SHORT AND NOGGIN ACT AS INTERPRETERS--WE PREPARE TO MOVE ONWARD--THE
WHITE DOG--WE GUARD AGAINST SURPRISE--I GO OUT AS A SCOUT--PURSUED BY
RED-SKINS--RETURN TO THE CAMP--MORE VISITORS--WE SUSPECT TREACHERY--
WHITE DOG WARNS US THAT THEY ARE ENEMIES--WE PREPARE FOR A START WHILE
NOGGIN HOLDS A PALAVER WITH THE INDIANS--THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER--
THEIR CHIEF'S TREACHEROUS ATTEMPT TO KILL LABAN, BUT GETS KILLED
HIMSELF--WE SEIZE THE REST--NOGGIN'S REGRET THAT WE DO NOT KILL THEM--WE
START ON OUR JOURNEY--WHITE DOG ACCOMPANIES US--WE PUSH ON--OUR FIRST
ENCAMPMENT--A FRESH ALARM.
The report brought by the Indian warrior of the intended attack of the
red-skins on our camp soon collected all the party together in the
common hail. Our men had pretty well strung nerves, and the women, old
and young, were in no ways given to fainting; so, although the latter
listened with the greatest attention, and the former spoke gravely and
deliberately, there was not much excitement, and no great amount of
anxiety perceptible on their countenances. Our feather-bedecked,
skin-clothed visitor was not much addicted to giving forth long-winded
speeches as are some of his countrymen. Short and Noggin were his chief
interrogators, as they understood his dialect, and they translated his
answers for the benefit of those who did not. He was asked how it was
he became acquainted with the information he had brought us.
"Can you say, O white-skins, how the blossoms come on the trees? how the
mist fills the air? how the snow melts on the ground?" was his reply.
"I heard it; I speak the truth; enough."
"But when, friend, are they coming?" asked Short.
"Can you say when the thunderbolt will fall? when the tempest is about
to burst? where the prairie-fire will break forth?" he replied.
Short and Noggin seemed perfectly satisfied with his answers. But that
was more than I felt, when he replied to the questions put him as to
their numbers.
"Can you count the flakes which fall in early winter? do you know the
number of the stars in the blue canopy above our heads? can you reckon
the buffaloes as they scamper across the plains in a stampedo?"
Noggin on this got up, and bowing to the old chief who was squatting on
his hams by his side, in a most polite way, observed--"All this
rigmarole, which this old red-skin here has been telling to us, comes to
this, as far as I can make out. He has heard the plot of those
thieving, varmint red-skins through his wife, or some friend or other.
When they will come he does not exactly know, but it will be about the
time that the snow begins to melt, and travelling is pretty heavy work,
and then they'll come down upon us in no small numbers, enough, I guess,
to make us look pretty foolish if we don't keep our powder dry, and our
eyes wide awake around us. The question now is, shall we stay here and
fight the varmints, or shall we strike tents, and push away over the
mountains?"
Various opinions were given on this point. If we remained where we were
the red-skins would attack us, and though we might beat them off, they
would probably surround us, and come again and again till they starved
us out, or compelled us to retreat at a disadvantage. The moving our
provisions and baggage was our great difficulty. Still, the general
opinion was, that it would be better to move on at once. Laban Ragget
at last stood up, and gave the casting vote.
"You see, friends," said he, "where there's a will there's a way.
That's been my notion through life. Where I've had the will to do, mind
you, what ought to be done, I've never failed to find the way. I've
fought the red-skins often, and I'd fight them again, if need be, with
pleasure; but I don't want to expose the women and children to the
chances of a battle with them; and so I say we'll move on. We'll put
runners to the wagons, and make snowshoes for ourselves, and by
to-morrow evening we'll be ready for a start. Then we'll lie down and
rest, and by early dawn we'll be on foot and away. Meantime, some of
the young men will keep a lookout round the camp, to watch that we are
not taken by surprise."
I give Laban's speech entire, because his proposals were carried out to
the letter. All agreed and, literally, I do not believe that a minute
had passed before everybody was busily engaged in preparing for our
departure. Some were making snow-shoes; others runners for the sleighs;
others packing our goods and provisions in small, light parcels easily
carried; the women were as active as the men, and several were cooking
and preparing the flesh of the bear we had killed the night before, by
making it into pemmican. Mrs Noggin was very useful in making
show-shoes, and so was the old Indian. His name, by the bye, was
Wabassem-mung, or the White Dog, and to prove his title to the name, he
would set up a barking, which no one could have supposed was from the
voice of a human being. He had only about twenty followers, all the
rest of his tribe having been treacherously murdered by the Flintheads,
against whom he had now come to warn us. He wore a white mantle, as
appropriate to his name, or, probably, he obtained his name from his
fancy for wearing a white mantle; at least, one that was white by
courtesy, for it had become so smoke-dried and stained, that its
original purity was considerably damaged. Our venerable friend assured
us that there was no chance of the Flintheads attacking us that night,
and that we might, therefore, sleep in peace, because his own people
were on the watch, and would give us timely notice. This was
satisfactory, for, after our bear-hunting expedition, I, for one, was
very glad to get some rest. Few people have ever slept sounder than I
did on that night for a few hours, notwithstanding all the bustle and
noise going on in the camp.
By the evening, as Laban had promised, everything was ready for our
departure. This night it was judged prudent that scouts should be sent
out to watch for an enemy, and Obed, Elihu, Sam, Noggin, and I, with a
few others, were appointed to that duty by Laban. He had been chosen
leader and dictator, and we were all bound implicitly to obey him. We
scouts, with our rifles in hand, started away together, two and two.
Obed was with me. With the snow on the ground, and a clear sky in those
regions, it is never dark, and our difficulty, as we advanced, was to
conceal ourselves from any lurking foe. Still we worked our way on,
taking advantage of every mound, or the tops of trees, or bushes
appearing above the white smooth plain. It had been agreed that, as
soon as we should see an enemy, we were to retreat at full speed to the
camp. If we were discovered, we were to fire off our rifles as a
warning to our friends, but if not, we were to reserve our bullets for
the bodies of our foes. We each had on tight snow-shoes, with which we
could walk well enough, but running with such machines is altogether a
very different affair to running in a thin pair of pumps. Having
proceeded about, as we judged, three miles from the camp, we began to
circle round it, for it was just as likely that the cunning redskins
would approach from the east or south, as from the north. They, wiser
than white men, never commit the fault of despising their enemies, but
take every advantage which stratagem or treachery can afford them to
gain their ends.
Obed and I began to think at last that it must be near dawn, and turned
our eyes eastward, in the expectation of seeing the pale red and yellow
streaks which usher in the rich glow, the harbinger of the rising sun.
That was my idea, not friend Obed's. He remarked, "Daylight will soon
be on, I guess, and it is time we were back at camp to get some
breakfast, before we begin our trudge over the mountains, for I'm mighty
hungry, I calkilate; ain't you, Dick?"
I agreed with him; but just before we turned our faces campward, I
climbed up the south side of a rocky mound, above which I allowed only
my head to appear, that I might take a leisurely survey of the country
beyond where we then were. Obed followed my example. We gazed through
the shades of night for some time.
"I'm main hungry, Dick," said Obed, "let us be going."
Still something kept me there. Just as I was getting up, I thought I
saw some dark shadows moving along over the white sheet of snow.
"Look, Obed," said I, "what are those out there?"
His eyes were even sharper generally than mine.
"Indjens, red-skins," whispered Obed. "It's time that we cut. They are
not far-off."
We first, before moving, satisfied ourselves that we were not mistaken;
there were a dozen or more people, probably the advance guard. We then
slipped down from our height, and began striding towards the camp as
fast as our legs and snowshoes would carry us. It was a satisfaction to
feel that there was a high mound between us and the Indians, or our
scalps would not have felt comfortable on our heads. We did not turn
our eyes to the right hand or the left, but looked straight on, keeping
our legs going with a curious movement, between sliding and running, and
skating and kicking. It was fatiguing, but we got on rapidly, and we
had an idea that our enemies were not advancing nearly so fast. It was
a race for life or death. Strange to say, I rather liked the
excitement.
I always prefer having an object when I walk; now I had got one. We
knew that if the Indians crossed our trail, they would instantly find us
out and give chase, but then it was a satisfaction to know that they
could not go faster than we were going. We had got almost within sight
of the camp, when we heard a shout from behind us. I was unwilling to
stop to look back, but if I did not stop, and attempted to look over my
shoulder, I should very likely, I knew, topple down on my head. On we
went again. There was another shout. We could just see the tops of the
huts. I turned my head round, and there I saw a dozen or more red-skin
warriors scampering like mad creatures over the snow, and flourishing
their tomahawks. Fast as we were going, they were going faster. Still
we might reach the camp before them, but it was necessary to warn our
friends. As I ran, I unslung my rifle, not to fire at them, for that
would have been useless, but to discharge it in the air as a signal. I
did so, but by some means, by this act, I lost my balance, and toppling
over, down I came at full length. I tried to rise, but that on soft
snow is no easy matter to do at the speed circumstances demanded; and
then, what was my horror to find that I had broken one of my snow-shoes!
I gave myself up for lost, and entreated Obed to fly and save his life.
"Fly, Dick!" he exclaimed indignantly; "that ain't the way of the
Raggets, boy. No; if the redskins want your scalp, they must have mine
first, and I'll have a fight for both of them, depend on't."
While he was saying this, he was helping me to rise, and as one
snow-shoe would be worse than useless, I cast them both off, and then
did what was the next best thing, loaded my rifle; and turning our faces
to our approaching foes, we stood ready to receive them. When they saw
us stop, they came on more leisurely. As they got nearer, I counted
about a dozen of them only. On this my heart began to beat more
regularly.
"I say, Dick, my scalp sits pleasanter, like, on my head," observed
Obed.
In a short time the Indians got near enough to us to hail. "What are
they saying?" I asked of Obed.
"Why, Dick, as far as I can make out, that they are friends," he
answered; "but, you know, these red-skin varmints are so treacherous,
that we mustn't trust them on no account. They may be old White Dog's
friends, or they may be some of the Flintheads. If they are the last,
they'll scalp us in another minute, or maybe they'll try and get into
the camp, and then play us some scurvy trick."
These surmises were not pleasant. Still, we could not hope to cope with
twelve well-armed Indians, with any chance of success, and we must
therefore, we saw, attempt only pacific measures. In another minute
they were up with us. They held out their hands in a friendly manner,
and we observed that their general appearance was very similar to that
of old White Dog. In a friendly manner, therefore, we proceeded towards
the camp. When we got near, we made signs that we would go and prepare
our friends for their reception. They made no objection to this, but,
letting us go, squatted down on the snow about two hundred yards from
the camp. Immediately we got in, we told Noggin, who interpreted our
report to White Dog.
"Tell him not to show himself," said Laban.
The old chief was, however, far too wide awake to do that. Covering
himself up with one of our cloaks, so that even the sharp eyes of an
Indian could not discover him, he crept to the north of the hut, and
looked through the stockade. Noggin accompanied him.
"Flintheads," whispered Noggin. "He says they are not his people. They
are up to some deep treachery. They, of course, don't know that old
White Dog is here, and that we are warned of their intentions. What is
to be done? I wish Short and the rest were here."
Laban, after Noggin had spoken, stood for a minute or two in an attitude
of reflection. I believe that if a great gun had been let off at his
ear he would not have heard it just then. At length he said--"Wait till
they come, and then we will let the red-skins enter the encampment. As
they do so we must seize every mother's son of them, and bind them all
to the posts of the huts. We won't brain them, as they would have
brained us, and maybe the lesson we thus give them will teach them that
the religion of the white-faces is better than that of the red-skins."
We eagerly looked out for the return of the other scouts, for we were
afraid that they might have been picked off by some prowling bands of
Flintheads. Soon after daylight, however, they came in, without having
seen any one. Our arrangements were speedily made. The women were to
keep out of the way, and to pretend to be nursing the children. As we
far outnumbered the Indians, two of us were told off to take charge of
one of them, the rest were to act as a party of reserve to seize any who
might escape. The instant they entered the camp they were to be seized,
as, seeing us prepared to move, of course their suspicions would be
aroused. Noggin, who best knew their ways, undertook to tell them that
they might come in.
"The varmints, knowing their own treacherous ways, are so suspicious,
that if we show that we are too willing to let them come, they'll fancy
that we've some plot in hand, and will be off to their friends."
The gate of our stockade being opened, Noggin carelessly sauntered out
and squatted himself down before the Indians, as if prepared for a
regular palaver. Not to lose time, the rest of us got our breakfasts,
harnessed the horses, and prepared for an immediate start. I must say I
never bolted my food at such a rate as I did that morning. At last
Noggin got up, and he and the Indians came towards the stockade. My
heart beat in a curious way. We watched Noggin. He looked glum, and
made no signal that we were to alter our tactics. The Indians all
trooped in one after the other, looking sedate and quiet enough, but
their dark eyes rolled furtively about, and there was a scowl on their
brows, which showed that they were not altogether at their ease.
We waited for Laban to give the expected signal. It was to be the
instant the chief of the party reached him and held out his hand, as we
knew he would. Slowly, a tall athletic warrior, with a very malignant
countenance, however, advanced, casting his suspicious glances on every
side, till he was close up to Laban. Obed and I were to seize the same
man, but I could not help following the leader, and I felt sure that his
hand was stealing down towards his tomahawk. Laban must have thought so
too. In an instant the tall warrior's weapon was in his hand, and was
descending on Laban's head, when a shot from behind a hut struck him on
the forehead, and he fell forward dead at our friend's feet. At the
same moment we all threw ourselves on his followers; but many of us
received some severe cuts in our attempts to secure them, for all of
them, prompted by the same feeling, had grasped their axes, with the
intention of fighting their way again out of the camp. We had a severe
struggle with them before we had them all secured; scowling and
vindictive glances enough they cast on us when we had them fast. Old
White Dog had, we found, saved the life of Laban Ragget by taking that
of the chief. Never had a more treacherous plot to murder a whole party
been more mercifully counteracted. Still neither the Raggets nor I
would consent to kill our captives. Our proposal was simply to deprive
them of their arms, and having fed them, to leave them bound, knowing
that the rest of the tribe would, before long, visit the spot and
release them. This plan, however did not at all suit old White Dog's or
Noggin's notions on the matter.
"The treacherous red-skin varmints! you don't suppose they'll thank you
for letting 'em live?" exclaimed the latter. "They will be after us,
and follow us up like bloodhounds the moment they are free, that they
will."
"Never mind, friend Noggin," replied Laban calmly. "Right is right all
the world over. It would be wrong to kill a prisoner, do you see, and
so I guess it's right to let these people live. I'll stand the
consequences, come what may."
Noggin said no more; and now everybody was busily engaged in preparing
to start. The sleighs were loaded, the horses were put to, and in a
long line we filed out of the fort. All the women walked, and carried
the children; there were not many of the latter, for it was a rough life
we were leading at the bush, and not fitted for such delicate beings.
Many of the men also had to drag hand sleighs, and, as it was, they were
obliged to leave behind them some of the heavier baggage. Old White Dog
volunteered to accompany us. He had been looking for the arrival of the
small remnant of his tribe, and as they had not appeared he began to
fear that they had fallen into the hands of their enemies. When all the
party had gone out, and proceeded some hundred yards, Obed and I went
back, by the directions of Laban, and put some food within reach of our
captives' mouths.
"They won't take a very pleasant meal, but they won't starve," observed
Obed, as we left them.
Laban, meantime, had undertaken to watch the old Indian and Noggin, whom
he suspected of an intention of going back and scalping our captives.
We, however, watched them so narrowly that they could not accomplish
their object. We now pushed on as rapidly as we could towards the
mountains, as it was most important that we should gain a secure
position at a considerable height before night. At first, where the
snow was beaten down, we went on merrily enough, but when the ascent of
the mountain really began, it was very heavy work for man and beast.
Our horses were not in good condition, as they had had nothing but dry
prairie grass and very little corn all the winter, but they were very
little animals, all bone and muscle, and had no weight of their own to
carry, at all events.
As we proceeded, we kept a very bright lookout behind us, both to the
north and south, to ascertain that we were not pursued.
At length we entered the pass in the mountains for which we had been
making, and here our difficulties began. High black cliffs towered
above our heads on each side to the height of many hundred feet, while
before us were masses of the wildest and most rugged mountains, over and
between which lay the path we had to pursue. Short, who had crossed the
mountains at this place two or three times, acted as our guide.
Frequently one party had to go ahead with spades and clear the way, and
we had also often to take out the horses, and drag on one sleigh, and
then come back and get the next. We had reason to be thankful that on
this occasion we had no enemy to molest us. Old White Dog was very much
astonished to see the men work as we did, and hinted that if he had the
direction of affairs, he should make the women labour as those of his
people are compelled to do, while he sat still in dignified idleness.
He did not gain many friends by his remarks, among the gentler sex of
our party. A sheltered platform, surrounded by rocks on the mountain
side, had been described by Short, and fixed on for our resting-place.
Up, up, up, we worked our way. At last we reached it, pretty well
worn-out. I never felt my legs ache so much before. It had not a very
inviting aspect when we were there. It had, however, a great advantage,
as from its position it might easily be defended, should we be pursued
and attacked by the Flintheads. Having driven our sleighs on to it, we
set about the business of encamping. As usual, we placed the sleighs in
a circle, so as to form a breastwork, with the cattle inside it. The
side of the mountain was covered with pine trees. We cut down a number
of these, at least, so much of them as appeared above the snow, and
having beaten hard a large circle in the centre of the camp, by walking
over it with our snow-shoes, we placed them side by side so as to form a
large platform. On this we piled up all the branches and logs we could
collect dry and green, and set the mass on fire. The platform, it will
be understood, served as our hearthstone, and kept the burning embers
off the snow. Otherwise, they would quickly have burned out a cavern,
into which they would have sunk and disappeared. We required, as may be
supposed, a large fire for so numerous a party, and it was a curious
sight to watch the different countenances of the travellers, as we sat
round it eagerly discussing our evening meal. We did not neglect the
usual precautions to prevent a surprise, and two of the young men at a
time took post as sentinels a little way down the mountain, to give
timely notice of the approach of a foe. After supper, all the party
sang a hymn, led by Laban Ragget, and very sweet and solemn were the
notes as they burst through the night air, and echoed among those rocks,
never before, too probably, awakened to sounds of praise and
thanksgiving.
"It's an old custom of mine," said Laban to me, "when I cannot expound
to my family, or hold forth in prayer as usual. If, Dick, we didn't
keep up our religious customs very strictly in the back settlements, we
should soon, as many do, become no better than heathens."
As I had been on my legs for the best part of the last two days and
nights, I was excused doing sentry's duty, and no sooner had I wrapped
myself in my buffalo robe, with my feet towards the fire, and my head on
a pine log, which served me as a pillow, than I was fast asleep. How
long I had slept I could not tell, (it was, I afterwards found, some
hours), when I was awoke by the most unearthly shrieks and cries, which
seemed to come directly from under the very spot on which I lay.