Carlos had commenced his hunt, and was making rapid progress. In the
first two days he had slaughtered no less than twenty buffaloes, and had
them all carried to camp. He and Antonio followed the buffalo and shot
them down, while two of the peons skinned the animals, cut up the meat,
and packed it to camp. There, under the hands of the third, it
underwent the further process of being "jerked," that is, cut into thin
slices and dried in the sun.
The hunt promised to be profitable. Carlos would no doubt obtain as
much "tasajo" as he could carry home, besides a large supply of hides,
both of which found ready sale in the towns of New Mexico.
On the third day, however, the hunters noticed a change in the behaviour
of the buffalo. They had suddenly grown wild and wary. Now and then
vast gangs passed them, running at full speed, as if terrified and
pursued! It was not Carlos and his companion that had so frighted them.
What then had set them a-running?
Carlos conjectured that some Indian tribe was in the neighbourhood
engaged in hunting them.
His conjecture proved correct. On ascending a ridge which gave him a
view of a beautiful valley beyond, his eye rested upon an Indian
encampment.
It consisted of about fifty lodges, standing like tents along the edge
of the valley, and fronting towards the stream. They were of a conical
form, constructed of a framework of poles set in a circle, drawn
together at their tops, and then covered with skins of the buffalo.
"Waco lodges!" said the cibolero, the moment his practised eye fell upon
them.
"Master," inquired Antonio, "how do you tell that?" Antonio's
experience fell far short of that of his master, who from childhood had
spent his life on the prairies.
"How!" replied Carlos, "by the lodges themselves."
"I should have taken it for a Comanche camp," said the half-blood. "I
have seen just such lodges among the `Buffalo-eaters.'"
"Not so, Anton," rejoined his master. "In the Comanche lodge the poles
meet at the top, and are covered over with the skins, leaving no outlet
for smoke. You observe it is not so with these. They are lodges of the
Wacoes, who, it is true, are allies of the Comanches."
Such was in reality the fact. The poles, though bent so as to approach
each other at the top, did not quite meet, and an open hole remained for
the passage of smoke. The lodge, therefore, was not a perfect cone, but
the frustum of one; and in this it differed from the lodge of the
Comanches.
"The Wacoes are not hostile," remarked the cibolero. I think we have
nothing to fear from them. No doubt they will trade with us. But where
are they? This question was drawn forth by the cibolero observing that
not a creature was to be seen about the lodges,--neither man, woman,
child, nor animal! And yet it could not be a deserted camp. Indians
would not abandon such lodges as these--at least they would not leave
behind the fine robes that covered them! No, the owners must be near:
no doubt, among the neighbouring hills, in pursuit of the buffalo.
The cibolero guessed aright. As he and his companion stood looking down
upon the encampment, a loud shouting reached their ears, and the next
moment a body of several hundred horsemen was seen approaching over a
swell of the prairie. They were riding slowly, but their panting
foaming horses showed that they had just left off harder work.
Presently another band, still more numerous, appeared in the rear.
These were horses and mules laden with huge brown masses, the
buffalo-meat packed up in the shaggy hides. This train was conducted by
the women and boys, and followed by troops of dogs and screaming
children.
As they came toward the encampment from an opposite direction, Carlos
and his companion were not for a while seen.
The Indians, however, had not been long among the lodges before the
quick eye of one caught sight of their two heads above the ridge. A
warning cry was uttered, and in a moment every one of the dismounted
hunters was back in his saddle and ready for action. One or two
galloped off towards the meat-train, which had not yet come into camp,
while others rode to and fro, exhibiting symptoms of alarm.
No doubt they were under apprehensions that the Panes, their mortal
foes, had stolen a march upon them.
Carlos soon relieved them from this apprehension. Spurring his horse to
the crest of the ridge, he drew up in full view of the Indians. A few
signs, which he well knew how to make, and the word "amigo!" shouted at
the top of his voice, restored their confidence; then a young fellow now
rode out in front, and advanced up the hill. When sufficiently near to
be heard, he halted; and a conversation, partly by signs, and partly by
means of a little Spanish, enabled him and Carlos to understand each
other. The Indian then galloped back, and, after a short interval,
returned again, and invited the cibolero and his companion to the
encampment.
Carlos of course accepted the courtesy, and a few minutes after, he and
Antonio were eating fresh buffalo-beef, and chatting in perfect amity
with their new hosts.
The chief, a fine-looking man, and evidently possessing full authority,
became particularly friendly with Carlos, and was much pleased at
hearing that the latter had a stock of goods. He promised to visit his
camp next morning and allow his tribe to trade. As the cibolero had
conjectured, they were Waco Indians,--a noble race, one of the noblest
of the prairie tribes.
Carlos returned to his camp in high spirits. He would now have his
goods exchanged for mules,--so the chief promised,--and these were the
main objects of his expedition.
In the morning, according to appointment, the Indians arrived, chief and
all; and the little valley where the cibolero had encamped was filled
with men, women, and children. The packs were opened, the goods were
set forth, and the whole day was spent in continuous trading. The
cibolero found his customers perfectly honest; and when night came, and
they took their departure, not a single item of Carlos' stock remained
on his hands. In its place, however, a handsome _mulada_ of no less
than thirty mules was seen picketed in the bottom of the little valley.
These were now the property of Carlos the cibolero. Not a bad outlay of
his eight onzas!
Not only would they yield well on his return, but it was his intention
that each of them should carry back its full load of buffalo-hides, or
"tasajo."
It would be a successful expedition, indeed; and dreams of future
wealth, with the hope of being some day in a condition to advance a
legitimate claim to the hand of the fair Catalina, were already passing
through the mind of Carlos.
Once a "rico," reflected he, even Don Ambrosio might sanction his suit.
On that night soft was the slumber and pleasant the dreams of Carlos the
cibolero.