Our young adventurers turned their faces westward, and were soon riding
under the shadows of majestic woods. At this time there were few white
settlements west of the Mississippi river. The small towns upon its
banks, with here and there a settler's "clearing" or a squatter's cabin,
were the only signs of civilisation to be met with. A single day's ride
in a westerly direction would carry the traveller clear of all these,
and launch him at once into the labyrinth of swamps and woods, that
stretched away for hundreds of miles before him. It is true, there were
some scattered settlements upon the bayous farther west, but most of the
country between them was a wilderness.
In an hour or so our travellers had ridden clear of the settlements that
surrounded Point Coupee, and were following the forest "trails," rarely
travelled except by roving Indians, or the white hunters of the border
country. The boys knew them well. They had often passed that way on
former hunting expeditions.
I shall not detail too minutely the events that occurred along their
line of march. This would tire you, and take up too much space. I
shall take you at once to their first encampment, where they had halted
for the night.
It was in a small glade or opening, such as are often met with in the
forests west of the Mississippi. There was about an acre of clear
ground, covered with grass and flowers, among which helianthus and blue
lupines were conspicuous. Tall trees grew all around; and you could
tell from their leaves that these trees were of different kinds. You
might have told that from their trunks as well, for these were unlike
each other. Some were smooth, while upon others the bark was cracked,
and crisped outward in large scales a foot or more in length. The
beautiful tulip-tree (_liriodendron_) was easily distinguished by its
straight column-like trunks, out of which are sawed those great planks
of _white poplar_ you may have seen, for that is the name by which it is
known among carpenters and builders. The name of _tulip-tree_ comes
from its flowers, which in size and shape very much resemble tulips, and
are of a greenish-yellow colour tinged with orange. It was the
characteristic tree around the glade. There were many others, though;
and most conspicuous, with its large wax-like leaves and blossoms, was
the magnolia grandiflora. The lofty sugar-maple (_acer saccharinum_)
was seen, and lower down the leafy buck-eye (_aesculus flava_) with its
pretty orange-flowers, and the shell-bark hickory--the _juglans alba_ of
the botanists. Huge creeping plants stretched from tree to tree, or ran
slanting upward; and on one side of the glade you might observe the
thick cane-reeds (_arundo gigantea_), growing like tall grass. The
forest on the other side was more open; no doubt, because some former
fire had burned down the underwood in that direction. The fan-like
leaves of palmettos and yuccas growing all around, gave a southern and
tropical aspect to the scene.
The young hunters had halted nearly two hours before sunset, in order to
give time to prepare their night-camp. About half-an-hour after their
halt, the little glade presented a picture somewhat as follows:--Near
its edge stood a small canvas tent, like a white cone or pyramid. The
fly, or opening, was thrown back, for the evening was fine, and there
was no one inside. A little to one side of the tent lay three saddles
upon the grass. They were of the Mexican fashion, with high pommel and
cantle, a "horn" in front, with a staple and ring firmly fastened in the
wood of the tree. There were several thongs of leather fastened to
other rings behind the cantle; but the stirrups were steel ones, and not
those clumsy blocks of wood which so much disfigure the Mexican saddle.
Beside the saddles was an odd-looking object. It resembled a gigantic
book, partly open, and set upon the opened edges. It was a
_pack-saddle_, also of Mexican fashion, and in that country called an
"alpareja." It had a strong leathern girth, with a breech-strap to keep
it from running forward upon the shoulders of the animal that might wear
it. At a short distance from the saddles, several blankets--red and
green ones--with a bear-skin and a couple of buffalo-robes, were lying
upon the grass; and on a branch overhead hung whips, bridles,
water-gourds, and spurs. Against the trunk of a tulip-tree, that
towered over the tent, rested three guns. Two of them were rifles, of
which one was much longer than the other: the third piece was a
double-barrelled shot gun. Bullet-pouches and powder-horns hung from
the muzzles of all three, their straps being suspended from the
projecting ends of the rammers.
On the opposite or leeward side of the tent a fire was burning. It had
not been long kindled, and crackled as it blazed. You could easily have
told the strong red flame to be that of the shell-bark hickory--the best
firewood--though dry sticks of some lighter wood had been used to kindle
it. On each side of the fire a forked stick was stuck into the ground,
with the forks at the top; and on these rested a fresh cut sapling,
placed horizontally to serve as a crane. A two-gallon camp-kettle of
sheet-iron was suspended upon it and over the fire, and the water in the
kettle was just beginning to boil. Other utensils were strewed around.
There was a frying-pan, some tin cups, several small packages containing
flour, dried meat, and coffee; a coffee-pot of strong tin, a small
spade, and a light axe, with its curved hickory shaft.
These were the inanimate objects of the picture. Now for the animate.
First, then, were our heroes, the three Boy Hunters--Basil, Lucien,
Francois. Basil was engaged by the tent, driving in the pins; Lucien
was attending to the fire which he has just kindled; while Francois was
making the feathers fly out of a brace of wild pigeons he had shot on
the way. No two of the three were dressed alike. Basil was all
buckskin--except the cap, which was made from the skin of a raccoon,
with the ringed-tail hanging over his shoulders like a drooping plume.
He wore a hunting-shirt with fringed cape, handsomely ornamented with
beads. A belt fastened it around his waist, from which was suspended
his hunting-knife and sheath, with a small holster, out of which peeped
the shining butt of a pistol. He wore deerskin leggings fringed down
the seams, and mocassins upon his feet. His dress was just that of a
backwoods' hunter, except that his cotton under-garments looked finer
and cleaner, and altogether his hunting-shirt was more tastefully
embroidered than is common among professional hunters.
Lucien's dress was of a sky-blue colour. It consisted of a half-blouse,
half-hunting-shirt, of strong cottonade, with trousers of the same
material. He had laced buskins on his feet, and a broad-brimmed Panama
hat on his head. Lucien's dress was somewhat more civilised in its
appearance than that of his elder brother. Like him though he had a
leather belt, with a sheath and knife on one side; and, instead of a
pistol, a small tomahawk on the other. Not that Lucien had set out with
the intention of tomahawking anybody. No; he carried his little hatchet
for cracking rocks, not skulls. Lucien's was a geological tomahawk.
Francois was still in roundabout jacket with trousers. He wore leggings
over his trousers, and mocassins upon his feet, with a cloth cap set
jauntily over his luxuriant curls. He, too, was belted with
hunting-knife and sheath, and a very small pistol hung upon his left
thigh.
Out near the middle of the glade were three horses picketed on
lasso-ropes, so that they might not interfere with each other whilst
browsing. They were very different in appearance. One was a large
brown-black horse--a half-Arab--evidently endowed with great strength
and spirit. That was Basil's horse, and deservedly a favourite. His
name was "Black Hawk"--so called after the famous chief of the Sacs and
Foxes, who was a friend of the old Colonel, and who had once entertained
the latter when on a visit to these Indians. The second horse was a
very plain one, a bay, of the kind known as "cot." He was a modest,
sober animal, with nothing either of the hunter or warrior in his looks;
but sleek withal, and in good condition, like a well-fed citizen. Hence
his name, which was "Le Bourgeois." Of course he was ridden by the
quiet Lucien. The third horse might have been termed a pony--if size be
considered--as he was by far the smallest of the three. He was a horse,
however, both in shape and character--one of that small but fiery breed
taken by the Spanish conquerors to the New World, and now known
throughout the western country as "mustangs." As I shall have reason to
say more of these beautiful creatures by and by, I shall only state
here, that the one in question was spotted like a pard, and answered to
the name "Le Chat" (the cat)--particularly when Francois called him, for
he was Francois' horse.
A little apart from the horses was another animal, of a dirty slate
colour, with some white marks along the back and shoulders. That was a
true-bred Mexican mule, wiry and wicked as any of its race. It was a
she-mule, and was called Jeanette. Jeanette was tethered beyond kicking
distance of the horses; for between her and the mustang there existed no
friendly feeling. Jeanette was the owner of the odd-looking saddle--the
pack. Jeanette's duty was to carry the tent, the provisions, the
implements, and utensils.
But one other living object might be noticed in the glade--the dog
"Marengo." From his size and colour--which was tawny red--you might
have mistaken him for a panther--a cougar. His long black muzzle and
broad hanging ears gave him quite a different appearance, however; and
told you that he was a hound. He was, in fact, a blood-hound, with the
cross of a mastiff--a powerful animal. He was crouching near Francois,
watching for the offal of the birds.
Now, young reader, you have before you a "night-camp" of the Boy
hunters.