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10 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper · Thrilling Adventures - Daily

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Speaker 1: Chapter ten, quote, I fear we shall outsleep the coming
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Speaker 1: morn as much as we this night have overwatched unquote
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Speaker 1: from midsummer night's dream. The instant the shock of this
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Speaker 1: sudden misfortune had abated, Duncan began to make his observations
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Speaker 1: on the appearance and proceedings of their captors. Contrary to
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Speaker 1: the usages of the natives, in the wantonness of their success,
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Speaker 1: they had respected not only the persons of the trembling sisters,
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Speaker 1: but his own. The rich ornaments of his military attire
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Speaker 1: had indeed been repeatedly handled by different individuals of the tribes,
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Speaker 1: with eyes expressing a savage longing to possess the baubles.
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Speaker 1: But before the customary violence could be resorted to a
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Speaker 1: mandate in the authoritative voice of the large warrior already mentioned,
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Speaker 1: stayed the uplifted hand and convinced Heyward that they were
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Speaker 1: to be reserved for some object of particular moment. While, however,
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Speaker 1: these manifestations of weakness were exhibited by the young in
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Speaker 1: vain of the party, the more experienced warriors continued their
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Speaker 1: search throughout both caverns with an activity that denoted they
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Speaker 1: were far from being satisfied with those fruits of their
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Speaker 1: conquest which had already been brought to light. Unable to
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Speaker 1: discover any new victim, these diligent workers of vengeance soon
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Speaker 1: approached their male prisoners, pronouncing the name La Longue Carabine
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Speaker 1: with a fierceness that could not be easily mistaken. Duncan
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Speaker 1: affected not to comprehend the meeting of the repeated and
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Speaker 1: violent interrogatories, while his companion was spared the effort of
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Speaker 1: a similar deception by his ignorance of French. Wearied at
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Speaker 1: length by their importunities, and apprehensive of irritating his captors
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Speaker 1: by stubborn as silence, the former looked about him in
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Speaker 1: quest of Maukua, who might interpret his answers to questions,
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Speaker 1: which were, at each moment becoming more earnest and threatening.
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Speaker 1: The conduct of this savage had formed a solitary exception
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Speaker 1: to that of his fellows, while the others were busily
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Speaker 1: occupied in seeking to gratify their childish passion for finery
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Speaker 1: by plundering even the miserable effects of the scout, or
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Speaker 1: had been searching with such bloodthirsty vengeance in their looks
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Speaker 1: for their absent owner. Let Renard had stood at a
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Speaker 1: little distance from the prisoners, with a demeanor so quiet
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Speaker 1: and satisfied as to betray that he had already effected
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Speaker 1: the grand purpose of his treachery. When the eyes of
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Speaker 1: Hayward first met those of his recent guide, he turned
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Speaker 1: them away in horror at the sinister, the calm look
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Speaker 1: he encountered. Conquering his disgust, However, he was able, with
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Speaker 1: an averted face to address his successful enemy. Le Renad
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Speaker 1: sub Til is too much of a warrior, said the
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Speaker 1: reluctant Heyward to refuse telling an unarmed man what his
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Speaker 1: conquerors say. They ask for the hunter who knows the
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Speaker 1: paths through the woods, returned Makua in his broken English,
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Speaker 1: laying his hand at the same time with a ferocious smile,
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Speaker 1: on the bundle of leaves with which a wound on
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Speaker 1: his shoulder was bandaged. La longue carabine. His rifle is
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Speaker 1: good and his eye never shut. But like the shirt
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Speaker 1: gun of the white chief, it is nothing against the
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Speaker 1: life a le Subtil later in not is too brave
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Speaker 1: to remember? The hurts received in war are the hands
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Speaker 1: that gave them? Was it war? When the tired Indian
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Speaker 1: rested at the sugar tree to taste his corn, Who
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Speaker 1: filled the bushes with creeping enemies, who drew the knife,
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Speaker 1: whose tongue was of peace, while his heart was colored
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Speaker 1: with blood. Did mak Was say that the hatchet was
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Speaker 1: out of the ground, and that his hand had dug
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Speaker 1: it up. As Duncan dared not retort upon his accuser
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Speaker 1: by reminding him of his own premeditated terreachery, and disdained
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Speaker 1: to deprecate his resentment by any words of apology, he
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Speaker 1: remained silent. Makua seemed also content to rest the controversy,
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Speaker 1: as well as all further communication. There for he resumed
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Speaker 1: the leaning attitude against the rock from which in momentary
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Speaker 1: energy he had arisen. But the cry of le longue
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Speaker 1: carabine was renewed the instant. The impatient savages perceived that
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Speaker 1: short dialog was ended. You hear said Makwall with stubborn indifference.
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Speaker 1: The red Hurons call for the life of the long rifle,
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Speaker 1: or they will have the blood of him that kept
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Speaker 1: him hid. He is gone, escaped, He is far beyond
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Speaker 1: their reach. Renard smiled with cold contempt as he answered,
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Speaker 1: when the white man dies, he thinks he is at peace,
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Speaker 1: But the red men know how to torture even the
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Speaker 1: ghost of their enemies. Where is his body? Let the
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Speaker 1: Hurons see his scalp. He is not dead but escaped.
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Speaker 1: Maka shook his head incredulously. Is he a bird to
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Speaker 1: spread his wings? Or is he a fish to swim
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Speaker 1: without air? The White Chief read in his books, and
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Speaker 1: he believes the Hurons are fools. Though no fish the
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Speaker 1: long rifle can swim. He floated down the stream when
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Speaker 1: the powder was all burned, and when the eyes of
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Speaker 1: the Hurons were behind a cloud. And why did the
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Speaker 1: white chief stay? Demanded the incredulous Indian. Is he a
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Speaker 1: stone that goes to the bottom? Or does the scalp
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Speaker 1: burn his head? That I am not stone? Your dead
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Speaker 1: comrade who fell into the falls? White? Answer? Where there's
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Speaker 1: still life in him? Said the provoked young man, using
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Speaker 1: in his anger that boastful language which was most likely
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Speaker 1: to excite the admiration of an Indian. The white man
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Speaker 1: thinks none but cowards desert their women. Makwa muttered a
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Speaker 1: few words inaudibly between his teeth before he continued aloud.
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Speaker 1: Can the delaware swim too as well as crawl in
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Speaker 1: the bushes. Where is le gross serpent? Duncan, who pursued
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Speaker 1: received by the use of these Canadian appellations that his
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Speaker 1: late companions were much better known to his enemies than
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Speaker 1: to himself, answered reluctantly, he also is gone down with
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Speaker 1: the water they Serfegidi is not here. I know not
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Speaker 1: whom you call the nimble deer, said Duncan, gladly, profiting
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Speaker 1: by any excuse to create delay. N Gus returned Maqua,
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Speaker 1: pronouncing the Delaware name with even greater difficulty than he
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Speaker 1: spoke his English words bounding. Elk is what the white
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Speaker 1: man says when he calls to the young Maleikan. Here
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Speaker 1: is some confusion in names between us, Lerenard, said Duncan,
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Speaker 1: hoping to provoke a discussion. Dame is the French for deer,
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Speaker 1: and surf for stag. Elon is the true term when
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Speaker 1: one would speak of an elk, Yes, muttered the Indian
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Speaker 1: in his native tongue. The pale faces are prattling women.
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Speaker 1: They have two words for each thing, while a redskin
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Speaker 1: will make the sound of his voice speak to him.
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Speaker 1: Then changing his language, he continued, adhering to the imperfect
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Speaker 1: nomenclature of his provincial instructors. The deer is swift but weak,
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Speaker 1: the elk is swift but strong. And the son of
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Speaker 1: les serpent is lay serf hadjid has he leaped the
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Speaker 1: river to the woods, if you mean the younger delaware,
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Speaker 1: he too has gone down with the water. As there
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Speaker 1: was nothing improbable to an Indian in the manner of
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Speaker 1: the escape. Makua admitted the truth of what he had
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Speaker 1: heard with a readiness that afforded additional evident how little
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Speaker 1: he would prize such worthless captives. With his companions, however,
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Speaker 1: them feeling was manifestly different. The Hurons had awaited the
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Speaker 1: result of this short dialog with characteristic patience, and with
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Speaker 1: a silence that increased until there was a general stillness
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Speaker 1: in the band. When Heyward ceased to speak, they turned
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Speaker 1: their eyes as one man on Maqua, demanding in this
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Speaker 1: expressive manner an explanation of what had been said. Their
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Speaker 1: interpreter pointed to the river and made them acquainted with
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Speaker 1: the result, as much by the action as by the
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Speaker 1: few words he uttered. When the fact was generally understood,
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Speaker 1: the savages raised a frightful yell, which declared the extent
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Speaker 1: of their disappointment. Some ran furiously to the water's edge,
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Speaker 1: beating the air with frantic gestures, while others spat upon
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Speaker 1: the element to resent the supposed treason it had committed
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Speaker 1: against their acknowledged rights as conquerors. A few, and they
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Speaker 1: not the least powerful and terrific of the band, through
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Speaker 1: lowering looks in which the fiercest passion was only tempered
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Speaker 1: by habitual self command at those captives who still remained
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Speaker 1: in their power, while one or two even gave vent
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Speaker 1: to their malignant feelings by the most menacing gestures, against
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Speaker 1: which neither the sex nor the beauty of the sisters
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Speaker 1: was any protection. The young soldier made a desperate but
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Speaker 1: fruitless effort to spring to the side of Alice when
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Speaker 1: he saw the dark hand of a savage twisted in
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Speaker 1: the rich tresses, which were flowing in volumes over her shoulders,
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Speaker 1: while a knife was passed around the head from which
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Speaker 1: they fell, as if to denote the horrid manner in
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Speaker 1: which it was about to be of its beautiful ornament.
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Speaker 1: But his hands were bound, and at the first movement
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Speaker 1: he made, he felt the grasp of the powerful Indian
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Speaker 1: who directed the band, pressing his shoulder like a vice.
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Speaker 1: Immediately conscious how unavailing any struggle against such overwhelming force
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Speaker 1: must prove, he submitted to his fate, encouraging his gentle
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Speaker 1: companions by a few low and tender assurances that the
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Speaker 1: natives seldom failed to threaten more than they performed. But
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Speaker 1: while Duncan resorted to these words of consolation to quiet
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Speaker 1: the apprehensions of the sisters, he was not so weak
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Speaker 1: as to deceive himself. He well knew that the authority
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Speaker 1: of an Indian chief was so little conventional that it
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Speaker 1: was oftener maintained by physical superiority than by any moral
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Speaker 1: supremacy he might possess. The danger was therefore magnified exactly
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Speaker 1: in proportion to the number of savage spirits by which
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Speaker 1: they were surrounded. The most positive mandate from him who
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Speaker 1: seemed the acknowledged leader, was liable to be violated at
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Speaker 1: each moment by any rash hand that might choose to
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Speaker 1: sacrifice a victim to the mans of some dead friend
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Speaker 1: or relative. While therefore he sustained an outward appearance of
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Speaker 1: calmness and fortitude, his heart leaped into his throat whenever
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Speaker 1: any of their fierce captors drew nearer than common to
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Speaker 1: the helpless sisters, or fastened one of their solemn wondering
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Speaker 1: looks on those fragile forms which were so little able
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Speaker 1: to resist the slightest assault. His apprehensions were, however, greatly
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Speaker 1: relieved when he saw that the leader had summoned his
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Speaker 1: warriors to himself in council. Their deliberations were short, and
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Speaker 1: it would seen by the silence of most of the
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Speaker 1: party the decision unanimous. By the frequency with which the
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Speaker 1: few speakers pointed in the direction of the encampment of Webb,
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Speaker 1: it was apparent they dreaded the approach of danger from
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Speaker 1: that quarter. This consideration probably hastened their determination and quickened
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Speaker 1: the subsequent movements. During his short conference, Heyward, finding a
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Speaker 1: respite from his gravest fears, had leisure to admire the
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Speaker 1: cautious manner in which the Hurons had made their approaches,
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Speaker 1: even after hostilities had ceased. It has already been stated
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Speaker 1: that the upper half of the island was a naked
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Speaker 1: rock and destitute of any other defenses than a few
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Speaker 1: scattered logs of driftwood. They had selected this point to
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Speaker 1: make their descent, having borne the canoe through the wood
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Speaker 1: around the cataract for that purpose, placing their arms in
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Speaker 1: the little vessel. A dozen men clinging to its sides
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Speaker 1: had trusted themselves to the direction of the canoe, which
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Speaker 1: was controlled by two of the most skillful warriors, in
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Speaker 1: attitudes that enabled them to command a view of the
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Speaker 1: dangerous passage. Favored by this arrangement, they touched the head
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Speaker 1: of the island at that point, which had proved so
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Speaker 1: fatal to their first adventures. But with the advantages of
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Speaker 1: superior numbers and the possession of firearms that such had been,
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Speaker 1: the manner of their descent was rendered quite apparent to Duncan,
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Speaker 1: for they now bore the light bark from the upper
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Speaker 1: end of the rock and placed it in the water
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Speaker 1: near the mouth of the outer cavern. As soon as
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Speaker 1: this change was made, the leader made signs to the
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Speaker 1: prisoners to descend and enter. As resistance was impossible and
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Speaker 1: remonstrance useless, Heyward set the example of submission by eating
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Speaker 1: the way into the canoe, where he was soon seated
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Speaker 1: with the sisters and the still wondering David. Notwithstanding, the
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Speaker 1: Hurons were necessarily ignorant of the little channels among the
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Speaker 1: eddies and rapids of the streams, they knew the common
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Speaker 1: signs of such a navigation too well to commit any
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Speaker 1: material blunder. When the pilot chosen for the task of
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Speaker 1: guiding the canoe had taken his station, the whole band
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Speaker 1: plunged again into the river. The vessel glided down the current,
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Speaker 1: and in a few moments the captives found themselves on
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Speaker 1: the south bank of the stream, nearly opposite to the
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Speaker 1: point where they had struck it the preceding evening. Here
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Speaker 1: was held another short but earnest consultation, during which the horses,
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Speaker 1: to whose panic their owners abscribed their heaviest misfortune, were
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Speaker 1: led from the cover of the woods and brought to
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Speaker 1: the sheltered spot. The man now divided, the great chief
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Speaker 1: so often mentioned, mounting the charger of Heyward led the
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Speaker 1: way directly across the river, followed by most of his people,
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Speaker 1: and disappeared in the woods, leaving the prisoners in charge
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Speaker 1: of six savages, at whose head was le Renard Subtil
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Speaker 1: Duncan witnessed all their movements with renewed uneasiness. He had
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Speaker 1: been fond of, believing from the uncommon forbearance of the
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Speaker 1: savages that he was reserved as a prisoner to be
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Speaker 1: delivered to Montcalm as the thoughts of those who were
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Speaker 1: in misery seldom slumber, and the invention is never more
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Speaker 1: likely than when it is stimulated by hope. However feeble
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Speaker 1: and remote. He had even imagined that the parental feelings
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Speaker 1: of Monroe were to be made instrumental in seducing him
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Speaker 1: from his duty to the king. For though the French
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Speaker 1: manner bore a high character for courage and enterprise, he
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Speaker 1: was also thought to be an expert in those political
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Speaker 1: practices which do not always respect the nicer obligations of morality,
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Speaker 1: and which so generally disgraced the European diplomacy of that period.
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Speaker 1: All those busy and ingenious speculations were now annihilated by
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Speaker 1: the conduct of his captors. That portion of the band
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Speaker 1: who had followed the huge warrior took the route toward
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Speaker 1: the foot of the Horican, and no other expectation was
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Speaker 1: left for himself and companions than that they were to
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Speaker 1: be retained as hopeless captives by their savage conquerors. Anxious
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Speaker 1: to know the worst, and willing in such an emergency
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Speaker 1: to try the potency of gold, he overcame his reluctance
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Speaker 1: to speak to Maqua. Addressing himself to his former guide,
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Speaker 1: who had now assumed the authority and manner of one
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Speaker 1: who was to direct the future movements of the party,
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Speaker 1: he said, in tones as friendly and confiding as he
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Speaker 1: could assume, I would speak to Makwall. What is fit
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Speaker 1: only for so great a chief to hear? The Indian
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Speaker 1: turned his eyes on the young soldiers scornfully as he answered, speak,
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Speaker 1: trees have no ears, but the red Hurons are not deaf,
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Speaker 1: And counsel that is fit for the great men of
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Speaker 1: a nation would make the young warriors drunk. If Mokwall
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Speaker 1: will not listen, the officer the king knows how to
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Speaker 1: be silent. The savage spoke carelessly to his comrades, who
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Speaker 1: were busied, after their awkward manner, in preparing the horses
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Speaker 1: for the reception of the sisters, and moved a little
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Speaker 1: to one side, whitherby a cautious gesture he induced Heyward
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Speaker 1: to follow. Now, speak, he said, if the words are
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Speaker 1: such as makwashed here, le Renaud Subtil has proved himself
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Speaker 1: worthy of the honorable name given to him by his
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Speaker 1: Canada fathers, commenced Heyward. I see his wisdom and all
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Speaker 1: that he has done for us, and shall remember it
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Speaker 1: when the hour to reward him arrives. Yes, Renaud has
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Speaker 1: proved that he is not only a great chief in council,
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Speaker 1: but one who knows how to deceive his enemies. What
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Speaker 1: has Renaud done, coldly demanded the Indian. What has he
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Speaker 1: not seen that the woods were filled with outlying parties
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Speaker 1: of the enemies, and that the serpent could not steal
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Speaker 1: through them without being seen? Then did he not lose
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Speaker 1: his path to blind the eyes of the Hurons? Did
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Speaker 1: he not pretend to go back to his tribe, who
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Speaker 1: had treated him ill and driven him from their wigwams
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Speaker 1: like a dog? And when he saw what he wished
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Speaker 1: to do, did we not aid him by making a
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Speaker 1: false face, that the Hurons might think the white man
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Speaker 1: believed that his friend was his enemy? Is not all
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Speaker 1: this true? And when lay Subtil had shut the eyes
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Speaker 1: and stopped the ears of his nation by his wisdom,
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Speaker 1: did they not forget that they had once done him
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Speaker 1: wrong and forced him to flee to the Mohawks? And
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Speaker 1: did they not leave him on the south of the
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Speaker 1: river with their prisoners while they have gone foolishly to
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Speaker 1: the north. Does not Renard mean to turn like a
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Speaker 1: fox on his footsteps, and carry to the rich and
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Speaker 1: gray headed Scotchman his daughters. Yes, Maqua, I see it all,
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Speaker 1: and I have already been thinking how so much wisdom
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Speaker 1: and honesty should be repaid. First, the chief of William
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Speaker 1: Henry will give, as great chief should for such a service.
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Speaker 1: The medal of Maqua will no longer be of tin. Footnote.
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Speaker 1: It has long been a practice of the Whites to
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Speaker 1: conciliate the important men of the Indians by presenting medals
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Speaker 1: which were worn in the place of their own rude ornaments.
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Speaker 1: Those given by the English generally bear the impression of
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Speaker 1: the reigning king, and those given by the Americans that
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Speaker 1: of the President. And footnote, but of beaten gold. His
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Speaker 1: horn will run over with powder. Dollars will be as
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Speaker 1: plenty in his pouch as pebbles on the shore of Horican,
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Speaker 1: and the deer will lick his hand, for they will
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Speaker 1: know it to be vain to fly from the rifle
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Speaker 1: he will carry. As for myself, I know not how
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Speaker 1: to exceed the gratitude of the Scotchman, but I yes,
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Speaker 1: I will. What will the young chief who comes from
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Speaker 1: toward the sun give? Demanded the Huron. Observing that Heyward
22:17
Speaker 1: hesitated in his desire to end the enumeration of benefits
22:21
Speaker 1: with that which might form the climax of an Indian's wishes,
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Speaker 1: he will make the fire water from the islands in
22:28
Speaker 1: the salt Lake flow before the wigwam of Maqua, until
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Speaker 1: the heart of the Indians shall be lighter than the
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Speaker 1: feathers of the humming bird, and his breath sweeter than
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Speaker 1: wild honeysuckle. Le Renard had listened gravely as Heyward slowly
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Speaker 1: proceeded in this subtle speech. When the young man mentioned
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Speaker 1: the artifice he supposed the Indian to have practiced on
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Speaker 1: his own nation, the countenance of the listener was veiled
22:55
Speaker 1: in an expression of cautious gravity at the allusion to
22:59
Speaker 1: the injury which Duncan effected to believe had driven the
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Speaker 1: Huron from his native tribe. A gleam of such ungovernable
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Speaker 1: borocity flashed from the other's eyes as induced the adventurous
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Speaker 1: speaker to believe he had struck the proper chord. And
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Speaker 1: by the time he reached the part where he so
23:19
Speaker 1: artfully blended the thirst of vengeance with the desire of gain,
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Speaker 1: he had at least obtained a command of the deepest
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Speaker 1: attention of the savage. The question put by le Renard
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Speaker 1: had been calm and with all the dignity of an Indian,
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Speaker 1: But it was quite apparent by the thoughtful expression of
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Speaker 1: the listener's countenance that the answer was most cunningly devised.
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Speaker 1: The Huron mused a few moments, and then, laying his
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Speaker 1: hand on the rude bandages of his wounded shoulder, he said,
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Speaker 1: with some energy, new friends make such marks? Would la
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Speaker 1: longue cut it been got one so slight on an enemy?
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Speaker 1: Do the delawares crawl upon those they love like snakes,
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Speaker 1: twisting themselves to strike? Would le gros serpent have been
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Speaker 1: heard by the ears of one he wished to be deaf?
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Speaker 1: Does the White chief burn his powder in the faces
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Speaker 1: of his brothers? Does he ever miss his aim? When
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Speaker 1: seriously bent to kill? Returned Duncan, smiling with well acted sincerity.
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Speaker 1: Another long and deliberate pause succeeded these sententious questions and
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Speaker 1: ready replies. Duncan saw that the Indian hesitated in order
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Speaker 1: to complete his victory. He was in the act of
24:44
Speaker 1: recommencing the enumeration of the rewards when Maqua made an
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Speaker 1: expressive gesture, and said, enough, Larinard is a wise chief,
24:54
Speaker 1: and what he does will be seen. Go and keep
24:57
Speaker 1: the mouth shut. When Makua speaks, it will be the
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Speaker 1: time to answer. Heyward, perceiving that the eyes of his
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Speaker 1: companion were warily fastened on the rest of the band,
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Speaker 1: fell back immediately in order to avoid the appearance of
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Speaker 1: any suspicious confederacy with their leader. Maqua approached the horses
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Speaker 1: and affected to be well pleased with the diligence and
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Speaker 1: ingenuity of his comrades. He then signed to Hayward to
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Speaker 1: assist the sisters into the saddles, for he seldom deigned
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Speaker 1: to use the English tongue unless urged by some motive
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Speaker 1: of more than usual moment. There was no longer any
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Speaker 1: plausible pretext for delay, and Duncan was obliged, however reluctantly,
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Speaker 1: to comply. As he performed this office, he whispered his
25:49
Speaker 1: reviving hopes in the ears of the trembling females, who,
25:52
Speaker 1: through dread of encountering the savage countenances of their captors,
25:57
Speaker 1: seldom raised their eyes from the ground. The Mayor of
26:00
Speaker 1: David had been taken with the followers of the large chief,
26:04
Speaker 1: in consequence its owner as well as Duncan, was compelled
26:09
Speaker 1: to journey on foot. The latter did not, however, so
26:13
Speaker 1: much regret this circumstance as it might enable him to
26:18
Speaker 1: retard the speed of the party, for he still turned
26:22
Speaker 1: his longing looks in the direction of Fort Edward, in
26:26
Speaker 1: the vain expectation of catching some sound from that quarter
26:29
Speaker 1: of the forest which might denote the approach of succor.
26:33
Speaker 1: When all were prepared, Makua made the signal to proceed,
26:38
Speaker 1: advancing in front to lead the party in person. Next
26:42
Speaker 1: followed David, who was gradually coming to a true sense
26:46
Speaker 1: of his condition as the effects of the wound became
26:50
Speaker 1: less and less apparent. The sisters rode in his rear,
26:55
Speaker 1: with Heyward at their side, while the Indians flanked the
26:59
Speaker 1: party and brought up the close of the march with
27:02
Speaker 1: a caution that seemed never to tire. In this manner.
27:07
Speaker 1: They proceeded in uninterrupted silence, except when Heyward expressed some
27:12
Speaker 1: solitary word of comfort to the females, or David gave
27:17
Speaker 1: vent to the moanings of his spirit in piteous exclamations
27:21
Speaker 1: which he intended should express. The humility of resignation. Their
27:26
Speaker 1: direction lay toward the south, and in a course nearly
27:30
Speaker 1: opposite to the road to William Henry. Notwithstanding this apparent
27:34
Speaker 1: adherence in Maqua to the original determination of his conquerors,
27:39
Speaker 1: Heyward could not believe his tempting bait was so soon forgotten,
27:44
Speaker 1: And he knew the windings of an Indian's path too
27:48
Speaker 1: well to suppose that its apparent course led directly to
27:52
Speaker 1: its object when artifice was at all necessary. Mile after
27:58
Speaker 1: mile was, however, pass through the boundless woods in this
28:02
Speaker 1: painful manner, without any prospect of a termination of their journey.
28:07
Speaker 1: Heyward watched the sun as he darted his meridian rays
28:12
Speaker 1: through the branches of the trees, and pined for the
28:15
Speaker 1: moment when the policy of Maqua should change their route
28:20
Speaker 1: to one more favorable to his hopes. Sometimes he fancied
28:24
Speaker 1: the wary savage, despairing a passing. The army of Montcalm
28:29
Speaker 1: in safety, was holding his way toward a well known
28:33
Speaker 1: border settlement, where a distinguished officer of the Crown and
28:37
Speaker 1: a favored friend of the Six Nations held his large
28:42
Speaker 1: possessions as well as his usual residence, to be delivered
28:47
Speaker 1: into the hands of Sir William Johnson was far perferable
28:51
Speaker 1: to being led into the wilds of Canada. But in
28:54
Speaker 1: order to effect even the former, it would be necessary
28:57
Speaker 1: to traverse the forest for many weary leagues, each step
29:03
Speaker 1: of which was carrying him further from the scene of
29:05
Speaker 1: the war and consequently from the post. Not only of
29:10
Speaker 1: honor but of duty. Cora alone remembered the parting injunctions
29:15
Speaker 1: of the scout, and whenever an opportunity offered, she stretched
29:20
Speaker 1: forth her arm to bend aside the twigs that met
29:22
Speaker 1: her hands. But the vigilance of the Indians rendered this
29:26
Speaker 1: act of precaution both difficult and dangerous. She was often
29:32
Speaker 1: defeated in her purpose by encountering their watchful eyes. When
29:36
Speaker 1: it became necessary to feign an alarm, she did not
29:39
Speaker 1: feel and occupy the limb by some gesture of feminine apprehension. Once,
29:45
Speaker 1: and once only was she completely successful, when she broke
29:49
Speaker 1: down the bow of a large sumac and by a
29:52
Speaker 1: sudden thought, let her glove fall at the same instant.
29:57
Speaker 1: This sign, intended for those that might follow, was observed
30:01
Speaker 1: by one of her conductors, who restored the glove, broke
30:05
Speaker 1: the remaining branches of the bush in such a manner
30:08
Speaker 1: that it appeared to proceed from the struggling of some
30:10
Speaker 1: beast in its branches, and then laid his hand on
30:13
Speaker 1: his tomahawk, with a look so significant that it put
30:18
Speaker 1: an effectual end to those stolen memorials of their passage.
30:22
Speaker 1: As there were horses to leave the prints of their
30:24
Speaker 1: footsteps in both bands of the Indians, this interruption cut
30:29
Speaker 1: off any probable hopes of assistance being conveyed through the
30:32
Speaker 1: means of their trail. Heyward would have ventured a remonstrance
30:38
Speaker 1: had there been anything encouraging in the glooming reserve of Magua.
30:42
Speaker 1: But the Savage during all this time seldom turned to
30:46
Speaker 1: look at his fellows, and never spoke with the sun
30:51
Speaker 1: for his only guide, or aided by such blind marks
30:55
Speaker 1: as are only known to the sagacity of a native,
30:58
Speaker 1: he held his way along the barrens of pine, through
31:02
Speaker 1: occasional little fertile veils, across brooks and rivulets, and over
31:08
Speaker 1: undulating hills, with the accuracy of instinct, and nearly with
31:13
Speaker 1: the directness of a bird. He never seemed to hesitate
31:17
Speaker 1: whether the path was hardly distinguishable, whether it disappeared, or
31:22
Speaker 1: whether it lay beaten and plane before him, made no
31:25
Speaker 1: sensible difference in his speed or certainty. It seemed as
31:30
Speaker 1: if fatigue could not affect him. Whenever the eyes of
31:34
Speaker 1: the wearied travelers rose from the decayed leaves over which
31:37
Speaker 1: they trod, his dark form was to be seen glancing
31:41
Speaker 1: among the stems of the trees in front, his head,
31:45
Speaker 1: immovably fastened in a forward position, with the light plume
31:49
Speaker 1: on his crest fluttering in a current of air made
31:52
Speaker 1: solely by the swiftness of his own motion. But all
31:55
Speaker 1: his diligence and speed were not without an object. After
32:00
Speaker 1: crossing a low vale through which a gushing brook meandered,
32:05
Speaker 1: he suddenly ascended a hill so steep and difficult of
32:08
Speaker 1: ascent that the sisters were compelled to alight in order
32:11
Speaker 1: to follow. When the summit was gained, they found themselves
32:16
Speaker 1: on a level spot, but thinly covered with trees, under
32:21
Speaker 1: one of which Maquet had thrown his dark form, as
32:24
Speaker 1: if willing and ready to seek that rest which was
32:27
Speaker 1: so much needed by the whole party. End of Chapter
32:33
Speaker 1: ten