The Buffalo Runners: A Tale of the Red River Plains by R. M. Ballantyne (e reading malayalam books .TXT) đ
- Author: R. M. Ballantyne
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âHa! ha!âho! ho! what a wag youâre becoming, Little Bill. But I thank âee for the compliment, for you know itâs only philosophers that can say an awful lot without aâmost sayinâ anything at all. Look at OkĂ© there, now, what a depth of stupidity lies behind his brown visage; what bucketsful of ignorance swell out his black pate, but he expresses it all in the single word âWaugh!â because heâs a philosopher. If he was like La Certe, heâd jabber away to us by the hour of things he knows nothinâ about, and tell us long stories that are nothinâ less than big lies. Iâm glad you think me a philosopher, Little Bill, for it takes all the philosophy Iâve got to keep me up to the scratch of goinâ about the world wiâ you on my back. Why, Iâm a regular Sindbad the Sailor, only Iâm saddled with a young man oâ the plains instead of an old man of the sea. Dâee understand what Iâm saying, OkĂ©?â
The chief, who understood little more than that his own name and that of La Certe were mentioned, nodded his head gravely and allowed the corners of his mouth to droop, which was his peculiar way of smilingâa smile that might have been unintelligible to his friends had it not been relieved and interpreted by a decided twinkle in his eyes.
While they were conversing, the two canoes had rounded a rocky point and swept out upon a lake-like expanse in the river, which was perfectly smooth and apparently currentless. Several islets studded its calm breast and were reflected in the clear water. These were wooded to the waterâs edge, and from among the sedges near their margin several flocks of wild-fowl sprang up in alarm and went off in fluttering confusion.
It chanced that just then a trumpet-like note was heard overhead, as a flock of wild geese passed the spot and came suddenly close within range of the canoes which had been concealed from them by the bushes that fringed the river.
Guns were seized at once by the bowmen in each canoe, but Archie was smarter than Fergus. Before the Highlander had got the weapon well into his hands the boy fired and one of the flock fell into the river with a heavy plunge.
Little Bill signalised the successful shot with a high-toned cheer, and the Indian with a low-toned âWaugh,â while Fergus made a hurried and therefore bad, shot at the scared flock.
âThat wass a fery good shot, Archie,â remarked Fergus, as the canoes ranged up alongside of the dead bird.
âYours was a very good one, too, Fergus,â returned the boy; âonly not quite straight.â
The smile on the face of OkĂ©matan proved that he understood the drift of the reply, and that this was the style of humour he appreciated so highly in his young friend. We civilised people may wonder a little at the simplicity of the savage, but when we reflect that the chief had been born and bred among the solemnities of the wilderness, and had been up to that time wholly unacquainted with the humours and pleasantries that sometimes accompany juvenile âcheek,â our wonder may perhaps be subdued.
âThis would be a splendid place to camp for the rest of the day,â suggested Davidson, while they rested on their paddles after the goose had been secured. âWe must lay in a small stock of fresh provisions, you know, if we are to push on to-morrow or next day to our hunting ground. What say you, OkĂ©matan?â he added in Cree, turning to their guide.
âThe will of the Paleface chief is the wish of OkĂ©matan. Let him speak.â
âWell, then, I vote for encamping on the small island over there, in the middle oâ the lakeâfor itâs far more like a lake than a river hereaboutsâthat one over which the hawk is hovering.â
âI vote for it too,â said Archie.
âSo do I,â chimed in Little Bill.
âI will be sayinâ ditto to that,â put in Fergus.
âMoreover,â suggested Dan, âI vote for roasting the goose at once.â
âAy, and eating him right away,â said Archie. As the invalid followed this up with a feeble cheer, the proposal was carried into effect without delay.
The islet was low and flat, and so thickly covered with bush that it afforded a most enticing spot for a night-encampment. There was also plenty of dead wood on it, with which to replenish the fire, and various peeps through sundry openings afforded exquisite views of woodland and river with which to charm the eyes. Over all, the sun was pouring his noontide rays in a glorious flood.
We need not waste time in going into the details of the feast that followed: how the goose was delightfully plump and tenderâespecially tender to teeth that would have scarcely observed the difference if it had been toughâhow, in addition to the goose, they had wild-ducks enoughâshot earlier in the dayâto afford each one a duck to himself, leaving a brace over, of which OkĂ©matan ate one, as well as his share of the goose, and seemed to wish that he might eat the other, but he didnât, for he restrained himself; how they drank tea with as much gusto and intemperance as if it had been a modern âafternoonâ; and how, after all was over, the Red-man filled the pipe-head on the back of his iron tomahawk and began to smoke with the air of a man who meant business and regarded all that had gone before as mere childâs-play.
The afternoon was well advanced when the feast was concluded, for appetites in the wilderness are not easily or soon satisfied.
âI feel tight,â said Billie with a sigh and something of pathos in his tone, when he at last laid down his knifeâwe cannot add fork, for they scorned such implements at that time.
âThatâs right, Little Bill,â said Archie, âtry another leg or wingânow, donât shake your head. Weâve come on this trip a-purpose to make you fat anâ strong. So you mustâhere, try this drum-stick. Itâs only a little one, like yourself, Billie.â
âTrue, Archie, but Iâm too little to hold it. I feel like an egg now.â
âHallo! OkĂ©, are you overcome already?â asked Archie.
âThe sun sinks to rest at night and the birds go to sleep. If we intend to hunt we must begin now.â
âItâs always the way,â returned the boy with an air of discontent; âwhenever a fellow gets into a state of extreme jollity thereâs sure to be something bothersome to come and interrupt us. Obfusticate your faculties with some more smoke, OkĂ©, till Billie and I finish our tea. We canât shoot with half-empty stomachs, you know.â
âThey must be three-quarters full by this timeâwhatever,â remarked Fergus, wiping his clasp-knife on the grass.
Just then, Dan Davidson, who had gone to explore the islet, returned with the information that some hunters must have recently visited the same place, for he had discovered the remains of an encampment at the extreme eastern side, which looked as if it had been recently occupied, for bones of wild-fowl were scattered about, the meat on which was neither dried nor decayed.
On hearing this, OkĂ©matan rose quickly, put out his pipe, and stuck the tomahawk in his belt. The sluggish good-natured air of contentment with which he had been smoking vanished; the half-sleepy eyes opened, and a frown rested on his brow as he said, shortlyâ
âOkĂ©matan goes to look.â
âMay I go with you?â asked Dan.
âNo. OkĂ©matan goes alone. It is known that a band of Saulteaux have been seen. They are roused just now by the actions of the great white chief and the words of my Nation. Rest here till I come. Go on eating. If they are here they may be watching us now.â
âDâee hear that, Little Bill? Youâve got to go on eating,â said Archie. âOur guide commands it. If you disobey, the rascally Saulteaux will come down upon us somehow.â
But Archieâs light-heartedness was not shared by his older companions. They knew too well that the disturbed state of the country at the time, and especially the ill-will engendered between the Crees and Saulteaux by the ill-advised action of Lord Selkirkâs agents, rendered an explosion not improbable at any time, and a certain feeling of disappointment came over them when they reflected that the hunting expedition, which they had entered on with so much enthusiastic hope, might perhaps be brought to an abrupt close.
âIf thereâs to be any fighting I shall only be in your way,â said the invalid in a tone in which there was much of sadness, though none of fear.
âNot a bit of it, Little Bill,â returned Dan, quickly. âYouâll be in nobodyâs way in the canoes. Youâre as light as a feather. If we had even to take to the bush, Archie could run with you; anâ when he gets tired, Fergus and I would think no more oâ you than a grasshopper.â
âIss it carryinâ him you will be taalkinâ of?â said Fergus. âAy, ay! I would be forgettinâ that he wass on my back if I had him there.â
As he spoke, the Indian returned to the camp with the cat-like tread so characteristic of the Red-man.
âA big band has been here,â he said. âThey slept on the island last night, and the signs show that they do not come as friends.â
âAre you sure of that?â asked Dan.
âOkĂ©matan is sure of nothing. Even the sun may not rise to-morrow.â
âHad we not better, then, return at once to the Settlement, and tell what we have seen?â said Dan.
âIf we did, the Saulteaux would see us and give chase. Their canoes are big and have strong men in them. They would overtake us soon and our scalps would be swinging at their belts to-morrow.â
âNot pleesant to think ofâwhatever,â said Fergus.
âWhat, then, do you advise?â asked Dan. âYou understand the ways of the wilderness, and we will follow your lead.â
The chief appeared to think for a few moments.
âWe will remain where we are,â he said; âonly we will send the boys off in one of the canoes, as if to shoot some ducks for us. The Saulteaux will think that we are lazy, idle men, who like to lie in camp and sleep or smoke while the boys hunt for us. When night comes we will escape in the dark and go down the river to warn the settlers.â
âBut what if they attack us before night comes on?â asked Dan.
âThey will not do that,â answered the Indian, gravely. âThey know that we are well supplied with powder and shot. They know that some one must lead in every attack, and that such leaders would be doomed to death. Saulteaux do not love death. They prefer life. They will not come till it is dark.â
âHa! ha!â laughed Fergus, who seemed greatly tickled with the latter part of the chiefâs observation, âfery goot! ho! fery goot!âthey do not love death, anâ it iss life they will be preferrinâ. Ay, ay! It iss the Heelandman that will be of much the same opeenion, only, when fightinâ hes got to be done, heâs not afraid to do it in daylight.â
âHe may not be afraid, Fergus,â said Dan, âyet I suspect that the Red-manâs tactics are often the wisest, for what would be the use of making an attack in daylight, at the cost of several lives, when the attack might be made quite as well, if not better, at night, without the loss, perhaps, of any life at all?â
âI will not be sayinâ,â returned Fergus, who was of an argumentative disposition, âanything at all about attackinâ by day or by night. I will only be remarkinâ that the Heelandman iss like the savitch in that he prefers life to death.â
âCome along to the fire, Fergus,â said Dan, laughing; âI will argue that out with you.â
âIt will be difficult to argue, then, for there iss no argument in it at all. It is only a statement
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