betty zane-第20章

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and　countless　herds　of　bison　browsed　upon　the　uplands。

There　for　mans　years　the　Hurons　lived　a　peaceful　and　contented　life。　The　long　war　cry　was　not　heard。　They　were　at　peace　with　the　neighboring　tribes。　Tarhe；　the　Huron　chief；　attained　great　influence　with　the　Delawares。　He　became　a　friend　of　Logan；　the　Mingo　chief。

With　the　invasion　of　the　valley　of　the　Ohio　by　the　whites；　with　the　march　into　the　wilderness　of　that　wild…turkey　breed　of　heroes　of　which　Boone；　Kenton；　the　Zanes；　and　the　Wetzels　were　the　first；　the　Indian's　nature　gradually　chanced　until　he　became　a　fierce　and　relentless　foe。

The　Hurons　had　sided　with　the　French　in　Pontiac's　war；　and　in　the　Revolution　they　aided　the　British。　They　allied　themselves　with　the　Mingoes；　Delawares　and　Shawnees　and　made　a　fierce　war　on　the　Virginian　pioneers。　Some　powerful　influence　must　have　engendered　this　implacable　hatred　in　these　tribes；　particularly　in　the　Mingo　and　the　Wyandot。

The　war　between　the　Indians　and　the　settlers　along　the　Pennsylvania　and　West　Virginia　borders　was　known　as　〃Dunmore's　War。〃　The　Hurons；　Mingoes；　and　Delawares　living　in　the　〃hunter's　paradise〃　west　of　the　Ohio　River；　seeing　their　land　sold　by　the　Iroquois　and　the　occupation　of　their　possessions　by　a　daring　band　of　white　men　naturally　were　filled　with　fierce　anger　and　hate。　But　remembering　the　past　bloody　war　and　British　punishment　they　slowly　moved　backward　toward　the　setting　sun　and　kept　the　peace。　In　1774　a　canoe　filled　with　friendly　Wyandots　was　attacked　by　white　men　below　Yellow　Creek　and　the　Indians　were　killed。　Later　the　same　year　a　party　of　men　under　Colonel　Cresop　made　an　unprovoked　and　dastardly　massacre　of　the　family　and　relatives　of　Logan。　This　attack　reflected　the　deepest　dishonor　upon　all　the　white　men　concerned；　and　Was　the　principal　cause　of　the　long　and　bloody　war　which　followed。　The　settlers　on　the　border　sent　messengers　to　Governor　Dunmore　at　Williamsburg　for　immediate　relief　parties。　Knowing　well　that　the　Indians　would　not　allow　this　massacre　to　go　unavenged　the　frontiersmen　erected　forts　and　blockhouses。

Logan；　the　famous　Mingo　chief；　had　been　a　noted　friend　of　the　white　men。　After　the　murder　of　his　people　he　made　ceaseless　war　upon　them。　He　incited　the　wrath　of　the　Hurons　and　the　Delawares。　He　went　on　the　warpath；　and　when　his　lust　for　vengeance　had　been　satisfied　he　sent　the　following　remarkable　address　to　Lord　Dunmore：

〃I　appeal　to　any　white　man　to　say　if　ever　he　entered　Logan's　cabin　and　he　gave　him　not　meat：　if　ever　he　came　cold　and　naked　and　he　clothed　him　not。　During　the　course　of　the　last　long　and　bloody　war　Logan　remained　idle　in　his　cabin；　an　advocate　of　peace。　Such　was　my　love　for　the　whites　that　my　countrymen　pointed　as　they　passed　and　said：　'Logan　is　the　friend　of　the　white　man。'　I　had　even　thought　to　have　lived　with　you　but　for　the　injuries　of　one　man；　Colonel　Cresop；　who；　last　spring；　in　cold　blood　and　unprovoked；　murdered　all　the　relatives　of　Logan；　not　even　sparing　my　women　and　children。　There　runs　not　a　drop　of　my　blood　in　the　veins　of　any　living　creature。　This　called　upon　me　for　vengeance。　I　have　sought　it：　I　have　killed　many；　I　have　glutted　my　vengeance。　For　my　country　I　will　rejoice　at　the　beams　of　peace。　But　do　not　harbor　a　thought　that　mine　is　the　joy　of　fear。　Logan　never　felt　fear；　he　could　not　turn　upon　his　heel　to　save　his　life。　Who　is　there　to　mourn　for　Logan？　Not　one。〃

The　war　between　the　Indians　and　the　pioneers　was　waged　for　years。　The　settlers　pushed　farther　and　farther　into　the　wilderness。　The　Indians；　who　at　first　sought　only　to　save　their　farms　and　their　stock；　now　fought　for　revenges　That　is　why　every　ambitious　pioneer　who　went　out　upon　those　borders　carried　his　life　in　his　hands：　why　there　was　always　the　danger　of　being　shot　or　tomahawked　from　behind　every　tree；　why　wife　and　children　were　constantly　in　fear　of　the　terrible　enemy。

To　creep　unawares　upon　a　foe　and　strike　him　in　the　dark　was　Indian　warfare；　to　an　Indian　it　was　not　dishonorable；　it　was　not　cowardly。　He　was　taught　to　hide　in　the　long　grass　like　a　snake；　to　shoot　from　coverts；　to　worm　his　way　stealthily　through　the　dense　woods　and　to　ambush　the　paleface's　trail。　Horrible　cruelties；　such　as　torturing　white　prisoners　and　burning　them　at　the　stake　never　heard　of　before　the　war　made　upon　the　Indians　by　the　whites。

Comparatively　little　is　known　of　the　real　character　of　the　Indian　of　that　time。　We　ourselves　sit　before　our　warm　fires　and　talk　of　the　deeds　of　the　redman。　We　while　away　an　hour　by　reading　Pontiac's　siege　of　Detroit；　of　the　battle　of　Braddock's　fields；　and　of　Custer's　last　charge。　We　lay　the　book　down　with　a　fervent　expression　of　thankfulness　that　the　day　of　the　horrible　redman　is　past。　Because　little　has　been　written　on　the　subject；　no　thought　is　given　to　the　long　years　of　deceit　and　treachery　practiced　upon　Pontiac；　we　are　ignorant　of　the　causes　which　led　to　the　slaughter　of　Braddock's　army；　and　we　know　little　of　the　life　of　bitterness　suffered　by　Sitting　Bull。

Many　intelligent　white　men；　who　were　acquainted　with　the　true　life　of　the　Indian　before　he　was　harassed　and　driven　to　desperation　by　the　pioneers；　said　that　he　had　been　cruelly　wronged。　Many　white　men　in　those　days　loved　the　Indian　life　so　well　that　they　left　the　settlements　and　lived　with　the　Indians。　Boone；　who　knew　the　Indian　nature；　said　the　honesty　and　the　simplicity　of　the　Indian　were　remarkable。　Kenton　said　he　had　been　happy　among　the　Indians。　Col。　Zane　had　many　Indian　friends。　Isaac　Zane；　who　lived　most　of　his　life　with　the　Wyandots；　said　the　American　redman　had　been　wrongfully　judged　a　bloodthirsty　savage；　an　ignorant；　thieving　wretch；　capable　of　not　one　virtue。　He　said　the　free　picturesque　life　of　the　Indians　would　have　appealed　to　any　white　man；　that　it　had　a　wonderful　charm；　and　that　before　the　war　with　the　whites　the　Indians　were　kind　to　their　prisoners；　and　sought　only　to　make　Indians　of　them。　He　told　tales　of　how　easily　white　boys　become　Indianized；　so　attached　to　the　wild　life　and　freedom　of　the　redmen　that　it　was　impossible　to　get　the　captives　to　return　to　civilized　life。　The　boys　had　been　permitted　to　grow　wild　with　the　Indian　lads；　to　fish　and　shoot　and　swim　with　them；　to　play　the　Indian　gamesto　live　idle；　joyous　lives。　He　said　these　white　boys　had　been　ransomed　and　taken　from　captivity　and　returned　to　their　homes　and；　although　a　close　watch　has　kept　on　them；　they　contrived　to　escape　and　return　to　the　Indians；　and　that　while　they　were　back　among　civilized　people　it　was　difficult　to　keep　the　boys　dressed。　In　summer　time　it　was　useless　to　attempt　it。　The　strongest　hemp…linen　shirts；　made　with　the　strongest　collar　and　wrist…band；　would　directly　be　torn　off　and　the　little　rascals　would　swimming　in　the　river　or　rolling　on　the　sand。

If　we　may　believe　what　these　men　have　saidand　there　seems　no　good　reason　why　we　may　notthe　Indian　was　very　different　from　the　impression　given　of　him。　There　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　redman　once　lived　a　noble　and　blameless　life；　that　he　was　simple；　honest　and　brave；　that　he　had　a　regard　for　honor　and　a　respect　for　a　promise　far　exceeding　that　of　most　white　men。　Think　of　the　beautiful　poetry　and　legends　left　by　these　silent　men：　men　who　were　a　part　of　the　woods；　men　whose　music　was　the　sighing　of　the　wind；　the　rustling　of　the　leaf；　the　murmur　of　the　brook；　men　whose　simple　joys　were　the　chase　of　the　stag；　and　the　light　in　the　dark　eye　of　a　maiden。

If　we　wish　to　find　the　highest　type　of　the　American　Indian　we　must　look　for　him　before　he　was　driven　west　by　the　land…seeking　pioneer　and　before　he　was　degraded　by　the　rum…selling　French　trader。

The　French　claimed　all　the　land　watered　by　the　Mississippi　River　and　its　tributaries。　The　French　Canadian　was　a　restless；　roaming　adventurer　and　he　found　his　vocation　in　the　fur…trade。　This　fur…trade　engendered　a　strange　class　of　menbush…rangers　they　were　calledwhose　work　was　to　paddle　the　canoe　along　the　lakes　and　streams　and　exchange　their　cheap　rum　for　the　valuable　furs　of　the　Indians。　To　these　men　the　Indians　of　the　west　owe　their　degradation。　These　bush…rangers　or　coureurs…des…bois；　perverted　the　Indians　and　sank　into　barbarism　with　them。

The　few　travellers　there　in　those　days　were　often　surprised　to　find　in　the　wigwams　of　the　Indians　men　who　acknowledged　the　blood　of　France；　yet　who　had　lost　all　semblance　to　the　white　man。　They　lived　in　their　tepee　with　their　Indian　squaws　and　lolled　on　their　blankets　while　the　squaws　cooked　their　venison　and　did　all　the　work。　They　let　their　hair　grow　long　and　wore　feathers　in　it；　they　painted　their　faces　hideously　with　ochre　and　vermilion。

These　were　the　worthless　traders　and　adventurers　who；　from　the　year　1748　to　1783；　encroached　on　the　hunting　grounds　of　the　Indians　and　explored　the　wilderness；　seeking　out　the　remote　tribes　and　trading　the　villainous　rum　for　the　rare　pelts。　In　1784　the　French　authorities；　realizing　that　these　vagrants　were　demoralizing　the　Indians；　warned　them　to　get　off　the　soil。　Finding　this　course　ineffectual　they　arrested　those　that　could　be　apprehended　and　sent　them　to　Canada。　But　it　was　too　late：　the　harm　had　been　done：　the　poor；　ignorant　savage　had　tasted　of　the　terrible　〃fire…water；〃　as　he　called　the　rum　and　his　ruin　was　inevitable。

It　was　a　singular　fact　that　almost　every　Indian　who　had　once　tasted　strong　drink；　was　unable　to　resist　the　desire　for　more。　When　a　trader　came　to　one　of　the　Indian　hamlets　the　braves　purchased　a　keg　of　rum　and　then　they　held　a　council　to　see　who　was　to　get　drunk　and　who　was　to　keep　sober。　It　was　necessary　to　have　some　sober　Indians　in　camp；　otherwise　the　drunken　braves　would　kill　one　another。　The　weapons　would　have　to　be　concealed。　When　the　Indians　had　finished　one　keg　of　rum　they　would　buy　another；　and　so　on　until　not　a　beaver…skin　was　left。　Then　the　trader　would　move　or　when　the　Indians　sobered　up　they　would　be　much　dejected；　for　invariably　they　would　find　that　some　had　been　wounded；　others　crippled；　and　often　several　had　been　killed。

Logan；　using　all　his　eloquence；　travelled　from　village　to　village　visiting　the　different　tribes　and　making　speeches。　He　urged　the　Indians　to　shun　the　dreaded　〃fire…water。〃　He　exclaimed　against　the　whites　for　introducing　liquor　to　the　Indians　and　thus　debasing　them。　At　the　same　time　Logan　admitted　his　own　fondness　for　rum。　This　intelligent　and　noble　Indian　was　murdered　in　a　drunken　fight　shortly　after　sending　his　address　to　Lord　Dunmore。

Thus　it　was　that　the　poor　Indians　had　no　chance　to　avert　their　downfall；　the　steadily　increasing　tide　of　land…stealing　settlers　rolling　westward；　and　the　insiduous；　debasing；　soul…destroying　liquor　were　the　noble　redman's　doom。

　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Isaac　Zane　dropped　back　not　altogether　unhappily　into　his　old　place　in　the　wigwam；　in　the　hunting　parties；　and　in　the　Indian　games。

When　the　braves　were　in　camp；　the　greatest　part　of　the　day　was　spent　in　shooting　and　running　matches；　in　canoe　races；　in　wrestling；　and　in　the　game　of　ball。　The　chiefs　and　the　older　braves　who　had　won　their　laurels　and　the　maidens　of　the　tribe　looked　on　and　applauded。

Isaac　entered　into　all　these　pastimes；　partly　because　he　had　a　natural　love　for　them；　and　partly　because　he　wished　to　win　the　regard　of　the　Indians。　In　wrestling；　and　in　those　sports　which