As soon as our quality was known, the Saints came crowding around us.
The corral poured forth its contents--until nine-tenths of the whole
caravan, men, women and children, stood gazing upon us, with that stare
of idiotic wonder peculiar to the humbler classes of countries called
civilised. We managed to withstand the ordeal of their scrutiny with an
assumed air of true savage indifference. Not without an effort,
however: since it was difficult to resist laughing at the grotesque
exclamations and speeches, which our appearance and movements elicited
from these wondering yokels. We were cautious not to notice their
remarks--appearing as if we understood them not. Peg-leg, by the aid of
his Anglo-American jargon--picked up among the mountain-men--was able to
satisfy them with an occasional reply. The rest of us said nothing;
but, to all appearance earnestly occupied with our own affairs, only by
stealth turned our eyes on the spectators. I could perceive that the
huntress was the chief attraction; and for a moment my apprehensions
were sufficiently keen. The girl had done nothing to disguise her sex--
the mask extending no farther than to her face and features. Her neck,
hands, and wrists--all of her skin that might be exposed--were stained
Indian of course; and there would have been little likelihood of their
detecting the false epidermis under a casual observation. Had it been a
mere ordinary person--painted as she was--she might have passed for an
Indian without difficulty. As it was, however, her voluptuous beauty
had tempted a closer scrutiny; and, spite of her disfigured features, I
saw glances directed upon her expressive of secret but passionate
observation. Some of the bystanders took no pains to conceal their
predilection.
"Darnationed likely squaw!" remarked one. "Who air she, old
timber-toes?" inquired he, addressing himself to the guide. "Squaw--
Utah gal," replied the Mexican in his trapper patois. Pointing to me,
he continued: "She sister to hunter-chief--she hunter too--kill bighorn,
buffalo, deer. _Carrambo! si_! She grand _cazadora_!"
"Oh! durn yer kezedora. I don' know, what that ere means; but I do
know, an' rayther calculate, if that ere squaw had the scrubbin'-brush
an' a leetle soft soap over that face o' hern, she'd look some punkins,
I guess."
The fellow who had thus eloquently delivered himself was one of the six
who had saluted us on our arrival. Two or three of his _confreres_ were
standing beside him--gazing with lynx, or rather wolf-like glances upon
the girl. Stebbins himself, before parting, had cast upon her a look of
singular expression. It was not significant of recognition; but rather
of some thought of viler origin. The others continued to give utterance
to their mock admiration; and I was glad--as the girl herself appeared
to be--when the tent was pitched, and she was able to retire out of
reach of their rude ribaldry.
We had now an opportunity of studying the Mormons _chez eux memes_: for
not one of them had the slightest idea that their talk was understood by
us. Most of them appeared to be of the humbler class of emigrants--
farm-people or those of mechanical calling--artisans of the common
trades--shoemakers, blacksmiths, joiners, and the like. In the
countenances of these there was no cast that betrayed a character,
either of particular saintliness or sin. In most of them, the
expression was simply stolid and bovine; and it was evident that these
were the mere cattle of the herd. Among them could be observed a
sprinkling of a different sort of Saints--men of more seeming
intelligence, but with less moral inclinings--men of corrupt thoughts
and corrupt lives--perhaps once gentle, but now fallen--who had, no
doubt, adopted this pseudo-religion in the expectation of bettering
their temporal rather than spiritual condition. The influence of these
last over the others was quite apparent. They were evidently chiefs--
bishops or deacons--"tenths" or "seventies." It was singular enough to
see _dandies_ among them; and yet, however ludicrous the exhibition,
dandyism was there displayed! More than one "swell" strutted through
the crowd in patent-leather boots, Parisian silk hat, and coat of
shining broad-cloth! The temporary halt had offered an opportunity for
this display of personal adornment; and these butterflies had availed
themselves of the advantage, to cast for a few hours the chrysalis of
their travelling gear.
The women were of all ages; and, it might be added, of all nations.
Several European tongues mingled in the melee of sounds; but the one
which predominated was that language without vowels--the jargon of the
Welsh Principality. The continual clacking of this unspeakable tongue
told that the sons and daughters of the Cymri mustered strongest in the
migration. Many of the latter wore their picturesque native costume--
the red-hooded cloak and kirtle; and some were unspeakably fair, with
the fine white teeth, fair complexion, and ruddy cheeks, common to other
branches of the Celtic race, but nowhere so characteristic as among the
fair maidens of Cambria. It was, no doubt, those sweet shining faces,
wreathed with free artless smiles, that had caused the lady-killers to
unpack their portmanteaus.
My own eyes dwelt not upon these. Ever since our arrival upon the
ground, I had been watching with keen glances the opening that led into
the corral. Every one who came forth--man or woman--had been the object
of my scrutiny. But my glances had been given in vain; and were not
rewarded by the recognition of a single individual. The entrance was
about two hundred yards from the place where our tents were being
pitched; but even at that distance I should have recognised the colossal
squatter. As for Lilian, my heart's instinct would have declared her
identity at the most casual glance. Neither father nor daughter had yet
made their appearance outside the enclosure: though all the world beside
had come freely forth, and many were going back again. It was odd, to
say the least, they should act so differently from the others. She, I
knew, was very different from the "ruck" that surrounded her; and yet
one would have thought that curiosity would have tempted her forth--that
simple childlike inclination, natural in one so young, to witness our
wild attire--to gaze on our plumes and our paint? I could less wonder
at Holt himself being insensible to such attraction; but in her it
seemed strange. My astonishment increased, as form after form passed
out from the opening, but not that for which my eyes were searching. It
ceased to be astonishment: it grew into chagrin; and after that assumed
the character of an apprehension. This apprehension I had already
entertained, but in a less definite form. It now shaped itself into a
cruel doubt--the doubt of _her being there_--either inside the corral,
or anywhere in the Mormon camp!
After all, had we taken the wrong track? Might not Holt have kept on
with the gold-diggers? The story of the Chicasa signified nothing.
Might not Lilian, under the protection of that gallant dragoon, with the
torn tassel--might not she? "It is quite probable," I muttered to
myself, "highly probable that they are not here! The squatter may have
resisted the will of his Apostolic companion; and, separating himself
from the Mormon party, have gone on with the diggers? No! yonder! Holt
himself, as I live!"
The exclamatory phrases were called forth by the appearance of a tall
man in the opening between the waggons. It was Holt. He was standing
still; and must have reached the spot he occupied but the moment
before--when my eyes for an instant had been turned away. The Herculean
frame, and great rufous beard hanging over his breast, proclaimed to my
eyes the identity of the Tennessean squatter; and the costume confirmed
it. It was precisely the same worn by him on that eventful morning--
when standing before me with his long rifle raised against my life. The
ample surtout of greenish blanket-cloth, a little further faded--the red
skirt underneath--the coarse horse-skin boots rising to his thighs--the
crimson kerchief turbaned around his head, its loose flap falling down
over his shaggy eyebrows--were all identical with the portrait remaining
in my memory. I watched him with eager eye. Was it his intention to
step nearer and examine us? Or had he come forth upon some other
business? He was looking grave, and sad, I thought; but in the distance
I could scarce note the expression upon his countenance. It did not
appear to betoken curiosity. Once only he glanced towards us, and then
turned his eyes in an opposite direction. This did not shew that he
cared much for our presence, or was in anywise interested in it. In all
likelihood, he shared not the childish curiosity of his travelling
companions--to whom he in other respects bore but little resemblance.
As he stood in their midst, he looked like some grim but majestic lion,
surrounded by jackals. His behaviour suggested a further similitude to
the great forest monarch. He seemed to hold no converse with those
around him; but stood apart and for the moment motionless as a statue.
Once only I noticed that he yawned--stretching out his colossal arms, as
if to aid in the involuntary action. For this purpose, and this alone,
did he appear to have come forth: since, shortly after its
accomplishment, he turned back into the avenue, and disappeared behind
the barricade of the waggons!