Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1151 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

go. I went out onte the perarie, and seo’d the com- peny, They were men, women and children, ‘spect. ons last ones. Isee’d they wanted good watchin’ I kinder hinted they'd find trouble before they'd repobed Oregon. There weren't many folks trampin’ these then, and them as did go, had to make up thar minds to see fight and ha’r-ra’sin’. B’ars and beavers, they did! The reds war the same then all over, arter you got clear of the States, and no feller’s ha’r war his ewn till he'd lost it, ‘We started the next day, and struck the Platte afore night, ‘There war but twonty good men, an’ I made half of ’em stand watch that night jist to git their hands in. In course they didn’t see nothin’, — one straddlin’ like this feller yer that is el Nat. He said as how he see’d 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 we hadn't been two days on the way afore the fools got into the all-firedest scrabble I ever gpee'd. I don’t know what it come ‘bout, but it war 80 big, they split company, and of "em crossed over and camped on t’other side of the Platte. I tole ‘am they’d see stars purty soon, if they didn’t splice again, but they’s too r’arin’ to do it, and I said if they's a mind to be sich fools, they mought be fur all me, and I'd let 'em go on alone. Howsumever, the allest party me on fur me not to leave 'em, and f cluded to stay with ’em as I knowed purty well they'd need me all the time. "The biggeat company as had crossed the Platte, Kent on by it, and so the others said they'd leave it and cut across fur Oregon. _I tole’em this war the best way, and so we left 'em. Them [ war with war a heap the smallost, and had but three or four men and ‘five or six women and children. at made things look wuss I see d ‘signs’ when we parted, and Lknow'd purty well the reds smelt what war goin’ on. And "bout a docen times in the afternoon I could see ‘em off on the perarie, stealin’ ‘long, and dodgin’ through cover. I knowed that the imps were fol- ferin’ us, seein’ the other war a heap more powerful wor us, ‘*Things got so dubersome afore night, I said to %he men ef they’d take the advice of a feller as ‘%howed what he war ‘bout, they'd turn round and mever 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. They said how ef I's ‘/raid € mought go back, but as for them Rev'd o through fire and blazes ‘fore they would. I felt riled ’nough at this to leave ’em, and I would ef it hadn’t been fur them poor women; they looked so sorrerful I made up my mind to stick to ’em fur thar sake. “We reached the stream just as it war growin’ dark, and the reds had got so sassy, that five or six of ‘em stood a little ways off and watched us, ‘shis scart the women and men, and they axed me what war to be done?. The women cried and wanted to coax the Injins up to give ’em sunkthin’ to get, thar good will, but they war cross and sulky, and didn’t ne ig ee eee Bay much. ‘After some talk and a heap of cryin’, we ‘cluded to camp on that piece of sand in the river. The teams war drew over and we follered. Tho wator war some deeper nor now, and it took us a long timo to land; but we got over at last. As soon as we var clean over, I: commenced fixing up thiags for the reds. We didn't build no fire, but put the teams to- Spay near the middle, and the women inside ’em. ere was four 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 see’d, ej it war 4 beaver or otter, and gave 'em pertickler orders not to wink both eyes ata time. I see’d they’s skeerish, and there weren’t no danger of thar snoozin’ on watch, “T’s pretty sartin the reds would come some of thar tric and come down the river; so I went up to the es part of the thing, and laid in the mud m to watch fur ’em. I knowed too, they wouldn’t be ‘bout ‘fore purty late, so ~t took a short nap as I laid in the mud. When I woke up the moon war up in the sk end the river had riz so my pegs war in the water. Bopped out, but didn’t see nothin’ yet. I sneaked down round by t’other fellers, and found ’om all wide awake; and they said, too, as how they hadn't seen nothin’ ’cept the river war gettin’ higher, which the kinder thought the Injins mought’v. done. Jist as war goin’ back I some of the —_ ost singin’ in he world. Fust, I thought it war an Injin, ef it hadn't been so nice; then I 'cluded it must be an ae listened, and found it came from the wagons. I crept ap and see'd two little girls all "lone clus by the wag- ons, and a-singin’ sunkthin’. Shoot me! ef it didn’t make me feel watery to see ’em. Tho moon war shinin’ down through the flying clouds, right out on ’em, They sot with their arms round each other and war bare-headed, aud ef I hadn't knowed ’em I'd swore they were angels sure. I axed what they war ’ for, and they said the Injins war goin’ to come after ’em that night, and they war singin’ to their mother in heaven to te, away. Shoot me! when oy a throwed her aoe <a gn nec kissed my ugly meat-trap, I couldn’ wound it, I went up to my place ag’in and laid down f ‘dn the mud. “It was gettin’ colder, and the wind comin’ u drew the white clouds ‘fore the moon, makin’ it ‘in I see’d sunkthin’ : like a log. on it wn my peepers on a TT to ea tak war nankthie' ake than too. oome But when it come out and yet the whole mass was moving slow ‘The pune s salf-Dime Library. -? -—--3--- gualeeiosenig Tet ainas ee ee ge se down the river. I knowed the boys would see it, and I didn’t leave my place. Thinkin’ as how this war only sent down to see what we'd do, I war lookin’ fur other things, when I heard a noise in the water, and, shoot me, ef a sneakin’ red didn’t come up out of the water, and commenced crawlin’ toward whar the gals war singin’, (Jist put a little fodder on the fire.)”’ I sprung up and threw on some fagots, and then seated myself and anxiously awaited the rest of his story. @ put away his pipe, filled his mouth with eee, and, after several annoying delays, re- sumed: “Thar weren’t no time to lose. I crept ‘long be- hind him, mighty sly, and afore he knowed it, come down spank onto him, I didn’t make no nois® nor he either, I jist grabbed his gullet and finished him with my knife. I then crawled back ag’in, and, shoot me, ef I didn’t see forty logs comin’ down on us; the river war full of 'em., **I jumped up and hollered to the other fellers to look out, They come up aside me and stood ready, but it weren't no use. ‘Fore we knowed it I see'd over forty of ’em peng us. We blazed into ‘em and went to usin’ our knives, but I knowed it would- n'tdo, They set up a yell and pictas fur the wag- ons, While "bout a dozen went atus. The fust thing i knowed the whole four boys’ were down and thar ha’r raised and the wamen screechiw’ murder, It made me ae and I reckon I done some tall work that night. Most these beauty-spots on my mug come from that scrimmage. I see’d a red dart by me with that little gal 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’, aud the tomahawks stoppin’ the women’s screams; the red-skins war bowlin’ and yellin’ like all mad, and as I had got some big cuts and knocks, I ‘cluded it best to move quarters. So I made a jump for the stream, took a long dive, and swum for the shore. I come up "bout whar you’re setting, and I made a heap of tracks ‘fore daylight come.’ P ‘And did you never hear any thing of the chil- ren?”’ ‘*T never see’d ‘em agin; but I come “cross a chap at Fort Laramie when I went down ag‘in, what said he'd seen a gal mong some of éhe red-skins, up in these parts, and I've thought p'r'aps it mought be one of 'em, and ag’in it moughtn’t,’ ‘** Did you say that all happened out there?’’ asked Nat, jerking his thumb toward the island mentioned. ‘*T reckon I did.”’ ‘But there's a lot of Injins there now!” exclaimed he, ** As like as not,” returned Biddon, with a sly look at me. “I'm goin’ to sleep then,” and rolling himself u in his buffalo blanket, all but his feet disappear from view. ** Tt’s "bout time to snooze, I think,’”’ remarked the sa in a lower tone, turning toward me. ‘*l think so, but peEE pose there need be no appre- hension of molestation from Indians, need there?’ Biddon looked at me a moment; then one side of his mouth expanded into a broad grin, and he quietly remarked: ‘Times are different from what they used to war.” ‘* Biddon,”’ said I, after a moment's silence, ** be- fore we saw you we camped upon one side of a stream while you were upon theother. Now, Ido not suppose you would willfully harm a stranger; but since I have met you, I have a great desire know why you fired that shot at Nat.’ A quiet smile illumined the trapper’s euduenbes vis- age; and, after waiting a moment, he answered: “The way on it war this: I see’d you and Nat camping there, and I s’pected you war gwine to tramp these parts. I-watched you awhile, and was gwine to sing out to you t0 come over. Then said I, Biddon, you dog, ain’t there a chance to give them a powerful scare?’ First I drawed bead on you, but whon that Nat jumped up, I let fly at him, and he kerflummuxed splendid, Howsumever, it’s time to snooze, and I’m in for it.”’ With this, we wrapped our blankets around us, and in a few moments were asleep. On a clear summer morning, we sallied out upon the broad, open prairie again, The trapper now struck in a direction nearly due north-west, toward the Black Hills. The face of the country began to change materially. Vast groves of timber met the eye, and the soil became rich and productive. At noon we encountered the most immense drove of buffaloes that I ever witnessed. They were to the west of wa ene proceeding in a southern direction, cropping t clean as they went. Far away as far as the vision could reach, nothing but a sea o black moving bodies could be distinguished... The whole western horizon, from the extreme north-west to the south-west, was occupied solely by them, and nothing else met the eye. ey were not under way, onward. ead buffaloes would a mout of grass, and then move on a few feet and another. Those bebind did the same, and the whole number — pees nose in-this manner. This pec ten change oh gave an appearance, as view from my standing-point, similar to the long heaving of the sea after a violent storm. It was truly a mag- nificent spectacle. We prmroesnes within a short distance. The were scattered upon the outside, and with a lit trouble the tra managed to insinuate himself among them, object was to drive off a cow which had a couple of half-grown calves by her side, but took the alarm, rushed off into the drove, e down oe apiece. I selected > NN ae wep. fred. The animal raised his head, his mou’) fa of grass, and glaring at me a moment, gave & snort of alarm and plunged headlong intc the drove, At the same instant I heard Nat’s rifle beside me, and a mo- mént after that of the trapper. This gave tne alarm. Those near us uttered a series of snorts, and drop- ing their bushy heads, bowled off at a terrific rate. he motion was rapidly communicated to the others, and, in a few seconds, the whole eastern side was rolling simultaneously onw like the violent coun- ter-current of the gea. The eir was filled with such a vast cloud of dust that the sun's light was darken ed, and, for a time, it seemed as if we should suffo cate, We remained in our places for over an hour when the last of these prairie moysters thunderec by. A strong wind carried the dust off to the west, and we were at last in clear air again. I looked away in the Cirection of the herd, expect ing to see my buffalo’s lifeless form, and waz con- siderably chagrined 2t my disappointment, as was also Nat at his. The trapper’s prize was a dozen yards from where it had been struck. * Pears to me,” said he with a ely smile, *‘T heer’p our os bark, but I don’t see nothin’ of ny buffa- oes, ogh!’’ “Thit mine,” Ianswered quickly; “Tam sury of it.” ** Whereabouts?” “In the head, plump and square.” ** Whar’d you sight yourn, Greeny?’’ ** Just back ot the horns, and I hit him too, If he hasn't dropped before this, he’ll have the headache for a week.’ ‘‘B’ars and beavers, you! Them bufflers didn't mind your shots more nor a couple of haiistones. as wou aon ah ops Saad ?” asked eg wrapper, pulling the bi o's foreleg forward, and disclosing the track of the bullet behind it. ‘**Isn’t a shot in the head fatal?’ I asked in aston- ishment. *You might hit em thar with a cannon ball, and they’d git up and run ag’in, and ef you'd pepper ’em all day whar you did yourn, you’ ick the bullets out thar ha’r and they wouldn’t mind it,”’ This I afterward found tobe true. No shot, how- ever well aimed, can reach the seat of life in the si a through the head unless it enter the eye, fair ront. The trapper’s buffalo was thrown forward upon his face, his legs bent beneath him, and dressed after the usual fashion, He was in good condition, and we had a rich feast upon his carcass. The trapper selected a few choice portiens from the inside, relished only by himself, and, cutting sev- eral huge pieces for future use, the rest was left for the wolves. We proceeded but a few miles further, and en- camped upon the banks of the Dry Fork, a small stream, a few miles south of the Black Hills, There was but a foot or two of sluggish water, and in the hot season it was often perfectly dry. Here for the first time I was made aware of. the changeable char. acter of the climate in this latitude. e weather, thus far, had been remarkably fine, and at noon wa found the air sometimes oppressively warm, Toward night the wind veered around to the north-west, and grew colder, At nightfall, when we kindled our firg, the air was so cutting that Nat and I were In a shivey, Had it not been for our blankets we should have su fered considerably, though Biddon did not cull hig into requisition. A number of cottonwood trees were at hand, which served partly t® screen us frem the blust. After our evening meal, Biddon remarked: “The fire must go out, boys.” “Why? Do you apprehend danger?” I asked. “Don't know as I do; I hain’t seen wign, but we're gettin’ into parts summat skeerish.”’ “T suppose it’s about time for the Indians te come?’ remarked Nat, interro bin “They're "bout these parts. Me’n Jack Javin onee got into a scrimmage yer with ’em, when we didn’t spect it, and jist ‘cause we let our fire burn while we snoozed. I'd seen sign though, then, and I want- ed to put it out, but he wa’n’t aieard,”’ ss Let's have ours out then,” ey orem Hat, eects springing up and scattering the brands aroun Oman mind "bout taat; 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 way off, and on sich a night ag this, ef they’re "bout t ey'll be bound to give him a call. You needn’t be afeard, howsumever, to snooze, *cause they won’t be *bout.” It was too cold to enjoy our pipes and we all bun- dled a the night's rest. n I heard the trap- 8 vy brea m in slumber. to sleep. The was so cold that my blanket ocala not pro me, and the cu wind was ter- rible. x wseh Sony spare thet > devise, but it was no use, and I feared I should be compelled to either build the fire again, or to continué w all a Dr ere latte 1m t. It dark, chose r en was te I i judged. yet evye + ee» our situation well ab not to lose blank I started on u sand rok dh over the mite t continued a long distance, until p exhaust- warming with the exercise, and re a upon sound sleep for the remainder of the continwed my run for a full half-hour, and then in amazement, as I saw no signs of my com- I must have care é