“No elk meat to-day,” said Rash, (one of the soldiers,) leaning on the end of his yager, and watching the herd as they swept behind a distant skirt of trees.
“Ugh!” ejaculated an Otoe, in answer.
“Ugh!” ejaculated half a dozen Pawnees, unstringing their bows, and turning off towards the camp.
“Ugh! nin-gah om-pah,” (no elk) said Hah-che-kah-sug-hah, shouldering his rifle and preparing to continue his journey.
I had been in the habit of hunting in company with this Indian, and when he started forward, instead of returning to the camp with the rest, I followed him. The deer were abundant in this section of the country, and our object was game. We commenced a keen search in the hollows, but for a long time were unsuccessful. At last the guttural “ugh!” from the Indian, informed me that he saw something: and the next moment he pointed out a large buck, reclining in a distant hollow. He immediately made for it, while I seated myself in the grass, to watch his success. After stealing along several hollows, and keeping among the tall grass, he at last came upon the animal and fired. The buck started up, staggered a few paces, then scoured away over the top of the hill. The Indian, after pausing to reload, followed, and also disappeared. I waited in hopes of hearing the whoop! which usually followed a successful shot; but all was silent; so I sauntered slowly along, expecting him to return. Nearly half an hour had elapsed, when I caught sight of him, standing upon the top of a high peak, at several miles’ distance. Supposing that he had been led off by game, I no longer delayed for him, but struck forward, selecting a route for myself. I had been in the habit of leaving the party at sunrise, previously ascertaining the direction which they intended to take; then coming upon their trail during the day, by following it I had always reached the camp by nightfall. From never failing in this, I had grown self-confident, and this morning, I had not even inquired their intended course.
I travelled for many hours; following the hollows, and beating the tall grass, in hopes of starting a deer; but with the exception of a few grouse, I met with nothing. I had continued thus unsuccessful till afternoon, and was sauntering along a high ridge, looking round to see if I could perceive any trace of the party, when suddenly turning my head, I caught sight of a number of objects, stringing slowly along the top of a ridge. At first I was surprised; for I mistook them for a train of pack-horses; but the next moment undeceived me, and I discovered that I had come unaware, upon a herd of elk. There were about a dozen of them. They were as quick-sighted as myself; for at the very moment that my eye rested upon them, they also detected me. They halted and snuffed the air; but I was too far off to taint it. So they turned away, and slowly loitered on. I immediately made for a thicket of brushwood, and beneath this shelter, rushed swiftly towards them. I had not gone far, however, when, upon rounding a small point of bushes, I came directly upon another herd. There must have been more than a hundred in it. Many were lying upon the ground; some were gamboling and frisking; two or three were butting each other with their horns; and several wary old fellows were stationed round as sentinels. I was within a hundred yards of them, so I fired at a full-grown buck. The bullet struck one of his fore legs, and he fell. In an instant the whole herd were on their feet, and huddling together like frightened sheep, they fled over the hills.
I sprang from my hiding place, and drawing my knife, ran towards the wounded animal; but before I could reach him, he gained his feet, and hobbled off, at a rate which kept me at the full stretch of my speed. I then stopped to reload my rifle, and followed expecting every moment to see him drop. He led me a long chase, over hill and dale, and across runs of water; until I gave out; and seating myself, saw him hobble out of sight.
It was now time to look out for the party; a thing which I had totally forgotten, in the heat of the chase; nor had I taken any note of the course I was pursuing; so that when my race was ended, I was completely bewildered. I was within a short distance of a well-wooded stream, and I suspected that the party would encamp, somewhere upon its banks. I knew too, that they must be to the westward of me, so I followed the course of the river.
I travelled till sunset, examining every ridge in the prairie; every bend in the thicket; but there was no human being to be seen, nor a trail, or foot print, on the burnt sod, except the hoof marks, where the herd of elk had passed. I then clambered to the top of a high-peaked hill, which overlooked the prairie for miles; but all was deserted. I determined, then to encamp for the night, in the neighbouring piece of wood, and in the morning to renew my search. At the same time, resolving like most persons who are in trouble, that if I got safely out of this scrape, I would take better care when next I hunted alone. I went down into the woods and built a fire. The night was cold, and bleak. There was no grass to make a bed; the wolves howled incessantly; and to judge from their snarling, and yelping at the foot of a tree, a little distance off, I imagined, that they had pursued some animal, which had taken refuge in its branches. The night passed away drearily, and with a joyous feeling, I once more saw the east streaked with the light of dawn.
Before the day had fairly broken, I left the grove, and pursued my course to the westward, until I again came to a ridge in the prairie. This I ascended and looked in every direction; but could see nothing. I raised my voice and gave an Indian hunting whoop, which might have been heard for a mile. The woods echoed it; but there was no other answer. I wished to discharge my rifle, in hopes that it might reach the ears of the party; but I had only a single charge of powder, left in my horn; and if I should be obliged to journey to the settlements alone, I thought that this would be too precious to be wasted. So in silence, and with drooping spirits, I continued my journey along the line of timber. The sun rose, and gradually ascended in the heavens. A vague doubt began to steal across my mind; that I had, perhaps, crossed the trail, in the obscurity of the morning twilight; for I was now much farther to the west, than I thought it possible, the party could have gone. About a mile in front of me a long arm of timber jutted out into the prairie. I made for it, determining if I did not then come upon their trail, that I would retrace my steps and carefully examine that portion which I had crossed before daybreak. I reached the timber; but saw no track. I again whooped; but as before, the echoing forests alone answered me; and with a sensation of utter loneliness, I turned round and retraced my steps. It was near mid-day when I reached my last encamping place. I had carefully noted every mark upon the black sod; I saw my own foot-prints, where I had struck out into the prairie in the morning; but nothing else. I then kept on for an hour longer, but my mind was constantly vascillating—whether to follow my own foot-prints until they guided me to the camping ground where I had left the party on the day previous, or to keep on to the eastward until I should reach the Missouri; or once more to return over the ground which I had just passed.