The Boy Hunters Read online

  CHAPTER FIVE.

  THE CAMP OF THE BOY HUNTERS.

  Our young adventurers turned their faces westward, and were soon ridingunder the shadows of majestic woods. At this time there were few whitesettlements west of the Mississippi river. The small towns upon itsbanks, with here and there a settler's "clearing" or a squatter's cabin,were the only signs of civilisation to be met with. A single day's ridein a westerly direction would carry the traveller clear of all these,and launch him at once into the labyrinth of swamps and woods, thatstretched away for hundreds of miles before him. It is true, there weresome scattered settlements upon the bayous farther west, but most of thecountry between them was a wilderness.

  In an hour or so our travellers had ridden clear of the settlements thatsurrounded Point Coupee, and were following the forest "trails," rarelytravelled except by roving Indians, or the white hunters of the bordercountry. The boys knew them well. They had often passed that way onformer hunting expeditions.

  I shall not detail too minutely the events that occurred along theirline of march. This would tire you, and take up too much space. Ishall take you at once to their first encampment, where they had haltedfor the night.

  It was in a small glade or opening, such as are often met with in theforests west of the Mississippi. There was about an acre of clearground, covered with grass and flowers, among which helianthus and bluelupines were conspicuous. Tall trees grew all around; and you couldtell from their leaves that these trees were of different kinds. Youmight have told that from their trunks as well, for these were unlikeeach other. Some were smooth, while upon others the bark was cracked,and crisped outward in large scales a foot or more in length. Thebeautiful tulip-tree (_liriodendron_) was easily distinguished by itsstraight column-like trunks, out of which are sawed those great planksof _white poplar_ you may have seen, for that is the name by which it isknown among carpenters and builders. The name of _tulip-tree_ comesfrom its flowers, which in size and shape very much resemble tulips, andare of a greenish-yellow colour tinged with orange. It was thecharacteristic tree around the glade. There were many others, though;and most conspicuous, with its large wax-like leaves and blossoms, wasthe magnolia grandiflora. The lofty sugar-maple (_acer saccharinum_)was seen, and lower down the leafy buck-eye (_aesculus flava_) with itspretty orange-flowers, and the shell-bark hickory--the _juglans alba_ ofthe botanists. Huge creeping plants stretched from tree to tree, or ranslanting upward; and on one side of the glade you might observe thethick cane-reeds (_arundo gigantea_), growing like tall grass. Theforest on the other side was more open; no doubt, because some formerfire had burned down the underwood in that direction. The fan-likeleaves of palmettos and yuccas growing all around, gave a southern andtropical aspect to the scene.

  The young hunters had halted nearly two hours before sunset, in order togive time to prepare their night-camp. About half-an-hour after theirhalt, the little glade presented a picture somewhat as follows:--Nearits edge stood a small canvas tent, like a white cone or pyramid. Thefly, or opening, was thrown back, for the evening was fine, and therewas no one inside. A little to one side of the tent lay three saddlesupon the grass. They were of the Mexican fashion, with high pommel andcantle, a "horn" in front, with a staple and ring firmly fastened in thewood of the tree. There were several thongs of leather fastened toother rings behind the cantle; but the stirrups were steel ones, and notthose clumsy blocks of wood which so much disfigure the Mexican saddle.Beside the saddles was an odd-looking object. It resembled a giganticbook, partly open, and set upon the opened edges. It was a_pack-saddle_, also of Mexican fashion, and in that country called an"alpareja." It had a strong leathern girth, with a breech-strap to keepit from running forward upon the shoulders of the animal that might wearit. At a short distance from the saddles, several blankets--red andgreen ones--with a bear-skin and a couple of buffalo-robes, were lyingupon the grass; and on a branch overhead hung whips, bridles,water-gourds, and spurs. Against the trunk of a tulip-tree, thattowered over the tent, rested three guns. Two of them were rifles, ofwhich one was much longer than the other: the third piece was adouble-barrelled shot gun. Bullet-pouches and powder-horns hung fromthe muzzles of all three, their straps being suspended from theprojecting ends of the rammers.

  On the opposite or leeward side of the tent a fire was burning. It hadnot been long kindled, and crackled as it blazed. You could easily havetold the strong red flame to be that of the shell-bark hickory--the bestfirewood--though dry sticks of some lighter wood had been used to kindleit. On each side of the fire a forked stick was stuck into the ground,with the forks at the top; and on these rested a fresh cut sapling,placed horizontally to serve as a crane. A two-gallon camp-kettle ofsheet-iron was suspended upon it and over the fire, and the water in thekettle was just beginning to boil. Other utensils were strewed around.There was a frying-pan, some tin cups, several small packages containingflour, dried meat, and coffee; a coffee-pot of strong tin, a smallspade, and a light axe, with its curved hickory shaft.

  These were the inanimate objects of the picture. Now for the animate.

  First, then, were our heroes, the three Boy Hunters--Basil, Lucien,Francois. Basil was engaged by the tent, driving in the pins; Lucienwas attending to the fire which he has just kindled; while Francois wasmaking the feathers fly out of a brace of wild pigeons he had shot onthe way. No two of the three were dressed alike. Basil was allbuckskin--except the cap, which was made from the skin of a raccoon,with the ringed-tail hanging over his shoulders like a drooping plume.He wore a hunting-shirt with fringed cape, handsomely ornamented withbeads. A belt fastened it around his waist, from which was suspendedhis hunting-knife and sheath, with a small holster, out of which peepedthe shining butt of a pistol. He wore deerskin leggings fringed downthe seams, and mocassins upon his feet. His dress was just that of abackwoods' hunter, except that his cotton under-garments looked finerand cleaner, and altogether his hunting-shirt was more tastefullyembroidered than is common among professional hunters.

  Lucien's dress was of a sky-blue colour. It consisted of a half-blouse,half-hunting-shirt, of strong cottonade, with trousers of the samematerial. He had laced buskins on his feet, and a broad-brimmed Panamahat on his head. Lucien's dress was somewhat more civilised in itsappearance than that of his elder brother. Like him though he had aleather belt, with a sheath and knife on one side; and, instead of apistol, a small tomahawk on the other. Not that Lucien had set out withthe intention of tomahawking anybody. No; he carried his little hatchetfor cracking rocks, not skulls. Lucien's was a geological tomahawk.

  Francois was still in roundabout jacket with trousers. He wore leggingsover his trousers, and mocassins upon his feet, with a cloth cap setjauntily over his luxuriant curls. He, too, was belted withhunting-knife and sheath, and a very small pistol hung upon his leftthigh.

  Out near the middle of the glade were three horses picketed onlasso-ropes, so that they might not interfere with each other whilstbrowsing. They were very different in appearance. One was a largebrown-black horse--a half-Arab--evidently endowed with great strengthand spirit. That was Basil's horse, and deservedly a favourite. Hisname was "Black Hawk"--so called after the famous chief of the Sacs andFoxes, who was a friend of the old Colonel, and who had once entertainedthe latter when on a visit to these Indians. The second horse was avery plain one, a bay, of the kind known as "cot." He was a modest,sober animal, with nothing either of the hunter or warrior in his looks;but sleek withal, and in good condition, like a well-fed citizen. Hencehis name, which was "Le Bourgeois." Of course he was ridden by thequiet Lucien. The third horse might have been termed a pony--if size beconsidered--as he was by far the smallest of the three. He was a horse,however, both in shape and character--one of that small but fiery breedtaken by the Spanish conquerors to the New World, and now knownthroughout the western country as "mustangs." As I shall have reason tosay more of these beautiful creatures by and by, I shall only statehere, that the o
ne in question was spotted like a pard, and answered tothe name "Le Chat" (the cat)--particularly when Francois called him, forhe was Francois' horse.

  A little apart from the horses was another animal, of a dirty slatecolour, with some white marks along the back and shoulders. That was atrue-bred Mexican mule, wiry and wicked as any of its race. It was ashe-mule, and was called Jeanette. Jeanette was tethered beyond kickingdistance of the horses; for between her and the mustang there existed nofriendly feeling. Jeanette was the owner of the odd-looking saddle--thepack. Jeanette's duty was to carry the tent, the provisions, theimplements, and utensils.

  But one other living object might be noticed in the glade--the dog"Marengo." From his size and colour--which was tawny red--you mighthave mistaken him for a panther--a cougar. His long black muzzle andbroad hanging ears gave him quite a different appearance, however; andtold you that he was a hound. He was, in fact, a blood-hound, with thecross of a mastiff--a powerful animal. He was crouching near Francois,watching for the offal of the birds.

  Now, young reader, you have before you a "night-camp" of the Boyhunters.