The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757

by James Fenimore Cooper

  CHAPTER XXVI

  "_Bot._--Let me play the lion too."

  _Midsummer Night's Dream._

  Notwithstanding the high resolution of Hawkeye, he fully comprehendedall the difficulties and dangers he was about to incur. In his return tothe camp, his acute and practised intellects were intently engaged indevising means to counteract a watchfulness and suspicion on the part ofhis enemies, that he knew were, in no degree, inferior to his own.Nothing but the color of his skin had saved the lives of Magua and theconjurer, who would have been the first victims sacrificed to his ownsecurity, had not the scout believed such an act, however congenial itmight be to the nature of an Indian, utterly unworthy of one who boasteda descent from men that knew no cross of blood. Accordingly, he trustedto the withes and ligaments with which he had bound his captives, andpursued his way directly towards the centre of the lodges.

  As he approached the buildings, his steps became more deliberate, andhis vigilant eye suffered no sign, whether friendly or hostile, toescape him. A neglected hut was a little in advance of the others, andappeared as if it had been deserted when half completed--most probablyon account of failing in some of the more important requisites; such asfood or water. A faint light glimmered through its cracks, however, andannounced that, notwithstanding its imperfect structure, it was notwithout a tenant. Thither, then, the scout proceeded, like a prudentgeneral, who was about to feel the advanced positions of his enemy,before he hazarded the main attack.

  Throwing himself into a suitable posture for the beast he represented,Hawkeye crawled to a little opening, where he might command a view ofthe interior. It proved to be the abiding-place of David Gamut. Hitherthe faithful singing-master had now brought himself, together with allhis sorrows, his apprehensions, and his meek dependence on theprotection of Providence. At the precise moment when his ungainly personcame under the observation of the scout, in the manner just mentioned,the woodsman himself, though in his assumed character, was the subjectof the solitary being's profoundest reflections.

  However implicit the faith of David was in the performance of ancientmiracles, he eschewed the belief of any direct supernatural agency inthe management of modern morality. In other words, while he had implicitfaith in the ability of Balsam's ass to speak, he was somewhat skepticalon the subject of a bear's singing; and yet he had been assured of thelatter, on the testimony of his own exquisite organs. There wassomething in his air and manner that betrayed to the scout the utterconfusion of the state of his mind. He was seated on a pile of brush, afew twigs from which occasionally fed his low fire, with his headleaning on his arm, in a posture of melancholy musing. The costume ofthe votary of music had undergone no other alteration from that solately described, except that he had covered his bald head with thetriangular beaver, which had not proved sufficiently alluring to excitethe cupidity of any of his captors.

  The ingenious Hawkeye, who recalled the hasty manner in which the otherhad abandoned his post at the bedside of the sick woman, was not withouthis suspicions concerning the subject of so much solemn deliberation.First making the circuit of the hut, and ascertaining that it stoodquite alone, and that the character of its inmate was likely to protectit from visitors, he ventured through its low door, into the verypresence of Gamut. The position of the latter brought the fire betweenthem; and when Hawkeye had seated himself on end, near a minute elapsed,during which the two remained regarding each other without speaking. Thesuddenness and the nature of the surprise had nearly proved too muchfor--we will not say the philosophy--but for the faith and resolution ofDavid. He fumbled for his pitch-pipe, and arose with a confusedintention of attempting a musical exorcism.

  "Dark and mysterious monster!" he exclaimed, while with trembling handshe disposed of his auxiliary eyes, and sought his never-failing resourcein trouble, the gifted version of the Psalms: "I know not your naturenor intents; but if aught you meditate against the person and rights ofone of the humblest servants of the temple, listen to the inspiredlanguage of the youth of Israel, and repent."

  The bear shook his shaggy sides, and then a well-known voice replied,--

  "Put up the tooting we'pon, and teach your throat modesty. Five words ofplain and comprehensible English are worth, just now, an hour ofsqualling."

  "What art thou!" demanded David, utterly disqualified to pursue hisoriginal intention, and nearly gasping for breath.

  "A man like yourself; and one whose blood is as little tainted by thecross of a bear, or an Indian, as your own. Have you so soon forgottenfrom whom you received the foolish instrument you hold in your hand?"

  "Can these things be?" returned David, breathing more freely, as thetruth began to dawn upon him. "I have found many marvels during mysojourn with the heathen, but surely nothing to excel this!"

  "Come, come," returned Hawkeye, uncasing his honest countenance, thebetter to assure the wavering confidence of his companion; "you may seea skin, which, if it be not as white as one of the gentle ones, has notinge of red to it that the winds of heaven and the sun have notbestowed. Now let us to business."

  "First tell me of the maiden, and of the youth who so bravely soughther," interrupted David.

  "Ay, they are happily freed from the tomahawks of these varlets. But canyou put me on the scent of Uncas?"

  "The young man is in bondage, and much I fear his death is decreed. Igreatly mourn that one so well disposed should die in his ignorance, andI have sought a goodly hymn--"

  "Can you lead me to him?"

  "The task will not be difficult," returned David, hesitating; "though Igreatly fear your presence would rather increase than mitigate hisunhappy fortunes."

  "No more words, but lead on," returned Hawkeye, concealing his faceagain, and setting the example in his own person, by instantly quittingthe lodge.

  As they proceeded, the scout ascertained that his companion found accessto Uncas, under privilege of his imaginary infirmity, aided by the favorhe had acquired with one of the guards, who, in consequence of speakinga little English, had been selected by David as the subject of areligious conversation. How far the Huron comprehended the intentions ofhis new friend, may well be doubted; but as exclusive attention is asflattering to a savage as to a more civilized individual, it hadproduced the effect we have mentioned. It is unnecessary to repeat theshrewd manner with which the scout extracted these particulars from thesimple David; neither shall we dwell in this place on the nature of theinstructions he delivered, when completely master of all the necessaryfacts; as the whole will be sufficiently explained to the reader in thecourse of the narrative.

  The lodge in which Uncas was confined was in the very centre of thevillage, and in a situation, perhaps, more difficult than any other toapproach, or leave, without observation. But it was not the policy ofHawkeye to affect the least concealment. Presuming on his disguise, andhis ability to sustain the character he had assumed, he took the mostplain and direct route to the place. The hour, however, afforded himsome little of that protection which he appeared so much to despise. Theboys were already buried in sleep, and all the women, and most of thewarriors, had retired to their lodges for the night. Four or five of thelatter only lingered about the door of the prison of Uncas, wary butclose observers of the manner of their captive.

  At the sight of Gamut, accompanied by one in the well known masqueradeof their most distinguished conjurer, they readily made way for themboth. Still they betrayed no intention to depart. On the other hand,they were evidently disposed to remain bound to the place by anadditional interest in the mysterious mummeries that they of courseexpected from such a visit.

  From the total inability of the scout to address the Hurons in their ownlanguage, he was compelled to trust the conversation entirely to David.Notwithstanding the simplicity of the latter, he did ample justice tothe instructions he had received, more than fulfilling the strongesthopes of his teacher.

  "The Delawares are women!" he exclaimed, addressing himself to thesavage who had a slight understanding of the langua
ge in which he spoke;"the Yengeese, my foolish countrymen, have told them to take up thetomahawk, and strike their fathers in the Canadas, and they haveforgotten their sex. Does my brother wish to hear Le Cerf Agile ask forhis petticoats, and see him weep before the Hurons, at the stake?"

  The exclamation "Hugh!" delivered in a strong tone of assent, announcedthe gratification the savage would receive in witnessing such anexhibition of weakness in an enemy so long hated and so much feared.

  "Then let him step aside, and the cunning man will blow upon the dog!Tell it to my brothers."

  The Huron explained the meaning of David to his fellows, who, in theirturn, listened to the project with that sort of satisfaction that theiruntamed spirits might be expected to find in such a refinement incruelty. They drew back a little from the entrance, and motioned to thesupposed conjurer to enter. But the bear, instead of obeying, maintainedthe seat it had taken, and growled.

  "The cunning man is afraid that his breath will blow upon his brothers,and take away their courage too," continued David, improving the hint hereceived; "they must stand farther off."

  The Hurons, who would have deemed such a misfortune the heaviestcalamity that could befall them, fell back in a body, taking a positionwhere they were out of ear-shot, though at the same time they couldcommand a view of the entrance to the lodge. Then, as if satisfied oftheir safety, the scout left his position, and slowly entered the place.It was silent and gloomy, being tenanted solely by the captive, andlighted by the dying embers of a fire, which had been used for thepurposes of cookery.

  Uncas occupied a distant corner, in a reclining attitude, being rigidlybound, both hands and feet, by strong and painful withes. When thefrightful object first presented itself to the young Mohican, he did notdeign to bestow a single glance on the animal. The scout, who had leftDavid at the door, to ascertain they were not observed, thought itprudent to preserve his disguise until assured of their privacy. Insteadof speaking, therefore, he exerted himself to enact one of the antics ofthe animal he represented. The young Mohican, who at first believed hisenemies had sent in a real beast to torment him, and try his nerves,detected, in those performances that to Heyward had appeared soaccurate, certain blemishes, that at once betrayed the counterfeit. HadHawkeye been aware of the low estimation in which the more skilful Uncasheld his representations, he would probably have prolonged theentertainment a little in pique. But the scornful expression of theyoung man's eye admitted of so many constructions, that the worthy scoutwas spared the mortification of such a discovery. As soon, therefore, asDavid gave the pre-concerted signal, a low hissing sound was heard inthe lodge, in place of the fierce growlings of the bear.

  Uncas had cast his body back against the wall of the hut, and closedhis eyes, as if willing to exclude so contemptible and disagreeable anobject from his sight. But the moment the noise of the serpent washeard, he arose, and cast his looks on each side of him, bending hishead low, and turning it inquiringly in every direction, until his keeneye rested on the shaggy monster, where it remained riveted, as thoughfixed by the power of a charm. Again the same sounds were repeated,evidently proceeding from the mouth of the beast. Once more the eyes ofthe youth roamed over the interior of the lodge, and returning to theirformer resting place, he uttered, in a deep, suppressed voice,--

  "Hawkeye!"

  "Cut his bands," said Hawkeye to David, who just then approached them.

  The singer did as he was ordered, and Uncas found his limbs released. Atthe same moment the dried skin of the animal rattled, and presently thescout arose to his feet, in proper person. The Mohican appeared tocomprehend the nature of the attempt his friend had made, intuitively;neither tongue nor feature betraying another symptom of surprise. WhenHawkeye had cast his shaggy vestment, which was done by simply loosingcertain thongs of skin, he drew a long glittering knife, and put it inthe hands of Uncas.

  "The red Hurons are without," he said; "let us be ready."

  At the same time he laid his finger significantly on another similarweapon, both being the fruits of his prowess among their enemies duringthe evening.

  "We will go," said Uncas.

  "Whither?"

  "To the Tortoises; they are the children of my grandfathers."

  "Ay, lad," said the scout in English--a language he was apt to use whena little abstracted in mind; "the same blood runs in your veins, Ibelieve; but time and distance have a little changed its color. Whatshall we do with the Mingos at the door? They count six, and this singeris as good as nothing."

  "The Hurons are boasters," said Uncas scornfully; "their 'totem' is amoose, and they run like snails. The Delawares are children of thetortoise, and they outstrip the deer."

  "Ay, lad, there is truth in what you say; and I doubt not, on a rush,you would pass the whole nation; and, in a straight race of two miles,would be in, and get your breath again, afore a knave of them all waswithin hearing of the other village. But the gift of a white man liesmore in his arms than in his legs. As for myself, I can brain a Huron aswell as a better man; but when it comes to a race, the knaves wouldprove too much for me."

  Uncas, who had already approached the door, in readiness to lead theway, now recoiled; and placed himself, once more, in the bottom of thelodge. But Hawkeye, who was too much occupied with his own thoughts tonote the movement, continued speaking more to himself than to hiscompanion.

  "After all," he said, "it is unreasonable to keep one man in bondage tothe gifts of another. So, Uncas, you had better take the leap, while Iput on the skin again, and trust to cunning for want of speed."

  The young Mohican made no reply, but quietly folded his arms, and leanedhis body against one of the upright posts that supported the wall of thehut.

  "Well," said the scout, looking up at him, "why do you tarry? There willbe time enough for me, as the knaves will give chase to you at first."

  "Uncas will stay," was the calm reply.

  "For what?"

  "To fight with his father's brother, and die with the friend of theDelawares."

  "Ay, lad," returned Hawkeye, squeezing the hand of Uncas between his owniron fingers; "'twould have been more like a Mingo than a Mohican hadyou left me. But I thought I would make the offer, seeing that youthcommonly loves life. Well, what can't be done by main courage, in war,must be done by circumvention. Put on the skin; I doubt not you can playthe bear nearly as well as myself."

  Whatever might have been the private opinion of Uncas of theirrespective abilities in this particular, his grave countenancemanifested no opinion of his own superiority. He silently andexpeditiously encased himself in the covering of the beast, and thenawaited such other movements as his more aged companion saw fit todictate.

  "Now, friend," said Hawkeye, addressing David, "an exchange of garmentswill be a great convenience to you, inasmuch as you are but littleaccustomed to the make-shifts of the wilderness. Here, take my huntingshirt and cap, and give me your blanket and hat. You must trust me withthe book and spectacles, as well as the tooter, too; if we ever meetagain, in better times, you shall have all back again, with many thanksinto the bargain."

  David parted with the several articles named with a readiness that wouldhave done great credit to his liberality, had he not certainly profited,in many particulars, by the exchange. Hawkeye was not long in assuminghis borrowed garments; and when his restless eyes were hid behind theglasses, and his head was surmounted by the triangular beaver, as theirstatures were not dissimilar, he might readily have passed for thesinger by star-light. As soon as these dispositions were made, the scoutturned to David, and gave him his parting instructions.

  "Are you much given to cowardice?" he bluntly asked, by way of obtaininga suitable understanding of the whole case before he ventured aprescription.

  "My pursuits are peaceful, and my temper, I humbly trust, is greatlygiven to mercy and love," returned David, a little nettled at so directan attack on his manhood; "but there are none who can say that I haveever forgotten my faith in the Lord, even in the greate
st straits."

  "Your chiefest danger will be at the moment when the savages find outthat they have been deceived. If you are not then knocked in the head,your being a non-composser will protect you; and you'll then have goodreason to expect to die in your bed. If you stay, it must be to sit downhere in the shadow, and take the part of Uncas, until such times as thecunning of the Indians discover the cheat, when, as I have already said,your time of trial will come. So choose for yourself,--to make a rush ortarry here."

  "Even so," said David, firmly; "I will abide in the place of theDelaware. Bravely and generously has he battled in my behalf; and this,and more, will I dare in his service."

  "You have spoken as a man, and like one who, under wiser schooling,would have been brought to better things. Hold your head down, and drawin your legs; their formation might tell the truth too early. Keepsilent as long as may be; and it would be wise, when you do speak, tobreak out suddenly in one of your shoutings, which will serve to remindthe Indians that you are not altogether as responsible as men should be.If, however, they take your scalp, as I trust and believe they will not,depend on it, Uncas and I will not forget the deed, but revenge it asbecomes true warriors and trusty friends."

  "Hold!" said David, perceiving that with this assurance they were aboutto leave him; "I am an unworthy and humble follower of One who taughtnot the damnable principle of revenge. Should I fall, therefore, seek novictims to my manes, but rather forgive my destroyers; and if youremember them at all, let it be in prayers for the enlightening of theirminds, and for their eternal welfare."

  The scout hesitated, and appeared to muse.

  "There is a principle in that," he said, "different from the law of thewoods; and yet it is fair and noble to reflect upon." Then, heaving aheavy sigh, probably among the last he ever drew in pining for acondition he had so long abandoned, he added, "It is what I would wishto practise, myself, as one without a cross of blood, though it is notalways easy to deal with an Indian as you would with a fellow Christian.God bless you, friend; I do believe your scent is not greatly wrong,when the matter is duly considered, and keeping eternity before theeyes, though much depends on the natural gifts, and the force oftemptation."

  So saying, the scout returned and shook David cordially by the hand;after which act of friendship he immediately left the lodge, attended bythe new representative of the beast.

  The instant Hawkeye found himself under the observation of the Hurons,he drew up his tall form in the rigid manner of David, threw out his armin the act of keeping time, and commenced what he intended for animitation of his psalmody. Happily for the success of this delicateadventure, he had to deal with ears but little practised in the concordof sweet sounds, or the miserable effort would infallibly have beendetected. It was necessary to pass within a dangerous proximity of thedark group of the savages, and the voice of the scout grew louder asthey drew nigher. When at the nearest point, the Huron who spoke theEnglish thrust out an arm, and stopped the supposed singing-master.

  "The Delaware dog!" he said, leaning forward, and peering through thedim light to catch the expression of the other's features; "is heafraid? will the Hurons hear his groans?"

  A growl so exceedingly fierce and natural proceeded from the beast, thatthe young Indian released his hold and started aside, as if to assurehimself that it was not a veritable bear, and no counterfeit, that wasrolling before him. Hawkeye, who feared his voice would betray him tohis subtle enemies, gladly profited by the interruption, to break outanew in such a burst of musical expression as would, probably, in amore refined state of society have been termed "a grand crash." Amonghis actual auditors, however, it merely gave him an additional claim tothat respect which they never withhold from such as are believed to bethe subjects of mental alienation. The little knot of Indians drew backin a body, and suffered, as they thought, the conjurer and his inspiredassistant to proceed.

  It required no common exercise of fortitude in Uncas and the scout, tocontinue the dignified and deliberate pace they had assumed in passingthe lodges; especially as they immediately perceived that curiosity hadso far mastered fear, as to induce the watchers to approach the hut, inorder to witness the effect of the incantations. The least injudiciousor impatient movement on the part of David might betray them, and timewas absolutely necessary to insure the safety of the scout. The loudnoise the latter conceived it politic to continue, drew many curiousgazers to the doors of the different huts as they passed; and once ortwice a dark-looking warrior stepped across their path, led to the actby superstition or watchfulness. They were not, however, interrupted;the darkness of the hour, and the coldness of the attempt, proving theirprincipal friends.

  The adventurers had got clear of the village, and were now swiftlyapproaching the shelter of the woods, when a loud and long cry arosefrom the lodge where Uncas had been confined. The Mohican started on hisfeet, and shook his shaggy covering, as though the animal hecounterfeited was about to make some desperate effort.

  "Hold!" said the scout, grasping his friend by the shoulder, "let themyell again! 'Twas nothing but wonderment."

  He had no occasion to delay, for the next instant a burst of criesfilled the outer air, and ran along the whole extent of the village.Uncas cast his skin, and stepped forth in his own beautiful proportions.Hawkeye tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and glided ahead.

  "Now let the devils strike our scent!" said the scout, tearing tworifles, with all their attendant accoutrements, from beneath a bush, andflourishing "Killdeer" as he handed Uncas his weapon; "two, at least,will find it to their deaths."

  Then throwing their pieces to a low trail, like sportsmen in readinessfor their game, they dashed forward, and were soon buried in the sombredarkness of the forest.