Part 7 (1/2)
”In this valley we could remain until our cattle were sufficiently recruited to face the Desert, while with our rifles we should be able to procure a sufficient stock of provisions for the journey
”I went back for the wagon; but as I had consumed most of the day in my explorations, it was late when I reached the caht on the sa, we started early On arriving at the point where the path led doe halted the wagon Mary and the children remained with it, while Cudjo and I descended into the valley to reconnoitre The woods were quite thick--the trees apparently all bound together by huge vines, that stretched from one to the other like irowth of cane; butthat a trail had been e of numerous anins that a hu had ever been upon the spot
”We followed the trail that led us directly to the banks of the streareat part of its shi+ngly bed was dry
I saw that this would afford a good road for our wagon, and we kept on up the channel About three miles from the lower end of the valley, we came to a place where the forest was ht bank of the streae extent, with only a tree growing here and there This ground sloped gently down to the strearass and flowers It was a lovely spot; and as we cahtened by our approach, bounded off into the thickets beyond We stepped for a ht picture Birds of brilliant ere fluttering a, and chasing each other from tree to tree There were parrots, and paroquets, and orioles, and blue-jays, and beautiful loxias, both of the scarlet and azure-coloured species There were butterflies, too, with broad wingsabout froe as soer than others--forflocks of tiny hu about like sparkling ge themselves over the cups of the open flowers
”It was a beautiful scene, indeed; and Cudjo and I at once agreed that that was the very place to pitch our camp At the tiht reth, and we had collected froh for the Desert journey A teo, and here we are upon the same spot at this moment! Yes, lade I have been describing You will be surprised, when I tell you, there was no lake then, nor the appearance of one That came afterwards, as you shall hear
”What the lake noas then part of the glade; and its surface, like the rest, was covered with beautiful vegetation, with, here and there, trees standing alone, or in save it a , that there was soed--althoughthat the thick, dark woods surrounded it on all sides
”We did not reround We knew that Mary would be anxiously looking for us, so we hastened back to our wagon In less than three hours froon, with its snohite tilt, stood in the centre of the glade, and the ox and horse, loosed fro over the rich pasture
The children were playing on the green sward, under the shadow of a spreading ed in various occupations about the ground The birds flew around us, chattering and screaht of our little ones
They ca upon the nearest trees; and wondering, no doubt, what strange creatures ere, who had thus intruded upon their hitherto untenanted doued froht of er of e, that, of all others, man was the animal we most dreaded to s we ht fall in with in such a place would be Indians, and, in all probability, would prove our most cruel enemies
”It was still early in the afternoon, and we deter for the remainder of that day but rest ourselves, as we had all experienced considerable fatigue in getting far wagon up the stream
Rocks had to be reh the thick branches But the difficulty being now over, we felt as though we had reached a ho it Cudjo built a fire, and erected a crane over it, upon which to hang our pots and kettles The crane consisted of two forked sticks driven in to the ground, one on each side of the fire, with a long pole placed horizontally, and resting upon the forks This is the usualbackwoods' travellers, who cook their ipsies in Europe, is rarely to be seen a the wanderers of the American wilderness
”In a short ti and bubbling to receive the aromatic coffee; and the re and sputtering in the blaze Mary had set out the great chest, covered with a clean white cloth--for she had washed it the day before; and upon this our tin plates and cups--scoured until they were shi+ning like silver--were regularly arranged When all these little preparations had been made, we seated ourselves around the fire, and watched the dainty venison as it became browned and crisped in the blaze Cudjo had suspended the joint by a piece of strong cord, so that, by si it around, it would then continue for so itself, as well as if it had been upon a patent jack-spit We were congratulating ourselves on the fine supper ere likely soon to partake of, when, all at once, our attention was directed to a noise that caround There was a rustling of leaves, with a cracking sound as of dead sticks, broken by the hoofs of some heavy animal All our eyes were immediately turned in that direction
Presentlythe leaves in e anilade, apparently with the intention of crossing it
”At first sight we thought they were deer--for each of thereat size at once distinguished them from any of the deer species we had ever seen Any one of thee antlers rising several feet above their heads, gave the the branched and towering horns, we took the from either the red or fallow-deer that are to be reat elk of the Rocky Mountains
”On co out of the timber, they marched forward, one after the other, with a proud step, that showed the confidence they placed in their great size and strength--as well as in the pointed weapons which they carried upon their heads, and which they can use upon an enemy with terrible effect Their appearance was extremely majestic; and we all admired them in silence as they approached, for they caht of our wagon and fire,--neither of which objects, up to this time, they had seen All at once they halted, tossed up their heads, snorted, and then continued for soaze at us with an expression of wonder
”'They will be off now,' I muttered in an undertone to my wife and Cudjo 'No doubt they will be off in a moment, and they are entirely out of reach ofthem, and held it in readiness across my knees Harry and Frank had also seized their small pieces
”'What pity, Massa Roff,' said Cudjo, 'de big rifle no reach 'em!
Golly! de be ebery one fat as 'possuht not creep a little closer to the off into the woods again, ca up their heads with a snort similar to that which they had uttered before I say that this astonished all of us, for we had heard that the elk was an exceedingly shy anier to which they are accustomed; but, like reater than their fear; and they will approach any object whichoff
I saw that curiosity had brought theht advance still nearer, I cautionedany stir
”The wagon, with its great white tilt, appeared to be theit a ain moved several paces forward, and stopped as before A third tiain on was at so by the fire, their reat sides soht the leader within range of est of the three, and I deter my piece at the place which I supposed lay nearest to his heart, I pulled trigger
”'Missed hireat ani What was strange to us, they did not gallop, astrot, like a 'pacing' horse, and quite as fast as a horse could gallop
”The dogs--which, up to this ti by their necks--dashed after with yelps and barking They were all--both elk and dogs--soon lost to our eyes; but for soh the thick cane and bushes, with the dogs yelling in close pursuit
”I thought there would be no chance of theup with the to follohen, all at once, I heard the voices of the dogs change froaged in a fierce conflict with one another