第120章 Irving’s Bonneville - Chapter 42(1)

Departure of Captain Bonneville for the Columbia -- Advance of Wyeth -- Efforts to keep thelead -- Hudson's Bay party -- A junketing -- A delectable beverage -- Honey and alcohol -- Highcarousing -- The Canadian "bon vivant" -- A cache -- A rapid move -- Wyeth and his plans -- Histravelling companions -- Buffalo hunting -- More conviviality -- An interruption.

IT was the 3d of July that Captain Bonneville set out on his second visit to the banks of theColumbia,

at the head of twenty-three men. He travelled leisurely, to keep his horses fresh, until on the 10thof

July a scout brought word that Wyeth, with his band, was but fifty miles in the rear, and pushingforward with all speed. This caused some bustle in the camp; for it was important to get first tothe

buffalo ground to secure provisions for the journey. As the horses were too heavily laden to travelfast, a cache was digged, as promptly as possible, to receive all superfluous baggage. Just as itwas

finished, a spring burst out of the earth at the bottom. Another cache was therefore digged, abouttwo

miles further on; when, as they were about to bury the effects, a line of horsemen withpack-horses,

were seen streaking over the plain, and encamped close by.

It proved to be a small band in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, under thecommand of a

veteran Canadian; one of those petty leaders, who, with a small party of men, and a small supplyof

goods, are employed to follow up a band of Indians from one hunting ground to another, and buyup

their peltries.

Having received numerous civilities from the Hudson's Bay Company, the captain sent aninvitation

to the officers of the party to an evening regale; and set to work to make jovial preparations. Asthe

night air in these elevated regions is apt to be cold, a blazing fire was soon made, that would havedone credit to a Christmas dinner, instead of a midsummer banquet. The parties met in highgood-fellowship. There was abundance of such hunters' fare as the neighborhood furnished; and itwas all

discussed with mountain appetites. They talked over all the events of their late campaigns; but theCanadian veteran had been unlucky in some of his transactions; and his brow began to growcloudy.

Captain Bonneville remarked his rising spleen, and regretted that he had no juice of the grape tokeep

it down.

A man's wit, however, is quick and inventive in the wilderness; a thought suggested itself tothe

captain, how he might brew a delectable beverage. Among his stores was a keg of honey but halfexhausted. This he filled up with alcohol, and stirred the fiery and mellifluous ingredients together.

The glorious results may readily be imagined; a happy compound of strength and sweetness,enough

to soothe the most ruffled temper and unsettle the most solid understanding.

The beverage worked to a charm; the can circulated merrily; the first deep draught washedout every

care from the mind of the veteran; the second elevated his spirit to the clouds. He was, in fact, aboon

companion; as all veteran Canadian traders are apt to be. He now became glorious; talked over allhis exploits, his huntings, his fightings with Indian braves, his loves with Indian beauties; sangsnatches of old French ditties, and Canadian boat songs; drank deeper and deeper, sang louderand

louder; until, having reached a climax of drunken gayety, he gradually declined, and at length fellfast

asleep upon the ground. After a long nap he again raised his head, imbibed another potation of the"sweet and strong," flashed up with another slight blaze of French gayety, and again fell asleep.

The morning found him still upon the field of action, but in sad and sorrowful condition;suffering the

penalties of past pleasures, and calling to mind the captain's dulcet compound, with many a retchand

spasm. It seemed as if the honey and alcohol, which had passed so glibly and smoothly over histongue, were at war within his stomach; and that he had a swarm of bees within his head. In short,so helpless and woebegone was his plight, that his party proceeded on their march without him;the

captain promised to bring him on in safety in the after part of the day.

As soon as this party had moved off, Captain Bonneville's men proceeded to construct andfill their

cache; and just as it was completed the party of Wyeth was descried at a distance. In a moment allwas activity to take the road. The horses were prepared and mounted; and being lightened of agreat

part of their burdens, were able to move with celerity. As to the worthy convive of the precedingevening, he was carefully gathered up from the hunter's couch on which he lay, repentant andsupine,

and, being packed upon one of the horses, was hurried forward with the convoy, groaning andejaculating at every jolt.

In the course of the day, Wyeth, being lightly mounted, rode ahead of his party, and overtookCaptain

Bonneville. Their meeting was friendly and courteous; and they discussed, sociably, theirrespective

fortunes since they separated on the banks of the Bighorn. Wyeth announced his intention ofestablishing a small trading post at the mouth of the Portneuf, and leaving a few men there, with aquantity of goods, to trade with the neighboring Indians. He was compelled, in fact, to thismeasure,

in consequence of the refusal of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company to take a supply of goodswhich

he had brought out for them according to contract; and which he had no other mode of disposingof.