CHAPTER XI.
So should it be--for no heart beats Within his cold and silent breast; To him no gentle voice repeats The soothing words that make us blest. --PEABODY.
The interruption came from Dorothy, who, on ascending the little height,had discovered a canoe coming into the mouth of the river, and who wasrunning, breathless with haste, to announce the circumstance to thebee-hunter. The latter immediately repaired to the eminence, and saw forhimself the object that so justly had alarmed the woman. The canoe wascoming in from the lake, after running before the wind, which now beganto abate a little in its strength, and it evidently had been endeavoringto proceed to the northward. The reason for its entering the river, wasprobably connected with the cookery or food of the party, since the lakewas each minute getting to be safer, and more navigable for so lighta craft. To le Bourdon's great apprehension, he saw the savages on thenorth shore making signal to this strange canoe, by means of smoke,and he foresaw the probability of his enemies obtaining the meansof crossing the stream, should the strangers proceed in the desireddirection. To counteract this design, he ran down to a spot on the beachwhere there was no rice-plant, and showing himself to the strangers,invited them to land on the south side, which was much the nearest, andin other visible respects quite as convenient as the opposite bankof the river. One of the strangers soon made a gesture with an arm,implying assent, and the bows of this strange canoe were immediatelyturned toward the spot where the bee-hunter stood.
As the canoe drew near, the whole party, including Pigeonswing, cameto the margin of the water to receive the strangers. Of the last, therewere three; one paddling at each end of the light bark, and a thirdseated in its centre, doing nothing. As the bee-hunter had his glass,with which he examined these visitors, he was soon questioned by hiscompanions concerning their character and apparent purposes.
"Who are they, Bourdon?" demanded the impatient Margery--"and why dothey come here?"
"The last is a question they must answer for themselves, but theperson paddling in the bows of the canoe seems to be a white man, and asoldier--or a half-soldier, if one may judge from his dress. The man inthe middle of the canoe is white, also. This last fellow seems to bea parson--yes, he is a clergyman, though pretty well used up in thewilderness, as to dress. The third man is a red-skin, beyond all doubt."
"A clergyman!" repeated Margery, in surprise. "What should a clergymanbe doing here?"
"There are missionaries scattered about among the savages, I supposeyou know, and this is probably one of them. A body can tell one of theseparsons by his outside, as far as he can see him. The poor man has heardof the war, most likely, and is trying to get back into the settlements,while his scalp is safe on his head."
"Don't hurt HIM" put in the Chippewa, pointedly. "Know MEAN well--talkabout Great Spirit--Injin don't scalp sich medicine-men--if don't mindwhat he say, no good to take his scalp."
"I'm glad to hear this, Pigeonswing, for I had begun to think NO man'sscalp was safe under YOUR fingers. But what can the so'ger be doingdown this-away? A body would think there was business enough for allthe so'gers up at the garrison, at the head of the lake. By the way,Pigeonswing, what has become of your letter to the captain at FortDearborn, to let him know of the war?"
"Chaw him up, like so much 'baccy," answered the Chippewa--"yes, chawhim up, lest Pottawattamie get hold on him, and ask one of King George'smen to read him. No good to hab letter in sich times."
"The general who employed you to carry that letter, will scarce thankyou for your care."
"Yes, he do--t'ank all same--pay all same--letter no use now."
"How can you know that? The letter might be the means of preventing thegarrison from falling into the enemy's hands."
"Got dere, already. Garrison all kill, scalp, or prisoner. Pottawattamietalk tell me DAT!"
"Is this possible! Mackinaw and Chicago both gone, already! John Bullmust have been at work among the savages a long time, to get them intothis state of readiness!"
"Sartain--work long as can 'member. ALWAY somebody talkin' for greatMontreal Fadder among red men."
"It must be as you say, Chippewa--but, here are our visitors--let us seewhat we can make of THEM!"
By this time, the canoe was so near as to render it easy to distinguishcountenances and dress, without the aid of the glass--so near, indeed,that a swift-moving boat, like the canoe, might be expected soon toreach the shore. The truth of the observation of the bee-hunter wasconfirmed, as the strangers approached. The individual in the bows ofthe canoe was clearly a soldier, in a fatigue-dress, and the musketbetween his legs was one of those pieces that government furnishes tothe troops of the line. The man in the middle of the boat could no morebe mistaken than he in its bows. Each might be said to be in uniform--the well-worn, nay, almost threadbare black coat of the "minister," asmuch denoting him to be a man of peace, as the fatigue-jacket and cap onthe person of his hard-featured and weather-beaten companion indicatedthat the last was a man of war. As for the red man, Pigeonswing declaredthat he could not yet tell his tribe, though there was that about hisair, attire and carriage, that proclaimed him a chief?and, as theChippewa fancied, a chief of note. In another minute, the bows of thelight craft grated gently on the shingle of the beach.
"Sago, sago," said the soldier, rising to step ashore--"sago all,friends, and I hope we come to a welcome camp."
"You are welcome," returned the bee-hunter. "Welcome as strangers met inthe wilderness, but more welcome, as I see by your dress that you are aveteran of one of Uncle Sam's regiments."
"Quite true, Mr. Bee-hunter ; for such I see is _your_ callin', by thehoney vessel and glass you carry, and by the other signs about you. Weare travelling toward Mackinaw, and hope to fere as friends, while westay in your good company."
"In going to Mackinaw, do you expect to meet with an _American or anEnglish_ garrison ?"
"One of our own, to be sure," returned the soldier, looking up from hiswork, like one struck by the question.
"Mackinaw has fallen, and is now an English post, as well as Chicago."
"This, then, must alter our plans, Mr. Amen !" exclaimed the soldier,addressing the minister. "If the enemy has Mackinaw, it will not do forus to trust ourselves on the island."
"Amen" was not the real name of the missionary ; but it was a_sobriquet_ bestowed by the soldiers, on account of the unction withwhich this particular word was ordinarily pronounced, and quite likely,too, because it was the word of all others most pleasant to their ears,after a sermon, or a prayer. It had, by long use, got to be so familiar,that the men did not scruple to use it to the good man's face. Thismissionary was a Methodist ; a sect that possessed, in that day, veryfew clergymen of education, most of its divines coming of a class inlife that did not predispose them to take offence at light invasions ontheir dignity, and whose zeal and habitual self-denial had schooled theminto a submission to far more positive personal privations, than anyconnected with the mere tongue. That there are "wolves in sheep'sclothing" among the Methodists, as well as among the other religioussects of the country, our daily experience shows ; but the mind must besadly inclined to believe evil of others, which does not see in thehumble and untiring efforts of this particular sect of Christians, morethan mere fanaticism or hypocrisy can produce.
"You are right, corporal," returned the missionary ; "since this is thecase, I see no better course for us to pursue, than to put ourselvesaltogether in the hands of Onoah. He has counselled us well, hitherto,and will do better by us than any other guide to be found, out in thiswilderness."
Le Bourdon could scarcely trust his sense of hearing ! Onoah was theIndian appellation of the terrible and most dreaded savage, who, inEnglish, went by the name of Scalping Peter, or "Scalping Pete," amongall the white dwellers on that frontier, and at all the garrisons of theAmericans, far and near. The Indian name, indeed, was said to mean"scalp," in several of the dialects of the Iroquois. Perhaps it may bewell, a
lso, to explain here, that the term "garrison" did not imply, inthe language of that region, the troops only who garrisoned a post, butit was even oftener applied to the post itself than to those who heldit. Thus old, empty, and deserted forts, those that have actually beenabandoned, and are devoted to decay, are almost universally styled the "garrisons," even though a soldier had not put foot in them for a quarterof a century. This is one of the proofs of the convertible nature of ourlanguage, of which the country affords so many, and which has changedthe smaller-sized rivers into "creeks," "lakes" into "ponds," "squares"into "parks," public promenades on the water into "batteries"; to all ofwhich innovations, bad as they may be, and useless and uncalled for, andwanton as they are, we are much more willing to submit, than to the new-fangled and lubberly abomination of saying "ON a steamboat," or "ON aship."
While le Bourdon was so much astounded at hearing the terrible name ofOnoah, which was familiar enough to him, neither of his white companionsbetrayed any emotion. Had the Indian been termed "Scalping Peter," itis probable that both Dorothy and Margery would have screamed, if notactually fled; but they knew nothing of the appellation that was givento this mysterious chief, in the language of the red men. To thiscircumstance, therefore, was it owing that the utterance of his name didnot produce a general commotion. The bee-hunter observed, nevertheless,a great change in the demeanor of the Chippewa, the instant themissionary had uttered the ominous word, though he did not seem to bealarmed. On the contrary, Boden fancied that his friend Pigeonswing waspleased, rather than terrified, at ascertaining the character of theirvisitor, though he no longer put himself forward, as had been the casepreviously; and from that moment the young warrior appeared to carryhimself in a more subdued and less confident manner than was his wont.This unexpected demeanor on the part of his friend, somewhat confoundedle Bourdon, though it in a degree relieved his apprehensions of anyimmediate danger. All this time, the conversation between the missionaryand the corporal went on in as quiet and composed a manner, as if eachsaw no ground for any other uneasiness than that connected with the fallof Mackinaw.
"Yes, sir," returned the soldier, "Onoah is a good guide, and a greathand at a council-fire; but these is war-times, and we must stand toour arms, each accordin' to his edication and temper--you, sir, withpreachin' and prayin', and I with gun and baggonet."
"Ah! corporal, the preaching and praying would be of quite as muchaccount with you men of war, as your arms and ammunition, if you couldonly be made to think so. Look at Fort Dearborn! It was defendedby human means, having its armed band, and its guns and swords, andcaptains and corporals; yet you have seen their pride lowered, theirmeans of defence destroyed, and a large part of your comrades massacred.All this has been done to armed men, while the Lord has brought ME, anunarmed and humble teacher of his word, safely out of the hands ofthe Philistines, and placed me here in safety, on the shores of theKalamazoo."
"For that matter, Mr. Amen, the Lord has done the same by ME, with amusket on my shoulder and a baggonet by my side," returned theliteral corporal. "Preachin' may be good on some marches; but arms andammunition answers well enough on others. Hearken to the Hebrew, whoknows all the ways of the wilderness, and see if he don't give you thesame opinion." "The Hebrew is one of the discarded of the Lord, as heis one chosen of the Lord!" returned the missionary. "I agree with you,however, that he is as safe an adviser, for a human adviser, as canbe easily found; therefore will I consult him. Child of the seed ofAbraham," he added, turning to Onoah, "thou hast heard the tidings fromMackinaw; we cannot think, any longer, of pursuing our journey in thatdirection; whither, then, wouldst thou advise that we shall directour steps? I ask this question of THEE first, as an experienced andsagacious dweller in the wilderness: at a more fitting time, I intendto turn to the Lord, and seek divine aid for the direction of ourfootsteps."
"Aye," observed the corporal, who entertained a good deal of respect forthe zealous, but slightly fanatical missionary, though he believed anIndian was always safe to consult in matters of this sort, "try BOTH--ifone staff should fail, it may be well to have another to lean on. A goodsoldier always keeps a part of his troops for a reserve. I motto of hiscoat of arms; the "gare a qui la touchc," or "noli me tangere," of hisdevice."
The head was shaved, as is usual with a warrior, carrying only thechivalrous scalp-lock, but the chief was not in his paint. The outlineof this celebrated savage's features was bold and eagle-like; acomparison that his steady, calm, piercing eye well sustained. The chinwas full and expanded, the lips compressed and firm, the teeth wereshort, but even and sound, his smile courteous, and, at times, winning.
In the way of attire, Onoah was simply dressed, consulting the seasonand his journey. He had a single eagle's feather attached to thescalp-lock, and wore a belt of wampum of more than usual value, beneathwhich he had thrust his knife and tomahawk; a light, figured and fringedhunting-shirt of cotton covered his body, while leggings of deerskin,with a plain moccasin of similar material, rose to his knee. The latter,with the lower part of a stout sinewy thigh, was bare. He also carried ahorn and pouch, and a rifle of the American rather than of the militaryfashion that is, one long, true, and sighted to the deviation of a hair.
On landing, Peter (for so he was generally called by the whites, when incourtesy they omitted the prefix of "Scalping") courteously saluted theparty assembled around the bow of the canoe. This he did with a gravecountenance, like a true American, but in simple sincerity, so far ashuman eye could penetrate his secret feelings. To each man he offeredhis hand, glancing merely at the two females; though it may bequestioned if he ever before had looked upon so perfect a picture offemale loveliness as Margery at that precise instant presented, withher face flushed with excitement, her spirited blue eye wandering withcuriosity, and her beautiful mouth slightly parted in admiration.
"Sago, sago!" said Peter, in his deep, guttural enunciation, speakingreasonably good English. "Sago, sago all, ole and young, friend come tosee you, and eat in your wigwam--which head--chief, eh?"
"We have neither wigwam nor chief here," answered le Bourdon, though healmost shrunk from taking the hand of one of whom he had heard the talesof which this savage had been the hero; "we are common people, andhave no one among us who holds the States' commission. I live by takinghoney, of which you are welcome to all you can want, and this man is ahelper of the sutlers at the garrisons. He was travelling south to jointhe troops at the head of the lake, and I was going north to Mackinaw,on my way in, toward the settlements."
"Why is my brother in such haste?" demanded Peter, mildly. "Bees gettired of making honey?"
"The times are troubled, and the red men have dug up the hatchet; apale-face cannot tell when his wigwam is safe."
"Where my brodder wigwam?" asked Peter, looking warily around him. "Seehe an't here; where is he?"
"Over in the openings, far up the Kalamazoo. We left it last week, andhad got to the hut on the other shore, when a party of Pottawattamiescame in from the lake, and drove us over here for safety."
On hearing this, Peter turned slowly to the missionary, raising a fingeras one makes a gesture to give emphasis to his words.
"Tole you so," said the Indian. "Know dere was Pottawattamie dere. Cantell 'em great way off."
"We fear them, having women in our party," added the bee-hunter, "andthink they might fancy our scalps."
"Dat like enough; all Injin love scalp in war-time. You Yankee, deyBr'ish; can't travel on same path now, and not quarrel. Must not letPottawattamie catch you."
"How are we to help it, now you have come in? We had all the canoes onthis side of the river, and were pretty safe, but should you cross andplace your canoe in their hands, there is nothing to prevent them fromdoing what they please with us. If you will promise not to cross theriver till we can get out well on the lake, we may shift our ground,however, and leave no trail."
"Muss cross over--yes, muss cross over, else Pottawattamie t'ink itstrange--yes, muss cross over. Shan't touch canoe, dough."
"How can you help it, if they be so minded? You are but a single man,and they are twenty."
On hearing this, Corporal Flint pricked up his ears, and stood ifpossible more erect than ever, for he considered himself a part of a manat least, and one moreover who had served in all the wars of the west,from the great battle of St. Glair to that of Mad Anthony. He was sparedthe necessity of a reply, however, for Peter made a significant gesturewhich as much as told him that he would take that office on himself.
"No need be afeard," said Peter, quietly. "Know Pottawattamie--know allchief. Nobody touch canoe of Onoah when he say don't touch him."
"Yet they are Injins of the British, and I see you here in company witha soldier of Uncle Sam."
"No matter; Onoah go just where he please. Sometime to Pottawattamie;sometime to Iroquois. All Ojebways know Onoah. All Six Nation know himwell. All Injin know him. Even Cherokee know him now, and open ears whenhe speak. Muss cross river, and shake hand with Crowsfeather."
There was nothing boastful, or vaunting, in Peter's manner while hethus announced his immunity or power, but he alluded to it in a quiet,natural way, like one accustomed to being considered a personage ofconsequence. Mankind, in general, make few allowances for the influenceof habit; the sensibilities of the vainglorious themselves being quiteas often wounded by the most natural and direct allusions of those whoenjoy advantages superior to their own, as by those that are intended toprovoke comparisons. In the present instance, however, no such feelingcould exist, the Indian asserting no more than his extended reputationwould fully maintain.
When Peter had thus expressed himself, the missionary thought it meet toadd a few words in explanation. This he did, however, aside, walking alittle apart with the bee-hunter, in order so to do. As for Gershom,no one seemed to think him of sufficient importance to throw away anyinterest or care on him.
"You can trust to Peter, friend bee-hunter," the missionary observed,"for what he promises he will perform. I know him well, and have putmyself altogether in his hands. If he says that the Pottawattamies arenot to have his canoe, the Pottawattamies will not get it. He is a manto be depended on."
"Is not this, then, Scalping Peter, who bears so terrible a name on allthis frontier?" demanded le Bourdon.
"The same; but do not disturb yourself with names: they hurt no one, andwill soon be forgotten. A descendant of Abraham, and of Isaac, and ofJacob, is not placed in the wilderness by the hand of divine power forno purpose; since he is here, rely on it, it is for good."
"A descendant of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob! Is not Peter, then, ared-skin and an Injin?"
"Certainly; though no one knows his tribe but himself. I know it, friendbee-hunter, and shortly shall proclaim it throughout the length andbreadth of the land. Yes, it has been given to me to make this importantdiscovery, though I sometimes think that Peter himself is really asignorant as all around him of the tribe to which he properly belongs."
"Do you wish to keep it a secret from me, too? I own that, in my eyes,the tribe of a red-skin goes a good way in making up my opinions of theman. Is he a Winnebagoe?"
"No, my friend, the Winnebagoes have no claims on him at all."
"Nor a Pottawattamie, Ottawa, or Ojebway of any sort?"
"He is none of these. Peter cometh of a nobler tribe than any thatbeareth such names."
"Perhaps he is an Injin of the Six Nations? They tell me that many suchhave found their way hither since the war of the revolution."
"All that may be true, but Peter cometh not of Pottawattamie, Ottawa,nor Ojebway."
"He can hardly be of the Sacs or the Foxes; he has not the appearance ofan Injin from a region so far west."
"Neither, neither, neither," answered Parson Amen, now so full of hissecret as fairly to let it overflow. "Peter is a son of Israel; one ofthe lost children of the land of Judea, in common with many of hisred brethren-mind, I do not say ALL, but with MANY of his redbrethren--though he may not know exactly of what tribe himself. Thislast point has exercised me greatly, and days and nights have I ponderedover the facts. Turn to Genesis XLIX and 14th, and there will you findall the authorities recorded. 'Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of thesea.' That refers to some other red brother, nearer to the coast, mostclearly. 'Issachar is a strong ass, crouching down between two burdens';'and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.'That refers, most manifestly, to the black man of the Southern States,and cannot mean Peter. 'Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder inthe path.' There is the red man for you, drawn with the pencil of truth!'Gad, a troop shall overcome him.' Here, corporal, come this way andtell our new friend how Mad Anthony with his troopers finally routedthe red-skins. You were there, and know all about it. No language canbe plainer: until the 'long-knives and leather-stockings' came into thewoods, the red man had his way. Against THEM he COULD not prevail."
"Yes," returned Corporal Flint, who delighted in talking of the wars,"it was very much as Parson Amen says. The savages, by their nimblenessand artifices, would first ambush us, and then break away from ourcharges, until the gin'ral bethought him of bringing cavalry intothe wilderness. Nobody ever thought of such a plan, until old Anthonyinvented it. As soon as we got the fire of the savages, at the Mawmee,we charged with the baggonet, and put 'em up; and no sooner was theyup, than away went the horse into them, flourishing the 'long knife'and pressing the heel of the 'leather-stocking' into the flanks of theirbeasts. Mr. Amen has found a varse in Scriptur's that does come near tothe p'int, and almost foretells our victory, and that, too, as plain asit stood in dispatches, arterward, from headquarters."
"'Gad, a TROOP shall overcome him,'" put in the missionary,triumphantly.
"That's it--that's it; there was just one troop on 'em, and not aman more! Mad Anthony said a troop would answer, arter we had put thered-skins up out of their ambushes, or any other bushes; and so it did.I must acknowledge that I think more of the Scriptur's than ever, sinceParson Amen read to me that varse."
"Hearken unto this, friend bee-hunter," added the missionary, whoby this time had fairly mounted his hobby, and fancied he saw a trueIsraelite in every other Indian of the west, "and tell me if words wereever more prophetic--'Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf; in the morning heshall devour his prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.' The artof man could not draw a more faithful picture of these Indians."
Boden was not much skilled in sacred lore, and scarce knew what to makeof all this. The idea that the American Indians were the descendantsof the lost tribes of Israel was entirely new to him; nor did he knowanything to boast of, touching those tribes, even in their palmiestdays, and while in possession of the promised land; still he had someconfused recollection of that which he had read when a child--whatAmerican has not?--and was enabled to put a question or two, in returnfor the information now received. "What, do you take the savages ofAmerica for Jews?" he asked, understanding the general drift of themissionary's meaning.
"As sure as you are there, friend bee-hunter, though you are not tosuppose that I think Peter Onoah of the tribe of Benjamin. No, I turn tothe 21st verse for the tribe of Peter Naphthali--Naphthalis, the rootof his stock. 'Naphthali is a hind, let loose: he giveth goodly words.'Now, what can be plainer than this? A hind let loose is a deer runningat large, and, by a metaphor, that deer includes the man that hunts him.Now, Peter has been--nay, is still--a renowned hunter, and is intendedto be enumerated among the hinds let loose; 'he giveth goodly words,'would set that point at rest, if anything were wanting to put it beyondcontroversy, for Onoah is the most eloquent speaker ear ever listenedto! No one, that has ever heard him speak, can doubt that he is the onewho 'giveth goodly words.'"
To what other circumstance the well-intentioned missionary would nexthave alluded, in the course of this demonstration of a theory that hadgot to be a favorite with him, is more than can now be related, sincethe Indian himself drew near, and put an end to the conversation. Peterhad made up his mind to cross the river at once; and came to say asm
uch to his companions, both of whom he intended to leave behind him. LeBourdon could not arrest this movement, short of an appeal to force;and force he did not like to use, doubting equally its justice and itsprudence.
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