CHAPTER IX.
RUN FOR COVER—A REMARKABLE VOLLEY— ASSAIL THE FOE — WONDERFUL SUCCESS— BLOODY TROPHIES — FRIGHT OF OUR ANIMALS — A DILEMMA — UNEXPECTED REINFORCEMENT — ALARM, ROUT, AND ALMOST TOTAL ANNIHILATION OF THE INDIANS—THE WONDERFUL HORSEMAN— AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE—SPOILS OF THE VICTORS—ANIMALS RECOVERED—ROUND THE CAMP FIRE — MORE TIDINGS OF PRAIRIE FLOWER, ETC., ETC.
"Indians," was the simultaneous cry which burst from our lips, as each man grasped his rifle and sprang to his feet. "Tree, boys," cried Black George, just as a series of terrific yells resounded on all sides, and a host of dusky figures were seen bearing down upon us from every direction but one, which seemed providentially left open for our safety. Toward this, the only point of compass possible for us to escape without a personal conflict, we fled precipitatel y, and soon reached a small clump of trees, which afforded us immediate protection, leaving our dead comrade in possession of the savages. With a shout of triumph, a dozen of the latter rushed up to the unfortunate trapper, and one of the number instantly tore off his scalp, while several others buried their knives in his body, to make sure of their victim. Meantime the rest of the party, which consisted of some thirty in all, made for our retreat, uttering demoniac yells of barbarous exultation, doubtless fancying us an easy prey. "Now, boys," cried Black George, in a stentorian voice, "every man pick a nigger, and give the — skunks h—!" His advice did not need a repetition; for scarcely were the words out of his mouth, when crack went our six rifles, and, almost miraculous to record, six of the foremost assailants rolled howling in the dust—each man, by a friendly providence, having selected a separate target with a fatal aim. This was a result as unlooked for by us, as alarming to our foes, who suddenly halted and rent the air with howls of rage and dismay. While it staggered them, it gave us courage, and in the moment of their indecision and our triumph, the voice of Black George was heard shouting the inspiring words: "Well done, boys! Foller me, and let us bark our pups and butcher at close quarters!" Saying this, he sprang forward with a yell, a proceeding we all imitated, and before the astonished savages were fully aware what was taking place, they found us in their midst, shouting, shooting, and cutting, with a daring, activity, and ferocity they had probably never seen equaled. So suddenly had we become assailants in turn, and so vigorously did we press upon them, that they instantly wavered, became confused, and after a slight resistance, took to flight, leaving four more of their number companions to the first unfortunate six. Being all more or less experienced in Indian warfare, we were consequently wise enough not to follow them, well knowing they would return to the charge as soon as pressed into cover. Both of Black George's companions had been wounded in the melee, but not dangerously, and we now congratulated ourselves, with a triumphant shout, on our success. "Reckon they'll stay put till we ken butcher and raise these here dogs' hair," said the old trapper; and forthwith all set to work, save myself, in killing the wounded and scalping the slain. When this bloody business was over, Black George observed: "This heyar coon wonders how the niggers feels now! Maybe they've got a notion in thar heads that they're some in a bar-fight. Sarved 'em right, the — possums! What business'd they to be pitching into us, when we was tellin stories and troublin nobody. Augh!" "By gar! I tink so," added the Frenchman, as he gave his olfactory organ an extra dose, and his shoulders an unusually vigorous shrug. "Ha, ha, Monsieur Blake Shorge—you say ver moche true, sarve him right, Certainment, he got von most tam ver good exsallent—vot you call him— drubbing, eh! Ha, ha! certainment." "Och, now, but didn't the blaggards look a wee bit astonished, the spalpeens!" joined in Teddy. "Faith! but I thought whin they rin, maybe as it was a race they was rinning for whisky or the likes." "Well," said I, "we have been fortunate so far, that is certain; and now let us take care for the future. Load quiek, my friends, and let us bring our animals together, or the Indians may rally and dash upon them, and leave us in a bad condition." "Right, boy," cried Black George, with a start: "I'd forgot. What a old fool I is sometimes. Quick! or the skunks will head us—for I knows 'em of old." Fortunately for us, the Indians had not as yet made a seizure of our horses, (which, at the time of the attack, were quietly feeding in the valley, but now running to and fro and snuffing the air,) thinking, I suppose, that victory for them was certain, and well knowing that an attempt to take the animals first, would create an alarm, and perhaps defeat their design of making us their victims. Our possibles, too, had escaped them, probably from being concealed under the brushwood collected for our fire, and also from their being put to flight so suddenly. All these were certainly matters for congratulation; and hurriedly removing our property from out the fire-light, I ordered Teddy and Pierre to guard it with their lives, while the rest of us, having reloaded our rifles, set off to collect our animals. We had not been any too soon in this matter; for the Indians, having recovered from their first alarm and confusion, we now espied dodging from tree to tree, with the evident intention of getting between us and the beasts, and so capturing the latter. "Heyar's a fix," observed Black George, making a halt. "Ef we go for'ard, the cussed varmints will pick us off and make meat on us; and ef we stay here-a ways, they'll catch our critters and leave us to foot it. I'll be dog-gone ef it don't look like a dilemmer, as I hearn a scholard say onc't—that's a fact." It was a dilemma, sure enough, and how to act was a matter of great moment. We could not charge upon the savages as we had done before, for they had "treed" in every direction, and, as Black George observed, would be sure to pick us off singly. To lose our cavallada was not to be thought of, for this would in a measure place us in their power. What was to be done! Several propositions were made by one and another, but all as soon rejected as being impracticable. Meantime the Indians were not inactive, and though the night was without moon, we could occasionally perceive a figure flitting before us like a shadow, and the circle they had made around our horses gradually narrowing. It was a time for action of some kind, and yet we stood irresolute. At length the old trapper suggested that we should separate, and each shift for himself in the manner best calculated to annoy our foes. This was the best plan as yet proposed, and was instantly adopted. We had already begun to put it in execution, when, to our astonishment, a small body of horsemen, with loud yells, suddenly dashed out from a distant thicket, aud separating, bore down upon the rear of our enemies. The next moment we heard the sharp crack of fire-arms, mingled with the shouts of the assailants, and yells of terror from the surprised Indians, who instantly took to flight in all directions. In their confusion, a portion ran toward us, and were received by a well-directed volley, which wounded one, killed two, and increased the alarm of the survivors, who instantly changed their course and fled toward the western hills, only to find their flight intercepted by an occasional horseman. "Don't know who fights for us," cried Black George, "and don't care a kick— but know they's some—and so let's arter and disconflumicate the — skunks all we ken." Saying this, the trapper set forward in eager chase of the flying foe, an example we all followed, and for the next quarter of an hour the valley presented an indescribable scene of confusion and excitement. Nothing of life could be seen but flying fugitives, hotly pursued by a bitter enemy, whose only mercy was instant death; and nothing heard but shrieks, yells, groans, and shouts of triumph— these from victors, those from vanquished— together with the constant sharp crack of fire-arms, and the clashing of knives, as here and there two met in personal and deadly conflict. To use a military phrase, the rout was total, the enemy badly beaten, and the victorious skirmishers only withdrew from the field of conflict for want of a foe. During the melee, we had all become mixed up, and but for the distinguishing difference of color and equipments, we might, owing to the darkness, have made sad havoc with our best friends. But the new comers were whites, and there was no difficulty in distinguishing between them and the savages. But who were they, and how came they here so opportunely for us, were enigmas I had no time nor opportunity to solve till the affray was over. Whoever they were
, they were brave to a fault—if I may call that courage a fault which is reckless of self-preservation— and they fought like demons. One of their party, whom I took to be leader, displayed an agility, intrepidity, and fierceness I had never seen equaled but once. Mounted on a fiery steed, which seemed to comprehend his slightest wish, he rushed among the frightened savages, and twice, as he passed near me, did I observe him bend from his saddle, seize the scalp-lock of an Indian, stab him in the neck, and then, with a motion quick as thought, cut around and tear off the bloody scalp, without scarcely checking the speed of his horse. Already I fancy I see the reader smile, and say such feats are impossible. I do not blame him; for had I not seen them myself, I should require more than one person's evidence to convince me of their possibility, to say nothing more. A long, loud shout at last attested our complete victory, when I, in company with my companions, approached our deliverers, to return our sincere thanks for their timely aid. Moving up to the personage I supposed to be leader, who now sat quietly on his horse, surrounded by a dozen stalwart figures, all mounted, I said:— "Whom have I the honor to thank for this invaluable assistance, at a point of time so critical to us?" "Why, as to thanks," answered the one addressed, in a voice that seemed familiar to me, "I don't 'spect thar's any needed; but ef you thank anybody, thank all—for every man's done his duty, and nothing more." "Methinks, sir, I know your voice," I rejoined, "but I cannot see your features." "Well, it struck me as I'd heard your's afore," returned the intrepid horseman; and he bent forward in his saddle, for a closer scrutiny of my person. At this moment Black George came up, and casting one glance at the speaker, exclaimed: "Kit Carson, or I'm a nigger! Reckon you knows old Black George, don't ye?" and in an instant the two were shaking hands with the hearty familiarity of old friends. "Kit Carson!" cried I, in surprise. "Well, sir, I might have known it was you, from your manner of fighting;" and in turn I seized his hand with one of my strongest grips. "You have a leetle the advantage of me," said Kit, when I had done. "I presume you have not forgotten Frank Leighton, and the fight at Bitter Cottonwood?" I replied. "Good heavens! is it indeed you? Why, I thought you war rubbed out thar, and I've never heard anything of you sence. I'm glad to see you, sir;" and an extra grip and shake of the hand, convinced me he meant what he said. "I'll have a talk with you, by-and-by; but just now we mountain men hev got a right smart chance at scalping—arter which I'm at your service." While most were occupied in the barbarous practice (I can never call it by a milder term,) of scalping the slain, I called Teddy, Pierre, and one or two others to my aid, and proceeded to collect and picket the frightened animals. This was no easy task, and it was at least an hour before order and quiet were again restored. In the meantime the Indians were scalped, and rifled of everything valuable, and then left to feed the wolves, some of which had already begun their feast, and were fast being joined by others. Of the slain, we counted in all twenty-three carcasses; so that it was evident but few, perhaps only five or six, escaped—and these, doubtless, more or less wounded. Of my party, not one was injured in this last affray; but several of the horsemen had received cuts and stabs, though none of a dangerous character. When we had all collected around the camp-fire, the wounded were looked to, and their wounds dressed as well as circumstances would allow. This done, we proceeded to bury the mountaineer, who had been killed, as the reader will remember, at the onset. As soon as all these matters were arranged, we squatted down in a circle round the fire, to talk over the events of the last two hours. I now had an opportunity of conversing with Carson, which I eagerly embraced. I informed him, in brief, of all that had occurred since we last met, and listened to a hasty recital of his own adventures, the principal part of which referred to Fremont's first expedition, and is already before the public. He said, that after parting with Fremont, he had been engaged to conduct a party to California, and was on his return to St. Louis, by way of Uintah Fort, St. Vrains, and Fort Laramie, when, stopping at the first mentioned, he found the present party of adventurers anxious to obtain a guide to Taos, and thence to Santa Fe, and that they had induced him to accompany them as far as Taos. He said that they had been on our trail for some time, but had not come in sight of us, until the present evening, when, camping just the other side of one of the surrounding hills, he, in a short ramble, had accidentally discovered our camp-fire, and had determined on joining us in the morning. The attack on us by the Indians had been heard, and as soon as possible, thereafter, the whole party had come to our aid, with what result the reader knows. He further added, it was rumored that Fremont had begun his second expedition, and was even now on his route westward by way of Bent's Fort—that he was anxious to join him—and that if an arrangement could be effected to do without him, he would in the morning cross over to the valley of the Arkansas, and take a direct course for Bent's. In answer to my inquiries concerning Prairie Flower and her tribe, he said he had not met with any of them since the battle of Bitter Cottonwood; but that he had heard of their being in this part of the country quite recently, and was inclined to believe them somewhere in the neigh borhood of Taos at the present time. With regard to my friend, he expressed much sorrow for his loss, but could give me no information concerning him. I was now more than ever anxious to find the Mysterious Tribe; for something whispered me that Prairie Flower had been in search of my friend—or at least was now with her tribe on that errand— or, if neither of these surmises should prove correct, I could perhaps prevail upon them to assist me. At all events, I determined on finding them as soon as possible, and accordingly resolved to start at day-light, and push through to Taos with all haste. Busy thoughts prevented me from sleeping that eventful night, and at the first tinge of morning light I awoke my companions for the journey. As we had all one destination, the party of Carson consented to part with him and join mine; and shaking my hand, with a hearty prayer for my success, he set off alone over the mountains, while we continued down the valley of the Rio Grande.
Bennett, Emerson - Prairie Flower 02 Page 8