In The Meantime, The Others Plodded On At The Heels Of The Guide,
Accompanied By That Merry Vagabond, She-Wee-She.
The primitive
garb worn by this droll left all his nether man exposed to the
biting blasts of the mountains.
Still his wit was never frozen,
nor his sunshiny temper beclouded; and his innumerable antics and
practical jokes, while they quickened the circulation of his own
blood, kept his companions in high good-humor.
So passed the first day after the departure from the patriarch's.
The second day commenced in the same manner; the captain in the
advance, the rest of the party following on slowly. She-wee-she,
for the greater part of the time, trudged on foot over the snow,
keeping himself warm by hard exercise, and all kinds of crazy
capers. In the height of his foolery, the patriarchal colt,
which, unbroken to the saddle, was suffered to follow on at
large, happened to come within his reach. In a moment, he was on
his back, snapping his fingers, and yelping with delight. The
colt, unused to such a burden, and half wild by nature, fell to
prancing and rearing and snorting and plunging and kicking; and,
at length, set off full speed over the most dangerous ground. As
the route led generally along the steep and craggy sides of the
hills, both horse and horseman were constantly in danger, and
more than once had a hairbreadth escape from deadly peril.
Nothing, however, could daunt this madcap savage. He stuck to the
colt like a plaister [sic], up ridges, down gullies; whooping and
yelling with the wildest glee. Never did beggar on horseback
display more headlong horsemanship. His companions followed him
with their eyes, sometimes laughing, sometimes holding in their
breath at his vagaries, until they saw the colt make a sudden
plunge or start, and pitch his unlucky rider headlong over a
precipice. There was a general cry of horror, and all hastened to
the spot. They found the poor fellow lying among the rocks below,
sadly bruised and mangled. It was almost a miracle that he had
escaped with life. Even in this condition, his merry spirit was
not entirely quelled, and he summoned up a feeble laugh at the
alarm and anxiety of those who came to his relief. He was
extricated from his rocky bed, and a messenger dispatched to
inform Captain Bonneville of the accident. The latter returned
with all speed, and encamped the party at the first convenient
spot. Here the wounded man was stretched upon buffalo skins, and
the captain, who officiated on all occasions as doctor and
surgeon to the party, proceeded to examine his wounds. The
principal one was a long and deep gash in the thigh, which
reached to the bone. Calling for a needle and thread, the captain
now prepared to sew up the wound, admonishing the patient to
submit to the operation with becoming fortitude. His gayety was
at an end; he could no longer summon up even a forced smile; and,
at the first puncture of the needle, flinched so piteously, that
the captain was obliged to pause, and to order him a powerful
dose of alcohol.
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