betty zane-第21章

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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　required　weight　and　endurance；　he　usually　suffered　defeat。　In　a　foot　race　there　was　not　a　brave　in　the　entire　tribe　who　could　keep　even　with　him。　But　it　was　with　the　rifle　that　Isaac　won　his　greatest　distinction。　The　Indians　never　learned　the　finer　shooting　with　the　ride。　Some　few　of　them　could　shoot　well；　but　for　the　most　part　they　were　poor　marksmen。

Accordingly；　Isaac　was　always　taken　on　the　fall　hunt。　Every　autumn　there　were　three　parties　sent　out　to　bring　in　the　supply　of　meat　for　the　winter。　Because　of　Isaac's　fine　marksmanship　he　was　always　taken　with　the　bear　hunters。　Bear　hunting　was　exciting　and　dangerous　work。　Before　the　weather　got　very　cold　and　winter　actually　set　in　the　bears　crawled　into　a　hole　in　a　tree　or　a　cave　in　the　rocks；　where　they　hibernated。　A　favorite　place　for　them　was　in　hollow　trees。　When　the　Indians　found　a　tree　with　the　scratches　of　a　bear　on　it　and　a　hole　large　enough　to　admit　the　body　of　a　bear；　an　Indian　climbed　up　the　tree　and　with　a　long　pole　tried　to　punch　Bruin　out　of　his　den。　Often　this　was　a　hazardous　undertaking；　for　the　bear　would　get　angry　on　being　disturbed　in　his　winter　sleep　and　would　rush　out　before　the　Indian　could　reach　a　place　of　safety。　At　times　there　were　even　two　or　three　bears　in　one　den。　Sometimes　the　bear　would　refuse　to　come　out；　and　on　these　occasions；　which　were　rare；　the　hunters　would　resort　to　fire。　A　piece　of　dry；　rotten　wood　was　fastened　to　a　long　pole　and　was　set　on　fire。　When　this　was　pushed　in　on　the　bear　he　would　give　a　sniff　and　a　growl　and　come　out　in　a　hurry。

The　buffalo　and　elk　were　hunted　with　the　bow　and　arrow。　This　effective　weapon　did　not　make　a　noise　and　frighten　the　game。　The　wary　Indian　crawled　through　the　high　grass　until　within　easy　range　and　sometimes　killed　several　buffalo　or　elk　before　the　herd　became　alarmed。　The　meat　was　then　jerked。　This　consisted　in　cutting　it　into　thin　strips　and　drying　it　in　the　sun。　Afterwards　it　was　hung　up　in　the　lodges。　The　skins　were　stretched　on　poles　to　dry；　and　when　cured　they　served　as　robes；　clothing　and　wigwam…coverings。

The　Indians　were　fond　of　honey　and　maple　sugar。　The　finding　of　a　hive　of　bees；　or　a　good　run　of　maple　syrup　was　an　occasion　for　general　rejoicing。　They　found　the　honey　in　hollow　trees；　and　they　obtained　the　maple　sugar　in　two　ways。　When　the　sap　came　up　in　the　maple　trees　a　hole　was　bored　in　the　trees　about　a　foot　from　the　ground　and　a　small　tube；　usually　made　from　a　piece　of　alder；　was　inserted　in　the　hole。　Through　this　the　sap　was　carried　into　a　vessel　which　was　placed　under　the　tree。　This　sap　was　boiled　down　in　kettles。　If　the　Indians　had　no　kettles　they　made　the　frost　take　the　place　of　heat　in　preparing　the　sugar。　They　used　shallow　vessels　made　of　bark；　and　these　were　filled　with　water　and　the　maple　sap。　It　was　left　to　freeze　over　night　and　in　the　morning　the　ice　was　broken　and　thrown　away。　The　sugar　did　not　freeze。　When　this　process　had　been　repeated　several　times　the　residue　was　very　good　maple　sugar。

Isaac　did　more　than　his　share　toward　the　work　of　provisioning　the　village　for　the　winter。　But　he　enjoyed　it。　He　was　particularly　fond　of　fishing　by　moonlight。　Early　November　was　the　best　season　for　this　sport；　and　the　Indians　caught　large　numbers　of　fish。　They　placed　a　torch　in　the　bow　of　a　canoe　and　paddled　noiselessly　over　the　stream。　In　the　clear　water　a　bright　light　would　so　attract　and　fascinate　the　fish　that　they　would　lie　motionless　near　the　bottom　of　the　shallow　stream。

One　cold　night　Isaac　was　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe。　Seeing　a　large　fish　he　whispered　to　the　Indians　with　him　to　exercise　caution。　His　guides　paddled　noiselessly　through　the　water。　Isaac　stood　up　and　raised　the　spear；　ready　to　strike。　In　another　second　Isaac　had　cast　the　iron；　but　in　his　eagerness　he　overbalanced　himself　and　plunged　head　first　into　the　icy　current；　making　a　great　splash　and　spoiling　any　further　fishing。　Incidents　like　this　were　a　source　of　infinite　amusement　to　the　Indians。

Before　the　autumn　evenings　grew　too　cold　the　Indian　held　their　courting　dances。　All　unmarried　maidens　and　braves　in　the　village　were　expected　to　take　part　in　these　dances。　In　the　bright　light　of　huge　fires；　and　watched　by　the　chiefs；　the　old　men；　the　squaws；　and　the　children；　the　maidens　and　the　braves；　arrayed　in　their　gaudiest　apparel；　marched　into　the　circle。　They　formed　two　lines　a　few　paces　apart。　Each　held　in　the　right　hand　a　dry　gourd　which　contained　pebbles。　Advancing　toward　one　another　they　sang　the　courting　song；　keeping　time　to　the　tune　with　the　rattling　of　the　pebbles。　When　they　met　in　the　center　the　braves　bent　forward　and　whispered　a　word　to　the　maidens。　At　a　certain　point　in　the　song；　which　was　indicated　by　a　louder　note；　the　maidens　would　change　their　positions；　and　this　was　continued　until　every　brave　had　whispered　to　every　maiden；　when　the　dance　ended。

Isaac　took　part　in　all　these　pleasures；　he　entered　into　every　phase　of　the　Indian's　life；　he　hunted；　worked；　played；　danced；　and　sang　with　faithfulness。　But　when　the　long；　dreary　winter　days　came　with　their　ice…laden　breezes；　enforcing　idleness　on　the　Indians；　he　became　restless。　Sometimes　for　days　he　would　be　morose　and　gloomy；　keeping　beside　his　own　tent　and　not　mingling　with　the　Indians。　At　such　times　Myeerah　did　not　question　him。

Even　in　his　happier　hours　his　diversions　were　not　many。　He　never　tired　of　watching　and　studying　the　Indian　children。　When　he　had　an　opportunity　without　being　observed；　which　was　seldom；　he　amused　himself　with　the　papooses。　The　Indian　baby　was　strapped　to　a　flat　piece　of　wood　and　covered　with　a　broad　flap　of　buckskin。　The　squaws　hung　these　primitive　baby　carriages　up　on　the　pole　of　a　tepee；　on　a　branch　of　a　tree；　or　threw　them　round　anywhere。　Isaac　never　heard　a　papoose　cry。　He　often　pulled　down　the　flap　of　buckskin　and　looked　at　the　solemn　little　fellow；　who　would　stare　up　at　him　with　big；　wondering　eyes。

Isaac's　most　intimate　friend　was　a　six…year…old　Indian　boy；　whom　he　called　Captain　Jack。　He　was　the　son　of　Thundercloud；　the　war…chief　of　the　Hurons。　Jack　made　a　brave　picture　in　his　buckskin　hunting　suit　and　his　war　bonnet。　Already　he　could　stick　tenaciously　on　the　back　of　a　racing　mustang　and　with　his　little　bow　he　could　place　arrow　after　arrow　in　the　center　of　the　target。　Knowing　Captain　Jack　would　some　day　be　a　mighty　chief；　Isaac　taught　him　to　speak　English。　He　endeavored　to　make　Jack　love　him；　so　that　when　the　lad　should　grow　to　be　a　man　he　would　remember　his　white　brother　and　show　mercy　to　the　prisoners　who　fell　into　his　power。

Another　of　Isaac's　favorites　was　a　half…breed　Ottawa　Indian；　a　distant　relative　of　Tarhe's。　This　Indian　was　very　old；　no　one　knew　how　old；　his　face　was　seamed　and　scarred　and　wrinkled。　Bent　and　shrunken　was　his　form。　He　slept　most　of　the　time；　but　at　long　intervals　he　would　brighten　up　and　tell　of　his　prowess　when　a　warrior。

One　of　his　favorite　stories　was　of　the　part　he　had　taken　in　the　events　of　that　fatal　and　memorable　July　2；　1755；　when　Gen。　Braddock　and　his　English　army　were　massacred　by　the　French　and　Indians　near　Fort　Duquesne。

The　old　chief　told　how　Beaujeu　with　his　Frenchmen　and　his　five　hundred　Indians　ambushed　Braddock's　army；　surrounded　the　soldiers；　fired　from　the　ravines；　the　trees；　the　long　grass；　poured　a　pitiless　hail　of　bullets　on　the　bewildered　British　soldiers；　who；　unaccustomed　to　this　deadly　and　unseen　foe；　huddled　under　the　trees　like　herds　of　frightened　sheep；　and　were　shot　down　with　hardly　an　effort　to　defend　themselves。

The　old　chief　related　that　fifteen　years　after　that　battle　he　went　to　the　Kanawha　settlement　to　see　the　Big　Chief；　Gen。　George　Washington；　who　was　travelling　on　the　Kanawha。　He　told　Gen。　Washington　how　he　had　fought　in　the　battle　of　Braddock's　Fields；　how　he　had　shot　and　killed　Gen。　Braddock；　how　he　had　fired　repeatedly　at　Washington；　and　had　killed　two　horses　under　him；　and　how　at　last　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Washington　was　protected　by　the　Great　Spirit　who　destined　him　for　a　great　future。

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Myeerah　was　the　Indian　name　for　a　rare　and　beautiful　birdthe　white　cranecommonly　called　by　the　Indians；　Walk…in…the…Water。　It　had　been　the　name　of　Tarhe's　mother　and　grandmother。　The　present　Myeerah　was　the　daughter　of　a　French　woman；　who　had　been　taken　captive　at　a　very　early　age；　adopted　into　the　Huron　tribe；　and　married　to　Tarhe。　The　only　child　of　this　union　was　Myeerah。　She　grew　to　be　beautiful　woman　and　was　known　in　Detroit　and　the　Canadian　forts　as　Tarhe's　white　daughter。　The　old　chief　often　visited　the　towns　along　the　lake　shore；　and　so　proud　was　he　of　Myeeah　that　he　always　had　her　accompany　him。　White　men　travelled　far　to　look　at　the　Indian　beauty。　Many　French　soldiers　wooed　her　in　vain。　Once；　while　Tarhe　was　in　Detroit；　a　noted　French　family　tried　in　every　way　to　get　possession　of　Myeerah。

The　head　of　this　family　believed　he　saw　in　Myeerah　the　child　of　his　long　lost　daughter。　Tarhe　hurried　away　from　the　city　and　never　returned　to　the　white　settlement。

Myeerah　was　only　five　years　old　at　the　time　of　the　capture　of　the　Zane　brothers　and　it　was　at　this　early　age　that　she　formed　the　attachment　for　Isaac　Zane　which　clung　to　her　all　her　life。　She　was　seven　when　the　men　came　from　Detroit　to　ransom　the　brothers；　and　she　showed　such　grief　when　she　learned　that　Isaac　was　to　be　returned　to　his　people　that　Tarhe　refused　to　accept　any　ransom　for　Isaac。　As　Myeerah　grew　older　her　childish　fancy　for　the　white　boy　deepened　into　an　intense　love。

But　while　this　love　tendered　her　inexorable　to　Isaac　on　the　question　of　giving　him　his　freedom；　it　undoubtedly　saved　his　life　as　well　as　the　lives　of　other　white　prisoners；　on　more　than　one　occasion。

To　the　white　captives　who　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Hurons；　she　was　kind　and　merciful；　many　of　the　wounded　she　had　tended　with　her　own　hands；　and　many　poor　wretches　she　had　saved　from　the　gauntlet　and　the　stake。　When　her　efforts　to　persuade　her　father　to　save　any　one　were　unavailing　she　would　retire　in　sorrow　to　her　lodge　and　remain　there。

Her　infatuation　for　the　White　Eagle；　the　Huron　name　for　Isaac；　was　an　old　story；　it　was　known　to　all　the　tribes　and　had　long　ceased　to　be　questioned。　At　first　some　of　the　Delawares　and　the　Shawnee　braves；　who　had　failed　to　win　Myeerah's　love；　had　openly　scorned　her　for　her　love　for　the　pale　face。　The　Wyandot　warriors　to　a　man　worshipped　her；　they　would　have　marched　straight　into　the　jaws　of　death　at　her　command；　they　resented　the　insults　which　had　been　cast　on　their　princess；　and　they　had　wiped　them　out　in　blood：　now　none　dared　taunt　her。

In　the　spring　following　Isaac's　recapture　a　very　serious　accident　befell　him。　He　had　become　expert　in　the　Indian　game　of　ball；　which　is　a　game　resembling　the　Canadian　lacrosse；　and　from　which；　in　fact；　it　had　been　adopted。　Goals　were　placed　at　both　ends　of　a　level　plain。　Each　party　of　Indians　chose　a　goal　which　they　endeavored　to　defend　and　at　the　same　time　would　try　to　carry　the　ball　over　their　opponent's　line。

A　well　contested　game　of　Indian　ball　presented　a　scene　of　wonderful　effort　and　excitement。　Hundreds　o