Adventures in the Far West

  CHAPTER THREE.

  Daybreak found us moving forward and already a couple of miles from ourlast resting-place. We hoped thus to keep ahead of our enemies, who,our Indian allies calculated, had camped some distance to the northward.We thought it probable also, should they have discovered ourwhereabouts, that they might have intended to attack us before westarted in the morning. They would know that we should keep carefulwatch during the night, but they were very likely to fancy that whilebreakfasting we should be off our guard, and that they might then takeus by surprise. If so, they were disappointed. We rode steadily on, weWhites keeping together, while the Indians on their active mustangs,scouted on either side, their keen eyes searching every thicket and bushfor a concealed enemy.

  "Can they be trusted?" asked Dick of Armitage.

  "They will lose the reward I engaged to give them, should they provetreacherous," was the answer, "and Pierre considers them honest."

  "I cannot help suspecting that they are very sure no enemy is near, bythe way they are showing off," observed Story.

  "They behaved as well as men could do, when we were last attacked,"remarked Charley, who way always ready to stick up for the Indians, ofwhom he had a great admiration. I agreed with Jack, but at the sametime I did not wish to disparage our gallant-looking allies.

  While we were speaking two of them came up and addressed Pierre in theirown language which he understood thoroughly.

  "They say that they have caught sight of a mounted war-party, who are,they think, trying to steal upon us round yonder wood, and take us bysurprise," said Pierre.

  "We'll be prepared for them then, my friends!" exclaimed Dick; "butwe'll ride on as we have been going, and not dismount until they showthemselves; we shall then be able to turn the tables on them. You allknow what you have to do; but remember again, our powder is runningshort; don't throw a shot away."

  "Ay, ay, captain," was the reply from all of us, for we had given Dick atitle he well deserved although the Lords of the Admiralty had not thusfavoured him.

  Our scouts on the left flank now drew in closer to us, they having madeup their minds that we should be attacked on that side. Almost ahead--or, as Dick called it, on our starboard bow--was a clump of trees,backed by rocky ground. It would assist at all events to protect us, onone side. We accordingly directed our course towards it. Anyone seeingus riding along would not have supposed that we were well aware of apowerful body of enemies being close to us, as we might have been seenlaughing and joking, one of the party occasionally breaking out into ajovial song.

  Our behaviour encouraged our allies, and should the enemy have perceivedus, it would have made them suppose that we were quite unconscious oftheir presence.

  We had almost gained the clump of trees I have mentioned, when from theend of the wood about half a mile away, appeared the head of a column ofmounted warriors. The moment they showed themselves, with fierce yellsand shrieks they dashed on towards us. "Forward, my friends, and let ustake up the post I proposed," cried Dick; and, urging our horses into agallop, we reached the clump just in time to dismount and arrange ourhorses before the Indians got within range of our rifles. We were thusbetter able to defend ourselves than we had been on the previousoccasion. The Coomanches came on bravely enough at first, shrieking andhooting at the top of their voices, but we were prepared to receive themin a way they did not expect. Before they began to wheel and throwthemselves over on the sides of their horses, Armitage, Story and I, whowere considered the best shots of the party, each singled out a man. Wefired, and three warriors dropped to the ground. At the same moment,our brave allies dashed forward, with lances in rest, and charged boldlyat the advancing foe, who were discharging a shower of arrows at us.One of the Coomanches threw himself on the side of his horse and shot anarrow which pierced our friend's shoulder, but he was himself the nextinstant thrust through by his opponent's lance, his horse galloping off,however, with his dead body. This bold manoeuvre gave us time toreload. We were able to fire a volley as the rest of the party camesweeping by. Two more saddles were emptied, and another warrior waswounded. The latter, however, managed to regain his seat so as to wheelround and rejoin his companions.

  Had we been a more numerous party, and armed with swords and lances, wemight have mounted and pursued the enemy; but as we possessed only ourrifles, it was far more prudent to remain on foot, whence we could takea steady aim.

  It was surprising to see the way our persevering assailants came on, andthrew themselves over the sides of their horses. It was not until wehad an opportunity of examining their trappings, that we discovered howthey managed to do so. We found attached to the mane of each horse astrong halter composed of horse-hair, which being passed under theanimal's neck, was firmly plaited into the mane, thus leaving a loophanging under its neck. When about to fire, the warrior drops into thisloop, and he manages to sustain the weight of his body by the upper partof the bent arm. In this way, both his arms are at liberty, either touse his bow or his spear. In his left hand he grasps a dozen arrows,together with his bow, and is not compelled to apply his hand to hisquiver, which hangs with his shield at his back, while his long spearbeing supported by the bend of the elbow he can use it at any moment.

  Our allies, on this occasion, rendered us essential service bydistracting the attention of our active foes, thus preventing them fromshooting with as much accuracy as usual. Their arrows came flying aboutus, many sticking in the trees behind our backs; but happily only two ofour people and one of our horses were slightly wounded, although one ofour Indian allies fell to the ground, and before any of his companionscould rescue him, a Coomanche, who had ridden up, leaning over hishorse, took his scalp and rejoined the main body.

  The steady fire we kept up, prevented the Indians from coming close tous; still they were evidently unwilling to abandon, the attempt, inspite of the numbers they had already lost. As far as we could judge,the party which had before attacked us had been increased by many freshwarriors, eager to distinguish themselves. Could they obtain the whitemen's scalps, they would be able to boast of their achievement to theend of their days.

  We had no intention, could we help it, of giving them this satisfaction.One thing was remarkable--the regular way in which they came on andretreated, like any civilised people engaging in warfare. Our allies,after our first attack, had rejoined us, and waited close at hand todash forward again, should they see a favourable opportunity. At lengththe Coomanches, having swept round out of rifle-shot, disappearedbehind, the wood from which they had emerged. No sooner had they gone,than our allies threw themselves from their horses and dashed forwardtowards the bodies of the slain. In vain Dick shouted to Pierre to tellthem to let the carcases alone. Never did I witness a more horridsight; with their scalp-knives in their hands, they sprang forward, andin an instant had passed the sharp blades round the heads of two ofthem. A third, though badly wounded, both by one of our bullets and anarrow in his side, raised himself up, and fiercely regarding hisadvancing foe, mocked and derided him as an ally of the whites.

  The Indian advanced, and springing on the prostrate man, without waitingto give him the merciful blow, whipped off his scalp, and left him stillbleeding on the ground. On seeing this, Pierre, who seemed ratherashamed of his friends, sent a bullet into the poor wretch's head, andput him out of his misery.

  The knife of one of the others must have been blunt, for finding thatthe scalp did not come off as quickly as he wished, seating himself onthe ground with his feet against the dead man's shoulders, he pulled itaway by main force. So far we had been more successful than we hadexpected; but our enemies might rally, and, hovering in theneighbourhood, keep us constantly in a state of anxiety. We wereunwilling to leave our secure position until we could ascertain whetherthe Indians had retreated. To learn this, it was necessary to get tothe other side of the wood, which hid them from view. For this purpose,one of our allies volunteered to ride forward and ascertain where theywere. The risk, howev
er, was great, for should he be pursued, andovertaken, his death was certain. Still, the advantage to us would beso great, that Armitage consented to his going. Instead of makingdirectly towards the wood, however, he rode first to the east and thensuddenly turning his course northward, galloped along at full speed,until he got a good view of the north side of the wood which was a merebelt of trees, scarcely thick enough to conceal a large body ofhorsemen.

  We watched him anxiously. At any moment his enemies might sally out andattack him. At length we saw him turn his horse's head, when he cameriding leisurely back. Perceiving this we forthwith mounted andcontinued our journey, leaving the bodies of the Indians to be devouredby the prairie wolves, for we had no time, even had we wished it, tobury them.

  We of course kept a bright look out behind us as well as on either side,for as Pierre observed, "It never does to trust those varmints ofRedskins; they come like the wind, and are off again with as many scalpsas they can lift before a man who has shut his eyes for a moment hastime to open them."

  I confess that I heartily hoped we should in future be left alone; for,although I had no objection to an occasional brush with the red men, Ihad no fancy to be constantly harassed by them, and to be compelled toremain in camp without the chance of a shot at a deer or buffalo forfear of losing one's scalp. I thought, however, that we had now donewith them and should the next night be able to sleep in peace. Again wecontinued on until it was nearly dark, when we formed camp in assheltered a position as we could find.

  Of course our trail would show the way we had taken, and, should theIndians be so disposed, they might follow us. The only question waswhether they could or could not take us by surprise. We had,fortunately, enough meat for supper, but we agreed that it would benecessary to hunt the next day at all risks. When, however, we came toexamine our powder horns, we found that we had scarcely more than acouple of charges each. It would be impossible therefore to defendourselves, should we be again attacked, and a difficult task to obtaingame sufficient to last us to the end of the journey. We hadfortunately a good supply of bear's meat, which, as Dick observed, "wenta long way;" but our Indian friends were voracious feeders and it wasnecessary to give them as much as they wanted. Our chief hope now ofobtaining food was that we might come across some buffalo which ourIndians would be able to shoot with their bows and arrows: at allevents, having already escaped so many dangers, we determined to keep upour spirits and not to be cast down by the difficulties in the way.

  As our Indians had been on the watch the previous night, we undertook tokeep guard this night, two at a time. Charley and I were to betogether.

  What the captain called "the middle watch" was over, when we mountedguard, Charley on the horses, I on the camp. Just then the moon, in itslast quarter, rose above the horizon, shedding a pale light over theprairie. We had been on foot a couple of hours and I was hoping that itwould soon be time to rouse up my companions and commence the day'smarch, when Charley came to me.

  "Look there!" he said, "I fancy that I can make out some objects in thedistance, but whether they are prairie wolves or men I am not quitecertain. If they are Indians, the sooner we secure the horses thebetter. If they are wolves they can do us no great harm. We willawaken our friends, at all events!"

  I quickly, in a low voice, called up all hands; and each man, withoutstanding on his feet, crept towards his horse. In a few seconds we hadsecured the whole of them.

  "Now!" cried Dick, "mount and away." No sooner were the words uttered,than we sprang into our saddles. As we did so a loud shout saluted ourears, followed by the whistling of arrows; and, turning round, we sawfifty dark forms scampering after us. Had we possessed ammunition, weshould not have dreamed of taking to flight; but, without the means ofdefending ourselves, it was the only safe thing to be done. The arrowscame fast and thick.

  "Keep together lads," cried Dick, "never mind those bodkins, we shallsoon distance our pursuers."

  I heard a sharp cry from Charley and turning round I saw an arrowsticking in his side. The captain had already been wounded, but he didnot betray the fact of his being hurt.

  Our horses, seeming to understand our dangerous position, stretched outat their greatest speed. I turned round and could still see the Indianscoming on and discharging their arrows; but we were now beyond theirrange, and, provided our horses kept their feet, we had no fear of beingovertaken. It was very trying to have to run away from foes whom we hadtwice defeated, for we had no doubt that they were the same band ofRedskins we had before encountered and who now hoped, by approaching onfoot, to take us by surprise. Had not Charley's quick sight detectedthem indeed, we should probably have lost our horses and have beenmurdered into the bargain. On we galloped, yet for a long time we couldhear the shrieks and shouts of our distant foes. Their horses were notlikely to be far off, and we knew that they would probably return forthem and again pursue us. We must, therefore, put a considerabledistance between ourselves and them. Fortunately, not having tired oursteeds, we should be able to go on without pulling rein for the wholeday; we must, however, camp to feed them, but not for a moment longerthan would be absolutely necessary for the purpose. I asked Charley howhe felt.

  "Never mind me," he answered, "the arrow hurts somewhat, but I would nothave our party stop to attend to me. If I feel worse I'll tell you,lest I should drop from my horse."

  The captain said not a word of his wound, nor did anyone else complainof being hurt; though, as daylight increased, I observed blood streamingfrom the leg of one of the Indians, and another with a pierced coatthrough which an arrow had gone. At length our steeds gave signs ofbeing tired, and we ourselves had become very hungry. We agreed,therefore, to pull up near a stream, with a knoll close to it, fromwhich we could obtain, through our spy-glasses, a wide view across theprairie, so that we could see our enemies before they could discover us.To light a fire and cook our bear's flesh while our horses were turnedloose to feed, occupied but little time. We had saved a couple of tinmugs with which we brought water from the stream; but our kettle, andseveral other articles, in the hurry of our flight, had been leftbehind. Our first care was to see to Charley's wound. He heroicallybore the operation of cutting off the head of the arrow, which had to bedone before the shaft of the arrow could be drawn out. We then, with ahandkerchief, bound up the wound. Dick was less seriously hurt, anarrow having, however, torn its way through his shoulder. The Indianmade light of his wound which was very similar to that Charley hadreceived. His companions doctored him, we supplying them with ahandkerchief which they bound round his wounded limb. I was stillresting when Story, who had taken his post on the knoll, spy-glass inhand, shouted out--

  "I have just caught sight of the heads of the Redskins, over the grass,so the sooner we are away the better."

  Saying this he hurried down the hill. We, having caught the horses andpacked up the remainder of our meat, mounted and rode on. Both Charleyand Dick declared they did not feel much the worse for their wounds, theblood they had lost probably preventing inflammation. Though theIndians could not see us, they must have discovered our trail; and theywould soon ascertain, by the remains of our fire, that we were not farahead. This might encourage them to pursue us; but our horses beingbetter than theirs, we might still, should no accident happen, keep wellahead of them.

  We galloped on until dark and then we were once more compelled to camp.Only half our party lay down at a time, the remainder keeping by thehorses while they fed, to be ready to bring them in at a moment'snotice. Our pursuers would also have to stop to feed their horses, andas they had not come up to us during the first watch, we hoped that theywould leave us in quiet for the remainder of the night.

  We were not disturbed; and before daybreak, jumping into our saddles, wepushed on. I must pass over the two following days. As yet we had metwith no signs of civilisation, when we saw a wreath of smoke risingabove the trees in the far distance. It might come from abackwoodsman's hut, or it might be simply
that of a camp fire. It wasnot likely to rise from the camp of Indians, so Pierre thought, as theydo not generally venture so far east. However, to run no risk offalling among foes, we sent forward one of our scouts, while weproceeded at the pace we had before been going. We felt most anxious toget some shelter, where we could sleep in security and obtain food, forour bear's flesh was well-nigh exhausted, and we had not hitherto fallenin with buffalo; while both our wounded men required more care than wecould give them in the camp, with the chance of having to mount and ridefor our lives at any moment.

  After riding some distance we heard a shot.

  "All's not right," cried Dick; "we may have either to fight, or run forit."

  In a short time we saw an Indian riding at full speed towards us.

  "What's the matter?" asked Pierre as he came near.

  He pointed to the wood, when presently two white men appeared withrifles in their hands. As soon as they caught sight of us, they shoutedout and made signs of friendship to us, while they grounded their arms.We were soon up to them.

  "Sorry to have shot at your Redskin friend, but we took him for anenemy, that's a fact," said one of them; "however, as the bit of leadmissed his head, he's none the worse for it."

  Dick assured him we had no wish to complain, and asked whether we couldfind any shelter in the neighbourhood.

  "You are welcome to our hut, friends," answered the other man, "it's bigenough for all hands except the Indians, and they can put up wigwams forthemselves. Come along, for there's a storm brewing, I guess; andyou'll be better under cover than in the open air."

  We gladly accepted the invitation, and guided by our new acquaintances,we soon found ourselves in a clearing, with a good-sized log-hut and acouple of shanties at the rear of it. The rain had already begun tofall; so speedily taking off the bridles and saddles of our steeds, wehobbled them and turned them loose; we then hurried under cover, ourIndian guides taking possession of one of the shanties.

  Our hosts, Mark and Simon Praeger, told us that they and their brothershad built the log-hut the previous winter. They had already agood-sized field fenced in and under cultivation and had besides a herdof cattle, the intention of the family being to move west in a fewmonths.

  On hearing of the loss of our provisions and stores, they at once set towork to get supper ready; and, as they had killed a deer that morningand had a good supply of flour, coffee and other articles, they soonplaced an abundant meal smoking on the table. We at once discoveredthat they were superior to the general run of backwoodsmen, having afair education, at the same time that they were hardy perseveringfellows, and bold buffalo and deer hunters, who held the Redskins insupreme contempt. Their family, they told us, resided somewhere about ahundred miles away to the eastward. They had pushed thus far into thewilderness to form a home for themselves, both young men intending tomarry shortly and set up house. Their father's farm was close to thevery settlement for which we were bound, and the nearest where we werelikely to get our wants amply supplied. They were sure, they said, thattheir father would be happy to receive us and assist us in obtaining allwe required. We thanked them and gladly accepted their kind offer.

  Supper being over, we lay down in our buffalo robes; and I need scarcelysay that, having no longer the fear of being aroused by finding anIndian's scalping-knife running round my head, I was quickly fastasleep, fully expecting to have a good night's rest.

  My sleep, however, at length became troubled. I dreamed that I heardthe Indian war-whoops, and saw a whole band of savages spring out of thedarkness and rush with uplifted tomahawks towards me while I layhelpless on the ground. Presently the cries increased, and I awoke witha start to hear a terrific growling sound. It was that of a bear, I wasconvinced. I saw that Mark Praeger, having got up and struck a light,had taken down his rifle from the wall and was going towards the door.I jumped up, as did Armitage and Story, and followed him. As he threwopen the door, we saw, not a dozen paces from the hut, a huge bearsquatting on his hindquarters and apparently taking a leisurely surveyof the hut.

  Mark, as soon as he caught sight of his visitor, lifted his rifle andfired, but the cap failed to go off. It would have been a fineopportunity for Bruin to have made a rush upon us; when he might, bydashing into the hut, have taken possession and killed us all one afterthe other, or driven us out. Instead of doing so, alarmed by the shoutswe raised, uttering a low growl, he turned round and broke away throughthe brushwood on one side of the hut.

  "On lads!" cried Mark, "we must get that fellow for the sake of the meatand skin."

  As he spoke he replaced the copper cap and dashed forward in pursuit ofthe intruder. As we had no wish to go bear-hunting unarmed, we hurriedback to obtain our rifles and some powder and bullets from Simon. Bythe time we were supplied, the rest of the party who had been aroused byour shouts, were on foot and preparing to accompany us. On returning tothe door, we could nowhere see Mark; but Simon taking the lead wefollowed him. The moon had got up, so that we managed to see our waywith tolerable clearness, by a path leading down to a stream, withprecipitous banks, rising in some places into cliffs of considerableheight. We had gone some distance when we heard a shot fired.

  "Mark has brought Master Bruin to bay," cried Simon; "I wish he hadwaited until we had come up."

  I heard the sound of footsteps behind us, and looking round saw that ourIndian allies had followed, as eager as we were to get the bear's meat.Just then we saw Mark bending over the bear which he had shot; but whatwas our horror the next moment to observe another huge monster rush outfrom behind a rock and lifting itself on its haunches make a spring athim, before he could even turn round to defend himself. His deathseemed certain. In attempting to shoot the bear, we should too probablykill him. No one therefore dared to fire. In vain he endeavoured toescape from the claws of the creature who held him in a fast embrace.His brother and Armitage, who were leading, dashed forward, the onedrawing a long knife, the other armed with an axe which he had caught upas we left the hut. I held my gun ready, waiting to fire should I beable to do so without running the risk of shooting one of my friends.

  It was a fearful moment. It seemed scarcely possible, even should wekill the bear, that poor Mark would escape destruction. Simon,springing close to the monster, dealt it a tremendous blow with his axe,hoping to draw its attention on himself; while Armitage, with hisuplifted knife, dashed forward, and as he did so plunged his weaponbehind the bear's shoulder. The monster turned round on feeling thewound, and I thought would have bitten Mark's head. Simon again pliedthe brute with his axe. The huge jaws relaxed, the head sank down,Armitage had driven his knife home to the beast's heart.

  With shouts, indicative of their satisfaction, the Indians now hurriedup and assisted us in dragging off the body from our fallen friend whowas by this time nearly senseless. The bear's claws had torn himfearfully about the breast and shoulders, besides having given him atremendous hug, but had, we hoped, injured no vital part. He wasunable, however, to speak or stand. We at once, therefore, formed alitter with poles speedily cut from the banks of the stream, on which webore him back to the hut, leaving the Indians under the command ofPierre to cut up the bears and bring in their flesh and skins, anoccupation to which they applied themselves with evident delight.