The Prairie-Bird

by Sir Charles Augustus Murray

With this prophetic observation, Stony–heart rejoined his comrades, and Baptiste joined the small group assembled before the door of the tent.

On the following morning the party began their homeward march, Wingenund leading the way, followed by his Delawares, and accompanied by Besha and the Crow guide, who had been sent for by a runner before daybreak. The packed mules and horses were placed in the centre under the special charge of Monsieur Perrot, whose fund of good–humour and resource had never failed him, and who now performed the office of a muleteer with the same readiness with which he fulfilled the respective duties of valet to Reginald, and cook, messman, and buffoon to the whole party. The rear was brought up by Ethelston and Reginald, the latter still keeping his post at the bridle of Nekimi, the line of march being closed by Baptiste and some of the most experienced hunters, while Pierre was sent forward to aid Wingenund, he being the most skilful and practised in the peculiar difficulties of the dangerous region which they were now about to traverse.

For several days all went on as well as could be expected. The heat was intense, and water was sometimes scarce; several of the mules and pack–horses dropped down from exhaustion, and were left behind; the stock of provisions was somewhat short, but the party twice fell in with a small herd of buffalo, from which they procured a tolerable supply; and, at camping time, they all assembled round the fire in front of Prairie–bird’s tent, and, after their frugal evening meal, wore away the time with conversation suited to the different groups into which the party divided itself, some talking over former campaigns, others cracking their jokes and enjoying the laugh which invariably followed Perrot’s determined attempts to explain himself in the Delaware tongue; while Reginald, Ethelston, and Prairie–bird lived over again the days of their childhood, or recounted to each other some of the most interesting incidents of the intervening years.

All remarked the changed aspect and increased gravity of Wingenund; his manner was indeed gentle and quiet as before, but the death of his brother, and the responsibility now entrusted to him, added to other serious matters which occupied his mind, seemed in him to have annihilated the interval between early youth and ripened manhood. First to rise before daybreak, and last to lie down at night, he seemed unconscious of fatigue, and resolved that on this occasion at least the Delawares should not from his neglect be reminded of the loss that they had so lately sustained. At night he visited the sentries, and saw that every one was at his allotted post; and on the march, whenever the nature of the ground rendered precaution necessary, scouts were sent forward to examine it, and to guard against ambush or surprise. Every evening he joined the little party before the tent, and never left it without wishing his sister (as he still called Prairie–bird) a night of rest, and asking a blessing from the lips of the Black Father.

The Crows behaved upon this occasion better than had been expected of them, camping always at a certain distance from the allied party, and observing faithfully the other conditions of the treaty. The guide, whom they had supplied, led the way towards the Great Prairie, by a valley considerably to the northward of that by which they had entered the mountain region; and Pierre soon perceived that its eastern termination was at a spot that was easily recognised, by all experienced trappers, as the “Devil’s Kettle,” owing to the steam that ascended from a hot–spring, celebrated for its medicinal qualities among the neighbouring tribes.

Here the fresh horses promised by the Crows were supplied, and an equal number of those exhausted and incapable of further travel, were left behind. Nekimi, alone of the whole quadruped band, seemed insensible alike to the scantiness of pasture, and the heat and fatigue of the journey. The fair burthen that he bore was as that of a feather compared to the powerful frame of his former rider when armed and equipped, and the noble animal seemed desirous of expressing his gratitude for the change, by rubbing his forehead against Reginald as he walked before him, or nibbling out of his hand a few young shoots of alder or willow, that he was now and then fortunate enough to cut by the half–dried bed of some mountain stream.

In this way they travelled forward without accident or adventure, until they reached the banks of a river of considerable size, which Pierre conjectured to be the head–water of the southern fork of the Neosho, or the Platte; and here they were to complete the terms of the treaty, and bid adieu to their Upsaroka friends, the opposite banks of the river not being considered within the limits of their hunting ground.

The ceremonials observed upon this occasion were much the same as the preceding, with the exception that Bending–willow paid a visit to Prairie–bird, received from her several presents, drank a cup of the wonderful black liquor, of which her husband had told her, namely, coffee sweetened with sugar, and told her fair hostess that his affections had not as yet strayed to any other of his spouses,—a fact, the truth of which was attested by her displaying, with the most ostentatious coquetry, the mirror–backed brush, of which he was more proud of than of any thing that he possessed.

Besha made himself wonderfully busy during the payment of the presents due to the Crows; and in one or two instances, when the latter claimed more than was recorded in Reginald’s memorandum, he stoutly maintained that the white men were right, and recommended the Crows to withdraw their pretensions: in so doing, he did not neglect to whisper every now and then to Baptiste or Pierre, a hint that he intended to be paid for his disinterested support.

All this was not lost upon White–bull, who, although he could not understand a word of what passed, felt nevertheless convinced that the interpreter was playing some under–game. He said nothing, however; and the distribution was satisfactorily completed, Wingenund and Reginald adding gratuitously several presents for the chiefs beyond those promised in the treaty. Besha, to the surprise of many of the Crows, who knew his avaricious disposition, went away, apparently well satisfied, with nothing more than a blanket and a knife; but they did not know that he had privately whispered to Baptiste that he would come by night to fetch away his stipulated snare of the presents (and that, too, a lion’s share), as the Crows might be jealous if they saw them, and might take them from him.