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Show • 320 THE CALIFOU.NJA AND OREGON T"RAIL. the farthest ridge, horsemen wer8 still descending li1re mere specks in the distance. . I remained on the hill until all hud passed, and then de. scending followed after them. A little farth er on I found a very small meadow, set deeply among steep mountains~ and here the whole village had encamped. The little spot ":'as crowded with the confused and disorderly host. Some of the lodges were already completely prepared, or the squaws perhaps were busy in drawing the heavy coverings of skin over the bare poles. Others were us yet me:re si{eletons, while others still, poles, covering and all, lay scattered in complete disorder on the ground among buffalo-robes, bales of meat, domestic utensils, harness and we a pons. Squaws were screaming to one another, horses rearing and plunging, dogs yelping, eager to be disburdened of their loads, while the fluttering of feathers and the gleam of barbaric ornaments added liveliness to the scene. The small children ran about amid the crowd, while many of the boys were scrambling among the overhanging rocks, and standing, with their little bows in their hands, looking down upon the restless throng. In contrast with the gen. eral confusion, a circle of old men and warriors sat in the midst, smoking in profound indifference and tranquillity. The disorder at length subsided. The horses were driv~n away to feed along the adjacent valley, and the camp assumed an air of listless repose. It was scarcely past noon; a vast white canopy of smoke from a burning forest to the eastward overhung the place, and partially obscured the rays of the sun; yet the heat was almost insupportable. The lodges stood crowded together without order in the narrow space. Each was a perfect hothouse, within which the lazy proprietor lay sleeping. The PASSAGE OF THE MOUNTAINS. 321 camp was silent as death. Nothing stirred except now and then an old woman passing from lodge to lodge. The girls and young men sat together in groups, under th~ pine-trees upon the surrounding heights. The dogs lay pantmg on the ground, too lazy even to growl at the white man. At the entrance of the meadow, there was a cold spring among the rocks, completely overshadowed by tall trees and dense undergrowth. In this cool and shady retreat a number of the girls were assembled, sitting together on rocks and fallen logs, discussing the latest gossip of the village, or laughing and throwing water with their hands at the intruding Meneaska. The minutes seemed lengthened into hours. I lay for a long time under a tree, studying the Ogillallah tongue, with the zealous instructions of my friend the Panther. When we were both tired of this, I went and lay down by the side of a deep, clear pool, formed by the water of the spring. A shoal of little fishes of about a pin's length were playing in it, sporting together, as it seemed, very amicably ; but on closer observation, I saw that they were engaged in a cannibal warfare among themselves . Now and then a small one would fall a victim, and immediately disappear down the maw of his voracious conqueror. Every moment; however, the tyrant of the pool, a monster about three inches long, with staring goggle eyes, would slowly issue forth with quivering fins and tail from under the shelving bank. The small fry at this would suspend their hostilities, and scatter in a panic at the appearance of overwhelming force. 'Soft-hearted philanthropists,' thought I, 'may sigh long for their peaceful millennium; for from minnows up to men, life is an incessant battle.' Evening approached at last, the tall mountain-tops around 14* |
