A GRIZZLY AND A MEETING.
THE morning after Sam and I had caught Miss Nancy we moved our camp onward to begin labor on the next section of the road. Hawkins, Stone, and Parker did not help in this, for Sam was anxious to experiment further with Nancy's education, and the other two accompanied him to the prairie, where they had sufficient room to carry out this purpose. We surveyors transferred our instruments ourselves, helped by one of Rattler's men, while Rattler himself loafed around doing nothing.
We came to the spot where I had killed the two buffaloes, and to my surprise I saw that the body of the old bull was gone, leaving a broad trail of crushed grass that led to the adjoining thicket.
" I thought you had made sure both bulls were dead," Rattler exclaimed. " The big one must have had some life in him."
" Think so ? " I asked.
" Of course, unless you think a dead buffalo can take himself off."
" Must he have taken himself off ? Perhaps it was done for him."
" Yes, but who did it ? "
" Possibly Indians; we saw an Indian's footprint over yonder."
" You don't say ! How well a greenhorn can explain things ! " sneered Rattler. " If it was done by Indians, where do you think they came from ? Dropped from the skies ? Because if they came from anywhere else we'd see their tracks. No, there was life in that buffalo, and he crawled into the thicket, where he must have died. I'm going to look for him."
He started off, followed by his men. He may have expected me to go, too, but it was far from my thoughts, for I did not like the way he had spoken. I wanted to work, and did not care a button what had become of the old bull. So I went back to my employment, and had only just taken up the measuring-rod, when a cry of horror rang from the thicket, two, three shots echoed, and then I heard Rattler cry: " Up the tree, quick ! up the tree, or you're lost ! he can't climb."
Who could not climb ? One of Rattler's men burst out of the thicket, writhing like one in mortal agony.
" What is it ? What's happened ? " I shouted.
" A bear, a tremendous grizzly bear ! " he gasped, as I ran up to him.
And within the thicket an agonised voice cried: " Help, help ! He's got me ! " in the tone of a man who saw the jaws of death yawning before him.
Evidently the man was in extreme danger, and must be helped quickly, but how ? I had left my gun in the tent, for in working it hindered me; nor was this an oversight, since we surveyors had the frontiersmen purposely to guard us at our work. If I went to the
tent to get the gun, the bear would have torn the man to shreds before I could get back; I must go to him as I was with a knife and two revolvers stuck in my belt, and what were these against a grizzly bear ?
The grizzly is a near relation of the extinct cave-bear, and really belongs more to primeval days than to the present. It grows to a great size, and its strength is such that it can easily carry off a deer, a colt, or a young buffalo cow in its jaws. The Indians hold the killing of a grizzly a brilliant feat, because of its absolute fearlessness and inexhaustible endurance.
So it was to meet such a foe that I sprang into the thicket. The trail led further within, where the trees began, and where the bear had dragged the buffalo. It was a dreadful moment. Behind me I could hear the voices of the engineers; before me were the frontiersmen screaming, and between them and me, in indescribable agony, was their companion whom the bear had seized.
I pushed further in, and heard the voice of the bear; for, though this mighty beast differs from others of the bear family in not growling, when in pain or anger it utters something like a loud, harsh breathing and grunting.
And now I was on the scene. Before me lay the torn body of the buffalo, to right and left were the men, who were comparatively safe, having taken to the trees, which a grizzly bear seldom has been known to climb, if ever. One of the men had tried to get up a tree like the others, but had been overtaken by the bear. He hung by both arms hooked to the lowest limb, while
the grizzly reached up and held him fast with its fore paws around the lower part of his body.
The man was almost dead; his case was hopeless. I could not help him, and no one could have blamed me if I had gone away and saved myself. But the desperation of the moment seemed to impel me onward. I snatched up a discarded gun, only to find it already emptied. Taking it by the muzzle I sprang over the buffalo, and dealt the bear a blow on the skull with all my might. The gun shattered like glass in my hand; even a blow with a battle-axe would have no effect on such a skull; but I had the satisfaction of distracting the grizzly's attention from its victim.
It turned its head toward me, not quickly, like a wild beast of the feline or canine family, but slowly, as if wondering at my stupidity. It seemed to measure me with its little eyes, deciding between going at me or sticking to its victim; and to this slight hesitation I owe my life, for in that instant the only possible way to save myself came to me. I drew a revolver, sprang directly at the bear, and shot it, once, twice, thrice, straight in the eyes, as I had the buffalo.
Of course this was rapidly done, and at once I jumped to one side, and stood still with my knife drawn. Had I remained where I was, my life would have paid for my rashness, for the blinded beast turned quickly from the tree, and threw itself on the spot where I had stood a moment before. I was not there, and the bear sought nine with angry mutterings and heavy breathing. It wheeled around like a mad thing, hugged itself, rose on
its hind legs, reaching and springing all around to find me, but fortunately I was out of reach. Its sense of smell would have guided it to me, but it was mad with rage and pain, and this prevented its instinct from serving it.
At last it turned its attention more to its misfortune than to him who had caused it. It sat down, and with sobs and gnashing of teeth laid its fore paws over its eyes. I was sorry that necessity for saving human life was causing the big fellow such pain, and, with pity for it, as well as desire for my own safety, tried to make it short. Quietly I stood beside it and stabbed it twice between the ribs. Instantly it grabbed for me, but once more I sprang out of the way. I had not pierced its heart, and it began seeking me with redoubled fury. This continued for fully ten minutes. It had lost a great deal of blood, and evidently was dying; it sat down again to mourn its poor lost eyes. This gave me a chance for two rapidly repeated knife-thrusts, and this time I aimed better; it sank forward, as again I sprang aloof, made a feeble step to one side, then back, tried to rise, but had not sufficient strength, swayed back and forth in trying to get on its feet, and then stretched out and was still.
" Thank God ! " cried Rattler from his tree, " the beast is dead. That was a close call we had."
" I don't see that it was a close call for you," I replied. " You took good care of your own safety. Now you can come down."
" Not yet; you make sure it's truly dead."
" It is dead."
" You don't know; you haven't an idea how tough such a creature is. Go examine it."
" If you doubt me, examine it yourself; you're an experienced frontiersman, and I'm a tenderfoot, you know."
So saying I turned to his comrade, who still hung on the tree in an awful plight. His face was torn, and his wide-open eyes were glassy, the flesh was stripped from the bones of his legs, and he was partly disembowelled. I conquered the horror of the sight enough to say: " Let go, my poor fellow; I will take you down." He did not answer, or show any sign of having heard me, and I called his comrades to help me. Only after I had made sure the bear was dead would the courageous gang come down from their trees, when we gently removed the wounded man. This required strength to accomplish, for his arms had wound tightly around the tree, and stiffened there: he was dead.
This horrible end did not seem to affect his companions in the least, for they turned from him to the bear, and their leader said: " Now things are reversed; the bear meant to eat us, but we will eat it. Quick, you fellows, take its pelt, and let us get at the paws and steak."
He drew his knife and knelt down to carry out his words, but I checked him. " It would have been more fitting if you had used your knife when it was alive. Now it's too late; don't give yourself the trouble."
" What ! " he cried. " Do you mean to hinder me ? "
" Most emphatically I do, Mr. Rattler."
" By what right ? "
" By the most indisputable right. I killed that bear."
" That's not so. Maybe you think a greenhorn can kill a grizzly with a knife ! As soon as we saw it we shot it."
" And immediately got up a tree ! Yes, that's very true."
" You bet it's true, and our shots killed it, not the two little needle-pricks of your knife. The bear is ours, and we'll do with it what we like. Understand ? "
He started to work again, but I said coolly: " Stop this minute, Rattler. I'll teach you to respect my words; do you understand ? " And as he bent forward to stick the knife into the bear's hide I put both arms around his hips and, raising him, threw him against the next tree so hard that it cracked. I was too angry just then to care whether he or the tree broke, and as he flew across the space I drew my second and unused revolver, to be ready for the next move.
He got up, looked at me with eyes blazing with rage, drew his knife, and cried: " You shall pay for this. You knocked me down once before; I'll see it doesn't happen a third time." He made a step towards me, but I covered him with my pistol, saying: " One step more and you'll have a bullet in your head. Drop that knife. When I say 'three' I'll shoot you if you still hold it. Now: One, two -" He held the knife tight, and I should have shot him, not in the head, but in the hand, for he had to learn to respect me; but luckily I did not get so far, for at this moment a loud voice cried: " Men, are
you mad ? What reason have the whites to tear out one another's eyes ? Stop ! "
We looked in the direction whence the voice came, and saw a man appearing from behind the trees. He was small, thin, and hunchbacked, clad and armed like a red man. One could not tell whether he was an Indian or a white; his sharp-cut features indicated the former, while the tint of his face, although sunburned, was that of a white man. He was bareheaded, and his dark hair hung to his shoulders. He wore leather trousers, a hunting-shirt of the same material, and moccasins, and was armed with a knife and gun. His eyes shone with unusual intelligence, and there was nothing ridiculous in his deformity. Indeed, none but stupid and brutal men ever laugh at bodily defects; but Rattler was of this class, for as soon as he looked at the new-comer he cried:
" Hallo ! What kind of a freak comes here ? Do such queer things grow in the big West ? "
The stranger looked at him calmly, and answered quietly: " Thank God that your limbs are sound. It is by the heart and soul that men are judged, and I should not fear a comparison with you in those respects."
He made a gesture of contempt, and turned to me, saying: " You are strong, young sir; it is not every one can send a man flying through the air as you did just now; it was wonderful to see." Then touching the grizzly with his foot, he added: " And this is the game we wanted, but we came too late. We discovered its tracks yesterday, and followed over hill and dale,
through thick and thin, only to find the work done when we came up with it."
" You speak in the plural; are you not alone ? " I asked.
" No; I have two companions with me. But before I tell you who they are, will you introduce yourselves ? You know one cannot be too cautious here, where we meet more bad men than good ones." He glanced significantly at Rattler and his followers, but instantly added in a friendly tone: "However, one can tell a gentleman that can be trusted. I heard the last part of your discussion, and know pretty well where I stand."
" We are surveyors, sir," I explained. " We are locating a railroad to go through here."
" Surveyors ! Have you purchased the right to build your road ? "
His face became stern as he asked the question, for which he seemed to have some reason; so I replied: " I have occupied myself with my task, and never thought of asking."
"Ah,yes; but you must know where you are. Consider these lands whereon we stand are the property of the Indians; they belong to the Apaches of the Mascaleros tribe. I am sure, if you are sent to survey, the ground is being marked out by the whites for some one else."
"What is that to you ?" Rattler cried. "Don't bother yourself with the affairs of others. Any one can see you are a white man."
" I am an Apache, one of the Mascaleros," the stranger said quietly. " I am Kleki-Petrah."
This name in the Apache tongue is equivalent to
White Father, and Rattler seemed to have heard it before. He bowed with mock deference, and said: " Ah, Kleki-Petrah, the venerated school-master of the Apaches ! It's a pity you are deformed, for it must annoy you to be laughed at by the braves."
" They never do that, sir. Well-bred people are not amused by such things, and the braves are gentlemen. Since I know who you are and why you are here, I will tell you who my companions are, or perhaps you had better meet them."
He called in the Indian tongue, and two extraordinarily interesting figures appeared, and came slowly towards us. They were Indians, father and son, as one could see at the first glance. The elder was a little above medium height, very strongly built. His air was truly noble; his earnest face was of pure Indian type, but not so sharp and keen as that of most red men. His eyes had a calm, gentle expression, like one much given to contemplation. His head was bare, his hair worn in a knot in which was stuck an eagle's feather, the badge of chieftainship. His dress consisted of moccasins, leather leggings, and hunting-jacket, very simple and unadorned. From his belt, in which a knife was thrust, hung all the appointments necessary to a dweller on the plains. A medicine-charm with sacred inscriptions cut around its face hung from his neck, and in his hand he carried a double-barrelled gun, the handle adorned with silver nails.
The younger man was clad like his father, except that his garments were showier; his leggings were beautifully fringed, and his hunting-shirt was embellished with
scarlet needlework. He also wore a medicine-charm around his neck, and a calumet; like his father he was armed with a knife and a double-barrelled gun. He, too, was bareheaded, his hair bound in a knot, but without the feather; it was so long that the end below the knot fell thick and heavy on his shoulders, and many a fine lady might have coveted it. His face was even nobler than his father's, its color a light brown with a touch of bronze. He seemed to be, as I afterwards learned he was, of the same age as myself, and his appearance made as profound an impression on me then, when I saw him first, as his character has left upon me to-day, after our long friendship.
We looked at one another long and searchingly, and I thought I saw for a moment in his earnest, dark eyes a friendly light gleam upon me.
" These are my friends and companions," said Kleki-Petrah, introducing first the father, then the son. " This is Intschu-Tschuna [Good Sun], the chief of the Mascaleros, whom all Apaches acknowledge as their head. And here stands his son Winnetou, who already in his youth has accomplished more deeds of renown than any ten old warriors have in all their lives. His name will be known and honored as far as the prairies and Rockies extend."
This sounded like exaggeration, but later I found that he had spoken only the truth.
Rattler laughed insultingly, and said: " So young a fellow, and committed such deeds? I say committed purposely, for every one knows they are only deeds of robbery and cruelty. The red men steal from every one."
This was an outrageous insult, but the Indians acted as though they had not heard it. Stooping down over the bear, Kleki-Petrah admired it, calling Winnetou's attention to its size and strength. " It was killed by a knife and not a bullet," he said as he rose.
Evidently, I thought, he had heard the dispute and wished me to have justice.
" What does a school-master know of bear-hunting ? " said Rattler. " When we take the skin off we can see what killed him. I won't be robbed of my rights by a greenhorn."
Then Winnetou bent down, touched the bloody wound, and asked me in good English: "Who stabbed the beast ? "
" I did," I replied.
" Why did not my young white brother shoot him ? "
" Because I had no gun with me."
" Yet here are guns."
" They are not mine; they were thrown away by these men when they climbed the trees shrieking with terror."
" Ugh ! the low cowards and dogs, to fly like tissuepaper ! A man should make resistance, for if he has courage he may conquer the strongest brute. My young white brother has such courage."
" My son speaks truly," added the father in as perfect English. " This brave young pale-face is no longer a greenhorn. He who kills a grizzly in this manner is a hero; and he who does it to save those who climb trees deserves thanks, not insults. Let us go to visit the pale-faces that have come into our dominion."
They were but three, and did not know how many we numbered, but that never occurred to them. With slow
and dignified strides they went out of the thicket, we following.
Then for the first time Intschu-Tschuna saw the surveying instruments standing as we had left them, and, stopping suddenly, he turned to me, demanding: " What is this ? Are the pale-faces measuring the land ? "
" Yes," I answered.
" Why ? "
" For a railroad."
His eyes lost their calmness, and he asked sternly: " Do you obey these people, and measure with them ? "
" Yes."
" And are paid for it ? "
" Yes."
He threw a scornful glance upon me, and in a contemptuous tone he said to Kleki-Petrah: " Your teachings sound well, but they do not often agree with what I see. Christians deceive and rob the Indians. Here is a young pale-face with a brave heart, open face, honorable eyes, and when I ask what he does here he tells me he has come to steal our land. The faces of the white men are good and bad, but inside they are all alike."
To be honest, his words filled me with shame. Could I well be proud of my share in this matter - I, a Catholic, who had been taught so early: " Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods " ? I blushed for my race and for myself before this fine savage; and before I could rally enough even to try to reply, the head engineer, who had been watching us through a hole in the tent, came forth to meet us, and my thoughts were diverted by what then took place.