Bill Biddon, Trapper; or, Life in the Northwest

by Edward Sylvester Ellis

  CHAPTER III.

  THE TRAPPER'S STORY.

  I was aroused from my slumber, before it was yet light, by Biddonshaking me and calling in my ear:

  "Come, you chaps, you've got only two minutes to swaller yer feed in."

  Nat was already moving about, and I sprang to my feet, determined tocontinue in my friend's good graces, if such a thing were possible, bya cheerful acquiescence in all his reasonable wishes. Our fire waskindled, a hasty breakfast swallowed, and just as the sun made itsappearance above the prairie, we moved off toward the north.

  Long before noon we reached the Platte, and forded it at the pointwhere Fort Grattan now stands. The Platte, during the winter months,is a boisterous stream of great width, but in summer it is veryshallow (from which circumstance it derives its name), and at the dryseason it almost ceases running, and dwindles down to an innumerablenumber of stagnant pools. As it was now the summer season, we walkedover without more than merely wetting our shoes. The Oregon trailfollows the northern shore of this stream to Washington Territory, orto what was Oregon at the time of which I write. Leaving the Platte,we shaped our course toward the northwest, so as to strike thesouthern spur of the Black Hills. From Biddon's conversation, I foundthat his destination was the neighborhood of the head-waters of theTongue or Powder River, which have their canyons in the Black Hills.

  As he allowed his horse to proceed upon a moderate walk, we had notrouble in keeping him company. We generally started at the firstindication of morning, halting now and then to slake our thirst in thenumerous streams which crossed our path, and resting an hour at noon.At sunset we struck camp upon some small stream, cooked our eveningmeal, spent an hour or two in smoking and conversation, and turned infor the night.

  The country over which we now journeyed was much better timbered thanany through which we had yet passed. For an entire day after crossingthe Platte, we met with thousands of the ash, elm, walnut, andcottonwood trees. The bark of the latter, I was surprised to observe,was greatly relished by the trapper's horse, he often preferring itto the rich, succulent grass which so abounds in this region. Besidesthis there were signs of the buffalo, antelope, and hundreds of otheranimals.

  One night we halted upon the bank of a large stream some miles northof the Platte, which emptied into the Missouri. It was quite broad andrapid, and near the center of the channel a small, sandy island wasvisible. We passed over this while fording the stream, and I noticedthat Biddon walked around it, and surveyed several spots with morethan common interest. I did not question him then, but at night, whenwe were stretched before the fire, with our soothing pipes, I venturedthe inquiry.

  "I seed sights on that chunk of mud one time," said he, with a darkfrown.

  "What was it?--what was it?" asked Nat, eagerly.

  "Here's as what don't like to think of that time, augh!" he answered,seeming still unwilling to refer to it.

  "Why not?" I asked, beginning to partake of Nat's curiosity.

  "It makes a feller's blood bile; but, howsomever," he added,brightening up, "if you wants to hear it, yer kin."

  "We do by all means; please give it."

  "Yas, that ar' war' a time of general wipin' out, and this yer waterthat now looks as black as a wolf's mouth, _run red_ that night! Itwar' nigh onto ten year ago that it happened. I was down in Westportone day in the summer when a feller slapped me on the shoulder andaxed me ef I wanted a job. I tole him I didn't care much, but if he'sa mind to fork over, and it wan't desprit hard, and too much likework, I's his man. He said as how thar' war' a lot of fellers campedout on the prairie, as war gwine to start for Oregon, and as wanted aguide; and heerin' me spoken on as suthin' extronnery, why he like toknow ef I wouldn't go; he'd make the pay all right. I cut around thestump awhile and at last 'cluded to go. I went out onto the perarie,and seed the company. They were men, women, and children, 'speciallythe last ones. I seed they wanted good watchin', and I kinder hintedthey'd find trouble afore they'd reach Oregon.

  "There weren't many folks trampin' these parts then, and them as didgo, had to make up thar minds to see fight and ha'r-raisin'. B'ars andbeavers, they did! The reds war the same then all over, arter you getclear of the States, and no feller's ha'r war his own till he'd lostit.

  "We started the next day, and struck the Platte afore night. There warbut twenty good men, an' I made half of 'em stand watch that nightjust to get their hands in. In course they didn't see nothin', 'ceptone straddlin' chap, like this feller yer that is called Nat. He saidas how he seed wonders, he did, and thar war a hundred reds crawlin'round the camp all night.

  "We went purty slow, as it weren't best to hurry the teams; but wehadn't been two days on the way afore the fools got into theall-firedest scrabble I ever seed. I don't know what it come 'bout,but it war so big, they split company, and part of 'em crossed overand camped on t'other side the Platte. I tole 'em they'd see starspurty soon, if they didn't splice agin, but they's too rearin' to doit, and I said if they's a mind to be sich fools, they mought be furall me, and I'd let 'em go on alone. Howsomever, the smallest partyhung on fur me not to leave 'em, and I 'cluded to stay with 'em as Iknowed purty well they'd need me all the time.

  "The biggest company as had crossed the Platte, kept on by it, and sothe others said they'd leave it and cut across fur Oregon. I tole 'emthis war the best way, and so we left 'em. Them I war with war a heapthe smallest, and had but three or four men and five or six women andchildren. What made things look wuss, I seed 'signs' when we parted,and I knowed purty well the reds smelt what war goin' on. And 'bout adozen times in the afternoon I could see 'em off on the perariestealin' long and dodgin' through cover. I knowed that the imps werefollerin' us, seein' the other war a heap more powerful nor us.

  "Things got so dubersome afore night, I said to the men ef they'd takethe advice of a feller as knowed what he war 'bout, they'd turn roundand never stop till they cotched the others; for ef they didn't,they'd cotch it at night; reds war 'bout them as thick as flies. Theysaid how ef I's _'fraid_ I mought go back, but as for them _they'd_ gothrough fire and blazes 'fore they would. I felt riled 'nough at thisto leave 'em, and I would ef it hadn't been fur them poor women; theylooked so sorrerful I made up my mind to stick to 'em fur thar sake.

  "We reached the stream just as it war growing dark, and the reds hadgot so sassy, that five or six of 'em stood a little ways off andwatched us. This scart the women and men, and they axed me what war tobe done? The women cried and wanted to coax the Injins up to give 'emsunkthin' to get thar good will, but they war cross and sulky, anddidn't say much.

  "After some talk and a heap of cryin', we 'cluded to camp on thatpiece of sand in the river. The teams war drew over and we follered.The water war some deeper nor now, and it took us a long time to land;but we got over at last. As soon as we war clean over, I commencedfixing up things fur the reds. We didn't build no fire, but put theteams together near the middle, and the women inside 'em. There warfour men without me, and I set 'em round the place to watch fur sign.I made 'em all squat flat down on the mud close to the water, and told'em to blaze away at anything they seed, ef it war a beaver or otter,and gave 'em pertickler orders not to wink both eyes at a time. I seedthey's skerish, and there weren't no danger of thar snoozin' on watch.

  "I's pretty sartin the reds would come some of thar tricks, and comedown the river; so I went up to the upper part of the thing, and laidin the mud myself to watch fur 'em. I knowed, too, they wouldn't be'bout 'fore purty late, so I took a short nap as I laid in the mud.When I woke up the moon war up in the sky, and the river had riz so mypegs war in the water. I flapped out, but didn't see nothin' yet. Isneaked down round by t'other fellers, and found 'em all wide awake;and they said, too, as how they hadn't seen nothin' 'cept the riverwar gettin' higher, which they kinder thought the Injins mought 'vedone. Jist as I war going back I heard some of the purtiest singin' inthe world. Fust, I thought it war an Injin, ef it hadn't been so nice;then I 'cluded it must be an angel. I listened, and found it came f
romthe wagons. I crept up and seed two little girls all 'lone clus by thewagons, a singin' sunkthin'. Shoot me! ef it didn't make me feelwatery to see them. The moon war shinin' down through the flyin'clouds, right out on 'em. They sot with their arms round each otherand war bare-headed, and ef I hadn't knowed 'em I'd swore they wereangels sure. I axed what they were singin' for, and they said theInjins war goin' to come after 'em that night, and they war singin' totheir mother in heaven to keep 'em away. Shoot me! when one of 'emthrowed her little white arms round my neck and kissed my uglymeat-trap, I couldn't stand it. I went up to my place again and laddown in the mud.

  "It was gettin' colder, and the wind comin' up, drew the white clouds'fore the moon, makin' it all black. But when it come out agin I seedsunkthin' comin' down the river that looked like a log. I dug downdeeper into the mud, and set my peepers on it, fur I knowed thar warsunkthin' else thar, too. It come right on and struck the mud alittle ways from me. I didn't stir 'cept to kinder loose my knife. Thelog stuck a minute, and then swung round and went down the river. Iknowed the boys would see it, and I didn't leave my place. Thinkin' ashow this war only sent down to see what we'd do, I war lookin' furother things, when I heard a noise in the water, and, shoot me, ef asneakin' red didn't come up out of the water, and commence crawlin'toward whar the gals war singin'. (Jist put a little fodder on thefire.)"

  I sprang up and threw on some fagots, and then seated myself andanxiously awaited the rest of his story. He put away his pipe, filledhis mouth with tobacco, and, after several annoying delays, resumed:

  "Thar weren't no time to lose. I crept 'long behind him mighty sly,and afore he knowed it, come down _spank_ onto him. I didn't make nonoise nor he either. I jist grabbed his gullet and finished him withmy knife. I then crawled back agin, and, shoot me, ef I didn't seeforty logs comin' down on us; the river war full of 'em.

  "I jumped up and hollered to the other fellers to look out. They cameup aside me and stood ready, but it weren't no use. 'Fore we knowedit, I seed over forty of 'em 'long 'side us. We blazed into 'em andwent to usin' our knives, but I knowed it wouldn't do. They set up ayell and pitched fur the wagons, while 'bout a dozen went at us. Thefust thing I knowed the whole four boys were down and thar ha'rraised, and the women screechin' murder. It made me desprit, and Ireckon I done some tall work that night. Most these beauty spots on mymug come from that scrimmage. I seed a red dart by me with that littlegal as was singin', and cotched a dead red's gun and let drive at him;but the gun weren't loaded, and so the devil run off with her.

  "The oxes war bellerin', the horses snortin', and the tomahawksstoppin' the women's screams; the redskins war howlin' and yellin'like all mad, and as I had got some big cuts and knocks, I 'cluded itbest to move quarters. So I made a jump for the stream, took a longdive, and swam for the shore. I come up 'bout whar you're setting, andI made a heap of tracks 'fore daylight come."

  "And did you never hear anything of the children captured upon thatnight?"

  "I never seed 'em agin; but I come 'cross a chap at Fort Laramie whenI went down agin, what said he'd seen a gal 'mong some the redskins upin these parts, and I've thought p'r'aps it mought be one of 'em, andagin it moughtn't."

  "Did you say that all happened out there?" asked Nat, jerking histhumb toward the island mentioned, without turning his face.

  "I reckon I did."

  "Bet there's a lot of Injins there now!" exclaimed he, turning hishead in that direction.

  "Jist as like as not," returned Biddon, with a sly look at me.

  "I'm goin' to sleep then," and rolling himself up in hisbuffalo-blanket, all but his feet, disappeared from view.

  "It's 'bout time to snooze, I think," remarked the trapper, in a lowertone, turning toward me.

  "I think so, but I suppose there need be no apprehension ofmolestation from Injins, need there?"

  Biddon looked at me a moment; then one side of his mouth expanded intoa broad grin, and he quietly remarked:

  "Times are different from what they used to war."

  "Biddon," said I, after a moment's silence, "before we saw you wecamped upon one side of a stream while you were upon the other. Now, Ido not suppose you would willfully harm a stranger; but since I havemet you, I have a great desire to know why you fired that shot at Nat.You supposed we were Indians, I presume?"

  A quiet smile illumined the trapper's swarthy visage; and, afterwaiting a moment, he answered:

  "The way on it war this: I seed you and Nat camping there, and Is'pected you war gwine to tramp these parts. I watched you awhile, andwas gwine to sing out for you to come over. Then said I, 'Biddon, youdog, ain't there a chance to give them a powerful scare.' First Idrawed bead on you, but when that Nat jumped up, I let fly at him, andhe kerflummuxed splendid. Howsumever, it's time to snooze, and I'm infor it."

  With this, we wrapped our blankets around us, and in a few momentswere asleep.

  On a clear summer morning, we sallied out upon the broad, open prairieagain. The trapper now struck a direction nearly due northwest towardthe Black Hills, and we proceeded with greater speed than before. Theface of the country began to change materially. Vast groves of timbermet the eye, and the soil became rich and productive. At noon weencountered the most immense drove of buffaloes that I ever witnessed.They were to the west of us, and proceeding in a southern direction,cropping the grass clean as they went. Far away, as far as the visioncould reach, nothing but a sea of black moving bodies could bedistinguished. I mounted a small knoll to ascertain the size of thedrove; but only gained a clearer idea of their enormous number. Thewhole western horizon, from the extreme northwest to the southwest,was occupied solely by them, and nothing else met the eye. They werenot under way, and yet the whole mass was moving slowly onward. Thehead buffaloes would seize a mouthful of grass, and then move on a fewfeet and grasp another. Those behind did the same, and the wholenumber were proceeding in this manner. This constant change of theirposition gave an appearance to them, as viewed from my standing-point,similar to the long heaving of the sea after a violent storm. It wastruly a magnificent spectacle.

  We approached within a short distance. They were more scattered uponthe outside, and with a little trouble the trapper managed toinsinuate himself among them. His object was to drive off a cow whichhad a couple of half-grown calves by her side, but they took the alarmtoo soon, and rushed off into the drove. We then prepared to bringdown one apiece. I selected an enormous bull, and sighted for hishead. I approached nigh enough to make my aim sure, and fired. Theanimal raised his head, his mouth full of grass, and glaring at me amoment, gave a snort of alarm and plunged headlong away into thedroves. At the same instant I heard Nat's rifle beside me, and amoment after that of the trapper. This gave the alarm to the herd.Those near us uttered a series of snorts, and dropping their bushyheads, bowled off at a terrific rate. The motion was rapidlycommunicated to the others, and in a few seconds the whole easternside was rolling simultaneously onward, like the violentcountercurrent of the sea. The air was filled with such a vast cloudof dust that the sun's light was darkened, and for a time it seemed weshould suffocate. We remained in our places for over an hour, when thelast of these prairie monsters thundered by. A strong wind carried thedust off to the west, and we were at last in clear air again. Yet ourappearance was materially changed, for a thin veil of yellow dust hadsettled over and completely enveloped us, and we were like walkingfigures of clay.

  "Gave a snort of alarm and plunged headlong away intothe droves."]

  I looked away in the direction of the herd, expecting to see mybuffalo's lifeless form, but was considerably chagrined at mydisappointment, as was also Nat at his. The trapper's was a dozenyards from where it had been struck.

  "'Pears to me," said he with a sly smile, "I heer'n your dogs bark,but I don't see nothin' of no buffaloes, ogh!"

  "I _hit_ mine," I answered quickly; "I am sure of it."

  "Whereabouts?"

  "In the head, plump and square."

  "Whar'd you sight yourn, Gre
eny?"

  "Just back the horns, and I hit him too. If he hasn't dropped beforethis, I'll bet he'll have the headache for a week."

  "B'ars and beavers, you! Them bufflers didn't mind your shots more nora couple of hailstones. Do you see whar I picked mine?" asked thetrapper, pulling the buffalo's fore-leg forward, and disclosing thetrack of the bullet behind it.

  "Isn't a shot in the head fatal?" I asked in astonishment.

  "You might hit 'em thar with a cannon-ball, and they'd git up and runagin, and ef you'd pepper 'em all day whar you did yourn, you'd pickthe bullets out thar ha'r and they wouldn't mind it."

  This I afterward found to be true. No shot, however well aimed, canreach the seat of life in the buffalo through the head, unless itenter the eye, fair front.[1]

  [1] I may further remark, that the buffalo slain by us when lost upon the prairie, was shot in the side as he wheeled, to run from us, without our suspecting it was the only place in which we could have given him a mortal wound.

  The trapper's buffalo was thrown forward upon his face, his legs bentbeneath him, and dressed after the usual fashion. He was in goodcondition, and we had a rich feast upon his carcass. The trapperselected a few choice portions from the inside, relished only byhimself, and cutting several huge pieces for future use, the rest wasleft for the beasts of prey.

  We proceeded but a few miles further, and encamped upon the banks ofthe Dry Fork. This is a small stream, a few miles south of the BlackHills. There was but a foot or two of sluggish water, and in the hotseason it was often perfectly dry. Here for the first time I was madeaware of the changeable character of the climate in this latitude. Theweather, thus far, had been remarkably clear and fine, and at noon wefound the weather sometimes oppressively warm. Toward night the windveered around to the northwest, and grew colder. At nightfall, when wekindled our fire, the air was so chilly and cutting that Nat and Iwere in a shiver. Had it not been for our blankets we should havesuffered considerably, though Biddon did not call his intorequisition. There were a number of cottonwood trees near at hand,which served partly to screen us from the blast.

  After our evening meal had been cooked, Biddon remarked:

  "The fire must go out, boys."

  "Why? Do you apprehend danger?" I asked.

  "Don't know as I do; I hain't seed signs, but we're gittin' into partswhar we've got to be summat skeerish."

  "I suppose it's about time for the Indians to come?" remarked Natinterrogatively, with a look of fear toward the trapper.

  "They're 'bout these parts. Me'n Jack Javin once got into a scrimmageyer with 'em, when we didn't 'spect it, and jist 'cause we let ourfire burn while we snoozed. I'd seen sign though then, and wanted toput it out, but he wan't afeared."

  "Let's have ours out then," exclaimed Nat excitedly, springing up andscattering the brands around.

  "Needn't mind 'bout that; it'll go out soon enough."

  As Nat reseated himself, Biddon continued:

  "You see, Jarsey, them reds kin smell a white man's fire a good wayoff, and on sich a night as this, ef they're 'bout they'll be bound togive him a call. You needn't be afeared, howsumever, to snooze, 'causethey won't be 'bout."

  It was too cold to enjoy our pipes, and we all bundled up for thenight's rest. In a few moments I heard the trapper's deep breathing,and shortly after Nat joined him in sleep. But I found it impossibleto get to sleep myself. The ground was so cold that my blanket couldnot protect me, and the cutting wind was terrible. I used every meansthat I could devise, but it was of no use, and I feared I should becompelled to either build the fire again, or to continue walking allnight to prevent freezing to death.

  I chose the latter expedient. It was quite dark, yet I had noticed oursituation well enough, I judged, not to lose it. So grasping myblanket in my hand, I started on a rapid run directly over theprairie. I continued a long distance, until pretty well exhausted. Iturned to retrace my steps. My blood was warming with the exercise,and I hurried forward, counting upon sound sleep for the remainder ofthe night.

  I continued my run for a full half hour, and then stopped inamazement, as I saw no signs of my companions. Thinking I must havepassed the spot where they were lying, I carefully walked back again,but still without discovering the men. I had lost them in thedarkness, and it was useless to hunt them at night. So I concluded towait till morning, feeling sure that they could be at no greatdistance. I now commenced searching for a suitable place for myself,and at last hit upon a small depression in the prairie. There was alarge stone imbedded in the earth on one side, which served to protectme from the chilling wind. As I nestled down, beside this, such afeeling of warmth and comfort came over me that I congratulated myselfupon what at first seemed a misfortune.

  Lying thus, just on the verge of sleep, my nerves painfully alive tothe slightest sound, I suddenly felt a trembling of the ground. Atfirst it seemed a dream; but, as I became fully awake, I started interror and listened. I raised my head, but heard no sound, and stillin the most perplexing wonder sank down again, hoping it would shortlycease. But there was a steady, regular increase, and presently Idistinguished millions of faint tremblings, like the distantmutterings of thunder. Gradually these grew plainer and more distinct,and finally I could distinguish sounds like the tread of innumerablefeet upon the prairie. Still at a loss to account for this strangeoccurrence, I listened, every nerve in my body strung to its highesttension. Still louder and louder grew the approaching thunder, andevery second the jar of the earth became more perceptible. Suddenlythe truth flashed upon me--_a herd of buffaloes were approaching_.

  Terror for an instant held me dumb when I realized this awful danger.My first resolve was to rush forth and warn Nat and Biddon; but Ireflected that they must have been awakened, ere this, and that Icould do nothing to ward off the peril which threatened all alike.Springing to my feet, I paused a second to collect my tumultuousthoughts. Could I reach the timber, I could ascend a tree and bebeyond danger; but I knew not what direction to take, and there was notime to spare. To remain still was to be trampled to death; to rushaway could save me but a few moments longer. God of heaven! what adeath!

  Louder and louder grew the thundering tread of the animals, and Istood like a madman, the cold sweat pouring off me, tormented by athousand agonizing thoughts, and expecting death each moment! Nearerand nearer came the rattle of the clamping hoofs, and I stood rootedto the spot!

  Sinking on my knees, I implored mercy of the One who could give it inthis moment of dire necessity; and while on my knees the means ofpreservation presented itself.

  "Strange!" I exclaimed, breathing deeply, "that I did not think of itbefore."

  I have said that I was in a sort of depression or hollow in the earth,and that a large stone was imbedded on one side. Now a safer and moresecure shelter could not have been found in this emergency. I wrappedmy blanket around me, and crept as far beneath it as I could, and Iwas saved!

  A few minutes later, and a dark body plunged headlong over me with therapidity of lightning, followed instantly by another and another, andI knew the herd were thundering past. For a long time I lay there,beneath these thousands of feet, one of which would have beensufficient to kill me. The incessant crackling of their hoofs, andrattling of their horns, sounded like the discharge of musketry. Oncea ponderous body tumbled over the rock which sheltered me, and Icaught sight of a dark, writhing, bellowing mass, and the next instantit regained its feet and disappeared.

  It must have been an hour that I lay here, ere the last animal leapedover me. Then I looked up and saw the stars shining overhead. My joyat the sight of those glittering orbs cannot be expressed. I arose tomy feet, and looked about me. It was too dark to discern objects, yetI could hear the rapidly retreating footfalls of the herd in thedistance, and I knew I had been saved from a frightful death. Sinkingto the earth I offered a sincere prayer of gratitude to the Almightyfor his miraculous preservation of my life!