muzzles. The eye of the red-skin did not quail--not alimb trembled. He gazed on us calmly, and his hand continued to holdaside the skin which formed the door of our tent, while he spoke a fewwords in a low, quiet voice. I did not understand them, but Obed did.

  "Don't fire, Dick," said Obed; "he is a Delaware, a friend to the whitemen. Come in, friend Delaware, take your seat by our fire, and tell uswhat has brought you here," continued Obed, addressing the Indian.

  The Delaware, letting drop the skin door, came in, and, stirring up theembers of our almost extinguished fire, sat himself down on a log ofwood placed before it. He spoke a jargon which he thought was English,and which both Obed and I understood, but which I cannot now repeat, anymore than I could convey an idea of the deep guttural tones of hisvoice. They seemed to come from the very depths of his inside.

  "I travel alone," said the red-skin. "I have a long journey to perform,to carry a letter I have undertaken to deliver at Fort Grattan. I wasbeginning to despair of accomplishing it, for my powder has beendestroyed, and thus food was difficult to obtain. When I first saw thesmoke of your fire, I thought it might come from the wigwams of somePawnees, and my heart bounded when I saw from its appearance that yourtent must belong to white men." From this hint given, Obed at onceplaced a supply of food before the Indian, who did ample justice to it.We then lighted our pipes, and all three sat smoking over the fire. TheDelaware urgently advised us not to attempt to spend the approachingwinter in that place, but to accompany him to the fort. I saw thesoundness of his council, but assured him that I could not attempt towalk half a dozen miles, much less could I hope to make so long ajourney.

  "Then it is better that one should come and bring back succour to theother than that both should perish," urged the Delaware. To this Iagreed, and told Obed he must go. He had been ready to go alone whenthe risk was greater; but now he did not like to leave me. I met allhis arguments, and telling him that if he wished to save my life, aswell as his own, he must go. I ultimately made him consent to accompanythe Indians. Before starting, they took every means to increase mycomforts. They filled the water-casks, collected a quantity of herbs,and a supply of firewood, and shot as much game as I could consume whileit was fresh. The Delaware lay down to sleep that night in our tent. Iwas convinced from his manner and mode of speaking that he was honest.I never saw a man sleep more soundly--not a limb stirred the whole nightthrough; he looked more like a dead person, or a lay figure, than abeing with life. Suddenly, as the morning light broke through the tent,he sprang up, and, shaking himself, in a moment was all energy andactivity. "Ugh! I have not slept so soundly for many a night, and maynot sleep so soundly for many a night more!" he exclaimed, in hispeculiar dialect. We lighted our fire, boiled our kettle, and then allthree sat down to a hearty breakfast. It was the last I should probablytake in company for many a weary day; still I resolved not to bedown-hearted, and especially to preserve a serene and contentedcountenance.

  The Delaware replenished his powder-flask, and taking a small supply ofprovisions, he and Obed bade me farewell. I could only wring thelatter's hand; I don't think we exchanged a word at parting. I watchedthem as their figures grew less and less, and finally disappeared in thedistance, and then indeed I felt very lonely. Perhaps there was not ahuman being within a hundred miles of me except the two who had justgone away; or should there be, he was very likely to prove an enemy.The idea of being thus alone in a wilderness was grand, but it wassomewhat appalling and trying to the nerves. How long would Obed beabsent? I thought to myself. Three weeks or a month at shortest.Could I manage to preserve existence for that length of time? I wasstill weak and ill, and could scarcely crawl about, so I spent thegreater portion of my time on my couch. I placed my firearms close athand around me, so that I might seize them in a moment. My fire-placewas a hole in the middle of the tent, almost within reach of myskin-covered couch; there were no linen sheets to catch fire; my tub ofwater was near it, and my stock of provisions hung overhead. The sky Isaw when I looked out had for some days been giving indications of asnow-storm. It came at last, and winter set in. The drifting snowquickly found its way through the minutest hole in the tent skins. Toprevent this, I beat it down firmly all round the edge, stopping everycrevice, and I raised a pile of logs before the door. "I don't think Ishould mind a fight with a dozen red-skins," I thought to myself; "butthose wolves--I don't like them." The wolves I dreaded (and not withoutreason) found me out at last. The wind was roaring and whistling amongthe leafless trees, the snow was beating against my tent, and the nightwas as dark as Erebus, when a low, distant howl saluted my ears--heardeven above the tempest. It continued increasing, till it broke into awild chorus of hideous shrieks. I had no dread of ghostly visitors. Iwould rather have faced a whole array of the most monstrous hobgoblins,than have felt that I was surrounded, as I knew I was, by a herd ofthose brutes--the wolves.

  Till almost morning they continued their ugly concert; but they have anatural fear of man, and it is only when pressed by hunger that theywill attack him. The ground, however, was now completely covered withsnow, and I knew that they would find but little food. As I could notventure out, most of the day passed away in a half-unconscious dreamystate; part of it I slept. The next night I was awoke soon after darkby the wolfish chorus; it was much nearer than before. The soundsformed themselves into words to my disordered senses. "We'll eat youup; we'll eat you up ere long," they appeared to say. A third nightcame. The pack seemed increased in numbers, as if they had beencollecting from every quarter. I fancied that I could hear their feetcrackling on the crisp snow as they scampered round and round the tent.That night they brought their circle closer and closer, till I fullyexpected that they would commence their attack. Still they held off,and with the morning light took their departure. I watched the nextnight setting in with a nervous dread. As soon as darkness spread overthe snow-covered face of the country, on the horrid pack came,scampering up from all quarters.

  Nearer and nearer approached the cries and howls. They commenced asbefore, scampering round the tent, and every time it seemed narrowingthe circle. I knew that they must be closer to me. I stirred up myfire with a long stick I kept by me for that purpose, and I felt sure Isaw the impression of their noses as, having smelled me out, theypressed them against the sides of the tent in their endeavours to findan entrance. I looked for the biggest bump, and took aim with myrevolver. There was a loud snarl and cry, and then a shrieking andhowling as the horrid pack scampered off into the distance. I had toget up and patch the hole made by my bullet, but I did not look out tosee what had become of the wolf I had hit. I heard the animals howlingaway the livelong night in the distance. They did not, however, ventureback again that night.

  I had now been ten days alone, as I knew by a small bag I kept, intowhich I every day, when I awoke, put a bean. I should completely havelost all count of time without some such contrivance. The cold wasbecoming very bitter; still my health was improving, and I felt myselfstronger than I had been since I was wounded. The perfect rest hadtended to cure me. I thought that I would get up and walk about, torecover more completely the use of my limbs. It was necessary toreplenish my stock of water before the stream was completely frozenover, as snow-water is not considered wholesome for a cont
inuance. Ihad plenty of clothes and skins, and I required them, for a piercingwind blew across the wild prairie, which, unless thus protected, I couldnot have faced. The exercise did me good. I now went out every day,constantly returning to feed my fire and to warm myself. I replenishedmy stock of water, and got a further supply of wood, that I might notrun short of that necessary article. I was most concerned about myprovisions, which were diminishing sadly. I therefore always took myrifle out with me, in the hopes of getting a shot at a stray buffalo ordeer going south, but all had gone; none passed near me. The woods,too, were now deserted; not a bird was to be seen; even the snakes andthe 'coons had hid themselves in their winter habitations. A deadsilence reigned over the whole country during the day. I wish it hadequally reigned during the night. Daylight and the smoke of my firekept the wolves away, but night after night they came back and howled asbefore. I used at last to sleep some hours every day, and sit up allnight with my pistols by my side, ready to shoot them. Now and then thegrinning jaws of one of them would force its way in at the entrance ofthe tent. I seldom passed a night without killing one or two of theseintruders. I every morning cut off what I thought would prove thetenderest portion, and dragged the rest of the carcass away. I wouldnot, however, advise anybody to feed upon wolf's flesh if they can getanything better. More tough and nauseous morsels I never attempted toswallow; but it was necessary to economise the rest of my provisions.

  I one day went out as usual to exercise my limbs and look for a chanceshot. There was a fine clear sky overhead, not a breath of air wasstirring, and my blood was soon in circulation. I felt more up toanything than I had done for a long time. I reached the only elevationin the neighbourhood, near the bank of the creek, when, turning myglance round on every side, I saw in the far distance towards thenorth-west, two specks on the surface of the dazzling expanse of whitespread out before me. I watched--the specks were moving, they might bedeer, or they might be wolves, but from the way they progressed I hadlittle doubt they were men. They came from a quarter I did not like,inhabited by Dacotahs and Pawnees--treacherous, thievish rascals, whowill take the scalp of an old woman if they can catch her asleep, andmake as much boast of it as if they had killed a warrior in open fight.Still it was necessary to be on my guard against them. I waited till Iascertained without doubt that they were human beings, and then hastenedback to my tent, made up my fire so that the smoke might be seen comingout at the top, put a buffalo robe inside my bed to personate myself,and loaded myself with all my fire-arms. I then carefully closed theentrance of the tent, and stepped back over the marks I had previouslymade, till I reached the bank of the stream, where I found ample shelterbehind a clump of thick bushes. I there lay between two heaps of snowwith my rifle ready, perfectly concealed, but having a clear view of mytent and the country beyond. If the strangers should prove to befriends, as the precautions had given me but little trouble it was wiserto take them, but if enemies they were very necessary. When they werestill a long way off, I made out that the strangers were red-skins.Their costume showed me that they belonged to the tribes I havementioned, and I had no doubt that they had come with hostile intent.They stopped, and I saw by their gestures that they were forming theirplan of proceeding. One was an oldish man, the other was a tall, activelad; either would give me considerable difficulty to manage if it cameto a hand-to-hand struggle.

  They were armed only with bows and arrows and spears. They pointed tothe smoke, and the elder signified that I was asleep within, or cookingmy dinner. He then fixed an arrow in his bow, and by his gestures Isuspected that he was saying he would shoot me through the tent coveringbefore I had time to seize my fire-arms or see my enemies. "I'm muchobliged to you for your good intentions, but I will try and frustratethem, my friends," said I to myself. The elder of the two red-skins nowapproached the tent with his bow drawn, ready to send an arrow into theinmate should he appear at the entrance; the other searched carefullyround the tent, and examined the traces of my feet in the snow. Heseemed apparently satisfied that the owner had gone to the stream andreturned, and was within. The two now got still nearer to the tent,with their bows drawn; so cautiously did they tread that not a soundcould be heard. They stopped, and eagerly shot several arrows throughthe covering, one after the other, as rapidly as they could fix them tothe strings of their bows. "And so you think that you have killed yourprey," said I to myself; but at the same time a sickening sensation cameover my heart. I had never shot at a human being with the intention oftaking away life; I must do so now or become the victim myself. Thesavages listened. Of course no sound from within reached their ears.The elder stooped forward to draw aside the curtain to look in, whilethe other stood ready with his spear to transfix the person who theymight expect would attempt to spring out if he had not been killed. NowI thought I must fire. I took aim at the older Indian. In doing so thebarrel of my rifle touched a twig. The younger savage in a momentdetected the sound; he turned round full on me. His quick eye caughtsight of my rifle as I instantly brought it to bear on him. He utteredan exclamation of astonishment. It was his last. I fired, and he fellwith his face forward. His companion sprang up, and was about to rushtowards me, but I pulled the trigger of my second barrel, and he toofell writhing in agony on the snow. Oh! how wretched I felt at whatstern necessity had compelled me to do. How must Cain have felt when hehad killed his brother? I rushed up to my tent. The younger savage wasquite dead: the elder glared at me fiercely. Though badly wounded,still he might live. I leaned over him, and made signs that I wouldtake him into my tent and try and heal him. A gleam of satisfactioncame over his countenance--I thought it was from gratitude at my mercy.I was preparing to drag him into the tent, and to place him on my owncouch. I felt that I was doing what was right. I should gain acompanion in my solitude, perhaps make a friend, who would enable me toescape from my perilous position. His eye followed me as I moved aboutmaking the necessary preparations. He beckoned me to come and lift himup. I was putting my arm behind him, when his right hand drew a longknife with a flash from his belt, and before I could spring back he hadstruck twice with all his force at my breast, wounding me severely. Itwas not his fault that he did not pierce me to the heart. So firm agrasp did his other hand retain of my collar that I could not escapehim. I had my own hunting-knife beneath my buffalo robe, my fingersclutched it, and, as catching his right arm I pressed it to the ground,I struck two or three blows with all my might at his throat and chest; Ifelt his fingers relaxing; his arm fell back--he too was dead. I wouldrather not dwell on that awful moment. The horrors of my solitude wereincreased ten-fold. Still. I was obliged to rouse myself to action. Iknew not how many of the tribe to which the dead men belonged might bein the neighbourhood.

  That evening, however, I could do nothing. Night was coming on, and theblood which trickled down my breast reminded me that I must attend to myown wounds. If my former nights had been full of horrors, this was farmore dreadful. The wolves howled louder than ever, and came round me ingreat numbers, and though I was continually firing my pistols out intothe darkness, I could scarcely keep them at bay. I will not dwell onthat dreadful time. The morning did come at last. The first thing Idid was to drag the bodies of the savages down to the river, and toforce them through a hole in the ice whence I had been accustomed todraw water. The current quickly carried them down into far-off regions.Then I made a fire over the spot where their blood had been spilt, and,happily, during the day a heavy fall of snow coming on obliterated allthe remaining traces of their fatal visit to my tent. Still for many aday I could not drive the picture of their hideous countenances out ofmy head, as they lay stark and stiff on the ground, killed by my hand--yet never was homicide more justifiable. I had, as I believed, got ridof all the traces of the savages outside the tent. When I found thearrows sticking inside it in my bed, it did not occur to me that itwould be equally necessary to get rid of them. The whim seized me ofkeeping them as a memorial of my escape. Inst
ead, however, ofconcealing them under the bed, I arranged them in the form of a star onthe tent covering just above my head, and every time I looked at them Ifelt grateful that they were not sticking in my body. I have a disliketo dwell on the horrible sensations which came over me during those longwinter nights and scarcely less dreary days. Had I possessed any booksthey would have served me as companions, and helped me to pass the time;but I had none.

  My own thoughts and feelings were my only associates, and they oftenwere far from pleasant ones. I had a great temptation also, which, hadI given way to it, would have made matters worse.

  Among the articles which had fallen from the wagon, and which Obed and Iafterwards picked up, was a small cask of brandy. We were both of usvery abstemious, or we should not have been the strong, hearty fellowswe were. The cask, therefore, had not even been broached. The tempter,however, now came suggesting to me that I might soon forget all mymiseries if I would but occasionally take a taste of the fire-water. Iresisted him, however. I knew that if I once began I might go on, andnot know when to stop. I was sure that I was better and strongerwithout liquor of any sort, so I let the cask remain as it was in acorner of the tent. I had a pipe and a small quantity of tobacco, whichI mixed with sumach leaves and willow bark to make it go further.Smoking this was my greatest animal pleasure. My usual dinner, eked outwith fried wolf's flesh, indeed required a smoke to make it digestproperly. After this adventure with the Indians, I found my nerves muchshaken. I stayed in bed for a couple of days, but whenever I droppedasleep I found myself acting the whole scene over and over again. Atnight I had, as usual, to sit up, wrapped in my buffalo robes, with myfeet at the fire, and my pistols in my hands, keeping the wolves at bay.Oh, how I wished they would cease their horrid serenade. The old yearpassed away, and the new year began, but there was no change in mycondition. I was growing seriously alarmed about Obed. He ought tohave been back by this time, I thought. I was afraid some accidentmight have befallen him, for I was very certain that he would not havedeserted me. By degrees I recovered my composure, and took my exercisewith my rifle in my hand as usual. My tent also, by being almostcovered up with snow, had become a very warm and comparativelycomfortable habitation, as I could always keep up a good fire within it.When I returned from my walks I had a cup of warm tea ready, whichtended to keep up the circulation which the exercise had established.Thus I soon got into very good health again.

  My chief occupation when out was looking for game. What was my delightone morning to see a flight of prairie-hens sitting on some boughs notfar from my tent. I stopped like a pointer. I knew that the slightestmovement might scare them away; and lifting my rifle to my shoulder, Iselected a fine cock. I fired, and over he tumbled. I ran forward, andsecuring him to my belt, I marked where the others settled, and followedthem up. Thus I went on. I had killed three, I think, which wouldprove a most satisfactory addition to my larder. When I looked about meI found that I had got a long way from my tent. I walked briskly back.When I got to the top of the bank near the river, what was my dismay, onlooking northward, to see several persons approaching my tent! Theycould not have failed to have discovered me. I watched them withintense interest. They were red-skins--Dacotahs probably; I could notpossibly avoid encountering them. I felt that my only prospect ofsafety was to put a bold face on the matter, and go and meet themfrankly.

  Hurrying to my tent, I loaded myself with all my fire-arms, resolving tosell my life dearly, and then walked forward towards them. I countedthe strangers. There were ten of them, all painted and dressed for war;and a very ferocious set they looked. They seemed very much astonishedand puzzled at seeing me. In an instant they all had their arrows fixedin their bows, and, forming a line, they thus advanced slowly andcautiously, keeping an eye on the tent, and evidently expecting to see anumber of people emerge from it. Their demonstrations were so hostilethat I now began to repent that I had not made an attempt to defendmyself; at the same time I felt that a contest with ten cunning savageswould have been a very hopeless one. Flight, too, over the snow, withlittle knowledge of the country, was not to be thought of. As thesavages advanced I retreated, resolving to make a stand at my tent door.At the same time I tried to show by signs that I could, if I liked,kill two or three of them, but that I was ready for peace if they were.At last I lowered my rifle from my shoulder, and they unstrung theirbows and advanced with outstretched hands towards me. Knowing theirtreacherous character, however, of course I could not depend on them. Ibethought me that the best way to win their friendship was to offer themfood, as is practised in civilised communities with some success; so Ishowed them the birds I had just killed, and intimated that I was goingto dress them for their entertainment. I produced several otherdainties, and my dried wolf's flesh. I also brought out some of mymixed tobacco, though it was with intense reluctance I parted with it.They expressed their satisfaction by several loud grunts, and thensquatted round in a circle outside the door of my tent. I made up myfire, and soon had the prairie-hens and several pieces of meat roastingon sticks before it, and a savoury stew cooking in my pot. I trustedthat I might be able to replenish my scanty stock of provisions, but Iknew, that, had I not given them with a good grace, my guests wouldprobably have taken them by force. I had begun to serve the banquet, atwhich the red-skins were smacking their lips, and they were castingapproving and kindly glances at me, when I remembered my cask of brandy.I knew that this would completely cement our friendship, but I intendedto give them only a little at a time to run no risk of intoxicatingthem. I retired, therefore, to the back of the tent for the purpose ofdrawing off a little in a bottle. While I was thus employed, one ofthem put his head into the tent to see what I was about. As he did so,his eye fell on the star of arrows over the head of my couch. A loudexclamation made me turn round. I saw where his glance was directed.My folly and want of forethought in a moment flashed across my mind.All was lost, I perceived. The savages sprang up, and seizing me,pointed to the arrows. I had nothing to say. Perhaps the expression ofmy countenance betrayed me. Several held me tight while the othersspoke. Though I did not understand a word of their language, I couldnot fail to comprehend the tenor of their speeches. Their action, theintonation of their voices, their angry glances, showed it. "Ourfriends came here, and this man killed them. We came to look for them,and by the same arts with which he destroyed them he had endeavoured todestroy us. There are the proofs of his guilt. How else did he becomepossessed of those arrows?" Such, I have no doubt, is a very conciseabridgment of their harangues.

  They continued speaking for an hour or more, till they worked each otherup into a perfect fury. Their eyes gleamed at me with malignant hatred.They foamed at the mouth; they gnashed their teeth at me. I thoughtthey would have torn me limb from limb; but they were reserving me for afar more refined system of torture. Having condemned me to death, theylashed my hands behind me, and my feet together, and placed me in asitting position on my bed, there to await my doom, while they allcrouched down round the fire, where, stern and grim, they finished therepast I had prepared for them in horrible silence.