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Page 48
Early in the evening it came on to blow very hard from the east; and
about midnight set in to rain, as Boone had predicted; which it
continued to do the rest of the night; nor were there any signs of its
abatement, when the party arose to resume their journey on the following
morning.
"What can't be cured must be endured," said Boone, quoting an old
proverb, as he gazed forth upon the storm. "We must take sech as comes,
lads, without grumbling; though I do'nt know's thar's any sin in wishing
it war a little more to our liking. Howsomever," he added, "prehaps it
won't be so much agin us arter all; for the red varmints mayhap 'll
think as how all traces of 'em have been washed away, and, feeling safe
from pursuit, be less cautious about their proceedings; and by keeping
on the same course, we may chance upon 'em unawares. So come, lads,
let's eat and be off."
Accordingly, making a hasty breakfast, and securing the remainder of
their provision as well as ammunition in the ample bosoms of their
hunting frocks--which were always made large for such and similar
purposes--tightening the belts about their bodies, and placing their
rifles, locks downward, under the ample skirts of their frocks, to
shield them from the rain, the whole party sallied forth upon their
second day's adventure. Regaining the spot they had quitted the evening
before, Boone took a long look in the direction whence they first
approached; and then shaping his course so as to bear as near as
possible on a direct line with it, set forward at a quick pace, going a
very little west of due north.
In this manner our pursuers continued their journey for some three or
four hours, scarcely exchanging a syllable--the storm beating fiercely
against their faces and drenching their bodies--when an incident
occurred of the most alarming kind.
They had descended a hill, and were crossing an almost open plain of
some considerable extent--which was bounded on the right by a wood, and
on the left by a cane-brake--and had nearly gained its center, when they
were startled by a deep rumbling sound, resembling the mighty rushing of
a thousand horse. Nearer and nearer came the rushing sound; while each
one paused, and many a pale face was turned with an anxious, inquiring
glance upon Boone; whose own, though a shade paler than usual, was
composed in every feature, as he gazed, without speaking, in the
direction whence the noise proceeded.
"Good heavens! what is it?" cried Henry, in alarm.
"Behold!" answered Boone, pointing calmly toward the cane-brake.
A cry of surprise, despair and horror, escaped every tongue but the old
hunter's--as, at that moment, a tremendous herd of buffaloes, numbering
thousands, was seen rushing from the brake, and bearing directly toward
the spot where our party stood. Escape by flight was impossible; for the
animals were scarcely four hundred yards distant, and booming forward
with the speed of the frightened wild horse of the prairie. Nothing was
apparent but speedy death, and in its most horrible form, that of dying
unknown beneath the hoofs of the wild beasts of the wilderness. In this
awful moment of suspense, which seemingly but preceded the disuniting of
soul and body, each of the young men turned a breathless look of horror
upon the old hunter, such as landsmen in a terrible gale at sea would
turn upon the commander of the vessel; but, save an almost imperceptible
quiver of the lips, not a muscle of the now stern countenance of Boone
changed.
"Merciful Heaven!--we are lost!" cried Henry, wildly. "Oh! such a
death!"
"Every man's got to die when his time comes--but none afore; and yourn
hasn't come yet, Master Harry," replied Boone, quietly; "unless," he
added, a moment after, as he raised his rifle to his eye, "Betsey here's
forgot her old tricks."
As he spoke, his gun flashed, a report followed, and one of the foremost
of the herd, an old bull, which had gained a point within a hundred
yards of the marksman, stumbled forward and rolled over on the earth,
with a loud bellow of pain His companions, which were pressing close
behind, snorted with fear, as they successively came up; and turning
aside, on either hand, made a furrow in their ranks; that, gradually
widening as they advanced, finally cleared our friends by a space of
twenty yards; and so passed they on, making the very earth tremble under
their mighty trend.[8]
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