CHAPTER V
One hour after the sun had risen again, three travelers took their wayonward from the house of Mr. Prevost, along a path which led to thenortheast.
Two other persons watched them from the door of the house, and twonegro men and a negro woman gazed after them from the corner of thebuilding which joined on to a low fence encircling the stable andpoultry yard, and running on round the well cultivated kitchen garden.
The negro woman shook her head, and looked sorrowful, and sighed, butsaid nothing. The two men talked freely of the imprudence of "Master"in suffering his son to go upon such an expedition.
Mr. Prevost and his daughter gazed in silence till the recedingfigures were hidden by the trees. Then the master of the house ledEdith back, saying: "God will protect him, my child. A parent was notgiven to crush the energies of youth, but to direct them."
In the meanwhile, Lord H---- and his guide, Captain Brooks, accordingto his English name, or Woodchuck, in the Indian parlance, followed byWalter Prevost, made their way rapidly and easily through the wood.The two former were dressed in the somewhat anomalous attire which Ihave described in first introducing the worthy Captain to the reader;but Walter was in the ordinary costume of the people of the provinceof that day, except inasmuch as he had his rifle in his hand and alarge leathern wallet slung over his left shoulder. Each of hiscompanions, too, had a rifle hung across the back by a broad leathernband; and each was furnished with a hatchet at his girdle, and a longpipe, with a curiously carved stem, in his hand.
Although they were not pursuing any of the public provincial roads,and were consequently obliged to walk singly, the one following theother, yet Woodchuck, who led the way, had no difficulty in findingit, or in proceeding steadily.
We are told by an old writer of those days, who, unlike many modernwriters, witnessed all he described with his own eyes, that the Indiantrails, or footpaths, were innumerable over that large tract ofcountry which the Five Nations called their "Long House," crossing andrecrossing each other in every different direction, sometimes almostlost where the ground was hard and dry, sometimes indenting by therepeated pressure of many feet, the natural soil to the depth ofthirty-six or forty inches.
It was along one of these that the travelers were passing, andalthough a stump here and there, or a young tree springing up in themidst of a trail, offered an occasional impediment, it was rarely ofsuch a nature as to retard the travelers in their course, ormaterially add to their fatigue.
With the calm assurance and unhesitating rapidity of a practisedwoodsman, Brooks led his two companions forward without doubt as tohis course. No great light had he, it is true, for though the sun wasactually above the horizon, and now and then his slanting rays foundtheir way through some more open space, and gilded the pathway, ingeneral the thick trees and underwood formed a shade which at thatearly hour the light could hardly penetrate, and the sober morning wasto these travelers still dressed almost in the dark hues of night.
"Set your steps in mine," said Woodchuck, speaking in a whisper overhis shoulder to Lord H----, "then we shall be real Indians. Don't youknow that when they go out on the war path, as they call it, each manputs down his foot just where his leader put down his before? So, comedog, come cat, no one can tell how many went to Jack Pilberry's barn."
"But do you think there is any real danger?" asked Lord H----.
"There is always danger in a dark wood and a dark eye," answeredWoodchuck, with a laugh, "but no more danger here than in Prevost'scottage, from either the one or the other, for you or for Walter. Asfor me, I am safe anywhere."
"But you are taking strange precautions where there is no danger,"replied Lord H----, who could not banish all doubts of his wildcompanion. "You speak in whispers, and advise us to follow all thecunning devices of the Indians in a wood which we passed throughfearlessly yesterday."
"I am just as fearless now as you were then, if you passed throughthis wood," answered Brooks, in a graver tone, "but you are not awoodsman, or you'd understand better. What I mean, sir, is that we areso often in danger, we think it best to act as if we were always init; and never knowing how near it may be, to make as sure as we canthat we keep it at a distance. You cannot tell there is not an Indianin every bush you pass, and yet you'd chatter as loud as if you werein any lady's drawing-room. But I, though I know there is ne'er a one,don't speak louder than a grasshopper's hind legs, for fear I wouldget into the habit of talking loud in the forest."
"There is some truth, my friend, I believe in what you say," repliedLord H----, "but I hear a sound growing louder and louder as weadvance. It is the cataract, I suppose."
"Yes, just the waterfall," answered the other, in an indifferent tone."Down half a mile below it Master Walter will find the boat that willtake him to Albany. Then you and I can snake up by the side of theriver till we have gone as far as we have a mind to. I shouldn'twonder if we got a shot at somewhat on four, a moose or a painter, ora looksevere, or something of that kind. Pity we haven't got a canoeor a batteau, or something to put our game in."
"In heaven's name, what do you call a looksevere?" asked LordH----.
"Why, the French folks call it a loup-cervier," answered Brooks. "Iguess you never saw one. But he is not as pleasant as a pretty maid ina by-place, is he, Walter? He puts himself up into a tree, and therehe watches, looking full asleep; but with the devil that is in himmoving every joint of his tail the moment he hears anything cometrotting along; and when it is just under him down he drops upon itplump, like a rifle shot into a pumpkin."
The conversation then fell off into a word or two spoken now andthen, and the voice of the waters grew loud and more loud until LordH---- could hardly hear his own footfalls. The more practised ear ofBrooks, however, caught every sound, and at length he exclaimed:"What's alive? Why are you cocking your rifle, Walter?"
"Hush!" said the lad, "there is something stealing on there, justbehind the bushes. It is an Indian, I think, going on all fours. Lookquietly out there."
"More likely a bear," replied Woodchuck, in the same low tone whichthe other had used. "I see--I see. It's not a bear either, but it'snot an Indian. It's gone--no, there it is again. Hold hard--let himclimb. It's a painter. Here, Walter, come up in front--you shall havehim. The cur smells fresh meat. He'll climb in an instant. There hegoes--no, the critter's on again. We shall lose him if we don't mind.Quick, Walter! Spread out there to the right. I will take the left,and we shall drive him to the water, where he must climb. You, Major,keep right on ahead. Mind, take the middle trail all along, and lookup at the branches, or you may have him on your head. There, he'sheading south. Quick, Walter, quick!"
Lord H---- had as yet seen nothing of the object discovered by theeyes of his two companions, but he had sufficient of the sportsman inhis nature to enter into all their eagerness, and unslinging his riflehe followed the path or trail along which they had been proceeding,while Walter Prevost darted away into the tangled bushes on his right,and Woodchuck stole more quietly in amongst the trees on his left. Hecould hear the branches rustle, and for nearly a quarter of a milecould trace their course on either side of him by the various littlesigns--of now a waving branch, now a slight sound. Once, and onlyonce, he thought he saw the panther cross the trail, but it was at aspot peculiarly dark, and he did not feel at all sure that fancy hadnot deceived him.
The roar of the cataract in the meantime increased each moment, and itwas evident to the young nobleman that he and his companions, on theirdifferent courses, were approaching more and more closely to somelarge stream, toward which it was the plan of good Captain Brooks toforce the object of their pursuit. At length, too, the light becamestronger, and he heard the report of a rifle, then a fierce, snarlingsound, and then a shout from Walter Prevost.
Knowing how dangerous the wounded panther is, the young officer,without hesitation, darted away into the brush to aid Edith's brother,for by this time it was in that light that he generally thought ofhim; and the lad soon heard his approach,
and guided him by his voice,calling, "Here! here!" There was no alarm or agitation in histones--they were rather those of triumph; and a moment after, as hecaught sight of his friend coming forward, he added: "He's a splendidbeast. I must have the skin off him."
Lord H---- drew nigh, somewhat relaxing his speed when he found therewas no danger, and in another minute he was by the side of the lad,who was quietly recharging his rifle, while at some six or seven yardsdistance lay a large panther of the American species, mortallywounded, and quite powerless of evil, but not yet quite dead.
"Keep away from him--keep away!" cried Walter, as the young noblemanapproached. "They sometimes tear on terribly, even at the last gasp."
"Why, he is nearly as big as a tiger," said Lord H----.
"He is a splendid fellow," answered Walter, joyfully. "One might livea hundred years in England without finding such game."
Lord H---- smiled, and remained for a moment or two, till the youngman's rifle was reloaded, gazing at the beast in silence.
Suddenly, however, they both heard the sound of another rifle on theleft, and Walter exclaimed, "Woodchuck has got one, too!" But thereport was followed by a yell very different from the snarl or growlof a wounded beast. "That's no panther's cry!" exclaimed WalterPrevost, his cheek turning somewhat pale. "What can have happened?"
"It sounded like a human voice," said Lord H----, listening, "likethat of someone in sudden agony. I trust our friend the Woodchuck hasnot shot himself by some accident."
"It was not a white man's voice," said Walter, bending his ear in thedirection from which had come the sounds. But all was still, and theyoung man raised his voice and shouted to his companion.
No answer was returned, however, and Lord H----, exclaiming, "We hadbetter seek him at once--he may need help!" darted away toward thespot whence his ear told him the shot had come.
"A little more to the right, my lord, a little more to the right!"said Walter. "You will hit on a trail in a minute." And raising hisvoice again, he shouted: "Woodchuck! Woodchuck!" with evident alarmand distress.
He was right in the supposition that they should soon find some path.They quickly struck an Indian trail crossing that on which they hadbeen previously proceeding, and leading in the direction in which theywished to go. Both then hurried on with greater rapidity, Walterrather running than walking, and Lord H---- following, with his riflecocked in his hand. They had not far to go, however, for the trailsoon opened upon a small piece of grassy savanna, lying close upon theriver's edge, and in the midst of it they beheld a sight which wasterrible enough in itself, but which afforded less apprehension andgrief to the mind of Lord H---- than to that of Walter Prevost, whowas better acquainted with the Indian habits and character.
About ten yards from the mouth of the path appeared the powerful formof Captain Brooks, with his folded arms leaning on the muzzle of hisdischarged rifle. He was as motionless as a statue, his browcontracted, his brown cheek very pale, and his eyes bent forward uponan object lying upon the grass before him. It was the form of a deadIndian, weltering in his blood. The dead man's head was bare of allcovering except the scalp-lock. He was painted with the war colors,and in his hand, as he lay, he grasped the tomahawk, as if it had beenraised in the act to strike the moment before he fell. To the eyes ofLord H---- his tribe or nation was an undiscovered secret, but certainsmall signs and marks in his garb, and even in his features, showedWalter Prevost at once that he was not only one of the Five Nations,but an Oneida. The full and terrible importance of the fact will beseen by what followed.
For some two minutes the three living men stood silent in the presenceof the dead, and Walter exclaimed, in a tone of deep grief: "Alas!Woodchuck, what have you done?"
"Saved my scalp," answered Brooks, sternly, and fell into silenceagain.
There was another long silence, and then Lord H----, mistaking in somedegree the causes of the man's strong emotion, laid his hand upon thehunter's arm, saying: "Come away, my friend. Why should you lingerhere?"
"It's no use," answered Woodchuck, gloomily. "He had a woman with him,and it will soon be known all through the tribe."
"But for your own safety," said Walter, "yon had better fly. It isvery sad indeed--what could make him attack you?"
"An old grudge, Master Walter," answered Brooks, seating himselfdeliberately on the ground and laying his rifle across his knee. "Iknew the critter well, the Striped Snake they called him, and a snakehe was. He tried to cheat and to rob me, and I made it plain to thewhole tribe. Some laughed, and thought it fair, but old Black Eaglescorned and rebuked him, and he has hated me ever since. He has beenlong watching for this, and now he has got it."
"Well, well," said Walter, "what's done cannot be undone, and you hadbetter get away as fast as may be, for Black Eagle told me he had leftthree scouts behind to bring tidings in case of danger, and we cannottell how near the others may be."
"This was one of them," answered Brooks, still keeping his seat andgazing at the Indian. "But what is safety to me, Walter? I can no moreroam the forests. I can no more pursue my way of life. I must go intodull and smoky cities and plod amongst thieving, cheating crowds ofwhite men. The rifle and the hatchet must be laid aside forever; theforest grass must know my foot no more. Flowers and green leaves andrushing streams and the broad lake and the mountain top are lost andgone, the watch under the deep boughs and by the silent waters. Closepressed amidst the toiling herd, I shall become sordid and low andfilthy as they are; my free nature lost and gyves upon my spirit. Alllife's blessings are gone from me; why should I care for life?"
There was something uncommonly plaintive, mournful and earnest in histones, and Lord H---- could not help feeling for him, although he didnot comprehend fully the occasion of his grief. "But, my good friend,"he said, "I cannot perceive how your having slain this Indian in yourown defence can bring such a train of miseries upon you. You would nothave killed him if he had not attacked you."
"Alas for me! alas for me!" was all the answer the poor man made.
"You do not know their habits, sir," said Walter, in a low voice."They must have blood for blood. If he stays here, if he ever returns,go where he will in the Indian territory, they will track him, theywill follow him day and night. He will be amongst them like one of thewild beasts whom we chase so eagerly--pursued from place to place withthe hatchet always hanging over his head. There is no safety for himbut far away in the provinces beyond those towns that Indians evervisit. So persuade him to come away and leave the body. He can go downwith me to Albany, and thence make his way to New York orPhiladelphia."
For some minutes Brooks remained deaf to all arguments. His whole mindand thoughts seemed occupied with the terrible conviction that thewild scenes and the free life which he enjoyed so intensely were lostforever.
Suddenly, however, when Lord H---- was just about to give up indespair the task of persuading him, he started up as if some newthought struck him, and gazing first at Walter and then at the youngofficer, he exclaimed: "But I am keeping you here, and you, too, maybe murdered! The death spot is upon me, and it will spread to allaround. I am ready to go. I will bear my fate as well as I can, but itis very, very hard. Come! Let us begone quick--stay! I will charge myrifle first. Who knows how soon we may need it for such bloody workagain!"
All his energy seemed to have returned in a moment, and it desertedhim not again. He charged his rifle with wonderful rapidity, tossed itunder his arm, and took a step as if to go. Then for a moment hepaused, and advancing close to the dead Indian gazed at him sternly."Oh, my enemy," he cried, "thou saidst thou wouldst have revenge, andthou hast had it--far more bitter than if thy hatchet had entered intomy skull, and I were lying in thy place."
Turning round as soon as he had spoken, he led the way back along thetrail, murmuring rather to himself than to his companions: "Theinstinct of self-preservation is very strong. Better for me had I lethim slay me. I know not how I was fool enough to fire. Come, Walter,we must get round the falls, where we shall
find some batteaux thatwill carry us down."
He walked along for some five minutes in silence, and suddenly lookedround to Lord H----, exclaiming: "But what's to become of him? How ishe to find his way back again? Come! I will go back with him--itmatters not if they do catch me and scalp me. I do not like to bedogged and tracked and followed and taken unawares. I can but die atlast. I will go back with him as soon as you are in the boat, Walter."
"No, no, Woodchuck! That will not do!" replied the lad. "You forgetthat if they found you with him they would kill him, too. I will tellyou how we will manage it. Let him come down with us to the point,then there is a straight road up to the house, and we can get one ofthe batteaux men to go up with him and show him the way, unless helikes to go on with me to Albany."
"I cannot do that," replied Lord H----, "for I promised to be back atyour father's house by to-morrow night, and matters of much importancemay have to be decided. But I can easily land at the point, as yousay--whatever point you may mean--and find my way back. As for myself,I have no fears. There seem to be but a few scattered parties ofIndians of different tribes roaming about, and I trust that anythinglike general hostility is at an end for this year at least."
"In Indian warfare the danger is the greatest, I have heard, when itseems the least," replied Walter Prevost; "but from the point to thehouse, some fourteen or sixteen miles, the road is perfectly safe, forit is the only one on which large numbers of persons are passing toand from Albany."
"It will be safe enough," said Woodchuck; "that way is always quiet;and besides, a wise man and a powerful one could travel at any timefrom one end of the Long House to the other without risk--unless therewere special cause. It is bad shooting we have had to-day, Walter, butstill I should have liked to have the skin of that panther. He seemedto me an unextinguishable fine crittur."
"He was a fine creature, and that I know, for I shot him, Woodchuck,"said Walter Prevost, with some pride in the achievement. "I wanted tosend the skin to Otaitsa--but it cannot be helped."
"Let us go and get it now!" cried Woodchuck, with the ruling passionstrong in death. "'Tis but a step back. Darn those Ingians! Why shouldI care?"
But both his companions urged him forward, and they continued theirway through woods skirting the river for somewhat more than two miles,first rising gently to a spot where the roar of the waters was hearddistinctly, and then, after descending, rising again to a rocky pointmidway between the highest ground and the water level, where a smallcongregation of huts had been gathered together, principally inhabitedby boatmen, and surrounded by a stout palisade.
The scene at the hamlet itself had nothing very remarkable in it. Herewere women sitting at the door, knitting and sewing, men loungingabout or mending nets or making lines, children playing in the dirt,as usual, both inside and outside of the palisade. The traces of morethan one nation could be discovered in the features as well as in thetongues of the inhabitants, and it was not difficult to perceive thathere had been congregated, by the force of circumstances into which itis not necessary to inquire, sundry fragments of Dutch, English,Indian, and even French--races all bound together by a community ofobject and pursuit.
The approach of the three strangers did not in any degree startle thegood people from their idleness or their occupations. The carryingtrade was then a very good one, especially in remote places wheretraveling was difficult, and these people could always make a verytolerable livelihood without any very great or continuous exertion.The result of such a state of things is always very detrimental toactivity of mind or body, and the boatmen, though they sauntered upround Lord H---- and his companions, divining that some profitablepiece of work was before them, showed amazing indifference as towhether they would undertake it or not. But that which astonished LordH---- the most was to see the deliberate coolness with which Woodchuckset about making his bargain for the conveyance of himself and Walterto Albany. He sat down upon a large stone within the enclosure, took aknife from his pocket and a piece of wood from the ground, and begancutting the latter with the former with as tranquil and careless anair as if there were no heavy thought upon his mind--no dark memorybehind him--no terrible fate dogging him at the heels. But Woodchuckand Walter were both well known to the boatmen, and though they mightprobably have attempted to impose upon the inexperience of the lad,they knew they had met their match in the shrewdness of his companion,and were not aware that any circumstance rendered speed more valuableto him than money. The bargaining, then, was soon concluded, butCaptain Brooks was not contented till he had bargained also for theservices of two men in guiding Lord H---- back to the house of Mr.Prevost. This was undertaken for a dollar apiece, however, and thenthe whole party proceeded to the bank of the river, where a boat wassoon unmoored, and Walter and his companion set forth upon theirjourney, not, however, till Lord H---- had shaken the latter warmly bythe hand, and said a few words in the ear of Captain Brooks, adding:"Walter will tell you more, and how to communicate with me."
"Thank you, thank you," replied the hunter, wringing his hand hard. "Afriend in need is a friend indeed. I do not want it, but I thank youas much as if I did; but you shall hear if I do, for somehow I guessyou are not the man to say what you don't mean."
After seeing his two companions row down the stream a few yards, theyoung nobleman turned to the boatmen who accompanied him, saying:"Now, my lads, I want to make a change of our arrangements, and to goback the short way by which we came. I did not interrupt our goodfriend Woodchuck, because he was anxious about my safety. There aresome Indians in the forest, and he feared I might get scalped.However, we shot a panther there which we could not stay to skin, astheir business in Albany was pressing. Now I want the skin, and am notafraid of the Indians--are you?"
The men laughed, and replied in the negative, saying that there werenone of the redmen there but four or five Oneidas and Mohawks, butadding that the way, though shorter, was much more difficult andbushy, and therefore they must have more pay. Lord H----, however, wasless difficult to deal with than Captain Brooks, and yielded readilyto their demands.
Each of the men then armed himself with a rifle and took a bag ofparched corn with him, and the three set out.
Lord H---- undertook to guide them to the spot where the panther lay,and not a little did they wonder at the accuracy and precision withwhich his military habits of observation enabled him to direct themstep by step. He took great care not to let them approach the spotwhere the dead Indian had been slain, but turning about a quarter of amile to the south, led them across the thicket to within a very fewyards of the object of his search. It was soon found, when they camenear the place, and about half an hour was employed in taking off theskin and packing it up for carriage.
"Now," said Lord H----, "will you two undertake to have this skinproperly cured and dispatched by the first trader going west to theOneida village?"
The men readily agreed to do so if well paid for it, but, of course,required further directions, saying there were a dozen or more Oneidavillages.
"It will be sure to reach its destination," said Lord H----, "if youtell the bearer to deliver it to Otaitsa, which, I believe, means theBlossom, the daughter of Black Eagle, the sachem. Say that it comesfrom Walter Prevost."
"Oh, aye," answered the boatmen, "it shall be done; but we shall haveto pay the man who carries it."
The arrangement in regard to payment was soon made, though it wassomewhat exorbitant; but to insure that the commission was faithfullyexecuted, Lord H---- reserved a portion of the money, to be given whenhe heard that the skin had been delivered.
The rest of the journey was passed without interruption or difficulty,and at an early hour of the evening the young nobleman stood once moreat the door of his fellow countryman's house.
Ticonderoga: A Story of Early Frontier Life in the Mohawk Valley Page 5