the last of the plainsmen-第6章

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eal　man。　In　a　very　few　moments　he　had　talked　more　than　on　all　the　desert　trip；　and　what　he　said；　added　to　the　little　I　had　already　learned；　put　me　in　possession　of　some　interesting　information　as　to　his　buffalo。

Some　years　before　he　had　conceived　the　idea　of　hybridizing　buffalo　with　black　Galloway　cattle；　and　with　the　characteristic　determination　and　energy　of　the　man；　he　at　once　set　about　finding　a　suitable　range。　This　was　difficult；　and　took　years　of　searching。　At　last　the　wild　north　rim　of　the　Grand　Canyon；　a　section　unknown　except　to　a　few　Indians　and　mustang　hunters；　was　settled　upon。　Then　the　gigantic　task　of　transporting　the　herd　of　buffalo　by　rail　from　Montana　to　Salt　Lake　was　begun。　The　two　hundred　and　ninety　miles　of　desert　lying　between　the　home　of　the　Mormons　and　Buckskin　Mountain　was　an　obstacle　almost　insurmountable。　The　journey　was　undertaken　and　found　even　more　trying　than　had　been　expected。　Buffalo　after　buffalo　died　on　the　way。　Then　Frank；　Jones's　right…hand　man；　put　into　execution　a　plan　he　had　been　thinking　ofnamely；　to　travel　by　night。　It　succeeded。　The　buffalo　rested　in　the　day　and　traveled　by　easy　stages　by　night；　with　the　result　that　the　big　herd　was　transported　to　the　ideal　range。

Here；　in　an　environment　strange　to　their　race；　but　peculiarly　adaptable；　they　thrived　and　multiplied。　The　hybrid　of　the　Galloway　cow　and　buffalo　proved　a　great　success。　Jones　called　the　new　species　〃Cattalo。〃　The　cattalo　took　the　hardiness　of　the　buffalo；　and　never　required　artificial　food　or　shelter。　He　would　face　the　desert　storm　or　blizzard　and　stand　stock　still　in　his　tracks　until　the　weather　cleared。　He　became　quite　domestic；　could　be　easily　handled；　and　grew　exceedingly　fat　on　very　little　provender。　The　folds　of　his　stomach　were　so　numerous　that　they　digested　even　the　hardest　and　flintiest　of　corn。　He　had　fourteen　ribs　on　each　side；　while　domestic　cattle　had　only　thirteen；　thus　he　could　endure　rougher　work　and　longer　journeys　to　water。　His　fur　was　so　dense　and　glossy　that　it　equaled　that　of　the　unplucked　beaver　or　otter；　and　was　fully　as　valuable　as　the　buffalo　robe。　And　not　to　be　overlooked　by　any　means　was　the　fact　that　his　meat　was　delicious。

Jones　had　to　hear　every　detail　of　all　that　had　happened　since　his　absence　in　the　East；　and　he　was　particularly　inquisitive　to　learn　all　about　the　twenty　cattalo　calves。　He　called　different　buffalo　by　name；　and　designated　the　calves　by　descriptive　terms；　such　as　〃Whiteface〃　and　〃Crosspatch。〃　He　almost　forgot　to　eat；　and　kept　Frank　too　busy　to　get　anything　into　his　own　mouth。　After　supper　he　calmed　down。

〃How　about　your　other　manMr。　Wallace；　I　think　you　said？〃　asked　Frank。

〃We　expected　to　meet　him　at　Grand　Canyon　Station；　and　then　at　Flagstaff。　But　he　didn't　show　up。　Either　he　backed　out　or　missed　us。　I'm　sorry；　for　when　we　get　up　on　Buckskin；　among　the　wild　horses　and　cougars；　we'll　be　likely　to　need　him。〃

〃I　reckon　you'll　need　me；　as　well　as　Jim；〃　said　Frank　dryly；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。　〃The　buffs　are　in　good　shape　an'　can　get　along　without　me　for　a　while。〃

〃That'll　be　fine。　How　about　cougar　sign　on　the　mountain？〃

〃Plenty。　I've　got　two　spotted　near　Clark　Spring。　Comin'　over　two　weeks　ago　I　tracked　them　in　the　snow　along　the　trail　for　miles。　We'll　ooze　over　that　way；　as　it's　goin'　toward　the　Siwash。　The　Siwash　breaks　of　the　Canyonthere's　the　place　for　lions。　I　met　a　wild…horse　wrangler　not　long　back；　an'　he　was　tellin'　me　about　Old　Tom　an'　the　colts　he'd　killed　this　winter。〃

Naturally；　I　here　expressed　a　desire　to　know　more　of　Old　Tom。

〃He's　the　biggest　cougar　ever　known　of　in　these　parts。　His　tracks　are　bigger　than　a　horse's；　an'　have　been　seen　on　Buckskin　for　twelve　years。　This　wranglerhis　name　is　Clarksaid　he'd　turned　his　saddle　horse　out　to　graze　near　camp；　an'　Old　Tom　sneaked　in　an'　downed　him。　The　lions　over　there　are　sure　a　bold　bunch。　Well；　why　shouldn't　they　be？　No　one　ever　hunted　them。　You　see；　the　mountain　is　hard　to　get　at。　But　now　you're　here；　if　it's　big　cats　you　want　we　sure　can　find　them。　Only　be　easy；　be　easy。　You've　all　the　time　there　is。　An'　any　job　on　Buckskin　will　take　time。　We'll　look　the　calves　over；　an'　you　must　ride　the　range　to　harden　up。　Then　we'll　ooze　over　toward　Oak。　I　expect　it'll　be　boggy；　an'　I　hope　the　snow　melts　soon。〃

〃The　snow　hadn't　melted　on　Greenland　point；〃　replied　Jones。　〃We　saw　that　with　a　glass　from　the　El　Tovar。　We　wanted　to　cross　that　way；　but　Rust　said　Bright　Angel　Creek　was　breast　high　to　a　horse；　and　that　creek　is　the　trail。〃

〃There's　four　feet　of　snow　on　Greenland；〃　said　Frank。　〃It　was　too　early　to　come　that　way。　There's　only　about　three　months　in　the　year　the　Canyon　can　be　crossed　at　Greenland。〃

〃I　want　to　get　in　the　snow；〃　returned　Jones。　〃This　bunch　of　long…eared　canines　I　brought　never　smelled　a　lion　track。　Hounds　can't　be　trained　quick　without　snow。　You've　got　to　see　what　they're　trailing；　or　you　can't　break　them。〃

Frank　looked　dubious。　〃'Pears　to　me　we'll　have　trouble　gettin'　a　lion　without　lion　dogs。　It　takes　a　long　time　to　break　a　hound　off　of　deer；　once　he's　chased　them。　Buckskin　is　full　of　deer；　wolves；　coyotes；　and　there's　the　wild　horses。　We　couldn't　go　a　hundred　feet　without　crossin'　trails。〃

〃How's　the　hound　you　and　Jim　fetched　in　las'　year？　Has　he　got　a　good　nose？　Here　he　isI　like　his　head。　Come　here；　Bowserwhat's　his　name？〃

〃Jim　named　him　Sounder；　because　he　sure　has　a　voice。　It's　great　to　hear　him　on　a　trail。　Sounder　has　a　nose　that　can't　be　fooled；　an'　he'll　trail　anythin'；　but　I　don't　know　if　he　ever　got　up　a　lion。〃

Sounder　wagged　his　bushy　tail　and　looked　up　affectionately　at　Frank。　He　had　a　fine　head；　great　brown　eyes；　very　long　ears　and　curly　brownish…black　hair。　He　was　not　demonstrative；　looked　rather　askance　at　Jones；　and　avoided　the　other　dogs。

〃That　dog　will　make　a　great　lion…chaser；〃　said　Jones；　decisively；　after　his　study　of　Sounder。　〃He　and　Moze　will　keep　us　busy；　once　they　learn　we　want　lions。〃

〃I　don't　believe　any　dog…trainer　could　teach　them　short　of　six　months；〃　replied　Frank。　〃Sounder　is　no　spring　chicken；　an'　that　black　and　dirty　white　cross　between　a　cayuse　an'　a　barb…wire　fence　is　an　old　dog。　You　can't　teach　old　dogs　new　tricks。〃

Jones　smiled　mysteriously；　a　smile　of　conscious　superiority；　but　said　nothing。

〃We'll　shore　hev　a　storm　to…morrow；〃　said　Jim；　relinquishing　his　pipe　long　enough　to　speak。　He　had　been　silent；　and　now　his　meditative　gaze　was　on　the　west；　through　the　cabin　window；　where　a　dull　afterglow　faded　under　the　heavy　laden　clouds　of　night　and　left　the　horizon　dark。

I　was　very　tired　when　I　lay　down；　but　so　full　of　excitement　that　sleep　did　not　soon　visit　my　eyelids。　The　talk　about　buffalo；　wild…horse　hunters；　lions　and　dogs；　the　prospect　of　hard　riding　and　unusual　adventure；　the　vision　of　Old　Tom　that　had　already　begun　to　haunt　me；　filled　my　mind　with　pictures　and　fancies。　The　other　fellows　dropped　off　to　sleep；　and　quiet　reigned。　Suddenly　a　succession　of　queer；　sharp　barks　came　from　the　plain；　close　to　the　cabin。　Coyotes　were　paying　us　a　call；　and　judging　from　the　chorus　of　yelps　and　howls　from　our　dogs；　it　was　not　a　welcome　visit。　Above　the　medley　rose　one　big；　deep；　full　voice　that　I　knew　at　once　belonged　to　Sounder。　Then　all　was　quiet　again。　Sleep　gradually　benumbed　my　senses。　Vague　phrases　dreamily　drifted　to　and　fro　in　my　mind：　〃Jones's　wild　rangeOld　TomSoundergreat　namegreat　voiceSounder！　Sounder！　Sounder〃

Next　morning　I　could　hardly　crawl　out　of　my　sleeping…bag。　My　bones　ached；　my　muscles　protested　excruciatingly；　my　lips　burned　and　bled；　and　the　cold　I　had　contracted　on　the　desert　clung　to　me。　A　good　brisk　walk　round　the　corrals；　and　then　breakfast；　made　me　feel　better。

〃Of　course　you　can　ride？〃　queried　Frank。

My　answer　was　not　given　from　an　overwhelming　desire　to　be　truthful。　Frank　frowned　a　little；　as　it　wondering　how　a　man　could　have　the　nerve　to　start　out　on　a　jaunt　with　Buffalo　Jones　without　being　a　good　horseman。　To　be　unable　to　stick　on　the　back　of　a　wild　mustang；　or　a　cayuse；　was　an　unpardonable　sin　in　Arizona。　My　frank　admission　was　made　relatively；　with　my　mind　on　what　cowboys　held　as　a　standard　of　horsemanship。

The　mount　Frank　trotted　out　of　the　corral　for　me　was　a　pure　white；　beautiful　m