OF THE ENEMT IMMENSE SLAUGHTER
MY HORSE KILLED A FOOT ENCOUNTER
DESPAIR KIT'S EFFORT TO SAVE ME
UNCONSCIOUSNESS
SOME three-fourths of amile brought us to the brow of a hill, whence we^could overlook the stronghold of the enemy. Immediately below us were several lodges made of skins, around which we could faintly perceive numerous dark figures moving to and fro, and evidently, as we nought, preparing to turn in for the night. A. litile beyond this was another encamp
ment, or cluster of lodges, and still beyond another the three taken together number ing not less than a hundred and fifty or two hundred warriors. And here stood we, a little band of sixteen men, about to assail, at the least calculation, ten rimes our own force. What rashness ! what a fool-hardy undertaking !
" Charles," whispered I to my friend, " it is well that you and I are single men."
"Why so, Frank?"
" Because neither wife nor child will be left to mourn our loss."
"That is true," answered he with a sigh. " But do you then think our doom certain ? "
" If we attack I do ; or least, that we have ten chances against us to one in our favor."
" It won't do," whispered Carson at this moment, retreating a few paces, and mo tioning us to follow him. Then he added in a low tone :
" We're too soon, and it will never do to try it afoot. I must stick to my first cal culation. Our only chance of escape from certain death must be by our horses. We'll return to them and await the mid- watch of night. Then we must dash among them, raise all the hair we can, and split for cover, or we shall be rubbed out before we know it. I thought when I re- connoitered, it would do better to steal in among them and work silently but I see now our only hope is by storm."
Accordingly we retraced our steps, and having gained the cover where our animals were concealed, squatted down upon the earth. As it was yet too early for our meditated attack, we once more replenished our pipes, and enjoyed the refreshing fra grance of some prime tobacco.
"I say, Kit," observed Black George, "what d'ye think o' that thar Injin gal, hey ? "
" Think she's a mysterious one."
" Ever seed her afore ? "
" Never."
" I have augh ! Think she's a speret, hey ? "
" No ! think she's a human."
" Well, I'll be dog-gone ef I do ! I je believe she's got wings and ken fly ef I don't, call me a nigger and put me among the cotton plants augh ! '
62
THE PRAIRIE FLOWER; OR,
" Faith, thin, Misther Black George, yees and mesilf is thinking much alike now," interposed Teddy. " I thought all the whiles she was a bir-r-d, barring the feathers which is all beads on her."
" Augh ! put out for a greenhorn now," returned the old trapper sarcastically. "She's no bir-rer-renl as you sez. She's a angel, she is ef she isn't, heyars what don't know ' fat cow from poor bull.' '
Talking of Prairie Flower, our present design, together wiih various c f .her matters, we whiled away some two or thiee hours, when Carson notified us it was time to be on the. move. Mounting once more oa» - horses, we set forward, and bearing to the left, descended immediately into the valley in which the foe was camped., instead of keeping along the brow of the ridge as be fore. We were now compelled to use the utmost caution, as the least sound might betray us and thwart our plans.
At length we again made a halt in full view of the dark lodges, which were faintly perceptible in the dim light of the stars, and one or two smouldering fires near the center of the encampment. All was still as the grave, and, from anything we could discover to the contrary, as devoid of liv ing thing. Not a word, not even a whisper, was heard from one of our party. Each sat erect upon his horse, motionless as a statue, his eyes fixed upon some object be fore him, and his mind it may be upon death and the great hereafter. At least, so was mine ; and though I rarely knew fear, yet from some unaccountable cause I now felt my heart die within me, as if something dreadful were about to befall me. Our pause was but momentary ; but in that short space of time, melhought I lived a year.
" Forward ! " whispered Carson, solemn ly. " Each man for himself, and God for us all ! "
Scarcely had the sentence passed his lips, when, to our astonishment and dis may, a tremendous volley rang on all sides » { us, and a shower of bullets and arrows came whizzing through the air, accom panied by yells that made my blood run cold ; while on every hand we beheld a legion of dark figures suddenly spring from the earth, their murderous knives and tomahawks faintly gleaming in the dim
light, as, flourishing them over tliei and yelling their appalling war-whoop?, they bore down upon us in overwhelming numbers. To add to our consternation, we heard the thundering tramp of a body of horse, in front and rear, rushing up te join our enemies and hem us in completely.
Instead of surprising the enemy as ex pected, we now found ourselves surprised in turn, and drawn into a terrible ambus cade, from which there seemed no chance of escape. Our design had doubtless been betrayed but by whom I had no time for conjecture ; for what between the yells of savages groans and curses from our own little band many of whom were wounded and some seriously the rearing and plui.gir.g of the horses, and my desire to do the best I could for myself and friends I had no time for speculation. Two of the enem} f s balls had passed through my hat one of tLem within an inch of my skull and another through the sleeves of my frock, slightly grazing my arm ; but fortunately none had injured myself nor horse.
' ' Riddle them tear out thar hearts scalp and send them to h 1 ! " shouted Carson, in a voice that rose distinctly iibo'ye the din of conflict ; and wheeling Ids charger, he dashed into the thickest of the fray, with that utter disregard to personal safety, which Napoleon once displayed at the far-famed bridge of Lodi.
Determined to share the fate of Kit, whatever it might be, I called to Hunfly to join me, and rushed my horse alongside of his. Now it was that I had an oppor tunity of vitnessirig that coolness and in- trepiuUy, those almost superhuman re sources and exertions, which, together with ether matters, have rendered the name of Kit Carson immortal.
Discharging his rifle and pistols at the first he came to, Carson raised himself in his stirrups, and swinging the former wea pon over his head, with as much apparent ease as if a mere whisp, he brought it down upon the skulls of the duskj L;td around him with fatal effect. Not less than a dozen in the space of twice as many seconds bit the dust beneath its weight, while his horse, madly rearing and plung ing, trod down some four or live more. Still they thickened around us, ( for lluntly
ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST.
and myself were alongside, imitating to the best of curability his noble example,) and still that weapon, already reeking with blood, was hurled upon them with the same astonishing rapidity and the same wonderful success.
On every hand we were hemmed in, and every man" among us was fighting valiantly for his own life and vengeano . There was no opportunity for cowardice no chance for flight retreat was cut off we must tight or die. All seemed to under stand this, and used superhuman exertions to overcome the foe, who fell before us as grass before the scythe of the mower ; but alas for us ! only to have their places sup plied by others equally as blood-thirsty and equally as determined on our annihi lation .
On all sides resounded hideous yells, and curses, and groans, and shouts min gled with the reports of firearms, and the clash of deadly weapons. Fear we knew not at least I judge by myself for under the intoxicating excitement of the time, I experienced no passion but uncontrollable rage, and a desire to vent it upon our swarthy foe. Success so far had been with us, and" numbers of the enemy had fallen to rise no more, while all but two of our own party were in their saddles, though some of them badly wounded. Above the tumult and din, I could now distinguish the voices uf Carson r the trappers and Teddy, showing that each was doing his duty.
" Down, old paint-face ! " cried one.
"Take that, and keep them company as has gone
under afore ye ! " shouted another.
" H-ll's full o' sich imps as you ! " roared a third.
" To the divil wid ye now, ye bloody oarers for attacking honest, dacent white paples- ye murthering tieves of Sathan, yees ! " yelled the excited Irishman, as, in all the u'lory of making a shelaleh of his rille, he laid about him right worthily.
At this moment, when, the foot began to waver when victory was almost ours up thundered some thirty horsemen to rein force our foes, revive their courage, and render our case terribly desperate, if not hopeless.
"At 'em, boys ! " shouted C-irson, ap- par« ntly not the least disheartened ; and driving his spurs into his horse, dropping
his bridle rein upon the saddle bow, hurl ing his already broken and useless rille at the heads of the nearest Indians, and draw ing his knife and tomahawk, he charged upon the new comers, seemingly with as much confidence in his success as if backed by a whole battalion.
No wonder Kit Carson was famous for he seemed a whole army of himself. A bare glimpse of one of his feats astonished me, and for the moment almost made me doubt my senses. Two powerful Indians, hard abreast, weapons in hand, and well mounted, rushed upon him at once, and involuntarily I uttered a cry of horror, for I thought him lost. But no ! With an intrepidity equalled only by his activity, a weapon in either hand, he rushed his horse between the two, and dodging by some unaccountable means the blows aimed at his life, buried his knife in the breast of one, and at the same moment his toma hawk in the brain of the other. One frightful yell of rage and despair, and two riderless steeds went dashing on.
Side by side with Huntly, I fought with the desperation of a madman, and per formed feats which astonished even myself. Thrice did I find my bridle rein seized by no less than three or four stalwart savages, and thought that all was over ; but as often by some inexplicable means, my path was cleared, and not a scratch upon my person.
For ten minutes did the carnage rage thus, during which time no less than forty of uar foes had been killed or disabled, and six of our own gallant band had gone from among the living. Still the savages pressed around us, and I now found my situation growing more and more desper ate. From over exertion, I began to feel weak ; and my gallant steed, having been less fortunate than I, was already stagger ing under his wounds. A few more pain ful efforts to bear down upon his foes, and he reeled, dropped upon his knees, tried to recover, failed, and at last rolled over upon his side and expired.
As he went down, I leaped from his back to the ground, and instantly found myself surrounded by savages. Striking right and left with renewed activity, I shouted to Huntly, and in a moment he charged to my rescue, and by oar
THE PRAIRIE FLOWER; OR,
combined exertions, we managed for a mo ment or two to keep the foe at bay. But the strength of both of us was failing rapidly, and already I found myself bleeding from numerous flesh wounds. A few stabs and one musket shot killed the horse of my friend, vho Avas by this means brought to the same desperate strait as myself.
" It is all over, Frank," he groaned, as a blow on the head staggered him back against mo.
" Never pay die," I shouted, as with my remaining strength I sprang forward and plunged my knife into the breast of the aggressor, whose hatchet was already raised for a final and fatal stroke.
Partly recovering from my lunge, a blow on the back of my neck brought me to my knees ; and before I could regain my feet, I saw another aimed at my head by a powerful Indian, who was standing over me. At this moment, when I thought my time had come, and " God have mercy on my soul ! " was trembling on my lips, Kit Carson, like an imbodied spirit of bat tle, thundered past me on his powerful charger, and bending forward in his sad dle, with a motion quick as lightning itself, seized the scalp lock of my antagonist in one hand, and with the other completely severed his head from his body, which he bore triumphantly away. I now sprang to my feet, only to see my friend struck down, and be felled senseless to the earth myself.
CHAPTE R XV.
CONSCIOUSNESS PAINFUL SURMISES THE
MYSTERIOUS OLD INDIAN APPEARANCE OF
PRAIRIE FLOWER HER DEVOTION OUR
SINGULAR CONVERSATION REGARDING HER SELF AND TRIBE, THE FIGHT, MY FRIENDS, AND MANY OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS.
WHEN consciousness was again restored, I found myself lying on a pallet of skins, in a small, rude cabin, curiously construct ed of sticks, leaves, earth and a few hides of buffalo.
The first sensation was one of painful confusion. I felt much as one does on awaking from a troubled dream, without being able to recall a single event con
nected with it, and yet feeling the effectj of all combined. I was aware that either something terrible had happened, or I had dreamed it; but what that -something was, I had not the remotest idea. The most I could bring to mind, was a painful sen sation of death. Perhaps I was dead ? Horrible thought ! I tried to rise, but could not could not even lift my head from its rude pillow. Ey great exertion I raised one hand a little but the effort exhausted all my strength, and it fell bacb heavily, causing me the most excruciating pain.
What did all this mean ? Surely I was not dead ! for dead people, I thought to myself, feel no suffering. But where was I, and how came I here, and what was my ailment ? And then strange th ought who was I ? Laugh if you will, reader but I had actually forgotten my own name, ami for a moment could not recall a single event of my existence. I had a confused idea of having lived before of having been somebody of having ex perienced sensations both of pleasure and pain ; but beyond these, all was blank and dark as a ray less night.
Suddenly one remembrance after an other began to flash upon me. First my youth my school -boy days my collegi ate course ; and then, the train once fired, years and events were passed with th velocity of thought itself ; and in one briel moment, everything, up to the time of my fall in the fight, rose fresh in my memory.
But still the mystery was as dark as ever, and my curiosity as much unsatisfied. How had the battle gone ? Were my friends the victors ? But no ! that were impossible, or I should not be here. Had they all been killed or taken prisoners ? And Huntly my friend ! Great Heaven ! the very thought of him made me shudder with dread. Alas! he was dead. I knew it I felt it. I had seen him fall, and of course he could not have escaped. Poor, poor Charles Huntly my bosom com panion friend of my happier days ! The very thought of his untimely fate cut off in the prime of lite made me groan with anguish.
But where was I, and how came I here ? Why had I been saved and not my friend ? But it might be that he was df .id ; whik
ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST
I, by showing signs of existence, had been brought hither and restored to life, only to be the victim of some oblation of thanks- givin«T to the imaginary deity who had vouchsafed the victory to my foes. Ay, this was the true, but horrible solution of llie mystery ! My friends were dead my foes had triumphed and for this (horrible thought !) I was about to be the sacrifice of rejoicing on a heathen shrine.
Was I alone ? I listened, but could hear no sound indicating the presence of another. Not satisfied with this, I turned my head slightly, as much as my strength would permit, and in the center of the lodge, squatted on the ground, over a small fire, with a long pipe in his mouth, I beheld a little, old, dried up man, whom, but for now and then a slight motion, I might have taken for a heap of clay or a crumbled up Egyptian mummy so much did the skins worn around his body, and his own shrivelled and livid flesh resemble either.
Drawing in the smoke a couple of times, and puffing it out to the right and left, he arose and shuffled toward me. Curious to learn the object of such a visit, I thought it best to feign unconsciousness. Accord ingly shutting my eyes, but not so as to prevent my seeing him, I lay and watched his motions.
He was a miserable and loathsome look ing being, the very sight of whom sick ened and disgusted me, particularly as I fancied him my surgeon and jailor, who would heal my wounds, only to pass me over to the executioner. In bight he could not have exceeded five f
eet even in his palmiest days, and this was now much reduced by age and debility. He was thin and skinny, and his small, puekered- ap visage bore the complicated autograph of a century. His head was bald, save a few white hairs on the crovn, where had once been his scalp lock ; hi.s nose and chin almost met over his toothless gums ; and, to romplete, his trembling limbs and tottering frame exhibited a striking resem blance to the bony picture of death. Only one feature about him gave evidence of his being more than a mere walking automa- H» n ; and that was his keen, eagle eye, rhose luster, apparently undimmed by fetus, still flashed forth the unconsumed
fires of what had once been a might j soul, either for good or evil.
As he approached, he fastened his sharp eyes upon me with such intensity, that in voluntarily I let mine drop to the ground, lest he should detect the feint. When 1 raised them again, I found him occupied with some mysterious ceremony, probably an incantation to lay the wrath or solicit the aid of some imaginary spirit.
Taking his pipe from his mouth, he blew a volume of smoke in a certain direction, toward which he pointed the stem of his pipe. This was done to the four cardinal points of compass, and then a volume was blown upward and another downward, after which he bent over me and went through a series of mysterious signs. Then taking one of my hands in his, he felt my pulse, during which operation I could perceive his face brighten with an expression of internal satisfaction. Then his bony fingers, were pressed upon my forehead and temples, and a single " Onh- chi," which I interpreted from his manner to mean " Good/' escaped his livid lips.
Thinking longer deception unnecessary, I opened wide my eyes and said :
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