"An oaken, broken, elbow-chair;
A caudle-cup without an ear;
A battered, shattered ash bedstead;
A box of deal without a lid;
A pair of tongs, but out of joint;
A back-sword poker, without point;
A dish which might good meat afford once;
An Ovid, and an old
Concordance."Thomas Sheridan, "A True and Faithful Inventory of the Goods
belonging to Dr. Swift," ll.i-6, 13-14.
No sooner did Deerslayer raise the pistols, than he turned to the
Delaware and held them up for his admiration.
"Child gun," said the Serpent, smiling, while he handled one of
the instruments as if it had been a toy."
"Not it, Sarpent; not it - 'twas made for a man and would satisfy
a giant, if rightly used. But stop; white men are remarkable for
their carelessness in putting away fire arms, in chists and corners.
Let me look if care has been given to these."
As Deerslayer spoke, he took the weapon from the hand of his friend
and opened the pan. The last was filled with priming, caked like
a bit of cinder, by time, moisture and compression. An application
of the ramrod showed that both the pistols were charged, although
Judith could testify that they had probably lain for years in the
chest. It is not easy to portray the surprise of the Indian at
this discovery, for he was in the practice of renewing his priming
daily, and of looking to the contents of his piece at other short
intervals.
"This is white neglect," said Deerslayer, shaking his head, "and
scarce a season goes by that some one in the settlements doesn't
suffer from it. It's extr'ornary too, Judith - yes, it's downright
extr'ornary that the owner shall fire his piece at a deer, or
some other game, or perhaps at an inimy, and twice out of three
times he'll miss; but let him catch an accident with one of these
forgotten charges, and he makes it sartain death to a child, or a
brother, or a fri'nd! Well, we shall do a good turn to the owner
if we fire these pistols for him, and as they're novelties to
you and me, Sarpent, we'll try our hands at a mark. Freshen that
priming, and I'll do the same with this, and then we'll see who
is the best man with a pistol; as for the rifle, that's long been
settled atween us."
Deerslayer laughed heartily at his own conceit, and, in a minute
or two, they were both standing on the platform, selecting some
object in the Ark for their target. Judith was led by curiosity
to their side.
"Stand back, gal, stand a little back; these we'pons have been
long loaded," said Deerslayer, "and some accident may happen in
the discharge." "Then you shall not fire them! Give them both to
the Delaware; or it would be better to unload them without firing."
"That's ag'in usage - and some people say, ag'in manhood; though
I hold to no such silly doctrine. We must fire 'em, Judith; yes,
we must fire 'em; though I foresee that neither will have any great
reason to boast of his skill."
Judith, in the main, was a girl of great personal spirit, and her
habits prevented her from feeling any of the terror that is apt to
come over her sex at the report of fire arms. She had discharged
many a rifle, and had even been known to kill a deer, under
circumstances that were favorable to the effort. She submitted
therefore, falling a little back by the side of Deerslayer, giving
the Indian the front of the platform to himself. Chingachgook
raised the weapon several times, endeavored to steady it by using
both hands, changed his attitude from one that was awkward to
another still more so, and finally drew the trigger with a sort
of desperate indifference, without having, in reality, secured any
aim at all. The consequence was, that instead of hitting the knot
which had been selected for the mark, he missed the ark altogether;
the bullet skipping along the water like a stone that was thrown
by hand.
"Well done - Sarpent - well done -" cried Deerslayer laughing, with
his noiseless glee, "you've hit the lake, and that's an expl'ite
for some men! I know'd it, and as much as said it, here, to Judith;
for your short we'pons don't belong to red-skin gifts. You've hit
the lake, and that's better than only hitting the air! Now, stand
back and let us see what white gifts can do with a white we'pon.
A pistol isn't a rifle, but colour is colour."
The aim of Deerslayer was both quick and steady, and the report
followed almost as soon as the weapon rose. Still the pistol
hung fire, as it is termed, and fragments of it flew in a dozen
directions, some falling on the roof of the castle, others in the
Ark, and one in the water. Judith screamed, and when the two men
turned anxiously towards the girl she was as pale as death, trembling
in every limb.
"She's wounded - yes, the poor gal's wounded, Sarpent, though one
couldn't foresee it, standing where she did. We'll lead her in
to a seat, and we must do the best for her that our knowledge and
skill can afford."
Judith allowed herself to be supported to a seat, swallowed a mouthful
of the water that the Delaware offered her in a gourd, and, after
a violent fit of trembling that seemed ready to shake her fine
frame to dissolution, she burst into tears.
"The pain must be borne, poor Judith - yes, it must be borne," said
Deerslayer, soothingly, "though I am far from wishing you not to
weep; for weeping often lightens galish feelin's. Where can she
be hurt, Sarpent? I see no signs of blood, nor any rent of skin
or garments?"
"I am uninjured, Deerslayer," stammered the girl through her tears.
"It's fright - nothing more, I do assure you, and, God be praised!
no one, I find, has been harmed by the accident."
"This is extr'ornary!" exclaimed the unsuspecting and simple minded
hunter - "I thought, Judith, you'd been above settlement weaknesses,
and that you was a gal not to be frightened by the sound of a
bursting we'pon - No - I didn't think you so skeary! Hetty might
well have been startled; but you've too much judgment and reason
to be frightened when the danger's all over. They're pleasant to
the eye, chief, and changeful, but very unsartain in their feelin's!"
Shame kept Judith silent. There had been no acting in her agitation,
but all had fairly proceeded from sudden and uncontrollable alarm
- an alarm that she found almost as inexplicable to herself, as it
proved to be to her companions. Wiping away the traces of tears,
however, she smiled again, and was soon able to join in the laugh
at her own folly.
"And you, Deerslayer," she at length succeeded in saying - "are
you, indeed, altogether unhurt? It seems almost miraculous that a
pistol should have burst in your hand, and you escape without the
loss of a limb, if not of life!"
"Such wonders ar'n't oncommon, at all, among worn out arms. The
first rifle they gave me play'd the same trick, and yet I liv'd
through it, though not as onharmless as I've got out of this affair.
Thomas Hutter is master of one pistol less than he was this morning,
but, as it happened in trying to sarve him, there's no ground of
complaint. Now, draw near, and let us look farther into the inside
of the chist."
Judith, by this time, had so far gotten the better of her agitation
as to resume her seat, and the examination went on. The next article
that offered was enveloped in cloth, and on opening it, it proved
to be one of the mathematical instruments that were then in use
among seamen, possessing the usual ornaments and fastenings in
brass. Deerslayer and Chingachgook expressed their admiration and
surprise at the appearance of the unknown instrument, which was
bright and glittering, having apparently been well cared for.
"This goes beyond the surveyors, Judith!" Deerslayer exclaimed,
after turning the instrument several times in his hands. "I've
seen all their tools often, and wicked and heartless enough are
they, for they never come into the forest but to lead the way to
waste and destruction; but none of them have as designing a look
as this! I fear me, after all, that Thomas Hutter has journeyed
into the wilderness with no fair intentions towards its happiness.
Did you ever see any of the cravings of a surveyor about your
father, gal?"
"He is no surveyor, Deerslayer, nor does he know the use of that
instrument, though he seems to own it. Do you suppose that Thomas
Hutter ever wore that coat? It is as much too large for him, as
this instrument is beyond his learning."
"That's it - that must be it, Sarpent, and the old fellow, by some
onknown means, has fallen heir to another man's goods! They say
he has been a mariner, and no doubt this chist, and all it holds
- ha! What have we here? -This far out does the brass and black
wood of the tool!"
Deerslayer had opened a small bag, from which he was taking, one
by one, the pieces of a set of chessmen. They were of ivory, much
larger than common, and exquisitely wrought. Each piece represented
the character or thing after which it is named; the knights
being mounted, the castles stood on elephants, and even the pawns
possessed the heads and busts of men. The set was not complete, and
a few fractures betrayed bad usage; but all that was left had been
carefully put away and preserved. Even Judith expressed wonder, as
these novel objects were placed before her eyes, and Chingachgook
fairly forgot his Indian dignity in admiration and delight. The
latter took up each piece, and examined it with never tiring
satisfaction, pointing out to the girl the more ingenious and
striking portions of the workmanship. But the elephants gave him
the greatest pleasure. The "Hughs!" that he uttered, as he passed
his fingers over their trunks, and ears, and tails, were very
distinct, nor did he fail to note the pawns, which were armed as
archers. This exhibition lasted several minutes, during which time
Judith and the Indian had all the rapture to themselves. Deerslayer
sat silent, thoughtful, and even gloomy, though his eyes followed
each movement of the two principal actors, noting every new peculiarity
about the pieces as they were held up to view. Not an exclamation
of pleasure, nor a word of condemnation passed his lips. At length
his companions observed his silence, and then, for the first time
since the chessmen had been discovered, did he speak.
"Judith," he asked earnestly, but with a concern that amounted
almost to tenderness of manner, "did your parents ever talk to you
of religion?"
The girl coloured, and the flashes of crimson that passed over her
beautiful countenance were like the wayward tints of a Neapolitan
sky in November. Deerslayer had given her so strong a taste for
truth, however, that she did not waver in her answer, replying
simply and with sincerity.
"My mother did often," she said, "my father never. I thought it
made my mother sorrowful to speak of our prayers and duties, but
my father has never opened his mouth on such matters, before or
since her death."
"That I can believe - that I can believe. He has no God - no
such God as it becomes a man of white skin to worship, or even a
red-skin. Them things are idols!"
Judith started, and for a moment she seemed seriously hurt. Then
she reflected, and in the end she laughed. "And you think,
Deerslayer, that these ivory toys are my father's Gods? I have
heard of idols, and know what they are."
"Them are idols!" repeated the other, positively. "Why should your
father keep 'em, if he doesn't worship 'em."
"Would he keep his gods in a bag, and locked up in a chest? No,
no, Deerslayer; my poor father carries his God with him, wherever
he goes, and that is in his own cravings. These things may really
be idols - I think they are myself, from what I have heard and read
of idolatry, but they have come from some distant country, and like
all the other articles, have fallen into Thomas Hutter's hands when
he was a sailor."
"I'm glad of it - I am downright glad to hear it, Judith, for I do
not think I could have mustered the resolution to strive to help
a white idolater out of his difficulties! The old man is of my
colour and nation and I wish to sarve him, but as one who denied
all his gifts, in the way of religion, it would have come hard to
do so. That animal seems to give you great satisfaction, Sarpent,
though it's an idolatrous beast at the best."
"It is an elephant," interrupted Judith. "I've often seen pictures
of such animals, at the garrisons, and mother had a book in which
there was a printed account of the creature. Father burnt that
with all the other books, for he said Mother loved reading too well.
This was not long before mother died, and I've sometimes thought
that the loss hastened her end."
This was said equally without levity and without any very deep
feeling. It was said without levity, for Judith was saddened by
her recollections, and yet she had been too much accustomed to live
for self, and for the indulgence of her own vanities, to feel her
mother's wrongs very keenly. It required extraordinary circumstances
to awaken a proper sense of her situation, and to stimulate the
better feelings of this beautiful, but misguided girl, and those
circumstances had not yet occurred in her brief existence.
"Elephant, or no elephant, 'tis an idol," returned the hunter, "and
not fit to remain in Christian keeping."
"Good for Iroquois!" said Chingachgook, parting with one of the
castles with reluctance, as his friend took it from him to replace
it in the bag -"Elephon buy whole tribe - buy Delaware, almost!"
"Ay, that it would, as any one who comprehends red-skin natur' must
know," answered Deerslayer, "but the man that passes false money,
Sarpent, is as bad as he who makes it. Did you ever know a just
Injin that wouldn't scorn to sell a 'coon skin for the true marten,
or to pass off a mink for a beaver. I know that a few of these
idols, perhaps one of them elephants, would go far towards buying
Thomas Hutter's liberty, but it goes ag'in conscience to pass such
counterfeit money. Perhaps no Injin tribe, hereaway, is downright
idolators but there's some that come so near it, that white gifts
ought to be particular about encouraging them in their mistake."
"If idolatry is a gift, Deerslayer, and gifts are what you seem
to think them, idolatry in such people can hardly be a sin," said
Judith with more smartness than discrimination.
"God grants no such gifts to any of his creatur's, Judith," returned
the hunter, seriously. "He must be adored, under some name or
other, and not creatur's of brass or ivory. It matters not whether
the Father of All is called God, or Manitou, Deity or Great Spirit,
he is none the less our common maker and master; nor does it count
for much whether the souls of the just go to Paradise, or Happy
Hunting Grounds, since He may send each his own way, as suits
his own pleasure and wisdom; but it curdles my blood, when I find
human mortals so bound up in darkness and consait, as to fashion
the 'arth, or wood, or bones, things made by their own hands, into
motionless, senseless effigies, and then fall down afore them, and
worship 'em as a Deity!"
"After all, Deerslayer, these pieces of ivory may not be idols,
at all. I remember, now, to have seen one of the officers at the
garrison with a set of fox and geese made in some such a design
as these, and here is something hard, wrapped in cloth, that may
belong to your idols."
Deerslayer took the bundle the girl gave him, and unrolling it, he
found the board within. Like the pieces it was large, rich, and
inlaid with ebony and ivory. Putting the whole in conjunction the
hunter, though not without many misgivings, slowly came over to
Judith's opinion, and finally admitted that the fancied idols must
be merely the curiously carved men of some unknown game. Judith
had the tact to use her victory with great moderation, nor did she
once, even in the most indirect manner, allude to the ludicrous
mistake of her companion.
This discovery of the uses of the extraordinary-looking little
images settled the affair of the proposed ransom. It was agreed
generally, and all understood the weaknesses and tastes of Indians,
that nothing could be more likely to tempt the cupidity of the
Iroquois than the elephants, in particular. Luckily the whole of
the castles were among the pieces, and these four tower-bearing
animals it was finally determined should be the ransom offered.
The remainder of the men, and, indeed, all the rest of the articles
in the chest, were to be kept out of view, and to be resorted to
only as a last appeal. As soon as these preliminaries were settled,
everything but those intended for the bribe was carefully replaced
in the chest, all the covers were 'tucked in' as they had been found,
and it was quite possible, could Hutter have been put in possession
of the castle again, that he might have passed the remainder of
his days in it without even suspecting the invasion that had been
made on the privacy of the chest. The rent pistol would have been
the most likely to reveal the secret, but this was placed by the
side of its fellow, and all were pressed down as before, some half
a dozen packages in the bottom of the chest not having been opened
at all. When this was done the lid was lowered, the padlocks
replaced, and the key turned. The latter was then replaced in the
pocket from which it had been taken.
More than an hour was consumed in settling the course proper to
be pursued, and in returning everything to its place. The pauses
to converse were frequent, and Judith, who experienced a lively
pleasure in the open, undisguised admiration with which Deerslayer's
honest eyes gazed at her handsome face, found the means to prolong
the interview, with a dexterity that seems to be innate in female
coquetry. Deerslayer, indeed, appeared to be the first who was
conscious of the time that had been thus wasted, and to call the
attention of his companions to the necessity of doing something
towards putting the plan of ransoming into execution. Chingachgook
had remained in Hutter's bed room, where the elephants were laid,
to feast his eyes with the images of animals so wonderful, and so
novel. Perhaps an instinct told him that his presence would not
be as acceptable to his companions as this holding himself aloof,
for Judith had not much reserve in the manifestations of her
preferences, and the Delaware had not got so far as one betrothed
without acquiring some knowledge of the symptoms of the master
passion.
"Well, Judith," said Deerslayer, rising, after the interview had
lasted much longer than even he himself suspected, "'tis pleasant
convarsing with you, and settling all these matters, but duty calls
us another way. All this time, Hurry and your father, not to say
Hetty - " The word was cut short in the speaker's mouth, for, at
that critical moment, a light step was heard on the platform, or
'court-yard', a human figure darkened the doorway, and the person
last mentioned stood before him. The low exclamation that escaped
Deerslayer and the slight scream of Judith were hardly uttered,
when an Indian youth, between the ages of fifteen and seventeen,
stood beside her. These two entrances had been made with moccasined
feet, and consequently almost without noise, but, unexpected and
stealthy as they were, they had not the effect to disturb Deerslayer's
self possession. His first measure was to speak rapidly in Delaware
to his friend, cautioning him to keep out of sight, while he stood
on his guard; the second was to step to the door to ascertain
the extent of the danger. No one else, however, had come, and a
simple contrivance, in the shape of a raft, that lay floating at
the side of the Ark, at once explained the means that had been used
in bringing Hetty off. Two dead and dry, and consequently buoyant,
logs of pine were bound together with pins and withes and a little
platform of riven chestnut had been rudely placed on their surfaces.
Here Hetty had been seated, on a billet of wood, while the young
Iroquois had rowed the primitive and slow-moving, but perfectly
safe craft from the shore.
As soon as Deerslayer had taken a close survey of this raft, and
satisfied himself nothing else was near, he shook his head and
muttered in his soliloquizing way - "This comes of prying into
another man's chist! Had we been watchful, and keen eyed, such a
surprise could never have happened, and, getting this much from a
boy teaches us what we may expect when the old warriors set themselves
fairly about their sarcumventions. It opens the way, howsever, to
a treaty for the ransom, and I will hear what Hetty has to say."
Judith, as soon as her surprise and alarm had a little abated,
discovered a proper share of affectionate joy at the return of her
sister. She folded her to her bosom, and kissed her, as had been
her wont in the days of their childhood and innocence. Hetty
herself was less affected, for to her there was no surprise, and
her nerves were sustained by the purity and holiness of her purpose.
At her sister's request she took a seat, and entered into an account
of her adventures since they had parted. Her tale commenced just
as Deerslayer returned, and he also became an attentive listener,
while the young Iroquois stood near the door, seemingly as indifferent
to what was passing as one of its posts.
The narrative of the girl was sufficiently clear, until she reached
the time where we left her in the camp, after the interview with
the chiefs, and, at the moment when Hist quitted her, in the abrupt
manner already related. The sequel of the story may be told in
her own language.
"When I read the texts to the chiefs, Judith, you could not have
seen that they made any changes on their minds," she said, "but if
seed is planted, it will grow. God planted the seeds of
all these trees - "
"Ay that did he - that did he -" muttered Deerslayer; "and a goodly
harvest has followed."
"God planted the seeds of all these trees," continued Hetty, after
a moment's pause, "and you see to what a height and shade they have
grown! So it is with the Bible. You may read a verse this year,
and forget it, and it will come back to you a year hence, when you
least expect to remember it."
"And did you find any thing of this among the savages, poor Hetty?"
"Yes, Judith, and sooner and more fully than I had even hoped. I
did not stay long with father and Hurry, but went to get my breakfast
with Hist. As soon as we had done the chiefs came to us, and then
we found the fruits of the seed that had been planted. They said
what I had read from the good book was right - it must be right -
it sounded right; like a sweet bird singing in their ears; and they
told me to come back and say as much to the great warrior who had
slain one of their braves; and to tell it to you, and to say how
happy they should be to come to church here, in the castle, or to
come out in the sun, and hear me read more of the sacred volume -
and to tell you that they wish you would lend them some canoes that
they can bring father and Hurry and their women to the castle, that
we might all sit on the platform there and listen to the singing
of the Pale-face Manitou. There, Judith; did you ever know of
any thing that so plainly shows the power of the Bible, as that!"
"If it were true 't would be a miracle, indeed, Hetty. But all
this is no more than Indian cunning and Indian treachery, striving
to get the better of us by management, when they find it is not to
be done by force."
"Do you doubt the Bible, sister, that you judge the savages so
harshly!"
"I do not doubt the Bible, poor Hetty, but I much doubt an Indian
and an Iroquois. What do you say to this visit, Deerslayer?"
"First let me talk a little with Hetty," returned the party appealed
to; "Was the raft made a'ter you had got your breakfast, gal, and
did you walk from the camp to the shore opposite to us, here?"
"Oh! no, Deerslayer. The raft was ready made and in the water
-could that have been by a miracle, Judith?"
"Yes - yes - an Indian miracle," rejoined the hunter - "They're
expart enough in them sort of miracles. And you found the raft
ready made to your hands, and in the water, and in waiting like
for its cargo?"
"It was all as you say. The raft was near the camp, and the Indians
put me on it, and had ropes of bark, and they dragged me to the
place opposite to the castle, and then they told that young man to
row me off, here."
"And the woods are full of the vagabonds, waiting to know what is
to be the upshot of the miracle. We comprehend this affair, now,
Judith, but I'll first get rid of this young Canada blood sucker,
and then we'll settle our own course. Do you and Hetty leave us
together, first bringing me the elephants, which the Sarpent is
admiring, for 'twill never do to let this loping deer be alone a
minute, or he'll borrow a canoe without asking."
Judith did as desired, first bringing the pieces, and retiring
with her sister into their own room. Deerslayer had acquired some
knowledge of most of the Indian dialects of that region, and he
knew enough of the Iroquois to hold a dialogue in the language.
Beckoning to the lad, therefore, he caused him to take a seat on
the chest, when he placed two of the castles suddenly before him.
Up to that moment, this youthful savage had not expressed a single
intelligible emotion, or fancy. There were many things, in and
about the place, that were novelties to him, but he had maintained
his self-command with philosophical composure. It is true, Deerslayer
had detected his dark eye scanning the defences and the arms, but
the scrutiny had been made with such an air of innocence, in such
a gaping, indolent, boyish manner, that no one but a man who had
himself been taught in a similar school, would have even suspected
his object. The instant, however, the eyes of the savage fell
upon the wrought ivory, and the images of the wonderful, unknown
beasts, surprise and admiration got the mastery of him. The manner
in which the natives of the South Sea Islands first beheld the toys
of civilized life has been often described, but the reader is not
to confound it with the manner of an American Indian, under similar
circumstances. In this particular case, the young Iroquois or
Huron permitted an exclamation of rapture to escape him, and then
he checked himself like one who had been guilty of an indecorum.
After this, his eyes ceased to wander, but became riveted on the
elephants, one of which, after a short hesitation, he even presumed
to handle. Deerslayer did not interrupt him for quite ten minutes,
knowing that the lad was taking such note of the curiosities, as
would enable him to give the most minute and accurate description
of their appearance to his seniors, on his return. When he thought
sufficient time had been allowed to produce the desired effect,
the hunter laid a finger on the naked knee of the youth and drew
his attention to himself.
"Listen," he said; "I want to talk with my young friend from the
Canadas. Let him forget that wonder for a minute."
"Where t'other pale brother?" demanded the boy, looking up and letting
the idea that had been most prominent in his mind, previously to
the introduction of the chess men, escape him involuntarily.
"He sleeps, or if he isn't fairly asleep, he is in the room where
the men do sleep," returned Deerslayer. "How did my young friend
know there was another?"
"See him from the shore. Iroquois have got long eyes - see beyond
the clouds - see the bottom of the Great Spring!"
"Well, the Iroquois are welcome. Two pale-faces are prisoners in
the camp of your fathers, boy."
The lad nodded, treating the circumstance with great apparent
indifference; though a moment after he laughed as if exulting in
the superior address of his own tribe.
"Can you tell me, boy, what your chiefs intend to do with these
captyves, or haven't they yet made up their minds?"
The lad looked a moment at the hunter with a little surprise. Then
he coolly put the end of his fore finger on his own head, just
above the left ear, and passed it round his crown with an accuracy
and readiness that showed how well he had been drilled in the
peculiar art of his race.
"When?" demanded Deerslayer, whose gorge rose at this cool
demonstration of indifference to human life. "And why not take
them to your wigwams?"
"Road too long, and full of pale-faces. Wigwam full, and scalps
sell high. Small scalp, much gold."
"Well that explains it - yes, that does explain it. There's no need
of being any plainer. Now you know, lad, that the oldest of your
prisoners is the father of these two young women, and the other
is the suitor of one of them. The gals nat'rally wish to save the
scalps of such fri'nds, and they will give them two ivory creaturs,
as ransom. One for each scalp. Go back and tell this to your
chiefs, and bring me the answer before the sun sets."
The boy entered zealously into this project, and with a sincerity
that left no doubt of his executing his commission with intelligence
and promptitude. For a moment he forgot his love of honor, and
all his clannish hostility to the British and their Indians, in
his wish to have such a treasure in his tribe, and Deerslayer was
satisfied with the impression he had made. It is true the lad
proposed to carry one of the elephants with him, as a specimen of
the other, but to this his brother negotiator was too sagacious to
consent; well knowing that it might never reach its destination if
confided to such hands. This little difficulty was soon arranged,
and the boy prepared to depart. As he stood on the platform, ready
to step aboard of the raft, he hesitated, and turned short with
a proposal to borrow a canoe, as the means most likely to shorten
the negotiations. Deerslayer quietly refused the request, and,
after lingering a little longer, the boy rowed slowly away from
the castle, taking the direction of a thicket on the shore that
lay less than half a mile distant. Deerslayer seated himself on a
stool and watched the progress of the ambassador, sometimes closely
scanning the whole line of shore, as far as eye could reach, and
then placing an elbow on a knee, he remained a long time with his
chin resting on the hand.
During the interview between Deerslayer and the lad, a different
scene took place in the adjoining room. Hetty had inquired for
the Delaware, and being told why and where he remained concealed,
she joined him. The reception which Chingachgook gave his visitor
was respectful and gentle. He understood her character, and, no
doubt, his disposition to be kind to such a being was increased
by the hope of learning some tidings of his betrothed. As soon as
the girl entered she took a seat, and invited the Indian to place
himself near her; then she continued silent, as if she thought it
decorous for him to question her, before she consented to speak
on the subject she had on her mind. But, as Chingachgook did not
understand this feeling, he remained respectfully attentive to any
thing she might be pleased to tell him.
"You are Chingachgook, the Great Serpent of the Delawares, ar'n't
you?" the girl at length commenced, in her own simple way losing
her self-command in the desire to proceed, but anxious first to
make sure of the individual. "Chingachgook," returned the Delaware
with grave dignity. "That say Great Sarpent, in Deerslayer tongue."
"Well, that is my tongue. Deerslayer, and father, and Judith, and
I, and poor Hurry Harry - do you know Henry March, Great Serpent?
I know you don't, however, or he would have spoken of you, too."
"Did any tongue name Chingachgook, Drooping-Lily"? for so the
chief had named poor Hetty. "Was his name sung by a little bird
among Iroquois?"
Hetty did not answer at first, but, with that indescribable
feeling that awakens sympathy and intelligence among the youthful
and unpracticed of her sex, she hung her head, and the blood suffused
her cheek ere she found her tongue. It would have exceeded her
stock of intelligence to explain this embarrassment, but, though
poor Hetty could not reason, on every emergency, she could always
feel. The colour slowly receded from her cheeks, and the girl
looked up archly at the Indian, smiling with the innocence of a
child, mingled with the interest of a woman.
"My sister, the Drooping Lily, hear such bird!" Chingachgook added,
and this with a gentleness of tone and manner that would have
astonished those who sometimes heard the discordant cries that
often came from the same throat; these transitions from the harsh
and guttural, to the soft and melodious not being infrequent in
ordinary Indian dialogues. "My sister's ears were open -has she
lost her tongue?"
"You are Chingachgook - you must be; for there is no other red man
here, and she thought Chingachgook would come."
"Chin-gach-gook," pronouncing the name slowly, and dwelling on each
syllable` "Great Sarpent, Yengeese tongue."
[It is singular there should be any question concerning the origin
of the well-known sobriquet of "Yankees." Nearly all the old
writers who speak of the Indians first known to the colonists make
them pronounce the word "English" as "Yengeese." Even at this day,
it is a provincialism of New England to say "Anglish" instead of
"Inglish," and there is a close conformity of sound between "Anglish"
and "yengeese," more especially if the latter word, as was probably
the case, be pronounced short. The transition from "Yengeese,"
thus pronounced, to "Yankees" is quite easy. If the former is
pronounced "Yangis," it is almost identical with "Yankees," and
Indian words have seldom been spelt as they are pronounced. Thus
the scene of this tale is spelt "Otsego," and is properly pronounced
"Otsago." The liquids of the Indians would easily convert "En"
into "Yen."]
"Chin-gach-gook," repeated Hetty, in the same deliberate manner.
"Yes, so Hist called it, and you must be the chief."
"Wah-ta-Wah," added the Delaware.
"Wah-ta-Wah, or Hist-oh-Hist. I think Hist prettier than Wah, and
so I call her Hist."
"Wah very sweet in Delaware ears!"
"You make it sound differently from me. But, never mind, I did
hear the bird you speak of sing, Great Serpent."
"Will my sister say words of song? What she sing most - how she
look - often she laugh?"
"She sang Chin-gach-gook oftener than any thing else; and she laughed
heartily, when I told how the Iroquois waded into the water after
us, and couldn't catch us. I hope these logs haven't ears, Serpent!"
"No fear logs; fear sister next room. No fear Iroquois; Deerslayer
stuff his eyes and ears with strange beast."
"I understand you, Serpent, and I understood Hist. Sometimes I
think I'm not half as feeble minded as they say I am. Now, do you
look up at the roof, and I'll tell you all. But you frighten me,
you look so eager when I speak of Hist."
The Indian controlled his looks, and affected to comply with the
simple request of the girl.
"Hist told me to say, in a very low voice, that you mustn't trust
the Iroquois in anything. They are more artful than any Indians
she knows. Then she says that there is a large bright star that
comes over the hill, about an hour after dark" - Hist had pointed
out the planet Jupiter, without knowing it - "and just as that
star comes in sight, she will be on the point, where I landed last
night, and that you must come for her, in a canoe."
"Good - Chingachgook understand well enough, now; but he understand
better if my sister sing him ag'in."
Hetty repeated her words, more fully explaining what star was
meant, and mentioning the part of the point where he was to venture
ashore. She now proceeded in her own unsophisticated way to relate
her intercourse with the Indian maid, and to repeat several of her
expressions and opinions that gave great delight to the heart of
her betrothed. She particularly renewed her injunctions to be on
their guard against treachery, a warning that was scarcely needed,
however, as addressed to men as wary as those to whom it was sent.
She also explained with sufficient clearness, for on all such
subjects the mind of the girl seldom failed her, the present state
of the enemy, and the movements they had made since morning. Hist
had been on the raft with her until it quitted the shore, and was
now somewhere in the woods, opposite to the castle, and did not
intend to return to the camp until night approached; when she hoped
to be able to slip away from her companions, as they followed the
shore on their way home, and conceal herself on the point. No one
appeared to suspect the presence of Chingachgook, though it was
necessarily known that an Indian had entered the Ark the previous
night, and it was suspected that he had since appeared in and about
the castle in the dress of a pale-face. Still some little doubt
existed on the latter point, for, as this was the season when
white men might be expected to arrive, there was some fear that
the garrison of the castle was increasing by these ordinary means.
All this had Hist communicated to Hetty while the Indians were
dragging them along shore, the distance, which exceeded six miles,
affording abundance of time.
"Hist don't know, herself, whether they suspect her or not, or
whether they suspect you, but she hopes neither is the case. And
now, Serpent, since I have told you so much from your betrothed,"
continued Hetty, unconsciously taking one of the Indian's hands,
and playing with the fingers, as a child is often seen to play
with those of a parent, "you must let me tell you something from
myself. When you marry Hist, you must be kind to her, and smile on
her, as you do now on me, and not look cross as some of the chiefs
do at their squaws. Will you promise this?"
"Alway good to Wah! - too tender to twist hard; else she break."
"Yes, and smile, too; you don't know how much a girl craves smiles
from them she loves. Father scarce smiled on me once, while I was
with him - and, Hurry -Yes - Hurry talked loud and laughed, but I
don't think he smiled once either. You know the difference between
a smile and a laugh?"
"Laugh, best. Hear Wah laugh, think bird sing!"
"I know that; her laugh is pleasant, but you must smile. And then,
Serpent, you mustn't make her carry burthens and hoe corn, as so
many Indians do; but treat her more as the pale-faces treat their
wives."
"Wah-ta-Wah no pale-face - got red-skin; red heart, red feelin's.
All red; no pale-face. Must carry papoose."
"Every woman is willing to carry her child," said Hetty smiling,
"and there is no harm in that. But you must love Hist, and be
gentle, and good to her; for she is gentle and good herself."
Chingachgook gravely bowed, and then he seemed to think this part
of the subject might be dismissed. Before there was time for Hetty
to resume her communications, the voice of Deerslayer was heard
calling on his friend, in the outer room. At this summons the
Serpent arose to obey, and Hetty joined her sister.