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k PILUiaMAGE OVER THE 
 
 
 PUAIUTES. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 ^^.i«ift, -it-^^a* 
 
 ' >fE8 OF h COLONIST." 
 
 VOL I 
 
 I 
 
 ^:'(jir'^%WY NEWnt, PUBLISHER, 
 
 mL . *^;a. STilBET, t'AViJNDISH 8QTTAHE. 
 B^i» of T.\i/ulatim it Jle$ervi,i']. 
 
 - I'iiiMr^'' i 
 
*" , 
 
 s 
 
 if* 
 
A PILGRIMAGE OVER THE 
 
 PRAIRIES. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 Br THE AUTUOR OF "THB FORTUNES OF A COLONIST." 
 
 VOL. L 
 
 T. CAUTLEY NEAVBY, PUBLISHER, 
 
 JM), WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 
 
 1863. 
 IThe Bight of Trantlation it Beaerved], 
 
 t* 
 

 K 
 
 PILGRIMAGE OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 May, 1825. — The reader who may bear in 
 mind my former record of Adventures (as 
 colonist), will observe thai nearly thirteen 
 years have passed from the time of their con- 
 clusion to that inscribed above, which marks 
 the commencement of a new series connected 
 with and consei^uent upon them. 
 
 The interval had for the most part been 
 passed by me in the quiet avocations of 
 countiy life, and the enjoyu*ent of much 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 B 
 
*■■■' 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 happiness in the married state until a few 
 months before, when the cup had been dashed 
 from my lips by the death of my amiable 
 partner. 
 
 Whilst thus cancelling the great blessing 
 of a happy union, Providence had still left 
 me a source of solace in a daughter (now near 
 eight years old), our only surviving child, 
 who with the likeness promised also the 
 virtues of her parent — thus lightening, while 
 she recalled her loss. 
 
 Notwithstanding, however, this spring of 
 comfort in the desert, I found the tedium of 
 my position pall more and more upon me, 
 and was meditating various schemes of recre- 
 ation and relief, when a circumstance occurred 
 which gave them at once a definite form and 
 direction. 
 
 I had descended one fine May morning 
 into the breakfast parlour, and, with my back 
 to the fire, been watching my little Susan 
 assisting the important process of growth by 
 repeated appeals to the porridge bowl, ogling 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 her dad between whiles with the right hearty 
 good will that belongs to her unschooled age, 
 when, having been favoured with the first in- 
 telligence of the day, such as " Pa ! Peggy 
 Clinker's come to make my frock," and " Pa, 
 the newspaper's there," I availed myself of 
 the latter item of information, anl proceeded 
 to peruse its contents. 
 
 The very first paragraph that met my eye 
 was the following, under the head of " Mar- 
 riage in high life. — On the 8th inst., at 
 Hanover Square, by the Rev. Theophilus 
 Farleton, cousin of the bridegroom, the Hon. 
 Cyrus Farleton, nephew and heir of the Earl 
 of Leighton, to Barbara Theodora, only 
 daughter of Sir Michael Branfold, Bart. A 
 course of festivities and rejoicings is expected 
 to come off the ensuing week at Leighton 
 Park, the seat of the noble Earl, in honour of 
 the occasion." 
 
 Cyrus Farleton I Leighton Park ! The 
 
 names struck me like an old tune of boyhood, 
 
 or fragments of a half-remembered dream, 
 
 B 2 
 
A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 " Festivities and rejoicings ! By Jupiter! 
 a good idea. Why shouldn't we go and share 
 them?" I exclaimed, clinching the sudden 
 thought with a thump on the table. 
 
 Whilst revolving the matter further, I felt 
 a touch at my elbow, and found my little vis- 
 a-vis come on a mission of remonstrance. 
 
 " Pa I" she murmured, " you've spilt the 
 milk on my pinny." 
 
 " Well, my dear, run to Cecily, and she will 
 get you another." « 
 
 "But, pa," she added, arching her eyes, and 
 sinking her voice into an t^xpostulatory tone ; 
 " you told me it was naughty to swear." 
 
 " Was I swearing, child ? why, what did I 
 say?" 
 
 " You said ' by Jupiter,' pa." 
 
 " But Jupiter was a false god, my chick, 
 and therefore we may consider the obtestation 
 as a nullity. I was thinking, Susan." 
 
 Cyrus Farleton I Leighton Park ! What a 
 flood of interest seemed suddenly to well 
 about the two names. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 '' What were you thinking, pa ?" 
 
 '' I was thinking, Su, that you and T wouhl 
 go and treat ourselves to a holiday." 
 
 '* Oh, how nice I and Jacob, and Cecily, 
 and old Aggy, and Norman ?" 
 
 " Jacob and Aggy must stay to take care 
 of the house, but we shall want Cecily to look 
 after our ' herb o' grace' and Norman to pro- 
 vide her with a playmate." 
 
 " Oh ! and when shall we go ?'* 
 
 " We'll set off to-morrow, so you can tell 
 Peggy Clinker to send for her sister, and con- 
 trive to get your frock done by this evening." 
 
 Away scampered my little gossip on her 
 gleeful errand, whilst on my own part I un- 
 locked my writing-desk, and looked over a 
 file of letters and other papers whose subject 
 matter was in some sort connected with the 
 paragraph I had just read. 
 
 One of these may require more particular 
 mention. In the course of the past winter I 
 had, one bitter day, been out with my gun 
 along the coast after wild ducks, when wish- 
 
6 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ing to relieve the tedium of watching, with a 
 passing whifF, I put my liand into my coat 
 pocket in search of my tobacco pouch. It 
 was a warm blanket coat, lequired by the 
 severity of the weather, which I had not had 
 on for years, wLen lo ! instead of the trusty 
 sealskin, my fingers rustled against a paper, 
 which, on examining, I found to be nothing 
 less than the certificate of Lord and Lady 
 Ardcapell's marriage, the loss of which had 
 been so much lamented by him at one of our 
 later interviews. It presently occurred to me, 
 this might be one of the papers dropped upon 
 the snow, by the individual we had formerly 
 had the luck to rescue from tlie bear ; and the 
 surmise grew into a certainty, when I remem- 
 bered that this was the very coat I had worn 
 on that occasion, and never used since till now. 
 How it had ever come into the keeping from 
 which it had been reft by the discourteous 
 gripe of Bruin, had been a mystery often 
 pondered by me since, but never tc a ^iatisfac- 
 tory conclusion. -, ^ 
 
OVER THK PRAIRIES. 
 
 had 
 our 
 
 I had carefully laid the document aside till 
 the present time, and now looked over it again, 
 to as little purpose as before, but still with 
 the general impression it might one day be 
 found of importance. 
 
 It may, furthermore, be proper here to ap- 
 prize the reader that, immediately on my return 
 from America, warm with my anxious feelings 
 on the subject, I had waited on Mr. Dalham, 
 and given him the full history of the events 
 which had befallen Lord Ardcapell and 
 his family. I drew his attention to the sus- 
 picions entertained by my deceased friend 
 of the iniquitous designs of the nephew upon 
 his daughter's rights, and finally requested his 
 candid opinion, first, as to the probability of 
 her being still living, and then as to that of 
 recovering and restornig her to her rights. 
 
 Mr. Dalham, 1 may observe, had been re- 
 appointed to his office of steward by Lord 
 Leighton, and never having been in much 
 favour with his nephew, who could have little 
 hope of his countenancing his nefarious 
 
8 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 schemes, evinced no reluctance to give the 
 case that consideration which liis clear duty to 
 his patron, no less than the claims of an un- 
 forgotten friendship, demanded of him. " From 
 all I have heard," said he, after taking time 
 for deliberation, " I feel rather disposed to 
 agree with your backwoods friend in enter- 
 taining hopes that this most important life is 
 still unsacrificed ; but if we would keep it so, 
 and more, restore it to the sphere it was des- 
 tined for, not one word, not one syllable 
 must we breathe in contradiction to the 
 common rumour of the day. Should our 
 doubts of the event get wind, and Cyrus' 
 suspicions be aroused, we shall have him 
 thwarting us at every step, and perhaps set- 
 tling the question in his own favour, by acts 
 which I shudder to contemplate." 
 
 Such was the tenor of my interview with 
 Mr. Dalham, whose views, coinciding as they 
 did with my own, I was fully intent on pro- 
 secuting, when that mischiev^ous younker, 
 Cupid, who delights in confounding schemes 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 he is not a party to, came into our councils as 
 ' thirds man/ and drove our proceedings for a 
 season all awry. 
 
 The object of his irresistible pleading was 
 the second daughter of my worthy friend and 
 privy councillor aforesaid, Susan by name, 
 whose grace and condescension being equal 
 to her other merits, my suit ere long ended in 
 that intimate union which is apt to untune us 
 to all but our own happiness. 
 
 Thus were our weighty schemes laid by for 
 nearly thirteen years, till the thunder-cloud 
 broke above me, and it was whilst yet travail- 
 ing beneath its gloom, that the recollection ot 
 my half-forgotten vows was revived by the 
 perusal of the newspaper. 
 
 The rest of the day was spent in making 
 
 preparations for our journey, which, being 
 
 the first for many years that had drawn me 
 
 from my contentful home, I regarded with 
 
 something of the interest that sparkled in the 
 
 eyes of my little girl, and lent wings to all 
 
 her evolutions. 
 
 B 5 
 
10 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Stowing ourselves, early on the morrow, in 
 mine host's (of the Red Lion) landau, (which, 
 the weather being fine, we preferred to a 
 closed chaise) and depositing old Norman in 
 an easy posture at our feet, we cheerily set 
 forth on our pleasuring tour. 
 
 After crossing the bay of Morecambe, and 
 admiring as we passed it the picturesque pile 
 of Lancaster Castle, we consumed the greater 
 part of the day in traversing the monotonous 
 levels of lower Lancashire. 
 
 Travelling at moderate speed, it was late 
 when we reached Liverpool, where, in one of 
 its palatial hotels, we found all contentment 
 for the night. Crossing the Mersey next 
 morning, we shaped our course southwards, 
 posthig it in easy stages, relieved by ample 
 intervals of rest, and terminated our day's 
 travel by an early hour in the afternoon, at an 
 Inn which had caught my fancy, on the road- 
 side. 
 
 It was one of those quaint old structures 
 that are now becominor notable from their 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 11 
 
 very rarity, surrounded by a level cliampaign 
 country, agreeably diversified by plantations, 
 amongst which I had caught some glimpses 
 of a noble looking Elizabethan mansion, whose 
 chimneys were still visible from the front of 
 the hostelry. The landlord, in answer to my 
 inquiries, directed my attention to the sii^n 
 over his door, where the wolf's head and pen- 
 dant arrow sufficed to inform me, even with- 
 out the aid of the underwritten title, that it 
 was the seat of the Dallington family. 
 
 It had happened that circumstances in early 
 life had rendered these arms familiar to me, 
 and they were those, Inow remembered, I had 
 observed on the gun of the unhappy exile who 
 had saved my life in America. 
 
 The present proprietor, the landlord in- 
 formed me, was Mr. Clement Dallington, who 
 owned an immense extent of the neighbour- 
 ing country " I pay him a hundred a year 
 for yon cranky Inn o* mine, which ne'er a 
 customer comes near now-a-days but just the 
 
12 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 neebonr folk, for fear, I trow, of its falling 
 down about their luirs, but if it jjets no more 
 grist than it has o' late T'se e'en gie it up, and 
 there an end on't ; tlie l^quire'll lose an old 
 tenant to be sure, for weVe had the place 
 now, myself and my foref 'thers, for the better 
 part of a hunder' years, but what (dropping 
 his voice and looking rouiid him) cares he for 
 driving an aid rooster like me from his perch, 
 after dinging Lis own blood out of the big 
 house yonder ? Ou !'* concluded Boniface, 
 with a peculiar shrug, " he's a crafty old brock 
 is our Clem : but if he meets wi' another fool 
 to pay his hunder pounds for getting beggared, 
 he'll be even cleverer than folk tell on." 
 
 The inference I drew from all this was that 
 the speaker had gone down in the world, and 
 the squire did not stand very high in his good 
 graces. < 
 
 The evening promising fine, tho' £^, slight 
 ehower had fallen, just sufficient to call forth 
 its choicest incense, after commending my f 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 13 
 
 daughter to an early pillow, I took a short 
 stroll with old Norman in the direction of the 
 Hall. 
 
 The cooler air and tempered lights of 
 evening, with the fragrance of the shrubberies 
 through which I passed, yielded an agreeable 
 relief to my spirits, somewhat jaded by the 
 dust and dazzle of the turnpike. A delicious 
 freshness breathed from the grassy margins 
 of my path, and the hare and coney frisked 
 on either hand with a boldness that seemed 
 bred from long immunity. i 
 
 The track at length ended in an open space, 
 the centre of which was occupied by the 
 edifice I had come to view. As I seated my- 
 self for more leisurely inspection under a 
 branching lime, and enjoyed the fumes of my 
 favourite Cuba, I could not help reflecting that 
 often from scenes like these the casual way- 
 farer draws more delight than falls to the lot 
 of their proprietor. 
 %> It is not yon pretentious pile, thought I, 
 the pride of birth, or plentitude of wealth that 
 
14 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 
 constitute the source and secret of life's hap- 
 piness, but the quiet conscience, the well- 
 cultured mind, and susceptibility to her 
 simpler charms, which nature, while she offers 
 to the eye, too often denies to the fruition of 
 the worldling, and was winding up these mu- 
 sings with a few farewell vrhiffs of my weed, 
 when an individual came by whose jaunty 
 step, weather-stained red coat, and gamy cast 
 of eye seemed to bespeak a huntsman. 
 
 " Does Mr. Dallington then keep hounds, 
 my friend?" I enquired, as I returned the 
 salute he offered. 
 
 " Nay, nay, he keeps nane now," he re- 
 plied ; bringing himself to a halt by a pivot 
 movement ; " a did keep hunds ance, but syne 
 the young master met his end, he downa bide 
 the vera sight on em." 
 
 " Has he had the misfortune then to lose a 
 son?" 
 
 "Aye, that has a, and a sore cost it was 
 for un ; a' brake his neck over anenst yon 
 dyke, along o' that boggling filly * Whitefoot.' 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 15 
 
 I tould t*young master she would never face 
 the leap, and begged un on my knees to take 
 the bay gelding instead, that wad ha' carried 
 un o'er that and hell gate to boot, but a 
 wadna' heed me, and they picked un up in 
 the dead thraw not ten minutes afterwards. 
 The devil founder that false footed jade, for 
 she has lost the squire as brave a lad, and me 
 as blythe a place as there is in the county." 
 
 " And he has given up hounds then in con- 
 sequence?" 
 
 " Every lug ; they're a' gone now, both 
 hunds and huntsman, to his cousin Squire 
 Dallington o' Lymbrook, and (lowering his 
 voice) they say as these bonny broad acres '11 
 travel as far too, some day, and a' because a 
 
 misbegotten b h of a mare missed her 
 
 footing," (and here a fresh round of execra- 
 tion was poured on the ofiFending animal). 
 
 " You maybe, han't seen his honor a pas- 
 sing this way ?" he enquired, after relieving 
 his brisket of its burden. " I have a word, 
 
16 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 for hiin from my master ; ye see he's nae 
 greatways blessed wi means, isn't master, but 
 just keeps the hunds for t' neebours' sake, and 
 if they don't come the more handsomely down 
 wi't brass, I reckon the poor whelps '11 een 
 have to pack, and Ro. Todhunter with them ; 
 it makes a conny gap in five hundred a 
 year — a kennel o' two-score dogs, with oat- 
 meal up at 60." 
 
 With this professional remark my sporting 
 friend went his way, and throwing away the 
 end of my havannah I rose to resume mine. 
 
 The clouds had again gathered overhead, 
 and to escape a wetting I put forth my best 
 speed on my return. 
 
 On nearing a rustic bridge that spanned a 
 rivulet on my way, I found it necessary to 
 halt till two persons who were advancing over 
 it had crossed. 
 
 They were a gentleman and lady apparently 
 in the prime of life, whose presence bore the 
 decided impress of gentility, yet seemed to tell, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 17 
 
 in the drooping form and unspringy step, of 
 some hidden grief that was preying on their 
 health and peace. 
 
 They courteously returned my salute on 
 meeting, and narrowly scrutinizing them as 
 they passed, I remarked the hair of the gen- 
 tleman was grey, though he must have been 
 yet under middle age, whilst the cheek of 
 his companion, wan and colourless, was in too 
 faithful keeping with the joyless and unobser- 
 vant eye she bent upon me. " The brother 
 and his bride," thought I, wheeling round to 
 take another look at them ; aye, yonder as T 
 live (for I detected a family resemblance), go 
 my dear friend Clem and my loving lady 
 Su," on their un joyful path; can it be that the 
 brother's curse has fallen, and the usurper is 
 drinking in his Eden of the cup he so cruelly 
 administered ? Verily there is a Nemesis that 
 deals forth our lot on earth, adjusts her 
 balances with hair weights, and assigns us 
 our portions with hands of fire. 
 
 A smart shower which began to fall put a 
 
18 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 sudden stop to my meditations, and I did not 
 reach my quarters till I had received such a 
 share of its offerings as rendered a change of 
 outer garments necessary. 
 
 Ordering tea to a room that had a fire in 
 it, I opened the door that the landlord seemed 
 to indicate, and entered an ancient chamber 
 with a bay-window at the further end, and my 
 chief object of research — a fire — smouldering 
 amidst its embers on the hearth. 
 
 With the aid of some fresh fuel and an ef- 
 fective pair of bellows I speedily raised a 
 cheerful blaze, and it was not till I had turned 
 my back to this and was watching the 
 effect of its flickering light on the quaint gar- 
 niture of the apartment, that I became awarjS 
 of its having another occupant. 
 
 This was an aged female, apparently in the 
 last stage of life, who was seated in the recess 
 of the window, her head resting on her hand, 
 in which was still held the thread she had 
 been lately winding from her spinning wheel, 
 and her whole attention absorbed in the con- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 19 
 
 templatioii of the outward view which, illu- 
 minated by the now risen moon, presented in 
 its midst the pale drawn picture of Dallington 
 Hall. 
 
 The infirmities of age had probably impaired 
 her hearing, and it was only on my drawing 
 near to apologise for my unwitting intrusion, 
 that she bent on me a look of gradual con- 
 sciousness. 
 
 " A bra' night, sir," she said, winding up 
 her thread, and laying aside her wheel, " wad 
 ye tak' a seat ? I ha' been looking at the auld 
 place syne sunset." 
 
 Seating myself for a moment in the bay, I 
 again apologised for invading her room, but 
 discoursing with her own thoughts, she pro- 
 ceeded without heeding my excuses : 
 
 " I saw ye fore-gathering with the squire 
 and his leddy at the brig end e'en now, and 
 ye looked ahint ye as if ye wad ha' liked to 
 ken mair o' them ; is't not sae ?" 
 
 I smiled at the correctness of the old wo- 
 man's observation, whilst she continued : 
 
A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 *' See, yonder they go, with heavy hearts I 
 trow, into the big house, which is a' their ain 
 at last, and nane o'' their kin ower nigh to 
 scaur them with canny welcomes." 
 
 I was somewhat struck with the tone of 
 the old woman's remarks, who, catching my 
 thoughts, probably from my countenance, ob- 
 served : 
 
 " I'm no o' these parts by birth, sir. I'm a 
 north-country woman, and was fourscore years 
 and ten last April day, and the better part o' 
 these ha' I spent in yon bigging before us, 
 which to my mind is the brightest and bon- 
 niest spot in a' creation; but, ay me I there's aye 
 a dark corner in ilka house, and sair to say 
 oftenest nigh the hcarth-stane." 
 
 " You are well acquainted then with the 
 Dallington family?" I remarked, as she 
 paused to sigh. 
 
 " Acquent wi't ! ilka ane o' the bonny bairns 
 ha' I dandled i' these old arms, and now after 
 guiding them up fra* babbies, and spending 
 the best part o' my life in sarving em, they 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 21 
 
 maun send me hither to wear out what's left 
 amang strangers ; but I winna wrang the puir 
 bairns — weel, I wot it's only ane of them wad 
 ha' done it, and weel, I wot wherefore, but if 
 puir Edmund meets wi' nae friend else, he 
 shall aye find ane as Ling as Ailie Jordan 
 lasts abune grund." 
 
 " And who then is this Edmund?" I en- 
 quired. " I believe it has been my fortune to 
 meet with him heretofore, and I take a strong 
 interest in his history." 
 
 " Wha was he ! look ye here, sir," she re- 
 plied, fumbling with her fleshless fingers about 
 her bosom, and at length putting before me a 
 well executed miniature; " that's wha he was, 
 the eldest son of Sir Edmund as was, and 
 brother to this present Clement, and ane thing 
 mair," she added, uttering the words in a low 
 emphatic tone, " he was and is, and I'll ever 
 uphaud him to be (for all tiiat's come and 
 gane) the true and lawfu' maister of Dalling- 
 tonHa'.*' 
 
 After pausing awhile to recover from the 
 
22 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 emotion with which she had spoken, she pro- 
 ceeded : 
 
 " But I think ye said, sir, ye had been ac- 
 quent wi'rn i' former times ; wad ye tell now 
 his auld nurse (for I ha* tended him fra* a 
 weanlin') a' ye ken o' my poor bairn ?" 
 
 I hesitated a moment to comply, for T felt 
 that the picture I should give could neither 
 be softened nor disguised, and ultimately I 
 gave it in the simple guise of truth, which so 
 wrought upon the old woman's feelings that, 
 bowing her head upon her knees, she wept in 
 the utmost abandonment. 
 
 Anxious to soothe her unavailing grief, I 
 ordered the tea-things, which had already been 
 laid elsewhere, to be brought into the cham- 
 ber, and after severally solacing ourselves 
 with a cup of the reviving. fluid, I requested 
 to have the history of her foster-child, which, 
 simplified for the reader's benefit, was as 
 follows : — 
 
 The eldest son of a Baronet of Ions: descent 
 and large property, it was generally expected 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 23 
 
 that, with the name, Edmund Dallington 
 would have succeeded to the estate of his 
 father, and hoped also by the family con- 
 nections, to the position and influence ac- 
 quired by the latter in the political world, as 
 well. This prospect, however, as he grew up, 
 became more and more doubtful of being 
 realized. 
 
 Though far from wanting in good quali- 
 ties, both of heart and head, evincing indeed 
 occasionally marks of talent, as always of 
 generosity, they were all in a great measure 
 marred by a certain frivolity of mood, caprice 
 of conduct, which at times took so much the 
 form of imbecility as to afford matter of 
 derisive comment to the circle of his associates 
 and relatives. It was supposed by many 
 (perhaps by most) that with the family acres, 
 he had inherited an eccentricity of character 
 which at intervals, that seemed partly periodic, 
 had heretofore manifested itself in his line of 
 ancestry. 
 
 As the natural result of a tendency to 
 
f 
 
 24 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 .;i! 
 
 misclioose his intimates, the confidence too 
 rashly yielded, too largely lavished, had been 
 often abused— so often, that withdrawing it 
 by degrees from its first (and as he deemed 
 less worthy) objects, he reposed it at last (and 
 where is the human heart that seeks not a 
 quarter to do this ?) in concentrated strength 
 and fullest measure on his brother next in 
 age, Clement, whose silent profundity of 
 character had sometimes worn the semblance 
 of regard. 
 
 Thus, on the death of the head of the 
 family and dispersion of its members, he had 
 warmly invited the latter to remain as part of 
 his household, and assist him in the manage- 
 ment of his estates. This offer was accepted 
 in a spirit and with an object truly diabolical. 
 
 The first act of the younger brother's gra- 
 titude was to possess himself of the affections 
 of a young lady, who had long been an in- 
 mate of the Hall, as ward of the late baronet, 
 and universally considered the affianced bride 
 of the present. Hitherto she had given every 
 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 25 
 
 proof of a true reciprocity of affection, and 
 notwithstanding the peculiarities of her lover, 
 maintained her faith unshaken ; but the female 
 heart is naturally facile, and the Mephistophe- 
 lean brother so cunningly played his cards 
 that in no great length of time he found the 
 game his own. Whilst urging an ardent suit 
 on his own behalf he infected her mind with 
 suspicions of her former suitor's sanity, and 
 it was only after its consummation that this 
 double treason of his nearest blood relation 
 and betrothed bride accidentally came to the 
 knowledge of its victim. This was not all ; 
 whilst sufferiUj^^ under the intolerable anguish 
 produced bv this discovery, in fact, in a con- 
 dition to give the fullest colour to their views, 
 two medical practitioners, suborned by the 
 chief conspirator, were introduced into the 
 house in the character of guests, and suc- 
 ceeded in establishing a charge of insanity 
 against his unhappy kinsman, by which he 
 was virtually deprived of his inheritance, and 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 ^y 
 
26 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 committed to the uncontrolled custody of Lis 
 arch enemy. 
 
 This was too much for a mind already 
 tottering under its former blows, and seizing 
 an early opportunity he effected his escape 
 from confinement, and in his native land at 
 least was never heard of more. 
 
 Such was the domestic tragedy that sent its 
 victim an exile into the wilderness, and many 
 there are, doubtless, like it, little heeded in 
 this gadding world, but seen and noted by the 
 all-kenning Judge, who sooner or later metes 
 our plenteous retribution. 
 
 " They ha' sent me hither," wound up the 
 old nurse, " into the land of Egypt, as I may 
 ca't, for saying what I've said to you, as if 
 wi' my puir breath they could squinch the 
 justice of the Lord in heaven, but He takes 
 the evil doer in he's ain devices. I'm four 
 score years and ten, and my a^-ld een grow 
 dim, but as sure as I see yon bonny bigging 
 now, I see His rod at wark upon its maister." 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 27 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 It was well on towards noon next day ere we 
 were again fairly on the road. 
 
 The delay, however, was little important, 
 as our day's journey was to be but a short one, 
 and we should reach our goal early in the 
 evening — a time I always preferred for doffing 
 travelling harness," and looking through the 
 localities we had arrived at. 
 
 Our route lay through a rich agricultural 
 district, resembling in the eyes of my com- 
 panion the neif»hbourhood of her home, though 
 touched by nature with a kindlier glow, whilst 
 
 c 2 
 
A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 exhibiting less largely the evidences of in- 
 genious industry. 
 
 As we rolled over a country of unvaried 
 flatness, mile succeeding mile of alternating 
 grass and corn fields, I involuntarily began 
 contrasting its appearance with thf pine- 
 covered wilds of New Brunswick, which had 
 so often and profoundly impressed me. 
 
 The tedious levels we were traversing had 
 doubtless in their time been sheathed in 
 similar fashion, the pine and the oak succeed- 
 ing each other for centuries in silent vegeta- 
 tion and decay,, till the race of man would 
 multiply among their glades, the hut and the 
 cottage send forth their signal smokes, and 
 civilization, axe in hand, annihilate the last 
 vestiges of the wilderness. Such, in the lapse 
 of ages, had been its fate, and such would be 
 that of the reoions I had trodden in the new 
 world, locked up as they now were in a 
 dominant forest growth, beneath which I had 
 myself wandered for weeks together, and over 
 whose top a squirrel might skip its hundred 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 leagues without descending from its leafy 
 carpet. 
 
 Following this train of meditation I again 
 found myself planted in the well remembered 
 clearing of the Far Pines, reviewed its deserted 
 tenement, and was pensively replacing in its 
 doorway the infantile form which had so 
 often welcomed me, and furnished such fre- 
 quent cause of subsequent anxiety, when an 
 exclamation from my little girl awakened me 
 to the present scene and epoch. 
 
 " O, papa !" pointing to a majestic edifice, 
 about a mile in front, *' look what a beautiful 
 house! that must be a lord's house, pa — see 
 howbigitisi" 
 
 " Leighton Castle, as I live," I cried, rous- 
 ing myself from my reverie, and collecting my 
 senses to make an earnest survey of a spot 
 which, as the reader may imagine, was for 
 manifold reasons deeply interesting to me. 
 Old Norman also got upon his legs, and rest- 
 ing his grizzled head on the carriage door, 
 looked out upon the broad domain we were 
 
30 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 passing with eyes that, for the moment, 
 sloughed the film of age, and nostrils whose 
 active play seemed to speak recognition of 
 the air of his puppy hood. 
 
 Many features now occurred which vividly 
 renewed the impressions made upon my mind 
 during the perusal of my friend's M.S. 
 
 There was the spacious park, wi^h the ' ver- 
 nal green triumphing over the brown drapery 
 of winter' — there the ' majestic oaks with their 
 low breathed sighs and interwoven boughs' — 
 now the music of purhikg rills met the ear, 
 and at length the ornamental sheet of water 
 with the stately pile upon its banks rewarded 
 my earnest gaze. 
 
 An extensive grove of trees, threatening to 
 intercept my view and destroy the impressions 
 it occasioned, ''Stop I" I cried out peremp- 
 torily to the postilion, " stop, on your life." 
 The man pulled up with something of the 
 startled air with which he would have answered 
 a highwayman's " stand and deliver I" With 
 an interest that might almost have been called 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 personal, I gave myself to the examination of 
 the various features of the prospect. (^ » 
 
 Along this road, thought I, passed the 
 young tutor Etheredge, on his introductory 
 visit to Leighton ; along this road — enchanted 
 then to him— he wended so often after in the 
 agreeable enthralment of first love; across 
 those lawns moved his lovely mistress, with 
 the light hearted grace of girlhood ; and be- 
 fore me I beheld the water where he saved her 
 life and well nigh lost his own. 
 
 Norman on his part had been far from an 
 uninterested observer of the scene, but rising 
 with his fore paws on the chaise door, had 
 scrutinized the objects I had noted with an ap- 
 parent affinity of feeling. Spying a couple of 
 dogs in the park gambolling round a figure 
 that seemed that of a keeper, he emitted (the 
 first time for a good twelvemonth) an obso- 
 lete half abortive howl, intended for a bark, 
 which was answered by the others with high 
 and resonant yellings, as though in derision 
 of his superannuated eflforts. 
 
32 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 'i 
 I 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 The trio passed on, and other groups be- 
 came observable dotting the grounds in 
 various directions. 
 
 I now remembered it was the festival week, 
 and ordered the driver to proceed at once to 
 the hotel that we might learn betimes our 
 chance of accommodation. 
 
 Passing the park gate, where I was half 
 prepared to see the barouche issue forth with 
 its charming inmate, we drew up at a plain 
 substantial building which bore the arms of 
 the neighbouring peer, and were received 
 with something of old-fashioned courtesy by 
 its landlady, Mrs. Marton. 
 
 On enquiring our prospects of entertain- 
 ment, we were informed they depended en- 
 tirely (the place having been unusually full 
 for some days past) upon the departure of 
 a party whose intentions were as yet un- 
 known. * 
 
 While making my interrogations I felt a 
 familiar touch on the shoulder, and turning 
 round encountered the " confirmed'* visage 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 33 
 
 of my friend and father-in-law, Mr. Dalham. 
 After the usual felicitations of the meeting : 
 
 " I can settle," he said, " Mrs. Marton's 
 difficulty at once ; her guests are clients of 
 mine, and are about to depart almost instan- 
 ter. I am unfortunately obliged to accompany 
 
 them, having business to transact at , 
 
 but I will walk over here to-morrow evening 
 and take tea with you.'^ 
 
 I urged him to come and share a bottle of 
 port with me at dinner, but this he thought he 
 could scarce accomplish, " as our new mar- 
 ried heir presumptive," said he, emphasizing 
 the word, " is to give his grand regale to the 
 farmers to-morrow, and I shall have to attend 
 in virtue of my office. If you should feel dis- 
 posed to join us, I think I can manage to se- 
 cure a chair for you ; I come over here," he 
 added, seeing his friends approach, " as 
 seldom as I can, for though poor old Lord 
 Leighton regards me, I believe, with friendly 
 feelings, the * rising sun,' for certain reasons 
 
 c 5 
 
 § 
 
34 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 of his own, turns on his humble servant a 
 somewhat clouded face." 
 
 His friends now came up, and our luggage 
 having been removed and the post-boy paid, 
 we entered the inn and were shown into an 
 upper chamber, which commanded a fine view 
 of the adjoining domain. 
 
 It was now about half-past four p.m., and 
 as the most suitable refreshment, after a hot 
 drive in the morning sun, we ordered tea. 
 
 Whilst the hostess was arranging the tray, 
 I remarked to her how large an assemblage 
 ofcompany her noble landlord seemed to be 
 entertaining. 
 
 "Aye, sir, there's a deal of quality folk 
 come down to the merry-makings, but he 
 dosn*t much fash himself about them; in- 
 deed, you may see him walking about his 
 grounds more like a stranger himself than the 
 master of well nigh half the county. Poor 
 gentleman, he has never been rightly his own 
 man since that sad business of leddy Lowra's 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 35 
 
 — it has fairly ta'en the heart out of him ; 
 gentle or simple, we must all have our crosses. 
 We've some nice cold chicken, sir, and a real 
 Leighton ham, if yourself or the young lady 
 has a fancy that way ; we fatten them on the 
 mast of the park oaks yonder. Ah, he was 
 ever our kind landlord, the poor old Earl ; 
 but if he takes on as he has done o' late, I 
 fear his days will be but short in the land ; 
 we shall see different times, I trow, when he 
 is gone;" and hearing herself summoned from 
 below, our good hostess now left us to our 
 refection, with a valedictory " Try the ham, 
 sir?" 
 
 When seasoned by a sufficient amount of 
 exercise, there is no little enjoyment to be 
 found in " taking one's ease in his Inn," a 
 truth we proved to our satisfaction in the hour 
 we devoted to the purpose. 
 
 It was a beautiful spring evening, and re- 
 freshed by the showers of the previous night, 
 a miscellany of sweetest perfumes from sweet- 
 briar, wallflower, rose and hawthorn, stole 
 
36 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 h 
 
 upon the senses througli the open casement. 
 From the throngs in the neighbouring grounds 
 were heard the distance-softened sounds of 
 careless conversation or light-hearted laugh- 
 ter, whilst troops of pleasure-seekers strolled 
 along the road hard by, whose festal airs 
 seemed chidden by the sober looks of the hard- 
 worked and home-returning peasant. 
 
 As it was desirable to make the most of the 
 evening, we remained no longer over onr meal 
 than was necessary, and my daughter appear- 
 ing unfatigued by her short day's work, I took 
 her hand and walked into the park, paged as 
 usual by the aged bloodhound. 
 
 The place had, by this, assumed a some- 
 what deserted look, the groups that had 
 thronged it having imperceptibly drained 
 away. The sound of music in the direction 
 of the castle served presently to explain the 
 mystery, the guests having probably ex- 
 changed the open air for entertainment of a 
 more special kind within doors. 
 
 This circumstance I did not much rejrret. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 87 
 
 wishing to enjoy undisturbed the beauties of 
 the deserted scene, and meditations it naturally 
 gave rise to. * 
 
 Little Susan, in the briskest spirits, had 
 been gambolling on the turf with Norman, 
 and as I entered a shady alley that diverged 
 from the main road, ran ahead after the old 
 dog, which had suddenly taken the lead. The 
 sounds of persons speaking presently met my 
 ear, and as I drew near a retired arbour a 
 little apart from the pathway, I heard a voice 
 exclaim in earnest tones, " In the name of 
 G — wd, cluld, where got you this?" 
 
 On arriving at the spot a striking scene 
 presented itself. 
 
 My old time-stricken hound was standing 
 with his fore paws on the knees of an old 
 gentleman, who was seated in the recess, 
 holding in his hand my friend Lord Ardca- 
 pell's locket, which I had somewhat incau- 
 tiously entrusted to my little girl, and by her 
 in a fit of sportiveness, had been slipped round 
 the animal's neck. The young truant herself 
 
38 
 
 A PILGRIMAQE 
 
 was standing beside the dog, and in course of 
 being questioned after the above fashion as 
 I made my appearance. 
 
 " In the name of Heaven, where got you 
 this ?'* repeated the old man. He was habited 
 in plain attire, his hat lay on the bench beside 
 him, and whilst with one hand he grasped my 
 valued souvenir, with the other rested on a 
 walking-stick in the attitude of one lately 
 roused from meditation. His air and presence 
 were singularly venerable, and bore every 
 token of having once been noble and com- 
 manding. 
 
 The extreme whiteness of his hair seemed 
 to tell of something more than age, so remark- 
 ably was it contrasted with the vivid bril- 
 liancy of his hazel eye, which, though be- 
 tokening unusual fire and force of mind, was 
 crossed from time to time by what seemed the 
 shooting lights of some operant sorrow or 
 internal strife. 
 
 Regarding the miniature he held with a 
 fixed and earnest gaze, he addressed this 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 39 
 
 second question to myself as I came up, and 
 waited with suspended breath for a reply. 
 
 " It is a portrait," I returned, " of a valued 
 friend of mine who died many years ago 
 abroad, but whose virtues are still cherished 
 by those who had the happiness to know 
 her." 
 
 "Her name?" 
 
 " Was Jermyn." 
 
 " Ah, then, it cannot be, yet how like I it 
 is the very face of my poor pet ; yea, as I 
 live, it must be she ; did you not say her name 
 was Farle — that is, Etheredge?" '■' 
 
 " Her name, sir," (catching a suspicion as 
 to how the case stood) " when I knew her, 
 was Jermyn ; she was the wife of a friend 
 I had of that name, entirely worthy of her, 
 and now also long since dead." 
 
 " *Tis strange I those are my Laura's very 
 lineaments — her look, and that presented by 
 no common skill ; this dog, too, seems to have 
 a cast of her favourite hound about it ; ho I 
 Norman, how now, old boy?" patting the 
 
40 
 
 A PILaRIMAGE 
 
 ammal's head, which briskened up, wagged 
 its tail, and looked more like old Norman 
 than ever. " He must have been dead, too, 
 though long ago, the all that would remain to 
 her of the sports and loves of LeightonI 
 Alack I how our feelings fool us I" 
 
 The old man sighed — he thought he had 
 been mocked by that mirage which haunts the 
 desolations of the soul like those of nature, 
 the phantoms of fond and unfulfilled desire — • 
 but he was wrong; that was indeed his 
 daughter's image, and that the living identity 
 of her favourite, but many cogent reasons 
 compelled me to withhold the truth from 
 him. 
 
 " Would it be trenching," he added, " too 
 much on your generosity, to beg (if I might 
 not buy) this object of you ? It is for various 
 reasons of much interest to me." 
 
 " Pardon me," I replied, " if I say I cannot 
 part with a memorial I so greatly value." 
 
 " Whatever reason you may have for 
 prizing it, the person who now speaks to you 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 41 
 
 has at least a hundred fold. You will not at 
 least refuse it to me for a few days, that I 
 may have a copy taken by an artist of repute 
 now in the neighbourhood ; my name is 
 Philip Farleton, and I live in that large house 
 yonder by the water." 
 
 I could not well avoid complying with this 
 moderate request, so detached the locket from 
 the dog's neck, and gave it him, mentioning 
 at the same time, that as my stay would be 
 but brief I should wish to have it returned as 
 soon as possible. This he engaged should be 
 done, and added that if I had come hither in 
 honor of his nephew's nuptials he should 
 think himself favoured by my being his guest 
 till the work was finished. 
 
 This arrangement I had my own reasons 
 for declining, which I did in terms of due 
 courtesy, and then proceeded on my ramble. 
 
 As we seated ourselves in the course of it 
 under a noble oak that stood in front of the 
 ancient part of the mansion, and which I had 
 every reason to believe was the "trysting 
 
42 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 tree," mentioned in the memoir, my thoughts 
 naturally recurred to the recent scene and the 
 interesting old man I had just parted from. 
 He, too, feels no less than " My dear friend, 
 Clem,'* that the wealth he holds is of little 
 avail to fill up the void left by his daughter's 
 loss ; the bauble he has begged of me is pro- 
 bably now more prized than all his vast pos- 
 sessions put together. 
 
 Of all the evils that embitter life and render 
 its enjoyments valueless, among the foremost 
 stand the rankling griefs of family schisms and 
 severances. Most of our ills we can meet be- 
 yond our thresholds, and quell or submit to 
 with unblenching spirits, but these assail us at 
 our very hearthstones, divide ourselves 
 against ourselves, and kindle in the breast 
 that civil strife which admits neither of 
 triumph nor escape. 
 
 There is that in the father's eye that tells 
 too plainly of this cruel warfare, yet some- 
 thing withal that seems to show the better in- 
 stincts of his nature had revived in him, and 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 43 
 
 that could his banished child have been re- 
 stored, it would have been a day of holiest 
 triumph to them both. This fate, alas, for- 
 bade, but what if her daughter — the young 
 fawn — could be discovered to rekindle the old 
 man's life and cheer its declining stage ? 
 Could this but be, could the tone of his exist- 
 ence be renewed, and those halls now ringing 
 with the mirth of strangers — -and broad estates 
 on the point of passing to a reprobate, be re- 
 tained to his line and reopened to his enjoy- 
 ment, it were worth devoting half a life-time 
 to accomplish it. 
 
 As the evening advanced, the moon had 
 lighted up the nearer portion of the castle, and 
 T perceived my daughter gazing with a look 
 of awe at its frowning bastions and beetling 
 "wall. The ivy ivas rustling on its battle- 
 ments — the ensign of their ravager — time. 
 After the close siege of centuries he had 
 stormed the strong place at last, and his 
 banner waving in the night-wind over ram- 
 parts breached by his artillery, presented an 
 
44 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 emphatic picture of the might that " over- 
 cometh all things." 
 
 Immersed in meditations arising from my 
 late rencontre, and tempered with a pleasing 
 sadness by the grave yet lovely scene I looked 
 at — suggesting many a moral to my thoughts 
 — ^the time wore imperceptibly on till the in- 
 creased bustle at the mansion, the twinkling 
 of bells, and the flashing of lights bespoke the 
 end of the entertainment and departure of the 
 guests. Admonished of the lateness of the 
 hour, we put ourselves abruptly in motion, 
 and shortly after reaching the park road fell 
 in with the main file of the retiring throng. 
 
 " Well," said a well-dressed young man in 
 front, who had the air of a country clergyman, 
 "he has done his best to please us, that's 
 certain, and amidst such a motley crowd it 
 was truly no easy task ; but to my taste he 
 over-does it — he seems as if he were acting a 
 part, and I should not wonder after all if he 
 hid a fair share of teeth and claws beneath all 
 those smiles and suavities." - < 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 45 
 
 " Aye, aye," observed an old top-booted 
 farmer, behind me, to his companion, "a's 
 varra weel — a*s a' varra weel of s outwards, 
 but holler, holler — washed metal I doubt ; I 
 seed him laughing thro the tail of's 'ee, at 
 these boots o' mine, as who should say that's 
 not the sort o' gear for this spot ; but I can 
 tell his squireship, for he's nae lord after all, 
 this is not the first time they've stood there, 
 and afore better men than himself too ; for I 
 was at the old Arl's wedding now nigh forty 
 year agone, when top-boots was considered a 
 pleasin' featur', and there was always a glass 
 o' grog in store when folk got their fill o' 
 caperin'. Lord knows I did what I could i' 
 that way, but a sma' matter winds me now, 
 and wad ye believe it, all I could lay hold on 
 
 for the love o' was a savvy biscuit and 
 
 some sour pump water ; times is sadly alter- 
 ing, to my mind. Cuddy." 
 
 These observations of the old agriculturist 
 were accompanied by sundry lurches to the 
 right and left which, to those fond of referring 
 

 46 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 to first causes, might have inspired some 
 doubt as to the limited extent of his indul- 
 gences. 
 
 Fearful lest some of his evolutions might 
 jeopardize my little charge, I made a flank 
 movement and fell to the rear. Two old 
 women were hobbling on with the slow and 
 difficult steps of age. 
 
 " Nay, cummer," replied one to something 
 addressed to her by the other, " it doesn't stir 
 my heart a bit as it used to — a' this feasting 
 and dancing, and merry making — for I ken 
 too weel what it a' ends in. It seems but 
 yesterday the ould ' ^Lrl (Lord Farleton 'a was 
 then) had Ms time on't, and the bonny young 
 bride cam' down fro' Lunnon and made all 
 our hearts as lightsome as her own; weel, 
 cummer, ye ken as weel as me how afore the 
 year was out she was ligging stiff and stark 
 in the churchyard. E'en sae that winsome 
 young quean, leddy Lowra, (it fairly gives me 
 the heart grip to think on't,) it was after one 
 o* these unsonsy frolics she was spirited away 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 17 
 
 by her teacher, and what has become o' the 
 bonny bird none seem to ken or care for ; and 
 sae, cummer, when I see a' these vanities astir 
 I say, let the young squire look ahint him as 
 weel as forrards, and tak* heed a' na come by 
 a slip as weel as 's kinsfold/* 
 
 We had by this entered the high road nearly 
 " opposite our hotel," whose welcome accom- 
 modation we lost no time in resorting to. 
 
 -%f ■**•" 
 
A PILGRIMAGE ' 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The next day broke favorably for the event 
 that was chiefly to signalise it in the quiet 
 neighbourhood of Leighton, viz., the enter- 
 tainment of tlie Earl's numerous tenantry by 
 their prospective landlord. 
 
 I was awakened at an early hour by the 
 cawing of the rooks, as they fluttered and 
 fought roimd the oak trees that held their 
 nests and young, making the air echo with 
 pleasant and beseeming music. 
 
 As it seemed to convey a tacit reproach on 
 my own indolence, I forthwith arose, and, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 49 
 
 sketch book in hand, went forth to enjoy the 
 beauties of the park by sunrise. 
 
 Overcome by the indulgences of the pre- 
 vious day not a soul was as yet abroad, and 
 choosing the first path that presented it- 
 self, I sauntered along in quest of a subject for 
 my pencil. The grass being too long and wet 
 to venture on, I found my range in this respect 
 somewhat restricted, and moreover had not 
 been long upon the move when I felt the un- 
 pleasant conviction I was being followed. 
 
 Now guides to prescribe one's steps, and 
 hangers on to haunt them, have ever been 
 viewed by me in the light of especial nui- 
 sances. In the present case, moreover, con- 
 sidering the promiscuous nature of the crowds 
 gathered by the occasion, I thought it not 
 improbable I might have been selected 
 through some mistake by the police as an ap- 
 propriate object for their attentions. 
 
 Feeling after awhile somewhat out of hu- 
 mour at this surveillance I retraced my steps, 
 and on meeting my persevering follower, en- 
 
 YOL. I. D 
 
50 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 quired whether I was trespassing that he con- 
 sidered it needful to give such close attend- 
 ance. The fellow, who was a square-set, 
 strong-looking rustic, dressed after the fashion 
 of a gamekeeper, looked rather sheepish at my 
 challenge, stammered out something about his 
 being " fond o' lookin at a fine dog," referring 
 to Norman who was with me, " that that un' 
 there was so like a prime cretur* he had 
 been acquen' wi' some long time ago he could 
 a most ha* sworn it had been the same. Sup- 
 posed there was some mistake, but hoped there 
 was no offence,*' and with a good many re- 
 verted looks proceeded under correction on hi« 
 way. 
 
 The object of his interest during this short 
 dialogue had on his own part been describing 
 sundry circles round the speaker, which, taken 
 togetlier with its side long glances, half-wary, 
 half-familiar, could they have been rendered 
 into " King's English," would, as it seemed 
 to me, liave made a pretty close counterpart 
 of his own speecli. 
 
 ••r«i 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 51 
 
 When he rejoined me there was a sly sparkle 
 in the corner of his old eyes, as though he were 
 enjoying a quiet joke in his own way. 
 
 It presently occurred to me that our best 
 plan of proceedings would be to get an early 
 breakfast, and then pursue our walk on an ex- 
 tended scale through the grounds and neigh- 
 bourhood until noon, when we might either 
 join the dinner party or rest ourselves at the 
 jm as we thought best. I therefore returned, 
 and after a substantial meal set forth once 
 more with my daughter on our round of ex- 
 ploration. 
 
 Some furlongs from the hotel we turned up 
 a bye lane that seemed to be tlie boundary on 
 that side of the park, and after following it 
 for a mile or so reached a bridge that spanned 
 a well sized brook, and commanded on either 
 hand a bewitching view of green and dew- 
 sprent meads, over which the fine spring morn- 
 ing was shedding its early blandishments. 
 
 Spreading my cloak upon the parapet we 
 seated ourselves thereon, and admired at our 
 
 D 2 
 
52 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ease this choice morceau of English land- 
 scape. The green and juicy meadows were 
 still floating with the undispersed night mists, 
 which, permeated by the early sunbeams, 
 shone doubly white and luminous, amusing 
 the eye with the fantastic wreaths they sent 
 athwart the neighbouring woods. A herd 
 of kine, as they stood by their still marked 
 lairs, were lowing impatiently for the milk- 
 maid, and blended their sonorous music with 
 the murmurs of the brook beneath us. On the 
 greensward of the meadows innumerable 
 flowers became one by one discernible through 
 the thinning vapour, the primrose and 
 hyacinth pre-eminent, enchanting the eye with 
 their simple yet inexplicable beauty, and im- 
 pressing the heart and senses with an irre- 
 sistible sentiment of happiness. 
 
 While listening to the Castle breakfast bell 
 as it sent its jocund echoes through this 
 Claude-like scene, a six-horse wain, laden wi'h 
 heavy furniture, came up, and the leaders, 
 through the driver's heedlessness, making a 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 53 
 
 sudden side-move to the bridge end, where 
 there was a watering-place, confined us, 
 together with two young ladies who had 
 casually come up at the moment, to a narrow 
 space beside the parapet, which the pon- 
 derous wheels of the vehicle were now 
 threatening to invade. 
 
 The little wall, from the sharpness of its 
 coping, offering no standing place, I took my 
 little girl in my arms and leaped over it into 
 the brook below, which happened fortunately 
 to be shallow, calling upon my companions to 
 do the same. 
 
 One of them following my advice, was duly 
 received in my arms ; but the other, overcome 
 by her alarm, remained motionless where she 
 stood, and would probably have incurred some 
 serious injury, had it not been for the prompt 
 action of the teamster, who, giving one shaft 
 horse a smart stroke with his whip, and the 
 other an adroit pull by the reins, suddenly 
 diverted the waggon's course, and shortly 
 brought it to a stand-still. 
 
54 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 After giving a sharp rebuke to the lad, and 
 due congratulations to the poor girl who had 
 been placed in such imminent jeopardy, Susan 
 and myself proceeded on our road, but had 
 not taken many steps when a low call from 
 one of the fair strangers again brought us to 
 a stop. Hastily running up, she apologized 
 for the trouble she had given me, and expres- 
 sing her fear that I was wet, invited us to 
 accompany herself and sister to her father^s 
 house, which she affirmed was close at hand. 
 
 As her manner was both frank and lady- 
 like, and her surmise as to my state un- 
 doubtedly correct, I accepted the offer thank- 
 fully, and soon found myself at their abode, 
 which proved to be the village parsonage, 
 their father being vicar of the parish. 
 
 After a short statement of the occurrence 
 that had introduced us to him, he received us 
 with much amenity, supplied me with a 
 change of nether raiment, and invited us to 
 partake of an early dinner. ^ 
 
 As it wanted, however, some hours to the 
 
OVER 'I'HE PRAIRIES. 
 
 55 
 
 the 
 
 time, in order to fill up the interval, he pro- 
 posed a stroll through his rather extensive 
 garden, and (as he was occupied himself by 
 business) commissioned Charlotte (the sprightly 
 girl, who had been so aleri in her movements 
 at the bridge), to act as my conductress. 
 
 The grounds were laid out with consider- 
 able taste, and there being a good deal of rock 
 about them, my charming guide pointed out 
 how effectually this feature (such a stumbling 
 block to most horticulturists), had been turned 
 to account by her own and her sister's 
 management. 
 
 " That is Fanny's bed," said she, showing 
 me a raised border filled with choice and 
 well-cared-for exotics; "and this," pointing 
 to a range of rockery exquisitely disposed, 
 "is mine. Fanny's taste is for foreigners, 
 mine for natives ; and yonder you see gathered 
 all the wild flowers I have been able to pro- 
 cure for love or money, from all the wild and 
 wasteful places in the land ; I hope you ad- 
 mire them," she added, shaking her hair from 
 her face, and smiling sunnily. 
 
56 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 I assured her I did so vastly, and should 
 rejoice to become a contributor to her col- 
 lection, for the first of the two considerations 
 she had mentioned. 
 
 "Here is one," plucking a wild geranium 
 from its nest, and presenting it to me, " that 
 came from the Peak of Derbyshire, and 
 nearly cost me a broken neck in getting it ; I 
 assure you I had to jump almost my own 
 height into a brook to do so." 
 
 Fanny here maliciously remarked, ** Yes, 
 and without falling so soft as you did to-day, 
 either," which sent the blood into her sister's 
 cheeks and covered her with momentary con- 
 fusion. 
 
 Seeing something of a smile upon my face, 
 produced by this little by-play, Fanny's glee 
 became exuberant, and running to her own 
 flower bed she nipped off a carnation, which 
 she put into my hands, asking me which of the 
 two offerings I liked the most. 
 
 Carefully inserting it in my other lappel, I 
 assured her I was an admirer of beauty in 
 every form, both native and exotic, vegetable 
 
I* 
 
 OVE«R THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 67 
 
 and animal, and could not help regarding the 
 two flowers as emblems of the handsome 
 donors. 
 
 " There — if you had not made so dutiful an 
 answer I question whether I should have re- 
 stored you this precious casket (handing me a 
 cigar case I had left behind while changing 
 my clothes) which I suppose is intended for 
 some of the vegetable beauties you venerate, 
 in an embalmed state. Now, as we don't 
 admit Mrs. Grundy into these grounds, you 
 have our free permission to use and enjoy the 
 contents as you list ; in 'act, we rather like 
 the smell than otherwise in the open air." 
 
 I immediately shewed my sense of their 
 condescension by lighting a weed at once, 
 and proceeded with my two guides on our 
 perambulations. 
 
 Charlotte evidently enjoyed her functions^ 
 
 and her lively humour and naive air had, I 
 
 confess, a decidedly animating effect upon 
 
 myself. Now, she shot down some shady 
 
 alley, and was back again ere I had taken 
 
 D 5 
 
58 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 1 
 
 !! 
 
 three steps in her wake ; now she peered into 
 the beehives whilst rapidly relating some anec- 
 dote connected with them ; then called her 
 pet fowls around her and fed them with wheat 
 from her own pocket, and ended her achieve- 
 ments by climbing into an apple tree and toss- 
 ing down some of the fairest fruit into my 
 hat. 
 
 The dinner bell rang at last, and like many 
 other aspiring characters, poor Charlotte found 
 it more easy to mount to than descend from 
 her elevation. " Now, Charly,'' quoth her 
 bantering sister from underneath, " You're 
 fast again ; I knew you would be getting into 
 a dilemma, and there you are in the very horns 
 as it were ; never mind, you are a sure card 
 at leaping, and here is Mr. Ruysdale with 
 his arms open, all ready to break your fall 
 again." - - 
 
 " Upon my word, Fanny, you get more 
 wicked every day ; I won't trouble Mr. Ruys- 
 dale this turn ; I might spoil the precious carna- 
 tion, my dear, as well as that cigar he seems to 
 
 'i. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 59 
 
 be so much enjoying ; here's papa will play the 
 good Samaritan," and into the paternal arms 
 she accordingly descended with her raiment 
 all torn, locks dishevelled, eyes like diamonds, 
 and cheeks all fire. 
 
 Stimulated by our morning's exercise, we 
 partook with much relish of the simple and 
 wholesome fare we sat down to, and when 
 the cloth was removed, with no less zest, of 
 the bottle of good port that succeeded it. 
 
 The conversation recurred to the incidents 
 of the morning, and from them passed to the 
 proceedings at the castle, to which it appeared 
 the waggon and its load were bound. 
 
 " Mr. Farleton," drily remarked my host as 
 he shelled some nuts Fanny had cracked for 
 him, " seems to be setting up grandee in good 
 style, and if it were not for his wild unreliable 
 nature we might augur a happy time for his 
 new bride, who all agree is a very amiable 
 woman ; set down, however, as she is, among 
 half a dozen mistresses, I fear her beatitude 
 will be of short duration, and the worm at 
 
60 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 core soon 
 
 )clving the magnificence with- 
 out. She has already condescended to visit 
 us here. 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Ruysdale, and invited us over 
 to the festivities, and naughty papa there 
 wouldn't let us ro." 
 
 "No/* returned he, with a stem and austere 
 air, " high as he is, and our next neighbour 
 to boot (more the pity), none of my family 
 shall ever share the hospitalities of Mr. Cyrus 
 Farleton." He mused a moment and then 
 added, '' as I understand, you are nearly re- 
 lated to Mr. Dalham, who has long been 
 chief agent of the family, and an intimate 
 friend also of my own, I speak to you, as 
 you no doubt perceive, with some degree of 
 freedom on these matters. When we first 
 came here, we (alluding to the former subject 
 of his comments) were on very friendly terms 
 together, and might yet have remained so, 
 but for his making me, with a want of caution 
 I cannot at all account for, a proposal (I sup- 
 pose he thought he held the parish parson 
 
 I 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 61 
 
 between his finger and thumb) which I should 
 want terms to designate as it deserves. I was 
 offered considerable preferment, and Charlotte 
 and Fanny there might have now been figur- 
 ing in a far higher sphere if — " 
 
 " If what, papa ?" cried the twD girls in a 
 breath. 
 
 " If only, children, your father wou] ! have 
 consented to become a villain ^y tamperin^j; 
 with certain records in his cha ge. Well, as 
 you may conceive, I expressed my mind as 
 both feeling and duty dictated, at this insult, 
 as well as upon some other passages in his life 
 which were matter of much scandal in the 
 neighbourhood, and our friendly relations in 
 consequence were broivj': t to a decisive close. 
 Not long ago, moreover, he one night nearly 
 rode over my Charlotte as she was returning 
 home from a sick visit, and aggravated his 
 drunken heedlessness by language of the 
 greatest insolence. So that, at present, be- 
 tween him and me there is, as I may say, a 
 great gulf fixed, which neither of us I fancy 
 
62 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 will much care to overpass. For himself, I 
 have many misgivings, and unless he reforms 
 (if that indeed may repair the past) am confi- 
 dent some of these clouds of strange suspicion 
 that surround him, will discharge their light- 
 nings some day, and finish his career in a way 
 he little looks for." 
 
 Perceiving the sun slanting into the apart- 
 ment, I at length made a motion to depart, 
 whereupon our good host proposed to accom- 
 pany us part of the way back, and rang the 
 bell for his daughters' cloaks, which were 
 presently brought in by a staid middle-aged 
 domestic. 
 
 While the young ladies were mantling them- 
 selves, I remarked, " Mr. Farleton being such 
 as you describe him, his succession to the 
 estates must add greatly to Lord Leighton's 
 regret at the loss of his amiable daughter." 
 
 " Undoubtedly, and to that of every one 
 who knew her, besides ; but whilst the old 
 man is nursing a futile grief on tliis score, there 
 are some hardy enougli to affirm she is not 
 
 %' 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 m 
 
 
 dead at all; others, that she died and left 
 a child ; and that old woman you saw in the 
 room just now, stoutly maintains the ready- 
 handed nephew has put both one and the 
 other out of the way himself. As far as 
 intrigue would serve his ends, I have my 
 own reasons for believing he would not 
 have scrupled a moment to employ it. 
 The subject still retains so much of mys- 
 tery that, notwithstanding the lapse of time, 
 it is generally talked of by the neighbours in 
 an under-breath." 
 
 Mr. Felton (such was my reverend enter- 
 tainer's name) then took up his hat, bound 
 with the widower's crape, somewhat dashed 
 by time, and, together with his daughters, set 
 me on my way through the glebe-land till we 
 reached the turnpike road. 
 
 Here he took his leave, and here I bade 
 adieu to the two charming girls whose ac- 
 quaintance I had so suddenly made, pleading 
 with much earnestness and many radiant 
 smiles for its renewal. It was the last, how- 
 
64 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ever, I was destined to see of tliein. They 
 were two of those stars that shoot across our 
 path when least expected, gladdening us for 
 the moment, and then, " like the lost Pleiad," 
 meeting our gaze no more. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 65 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 At the other side of the highway was the 
 park postern, passing through which we di- 
 rected our steps towards a grove we saw at 
 some distance, where, from the loud voices 
 that issued from it, con^'iviality seemed to 
 have reached its climax. 
 
 The scene of revelry was a green glade al- 
 most enclosed by fine old oaks, where long 
 tables had been laid out, well charged with 
 solid and satisfying fare. Aroun'l them were 
 seated the yeomen and gentry of the neigh- 
 bourhood, who, having appeased the more 
 pressing calls of appetite, were now dallying 
 
66 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ! 
 
 over their wine, and listening with frequent 
 plaudits (none the less lusty for its 'influence) 
 to the address of an individual who was 
 holding forth at the upper end of the board. 
 
 Not far from this position the quick jyes of 
 my daughter soon discovered her grandfather, 
 and, deeming myself privileged by the invi- 
 tation he had given me, we availed ourselves 
 of the first vacancy to take our places near 
 him 
 
 The chairman appeared to be bringing to a 
 close an address he had been delivering to 
 the company upon agricultural and other 
 matters of mutual concernment. 
 
 His face, I fancied, was not wholly un- 
 familiar to me, though where and when I 
 might ^* /"e seen it altogether passed my 
 recollection. 
 
 At the first practicable moment Dalham re- 
 marked to me (doubtless with a view to in- 
 formation) " Mr. Farleton's observations seem 
 very just.'' 
 
 Mr. Farleton ! that then was the Hon. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 67 
 
 Cyrus Farleton, whose character and ante- 
 cedents were so little qualified to gain my 
 regard. 
 
 There seemed little in his appearance at 
 first sight to justify this impression ; his speech 
 was fluent and sensible, his manner easy and 
 self-possessed, and his person, though not 
 handsome, showing the fine traits and tho- 
 rough-bred bearing of high birth ; but no 
 one who watched his countenance closely 
 could avoid being struck with its strongly 
 vulpine cast (an impression strengthened by 
 the colour of his hair and whiskers), or feeling 
 after the survey that his chief instinct, his 
 leading moral attribute, was craft. 
 
 The noisy cheers that graced his periods — 
 mistimed and exaggerated, seemed more the 
 effect of the good fare than any particular ad- 
 miration of the speaker, and were easily intel- 
 ligible when it was remembered that the 
 hearers, being chiefly of the family tenantry, 
 were precluded by their position from making 
 large sacrifices to their sincerity. 
 
68 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Yet tho' above board there was shewn this 
 general submission to the sentiments and 
 position of the chairman, below it sounds of 
 mutiny were heard which neither fear nor 
 favor seemed availing to suppress. 
 
 As the speaker in the course of his perora- 
 tion alluded to the growing infirmities of his 
 uncle, touched on the family loss he had sus- 
 tained, and announced his own assumption 
 (by his lordship's wish) of the control and 
 management of his property, he was greeted 
 at every sentence from underneath by a low 
 but most determined growl. 
 
 I was on thorns to think it might be poor 
 old Norman thus misconducting himself, and 
 attempted to administer a monition to him 
 with my toe. The salute, however, by mis- 
 chance, alighted on the shins of my top 
 booted friend, farmer Topkins, who after 
 lustily declaring his opinion that " The maut 
 had got abune the meal wi' that chap any- 
 how," being himself concerned in liquor, lost 
 his balance in attempting to rub the injured 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 69 
 
 part, and descended, amid the laughter of the 
 company, to the Dii inferi of the dinner 
 world, where being still further aggrieved by 
 sundry kicks and pokes intended for the 
 canine culprit, with his dolorous cries of 
 " What are ye punchin' on — d'ye think one's 
 made o' baggin'," he completed the hilarious 
 disorder oi the occasion. 
 
 There are probably few orators, who could 
 have borne with equanimity interruptions so 
 fatal to what was intended to be a fluent and 
 effective harangue, and Cyrus Farleton was 
 certainly not one of these elect. 
 
 His limited stock of patience being ex- 
 hausted by the submahogany discord of the 
 farmer and the dog, he angrily ordered the 
 keeper to be called, and after a sound rating 
 for neglect of duty, charged him to seize 
 forthwith the latter animal and have him 
 shot. 
 
 Deeming his words the effect of shortlived 
 wrath, and not wishing to disturb the com- 
 
70 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 pany, I resisted the impulse which I felt to 
 interpose, and awaited the issue of the scene. 
 
 Submitting to the wonderful influence pos- 
 sessed by some individuals over the brute 
 species, the animal, wliiclj had baffled all our 
 efforts to unkennel it, came forth at the keeper's 
 call, and a curious scene of silent gratulation 
 followed ; the man (for the moment oblivious 
 of his orders), absorbed in a close inspection 
 of the hound, the latter reciprocating his atten- 
 tions with the greatest good will imaginable. 
 
 The irritated master, seeing what he con- 
 sidered this insolent trifling with his injunc- 
 tions, repeated them in a still more peremp- 
 tory tone, when the keeper, his eyes still 
 fixed upon the dog, replied with more bold- 
 ness than might have been expected. 
 
 " If it please your honor, I couldn't lay 
 hands on the cretur no ways, for, howsoever, 
 he's got here, it's old Norman himself come 
 back, as sure as my name's Joe Blay field." 
 
 " Norman, idiot I what Norman ? you must 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 71 
 
 be as mad as the dog ; take it, I say, and do 
 my bidding, or you'll not be Joe Blayfield 
 much longer in my service." 
 
 " Norman, your honor, as left us that sad 
 time we lost leddy Lowra, sixteen years agone 
 and more ; I could tell the pup, for all it has 
 got so grey, among a thousand, for I wormed 
 and waterclawed him myself, and barring age 
 and that ugly wale along his ribs, there stands 
 the ould warrior as on the day he left us, the 
 best hound that ever laid nose to green- 
 sward." (I 
 
 His master heard this speech with a passion 
 that was rapidly mounting from the red to the 
 white stage, and his next words were in the 
 low deep tone that is usually the precursor of 
 an explosion. 
 
 " Did you hear my orders, fellow, or not? 
 Here, Smith, (in a thundering voice to an 
 underkeeper), take that crazy brute from the 
 crazier fool that holds it, and as you value your 
 place let it be made safe before sunset, and 
 harkee I as yon blockhead seems to have 
 
72 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 lost the power of doing his duty, do you take 
 it fi'om him and be henceforth head keeper at 
 Leigh ton." 
 
 '' I hope your honor," replied the deposed 
 but undaunted oificial, in respectful but 
 earnest tone, " will think twice before you 
 kill a cretur the 'arl always set so much store 
 by, for it was leddy Lowra's favorite pup, and 
 now its turned up its naeways unlikely, (for 
 I trow it would ne'er ha left her), her leddy- 
 ship may turn up wi't, for all folk say to the 
 contrairy ; it's not all true that aye meet ane's 
 lugs, and folk are sometimes killed afore they 
 die, tho' nathless your honor kens best about 
 that matter." 
 
 There seemed little in these words, uttered 
 in all simplicity, to account to the greater 
 part of the company for their extraordinary 
 effect upon the person they were addressed to j 
 I say, the greater part — for there was one ex- 
 ception, and that was myself. 
 
 As they were uttered, the hon. Cyrus Far- 
 leton remained in a state of astonished im- 
 
 t 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 73 
 
 to; 
 
 mobilitj, with one hand clutching the glass 
 before him, the other drawn up with clenched 
 fingers, as though grasping an airy dagger, 
 and his countenance, bereft of all coloring by 
 the reaction of wrath, or some more fell 
 emotion, turned with a vengeful stare upon 
 the speaker. It was at this moment, when, 
 facing his outspoken servant, the pallor of his 
 features exposed the telltale scar in full relief, 
 and presented his portrait in all its old signi- 
 ficance, the astounding consciousness crept 
 over me, that in the individual before me, I 
 beheld the stranger we had rescued from the 
 bear in America — the mysterious inmate of 
 the woodland tavern. 
 
 I felt so confounded at this discovery that 
 the fate of the hound, and further treatment of 
 the offending hind were lost at once to my 
 observation, which, as the disconcerted chair- 
 man recovered by degrees his composure, be- 
 came fixed immoveably upon his countenance. 
 As I thus gazed at it, there rushed into my 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 B 
 
74 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ii 
 
 mind a croTvd of confirmatory circumstances 
 to assure me beyond all doubt of his identity, 
 and fill me with a host of thoughts all tend- 
 ing to his crimination. 
 
 Whilst still absorbed in this mental record- 
 ation, insensible to all that passed around, I 
 felt my arm nudged by my father-in-law, who 
 must have been both scandalized and alarmed 
 at my apparently strange demeanour, and now 
 made me a motion to withdraw. Wrapt as I 
 was in my thoughts, I mechanically com- 
 plied. ' 
 
 " Are you not well, Philip ?" asked he, in 
 a tone of concern. " You did not take much 
 wine, I think." 
 
 "He's a kidnapper," quoth I. (Susan). 
 " A kidnapper, pa I A conspirator — a grasp- 
 ing, ruthless, conscienceless usurper — perhaps 
 a murderer." 
 
 " Come, my dear sir, you are ill ; youVe 
 been walking too long this morning on an 
 empty stomach, and need medical aid." - 
 
 \ A 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 75 
 
 " The dog too knew him — 
 
 ' Can these things be, 
 And overcome us like a summer cloud, 
 Without our special wonder ?' " 
 
 returned I, with my gaze turned towards the 
 heavens. 
 
 He, on his part, after looking earnestly in 
 my face, with a ' lunatico inquirendo' sort of 
 expression, quietl}' led the way to an arbour 
 near at hand, where we again seated ourselves 
 and endeavoured to converse more coherently. 
 
 Susan was sent off to play, and T then in- 
 formed him of the momentous discovery I had 
 made, pointed out the conclusions to be drawn 
 from it, and the wonderful light it gave us for 
 fathoming the mystery to the bottom. 
 
 Inclined to credit the facts from matter 
 within his own knowledge, he confessed it was 
 the strongest prima facie case of multiform 
 villany he had ever either heard or read of. 
 
 " But how are we to bring it home, my 
 dear sir, how are we to bring it home?'^ he 
 would repeat, musingly. " That is the ques- 
 
 E 2 . 
 
76 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 tion ; how is the lost one to be found ? how, 
 her identity to be established? we have a 
 tangled skein to wind off yet, depend upon 
 
 >> 
 
 I answered that to this duty which I con- 
 sidered sacred, and to which indeed I was 
 virtually pledged, I intended from that mo- 
 ment to devote myself, nor would ask further 
 time ere setting about it than was necessary to 
 prepare myself for my task. 
 
 " If such be indeed your resolution, I will 
 second you with all my power, and to-morrow 
 shall perhaps be able to furnish you with 
 means for more effectually carrying it out. 
 Meet me, if possible, at Mr. Felton's by 
 eleven o'clock in the forenoon." 
 
 AVe were about to separate when two per- 
 sons walked past whom Dalham declared to 
 be the two keepers, Blay field and Smith, 
 charged in all probability with the fate of the 
 sentenced bloodhound. 
 
 The latter of the two was leading the dog 
 in a leash, protesting he was fairly ^'banged'* 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 77 
 
 iW, 
 
 a 
 
 ; 
 
 Don 
 
 
 .on- 
 
 
 was 
 
 1 
 
 mo- 
 
 f 
 
 tlier 
 
 
 :y to 
 
 
 . will 
 
 ' 
 
 ►rrow 
 
 
 witli 
 
 
 i out. 
 s by 
 
 I 
 
 % 
 
 )per- 
 
 
 cd to 
 
 
 5mitli, 
 
 
 of the 
 
 
 e dog 
 
 
 aged'* 
 
 
 how to deal with the "cretur;" that it went 
 to his heart to " do for it," yet feared if he did 
 not, that he should be as good as " done for " 
 himself. 
 
 "Never fear a straw about the matter, 
 Bill," answered Blayfield, " its time's not 
 come yet, take my word for't. When th'ould 
 master knows how the game stands (and know 
 he shall afore another hour's past), I'll war- 
 rant its safe keeping to the Last hair on its 
 tail ; and as for you and me, why th'ould lord 
 made me what I am twenty year agone, and 
 I much misken him if he's the man to fling oif 
 an old sarvant as he would a brast dof? leash. 
 He'll mind, too, the time wlien 1 larncd her 
 young leddyship to ride, and for as dead and 
 gone as they say she is, that's a herb o' grace 
 '11 heal many a sore for old Joe yet." 
 
 "Aye, but it mayn't sarve young Bill, 
 though," returned the other. 
 
 " Hout away, man, keep thy doc's heart up. 
 I'll get a word in for thee, never fear, and 
 
i I 
 
 78 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 make the old hound there carry us both out 
 of the muck." 
 
 " Let us follow them," said Dalham to me, 
 in a whisper, " and see what comes of this 
 queer coil," and, taking my arm, led me at 
 some little distance in their steps. On reach- 
 ing the mansion the two functionaries dis- 
 appeared among the offices, whilst ourselves 
 proceeded onward towards the library, where 
 my companion thought we might get a view 
 through the windows of the coming scene. 
 
 A clump of shrubbery offering a suitable 
 hiding-place, we ensconced ourselves therein, 
 and had not waited many minutes when the 
 sound of voices within showed the parties 
 concerned had already got to business. 
 
 " Jump up tliere," said Dalham, pointing to 
 a narrow light through which he had taken a 
 short peep; "you'll get a better view of it; 
 he's giving it him all by the square, sure 
 enough." 
 
 Mounting to the ancient loopliole he had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 79 
 
 indicated, I obtained a full view of the noble 
 apartment it lighted ; but ere I had well ob- 
 served its living occupants, my eyes became 
 involuntarily fixed on an object that had far 
 more interest for me. 
 
 Traced to the life by surpassing skill, and 
 illumined by the yellow light that streamed 
 through the opposite windows, hung the 
 portrait of our withered lily of the back 
 woods — Lady Ardcapell, taken at the age of 
 girlhood, in the fancy costume of a wood 
 nymph, her floating hair, flexile form and 
 sprightly features presenting the most perfect 
 embodiment of the character. 
 
 I was so entranced with my survey, that it 
 required a pretty smart tug from my com- 
 panion (who had heard steps approaching) to 
 detach me from my perch. To his enquiry 
 as to how matters had gone ofl* inside, 1 was 
 compelled to confess my utter ignorance, 
 having neither seen nor heard anything th&t, 
 had passed. 
 
 The approaching steps proved to be those 
 
Tm 
 
 
 HI 
 
 80 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 of the two keepers, the elder one having re- 
 joined his associate, and as far as we could 
 judge by their discourse, achieved the de- 
 sired success. •• 
 
 We were in hopes tliey would have passed 
 without pc rceiving us, but the unlucky Nor- 
 man having wirded his master, soon discovered 
 our concealment to the rangers, by his noisy 
 freaks of salutation. 
 
 It appeared they were in quest of us, and 
 Blayfield coming up to me enq[nired whether 
 I was " the gcn'leman as belonged to that 
 there dog." 
 
 Having admitted the connection, he then 
 gave me to understand the earl was desirous 
 of speaking with me in the " libry." 
 
 I^hrewdly suspecting what was the object 
 of this invitation, I held a short consultation 
 with Dalham ere giving a reply, when having 
 agreed to suppress all facts that might en- 
 courage futile hope or awaken troublesome 
 suspicion, I intimated to the man ray readi- 
 ness to attend his master. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 81 
 
 On entering the library I found the aged 
 nobleman slowly pacing it^ absorbed in 
 thought. After informing me he hoped to 
 return my miniature on the morrow, he put 
 several new questions to me as to the parties 
 I had received it from. To these I answered 
 as on the former occasion, giving a brief de- 
 scription of their place of abode, the manner 
 in which I first made their acquaintance, and 
 the circumstances attending their deaths (on 
 these two latter points I observed the Earl to 
 to be mucli moved) and added that I had 
 taken tliem at the time to be persons of 
 superior station, forced probably by some 
 family dissension or distre^i? into a sphere of 
 life so uncongenial to tbeir character and un- 
 favorable to their prospects. 
 
 Lord Leighton, as I have said, listened to 
 all this with much secret emotion, and then 
 said, speaking to himself: — 
 
 " Ah, I fear there can be no doubt of it 
 then; it ]uis all fallen out as it is reported, 
 
 E 5 
 
82 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 il 
 
 II 
 'I 
 
 I '■ I'' 
 
 and the child you say (turning earnestly to 
 me) perished in the fire." 
 
 Truth on the one hand forbidding me to 
 affirm, and policy, to deny this, I briefly re- 
 counted the circumstances of my last visit to 
 the Far Pines, and left him to draw his own 
 conclusion. 
 
 It was of course anything but consolatory, 
 and kept him some time in melancholy self- 
 communion, then passing to the portrait on 
 the wall, " That," said he, pointing to it sadly 
 and solemnly, " is the lady whose miniature 
 you possess, and whose favourite dog is lying 
 at your feet ; that is she whose funeral (he 
 here experienced some difficulty in proceed- 
 in^-) you attended when the claims of nature 
 were forgotten by her nearest kindred, and in 
 that figure y<.'U ssee whiit was once, and might 
 have been r.till, the cherished child of a fool- 
 ish old man, had not pride and passion slept 
 between and — " the remainder of the speech 
 was lost in a low self-accusing mutter. 
 
 'li 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 83 
 
 "To one," lie continued, after in some 
 measure overcoming his feelings, " whose kind 
 offices consoled her latter moments, it is need- 
 less to say how deep I feel my debt, and how 
 pleased I should be if you could suggest any 
 means of my repaying it." 
 
 I could only reply that any little service I 
 had rendered was its own full reward, and 
 ventured to add that though Providence tries 
 us often with heavy losses, it generally has 
 in store a restoration or a recompense. 
 
 Fearing lest I might become more com- 
 municative than was meet, I made an early 
 movement of departure, and after receiving a 
 pressing invitation to visit his lordship when- 
 ever my convenience allowed, took my leave. 
 
 Seldom has repose been more sedulously 
 wooed than when I threw myself on my bed 
 at the Leighton Arms that night, after tlie 
 strange and stirring incidents of the day, but 
 the skittish power eluded my embrace and 
 left my mind a prey to the thick coming 
 thoughts which they suggested. The various 
 
!i 
 i 
 
 !H 
 
 84 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 i; 
 
 scenes and circumstances I had witnessed in 
 America, in relation to the plot so strangely 
 brought to light, returned on me with the 
 vivid force of yesterday. In particular, the 
 clandestine presence of the chief culprit in the 
 neighbourhood of those who were notoriously 
 the main obstacles to his advancement ; his 
 ejaculations in the snow storm and at the ta- 
 vern; above all, that damning sentence to one 
 whose association was in itself a proof of guilt, 
 " You shall have a dollar for every mile you 
 take her," together with his apparition at 
 Lord Ardcapell's window the night before his 
 death, and possession of the all-important 
 marriage certificate, recurred unceasingly to 
 my mind, till they wove themselves by de- 
 grees into an harmonious web of evidence, 
 which left not a tittle of doubt as to Cyrus 
 Farleton's villany. Yes, under that roof 
 within my view, he lay congratulating him- 
 self on his apparent fortune, and indulging 
 in fond dreams ot its continuance ; whilst far 
 over the wide Atlantic, my fancy sketched 
 
 
 ^ii 
 
OVER THE PKAIRIES. 
 
 85 
 
 Lim- 
 ing 
 far 
 bed 
 
 his victim, abandoned to strange — perhaps 
 barbarous keeping, yet guarded by a watch- 
 ful Providence, and waiting but the call of 
 opportunity to retrieve the full measure of her 
 rights. " Be it mine," was my conclusion, 
 " to clear her path for doing so, and bring 
 deliverance to the castaway." 
 
 True to my appointment, I met my father- 
 in-law next morning at the vicarage, and 
 found his purpose was to take the examina- 
 tion of an old woman, whose knowledge was 
 likely to be useful to us. 
 
 France Jeffray, the individual in question, 
 had been nurse to Lord Ardcapell's infant 
 daughter in London, and it was now our ob- 
 ject to obtain a minute description (such as 
 mothers and nurses alone can give) of her lost 
 child. Meeting her in the garden, we retired 
 to an adjacent summer house, and there, 
 pencil in hand, Dalham took down her depo- 
 sition, to assist which he even made a sketch 
 of a child's figure, and caused the old woman 
 with her own hand to note down what pecu- 
 
86 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 liar marks she might remember in *:he right 
 place. "Well, I mind that," said she, as 
 she dotted down a mole on the neck, " and 
 here was another on the top of the right 
 shoulder, aye, and abune a' there was one 
 here, (placing the pencil a little below the 
 instep of the left foot) that I could tell her by 
 'mang a* the countless babbies o* creation; 
 it was a red spot as cum' wi' her into the 
 world, of the color of a cherry, and shape of a 
 pear, tho' not much bigger than a hazel nut. 
 But eh, sirs ! what for is't ye ask such un- 
 sonsy questions ? The poor lassie has been 
 in heaven I trow this many a year." 
 
 Dalham parried this query with the pro- 
 fessional tact so useful for the purpose, and 
 we then proceeded to the house, where after 
 a long interview with Mr. Felton (who was 
 a magistrate) a fair copy was made of the old 
 nurse's deposition, and duly signed by her in 
 our presence. 
 
 The essential portion of it I transcribed 
 into my pocket book. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 87 
 
 This matter being despatched, my next ob- 
 ject was to procure some useful auxiliary in 
 the rough and hazardous mission I had under- 
 taken, and as I wended my way to the Inn, I 
 vainly racked my brains to discover a likely 
 instrument. As thu. jjondering, I passed the 
 bridge where we had been jeopardized the 
 day before, by the waggoner's carelessness, 
 whom should I see seated on its parapet but 
 the peccant individual himself^ He was 
 whistling vacantly, with his hands in his 
 pockets, and had the half dogged, half-listless 
 mien of one whose " occupation was gone " 
 against his will. His countenance, neverthe- 
 less, seemed naturally of a good-humoured 
 cast ; he had a clear, well-opened eye, and a 
 bodily frame, which though yet youthful, gave 
 promise both of activity and strength. His 
 alertness I had already witnessed. As far as 
 outside went I thought I might meet with 
 many a more unlikely subject than the pre- 
 sent, and to judge how far the inside might 
 conform, and the whole be made subservient 
 
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 88 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 to my plans, T determined to sound him by a 
 few questions. 
 
 " AVell, my lad," quoth I, " you had nearly 
 got us into a hobble here yesterday ; if you 
 had been a trifle less handy with your whip 
 T fear some of us would have rued it dearly ?'* 
 
 " Whoy, as far as that goes, maister, there's 
 ane on us has rued it already." 
 
 " And who is that?" quo' I. 
 
 " Jeremiah Hood," quo he. 
 
 " And who may Jeremiah Hood be ?" 
 
 " Mysel'." 
 
 " Have you rued it, my boy, how so ?" 
 
 " Whoy, ye see t' tie thong o' t' wheelers 
 brast wi' pull in' on't, and maister got mad at 
 me for breakin it, and laid t' leather about my 
 lugs, so I kittled hisn wi't whup, and then 
 a' gied me notice to gang, and I 'een tuk un 
 at 's word and here I be." 
 
 " Can you fire a gun off, and hit your mark 
 when you do so ?" 
 
 " Joe Blayfield '11 happen tell ye sae," re- 
 plied he, with a cunning grin. 
 
OYER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 89 
 
 " What you've been taking shots at his 
 game, eh ? well, but you may be an honest 
 fellow for all that ; now I suppose you are 
 on the look out for a new place ; what say you 
 to taking; service with me ?" 
 
 " Are you a hofficer, maister ?" 
 
 " No, but you may have some warm work 
 to go through notwithstanding, though not 
 more than will fall to my own shaie." 
 
 " Well, that sounds fair, so I's 'een will'n' 
 to take on wi' ye ; an ye be fair I'll be faithfu', 
 and wi' regard to work, syne work one must, 
 I'm one o' them wad liever have it hot than 
 heavy ?" 
 
 " Bravely said, my lad, then here's some 
 
 gold for you, go and get a new rig out at 
 
 and join me again at the Leighton Arms, this 
 evening. But harkee. Hood, you must drop 
 the Jeremiah for the nonce, and stand in my 
 books as Robin." 
 
 My scheme of passing a holiday week at 
 Leighton being broken up by the incidents 
 before related, and all business despatched 
 
90 
 
 A FILDfilMAGE 
 
 that might facilitate my further operations, I 
 remained but until the Earl returned the 
 borrowed portrait, and having confided my 
 daughter during my absence to the careful 
 keeping of her grandfather, proceeded on my 
 return homewards. 
 
 f 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 91 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Within the week after my leaving Leighton 
 1 found myself, accompanied by my newly en- 
 listed henchman, Robin, and a young blood- 
 hound, by name Bran — nephew (as solemnly 
 avouched by Blayfield) of the superannuated 
 Norman, " 
 passenger 
 
 " Swallow," bound for St. John's, New 
 Brunswick. There was every prospect of 
 her making a speedy passage, the vessel being 
 clipper built, and selected from a multitude I 
 had myself examined, entirely on that account; 
 my great object being to gain what time I 
 
 once more upon the waters," 
 in the swift-sailing schooner 
 
92 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 could in tlie voyage, tliat I might have so 
 much the more to spare for my long pilgrim- 
 age on " terra firma." 
 
 It was with altogether different feelings 
 that I now ploughed the brine from those 
 experienced in my last outward bound voy- 
 age. The future was no longer seen through 
 the golden haze of hope, or gay kaleidescope 
 of fancy — the heart no longer flushed with 
 boyish dreams of bliss, or visionary projects 
 of ad venture. In the twelve years that had 
 passed since then, my castles in the air had 
 fallen before the hard realities of life, and, 
 my views chastened by experience, I now 
 entered on the work I had in hand, with that 
 sober earnestness of mind which is at once 
 the best voucher for success, and the easiest 
 condition for achieving it. 
 
 It was while leaning against the taffrail 
 one evening after a day of unusual calm, 
 watching the heaving of the waters against 
 the strip of light that skirted the western sky, 
 that these and kindred reflections crossed my 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 93 
 
 •rail 
 ,1m, 
 inst 
 iky, 
 my 
 
 mind, nor was it without something of regret 
 I contrasted my " day" and " yesterday," 
 the monotonous tranquillity of the former, 
 with the vivid pulsations of the last. There 
 are certain seasons and frames of mind when 
 the laudatio temporis acti'is more than usually 
 operant with us, giving- a factitious blazon to 
 past events, and an equally false shadowing 
 to the present. 
 
 This I suppose was one of them. It is pos- 
 sible also the train of my meditations might 
 have caught something of the sombre colour- 
 ing that pervaded external nature, and as the 
 gloom of the hour increased, they were sud- 
 denly and perhaps salutarily put to flight by 
 the Captain coming upon deck and calling out 
 to the mate, in those shai*p, decisive tones that 
 bespeak emergency, '* We must strike top- 
 masts, Amos ; it's coming on to blow ; the 
 glass is going down like the deep sea lead." 
 
 In obedience to their chiefs commands, 
 the men sprang forwards to their work with 
 professional alacrity, and amidst the gather- 
 
 II 
 
94 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ing darkness used their best efforts to make 
 tlie ship snug against the expected peril. 
 
 Being myself but an idler aboard, I with- 
 drew out of their way, and lighting a second 
 cigar remained astern, watching their agile 
 movements and listening to the dull wash of 
 the water against the vessel's sides, as, scarce- 
 ly impelled along, it surrendered itself with 
 flapping sails and creaking masts to the lan- 
 guid heavings of the ocean . 
 
 The ear, filled to satiety with the monoto- 
 nous sounds, listened cravingly for some break 
 in the brooding silence they seemed to deepen, 
 and readily recognized in a hoarse and distant 
 roar that at length reached it, the annuncia- 
 tion of the coming gale. 
 
 The Captain caught the sound almost at 
 the same moment, and immediately ordered 
 the crew who were engaged in battening down 
 the hatches to take in the little canvas that 
 was yet unfurled. 
 
 Whilst hurrying to their urgent task, the 
 washy roar was heard rapidly nearing, and 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 95 
 
 ere tliey could secure tlie belated sheet to 
 its spar, the blast broke furiously upon us, and 
 saved them the trouble of doing so by blowing 
 every stitch out of the bolt-ropes. 
 
 The schooner reeled under the sudden 
 shock till the water came pouring over her 
 lee bulwarks, and had not the cargo been 
 stowed with unusual care the juncture would 
 have been one of no little peril ; being, how- 
 ever, snugly packed, the little craft imme- 
 diately recovered herself, and commenced her 
 rushing march over the seas that had already 
 risen up around her. 
 
 Whilst pitching and bouT ding like a good 
 sea boat as she was, befovv; the furious and 
 mounting blast, the mind could not fail to 
 be impressed with the deep solemnity of the 
 moment, as the mighty waves rolled by into 
 the distance and the thick darkness that had 
 suddenly come on, broken only by the little 
 light in the binnacle, by paralyzing the power 
 of sight enhanced the sensation of our help- 
 lessness. 
 
96 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 To ensure efficient steerage (any interrup- 
 tion of which would instantly have laid us on 
 our beam ends) four men were kept constantly 
 at the wheel, and though seas were shipped 
 from time to time, the vessel bravely held her 
 way without mishap till near midnight, when 
 a light became visible on the horizon. 
 
 Considering the latitude we were in, there 
 could be little doubt it was a ship on fire, and 
 as our own drew near (for we were scudding, 
 and it lay directly to leeward) we discovered 
 it to be a large barque, with its masts, rigging, 
 and greater part of its hull one sheet of flame. 
 It yet appeared to be under steerage way, the 
 quarter-deck, crowded with people, being still 
 kept to windward. 
 
 As heaving and falling with the wreck that 
 fed it, the fire cast its lurid glow upon the 
 scene, our fears for our own safety became 
 momentarily lost in the contemplation of a 
 doom so much more dreadful. ' 
 
 ' From the number of souls on board, it was 
 evidently an emigrant ship, and the stern was ' 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 97 
 
 now seen tlironged with these unhappy beings, 
 already scorched by the approaching flames, 
 and indebted, probably, to the virtue of some 
 self-devoted helmsman for the short respite 
 yet left them from destruction. Here, I say, 
 they were gathered, the entire ship's company, 
 agitated by every form of terror and despair 
 known to the human breast. Here might be 
 seen the attitude of prayer, gestures of ruffian 
 violence, of unreasoning frenzy ; for a moment 
 even their mingled exclamations reached the 
 ear, blending with the roaring of the wind 
 and hissing of the water, as it dashed over 
 the bulwarks on to the burning decks. 
 
 Extreme as was their strait, and harrowing 
 as was the spectacle, we were unable, alas I to 
 stir a finger for their relief. From the over- 
 powering violence of the gale, it would have 
 been impossible to round to, or get alongside, 
 and could we even have done so, the volume 
 of flame that wrapped the fated barque would 
 inevitably have involved us in the same doom. 
 All our boats, moreover, had been swept 
 
 VOL. I. p 
 
98 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 I 
 
 away save one only, whicli was badly stove 
 by floating spars, and those of the burning 
 craft (taken, probably, by selfish fugitives) 
 seemed also wanting. 
 
 As we passed like a phantom athwart her 
 stern, three only of that wretched throng 
 seemed to catch a momentary glimpse of us. 
 
 They were three women, who had clam- 
 bered to the furthest foothold from the fire, 
 and thence, desperate of human aid, appeared 
 preparing to commit themselves to the less 
 terrible of the two elements that threatened 
 them. One held a child in her arm with 
 maternal tenacity, whilst with the other she 
 clung to one of the taffrail stanchions, think- 
 ing, perhaps, in that supreme moment, of her 
 distant home and parted friends, which the 
 appearance of our passing barque would yield 
 a momentary hope of yet seeing again. The 
 vivid cry of expectation, and wail of despair 
 that followed it, with the attitude and anguish 
 of the sufferer, haunted my memory for years 
 aiter. . ■ /. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 99 
 
 Wafted almost as soon as seen from this 
 scene of agony we pursued our plunging 
 course over the deep, the darkness that had 
 for the moment been dispelled by the burning 
 ship again enclosing us, and the fierce roar of 
 the elements broken only by the crashing of 
 some unstayed spar, or hollow noise of the 
 water tumbling on our decks, until a little 
 before morning, when a sharp, shrieking cry 
 told us of one our seamen had been carried 
 overboard by a tremendous sea that swept 
 us from stem to stern. 
 
 The brief notice of his fate as it reached us 
 thro' the hurly-burly of the storm and pitchy 
 darkness, added not a little to the plenteous 
 horrors of the scene. 
 
 At length the long craved-for light of 
 
 morning began to show itself, and as it 
 
 strengthened, the gale to show some symptoms 
 
 of abating. Gradually the outlines of our 
 
 ^ffgi^g became visible, and sad indeed was 
 
 the picture of ruin it presented. Our main 
 
 mast had been snapped in two at the cross 
 
 F 2 
 
I 
 
 in 
 
 
 100 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 trees, the mizen, gone by the board, and they 
 now lay over the lee bulwarks impeding the 
 steerage of the vessel and beating with hurt- 
 fnl violence against its sides. 
 
 The crew were immediately set to work 
 with hatchets to clear away this obstruction, 
 and v/hilst the captain was engaged in direct- 
 ing them, the mate came up to him with the 
 alarming information that we had sprung a 
 leak and already showed four feet water in 
 the hold. As many hands as we could mus- 
 ter were now therefore transferred to the 
 pumps, myself taking my turn among the rest, 
 and we continued our exhausting labours till 
 near noon, when it was found they were all 
 being thrown away, and the water was slowly 
 but steadily gaining upon us in spite of them. 
 
 The ship's fate, therefore, was decided ; nor 
 did our own seem less so, unless we could . 
 succeed in quitting her during the short 
 interval allowed us. Our "t^e boat was thef 
 only means that presented itself of effecting' 
 this. It happened to be the long boat,: 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 101 
 
 capable, had it been sound, of carrying the 
 whole ship's company, but at present, as ill- 
 luck would have it, in the most unseaworthy 
 condition possible. However, the carpenter 
 was set to work to make the best he could of 
 so unpromising a job, and by dint of strenuous 
 labour, and the effective help of two able 
 hands among the crew, who had been for- 
 tunately bred to the same calling, it was in 
 no great length of time patched, plugged, and 
 fitted up so as to be thought capable of tem- 
 porarily serving the purpose it was needed 
 for. 
 
 Scarcely was this accomplished when the 
 pumps were reported choked, and the ship to 
 be showing signs of settling down by the 
 head. There was, therefore, not a moment to 
 be ?ost in despatching what was needful to be 
 done ere quitting her. 
 
 Whilst ;,Le crew were using their best exer- 
 tions to get the boat afloat, I hastened into the 
 cabin, secured my bills, money, and what 
 other valuables I had pf a portable nature, 
 
iir 
 
 I* 
 
 1 II 
 
 102 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 and thrusting a pistol into my belt, and giving 
 another to Eobin, reached the deck just in 
 time to see our all-important long-boat suc- 
 cessfully hoisted overboard, when it was 
 safely swung round under our lee, and secured 
 there by a strong hawser. 
 
 A barrel of biscuit and one of water were 
 then hurriedly lowered down into it, the men 
 (who had been unable to get into the fore- 
 cabin for their kits) dropped one by one into 
 their places, and after Hobin and myself had 
 followed their example, the skipper, who 
 from a sense of duty was last to leave his 
 vessel, descended also, shouting out sharply as 
 he did so to cast off the tow-rope, as he be- 
 lieved she was on the point of going down. 
 In this he was not mistaken, for scarce had 
 we shoved the boat twice its own length 
 from her stern, when, after giving two or 
 three gulphing lurches, the ill-fated craft sank 
 down before our eyes, in the element she had 
 so late breasted in her pride. r^ 
 
 The sea was yet high, though the gale had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 103 
 
 nearly ceased, and tried our cranlvy craft 
 severely, but getting up a makesliift sail we 
 set our course due west, hoping to fall in with 
 some vessel ere our small store of provision 
 should be consumed. 
 
 A little before sunset, as we were labouring 
 along over the heavy swells, examining the 
 ocean with anxious eyes, 1 discerned some 
 object floating in relief against the bright sky 
 ahead, which as we neared it I made out to 
 be a hen-coop or some similar piece of lumber 
 swept from a ship's deck, conveying a tale of 
 storm or shipwreck. But this was not all ; 
 on this piece of lumber I beheld some object 
 floating, which I scarce knew wherefore, 
 aroused my interest ; it might be a human 
 creature, and as we were about to pass it some 
 few points abeam, I requested the helmsman 
 to steer in the direction that we might satisfy 
 our doubts upon the matter. He was one of 
 those unfortunately constituted beings, whose 
 nature becomes " gnarled " by the crossings 
 of adversity, and it was not without some 
 
IT 
 
 I 
 
 104 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 difficulty, and even a threat of resorting to 
 my " shooting iron," that I succeeded in over- 
 coming his perverseness, when, keeping near 
 him to guard against evasion, I directed Robin 
 to stand by and haul in the unknown object 
 as soon as we should get alongside. This he 
 cleverly effected, and presently increased our 
 boat's company by a fine little boy about five 
 years old, insensible, though still living, and 
 clutching with drowning tenacity in his little 
 hands fragments of the wicker-work that had 
 been the immediate means of his preservation. 
 By dint of assiduous nursing, signs of re- 
 turning consciousness ere long appeared, and 
 at length he becttne able to inform us of what 
 little he knew about himself. As far as we 
 could gather from his broken parlance, he was 
 the son of a Dorsetshire labourer, and with 
 his parents and brothers and sisters, made 
 part of the ill-starred freight of the emigrant 
 ship. He told us that when the flames had 
 no longer left them any foothold, his mother 
 had jumped with him into the water, when in 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 105 
 
 his drowning struggles he had caught hold of 
 the floating hen-coop, and clung thereto till 
 rescued, the only one it was to be feared of 
 the whole ship's company. 
 
 Robin and myself gladly gave the little 
 fellow a share of our scanty rations, and then 
 wrapping him up in a pea-coat, made him 
 comparatively snug for the night. 
 
 The weather having now become almost 
 calm, and the sea much gone down, we carried 
 on under our lug-sail during the night, getting 
 snatches of sleep as we gat, and ardently 
 hoping that the morrow might bring some 
 sail to take us up. 
 
 As soon as the morning light enabled us to 
 scan the prospect, a seaman in the bow made 
 the joyful discovery of a sail being in sight. 
 Each dejected countenance now cleared up, 
 and the further fact, scarcely less important, 
 of its having sighted us was presently placed 
 beyond a doubt by the reverberations of a 
 gun reaching us over the heaving main. We 
 soon beheld her bearing down towards us, 
 
 F 5 
 
106 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 and as on our own part we had tacked about 
 to fetch her, no long time elapsed ere we 
 found ourselves under the yards of a fine 
 Whitehaven brig, the captain of which re- 
 ceived us with rough cordiality, and being 
 bound to St. Johns as well as ourselves, 
 made no difficulty in giving us a passage 
 thither. 
 
 The remainder of our voyage was per- 
 formed in safety, and we reached the port of 
 our destination without further incident worth 
 notice, on the morning of the twenty-fifth of 
 June. 
 
 It may be remembered that in my former 
 voyage I disembarked a*, Halifax, and 
 reached St. Johns by crossing the Nova 
 Scotian peninsula, a trip which, though found 
 very agreeable at that period, was now fi-om 
 stress of time very willingly dispensed with. 
 
 The poor boy whom yre had saved I 
 placed in charge of a presbyterian minister 
 of the place, who was known to the Captain, 
 with my best hope that a life so specially 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 107 
 
 preserved by Providence would be blessed by 
 a continuation of its mercies. 
 
 After equipping ourselves almost anew (a 
 matter rendered necessary by our late losses 
 from shipwreck) we now took boat up the St. 
 Johns, following the route of my former 
 journey, and remarking with satisfaction the 
 advance made by the province in population 
 and culture since that period. 
 
 Kobin was vastly struck with the immea- 
 surable woods he saw on every side, and 
 whilst gazing on the novel scenery we passed 
 through, I thought I could discover in 
 his countenance something of the sensations I 
 had myself experienced when at nearly about 
 his age I traversed it for the first time. 
 
 On the evening of the third day we began 
 to approach the scene of my old colonial 
 sojourn, and hastened our pace to reach it 
 ere night should put new difficulties in our 
 way. We were yet, however, some miles 
 distant when the sun set, and but for the aid 
 of certain land-marks that I still bore in re« 
 
108 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 collection, should have found it no easy task 
 to master the short distance that remained. 
 
 There was now no moon up to illuminate 
 its beauties, as on my first well-remembered 
 advent to the spot, but the myriad planets 
 already marshalled in the heavens, afforded a 
 dubious light that partially helped our steps ; 
 and at length, ere we were well aware of its 
 propinquity, disclosed at our feet, by their 
 reflection on its surface, the lovely water of 
 Loch Fumess. 
 
 Our old habitation being on the further 
 side, we had still a space of half a mile to go 
 ere reaching it, and I now for the first time 
 began to entertain misgivings that after all 
 our trouble in getting there, we might possibly 
 find it demolished or untenanted. 
 
 As I probed my way in its direction, my 
 mind began involuntarily to revert to the in- 
 cidents and imagery of the former life I had 
 spent there. The daily sunrise and sunset, 
 our goings forth and comings in, our hours of 
 toil afield, and recreation at home or on the 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 109 
 
 island, the bracing excitement of our hunting 
 bouts, the wanderings in the woods, and events 
 connected with the romantic episode which 
 had again brought me hither, all came rifely 
 crowding upon my mi'ud, and whilst darkness 
 beset my outward path, gladdening the inner 
 sense with a sunshine they were yet able to 
 reflect. 
 
 " And yonder," I soliloquized, as the pen- 
 insula on which it was situate became dimly 
 visible over the water, "yonder is Lindale 
 Cote, and here — aye, here it was I hailed it 
 as my destined Eden, where I could willingly 
 have abode for life. Ah ! cceca mens morta- 
 lium! there it still remains, perchance un- 
 changed, but how is it with its would-be life- 
 long denizen? But fourteen months had 
 passed, and that Arcadian dream was at an 
 end ; of those that have succeeded it how few 
 have better justified their promise, the bright- 
 est being first to fade, till sickened with the 
 sterile retrospect, he resolves to dream no 
 
110 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 !■ 1 1 
 If 
 
 more, or, should the fond habit be incurable, 
 find some other subject for its exercise." 
 
 " Now, Jonathan, be spry, the brush'll be 
 all burnt out before we start/* 
 
 Such was the exclamation that, uttered in 
 no very patient tone, and at no great distance 
 from us, put an abrupt estoppal to my reverie. 
 
 The voice I fancied that I recognised, and 
 accordingly advanced a few steps to fvards it, 
 to see if my conjecture should be verified. 
 Again it broke forth from the outward dark- 
 ness — 
 
 " Jonathan ! hey, Jonathan I (no answer) 
 loafed to the liquor store, I'll warrant. Jona- 
 than, I say I ain't he a pet now to go spearin' 
 with. Why, Jonathan!" 
 
 " Verily," muttered I to myself, " you must 
 be either King David or Bryce Jannock ?" 
 
 I now discovered a canoe just under the 
 shore, with a glimmering fire at one end, and 
 by its light, the outline of a sturdy figure, 
 wielding a fishing spear and giving utterance 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 Ill 
 
 to his impatience in appeals, such as the fore- 
 going. I had no doubt it was my trusty old 
 associate aforesaid, as this used to be one of 
 his favorite occupations, so whispering Robin 
 to remain where he was, and putting on my 
 over-coat, which in the heat of walking I had 
 doffed, I went up without further ado to 
 where the exclaimant stood, and quietly took 
 my seat at the vacant end of the little craft. 
 
 " Softly, softly, Jonathan ! softly, old 
 coon !" cried Jannock, as the frail barque 
 dipped beneath my weight, " or you'll be 
 punchin' a hole in her bottom and making 
 her as groggy as yourself. Darn it, man, 
 don't ye see ye' re a settin on my line ?" 
 
 It was evident Bryce was in no very blessed 
 humour this particular evening, but desirous 
 for the moment of avoiding recognition, I 
 released his line without reply, and seized the 
 paddle to perform what was expected as my 
 own share of the dutv, 
 
 " We'll make for the old ground I reckon, 
 under the rock ; there's been a power o' fish 
 
112 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 there o* late, and this is a first rate night for 
 skewerin' em.'* 
 
 « 
 
 I accordingly paddled away towards where 
 he had signified, and knowing the ground full 
 well, soon brought up at the scene of our 
 intended operations. Bryce freshened the 
 fire with a handful of brush, and poising his 
 fishing spear, bent intently over the side to 
 strike his prey. " Here they are tag-rag and 
 bobtail — massy, what a shoal ! Now be smart, 
 Jonathan, my tulip, and we'll just get the 
 pick o' the lot — softly, softly, though — edge 
 away a bit to the left — lud, here's a screamer! 
 so, another stroke !" Away shot the fishing 
 spear, and away shot the fish, uninjured. 
 " Why, Jonathan, what on 'arth was you a 
 drivin' at; blest if you ha'n't cleared the 
 whuU drove ; back man and let's get the spe'r 
 up —was you agoin* to run the island down, 
 Jonathan ? There, that'll do, now softly, so 
 ludamighty what a stunner ; now mind your 
 stroke, old coon, and we'll broach him 
 cleverly— left, left r 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 113 
 
 I acoordingiy gave a stroke on the left side, 
 wliich produced a result apparently the re- 
 verse of that desired. 
 
 " My stars I" exclaimed Bryce, turning 
 round and appealing to creation in general, 
 " if he hasn't sent us clean ajee again — dod 
 rot it, man, didn't ye hear me cry left ? Why, 
 i' the name of Beelzebub — soft tho' — here 
 comes another, a twenty-pounder too, if an 
 ounce — lud's sake now, Jonathan, keep your 
 eyes skinned, do, and mind the word — right ! 
 right!" 
 
 And away flew the spear once more, as I 
 gave another desperate stroke under the same 
 malign influence as before. The fish again 
 was missed, and the spearman nearly cap- 
 sized in attempting to recover his weapon. 
 
 " Death and tarnation ! well if this don't — 
 now Jonathan what devil was't made ye do 
 that ? thunnerand lightnin man I didn't ye hear 
 me sing out ' right ' and hear ye go like an idjet 
 asy'are ashovin' the boat to Canady ; the spe'r's 
 gone too I now Jonathan I see how it is — 
 
114 
 
 A FILGEIMAGE 
 
 you've been at your old tricks again, for as 
 early as 'tis — I wish these liquor shops were 
 i' h — ^11 fire, and their owners brandered atop 
 of 'em ; there's not been a sober chap i'the 
 settlement syn' Phil Rys'le was here ; — settle- 
 ment indeed ! ahs me I if he had only been 
 here, to ha' seen our goin's on — back man, 
 and let's get the tool up anyhow — gor' darn 
 it, back I ha, wasn't that a rock we touched 
 on? aye, here's water in the boat — now if 
 ever I go afloat agin with such a born goney, 
 such a consarned, confounded, dod-rotted 
 dunderhead — well, it's all up for this bout, you 
 may paddle hum now frind, and welcome," 
 finished Bryce, winding the line with a 
 savage resignation round the spear he had at 
 length regained, " if we've done nothing else, 
 we've spiled as good a boat as ever swum, and 
 skeered the fish from the spot for a month to 
 come." 
 
 Whilst I paddled away towards the well- 
 known dwelling as well as my secret 
 laughter would allow, a repeated hail was 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 115 
 
 heard from that part of the shore where we 
 had embarked. 
 
 "Eh! Bryce, Bryce, says 'a/' quo' the 
 splenetic spearsman imitating the summons, 
 " who the divel can you be, frind ? if you 
 hadn't bin here a spi'lin my sport all this 
 whiiCj I would ha' sworn that was you a 
 hollerin' Jonathan ; well, shout away frind, 
 whoever you be, here's Bryce at your sar- 
 
 vice. 
 
 If 
 
 Again and again came the clamorous sum- 
 mons, and still Jannock listened to it in ob- 
 durate but evidently regardful silence ; at 
 length he abruptly broke out : — 
 
 "Massy, Jonathan, if that ain't you, it 
 must be your double — can't you open your 
 mouth man an speak, 'stead of sittin' there 
 like a floatin' bogle. I think we're all be- 
 witched to night (no answer) ; Jonathan, d'ye 
 hear me, is that you or not I say, Jonathan ?" 
 
 There was something so ludicrous in the 
 question, as well as nascent tone of alarm 
 in which it was uttered, that I could suppress 
 
116 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 my mirth no longer, nor get out any other 
 words by way of reply than a broken " aye, 
 aye, Bryce." 
 
 Bryce now began to smell a rat. 
 
 "Aye, aye! hullo, what bedfellow have I 
 got now ?" 
 
 He then remained perfectly silent till we 
 touched the shore under the old Cote, when 
 suddenly kindling a handful of brush he had 
 prepared for the purpose, he held it close up 
 to my face. His own underwent a rapid 
 transition from ill-humour to wonderment, 
 and from wonderment to gratification, as 
 throwing Truegroove on his left arm, and 
 wringing my hand like a very vice, he ex- 
 claimed : — 
 
 " Eh what I why it ain't — massy, it is Phil 
 Ky*sleas sure as shootin'." 
 
 " Phil Ruysuale, sure enough," returned I 
 demurely, " but methinks you've given him 
 but a scurvy sort of welcome." 
 ' " WuU, that's a fact," quo Bryce, laughing 
 as he recalled his late ybjurgations, "there 
 
OVER THK PRAIRIES. 
 
 117 
 
 ain't no deny in' it ; but who would ha' dreamed 
 it was you ' playin' possum ' by starlight, 
 and bedevillin' the boat arter that fashion ; 
 how heavy too you stepped into it, squire ; 
 you'll haye more beef on your bones than you 
 had onst, I'm thinkin'. Wull, I knowed 
 you'd be harkin' back to the old spot some 
 o' these days, tho' I've well nigh gone under 
 in waitin' for it. Hark (hearing Robin call) 
 ain't that Master Butternut ? swouns ! who 
 would ha' thought o' this 1 I'll away and fetch 
 him over ; is he as full o' book notions as he 
 used to be ?" asked Bryce with his dry laugh, 
 " and as fond o' peltry ? Ahs me !" sighed 
 he, as he threw the relics of his fire into 
 the lake and paddled off. " He'll find no 
 more skinnin' in these parts, I reckon." 
 
118 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 CHAFTER VI. 
 
 Having groped my way through the neglected 
 grounds to our old habitation, I sat down 
 awhile at the outside to await the coming up 
 of my companions. 
 
 Ere long Jannock returned, accompanied 
 by Robin only, the vociferous Jonathan having 
 been denied passage on the ground of inebriety, 
 and I presently heard the former piloting his 
 new guest towards his abode. " Hie ye in, 
 lad ; hie ye in while I tie up the boat ; it's 
 only a hunter's shanty, but it has seen many 
 a merry splore in its time ; we'll soon raise a 
 low on the hearth, and find a snack o' vittle 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 119 
 
 for wer inwards. That critter Jonathan's 
 mislaid the pad — heigh-ho ! that ever I should 
 ha' lived to see padlocks wanted in the wil- 
 derness !" 
 
 Thus guiding, welcoming, and grumbling, 
 the hunter rejoined us in the old familiar 
 chamber where we had of yore listened to so 
 many of his " yarns," and which lit up by the 
 fire I had resuscitated seemed still haunted by 
 the blythe memories and thronging associa- 
 tions of by-gone times. 
 
 As he busied himself with the preparations 
 for our meal, I observed him glancing fre- 
 quently at our friend Robin, who was sitting 
 demurely in the corner, eyeing with divided 
 interest the weather-beaten figure of his host 
 and the culinary operations he was engaged 
 in, " WuU, squire," said Jannock, as we sat 
 down to some venison steaks he at length 
 placed on the table, '* you've been an almighty 
 long time in turning up, that's a fact ; I began 
 to think you was gone under for good, and 
 
120 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 that the time had come for the old man to up 
 trap and absquatalate.*' 
 
 " Absquatalate, Bryce ! what, from the once 
 well-beloved shores of Loch Furness ?" 
 
 " Aye/* returned he, austerely, " and shake 
 off the dust of my moccasins agin the sacri- 
 legious raff as is come to o'errun it in these 
 latter days. Englishers, Dutchers, Irishers, 
 drunkards, loafers, lumberers, thieves ; grog- 
 shops here — watermills there — roguery every- 
 where — noise, no end on. Heaven and 'arth 
 knows what IVe had to stand among 'em, 
 waiting for you this twelve year gone and 
 more ; axes dinning in my ears all day long ; 
 game skeered off wi' whirly wheels ; fish 
 p'isoned wi' saw-dust, and every now and 
 then some skunk of a lawyer coming up and 
 axing me what I would take for my location. 
 ' My sarvice to you, frind,' says I ; * air 
 you a wantin' on it now, or do you mind 
 waitin' till you get it ?' there ain't no carrying 
 on with it no longer, so I'm tip-top chipper 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 121 
 
 you've come back, squire — better late than 
 never — to look arter your gear, and keep it 
 from falling into the hands of the Philistines.'* 
 
 This was by no means an inviting picture 
 of my ci-devant Eden, but I made large al- 
 lowance for the colouring given to it by the 
 old woodsman's prejudices and pursuits. 
 
 " It has fairly made an old man of me," he 
 continued, "so I e'en think of turning my 
 back on the blackguards and sloping nor'- 
 rards, where I can sight Truegroove on a deer 
 now and then, and 'arn and eat my vittles 
 in peace." 
 
 " A very natural resolve under the circum- 
 stances, but I've other work in hand for you, 
 old boy, and other game afoot ; have you 
 been at the Far Pines of late?" 
 
 " Far Pines I aye, there's a new settler 
 
 there now, and he calls the spot Petersville ; 
 
 Peter's folly, say I, for he has made a rare 
 
 fool's nest on't; the game has become so 
 
 scarce I had to stretch as far as there to drop 
 
 this deer we're a eatin'." 
 VOL. I, a 
 
122 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 "Well, and do you remember a certain 
 young fawn we were once engaged in hunting 
 up at that same spot ?" 
 
 " Du' I remember it ? du' I not ? I Ve 
 so'thing to tell ye about that bit of venison. 
 I onst thought of coming over to you in the 
 old country about the business, but I didn't 
 know where you was, and I didn't hear no- 
 thing tell of you, so I just wrote a bit of a 
 letter instead, which may be never got to 
 hand." 
 
 " It certainly never got to mine, which T 
 much regret ; how was the letter directed ?" 
 
 " ' Squire Ky'sle, th' old country,' I some 
 think." 
 
 Which readily accounts for the circum- 
 stance, thought I. " Well, we'll talk over 
 the matter to-morrow (I did not wish to admit 
 Eobin too far into our secrets at this early 
 stage) ; now tell me how it has fared with 
 you since we parted that fine morning under 
 the beech tree." 
 
 " Why, arter you and Master Butternut had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 123 
 
 gone, (well, I should lia' been glad to ha' 
 seen him here again) I was rayther hard bested 
 at times by gangs o' these onpeaceable Yan- 
 kees as came down upon the Cote ; one time 
 with our old frind Master Lane at tlieir head, 
 seeking to play off some of his old shines ; 
 but I soon found the way to content 'em. 
 Whenever the varmint showed their thievish 
 mugs, I pulled off in the canoe to the 
 island and peppered away with old True- 
 groove at every mother's son that showed 
 face, foot, or posteerum. Arter barkin' Hag- 
 gai and two or three more o' the riptyles, they 
 got tired o' the entertainment at last, and 
 sheered off, arter settin' fire to the old logs, 
 which I got back in time to put out. 
 
 " So then the peace came, and a pleasant 
 and quiet time I had on't for years, gettin' 
 game to my heart's content and peltry too, 
 till these skunks o' settlers showed their dirty 
 faces and druv the game away, and the peltry 
 and contentment along with it. Syne then," 
 
 concluded the old woodsman, with a sigh, 
 
 G 2 
 
124 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 " my life has been little else, as I may ca* it, 
 than vanity and vexation of spirit." 
 
 Having finished his brief recital, he turned 
 to Kobin (who during his discourse had been 
 closely examining Truegroove), and after com- 
 placently regarding him and his employment 
 for some minutes, observed to me with an air 
 of satisfaction : 
 
 "Clever-looking younker, that — diflFerent 
 brand from Master Butternut, I'm thinkin' ; 
 but—" 
 
 Here he took a hemlock sprout from the 
 floor, and manipulated it significantly with his 
 fingers. 
 
 " Green, you would say, Bryce — something 
 green and inexperienced — it may be so ; but 
 practice will amend that ; the stoutest tree in 
 the forest was a sapling once." 
 
 "And that's true, too." 
 
 " If you consent to join our enterprize, we 
 shall all of us, I suspect, earn some additional 
 wrinkles in our horns before we've done ; in 
 the meantime, as we've had rather a hard 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 IS 
 
 day's work of it, and look for a good many 
 more to come, you will excuse us if we now 
 ask the way to our sleeping berths." 
 
 Our trusty host soon prepared us a couple 
 of shakedowns, and happy in having so far 
 made good our way, and gratified, on my own 
 part, despite the Jeremiads I had heard, to 
 find my property in a condition that promised 
 well for my interests, we laid ourselves down 
 in contentment, and enjoyed a sound and well- 
 earned rest. 
 
 The next day, leaving Robin to amuse 
 himself for a few hours as he best liked, Jan- 
 nock and I paddled out into the lake, when I 
 informed him of the object of my visit, and 
 excited his great astonishment at the disclo- 
 sures I had to make to him in connection with 
 it. 
 
 He willingly tendered me his services, and 
 we then laid our heads together to devise the 
 best means of commencing our important 
 work. 
 
 The communication he had had to make to 
 
126 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 me the night before, was simply that during 
 a moment of boon companionship, he had 
 been informed by the landlord of the wood- 
 land tavern (Mike Leary), who had overheard 
 the discussions of the plotters, that the missing 
 child we were in search of had, instead of 
 perishing in the fire, been kidnapped and car- 
 ried away to some remote part of the West, 
 which he professed to be further ignorant of, 
 and that he believed this was done with the 
 privity, if not at the instigation of the 
 English stranger who had heretofore been his 
 lodger. 
 
 This, though satisfactory in confirming the 
 conclusions we had already come to, gave us 
 but indifferent light for making our first 
 throw off. I pressed Jannock to turn the 
 matter carefully over in his mind, whilst I 
 went on a tour of inspection through my pro- 
 perty, and give me the results of his delibera- 
 tion in the evening. 
 
 At that time he entered again upon the 
 subject, told me he had revolved the matter 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 127 
 
 to the best of liis ability, but was really 
 unable to recommend one plan more than 
 another, unless I thought the following sug- 
 gestion worthy of consideration. 
 
 Leary and, as he believed, Lane, being both 
 dead, the Indians (Toby and Rutt) disap- 
 peared, he knew not whither ; and his old 
 comrade, Steve Wiley, being the only one of 
 those concerned in the abduction who was 
 known to him, and on whom, therefore, could 
 be founded any hops of assistance, we might 
 endeavour to trace him out, and by gratifying 
 his well-known passion for money, obtain the 
 information so essential to us. This he 
 thought was possible from its being within his 
 knowledge that Wiley had a mother living in 
 Kentucky, whom he was in the habit of visit- 
 ing on his return from his trapping expedi- 
 tions, and who, if it should be thought worth 
 while to make so long a journey to consult 
 her, might give us information as to his 
 whereabouts. 
 
 We might take this, suggested Jannock, for 
 
128 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 our first move, as it offered a chance at least 
 of making a right start, and was therefore 
 better than remaining idle, or being left to 
 grope our way in the dark. 
 
 In this view I concurred, and having 
 adopted i^as the first portion of our plan of 
 campaign, we allowed no needless delay to 
 interfere with its execution. 
 
 One day more I devoted to giving the 
 necessary instructions to a lawyer for the dis- 
 posal of my property in the neighbourhood, 
 and the following one found Jannock, Eobin 
 and myself on the road, diligently pursuing 
 our way southwards. 
 
 Considering the vast distance to be traversed 
 we thought we had made good progress, when 
 towards the end of the third week of our 
 journey, we were wearily completing its last 
 stage. 
 
 We had entered Kentucky in the morning, 
 and during the course of the day had abun- 
 dant occasion to admire the varied and 
 beautiful features of that favoured state— the 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 129 
 
 undying charms of its natural scenery, the 
 wide yellow tracts of Indian corn, waving in 
 full harvest promise over the "bloody 
 ground," and the fiae specimens of domestic 
 animals which every now and then met our 
 view, shewing the superior " mettle of their 
 pasture." 
 
 Bv observations such as these, and conver- 
 sation they gave rise to, we beguiled the tedium 
 of travel as best we might, and late in the 
 afternoon, having regaled ourselves with some 
 excellent cyder at a rustic tavern on the road, 
 found ourselves descending the long hill, 
 down which winds the highway leading to 
 the small but picturesque village of Coons- 
 ville. 
 
 The sun had just set over the opposite 
 heights, and we were about putting our 
 horses to a trot, that we might save what re- 
 mained of the short twilight, when a sharp- 
 featured, shrewish looking woman ran out of 
 a loghouse at the road side, and going up to 
 
 o 5 
 
130 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 I 
 
 Jannock, who was nearest her, requested him, 
 with an earnest air, to call as we passed 
 through the village, on one Nathaniel Crane, 
 a respectable inhabitant of the place. 
 
 "Poor Steve — that's my son," said she, 
 " he's taken mighty bad this arternoon, and 
 nothing '11 content him, but gettin' some 
 decent body to come and talk with him. 
 Now Nathaniel, ye see, had him in hand 
 when he was a youngster, and him and Steve 
 seemed al'ays to cotton 'til each other, and 
 now he thinks he's like to die he wants to see 
 the old friend as taught him all the good he 
 ever got, and would ha' put him into a better 
 way than may be he has chanced to follow, 
 poor feller." 
 
 We of course agreed to her request, when, 
 looking steadily at me, she observed — 
 
 " I think, sir, you're an Englisher — if I be 
 right, will ye step into the shanty awhile, and 
 speak witli my poor agoin' son; he has just now 
 been saying to me, he would give all he had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 131 
 
 in tlie world for three minutes' speech with 
 some honest Englisher. But/' she added, 
 "ye must'nt set too much store, mind, by 
 what Steve tells ye, for he has never been 
 Jiis right man syn' he caught this ugly West- 
 ern fever, and to-night he's more flightsoine 
 far than ever." 
 
 The old woman's manner, which showed 
 her feeliags were concerned, no less than the 
 import of her speech, raised my curiosity, and 
 induced me to comply with her desire, so 
 after despatching Robin on her errand I 
 alighted from my jaded horse, and followed 
 her into her humble dwelling. 
 
 Preceding me on tiptoe, she softly opened 
 the door of a rude, rough -planked chamber, 
 and there, on a low pallet, with his face 
 turned towards a little window that let in 
 the fading glow of the sunset, lay the indi- 
 vidual who had expressed the singular wisli to 
 see some honest Englishman. 
 
 His appearance, together with that of his 
 
132 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 bed-gear, wMch, though clean, was greatly- 
 tossed and rumpled, indicated the distraction 
 and restlessness of fever. 
 
 Surely I have seen that face before, thought 
 I, and half-audibly muttered. ♦ 
 
 " Aye,'* echoed a low, deep voice at my 
 elbow, "there lies Steve Wiley, as sure as 
 here stands Bryce Jannock ; pray God, we're 
 not too late." 
 
 " Bryce Jannock! Is that Bryce 
 Jannock ?'' 
 
 " Aye, here he is, Steve. D'ye remember 
 the scrimmage we had with the Kaphoes, old 
 boss, and Mike Leary's, and Haggai Lane, 
 and the fire in the woods that time the Eng- 
 lish lord was burnt?" 
 
 The sick man gasped as this was spoken, 
 turned his face to his pillow, and after a short 
 silence, during which he seemed to be ga- 
 thering strength to speak, muttered in a low 
 and broken voice, " Oh, Bryce, I'm making 
 tracks for the next world; that was a bad 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 133 
 
 business ; whenever I think on't it downs me 
 like walking over a burnt prairie. You're 
 sartain he died, then ?" 
 
 " Sartain ; I helped to bury him with my 
 own hands.'* 
 
 " Well, I al'ays thought it was so ; but o* 
 late, in my lonesome hours, he has time and 
 agin appeared afore me ; only a while syne 
 I see him there, where that gentleman's a 
 sfcandin, and he asked me for his child. 
 Many's the red Tnjyns I've shot down in my 
 trapping bouts, and thought no more on it 
 than dropping so many chitmunks ; but this 
 burning and kidnapping Christi'n men and 
 gals, heaven and 'arth seems to cry out in 
 judgment agin it." 
 
 " Kidnapped, did ye say, Steve ? what, 
 was the young gal then kidnapped ?" 
 
 " Aye, kidnapped she was ; the father was 
 burned, and the child was kidnapped. It 
 cries agin me day and night, and '11 let me 
 have no rest till it comes out. She was 
 
134 
 
 A PILaKIMAQE 
 
 carried away at a stranger's bidding, for gold. 
 I never rightly knew the secrets o' the mat- 
 ter, but I suspicion he craved her wealth. He 
 gave us gold by handsful — I'll tell the truth 
 — a dollar each we got for every mile we 
 took her, and now it's all lying here (placing 
 his hand on his heart, and sighing deeply) 
 heavier — heavier than the ' Three Tetons.' " 
 
 His mother now went up to his bed-side, 
 and said in his ear : 
 
 " Steve, there's an English gentleman here ; 
 you wanted to see one, you know, just now." 
 
 The sick man turned his eyes upwards, as 
 though in mute thanksgiving at the circum- 
 stance, muttering to himself the while, " the 
 matter may be mended yet then;" and ad- 
 dressing me in a voice scarcely audible, he 
 said : 
 
 " Draw nigh, sir, for my wind is worsening 
 fast. When you go back to the old country, 
 seek out the Mends of the settler as — as — 
 Bryce there knows who I mean," ^v 
 
 I 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 135 
 
 " Aye, aye ; go on, Steve ; we know." 
 
 " Tell them, tho* the father be dead, the 
 child is living — " 
 
 "Where?" I exclaimed, in the intensity of 
 my interest. 
 
 "Softly, softly, squire," interposed Jan- 
 nock; "let him take his own way, or we 
 shall have him off the track altogether." 
 
 " Near where that devil Lane and his setter- 
 on bestowed her, far away west, among the 
 Blackfeet." 
 
 " Which breed o* Blackfeet, Steve ? was it 
 the praira or mountain niggers ? " 
 
 " Wind river Injyns. I see her there my- 
 self last fall. Mightily grown she was, and 
 as dark as a red-skin, but I knowed her ; tell 
 them, if they would heal their bleeding hearts, 
 and give rest to the soul of a dying sinner, to 
 seek her out, and bring her to her country and 
 kin again." 
 
 Several anxious questions were then put 
 to him, which he found himself unable to 
 answer. 
 
136 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 After a long interval, he faintly murmured, 
 " Air, air ; give me air, mother ; I'm going." 
 
 The door of his chamber was accordingly 
 thrown open, and at the same instant in 
 walked the individual who had been sum- 
 moned to converse with him, a tall, benevo- 
 lent-looking man, with a somewhat demure 
 cast of countenance, and behind him my 
 messenger, Eobin. 
 
 " How is he, Sarah ?" asked the former, in 
 a subdued tone ; " any hope ? " 
 
 " I'm afeard not ; he says he's a-goin', and 
 he looks like it ; see how he's a pickin' the 
 spread." 
 
 He then went up to his friend's bed-side, 
 and said gently in his ear : 
 
 " Steve, I'm come ; speak to me— speak to 
 Nathaniel." 
 
 A faint "0, Nathaniel!" escaped with 
 the parting breath of the dying trapper, and 
 his features then gradually sunk into the 
 tokenless vacuity of death. "\ 
 
 • • • • ■* ■' 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 137 
 
 Meditating deeply on this scene, as solemn 
 and momentous as it was unexpected, I pro- 
 ceeded, after a decent interval with my two 
 associates, to our hotel. 
 
 / 
 
138 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Our path seemed now much clearer, and our 
 chief anxiety was to pursue it with as little 
 delay as possible. 
 
 The revelations of the defunct trapper 
 threw a fearful light upon the broken speeches 
 I had formerly over-heard at the tavern, par- 
 ticularly that one which, puzzling me then, I 
 had so often mused on since : " You shall have 
 a dollar a-piece for every mile you take her." 
 
 They had carried her, it appeared, to the 
 Rocky Mountains — a distance of two thousand 
 miles, and assuming the compact to be flilfilled, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 139 
 
 would have each therefore received a wage of 
 as many dollars. 
 
 Considering the work it was received for, no 
 wonder his wicked earnings lay so heavy on 
 the conscience of the unhappy man whose re- 
 morseful end we had just witnessed. 
 
 Eetribution had thus overtaken the two 
 subordinate agents in the plot (for Lane had 
 died in the course of a long imprisonment in- 
 curred by subsequent offences) and it now 
 only remained to repair the evil they had 
 occasioned, and bring their wicked principal 
 to justice. 
 
 Leaving Coonsville the next morning, we 
 proceeded as expeditiously as possible to St. 
 Louis, where our party was to be organised, 
 and equipments and stores provided for our 
 long land journey. 
 
 Being the chief emporium of western 
 traffic we found, on arriving there, no difficulty 
 in procuring the various matters necessary for 
 our purpose, and having abundant funds at 
 my disposal, I determined to spare neither ex- 
 
140 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 pense nor pains in giving the party an effec- 
 tive outfit. 
 
 Our first purchase was of strong leathern 
 clothing (buck-skin hunting shirts, leggings, 
 and moccasins) which might stand the wear 
 and tear of a rough out-of-doors life for some 
 twelve or eighteen months, it being for this 
 purpose far more suitable than any textile 
 fabric. 
 
 We then at a gunsmith's, whose wares bore 
 a good reputation, procured two rifles for 
 myself and Robin (Bryce still rejoiced in his 
 inseparable Truegroove), of the long and 
 heavy kind usual in the States, carrying balls 
 of 60 to the pound, as also half-a-dozen long 
 pistols (the barrels ten inches in length) ca- 
 pable of projecting a bullet with good effect at 
 60 yards. 
 
 The honest armourer informed us there had 
 been considerable demand for his weapons of 
 late in consequence of the disturbed state of 
 the Indian country, though he feared, as to 
 many of them, they were no better than 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 141 
 
 " pearls thrown afore swine;" hoped, how- 
 ever, we should handle our "shoottin' ir'ns" to 
 better purpose, and invited us to report on 
 their merits in case we should ever come that 
 way again. He then directed us to a respect- 
 able cutler's, where we might furnish our- 
 selves with trustworthy hunting knives. " A 
 good deal of trash," he remarked, " was 
 vended under this name, but if you want a 
 re'l slap-up whittle that '11 sliver a bough, 
 slice a buck, or scalp a redskin, there," said he, 
 pointing to the shop, " you'll suit yourselves 
 I guess, to a nicety." 
 
 With respect to this article there is more 
 judgment required in the choice than seems to 
 be generally exercised. 
 
 Being wanted alike for purposes of 
 wood craft, an arm of offence and defence, 
 and the more humble uses of a whittle, it 
 should be at once heavy enough to serve as 
 bill or short sword — sharp enough to quarter 
 a deer without mangling, and light enough to 
 
142 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 be easily handled on occasion at the trencher 
 on which that deer may be laid in the form of 
 venison. 
 
 Those we chose by the advice of an old 
 trapper, who happened to be in the shop at the 
 time, were not more than a foot long in the 
 blade, but nearly two inches in width, having 
 but one edge till about two inches from the 
 tip, where the back was slightly scolloped 
 out, and the remainder to the point made 
 equally sharp on both sides. Each might be 
 a little more than a pound in weight ; its 
 temper of the best " bill " metal, not liable to 
 snip, and requiring the occasional use of the 
 whetstone. 
 
 Not being able to hear of any caravan im- 
 mediately about to proceed in the direction 
 we proposed for ourselves, and three making 
 but a small force to dare the dangers of the 
 Western Deserts, it was deemed advisable to 
 augment it by enlisting a couple of stout well- 
 experienced hunters, which, as celerity was to 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 143 
 
 avan im- 
 
 be consulted as well as safety, we thouglit 
 would make up with ourselves a sufficient 
 number for ensuring both. 
 
 As fate however willed it, among the motley- 
 crowds then congregated at St. Louis, not even 
 this small number of the precise sort of men 
 we wanted — individuals to be depended on, 
 who would not warp in the wear, were pro- 
 curable — at least none to satisfy the fastidious 
 taste of Jannock, who was charged with their 
 selection, and entertained perhaps a just dread 
 of clogging the movements of the party with 
 what he called " lumber." 
 
 Casually mentioning our difficulty to our 
 acquaintance the gunsmith, he told me that if 
 I would not mind waiting a few days, he 
 thought he could supply me with the sort of 
 men I wanted — two trapping friends of his 
 own, at present serving in a fur brigade, 
 which was expected shortly to arrive. 
 
 To this proposal I briefly objected the delay 
 it would occasion, and he then suggested that 
 as our intended route seemed to tally with 
 
144 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 that taken by the returning traders, I might 
 endeavour to meet and make my arrangements 
 with them on the road. 
 
 This being apparently quite a feasible 
 course, I decided on adopting it. 
 
 To carry provisions and other needful 
 stores, I sought out and purchased a light 
 covered waggon, small in the body, but with 
 strong wheels and axles, in which I caused to 
 be carefully stowed a precious cargo of flour, 
 biscuits, coffee, tea, sugar, tobacco (the latter 
 the best medium of exchange in the Indian 
 country), and ammunition, together with a 
 small quantity of cured meat (for supplies of 
 this in a fresh state we relied upon our rifles) 
 to the tune of fifteen hundred-weight, which 
 was thought not above what our team of six 
 mules would be quite able to deal with. 
 
 If the reader should consider this a trifling 
 load for a team of six, he will be pleased to 
 remember they had to be their own road- 
 makers as they drew it. ^ 
 
 In regard to the mounting of the party, I 
 
 .1 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 U5 
 
 had for my own riding an exceedingly good 
 little mare, which I had taken a fancy to and 
 bought in my way through Kentucky — a 
 darkisk chestnut, showing a good deal of 
 blood ; and having procured a couple of stout 
 serviceable animals for Jannock and Robin, 
 our little party found themselves fully ap- 
 pointed and equipped in every respect for 
 their enterprize. 
 
 To drive the waggon, act as cook, and help 
 us generally at the outset, I hh-ed a Canadian 
 half-breed, of the name of Antoine, who pro- 
 fessed to have had much experience in his line, 
 and whom we made conditions to dispense 
 with at the end of a month, in case of either 
 party so willing it. 
 
 It was on the fifth of August that the 
 echoes of our teamster's whip resounding in 
 the " liberal air," gave audible token of 
 our having at length got fairly under way, all 
 of us in the highest spirits, and little disposed 
 to dwell on the prospective crosses and hard- 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
146 
 
 A PIl.GRIMAGE 
 
 ships that inevitably await the far-western 
 traveller. 
 
 Our mules, being imperfectly broken, gave 
 us for the first few days a good deal of trouble, 
 as new teams usually do, and long ere the day 
 was spent two of the most refractory having 
 broken their harness in two places, it was 
 found necessary to halt in the midst of a wild 
 plain in order to repair it. 
 
 Whilst thus employed Jannock called my 
 attention to the appearance of the sky, which, 
 hitherto bright and cloudless, began now to 
 show a black haze along the horizon, swiftly 
 ascending towards the zenith. There was a 
 boding look about it that told the storm fiend 
 was approaching, and about to carry it with a 
 high hand. f 
 
 " We must make snug," cried Bryce, " and 
 that soon; yon clouds are travelling like a 
 full-blown praira fire." 
 
 " How awfully black they look 1" 
 
 " Aye, black as gunpowder, and I guess 
 they'll be giving it us arter the same fashion ; 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 147 
 
 we must make for yon hollow, and hobble 
 the beasts, slick, or we shall have 'em stam- 
 peded by the lightnin', and be left to drag our 
 * notions' ourselves." 
 
 Antoine having in some sort restored the 
 gear, the waggon was driven to the place 
 signified — a natural depression in the ground 
 which might afford us some small shelter 
 from the wind, and then all used their best 
 efforts in securing the valuable animals on 
 which we began more and more to feel our 
 dependence. 
 
 On concluding this task we anxiously 
 sought for any sign that might discover to 
 us the quarter in which the storm would 
 break. 
 
 Though an almost midnight darkness over- 
 spread the heavens, no sound, not even a 
 breath of wind was perceptible, and like our- 
 selves, the unreasoning animals about us con- 
 scious of an impending crash, yet awed by the 
 ominous hush, stood helplessly awaiting the 
 
 catastrophe. 
 
 H 2 
 
148 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 We were still lingering by the side of the 
 waggon for the purpose of leading our three 
 horses at a moment's notice under its lee-side 
 as soon as we could discover which side that 
 would be, when a thunder-clap that seemed 
 to rend the very heavens broke over our heads, 
 accompanied by a furious blast, which, coming 
 as it seemed from every point of the compass 
 at once, entirely defeated our kind purpose 
 towards our dumb companions. 
 
 Too happy were we to find refuge ourselves 
 under the tilt of the vehicle from the deluges 
 of rain that in compact, sluicy sheets now 
 descended, speedily inundating the plain 
 around, and threatening even to swamp us 
 bodily in the hollow where we had fled for 
 refuge. 
 
 The stunning thunder, incessant lightning, 
 and overwhelming watershed, exceeded all I 
 had heretofore conceived of the power and 
 sublimity of a land storm. Assailed as we 
 were by it in the midst of a dreary waste, at 
 the very outset of our expedition, it excited a 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 149 
 
 certain feeling of discouragement ; we were 
 even disposed to regard it as an evil omen — 
 to fancy the spirit of our arch-adversary rode 
 the blast, and was mar^^ -^Uing the elements 
 themselves to war against the champions of 
 right. 
 
 Cowering beneath our frail awning, in fear 
 every moment of getting a ride into the air 
 on the top of our powder canisters, we sat 
 smoking our pipes and blinking at the light- 
 ning for nearly a couple of hours, when the 
 storm began to show symptoms of abating. 
 The wind ceased by degrees, the gloomy pall 
 that had overhung the sky thinned away, and 
 the bright blue firmament at last, thronged 
 with its golden monitors, came forth, stablish- 
 ing a silent cheer within our breasts, and tel- 
 ling in celestial language that the tyranny of 
 nature was overpast. 
 
 Though yet early hi the evening it was too 
 late to re-yoke our teams, so gathering and 
 securing our scared quadrupeds round the 
 waggon, we returned to its shelter, made out 
 
150 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 a supper from our stores, and at length laid 
 
 * 
 
 ourselves down to rest. 
 
 Early the next morning we proceeded on 
 our way, our spirits toned anew by the de- 
 lightful elasticity of the air and fresh beauty 
 of the country, renovated by the late rains. 
 
 Examining it as we paced along, we were 
 pleased to see on every side its abounding 
 promise of fertility, and the thriving farms we 
 now and then passed by, gave token this was 
 far from being lost on the practical and ener- 
 getic race that peopled it. 
 
 Missouri being a frontier state, its popula- 
 tion possesses very much of that half-horse, 
 half-alligator character, that constitutes the 
 backwoodsman type. During this and the 
 following days the different varieties we met 
 of it in the shape of bee-hunters, stark-trap- 
 pers, intending settlers, and rough indepen- 
 dent farmers jogging along to fair or market, 
 nearly all armed with the universal rifle, gave 
 us ample opportunity of judging of the sons 
 of the soil, and gratifying a curiosity I had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 151 
 
 long felt to behold the Anglo-Saxon, severed 
 fi'om the parent stock, and in a new hemis- 
 phere, under the influence of these primitive 
 conditions of life. 
 
 Laying our course towards the Kansas 
 river we got along at the rate of about twenty 
 miles a day, occasionally meeting with rivers 
 which, though for the most part fordable, had 
 often precipitous banks, which rendered a 
 good deal of labour necessary to effect a prac- 
 ticable passage for the waggon. 
 
 Thus, seasoning ourselves by degrees for 
 the more arduous stages of our journey, and 
 having as yet encountered no peril and but 
 little hardship, we at length reached the con- 
 fines of the State and entered on the great 
 Western wilderness. 
 
 So far nothing had been seen or heard of 
 the fur-trading party from whom we expected 
 to obtain our additional hands, and it was not 
 without much uneasiness I found we were 
 advancing into the prairies with so weak and 
 (with one exception) inexperienced a force. . 
 
152 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Waiting, however, would in no wise mend 
 the matter, and as we had taken care to ad- 
 here to the route prescribed us, there yet re- 
 mained a possibility of our falling in with 
 them, so that " forward" was still the word, 
 and forward we boldly fared. 
 
 Some few days after crossing the frontier I 
 was riding, towards evening, with Jannock, a 
 little ahead of the rest, my comrade looking 
 about for a suitable spot to encamp in, and 
 myself admiring the exquisite colouring of the 
 western sky, as, stretched behind clumps of 
 fir trees, it cast its tinted splendours over the 
 wild steppe around, when on passing a grove 
 of pines that had for some time served us as a 
 land-mark, we suddenly beheld a bright fire 
 blazing at a little distance on our front. 
 
 Halting awhile to allow the waggon to 
 come up I carefully reconnoitred the object 
 through my spy -glass. 
 
 The flame was flickering on the stems of a 
 knot of fir trees about half a mile a-head, 
 and we also joyfully perceived it reflected ou 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 153 
 
 a stream of water for wliich we had been 
 anxiously looking out since morning. Amidst 
 the timber two waggons were seen drawn up, 
 and human figures, both male and female, 
 moving to and fro, as though engaged in pre- 
 parations for their night's camp. 
 
 There being nothing to alarm us in these 
 appearances, the party being evidently whites, 
 we again pushed ahead of the waggon and 
 rode directly towards them. 
 
 As we drew near we perceived a venerable 
 looking old man of unmistakeably Anglo- 
 Saxon physiognomy, seated on the shafts of 
 his waggon, and engaged with a two-handed 
 knife in whittling what seemed to be some 
 appurtenance of the vehicle. 
 
 A little in his rear three young women 
 were superintending some utensils at the fire, 
 which from the savoury steam that issued 
 from them seemed charged with material for 
 their supper, and on the borders of the rivulet 
 four or five well-grown youths were plying 
 their important tasks of cutting wood for the 
 
 H 5 
 
154 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 camp-fire and hobbling the wearied teams 
 which, freed from the appliances of their 
 labour, were solacing themselves during the 
 operation by cropping the sweet herbage at 
 the side of the water course. 
 
 TlxC old man courteously returned my 
 greeting, and saying to one of the youths who 
 had sauntered up, " Here, Jonathan, }ou 
 whip us all at whittling ; just get this spoke 
 finished oiF, and let us have the tire on before 
 it gets dark," invited us to alight and partake 
 of what cheer he had to offer. 
 
 Stimulated by the keen prairie air we did 
 not wait a second bidding, but after unhar- 
 nessing and sidelining our cattle (" sidelining" 
 is tying the fore and hind legs on the same 
 side within eighteen or twenty inches of each 
 other) joined the little circle at the fire to 
 which the presence of females conferred so 
 unwonted an attraction. 
 
 Of these the eldest alone had arrived at 
 womanhood, and seldom had my eye rested 
 on a fairer specimen of the English (for such 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 155 
 
 we found she was) country maid. Her per- 
 son was of middle size, tolerably well formed, 
 though it might be somewhat stouter than 
 would have been deemed by " your pining, 
 screwed -up, wasp - waisted daughters of 
 fashion," exactly conformable with their beau 
 ideal. 
 
 A skin of snowy whiteness laight be 
 detected in spite of her high ^ odest dre^ , by 
 one regardful of such matters, whilst a pair 
 of clear bright hazel eyes gave marvellous 
 light and animation to a countenance whose 
 native bloom remained unpaled, and whose 
 purely chiselled features rendered it an elo- 
 quent index of the frank and amiable spirit 
 that informed it. A profusion of nut-brown 
 hair, of precisely the same hue and racily har- 
 monising with her eyes, fell unstifled by cap, 
 untortured by steel or curl paper, in rich clus- 
 ters upon her shoulders, completing with the 
 peculiar glory of her sex (if her sex would 
 but only know it) the tale of her simple but 
 extraordinary attractions. ' ^^\'^ 
 
156 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Her two sisters, wKo seemed yet in their 
 teens, so little resembled her that I at once 
 set them down, as indeed proved to be the 
 case, for the offspring of a second marriage. 
 
 The supper being reported ready and the 
 five youths called in from their work, the fair 
 Hannah (such was our Hebe's name among 
 mortals) assumed the direction of the meal, 
 which, after an emphatic grace from her grey- 
 haired sire, was despatched by us all with 
 the appetite and enjoyment to have been 
 expected. 
 
 According to the common fashion of the 
 west, and indeed as was not unnatural under 
 the circumstances, the conversation took 
 pretty much of the question and answer form, 
 and I may confess, if we found our new 
 acquaintance somewhat interrogatively dis- 
 posed, the picture presented by this English 
 family (their nationality was soon apparent) 
 wandering in the guize tliey were through 
 the wilderness, awoke no little curiosity on 
 my own part. , 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 157 
 
 After finishing our meal the young men re- 
 turned to their left-off labours, and my host 
 having lighted his pipe, proceeded to commu- 
 nicate to me the following details of his his- 
 tory : — 
 
 His name was Richard Wainwright, and he 
 had begun life as a farmer, in his native 
 county, Lincolnshire. Marrying in middle 
 life the daughter of a neighbouring gentle- 
 man, he became in due course enriched with 
 the fair girl I have described, and four sons, 
 all of whom he still retained around him. 
 
 In his earlier years, he did not scruple to 
 inform me, he had lived more freely than he 
 might have done, and subsequently became 
 deeply tinctured with the important truths of 
 religion which had held great sway over his 
 mind up to the present time. 
 
 The particular creed he had adopted was 
 that of the Independents, and a large party of 
 his co-religionists having quitted their neigh- 
 bourhood for the hopeful shores of the new 
 world, at a time when his farm^ failed to afford 
 
158 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 a sufficient maintenance to his family, lie had 
 come to the determination of taking the same 
 step himself. 
 
 The State selected as most favorable to his 
 views was Illinois, where his wife early fell a 
 victim to endemic disease. At a later period 
 he had married an American woman, who had 
 made him the father of the two other girls I 
 have mentioned, and a lad now about sixteen, 
 named Jonathan. 
 
 His second wife also having died, and his 
 location being found permanently unhealthy, 
 he had made up his mind to change his liome 
 a second time, and was yet hesitating in his 
 choice of a future, when a letter was received 
 from his American brother-in-law, who had 
 acquired a large tract of land in the Indian 
 country, near a military post recently estab- 
 lished by government, inviting him to come 
 with his family and share in the labour and 
 profits of its management. After due Jelib- 
 eration, he had come to the conclusion of do- 
 ing so, and we now found him on his road, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 159 
 
 having completed the greater part of his long 
 and hazardous journey. 
 
 I say, hazardous ; for tho' unaware of it ap- 
 parently himself, we had received accounts 
 from the trappers and traders met with on 
 the road, of much discontent prevailing and 
 numerous outrages having been lately com- 
 mitted against the whites by the Osage Indians, 
 Tvhose country we were about to enter, and 
 who were at this very time with their allies, 
 the Sioux, engaged in hostilities against the 
 Kansas tribe, in whose territory we then 
 actually were. 
 
 Being a man of fearless temperament, he 
 made light of the pic autionary arguments I 
 urged, pointed to his five stalwart sons, 
 showed in what safety he had hitherto made 
 his journey, and expressed his confidence with 
 the help of God of enjoying the same good 
 fortune to the end. 
 
 Listening to the old man recounting his ex- 
 periences and expatiating on his prospects, 
 whilst the fire cast its lurid glow upon hia 
 
160 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Upright but careworn countenance and those 
 of his interesting and interested daughters, I 
 could not help feeling a certain admiration of 
 his fortitude, mingled, however, with a good 
 deal of misgiving, which events now near at 
 hand were too soon and too sadly to justify. 
 
 As the night darkened in, the young men 
 (whose bold bearing and vigorous frames 
 might well bear out their father's boast,) came 
 dropping in one by one, and the family circle 
 being at length complete, Hannah handed a 
 well-used volume she had been holding open 
 on her lap, to her sire, who (evidently as a 
 matter of pious usage) proceeded to read a 
 prayer for divine protection ere resigning our- 
 selves to the rest and perils of the night. 
 
 This was followed by a short hymn, sung 
 by the three sisters, and we were yet listen- 
 ing to Hannah's sweet voice, as it swelled one 
 of its dying cadences, when a faint whistle 
 was heard in the air above us, and the next 
 instant an Indian arrow struck the earth in 
 our midst. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 161 
 
 For a few moments we scarcely knew what 
 to make of the occurrence, and gazed at the 
 mysterious missile in wondering silence ; then 
 Kichard, the eldest of the young men, took it 
 up from the ground, and examined it with a 
 simple and rather sottish air of curiosity. 
 
 " Why, here's a bit of tow on it !" he ex- 
 claimed, " and, as I live, fastened by some of 
 Hannah's yellow silk." 
 
 The youth handed it to his sister, who in 
 her turn gave it her close attention. 
 
 "Well, can ye make it out, sister?" he 
 asked. " It's your silk, is it not?" 
 
 His father, who had already laid aside his 
 book and spectacles, now demanded, as he re- 
 sumed the latter, to see the object that was 
 creating such a general sensation, and it was 
 forthwith placed in his hands. As soon as 
 he had satisfied himself it was no frolic on the 
 part of the young men, he said — 
 
 " It certainly looks like your broidering silk, 
 Hannah ; can you explain how it comes to us 
 in this fashion ?" . 
 
162 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 The fair girl was silent for a time, as tho' 
 trying to solve the mystery in her own mind; 
 then answered, with the air of one who had 
 at length done so : 
 
 " Yes, father, I think I can, now. This is 
 part of some silk I gave to the Sioux, Wah-to- 
 gach-to, the day he left us ; it was to fasten 
 ^^he feathers on his arrows with, he said ; it 
 must surely have cOme from him." 
 
 "As he left but a day before ourselves, 
 and was bound, I understand, in the same 
 direction, it is far from impossible he may be 
 in our neighbourhood now, and this may be 
 merely an Indian frolic on his part. 
 
 " But castas we are, sir," said the old man, 
 turning to me, " among the heathen, it be- 
 hoves us to keep upon our guard ; perhaps 
 yourself, or your friend, who seems to be ex- 
 perienced in border fashions, may help us to a 
 right insight into the matter." * > • 
 
 The party last referred to, Jannock, who 
 was leaning on his rifle outside the circle, as 
 though abs(*'bed by the sacred melody he had 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 163 
 
 been listening to, now riglited abruptly about 
 to where the arrow was going its rounds, and 
 in response to Hannah's touch on the arm, 
 said : — 
 
 " Eh ! what is it, gal ? let's have a squint 
 at the cur*osity." 
 
 The article was accordingly passed to him, 
 together with what Richard had called tlie 
 " bit of tow," hitherto retained in his hand, 
 and as he glanced alternately from one to the 
 other, a look of disquietude, not unmingled 
 with anxiety, came over his broad, firm-set fea- 
 tures. 
 
 His first words were in an under-tone to 
 young Hood : — 
 
 " Go and bring in the critters, Robin ; in 
 with 'em, slick, every hoof; take Jonathan 
 with you, and, hark'ee, boys, keep your eyes 
 skinned whilst you're about it." 
 
 He then made Hannah relate to him all she 
 knew in connection with the circumstance, 
 which was limited to the explanation already 
 
164 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 given to her father, when turning to the latter 
 he said:— 
 
 " Fri'nd, when it's snowing scalps, and 
 raining arrows, we may safely reckon there's 
 a storm blowing up ; it's time to be doin' ! 
 whether this we'pon be from fri'nd or foe, you 
 may trust a man who don't see Injyn shafts, 
 or meet Injyn deviltry now for the first time, 
 that danger's nigh at hand. This is a human 
 scalp, and though I don't like to speak sar- 
 tinly on sich matters, for Injyn guile ain't 
 fathomable, yet from the fashion it comes I 
 rayther think it's sent us as a warning to save 
 cur own." 
 
 This intimation, as well it might, broke up 
 the social circle and set us all hastily in 
 motion to provide for our immediate safety. 
 The young men were directed to bring in the 
 rest of the cattle as quickly and quietly as 
 possible, and as soon as he saw them ofi", and 
 not till then, Bryce enquired of me the exact 
 spot where the arrow fell. \ 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 165 
 
 The place was pointed out to him, when, 
 after examining it a moment, he remarked : — • 
 
 " So, it has had no head to it ; the gal's 
 right, it's come from some fri'ndly hand, I'm 
 thinkin'j but trust me, it's come for a warnin', 
 ne'er a whit the less." 
 
 Whatever was its source, and whatever 
 might be its import, there was obviously but 
 one course to be taken by ourselves, and that 
 was to secure our fortunately united parties 
 against the murderous designs that seemed 
 menaced by the grim portent. 
 
 Though the object that had occasioned such 
 dismay must have been launched in quite close 
 proximity to us, not a sound or sight, or token 
 of any kind betrayed the neighbourhood of 
 either friend or foe, and the mystery that at- 
 tended the incident added a feeling of awe 
 to the alarm it had itself created. 
 
 Jannock, as the most experienced of the 
 party, now took the direction of its arrange- 
 ments. 
 
 I < 
 
166 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 
 The three waggons were disposed so as to 
 form three sides of a square, the fourth of 
 which was closed by a fence of felled timber, 
 and in the enclosure thus made the united 
 force took up its position, the women in the 
 centre, almost wholly secured from missiles, 
 and all of us in a measure protected from the 
 danger chiefly to be apprehended, of any 
 eudden rush from an unseen enemy in the 
 dark. 
 
 The horses and mules which had been 
 brought in by the youths without molestation 
 were tethered (side-lined as they were) to the 
 outside of the waggofts, and in each vehicle, 
 the tilts being partly drawn up, was stationed 
 one of the young men as sentinel, who, fa- 
 voured by the elevation of his post, and the 
 bright moonlight that prevailed, could com- 
 mand a view for a good gunshot on every 
 side of the encampment. ^^ 
 
 In this fashion we passed the watches of a 
 wakeful and anxious night, happily without 
 
OVER THK PRAIRIES. 
 
 167 
 
 further disturbance than arose from the oc- 
 casional challenges of the blood-hound, as it 
 snuffed some tainted flaw, or bayed the brigl^t 
 planet that was befriending us with its 
 light. 
 
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 168 ' A PILGRIMAGE 
 
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 CHAPTER YIIL 
 
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 Our first business the next morning was to 
 examine the ground about our camp for traces 
 of our nocturnal visitors, which was done 
 without anything being discovered to indicate 
 theii numbers or intentions. We therefore 
 came to the conclusion that our recent alarm 
 was caused by a single individual, who, as 
 surmised by our new acquaintance, might be 
 considered amicably disposed to us, and had 
 chosen this mode of intimating his presence, ,, 
 or playing off an Indian joke. 
 
 From this view of the case, however, there 
 was one dissentient, and a pretty stubborn 
 
•1.tc 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 169 
 
 one, in Bryce Jannock, who reiterated his 
 opinion that the arrow with its fearful appen- 
 dage had been sent us as a solemn warning, 
 and that neither the one nor the other was 
 likely to have been thrown away for the mere 
 purpose of causing a surprise ; he " had been 
 among Injyns, and knew so' thing of their 
 nature, which warn't so fond o' joking as we 
 thought for." He represented that we were 
 now near the country of the Osages, who for 
 injuries real or supposed had sworn hostility 
 to the whites, and that if one of their war- 
 parties had got upon our trail with evil intent, 
 the Sioux Wahtogachto, whose tribe was in 
 alliance with theirs, however well-inclined he 
 might be persorally, would yet be unable to 
 control them, or befriend us openly. For 
 anything we knew, there might have been 
 twenty savages round our camp as well 
 as one, who were, perhaps, only deterred 
 from attacking us by our prompt preparations 
 for defence. As for our not discovering their 
 
 traces, ** the wonder would be," said Bryce, 
 VOL. I. I 
 
170 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 " if you could diskiver them ; as well might 
 you expect that arro' to leave its trail in 
 the air, as these red-skins to leave theirn on 
 'arth when they want it hidden, though for all 
 that it's quite as likely as not they may be 
 within hail this very moment. This creek, 
 now, if it had a tongue, might tell us so'tliing 
 of their night's doin's ; but it's as well not to 
 wake sleepin' snakes ; so we'll just see <o 
 fixin' our breakfasts, and then slope off softly 
 towards the sundown." 
 
 Accordingly after a hasty meal, the two 
 parties resumed their way westwards, all of us 
 anxious to lay as great a spac3 as possible 
 between our last and future camping places. 
 
 Whilst pacing along by the side of Han- 
 nah's waggon, T took the opportunity in the 
 course of conversation with her of enquiring 
 into the mystery to which she seemed partly 
 privy, connected with our over-night's ad- 
 venture. 
 
 The purport of her explanation was as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 171 
 
 A short time before the family quitted 
 Illinois, a party of Sioux chiefs, who had been 
 on an embassy to Washington, had passed by 
 •their abode, and one of their number having 
 fallen ill of a dangerous distemper, had been 
 there left by them with little hope of his reco- 
 very. Commiserating his condition, the Wain- 
 wrights had admitted him under their roof, 
 where by tlie charitable and assiduous care of 
 the amiable Hannah, he had at lengtli been 
 restored to health. 
 
 Being a better specimen of the redskin 
 genus, he evinced much gratitude to liis bene- 
 factors for their kind treatment, and more 
 especially to his fair nurse and physician — a 
 gratitude which it was supposed by her half- 
 sisters, v'ho occasionally bantered her upon 
 the subject, would, had it been blessed with 
 adequate encouragement, liave readily ripened 
 into a still more ardent feeling. 
 
 Under its inspiration, Walitogachto (such 
 was the Sioux patient's name), on taking 
 leave of his white friends, had given them a 
 
 I 2 
 
172 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ' 
 
 voluntary pledge that notwitlistanding the 
 many injuries his tribe had had to complain of 
 from the whites, he would so far as he was 
 himself concerned, henceforth abide their 
 friend, and should any of his benefactors or 
 their countrymen chance to need it, render 
 them what aid and protection he was able. 
 
 On parting, half in gratitude and half in 
 gallantry, he had asked his fair preserver for 
 a keepsake, when humouring his wayward 
 fancy, she had pre^iented him with the first 
 article tliat lay at hand — a reel of yellow silk 
 from her work table. 
 
 Since then nothing had been seen or heard 
 of liim till the past night, when she received 
 such a startling token of his propinquity in a 
 portion of her own gaqe damitie, 
 
 I remarked to li3r that I was not at ail sur- 
 prised at hrir Sioux acquaintance hanging 
 about the party as he did, since it contained 
 an object so magnetic as herself, but though 
 his intentions might be friendly (as from the 
 care he had taken to discover himself seemed 
 
*;■ 
 
 OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 173 
 
 likely), yet he miglit possibly want the power 
 of rendering more effective aid, and strongly 
 advised her to keep, together with her two 
 sisters, as much as possible under shelter of 
 the waggon for the remainder of their jour- 
 ney. 
 
 The vehicle that bore her was the second in 
 the line, and conducted by Jonathan and his 
 next elder brother, William, between whom I 
 was not long in perceiving a good deal of 
 bickering going on, as the incidents of the 
 journey offered occasion for it, so much so in- 
 deed tliat the old father found it necessary 
 more than once to ride up and allay the 
 strife. Oi\ rejoining me after having done so 
 for the third time, he expressed his regi'ct at 
 the dissension of his two sons. " 1 can 
 never," he said, "get them to agree ; they are 
 always keeping it up in this fashion. 
 William is rather too fond of playing the 
 elder brother, and Jonathan (as true a Yankee 
 ab his l/fother calls him) is very impatient of 
 dictation, and 1 may say indeed of even need- 
 
174 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 
 
 ful control at times ; I am afraid I shall have 
 to part with one or the other of them if I wish 
 to avoid further trouble in my family." 
 
 Poor old man ! he little foresaw how soon 
 the parting was to be made, and how long it 
 was to last. 
 
 Keeping a vigilpnt look-out, in front and 
 rear, our two companies pursued their way 
 together for this and the two succeeding days, 
 encamping b.s, the nature of the ground offered 
 convenience, and experiencing no further mo- 
 lestation from our late noctural visitors. 
 
 On the day following, finding our progress 
 very much retarded by the slower movements 
 of the heavy horse waggons, and deeming we 
 had now got a good clearance from our late 
 perils, I deteruiined, after consulting Jannock, 
 as orr pirty had a so much greater distance 
 to perform, and r^o little time at their disposal, 
 to push ahead of our emigrant friends, and 
 make our way forward with all the expedition 
 possible. 
 
 The harmony of the morning had been 
 
# 
 
 OVER THE PKAIRTES. 
 
 175 
 
 'mo- 
 
 somewhat broken by another violent quarrel 
 between Jonathan and William, who had 
 even proceeded to blows, and as we were en- 
 gaged in getting our team into harness, the 
 former of the young men came up and peti- 
 tioned to be taken on with our party. Ere 
 deciding on the matter it was of course thought 
 only proper to consult his father, who, moved 
 by the considerations he had mentioned to me, 
 gave his consent to the proposal, which was 
 then readily agreed to by myself, for the lad 
 was alert and useful, full of expedient, and, 
 with the single exception of his unripe age, 
 just ihe sort of recruit we wanted. 
 
 It was after our noon meal that we parted 
 from our respectable as3ociates, encamped on 
 a fine stream, one of the feeders of the Kansas 
 river, where, another of their wheels having 
 been found faulty, they expressed their in- 
 tention of remaining for the night. Bidding 
 them adieu, with many kind wishes expressed 
 on either side, we started, rather later than 
 we had designed^ and travelling on till sunset 
 
176 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ! 
 
 added some eight miles more to our morning's 
 march. 
 
 We now found ourselves, at last, on the 
 "rolling prairie," that wondrous tract of 
 desert which, stretching with slight exception 
 from the confines of the States to the Eocky 
 Mountains divides, and must for ages continue 
 to divide, the seats of civilization on that vast 
 continent from those of Indian barbarism. 
 
 With herbage less luxuriant than that of 
 the plains to the east of the Mississippi, it is 
 still further distinguished from them by that 
 widely undulating formation from which it 
 takes its name, resembling the long, rolling 
 swells of the ocean. 
 
 By the traveller, who enters on it for the 
 first time, the impression received too is not 
 dissimilar — the same sensation of immensity 
 alternately quelling and exalting the soul, 
 tincturing it by degrees with a congenial 
 wildness, and producing at times an inspira- 
 tion which awakens the loftiest strain of 
 thought and feelirig. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 177 
 
 the 
 
 of 
 
 The position we took up this night was 
 well calculated to excite something of this ex- 
 alted train of sentiment, the illimitable wold 
 stretching on every side, and no other object 
 visible but the quivering canopy above us, 
 and the sun on the point of disappearing from 
 it. 
 
 The imperative duties of our situation, how- 
 ever, the securing our camp against attack, 
 and refreshing ourselves and animals aftei our 
 day'& march, forbade much indulgence in the 
 musing mood. 
 
 Our waggon was drawn up on the top of a 
 little swell, in the centre of a hollow sur- 
 rounded by several higher ones, so as to be 
 entirely hid from sight at even a short dis- 
 tance off. At the bottom of this hollow a 
 little spring feebly forced its way along the 
 ground, in the channel of which we dug a 
 hole as reservoir, and having drawn a supply 
 of the element for our own use, and sidelined 
 the horses and mules, we sent them down to 
 
 I 5 
 
 
178 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 fare their best on tlie grateful fluid and juicy 
 herbage. 
 
 A couple of hours had passed away, our 
 supper had been cooked and eaten, our pipes 
 sent their last whiffs into the night air, and 
 each of my companions already betaken him- 
 self to his sheepskin, when, it being my turn 
 to take the first watch (for we thought it pru- 
 dent to adopt this precaution now), I shoul- 
 dered my rifle, and followed by my faithful 
 Bran, repaired to the nearest eminence on my 
 solitary and important duty. 
 
 The night was beautifully fine, with but 
 little wind stirring; a host of light, fleecy 
 clouds were slowly sailing across the heavens, 
 dappling the ground with evanescent glooms, 
 and tempering the moonlight splendour with 
 something of an English softness. A deep 
 silence rested on all around, unbroken by any 
 sound, save the low wail of the night wind, 
 and at long intervals something that m:ght 
 have been taken for the far-off roar of the 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 179 
 
 our 
 
 buffalo, or nelgli of the wild horse, but so faint 
 and indefinable, as to suggest little even 
 to the fancy, but the idea of enormous dis- 
 tance. 
 
 For the space of nearly an hour I succeeded 
 in maintaining nn exemplary vigilance ; then, 
 oppressed by the truly desert stillness and 
 solitude of the scene, I seated myself upon 
 the ground, and indulged in a train of rumi- 
 nation, which, though pleasant and profitable 
 enough in its way, the reader would scarce 
 thank me for rehearsing to him. 
 
 At length, overcome by my day's toil, a 
 certain degree of drowsiness crept over me, 
 which, I am ashamed to say, was on the point 
 of taking a still more unequivocal form, when 
 a low growl from the bloodhound restored me 
 to befitting wakefulness. He had raised 
 himself on his forelegs, and seemed to have 
 seen or scented some object that had excited 
 his suspicion. After snuffing the air for some 
 moments, he resumed his recumbent posture, 
 though still by occasional grunts giving token 
 
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180 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 of continued discontent. Seeing nothing to 
 account for this, I began to remonstrate with 
 the animal : — 
 
 *' What is it, old dog ? (grunt) what is it, 
 kith of well-beloved Norman? (growl). Have 
 you got a cSup de lune. Bran, that you deport 
 yourself in this way ? or do you take this 
 rolling prairie for Leighton Park, your wild- 
 goose master for Joe Blayfield, and this bug- 
 a-boo you're setting for long Tom Tucker, the 
 deer-stealer ? Ah, pup, many's the long 
 league we are from Leighton, and whether 
 we ever set our six feet there again is ex- 
 tremely dubious to my mind, Bran. (A still 
 deeper growl was the rejoinder.) What, 
 again, speak out, pup, what is it winding? 
 out with it." 
 
 I liad scarcely spoken the words when the 
 animal sprung upon its legs, a mass of bristle 
 from head to haunch, and gave expression to 
 its anger in a loud and exasperated barking. 
 
 Directed by its action I now fancied I dis- 
 cerned amidst the ground fog of the prairie 
 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 181 
 
 the outlines of a human figure, which at first 
 seemed to be in motion, then became station- 
 ary, and then again moved towards me at a 
 good rate. Seeing it was but a single indivi- 
 dual, and commanding as I did an extensive 
 range of view, which secured me from sur- 
 prise, I controlled my first impulse to alarm 
 my party, and determined to await the phan- 
 tom's approach. 
 
 As soon as it had come within hail I per- 
 ceived it to be an Indian, and presenting my 
 firelock warned him to advance no nearer. 
 To this challenge he responded by spreading 
 out the palms of his hands in sign of amity. 
 I now observed that he was armed and in his 
 war paint ; but as though to remove any dis- 
 trust I might conceive on this score, he pro- 
 ceeded with much display to lay down the 
 tomahawk and short gun he carried upon the 
 ground. m 
 
 Til is being so far satisfactory, I then allowed 
 him to come within discoursing distance, when 
 pointing to his brawny chest, he said by way 
 
182 
 
 A PILGRIMAQE 
 
 of introduction, " Wahtogachto — friend of 
 white man;" then added with emphasis, 
 " Why is my brother waiting here when the 
 scalping knife is drawn to slay his brethren ? 
 when the Osage is lurking round their wig- 
 wams and watching for the hour to strike his 
 blow? My brother no wish paleface blood 
 to flow — his paleface sisters to be rubbed out ; 
 come, then, Wahtogachto lead you, and save 
 the Whitebell and the greyhair from the to- 
 mahawk." 
 
 He spoke with the utmost earnestness per- 
 mitted to an Indian warrior, and, the matter 
 being of such startling import, I hastened at 
 once to the camp and roused up my com- 
 panions to consult with on it. 
 
 As soon as Jannock heard the statement, 
 he made the Sioux repeat it over to him, and 
 then said, " By the Lord, squire, I believe the 
 lad speaks truth; this is the redskin the 
 young gal spoke of; the riptyles are still 
 hanging on our trail it seems, and we may 
 have to speak a word to them with our shoot- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 183 
 
 in* ir'ns arter all, for this sticking so close 
 looks ugly. WuU, if we're to give our frinds 
 a helping hand (and I s'pose we're of one 
 mind as to that matter) there ain't no time to 
 lose about it, for these Osages are very devils 
 at haar-raisin'." 
 
 There beinj; no dissentient voice to this 
 proposal we armed ourselves to the teeth for 
 our work, found a spare pistol for Jonathan 
 (lie already had a rifle, which he well knew 
 how to use), and then putting ourselves under 
 the Sioux's guidance, bore away at a rapid 
 rate for our friends' camp. 
 
 An hour's hard walking (indeed the Indian's 
 pace kept us mostly on the trot) speedily 
 brought us over the first five miles, to a grove 
 of oak trees, where we observed our guide 
 look about him inquiringly, and then make a 
 fiill stop besides an object that lay upon the 
 ground. 
 
 On coming up we discovered it, to our hor- 
 ror, to be the corpse, miserably mutilated, of 
 William Wainwright. 
 
 
184 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 His brother no sooner saw it, than flinging 
 down his rifle he threw himself upon the pros- 
 trate form in a paroxysm of grief; he remem- 
 bered they had lately parted in anger, and his 
 distress seemed augmented beyond all control 
 by the revulsion of his feelings from the cir- 
 cumstance. 
 
 The time, however, was not one to allow of 
 their long indulgence, and he was recalled to 
 the exigencies of the moment by Jannock's 
 stem yet sympathetic voice. 
 
 " We must leave poor William for the pre- 
 sent, Jonathan, and see to dealin* justice on 
 his slayers. Come, boy, 2;et up your shootin' 
 ir*n, and let us see if we can't make *em rue 
 this business as well as ourselves." 
 
 Bryce had touched the right chord. Poor 
 Jonathan stifled down the anguish of his heart, 
 and thenceforth all his soul became absorbed 
 in the single, intense desire of vengeance. 
 
 From the fatal grove to the imperilled camp 
 was little more than two miles, and on tracing 
 this the Indian frequently turned round to urge 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 185 
 
 upon us the necessity of caution. On arriving 
 at the last swell of ground that intervened 
 he bade us halt, and followed by Jannock 
 only, crept stealthily to the summit, where 
 both remained for some minutes engaged in 
 observation of our enemies. As soon as the 
 latter rejoined us, which he did alone, he 
 said, in a whisper : 
 
 " We shall have to slope off to the left, 
 squire, and cross the river lower down. 
 Wahto's people I find are in league with 
 these ragamuffins, and he says he can't take 
 part agin them, or do anything more to stead 
 us. They're swarming round the waggons 
 like spring bees;, but the boys have kept 
 them off, it seems, so far, Jonathan, and I 
 think will be able to hold their own till we 
 can get up to help them." it 
 
 The youth he addressed, excited almost to 
 frenzy by occasional dropping shots from his 
 kinsmen, urged with much earnestness an 
 immediate attack upon the Osages from where 
 we were; but this was firmly tho* gently 
 
186 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 opposed by Jannock, who represented tliey 
 were altogether too strong for such an attempt 
 on this side. " It would be," said he, " as 
 good as giving them our scalps with our own 
 hands ; have but a little patience, and you'll 
 see they'll lose nothing by waitin'," 
 
 Bryce now put himself at our head, and 
 led us in Indian file along the back of the 
 swell that hid us from the foe, till, after about 
 half a mile's progress, we reached the river, 
 there some fifty yards in breadth. This we 
 then crossed, and availing ourselves of the 
 willows on its bank, stole along the other 
 side till we gained a point directly opposite 
 the farmer's camp, which, however, was yet 
 shut out from view by a long narrow island 
 that lay between. In this it was Bryce's in- 
 tention we should post ourselves, which, 
 favoured by a high spine-like ridge that ran 
 along it, we succeeded (fording the inter- 
 vening stream) in doing without being dis- 
 covered by the enemy. A scanty growth of 
 bushes on the top afforded us partial cover, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 187 
 
 and we now obtained a full view, at about 
 seventy yards off, of the beleagured party we 
 had come to succour. 
 
 The two waggons were seen drawn up in a 
 hollow between two little hills, so as to form 
 two sides of a square, the third being closed 
 by a hastily made stockade, and the remaining 
 one having no other defence than the river, 
 on which, however, the vehicles abutted so 
 closely as to render impracticable all passage 
 between them and it. 
 
 This being the side nearest ourselves, we 
 could look into the very heart of the farmer's 
 camp, where, amid bales of ^lods and articles 
 of household furniture, the three females were 
 seen cowering, and their four kinsmen am- 
 bushed, whilst, with their rifles pointed 
 through the crevices, they watched the move- 
 ments and awaited the onset of their savage 
 foe. The latter also were partially visible to 
 us, lurking amid the willows on the outer 
 slopes of the two eminences, and waiting in 
 fearful stillness their favourite hour, a little 
 
188 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 before daybreak, or perchance some precon- 
 certed signal for making the decisive rush. 
 The moonlight fell upon their swarthy forms, 
 and showed us many a savage face, dark with 
 anticipation of fell deeds, or brightened by 
 expected triamph. It rested also on the river 
 between us, and as its tranquil stream stole 
 by, rippling its lullaby to slumbering nature, 
 it was difficult to imagine a scene so fair would 
 soon become the theatre of outrage. 
 
 We had been lying for nearly an hour 
 esconced amongst the herbage of the ridge, 
 with our cocked rifles in full bearing on the 
 threatened point, waiting for an opportunity 
 of delivering an effective volley, and had 
 begun to perceive symptoms of relaxed vigi- 
 lance on the part of the garrison, when from 
 the thick shadows of the islet shore beneath 
 us suddenly arose the whoop of a screech 
 owl. Jannock no sooner heard the sound 
 than, griping me by the arm, he whispered, 
 " as I live here's one of the riptyles right in 
 among us I they Ve set him here for a spy ; 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 189 
 
 see, his brother vagabonds have heard his cry 
 and are drawin' down to the water for a rush 
 — quiet, quiet, Jonathan, or you'll skear the 
 game just as it's getting its nose into the 
 trap. I suspicion they're goin' to charge in 
 on the water side — see how they're creepin* 
 along the bank, and how cleverly they steal 
 up to the waggons — ^your father must surely 
 be asleep, Jonathan — well, now, boy," said 
 Bryce, slowly raising the redoubted True- 
 groove, *' is the time to awaken him and pay 
 off the score for poor William— lay on and 
 fire when I give the word." 
 
 The savages, whilst he was making his 
 comments (carefiilly watching them the while) 
 were seen gliding stealthily along by the 
 river bank with the evident intention of burst- 
 ing into the camp by the side that had no 
 other protection. 
 
 Some of them had already entered the 
 water both above and below the threatened 
 point, and were got indeed almost within 
 
190 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 tomahawk swing of their expected victims, 
 when, Bryce giving the word, our rifles poured 
 forth their fatal contents, and stretched the 
 two foremost of each attacking party dead in 
 the shallows they were wading through. 
 
 Scarcely had our pieces been discharged, 
 when darting from his shady lair beneath us 
 the Indian who had given the signal plunged 
 into the river and endeavoured to make his 
 escape to his comrades. 
 
 For a few moments the shadow of the 
 island shrouded his figure from our aim, but 
 BO sooner had he passed into the moonlight 
 than instantaneous death overtook him from 
 our three pistols, and a long shot from the 
 farmer's camp. " That owl's screeched his 
 last any how," was the poor wretch's ftineral 
 oration from the lips of Jannock. 
 
 This last shot shewed the Wainwrights 
 were now on the alert, and the Indians panic- 
 struck by the sudden blow they had received, 
 having sought cover, Bryce permitted Jona- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 191 
 
 tims, 
 >ured 
 I the 
 id in 
 
 rged, 
 th us 
 inged 
 ^e his 
 
 af the 
 
 1, but 
 
 nlight 
 
 from 
 
 the 
 
 d his 
 
 ineral 
 
 rights 
 janic- 
 eived, 
 Jona- 
 
 B 
 
 than, after giving him certain private instruc- 
 tions, to cross the water and rejoin liis 
 family. 
 
 Deprived though they were, of five of their 
 leading braves it was not likely that our 
 adversaries who, much superior in number, 
 had so perseveringly dogged our trail and 
 knew full well the smallness of our force, 
 would abandon their object without some 
 further endeavour to effect it, or at any rate 
 avenge their loss, and for our own part, even 
 with the two parties united, there seemed 
 little hope of being able to push our advan- 
 tage farther. 
 
 Whilst these considerations were occurring 
 to us, Jannock announced he had formed a 
 plan which he thought would relieve us of the 
 enemy at least for a time, and which with 
 characteristic hardihood, he volunteered to 
 execute in person. It was this : — 
 
 On first reconnoitring their position, he had 
 observed their horses as well as those they 
 had taken firom the emigrants collected in a 
 
192 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 bottom some little distance in their rear ; if 
 these could be by any means let loose or stam- 
 peded, their masters would be forced to quit 
 their ambush in order to recover them. In 
 the attendant confusion we might then re- 
 unite our parties and strike such other blow 
 as would deter them from molesting us fur- 
 ther. 
 
 Our fearless volunteer, depositing his rifle 
 with us, and armed only with his knife, en- 
 tered the water at the back of the island, and 
 swimming for some distancej down the stream 
 landed, without being seen by the Osages, on 
 their own side. Here we lost him and waited 
 for some time in anxious suspense for the ap- 
 pointed signal, occasionally exchanging greet- 
 ings with our friends over the stream, when 
 suddenly a shot was heard from their camp, 
 followed by a warning from Jonathan that 
 Indiana had been seen on the island stealing 
 towards us. We mighc now, then, hear their 
 yell, and feel their knives in our hair at any 
 moment. .' ■ 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 193 
 
 Old Wainwriglit called out to us to descend 
 to the shore over agamyt himself, where he 
 thought he might be able to cover us with 
 his fire, and pay back the good service we 
 had rendered him ; but here, unless we could 
 find some rock or other shelter (which we in 
 vain sought for), we should on the other hand 
 be exposed to the aim of tlie unseen enemy 
 round his camp. 
 
 Robin and myself were still debating the 
 matter, feeling the while a vivid consciousness 
 that we were earning our ^ wrinkles' a good 
 deal too fast to be pleasant, wlien the 
 anxiously-expected signal blast was heard 
 and at once determined our procedure. We 
 remained a short space longer till the beat of 
 galloping cattle became audible, then seeing 
 the Redskins, as we expected, starting from 
 their laire in pursuit, dashed down to the river 
 and succeeded in joining our allies in safety. 
 
 It appeared Jannock had already instructed 
 them through Jonathan, as to the part they 
 were to take, and the time being ripe and the 
 
 VOL. I. It 
 
194 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 party ready, we all, with the exception of 
 George and Jacob Wainwright (who were left 
 to guard their sisters), sallied forth from the 
 waggons on our secret and avenging mission. 
 
 As had been expected, the Osages had 
 abandoned their near position, and were now 
 heard whooping and yelling over the plain iu 
 pursuit of their fugitive quadrupeds. 
 
 Not wishing to jeopardise our little band by 
 proceeding too far from quarters, we halted at 
 about a furlong's distance, and availing our- 
 selves of a thicket of willows that bordered a 
 bottom through which the enemy would be 
 likely to return, we carefully concealed our- 
 selves therein, and waited patiently for an 
 opportunity of dealing them a telling blow. 
 
 Not many minutes had elapsed when it be- 
 came evident, from their lumbering gallop 
 growing momentarily louder and louder, that 
 a troop of stampeded horses was approaching 
 us, and, on their presently coming in sight, 
 the Wainwrights at once recognised them as 
 their own draught team, which, impelled by 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 195 
 
 panic and followed by two or three shouting 
 savages, were tearing wildly along to their 
 familiar station. 
 
 Young Richard proposed we should fire on 
 the wild drovers as they passed, and so re- 
 secure the animals so indispensable for their 
 future movements, but ere there was well 
 time to decide upon it, Jonathan directed our 
 attention to another band, who, riding tlieir 
 re-captured steeds, were following hard on the 
 other's tracks. Keeping close in our cover, 
 we silently watched the latter as they drew 
 near, to the number of a dozen or more, when 
 to our unspeakable astonishment and dismay, 
 we beheld by the bright moonlight, his hands 
 bound behind his back, and his legs tied under 
 his horse's belly — our brave, self-devoted 
 Jannock in their midst. 
 
 Though so greatly out-numbered we re- 
 solved to attempt his rescue at all hazards, 
 and concerted a plan for doing so on the in- 
 stant. As the Indians passed our ambush we 
 
 delivered, at a given signal, a general volley, 
 
 K 2 
 
196 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Jonathan and myself aiming at and dis- 
 mounting the two guards who rode at the 
 prisoner's side, and Robin leveling at the head 
 of the animal he rode. The piece of the 
 latter, however, unfortunately missing fire, 
 went near defeating our purpose altogether. 
 
 Bryce, as soon as he saw us, called out, for- 
 getful of his own safety, " Back ! back to 
 camp I or they'll be cuttin' you off." These 
 had nearly been his last words. The toma- 
 hawk of the Indian behind him was already 
 raised to cleave his skull, when at that crit- 
 ical moment. Hood, who had refreshed his 
 priming, discharged an effective shot, and the 
 stricken " mustang," forging madly forwards, 
 tore away with its helpless rider in the trail of 
 the cattle that had first passed. 
 
 The fire from the rest of the party had 
 taken more or less effect, which we scarcely 
 however stopped to note; for, alarmed by 
 Jannock's warning, after hastily re-charging 
 our pieces, we turned our whole attention to 
 effecting a retreat to our quarters. The band 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 197 
 
 of Osages we were engaged with had for the 
 most part now dismounted, and, reinforced by 
 numerous stragglers, followed as closely up, 
 scattering themselves for vantage over the 
 ground, and plying us with arrows from any 
 cover afforded by its herbage or inequalities. 
 
 Notwithstanding these manoeuvres, several 
 of their number had already fallen beneath 
 our fire, and we were now within a little of 
 regaining the camp, when a yell was heard on 
 our flank, and a fresh party of savagea were 
 seen running up at full speed to cut us off 
 from it. 
 
 1 There was, therefore, nothing left for it but 
 to turn our backs at once on our former foes, 
 and try our speed with the latter in a run for 
 life. 
 
 The crafty Indians had taken the inner line 
 along the river side, where lay the entrance 
 made for the occasion to the encampment, and 
 as the two parties converged to this point at 
 equal speed, and nearly abreast, got up, un- 
 
198 
 
 A PILGKIMAGE 
 
 fortunately, in time to shut off the important 
 passage. 
 
 In the headlong impulse of our flight, we 
 had run right in among the frightened wag- 
 gon horses, which, when cut loose by Jan- 
 nock, had instinctively made for their wonted 
 station, and in this unpromising position, 
 overtaken on the instant by both bands of 
 our pursuers, we at once found ourselves en- 
 gaged in a hand to hand conflict, with at 
 least three times our numbers. 
 
 This was overwhelming odds, and in this 
 sort of struggle our superior weapons were of 
 comparatively little service. Those of us 
 whose pieces were still loac-^d had barely 
 time to deliver a last discharge, which felled 
 the foremost of our pursuers, and then the 
 cleaving tomahawk, and keen -edged knife 
 were alone relied on to inflict, or avert death. 
 
 Snorting and groaning in the midst of the 
 meUe^ the unfortunate waggon team served as 
 shields from many a well meant blow, and 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 199 
 
 enabled us to give telling returns to tliem with 
 our trusty hunting knives. 
 
 Young Jonathan, who was nearest to me, 
 and, boy as he was, fought with the tact of a 
 man, and asperity of a wild cat, disposed of 
 more than one Indian in this way, sheltering 
 himself from their blows, when hard pressed, 
 with wonderful activity, among the animals. 
 He even found opportunity of giving aid to 
 his father, who, armed only with his empty 
 firelock, had been set upon by two savages at 
 once, one of whom having caught his cum- 
 brous weapon in his hand, was on the point 
 of despatching him with his long knife, when 
 Jonathan, whose slight frame had at last 
 been for a moiuent prostrated, sprung from 
 the ground at the assailant, and stabbed him 
 to the heart with his own. The tomahawk of 
 the other was already raised over the old man's 
 head, when a et of flame issued from the 
 waggon behind him, and the Osage fell dead 
 to the earth, by a shot fired within the 
 vehicle. * 
 
200 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 At the commencement of the struggle I had 
 brought down one of our adversaries, by the 
 last discharge of my rifle, and was defending 
 myself with my himting knife, resolved, like 
 the rest of us, if indeed we were to be ' rubbed 
 out,' as seemed likely, to give the enemy as 
 dear a bargain as might be, when a stunning 
 blow on the head, from a tomahawk, laid me 
 senseless on the ground. 
 
 How long I lay there, I know not, but on 
 coming to myself, I found the fray was over, 
 and the place strewed w^ith several carcases, 
 both of men and horses. • 
 
 Whilst endeavouring to raise myself up, in 
 order to ascertain the results of the conflict, 
 and gain a more satisfactory position, my ears 
 were suddenly saluted by a voice hard by me, 
 sharpened and cramped by pain. 
 
 " Wull, squire, you're comin' to at last ; I 
 was afeard you had about gone under ; can 
 you make out, think ye, to snip these blasted 
 thongs, that are cutting my flesh like so many 
 butcher knives. I've been wishin' me dead 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 201 
 
 and buried, I have, all this time, lying here to 
 as little purpose while youVe been having 
 your spree out ; thankee — now this — so — 
 now the knife — now let me see if I can't pay 
 oiF these gentry for their kind services, and 
 larn 'em the right uses of a buffalo hide. 
 You've beaten 'em off tho', that's a fact ; it's 
 the shots from the waggon as done it — I'm 
 afeard Jonathan has got nicked tho', and the 
 old man so' thin' scored about the sconce, but 
 we'll in, and see." 
 
 Whilst assisting each other to rise, Bryce 
 explained to me how I had happened to find 
 him in his present predicament. 
 
 It appeared he had been discovered and run 
 down upon the prairie, shortly after achieving 
 his main object, by some mounted Indians, 
 and fastened for security in the manner we 
 had witnessed to a half-wild mustang, which, 
 after receiving its wound from Eobin, had 
 carried him helplessly away hither, where it 
 had fallen in death amongf its household 
 
 mates. 
 
 K 
 
202 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 What were his sensations in this position, 
 with a conflict for life and death (his own in- 
 cluded) going on about him, may be best left 
 to the reader's imagination. 
 
 The strife, I say, as it stood, was ended, 
 but an occasional dropping shot from the 
 waggons still showed that the neighbourhood 
 of the foe was apprehended, > 
 
 Having at length got upon our legs, and 
 notified our presence by an intelligible hail, 
 we rounded the camp by the water side, and 
 found ourselves, to the great joy of both 
 parties, once more among our old associates. 
 
OVER THE PRAIKIES. 
 
 203 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 * 
 
 Nearly all of them were suffering from 
 wounds more or less severe, and on entering 
 the enclosure we found the three women 
 busily engaged in various offices for their 
 relief. 
 
 By the light of a fire it had been found ne- 
 cessary to kindle for the purpose Hannah was 
 binding up her father's head, which showed 
 several ugly cuts, though happily none of a 
 very dangerous character. Jonathan, who 
 had received a slight hurt on the same part, 
 was " playing the doctor on his own behalf," 
 whilst his two remaining sisters divided their 
 
204 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 *■ 
 
 cares between their elder brother and our 
 Hobin, whose shoulder bore token of a severe 
 tomahawk blow, not so considerable, how- 
 ever, as to prevent him eyeing with a good 
 deal of attention the fair form of the eldest 
 maiden, as, with sleeves tucked up, and face 
 glowing with affectionate anxiety, she rendered 
 her loving service to her parent. 
 
 The poor females, during our absence, and 
 especially whilst the deadly conflict was going 
 on in which they held so dear a stake, had, as 
 might have been expected, passed a fearful 
 time of it, so much so indeed as well nigh to 
 make them wish for some of the strokes that 
 were being dealt so liberally about them, to . 
 shorten the agony of their suspense. 
 
 The favourable issue of the combat was, as 
 averred by Jannock, mainly owing to the two 
 youths who had been left as their pro- 
 tectors. 
 
 To these had been allotted all the spare 
 fire-arms that could be mustered, so as to 
 make up by the completeness of their equip- 
 
OVEK THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 205 
 
 ment for the paucity of their numbers, con- 
 sisting of their own two rifles, their unfortu- 
 nate brother William's, which he had left 
 behind him on his ill-starred errand to the 
 oak grove, and Bryce Jannock's Truegroove, 
 together with a double-barrelled fowling- 
 piece and pair of pistols, making in all a 
 battery of eight shots. 
 
 So soon as they became aware the fight 
 was tending towards them, they had got into 
 the more advanced of the waggons, looped up 
 the awning so as to gain an open space for 
 shooting through, and thus, as the foe came 
 up, with every advantage of position, fresh- 
 ness, and sang froid^ had dealt (particularly 
 George, whose listless mien covered something 
 of Jannock's quiet promptitude) those telling 
 shots which had freed us one by one of our 
 opponents at the most critical moments of the 
 battle, 
 
 ■ The second circumstance that operated in 
 our favour was the narrow space in which 
 the fray had been confined, preventing their 
 
206 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 full force from being brought to bear on us 
 at once ; and the third, as before mentioned, 
 the opportune presence of the waggon horses. 
 
 My own injury was of but trifling moment, 
 the force of the blow having been deadened 
 by a stout India handkerchief that happened 
 to be within my hat at the time. 
 
 Sleep was little likely to visit our eyelids 
 during the remainder of the night, but, ex- 
 hausted by their bodily injuries, excitement, 
 and fatigue, the harassed household (Jacob 
 excepted, who with Jannock and myself had 
 volunteered to take the remaining watch) laid 
 themselves down by their camp fire to snatch 
 what repose was in their power. 
 ' My station being on the river side opposite 
 the island, I esconced myself under the tail of 
 the waggon, and was ruminating on the late 
 events and the ill augury they offered for my 
 own prospects, when I beheld Hannah, her 
 ministrations ended, come down to the water 
 with a pail in her hand as if for the purpose 
 of filling it, instead of which, however, she 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 207 
 
 set the empty utensil on the ground, and 
 sitting down besides it gave vent to her over- 
 wrought feelings in a passionate flood of 
 tears. 
 
 I went up and endeavoured to console her 
 by representing how effectually the enemy 
 had been repulsed, and danger, for the pre- 
 sent, at least, averted, and that though there 
 was certainly some damage to deplore, we 
 had also a great deliverance to be thankful 
 for. On which, checking for a moment the 
 flow of her grief, she said, " Oh, sir, what a 
 night we've had — to you how much we owe ! 
 Yes, I do feel grateful — grateful to the Lord, 
 and grateful to you, whom He has sent at our 
 sore need to save us ; but oh I with poor 
 William gone, and my father and all of them 
 
 so badly hurt — all so near being " The 
 
 afflicted girl was unable to finish the sentence, 
 and the tears again foimd their way plentifully 
 from her eyes. 
 
 As soon as she became somewhat more 
 composed I inquired into the circumstances 
 
208 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 attending the fate of her younger brother, 
 which, with much interruption from her feel- 
 ings, she related to me as follows — 
 
 It appeared that, chafed by some rebuke he 
 had received from his father in reference to 
 his late quarrel with Jonathan, William had 
 quitted the camp in the afternoon for the 
 alleged purpose of cutting some oak wood 
 for the damaged wheel in a grove some little 
 distance off, which was the nearest place it 
 could be got. 
 
 Time passed on, and, still remaining absent, 
 Hannah, in her anxiety, got out her Bible 
 sooner than was usual, in order that their 
 father, who always liked the family circle to 
 be complete at prayer time, might take the 
 earlier note of his son's absence, " when," 
 said she, "just as he was beginning tore- 
 mark upon it, another of those headless 
 arrows that startled us so a few nights since 
 came whirring down among us. We were 
 all dreadfully alarmed at it this time on ac- 
 count of William being away, and my father 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 209 
 
 and brothers took their guns immediately, 
 and went in a body to bring him back. 
 This it, alas ! was doomed they should never 
 do (here poor Hannah again gave way to her 
 emotion, and then continued). It has pleased 
 the Almighty to take our brother from us, 
 but had not my father and the rest set out to 
 search for him, we should surely every one of 
 us have shared his fate, for no sooner had 
 they reached the first rise than they found 
 these horrid savages had stolen all round the 
 camp, and were obliged to retreat instantly in 
 order to save sisters and me from being tom- 
 ahawked by them. And so we could do 
 nothing more to help poor William, and were 
 all watching and mourning in this most 
 miserable state when you and Robin and Mr. 
 Jannock came up just in time to save our 
 lives. And Robin too has got sorely hurt in 
 
 fighting for us " 
 
 " He don't mind that a divot when it's to 
 
 help you, Hannah 
 person, coming 
 
 >> 
 
 quoth that individual 
 up at the moment, and 
 
 in 
 his 
 
210 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 gallant speech and the stout heart it bespoke 
 seemed to have a renovating influence on the 
 spirits of the drooping fair one. 
 
 " Father thinks you had better go in and 
 rest ye now, and so think I, syne you've had 
 sich a skeary time on't, and you needn't fear 
 the wild men any more, he says, for we've 
 guv'em their gruel and sent 'em to bed, and 
 I've got another arm yet, and the better of 
 the two to ensure ye rest in peace and rise 
 up in safety, Hannah." 
 
 And the sorrowing maiden, drying her 
 tears, complied with the kindly summons. 
 
 Morning at length dawned, and as soon as 
 it became sufficiently light to view our ground, 
 a party of four, including old Wainwright 
 himself, set out for the clump of oak wood, to 
 bring back tlie body of his slaughtered son 
 for the purpose of burial. 
 
 The place was soon reached, and while the 
 father was indulging his sorrow over the corpse, 
 and Jannock and myself were employing our- 
 selves in constructing a litter to bear it, Robin 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 211 
 
 was sent off to a neighbouring knoll to ascer- 
 tain if the coast was clear, and warn us in 
 good time if any danger should present itself. 
 
 Our task was but half performed when we 
 beheld him running back at the top of his 
 speed, shouting out, as he did so, " Indians ! 
 Indians !'* On coming up, he affirmed he 
 had seen a large mounted band approaching 
 from the westward, which he computed to be 
 near a hundred in number,, as they stretched 
 in a long line over the prairie, and he had 
 counted five caps in the first rank. 
 
 Jannock smiled when he heard this. " Caps, 
 lad! first rank! we needn't be in a hurry, 
 squire, I'm thinkin' ; a hundred Injyns with 
 caps on ! that'll be a newity to me, Robin ; 
 come, we'll go have another peep at the 
 bogles." 
 
 So saying he strode off towards the place of 
 observation, and having carefully examined 
 the objects of alarm, returned with that 
 leisurely gait that at once dispelled appre- 
 hension. He pronounced the approaching 
 
212 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 cavalcade to be a company of traders — In all 
 probability, the very one we had been so long 
 looking for, and in a few minutes their files 
 were seen descending the slope towards us, 
 when, rejoiced at the opportune arrival of 
 such needful succour, we promptly went forth 
 to meet them. 
 
 It proved to be as we conjectured, the 
 brigade in which were the two trappers we 
 had hoped to engage as auxiliaries, and more- 
 over, to our friend Wainwright's equal sur- 
 prize and satisfation, he here met with his 
 American brother-in-law, who had been com- 
 pelled, by a series of Indian outrages, to 
 abandon his purchase in the Sioux country, 
 and was now, with his family, and what live 
 stock he had been able to save, in full retreat 
 for the settlements. 
 
 This, tho' of course a disappointment to 
 himself, was a truly providential circumstance 
 to our Lincolnshire friend, who, with great 
 part of his cattle killed, and soon to be de- 
 prived of our assistance, would have found 
 
» * 
 
 OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 213 
 
 himself, but for this chance in a very forlorn 
 and desperate position. 
 
 As we wended our way back to the camp, 
 carrying the remains of the murdered youth, 
 I took the opportunity of conferring with the 
 two stark trappers, who had been recommended 
 to us by our friend the gunsmith. To my ex- 
 treme chagrin, however, I found neither 
 money nor persuasion could prevail either 
 upon one or the other to turn back with us, 
 till they had enjoyed their month or two's 
 holiday in the settlements ; nor had we bet- 
 ter success with several others of their class 
 whom we sounded to the same end. 
 
 This was truly a heavy blow and great dis- 
 couragement to us, but having already ad- 
 vanced so far on our enterprise, there was no 
 course left us but to persevere. 
 
 Having stayed, therefore, over the funeral, 
 and made a last vain attempt to shake the re- 
 solution of the two voyageurs, we once more 
 (for the last time), bade farewell to our worthy- 
 countrymen, whom Jonathan of course re- 
 
214 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 mained with, and proceeded on our return to 
 our own camp. 
 
 Thanks to its sheltered situation, it had re- 
 mained entirely unmolested, and poor Antoine, 
 who had passed but an anxious time of it 
 during our absence, welcomed us baoK with 
 absolute capers of delight. 
 
 Getting in motion by sunrise the next 
 morning, we pursued for many days together 
 our lonely course over the prairie, meeting 
 with no living object, save an occasional 
 prairie fowl, too wild to admit of approach, 
 and our dreary labour varied only by the 
 periodical halts for refreshing ourselves and 
 animals. 
 
 The waggon, as it rolled over the hardened 
 ground, experienced slight obstruction from 
 its vegetation, which had become thin and 
 stunted, affording but little nutriment to the 
 cattle, and cropped by them with evident 
 disrelish. 
 
 The country, indeed, as before observed, 
 had altogether altered from the rich luxuriant 
 
OVER THE PRa :IES. 
 
 215 
 
 meadows we had first c^'ossed, and bore more 
 and more as we advanced, the unmistakeable 
 impress of a desert. 
 
 After the first few days of travel in it the 
 eye becomes wearied with its sameness, and 
 hails, with an exile's eagerness, any unwonted 
 feature — any clump of trees — bosky brake — 
 lonely hill — or even dried up water course, 
 that may afford relief from its monotony. Yet 
 when the noonday sun had sunk, and freed 
 from its mastering glare, the faculties of the 
 wayfarer revive, he may find even in this 
 signless waste, an interesting field of contem- 
 plation. 
 
 It may then come perchance upon his mind 
 that in the plains around him, as in those of 
 Egypt and Assyria, he looks upon the grave 
 of extinct nations and departed empires, which 
 a still greater lapse of time has even more 
 sweepingly obliterated, and which he may 
 amuse his fancy with the fond endeavour to 
 resuscitate. He may crest the mounds before 
 him with the walls of cities — people their 
 
216 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 silent slopes with humming crowds — raise up 
 the crumbled halls, the sleeping shade of 
 royalty — muster its time-quelled armies round 
 about — and plant in yon sea-like tract a nation 
 ' numerous as the stars of heaven/ 
 
 He will figure them heathens, unblest by 
 the light that saves, worshipping Astarte in 
 the queen of night, and crushed beneath some 
 central tyranny, which ever in these even re- 
 gions, seems to find its peculiar sphere of ex- 
 ercise. He will then sc^>e corruption sap their 
 strength, the enemy's inroads wear them 
 down (even as may be seen at present in a 
 neighbouring state), till an entire people 
 would become extinct, together with, in the 
 lapse of ages, their dwellings, their monuments, 
 their very sepulchres. 
 
 Such, to his apprehensive fancy, may be 
 the vision of its former days suggested by the 
 "rolling prairie," whose very soil seems to 
 tell their exhaustive might, and begrudge in 
 its meagre herbage even the dole of a decent 
 winding-sheet. '- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 217 
 
 Pushing our way under fine autumnal skies, 
 we had travelled several weeks since parting 
 with our English friends, when, our stock of 
 fresh meat having " given out," throwing us 
 thereby sooner than was to be wished upon 
 our cherished reserved stores, it was deter- 
 mined to 'lie by for a day and try our luck in 
 hunting for procuring a fresh supply. 
 
 The resolution was partly prompted by our 
 having reached a tract of country whose ap- 
 pearance gave better promise of success than 
 any we had lately seen, showing a somewhat 
 richer growth of grass, and affording in the 
 brakes that intersected it, a likely harbourage 
 for game. 
 
 Coming, a little before sunset, upon a con- 
 venient pool of water, we accordingly un- 
 harnessed the wearied mules, despatched our 
 evening meal, and then Jannock and myself, 
 shouldering our rifles, went forth to recon- 
 noitre the scene of our intended hunt. 
 
 Passing over a small space of prairie, we 
 came upon a wild ravine of varying width 
 
 VOL. I. Ii 
 
218 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 and character; here almost choked up with 
 intermingled grass and briars, there broaden- 
 ing into sheltered bays, where, secure from 
 ruffling winds, many wild flowers still gemmed 
 the ground, and threw their unspent sweets 
 upon the senses. 
 
 My comrade eyed it with professiotial com- 
 placency; it was a spot well qualified to 
 please him, affording fair promise at least of 
 what we wanted. " 1*11 bet a plug o* Virginy 
 we raise so' thin* purpose-like hereaway," was 
 his encouraging remark. 
 
 After skirting it for some length, we de- 
 scended its rugged sides, and whilst I amused 
 myself in looking at the wild-flowers, Jan- 
 nock went forward to a point where the 
 ravine made a sudden turn. Following him 
 with my eye, I presently perceived him 
 silently signaling me to come up, on doing 
 which, he laid his hand on my shoulder, and 
 pointed my attention to the object which had 
 fixed his own. .^ . . *i v- ^mI^ ;< i 
 
 Sloping to the brake in whicK we stood was 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 219 
 
 a long prairie swell, on the summit of which, 
 at a distance of some three hundred yards, 
 drawn like a rock against the empurpled sky, 
 and stirless as its statued semblance from the 
 mounds of Nimroud, stood a solitary buffalo 
 bull. 
 
 . Magnified by the relief of its position, it 
 presented a truly imposing figure, and seemed 
 in that crystal atmosphere to be so near, that 
 we could discern even the hairy curia upon 
 its shoulder glistening in the purple sunlight. 
 We stood for several minutes regarding it 
 with silent interest, when the necessities of 
 our condition recurring to me, I proposed in 
 a whisper to my comrade, who was quietly 
 smiling at my absorption, that we should 
 forthwith convert him into buffalo beef. 
 
 " Well, you may say youVe seen buffalo at 
 last; come to grizzly by and by; ^taint no 
 use the/ pullin' on the critter — old bull — no 
 gettin* teeth into him — break a pick-axe — be 
 kearful not to skear the old chap as we go 
 
 ^ L 2 
 
220 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 back, and we'll see (an all go right) if we can 
 pick up his youngsters in the morning." 
 
 We accordingly returned with all circum- 
 spection to our camp, taking from time to 
 time a backward peep at the lonely bison, 
 which remained in his solemn immobility to 
 the last. 
 
 Jannock, I had noticed, in his keen but 
 furtive way, had more carefully examined the 
 ground as we came back, and on one occasion 
 gone a little aside to pick up some object that 
 had caught his eye. 
 
 Having seated ourselves on the grass for a 
 parting whiff, this he now produced from his 
 pocket, looked at it long and narrowly, and 
 then, turning to me, commenced his discourse 
 in this wise: '•' ' 
 
 " I won't ask you, squire, if you've ever 
 been hunted for in the old country — ; well, 
 you may snigger, but such has been my fortin' 
 more than onst, and a sweatin' sort o' pastime 
 it is. Now, I'm older, so'thin', than I was. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 221 
 
 and shorter in the wind a long chalk, but if 
 you'd like to try your chance, it strikes me 
 you've only to turn out arter that bull buffalo 
 we've been sightin'. Time was when the 
 critter seemed to go down all the sweeter for 
 a relish of Injyn sarse, but sitiwated as we 
 are at present with hands mostly green, and 
 few at that, and a long trail to follow up, T 
 think it only dootiful to tell you that if we go 
 out to-morrow arter game, we are quite as 
 like as not to get bagged ourselves. There's 
 Injyn * sign ' in yon gulley, not two days old, 
 and see what I've picked up but awhile syn." 
 He put into my hands a strip of green buffalo 
 hide, which showed evident marks of recent 
 rending. " That leather's been snapped syn 
 last sun rise ; the dog, too, has been oneasy 
 ever syne we sot down here ; it's possible the 
 pup's green like the rest on us, and has got 
 wind of the old bull yonder, which will be 
 new game to it, I reckon; but I rayther 
 judge from its ways it's so'thin' uglier still." 
 *' It must be the devil himself then, Bryce, 
 
222 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 for surely nothing else in nature can be uglier 
 than an old buffalo bull." 
 
 " That is, more mischievious and malicious 
 — you onderstand, but lettin' alone dog and 
 leather, there's so' thin' tells me — a wee sma' 
 vice that comes o' forty years exper'ence, that 
 whether it be them Osages we've flogged, 
 or See-hoo on the hunt or war path, there's 
 red men about us at this moment within reach 
 of a smart halloo ; so we'll jest run the waggon 
 into the bottom yonder, and I'll head up your 
 mare to it to keep the mules from strayin', for 
 they'll stick to the cretur like 'lassus, and by 
 keepin' a bright watch thro' the night and aH 
 quiet we may slip away softly by day break." 
 
 Laying by my pipe at this information I as- 
 sisted him in taking the precautionary steps he 
 had suggested, and being myself told for the 
 third watcli, lay down to rest till my turn of 
 duty should arrive. 
 
 It was past midnight when I was aroused, 
 and rising with the stiff reluctance of a jaded 
 post-horse, I repaired to my station on the 
 
■J 
 
 OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 223 
 
 summit of the nearest swell, taking my blanket 
 with me as a guard against the corrosive night 
 air. » 
 
 A harsh unpleasant wind had got up, 
 which breathed in low moans through the 
 rugged dingle, whilst above, the moon, now in 
 its last quarter and but newly risen, showed 
 its wan crescent over a bank of clouds. 
 
 Whether we worship her as a goddess or 
 salute her as a sweetheart, the sacred orb of 
 night must ever attach our sympathies, 
 awakening the memory, kindling the imagi- 
 nation, and softening the heart ; elevating us 
 for the time above the dead level and grovel- 
 ling routine of life. 
 
 Here on the bleak prairie knoll I fully recog- 
 nized her influence, and was in the full flow of 
 that mental oblectation which solaces the pre- 
 sent from the stores of the past and future, * 
 when my eye was caught by the form of Jan- 
 nock, followed by the trusty bloodhound, 
 moving from the camp towards me. 
 
 "There's so'thin' keeps the dog afret, 
 
224 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 Squire/' he whispered, on coming up, " and 
 tells me there's mischief stirring. I reckon 
 I'll take a short stretch along the praira, and 
 see if I can get into the secret of the matter I" 
 
 On hearing this I straightway offered to ac- 
 company him, and leaving my blanket behind, 
 whose color might have attracted observation, 
 we proceeded cautiously up the wind, guided 
 by the action of the hound, and halting on 
 everj rise to gather by the eye or ear any 
 floating sign that might assist us in detecting 
 danger. 
 
 It happened in the course of our walk that 
 having to tarry awhile for the purpose of 
 fastening my moccassin, I observed Jannock, 
 who had meanwhile gone forward, come to 
 a sudden halt. 
 
 On going up I found him standing in the 
 inside of a circle formed of buflPalo skulls, 
 wliitened by time and weather into the sem- 
 blance of marble, and wearing in the pallid 
 moonlight a mystic, monumental aspect. In 
 the centre rose a little pyramid of the same 
 
 I..: 
 
OVER THE PRAIIilES. 
 
 225 
 
 materials, built with much compactness and 
 greenstained by time. The grass grew short 
 about it, exposing the spectral pile in its full 
 significance, and the heavy nightwind as it 
 swept into the swale whistled and moaned 
 through its ghastly masonry. 
 
 "There!" remarked Jannock, in a low 
 tone as I came up, "what make ye o' this 
 now, squire? droll, ain't it?" 
 
 I could not discover the drollery ; it was 
 the witching time of night when the spirits 
 are most impressible, and the spot under the 
 circumstances was one to inspire only interest 
 and awe. 
 
 "Is it not extraordinary, Bryce," said I 
 giving vent to the thoughts which it sug- 
 gested, " that from the earliest ages and the 
 oldest regions of the globe down to this recent 
 fabric of the Indians, we find these curious 
 rings constructed by heathen nations. In the 
 old country now you may see them built of 
 stones, whose date neither writing nor tra- 
 dition has declared, that have stood the wear 
 
 L 5 
 
226 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 of twenty — aye of thirty centuries, and these 
 it is likely are but copies from older lands 
 where the human race was first planted, and 
 religious ritual first cultivated. This ring 
 now that we look at, I should say it had re- 
 ference to some religious usage. Do you 
 imagine these Osages and Sioux and the rest 
 of them ever ofier up human sacrifices to 
 their Gods — Bel,^ for instance, or Astarte ?" 
 
 "If Bel means belly, I'll not deny but 
 they'll bolt a bit of human now and then 
 when 'casion sarves, but their favoryte 
 eatables is hoss, dog, and bufilo ; when fairly 
 gorged with these, it ain't so easy to 'start' 
 'em unless, maybe, with a rifle shot or war- 
 whoop, or so'thin' o' that sort." 
 
 "Then again, whence this circular for- 
 mation?" 
 
 " Belike it was to dance round, or maybe, 
 some of their braves is buried here; one 
 often finds these bones by Injyn burial 
 places." >^ 
 
 " No, Bryce ; it has taken its shape from 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 227 
 
 the divinities they worshipped — the sun — the 
 moon — or more probably still the general 
 cope of heaven, which would thus be the 
 pantheon of their Gods. Then again the 
 circle is the emblem of eternity. Among the 
 ancient Eomans — ^you've heard of the Ko- 
 mans, Bryce — trinkets of this form were 
 exchanged as pledges of perpetual love ; I 
 once knew a young lady — '* 
 
 " Whisht, squire I look at the dog." 
 The bloodhound who was lying at our feet 
 lifted up his head, and after sniffing the pas- 
 sing air uttered a low admonitory growl, 
 contenting himself with which he resumed 
 his former posture whilst we remained a mo- 
 ment silent conjecturing what his action might 
 import. 
 
 " A stray buffalo perhaps." 
 Bryce shook his head dissentingly. 
 I continued, "I once knew a young 
 lady-" 
 " Whisht, ^hisht, squire I dam the young 
 
 m 
 
228 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 lady (that I should say so) d'ye hear nothing 
 
 nit 
 
 now r 
 
 We again ceased speaking, and listened 
 attentively. The moon had by this become 
 obscured by clouds, and standing as we were 
 between two slopes, our field of vision was 
 but limited ; on the ear, however, there now 
 grew a distant trampling sound, like that of 
 galopping herds. Now it came loud and full, 
 as though borne from the summit of a swell — 
 now it faded away as if lost in a hollow — and 
 now again we thought it neared us, and 
 listened till the straining sense gave way, 
 leaving us as uncertain as before. Yet ever 
 on the haunted ear, now full, now faint, now 
 up, now down, varying, yet incessant, like 
 the roar of ocean, came, over the night-clipt 
 wold, the noise of that multitudinous ga- 
 lopping. * 
 
 I looked at the resting dog to see how its 
 instinct might explain the matter, but though 
 by its half-raised ears and uneasy air of 
 
 •f- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 229 
 
 vigilance it evidently gave token of alarm, it 
 was impossible to gather further whether the 
 sounds in question were the cause of it ; then 
 I glanced at Jannock, who, as he met my eye, 
 remarked, " The buffaloes are having fine 
 shines to-night for sartain ; they must have been 
 smartly hunted to keep 'em a gaddin* at this 
 rate. The red-skins will be out pretty rank, 
 I take it, and we may have a hard job to get 
 by them ; wull, what was you a-saying now 
 about the lady ?" 
 
 " I was telling you, Bryce, I once knew a 
 lady who wore one of these ring tokens as a 
 pledge of eternal attachment from her lover ; 
 it was a snake, with its tail in its mouth — '* 
 
 " She must ha' been o' the rattler genius, I 
 reckon, that gal." 
 
 " Why, as far as tongue went, she was a 
 rattler, certainly." 
 
 " Next o' kin, belike, to Kentucky Dan's 
 wife, whose clapper never stopped till she had 
 screeched herself to death, when the old chap 
 was so j'yed, he paid her a compliment might 
 
230 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ha' served a better mate, by writin' on her 
 gravestun' — " 
 
 The speaker stopped, for at that instant 
 there smote our ears a sound that seemed 
 scarce of this world — a yell so frightful and 
 unearthly, that though partly deadened by 
 the distance, it for the moment silenced 
 my companion, and curdled the very blood 
 in my veins with horror. 
 
 " Heavens I What can that be, Bryce ?" 
 
 " By writin' on her gravestun' ' here lies a 
 screamer.' Aye, ye unchristianed imps, I 
 knowed ye was k nnelled nigh. What can it 
 be? why, just what I've suspicioned all 
 along ; Injyns, aud, what's more, we've nigh 
 run head-foremost into them. They're lo- 
 cated, I somethink, in the dingle, higher up, 
 and a massy it is they haven't got our wind ; 
 the critters '11 be divertin' themselves with a 
 buffalo feast or scalp dance. That cry sounded 
 uncommon like a scalpin' yell, and I think it 
 comes from Seehoo throats to boot." 
 
 Whilst my blood was recovering its wonted 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 231 
 
 flow, the hunter, resting on his rifle, mused on 
 the fearlul interruption for some minutes in 
 silence ; then erecting himself, and shoulder- 
 ing his weapon, said with the calm decision 
 that characterized him, " Squire, I must have 
 a peep at the blackguards — see who they are, 
 and what they're arter ; if we larn this, we 
 may either make up to or av'id them ; if not, 
 we shall be boggling unawares on their track, 
 and finishing our fa'n hunt in a way we've 
 little mind for." 
 
 As his resolution seemed taken I did not 
 attempt to alter it, but again volunteered to 
 second him in his new adventure, an offer he 
 at once set aside, with a quiet but peremptory 
 " wouldn't do no ways — sp'il all — ^better make 
 tracks hum, and when Eobin has the watch 
 (don't trust the Frencher to-night), tell the lad 
 to keep his eyes skinned and his hand spry." 
 
 With these compendious orders I was fain 
 to return to camp, and my watch having pre- 
 sently expired, threw myself once more on 
 my sheepskin. .!- ^ 
 
 * 
 
232 
 
 A I^ILGRIMAGE 
 
 ■':f-' 
 
 . '$■ 
 
 ' CHAPTER X. 
 
 
 . -A 
 
 Though harassed with anxieties abput my 
 comrade, and in momentary expectation of 
 being roused by an Indian on-fall, nature 
 claimed her dues, and I speedily sank into a 
 deep but troubled sleep. 
 
 Induced by the dismal impressions made 
 during our late excursion, a villanous dream 
 came over me, repeating its incidents and 
 imagery with a multitude of ephialtic varieties. 
 Again the cry of horror rang in my ears ; the 
 * blood-boltered ' form of an Indian warrior 
 approached me with uplifted tomahawk. I 
 felt even the goblin's hand upon my breast. 
 
 1^ 
 
my 
 of 
 ure 
 a * 
 
 iide 
 tarn 
 md 
 ies. 
 the 
 :ior 
 I 
 
 iSt, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 233 
 
 and awaking with a start of terror was greeted 
 by "Upl up I Lord love ye, squire ; yeVe as 
 kittle as a young stirk," from the returned 
 and indefatigable Jannock. " We must be up 
 at onst, and steal a morning^s march on the 
 Seehoo whilst the dew's on the 'arth, and 
 they're sleepin' off their last night's cram. 
 Robin, lad, put a good lick of grease to the 
 axlei^, for if they get squeakin', they'll soon 
 set us squeakin' ourselves. I've put a muzzle 
 on the pup, for the fine cretur's a spice too 
 lively ; and hark ye, Antoine, you must con- 
 trive to stop them lantern jaws o' yourn, 
 too, and keep your * dews' and * dabbles ' inside 
 your throat, unless you want 'em lettin* out 
 through a fresh slit." / 
 
 It was yet but the first glimmer of the 
 morning twilight when we got under w.igh, 
 going off at a bold angle from our former 
 course, and directly away from our wild un- 
 acceptable neighbours. -? , 
 
 The hunter went on well in advance to 
 choose out and indicate our route, whilst the 
 
234 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 remainder of us turned our whole attention to 
 conducting the waggon safely and noiselessly- 
 according to his signals. 
 
 As the day opened, his figure might be seen 
 looming clearer and clearer against the 
 brightening sky, and at length after three 
 hours' travel, we beheld it come to a stand- 
 still in a grassy bottom, which told us the 
 hour had arrived to snatch a hasty, but 
 necessary meal. 
 
 Bryce now took the opportunity of giving 
 me a brief account of his over night's recon- 
 naissance. 
 
 He had approached, he said, quite close to 
 the Indians* camp, " snaking himself (to use 
 his own words), along the gully till he could 
 have pitched his powder horn into their, fire, 
 and made 'em yell agin grain." He pro- 
 nounced them a war party of Dahcotahs or 
 Sioux, — thirty in number, having with them 
 two prisoners (Delaw ares, he thought), whom 
 they had been compelling to run the gauntlet 
 to the horrid music that had thrilled us so 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 235 
 
 drearily during the night. He had got a view 
 of the scene towards its close. The captives 
 had escaped for the time, by their agility, and 
 reached the painted post which gave them 
 safety ; indeed Bryce thought there was no 
 present purpose of putting them to death, that 
 the Sioux were merely amusing themselves 
 after their buffalo banquet, and would pro- 
 bably take them to the head quarters of their 
 tribe to await the decision of the general 
 council. '^I somethink," remarked he, "I 
 seen one of the lads down east when I was 
 thar years agone, and the Delawares, I know, 
 have tracked west only o' late ; they ca'd him 
 * Peg-top,' did the settlers, and a fine smart 
 copperskin he was ; clear grit, too." 
 
 " Heigh 1" added the hunter, with the viva- 
 city of a bright thought, "if we could only 
 now loose him and his cumrade from their 
 bonds and get them to j'in our party, we'd just 
 be made men, and might laugh at all the 
 Philistines at ween here and Bighorn." 
 
236 
 
 A PILGlilMAGE 
 
 I could only reply by a barren wish that 
 Providence might so ordain it. 
 
 With our eyes and ears ever turned in the 
 direction of our back trail, we rapidly 
 despatched our food, and then again har- 
 nessed our hardy team to lay yet another 
 stage between ourselves and the dreaded 
 Sioux. 
 
 After travelling two hours more, by which 
 time the sun had risen some degrees, Jannock 
 and myself, who were riding together in ad- 
 vance, on topping one of the prairie swells, 
 came suddenlv upon two buffaloes feeding in 
 the swale below. 
 
 Our empty larder ever on our minds we 
 pricked instantaneously in chase, he after one — 
 I after the other, as fast as our ill-fed steeds 
 could be urged. The two animals, which 
 were both females, made ofif in different di- 
 rections at the first burst, and absorbed in the 
 pursuit of my own game I soon Lst sight 
 once for all of my companion. ; 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 237 
 
 Up and down we sped over the rolling 
 plain, the reduced condition of my animal 
 disabling me from doing more than just 
 keeping the quarry in sight, till at length, 
 after a chase of good three leagues it disap- 
 peared altogether from view behind one of 
 the countless prairie swells. On reaching 
 this elevation no sign of living thing was to 
 be seen, and though the rank grass that lay 
 in front might readily account for its disap- 
 pearance, I was altogether at a loss to deter- 
 mine in which direction it had escaped. 
 
 Foiled, fatigued, and disheartened, I now 
 felt it needful to retrace my way, and getting 
 off my wearied beast, led it slowly along by 
 the trail rope in the direction I fondly 
 imagined would enable me to strike the trail 
 of my party. 
 
 Notwithstanding, however, my experience 
 of the wilderness, I found myself confounded 
 by its sameness, and nearly the whole of the 
 day was spent in wandering over the arid 
 waste, almost deafened by the incessant 
 
238 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ** cheep*' of grasshoppers, a blazing sun over- 
 head, and a burning thirst rendering both 
 man and horse indifferent to everything but 
 the speediest means of satisfying it. 
 
 Evening already approached, and I was 
 beginning to feel something of that anxiety 
 which is apt to beset the wildered traveller, 
 when on reaching one of the innumerable 
 swells around, I perceived standing quietly 
 in the coarse grass about half a mile a head, 
 the identical animal (as I believe) that I had 
 chased to so little purpose in the morning. 
 Leaping into my saddle I again spurred 
 *' Yolande" in pursuit of it. 
 
 Though able to get along at but a slow 
 rate, I was not long in perceiving the buffalo 
 (which speedily winded me) was labouring 
 under a similar disability, and to a yet greater 
 degree. My mare, moreover, had some 
 prairie blood in her veins, and made up in 
 bottom what she wanted in speed, so that 
 little by little I began to gain upon the fugi- 
 tive, and at length drew so. near as to be on 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 239 
 
 the point of levelling my gun for a telling 
 shot, when all of a sudden I beheld her tail 
 and haunches flung up into the air, and the 
 next moment, thr* ?n.tire animal disappear 
 from sight. . 
 
 It had in fact gone down some hole or pre- 
 cipice which my excitement had prevented 
 me from seeing, and I furthermore felt the 
 immediate and unpleasant conviction that I 
 must inevitably (the interval being too short 
 to admit of reining up) go down after it. 
 
 Almost as quickly as the thought, down it 
 we accordingly dashed like lightning — 
 
 A headlong plunge — crash, and roll, is all 
 I remember of the ensuing two hours, during 
 which I lay prostrate and insensible in the 
 position I had been so unceremoniously 
 pitched into. 
 
 The shock had given me a thorough stun- 
 ning, but that was all ; and on coming to my- 
 self I arose sound in wind and limb, and had 
 moreover the satisfaction of seeing my trusty 
 
240 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 steed standing by me, apparently uninjured 
 also. 
 
 On the declivity a little above me lay the 
 luckless buffalo, jammed between two fallen 
 trees, and on the point of expiring, with an 
 arrow sticking in its side. From this, I in- 
 ferred it had been lately hunted by the Indians, 
 and thus received what must have been its 
 virtual death wound. 
 
 The place where this mishap had occurred 
 was an extraordinary break in the prairie, which 
 here descended as by a huge step to a lower 
 level. This step or bank was some thirty 
 feet in height, sloping at rather an acute 
 angle, and could be seen, from where I stood, 
 extending for miles and miles along the plain, 
 retaining the same character and elevation, 
 and darkened here and there by patches of 
 lofty timber. It was at one of these wooded 
 spots I had made my descent, getting a few 
 bruises only, from fallen logs, as I did so. 
 
 The sun being near to setting as I got up, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 241 
 
 I veDtured to wind my horn as a signal to 
 Jannock, if perchance he should be within 
 range, of my whereabouts, tho' I did it not 
 without some misgiving the sounds might 
 reach other ears than they were intended for, 
 and then, there being little chance of my re- 
 joing him ere nightfall, I quietly prepared to 
 make my bivouack on the spot. 
 
 With this view I set to work to collect some 
 litter of the trees about me, to make my fire 
 of. 
 
 Dear bought experience had taught me the 
 habit of constaiitly travelling with my knap- 
 sack on, and profiting by my prudence, I 
 found, at hand, the materials for a supper, 
 and means of cooking it. 
 
 The quart tin, that served me for a kettle 
 was filled from an extemporized mud basin, 
 into which I had trained a slender thread of 
 water that oozed from the caked soil at the 
 foot of the bank, and with a cutlet from the 
 buffalo cow^ and plenteous draught of tea, I 
 made out a good and renovating meal. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 M 
 
242 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 I 
 
 My mare, Yolande, whicli had for some 
 time shewed symptoms of restlessness, at 
 length attracted my attention, by uttering an 
 unmistakeable moan, and on. examining it 
 closely I discovered it had received an injury 
 on its fore leg, and was in a fair way for be- 
 coming lame. The knee, I found to be much 
 swollen, and the whole limb indeed suffering 
 from a severe sprain, received, no doubt, in 
 its rude descent into the timber brake. Tho* 
 my situation rendered it a matter of such 
 vital import, I could do little for its relief 
 save by carefully bathing the hurt part, and 
 then, released from harness, leading it to the 
 little spring hard by, there to eat, drink, or 
 rest as it listed. This done, T climbed over 
 the fallen trunks to the higher part of the 
 bank where, stretching myself under a tower- 
 ing Cottonwood, and lighting my pipe, I at 
 ojice enjoyed the solace of repose, and a more 
 leisurely survey of the spacious panorama I 
 commanded. , ^ \ ; 
 
 The wide expanse of prairie had little to 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 243 
 
 L 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 1 
 
 distinguish it from the tracts we had so long 
 been toiling over, save that it bore rather less 
 of the "rolling" character, and was broken in 
 the distance by an isolated " butte" or mound 
 of rather remarkable shape. But at the pre- 
 sent time its too familiar features, its wild and 
 waving swells clothed with their rusty herb- 
 age to the sky line, with the solitary hill in 
 the distance and massy timber round about, 
 were gleaming in the light of an almost pre- 
 ternatural looking sunset. 
 
 The entire cope of heaven was suffused with 
 the richest crimson, intensifying in brilliancy 
 as it approached the West, till at the very 
 verge of the horizon a wide-stretched lumin- 
 ous streak, like fire, terminated the gorgeous 
 show. 
 
 On the broad surface of the plain this fervid 
 coloring was now reflected, steeping its russet 
 herbage in a blood-red glow, tinting the far 
 off peak with halcyon hues, and branding the 
 stems of the trees around me with that lurid 
 
 M 2 
 
 '^ 
 
244 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 sheen so vividly portrayed in the bandit scenes 
 ofSalvatore. 
 
 The day's heat mists, condensed by the 
 cooler air, while softening the chromatic 
 splendour of the scene, presented it more 
 dream-like to the senses ; whilst the absence 
 of all sounds of life, of all movement, save 
 that of the evening shadows as they crept 
 over the purpling waste from some bolder 
 swell, completed the charmed character of the 
 prospect. 
 
 Whilst silently admiring its marvels I could 
 not, however, help feeling my situation was 
 one of perplexity, if not of peril. I was alto- 
 gether ignorant of the whereabouts of my 
 party, and entertained little hope they would 
 be able to track me through the devious 
 course of my late hunt ; it was still less likely 
 I should discover them^ and the condition of 
 my horse now presented a new, and indeed 
 far the most formidable difficulty. 
 
 It was indeed easy to see in its every motion 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 245 
 
 s 
 
 the animal was becoming dead lame, and, 
 ^pite of its day's fast, had scarcely the stomach 
 to take a fair nip at its food. Should it be no 
 better on the morrow, what sort of travelling 
 should I make through the untold leagues of 
 grass that lay around me nearly as high as 
 myself? 
 
 It was a consideration Vid.t seemed to grow 
 in gravity the more ' dwelt on it. 
 
 To dispel the dieary silence and uiriasy 
 feeling it created in me, I seized my horn once 
 more and blew a rousing blast over the plain 
 — a second — ^then a third, and was on the 
 point of putting by the instrument and laying 
 •me down for the night, when — could I have 
 heard arighi ? Yes ; lowly and faintly, but 
 distinctly audible, came the note of an answer- 
 ing bugk, apparently from the distant " buttt;'' 
 in front, but so soft, sweet, and low, that but 
 for my being familiar with the key I might 
 have set it down for one of those ringing mur- 
 murs that amuse the ear of a summer's eve. 
 My rueful horse too recognised the sound, 
 
246 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 1 
 
 pricked up its ears, and answered the air 
 borne challenge with a sonorous nei^h. 
 
 There, then, in that certain spot were Robin 
 and Jannock only a few leagues off, and the 
 sense of their propinquity inspired me with 
 renewed cheerfulness. But for what cause, 
 and with what object had they reached a po- 
 sition which lay considerably southward of our 
 route, and but a few hours past was indeed 
 quite invisible? This was a mystery. Might 
 not that horn be some enchanted signal to 
 lure a lost traveller to his doom ? 
 
 I smiled to myself at the conceit, and, 
 spreading my blanket at the root of the 
 friendly cotton wood, lay down to prepare 
 myself by sleep for the toils and adventures 
 of the morrow. 
 
 On arising at early dawn I found the prai- 
 rie still covered with floating vapour, though 
 the sun through the eastern haze gave promise 
 of a glorious rising. 
 
 Wishing to make the most of the cool hours 
 of morning I speedily despatched my break- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 247 
 
 fast, and then whistled for my mare, that I 
 might examine her condition for travelling. 
 She came up (for I had brought the creature 
 to a wonderful pitch of docility) limping on* 
 three legs, and apparently little the better for 
 her night's rest. This was a grievous dis- 
 appointment ; however, I again bathed the 
 swollen limb, gave her a mouthful of flour 
 and water, and prepared to proceed upon my 
 journey. 
 
 After a glance through the spy -glass at the 
 distant "butte'* that was to serve me as a 
 landmark, I saddled my unfortunate nag, and 
 led it by its "lariat** on to the grassy plain I 
 was to traverse. Its coarse brown herbage 
 reached above my shoulders, and encumbered 
 as I was with my heavy rifle, knapsack, and 
 the animal, which, even in the path I beat for 
 it, had much ado to get along, my progress 
 was necessarily both slow and toilsome, 
 scarcely indeed averaging more than a mile 
 an hour — a rate at which the short " trajet " 
 threatened to consume the better part of the 
 
248 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 day. . Intent, however, on effecting it, I 
 trudged resolutely along, forcing my way 
 through the matted grass, and giving many a 
 wistful look at my chief landmark, which 
 from the prevailing thickness of the air 
 seemed ever at a tantalising distance. Every 
 mile or so I found it needful to halt and give 
 my poor beast a short rest, yet even with the 
 most careful management I found its power 
 of progression was gradually abating, whilst 
 many a deep-drawn moan betrayed the pain- 
 ful nature of its exertions. 
 
 Persevering still, in spite of all, I suc- 
 ceeded in reaching, about mid-day, a shallow 
 gulley, which, as far as I could judge by the 
 eye, marked somewhat more than half-dis- 
 tance between my starting-point and goal, 
 nnd here, under a clump of tuft grass that 
 crested the side of the ravine and yielded a 
 scanty shade, I determined to lie by over the 
 sultriest hour of noon. 
 
 The saddle was accordingly once more re- 
 moved from Yolande's back, her leg bathed, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 249 
 
 ,t 
 
 a 
 
 e 
 
 and a sip of water given her from a brackish 
 pool that had survived from the last rains, 
 which done, I was about to throw myself 
 down in utter weariness under my sorry shel- 
 ter, when the glimpse of a tawny body 
 gliding away over the opposite bank diverted 
 me for the . moment from my purpose. I 
 imagined it to be a panther, an animal I had 
 not yet happened to meet with. Quickly 
 snatching up my piece I started off eagerly 
 after it, and had reached the top of the swell, 
 a somewhat higher one than the rest, behind 
 which the creature had disappeared, when a 
 spectacle met my view that brought me to a 
 startled stand, ail riveted every sense in the 
 freezing fascination of horror. 
 
 The haze that had hitherto filled the air 
 to the southward had deepened into a black 
 portentous loom which stretched East and 
 West beyond the bouTvb of vision, and had, 
 as I now perceived, already mounted far into 
 the Heavens. 
 
 At its base an endless line of fire — brigli tor 
 
 M 5 • 
 
250 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ih? 
 
 
 than the noonday splendour, was seen in 
 active play, feeding the fuliginous cloud with 
 fresh vapour, and accounting but too readily 
 for the unnatural thickness of the atmos- 
 phere. 
 
 Here was expressed in its own appalling 
 characters the warning, so full of dread signi- 
 ficance to the Western voyager of " the Prairie 
 on fire !'* 
 
 It appeared to be yet some miles off — 
 farther so from me on one side than the hill 
 I had been making for (on gaining which I 
 saw at a glance depended my sole chance of 
 preservation) was, on the other. 
 
 Yet on foot — through yon dense and path- 
 less grass — under a noontide sun — with a full- 
 blown fire at my heels — my heart for a mo- 
 ment sank at the fearful ordeal I had in pros- 
 pect. My poor horse too — was I to abandon 
 it ? its good and faithful service forbade the 
 thought. 
 
 Darting to the spot where it was lying, I 
 raised it with a smart stroke of the whip and 
 
 { I 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 251 
 
 I 
 
 nd 
 
 led it to the top of the bank. Just at that 
 momenta herd of antelopes came by, whose 
 panting sides and faltering pace shewed how 
 severely they had been tasked in sustaining 
 their flight for life. Away they sped in front, 
 and profiting by the path they made I pushed 
 on swiftly after them, leading my horse as 
 before by the trail-rope. 
 
 The appearance of the fugitives seemed to 
 inspire it with a sympathetic sense of danger, 
 and instead of dragging at its tether as before, 
 it limped along zealously behind me, keeping 
 fairly up with my pace. 
 
 The little mount was now, as far as I could 
 judge, about a league distant, and the fire 
 when I discovered it, might have been a little 
 more in the opposite quarter. Fortunately 
 there was yet no wind stirring, and though 
 the grass I passed through resembled so much 
 tinder, I did not despair, with the start I had 
 if my strength should only hold out, of out- 
 stripping my nimble foe. Could I but have 
 
 II 
 
2^2 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 snatched one short hour's rest on halting, it 
 would have aided my chance immensely, for 
 the continued march and drag of the morn- 
 ing in an atmosphere like that of an oven, 
 had told severely on my energies, and I was 
 fearful of thei: failing in the renewed struggle 
 they were to be taxed by. Should they do 
 so, in that rising roar I knew at once my 
 doom, and in that sailing smoke-cloud beheld 
 already stretched — my funeral pall. 
 
 Stimulated by the sense of extremity I 
 pushed precipitately onwards, and had now 
 diminished the distance by about two- thirds, 
 when a strange and sudden faintness over- 
 came me. Like the tired swimmer who sinks 
 when almost reaching at the life-buoy, I 
 found myself utterly disabled from making a 
 further effort. A rush of blood as from a 
 sun- stroke, smote my brain ; their muscular 
 energies that had hitherto never failed, for- 
 sook my limbs ; a host of dancing images 
 mocked my vision, and with the sensation of 
 
 |i 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 253 
 
 i 
 
 one ready to yield his last breath I leaned 
 against my gasping beast, and took my silent 
 farewell of nature. 
 
 Yet though volition and movement were 
 thus paralysed, there still remained a sort of 
 half-perceptive consciousness. I felt the 
 ground trembling behind me as a herd of 
 buffaloes, frenzied with fear and wrung by 
 prolonged racing overtook and well nigh 
 trampled me under foot; there came under 
 my view the figure of a young calf distanced 
 and deserted by the rest of the herd, drawing 
 up at poor Yolande's side, and with eyes start- 
 ing from its head, and tongue lolling out, 
 seeking to lull its terror in the strange com- 
 panionship. Though in such dire extremity 
 myself, I could not help noting and pitying 
 the animal ; I felt the force of its dumb ap- 
 peals, vain as they were, vain even as my own 
 against the unchained fury of the elements. 
 
 Now the horrid crackling of the flames 
 broke upon my ears, ever keener and louder, 
 whilst their myriad forks flickered with blast- 
 
 f 
 
254 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 
 ing brilliance against the sooty background ; 
 volumes of pungent vapour were propelled 
 into my face, and the air became every moment 
 less respirable. 
 
 With the full consciousness of life, but none 
 of its available powers, I surrendered myself 
 to a fate that seemed inevitable, and was in- 
 wardly praying that suffocation might fore- 
 stall the fiercer agonies of a fiery death, when 
 a band of horsemen — giants and centaurs they 
 then seemed to me in their might — burst 
 through the rolling smoke, and hurried by 
 \7ith. the headlong speed ot desperation. 
 
 I had sunk upon the ground as they sped 
 I)ast, their red forms gleaming like burnished 
 copper in the firelight. And were they then 
 all gone ? Had my last chance past away ? 
 Was there no hand even in that savage throng 
 stretched out to succour and save? Again 
 the roaring of the flames enthralled my senses, 
 already the nearer forks began to scorch, when 
 I felt myself suddenly raised from the earth 
 by a mighty grasp, and the next moment 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 255 
 
 whirling furiously along in the flight of the 
 fugitive riders. 
 
 By this I had partly begun to rally, and 
 now found my arm dragged back by the 
 "lariat" of my limping steed, of which I had 
 still mechanically retained hold. Finding 
 himself distanced by his fellows my deliverer 
 cast a glance behind, and seeing the nature of 
 the impediment at once severed the thong with 
 a swift stroke of his knife, giving me a look as 
 he did so that said as plainly as words, " Do 
 you value your brute above your life ?" 
 
 I knew it was in vain to plead for the poor 
 beast ; crippled as it was, and with two hu- 
 1^ man lives at stake, the sacrifice, however much 
 it grieved me, I felt was unavoidable. 
 
 Recovering our place in the train of the 
 flying horsemen, and pursued by the agonized 
 cries of the abandoned animal, we again made 
 good our ground against the fire, though still 
 half stifled by the thick smoke that went 
 before it, till at length a loud exulting yell 
 from the foremost files, followed by a short 
 
256 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 rush up a steep ascent, told us we had reached 
 the wished for place of refuge. Scrambling 
 up the acclivity with last and desperate efforts, 
 the hardy beast that bore us soon gained a 
 bare and grassless elevation, that put us out 
 of reach of further danger. The rest of the 
 band were already found drawn up there 
 spent and panting, and gazing as none but 
 those so situated can gaze at the demon they 
 had so narrowly escaped from. 
 
 Impelled by a wind that had at last sprung 
 up, and was fast increasing in violence, it had 
 shewn itself no laggard in the chase. On the 
 first glance we gave from our safe- reached 
 citadel we found it had already passed its base, 
 and was rushing with augmented speed on its 
 march of destruction over the prairie. 
 
 The savage who had rescued me from the 
 horrid fate I had been threatened with, 
 straightway dismounted from his brave " mus- 
 tang," and as I did so in my turn, announced 
 himself in the guttural accent of his race as 
 " WahtogacUto — friend of the white man." 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 257 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Such is the constitution of our nature, that 
 when newly and narrowly escaped from im- 
 minent peril, we are apt to overlook or make 
 light of any that may yet remain to be en- 
 countered. 
 
 Filled with the pleasurable sense of my late 
 deliverance, it did not at first occur to me 
 (what at length forced itself on my mind), 
 that I might have exchanged elemental dan- 
 gers for others scarce less formidable from the 
 hostile horde (they were evidently Sioux), in- 
 to whose hands I had fallen. 
 
258 
 
 A P1I.G1. ^AGE 
 
 Such considerations indeed I was yet scarce 
 in frame for entering into. * 
 
 Stretched on the ground in a sort of lethar- 
 gic lull, the eifect in great part, of my late 
 sunstroke, I could at first do little else than 
 silently watch the progress of the fire, which 
 as the night closed in, laden with louring 
 vapour, presented on the plain below a spec- 
 tacle of rare sublimity. 
 
 Advancing with a speed that rivalled the 
 rush of cavalry the flaming flood rolled 
 onward, till the herbage in its rear being 
 consumed, and the play of the forks more 
 indistinguishable, a mere distant line of 
 light with its lurid reflection on the heavens, 
 and here and there some smouldering glow in 
 hollows where the vegetation had been ranker, 
 were at length all the traces that remained of 
 it. . 
 
 By that time it had worn far on into the 
 night, and yielding to the drowsiness upon 
 me, I at last closed my eyes, as many a hardier 
 wight had done before, on this last scene of 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 259 
 
 the wild and exciting drama in which I had 
 been an actor. 
 
 On being aroused next morning by the 
 dazzling sun, I found the Sioux band already 
 risen, and gathered in a sort of council round 
 their chief, which I felt an instinctive convic- 
 tion had some relation to myself. 
 
 They had forborne from disturbing me so 
 long as my slumbers lasted, but as soon as he 
 saw I was in motion, Wahtogachto came up 
 to me with a grave salute, and addressed me 
 thus : — '* My brother has slept heavily. He 
 has had a hard race with the prairie fire ; but 
 he is now safe and rested, and Wahtogachto 
 is well pleased. Let him look at my Dah- 
 cotah braves ; they too have had to fly and 
 beat the flames. Can he tell why their 
 brows look dark? why they rejoice not 
 either in rest or safety? let him try/' 
 
 The Sioux paused — crossed his arms upon 
 his breast, and looked at me with an eye full 
 of meaning. 
 
 Receiving no answer to his appeal, he pro- 
 

 260 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ceeded in an altered tone : — " My white bro- 
 ther has found my people too many on his 
 path, — he has taken them for deer and buffa- 
 loes, and shot them to air his shooting iron. 
 Were the Dahcotahs foes, that he should have 
 done this? Has Wahtogachto shewn him- 
 self an enemy, that he has shot down his 
 braves like wild beasts? My young men 
 have found blood — the blood of their 
 kindred upon the grass, and their hearts 
 have got hot with looking at it. They 
 call out for pale-face blood to wash it o^it, 
 and Wahtogachto knows not what to answer 
 them." 
 
 It was easy to gather from this address and 
 the peculiar air with which it was delivered, 
 that mischief had been brewed in some way 
 between our respective parties ; that blood had 
 been shed on one side, and revenge was being 
 meditated on the other — a circumstance every 
 way unfortunate, and one which it was easy 
 to see portended serious trouble to myself. 
 Urged therefore alike by truth and policy, I 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 261 
 
 gave a strenuous denial to his charges, so far 
 as they concerned myself, and apparently with 
 some effect, but when I proceeded to defend 
 my comrades, he at once cut short my plead- 
 ing, by calling up an aged warrior, who had 
 been gloomily watching our conference, to give 
 his testimony on the matter. 
 
 Though the guttural jargon in which he did 
 so was necessarily quite unintelligible to me, 
 the looks and gestures that accompanied it suf- 
 ficiently explained his meaning, and the ex- 
 pressive clutch of his tomahawk with which 
 he wound up his speech, plainly conveyed 
 what, in his mind, was its natural and need- 
 ful sequel. 
 
 Turning to me with the same impassive 
 gravity as before, though shewing in his dark 
 eye something of the angry glitter that lighted 
 that of his witness, the Sioux chief con- 
 tinued: — "My white brother has heard the 
 words of the ^Aged Cottonwood' — he has 
 heard how his son has fallen by the bullets of 
 the short hunter ; he w.^s his only child — the 
 
262 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 I 
 
 prop of his old age, but he is gone, and his 
 spirit calls for a pale-face ghost to clear its 
 path to the land of spirits. My brother, 
 too, has heard how the Delaware dogs have 
 been let loose, and found shelter under 
 the rifles of the white men ; their rifles 
 can carry far, Wahtogachto knows it 
 well, but (and here his Indian vindictiveness 
 broke out), the arms of the Dahcotah can 
 reach further ; they will catch these Delawares 
 yet, and take vengeance on the strangers 
 who have stolen them." 
 
 Pausing awhile to repress his rising ire, he 
 concluded. 
 
 " Enough ! my brother has not raised his 
 hand against ray braves, or helped our pri- 
 soners to runaway; the Dahcotah will still 
 look upon hira as their friend, and rely on his 
 aid in getting revenge. I have spoken." 
 
 The Teton chief had spoken, and on his 
 will and word my fate depended, but I did 
 not feel my hopes much raised, or my position 
 rendered clearer by his oration. On the 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 263 
 
 contrary, there was a peculiar expression in 
 his eye as he uttered his last words, which 
 seemed to belie their apparent friendliness, and 
 intimate that if T did net join in his people's 
 plans, of retaliation against my friends, I 
 should supply them with the needed victim 
 in myself. 
 
 This I became the more assured of as I 
 watched the bearing of the other Indians, 
 who were gathered under the lee of the 
 ' butte,' in stern debate, and whose faces 
 beneath the brightening day yet wore the 
 moody looks which told liow the disasters 
 referred to by their leader, had affected them. 
 After finishing their consultation, and 
 snatching a hurried meal of raw meat, sup- 
 plied by some of the more provident of the 
 party, preparations were made for depar- 
 ture with an earnestness and haste seldom 
 exhibited by these stoics of the desert. 
 
 There was indeed high need that we should 
 move, for around the saving height fro.n 
 which we viewed it, spread the black and 
 
264 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 blasted plain, devoid of a particle of sus- 
 tenance for man or beast, and threatening 
 assured destruction, by thirst or famine, unless 
 we should speedily succeed in crossing it. 
 
 The half- wild horses, which had already 
 saved us from the fire, were still our sole re- 
 liance for the purpose, yet it was too much to 
 be feared their condition would not be equal 
 to the additional toil required of them. 
 
 After the incredible exertions of the day 
 before not a drop of water had been found 
 for their refreshment, which, like our own, 
 was necessarily limited to a simple rest during 
 the night on the hill-top, when the fervid 
 air enveloping us was found least op- 
 pressive. 
 
 Whilst sitting apart after my conference 
 with Wahtogachto, meditating on these and 
 kindred matters, two of his warriors came up 
 to me, and, uttering some unintelligible 
 words, proceeded, though in civil fashion, to 
 relieve me of my rifle, knife, and pistol ; they 
 then invited me to share their uncooked mei 
 
 "tlA. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 265 
 
 which, out of courtesy to them, as well as 
 justice to myself, I deemed it advisable to do. 
 A horse, the sorriest, as it seemed, of the lot, 
 was then assigned me, and the entire band, 
 swart, sullen, and det:perate, descended, some- 
 thing like the infernal spirits who had " sat 
 on a hijl apart," described by Milton, on to 
 the "burning marl" we had to traverse. 
 
 It was not exactly burning, either, for the 
 fire, save in the more thickly herbaged bot- 
 toms, had had its hour, and was passed away ; 
 but a tract of depressive blackness, where ''life 
 seemed to have died and death to live," and 
 v^here for an unknown length o( time we 
 should be doomed to travel, destitute of food 
 and water, and supported only by our own 
 individual instincts and endurance. 
 
 Though virtually a prisoner, or at the least 
 hostage, among tliis band of thirty savages, 
 I could not but admire the undaunted spirit 
 which, hour aft(;r hour, sustained them in 
 their wear}'- march, and tlie astonishing saga- 
 city which, unhclped by compass or calcula- 
 
 VOL. I. M 
 
'■'3^^ 
 
 
 l! 
 
 266 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 tion, led tliem towards the point where alone 
 relief seemed to be hoped for. 
 
 Scaling one scorched swell after another, 
 and threading many a darksome swale, we 
 journeyed on till noon, oppressed by the 
 wide-spread desolation. 
 
 Water was what we were making for — this 
 my own feelings told, me — water somewhere, 
 water alf ne. Celestial Hope itself took the 
 form and attributes of a water-nymph. Yet 
 noon arrived, and when sore fatigue of man 
 and beast enforced a temporary rest under the 
 partial shadow of tlic bank of an old water- 
 course, its fire-scorched stones alone, too hot 
 even for our horses to stand upon, were all 
 it offered us, pai'aded by the blazing sun in 
 apparent mockery of our cravings. 
 
 Getting :i?^ain, therefore, into the saddle, 
 we proceeded, aiUmt and suffering, on our way, 
 till our shadows l)egan to lengthen on the 
 ground, and tlie stumbling of our wither- 
 wrung steeds sliowed tlie neccssitv of a<rain 
 granting them rest. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 267 
 
 Once more tlien we drew rein on a ruj^ged 
 brake — the channel of some former prairie 
 flood — destitute, like the last, of the precious 
 fluid we were wantinof, and bearino^ on its 
 grisly sides the yet glowing ashes of its late 
 verdure. 
 
 Eeleasing the gasping animals from, their 
 trappings the Indians quickly spread them- 
 selves along its bed, in the vain hope of 
 finding some secret pool, which however, 
 foul and brackish might slake the intensity 
 of their thirst. 
 
 This, fire and drouglit forbade — their quest 
 being in every case quite fruitless. 
 
 Suffering, myself as niuch as the rest, but 
 deterred by sundry hhits from Wahtogachto 
 from taking part in their explorations, 1 be- 
 held them return sullen and disappointed, 
 and as they bestowed themselves on the 
 ground for their night's rest, I could gather 
 but small encouragement in the dark discon- 
 tented looks that everywhere met my own. 
 
 Night at length fell — veiling tor awhile 
 
 N 2 
 

 268 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 
 the deformities of the blackened earth, and 
 yielding relief at least from two main sources 
 of our day's suffering, the oppressive glare of 
 the sun and excessive weariness. 
 
 Cheering my mind as well as might be, by 
 the contemplation of the fresh and lovely 
 vault above, where Hope in its myriad 
 spheres seemed still to dispense its solace- 
 ments, I sank at last to sleep with a trust 
 still firm in Providence. 
 
 Next morning, long ere sunrise the party 
 were again in motion, gathering in their 
 spiritless horses, and anxious, as it seemed 
 by their movements, to make the most of the 
 cool hours of early dawn in accomplishing 
 what remained of our tristful and trying 
 pilgrimage. 
 
 The bits of hide that served for saddles 
 were quickly pLiced on the poor creatures' 
 backs, and chewing the while morsels of dried 
 buffalo moat, the hardy savages mounted for 
 what was hoped would be the last stage we 
 had to make. 
 
 4i 
 
OVER THE PRAIKIES. 
 
 269 
 
 The march began with an evil omen. The 
 horse of the leading Sioux had not taken 
 more than a dozen steps, when, either spent 
 in sheer exhaustion, or stung by some 
 smouldering ember, it fell with its rider to 
 the ground, rolling heavily upon him. 
 
 Wahtogachto was taken up insensible, 
 and it was found necessary, when we pro- 
 ceeded, to support him on horseback by a 
 stout Indian on either side. 
 
 Tome inleed the accident was something 
 more than an evil omen, for in the Sioux 
 chief I had possessed, and now lost, my only 
 safeguard against the openly uttered menaces 
 of the truculent horde he had headed rather 
 than commanded. Hiding these thoughts 
 within my breast, and preserving a cheerful 
 look, I rode my sorry jade among the rest, 
 keeping as near as puosible to the scarce 
 conscious chief, till from certain exclamations 
 among the leading horsemen, and more 
 sprightly air of our animals, I inferred we 
 were approaching a spot where we should 
 
270 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 find the blessed element we were in search 
 of, and terminate our trials for the time. 
 
 Though these anticipations proved correct, 
 it took us nearly an hour longer (more, 
 almost, than our tired out cattle could well 
 wear through) ere they were realized by 
 our reaching a noble stream whose breadth 
 had availed to check the conflagration, and 
 secure its native verdure (how eagerly our 
 eyes gloated on it) to the further bank. 
 
 No sooner did our faltering beasts sight it, 
 than defying all attempts to restrain them, 
 they rushed tumultously into the water, where 
 seeking out the deepest parts, they wallowed 
 and drank, and drank and wallowed till in- 
 dulgence even threatened as fatal consequences 
 as the pressing want it satisfied. 
 
 Nor was it indeed much otherwise with their 
 masters, though at length, like their dumb as- 
 sociates, after allaying their raging fever and 
 burning thirst, they drew slowly by twos and 
 threes to the opposite side, myself among the 
 rest ; when, throwing me down upon the 
 
OVER THE PRAIKIES. 
 
 271 
 
 grass, I poured out my secret gratitude to 
 Heaven for this last and timely preservation. 
 
 After indulfjino; themselves for some hours 
 in the rest they had so dearly earned, the 
 Sioux heh^ consultation to determine on the 
 course to bo taken with reference to their dis- 
 abled chief. 
 
 Shortly after it had ended, tlie greater part 
 of the band gathered in tlieir horses, and 
 placing Wahtogachto on the quietest, sup- 
 ported as before by two able sidesmen, took 
 their way across the prairie, leaving but seven 
 of their comrades, together with myself, under 
 the inauspicious command of the " Old Cotton- 
 wood." 
 
 I watched them depart with a misgiving 
 spirit, for with them went " the friend of the 
 white man," and turning to the others who 
 remained, I read everything in their louring 
 brows and malign glances to confirm the sus- 
 picions I had formed of their foul and sinister 
 purposes. Something of that mysterious in- 
 stinct that warns the victim steer of the neiffh- 
 
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272 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 bouring slaughter-house, gave me its secret 
 surety that the crisis of my fate was ap- 
 proaching ; that from the hands of tliese eight 
 Dahcotahs (the worst favored by far of the 
 band), I was about to meet my death, perhaps 
 suddenly and treacherously dealt, perhaps pro- 
 longed in torments, and I internally formed 
 the resolution of attempting at all hazards to 
 escape. 
 
 A little below that part of the bank where 
 we were stationed, stretched a long low island, 
 clothed with a fair green herbage, the pro- 
 duct of constant irrigation ; and here the horses 
 of the band had been driven, partly to aftord 
 them better pasturage and partly also as an 
 additional security against their straying ; if I 
 could only reach these animals undiscovered, 
 and succeed in moimting that I had marked 
 out as fleetest, the chances would be somewhat 
 in my favor of giving my dangerous mates a 
 final slip. It was the only means of doing so 
 that presented itself, and not knowing what tho 
 next minute might bring forth, it was with no 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 273 
 
 little anxiety I awaited a favorable oppor- 
 tunity for my purpose. 
 
 Late in the afternoon, when the shadow of 
 the low prairie bank lay broad upon the 
 stream, several of the Dahcotahs being absent 
 hunting, and the three remaining engaged in 
 kindling a fire for their night's camp, I deemed 
 the wished for moment had arrived, so leaving 
 the best part of my clothes \vitliin their view 
 to allay any suspicion of my purpose, stripped 
 in fact to my sliirt and hat (the latter rendered 
 necessary by the effects of the " coup de 
 soleil"), under pretence of bathing, I quietly 
 entered the water, swam about for a time 
 within sight of my guards, and then taking 
 heart of grace, struck away stealthily but 
 strongly under the bank towards a sort of 
 cape that would cover my further approach to 
 the cattle. This was speedily reached, and 
 partly hid by its fringe of reeds I ventured to 
 take a last look round ere leaving their 
 shelter to make the final push for the Sioux 
 
 herd. 
 
 N J 
 
274 
 
 A riLORIMAGE 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 My first glance was towards the group I 
 had left at the camp fire ; here all remained 
 as T had left it, and nerved by the prospect of 
 escape I was npon the ])oint of dashing across 
 the shallow stream towards the animals on 
 which it depended, when a shadow passed 
 between me and the bright sunshine T was 
 about to turn liom, and at but a few paces off, 
 with bow already bent and arrow aimed, rose 
 the hateful figure of the " Old Cottonwood." 
 
 Step by step, no doubt, with sleepless eye 
 he had dogged me along the bank as I swam 
 down, gloating on his approaching feast of 
 vengeance ; and now, deeming the hour ar- 
 rived, he remained for a few moments regaling 
 himself characteristically with its foretaste. 
 
 Rage was largely mingled with my as- 
 tonishment at beholding this baleful appari- 
 tion, and in my broad brimmed hat and drip- 
 ping shirt I stood gazing at him after a fiishion, 
 that had he had any humanity about him 
 would have quenched his atrocious pui-pose in 
 a hearty fit of laughter. But far was the 
 
 'f 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 275 
 
 mirthful mood from the temper and intents of 
 the old Cottonwood. What he craved for was 
 a victim, and that victim to present a good 
 broad mark for his arrow : here he had botli 
 (as it would seem) to his mind. 
 
 I have said he paused for a moment to en- 
 joy the anticipation of his revenge ; it was one 
 of those providential pauses that so often re- 
 lieve us of the cup of evil wlien almost at our 
 lips, and in the present case it availed to 
 reverse our respective dooms. 
 
 Seeing how certain was my fate remaining 
 where I was, I darted towards the bank 
 to engage the fell sagittary at close quar- 
 ters. It was about a yard in height, and 
 only a few paces from me, but the water — mid 
 thigh deep — greatly impeded my advance, and 
 I was yet but with my knee upon the grass in 
 the act to rise, when the bow, which in 
 tlie gratification of his torture-loving tastes 
 had been often drawn, and as often unbent, 
 was stretched once more with murderous aim, 
 
276 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 the shaft it held being pointed, close almost to 
 touching it, against my breast. 
 
 The freezing conviction passed across me 
 that, baffled by time, I should feel it the next 
 instant quivering in my vitals, when the sharp 
 crack of a rifle sounded from the islet shore ; 
 the arrow that was to have drawn my life 
 blood sung idly and erring over the water, and 
 the savage who had aimed the vengeful mis- 
 sile — stricken by one more fatal — fell dead, 
 almost into my arms as I arose. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES, 
 
 277 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 While yet scarce freed from his unwelcome 
 weight, a voice, proceeding apparently from 
 the herd of horses opposite, saluted me in 
 these words : 
 
 " This a- way. Squire, this a- way ; over the 
 water, and spry at that, or you'll get skewered 
 yet ; the critters are crowdhi' down to cut you 
 off." 
 
 A thrill of joy passed through me as I re- 
 cognized the voice of Jannock, and hailed his 
 unerring aim. Snatching the knife of my dead 
 adversary from his belt, I instantly dashed 
 into the stream and made towards the sturdy * 
 
278 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 figure which at length presented itself at the 
 islet end. 
 
 He was quietly re-charging his weapon as 
 I got up, cast a brief, scrutinizing glance at 
 my hat as he gave me a cheerful nod, and 
 remarked, ^'' A close shave, squire, rayther a 
 close shave. Range so'thin' long for an old 
 man's arm ; but you'll float yet, I'm thinkin' ; 
 no matter for short fixen (smiling at my scanty 
 drapery) when the timbers is sound. Now, 
 as we're so' thing' underhanded for our work, 
 hie ye away and help the Delawares yonder 
 (pointing to two strange Indians who were 
 busily engaged in the midst of the Sioux 
 herd) in getting in the mustangs, while I keep 
 these ragamuffins to their own side o' the 
 creek.'* 
 
 In obedience to his instructions I lost no 
 time in giving what assistance I could to the 
 two friendly natives, who were still struggling 
 with the four prime animals they had seized, 
 and by our united efforts they were ere long 
 • eventually secured. 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 279 
 
 Whilst thus employed we were aroused by 
 another report, and turning round beheld two 
 of the three Dahcotahs I had left by the camp 
 fire, awakened to their danger, running along 
 the opposite bank to attempt the rescue of 
 their cattle, whilst a dark, moving object in 
 the water showed that the remaining one had 
 committed himself to the stream with the same 
 object, and thus exposed himself to Jannock's 
 fire. It seemed, too, to have taken effect 
 upon him, for simultaneously with the dis- 
 charge tlie savage, throwing his arms wildly 
 into the air, immediately sank from sight. 
 
 " That fellow's rubbed out, at any rate," 
 exclaimed 1. 
 
 " I suspicion not. He was on his back, and 
 there was too little of him out to touch the 
 life ; he's only barked, if that, and will play 
 us some rogue's trick yet afore we've done 
 with him." 
 
 Whilst reloading his piece he inquired how 
 many of the Sioux had been left on their 
 separation ; I told him the number. " That'll* 
 
280 
 
 A PILfJRlMAGE 
 
 do then ; we've scomfislied one at any rate, 
 and the rest are too few to try a rush on 
 
 us. 
 
 Wliilst we were thus talking, a loud yell 
 was heard from the other end of the island, 
 and the four horses it had not been thought 
 worth while to secure, were seen dashing 
 across the water towards the hostile bank, 
 stampadoed by the venturous swimmer I had 
 thought killed by Jannock's shot. 
 
 " Aye," observed Bryce, " that's just the 
 very thing I was lookin' for ; well, we've got 
 the pick o* the lot, and he's welcome to the 
 lumber ; now, as there's nothing further to 
 fight about, we'll up and away, wliile the 
 play's good and the light lasts." 
 
 It so happened that at this moment the 
 warrior whose hardihood we were commenting 
 on conceived the unlucky idea of celebrating 
 his achievement by a yell of triumph. 
 
 This was too much for Bryce' s philosophy, 
 who might besides have been somewhat galled 
 at the failure of his late attempt. 
 
OVER THE PRAIKIES. 
 
 281 
 
 The Indian was seated on one of the ani- 
 mals he had re-captured, and about two hun- 
 dred yards from us, his body in full view, and 
 evidently from the distance believing himself 
 in perfect safety, fluttering a half-suppressed 
 oath, our hunter levelled his piece with un- 
 usual care, and th3 next instant the presump- 
 tuous Sioux paid the forfeit for his uproar 
 by dropping from the animal's back. 
 
 "I've only ' creased' the critter arter all," 
 remarked Bryce, with one of his collar laughs, 
 *' but it'll stop his screeching any how, and 
 make him less handy at horse thievin'." 
 
 Taking warning by their comrades' discom- 
 fiture, the Dahcotahs now sought cover, and 
 as every consideration on our own side coun- 
 selled immediate departure, we mounted (with 
 the two friendly Indians, so mysteriously re- 
 cruited,) the four fine mustangs we had cap- 
 tured, and crossed the further arm of the 
 stream, on to the burnt plains we had so 
 lately and gladly quitted. 
 
 Jannock led, and so great was the necessity 
 
282 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 of makin<^ rapid progress, that as long as the 
 day light lasted, but little conversation passed 
 between us; even the information so anxiously 
 desired by me about the rest of our party 
 being waived by our leader with silent gestures 
 or monosyllabic replies. 
 
 About an hour, however, after night had 
 fallen, a halt was called, and a general coun- 
 cil held (in which the Dela wares joined), to 
 consider the most effectual course to be taken 
 for eluding the pursuit of our late foes (pos- 
 sibly reinforced from the main body), and re- 
 gaining our camp. 
 
 To retrace the weary traverse we had al- 
 ready made, was mentioned only to be set 
 aside as ensuring the destruction both of horse 
 and man, reduced as they were by their former 
 hardships, and but half recruited by their late 
 rest. 
 
 It was decided, therefore, as the only other 
 course left us, to make a forced march in the 
 form of a curve over the devastated tract (in 
 order to mislead our enemies), which would 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 283 
 
 bring us again to the river a good way farther 
 up, when, crossing to the unburn t bank, we 
 mirrht find both foraije for the cattle and food 
 for ourselves, while pushing our way on for 
 the waggon station. 
 
 This detour it was needful to perform dur- 
 ing the night, in order to prevent the Sioux 
 from taking up our trail too early, and we 
 therefore lost no time in executing it. 
 
 The nights had now become sharp, and my 
 equipment being much lighter than was com- 
 fortable, I availed myself of an offer kindly 
 made me by Jannock, of his blanket, by way 
 of amending it. 
 
 Picking our way over the sabh' ground as 
 well as the faint light from the stars, and 
 practised optics of our allies enabled us, we 
 diligently journeyed on till a little before 
 dawn, when we again drew rein, and waited 
 till the increasing light should give us better 
 knowledfje of our bearino^s. Remountino: 
 at sunrise, it was not long ere our eyes were 
 
284 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 gladdened by the sight once more of the 
 water, for which we made direct, that our 
 horses might take the refreshment they were 
 again greatly in need of. The further side as 
 hefore shewing a fair growth of herbage, we 
 passed at once across to it, and indulged the 
 enduring animals with a feed of several 
 hours. 
 
 Though able to quench our thirst from the 
 source at hand, we were all suffering much 
 from hunger, which we had had for days no 
 means of appeasing, save by some odds and 
 ends of dried buffalo meat, and we accordingly 
 sent off our red allies on to the prairie to try 
 if they could pick off one of these animab (of 
 which signs had been seen during the morn- 
 ing), with their arrows. Jannock, for some 
 reason, declined to share their labour, and re- 
 fused with true back wood jealousy, to let his 
 rifle quit his hands. 
 
 The hunt fortunately proved productive, 
 and in little niore than a couple of hours they 
 
 % 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 285 
 
 rejoined us witli a welcome load of wild beef, 
 on which we lost no time in doing due execu- 
 tion. 
 
 Taking up our march in more cheerful 
 guise along the imscathed bank, we stedfastly 
 continued it till noon, when a tuft of middle- 
 sized cotton-woods presenting itself, we took 
 advantage of its shade to rest once more, and 
 consult as to the further direction to be pur- 
 sued. 
 
 After turning out our animals to feed, 
 taking anotlier hearty tug at the buffalo meat, 
 and posting one of the Indians on a neigh- 
 bouring rise as sentinel, my trusty comrade 
 and myself stretched ourselves on the sloping 
 bank, and sharing his pipe In turn (my own 
 had been lost during my late mishaps), en- 
 tered upon the explanations so long deferred, 
 and so anxio 'il'^ desired by each of us. 
 
 " There," said he, tendering me the re- 
 plenished tube, " that's the sort o' thing 
 when natur* feels like caving in ; when I seed 
 you led off from the buttc, t'other morning, 
 
286 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 by tliem cut-throat Seehoo, I wouldn't ha' 
 given that pipe o' baccy now for all inside 
 your red flannel shirt." 
 
 " Why, you don't mean to say you did see 
 me on that occasion ?" 
 
 " Ask Peg-top there whether we didn't ; 
 and knowing what had passed atween them 
 and us, I feared it was the last sight I should 
 ha' gotten o' ye. If it hadn't been for him 
 and his long comrade yonder, I quest' on whe- 
 ther Truegroove could ha' made his v'ice 
 heerd in the matter to any purpose. Even 
 with them and the Seehoo bosses to boot (for 
 it's these, arter all, we're most obligated too), 
 it was a mighty close shave, I tell you ; that 
 beaver o' yourn won't turn water again so 
 soon, I'm thinkin'." 
 
 Moved by the hunter's speech and peculiar 
 look that accompanied it, I took off the ar- 
 ticle alluded to, and there, sure enough, right 
 through the upper part was seen the plain 
 perforation of a rifle ball I ^ 
 
 The truth of its being a " close shave " 
 
 •i^ 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 287 
 
 became at once forcibly, and I may add far 
 from pleasantly, impressed upon me. Well 
 (thought I to myself), Bryce, you are a 
 " thorough-going " friend with a vengeance, 
 and your balls, I may say, are no bad type of 
 yourself. Bryce regarded me steadily as I 
 examined the somewhat startling evidence of 
 his shaving powers, and as he divined my 
 thoughts, said, with the sliglitest possible trace 
 of humour in his eye: 
 
 " Rayther too near the hair, you're a thinkin' 
 belike. Well, I had to mind my hind sights, 
 that's a fact, but I was sure o' the old ir'n, 
 ne'ertheless, and can still hit a deer atween the 
 eyes at a hundred yards. Then there warn't 
 no two ways about it, you'll consider; I 
 couldn't ha' dropped the creatur' no way 
 else, you covered him so; and, arter all, 
 squire," wound up the hunter, with an appeal 
 to my candour quite irresistible ; " you must 
 acknowledge that a bullet thro' your beaver's 
 better than a yard wand thro' your lights." 
 
 Against such close shaving and close rea- 
 
288 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ; 
 
 soiling combined there was no possibility of 
 replying, and I accordingly thanked my 
 thorough-going friend with a gravity becoming 
 the occasion. 
 
 I had now finished my pipe (who can tell 
 the value of this luxury but those who like 
 ourselves have puffed its incense on the desert 
 air ? ), which Jannock took up and filled in 
 his turn. 
 
 After giving a few whiffs he desired me to 
 relate to him what had befallen me since we 
 separated, which I accordingly did with all due 
 particularity, when, after asking a few ques- 
 tions a? to dates and places, he proceeded to 
 narrate the adventures that had fallen to his 
 own share. 
 
 "WuU, by your tell," he began, **that 
 buflflo o' yourn has led you a pretty dance, 
 but the devil himself and all his angels seemed 
 to ha' got aboard that I follered. • 
 
 " Arter chasing it for the best part of an 
 hour I got so riled that, I swore I would see 
 it down, or it should see me. Well, I think 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 O "a 
 
 it must ha sworn the same, and with better 
 warrant too, for it led me into as nice a mess 
 afore we parted as ever mortal boggled into. 
 Now and then, arter a long stretch, to show it 
 had the heels of me, it would stand stock still 
 as if ready to give out, when I would get off 
 my horse, and steal up for a shot ; then as I 
 got within levelling distance away it would 
 streak again through the long grass, like a 
 flash of greased lightnin* ; then poor Cocktail 
 would feel it had had enough of the sport, and 
 give me no end o' trouble to catch him again, 
 when we would foUer on the heifer's tracks to 
 find it, may be, feeding a mile ahead, ready to 
 play the same shines over again. 
 
 " So in this way we carried on till past 
 noon, when I found I had drawn quite nigh 
 our overnight's camp on the guUey, and my 
 poor jade was so blown I was thinkin' o' 
 giving up the hunt arter topping the next 
 swell, when, on getting there, as ill luck 
 would have it, right afore me — nearer than 
 ever, lay the bedlam bufflo — squat on the 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
290 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 ground, as if it had now fairly knocked 
 under. 
 
 " Well, thinks I, I've got you down at last, 
 my sweetheart, and spurred my nigh-spent 
 hoss for a last rush at it. I could scarce be- 
 lieve my eyes, when the critter sprung up as 
 spry as ever, and in three minutes dived head- 
 long down into the gulley with myself hard 
 at its heels. The bank being steep and rough, 
 proved too much for poor Cocktail, who, on 
 reaching the bottom, fell like so much pump 
 water, rolling me over with him. 
 
 " This happened nigh the Seehoo camp, and 
 I had barely time to pick up myself and 
 Truegroove, wh '-n I caught a blink of some 
 redskins down the creek, who had heerd the 
 crash and came running up with a yell. r 
 
 " As there was no possibility of raising 
 Cocktail in time to save him, I started back 
 up bank, to get clear myself, if I could, in the 
 long grass of the praira swales. It struck me^ 
 however, as I climbed it, there would be little 
 chance of this with the inimy so close behind, 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 291 
 
 and I therefore, detarmined to turn short 
 to the right along the creek edge, where 
 there was a sprinklin' o' bushes, and snake 
 towards the Seehoo quarters where there would 
 be least likelihood of their foUerin* me. You 
 may think I had little ch'ice, when I did this, 
 but I partly reckoned, as it indeed fell out, 
 the warriors would be mostly away after the 
 bufflo, and by being nearest the fire I should 
 stand least chance of getting smoked, as they 
 say, until at nightfall I might dodge my way 
 back again. 
 
 " Well, I had crept along for about a rifle 
 shot, when I found myself right over the 
 camp I had spied into the night afore, and 
 there, the first thing as caught my eye were 
 the two Delawares lying on the ground teth- 
 ered hand and foot. Eh, Peg I (addressing 
 the native who sat with us, and to whom he 
 had handed his pipe) you didn't think then 
 you would be smoking the calumet so soon 
 with your white friends. 
 
 ** The camp, as I suspicioned, was nigh de- 
 
292 
 
 A ril.GRIMAGE 
 
 I 
 
 sarted, for being a war party there were no 
 women or papooses hangin' about it. A single 
 Dahcotah lay nigh the prisoners, left as guard, 
 but he seemed either half asleep or at any 
 rate not to have heerd his cumrades' outcry. 
 
 " Seeing the coast so clear, a sudden thought 
 came across me that if I could only set 
 free these two capty ves, besides doing a good 
 turn to old fri'nds (for, as I have said, T partly 
 knowed *em afore), my chance would be 
 mainly bettered of getting a fair offing my- 
 self. So I detarmined, being in a fix every 
 way, to tiy the thing off hand, and strike a 
 bold stroke for the whull on us. Whetting my 
 knife on my moccasin, I stole down the bank into 
 the gulley and snaked myself thro' the brush to 
 where Peg here was lying, who, the 'cute old 
 coon, kept as still as a log, just watching me 
 thro' the tail of his eye as I came on. The 
 Seehoo was lolling by his fire with his back 
 to us, so I quietly cut Peg's thongs and put 
 my pistol in his hand, signing him to keep his 
 eye on the sluggard ; then I crept on to Swift- 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 293 
 
 foot, cut his lashings and guv' him my knife. 
 Vices was now heerd nigh at liand, the drowsy 
 guard began to rouse himself and rub his eyes, 
 but afore he could well open them or raise 
 wind for a yell the long Delaware was upon 
 him, and sent him with a single stroke to his 
 everlastin' sleep. 
 
 " Well, you may be sure it was all neck or 
 nothing with us now. Picking up the Seehoo's 
 bow and arrows away darted Swiftfoot up the 
 guUey side, then Pegtop, then me, and we had 
 got about a hundred yerds upon the praira 
 when out rung the inimy's yell over the dead 
 body of the sleeper. Now was the pinch, life or 
 death for us in the next few mhmtes. Stoop- 
 ing low among the grass we pushed smartly 
 along towards a branch creek, where we 
 hoped to find a hidin' place for the night. 
 This by good luck we reached, and were just 
 stowing ourselves in a spot that offered a 
 likely ' cache,' when three of the buffalo hun- 
 ters came in sight, soon spied us, and drop- 
 ping the meat from their beasts came galloping 
 
 o 3 
 
294 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 and whooping up. Being only man for man 
 we didn't doubt but we could deal with them, 
 and if there had been ten times as many we 
 had nothinof left but to fif^ht it out, as there 
 war'nt no massv to be looked for on our 
 side. 
 
 " So, crouching down under the bank which 
 partly sheltered us from arrows, and offered 
 a rest for our shootin' ir'ns, we waited till 
 they came up — quite chipper like — and then 
 let fly about ten paces off. 
 
 " Tniegroove dropped his game as a matter 
 o* coorse. Peg with his long pistol unsaddled 
 another, tho* he crept away arterwards among 
 grass, and the third seeing how matters went 
 with his mates turned tail, when Swiftfoot 
 running up secured the two bosses in a twink- 
 lin' ; he and Peg got on to one, I on the other, 
 and we now determined instead of hiding to 
 try if we could save our hair by our horse- 
 flesh. 
 
 " Providence stood our fri'nd that niffht if 
 ever it did, for tho* on topping a swell 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 295 
 
 now and then we could see the Seehoo in 
 pursuit, our hosses' mettle kept us well ahead 
 of them, and finally carried us out of eyeshot. 
 I reckon their critters had been worn out 
 with hunting, for your redskins ride like devils, 
 and ourn were the fresher or may be had the 
 better bottom of the two. 
 
 " But where to go next was still a knotty 
 question, for they would foller on the foot trail 
 to a sartainty, and to make straight to camp 
 would ha' been to bring the whull pack o' 
 ragin* wulves upon you and Robin, which was 
 a thing not to be thought on, so I states my 
 complexity," said Bryce, filling his pipe again 
 and drawing a long breath, " to Swiftfoot, 
 who promised if I would only keep the matter 
 dark to take me to a spot where, with a piece 
 like ' Truegroove' we might keep the whull 
 Seehoo nation at bay, or if we liked it better 
 might * cache' under their very noses and 
 never be seen. Wull, Squire, where d'ye 
 think now it was ? In three hours after we 
 drawed up at the Butte. 
 
296 
 
 A PILGRIMAQE 
 
 ,IV 
 
 " As we was settin on the top about sun- 
 down, with all our eyes about us, I fancied I 
 heerd your horn, and though it was a risky 
 thing to do at the time I thought it would be 
 no more than neighbour like to give you an 
 answerin' blast. So I bio wed my best, tho' I'm 
 so' thing in a wonderment too you should have 
 heerd it at the big timber brake. It makes 
 me larf yet whjn I think o' the wry faces 
 Pegtop pulled as he heerd me buglin'. 
 
 "Wull, arter swearin' me again not tell 
 (and you're none the nearer to 'em for any- 
 thing I've said), Swiftfoot showed me his 
 hiding places, places you would never ha' 
 thought on or found if you had searched till 
 doomsday, and which I reckon none but these 
 wanderin' Delawares who, poor critters, are 
 often hard set for shelter, are at all acquent 
 wi' ; and here we were all snugly ' cached' 
 when Wahto and his vagabonds gallopped up 
 with you among 'em and the fire hard at your 
 heels. 
 
 "I seed you more than onst during the 
 
OVER THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 297 
 
 night, and would fain have struck a blow to 
 get you free, but it would ha' been altogether 
 too risky and done more harm than good ; so 
 as soon as you rode oflF in the morning we 
 quietly follered on your trail (a weary spell 
 we had on't ; wiell might poor Steve say it was 
 * downing* work), snaked up under cover 
 of the Seehoo hosses, and got within shot — 
 the Lord be thanked I — just in time to stop 
 that old red atomy from ticketing you off 
 for the next world. 
 
 " Look at that critter. Peg, how grave and 
 unconcamed he sits, as if he'd had neither art 
 nor part in the business, instead of pickin' out 
 the sign for us from first to last. He says he 
 was raised down East on the head waters of 
 the Hudson nigh five and fifty summers agone, 
 when his people might be told by thousands, 
 and syne then he has been druv and baited 
 by the Yankees, him and his'n, step by step 
 here away West among the hoss Injyns, where 
 I suspicion they've but hard times on it, every 
 man's hand being agin them. The whites 
 
298 
 
 A PILGRIMAGE 
 
 :!| 
 
 guv him the name of Pegtop from some 
 throaty Injyn name they thought it sounded 
 like. Swiftfoot yonder is a younger man, and 
 has a dash of the Mohawk in liis blood. The 
 down-easters have been too smart for him too, 
 and arter giving him his name from his speed, 
 have sent him like poor Peg to practyce his 
 paces on the praira. They've been hunting 
 together now for five years past they tell me, 
 and if we can only get 'em to take on with 
 us, as I partly think we may, I don't stick to 
 say they'll be worth half a dozen at least of 
 any of your rowdy v'y'gers." 
 
 END OF VOL. L 
 
 T. C. Nkwby, PublUher, 80, Welbeok-itreet, CavendiBh Squaro, 
 
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