CHAPTER EIGHT.
DICK AND HIS FRIENDS VISIT THE INDIANS AND SEE MANY WONDERS--CRUSOE,TOO, EXPERIENCES A FEW SURPRISES AND TEACHES INDIAN DOGS A LESSON--ANINDIAN DANDY--A FOOT-RACE.
The Pawnee village, at which they soon arrived, was situated in themidst of a most interesting and picturesque scene.
It occupied an extensive plain which sloped gently down to a creek, [InAmerica small rivers or riverlets are termed "creeks"] whose windingcourse was marked by a broken line of wood, here and there interspersedwith a fine clump of trees, between the trunks of which the blue watersof the lake sparkled in the distance. Hundreds of tents or "lodges" ofbuffalo skins covered the ground, and thousand of Indians--men, women,and children--moved about the busy scene. Some were sitting in theirlodges, lazily smoking their pipes. But these were chiefly old andinfirm veterans, for all the young men had gone to the hunt which wehave just described. The women were stooping over their fires, busilypreparing maize and meat for their husbands and brothers, while myriadsof little brown and naked children romped about everywhere, filling theair with their yells and screams, which were only equalled, if notsurpassed, by the yelping dogs that seemed innumerable.
Far as the eye could reach were seen scattered herds of horses. Thesewere tended by little boys who were totally destitute of clothing, andwho seemed to enjoy with infinite zest the pastime of shooting-practicewith little bows and arrows. No wonder that these Indians become expertbowmen. There were urchins there, scarce two feet high, with roundbullets of bodies and short spindle-shanks, who could knock blackbirdsoff the trees at every shot, and cut the heads of the taller flowerswith perfect certainty! There was much need, too, for the utmostproficiency they could attain, for the very existence of the Indiantribes of the prairies depends on their success in hunting the buffalo.
There are hundreds and thousands of North American savages who wouldundoubtedly perish and their tribes become extinct if the buffaloes wereto leave the prairies or die out. Yet, although animals are absolutelyessential to their existence, they pursue and slay them with improvidentrecklessness, sometimes killing hundreds of them merely for the sake ofthe sport, the tongues, and the marrow-bones. In the bloody huntdescribed in the last chapter, however, the slaughter of so many was notwanton, because the village that had to be supplied with food was large,and, just previous to the hunt, they had been living on somewhat reducedallowance. Even the blackbirds, shot by the brown-bodied urchins beforementioned, had been thankfully put into the pot. Thus precarious is thesupply of food among the Red-men, who on one day are starving, and thenext are revelling in superabundance.
But to return to our story. At one end of this village the creek sprangover a ledge of rock in a low cascade and opened out into a beautifullake, the bosom of which was studded with small islands. Here werethousands of those smaller species of wild water-fowl which were eithertoo brave or too foolish to be scared away by the noise of the camp.And here, too, dozens of children were sporting on the beach or paddlingabout in their light bark canoes.
"Isn't it strange," remarked Dick to Henri, as they passed among thetents towards the centre of the village, "isn't it strange that themInjuns should be so fond o' fightin' when they've got all they canwant--a fine country, lots o' buffalo, an' as far as I can see, happyhomes?"
"Oui, it is remarkaibel, vraiment. But dey do more love war to peace.Dey loves to be excited, I s'pose."
"Humph! One would think the hunt we seed a little agone would beexcitement enough. But, I say, that must be the chief's tent, by thelook o't."
Dick was right; the horsemen pulled up and dismounted opposite theprincipal chief's tent, which was a larger and more elegant structurethan the others. Meanwhile an immense concourse of women, children, anddogs gathered round the strangers, and, while the latter yelped theirdislike to white men, the former chattered continuously, as theydiscussed the appearance of the strangers and their errand, which lattersoon became known. An end was put to this by San-it-sa-rish desiringthe hunters to enter the tent, and spreading a buffalo robe for them tosit on. Two braves carried in their packs and then led away theirhorses.
All this time Crusoe had kept as close as possible to his master's side,feeling extremely uncomfortable in the midst of such a strange crowd,the more especially that the ill-looking Indian curs gave him expressivelooks of hatred, and exhibited some desire to rush upon him in a body,so that he had to keep a sharp look out all round him. When, therefore,Dick entered the tent Crusoe endeavoured to do so along with him, but hewas met by a blow on the nose from an old squaw, who scolded him in ashrill voice and bade him begone.
Either our hero's knowledge of the Indian language was insufficient toenable him to understand the order, or he had resolved not to obey it,for instead of retreating he drew a deep gurgling breath, curled hisnose, and displayed a row of teeth that caused the old woman to drawback in alarm. Crusoe's was a forgiving spirit. The instant thatopposition ceased he forgot the injury, and was meekly advancing whenDick held up his finger.
"Go outside, pup, and wait."
Crusoe's tail drooped; with a deep sigh he turned and left the tent. Hetook up a position near the entrance, however, and sat down resignedly.So meek, indeed, did the poor dog look, that six mangy-looking curs felttheir dastardly hearts emboldened to make a rush at him with boisterousyells.
Crusoe did not rise. He did not even condescend to turn his head towardthem, but he looked at them out of the corner of his dark eye,wrinkled--very slightly--the skin of his nose, exhibited two beautifulfangs, and gave utterance to a soft remark, that might be described asquiet, deep-toned gargling. It wasn't much, but it was more than enoughfor the valiant six, who paused and snarled violently.
It was a peculiar trait of Crusoe's gentle nature, that, the moment anydanger ceased, he resumed his expression of nonchalant gravity. Theexpression on this occasion was misunderstood, however, and, as abouttwo dozen additional yelping dogs had joined the ranks of the enemy,they advanced in close order to the attack.
Crusoe still sat quiet and kept his head high, but he _looked_ at themagain and exhibited four fangs for their inspection. Among the packthere was one Indian dog of large size--almost as large as Crusoehimself--which kept well in the rear, and apparently urged the lesserdogs on. The little dogs didn't object, for little dogs are generallythe most pugnacious. At this big dog Crusoe directed a pointed glance,but said nothing. Meanwhile a particularly small and vicious cur, witha mere rag of a tail, crept round by the back of the tent, and, comingupon Crusoe in the rear, snapped at his tail sharply, and then fledshrieking with terror and surprise, no doubt, at its own temerity.
Crusoe did not bark; he seldom barked; he usually either said nothing,or gave utterance to a prolonged roar of indignation of the mostterrible character with barks, as it were, mingled through it. Itsomewhat resembled that peculiar and well-known species of thunder, theprolonged roll of which is marked at short intervals in its course bycannon-like cracks. It was a continuous, but, so to speak, _knotted_roar.
On receiving the snap, Crusoe gave forth _the_ roar with a majesty andpower that scattered the pugnacious front rank of the enemy to thewinds. Those that still remained, half stupefied, he leaped over with ahuge bound and alighted, fangs first, on the back of the big dog. Therewas one hideous yell, a muffled scramble of an instant's duration, andthe big dog lay dead upon the plain!
It was an awful thing to do; but Crusoe evidently felt that the peculiarcircumstances of the case required that an example should be made--andto say truth, all things considered, we cannot blame him. The news musthave been carried at once through the canine portion of the camp, forCrusoe was never interfered with again after that.
Dick witnessed this little incident; but he observed that the Indianchief cared not a straw about it, and as his dog returned quietly andsat down in its old place, he took no notice of it either, but continuedto listen to the explanations which Joe gave to the chief, of the desireof the Pale-faces to b
e friends with the Red-men.
Joe's eloquence would have done little for him on this occasion had hishands been empty; but he followed it up by opening one of his packs, anddisplaying the glittering contents before the equally glittering eyes ofthe chief and his squaws.
"These," said Joe, "are the gifts that the great chief of the Pale-facessends to the great chief of the Pawnees, and he bids me say that thereare many more things in his stores which will be traded for skins withthe Red-men, when they visit him; and he also says that if the Pawneeswill not steal horses any more from the Pale-faces they shall receivegifts of knives, and guns, and powder and blankets every year."
"_Wah_!" grunted the chief; "it is good. The great chief is wise. Wewill smoke the pipe of peace."
The things that afforded so much satisfaction to San-it-sa-rish were theveriest trifles. Penny looking-glasses in yellow gilt tin frames, beadsof various colours, needles, cheap scissors, and knives, vermilionpaint, and coarse scarlet cloth, etcetera. They were of pricelessvalue, however, in the estimation of the savages, who delighted to adornthemselves with leggings made from the cloth, beautifully worked withbeads by their own ingenious women. They were thankful, too, for kniveseven of the commonest description, having none but bone ones of theirown; and they gloried in daubing their faces with intermingled streaksof charcoal and vermilion. To gaze at their visages, when thus treated,in the little penny looking-glasses is their summit of delight!
Joe presented the chief with a portion of these coveted goods and tiedup the remainder. We may remark here, that the only thing whichprevented the savages from taking possession of the whole at once,without asking permission, was the promise of the annual gifts, whichthey knew would not be forthcoming were any evil to befall the deputiesof the Pale-faces. Nevertheless, it cost them a severe struggle torestrain their hands on this occasion, and Joe and his companions feltthat they would have to play their part well in order to fulfil theirmission with safety and credit.
"The Pale-faces may go now and talk with the braves," saidSan-it-sa-rish, after carefully examining everything that was given tohim; "a council will be called soon, and we will smoke the pipe ofpeace."
Accepting this permission to retire, the hunters immediately left thetent, and being now at liberty to do what they pleased, they amusedthemselves by wandering about the village.
"He's a cute chap that," remarked Joe, with a sarcastic smile; "I don'tfeel quite easy about gettin' away. He'll bother the life out o' us toget all the goods we've got, and, ye see, as we've other tribes tovisit, we must give away as little as we can here."
"Ha! you is right," said Henri; "dat fellow's eyes twinkle at de knivesand tings like two stars."
"Fire-flies, ye should say. Stars are too soft an' beautiful to compareto the eyes o' yon savage," said Dick, laughing. "I wish we were wellaway from them. That rascal Mahtawa is an ugly customer."
"True, lad," returned Joe; "had _he_ bin the great chief our scalps hadbin dryin' in the smoke o' a Pawnee wigwam afore now. What now, lad?"
Joe's question was put in consequence of a gleeful smile that overspreadthe countenance of Dick Varley, who replied by pointing to a wigwamtowards which they were approaching.
"Oh! that's only a dandy," exclaimed Joe. "There's lots o' them inevery Injun camp. They're fit for nothin' but dress, poor contemptiblecritters."
Joe accompanied his remark with a sneer, for of all pitiable objects, heregarded an unmanly man as the most despicable. He consented, however,to sit down on a grassy bank and watch the proceedings of this Indiandandy, who had just seated himself in front of his wigwam for thepurpose of making his toilet.
He began it by greasing his whole person carefully and smoothly overwith buffalo-fat, until he shone like a patent leather boot; then herubbed himself almost dry, leaving the skin sleek and glossy. Havingproceeded thus far he took up a small mirror, a few inches in diameter,which he or some other member of the tribe must have procured during oneof their few excursions to the trading forts of the Pale-faces, andexamined himself, as well as he could, in so limited a space. Next, hetook a little vermilion from a small parcel and rubbed it over his faceuntil it presented the somewhat demoniac appearance of a fiery red. Healso drew a broad red score along the crown of his head, which wasclosely shaved, with the exception of the usual tuft or scalp-lock onthe top. This scalp-lock stood bristling straight up a few inches, andthen curved over and hung down his back about two feet. Immense careand attention was bestowed on this lock. He smoothed it, greased it,and plaited it into the form of a pigtail. Another application was heremade to the glass, and the result was evidently satisfactory, to judgefrom the beaming smile that played on his features. But, not contentwith the general effect, he tried the effect of expression--frownedportentously, scowled savagely, gaped hideously, and grinned horribly aghastly smile.
Then our dandy fitted into his ears, which were bored in several places,sundry ornaments, such as rings, wampum, etcetera, and hung severalstrings of beads round his neck. Besides these he affixed one or twoornaments to his arms, wrists, and ankles, and touched in a few effectswith vermilion on the shoulders and breast. After this, and a few moreglances at the glass, he put on a pair of beautiful moccasins, which,besides being richly wrought with beads, were soft as chamois leather,and fitted his feet like gloves; a pair of leggings of scarlet clothwere drawn on, attached to a waist-belt, and bound below the knee withbroad garters of variegated bead-work.
It was some time before this Adonis was quite satisfied with himself.He re-touched the paint on his shoulders several times, and modified theglare of that on his wide-mouthed, high-cheek-boned visage before hecould tear himself away; but at last he did so, and, throwing a largepiece of scarlet cloth over his shoulders, he thrust his looking-glassunder his belt, and proceeded to mount his palfrey, which was held inreadiness near to the tent door by one of his wives. The horse wasreally a fine animal, and seemed worthy of a more warlike master. Hisshoulders, too, were striped with red paint, and feathers wereintertwined with his mane and tail, while the bridle was decorated withvarious jingling ornaments.
Vaulting upon his steed, with a large fan of wild goose and turkeyfeathers in one hand, and a whip dangling at the wrist of the other,this incomparable dandy sallied forth for a promenade--that being hischief delight when there was no buffalo hunting to be done. Other menwho were not dandies sharpened their knives, smoked, feasted, and mendedtheir spears and arrows at such seasons of leisure, or played atathletic games.
"Let's follow my buck," said Joe Blunt.
"Oui. Come 'long," replied Henri, striding after the rider at a pacethat almost compelled his comrades to run.
"Hold on!" cried Dick, laughing; "we don't want to keep him company. Adistant view is quite enough o' sich a chap as that."
"Mais, you forgit, I cannot see far."
"So much the better," remarked Joe; "it's my opinion we've seen enougho' him. Ah! he's goin' to look on at the games. Them's worth lookin'at."
The games to which Joe referred were taking place on a green level plainclose to the creek, and a little above the waterfall before referred to.Some of the Indians were horse-racing, some jumping, and otherswrestling; but the game which proved most attractive was throwing thejavelin, in which several of the young braves were engaged.
This game is played by two competitors, each armed with a dart, in anarena about fifty yards long. One of the players has a hoop of sixinches in diameter. At a signal they start off on foot at full speed,and on reaching the middle of the arena the Indian with the hoop rollsit along before them, and each does his best to send a javelin throughthe hoop before the other. He who succeeds counts so many points--ifboth miss, the nearest to the hoop is allowed to count, but not so muchas if he had "ringed" it. The Indians are very fond of this game, andwill play at it under a broiling sun for hours together. But a gooddeal of the interest attaching to it is owing to the fact that they makeit a means of gambling. Indians are inveterate ga
mblers, and willsometimes go on until they lose horses, bows, blankets, robes, and, inshort, their whole personal property. The consequences are, as might beexpected, that fierce and bloody quarrels sometimes arise in which lifeis often lost.
"Try your hand at that," said Henri to Dick.
"By all means," cried Dick, handing his rifle to his friend, andspringing into the ring enthusiastically.
A general shout of applause greeted the Pale-face, who threw off hiscoat and tightened his belt, while a young Indian presented him with adart.
"Now, see that ye do us credit, lad," said Joe.
"I'll try," answered Dick.
In a moment they were off. The young Indian rolled away the hoop, andDick threw his dart with such vigour that it went deep into the ground,but missed the hoop by a foot at least. The young Indian's first dartwent through the centre.
"Ha!" exclaimed Joe Blunt to the Indians near him, "the lad's not usedto that game, try him at a race. Bring out your best brave--he whosebound is like the hunted deer."
We need scarcely remind the reader that Joe spoke in the Indianlanguage, and that the above is a correct rendering of the sense of whathe said.
The name of Tarwicadia, or the little chief, immediately passed from lipto lip, and in a few minutes an Indian, a little below the medium size,bounded into the arena with an indiarubber-like elasticity that caused ashade of anxiety to pass over Joe's face.
"Ah, boy!" he whispered, "I'm afeared you'll find him a tough customer."
"That's just what I want," replied Dick. "He's supple enough, but hewants muscle in the thigh. We'll make it a long heat."
"Right, lad, yer right."
Joe now proceeded to arrange the conditions of the race with the chiefsaround him. It was fixed that the distance to be run should be a mile,so that the race would be one of two miles, out and back. Moreover, thecompetitors were to run without any clothes, except a belt and a smallpiece of cloth round the loins. This to the Indians was nothing, forthey seldom wore more in warm weather, but Dick would have preferred tokeep on part of his dress. The laws of the course, however, would notpermit of this, so he stripped and stood forth, the beau-ideal of awell-formed, agile man. He was greatly superior in size to hisantagonist, and more muscular, the savage being slender and extremelylithe and springy.
"Hah! I will run too," shouted Henri, bouncing forward with clumsyenergy, and throwing off his coat just as they were going to start.
The savages smiled at this unexpected burst and made no objection,considering the thing in the light of a joke.
The signal was given, and away they went. Oh! it would have done yougood to have seen the way in which Henri manoeuvred his limbs on thiscelebrated occasion! He went over the ground with huge elephantinebounds, runs, and jumps. He could not have been said to have one styleof running; he had a dozen styles, all of which came into play in thecourse of half as many minutes. The other two ran like the wind; yet,although Henri _appeared_ to be going heavily over the ground, he keptup with them to the turning point. As for Dick, it became evident inthe first few minutes that he could outstrip his antagonist with ease,and was hanging back a little all the time. He shot ahead like an arrowwhen they came about half-way back, and it was clear that the realinterest of the race was to lie in the competition between Henri andTarwicadia.
Before they were two-thirds of the way back, Dick walked in to thewinning point, and turned to watch the others. Henri's wind was aboutgone, for he exerted himself with such violence that he wasted half hisstrength. The Indian, on the contrary, was comparatively fresh, but hewas not so fleet as his antagonist, whose tremendous strides carried himover the ground at an incredible pace. On they came neck and neck, tillclose on the score that marked the winning point. Here the value ofenthusiasm came out strongly in the case of Henri. He _felt_ that hecould not gain an inch on Tarwicadia to save his life; but, just as hecame up, he observed the anxious faces of his comrades and thehalf-sneering countenances of the savages. His heart thumped againsthis ribs, every muscle thrilled with a gush of conflicting feelings, andhe _hurled_ himself over the score like a cannon shot, full six inchesahead of the little chief!
But the thing did not by any means end here. Tarwicadia pulled up theinstant he had passed. Not so our Canadian. Such a clumsy and colossalframe was not to be checked in a moment. The crowd of Indians opened upto let him pass, but unfortunately a small tent that stood in the waywas not so obliging. Into it he went, head-foremost, like a shell,carried away the corner-post with his shoulder, and brought the wholeaffair down about his own ears, and those of its inmates, among whomwere several children and two or three dogs. It required some time toextricate them all from the ruins, but when this was effected, it wasfound that no serious damage had been done to life or limb!