old indian days-第17部分

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by　curling　both　ends　upward。



〃Ho；　mita　shunka；　eat　this；　for　you　must

be　hungry！〃　　So　saying；　the　scout　laid　before

his　canine　friend　the　last　piece　of　his　dried　buf…

falo　meat。　　It　was　the　sweetest　meal　ever　eaten

by　a　dog；　judging　by　his　long　smacking　of　his

lips　after　he　had　swallowed　it！



The　hunting　party　was　soon　lost　in　heavy

slumber。　　Not　a　sound　could　be　heard　save　the

gnawing　of　the　ponies　upon　the　cottonwood

bark；　which　was　provided　for　them　instead　of

hay　in　the　winter　time。



All　about　Shell　Lake　the　bison　were　gathered

in　great　herds。　　The　unmistakable　signs　of　the

sky　had　warned　them　of　approaching　bad

weather。　　The　moon's　robe　was　girdled　with　the

rainbow　wampum　of　heaven。　　The　very　music

of　the　snow　under　their　feet　had　given　them

warning。　　On　the　north　side　of　Shell　Lake　there

were　several　deep　gulches；　which　were　the　homes

of　every　wanderer　of　the　plains　at　such　a　time

at　this。　　When　there　was　a　change　toward　severe

weather；　all　the　four…footed　people　headed　for

this　lake。　　Here　was　a　heavy　growth　of　reeds；

rushes；　and　coarse　grass；　making　good　shelters；

and　also　springs；　which　afforded　water　after　the

lake　was　frozen　solid。　　Hence　great　numbers　of

the　bison　had　gathered　here。



When　Wapashaw；　the　game　scout；　had　rolled

himself　in　his　warm　buffalo　robe　and　was　sound

asleep；　his　faithful　companion　hunter；　the　great

Esquimaux　wolf　dog；　silently　rose　and　again

stretched　himself；　then　stood　quiet　for　a　moment

as　if　meditating。　　It　was　clear　that　he　knew　well

what　he　had　planned　to　do；　but　was　considering

how　he　should　do　it　without　arousing　any　sus…

picion　of　his　movements。　　This　is　a　dog's　art；

and　the　night　tricks　and　marauding　must　always

be　the　joy　and　secret　of　his　life！



Softly　he　emerged　from　the　lodge　and　gave

a　sweeping　glance　around　to　assure　him　that

there　were　none　to　spy　upon　him。　　Suspiciously

he　sniffed　the　air；　as　if　to　ascertain　whether

there　could　be　any　danger　to　his　sleeping　master

while　he　should　be　away。



His　purpose　was　still　a　secret。　　It　may　be　that

it　was　not　entirely　a　selfish　one；　or　merely　the

satisfying　of　his　inherited　traits。　　Having　fully

convinced　himself　of　the　safety　of　the　unguarded

camp；　he　went　forth　into　the　biting　cold。　　The

moon　was　now　well　up　on　the　prairies　of　the　sky。　

There　were　no　cloud　hills　in　the　blue　field　above

to　conceal　her　from　view。　　Her　brilliant　light

set　on　fire　every　snow　gem　upon　the　plains　and

hillsides　about　the　hunters'　camp。



Up　the　long　ascent　he　trotted　in　a　northerly

direction；　yet　not　following　his　master's　trail。　

He　was　large　and　formidable　in　strength；　com…

bining　the　features　of　his　wild　brothers　of　the

plains　with　those　of　the　dogs　who　keep　company

with　the　red　men。　　His　jet…black　hair　and　sharp

ears　and　nose　appeared　to　immense　advantage

against　the　spotless　and　jeweled　snow；　until　pres…

ently　his　own　warm　breath　had　coated　him　with

heavy　frost。



After　a　time　Shunka　struck　into　his　master's

trail　and　followed　it　all　the　way；　only　taking　a

short　cut　here　and　there　when　by　dog　instinct

he　knew　that　a　man　must　go　around　such　a　point

to　get　to　his　destination。　　He　met　many　travelers

during　the　night；　but　none　had　dared　to　approach

him；　though　some　few　followed　at　a　distance；

as　if　to　discover　his　purpose。



At　last　he　reached　Shell　Lake；　and　there　be…

held　a　great　gathering　of　the　herds！　　They　stood

in　groups；　like　enormous　rocks；　no　longer　black；

but　white　with　frost。　　Every　one　of　them　emitted

a　white　steam；　quickly　frozen　into　a　fine　snow

in　the　air。



Shunka　sat　upon　his　haunches　and　gazed。



〃Wough；　this　is　it！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　He

had　kept　still　when　the　game　scout　gave　the　wolf

call；　though　the　camp　was　in　an　uproar；　and

from　the　adjacent　hills　the　wild　hunters　were

equally　joyous；　because　they　understood　the

meaning　of　the　unwonted　noise。　　Yet　his　curios…

ity　was　not　fully　satisfied；　and　he　had　set　out　to

discover　the　truth；　and　it　may　be　to　protect　or

serve　his　master　in　case　of　danger。



At　daybreak　the　great　dog　meekly　entered　his

master's　rude　teepee；　and　found　him　already　pre…

paring　for　the　prospective　hunt。　　He　was　filling

his　inside　moccasins　full　of　buffalo　hair　to　serve

as　stockings；　over　which　he　put　on　his　large　buf…

falo　moccasins　with　the　hair　inside；　and　adjusted

his　warm　leggings。　　He　then　adjusted　his　snow…

shoes　and　filled　his　quiver　full　of　good　arrows。　

The　dog　quietly　lay　down　in　a　warm　place；　mak…

ing　himself　as　small　as　possible；　as　if　to　escape

observation；　and　calmly　watched　his　master。



〃Ho；　ho；　ho；　kola！　　Enakanee；　enakanee！〃

shouted　the　game　herald。　　〃It　is　always　best

to　get　the　game　early；　then　their　spirits　can　take

flight　with　the　coming　of　a　new　day！〃



All　had　now　donned　their　snow…shoes。　　There

was　no　food　left；　therefore　no　delay　to　prepare

breakfast。



〃It　is　very　propitious　for　our　hunt；〃　one　ex…

claimed；　〃everything　is　in　our　favor。　　There　is

a　good　crust　on　the　snow；　and　the　promise　of　a

good　clear　day！〃



Soon　all　the　hunters　were　running　in　single

file　upon　the　trail　of　the　scout；　each　Indian　closely

followed　by　his　trusty　hunting　dog。　　In　less　than

two　hours　they　stood　just　back　of　the　low　ridge

which　rounded　the　south　side　of　Shell　Lake。　

The　narrow　strip　of　land　between　its　twin

divisions　was　literally　filled　with　the　bison。　　In

the　gulches　beyond；　between　the　dark　lines　of

timber；　there　were　also　scattered　groups；　but　the

hunters　at　once　saw　their　advantage　over　the

herd　upon　the　peninsula。



〃Hechetu；　kola！　This　is　well；　friends！〃　ex…

claimed　the　first　to　speak。　　〃These　can　be　forced

to　cross　the　slippery　ice　and　the　mire　around　the

springs。　　This　will　help　us　to　get　more　meat。　

Our　people　are　hungry；　and　we　must　kill　many

in　order　to　feed　them！〃



〃Ho；　ho；　ho！〃　agreed　all　the　hunters。



〃And　it　is　here　that　we　can　use　our　companion

hunters　best；　for　the　shunkas　will　intimidate　and

bewilder　the　buffalo　women；〃　said　an　old　man。



〃Ugh；　he　is　always　right！　　Our　dogs　must

help　us　here。　　The　meat　will　be　theirs　as　well

as　ours；〃　another　added。



〃Tosh；　kola！　　The　game　scout's　dog　is　the

greatest　shunka　of　them　all！　　He　has　a　mind　near

like　that　of　a　man。　　Let　him　lead　the　attack　of

his　fellows；　while　we　crawl　up　on　the　opposite

side　and　surround　the　buffalo　upon　the　slippery

ice　and　in　the　deceitful　mire；〃　spoke　up　a　third。　

So　it　was　agreed　that　the　game　scout　and　his

Shunka　should　lead　the　attack　of　the　dogs。



〃Woo；　woo；　woo！〃　was　the　hoarse　signal

from　the　throat　of　the　game　scout；　but　his　voice

was　drowned　by　the　howling　and　barking　of　the

savage　dogs　as　they　made　their　charge。　　In　a

moment　all　was　confusion　among　the　buffalo。　

Some　started　this　way；　others　that；　and　the　great

mass　swayed　to　and　fro　uncertainly。　　A　few　were

ready　to　fight；　but　the　snow　was　too　deep　for　a

countercharge　upon　the　dogs；　save　on　the　ice　just

in　front　of　them；　where　the　wind　had　always　full

sweep。　　There　all　was　slippery　and　shining！　　In

their　excitement　and　confusion　the　bison　rushed

upon　this　uncertain　plain。



Their　weight　and　the　momentum　of　their　rush

carried　them　hopelessly　far　out；　where　they　were

again　confused　as　to　which　way　to　go；　and　many

were　stuck　in　the　mire　which　was　concealed　by

the　snow；　except　here　and　there　an　opening　above

a　spring　from　which　there　issued　a　steaming

vapor。　　The　game　scout　and　his　valiant　dog　led

on　the　force　of　canines　with　deafening　war…cries；

and　one　could　see　black　heads　here　and　there　pop…

ping　from　behind　the　embankments。　　As　the

herd　finally　swept　toward　the　opposite　shore；

many　dead　were　left　behind。　　Pierced　by　the　ar…

rows　of　the　hunters；　they　lay　like　black　mounds

upon　the　glassy　plain。



It　was　a　great　hunt！　　〃Once　more　the　camp

will　be　fed；〃　they　thought；　〃and　this　good　for…

tune　will　help　us　to　reach　the　spring　alive！〃



A　chant　of　rejoicing　rang　out　from　the　op…

posite　shore；　while　the　game　scout　unsheathed

his　big　knife　and　began　the　work　which　is　ever

the　sequel　of　the　huntto　dress　the　game；　al…

though　the　survivors　of　the　slaughter　had

scarcely　disappeared　behind　the　hills。　　The　dogs

had　all　run　back　to　their　respective　masters；　and

this　left　the　scout　and　his　companion　Shunka

alone。　　Some　were　appointed　to　start　a　camp

in　a　neighboring　gulch　among　the　trees；　so　that

the　hunters　might　bring　their　meat　there　and　eat

before　setting　out　for　the　great　camp　on　the　Big

River。



All　were　busily　skinning　and　cutting　up　the

meat　into　pieces　convenient　for　carrying；　when

suddenly　a　hunter　called　the　attention　of　those

near　him　to　an　ominous　change　in　the　atmos…

phere。



〃There　are　signs　of　a　blizzard！　We　must

hurry　into　the　near　woods　before　it　reaches　us！〃

he　shouted。



Some　heard　him；　others　did　not。　　Those　who

saw　or　heard　passed　on　the　signal　and　hurried

toward　the　wood；　where　others　had　already　ar…

ranged　rude　shelters　and　gathered　piles　of　dry

wood　for　fuel。



Around　the　several　camp…fires　the　hunters　sat

or　stood；　while　slices　of　savory　meat　were　broiled

and　eaten　with　a　relish　by　the　half…starved　men。



〃Ho；　kola！　Eat　this；　friend！〃　said　they　to

one　another　as　one　finished　broiling　a　steak　of

the　bison　and　offered　it　to　his　neighbor。



But　the　storm　had　now　fairly　enveloped　them

in　whirling　whiteness。　　〃Woo；　woo！〃　they

called　to　those　who　had　not　yet　reached　camp。　

One　after　another　answered　and　emerged　from

the　blinding　pall　of　snow。　　At　last　none　were

missing　save　the　game　scout　and　his　Shunka！



The　hunters　passed　the　time　in　eating　and　tell…

ing　stories　until　a　late　hour；　occasionally　giving

a　united　shout　to　guide　the　lost　one　should　he

chance　to　pass　near　their　camp。



〃Fear　not　for　our　scout；　friends！〃　finally　ex…

claimed　a　leader　among　them。　　〃He　is　a