the pathfinder-第9章

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must　meet　devilry　as　becomes　our　color　and　our　callings。
Ah；　I　never　knew　good　come　of　boasting！　and　here；　just
as　I　was　vaunting　of　our　safety；　comes　danger　to　give　me
the　lie。〃



CHAPTER　IV

Art；　stryving　to　compare
With　nature；　did　an　arber　greene　dispred；
Fram'd　of　wanton　yvie　flowing　fayre；
Through　which　the　fragrant　eglantines　did　spred。
SPENSER。


The　Oswego；　below　the　falls；　is　a　more　rapid；　unequal
stream　than　it　is　above　them。　　There　are　places　where　the
river　flows　in　the　quiet　stillness　of　deep　water；　but　many
shoals　and　rapids　occur；　and　at　that　distant　day；　when
everything　was　in　its　natural　state；　some　of　the　passes　were
not　altogether　without　hazard。　　Very　little　exertion　was
required　on　the　part　of　those　who　managed　the　canoes；
except　in　those　places　where　the　swiftness　of　the　current
and　the　presence　of　the　rocks　required　care；　then；　indeed；
not　only　vigilance；　but　great　coolness；　readiness；　and
strength　of　arm　became　necessary；　in　order　to　avoid　the
dangers。　　Of　all　this　the　Mohican　was　aware；　and　he　had
judiciously　selected　a　spot　where　the　river　flowed　tran…
quilly　to　intercept　the　canoes；　in　order　to　make　his
communication　without　hazard　to　those　he　wished　to
speak。

The　Pathfinder　had　no　sooner　recognized　the　form　of　his
red　friend；　than；　with　a　strong　sweep　of　his　paddle；　he
threw　the　head　of　his　own　canoe　towards　the　shore；　mo…
tioning　for　Jasper　to　follow。　　In　a　minute　both　boats　were
silently　drifting　down　the　stream；　within　reach　of　the
bushes　that　overhung　the　water；　all　observing　a　profound
silence；　some　from　alarm；　and　others　from　habitual　cau…
tion。　　As　the　travellers　drew　nearer　the　Indian；　he　made　a
sign　for　them　to　stop；　and　then　he　and　Pathfinder　had
a　short　but　earnest　conference。

〃The　Chief　is　not　apt　to　see　enemies　in　a　dead　log；〃　ob…
served　the　white　man　to　his　red　associate；　〃why　does　he
tell　us　to　stop？〃

〃Mingos　are　in　the　woods。〃

〃That　we　have　believed　these　two　days：　does　the　chief
know　it？〃

The　Mohican　quietly　held　up　the　head　of　a　pipe　formed
of　stone。

〃It　lay　on　a　fresh　trail　that　led　towards　the　garrison；〃
…　for　so　it　was　the　usage　of　that　frontier　to　term　a　mili…
tary　work；　whether　it　was　occupied　or　not。

〃That　may　be　the　bowl　of　a　pipe　belonging　to　a　soldier。
Many　use　the　red…skin　pipes。〃

〃See；〃　said　the　Big　Serpent；　again　holding　the　thing　he
had　found　up　to　the　view　of　his　friend。

The　bowl　of　the　pipe　was　of　soap…stone；　and　was　carved
with　great　care　and　with　a　very　respectable　degree　of　skill；
in　its　centre　was　a　small　Latin　cross；　made　with　an　accuracy
which　permitted　no　doubt　of　its　meaning。

〃That　does　foretell　devilry　and　wickedness；〃　said　the
Pathfinder；　who　had　all　the　provincial　horror　of　the　holy
symbol　in　question　which　then　pervaded　the　country；　and
which　became　so　incorporated　with　its　prejudices；　by　con…
founding　men　with　tings；　as　to　have　left　its　traces　strong
enough　on　the　mroal　feeling　of　the　community　to　be　dis…
covered　even　at　the　present　hour；　〃no　Indian　who　had
not　been　parvarted　by　the　cunning　priests　of　the　Canadas
would　dream　of　carving　a　thing　like　that　on　his　pipe。　　I'll
warrant　ye；　the　knave　prays　to　the　image　every　time　he
wishes　to　sarcumvent　the　innocent；　and　work　his　fearful
wickedness。　　It　looks　fresh；　too；　Chingachgook？〃

〃The　tobacco　was　burning　when　I　found　it。〃

〃That　is　close　work；　chief。　　Where　was　the　trail？〃

The　Mohican　pointed　to　a　spot　not　a　hundred　yards
from　that　where　they　stood。

The　matter　now　began　to　look　very　serious；　and　the　two
principal　guides　conferred　apart　for　several　minutes；　when
both　ascended　the　bank；　approached　the　indicated　spot；
and　examined　the　trail　with　the　utmost　care。　　After　this
investigation　had　lasted　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　white
man　returned　alone；　his　red　friend　having　disappeared　in
the　forest。

The　ordinary　expression　of　the　countenance　of　the
Pathfinder　was　that　of　simplicity；　integrity；　and　sincerity；
blended　in　an　air　of　self…reliance　which　usually　gave　great
confidence　to　those　who　found　themselves　under　his　care；
but　now　a　look　of　concern　cast　a　shade　over　his　honest
face；　that　struck　the　whole　party。

〃What　cheer；　Master　Pathfinder？〃　demanded　Cap；　per…
mitting　a　voice　that　was　usually　deep；　loud；　and　confident
to　sink　into　the　cautious　tones　that　better　suited　the　dan…
gers　of　the　wilderness。　　〃Has　the　enemy　got　between　us
and　our　port？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃Have　any　of　these　painted　scaramouches　anchored　off
the　harbor　towards　which　we　are　running；　with　the　hope
of　cutting　us　off　in　entering？〃

〃It　may　be　all　as　you　say；　friend　Cap；　but　I　am　none
the　wiser　for　your　words；　and　in　ticklish　times　the　plainer
a　man　makes　his　English　the　easier　he　is　understood。　　I
know　nothing　of　ports　and　anchors；　but　there　is　a　direful
Mingo　trail　within　a　hundred　yards　of　this　very　spot；　and
as　fresh　as　venison　without　salt。　　If　one　of　the　fiery　devils
has　passed；　so　have　a　dozen；　and；　what　is　worse；　they　have
gone　down　towards　the　garrison；　and　not　a　soul　crosses
the　clearing　around　it　that　some　of　their　piercing　eyes　will
not　discover；　when　sartain　bullets　will　follow。〃

〃Cannot　this　said　fort　deliver　a　broadside；　and　clear
everything　within　the　sweep　of　its　hawse？〃

〃Nay；　the　forts　this…a…way　are　not　like　forts　in　the　set…
tlements；　and　two　or　three　light　cannon　are　all　they　have
down　at　the　mouth　of　the　river；　and　then；　broadsides　fired
at　a　dozen　outlying　Mingoes；　lying　behind　logs　and　in　a
forest；　would　be　powder　spent　in　vain。　　We　have　but　one
course；　and　that　is　a　very　nice　one。　　We　are　judgmatically
placed　here；　both　canoes　being　hid　by　the　high　bank　and
the　bushes；　from　all　eyes；　except　those　of　any　lurker　di…
rectly　opposite。　　Here；　then；　we　may　stay　without　much
present　fear；　but　how　to　get　the　bloodthirsty　devils　up
the　stream　again？　　Ha！　　I　have　it；　I　have　it！　if　it　does　no
good；　it　can　do　no　harm。　　Do　you　see　the　wide…topped
chestnut　here；　Jasper；　at　the　last　turn　in　the　river　　on　our
own　side　of　the　stream；　I　mean？〃

〃That　near　the　fallen　pine？〃

〃The　very　same。　　Take　the　flint　and　tinder…box；　creep
along　the　bank；　and　light　a　fire　at　that　spot；　maybe　the
smoke　will　draw　them　above　us。　　In　the　meanwhile；　we
will　drop　the　canoes　carefully　down　beyond　the　point
below；　and　find　another　shelter。　　Bushes　are　plenty；　and
covers　are　easily　to　be　had　in　this　region；　as　witness　the
many　ambushments。〃

〃I　will　do　it；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Jasper；　springing　to　the
shore。　　〃In　ten　minutes　the　fire　shall　be　lighted。〃

〃And；　Eau…douce；　use　plenty　of　damp　wood　this　time；〃
half　whispered　the　other；　laughing　heartily；　in　his　own
peculiar　manner；　〃when　smoke　is　wanted；　water　helps　to
thicken　it。〃

The　young　man　was　soon　off；　making　his　way　rapidly
towards　the　desired　point。　　A　slight　attempt　of　Mabel　to
object　to　the　risk　was　disregarded；　and　the　party　imme…
diately　prepared　to　change　its　position；　as　it　could　be　seen
from　the　place　where　Jasper　intended　to　light　his　fire。
The　movement　did　not　require　haste；　and　it　was　made
leisurely　and　with　care。　　The　canoes　were　got　clear　of　the
bushes；　then　suffered　to　drop　down　with　the　stream　until
they　reached　the　spot　where　the　chestnut；　at　the　foot　of
which　Jasper　was　to　light　the　fire；　was　almost　shut　out
from　view；　when　they　stopped；　and　every　eye　was　turned
in　the　direction　of　the　adventurer。

〃There　goes　the　smoke！〃　exclaimed　the　Pathfinder；　as
a　current　of　air　whirled　a　little　column　of　the　vapor　from
the　land；　allowing　it　to　rise　spirally　above　the　bed　of　the
river。　　〃A　good　flint；　a　small　bit　of　steel；　and　plenty　of
dry　leaves　makes　a　quick　fire。　　I　hope　Eau…douce　will　have
the　wit　to　bethink　him　of　the　damp　wood　now　when　it
may　serve　us　all　a　good　turn。〃

〃Too　much　smoke　　too　much　cunning；〃　said　Arrowhead
sententiously。

〃That　is　gospel　truth；　Tuscarora；　if　the　Mingoes　didn't
know　that　they　are　near　soldiers；　but　soldiers　commonly
think　more　of　their　dinner　at　a　halt　than　of　their　wisdom
and　danger。　　No；　no；　let　the　boy　pile　on　his　logs；　and
smoke　them　well　too；　it　will　all　be　laid　to　the　stupidity　of
some　Scotch　or　Irish　blunderer；　who　is　thinking　more　of
his　oatmeal　or　his　potatoes　than　of　Indian　sarcumventions
or　Indian　rifles。〃

〃And　yet　I　should　think；　from　all　we　have　heard　in　the
towns；　that　the　soldiers　on　this　frontier　are　used　to　the
artifices　of　their　enemies；〃　said　Mabel；　〃and　become
almost　as　wily　as　the　red　men　themselves。〃

〃Not　they。　　Experience　makes　them　but　little　wiser；
and　they　wheel；　and　platoon；　and　battalion　it　about；　here
in　the　forest；　just　as　they　did　in　their　parks　at　home；　of
which　they　are　all　so　fond　of　talking。　　One　red…skin　has
more　cunning　in　his　natur'　than　a　whole　regiment　from
the　other　side　of　the　water；　that　is；　what　I　call　cunning
of　the　woods。　　But　there　is　smoke　enough；　of　all　con…
science；　and　we　had　better　drop　into　another　cover。　　The
lad　has　thrown　the　river　on　his　fire；　and　there　is　danger
that　the　Mingoes　will　believe　a　whole　regiment　is　out。〃

While　speaking；　the　Pathfinder　permitted　his　canoe　to
drift　away　from　the　bush　by　which　it　had　been　retained；
and　in　a　couple　of　minutes　the　bend　in　the　river　concealed
the　smoke　and　the　tree。　　Fortunately　a　small　indentation
in　the　shore　presented　itself；　within　a　few　yards　of　the
point　they　had　just　passed；　and　the　two　canoes　glided　into
it；　under　the　impulsion　of　the　paddles。

A　better　spot　could　not　have　been　found　for　the　pur…
pose。　　The　bushes　were　thick；　and　overhung　the　water；
forming　a　complete　canopy　of　leaves。　　There　was　a　small
gravelly　strand　at　the　bottom　of　the　little　bay；　where　most
of　the　party　landed　to　be　more　at　their　ease；　and　the　only
position　from　which　they　could　possibly　be　seen　was　a
point　on　the　river　directly　opposite。　　There　was　little
danger；　however；　of　discovery　from　that　quarter；　as　the
thicket　there　was　even　denser　than　common；　and　the　land
beyond　it　was　so　wet　and　marshy　as　to　render　it　difficult
to　be　trodden。

〃This　is　a　safe　cover；〃　said　the　Pathfinder；　after　he　had
taken　a　scrutinizing　survey　of　his　position；　〃but　it　may
be　necessary　to　make　it　safer。　　Master　Cap；　I　ask　nothing
of　you　but　silence；　and　a　quieting　of　such　gifts　as　you　may
have　got　at　sea；　while　the　Tuscarora　and　I　make　provision
for　the　evil　hour。〃

The　guide　then　went　a　short　distance　into　the　bushes；
accompanied　by　the　Indian；　where　the　two　cut　off　the
larger　stems　of　several　alders　and　other　bushes；　using　the
utmost　care　not　to　make　a　noise。　　The　ends　of　these　little
trees　were　forced　into　the　mud；　outside　of　the　canoes；　the
depth　of　the　water　being　very　trifling；　and　in　the　course
of　ten　minutes　a　very　effectual　screen　was　interposed　be…
tween　them　and　the　principal　point　of　danger。　　Much　in…
genuity　and　readiness　were　manifested　in　making　this
simple　arrangement；　in　which　the　two　workmen　were　es…
sentially　favored　by　the　natural　formation　of　the　bank；
the　indentation　in　the　shore；　the　shallowness　of　the　water；
and　the　manner　in　which　the　tangled　bushes　dipped　into
the　stream。　　The　Pathfinder　had　the　address　to　look　for
bushes　which　had　curved　stems；　things　easily　found　in　such
a　place；　and　by　cutting　them　some　distance　beneath　the
bend；　a