CHAPTER FIVE.
A tremendous storm, such as we had not yet experienced, kept us in campthe next morning. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and therain came down in torrents, compelling us to make trenches round ourhuts. Even when doing this, we were nearly wet to the skin. Our firesalso were almost extinguished, though we contrived to keep them in byheaping up fresh fuel every few minutes. It was truly a battle betweenthe flames and the rain, but the former would have been beaten withoutour assistance. The same cause probably kept the Indians inside theirwigwams, for we saw nothing of them. We managed to cover up poorCharley so that he did not suffer. In the afternoon, the rain clearedoff, and trusting to the professions of the Indians, Dick and I set offto pay them a visit. For prudence, according to the custom we hadadopted, we wore our swords by our sides, at which, as they appearedrather more for ornament than use, the Indians were not likely to takeoffence. One of the Indians, who had come to our camp the previousevening, was, we discovered, their chief, by name Ocuno, or the YellowWolf. He received us with outstretched hands, appearing highly pleasedat our coming, and without hesitation introduced us to his principalsquaw, a very attractive young woman with a pleasing expression ofcountenance, and much fairer than Indians in general, indeed we had nodoubt that she must have had a white father. She told us that she wasmuch attached to the whites, and had not it been her lot to become thewife of Yellow Wolf, she would gladly have married a pale face. Dickwas so well satisfied, that he agreed to bring his young friend over totheir village the next morning, that he might be placed under hercharge.
The Yellow Wolf told us that he intended to start in search of buffaloin a day or two, and that if we chose, we might accompany him, promisingthat we should have half the animals slain; "for," as he observed, "heand his people were more expert hunters, yet our firearms would makeamends for our want of skill."
After spending some time with our new friends, we returned to our owncamp. The offer of Yellow Wolf was accepted by all hands, and in themorning we conveyed Charley on a litter to his lodge, the baggage mulesand spare horses being also moved forward to the neighbourhood of thevillage. We found the Indians preparing to engage in a dance, which wesupposed was for our entertainment, but which we afterwards discovered,was for the sake of inducing the Good Spirit to send herds of buffalo totheir neighbourhood.
As soon as Charley was comfortably placed inside his wigwam, and thefair Manoa, the "Flower of the Prairies"--as her lord was wont to callher--was examining his hurts, the Yellow Wolf desired us to be seated infront of it. Scarcely had we taken our places, than from every hutrushed forward some monstrous figures with buffalo heads, but the legsof men and huge tails trailing behind, the whole of the party collectingin an open space in front of us. They were about to begin, we weretold, their famous buffalo dance. First round and round they trampedwith measured steps, then they rushed against each other, thenseparated, then again met. Some were overthrown, but quickly getting ontheir feet, rejoined their companions. Now they bent down on all fours;now one buffalo, seizing a bow, shot a blunt arrow at another. Some hadshields and spears; some, mounted on the backs of their companions,charged at everyone they met; all the time the whole band were stamping,bellowing, yelping, and making other terrific noises, while anotherparty were seated on the ground beating their drums, and shaking theirrattles, the dancers keeping time to the discordant music. It isdifficult to describe the feats of the different performers, for eachman appeared to dance until he could dance no more, except that when apretended buffalo was shot by a blunt arrow, he was dragged out, andanother immediately took his place. This amusement went on until wewere utterly weary of witnessing it, though at first it was amusingenough. I then suggested to Yellow Wolf that he should order thedancers to "knock off;" but he replied that the efficacy of the ceremonydepended upon its continuing until the buffalo should appear.
"But suppose they should not come for a whole moon, your braves will bepretty well worn out by that time," I remarked.
"But they will come before then," he answered.
"So I should hope," I said, laughing.
At last a bevy of squaws placed on the ground, in front of the tent, anabundant feast of various messes, of which our host invited us topartake, suggesting that we should add a few articles from our ownstores, including a bottle of fire-water, "for which," he observed, "hislips felt a peculiar longing."
We took the hint, but Dick ordered only a small bottle to be brought,observing that we kept the firewater for sick men, or for such occasionsas the present, and that we could not venture to draw largely on ourstore.
Unattractive as were the dishes the Redskin damsels offered us, theywere far more palatable than might have been expected.
As the Indians liked their own dishes best, and we preferred ours, wedid not trespass very largely on theirs. We found from the small amountof meat in the village, that the inhabitants were more hard up for foodthan we had supposed.
The buffalo dancers all the time continued their performance, beingevidently impressed with the belief that the more furiously they danced,the sooner the buffaloes would make their appearance. Night brought nocessation, one relay of performers relieving the other withoutintermission; so that I was afraid poor Charley would have but littlechance of a sleep. He, however, when I paid him a visit beforeretiring, assured me that he had got accustomed to the noise; and thatthe Flower of the Prairies had taken such good care of him that he wasperfectly ready to remain where he was. Although we had everyconfidence in the honesty of our new friends, we deemed it prudent tokeep a watch at night, both in camp and over the animals, for fear someyoung brave might take it into his head to distinguish himself byrunning off with a horse or two, as he would be sure to find a welcomeamong any friendly tribe after the performance of such an act. I haveno doubt there are some noble Redskins fit to become heroes of romances;but the greater part are unmitigated savages, with notions of right andwrong very different from those of civilised people.
The next day we paid a visit to Yellow Wolf, when we found his peoplestill dancing with unabated vigour.
"The buffalo have not come yet!" I observed to him.
"Wait a bit, they come by-and-by," he replied. Dick suggested that weshould strike away westward in search of them, but Yellow Wolf repliedthat it would be of no use, and that probably the buffalo would turnback and take a different course, should the pale-faces pursue them.
Old Ben advised us not to act contrary to the chief's wishes, observingthat he undoubtedly had a very correct notion of when the buffalo wouldappear, as he never allowed the dance to commence until he calculatedthat the herd were not far off.
Wishing to cement our friendship with the chief we invited him and someof his principal braves to our camp, where we provided a feast assuitable to their tastes as we were capable of producing. They approvedof the boiled ham and pork as well as the corn cakes, sweetened withsugar, which old Ben manufactured; but they hinted pretty strongly thatthe stuff our flasks contained was more to their taste than anythingelse we possessed. We took good care, however, not to give them enoughto make them drunk; but Armitage observed that we were doing them harmby creating in them a taste for spirits, and that it would have beenwiser not to allow them from the first to know that we had any.
The feast was over, and our guests were smoking the tobacco with whichwe provided them, puffing away with evident enjoyment, when a youngbrave was seen galloping towards our camp at headlong speed. As heapproached, he cried out,--"The buffalo! the buffalo are coming!"
"I said so!" exclaimed Yellow Wolf, springing up and rushing towards hishorse. We all followed his example, leaving Pierre and the Indians incharge of the camp.
Yellow Wolf and his followers directed their course towards their lodgesto obtain their bows and arrows; for, to show the confidence they placedin us, they had come without them. As we came near, we saw, far to thenorth and north-west, the whole ground covered with a dark mass ofshagg
y monsters, tossing their heads and flourishing their tails, theground literally trembling beneath their feet as they dashed on towardsus. The course they were following would bring them directly down uponthe camp. We might as well have endeavoured to stop a cataract as tohave tried to turn them aside. Their sudden appearance caused thegreatest excitement and confusion in the camp. The buffalo dancers, whohad danced they were convinced to some purpose, having thrown off theirmasquerading dresses, were rushing here and there to obtain their armsand catch their horses. Before, however, the greater number were readyfor the encounter, the buffalo were in their midst; and, to the dismayof the inmates, charged right through the camp, capsizing wigwams,trampling over women and children, dashing through the fires, andcrushing pots and pans. Many of the brutes, however, paid dearly fortheir exploit; as the hunters, with shouts and shrieks, followed themup, shooting down some, spearing others, and ham-stringing the brutesright and left, who were too much astonished and confused at theunexpected reception they met with to escape. I made my way to thechief's wigwam, which I was thankful to see still standing, and was justin time to shoot a buffalo charging at it with a force which would haveupset a structure of ten times its stability. As it was, the animalrolled over, close to the tent poles. It was the first buffalo I hadkilled, and I was the prouder of the exploit as I had saved Charlie andthe Flower of the Prairies from injury. I saw the chief galloping afteranother buffalo charging an old warrior fallen to the ground, and whowould, in another moment, have been transfixed by its horns, had notYellow Wolf stuck his spear behind its shoulder so powerful a blow thatthe creature rolled over, not, however, without almost crushing the oldman's legs. The fierce onslaught made by the Indians on the herd atlength divided it, some of the animals going off to the south-east,others to the south-west. Greatly to our satisfaction they then passedby on either side of our camp, several of their number being broughtdown by Ben Folkard's and Pierre's unerring rifles, three also beingkilled by our Indian followers. We, as well as the Indians, however,excited by the chase, still followed the buffaloes, although it seemedto me that we had already as much meat as the people could possiblyconsume.
Away we went, the Indians pursuing the cows, which they had singled out,their flesh being of the most value, though they were much smaller thanthe bulls. I confess, as they were all galloping along together, that Icould scarcely distinguish one from the other. I found myself at lengthalone, pursuing part of the herd which had turned away eastward. I hadmanaged to knock over two animals, and having again loaded made chaseafter a cow which had separated from her companions, I being determinedto shoot her and then return. For some time she gave me no chance, as,unless I could obtain a broadside shot, there was no use in firing. Myhorse was beginning to get blown, but I urged him on with whip and spur,until at length I managed to get up to within a few paces, when risingin my stirrups I fired down upon the animal. It seemed like the work ofa moment, scarcely had I pulled the trigger than down dropped thebuffalo, the bullet having broken her spine. So rapid was the pace ofmy horse, that he was unable to stop himself. He made an attempt,however, to spring over the buffalo, but his feet striking its body overhe rolled sending me with my gun still grasped in my hand, flying to theopposite side, when down he came almost upon me. At first I was seizedwith the dreadful idea that both my legs were broken, and I expectedthat my horse in his struggles would crush me still further, but thewell-trained creature, recovering himself, rose to his feet withouttrampling upon me. Fortunately my sword was not broken, nor thrown outof the scabbard.
For some time I lay holding his bridle but unable to move. I was faraway from either of my companions and was much afraid that I should notbe discovered. The first thing I had to do was to try and get into mysaddle; but, should I fail, dreadful might be my fate. My horse mightperhaps make his way into camp, and by his appearance show that someaccident had happened to me. I had a pocketbook and tore out a leaf andwrote--"Lying on the ground with both legs broken, to the eastward ofthe camp," and signed it, "Tom Rushforth."
I endeavoured to reach one of my stirrups to which I intended to fastenthe paper and then to set my horse at liberty. Before doing so,however, I thought I would examine my legs and ascertain if they werereally broken. On feeling the bones, to my infinite satisfaction Icould discover no fracture, though they pained me greatly. Iaccordingly tried and succeeded in getting up; and, although I do notthink I could have walked a yard, I managed to scramble into my saddlewith my gun. I then, having thrown down a handkerchief to mark the cowI had shot as my own put my horse's head, as I supposed, in thedirection of the camp.
I was anxious to get back as soon as possible, but the pain of ridingfast was greater than I could bear, and I was compelled to make my horsewalk at a pace not suited to his fancy.
I could still see the buffalo scampering over the prairie, moving off tothe southward, and I concluded that they would be miles away before theend of the day. I looked round for any friends, but not a horsemancould I discover.
The weather had been bright during the early part of the day, but cloudswere now drifting rapidly over the sky, and I continued riding ontowards the north-west until the sun became totally obscured. I stillbelieved that I could direct my course right. To trot was unbearable,but I thought that I might venture on a gallop; the movement, however,caused me so much pain that I was compelled again to pull up. In rainmy eyes ranged over the wide extent of the prairie, in search of thewigwams of our Indian friends. For some time I guided myself by thewind, but that also shifted and fell light, so that I was unable tosteer by it. I could distinguish the trail of the buffalo, by the tallgrass which they had trampled down; but that did not serve to guide me,for it seemed to bend in all directions, though I have no doubt it wouldhave served an Indian perfectly. I arrived at length at the unpleasantconclusion, that I had lost myself; still, could I but get a gleam ofsunshine, or see the distant hills, I might, I hoped, ascertain whatdirection to take.
Had I not been so severely injured, I should not have cared so much; forhaving just before taken a good meal, I could have gone without fooduntil the following day. I felt sure that my friends would come tosearch for me, but it might be long before I should be discovered, andthe pain I suffered warned me of the importance of getting into camp assoon as possible.
My rifle was loaded, and I fired it off two or three times, hoping thatthe sound might be heard. I listened eagerly expecting a reply. Aperfect silence, however, reigned over the vast plain. At length Ibecame seriously anxious about my safety. I was still convinced that Iwas riding towards the west, and I pushed on. From the feeling in mylegs, I fancied they must have swelled to twice their natural size, buton looking down they appeared as usual. The pain caused my spirits tosink, and all sorts of gloomy thoughts passed through my mind. Againand again I looked round. At length I saw in the far distance, anobject moving over the plain, which I at once conjectured was ahorseman, though I could only distinguish the upper part of his body. Iturned my horse's head towards him, and raised my rifle in the air,hoping that he might perceive it. As I got nearer, I saw, by the plumeon his head, that he was an Indian, and I naturally concluded that hewas either Yellow Wolf or one of his braves, or perhaps one of our ownpeople. I was somewhat surprised, however, when instead of coming ondirectly towards me, he turned to the right, and began to move on at agallop over the ground. I then perceived that his headdress wasdifferent to that of my friends, and that he carried a long shield andspear, as well as a bow and arrows. I had just reached a slight knoll,on which I pulled up that I might the more carefully survey thestranger. An attentive look at him convinced me that he was aCoomanche, one of the same people who had before attacked us, so that Iknew I must treat him as an enemy rather than a friend. Should I lethim get near me, I felt pretty sure that, if he was a Coomanche, hewould play me some treacherous trick. I therefore unslung my rifle, andin a loud voice shouted to him to keep his distance.
He heard me cle
arly enough, but instead of stopping galloping towardsme, he threw himself on the side of his horse, and, before I could coverhim with my rifle, I saw the head of an arrow projecting over hissaddle. To avoid it by retreating was impossible, so, bringing my rifleup to my shoulder, I gave a sudden jerk to my rein, which made my horsestep back a few paces, and the arrow, aimed at my body, flew by in frontof his nose. I had refrained from firing. The Coomanche, for such Iconcluded that he was, seeing that he was in my power--having shotanother arrow which in his flurry, he was prevented aiming truly--galloped off to a distance.
I now shouted to him, threatening to kill his horse, and advising him totake himself off. He seemed doubtful, apparently, what to do. He mighthave hoped, that, should I execute my threat, he might still bring medown with an arrow, and by mounting my steed make his escape; but hemust have been well aware there are many chances in warfare, and that Imight shoot him instead of his steed. He might have guessed, by my nothaving fired, that I had my wits about me. I of course narrowly watchedhis movements, and seeing him glance over his shoulder, the ideaoccurred to me, that he was expecting others of his tribe to appear, inwhich case I should have but little chance of escaping.
At length he decided how to act. Once more he made at me, shooting acouple of arrows in rapid succession. One went through the sleeve of mycoat; another struck the saddle, narrowly missing my legs, but did notpierce through the leather.
He might have half-a-dozen more arrows in his hand, and it was necessaryto be cautious. As he circled round, I kept turning so as always toface him, when he was afraid of riding directly at me, for should he doso, he would he knew inevitably expose himself, and I should scarcelyfail to miss him. His object was, I concluded, to keep me employeduntil the arrival of his friends. It would be folly to do as he wished.As long as I remained on the same spot, I could at any moment take asteady aim at him. Though he was aware of this, he trusted to my notfiring, for fear of being unarmed should he charge me. At length hecame so near, that I resolved not to lose the opportunity of knockingover his horse. I aimed just behind the animal's shoulder, and musthave shot it through the heart; for, giving one bound, it fell overdead. The active Indian, however, in a moment extricating himself,leapt to his feet, and came bounding towards me.
In a moment my trusty sword was out of its sheath, when, with a howl ofdisappointed rage, the Coomanche, seeing it uplifted to cut him down,turned tail and ran off as fast as his legs would carry him. Iimmediately reloaded and should, I believe, have shot the Redskin also;but I had no wish to take the poor wretch's life, though, for my ownsafety, I determined to do so, should he again approach me. At thatmoment, the sun coming out from behind a cloud, just above the horizon,shone on a distant peak, which I had remarked from our camp. I had nowno doubt as to the direction I should take. In spite of the agony themovement caused me, I put my horse into a gallop, leaving my lateantagonist to pursue his way unhindered, and steered my course towardsthe north-west, where I hoped before long to discover my friends. Thesun, however, sunk before I had seen either them or the Indian wigwams.Still the glow in the western sky guided me long after darkness hadcrept over the open prairie. When that disappeared, I was again at aloss how to keep a straight course. Throwing therefore the reins on myhorse's neck, I trusted to his instinct to lead me aright.
I had gone on for two hours in the darkness when, to my joy, I saw abright light ahead. It was that, I had little doubt, of our own campfire. I was not mistaken. In a short time Dick's cheery voice welcomedme. He and my other companions had become anxious at my non-appearance.I was almost falling from my horse, and could not have dismountedwithout assistance. On telling them of my fight with the Coomanche,Pierre immediately sent off to tell our Indian friends of my suspicionsthat a party of their enemies were in the neighbourhood.