[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

without an enemy at his heels, and with such rugged beasts as these, he would
not hurt a hair of their heads. I know your thoughts, and shame be it to our
colour, that you have reason for them; but he who thinks that even a Mingo
Page 27
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
would ill treat a woman, unless it be to tomahawk her, knows nothing of Indian
natur, or the laws of the woods. No, no; I have heard that the French Indians
had come into these hills, to hunt the moose, and we are getting within scent
of their camp. Why should they not? the morning and evening guns of Ty, may be
heard any day among these mountains; for the Frenchers are running a new line
atween the provinces of the king and the Canadas. It is true, that the horses
are here, but the Hurons are gone; let us then hunt for the path by which they
departed.
Hawk-eye and the Mohicans now applied themselves to their task in good
earnest. A circle of a few hundred feet in circumference was drawn, and each
of the party took a segment for his portion. The examination, however,
resulted in no discovery. The impressions of footsteps were numerous, but they
all appeared like those of men who had wandered about the spot, without any
design to quit it. Again the scout and his companions made the circuit of the
halting-place, each slowly following the other, until they assembled in the
centre, once more, no wiser than when they started.
 Such cunning is not without its deviltry? exclaimed Hawk-eye, when he met
the disappointed looks of his assistants.  We must get down to it, Sagamore,
beginning at the spring, and going over the ground by inches. The Huron shall
never brag in his tribe that he has a foot which leaves no print!
Setting the example himself, the scout engaged in the scrutiny with renewed
zeal. Not a leaf was left unturned. The sticks were removed, and the stones
lifted--for Indian cunning was known frequently to adopt these objects as
covers, labouring with the utmost patience and industry, to conceal each
footstep as they proceeded. Still, no discovery was made. At length Uncas,
whose activity had enabled him to achieve his portion of the task the soonest,
raked the earth across the turbid little rill which ran from the spring, and
diverted its course into another channel. So soon as its narrow bed below the
dam was dry, he stooped over it with keen and curious eyes. A cry of
exultation immediately announced the success of the young warrior. The whole
party crowded to the spot, where Uncas pointed out the impression of a
moccasin in the rich and moist alluvion.
 The lad will be an honour to his people! said Hawk-eye, regarding the trail
with as much admiration as a naturalist would expend on the tusk of a mammoth,
or the rib of a mastoden;  ay, and a thorn in the sides of the Hurons. Yet
that is not the footstep of an Indian! the weight is too much on the heel, and
the toes are squared, as though one of the French dancers had been in,
pigeon-winging his tribe! Run back, Uncas, and bring me the size of the
singer s foot. You will find a beautiful print of it just opposite yon rock,
ag in the hill side.
While the youth was engaged in this commission, the scout and Chingachgook
were attentively considering the impressions. The measurements agreed, and the
former unhesitatingly pronounced that the footstep was that of David, who had,
once more, been made to exchange his shoes for moccasins.
 I can now read the whole of it, as plainly as if I had seen the arts of le
Subtil, he added;  the singer, being a man whose gifts lay chiefly in his
throat and feet, was made to go first, and the others have trod in his steps,
imitating their formation.
 But, cried Duncan,  I see no signs of--
 The gentle ones, interrupted the scout;  the varlet has found a way to
carry them, until he supposed he had thrown any followers off the scent. My
life on it, we see their pretty little feet again, before many rods go by.
Page 28
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
The whole party now proceeded, following the course of the rill, keeping
anxious eyes on the regular impressions. The water soon flowed into its bed
again, but watching the ground on either side, the foresters pursued their
way, content with knowing that the trail lay beneath. More than half a mile
was passed, before the rill rippled close around the base of an extensive and
dry rock. Here they paused to make sure that the Hurons had not quitted the
water.
It was fortunate they did so. For the quick and active Uncas soon found the
impression of a foot on a bunch of moss, where it would seem an Indian had
inadvertently trodden. Pursuing the direction given by this discovery, he
entered the neighbouring thicket, and struck the trail, as fresh and obvious
as it had been before they reached the spring. Another shout announced the
good fortune of the youth to his companions, and at once terminated the
search.
 Ay, it has been planned with Indian judgment, said the scout, when the
party was assembled around the place;  and would have blinded white eyes.
 Shall we proceed? demanded Heyward.
 Softly, softly; we know our path, but it is good to examine the formation of
things. This is my schooling, major; and if one neglects the book, there is no
better chance of learning from the open hand of Providence, than yon idle boy
has with an old gal. All is plain but one thing, which is, the manner that the
knave contrived to get the gentle ones along the blind trail. Even a Huron
would be too proud to let their tender feet touch the water.
 Will this assist in explaining the difficulty? said Heyward, pointing
towards the fragments of a sort of hand-barrow, that had been rudely
constructed of boughs, and bound together with withes, and which now seemed
carelessly cast aside as useless.
  Tis all explained! cried the delighted Hawk-eye.  If them varlets have
passed a minute, they have spent hours in striving to fabricate a lying end to
their trail! Well, I ve known them waste a day in the same manner, to as
little purpose. Here we have three pair of moccasins, and two of little feet.
It is amazing that any mortal beings can journey on limbs so small! Pass me
the thong of buck-skin, Uncas, and let me take the length of this foot. By the
Lord, it is no longer than a child s, and yet the maidens are tall and comely.
That Providence is partial in its gifts, for its own wise reasons, the best
and most contented of us must allow!
 The tender limbs of my daughters are unequal to these hardships! said
Munro, looking at the light footsteps of his children with a parent s love;
 we shall find their fainting forms in this desert.
 Of that there is little cause of fear, returned the attentive scout, slowly
shaking his head;  this is a firm and straight, though a light step, and not
over long. See, the heel has hardly touched the ground; and there the
dark-hair has made a little jump, from root to root. No, no; my knowledge for
it, neither of them was nigh fainting, hereaway. Now, the singer was beginning [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]