the last of the plainsmen-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



On　awakening　in　the　morning　I　found　frost　half　an　inch　thick　covered　my　sleeping…bag；　whitened　the　ground；　and　made　the　beautiful　silver　spruce　trees　silver　in　hue　as　well　as　in　name。

We　were　getting　ready　for　an　early　start；　when　two　riders；　with　pack…horses　jogging　after　them；　came　down　the　trail　from　the　direction　of　Oak　Spring。　They　proved　to　be　Jeff　Clarke；　the　wild…horse　wrangler　mentioned　by　the　Stewarts；　and　his　helper。　They　were　on　the　way　into　the　breaks　for　a　string　of　pintos。　Clarke　was　a　short；　heavily　bearded　man；　of　jovial　aspect。　He　said　he　had　met　the　Stewarts　going　into　Fredonia；　and　being　advised　of　our　destination；　had　hurried　to　come　up　with　us。　As　we　did　not　know；　except　in　a　general　way；　where　we　were　making　for；　the　meeting　was　a　fortunate　event。

Our　camping　site　had　been　close　to　the　divide　made　by　one　of　the　long；　wooded　ridges　sent　off　by　Buckskin　Mountain；　and　soon　we　were　descending　again。　We　rode　half　a　mile　down　a　timbered　slope；　and　then　out　into　a　beautiful；　flat　forest　of　gigantic　pines。　Clarke　informed　us　it　was　a　level　bench　some　ten　miles　long；　running　out　from　the　slopes　of　Buckskin　to　face　the　Grand　Canyon　on　the　south；　and　the　'breaks　of　the　Siwash　on　the　west。　For　two　hours　we　rode　between　the　stately　lines　of　trees；　and　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　gave　forth　no　sound。　A　long；　silvery　grass；　sprinkled　with　smiling　bluebells；　covered　the　ground；　except　close　under　the　pines；　where　soft　red　mats　invited　lounging　and　rest。　We　saw　numerous　deer；　great　gray　mule　deer；　almost　as　large　as　elk。　Jones　said　they　had　been　crossed　with　elk　once；　which　accounted　for　their　size。　I　did　not　see　a　stump；　or　a　burned　tree；　or　a　windfall　during　the　ride。

Clarke　led　us　to　the　rim　of　the　canyon。　Without　any　preparationfor　the　giant　trees　hid　the　open　skywe　rode　right　out　to　the　edge　of　the　tremendous　chasm。　At　first　I　did　not　seem　to　think；　my　faculties　were　benumbed；　only　the　pure　sensorial　instinct　of　the　savage　who　sees；　but　does　not　feel；　made　me　take　note　of　the　abyss。　Not　one　of　our　party　had　ever　seen　the　canyon　from　this　side；　and　not　one　of　us　said　a　word。　But　Clarke　kept　talking。

〃Wild　place　this　is　hyar；〃　he　said。　〃Seldom　any　one　but　horse　wranglers　gits　over　this　far。　I've　hed　a　bunch　of　wild　pintos　down　in　a　canyon　below　fer　two　years。　I　reckon　you　can't　find　no　better　place　fer　camp　than　right　hyar。　Listen。　Do　you　hear　thet　rumble？　Thet's　Thunder　Falls。　You　can　only　see　it　from　one　place；　an'　thet　far　off；　but　thar's　brooks　you　can　git　at　to　water　the　hosses。　Fer　thet　matter；　you　can　ride　up　the　slopes　an'　git　snow。　If　you　can　git　snow　close；　it'd　be　better；　fer　thet's　an　all…fired　bad　trail　down　fer　water。〃

〃Is　this　the　cougar　country　the　Stewarts　talked　about？〃　asked　Jones。

〃Reckon　it　is。　Cougars　is　as　thick　in　hyar　as　rabbits　in　a　spring…hole　canyon。　I'm　on　the　way　now　to　bring　up　my　pintos。　The　cougars　hev　cost　me　hundreds　I　might　say　thousands　of　dollars。　I　lose　hosses　all　the　time；　an'　damn　me；　gentlemen；　I've　never　raised　a　colt。　This　is　the　greatest　cougar　country　in　the　West。　Look　at　those　yellow　crags！　Thar's　where　the　cougars　stay。　No　one　ever　hunted　'em。　It　seems　to　me　they　can't　be　hunted。　Deer　and　wild　hosses　by　the　thousand　browse　hyar　on　the　mountain　in　summer；　an'　down　in　the　breaks　in　winter。　The　cougars　live　fat。　You'll　find　deer　and　wild…hoss　carcasses　all　over　this　country。　You'll　find　lions'　dens　full　of　bones。　You'll　find　warm　deer　left　for　the　coyotes。　But　whether　you'll　find　the　cougars；　I　can't　say。　I　fetched　dogs　in　hyar；　an'　tried　to　ketch　Old　Tom。　I've　put　them　on　his　trail　an'　never　saw　hide　nor　hair　of　them　again。　Jones；　it's　no　easy　huntin'　hyar。〃

〃Well；　I　can　see　that；〃　replied　our　leader。　〃I　never　hunted　lions　in　such　a　country；　and　never　knew　any　one　who　had。　We'll　have　to　learn　how。　We've　the　time　and　the　dogs；　all　we　need　is　the　stuff　in　us。〃

〃I　hope　you　fellars　git　some　cougars；　an'　I　believe　you　will。　Whatever　you　do；　kill　Old　Tom。〃

〃We'll　catch　him　alive。　We're　not　on　a　hunt　to　kill　cougars；〃　said　Jones。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Clarke；　looking　from　Jones　to　us。　His　rugged　face　wore　a　half…smile。

〃Jones　ropes　cougars；　an'　ties　them　up；〃　replied　Frank。

〃I'm　　　if　he'll　ever　rope　Old　Tom；〃　burst　out　Clarke；　ejecting　a　huge　quid　of　tobacco。　〃Why；　man　alive！　it'd　be　the　death　of　you　to　git　near　thet　old　villain。　I　never　seen　him；　but　I've　seen　his　tracks　fer　five　years。　They're　larger　than　any　hoss　tracks　you　ever　seen。　He'll　weigh　over　three　hundred；　thet　old　cougar。　Hyar；　take　a　look　at　my　man's　hoss。　Look　at　his　back。　See　them　marks？　Wal；　Old　Tom　made　them；　an'　he　made　them　right　in　camp　last　fall；　when　we　were　down　in　the　canyon。〃

The　mustang　to　which　Clarke　called　our　attention　was　a　sleek　cream　and　white　pinto。　Upon　his　side　and　back　were　long　regular　scars；　some　an　inch　wide；　and　bare　of　hair。

〃How　on　earth　did　he　get　rid　of　the　cougar？〃　asked　Jones。

〃I　don't　know。　Perhaps　he　got　scared　of　the　dogs。　It　took　thet　pinto　a　year　to　git　well。　Old　Tom　is　a　real　lion。　He'll　kill　a　full…grown　hoss　when　he　wants；　but　a　yearlin'　colt　is　his　especial　likin'。　You're　sure　to　run　acrost　his　trail；　an'　you'll　never　miss　it。　Wal；　if　I　find　any　cougar　sign　down　in　the　canyon；　I'll　build　two　fires　so　as　to　let　you　know。　Though　no　hunter；　I'm　tolerably　acquainted　with　the　varmints。　The　deer　an'　hosses　are　rangin'　the　forest　slopes　now；　an'　I　think　the　cougars　come　up　over　the　rim　rock　at　night　an'　go　back　in　the　mornin'。　Anyway；　if　your　dogs　can　follow　the　trails；　you've　got　sport；　an'　more'n　sport　comin'　to　you。　But　take　it　from　medon't　try　to　rope　Old　Tom。〃

After　all　our　disappointments　in　the　beginning　of　the　expedition；　our　hardship　on　the　desert；　our　trials　with　the　dogs　and　horses；　it　was　real　pleasure　to　make　permanent　camp　with　wood；　water　and　feed　at　hand；　a　soul…stirring；　ever…changing　picture　before　us；　and　the　certainty　that　we　were　in　the　wild　lairs　of　the　lionsamong　the　Lords　of　the　Crags！

While　we　were　unpacking；　every　now　and　then　I　would　straighten　up　and　gaze　out　beyond。　I　knew　the　outlook　was　magnificent　and　sublime　beyond　words；　but　as　yet　I　had　not　begun　to　understand　it。　The　great　pine　trees；　growing　to　the　very　edge　of　the　rim；　received　their　full　quota　of　appreciation　from　me；　as　did　the　smooth；　flower…decked　aisles　leading　back　into　the　forest。

The　location　we　selected　for　camp　was　a　large　glade；　fifty　paces　or　more　from　the　precipice　far　enough；　the　cowboys　averred；　to　keep　our　traps　from　being　sucked　down　by　some　of　the　whirlpool　winds；　native　to　the　spot。　In　the　center　of　this　glade　stood　a　huge　gnarled　and　blasted　old　pine；　that　certainly　by　virtue　of　hoary　locks　and　bent　shoulders　had　earned　the　right　to　stand　aloof　from　his　younger　companions。　Under　this　tree　we　placed　all　our　belongings；　and　then；　as　Frank　so　felicitously　expressed　it；　we　were　free　to　〃ooze　round　an'　see　things。〃

I　believe　I　had　a　sort　of　subconscious；　selfish　idea　that　some　one　would　steal　the　canyon　away　from　me　if　I　did　not　hurry　to　make　it　mine　forever；　so　I　sneaked　off；　and　sat　under　a　pine　growing　on　the　very　rim。　At　first　glance；　I　saw　below　me；　seemingly　miles　away；　a　wild　chaos　of　red　and　buff　mesas　rising　out　of　dark　purple　clefts。　Beyond　these　reared　a　long；　irregular　tableland；　running　south　almost　to　the　extent　of　my　vision；　which　I　remembered　Clarke　had　called　Powell's　Plateau。　I　remembered；　also；　that　he　had　said　it　was　twenty　miles　distant；　was　almost　that　many　miles　long；　was　connected　to　the　mainland　of　Buckskin　Mountain　by　a　very　narrow　wooded　dip　of　land　called　the　Saddle；　and　that　it　practically　shut　us　out　of　a　view　of　the　Grand　Canyon　proper。　If　that　was　true；　what；　then；　could　be　the　name　of　the　canyon　at　my　feet？　Suddenly；　as　my　gaze　wandered　from　point　to　point；　it　was　attested　by　a　dark；　conical　mountain；　white…tipped；　which　rose　in　the　notch　of　the　Saddle。　What　could　it　mean？　Were　there　such　things　as　canyon　mirages？　Then　the　dim　purple　of　its　color　told　of　its　great　distance　from　me；　and　then　its　familiar　shape　told　I　had　come　into　my　own　againI　had　found　my　old　friend　once　more。　For　in　all　that　plateau　there　was　only　one　snow…capped　mountainthe　San　Francisco　Peak；　and　there；　a　hundred　and　fifty；　perhaps　two　hundred　miles　away；　far　beyond　the　Grand　Canyon；　it　smiled　brightly　at　me；　as　it　had　for　days　and　days　across　the　desert。

Hearing　Jones　yelling　for　somebody　or　everybody；　I　jumped　up　to　find　a　procession　heading　for　a　point　farther　down　the　rim　wall；　where　our　leader　stood　waving　his　arms。　The　excitement　proved　to　have　been　caused　by　cougar　signs　at　the　head　of　the　trail　where　Clarke　had　started　down。

〃They're　here；　boys；　they're　here；〃　Jones　kept　repeating；　as　he　showed　us　different　tracks。　〃This　sign　is　not　so　old。　Boys；　to…morrow　we'll　get　up　a　lion；　sure　as　you're　born。　And　if　we　do；　and　Sounder　sees　him；　then　we've　got　a　lion…dog！　I'm　afraid　of　Don。　He　has　a　fine　nose；　he　can　run　and　fight；　but　he's　been　trained　to　deer；　and　maybe　I　can't　break　him。　Moze　is　still　uncertain。　If　old　Jude　only　hadn't　been　lamed！　She　would　be　the　best　of　the　lot。　But　Sounder　is　our　hope。　I'm　almost　ready　to　swear　by　him。〃

All　this　was　too　much　for　me；　so　I　slipped　off　again　to　be　alone；　and　this　time　headed　for