按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
North…east of our train； not more than four hundred yards from it；
we discovered a large camp of whites behind a low rise of ground。
And beyond we could see fifty or sixty saddle…horses grazing。 And a
mile or so away； to the north； we saw a tiny cloud of dust
approaching。 Jed and I waited until we saw a single man； riding
fast； gallop into the camp of the whites。
When we got back into the corral the first thing that happened to me
was a smack from mother for having stayed away so long； but father
praised Jed and me when we gave our report。
〃Watch for an attack now maybe； Captain；〃 Aaron Cochrane said to
father。 〃That man the boys seen has rid in for a purpose。 The
whites are holding the Indians till they get orders from higher up。
Maybe that man brung the orders one way or the other。 They ain't
sparing horseflesh； that's one thing sure。〃
Half an hour after our return Laban attempted a scout under a white
flag。 But he had not gone twenty feet outside the circle when the
Indians opened fire on him and sent him back on the run。
Just before sundown I was in the rifle pit holding the baby； while
mother was spreading the blankets for a bed。 There were so many of
us that we were packed and jammed。 So little room was there that
many of the women the night before had sat up and slept with their
heads bowed on their knees。 Right alongside of me； so near that
when he tossed his arms about he struck me on the shoulder； Silas
Dunlap was dying。 He had been shot in the head in the first attack；
and all the second day was out of his head and raving and singing
doggerel。 One of his songs； that he sang over and over； until it
made mother frantic nervous； was：
〃Said the first little devil to the second little devil；
'Give me some tobaccy from your old tobaccy box。'
Said the second little devil to the first little devil；
'Stick close to your money and close to your rocks；
An' you'll always have tobaccy in your old tobaccy box。'〃
I was sitting directly alongside of him； holding the baby； when the
attack burst on us。 It was sundown； and I was staring with all my
eyes at Silas Dunlap who was just in the final act of dying。 His
wife； Sarah； had one hand resting on his forehead。 Both she and her
Aunt Martha were crying softly。 And then it cameexplosions and
bullets from hundreds of rifles。 Clear around from east to west； by
way of the north； they had strung out in half a circle and were
pumping lead in our position。 Everybody in the rifle pit flattened
down。 Lots of the younger children set up a…squalling； and it kept
the women busy hushing them。 Some of the women screamed at first；
but not many。
Thousands of shots must haven rained in on us in the next few
minutes。 How I wanted to crawl out to the trench under the wagons
where our men were keeping up a steady but irregular fire！ Each was
shooting on his own whenever he saw a man to pull trigger on。 But
mother suspected me； for she made me crouch down and keep right on
holding the baby。
I was just taking a look at Silas Dunlaphe was still quivering
when the little Castleton baby was killed。 Dorothy Castleton；
herself only about ten； was holding it； so that it was killed in her
arms。 She was not hurt at all。 I heard them talking about it； and
they conjectured that the bullet must have struck high on one of the
wagons and been deflected down into the rifle pit。 It was just an
accident； they said； and that except for such accidents we were safe
where we were。
When I looked again Silas Dunlap was dead； and I suffered distinct
disappointment in being cheated out of witnessing that particular
event。 I had never been lucky enough to see a man actually die
before my eyes。
Dorothy Castleton got hysterics over what had happened； and yelled
and screamed for a long time and she set Mrs。 Hastings going again。
Altogether such a row was raised that father sent Watt Cummings
crawling back to us to find out what was the matter。
Well along into twilight the heavy firing ceased； although there
were scattering shots during the night。 Two of our men were wounded
in this second attack； and were brought into the rifle pit。 Bill
Tyler was killed instantly； and they buried him； Silas Dunlap； and
the Castleton baby； in the dark alongside of the others。
All during the night men relieved one another at sinking the well
deeper； but the only sign of water they got was damp sand。 Some of
the men fetched a few pails of water from the spring； but were fired
upon； and they gave it up when Jeremy Hopkins had his left hand shot
off at the wrist。
Next morning； the third day； it was hotter and dryer than ever。 We
awoke thirsty； and there was no cooking。 So dry were our mouths
that we could not eat。 I tried a piece of stale bread mother gave
me； but had to give it up。 The firing rose and fell。 Sometimes
there were hundreds shooting into the camp。 At other times came
lulls in which not a shot was fired。 Father was continually
cautioning our men not to waste shots because we were running short
of ammunition。
And all the time the men went on digging the well。 It was so deep
that they were hoisting the sand up in buckets。 The men who hoisted
were exposed； and one of them was wounded in the shoulder。 He was
Peter Bromley； who drove oxen for the Bloodgood wagon； and he was
engaged to marry Jane Bloodgood。 She jumped out of the rifle pit
and ran right to him while the bullets were flying and led him back
into shelter。 About midday the well caved in； and there was lively
work digging out the couple who were buried in the sand。 Amos
Wentworth did not come to for an hour。 After that they timbered the
well with bottom boards from the wagons and wagon tongues； and the
digging went on。 But all they could get； and they were twenty feet
down； was damp sand。 The water would not seep。
By this time the conditions in the rifle pit were terrible。 The
children were complaining for water； and the babies； hoarse from
much crying； went on crying。 Robert Carr； another wounded man； lay
about ten feet from mother and me。 He was out of his head； and kept
thrashing his arms about and calling for water。 And some of the
women were almost as bad； and kept raving against the Mormons and
Indians。 Some of the women prayed a great deal； and the three grown
Demdike sisters； with their mother； sang gospel hymns。 Other women
got damp sand that was hoisted out of the bottom of the well； and
packed it against the bare bodies of the babies to try to cool and
soothe them。
The two Fairfax brothers couldn't stand it any longer； and； with
pails in their hands； crawled out under a wagon and made a dash for
the spring。 Giles never got half way； when he went down。 Roger
made it there and back without being hit。 He brought two pails
part…full； for some splashed out when he ran。 Giles crawled back；
and when they helped him into the rifle pit he was bleeding at the
mouth and coughing。
Two part…pails of water could not go far among over a hundred of us；
not counting the； men。 Only the babies； and the very little
children； and the wounded men； got any。 I did not get a sip；
although mother dipped a bit of cloth into the several spoonfuls she
got for the baby and wiped my mouth out。 She did not even do that
for herself； for she left me the bit of damp rag to chew。
The situation grew unspeakably worse in the afternoon。 The quiet
sun blazed down through the clear windless air and made a furnace of
our hole in the sand。 And all about us were the explosions of
rifles and yells of the Indians。 Only once in a while did father
permit a single shot from the trench； and at that only by our best
marksmen； such as Laban and Timothy Grant。 But a steady stream of
lead poured into our position all the time。 There were no more
disastrous ricochets； however； and our men in the trench； no longer
firing； lay low and escaped damage。 Only four were wounded； and
only one of them very badly。
Father came in from the trench during a lull in the firing。 He sat
for a few minutes alongside mother and me without speaking。 He
seemed to be listening to all the moaning and crying for water that
was going up。 Once he climbed out of the rifle pit and went over to
investigate the well。 He brought back only damp sand； which he
plastered thick on the chest and shoulders of Robert Carr。 Then he
went to where Jed Dunham and his mother were； and sent for Jed's
father to come in from the trench。 So closely packed were we that
when anybody moved about inside the rifle pit he had to crawl
carefully over the bodies of those lying down。
After a time father came crawling back to us。
〃Jesse； he asked； 〃are you afraid of the Indians？〃
I shook my head emphatically； guessing that I was to be seat on
another proud mission。
〃Are you afraid of the damned Mormons？