English
Flue.––Killthepoysandtheluggage!‘Tisexpresslyagainstthelawofarms;‘tisasarrantapieceofknavery,markyounow,ascanbeofferedinthe‘orld.
—KingHenryV
Solongastheirenemyandhisvictimcontinuedinsight,themultituderemainedmotionlessasbeingscharmedtotheplacebysomepowerthatwasfriendlytotheHuron;but,theinstanthedisappeared,itbecametossedandagitatedbyfierceandpowerfulpassion.
Uncasmaintainedhiselevatedstand,keepinghiseyesontheformofCora,untilthecolorsofherdresswereblendedwiththefoliageoftheforest;whenhedescended,and,movingsilentlythroughthethrong,hedisappearedinthatlodgefromwhichhehadsorecentlyissued.
Afewofthegraverandmoreattentivewarriors,whocaughtthegleamsofangerthatshotfromtheeyesoftheyoungchiefinpassing,followedhimtotheplacehehadselectedforhismeditations.
Afterwhich,TamenundandAlicewereremoved,andthewomenandchildrenwereorderedtodisperse.
Duringthemomentoushourthatsucceeded,theencampmentresembledahiveoftroubledbees,whoonlyawaitedtheappearanceandexampleoftheirleadertotakesomedistantandmomentousflight.
AyoungwarrioratlengthissuedfromthelodgeofUncas;and,movingdeliberately,withasortofgravemarch,towardadwarfpinethatgrewinthecrevicesoftherockyterrace,hetorethebarkfromitsbody,andthenturnedwhencehecamewithoutspeaking.
Hewassoonfollowedbyanother,whostrippedthesaplingofitsbranches,leavingitanakedandblazedtrunk.
Athirdcoloredthepostwithstripesofadarkredpaint;allwhichindicationsofahostiledesignintheleadersofthenationwerereceivedbythemenwithoutinagloomyandominoussilence.
Finally,theMohicanhimselfreappeared,divestedofallhisattire,excepthisgirdleandleggings,andwithone–halfofhisfinefeatureshidunderacloudofthreateningblack.
Atreewhichhasbeenpartiallyorentirelystrippedofitsbarkissaid,inthelanguageofthecountry,tobe“blazed.”
ThetermisstrictlyEnglish,forahorseissaidtobeblazedwhenithasawhitemark.
Uncasmovedwithaslowanddignifiedtreadtowardthepost,whichheimmediatelycommencedencirclingwithameasuredstep,notunlikeanancientdance,raisinghisvoice,atthesametime,inthewildandirregularchantofhiswarsong.
Thenoteswereintheextremesofhumansounds;beingsometimesmelancholyandexquisitelyplaintive,evenrivalingthemelodyofbirds––andthen,bysuddenandstartlingtransitions,causingtheauditorstotremblebytheirdepthandenergy.
Thewordswerefewandoftenrepeated,proceedinggraduallyfromasortofinvocation,orhymn,totheDeity,toanintimationofthewarrior’sobject,andterminatingastheycommencedwithanacknowledgmentofhisowndependenceontheGreatSpirit.
Ifitwerepossibletotranslatethecomprehensiveandmelodiouslanguageinwhichhespoke,theodemightreadsomethinglikethefollowing:“Manitou!Manitou!Manitou!
Thouartgreat,thouartgood,thouartwise:Manitou!Manitou!Thouartjust.
“Intheheavens,intheclouds,oh,IseeManyspots––manydark,manyred:Intheheavens,oh,IseeManyclouds.
“Inthewoods,intheair,oh,IhearThewhoop,thelongyell,andthecry:Inthewoods,oh,IhearTheloudwhoop!“Manitou!Manitou!Manitou!
Iamweak––thouartstrong;Iamslow;Manitou!Manitou!Givemeaid.”
Attheendofwhatmightbecalledeachversehemadeapause,byraisinganotelouderandlongerthancommon,thatwaspeculiarlysuitedtothesentimentjustexpressed.
Thefirstclosewassolemn,andintendedtoconveytheideaofveneration;theseconddescriptive,borderingonthealarming;andthethirdwasthewell–knownandterrificwar–whoop,whichburstfromthelipsoftheyoungwarrior,likeacombinationofallthefrightfulsoundsofbattle.
Thelastwaslikethefirst,humbleandimploring.
Threetimesdidherepeatthissong,andasoftendidheencirclethepostinhisdance.
Atthecloseofthefirstturn,agraveandhighlyesteemedchiefoftheLenapefollowedhisexample,singingwordsofhisown,however,tomusicofasimilarcharacter.
Warriorafterwarriorenlistedinthedance,untilallofanyrenownandauthoritywerenumberedinitsmazes.
Thespectaclenowbecamewildlyterrific;thefierce–lookingandmenacingvisagesofthechiefsreceivingadditionalpowerfromtheappallingstrainsinwhichtheymingledtheirgutturaltones.
JustthenUncasstruckhistomahawkdeepintothepost,andraisedhisvoiceinashout,whichmightbetermedhisownbattlecry.
Theactannouncedthathehadassumedthechiefauthorityintheintendedexpedition.
Itwasasignalthatawakenedalltheslumberingpassionsofthenation.
Ahundredyouths,whohadhithertobeenrestrainedbythediffidenceoftheiryears,rushedinafranticbodyonthefanciedemblemoftheirenemy,andsevereditasunder,splinterbysplinter,untilnothingremainedofthetrunkbutitsrootsintheearth.
Duringthismomentoftumult,themostruthlessdeedsofwarwereperformedonthefragmentsofthetree,withasmuchapparentferocityasiftheywerethelivingvictimsoftheircruelty.
Somewerescalped;somereceivedthekeenandtremblingaxe;andotherssufferedbythrustsfromthefatalknife.
Inshort,themanifestationsofzealandfiercedelightweresogreatandunequivocal,thattheexpeditionwasdeclaredtobeawarofthenation.
TheinstantUncashadstrucktheblow,hemovedoutofthecircle,andcasthiseyesuptothesun,whichwasjustgainingthepoint,whenthetrucewithMaguawastoend.
Thefactwassoonannouncedbyasignificantgesture,accompaniedbyacorrespondingcry;andthewholeoftheexcitedmultitudeabandonedtheirmimicwarfare,withshrillyellsofpleasure,toprepareforthemorehazardousexperimentofthereality.
Thewholefaceoftheencampmentwasinstantlychanged.
Thewarriors,whowerealreadyarmedandpainted,becameasstillasiftheywereincapableofanyuncommonburstofemotion.
Ontheotherhand,thewomenbrokeoutofthelodges,withthesongsofjoyandthoseoflamentationsostrangelymixedthatitmighthavebeendifficulttohavesaidwhichpassionpreponderated.None,however,wasidle.
Someboretheirchoicestarticles,otherstheiryoung,andsometheiragedandinfirm,intotheforest,whichspreaditselflikeaverdantcarpetofbrightgreenagainstthesideofthemountain.
ThitherTamenundalsoretired,withcalmcomposure,afterashortandtouchinginterviewwithUncas;fromwhomthesageseparatedwiththereluctancethataparentwouldquitalonglostandjustrecoveredchild.
Inthemeantime,DuncansawAlicetoaplaceofsafety,andthensoughtthescout,withacountenancethatdenotedhoweagerlyhealsopantedfortheapproachingcontest.
ButHawkeyewastoomuchaccustomedtothewarsongandtheenlistmentsofthenatives,tobetrayanyinterestinthepassingscene.
Hemerelycastanoccasionallookatthenumberandqualityofthewarriors,who,fromtimetotime,signifiedtheirreadinesstoaccompanyUncastothefield.
Inthisparticularhewassoonsatisfied;for,ashasbeenalreadyseen,thepoweroftheyoungchiefquicklyembracedeveryfightingmaninthenation.
Afterthismaterialpointwassosatisfactorilydecided,hedespatchedanIndianboyinquestof“killdeer”andtherifleofUncas,totheplacewheretheyhaddepositedtheirweaponsonapproachingthecampoftheDelawares;ameasureofdoublepolicy,inasmuchasitprotectedthearmsfromtheirownfate,ifdetainedasprisoners,andgavethemtheadvantageofappearingamongthestrangersratherassufferersthanasmenprovidedwithmeansofdefenseandsubsistence.
Inselectinganothertoperformtheofficeofreclaiminghishighlyprizedrifle,thescouthadlostsightofnoneofhishabitualcaution.
HeknewthatMaguahadnotcomeunattended,andhealsoknewthatHuronspieswatchedthemovementsoftheirnewenemies,alongthewholeboundaryofthewoods.
Itwould,therefore,havebeenfataltohimselftohaveattemptedtheexperiment;awarriorwouldhavefarednobetter;butthedangerofaboywouldnotbelikelytocommenceuntilafterhisobjectwasdiscovered.
WhenHeywardjoinedhim,thescoutwascoollyawaitingtheresultofthisexperiment.
Theboy,whohadbeenwellinstructed,andwassufficientlycrafty,proceeded,withabosomthatwasswellingwiththeprideofsuchaconfidence,andallthehopesofyoungambition,carelesslyacrosstheclearingtothewood,whichheenteredatapointatsomelittledistancefromtheplacewherethegunsweresecreted.
Theinstant,however,hewasconcealedbythefoliageofthebushes,hisduskyformwastobeseengliding,likethatofaserpent,towardthedesiredtreasure.
Hewassuccessful;andinanothermomentheappearedflyingacrossthenarrowopeningthatskirtedthebaseoftheterraceonwhichthevillagestood,withthevelocityofanarrow,andbearingaprizeineachhand.
Hehadactuallygainedthecrags,andwasleapinguptheirsideswithincredibleactivity,whenashotfromthewoodsshowedhowaccuratehadbeenthejudgmentofthescout.
Theboyanswereditwithafeeblebutcontemptuousshout;andimmediatelyasecondbulletwassentafterhimfromanotherpartofthecover.
Atthenextinstantheappearedonthelevelabove,elevatinghisgunsintriumph,whilehemovedwiththeairofaconquerortowardtherenownedhunterwhohadhonoredhimbysogloriousacommission.
NotwithstandingthelivelyinterestHawkeyehadtakeninthefateofhismessenger,hereceived“killdeer”withasatisfactionthat,momentarily,droveallotherrecollectionsfromhismind.
Afterexaminingthepiecewithanintelligenteye,andopeningandshuttingthepansometenorfifteentimes,andtryingsundryotherequallyimportantexperimentsonthelock,heturnedtotheboyanddemandedwithgreatmanifestationsofkindness,ifhewashurt.
Theurchinlookedproudlyupinhisface,butmadenoreply.
“Ah!Isee,lad,theknaveshavebarkedyourarm!”
addedthescout,takingupthelimbofthepatientsufferer,acrosswhichadeepfleshwoundhadbeenmadebyoneofthebullets;“butalittlebruisedalderwillactlikeacharm.
InthemeantimeIwillwrapitinabadgeofwampum!
Youhavecommencedthebusinessofawarriorearly,mybraveboy,andarelikelytobearaplentyofhonorablescarstoyourgrave.
Iknowmanyyoungmenthathavetakenscalpswhocannotshowsuchamarkasthis.Go!”
havingboundupthearm;“youwillbeachief!”
Theladdeparted,prouderofhisflowingbloodthanthevainestcourtiercouldbeofhisblushingribbon;andstalkedamongthefellowsofhisage,anobjectofgeneraladmirationandenvy.
But,inamomentofsomanyseriousandimportantduties,thissingleactofjuvenilefortitudedidnotattractthegeneralnoticeandcommendationitwouldhavereceivedundermilderauspices.
Ithad,however,servedtoapprisetheDelawaresofthepositionandtheintentionsoftheirenemies.
Accordinglyapartyofadventurers,bettersuitedtothetaskthantheweakthoughspiritedboy,wasorderedtodislodgetheskulkers.
Thedutywassoonperformed;formostoftheHuronsretiredofthemselveswhentheyfoundtheyhadbeendiscovered.
TheDelawaresfollowedtoasufficientdistancefromtheirownencampment,andthenhaltedfororders,apprehensiveofbeingledintoanambush.
Asbothpartiessecretedthemselves,thewoodswereagainasstillandquietasamildsummermorninganddeepsolitudecouldrenderthem.
ThecalmbutstillimpatientUncasnowcollectedhischiefs,anddividedhispower.
HepresentedHawkeyeasawarrior,oftentried,andalwaysfounddeservingofconfidence.
Whenhefoundhisfriendmetwithafavorablereception,hebestowedonhimthecommandoftwentymen,likehimself,active,skillfulandresolute.
HegavetheDelawarestounderstandtherankofHeywardamongthetroopsoftheYengeese,andthentenderedtohimatrustofequalauthority.
ButDuncandeclinedthecharge,professinghisreadinesstoserveasavolunteerbythesideofthescout.
Afterthisdisposition,theyoungMohicanappointedvariousnativechiefstofillthedifferentsituationsofresponsibility,and,thetimepressing,hegaveforththewordtomarch.
Hewascheerfully,butsilentlyobeyedbymorethantwohundredmen.
Theirentranceintotheforestwasperfectlyunmolested;nordidtheyencounteranylivingobjectsthatcouldeithergivethealarm,orfurnishtheintelligencetheyneeded,untiltheycameuponthelairsoftheirownscouts.
Hereahaltwasordered,andthechiefswereassembledtoholda“whisperingcouncil.”
Atthismeetingdiversplansofoperationweresuggested,thoughnoneofacharactertomeetthewishesoftheirardentleader.
HadUncasfollowedthepromptingsofhisowninclinations,hewouldhaveledhisfollowerstothechargewithoutamoment’sdelay,andputtheconflicttothehazardofaninstantissue;butsuchacoursewouldhavebeeninoppositiontoallthereceivedpractisesandopinionsofhiscountrymen.
Hewas,therefore,faintoadoptacautionthatinthepresenttemperofhismindheexecrated,andtolistentoadviceatwhichhisfieryspiritchafed,underthevividrecollectionofCora’sdangerandMagua’sinsolence.
Afteranunsatisfactoryconferenceofmanyminutes,asolitaryindividualwasseenadvancingfromthesideoftheenemy,withsuchapparenthaste,astoinducethebeliefhemightbeamessengerchargedwithpacificovertures.
Whenwithinahundredyards,however,ofthecoverbehindwhichtheDelawarecouncilhadassembled,thestrangerhesitated,appeareduncertainwhatcoursetotake,andfinallyhalted.
AlleyeswereturnednowonUncas,asifseekingdirectionshowtoproceed.
“Hawkeye,”saidtheyoungchief,inalowvoice,“hemustneverspeaktotheHuronsagain.”
“Histimehascome,”saidthelaconicscout,thrustingthelongbarrelofhisriflethroughtheleaves,andtakinghisdeliberateandfatalaim.
But,insteadofpullingthetrigger,heloweredthemuzzleagain,andindulgedhimselfinafitofhispeculiarmirth.
“ItooktheimpforaMingo,asI’mamiserablesinner!”
hesaid;“butwhenmyeyerangedalonghisribsforaplacetogetthebulletin––wouldyouthinkit,Uncas––Isawthemusicianer’sblower;andso,afterall,itisthemantheycallGamut,whosedeathcanprofitnoone,andwhoselife,ifthistonguecandoanythingbutsing,maybemadeserviceabletoourownends.
Ifsoundshavenotlosttheirvirtue,I’llsoonhaveadiscoursewiththehonestfellow,andthatinavoicehe’llfindmoreagreeablethanthespeechof‘killdeer’.”
Sosaying,Hawkeyelaidasidehisrifle;and,crawlingthroughthebushesuntilwithinhearingofDavid,heattemptedtorepeatthemusicaleffort,whichhadconductedhimself,withsomuchsafetyandeclat,throughtheHuronencampment.
TheexquisiteorgansofGamutcouldnotreadilybedeceived(and,tosaythetruth,itwouldhavebeendifficultforanyotherthanHawkeyetoproduceasimilarnoise),and,consequently,havingoncebeforeheardthesounds,henowknewwhencetheyproceeded.
Thepoorfellowappearedrelievedfromastateofgreatembarrassment;for,pursuingthedirectionofthevoice––ataskthattohimwasnotmuchlessarduousthatitwouldhavebeentohavegoneupinthefaceofabattery––hesoondiscoveredthehiddensongster.
“IwonderwhattheHuronswillthinkofthat!”
saidthescout,laughing,ashetookhiscompanionbythearm,andurgedhimtowardtherear.
“Iftheknavesliewithinearshot,theywillsaytherearetwonon–compossersinsteadofone!
Butherewearesafe,”headded,pointingtoUncasandhisassociates.
“NowgiveusthehistoryoftheMingoinventionsinnaturalEnglish,andwithoutanyupsanddownsofvoice.”
Davidgazedabouthim,atthefierceandwild–lookingchiefs,inmutewonder;butassuredbythepresenceoffacesthatheknew,hesoonralliedhisfacultiessofarastomakeanintelligentreply.
“Theheathenareabroadingoodlynumbers,”saidDavid;“and,Ifear,withevilintent.
Therehasbeenmuchhowlingandungodlyrevelry,togetherwithsuchsoundsasitisprofanitytoutter,intheirhabitationswithinthepasthour,somuchso,intruth,thatIhavefledtotheDelawaresinsearchofpeace.”
“Yourearsmightnothaveprofitedmuchbytheexchange,hadyoubeenquickeroffoot,”returnedthescoutalittledryly.“Butletthatbeasitmay;wherearetheHurons?”
“Theyliehidintheforest,betweenthisspotandtheirvillageinsuchforce,thatprudencewouldteachyouinstantlytoreturn.”
Uncascastaglancealongtherangeoftreeswhichconcealedhisownbandandmentionedthenameof:
“Magua?”
“Isamongthem.HebroughtinthemaidenthathadsojournedwiththeDelawares;and,leavingherinthecave,hasputhimself,likearagingwolf,attheheadofhissavages.
Iknownotwhathastroubledhisspiritsogreatly!”
“Hehaslefther,yousay,inthecave!”interruptedHeyward;”’tiswellthatweknowitssituation!Maynotsomethingbedoneforherinstantrelief?”
Uncaslookedearnestlyatthescout,beforeheasked:
“WhatsaysHawkeye?”
“Givemetwentyrifles,andIwillturntotheright,alongthestream;and,passingbythehutsofthebeaver,willjointheSagamoreandthecolonel.
Youshallthenhearthewhoopfromthatquarter;withthiswindonemayeasilysenditamile.
Then,Uncas,doyoudriveinthefront;whentheycomewithinrangeofourpieces,wewillgivethemablowthat,Ipledgethegoodnameofanoldfrontiersman,shallmaketheirlinebendlikeanashenbow.
Afterwhich,wewillcarrythevillage,andtakethewomanfromthecave;whentheaffairmaybefinishedwiththetribe,accordingtoawhiteman’sbattle,byablowandavictory;or,intheIndianfashion,withdodgeandcover.
Theremaybenogreatlearning,major,inthisplan,butwithcourageandpatienceitcanallbedone.”
“Ilikeitverymuch,”criedDuncan,whosawthatthereleaseofCorawastheprimaryobjectinthemindofthescout;“Ilikeitmuch.Letitbeinstantlyattempted.”
Afterashortconference,theplanwasmatured,andrenderedmoreintelligibletotheseveralparties;thedifferentsignalswereappointed,andthechiefsseparated,eachtohisallottedstation.
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