Substitute for Fuel on the Prairies.--Fossil Trees.--
Fierceness of the Buffaloes When in Heat.--Three Hunters
Missing.--Signal Fires and Smokes.--Uneasiness Concerning
the Lost Men.--A Plan to Forestall a Rogue.--New Arrangement
With Rose.--Return of the Wanderers.
THE plains over which the travellers were journeying continued to be
destitute of trees or even shrubs; insomuch that they had to use the
dung of the buffalo for fuel, as the Arabs of the desert use that of the
camel. This substitute for fuel is universal among the Indians of these
upper prairies, and is said to make a fire equal to that of turf. If a
few chips are added, it throws out a cheerful and kindly blaze.
These plains, however, had not always been equally destitute of wood, as
was evident from the trunks of the trees which the travellers repeatedly
met with, some still standing, others lying about in broken fragments,
but all in a fossil state, having flourished in times long past. In
these singular remains, the original grain of the wood was still so
distinct that they could be ascertained to be the ruins of oak trees.
Several pieces of the fossil wood were selected by the men to serve as
whetstones.
In this part of the journey there was no lack of provisions, for the
prairies were covered with immense herds of buffalo. These, in general,
are animals of peaceful demeanor, grazing quietly like domestic cattle;
but this was the season when they are in heat, and when the bulls
are usually fierce and pugnacious. There was accordingly a universal
restlessness and commotion throughout the plain; and the amorous herds
gave utterance to their feelings in low bellowings that resounded like
distant thunder. Here and there fierce duellos took place between rival
enamorados; butting their huge shagged fronts together, goring each
other with their short black horns, and tearing up the earth with their
feet in perfect fury.
In one of the evening halts, Pierre Dorion, the interpreter, together
with Carson and Gardpie, two of the hunters, were missing, nor had
they returned by morning. As it was supposed they had wandered away in
pursuit of buffalo, and would readily find the track of the party, no
solicitude was felt on their account. A fire was left burning, to guide
them by its column of smoke, and the travellers proceeded on their
march. In the evening a signal fire was made on a hill adjacent to the
camp, and in the morning it was replenished with fuel so as to last
throughout the day. These signals are usual among the Indians, to give
warnings to each other, or to call home straggling hunters; and such
is the transparency of the atmosphere in those elevated plains, that
a slight column of smoke can be discerned from a great distance,
particularly in the evenings. Two or three days elapsed, however,
without the reappearance of the three hunters; and Mr. Hunt slackened
his march to give them time to overtake him.
A vigilant watch continued to be kept upon the movements of Rose, and
of such of the men as were considered doubtful in their loyalty; but
nothing occurred to excite immediate apprehensions. Rose evidently was
not a favorite among his comrades, and it was hoped that he had not been
able to make any real partisans.
On the 10th of August they encamped among hills, on the highest peak of
which Mr. Hunt caused a huge pyre of pine wood to be made, which soon
sent up a great column of flame that might be seen far and wide over
the prairies. This fire blazed all night, and was amply replenished at
daybreak; so that the towering pillar of smoke could not but be descried
by the wanderers if within the distance of a day’s journey.
It is a common occurrence in these regions, where the features of the
country so much resemble each other, for hunters to lose themselves and
wander for many days, before they can find their way back to the main
body of their party. In the present instance, however, a more than
common solicitude was felt, in consequence of the distrust awakened by
the sinister designs of Rose.
The route now became excessively toilsome, over a ridge of steep
rocky hills, covered with loose stones. These were intersected by deep
valleys, formed by two branches of Big River, coming from the south
of west, both of which they crossed. These streams were bordered by
meadows, well stocked with buffaloes. Loads of meat were brought in by
the hunters; but the travellers were rendered dainty by profusion, and
would cook only the choice pieces.
They had now travelled for several days at a very slow rate, and had
made signal-fires and left traces of their route at every stage, yet
nothing was heard or seen of the lost men. It began to be feared that
they might have fallen into the hands of some lurking band of savages.
A party numerous as that of Mr. Hunt, with a long train of pack horses,
moving across plains or naked hills, is discoverable at a great distance
by Indian scouts, who spread the intelligence rapidly to various points,
and assemble their friends to hang about the skirts of the travellers,
steal their horses, or cut off any stragglers from the main body.
Mr. Hunt and his companions were more and more sensible how much it
would be in the power of this sullen and daring vagabond Rose, to do
them mischief, when they should become entangled in the defiles of the
mountains, with the passes of which they were wholly unacquainted, and
which were infested by his freebooting friends, the Crows. There, should
he succeed in seducing some of the party into his plans, he might carry
off the best horses and effects, throw himself among his savage allies,
and set all pursuit at defiance. Mr. Hunt resolved, therefore, to
frustrate the knave, divert him, by management, from his plans, and make
it sufficiently advantageous for him to remain honest.
He took occasion, accordingly, in the course of conversation, to inform
Rose that, having engaged him chiefly as a guide and interpreter through
the country of the Crows, they would not stand in need of his services
beyond. Knowing, therefore, his connection by marriage with that tribe,
and his predilection for a residence among them, they would put no
restraint upon his will, but, whenever they met with a party of that
people, would leave him at liberty to remain among his adopted brethren.
Furthermore, that, in thus parting with him, they would pay him a half a
year’s wages in consideration of his past services, and would give him
a horse, three beaver traps, and sundry other articles calculated to set
him up in the world.
This unexpected liberality, which made it nearly as profitable and
infinitely less hazardous for Rose to remain honest than to play the
rogue, completely disarmed him. From that time his whole deportment
underwent a change. His brow cleared up and appeared more cheerful; he
left off his sullen, skulking habits, and made no further attempts to
tamper with the faith of his comrades.
On the 13th of August Mr. Hunt varied his course, and inclined westward,
in hopes of falling in with the three lost hunters; who, it was now
thought, might have kept to the right hand of Big River. This course
soon brought him to a fork of the Little Missouri, about a hundred yards
wide, and resembling the great river of the same name in the strength
of its current, its turbid water, and the frequency of drift-wood and
sunken trees.
Rugged mountains appeared ahead, crowding down to the water edge, and
offering a barrier to further progress on the side they were ascending.
Crossing the river, therefore, they encamped on its northwest bank,
where they found good pasturage and buffalo in abundance. The weather
was overcast and rainy, and a general gloom pervaded the camp; the
voyageurs sat smoking in groups, with their shoulders as high as their
heads, croaking their foreboding, when suddenly towards evening a
shout of joy gave notice that the lost men were found. They came slowly
lagging into camp, with weary looks, and horses jaded and wayworn. They
had, in fact, been for several days incessantly on the move. In their
hunting excursion on the prairies they had pushed so far in pursuit of
buffalo, as to find it impossible to retrace their steps over plains
trampled by innumerable herds; and were baffled by the monotony of the
landscape in their attempts to recall landmarks. They had ridden to and
fro until they had almost lost the points of the compass, and became
totally bewildered; nor did they ever perceive any of the signal fires
and columns of smoke made by their comrades. At length, about two days
previously, when almost spent by anxiety and hard riding, they came,
to their great joy, upon the “trail” of the party, which they had since
followed up steadily.
Those only who have experienced the warm cordiality that grows up
between comrades in wild and adventurous expeditions of the kind, can
picture to themselves the hearty cheering with which the stragglers were
welcomed to the camp. Every one crowded round them to ask questions,
and to hear the story of their mishaps; and even the squaw of the moody
half-breed, Pierre Dorion, forgot the sternness of his domestic rule,
and the conjugal discipline of the cudgel, in her joy at his safe
return.