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27 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper · Adventure Books Library

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Chapter twenty seven quote, and I shall remember when Tzar says do this,
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it is performed unquote from Julius Caesar. The impatience of the savages who lingered
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about the prison of Uncas, as has been seen, had overcome their dread
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of the conjurer's breath. They stole cautiously and with beating hearts, to a
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crevice through which the faint light of the fire was glimmering. For several minutes
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they mistook the form of David for that of the prisoner, but the very
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accident which Hawkeye had foreseen occurred. Tired of keeping the extremities of his long
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persons so near together, the singer gradually suffered the lower limbs to extend themselves,
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until one of his misshapen feet actually came in contact with and shoved aside
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the embers of the fire. At first, the Huron's believed the Delaware had
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been thus deformed by witchcraft. But when David, unconscious of being observed,
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turned his head and exposed his simple, mild countenance in place of the haughty
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lineaments of their prisoner, it would have exceeded the credulity of even a native
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to have doubted any longer. They rushed together into the lodge, and laying
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their hands with but little ceremony on their captive, immediately detected the imposition.
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Then arose the cry first heard by the fugitives. It was succeeded by the
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most frantic and angry demonstrations of vengeance. David, however, firm in his
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determination to cover the retreat of his friends, was compelled to believe that his
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own final hour had come. Deprived of his book and his pipe, he
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was fain to trust to a memory that rarely failed him on such subjects,
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and breaking forth in a loud and impassionate strained he endeavored to smooth his passage
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into the other world by singing the opening verse of a funeral anthem. The
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Indians were seasonably reminded of his infirmity, and rushing into the open air,
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they aroused the village in the manner described a native warrior fights as he sleeps,
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without the protection of anything defensive. The sounds of the alarm were therefore
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hardly uttered before two hundred men were afoot and ready for the battle or the
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chase, as either might be required. The escape was soon known, and
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the whole tribe crowded in a body around the council lodge, impatiently awaiting the
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instruction of their chiefs. In such a sudden demand on their wisdom, the
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presence of the cunning Magua could scarcely fail of being needed. His name was
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mentioned, and all looked around in wonder that he did not appear. Messengers
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were then despatched to his lodge, acquiring his presence. In the meantime,
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some of the swiftest and most discreet of the young men were ordered to make
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the circuit of the clearing under cover of the woods, in order to ascertain
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that their suspected neighbors, the Delawares, designed no mischief. Women and children
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ran to and fro, and in short the whole encampment exhibited another scene of
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wild and savage confusion. Gradually, however, these symptoms of disorder diminished,
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and in a few minutes the oldest and most distinguished chiefs were assembled in the
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lodge in grave consultation. The clamor of many voices soon announced that a party
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approached who might be expected to communicate some intelligence that would explain the mystery of
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the novel. Surprise, the crowd without gave way and several warriors entered the
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place, bringing with them the hapless conjurer, who had been left so long
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by the scout in duress. Not with standing. This man was held in
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very unequal estimation among the hurons, some believing implicity in his power, and
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others deeming him an impostor. He was now listened to by all with the
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deepest attention. When his brief story was ended, the father of the sick
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woman stepped forth and, in a few pithy expressions, related in his turn
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what he knew. These two narratives gave a proper direction to the subsequent inquiries,
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which were now made with the characteristic cunning of savages. Instead of rushing
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in a confused and disorderly throng to the cavern, ten of the wisest and
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firmest among the chiefs were selected to prosecute the investigation. As no time was
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to be lost the instant the choice was made, the individuals appointed rose in
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a body and left the place without speaking. On reaching the entrance, the
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younger men in advance made way for their seniors, and the whole proceed along
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the low, dark gallery with the firmness of warriors ready to devote themselves to
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the public good, though at the same time secretly doubting the nature of the
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power with which they were about to contend. The outer apartment of the cavern
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was silent and gloomy. The woman lay in her usual place and posture,
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though there were those presents who affirmed that they had seen her born to the
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woods by the supposed medicine of the white men. Such a direct and palpable
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contradiction of the tale related by the father caused all eyes to be turned on
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him. Chafed by the silent imputation, and inwardly troubled by so unaccountable a
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circumstance, the chief advanced to the side of the bed, and, stooping,
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cast an incredulous look at the features, as if distrusting their reality.
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His daughter was dead. The unerring feeling of nature for a moment prevailed,
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and the old warrior hid his eyes in so Then, recovering his self possession,
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he faced his companions, and, pointing toward the corpse, he said,
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in the language of his people, the wife of my young man has
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left us. The Great Spirit is angry with his children. The mournful intelligence
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was received in solemn silence. After a short pause. One of the elder
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Indians was about to speak when a dark looking object was seen rolling out of
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an adjoining apartment into the very center of the room where they stood. Ignorant
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of the nature of the beings they had to deal with, the whole party
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drew back a little, and, rising on end, exhibited the distorted,
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but still fierce and sullen features of Magua. The discovery was succeeded by a
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general exclamation of amazement. As soon, however, as the true situation of
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the was understood, several knives appeared, and his limbs and tongue were quickly
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released. The Huron arose and shook himself like a lion, quitting his lair.
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Not a word escaped him, though his hand played convulsively with the handle
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of his knife, while his lowering eyes scanned the whole party as if they
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sought an object suited for the first burst of his vengeance. It was happy
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for Uncas and the scalt and even David that they were all beyond the reach
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of his arm at such a moment, for assuredly no refinement in cruelty would
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then have deferred their deaths. In opposition to the promptings of the fierce temper
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that nearly choked him. Meeting everywhere faces that he knew as friends, the
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savage grated his teeth together like rasp of iron, and swallowed his passion for
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want of a victim on whom to vent it. This exhibition of anger was
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noted by all present, and from an apprehension of exasperating a temper that was
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already chafed nearly to madness, several minutes were suffered to pass before another word
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was uttered. When, however, suitable time had elapsed, the oldest of
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the party spoke. My friend has found an enemy, he said, is
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he nigh that the Hurons might take revenge? Let the delaway die, exclaimed
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Magua in a voice of thunder. Another longer and expressive silence was observed,
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and was broken, as before, with due precaution by the same individual.
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The Mohican is swift afoot and leaps far, he said, But my young
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men are on his trail. I is he gone, demanded Magua, in
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tones so deep and guttural that they seemed to proceed from his inmost chest.
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And spirit has been among us, and the delaware has blinded our eyes.
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An evil spirit repeated the other mockingly test the spirit that has taken the live
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of so many hurons, the spirit that slew my young man at the tumbling
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river, that took their scalps at the healing spring, and who has now
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bound the arms and liver a not some kill of whom does my friend speak
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of, the dog who carries the heart and cutting off a uron under a
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pale skin. La Lord care being the pronunciation of so terrible a name,
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produced the usual effect among his auditors. But when time was given for reflection,
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and the warriors remembered that the formidable and daring enemy had even been in
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the bosom of their encampment, working injury, fearful rage took the place of
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wonder, and all those fierce passions with which the bus of Magua had just
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been struggling were suddenly transferred to his companions. Some among them gnashed their teeth
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in anger, others vetted their feelings and yells, and some again beat the
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air as frantically as if the object of their resentment were suffering under their blows.
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But this sudden outbreaking of temper as quickly subsided in the still and sullen
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restraint they most affected in their moments of inaction. Maqua, who had in
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his turn found leisure for reflection, now changed his manner and assumed the air
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of one who knew how to think and act with a dignity worthy of so
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grave a subject. Let us go, my people, he said, they
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wait for us. His companions consented in silence, and the whole of the
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Savage party left the cavern and returned to the council lodge. When they were
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seated, all eyes turned on Maqua, who understood from such an indication that
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by common consent they had devolved the duty of relating what had passed on him.
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He arose and told his tale without duplicity or reservation. The whole deception
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practiced by both Duncan and Hawkeye was of course laid naked, and no room
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was found, even for the most superstitious of the tribe any longer to affix
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a doubt on the character of the occurrences. It was but too apparent that
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they had been insultingly, shamefully, disgracefully deceived. When he had ended and
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resumed his seat, the collected tribe for his auditors in substance, included all
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the fighting men of the party, sat regarding each other like men, astonished
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equally at the audacity and the success of their enemies. The next consideration,
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however, was the means, means and opportunities for revenge. Additional pursuers were
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sent on the trail of the fugitives, and then the chiefs applied themselves in
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earnest to the business of consultation. Many different expedients were proposed by the elder
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warriors in succession to all of which Maqwell was a silent and respectful listener.
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The subtle savage had recovered his artifice and self command, and now proceeded toward
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his object with his customary caution and skill. It was only when each one
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disposed to speak had uttered his sentiments that he prepared to advance his own opinions.
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They were given with additional weight from the circumstance that some of the runners
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had already returned and reported that their enemies had been trace so far as to
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leave no doubt of their having sought safety in the neighboring camp of their suspected
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allies. The Delawares. With the advantage of possessing this important intelligence, the
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chief worthily laid his plans before his fellows, and as might have been anticipated
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from his eloquence and cunning, they were adopted without a descending voice. They
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were briefly as follows, both in opinions and in motives. It has already
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been stated that, in obedience to a policy rarely departed from, the sisters
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were separated so soon as they reached the Huron village. Mahua had early discovered
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that in retaining the person of Alice, he possessed the most effectual check on
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Cora when they parted. Therefore, he kept the former within reach of his
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hand, consigning the one he most valued to the keeping of their allies.
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The arrangement was understood to be merely temporary, and was made as much with
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a view to flatter his neighbors as in obedience of the invariable rule of Indian
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policy. While goaded incessantly by these revengeful impulses, that in a savage seldom
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slumber, the chief was still attentive to his more permanent personal interest. The
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follies and disloyalty committed in his youth were to be expiated by a long and
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painful penance, ere he could be restored to the full enjoyment of the confidence
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of his ancient people, and without confidence there could be no authority in an
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Indian tribe. In this delicate and arduous situation, the crafty native had neglected
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no means of increasing his influence, and one of the happiest of his expedients
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had been the success with which he had cultivated the favor of their powerful and
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dangerous neighbors. The result of this experiment had answered all the expectations of his
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policy, for the Hurons were in no degree exempt from that governing principle nature
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which induces man to value his gifts precisely in the degree that they are appreciated
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by others. But while he was making this ostensible sacrifice to general considerations,
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Makwall never lost sight of his individual motives. The latter had been frustrated by
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the unlooked for events which had placed all his prisoners beyond his control, and
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he now found himself reduced to the necessity of suing for favors to those whom
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it had so lately been his policy to oblige. Several of the chiefs had
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proposed deep and treacherous schemes to surprise the Delawares, and by gaining possession of
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their camp to recover their prisoners by the same blow. For all agreed that
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their honor, their interest, and the peace and happiness of their dead countrymen
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imperiously required them speedily to immolate some victims to their revenge. But planned so
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dangerous to attempt, and of such doubtful issue, Maqua found little difficulty in
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defeating. He exposed their risk and fallacy with his usual skill, and it
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was only after he had removed every impediment in the shape of opposing advice,
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that he ventured to propose his own projects. He commenced by flattering the self
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love of his auditors, a never failing method of commanding attention. When he
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had enumerated the many different occasions on which the Hurons had exhibited their courage and
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prowess in the punishment of insults, he digressed in a high enconium on the
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virtue of wisdom. He painted the quality as forming the great point of difference
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between the beaver and other brutes, between the brutes and men, and finally
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between the Hurons in particular and the rest of the human race. After he
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had sufficiently extolled the property of discretion, he undertook to exhibit in what manner
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its use was applicable to the present situation of their tribe. On the one
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hand, he said, was their great pale father, the governor of the
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Canadas, who had looked upon his children with a hard eye since their tomahawks
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had been so read. On the other, a people as numerous as themselves,
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who spoke a different language, possessed different interest, and loved them not,
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and who would be glad of any pretense to bring them in disgrace with
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the great White Chief. Then he spoke of their necessities, of the gifts
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they had a right to expect for their past services, of their distance from
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their proper hunting grounds and native villages, and of the necessity of consulting prudence
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more and inclination less in so critical circumstances. When he perceived that while the
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old men applauded his moderation, many of the fiercest and most distinguished of the
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warriors listened to these politic plans with lowering looks, he cunningly led them back
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to the subject which they most loved. He spoke openly of the fruits of
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their wisdom, which he boldly pronounced would be a complete and final triumph over
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their enemies. He even darkly hinted that their success might be extended with proper
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caution, in such a manner as to include the destruction of all whom they
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had reason to hate. In short, he soap blended the warlike with the
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artful, the obvious with the obscure, as to flatter the propensities of both
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parties, and to leave to each subject of hope, while neither could say
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it clearly comprehended his intentions. The orator or the politician, who can produce
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such a state of things is commonly popular with his contemporaries. However he may
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be treated by posterity. All perceived that more was meant than was uttered,
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and each one believed that the hidden meaning was precisely such as his own faculties
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enabled him to understand, or his own wishes led him to anticipate. In
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this happy state of things, it is not surprising that the management of Makua
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prevailed. The tribe consented to act with deliberation, and with one voice.
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They committed the direction of the whole affair to the government of the chief,
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who had suggested such wise and intelligible expedients. Makua had now attained one great
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object of all his cunning and enterprise. The ground he had lost in the
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favor of his people was completely regained, and he found himself even placed at
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the head of affairs. He was, in truth their ruar, and so
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long as he could maintain his popularity, no monarch could be more despotic,
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especially while the tribe continued in a hostile territory. Throwing off therefore the appearance
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of consultation, he assumed the grave air of authority necessary to support the dignity
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of his office. Runners were dispatched for intelligence in different directions. Spies were
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ordered to approach and feel the encampment of the Delawares. The warriors were dismissed
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to their lodges with an intimation that their services would soon be needed, and
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the women and children were ordered to retire, with a warning that it was
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their province to be silent. When these several arrangements were made, Magua passed
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through the village, stopping here and there to pay a visit where he thought
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his presence might be flattering to the individual. He confirmed his friends in their
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confidence, fixed the wavering, and gratified all. Then he sought his own
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lodge the wife the Huron chief had abandoned when he was chased from Among his
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people was dead children. He had none, and he now occupied a hut
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without companion of any sort. It was, in fact the dilapidated and solitary
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structure in which David had been discovered, and whom he had tolerated in his
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presence on those very few occasions when they met with the contemptuous indifference of haughty
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superiority. Hither then, Makwell retired when his labors of policy were ended,
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while others slept. However, he neither knew or sought repose. Had there
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been one sufficiently curious to have watched the movements of the newly elected chief,
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he would have seen him seated in a corner of his lodge, musing on
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the subject of his future plans, from the hour of his retirement to the
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time he had appointed for the warriors to assemble again. Occasionally, the air
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breathed through the crevices of the hut, and the low flame that fluttered about
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the members of the fire threw their wavering light on the person of the sullen
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recluse. At such moments, it would not have been difficult to have fancied
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the dusky savage, the prince of Darkness, brooding on his own, fancied
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wrongs and plotting evil. Long before the day dawned. However, warrior after
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warrior entered the solitary hut of Magua, until they had collected to the number
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of twenty. Each bore his rifle and all the other accouterments of war.
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Though the paint was uniformly peaceful, the entrance of these fierce looking beings was
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unnoticed, some seating themselves in the shadows of the place, and others standing
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like motionless statues, until the whole of the designated band was collected. Then
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Magwell arose and gave the signal to proceed, marching himself in advance. They
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followed their leaders singly and in that well known order which has obtained the distinguished
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appellation of Indian file. Unlike other men engaged in the spirit stirring business of
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war, they stole from their camp unostentatiously and unobserved, resembling a band of
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gliding specters more than warriors, seeking the bubble reputation by deeds of desperate daring.
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Instead of taking the path which led directly toward the camp, of the
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Delawares. Magua led his party for some distance down the windings of the stream
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and along the little artificial lake of the beavers. The day began to dawn
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as they entered the clearing which had been formed by those sagacious and industrious animals.
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The Maqua, who had resumed his ancient garb, bore the outline of
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a fox on the dressed skin which formed his robe. There was one chief
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of his party who carried the beaver as his peculiar symbol or totem. There
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would have been a species of profanity in the omission had this man passed so
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powerful a community of his fancy kindred without bestowing some evidence of his regard.
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Accordingly, he paused and spoke in words as kind and friendly as if he
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were addressing more intelligent beings. He called the animals his cousins, and reminded
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them that his protecting influence was the reason they remained unharmed while many avaricious traders
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were prompting the Indians to take their lives. He promised a continuance of his
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favors and admonished them to be grateful, after which he spoke of the expedition
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in which he was himself engaged and intimated, though with sufficient delicacy and circumlocution,
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the expediency of bestowing on their relative a portion of that wisdom for which
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they were so renowned. Footnote. These harangues of the beasts were frequent among
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the Indians. They often addressed their victims in this way, reproaching them for
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cowardice or commending their resolution as they may happen to exhibit fortitude, or the
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reverse in suffering end footnote. During the utterance of this extraordinary address, the
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companions of the speaker were as grave and as attentive to his language, as
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though they were all equally impressed with its propriety. Once or twice black objects
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were seen rising to the surface of the water, and the huron express pleasure,
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conceiving that his words were not bestowed in vain. Just as he ended
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his address, the head of a large beaver was thrust from the door of
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a lodge whose earthen walls had been much injured, and which the party had
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believed, from its situation to be uninhabited. Such an extra extraordinary sign of
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confidence was received by the orator as a highly favorable omen, and though the
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animal retreated a little precipitately, he was lavish on his thanks and commendations.
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When Makua thought sufficient time had been lost in gratifying the family affection of the
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warrior, he again made the signal to proceed. As the Indians moved away
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in a body, and with a step that would have been inaudible to the
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ears of any common man, the same venerable looking beaver once more ventured his
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head from its cover. Had any of the Hurons turned to look behind them,
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they would have seen the animal watching their movements with an interest and sagacity
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that might easily have been mistaken for reason. Indeed, so very distinct and
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intelligible were the devices of the quadruped that even the most experienced observer would have
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been at a loss to account for its actions until the moment when the part
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entered the forest, when the whole would have been explained by seeing the entire
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animal issue from the lodge, uncasing by the act the grave features of Chinchkotchkook
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from his mask of fur. End of chapter twenty seven