——“But now he kneels,
And, like a scout when listening to the tramp
Of horse or foot, lays his experienced ear
Close to the ground, then rises and explores,
Then kneels again, and, his short rifle gun
Against his cheek, waits patiently.”
ROGERS.
The hunters, whom we left pursuing the Indians, remained so far behind
as to lose sight of them in the open prairie, and following on until
appearances indicated their near approach to the camp, took it for
granted that thither they were bound. They were afraid to enter along
with a party so much excited, lest they, to conceal all traces of
their crime, should also put them to death, and crouching down in the
grass, resolved not to venture nearer, until darkness should allow
them to approach it in safety.
“Earth,” said Rolfe, “how is this thing likely to end?”
“Rather squally,” said Earth; “most probably with the loss of our
hair.”
“You don't think so; they surely will not dare do it, they must know
it will lead to war.”
“You did not think they would dare do what they did on the Ohio.”
“No, I did not; if I had heard it, as I hear other rumors of families
disappearing and never being heard of, I should have regarded it as an
idle story.”
“Now the truth is,” said Earth, “they'll dare do any thing. They'll
give you one hand in friendship, while with the other, they put a
knife between your ribs. We are in a ticklish situation, Rolfe, and
I'm not so sure we shan't be used up.”
“How? what?”—said Rolfe, quickly.
“Why, these devils must conceal this thing; you see they've been
hurrying along, that they might keep dark; now, were we to go up and
demand the girl, and tell 'em of the murder, we should be butchered or
roasted before you could take a chew of red-streak. They would'nt wish
prettier fun, and instead of lying upon this soft grass, we should be
dancing round a pole, with a parcel of lightwood splinters in us.”
“Earth, this is rather too serious a mater to joke about; but, if what
you say of Tecumseh be true, he will not suffer it.”
“I told you,” said Earth, “what people say, not what I know of
'Cumseh; for myself, I have no confidence in any of 'em, I never
knowed one that could be trusted; its just as natural for them to lie,
and do every thing that is bad, as 'tis for a gourd to have a bitter
taste.”
“Then it may be as bad in the morning,” said Rolfe, “as it is now.”
“No, they'll have time to cool a little,” said Earth, “but I'll slip
round after a while, as soon as I think it safe to do so, and see what
I can make of 'em.”
“Well, be cautious, Earth, for I should hate for them to get hold of
you.”
“You let an ‘old coon’ alone,” said Earth, “for I reckon that perhaps,
I should hate it a little worser than you.”
“Earth, I'll tell you a notion that strikes me.”
“What is it?”
“Why, that this party has not gone to the camp.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Because, if Tecumseh is there, they would be afraid to go, for people
generally say that he sticks to the treaty, and discountenances these
things; and what every body says, you know, is right apt to have some
truth in it. Another reason. If the Prophet is there, they would not
go, because he preaches peace, and you know what a disturbance we have
already had, about his refusing to give up a murderer.”
“There is something in what you say, Rolfe, but these Ingens are sly
dogs; they are mighty tricky. If they are not here, where could they
have gone?”
“They may have avoided the camp,” said Rolfe, “and have gone up the
Wabash, where they are always assembling, or else have turned off, and
gone to the west.”
“We'll see presently,” said Earth, and stretching themselves out they
awaited the approach of night.
Several hours had now passed, when Earth rousing himself from a
troubled sleep, left Rolfe, and proceeded cautiously to reconnoitre
the camp. Cutting an armful of long prairie grass, and wrapping it
about his body, so as to conceal, in some measure, the outlines of his
person, he approached fearlessly until the fires of the Indians showed
their exact position; when, crouching down, he gently stretched
himself out, and began to pull his body slowly along. Feeling before
him, he carefully removed every stick or reed which, if broken, would
make the least noise, and crawling cautiously, continued his perilous
task. Stopping every moment, he listened with suspended breath, to
discover if his approach was heard, and proceeded in this way until he
reached the southern edge of the encampment, where, by drawing his
head down beneath his shoulders, and by a proper arrangement of the
grass, a species of tact only known to a genuine hunter, he almost
imperceptibly rose up, and appeared darkly shadowed forth as an old
stump. At a few yards, and just before him were reposing a group of
Indians half dosing, and whiffing in silence, their fumes of smoke to
the midnight air. Earth gazed upon them for a short time and soon saw
that from them, nothing was to be learned. Then, although not even the
gentle waving of the grass disturbed the scene, he disappeared as
though he had sunk into the ground.
Then escaping to some distance, he rose, and forming an extensive
circuit, began in the same cautious manner to approach the camp on its
northern boundary, where was situated the bower of Netnokwa. Having
arrived as near as he wished, he stretched himself out and lay, to all
appearance, a log upon the ground. Here, that old dame was croning a
low ditty; Earth listened with the utmost attention, and endeavoured
to catch some of her words, hoping by their import to find out who she
was, when suddenly rising up, she left her bower, and as chance would
have it, directed her steps towards him. At her approach, Earth
involuntary pressed himself closer to the ground, but as Netnokwa had
come out to learn the hour of the night, she saw him not. Stopping for
a moment, within a few feet of him, she gazed at the stars, read the
hour, plain as on the face of a dial, and returned. Soon after this,
Earth slipped away, and proceeded with equal caution toward a cabin or
hut, which he saw rising up in another direction on the outer border
of the camp. Upon coming near this, he personated the body of a
blasted tree; stooping low enough to avoid the dark shadows of the
forest, you might have seen the outline of its bare limbs in relief on
the horizon. These he had picked up as he moved along, and with the
addition of the prairie grass which surrounded him, his figure was so
much changed as to be scarcely distinguishable. The hut which he had
now approached was that of the Prophet, who was chaunting in a wild
melody, though in a low and suppressed voice, songs of vengeance.
Here Earth remained a short time, and as bending forward, he listened
more eagerly, to catch the Prophet's words; the motion of the tree
which he personated was the same as if there had swept over it a
gentle breeze. A few moments passed and he disappeared.
There was now a rustling of the prairie grass, and Earthquake, gliding
along, seated himself near Rolfe.
“What tidings, Earth?” said Rolfe, in a hurried tone.
“No news of the captive,” said Earth, “and moreover, the camp is
quiet.”
“Whose camp is it?”
“The Prophet's.”
“How do you know?”
“From the humbug which hangs over his tent,” said Earth, “and a noise
that I heard, which I suppose he intended for a prayer, but it sounded
to my ears, very much like the whining of my old bitch Jupiter.”
“What do you mean by humbug over his tent, Earth?”
“Why, I could'nt make it out exactly, but it seemed to me that there
were rags and skins strung together in curious shapes, hanging all
about it.”
“Did none see you?”
“No, not one; there was an old squaw who came out star gazing; she
mistook me for a log, and had like to have stumbled over me, but all
went well.”
“And you did not see the captive,” continued Rolfe.
“No; and every thing seems so quiet, that I begin to doubt if these
devils from the river went there. If they had, they would have been
talking that thing over one half the night, and showing their scalps
the other half.”
“Then, if they have not,” said Rolfe, “the Prophet will aid us in our
search, and even lend assistance to rescue the maiden.”
“It will be to his interest to do so,” said Earth, “and if he gives us
any real help, it may serve to cover over that ugly trick of his, in
refusing to give up that fellow who killed the storekeeper. But,
Rolfe, I don't believe in Ingens strong as I do in the Bible. I hate
'em; Ingens and 'possums are very deceitful.”
“Is there no danger, however, in entering the camp in the morning,
Earth?”
“No; none, I reckon; we will try it all events:—come now, hush, Rolfe,
let's go to sleep.”
“I can't help thinking of that girl,” said Rolfe, “some how or other
she seems to haunt me. I keep fancying I have seen her before.”
“Seen her, indeed,” said Earth, “where did you see her?”
“It seems to me,” answered Rolfe, “that she is like a girl I used to
know in Petersburg. But then,” said he, pausing, “her father was rich
and happy.”
“And because you left him rich and happy,” said Earth, “you think she
must have floated down the Ohio in a flat boat.”
“No, it is that which perplexes me,” said Rolfe.
“Well, it ought to bother you,” said Earth, “now I feel for that gal
just as much as you do, and if she can be found, I mean to find her
and take care of her. I don't care who she is. I expect she is some
poor girl whose daddy couldn't live in the old states, and thought he
would float out here and squat in a cane brake. You know corn is
mighty scarce there on light land. But nothing will satisfy you,
Rolfe, but you must make her the real grit, one you used to love; and
with plenty of money, make her float all about here, looking for you,
I suppose. Come, let's go to sleep.”
Rolfe, who felt the force of Earth's ridicule, was silent, and a few
moments found them slumbering quietly.
Morning was far advanced, when the hunters leaving their cover
proceeded fearlessly to the camp. They had nearly reached it, and were
not yet discovered; but as soon as observed, there was passing to and
fro with quickened pace, and several Indians entered the tent of the
Prophet.
“See, Rolfe,” said Earth, “there is the tent of their mighty Prophet,
that back hut which rises up, covered with skins.”
“I see it,” said Rolfe, and they walked into the camp.
The Indians were either sitting or lounging about, and paying no
particular attention to their entrance, maintained the most perfect
silence. Earth dropped the butt of his rifle on the ground, and
leaning on its band coolly surveyed the group before him; but they
spoke not, and believing that they were waiting for him to speak, he
addressed in the Shawanee tongue the oldest before him, and demanded
to be led into the presence of the Prophet. The Indian addressed,
seemed not to comprehend the question, but upon Earth's repeating it,
he said “umph!” and spoke in an under tone to a companion near him,
who instantly rose, disappeared for a short time, and returning,
motioned the hunters to follow. They obeyed in silence, and
accompanying the messenger, soon stood in the presence of the Prophet.
He was sitting on a buffalo skin, which served as a floor for his
tent, which was unfurnished, if furniture consists in the comforts of
life. A bowl of dry peas, which, from his appearance, formed his only
sustenance, for his countenance was lean and haggard, together with
several little bags well stuffed and closely tied, were all that at
first view met the sight. But upon closer observation, a wicker basket
of tolerable size was seen peeping forth from a bundle of skins which
had evidently been placed there to conceal it, and in this no doubt
was contained the medicine bag with which he worked his incantations.
His person was wrapped in a blanket, and muffled up as closely as
though it had been the dead of winter, for his sacred person was not
to be gazed at by vulgar eyes. Still one might judge that an amulet
was worn on his neck, from seeing the tooth of an alligator in the
claws of an eagle. Eyeing the hunters for a time, he turned to address
them, while they, disturbed by a slightly rustling noise, found to
their surprise, that they were surrounded by a numerous band of Indian
warriors, armed with rifles, tomahawks, and war clubs.
“Stand it like a man,” whispered Earth to Rolfe, “there must be no
back out now.” And as he said so, the Prophet began.
“We are glad to see our brothers, the long rifles, in the camp of the
red men. It tells us there is peace in the land; we always preach
peace. Why come our brothers? are they hungry, let them speak, they
shall have food.” He was silent, and Earth addressing him in his own
language, said, “I speak to the prophet, and grieve to tell him that
bad men are abroad. Many years ago we buried the tomahawk, but the
Ingens have dug it up. They have burned a big canoe, and the river is
red with the blood of the pale faces, and their spirits cry for
vengeance. They sprung upon them like panthers upon deer. They gave
them no notice, they killed all but one, a young woman; she is left
alone and they dragged her to this camp; we followed on her tracks,
and come to demand her and carry her back. The Prophet is great, he
preaches peace, he is more wise than the red men, and tells them what
is good for them. He will have the bad Ingens tried, and send them to
the whites, and he will give up the maiden to the long rifles who wait
for her, and make strong again the bands of peace. The hunter has
spoken.”
Earth had no sooner commenced his reply, than the Prophet started
wildly, as if receiving the most unexpected tidings, and increasing
surprise continued to gather in his countenance, until Earth's remarks
were finished, when answering quickly, he said, “My voice is almost
silent, and my eyes are turned to tears with what our brother, the
long rifle, tells me. The Great Spirit bids me preach peace to the red
men; and I beg them in his name not to go to war. But there are bad
red men, as there are bad white men. They will not take our advice.
The Prophet must say, our brother, the long rifle, speaks false, when
he says that bad men are in our camp. The Indians who did wrong, would
be afraid of the Prophet, and they would not bring the young woman
here. They know we would tie them, and send them to the settlements,
as we have always done, and would send along the young woman too. We
wish our brothers, the whites, would always follow our example. If an
Indian kill a white man, we give him up; he is hung. If a white man
kill an Indian we never hear of him.”
So soon as the prophet ceased, Earth turned to Rolfe, and repeated to
him what had been said. Deep and inexpressible disappointment settled
over his features; but after a moment, he said, “Earth, does he not
know where it is probable they have gone, and can he not tell the
tribe to which they belong?”
“I will see,” said Earth, and turning to the Prophet, he said,
“Father, thou art great in wisdom, and the Manito tells thee the
secrets of the world. Wilt thou make glad our hearts, by showing us
the path along which the bad Ingens have travelled? The long rifle
will thank thee, and say, the Prophet is the friend of white men.”
Pleased by these remarks, the Prophet with more gentleness in his
manner than he had before manifested, said, “We are sorry our brother
said that bad Indians were in our camp. It made our heart heavy to
hear it. We have nothing to do with bad men. We are very sorry for
what has happened, we are grieved for the young woman, and would show
her to our brothers if we could. Our eyes are opened by what our
brother has told us, and we will tell him what we think. It was last
evening that the Prophet was alone in his tent, praying to the Great
Spirit to tell him what to do, that he might make his red children
happy, when afar off he saw red men crossing the prairie. He thought
they were hunting, and was surprised that they did not come to see
him. The Prophet thinks they were the bad men, and they feared to
come.”
“The Prophet is good, he will show their path to the hunters,” said
Earth.
“The long rifle,” answered the Prophet, “follows the game in the
woods. He can find the tracks of the bad men. A runner from the Wabash
came yesterday to see the Prophet. He said that bad red men were
gathering together, and that the pale faces were trembling. We like
not these things, and sent our brother Tecumseh to make them hunt the
deer far away from the border. The Prophet thinks the bad men have
gone there.”
“The Prophet is good,” said Earth, “he is the friend of the long
rifles;” then turning to Rolfe, he told him of all he had learned.
“Then let us leave,” said Rolfe, “I shall breathe more freely, and we
can resolve what to do, when we get out of sight of these grim and
statue-like faces.” Earth then turning to the Prophet, said, “The long
rifles wish peace to the Prophet, and will return to their wigwams.”
“They will go,” he replied, “after they have broken our bread, and
smoked with us the pipe of peace.” He then motioned his hand, and with
its wave the warriors disappeared, and a few moments after, an Indian
girl approached with a rude breakfast, though composed of the choicest
game of the prairie; and the hunters having partaken of it, since to
have refused would have been regarded as an insult, smoked with the
Prophet, and bidding him adieu, received many kind wishes. They were
then conducted without his tent, and left to shape their course as
inclination might suggest.
Having gotten clear of his camp, Rolfe said, “well, Earth, come, tell
us what is best to be done.”
“Why, make tracks for the settlements as fast as we can.”
“And leave the poor girl to her fate?”
“Yes; what else can we do? If what the Prophet says be true, they have
carried her up the Wabash, and I don't know that we could find her.
Moreover, the Ingens are constantly skirmishing in that quarter, and
they might jirk it into us.” “I think there's a storm brewing, and
have my doubts if this Prophet don't know more of this thing than he
has told us. So I think we had better return, and tell all we know,
and the governor can then do about it as he chooses.”
“We will of course tell,” said Rolfe, “and unless these Indians are
given up, I have no doubt it will lead to war, but I do not believe
that the Prophet knows any thing about them or the captive, other than
what he has told us. If he had, he would not have made us smoke and
eat with him.”
“Come along, Rolfe,” said Earth, “when you live in these woods as long
as I have, you wont believe every thing an Ingen tells you. You'll
find out, as I said before, that they are mighty like 'possums;” and
bending their way they began to tramp back in the direction they had
come.
The sun was fast sinking below the horizon when leaving the path they
were travelling, they turned off into the tall grass of the prairie,
and using the same precautions as though they were followed by a
warlike party, passed the night. With the light of morn they again
resumed their journey.
The day had now several hours advanced, when in passing through the
forest and amusing themselves with idle dialogue, their attention was
arrested by an unusual number of carrion birds.
“Ah!” said Earth, “I wish every red devil was in the same fix. I
suppose you know, Rolfe, why those birds are collected?”
“Yes,” answered he, “I well recollect, it reminds me again of that
poor girl. I wish I could forget her.”
“Well,” said Earth, “I will go and bring the pack he was carrying; who
knows but from it we may learn who she is.”
“Well, do,” said Rolfe, eagerly, “I had forgotten it, but now I am all
anxiety to see it, come, make haste, Earth, I will walk on, you get
it, and overtake me.”
“Very well,” said Earth, who leaving him, soon found the secreted
bundle, and bore it along to his friend. Seeking the first spot which
presented an agreeable shade and a seat, they stopped and proceeded at
once to examine its contents. It was made up chiefly of blankets and
articles of clothing, among which were some belonging to a female
wardrobe, which were carefully drawn out, and laid aside. Rolfe's
anxiety increased as he inspected each article, for they served to
confirm somewhat the vague suspicion his mind had already adopted. The
search continued, yet his fears were not diminished, nor was his
suspicion much strengthened, when drawing out a cambric handkerchief,
he saw traced on it, in his own hand writing, the words, “R. Rolfe.”
Had a ball entered his heart, the pang would not have been greater
than upon the recognition of those words. He grew pale and almost
livid, and said, in a scarcely articulate voice, “Earth, it is she, we
exchanged handkerchiefs the day I left her;” and with an agonized
face, he gazed fixedly on the words “R. Rolfe.” Not a tear came to his
relief. Earth kindly endeavoured to console him, by combating his
suspicions with such reasons as his mind suggested, and then examined
again every article of the bundle. There was not one but would as well
have belonged to any other person. The handkerchief, however, had
already carried conviction to Rolfe's mind. But with Earth's arguments
against the probability that one rich and happy as Rolfe represented
the lady of his love, should have emigrated, hope began to dawn in the
shape of uncertainty. “Yes,” cried Rolfe, “I left her rich and
contented, surrounded with all the comforts of civilized life, and
aware of the unsettled state of the west. Her father even ridiculed
the idea of my emigrating.”
“Then, rest sure, there is some mistake, it cannot be her,” said
Earth, and the thought that the captive maiden was not his first and
only love took possession of his mind. But it was only for a moment,
for when he recollected the face and figure of her, of whom he had
only caught a passing glance; and then when he gazed upon the wardrobe
spread out before him, and saw the handkerchief with his own name,
which he himself had traced, and believed, from the manner in which it
had come into her possession, that she would never have parted with
it, conviction forced itself upon him and his only relief was tears.
Then sprung up her light form before him, then crowded thick upon his
memory associations of former days, and he saw her only in those
moments in which she had been kind to him, or else when touching her
guitar, with so much feeling and tenderness in her countenance, so
much _naiveté_ in her manner, that all those graces which give power
to females, seemed to settle upon her without any effort of her own.
And when these recollections swept over his mind, and then, when her
present situation with all its startling horrors followed on, his
heart grew deadly sick, and nature seemed almost to yield to the
struggle. It was like the whirlwind which lasts for a moment, but
during that moment, threatens to annihilate every thing which opposes
its progress. So was it with Rolfe, the storm of passion and grief had
vented itself, threatening for a time to unthrone reason, yet it had
passed, and he now remained comparatively calm and unmoved, and was
again capable of action. To an uninterested spectator this scene would
have afforded some amusement. For Earthquake could not exactly
comprehend the cause of Rolfe's grief, yet sympathized so deeply, that
when he beheld the struggles of his friend, and saw tears burst forth;
involuntarily they rushed from his own eyes like a spring flood. A few
moments and they ceased to flow; yet another struggle from Rolfe, a
flow of feeling, and Earthquake's floodgates were again opened.
“Come, Rolfe,” said he, blubbering, “no more of this, let us be
moving, for my eyes leak like a cracked gourd, but the way I'll pay
some of 'em for this, will be a caution for the future.”
“Where do you propose going, Earth?”
“Any where you please.”
“Shall we return to the camp, and follow on after the maiden?”
“No, I think we can fall on some better plan.”
“Then give it to us.”
“The only hope I see,” said Earth, “of finding the maiden, is to go up
the Wabash, and learn where the gathering is, of which the Prophet
spoke. The party he said were probably going there, and I think so
too. If we can hear any thing of them, we will get some help and
rescue her. This is the best plan that I know of, and if you say so,
we will go along at once.”
“Thank you, Earth,” said Rolfe, “I will trust every thing to you, you
know best what to do. But think you they will kill her?”
“No,” answered Earth, “if they intended to kill her, why didn't they
do it at the river? it would have saved them a good deal of trouble.
No, they will give her to some old squaw, who will perhaps take her in
the place of a child she has lost.”
“Then, Earth, let's go, for I am almost dead to know something more
about her.”
“Agreed,” said he, “but I think you are scaring yourself before you
are hurt. I don't believe it's the same gal you think it is. But it
makes no difference, Rolfe, who she is, if we can help her, we ought
to do it; and I am determined to go on.”
“Earth, the more I think of it, the more sure am I, that she is the
same, for in no other way can I account for finding my handkerchief.”
“Well, now there are forty ways in which I can account for it,” said
Earth, “she might have lost it, or some other gal might have stole it,
or some servant might have wiped it up, or she might have give it
away, or,”—
“Stop, Earth,” said Rolfe, shaking his head sorrowfully, “I don't
believe she would have done that.”
“Then come along,” replied Earth, “we shall see,” and a few moments
after they were already on their march, bending their course
North-east.
The following morning the air was mild and soft, and the sun shining
out, sparkled in the dew drops. The hunters felt its cheering
influence; their spirits became buoyant as the dewy grass which
rebounded from beneath their footsteps, and they continued their
journey amusing themselves with border stories. They had not ceased to
feel for the maiden, nor were they at all unmindful of the errand upon
which they were going, but, as it often happens, the mind, when long
and painfully depressed, breaks through the thraldom which confines
it, and assumes suddenly a degree of cheerfulness sometimes mistaken
for levity, and which, when contrasted with its previous melancholy,
seems an enigma in its character. I do not know that this idea is
clearly expressed, nor do I know how to account for the fact, yet
often have I seen persons suffering under intense grief, without any
apparent cause become wild with joy.
“Rolfe,” said Earth, “we might just as well laugh as cry; 'twill do as
much good.”
“That is very true, Earth, but at what shall we laugh?”
“Oh! I don't know; you spin us a yarn.”
“No! Earth, you are the man for yarns; give us one of your hunting
stories.”
“A 'coon hunt?”
“Yes.”
“No, I won't give you a 'coon hunt. I'll give you a bear fight.”
“Well, give us a bear fight.”
“I know so many, I hardly know which one to tell. Did I ever tell you
how near a panther was using me up.”
“No, give us that.”
“Then you shall hear it. It happened while I was living down by the
big swamp. I was sitting in my cabin one night alone, thinking of a
heap of things, and not thinking of much neither, when a notion struck
me, that I should like some 'possum and hominy for supper. Well, I
wa'nt hungry much, but the coals,—they were these large oak coals, you
know; they looked so hot and clean that I thought it was a pity to let
them burn out, as they were so nice for roasting. So I gits up. Says
I, if there's a 'possum in these capes I'll have him, and calling
along my old bitch Jupiter, I started out.”
“But,” said Rolfe, “Jupiter is of the masculine gender.”
“Do what!” said Earth.
“Jupiter,” said Rolfe, “must be the name of a dog, and not of a
bitch.”
“Well, now I wan't speaking as to that; but if I don't know the name
of my dog, who does? I tell you she was named Jupiter, and if you dont
want to hear the story, I'll drop it.”
“Oh! by no means, Earth, go on.”
“Well, as I was saying, I called up old Jupiter and started;—the thing
seemed to know directly I got out, what it was I wanted, for the way
that she began to poke her nose in among the bushes was to the 'possum
family quite curious. You see I had left my gun and took 'long with me
an axe, and old Jupe seeing that, would no more have noticed a bear or
a deer, than she would have done a horse. Well, I had'nt been out long
before she opened. The trail was right warm, and she streaked it: I
could'nt see her, but she fairly whistled as she came by me, and the
first thing I know'd, she treed, from a mile and a half to two miles
off. I started to go to her, but I soon found out from the vig'rous
manner in which she barked, that it was no 'possum, but an old 'coon;
and as old Jupe was never known to leave a tree, I concluded to go
back.”
“Well,” said Rolfe, laughing; “that is the way the panther used you
up, is it?”
“Now, Rolfe, that's no way to interrupt a man; if you want to hear the
story, you must let me tell it in my own way.”
“I beg pardon, Earth, I did not at the moment recollect, that a hunter
must tell all the particulars of a story, or he will tell none of
them.”
“Well, that is a fact; if there are three or four out after a bear,
and they kill him, when they get around a fire, they must all tell how
it happened; each in his own way.”
“Well, as I was saying, I concluded to go back, and started off. It
was some distance to my cabin, and after getting on a piece, the night
was so very moony and pleasant, that I thought I had just as well
sleep out; and, upon looking around, I discovered a piece of oak bark,
about seven or eight feet long, which came off a large tree, and
which, if shut up at each end, would make something like a trough,
and, if turned oven, would make a safe cover, so I wheeled it over and
crawled under.”
“Why did you take such precaution?”
“Because the panthers were mighty bad, and if you were out by
yourself, and did not have a fire, they would crawl over you to a
certainty. Did I never tell you how one lit upon me while I was
stooping down drinking out of my spring. You know where my spring is?”
“Yes, I know where your spring is; but go on with your first story.”
“Oh, yes; where did I leave off? Old Jupe had treed”——
“No, you told that,” said Rolfe, “you had just crawled under a
trough.”
“Ah! I recollect; but, Rolfe, I wish you would'nt call it a trough,
for I told you plainly that it was a piece of bark,—oak bark
too,—seven or eight feet long;—came off a right smart tree.”
“I am all attention, Earth.”
“Well, I had crawled under,—every thing was very quiet,—there was no
noise, except every now and then Old Jupe would give a short yelp, as
if she was tired waiting; and I had fallen into a sort of doze, when I
was waked up by something scratching at the bark; my waking up made
some noise, and it went off a little distance, and then I could hear a
low restless whine, and hear it moving its tail. I knew by the noise,
'twas a panther. Said I, there will be tough work to night, and just
as I said so to myself, the thing lit all in a heap, right over my
breast, on the bark; the bark creened up a little, but I soon gathered
it down and gave a whoop; the panther squalled, and cut dirt, and
which was the worst scared, I never knowed. Well, I hugged the bark
down agin, and thought all was quiet, and was getting into another
doze, when what should I hear, but that same low whine, and with the
whine came the panther, right upon the top of the bark agin. I pulled
it down, and whooped like thunder, and the panther went off a little
way, and screamed. I heard another one answer it, and, shortly after,
I could hear them both walking round me. I now whooped agin and agin,
and made a big noise; but they did'nt mind me, and if they did, it was
only for a few moments; and then they would come back and scratch
around the bark. All I could do was to keep them from turning it over,
and hard work it was. I never slept a wink more that night; but worked
hard until day, when they went away, and I got out;—and wa'nt I mad?
Yes, I was swelled up like one of these high land moccasins. I do
believe I could have poisoned any thing by biting it. Old Jupe was
still at the tree, and I made right for her; and did'nt I make that
old 'coon pay for all I suffered that night.”
“Well, now, Rolfe, give us a story, you have heard mine.”
“Thank you, Earth, I can't tell stories; but I would have let that
'coon off.”
Thus whiling away their time, they journeyed along through a country
as beautiful and wild as boundless forests and extensive prairies
could make it, and to all appearance untenanted, save by deer and
buffalo, together with the hungry howling tenants of the waste.
Avoiding the high bluffs and rivers, where the Indian villages were
most likely to be situated, they travelled through the wildest portion
of the country, and continued their journey in safety, governing their
direction by the sun when it shone, and at other times by the moss,
which indicated to them the north, as plainly as it could have been
marked out by the magnet.
For subsistence, they had many wild fruits, and choice of all the game
the country afforded. Herds of deer and buffalo, would browze along
before them, seemingly fearless of the hunters, in the universal
stillness of the scene around them. Yet when the sharp crack of the
rifle was heard, and some selected victim fell prostrate to the earth,
the remainder, both deer and buffalo, looking about them, and snorting
wildly, bounded forward until they were lost to the view. Game was so
abundant, that they rarely shot it, except at meal times, when a hasty
fire was kindled, and a repast served up from the yet reeking carcass.
In a march through a country so wild and unsettled, there must have
occurred many incidents sufficiently striking to impart an interest to
our narrative; the sleeping out, night after night, in an enemy's
country, surrounded only by wild beasts, or the still wilder savages;
their long journey, and the loneliness of their situation, all
conspired to create sensations, which are never felt under other
circumstances.
On an evening, after a long day's march, the hunters selected a spot,
whereon to pass the night, and while Earthquake prepared a fire, Rolfe
was sent out to get a supper from a few buffalo which were seen
feeding at no great distance. Moving along cautiously, he was enabled
to approach sufficiently near, and having selected as his victim one
which was separated from the herd, he fired; the ball entered, yet the
animal seemed to regard it not, and Rolfe proceeded to load again. But
no sooner, in order to do so, did he stand out from the tree behind
which he was concealed, than the buffalo made at him; for security, he
again retreated behind it, and the bark flew off, as the enraged
animal dashing by, grazed its side. Turning as quickly as possible, it
again bounded towards him, and for some minutes, the struggle was kept
up with the most determined spirit, Rolfe only saving himself from
destruction by means of the tree. The animal, after many fruitless
attempts, became tired, and Rolfe seizing the opportunity, retreated
to some distance, from which, still within rifle shot, he kept up a
regular fire. The buffalo received it with great sullenness, only
twitching his muscles as the balls plumped him, or else shaking them
from his matted forehead, as he would have done a buzzing fly.
Earthquake attracted by the constant firing, had set out in search of
Rolfe, whom he found posted at a safe distance from the buffalo, and
each eyeing the other, with the most marked ferocity. He had shot
until he began to think his rifle had lost all virtue; and upon
Earth's coming up, detailed to him the narrow escape he had made, and
also his inability to bring him down.
“I am surprised at you,” said Earth, “you have thrown away balls
enough to kill half a dozen Ingens, and I had much rather go without
any supper, than that you should have made so great a waste.”
“Waste or not,” said Rolfe, “I have never had a harder battle than I
have had with that buffalo, and if it takes every ball I have, I will
not leave here until he drops.”
“Then pass me your rifle, for I am tired waiting, and if we have not a
steak soon broiling on the coals, from any part of him that you
please, my name is not Earthquake.”
Rolfe did as desired, and Earthquake, having thrown up the rifle,
before its report was heard, the buffalo had sunk upon the ground, and
already lay quivering in the agonies of death.
“Earth, where did you shoot him?”
“In the heart, to be sure.”
“Well, if in the buffalo, that lies in the same place that it does in
other animals, I have shot into it half a dozen times.”
“Ah! there is where you have missed it, the heart of a buffalo lies at
least six inches lower than it does in any other animal;—you should
have shot it just under the fore legs. Now mind this, Rolfe, and it
will save you many a ball, which you can stick into an Ingen to much
greater advantage.”
Having stripped up the hide, and cut therefrom as much as they wanted;
they repaired to their fire, where they supped, and slept away the
night.