ADVENTURES IT4 TH3 FAR WEST.
37
The firat mentioned, Black George, was the eldest of the party, and had doubtles; received his cognomen from his dingy com plexion, which was but little removed from the sable son of Africa. Naturally dark, his skin had become almost black froip long exposure to the weather. In hight he was fully six feet, gaunt and raw-boned, with great breadth of shoulders, ponder ous limbs and powerful muscles, which gave him a very formidable appearance. Although approaching sixty, his vigor seemed not the least impaired by age. His coarse hair, once black, was now an iron gray. His face was thin and long, with high cheek bones, pointed nose, hol low cheeks, large mouth, and cold, gray eyes. The wonted expression of his coun tenance was harsh and repulsive, though occasionally lighted with a humorous, be nevolent smile. He was generally liked and respected by the whites, but hated and feared by the Indians, of whom he was a mortal enemy, that seldom failed to take their " hair "* whenever opportunity pre sented.
The next in order, Rash Will, as he was denominated, was a stout, heavy built nwn, somewhat above the medium stature, and about forty years of age. He had a large Roman nose and mouth, thick lips, low forehead, and blue eyes. The gen eral expression of his physiognomy was a blunt, straight-forwardness, without regard to consequences. He could do a good de*d or an evil one ; and if he could jus tify the latter to himself, he cared not a straw for the opinions of others. Head strong and violent when excited by anger, he had been the author 'of some dark deeds among the savages, which fully entitled him to the appellation of Rash Will.
The third in order, Fiery Ned, was about tl.irty-five years of age, of a robust, hand some form, some five feet ten inches in hight, and fully developed in every part. His features were comely and prepossess ing. The only marked points of his coun tenance were his eyes which were small, black, restless, and piercing and his fore head, which was high and ample. His temperament was ardent, passionate, and 6ery. At times he was cool, frank and
Scalp.
generous ; but at others, especially in an Indian fight, he became wild, furious, and, in short, a perfect devil.
The last of the four, Daring Tom, was the youngest and the most to my liking of any. He was about thirty years of age, and of middling stature. Unlike his com panions, his features were very fine, almost effeminate, with a mild, dignified expres sion, that instantly won the regard of all with whom he came in contact. He had a large, full, clear blue eye, which rarely varied in expression, be the circumstances what they might. Cool and collected at all times, he was never more so than when surrounded by imminent danger. There was no risk he would not run to serve a friend, and on no occasion had he ever been known to display the least sign of fear hence was he called Daring Tom.
Such is an outline sketch of the trappers who had now become our companions ; and probably, take us all together, there was not, in the whole broad West, another party of the same number, that could pre sent a more formidable appearance, or per form greater feats in the heat of contest.
At the moment when I came up to the fire, each of the trappers was seated beside it on the ground, cross-legged, engaged in toasting slices of a fat buck, which one of them had killed and brought in not an hour before. They were talking away briskly all the while, telling some wonderful tale, or cracking some joke, to the great amuse ment of Teddy O'Lagherty, who, a little apart, was seated in a similar manner to themselves, and listening attentively, with mouth and eyes widely distended. A little distance from the fire, our hopled animals were quietly cropping the luxuriant herb age beneath them.
" So then, Charley," I said, after having taken a general survey, " I suppose we are to fatten on deer meat ? "
" Deer meat and salt," he replied, with a laugh. " The fancy preparations of civ ilization will regale us no longer, and we
O O '
may be thankful if we always get fare as
od as this."
While saying this, Huntly had drawn nearer the fire, so that the last remark caught the ear of Black George, who was just on the point of enforcing some asser tion with an oath, but who suddenly stopped
THE PRAIRIE FLOWER; OR,
short, and turned to him with a comical look.
" See heyar, young chap, didn't T hearn you say you was from Bosson, or some dch place in the Stales ?"
"Doubtless," answered Huivly, " for that, I am proud to say, is my native city."
" 0, it's a citv. then. Bi^'s St. Louey, hey?"
" Much larger."
" Do say. Why then it's some, 1 reck ons."
" A very flourishing place."
" Hum ! You was born to Bosson ? "
"Ay, and bred there."
"Bread? O, that means you was fod dered thar, spose ? "
" Yes, brought up and educated there."
" Edicated augy ! Heyar's what never did that; never had no need on't ; know how to shoot and trap, but can't make pot hooks ; can't tell 'em when they is made ; know they's some, though, and wouldn't mind I know'd 'em a few but don't care much no how ; couldn't live no longer for't ; couldn't ' float my sticks '* no better, spect. Well, for a yoxmker, you've had a right smart chance, and I spose know a heap.f Heyar's what's born way down to Ark-an- saw, on a swamp patch, that didn't yield nothin worth divin for. I's raised down thar, or bread, as you calls it, young Bos- son, (spose you've got no objection to beirr called arter your natyve city) though al mighty poor bread I was, for I didn't git much on't for a spell in fact till I'd near ly gone under* augh ! Let's see, whar -was I? 0, you's saying sumthin 'bout bein thankful forsich fare's tin's. It tickled me a heap it did and I had to in'ardly hold on tight to my ribs, to keep from guf fawing. Why, young Bossoners, ( address ing both of us) ef you'd seeii what I hev, a piece like that thar, (pointing to the meat
* That is, couldn't get aloiiff any bolter. This Se a common epres» iou iimonjj the trappers, and its moulting depends altogether upon the sense in which it is used. It is derived from their occu pation. A "stick" is attached to each trip by a string, and if the beaver runs away with the trap, k, floating on the surface of the WM-T, in dicates the whereabouts of the animal, and enables the trapper to recover his property.
+ A western word, equivalent to " very much." t Diod another expression peculiar to the trap-
poT
on the end of his stick, which he was toast ing at the fire, would a bin a heaven on arth, and no mistake. Talk about beia thankful for sich tare's this ! Wait till you've seen your hoss go under, and the lyst end o' the eatable part o' your possi bles chawed up, and then talk."
Here the old man paused and chuckled heartily, and winked at his companions, who joined him in his merriment, to the utter consternation of poor Teddy, who, with mouth -wide open, and eyes enlarged to their utmost capacity, simply exclaimed:
" Howly murther ! what a baastly time on't yees had ! "
" I suppose you have seen some very rough times ? " I rejoined, anxious to draw the old man out in some of his wonderful tales of adventure.
"Well I has, hoss," was the quick re sponse: "and ef you want to make folks stare in the States, you'd better jest jog down one I've a notion to tell."
" We shall all be eager listeners," I re joined.
" Think you'd like to hear it, hey ? "
" 0, most certainly."
The old man smiled complacently, and stroked his beard of a day's growth, in a way to denote that he felt himself some what complimented.
" Got any bacca ? "
I gave him a large piece.
" Well, plant yourselves down here in talking distance, and while this deer meat's sizzling, I'll tell you a trump, and an ace at thai."
Huiuly and myself at once seated our selves upon the ground, as near the old man as possible, who, giving the weed a tew extra turns in his mouth, began the tale which I give in the following chapter.
CHAPTER VI.
THK OLD TRAPPEK'S TALE ATTACK ON HIM
BY THE INDIANS HIS ESCAPE THE DEAD
PURSUER SUFFERINGS THE MTSTERIOUi
PKAIKIE FLOWER, ETC.
" YE see, strangers," said the old man, " or Bossonersj (though I spect it don't make no pertikelar dif'rence what I calls ye, so it don't hurt your feelins none,) as
ADVE.NTURES IN THE FAR WEST
I sez afore, I was raised down to Arkan- saw, or tharabouts, and it's nigh on to sixty year now sence I fust tuk a center- shot at daylight, and in course I've forgot all the feelins a fust sight gin me. How- Boniever, that's nothin here nor tother. (I say Will, ef you've got that thar bottle about you, I doesn't mind a taste, jest to grease this her3 bacca augh ! Thankee, Will ; you're some, you is.)
"Well, strangers, you needn't 'spect I'm agoiu to gin ye my whole hist'ry, case I isn't, and don't know's I could ef I waul ed to, case most on't's forgot. So now I'll jest jump over a cord o' lime, and come down to 'bout four year ago come next Feberry, when it was so all-fired cold, it froze icykels on to the star rays, and stop ped 'era comin down ; and the sun froze so he couldn't shine ; and the moon didn't git up at all, she didn't ; and this here arth was as dark nor a stack o' chowdered nig gers."
Here the Irishman, unable to stand it longer, roared out :
" Howly saints ! ye're not spaking truth, now, Misther. Black George?"
" Aint I, though ?" answered the old trapper, gravely, slyly tipping the wink to one of his companions. " D'ye think I'd lie 'bout it ? You remember the time, Will ? "
"Well I does, hoss," replied Will, with a grin.
' In course ye does, and so does every body that know'd anything 'bout it. I may hev exaggerted a leetle 'bout the stars and them things, but I jest tell ye what was fact and no mistake, and I'll be dog-gone ef I doesn't stake my v'racity on it's being true's preachin ! "
Here the old man made a pause.
" Well, well, go on ! " cried I.
"Ay, ay ! " echoed Huntly.
"Well," said Black George, "a leetle drap more o' that critter jest a taste case the truth makes me so infernal dry, you can't tell. Augh ! thankee (return ing th* 1 bottle) feel myself agin now. But let's see, whar was I ? "
" You were speaking about the wea ther."
"So I was ; that's a fact ; I'll be dog gone ef I wasn't ! Well, as I's sayin, it got so cold that when you /"browed water (
up in the air, it all froze afore it coutd git down, and acterly had to stay thar, case it froze right on to the atmospheric."
"On to what?"
" The atmospheric."
"What is that?"
" You doesn't know what atmospheric is ? Well, I'll be dog-gone ef I'm goin to 'lighten nobody ; much's 1 ken do tc understand for myself. But I knows the water froze to that article, for that's what I hearn a schollard call it, and I reckon he knowed a heap any how."
"Well, well, the story," cried I.
" Yes, well, I haint got through tellm how cold it was yit. Not only the water froze to the atmospheric, but the animals as used to run o' nights all quit the busi ness, and you could walk right up to one and pat him han'some ; case why his eye-sight was all froze right up tight to his head. Fact 1 I'll be dog-gone ef it wasn't !
"Well, I'd bin out a trappin, and had made a purty good lick at it, and was com in down to Bent's Fort, to make a lounge for the winter leastwise for what was left on't when jest as I crossed Cherry Creek, after having left the So the Platte, I wish I may be smashed, ef I didn't see 'bout a dozen cussed Rapahos (Arrapa- hoes) coming toward me on bosses, as ef old Nick himself was arter 'em. I looked around me, and darned o' a thing could I see but snow and ice and the snow was froze so hard that the bosses' and muleys' feet didn't make no impression on't. I was all alone, boss-back, with three good muleys, all packed han'some, for Jim Da vis him as traveled with me and Andy Forsker, another chap that made our par tyhad gone round another way, jest for fear o' them same painted heathen as was now comin up. But ye see I'd bin bolder nor them, and now I was a-goin to pay for't, sartin ; for I seed by thar looks, they was bound to 'raise my hair'* ef I didn't do somethin for my country quicker. 1 looked all around me, and thought I was a gone beaver fast enough. I had a purty good hoss under me, and I knowed he only could save me, and a mighty slim chance he'd have on't at that. Howsom-
* Take my scalp
THE PRAIRIE FLOWER; OR,
ever. I reckoned it wasn't best to say die ef I could live, and I didnt' like the notion o' bein ' rubbed out '* by sich a dog-gone scriraptious lookin set o' half humans as them thar Rapahos. I cast around me, and seed that old Sweetlove, (rifle) am' IHT pups, (pistols) and my butchers, (knife and tomahawk) was all about ; and so J jest swore I'd set my traps and make oin- on 'em ' come,' ef I ' went a woltin' for it.
"I sauf thar was 'bout a dozen maybe m«» re nn 1 they was ticklin thar bosses' ribs migluy han'some, you'd better believe, and a-comm for me with a parfect loose ness, every one on 'em carryin a bow, and every bow bent with an arrer in it. I knowed my muleys was gone, sartin, and all my traps and furs ; but jest then I felt so all -tired mad, that I thought ef I could throw a couple, I wouldn't care a kick. So instead o' trying to run away, I hollered ' Whoa ' to the animals, and waited for the redskins to come up. (Jest a drap more o' that, Rash, ef you please ; for this here hoss is as dry to-night as a dog-worried skunk.
" Well, on they comes, thunderin away like a newly invented arthquake, and I 'spected for sartin I was a gone beaver. Jest afore they got up so as they could let thar shafts riddle me, the infernal cowards, seein as how I didn't budge, had the ou- daciousness to come to a halt, and stare at me as ef I was a kangaroo. I. raised Sweetlove, and told her to tell 'em I's about, and 'some in a bar fight.' She an swered right han'some, did Sweetlove, and down the for'ard one d rapped right purty, he did. Well, this sot the rest on 'em in a rage, and afore I knowed it, they was all round me, yell in like the old Scratch. Half a dozen shafts come hissin through my buckskins, and two on 'em stuck right in my meat- bag, and made me feel all over in spots like a Guinea nigger. Instanter I pulled out Sweetlove's pups, and set 'em to barkin, and two more o' the humans drapped down to see how the snow felt. Knowin' it wasn't no use to be foolin my time, I jeiked the ropes, and told Skinflint to travel afore my hair was raised, leavin tke muleys to do what they liked.
Rifled.
" Seein me a-goin, the oudacious Rapa- hos thought they'd stop me ; but I rid right through 'em purty, and got another arrer in m- back for it.
" Arter I'd got away, I looked round and seed two on 'em a-comin like all possessed, with their lariats doubled for a throw. I knowed ef they got near enough, I'd be snaked off like a dead nigger, and my hair raised afore I could say Jack Robinson Maybe I didn't ax Skinflint to dc his purti- est, and maybe he didn't, hey ! Why he left a trail o' tire behind him, as he went over that frozen snow, that looked for all nater like a streak o' big lightnin. But it didn't seem to be o' no use ; for the infer nal scamps come thunderin on, jest about so fur behind, and I seed thar bosses was all o' the right stuff. The sun was about a two hour up, and thar he stayed, he did ; for it was so almighty cold, as I said afoi-e, he couldn't get down to hide.
"Well, on we run, and run, and run, till the bosses smoked and puffed like a Massassip steamer, and still we run. I made tracks as nigh as I could calculoto for the mountains, in the direction of Pike'u Peak, and on we went, as ef old Brira stone was arter us. I calculated my chasers 'ud git tired and gin in ; but they was the real grit, and didn't seem to mind it. At last they begun to gain on me, and I knowed from the 'signs' o' Skinflint, thyt he'd have to go under, sure's guns, ef I didn't come to a rest purty soon. You'd better believe I felt queer jest then, and thought over all my sins, with the arrers sticking in my belly and back like all git out. I tried to pray ; but I'd never larnt no prayers when a pup, and now I was too old a dog to ketch new tricks ; besides, it was so all-fired cold, that my thoughts stuck in my head like they was pinned thar with icykels. I'd been chased afore by the Comanches and Blackfoot, by the Pawnees and Kickapoos, by the Crows and Chickasaws, but I'd never h
ad sich fcelins as now. The short on't is, boys, I was gittin the squaw into me, and I knowed it ; but I'll be dog-gone ef I cculd help it, to save my hair, that stood up so stiff and straight as to raise my hat and let the atmospheric in about a feet. I was gittin outrageous cold, too, and could feel my I heart pwmpin up icykels by the sack full,
ADVENTURES IN THE PAR WEST.
31
ami I knowed death was about sartain as daylight.
" 'Well,' sez I to myself, 'old hoss, VOU'VP got to go under and lose your top knot, so what's the use a kickin ?'
" 'Howsomever,' I answered, 'sposin I has, I reckon's best to die game, ain't it ?' and with this I pulled old Sweetlove round and commenced fodderin her as best I could. She knowed what was wanted, did Sweetlove, and looked right sassy, I'll be dog-gone ef she didn't.
" 'You're a few, aint you ?' sez I, as I rammed home an all-fired charge of pow der, that made her grunt like forty.
"Well, I turned round, fetched her up to my face, and 'drawin a bead'* on to the nearest, pulled the trigger.
" Now you needn't believe it without ye take a notion, but I'll be rumfuzzled (stir that fire, Ned, or this here meat won't git toasted till midnight), ef she didn't hold shoot about a minnet, and I all the time squintin away too, afore the fire could melt the ice round the powder and let her off. That's a fact ! I'll be dog-gone ef it wasn't !
Bennett, Emerson - Prairie Flower 01 Page 6
