The Pathfinder; Or, The Inland Sea

by James Fenimore Cooper

  CHAPTER VI.

  These, as they change, Almighty Father, these, Are but the varied God. THOMSON.

  As the chief landed he was met by the Pathfinder, who addressed him inthe language of the warrior's people: "Was it well done, Chingachgook,"said he reproachfully, "to ambush a dozen Mingos alone? Killdeer seldomfails me, it is true; but the Oswego makes a distant mark, and thatmiscreant showed little more than his head and shoulders above thebushes, and an onpractysed hand and eye might have failed. You shouldhave thought of this, chief--you should have thought of this!"

  "The Great Serpent is a Mohican warrior--he sees only his enemies whenhe is on the war-path, and his fathers have struck the Mingos frombehind, since the waters began to run."

  "I know your gifts, I know your gifts, and respect them too. No manshall hear me complain that a red-skin obsarved red-skin natur'. Butprudence as much becomes a warrior as valor; and had not the Iroquoisdevils been looking after their friends who were in the water, a hottrail they would have made of yourn."

  "What is the Delaware about to do?" exclaimed Jasper, who observed atthat moment that the chief had suddenly left the Pathfinder and advancedto the water's edge, apparently with an intention of again entering theriver. "He will not be so mad as to return to the other shore for anytrifle he may have forgotten?"

  "Not he, not he; he is as prudent as he is brave, in the main, thoughso forgetful of himself in the late ambushment. Hark'e, Jasper," leadingthe other a little aside, just as they heard the Indian's plunge intothe water,--"hark'e, lad; Chingachgook is not a Christian white man,like ourselves, but a Mohican chief, who has his gifts and traditions totell him what he ought to do; and he who consorts with them that are notstrictly and altogether of his own kind had better leave natur' and useto govern his comrades. A king's soldier will swear and he will drink,and it is of little use to try to prevent him; a gentleman likes hisdelicacies, and a lady her feathers and it does not avail much tostruggle against either; whereas an Indian's natur' and gifts are muchstronger than these, and no doubt were bestowed by the Lord for wiseends, though neither you nor me can follow them in all their windings."

  "What does this mean? See, the Delaware is swimming towards the bodythat is lodged on the rock? Why does he risk this?"

  "For honor and glory and renown, as great gentlemen quit their quiethomes beyond seas--where, as they tell me, heart has nothing left towish for; that is, such hearts as can be satisfied in a clearing--tocome hither to live on game and fight the Frenchers."

  "I understand you--your friend has gone to secure the scalp."

  "'Tis his gift, and let him enjoy it. We are white men, and cannotmangle a dead enemy; but it is honor in the eyes of a red-skin to doso. It may seem singular to you, Eau-douce, but I've known white men ofgreat name and character manifest as remarkable idees consarning theirhonor, I have."

  "A savage will be a savage, Pathfinder, let him keep what company hemay."

  "It is well for us to say so, lad; but, as I tell you, white honor willnot always conform to reason or to the will of God. I have passed daysthinking of these matters, out in the silent woods, and I have cometo the opinion, boy, that, as Providence rules all things, no gift isbestowed without some wise and reasonable end."

  "The Serpent greatly exposes himself to the enemy, in order to get hisscalp! This may lose us the day."

  "Not in his mind, Jasper. That one scalp has more honor in it, accordingto the Sarpent's notions of warfare, than a field covered with slain,that kept the hair on their heads. Now, there was the fine youngcaptain of the 60th that threw away his life in trying to bring off athree-pounder from among the Frenchers in the last skrimmage we had;he thought he was sarving honor; and I have known a young ensign wraphimself up in his colors, and go to sleep in his blood, fancying that hewas lying on something softer even than buffalo-skins."

  "Yes, yes; one can understand the merit of not hauling down an ensign."

  "And these are Chingachgook's colors--he will keep them to show hischildren's children--" Here the Pathfinder interrupted himself, shookhis head in melancholy, and slowly added, "Ah's me! no shoot of the oldMohican stem remains! He has no children to delight with his trophies;no tribe to honor by his deeds; he is a lone man in this world, and yethe stands true to his training and his gifts! There is something honestand respectable in these, you must allow, Jasper."

  Here a great outcry from the Iroquois was succeeded by the quick reportsof their rifles, and so eager did the enemy become, in the desire todrive the Delaware back from his victim, that a dozen rushed intothe river, several of whom even advanced near a hundred feet into thefoaming current, as if they actually meditated a serious sortie. ButChingachgook continued unmoved, as he remained unhurt by the missiles,accomplishing his task with the dexterity of long habit. Flourishing hisreeking trophy, he gave the war-whoop in its most frightful intonations,and for a minute the arches of the silent woods and the deep vistaformed by the course of the river echoed with cries so terrific thatMabel bowed her head in irrepressible fear, while her uncle for a singleinstant actually meditated flight.

  "This surpasses all I have heard from the wretches," Jasper exclaimed,stopping his ears, equally in horror and disgust.

  "'Tis their music, boy; their drum and fife; their trumpets andclarions. No doubt they love those sounds; for they stir up in themfierce feelings, and a desire for blood," returned the Pathfinder,totally unmoved. "I thought them rather frightful when a mere youngster;but they have become like the whistle of the whippoorwill or the song ofthe cat-bird in my ear now. All the screeching reptyles that could standbetween the falls and the garrison would have no effect on my narvesat this time of day. I say it not in boasting, Jasper; for the man thatlets in cowardice through the ears must have but a weak heart atthe best; sounds and outcries being more intended to alarm women andchildren than such as scout the forest and face the foe. I hope theSarpent is now satisfied, for here he comes with the scalp at his belt."

  Jasper turned away his head as the Delaware rose from the water, in puredisgust at his late errand; but the Pathfinder regarded his friend withthe philosophical indifference of one who had made up his mind to beindifferent to things he deemed immaterial. As the Delaware passeddeeper into the bushes with a view to wring his trifling calico dressand to prepare his rifle for service, he gave one glance of triumph athis companions, and then all emotion connected with the recent exploitseemed to cease.

  "Jasper," resumed the guide, "step down to the station of Master Cap,and ask him to join us: we have little time for a council, and yet ourplans must be laid quickly, for it will not be long before them Mingoswill be plotting our ruin."

  The young man complied; and in a few minutes the four were assemblednear the shore, completely concealed from the view of their enemies,while they kept a vigilant watch over the proceedings of the latter, inorder to consult on their own future movements.

  By this time the day had so far advanced as to leave but a few minutesbetween the passing light and an obscurity that promised to be evendeeper than common. The sun had already set and the twilight of a lowlatitude would soon pass into the darkness of deep night. Most of thehopes of the party rested on this favorable circumstance, though it wasnot without its dangers also, as the very obscurity which would favortheir escape would be as likely to conceal the movements of their wilyenemies.

  "The moment has come, men," Pathfinder commenced, "when our plans mustbe coolly laid, in order that we may act together, and with a rightunderstanding of our errand and gifts. In an hour's time these woodswill be as dark as midnight; and if we are ever to gain the garrison,it must be done under favor of this advantage. What say you, Master Cap?for, though none of the most experienced in combats and retreats in thewoods, your years entitle you to speak first in a matter like this andin a council."

  "Well, in my judgment, all we have to do is to go on board the canoewhen it gets to be so dark the enemy's lookouts can't see us, and runfor the haven, as wind and tide will
allow."

  "That is easily said, but not so easily done," returned the guide. "Weshall be more exposed in the river than by following the woods; and thenthere is the Oswego rift below us, and I am far from sartain that Jasperhimself can carry a boat safely through it in the dark. What say you,lad, as to your own skill and judgment?"

  "I am of Master Cap's opinion about using the canoe. Mabel is too tenderto walk through swamps and among roots of trees in such a night as thispromises to be, and then I always feel myself stouter of heart and truerof eye when afloat than when ashore."

  "Stout of heart you always be, lad, and I think tolerably true of eyefor one who has lived so much in broad sunshine and so little in thewoods. Ah's me! The Ontario has no trees, or it would be a plain todelight a hunter's heart! As to your opinion, friends, there is much forand much against it. For it, it may be said water leaves no trail--"

  "What do you call the wake?" interrupted the pertinacious and dogmaticalCap.

  "Anan?"

  "Go on," said Jasper; "Master Cap thinks he is on the ocean--waterleaves no trail--"

  "It leaves none, Eau-douce, hereaway, though I do not pretend to saywhat it may leave on the sea. Then a canoe is both swift and easy whenit floats with the current, and the tender limbs of the Sergeant'sdaughter will be favored by its motion. But, on the other hand, theriver will have no cover but the clouds in the heavens; the rift is aticklish thing for boats to venture into, even by daylight; and it issix fairly measured miles, by water, from this spot to the garrison.Then a trail on land is not easy to be found in the dark. I am troubled,Jasper, to say which way we ought to counsel and advise."

  "If the Serpent and myself could swim into the river and bring off theother canoe," the young sailor replied, "it would seem to me that oursafest course would be the water."

  "If, indeed! and yet it might easily be done, as soon as it is a littledarker. Well, well, I am not sartain it will not be the best. Though,were we only a party of men, it would be like a hunt to the lusty andbrave to play at hide-and-seek with yonder miscreants on the othershore, Jasper," continued the guide, into whose character there enteredno ingredient which belonged to vain display or theatrical effect, "willyou undertake to bring in the canoe?"

  "I will undertake anything that will serve and protect Mabel,Pathfinder."

  "That is an upright feeling, and I suppose it is natur'. The Sarpent,who is nearly naked already, can help you; and this will be cutting offone of the means of them devils to work their harm."

  This material point being settled, the different members of the partyprepared themselves to put the project in execution. The shades ofevening fell fast upon the forest; and by the time all was ready forthe attempt, it was found impossible to discern objects on the oppositeshore. Time now pressed; for Indian cunning could devise so manyexpedients for passing so narrow a stream, that the Pathfinder wasgetting impatient to quit the spot. While Jasper and his companionentered the river, armed with nothing but their knives and theDelaware's tomahawk, observing the greatest caution not to betray theirmovements, the guide brought Mabel from her place of concealment, and,bidding her and Cap proceed along the shore to the foot of the rapids,he got into the canoe that remained in his possession, in order to carryit to the same place.

  This was easily effected. The canoe was laid against the bank, andMabel and her uncle entered it, taking their seats as usual; while thePathfinder, erect in the stern, held by a bush, in order to prevent theswift stream from sweeping them down its current. Several minutes ofintense and breathless expectation followed, while they awaited theresults of the bold attempt of their comrades.

  It will be understood that the two adventurers were compelled to swimacross a deep and rapid channel before they could reach a part of therift that admitted of wading. This portion of the enterprise was sooneffected; and Jasper and the Serpent struck the bottom side by side atthe same instant. Having secured firm footing, they took hold of eachother's hands, and waded slowly and with extreme caution in the supposeddirection of the canoe. But the darkness was already so deep that theysoon ascertained they were to be but little aided by the sense of sight,and that their search must be conducted on that species of instinctwhich enables the woodsman to find his way when the sun is hid, no starsappear, and all would seem chaos to one less accustomed to the mazes ofthe forest. Under these circumstances, Jasper submitted to be guided bythe Delaware, whose habits best fitted him to take the lead. Still itwas no easy matter to wade amid the roaring element at that hour, andretain a clear recollection of the localities. By the time they believedthemselves to be in the centre of the stream, the two shores werediscernible merely by masses of obscurity denser than common, theoutlines against the clouds being barely distinguishable by the raggedtops of the trees. Once or twice the wanderers altered their course, inconsequence of unexpectedly stepping into deep water; for they knew thatthe boat had lodged on the shallowest part of the rift. In short, withthis fact for their compass, Jasper and his companion wandered aboutin the water for nearly a quarter of an hour; and at the end of thatperiod, which began to appear interminable to the young man, they foundthemselves apparently no nearer the object of their search than theyhad been at its commencement. Just as the Delaware was about to stop, inorder to inform his associate that they would do well to return tothe land, in order to take a fresh departure, he saw the form of a manmoving about in the water, almost within reach of his arm. Jasper wasat his side, and he at once understood that the Iroquois were engaged onthe same errand as he was himself.

  "Mingo!" he uttered in Jasper's ear. "The Serpent will show his brotherhow to be cunning."

  The young sailor caught a glimpse of the figure at that instant, and thestartling truth also flashed on his mind. Understanding the necessity oftrusting all to the Delaware chief, he kept back, while his friend movedcautiously in the direction in which the strange form had vanished. Inanother moment it was seen again, evidently moving towards themselves.The waters made such an uproar that little was to be apprehended fromordinary sounds, and the Indian, turning his head, hastily said, "Leaveit to the cunning of the Great Serpent."

  "Hugh!" exclaimed the strange savage, adding, in the language of hispeople, "The canoe is found, but there were none to help me. Come, letus raise it from the rock."

  "Willingly," answered Chingachgook, who understood the dialect. "Lead;we will follow."

  The stranger, unable to distinguish between voices and accents amid theraging of the rapid, led the way in the necessary direction and, thetwo others keeping close at his heels, all three speedily reached thecanoe. The Iroquois laid hold of one end, Chingachgook placed himselfin the centre, and Jasper went to the opposite extremity, as itwas important that the stranger should not detect the presence of apale-face, a discovery that might be made by the parts of the dress theyoung man still wore, as well as by the general appearance of his head.

  "Lift," said the Iroquois in the sententious manner of his race; and bya trifling effort the canoe was raised from the rock, held a momentin the air to empty it, and then placed carefully on the water in itsproper position. All three held it firmly, lest it should escapefrom their hands under the pressure of the violent current, while theIroquois, who led, of course, being at the upper end of the boat,took the direction of the eastern shore, or towards the spot where hisfriends waited his return.

  As the Delaware and Jasper well knew there must be several more of theIroquois on the rift, from the circumstance that their own appearancehad occasioned no surprise in the individual they had met, both felt thenecessity of extreme caution. Men less bold and determined would havethought that they were incurring too great a risk by thus venturing intothe midst of their enemies; but these hardy borderers were unacquaintedwith fear, were accustomed to hazards, and so well understood thenecessity of at least preventing their foes from getting the boat, thatthey would have cheerfully encountered even greater risks to securetheir object. So all-important to the safety of Mabel, indeed, didJasper deem the posses
sion or the destruction of this canoe, that he haddrawn his knife, and stood ready to rip up the bark, in order to renderthe boat temporarily unserviceable, should anything occur to compel theDelaware and himself to abandon their prize.

  In the meantime, the Iroquois, who led the way, proceeded slowly throughthe water in the direction of his own party, still grasping the canoe,and dragging his reluctant followers in his train. Once Chingachgookraised his tomahawk, and was about to bury it in the brain of hisconfiding and unsuspicious neighbor; but the probability that thedeath-cry or the floating body might give the alarm induced that warychief to change his purpose. At the next moment he regretted thisindecision, for the three who clung to the canoe suddenly foundthemselves in the centre of a party of no less than four others who werein quest of it.

  After the usual brief characteristic exclamations of satisfaction, thesavages eagerly laid hold of the canoe, for all seemed impressed withthe necessity of securing this important boat, the one side in order toassail their foes, and the other to secure their retreat. The additionto the party, however, was so unlooked-for, and so completely gave theenemy the superiority, that for a few moments the ingenuity and addressof even the Delaware were at fault. The five Iroquois, who seemedperfectly to understand their errand, pressed forward towards theirown shore, without pausing to converse; their object being in truth toobtain the paddles, which they had previously secured, and to embarkthree or four warriors, with all their rifles and powder-horns, the wantof which had alone prevented their crossing the river by swimming assoon as it was dark.

  In this manner, the body of friends and foes united reached the marginof the eastern channel, where, as in the case of the western, theriver was too deep to be waded. Here a short pause succeeded, it beingnecessary to determine the manner in which the canoe was to be carriedacross. One of the four who had just reached the boat was a chief;and the habitual deference which the American Indian pays to merit,experience, and station kept the others silent until this individual hadspoken.

  The halt greatly added to the danger of discovering the presence ofJasper, in particular, who, however, had the precaution to throw thecap he wore into the bottom of the canoe. Being without his jacket andshirt, the outline of his figure, in the obscurity, would now be lesslikely to attract observation. His position, too, at the stern of thecanoe a little favored his concealment, the Iroquois naturally keepingtheir looks directed the other way. Not so with Chingachgook. Thiswarrior was literally in the midst of his most deadly foes, and hecould scarcely move without touching one of them. Yet he was apparentlyunmoved, though he kept all his senses on the alert, in readinessto escape, or to strike a blow at the proper moment. By carefullyabstaining from looking towards those behind him, he lessened thechances of discovery, and waited with the indomitable patience of anIndian for the instant when he should be required to act.

  "Let all my young men but two, one at each end of the canoe, cross andget their arms," said the Iroquois chief. "Let the two push over theboat."

  The Indians quietly obeyed, leaving Jasper at the stern, and theIroquois who had found the canoe at the bow of the light craft,Chingachgook burying himself so deep in the river as to be passed by theothers without detection. The splashing in the water, the tossing arms,and the calls of one to another, soon announced that the four who hadlast joined the party were already swimming. As soon as this fact wascertain, the Delaware rose, resumed his former station, and began tothink the moment for action was come.

  One less habitually under self-restraint than this warrior wouldprobably have now aimed his meditated blow; but Chingachgook knew therewere more Iroquois behind him on the rift, and he was a warrior much tootrained and experienced to risk anything unnecessarily. He suffered theIndian at the bow of the canoe to push off into the deep water, and thenall three were swimming in the direction of the eastern shore. Instead,however, of helping the canoe across the swift current, no sooner didthe Delaware and Jasper find themselves within the influence of itsgreatest force than both began to swim in a way to check their fartherprogress across the stream. Nor was this done suddenly, or in theincautious manner in which a civilized man would have been apt toattempt the artifice, but warily, and so gradually that the Iroquois atthe bow fancied at first he was merely struggling against the strengthof the current. Of course, while acted on by these opposing efforts,the canoe drifted down stream, and in about a minute it was floating instill deeper water at the foot of the rift. Here, however, the Iroquoiswas not slow in finding that something unusual retarded their advance,and, looking back; he first learned that he was resisted by the effortsof his companions.

  That second nature which grows up through habit instantly told the youngIroquois that he was alone with enemies. Dashing the water aside, hesprang at the throat of Chingachgook, and the two Indians, relinquishingtheir hold of the canoe, seized each other like tigers. In the midstof the darkness of that gloomy night, and floating in an element sodangerous to man when engaged in deadly strife, they appeared to forgeteverything but their fell animosity and their mutual desire to conquer.

  Jasper had now complete command of the canoe, which flew off likea feather impelled by the breath under the violent reaction of thestruggles of the two combatants. The first impulse of the youth was toswim to the aid of the Delaware, but the importance of securing theboat presented itself with tenfold force, while he listened to theheavy breathings of the warriors as they throttled each other, and heproceeded as fast as possible towards the western shore. This he soonreached; and after a short search he succeeded in discovering theremainder of the party and in procuring his clothes. A few wordssufficed to explain the situation in which he had left the Delaware andthe manner in which the canoe had been obtained.

  When those who had been left behind had heard the explanations ofJasper, a profound stillness reigned among them, each listening intentlyin the vain hope of catching some clue to the result of the fearfulstruggle that had just taken place, if it were not still going on in thewater. Nothing was audible beyond the steady roar of the rushing river;it being a part of the policy of their enemies on the opposite shore toobserve the most deathlike stillness.

  "Take this paddle, Jasper," said Pathfinder calmly, though the listenersthought his voice sounded more melancholy than usual, "and follow withyour own canoe. It is unsafe for us to remain here longer."

  "But the Serpent?"

  "The Great Sarpent is in the hands of his own Deity, and will live ordie, according to the intentions of Providence. We can do him no good,and may risk too much by remaining here in idleness, like women talkingover their distresses. This darkness is very precious."

  A loud, long, piercing yell came from the shore, and cut short the wordsof the guide.

  "What is the meaning of that uproar, Master Pathfinder?" demanded Cap."It sounds more like the outcries of devils than anything that can comefrom the throats of Christians and men."

  "Christians they are not, and do not pretend to be, and do not wish tobe; and in calling them devils you have scarcely misnamed them. Thatyell is one of rejoicing, and it is as conquerors they have given it.The body of the Sarpent, no doubt, dead or alive, is in their power.

  "And we!" exclaimed Jasper, who felt a pang of generous regret, as theidea that he might have averted the calamity presented itself to hismind, had he not deserted his comrade.

  "We can do the chief no good, lad, and must quit this spot as fast aspossible."

  "Without one attempt to rescue him?--without even knowing whether he bedead or living?"

  "Jasper is right," said Mabel, who could speak, though her voice soundedhuskily and smothered; "I have no fears, uncle, and will stay here untilwe know what has become of our friend."

  "This seems reasonable, Pathfinder," put in Cap. "Your true seamancannot well desert a messmate; and I am glad to find that motives socorrect exist among those fresh-water people."

  "Tut! tut!" returned the impatient guide, forcing the canoe into thestream as he spoke; "ye know nothing and
ye fear nothing. If ye valueyour lives, think of reaching the garrison, and leave the Delaware inthe hands of Providence. Ah's me! the deer that goes too often to thelick meets the hunter at last!"