Chapter VII.
"Clear, placid Leman I Thy contrasted lake With the wild world I dwelt in, is a thing Which warns me, with its stillness, to forsake Earth's troubled waters for a purer spring. This quiet sail is as a noiseless wing To waft me from distraction; once I loved Torn ocean's roar, but thy soft murmuring Sounds sweet as if a sister's voice reproved, That I with stern delights should e'er have been so moved."
BYRON.
Day had fairly dawned before the young man, whom we have left in thesituation described in the last chapter, again opened his eyes. Thiswas no sooner done, than he started up, and looked about him withthe eagerness of one who suddenly felt the importance of accuratelyascertaining his precise position. His rest had been deep andundisturbed; and when he awoke, it was with a clearness of intellect anda readiness of resources that were very much needed at that particularmoment. The sun had not risen, it is true, but the vault of heaven wasrich with the winning softness that "brings and shuts the day," whilethe whole air was filled with the carols of birds, the hymns of thefeathered tribe. These sounds first told Deerslayer the risks he ran.The air, for wind it could scarce be called, was still light, it istrue, but it had increased a little in the course of the night, andas the canoes were feathers on the water, they had drifted twice theexpected distance; and, what was still more dangerous, had approachedso near the base of the mountain that here rose precipitously from theeastern shore, as to render the carols of the birds plainly audible.This was not the worst. The third canoe had taken the same direction,and was slowly drifting towards a point where it must inevitablytouch, unless turned aside by a shift of wind, or human hands. In otherrespects, nothing presented itself to attract attention, or to awakenalarm. The castle stood on its shoal, nearly abreast of the canoes, forthe drift had amounted to miles in the course of the night, and the arklay fastened to its piles, as both had been left so many hours before.
As a matter of course, Deerslayer's attention was first given to thecanoe ahead. It was already quite near the point, and a very few strokesof the paddle sufficed to tell him that it must touch before he couldpossibly overtake it. Just at this moment, too, the wind inopportunelyfreshened, rendering the drift of the light craft much more rapid thancertain. Feeling the impossibility of preventing a contact withthe land, the young man wisely determined not to heat himself withunnecessary exertions; but first looking to the priming of his piece,he proceeded slowly and warily towards the point, taking care to makea little circuit, that he might be exposed on only one side, as heapproached.
The canoe adrift being directed by no such intelligence, pursued itsproper way, and grounded on a small sunken rock, at the distance ofthree or four yards from the shore. Just at that moment, Deerslayer hadgot abreast of the point, and turned the bows of his own boat tothe land; first casting loose his tow, that his movements might beunencumbered. The canoe hung an instant to the rock; then it rose ahair's breadth on an almost imperceptible swell of the water, swunground, floated clear, and reached the strand. All this the young mannoted, but it neither quickened his pulses, nor hastened his hand. Ifany one had been lying in wait for the arrival of the waif, he mustbe seen, and the utmost caution in approaching the shore becameindispensable; if no one was in ambush, hurry was unnecessary. The pointbeing nearly diagonally opposite to the Indian encampment, he hoped thelast, though the former was not only possible, but probable; for thesavages were prompt in adopting all the expedients of their particularmodes of warfare, and quite likely had many scouts searching the shoresfor craft to carry them off to the castle. As a glance at the lakefrom any height or projection would expose the smallest object on itssurface, there was little hope that either of the canoes would passunseen; and Indian sagacity needed no instruction to tell which way aboat or a log would drift, when the direction of the wind was known. AsDeerslayer drew nearer and nearer to the land, the stroke of his paddlegrew slower, his eye became more watchful, and his ears and nostrilsalmost dilated with the effort to detect any lurking danger. It was atrying moment for a novice, nor was there the encouragement whicheven the timid sometimes feel, when conscious of being observed andcommended. He was entirely alone, thrown on his own resources, andwas cheered by no friendly eye, emboldened by no encouraging voice.Notwithstanding all these circumstances, the most experienced veteranin forest warfare could not have behaved better. Equally free fromrecklessness and hesitation, his advance was marked by a sort ofphilosophical prudence that appeared to render him superior to allmotives but those which were best calculated to effect his purpose. Suchwas the commencement of a career in forest exploits, that afterwardsrendered this man, in his way, and under the limits of his habits andopportunities, as renowned as many a hero whose name has adorned thepages of works more celebrated than legends simple as ours can everbecome.
When about a hundred yards from the shore, Deerslayer rose in the canoe,gave three or four vigorous strokes with the paddle, sufficient ofthemselves to impel the bark to land, and then quickly laying aside theinstrument of labor, he seized that of war. He was in the very act ofraising the rifle, when a sharp report was followed by the buzz of abullet that passed so near his body as to cause him involuntarily tostart. The next instant Deerslayer staggered, and fell his wholelength in the bottom of the canoe. A yell--it came from a singlevoice--followed, and an Indian leaped from the bushes upon the open areaof the point, bounding towards the canoe. This was the moment the youngman desired. He rose on the instant, and levelled his own rifle at hisuncovered foe; but his finger hesitated about pulling the trigger on onewhom he held at such a disadvantage. This little delay, probably, savedthe life of the Indian, who bounded back into the cover as swiftly ashe had broken out of it. In the meantime Deerslayer had been swiftlyapproaching the land, and his own canoe reached the point just as hisenemy disappeared. As its movements had not been directed, it touchedthe shore a few yards from the other boat; and though the rifle of hisfoe had to be loaded, there was not time to secure his prize, and carryit beyond danger, before he would be exposed to another shot. Under thecircumstances, therefore, he did not pause an instant, but dashed intothe woods and sought a cover.
On the immediate point there was a small open area, partly in nativegrass, and partly beach, but a dense fringe of bushes lined itsupper side. This narrow belt of dwarf vegetation passed, one issuedimmediately into the high and gloomy vaults of the forest. The land wastolerably level for a few hundred feet, and then it rose precipitouslyin a mountainside. The trees were tall, large, and so free fromunderbrush, that they resembled vast columns, irregularly scattered,upholding a dome of leaves. Although they stood tolerably closetogether, for their ages and size, the eye could penetrate toconsiderable distances; and bodies of men, even, might have engagedbeneath their cover, with concert and intelligence.
Deerslayer knew that his adversary must be employed in reloading, unlesshe had fled. The former proved to be the case, for the young man had nosooner placed himself behind a tree, than he caught a glimpse of the armof the Indian, his body being concealed by an oak, in the very act offorcing the leathered bullet home. Nothing would have been easier thanto spring forward, and decide the affair by a close assault on hisunprepared foe; but every feeling of Deerslayer revolted at such a step,although his own life had just been attempted from a cover. He was yetunpracticed in the ruthless expedients of savage warfare, of which heknew nothing except by tradition and theory, and it struck him as unfairadvantage to assail an unarmed foe. His color had heightened, his eyefrowned, his lips were compressed, and all his energies were collectedand ready; but, instead of advancing to fire, he dropped his rifle tothe usual position of a sportsman in readiness to catch his aim, andmuttered to himself, unconscious that he was speaking--
"No, no--that may be red-skin warfare, but it's not a Christian's gifts.Let the miscreant charge, and then we'll take it out like men; for thecanoe he must not, and shall not have. No, no; let him have time toload, and God will take care of the right!"
/> All this time the Indian had been so intent on his own movements,that he was even ignorant that his enemy was in the woods. His onlyapprehension was, that the canoe would be recovered and carried awaybefore he might be in readiness to prevent it. He had sought the coverfrom habit, but was within a few feet of the fringe of bushes, and couldbe at the margin of the forest in readiness to fire in a moment. Thedistance between him and his enemy was about fifty yards, and the treeswere so arranged by nature that the line of sight was not interrupted,except by the particular trees behind which each party stood.
His rifle was no sooner loaded, than the savage glanced around him, andadvanced incautiously as regarded the real, but stealthily as respectedthe fancied position of his enemy, until he was fairly exposed. ThenDeerslayer stepped from behind its own cover, and hailed him.
"This-a-way, red-skin; this-a-way, if you're looking for me," he calledout. "I'm young in war, but not so young as to stand on an open beach tobe shot down like an owl, by daylight. It rests on yourself whether it'speace or war atween us; for my gifts are white gifts, and I'm not oneof them that thinks it valiant to slay human mortals, singly, in thewoods."
The savage was a good deal startled by this sudden discovery of thedanger he ran. He had a little knowledge of English, however, and caughtthe drift of the other's meaning. He was also too well schooled tobetray alarm, but, dropping the butt of his rifle to the earth, withan air of confidence, he made a gesture of lofty courtesy. All this wasdone with the ease and self-possession of one accustomed to consider noman his superior. In the midst of this consummate acting, however, thevolcano that raged within caused his eyes to glare, and his nostrils todilate, like those of some wild beast that is suddenly prevented fromtaking the fatal leap.
"Two canoes," he said, in the deep guttural tones of his race, holdingup the number of fingers he mentioned, by way of preventing mistakes;"one for you--one for me."
"No, no, Mingo, that will never do. You own neither; and neither shallyou have, as long as I can prevent it. I know it's war atween yourpeople and mine, but that's no reason why human mortals should slay eachother, like savage creatur's that meet in the woods; go your way, then,and leave me to go mine. The world is large enough for us both; and whenwe meet fairly in battle, why, the Lord will order the fate of each ofus."
"Good!" exclaimed the Indian; "my brother missionary--great talk; allabout Manitou."
"Not so--not so, warrior. I'm not good enough for the Moravians, and amtoo good for most of the other vagabonds that preach about in the woods.No, no; I'm only a hunter, as yet, though afore the peace is made,'tis like enough there'll be occasion to strike a blow at some of yourpeople. Still, I wish it to be done in fair fight, and not in a quarrelabout the ownership of a miserable canoe."
"Good! My brother very young--but he is very wise. Little warrior--greattalker. Chief, sometimes, in council."
"I don't know this, nor do I say it, Injin," returned Deerslayer,coloring a little at the ill-concealed sarcasm of the other's manner;"I look forward to a life in the woods, and I only hope it may be apeaceable one. All young men must go on the war-path, when there'soccasion, but war isn't needfully massacre. I've seen enough of thelast, this very night, to know that Providence frowns on it; and I nowinvite you to go your own way, while I go mine; and hope that we maypart fri'nds."
"Good! My brother has two scalp--gray hair under 'other. Oldwisdom--young tongue."
Here the savage advanced with confidence, his hand extended, his facesmiling, and his whole bearing denoting amity and respect. Deerslayermet his offered friendship in a proper spirit, and they shook handscordially, each endeavoring to assure the other of his sincerity anddesire to be at peace.
"All have his own," said the Indian; "my canoe, mine; your canoe,your'n. Go look; if your'n, you keep; if mine, I keep."
"That's just, red-skin; thought you must be wrong in thinking the canoeyour property. Howsever, seein' is believin', and we'll go down to theshore, where you may look with your own eyes; for it's likely you'llobject to trustin' altogether to mine."
The Indian uttered his favorite exclamation of "Good!" and then theywalked side by side, towards the shore. There was no apparent distrustin the manner of either, the Indian moving in advance, as if he wishedto show his companion that he did not fear turning his back to him. Asthey reached the open ground, the former pointed towards Deerslayer'sboat, and said emphatically--"No mine--pale-face canoe. This red man's.No want other man's canoe--want his own."
"You're wrong, red-skin, you're altogether wrong. This canoe was leftin old Hutter's keeping, and is his'n according to law, red or white,till its owner comes to claim it. Here's the seats and the stitching ofthe bark to speak for themselves. No man ever know'd an Injin to turnoff such work."
"Good! My brother little old--big wisdom. Injin no make him. White man'swork."
"I'm glad you think so, for holding out to the contrary might have madeill blood atween us, every one having a right to take possession of hisown. I'll just shove the canoe out of reach of dispute at once, as thequickest way of settling difficulties."
While Deerslayer was speaking, he put a foot against the end of thelight boat, and giving a vigorous shove, he sent it out into the lakea hundred feet or more, where, taking the true current, it wouldnecessarily float past the point, and be in no further danger of comingashore. The savage started at this ready and decided expedient, and hiscompanion saw that he cast a hurried and fierce glance at his own canoe,or that which contained the paddles. The change of manner, however, wasbut momentary, and then the Iroquois resumed his air of friendliness,and a smile of satisfaction.
"Good!" he repeated, with stronger emphasis than ever. "Young head, oldmind. Know how to settle quarrel. Farewell, brother. He go to house inwater--muskrat house--Injin go to camp; tell chiefs no find canoe."
Deerslayer was not sorry to hear this proposal, for he felt anxiousto join the females, and he took the offered hand of the Indian verywillingly. The parting words were friendly, and while the red manwalked calmly towards the wood, with the rifle in the hollow of his arm,without once looking back in uneasiness or distrust, the white man movedtowards the remaining canoe, carrying his piece in the same pacificmanner, it is true, but keeping his eye fastened on the movements of theother. This distrust, however, seemed to be altogether uncalled for, andas if ashamed to have entertained it, the young man averted his look,and stepped carelessly up to his boat. Here he began to push the canoefrom the shore, and to make his other preparations for departing. Hemight have been thus employed a minute, when, happening to turn his facetowards the land, his quick and certain eye told him, at a glance, theimminent jeopardy in which his life was placed. The black, ferociouseyes of the savage were glancing on him, like those of the crouchingtiger, through a small opening in the bushes, and the muzzle of hisrifle seemed already to be opening in a line with his own body.
Then, indeed, the long practice of Deerslayer, as a hunter did him goodservice. Accustomed to fire with the deer on the bound, and often whenthe precise position of the animal's body had in a manner to be guessedat, he used the same expedients here. To cock and poise his rifle werethe acts of a single moment and a single motion: then aiming almostwithout sighting, he fired into the bushes where he knew a body oughtto be, in order to sustain the appalling countenance which alone wasvisible. There was not time to raise the piece any higher, or to takea more deliberate aim. So rapid were his movements that both partiesdischarged their pieces at the same instant, the concussions minglingin one report. The mountains, indeed, gave back but a single echo.Deerslayer dropped his piece, and stood with head erect, steady as oneof the pines in the calm of a June morning, watching the result; whilethe savage gave the yell that has become historical for its appallinginfluence, leaped through the bushes, and came bounding across the openground, flourishing a tomahawk. Still Deerslayer moved not, but stoodwith his unloaded rifle fallen against his shoulders, while, with ahunter's habits, his hands were mechanically feeling for th
e powder-hornand charger. When about forty feet from his enemy, the savage hurled hiskeen weapon; but it was with an eye so vacant, and a hand so unsteadyand feeble, that the young man caught it by the handle as it was flyingpast him. At that instant the Indian staggered and fell his whole lengthon the ground.
"I know'd it--I know'd it!" exclaimed Deerslayer, who was alreadypreparing to force a fresh bullet into his rifle; "I know'd it must cometo this, as soon as I had got the range from the creatur's eyes. A mansights suddenly, and fires quick when his own life's in danger; yes, Iknow'd it would come to this. I was about the hundredth part of a secondtoo quick for him, or it might have been bad for me! The riptyle'sbullet has just grazed my side--but say what you will for or ag'in 'em,a red-skin is by no means as sartain with powder and ball as a whiteman. Their gifts don't seem to lie that a way. Even Chingachgook, greatas he is in other matters, isn't downright deadly with the rifle."
By this time the piece was reloaded, and Deerslayer, after tossing thetomahawk into the canoe, advanced to his victim, and stood over him,leaning on his rifle, in melancholy attention. It was the firstinstance in which he had seen a man fall in battle--it was the firstfellow-creature against whom he had ever seriously raised his own hand.The sensations were novel; and regret, with the freshness of our betterfeelings, mingled with his triumph. The Indian was not dead, though shotdirectly through the body. He lay on his back motionless, but his eyes,now full of consciousness, watched each action of his victor--as thefallen bird regards the fowler--jealous of every movement. The manprobably expected the fatal blow which was to precede the loss of hisscalp; or perhaps he anticipated that this latter act of crueltywould precede his death. Deerslayer read his thoughts; and he found amelancholy satisfaction in relieving the apprehensions of the helplesssavage.
"No, no, red-skin," he said; "you've nothing more to fear from me. I amof a Christian stock, and scalping is not of my gifts. I'll just makesartain of your rifle, and then come back and do you what sarvice I can.Though here I can't stay much longer, as the crack of three rifles willbe apt to bring some of your devils down upon me."
The close of this was said in a sort of a soliloquy, as the young manwent in quest of the fallen rifle. The piece was found where its ownerhad dropped it, and was immediately put into the canoe. Laying his ownrifle at its side, Deerslayer then returned and stood over the Indianagain.
"All inmity atween you and me's at an ind red-skin," he said; "and youmay set your heart at rest on the score of the scalp, or any furtherinjury. My gifts are white, as I've told you; and I hope my conduct willbe white also."
Could looks have conveyed all they meant, it is probable Deerslayer'sinnocent vanity on the subject of color would have been rebuked alittle; but he comprehended the gratitude that was expressed in the eyesof the dying savage, without in the least detecting the bitter sarcasmthat struggled with the better feeling.
"Water!" ejaculated the thirsty and unfortunate creature; "give poorInjin water."
"Ay, water you shall have, if you drink the lake dry. I'll just carryyou down to it that you may take your fill. This is the way, theytell me, with all wounded people--water is their greatest comfort anddelight."
So saying, Deerslayer raised the Indian in his arms, and carried him tothe lake. Here he first helped him to take an attitude in which he couldappease his burning thirst; after which he seated himself on astone, and took the head of his wounded adversary in his own lap, andendeavored to soothe his anguish in the best manner he could.
"It would be sinful in me to tell you your time hadn't come, warrior,"he commenced, "and therefore I'll not say it. You've passed the middleage already, and, considerin' the sort of lives ye lead, your days havebeen pretty well filled. The principal thing now, is to look forwardto what comes next. Neither red-skin nor pale-face, on the whole,calculates much on sleepin' forever; but both expect to live in anotherworld. Each has his gifts, and will be judged by 'em, and I supposeyou've thought these matters over enough not to stand in need of sarmonswhen the trial comes. You'll find your happy hunting-grounds, if you'vebeen a just Injin; if an onjust, you'll meet your desarts in anotherway. I've my own idees about these things; but you're too old andexper'enced to need any explanations from one as young as I."
"Good!" ejaculated the Indian, whose voice retained its depth even aslife ebbed away; "young head--old wisdom!"
"It's sometimes a consolation, when the ind comes, to know that themwe've harmed, or tried to harm, forgive us. I suppose natur' seeksthis relief, by way of getting a pardon on 'arth; as we never can knowwhether He pardons, who is all in all, till judgment itself comes. It'ssoothing to know that any pardon at such times; and that, I conclude, isthe secret. Now, as for myself, I overlook altogether your designs ag'inmy life; first, because no harm came of 'em; next, because it's yourgifts, and natur', and trainin', and I ought not to have trusted you atall; and, finally and chiefly, because I can bear no ill-will to a dyingman, whether heathen or Christian. So put your heart at ease, so far asI'm consarned; you know best what other matters ought to trouble you, orwhat ought to give you satisfaction in so trying a moment."
It is probable that the Indian had some of the fearful glimpses of theunknown state of being which God, in mercy, seems at times to affordto all the human race; but they were necessarily in conformity with hishabits and prejudices. Like most of his people, and like too many of ourown, he thought more of dying in a way to gain applause among thosehe left than to secure a better state of existence hereafter. WhileDeerslayer was speaking, his mind was a little bewildered, though hefelt that the intention was good; and when he had done, a regret passedover his spirit that none of his own tribe were present to witness hisstoicism, under extreme bodily suffering, and the firmness with which hemet his end. With the high innate courtesy that so often distinguishesthe Indian warrior before he becomes corrupted by too much intercoursewith the worst class of the white men, he endeavored to express histhankfulness for the other's good intentions, and to let him understandthat they were appreciated.
"Good!" he repeated, for this was an English word much used by thesavages, "good! young head; young heart, too. Old heart tough; no shedtear. Hear Indian when he die, and no want to lie--what he call him?"
"Deerslayer is the name I bear now, though the Delawares have said thatwhen I get back from this war-path, I shall have a more manly title,provided I can 'arn one."
"That good name for boy--poor name for warrior. He get better quick.No fear there,"--the savage had strength sufficient, under the strongexcitement he felt, to raise a hand and tap the young man on hisbreast,--"eye sartain--finger lightning--aim, death--great warrior soon.No Deerslayer--Hawkeye--Hawkeye--Hawkeye. Shake hand."
Deerslayer--or Hawkeye, as the youth was then first named, for in afteryears he bore the appellation throughout all that region--Deerslayertook the hand of the savage, whose last breath was drawn in thatattitude, gazing in admiration at the countenance of a stranger, whohad shown so much readiness, skill, and firmness, in a scene that wasequally trying and novel. When the reader remembers it is the highestgratification an Indian can receive to see his enemy betray weakness,he will be better able to appreciate the conduct which had extorted sogreat a concession at such a moment.
"His spirit has fled!" said Deerslayer, in a suppressed, melancholyvoice. "Ah's me! Well, to this we must all come, sooner or later; andhe is happiest, let his skin be what color it may, who is best fitted tomeet it. Here lies the body of no doubt a brave warrior, and the soulis already flying towards its heaven or hell, whether that be a happyhunting ground, a place scant of game, regions of glory, according toMoravian doctrine, or flames of fire! So it happens, too, as regardsother matters! Here have old Hutter and Hurry Harry got themselves intodifficulty, if they haven't got themselves into torment and death,and all for a bounty that luck offers to me in what many would think alawful and suitable manner. But not a farthing of such money shall crossmy hand. White I was born, and white will I die; clinging to color tothe last, ev
en though the King's majesty, his governors, and all hiscouncils, both at home and in the colonies, forget from what they come,and where they hope to go, and all for a little advantage in warfare.No, no, warrior, hand of mine shall never molest your scalp, and so yoursoul may rest in peace on the p'int of making a decent appearance whenthe body comes to join it, in your own land of spirits."
Deerslayer arose as soon as he had spoken. Then he placed the body ofthe dead man in a sitting posture, with its back against the littlerock, taking the necessary care to prevent it from falling or in anyway settling into an attitude that might be thought unseemly bythe sensitive, though wild notions of a savage. When this duty wasperformed, the young man stood gazing at the grim countenance of hisfallen foe, in a sort of melancholy abstraction. As was his practice,however, a habit gained by living so much alone in the forest, he thenbegan again to give utterance to his thoughts and feelings aloud.
"I didn't wish your life, red-skin," he said "but you left me no choiceatween killing or being killed. Each party acted according to hisgifts, I suppose, and blame can light on neither. You were treacherous,according to your natur' in war, and I was a little oversightful, as I'mapt to be in trusting others. Well, this is my first battle with a humanmortal, though it's not likely to be the last. I have fou't most ofthe creatur's of the forest, such as bears, wolves, painters, andcatamounts, but this is the beginning with the red-skins. If I was Injinborn, now, I might tell of this, or carry in the scalp, and boast ofthe expl'ite afore the whole tribe; or, if my inimy had only been evena bear, 'twould have been nat'ral and proper to let everybody know whathad happened; but I don't well see how I'm to let even Chingachgook intothis secret, so long as it can be done only by boasting with a whitetongue. And why should I wish to boast of it a'ter all? It's slaying ahuman, although he was a savage; and how do I know that he was a justInjin; and that he has not been taken away suddenly to anything buthappy hunting-grounds. When it's onsartain whether good or evil hasbeen done, the wisest way is not to be boastful--still, I should likeChingachgook to know that I haven't discredited the Delawares, or mytraining!"
Part of this was uttered aloud, while part was merely muttered betweenthe speaker's teeth; his more confident opinions enjoying the firstadvantage, while his doubts were expressed in the latter mode. Soliloquyand reflection received a startling interruption, however, by the suddenappearance of a second Indian on the lake shore, a few hundred yardsfrom the point. This man, evidently another scout, who had probably beendrawn to the place by the reports of the rifles, broke out of the forestwith so little caution that Deerslayer caught a view of his personbefore he was himself discovered. When the latter event did occur, aswas the case a moment later, the savage gave a loud yell, which wasanswered by a dozen voices from different parts of the mountainside.There was no longer any time for delay; in another minute the boat wasquitting the shore under long and steady sweeps of the paddle.
As soon as Deerslayer believed himself to be at a safe distance heceased his efforts, permitting the little bark to drift, while heleisurely took a survey of the state of things. The canoe first sentadrift was floating before the air, quite a quarter of a mile above him,and a little nearer to the shore than he wished, now that he knew moreof the savages were so near at hand. The canoe shoved from the point waswithin a few yards of him, he having directed his own course towardsit on quitting the land. The dead Indian lay in grim quiet where he hadleft him, the warrior who had shown himself from the forest had alreadyvanished, and the woods themselves were as silent and seemingly desertedas the day they came fresh from the hands of their great Creator. Thisprofound stillness, however, lasted but a moment. When time had beengiven to the scouts of the enemy to reconnoitre, they burst out of thethicket upon the naked point, filling the air with yells of fury atdiscovering the death of their companion. These cries were immediatelysucceeded by shouts of delight when they reached the body and clusteredeagerly around it. Deerslayer was a sufficient adept in the usages ofthe natives to understand the reason of the change. The yell was thecustomary lamentation at the loss of a warrior, the shout a sign ofrejoicing that the conqueror had not been able to secure the scalp;the trophy, without which a victory is never considered complete. Thedistance at which the canoes lay probably prevented any attempts toinjure the conqueror, the American Indian, like the panther of his ownwoods, seldom making any effort against his foe unless tolerably certainit is under circumstances that may be expected to prove effective.
As the young man had no longer any motive to remain near the point, heprepared to collect his canoes, in order to tow them off to the castle.That nearest was soon in tow, when he proceeded in quest of the other,which was all this time floating up the lake. The eye of Deerslayer wasno sooner fastened on this last boat, than it struck him that it wasnearer to the shore than it would have been had it merely followed thecourse of the gentle current of air. He began to suspect the influenceof some unseen current in the water, and he quickened his exertions, inorder to regain possession of it before it could drift into a dangerousproximity to the woods. On getting nearer, he thought that the canoe hada perceptible motion through the water, and, as it lay broadside to theair, that this motion was taking it towards the land. A few vigorousstrokes of the paddle carried him still nearer, when the mystery wasexplained. Something was evidently in motion on the off side of thecanoe, or that which was farthest from himself, and closer scrutinyshowed that it was a naked human arm. An Indian was lying in the bottomof the canoe, and was propelling it slowly but certainly to the shore,using his hand as a paddle. Deerslayer understood the whole artifice ata glance. A savage had swum off to the boat while he was occupied withhis enemy on the point, got possession, and was using these means tourge it to the shore.
Satisfied that the man in the canoe could have no arms, Deerslayerdid not hesitate to dash close alongside of the retiring boat, withoutdeeming it necessary to raise his own rifle. As soon as the wash of thewater, which he made in approaching, became audible to the prostratesavage, the latter sprang to his feet, and uttered an exclamation thatproved how completely he was taken by surprise.
"If you've enj'yed yourself enough in that canoe, red-skin," Deerslayercoolly observed, stopping his own career in sufficient time to preventan absolute collision between the two boats,--"if you've enj'yedyourself enough in that canoe, you'll do a prudent act by taking to thelake ag'in. I'm reasonable in these matters, and don't crave your blood,though there's them about that would look upon you more as a due-billfor the bounty than a human mortal. Take to the lake this minute, aforewe get to hot words."
The savage was one of those who did not understand a word of English,and he was indebted to the gestures of Deerslayer, and to the expressionof an eye that did not often deceive, for an imperfect comprehension ofhis meaning. Perhaps, too, the sight of the rifle that lay so near thehand of the white man quickened his decision. At all events, he crouchedlike a tiger about to take his leap, uttered a yell, and the nextinstant his naked body disappeared in the water. When he rose to takebreath, it was at the distance of several yards from the canoe, and thehasty glance he threw behind him denoted how much he feared the arrivalof a fatal messenger from the rifle of his foe. But the young man madeno indication of any hostile intention. Deliberately securing the canoeto the others, he began to paddle from the shore; and by the time theIndian reached the land, and had shaken himself, like a spaniel, onquitting the water, his dreaded enemy was already beyond rifle-shot onhis way to the castle. As was so much his practice, Deerslayer did notfail to soliloquize on what had just occurred, while steadily pursuinghis course towards the point of destination.
"Well, well,"--he commenced,--"'twould have been wrong to kill a humanmortal without an object. Scalps are of no account with me, and lifeis sweet, and ought not to be taken marcilessly by them that have whitegifts. The savage was a Mingo, it's true; and I make no doubt he is, andwill be as long as he lives, a ra'al riptyle and vagabond; but that's noreason I should forget my gifts and color. No
, no,--let him go; if everwe meet ag'in, rifle in hand, why then 'twill be seen which has thestoutest heart and the quickest eye. Hawkeye! That's not a bad namefor a warrior, sounding much more manful and valiant than Deerslayer!'Twouldn't be a bad title to begin with, and it has been fairly 'arned.If 't was Chingachgook, now, he might go home and boast of his deeds,and the chiefs would name him Hawkeye in a minute; but it don't becomewhite blood to brag, and 't isn't easy to see how the matter canbe known unless I do. Well, well,--everything is in the hands ofProvidence; this affair as well as another; I'll trust to that forgetting my desarts in all things."
Having thus betrayed what might be termed his weak spot, the young mancontinued to paddle in silence, making his way diligently, and as fastas his tows would allow him, towards the castle. By this time the sunhad not only risen, but it had appeared over the eastern mountains, andwas shedding a flood of glorious light on this as yet unchristenedsheet of water. The whole scene was radiant with beauty; and no oneunaccustomed to the ordinary history of the woods would fancy it had solately witnessed incidents so ruthless and barbarous. As he approachedthe building of old Hutter, Deerslayer thought, or rather felt thatits appearance was in singular harmony with all the rest of the scene.Although nothing had been consulted but strength and security, the rude,massive logs, covered with their rough bark, the projecting roof, andthe form, would contribute to render the building picturesque in almostany situation, while its actual position added novelty and piquancy toits other points of interest.
When Deerslayer drew nearer to the castle, however, objects of interestpresented themselves that at once eclipsed any beauties that might havedistinguished the scenery of the lake, and the site of the singularedifice. Judith and Hetty stood on the platform before the door, Hurry'sdooryard awaiting his approach with manifest anxiety; the former, fromtime to time, taking a survey of his person and of the canoes throughthe old ship's spyglass that has been already mentioned. Never probablydid this girl seem more brilliantly beautiful than at that moment; theflush of anxiety and alarm increasing her color to its richest tints,while the softness of her eyes, a charm that even poor Hetty shared withher, was deepened by intense concern. Such, at least, without pausingor pretending to analyze motives, or to draw any other very nicedistinction between cause and effect, were the opinions of the young manas his canoes reached the side of the ark, where he carefully fastenedall three before he put his foot on the platform.
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