CHAPTER XVIII.
_A surprise, and a piece of good news--The fur-traders--Crusoe proved,and the Peigans pursued_.
Dick's first and most natural impulse, on beholding this band, was tomount his horse and fly, for his mind naturally enough recurred to theformer rough treatment he had experienced at the hands of Indians. Onsecond thoughts, however, he considered it wiser to throw himself uponthe hospitality of the strangers; "for," thought he, "they can butkill me, an' if I remain here I'm like to die at any rate."
So Dick mounted his wild horse, grasped his rifle in his right hand,and, followed by Crusoe, galloped full tilt down the valley to meetthem.
He had heard enough of the customs of savage tribes, and had also oflate experienced enough, to convince him that when a man found himselfin the midst of an overwhelming force, his best policy was to assumean air of confident courage. He therefore approached them at hisutmost speed.
The effect upon the advancing band was electrical; and little wonder,for the young hunter's appearance was very striking. His horse, fromhaving rested a good deal of late, was full of spirit. Its neck wasarched, its nostrils expanded, and its mane and tail never having beenchecked in their growth flew wildly around him in voluminous curls.Dick's own hair, not having been clipped for many months, appearedscarcely less wild, as they thundered down the rocky pass at whatappeared a break-neck gallop. Add to this the grandeur of the sceneout of which they sprang, and the gigantic dog that bounded by hisside, and you will not be surprised to hear that the Indian warriorsclustered together, and prepared to receive this bold horseman as ifhe, in his own proper person, were a complete squadron of cavalry. Itis probable, also, that they fully expected the tribe of which Dickwas the chief to be at his heels.
As he drew near the excitement among the strangers seemed very great,and, from the peculiarity of the various cries that reached him, heknew that there were women and children in the band--a fact which, insuch a place and at such a season, was so unnatural that it surprisedhim very much. He noted also that, though the men in front wereIndians, their dresses were those of trappers and hunters, and healmost leaped out of his saddle when he observed that "_Pale-faces_"were among them. But he had barely time to note these facts when hewas up with the band. According to Indian custom, he did not check hisspeed till he was within four or five yards of the advance-guard, whostood in a line before him, quite still, and with their rifles lyingloosely in their left palms; then he reined his steed almost on itshaunches.
One of the Indians advanced and spoke a few words in a language whichwas quite unintelligible to Dick, who replied, in the little Pawnee hecould muster, that he didn't understand him.
"Why, you must be a trapper!" exclaimed a thick-set, middle-aged man,riding out from the group. "Can you speak English?"
"Ay, that can I," cried Dick joyfully, riding up and shaking thestranger heartily by the hand; "an' right glad am I to fall in wi' awhite-skin an' a civil tongue in his head."
"Good sooth, sir," replied the stranger, with a quiet smile on hiskind, weather-beaten face, "I can return you the compliment; for whenI saw you come thundering down the corrie with that wonderful horseand no less wonderful dog of yours, I thought you were the wild man o'the mountain himself, and had an ambush ready to back you. But, youngman, do you mean to say that you live here in the mountain all aloneafter this fashion?"
"No, that I don't. I've comed here in my travels, but truly thisbean't my home. But, sir (for I see you are what the fur-traders calla bourgeois), how comes it that such a band as this rides i' themountains? D'ye mean to say that _they_ live here?" Dick looked roundin surprise, as he spoke, upon the crowd of mounted men and women,with children and pack-horses, that now surrounded him.
"'Tis a fair question, lad. I am a principal among the fur-traderswhose chief trading-post lies near the Pacific Ocean, on the west sideof these mountains; and I have come with these trappers and theirfamilies, as you see, to hunt the beaver and other animals for aseason in the mountains. We've never been here before; but that's amatter of little moment, for it's not the first time I've been onwhat may be called a discovery-trading expedition. We are somewhatentangled, however, just now among these wild passes, and if you canguide us out of our difficulties to the east side of the mountains,I'll thank you heartily and pay you well. But first tell me who andwhat you are, if it's a fair question."
"My name is Dick Varley, and my home's in the Mustang Valley, nearthe Missouri River. As to _what_ I am--I'm nothin' yet, but I hope todesarve the name o' a hunter some day. I can guide you to the eastside o' the mountains, for I've comed from there; but more than that Ican't do, for I'm a stranger to the country here, like yourself. Butyou're on the east side o' the mountains already, if I mistake not;only these mountains are so rugged and jumbled up, that it's not easytellin' where ye are. And what," continued Dick, "may be the name o'the bourgeois who speaks to me?"
"My name is Cameron--Walter Cameron--a well-known name among theScottish hills, although it sounds a little strange here. And now,young man, will you join my party as guide, and afterwards remain astrapper? It will pay you better, I think, than roving about alone."
Dick shook his head and looked grave. "I'll guide you," said he, "asfar as my knowledge 'll help me; but after that I must return to lookfor two comrades whom I have lost. They have been driven into themountains by a band of Injuns. God grant they may not have binscalped!"
The trader's face looked troubled, and he spoke with one of hisIndians for a few minutes in earnest, hurried tones.
"What were they like, young man?"
Dick described them.
"The same," continued the trader. "They've been seen, lad, not morethan two days ago, by this Indian here, when he was out hunting alonesome miles away from our camp. He came suddenly on a band of Indianswho had two prisoners with them, such as you describe. They werestout, said you?"
"Yes, both of them," cried Dick, listening with intense eagerness.
"Ay. They were tied to their horses, an' from what I know of thesefellows I'm sure they're doomed. But I'll help you, my friend, as wellas I can. They can't be far from this. I treated my Indian's storyabout them as a mere fabrication, for he's the most notorious liar inmy company; but he seems to have spoken truth for once."
"Thanks, thanks, good sir," cried Dick. "Had we not best turn back andfollow them at once?"
"Nay, friend, not quite so fast," replied Cameron, pointing to hispeople. "These must be provided for first, but I shall be ready beforethe sun goes down. And now, as I presume you don't bivouac in thesnow, will you kindly conduct us to your encampment, if it be not farhence?"
Although burning with impatience to fly to the rescue of his friends,Dick felt constrained to comply with so reasonable a request, sohe led the way to his camping-place, where the band of fur-tradersimmediately began to pitch their tents, cut down wood, kindle fires,fill their kettles with water, cook their food, and, in fact, makethemselves comfortable. The wild spot which, an hour before, had beenso still, and grand, and gloomy, was now, as if by magic, transformedinto a bustling village, with bright fires blazing among the rocks andbushes, and merry voices of men, women, and children ringing inthe air. It seemed almost incredible, and no wonder Dick, in hisbewilderment, had difficulty in believing it was not all a dream.
In days long gone by the fur-trade in that country was carried on in avery different way from the manner in which it is now conducted. Thesewild regions, indeed, are still as lonesome and untenanted (save bywild beasts and wandering tribes of Indians) as they were then;but the Indians of the present day have become accustomed to the"Pale-face" trader, whose little wooden forts or trading-posts aredotted here and there, at wide intervals, all over the land. But inthe days of which we write it was not so. The fur-traders at that timewent forth in armed bands into the heart of the Indians' country, andhe who went forth did so "with his life in his hand." As in the caseof the soldier who went out to battle, there was great probabilitythat he might nev
er return.
The band of which Walter Cameron was the chief had, many monthsbefore, started from one of the distant posts of Oregon on a huntingexpedition into the then totally unknown lands of the Snake Indians.It consisted of about sixty men, thirty women, and as many childrenof various ages--about a hundred and twenty souls in all. Many of theboys were capable of using the gun and setting a beaver-trap. The menwere a most motley set. There were Canadians, half-breeds, Iroquois,and Scotchmen. Most of the women had Indian blood in their veins, anda few were pure Indians.
The equipment of this strange band consisted of upwards of twohundred beaver-traps--which are similar to our rat-traps, with thisdifference, that they have two springs and no teeth--seventy guns, afew articles for trade with the Indians, and a large supply of powderand ball; the whole--men, women, children, goods, and chattels--beingcarried on the backs of nearly four hundred horses. Many of thesehorses, at starting, were not laden, being designed for the transportof furs that were to be taken in the course of the season.
For food this adventurous party depended entirely on their guns, andduring the march hunters were kept constantly out ahead. As a matterof course, their living was precarious. Sometimes their kettles wereoverflowing; at others they scarce refrained from eating their horses.But during the months they had already spent in the wilderness goodliving had been the rule, starvation the exception. They had alreadycollected a large quantity of beaver skins, which at that time wereamong the most valuable in the market, although they are now scarcelysaleable! Having shot two wild horses, seven elks, six small deer, andfour big-horned sheep the day before they met Dick Varley, the campkettles were full, and the people consequently happy.
"Now, Master Dick Varley," said Cameron, touching the young hunter onthe shoulder as he stood ready equipped by one of the camp-fires,"I'm at your service. The people won't need any more looking afterto-night. I'll divide my men--thirty shall go after this rascally bandof Peigans, for such I believe they are, and thirty shall remain toguard the camp. Are you ready?"
"Ready! ay, this hour past."
"Mount then, lad; the men have already been told off, and aremustering down yonder where the deer gave you such a licking."
Dick needed no second bidding. He vaulted on Charlie's back, and alongwith their commander joined the men, who were thirty as fine, hardy,reckless looking fellows as one could desire for a forlorn-hope.They were chatting and laughing while they examined their guns andsaddle-girths. Their horses were sorry looking animals compared withthe magnificent creature that Dick bestrode, but they were hardy,nevertheless, and well fitted for their peculiar work.
"My! wot a blazer!" exclaimed a trapper as Dick rode up.
"Where you git him?" inquired a half-breed.
"I caught him," answered Dick.
"Baw!" cried the first speaker.
Dick took no notice of this last remark.
"No, did ye though?" he asked again.
"I did," answered Dick quietly. "I creased him in the prairie; you cansee the mark on his neck if you look."
The men began to feel that the young hunter was perhaps a littlebeyond them at their own trade, and regarded him with increasedrespect.
"Look sharp now, lads," said Cameron, impatiently, to several dilatorymembers of the band. "Night will be on us ere long."
"Who sold ye the bear-claw collar?" inquired another man of Dick.
"I didn't buy it. I killed the bear and made it."
"Did ye, though, all be yer lone?"
"Ay; that wasn't much, was it?"
"You've begun well, yonker," said a tall, middle-aged hunter, whosegeneral appearance was not unlike that of Joe Blunt. "Jest keep clearo' the Injuns an' the grog bottle, an' ye've a glor'ous life beforeye."
At this point the conversation was interrupted by the order beinggiven to move on, which was obeyed in silence, and the cavalcade,descending the valley, entered one of the gorges in the mountains.
For the first half-mile Cameron rode a little ahead of his men, thenhe turned to speak to one of them, and for the first time observedCrusoe trotting close beside his master's horse.
"Ah! Master Dick," he exclaimed with a troubled expression, "thatwon't do. It would never do to take a dog on an expedition like this."
"Why not?" asked Dick; "the pup's quiet and peaceable."
"I doubt it not; but he will betray our presence to the Indians, whichmight be inconvenient."
"I have travelled more than a thousand miles through prairie andforest, among game an' among Injuns, an' the pup never betrayed meyet," said Dick, with suppressed vehemence. "He has saved my life morethan once though."
"You seem to have perfect confidence in your dog, but as this is aserious matter you must not expect me to share in it without proof ofhis trustworthiness."
"The pup may be useful to us; how would you have it proved?" inquiredDick.
"Any way you like."
"You forgot your belt at starting, I think I heerd ye say."
"Yes, I did," replied the trader, smiling.
Dick immediately took hold of Cameron's coat, and bade Crusoe smellit, which the dog did very carefully. Then he showed him his own beltand said, "Go back to the camp and fetch it, pup."
Crusoe was off in a moment, and in less than twenty minutes returnedwith Cameron's belt in his mouth.
"Well, I'll trust him," said Cameron, patting Crusoe's head. "Forward,lads!" and away they went at a brisk trot along the bottom of abeautiful valley on each side of which the mountains towered in darkmasses. Soon the moon rose and afforded light sufficient to enablethem to travel all night in the track of the Indian hunter who said hehad seen the Peigans, and who was constituted guide to the party. Hourafter hour the horsemen pressed on without check, now galloping over alevel plain, now bounding by the banks of a rivulet, or bending theirheads to escape the boughs of overhanging trees, and anon toilingslowly up among the rocks of some narrow defile. At last the moon set,and the order was given to halt in a little plain where there werewood and water.
The horses were picketed, a fire kindled, a mouthful of dried meathastily eaten, the watch was set, and then each man scraped away thesnow, spread some branches on the ground, and wrapping himself in hisblanket, went to sleep with his feet presented towards the fire.
Two hours were allowed for rest; then they were awakened, and in a fewminutes were off again by the gray light of dawn. In this way theytravelled two nights and a day. At the end of that time they camesuddenly on a small party of nine Indians, who were seated on theground with their snow-shoes and blankets by their sides. They hadevidently been taken by surprise, but they made no attempt to escape,knowing that it was useless. Each sat still with his bow and arrowsbetween his legs on the ground ready for instant use.
As soon as Cameron spoke, however, in their own language they feltrelieved, and began to talk.
"Where do you come from, and what are you doing here?" asked thetrader.
"We have come to trade with the white men," one of them replied, "andto hunt. We have come from the Missouri. Our country is far away."
"Do Peigans hunt with _war-arrows?_" asked Cameron, pointing to theirweapons.
This question seemed to perplex them, for they saw that theirinterrogator knew the difference between a war and a huntingarrow--the former being barbed in order to render its extraction fromthe wound difficult, while the head of the latter is round, and can bedrawn out of game that has been killed, and used again.
"And do Peigans," continued Cameron, "come from a far country to tradewith the white men _with nothing?_"
Again the Indians were silent, for they had not an article to tradeabout them.
Cameron now felt convinced that this party of Peigans, into whosehands Joe Blunt and Henri had fallen, were nothing else than a warparty, and that the men now before him were a scouting party sent outfrom them, probably to spy out his own camp, on the trail of whichthey had fallen, so he said to them:--
"The Peigans are not wise men; they t
ell lies to the traders. Iwill tell you that you are a war party, and that you are only afew warriors sent out to spy the traders' camp. You have also two_Pale-face_ prisoners in your camp. You cannot deceive me. It isuseless to try. Now, conduct me to your camp. My object is not war; itis peace. I will speak with your chiefs about trading with the whitemen, and we will smoke the pipe of peace. Are my words good?"
Despite their proverbial control of muscle, these Indians could notconceal their astonishment at hearing so much of their affairs thuslaid bare; so they said that the Pale-face chief was wise, that hemust be a great medicine man, and that what he said was all trueexcept about the white men. They had never seen any Pale-faces, andknew nothing whatever about those he spoke of.
This was a terrible piece of news to poor Dick, and at first his heartfairly sank within him, but by degrees he came to be more hopeful. Heconcluded that if these men told lies in regard to one thing, theywould do it in regard to another, and perhaps they might have somestrong reason for denying any knowledge of Joe and Henri.
The Indians now packed up the buffalo robes on which they had slept,and the mouthful of provisions they had taken with them.
"I don't believe a word of what they say about your friends," saidCameron to Dick in a low tone while the Indians were thus engaged."Depend upon it they hope to hide them till they can send to thesettlements and get a ransom, or till they get an opportunity oftorturing them to death before their women and children when they getback to their own village. But we'll balk them, my friend, do notfear."
The Indians were soon ready to start, for they were cumbered withmarvellously little camp equipage. In less than half-an-hour aftertheir discovery they were running like deer ahead of the cavalcade inthe direction of the Peigan camp.
The Dog Crusoe and His Master: A Story of Adventure in the Western Prairies Page 19