Informal Chapters on Painters, Vaudeville, and Poets | Page 8

the smoke cleared
away I saw the deer spring into the air and fall lifeless to the ground.
The bullet had struck her in the very spot I intended. Charley rose to his
feet, and I ran forward, anxious to ascertain if he was injured.
Providentially, his ramrod alone was broken, and, except a bruise on
the shoulder which caused him some pain, he had escaped without
damage.
We lost no time in skinning and cutting up the deer, which having done,
we formed two packages of as much of the meat as we could carry,
while we suspended the remainder to the bough of a neighbouring tree,
to return for it before night-fall. Our companions were nearly as
successful, each party having killed a deer, the whole of which they
brought into camp. We left them all employed in cutting the chief
portion into strips to dry in the sun, so that it could be transported more
easily than in a fresh state. As we approached the spot where we had
left the venison, a loud yelping which reached our ears told us that the
coyotes had found it out. The brutes were not worth powder and shot,
so getting some thick sticks, we rushed in among them and drove them
off to a distance. They returned, however, as soon as we had got down
the venison and were employed in packing it up, and we had to make
several onslaughts, during which we killed three or four of the wolves,
who were instantly devoured by their companions. While they were
thus employed, we had time to pack up our game, but the rapacious
creatures followed howling at our heels until we reached the camp. All
night long also they continued their unpleasant chorus.
In the morning, having breakfasted on fresh venison, we started, each
man carrying a load of the dried meat. Our object was to push on as fast
as possible, only halting when necessary to rest our horses, or to kill
some buffalo or deer, should any be seen. Pierre especially advised that

we should otherwise make no delay, saying that he had observed the
trails of Indians, who were probably out on the warpath, and that, at all
events, it would be necessary to be on our guard against them.
We crossed the burnt prairie, our horses' hoofs stirring up the ashes as
we scampered along. Frequently we came upon the bodies of small
animals which had failed to escape from the fire. We saw also numbers
of snakes, some burnt to death, others only scorched and still managing
to make their way over the ground. We were thankful when, having
crossed a stream, we got into a more cheerful tract of country. Here
Pierre advised that we should be doubly on our guard, as in all
probability the Indians themselves had fired the grass, either to burn us,
or to deprive us of our beasts of burden, as they succeeded in doing,
that we might the more easily fall into their hands, but that such was
the case it was difficult to say. Perhaps, when they found us strongly
posted, they had considered it prudent not to attack us.
We had started before day-break, and proposed halting for a couple of
hours to breakfast and rest our beasts, when, just as the rich glow which
ushers in the rising sun had suffused the sky, one of the Indians,
addressing Pierre, pointed to the south-west.
"What is it he says?" I asked.
"Indians!" answered Pierre, "on foot and on horseback, and no small
number of them. We must be prepared for them, messieurs; for, if I
mistake not, they are Coomanches, and they are difficult customers to
deal with in the open. If we were within a stockade, we should quickly
send them to the right about, though, as they stand in awe of our rifles,
it is a question whether they will attack us as long as we show a bold
front."
"It is of little use to show a bold front in the centre of a wild prairie,
with a hundred howling savages galloping about one," I thought to
myself.
However, none of our party were men to flinch. By Pierre's advice we
rode steadily forward. There was a slight elevation at some distance,

with a small lake beyond it. Buntin, who took the lead, proposed that
we should try to gain it, as it would give us an advantage over our
nimble foes, as, while they were ascending its steep sides, we could
shoot them down without difficulty. On we rode therefore as fast as we
could venture to go, for it was important not to blow our horses, lest we
should have to come to an encounter with the Redskins.
We had got