We lay for a whole day upon the banks of the Platte river, but towards sunset a bright blue streak appeared in the west, and the dark misty clouds began to drive off towards the south. The sun at length showed itself upon the distant hills, and before it had completely sunk in the west, the sky was as pure and cloudless as in one of the happy days of June. This was hailed with joy by the whole band, both Indians and whites, and preparations were made for an early start on the following morning.
CHAPTER XV.
Deer Hunt.—Encampment.—Indian Night Fires.—Lost Horses.—Doctor’s Mule.
On the third morning after leaving the village, I started out to hunt on foot in company with three Indians: two Otoes, who had borrowed rifles from the soldiers, and a Pawnee. The party, and the train of accompanying delegates, were journeying in a long line, over the prairie, at some miles distance. We had hunted for several hours, up and down the deep ravines, which intersected the prairie. My two companions had become separated from me; but a sturdy Pawnee lingered with me, and trudged lustily along at my heels, with the hope of coming in for a share of any game that I should kill during the day. We travelled up one ravine, and down another, but nothing was to be found.
“Ugh!” burst from the lips of the Pawnee. I looked round; he was crouching flat to the ground, and made signs to me to get my rifle in readiness. Vague suspicions of danger flashed across my mind; we had heard that there was a band of Sioux Indians lurking round our party. Could we have come unawares upon them? These ideas flashed momentarily upon me, but they as quickly subsided, and cocking my gun, I stole cautiously towards him. He was crouching in some bushes, near the jagged top of a small ridge, which looked down into a deep ravine. As I approached him, he shrank still closer into his hiding place, and made signs to me to pass to the top of the ridge. I crept up slowly, and peered above its level; at the instant, I caught sight of an Indian, as he squatted quickly behind a bush. My fears seemed realized. We had fallen into the snare! I looked back towards the Pawnee; he was still maintaining his position, and keenly watching my movements. As he caught my eye he urged me by his gestures to fire: I hesitated. At that instant the dark form in front of me, rose slowly up from behind the bush; and I recognised the stern, proud features of one of my Otoe companions. The next moment, I caught sight of a large buck lying lazily beneath the shade of a bush. The mystery was explained in an instant. The Pawnee had seen the animal; and it was the deer, and not the Indian, whom he wished to be shot. As I rose to fire the Otoe again crouched behind the bush; the bullet missed, and the beast leaping up, sprang towards the spot where his foe lay hid. He had scarcely taken three leaps, before a shot whistled from a clump of bushes, at some distance, and in a different quarter. The deer changed his course, and springing forward, made for the opposite side of the ravine. He dashed through the bushes, and bounded like lightning up the ragged steep. At that moment the Otoe, who had first secreted himself, had a fair view of him; he must have been about a hundred yards distant, and was dashing furiously up the craggy hill. The Indian fired, and the deer fell on one knee, but regained his feet. In front of him, was a steep bank, covered with shrubbery. He made a desperate effort to gain it, but failed; and rolled headlong down, until he splashed in the brook at the bottom. A loud whoop burst from the three Indians, and the two youngest sprang forward to the spot; while the third, who was a cautious old fellow, stopped to reload his rifle.
When they arrived at the place where the buck had fallen, they found that he was not dead, neither was his wound mortal; one of his fore legs was shivered by the bullet, but he had gained his feet, and now stood at bay. His head was bent to the ground, and he dashed his antlers furiously in every direction; his eyes flared with a wild, menacing expression; and the white foam slavered from his mouth. The Indians made several attempts to thrust their knives into him, but were as often balked by his fiercely-brandished antlers. They hovered around him like wolves; now threatening him in one quarter; now in another; but his horns ever met them. They then both attacked him at once, and succeeded in inflicting a slight wound. It served only to increase his fury; he leaped towards them, with a ferocity that caused them in turn to take to flight. Just then, the Indian who had remained behind to load his rifle, came up. The buck faced towards him and again brandished his antlers; but a bullet hurled him to the ground, and the next moment a tomahawk was buried between his eyes. A sharp convulsive shudder passed over his frame, he made a desperate effort to gain his feet, but in vain, a second shudder concluded his mortal struggle, and falling over upon his side, he expired.
An Indian is a quick butcher, and not more than ten minutes had elapsed, before the animal was skinned, and cut up. Each of us took a quarter upon our backs and set off for the encampment; which we reached about an hour after night fall.
The party had encamped in a small isolated grove. It was completely clear of underwood, except here and there a tall bush; and there was not another tree in sight. A spring gushed out at the foot of a hill at a short distance, and flowed in a pure but scanty stream through the grove.
When we came in we found that the Indians had divided into squads, and that every ten or a dozen had kindled their own night fires. All the arrangements, preparatory to remaining quiet, were not yet completed. The soldiers were felling dead trees, for fuel. Joseph was busily employed, in hobbling and swearing at his mules; while Mordecai with the air of a connoiseur, stood by, assisting him with his advice.