Latest / Thrilling Adventures - Daily / 28 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper

Transcript

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

0:00
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty eight, quote brief, I pray you for you
0:06
Speaker 1: see tis a busy time with me. Unquote from much
0:11
Speaker 1: Ado about nothing. The tribe, or rather half tribe of Delawares,
0:17
Speaker 1: which has been so often mentioned, and whose present place
0:21
Speaker 1: of encampment was so nigh the temporary village of the
0:24
Speaker 1: Hurons could assemble about an equal number of warriors with
0:29
Speaker 1: the latter people. Like their neighbors, they had followed Montcalm
0:33
Speaker 1: into the territories of English Crown, and were making heavy
0:37
Speaker 1: and serious inroads on the hunting grounds of the Mohawks,
0:42
Speaker 1: though they had seen fit, with the mysterious reserve so
0:47
Speaker 1: common among the natives, to withhold their assistance at the
0:50
Speaker 1: moment when it was most required. The French had accounted
0:55
Speaker 1: for this unexpected defection on the part of their ally
0:58
Speaker 1: in various ways. It was the prevalent opinion, however, that
1:03
Speaker 1: they had been influenced by the veneration for the ancient
1:06
Speaker 1: treaty that had once made them dependent on the Six
1:09
Speaker 1: Nations for military protection, and now rendered them reluctant to
1:14
Speaker 1: encounter their former masters. As for the tribe itself, it
1:19
Speaker 1: had been content to announce to Montcalm through his emissaries
1:24
Speaker 1: with Indian brevity, that their hatchets were dull and time
1:28
Speaker 1: was necessary to sharpen them. The politic captain of the
1:33
Speaker 1: Canadas had deemed it wiser to submit to entertain a
1:37
Speaker 1: passive friend, than by acts of ill judged severity, to
1:41
Speaker 1: convert him into an open enemy. On that morning, when
1:47
Speaker 1: Magua led his silent party from the settlement of the
1:50
Speaker 1: Beavers into the forest, in the manner described the sun
1:54
Speaker 1: rose upon the Delaware encampment as if it had suddenly
1:58
Speaker 1: burst upon a busy people actively employed in all the
2:02
Speaker 1: customary avocations of high noon. The women ran from lodge
2:07
Speaker 1: to lodge, some engaged in preparing their morning's meal, a
2:11
Speaker 1: few earnestly bent on seeking the comforts necessary to their habits,
2:15
Speaker 1: but more pausing to exchange hasty and whispered sentences with
2:20
Speaker 1: their friends. The warriors were lounging in groups, musing more
2:25
Speaker 1: than they conversed, and then a few words were uttered,
2:30
Speaker 1: speaking like men who deeply weighed their opinions. The instruments
2:35
Speaker 1: of the chase were to be seen in abundance among
2:37
Speaker 1: the lodges, but none departed here and there. A warrior
2:42
Speaker 1: was examining his arms with an attention that is rarely
2:46
Speaker 1: bestowed on the implements when no other enemy than the
2:49
Speaker 1: beasts of the force is expected to be encountered. And
2:53
Speaker 1: occasionally the eyes of a whole group were turned simultaneously
2:57
Speaker 1: toward a large and silent lodge in the sense the village,
3:01
Speaker 1: as if it contained the subject of their common thoughts.
3:06
Speaker 1: During the existence of this scene, a man suddenly appeared
3:10
Speaker 1: that the furthest extremity of a platform of rock which
3:13
Speaker 1: formed the level of the village. He was without arms,
3:18
Speaker 1: and his paint tended rather to soften than increase the
3:23
Speaker 1: natural sternness of his austere countenance. When in full view
3:28
Speaker 1: of the delawares, he stopped and made a gesture of
3:31
Speaker 1: amity by throwing his arm upward toward heaven and then
3:35
Speaker 1: letting it fall impressively on his breast. The inhabitants of
3:40
Speaker 1: the village answered his salute by a low murmur of welcome,
3:45
Speaker 1: and encouraged him to advance by similar indications of friendship.
3:50
Speaker 1: Fortified by these assurances, the dark figure left the brow
3:54
Speaker 1: of the rocky terrace, where it had stood for a moment,
3:57
Speaker 1: drawn in a strong outline against the blushing morning sky,
4:01
Speaker 1: and moved with dignity into the very center of the huts.
4:06
Speaker 1: As he approached, nothing was audible but the rattling of
4:10
Speaker 1: the light silver ornaments that loaded his arms and neck,
4:14
Speaker 1: and the tinkling of the little bells that fringed his
4:16
Speaker 1: deerskin moccasins. He made as he advanced, many courteous signs
4:22
Speaker 1: of greeting to the men he passed, neglecting to notice
4:27
Speaker 1: the woman, however, like one who deemed their favor in
4:30
Speaker 1: the present enterprise of no importance. When he had reached
4:34
Speaker 1: the group in which it was evident, by the haughtiness
4:36
Speaker 1: of their common mien, that the principal chiefs were collected,
4:40
Speaker 1: the stranger paused, and then the Delaware saw that the
4:44
Speaker 1: active and erect form that stood before them was that
4:47
Speaker 1: of the well known Huron chief let Leonard Septieu. His
4:52
Speaker 1: reception was grave, silent, and wary. The warriors in front
4:58
Speaker 1: stepped aside, opening the way to their most approved orator
5:02
Speaker 1: by the action one who spoke all those languages that
5:06
Speaker 1: were cultivated among the northern Aborigines. The wise Uron is welcome,
5:14
Speaker 1: said the Delaware, in the language of the Maquas. He
5:18
Speaker 1: has come to eat his soccatache with his brothers of
5:21
Speaker 1: the lakes. Footnote a dish composed of cracked corn and beans.
5:28
Speaker 1: It is much used also by the whites, but corn
5:32
Speaker 1: is meant maize, and footnote he is come, repeated, Maqua
5:40
Speaker 1: bending his head with the dignity of an eastern prince.
5:43
Speaker 1: The chief extended his arm, and taking the other by
5:46
Speaker 1: the wrists, they once more exchanged friendly salutations. Then the
5:51
Speaker 1: Delaware invited his guests to enter his own lodge and
5:54
Speaker 1: share his morning meal. The invitation was accepted, and the
5:58
Speaker 1: two warriors, attended by three or four of the old men,
6:02
Speaker 1: walk calmly away, leaving the rest of the tribe devoired
6:06
Speaker 1: by a desire to understand the reasons of so unusual
6:11
Speaker 1: a visit, and yet not betraying the least impatience by
6:16
Speaker 1: sign or word during the short and frugal repast that followed.
6:21
Speaker 1: The conversation was extremely circumspect, and related entirely to the
6:26
Speaker 1: events of the hunt in which Maqua had so lately
6:29
Speaker 1: been engaged. It would have been impossible for the most
6:33
Speaker 1: finished breeding to wear more of the appearance of considering
6:36
Speaker 1: the visit as a thing of course than did his
6:39
Speaker 1: host Notwithstanding, every individual present was perfectly aware that it
6:45
Speaker 1: must be connected with some secret object, and that probably
6:50
Speaker 1: of importance to themselves. When the appetites of the whole
6:54
Speaker 1: were appeased, the Squaws removed the trenchers and gorge, and
6:58
Speaker 1: the two parties began to prepare them for a subtle
7:01
Speaker 1: trial of their wits. Is the face of my great Canada.
7:06
Speaker 1: Father turned again toward his Uron children, demanded the orator
7:11
Speaker 1: of the Delawares. When was it ever otherwise returned Maqua,
7:16
Speaker 1: he calls my people most beloved. The Delaware graciously bowed
7:21
Speaker 1: his acquiescence to what he knew to be false, and continued,
7:25
Speaker 1: the tomahawks of your young men have been very red.
7:30
Speaker 1: It is so, but they are now bright and dull,
7:35
Speaker 1: For the Yangese are dead, and the Delawares are our neighbors.
7:41
Speaker 1: The other acknowledged the pacific compliment by a gesture of
7:44
Speaker 1: the hand, and remained silent. Then, Maqua, as if recalled
7:50
Speaker 1: to such a recollection by the allusion to the massacre, demanded,
7:55
Speaker 1: does my prisoner give trouble to my brothers? She is welcome.
8:03
Speaker 1: The path between the Hurons and the Delawares is short,
8:06
Speaker 1: and it is open let her be sent to my squaws.
8:11
Speaker 1: If she gives trouble to my brother, she is welcome,
8:15
Speaker 1: returned the chief of the latter nation, still more emphatically.
8:21
Speaker 1: The baffled Makua continued silent several minutes, apparently indifferent, however,
8:27
Speaker 1: to the repulse he had received in his opening effort
8:29
Speaker 1: to regain possession of Cora. Do my young men leave
8:34
Speaker 1: the Delawares room on the mountains for their hunts? He
8:37
Speaker 1: at length continued, The Lenapees are rulers of their own hills,
8:42
Speaker 1: returned the other a little haughtily, it is well, just
8:47
Speaker 1: as is the master of a red skin. Why should
8:50
Speaker 1: they brighten their tomahawks and sharpen their knives against each other?
8:55
Speaker 1: Are not the pale faces thicker than the swallows in
8:58
Speaker 1: the season of the flower? Good? Exclaimed two or three
9:03
Speaker 1: of his auditors. At the same time, Makwa waited a
9:07
Speaker 1: little to permit his words to soften the feelings of
9:10
Speaker 1: the Delawares, before he added, have there not been strange
9:14
Speaker 1: moccasins in the woods? Have not my brothers scented the
9:18
Speaker 1: feet of white men? Let my Canada father come, returned
9:22
Speaker 1: the other evasively. His children are ready to see him.
9:28
Speaker 1: When the great chief comes, it is to smoke with
9:31
Speaker 1: the Indians in their wigwams. The Hurons say, true, he
9:35
Speaker 1: is welcome. But the Yengeese have long arms and legs
9:40
Speaker 1: that never tire. My young men dreamed that they had
9:43
Speaker 1: seen the trail of the Yangeese ni the village of
9:46
Speaker 1: the Delawares. They will not find the Lenapee asleep. It
9:52
Speaker 1: is well the warrior whot's eye is open can see
9:56
Speaker 1: his enemy, said Maqua, once more, shifting his g when
10:00
Speaker 1: he found himself unable to penetrate the caution of his companion,
10:05
Speaker 1: I have brought gifts to my brother. His nation would
10:08
Speaker 1: not go on the war path, because they did not
10:10
Speaker 1: think it well. But their friends have remembered where they lived.
10:16
Speaker 1: When he had thus announced his liberal intention, the crafty
10:20
Speaker 1: chief arose and gravely spread his presence before the dazzled
10:24
Speaker 1: eyes of his host. They consisted principally of trinkets of
10:28
Speaker 1: little value plundered from the slaughtered females of William Henry.
10:33
Speaker 1: In the division of the baubles, the cunning Huron discovered
10:36
Speaker 1: no less art than in their selection, while he bestowed
10:40
Speaker 1: those of greater value on the two most distinguished warriors,
10:44
Speaker 1: one of whom was his host. He seizoned his offerings
10:47
Speaker 1: to their inferiors with such well timed and opposite compliments
10:52
Speaker 1: as left them no ground of complaint. In short, the
10:56
Speaker 1: whole ceremony contained such a happy blending of the pro
11:00
Speaker 1: footable with the flattering that it was not difficult for
11:03
Speaker 1: the donor immediately to read the effect of a generosity
11:06
Speaker 1: so aptly mingled with praise in the eyes of those
11:10
Speaker 1: he addressed. This well judged and politic stroke on the
11:15
Speaker 1: part of Maqua was not without instantaneous results. The Delawares
11:20
Speaker 1: lost their gravity in a much more cordial expression, and
11:24
Speaker 1: the host, in particular, after contemplating his own liberal share
11:28
Speaker 1: of the spoil for some moments, with peculiar gratification, repeated
11:33
Speaker 1: with strong emphasis the words, my brother is a wise chief.
11:38
Speaker 1: He is welcome. The Urons love their friends. The Delawares
11:44
Speaker 1: returned Maqua. Why should they not. They are colored by
11:48
Speaker 1: the same sun, and their just men will hunt in
11:51
Speaker 1: the same grounds after death. The redskins should be friends
11:56
Speaker 1: and look with open eyes on the white men. Has
11:59
Speaker 1: not my brother scented spies in the woods? The Delaware,
12:05
Speaker 1: whose name in English signified hard heart, an appellation that
12:09
Speaker 1: the French had translated in Licudeur forgot that abduracy of
12:14
Speaker 1: purpose which had probably obtained him so significant a title.
12:19
Speaker 1: His countenance grew very sensibly less stern, and he now
12:24
Speaker 1: deigned to answer more directly. There have been strange moccasins
12:28
Speaker 1: about my camp. They have been tracked into my lodges.
12:33
Speaker 1: Did my brother beat out the dogs, asked Maqua, without
12:38
Speaker 1: averting in any manner to the former equivocation of the chief.
12:43
Speaker 1: It would not do. The stranger is always welcome to
12:47
Speaker 1: the children of the Lenape, the stranger, but not the spy.
12:54
Speaker 1: Would the Yankees send their women as spies? Did not
12:57
Speaker 1: the Huron chief say he took women in the battle?
13:02
Speaker 1: He told, no lie. The Yankees has sent out their scouts.
13:08
Speaker 1: They have been in my wigwams, but they found they're
13:11
Speaker 1: no one to say welcome. Then they fled to the Delawares.
13:15
Speaker 1: For say they the Delawares are our friends. Their minds
13:20
Speaker 1: are turned from their Canada father. The insinuation was a
13:25
Speaker 1: home thrust, and one that in a more advanced state
13:29
Speaker 1: of society, would have entitled Markwa to the reputation of
13:32
Speaker 1: a skillful diplomatist. The recent defection of the tribe had,
13:37
Speaker 1: as they well knew themselves, subjected the Delawares to much
13:41
Speaker 1: reproach among their French allies, and they were now made
13:45
Speaker 1: to feel that their future actions were to be regarded
13:48
Speaker 1: with jealousy and distrust. There was no deep insight into
13:53
Speaker 1: causes and effects necessary to foresee that such a situation
13:56
Speaker 1: of things was likely to prove highly prejudiced to their
14:01
Speaker 1: future movements. Their distant villages, their hunting grounds, and hundreds
14:07
Speaker 1: of their women and children, together with a material part
14:10
Speaker 1: of their physical force, were actually within the limits of
14:14
Speaker 1: the French territory. Accordingly, this alarming annunciation was received, as
14:20
Speaker 1: Maquin intended, with manifest disapprobation, if not with alarm. Let
14:27
Speaker 1: my father look in my face, said le courdeur. He
14:31
Speaker 1: will see no change. It is true, my young men
14:35
Speaker 1: did not go out on the war path. They had
14:38
Speaker 1: dreams for not doing so. But they love and venerate
14:42
Speaker 1: the great White Chief. Will he think so when he
14:47
Speaker 1: hears that his greatest enemy is fed in the camp
14:50
Speaker 1: of his children, When he is told a bloody yange
14:55
Speaker 1: smokes at your fire, and the fail face who has
14:59
Speaker 1: slain so many of his friends goes in and out
15:02
Speaker 1: among the Delawares. Go my great Canada father is not
15:08
Speaker 1: a fool? Where is the Yankeee that the Delaware sphere returned?
15:13
Speaker 1: The other who has slain my young men? Who is
15:17
Speaker 1: the mortal enemy of my great father? Lelong Caribbin. The
15:23
Speaker 1: Delaware warriors started at the well known name, betraying by
15:27
Speaker 1: their amazement that they had now learned for the first time,
15:31
Speaker 1: one so famous among the Indian allies of France was
15:34
Speaker 1: within their power. What does my brother mean? Demanded Le Cordeur,
15:40
Speaker 1: in its tone that by its wonder far exceeded the
15:43
Speaker 1: usual apathy of his race. A ran never lies, returned Maqua, coldly,
15:51
Speaker 1: leaning his head against the side of the lodge, and
15:54
Speaker 1: drawing his slight robe across his tawny breast. Let the
15:58
Speaker 1: Delawares count their prisoners. They will find one whose skin
16:02
Speaker 1: is neither red nor pale. A long, amusing pause succeeded.
16:08
Speaker 1: The chief consulted a part with his companions and messengers
16:12
Speaker 1: dispatched to collect certain others of the most distinguished men
16:15
Speaker 1: of the tribe. As warrior after warrior dropped in, they
16:20
Speaker 1: were each made acquainted in turn with the important intelligence
16:23
Speaker 1: that Maqua had just communicated. The air of surprise and
16:28
Speaker 1: the usual low, deep guttural exclamation were common to them all.
16:33
Speaker 1: The news spread from mouth to mouth, until the whole
16:36
Speaker 1: encampment became powerfully agitated. The women suspended their labors to
16:41
Speaker 1: catch such syllables as unguardedly fell from the lips of
16:45
Speaker 1: the consulting warriors. The boys deserted their sports, and, walking
16:51
Speaker 1: fearlessly among their fathers, looked up in curious admiration as
16:56
Speaker 1: they heard the brief exclamations of wonder they so freely
16:59
Speaker 1: expressed the temerity of their hated foe. In short, every
17:06
Speaker 1: occupation was abandoned for the time, and all other pursuits
17:10
Speaker 1: seemed discarded, in order that the tribe might freely indulge,
17:14
Speaker 1: after their own peculiar manner, in an open expression of feeling.
17:19
Speaker 1: When the excitement had little abated, the old men disposed
17:23
Speaker 1: themselves seriously to consider that which became the honor and
17:27
Speaker 1: safety of their tribe to perform under circumstances of so
17:31
Speaker 1: much delicacy and embarrassment. During all these movements, and in
17:36
Speaker 1: the midst of the general commotion, Maqua had not only
17:40
Speaker 1: maintained his seat, but the very attitude he had originally
17:45
Speaker 1: taken against the side of the lodge, where he continued
17:49
Speaker 1: as immovable and apparently as unconcerned, as if he had
17:54
Speaker 1: no interest in the result. Not a single indication of
17:59
Speaker 1: the future in tensions of his host, however, escaped his
18:03
Speaker 1: vigilant eyes. With his consummate knowledge of the nature of
18:07
Speaker 1: the people with whom he had to deal, he anticipated
18:10
Speaker 1: every measure on which they decided, and it might almost
18:14
Speaker 1: be said that in many instances he knew their intentions
18:18
Speaker 1: even before they became known to themselves. The Council of
18:23
Speaker 1: the Delawares was short. When it was ended. A general
18:27
Speaker 1: bustle announced that it was to be immediately succeeded by
18:29
Speaker 1: a solemn and formal assemblage of the nation, as such
18:33
Speaker 1: meetings are rare and only called on occasions of the
18:38
Speaker 1: last importance. The subtle Huron, who still sat apart, a
18:42
Speaker 1: wily and dark observer of the proceedings, now knew that
18:47
Speaker 1: all his projects must be brought to their final issue.
18:51
Speaker 1: He therefore left the lodge and walked silently forth to
18:55
Speaker 1: the place in front of the encampment, whither their warriors
18:59
Speaker 1: were already beginning to collect, It might have been half
19:02
Speaker 1: an hour before each individual, including even the women and children,
19:06
Speaker 1: was in his place. The delay had been created by
19:10
Speaker 1: the grave preparations that were deemed necessary to so solemn
19:14
Speaker 1: and unusual a conference. But when the sun was seen
19:17
Speaker 1: climbing above the tops of that mountain against whose bosom
19:21
Speaker 1: the Delawares had constructed their encampment, most were seated, and
19:25
Speaker 1: his bright rays darted from behind the outline of trees
19:28
Speaker 1: that fringed the eminence. They fell upon as grave and
19:32
Speaker 1: as attentive, and as deeply interested a multitude as was
19:37
Speaker 1: probably ever before lighted by his morning beams. Its number
19:41
Speaker 1: somewhat exceeded a thousand souls. In a collection of so
19:46
Speaker 1: serious savages, there is never to be found any impatient
19:51
Speaker 1: aspirant after premature distinction, standing ready to move his auditors
19:56
Speaker 1: to some hasty and perhaps in judicious discusion in order
20:01
Speaker 1: that his own reputation might be the gainer. An act
20:05
Speaker 1: of so much precipitancy and presumption would seal the downfall
20:10
Speaker 1: of precocious intellect forever. It rested solely on the oldest
20:15
Speaker 1: and most experienced of the men to lay the subject
20:18
Speaker 1: of the conference before the people. Until such a one
20:22
Speaker 1: arose to make some movement. No deeds in arms, no
20:26
Speaker 1: natural gifts, nor any renown as an orator would have
20:30
Speaker 1: justified the slightest interruption. On the present occasion, the aged warrior,
20:36
Speaker 1: whose privilege it was to speak, was silent, seemingly oppressed
20:41
Speaker 1: with the magnitude of his subject. The delay had already
20:45
Speaker 1: continued long beyond the usual deliberative pause that always preceded
20:49
Speaker 1: a conference, but no sign of impatience or surprised escaped
20:55
Speaker 1: even the youngest boy. Occasionally, an eye was raised from
21:00
Speaker 1: the earth, where the looks of most were riveted, and
21:04
Speaker 1: strayed toward a particular lodge that was, however, in no
21:08
Speaker 1: manner distinguished from those around it, except in the peculiar
21:12
Speaker 1: care that had been taken to protect it against the
21:16
Speaker 1: assaults of the weather. At length, one of those low
21:21
Speaker 1: murmurs that are so apt to disturb a multitude was heard,
21:24
Speaker 1: and the whole nation arose to their feet by a
21:27
Speaker 1: common impulse. At that instant, the door of the lodge
21:31
Speaker 1: in question opened, and three men issuing from it slowly
21:35
Speaker 1: approached the place of consultation. They were all aged even
21:40
Speaker 1: beyond that period to which the oldest present had reached,
21:44
Speaker 1: but one in the center, who leaned on his companions
21:47
Speaker 1: for support, had numbered an amount of years to which
21:51
Speaker 1: the human race is seldom permitted to attain. His frame,
21:57
Speaker 1: which had once been tall and erec like the cedar,
22:00
Speaker 1: was now bending under the pressure of more than a century.
22:05
Speaker 1: The elastic light step of an Indian was gone, and
22:08
Speaker 1: in its place he was compelled to toil his tardy
22:11
Speaker 1: way over the ground inch by inch. His dark, wrinkled
22:16
Speaker 1: countenance was in singular and wild contrast to the long
22:20
Speaker 1: white locks which floated on his shoulders in such thickness
22:25
Speaker 1: as to announce that generations had probably passed aways since
22:29
Speaker 1: they had last been shorn. The dress of this patriarch,
22:34
Speaker 1: for such, considering his vast age, in conjunction with his
22:37
Speaker 1: affinity and influence with his people, he might very properly
22:42
Speaker 1: be termed, was rich and imposing, though strictly after the
22:46
Speaker 1: simple fashions of the tribe. His robe was of the
22:50
Speaker 1: finest skins, which had been deprived of the fir in
22:53
Speaker 1: order to admit of a hieroglyphical representation of various deeds
22:58
Speaker 1: and arms done in former ages. His bosom was loaded
23:02
Speaker 1: with metals, some in mass of silver, and one or
23:06
Speaker 1: two even in gold, the gifts of various Christian potentates.
23:12
Speaker 1: During the long period of his life. He also wore
23:16
Speaker 1: armlets and cinctures above the ankles, and the latter precious metal.
23:22
Speaker 1: His head, on the wall which the hair had been
23:24
Speaker 1: permitted to grow the pursuits of war having so long
23:28
Speaker 1: been abandoned, was encircled by a sort of plated diadem,
23:33
Speaker 1: which in turn bore lesser and more glittering ornaments that
23:38
Speaker 1: sparkled amid the glossy hues of three drooping ostrich feathers
23:42
Speaker 1: dyed a deep black, in touching contrast to the color
23:46
Speaker 1: of his snow white locks. His tomahawk was nearly hid
23:51
Speaker 1: in silver, and the handle of his knife shone like
23:55
Speaker 1: a horn of solid gold. So soon as the first
24:00
Speaker 1: of emotion and pleasure which the sudden appearance of this
24:03
Speaker 1: venerated individual created, had a little suicided, the name of
24:08
Speaker 1: Tamanund was whispered from mouth to mouth. Magua had often
24:14
Speaker 1: heard the fame of this wise and just delaware, a
24:17
Speaker 1: reputation that even proceeded so far as to bestow on
24:20
Speaker 1: him the rare gift of holding secret communion with the
24:24
Speaker 1: Great Spirit, and which has since transmitted his name with
24:29
Speaker 1: some slight alteration, to the white usurpers of his ancient territory,
24:34
Speaker 1: as the imaginary tutelar saint of a vast empire. Footnote.
24:39
Speaker 1: The Americans sometimes called their tutelar saint Pomonae, a corruption
24:44
Speaker 1: of the name of the renowned chief here introduced. There
24:47
Speaker 1: are many traditions which speak of the character and power
24:51
Speaker 1: of tamanund And footnote. The Huron chief therefore stepped eagerly
24:59
Speaker 1: out a little the throng to a spot, whence he
25:02
Speaker 1: might catch a near glimpse of the features of the
25:05
Speaker 1: man whose decision was likely to produce so deep an
25:09
Speaker 1: influence on his own fortunes. The eyes of the old
25:14
Speaker 1: man were closed, as though the Organs were wearied with
25:17
Speaker 1: having so long witnessed the selfish workings of human passions.
25:22
Speaker 1: The color of his skin differed from that of most
25:26
Speaker 1: around him, being richer and darker, the latter having been
25:30
Speaker 1: produced by certain delicate and mazy lines of complicated and
25:34
Speaker 1: yet beautiful figures, which had been traced over most of
25:37
Speaker 1: his person by the operation of tattooing. Notwithstanding the position
25:43
Speaker 1: of the huron. He passed the observant and silent Maqua
25:47
Speaker 1: without notice, and, leaning on his two venerable supporters, proceeded
25:52
Speaker 1: to the high place of the multitude, where he seated
25:55
Speaker 1: himself in the center of his nation. With the dignity
25:58
Speaker 1: of a monarch and the air of a father. Nothing
26:02
Speaker 1: could surpass the reverence and affection with which this unexpected
26:06
Speaker 1: visit from one who belongs rather to another world than
26:09
Speaker 1: to this was received by his people. After a suitable
26:14
Speaker 1: and decent pause, the principal chiefs arose, and approaching the patriarch,
26:20
Speaker 1: they placed his hands reverently on their heads, seeming to
26:24
Speaker 1: entreat a blessing. The younger men were content with touching
26:28
Speaker 1: his robe, or even drawing nigh his person, in order
26:32
Speaker 1: to breathe in the atmosphere of one so aged, so just,
26:37
Speaker 1: and so valiant. None but the most distinguished among the
26:40
Speaker 1: youthful warriors even presumed so far as to perform the
26:43
Speaker 1: latter ceremony the great mass of the multitude, deeming it
26:48
Speaker 1: a sufficient happiness to look upon a form so deeply
26:52
Speaker 1: venerated and so well beloved. When these acts of affection
26:57
Speaker 1: and respect were performed, the chiefs drew back again to
27:00
Speaker 1: their several places. In silence reigned in the whole encampment.
27:06
Speaker 1: After a short delay, a few of the young men
27:09
Speaker 1: to whom instructions had been whispered by one of the
27:11
Speaker 1: aged attendants at taminant arose, left the crowd and entered
27:16
Speaker 1: the lodge which has already been noted as the object
27:19
Speaker 1: of so much attention throughout that morning. In a few
27:23
Speaker 1: minutes they reappeared, escorting the individuals who had caused all
27:28
Speaker 1: these solemn preparationss toward the seat of judgment. The crowd
27:33
Speaker 1: opened in a lane, and when the party had re entered,
27:37
Speaker 1: it closed in again, forming a large and dense belt
27:41
Speaker 1: of human bodies arranged in an open circle. End of
27:48
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty eight.