CHAPTER XXIX.
THE ADOPTION.
Some sixty Comanche warriors were lying in the grass awaiting theirsachem, while the tethered horses were nibbling the tall prairie grassesand the tree shoots. It could be seen at the first glance that these menwere picked warriors, selected for a dangerous expedition. From theheels of all dangled five or six wolf tails--marks of honor which onlyrenowned warriors have the right to wear.
On seeing their chief, they hurriedly rose and leaped into theirsaddles. All were aware that their sachem's wife had been carried off,and that the object of their expedition was to deliver her. Still, onnoticing her, they evidenced no surprise, but saluted her as if she hadleft them only a few moments previously. The war party had with itseveral horses, which the chief ordered to be given to his squaw and hisnew friends; then, at a signal from him, the whole party started at fullspeed, for the Indians know no other pace than the gallop.
After about two hours' ride they reached the vicinity of the village,which could be smelt some time before reaching, owing to the habit theComanches have of placing their dead on scaffoldings outside thevillages, where they moulder away: these scaffoldings, composed of fourstakes planted in the ground, terminated in a fork, while from polesstuck up near them hung skins and other offerings made by the Indians tothe genius of good.
At the entrance of the village a number of horsemen were assembled,awaiting the return of the sachem. So soon as they perceived him theyburst into a formidable yell, and rushed forward like a whirlwind,shouting, firing guns, and brandishing their weapons. Unicorn's bandfollowed this example, and there was soon a most extraordinaryconfusion.
The sachem made his entry into the village in the midst of shouts,barking of dogs, and shots; in short, he was accompanied to the squareby an indescribable row. On reaching it the warriors stopped. Unicornbegged the hunters to dismount, and guided them to his cabin, which hemade them enter before him.
"Now," he said to them, "brothers, you are at home: rest in peace, eatand drink. This evening I will come and talk with you, and make you aproposal which I sincerely hope you will not reject."
The two hunters, wearied by the long ride they had made, fell back withextreme satisfaction on the beds of dried leaves which awaited them.
"Well," Valentine asked Curumilla, "penni, what do you say about what ishappening to us?"
"It may be good."
"Can it not?"
"Yes."
On which Curumilla fell asleep, and Valentine soon followed his example.As he had promised, toward evening Unicorn entered the cabin.
"Have my brothers rested?" he asked.
"Yes," Valentine answered.
"Are they disposed to listen to me?"
"Speak, chief; we are listening."
The Comanche sachem then squatted near the fire, and remained forseveral minutes, with his head bent forward and his eyes fixed on theground, in the position of a man who is reflecting. At length he raisedhis head, stretched forth his arm as if to give greater authority to thewords he was about to utter, and began thus:--
"Brother, you and your friend are two brave warriors. The prairiesrejoice at your arrival among us; the deer and the buffaloes fly at yourapproach; for your arm is strong, and your eye unerring. Unicorn is onlya poor Indian; but he is a great warrior among the Comanches, and a muchfeared chief of his tribe. You have saved his wife, Sunbeam, whom theApache dogs threw into the Gila, and whom the hideous alligators werepreparing to devour. Since his wife, the joy of his hearth, and his son,the hope of his old days, have been restored to him, Unicorn has soughtin his heart the means to prove to you his gratitude. He asked the Chiefof Life what he could do to attach you to him. Unicorn is terrible incombat; he has the heart of the grizzly bear for his enemies--he has theheart of the gazelle for those he loves."
"Chief," Valentine answered, "the words you utter at this moment amplyrepay us for what we have done. We are happy to have saved the wife andson of a celebrated warrior: our reward is in our hearts, and we wishfor no other."
The chief shook his head.
"No," he said; "the two hunters are no longer strangers for theComanches; they are the brothers of our tribe. During their sleepUnicorn assembled round the council fire the chiefs of his nation, andtold them what has passed. The chiefs have ranged themselves onUnicorn's side, and have ordered him to make known to the hunters theresolution they have formed."
"Speak, then, chief," Valentine said, "and believe that the wishes ofthe council will be commands to us."
A smile of joy played round the chief's lips.
"Good!" he said. "This is what was agreed on among the great chiefs. Mybrothers the hunters will be adopted by the tribe, and be henceforthsons of the great Comanche nation. What say my brothers?"
A lively feeling of pleasure made Valentine quiver at this unexpectedproposition. To be adopted by the Comanche tribe, was obtaining theright of hunting over the whole extent of the immense prairies whichthat powerful nation holds through its indomitable courage and thenumber of its warriors. The hunter exchanged a glance with his silentcomrade and rose.
"I accept for myself and friend," he said as he held out his hand to thechief, "the honor the Comanches do us in admitting us into the number ofthe sons of their warlike nation. We shall prove ourselves worthy ofthis marked favour."
Unicorn smiled.
"Tomorrow," he said as he rose, "my brothers will be adopted by thenation."
After bowing gracefully to the hunters he took leave of them andwithdrew. The next daybreak the chiefs entered the cabin. Valentine andCurumilla were ready, and had long been acquainted with the trials theywould have to undergo. The neophytes were conducted into the greatmedicine hut, where a copious meal was prepared. It consisted of dogmeat boiled in bear fat, tortillas, maize, and hautle cakes. The chiefssquatted in a circle, while the squaws waited on them.
When the meal was ended all rose. Unicorn placed himself between thehunters, laid his hands on their heads, and struck up the great warsong. This song was repeated in chorus by the company to the sound ofthe war whistles, the drums and the _chikikouis._ The following is thetranslation of the song:--
"Master of Life, regard us with a favourable eye. We are receiving two brothers in arms who appear to have sense. They display vigour in their arms. They fear not to expose their bodies to the blows of their enemies."
It is impossible for anyone who has not been present at the ceremony toform even a distant idea of the frightful noise produced by their hoarsevoices mingled with the shrill and discordant instruments: it was enoughto produce a deafness. When the song was ended each took his seat by thecouncil fire.
The hunters were seated on beaver skins, and the great war calumet waspresented to them, from which each took several puffs, and it went theround. Unicorn then rose, and fastened round the neck of each a wampumcollar, and another made of the claws of the grizzly bear. The Indians,during this time, had built near the medicine lodge a cabin for thesweating, and when it was finished the hunters took off their clothesand entered it. The chiefs then brought two large stones which had beenpreviously made red hot, and after closing the hut carefully, left theneophytes in it.
The latter threw water on the stones, and the steam which arose almostimmediately produced a profuse perspiration. When this was at its heightthe hunters ran out of the hut, passed through the double row ofwarriors, and leaped into the river, according to the usual fashion.They were immediately drawn from the water, wrapped in blankets, and ledto Unicorn's hut, in order to undergo the final trial, which is also themost painful. The hunters were laid on their backs, then Unicorn tracedon their chests with a sharp stick dipped in water in which gunpowderhad been dissolved, the figure of the animal serving as _totem_(protector) to the tribe. Then with two spikes fastened to a small pieceof wood, and dipped in vermillion, he proceeded to prick the design.
Whenever Unicorn came to a place that was too hard he made an incisionin the flesh with a gun-flint. The pla
ces that were not marked withvermillion were rubbed in with powder, so that the result was a red andblue tattooing. During the course of this operation the war songs andchikikouis were constantly heard, in order to drown the cries which theatrocious pain might draw from the patients; but the latter endured itall without even a contraction of the eyebrows evidencing the pain theymust have felt.
When the tattooing was over the wounds were cauterised with rotten woodto prevent suppuration; they were washed with cold water, in which hadbeen infused a herb resembling box, a great deal of which the Indiansmix with their tobacco to reduce the strength. The trial we havedescribed is so painful to endure, that nearly always it is onlyaccomplished at intervals, and often lasts a week. This time the huntersendured it bravely during the six hours it lasted, not uttering a cry,or giving a sign of weakness. Hence the Indians, from this moment,regarded them with a species of respect; for with them courage is thefirst of qualities.
"My brothers are children of the tribe," the chief said, offering each ahorse. "The prairie belongs to them. These coursers will bear them tothe most remote limits of the desert, chasing the wild beasts, orpursuing the Apache dogs."
"Good!" Valentine answered.
At one bound the two hunters were in their saddles, and made theirhorses perform the most elegant and graceful curvets. This last andheroic deed, after all they had suffered during the course of the day,raised to their full height the joy and enthusiasm of the Comanches, whoapplauded with frenzied shouts and yells all they saw their new brothersexecute. After remaining nearly an hour on horseback they dismounted,and followed the chiefs into the medicine lodge; and when each had takenhis seat round the council fire, and the calumet had again been smoked,Unicorn rose.
"The Master of Life loves His Comanche sons, since He gives them forbrothers such warriors as Koutonepi and Curumilla. Who can equal theircourage! Who would dare to contend with them! On their approach thegrizzly bear hides at the extremity of its den; the jaguar bounds faraway on seeing them; the eagle itself, which looks the sun in the face,flies from their unerring bullet. Brothers, we congratulate ourselves oncounting you among our warriors. Henceforth we shall be invincible.Brothers, give up the names you have up to this day borne, and assumethose we now give you. You, Koutonepi, are henceforth Quauhtli, and bearthe name of that eagle, whose courage and strength you possess. You,Curumilla, will be called Vexolotl, and the cock will be proud to seethat you have taken possession of its name."
The two hunters warmly thanked their new brothers, and were led back bythe chiefs to their cabin, who wished them a pleasant night after sorude a day. Such was the way in which Valentine and Curumilla, to whomwe shall continue to give their old names, formed the acquaintance ofUnicorn, and the result of it.
The Trail-Hunter: A Tale of the Far West Page 29