THE PRAIRIE.
to the approach of civilized strangers (a circumstance which in some countries
is considered as evincing the apathy of their character), I addressed
him in French, a language not unfrequently partially known to the people
in that neighbourhood. He raised his head, pointed to one of his eyes
with his finger, and gave me a significant glance with the other. His face
was covered with blood. The fact was, that an hour before this, as he
was in the act of discharging an arrow at a raccoon in the top of a tree, the
arrow had split upon the cord, and sprung back with such violence into
his right eye as to destroy it for ever.
Feeling hungry, I inquired what sort of fare I might expect. Such
a thing as a bed was not to be seen, but many large untanned bear and
buffalo hides lay piled in a corner. I drew a fine time-piece from my
breast, and told the woman that it was late, and that I was fatigued.
She had espied my watch, the richness of which seemed to operate upon
her feelings with electric quickness. She told me that there was plenty
of venison and jerked buffalo meat, and that on removing the ashes I
should find a cake. But my watch had struck her fancy, and her curiosity
had to be gratified by an immediate sight of it. I took off the gold
chain that secured it from around my neck, and presented it to her. She
was all ecstacy, spoke of its beauty, asked me its value, and put the chain
round her brawny neck, saying how happy the possession of such a watch
should make her. Thoughtless, and, as I fancied myself, in so retired a
spot, secure, I paid little attention to her talk or her movements. I
helped my dog to a good supper of venison, and was not long in satisfying
the demands of my own appetite.
The Indian rose from his seat, as if in extreme suffering. He passed
and repassed me several times, and once pinched me on the side so violently,
that the pain nearly brought forth an exclamation of anger. I
looked at him. His eye met mine ; but his look was so forbidding, that
it struck a chill into the more nervous part of my system. He again
seated himself, drew his butcher-knife from its greasy scabbard, examined
its edge, as I would do that of a razor suspected dull, replaced it, and
again taking his tomahawk from his back, filled the pipe of it with tobacco,
and sent me expressive glances whenever our hostess chanced to have
her back toward us.
Never until that moment had my senses been awakened to the
danger which I now suspected to be about me. I returned glance for
THE PRAIRIE. 88
glance to my companion, and rested well assured that, whatever enemies
I might have, he was not of their number.
I asked the woman for my watch, wound it up, and under pretence
of wishing to see how the weather might probably be on the morrow, took
up my gun, and walked out of the cabin. I slipped a ball into each barrel,
scraped the edges of my flints, renewed the primings, and returning
to the hut, gave a favourable account of my observations. I took a few
bear-skins, made a pallet of them, and calling my faithful dog to my side,
lay down, with my gun close to my body, and in a few minutes was, to
all appearance, fast asleep.
A short time had elapsed, when some voices were heard, and from the
corner of my eyes I saw two athletic youths making their entrance, bearing
a dead stag on a pole. They disposed of their burden, and asking
for whisky, helped themselves freely to it. Observing me and the
wounded Indian, they asked who I was, and why the devil that rascal
(meaning the Indian, who, they knew, understood not a word of English)
was in the house. The mother—for so she proved to be, bade them
speak less loudly, made mention of my watch, and took them to a
corner, where a conversation took place, the purport of which it required
little shrewdness in me to guess. I tapped my dog gently.
He moved his tail, and with indescribable pleasure I saw his fine eyes alternately
fixed on me and raised towards the trio in the corner. I felt
that he perceived danger in my situation. The Indian exchanged a last
glance with me.
The lads had eaten and drunk themselves into such condition, that I
already looked upon them as hors de combat; and the frequent visits of
the whisky bottle to the ugly mouth of their dam I hoped would soon
reduce her to alike state. Judge of my astonishment, reader, when I saw
this incarnate fiend take a large carving-knife, and go to the grindstone
to whet its edge. I saw her pour the water on the turning machine, and
watched her working away with the dangerous instrument, until the cold
sweat covered every part of my body, in despite of my determination to
defend myself to the last. Her task finished, she walked to her reeling
sons, and said, " There, that'll soon settle him ! Boys, kill you- , and
then for the watch."
I turned, cocked my gun-locks silently, touched my faithful companion,
and lay ready to start up and shoot the first who might attempt my
life. The moment was fast approaching, and that night might have been
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