the last of the plainsmen-第5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！


it　disappear　in　the　haze　round　the　end　of　the　mountain。　From　this　I　got　my　first　clear　impression　of　the　topography　of　the　country　surrounding　our　objective　point。　Buckskin　mountain　ran　its　blunt　end　eastward　to　the　Canyonin　fact；　formed　a　hundred　miles　of　the　north　rim。　As　it　was　nine　thousand　feet　high　it　still　held　the　snow；　which　had　occasioned　our　lengthy　desert　ride　to　get　back　of　the　mountain。　I　could　see　the　long　slopes　rising　out　of　the　desert　to　meet　the　timber。

As　we　bowled　merrily　down　grade　I　noticed　that　we　were　no　longer　on　stony　ground；　and　that　a　little　scant　silvery　grass　had　made　its　appearance。　Then　little　branches　of　green；　with　a　blue　flower；　smiled　out　of　the　clayish　sand。

All　of　a　sudden　Jones　stood　up；　and　let　out　a　wild　Comanche　yell。　I　was　more　startled　by　the　yell　than　by　the　great　hand　he　smashed　down　on　my　shoulder；　and　for　the　moment　I　was　dazed。

〃There！　look！　look！　the　buffalo！　Hi！　Hi！　Hi！〃

Below　us；　a　few　miles　on　a　rising　knoll；　a　big　herd　of　buffalo　shone　black　in　the　gold　of　the　evening　sun。　I　had　not　Jones's　incentive；　but　I　felt　enthusiasm　born　of　the　wild　and　beautiful　picture；　and　added　my　yell　to　his。　The　huge；　burly　leader　of　the　herd　lifted　his　head；　and　after　regarding　us　for　a　few　moments　calmly　went　on　browsing。

The　desert　had　fringed　away　into　a　grand　rolling　pastureland；　walled　in　by　the　red　cliffs；　the　slopes　of　Buckskin；　and　further　isolated　by　the　Canyon。　Here　was　a　range　of　twenty…four　hundred　square　miles　without　a　foot　of　barb…wire；　a　pasture　fenced　in　by　natural　forces；　with　the　splendid　feature　that　the　buffalo　could　browse　on　the　plain　in　winter；　and　go　up　into　the　cool　foothills　of　Buckskin　in　summer。

From　another　ridge　we　saw　a　cabin　dotting　the　rolling　plain；　and　in　half　an　hour　we　reached　it。　As　we　climbed　down　from　the　wagon　a　brown　and　black　dog　came　dashing　out　of　the　cabin；　and　promptly　jumped　at　Moze。　His　selection　showed　poor　discrimination；　for　Moze　whipped　him　before　I　could　separate　them。　Hearing　Jones　heartily　greeting　some　one；　I　turned　in　his　direction；　only　to　he　distracted　by　another　dog　fight。　Don　had　tackled　Moze　for　the　seventh　time。　Memory　rankled　in　Don；　and　he　needed　a　lot　of　whipping；　some　of　which　he　was　getting　when　I　rescued　him。

Next　moment　I　was　shaking　hands　with　Frank　and　Jim；　Jones's　ranchmen。　At　a　glance　I　liked　them　both。　Frank　was　short　and　wiry；　and　had　a　big；　ferocious　mustache；　the　effect　of　which　was　softened　by　his　kindly　brown　eyes。　Jim　was　tall；　a　little　heavier；　he　had　a　careless；　tidy　look；　his　eyes　were　searching；　and　though　he　appeared　a　young　man；　his　hair　was　white。

〃I　shore　am　glad　to　see　you　all；〃　said　Jim；　in　slow；　soft；　Southern　accent。

〃Get　down；　get　down；〃　was　Frank's　welcomea　typically　Western　one；　for　we　had　already　gotten　down；　〃an'　come　in。　You　must　be　worked　out。　Sure　you've　come　a　long　way。〃　He　was　quick　of　speech；　full　of　nervous　energy；　and　beamed　with　hospitality。

The　cabin　was　the　rudest　kind　of　log　affair；　with　a　huge　stone　fireplace　in　one　end；　deer　antlers　and　coyote　skins　on　the　wall；　saddles　and　cowboys'　traps　in　a　corner；　a　nice；　large；　promising　cupboard；　and　a　table　and　chairs。　Jim　threw　wood　on　a　smoldering　fire；　that　soon　blazed　and　crackled　cheerily。

I　sank　down　into　a　chair　with　a　feeling　of　blessed　relief。　Ten　days　of　desert　ride　behind　me！　Promise　of　wonderful　days　before　me；　with　the　last　of　the　old　plainsmen。　No　wonder　a　sweet　sense　of　ease　stole　over　me；　or　that　the　fire　seemed　a　live　and　joyously　welcoming　thing；　or　that　Jim's　deft　maneuvers　in　preparation　of　supper　roused　in　me　a　rapt　admiration。

〃Twenty　calves　this　spring！〃　cried　Jones；　punching　me　in　my　sore　side。　〃Ten　thousand　dollars　worth　of　calves！〃

He　was　now　altogether　a　changed　man；　he　looked　almost　young；　his　eyes　danced；　and　he　rubbed　his　big　hands　together　while　he　plied　Frank　with　questions。　In　strange　surroundingsthat　is；　away　from　his　Native　Wilds；　Jones　had　been　a　silent　man；　it　had　been　almost　impossible　to　get　anything　out　of　him。　But　now　I　saw　that　I　should　come　to　know　the　real　man。　In　a　very　few　moments　he　had　talked　more　than　on　all　the　desert　trip；　and　what　he　said；　added　to　the　little　I　had　already　learned；　put　me　in　possession　of　some　interesting　information　as　to　his　buffalo。

Some　years　before　he　had　conceived　the　idea　of　hybridizing　buffalo　with　black　Galloway　cattle；　and　with　the　characteristic　determination　and　energy　of　the　man；　he　at　once　set　about　finding　a　suitable　range。　This　was　difficult；　and　took　years　of　searching。　At　last　the　wild　north　rim　of　the　Grand　Canyon；　a　section　unknown　except　to　a　few　Indians　and　mustang　hunters；　was　settled　upon。　Then　the　gigantic　task　of　transporting　the　herd　of　buffalo　by　rail　from　Montana　to　Salt　Lake　was　begun。　The　two　hundred　and　ninety　miles　of　desert　lying　between　the　home　of　the　Mormons　and　Buckskin　Mountain　was　an　obstacle　almost　insurmountable。　The　journey　was　undertaken　and　found　even　more　trying　than　had　been　expected。　Buffalo　after　buffalo　died　on　the　way。　Then　Frank；　Jones's　right…hand　man；　put　into　execution　a　plan　he　had　been　thinking　ofnamely；　to　travel　by　night。　It　succeeded。　The　buffalo　rested　in　the　day　and　traveled　by　easy　stages　by　night；　with　the　result　that　the　big　herd　was　transported　to　the　ideal　range。

Here；　in　an　environment　strange　to　their　race；　but　peculiarly　adaptable；　they　thrived　and　multiplied。　The　hybrid　of　the　Galloway　cow　and　buffalo　proved　a　great　success。　Jones　called　the　new　species　〃Cattalo。〃　The　cattalo　took　the　hardiness　of　the　buffalo；　and　never　required　artificial　food　or　shelter。　He　would　face　the　desert　storm　or　blizzard　and　stand　stock　still　in　his　tracks　until　the　weather　cleared。　He　became　quite　domestic；　could　be　easily　handled；　and　grew　exceedingly　fat　on　very　little　provender。　The　folds　of　his　stomach　were　so　numerous　that　they　digested　even　the　hardest　and　flintiest　of　corn。　He　had　fourteen　ribs　on　each　side；　while　domestic　cattle　had　only　thirteen；　thus　he　could　endure　rougher　work　and　longer　journeys　to　water。　His　fur　was　so　dense　and　glossy　that　it　equaled　that　of　the　unplucked　beaver　or　otter；　and　was　fully　as　valuable　as　the　buffalo　robe。　And　not　to　be　overlooked　by　any　means　was　the　fact　that　his　meat　was　delicious。

Jones　had　to　hear　every　detail　of　all　that　had　happened　since　his　absence　in　the　East；　and　he　was　particularly　inquisitive　to　learn　all　about　the　twenty　cattalo　calves。　He　called　different　buffalo　by　name；　and　designated　the　calves　by　descriptive　terms；　such　as　〃Whiteface〃　and　〃Crosspatch。〃　He　almost　forgot　to　eat；　and　kept　Frank　too　busy　to　get　anything　into　his　own　mouth。　After　supper　he　calmed　down。

〃How　about　your　other　manMr。　Wallace；　I　think　you　said？〃　asked　Frank。

〃We　expected　to　meet　him　at　Grand　Canyon　Station；　and　then　at　Flagstaff。　But　he　didn't　show　up。　Either　he　backed　out　or　missed　us。　I'm　sorry；　for　when　we　get　up　on　Buckskin；　among　the　wild　horses　and　cougars；　we'll　be　likely　to　need　him。〃

〃I　reckon　you'll　need　me；　as　well　as　Jim；〃　said　Frank　dryly；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。　〃The　buffs　are　in　good　shape　an'　can　get　along　without　me　for　a　while。〃

〃That'll　be　fine。　How　about　cougar　sign　on　the　mountain？〃

〃Plenty。　I've　got　two　spotted　near　Clark　Spring。　Comin'　over　two　weeks　ago　I　tracked　them　in　the　snow　along　the　trail　for　miles。　We'll　ooze　over　that　way；　as　it's　goin'　toward　the　Siwash。　The　Siwash　breaks　of　the　Canyonthere's　the　place　for　lions。　I　met　a　wild…horse　wrangler　not　long　back；　an'　he　was　tellin'　me　about　Old　Tom　an'　the　colts　he'd　killed　this　winter。〃

Naturally；　I　here　expressed　a　desire　to　know　more　of　Old　Tom。

〃He's　the　biggest　cougar　ever　known　of　in　these　parts。　His　tracks　are　bigger　than　a　horse's；　an'　have　been　seen　on　Buckskin　for　twelve　years。　This　wranglerhis　name　is　Clarksaid　he'd　turned　his　saddle　horse　out　to　graze　near　camp；　an'　Old　Tom　sneaked　in　an'　downed　him。　The　lions　over　there　are　sure　a　bold　bunch。　Well；　why　shouldn't　they　be？　No　one　ever　hunted　them。　You　see；　the　mountain　is　hard　to　get　at。　But　now　you're　here；　if　it's　big　cats　you　want　we　sure　can　find　them。　Only　be　easy；　be　easy。　You've　all　the　time　there　is。　An'　any　job　on　Buckskin　will　take　time。　We'll　look　the　calves　over；　an'　you　must　ride　the　range　to　harden　up。　Then　we'll　ooze　over　toward　Oak。　I　expect　it'll　be　boggy；　an'　I　hope　the　snow　melts　soon。〃

〃The　snow　hadn't　melted　on　Greenland　point；〃　replied　Jones。　〃We　saw　that　with　a　glass　from　the　El　Tovar。　We　wanted　to　cross　that　way；　but　Rust　said　Bright　Angel　Creek　was　breast　high　to　a　horse；　and　that　creek　is　the　trail。〃

〃There's　four　feet　of　snow　on　Greenland；〃　said　Frank。　〃It　was　too　early　to　come　that　way。　There's　only　about　three　months　in　the　year　the　Canyon　can　be　crossed　at　Greenland。〃

〃I　want　to　get　in　the　snow；〃　returned　Jones。　〃This　bunch　of　long…eared　canines　I　brought　never　smelled　a　lion　track。　Hounds　can't　be　trained　quick　without　snow。　You've　got　to　see　what　they're　trailing；　or　you　can't　break　them。〃

Frank　looked　dubious。　〃'Pears　to　me　we'll　have　trouble　gettin'　a　lion　without　lion　dogs。　It　takes　a　long　time　to　break　a　hound　off　of　deer；　once　he's　chased　them。　Buckskin　is　full　of　deer；　wolves；　coyotes；　and　there's　the　wild　horses。　We　couldn't　go　a　hundred　feet