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Файл:Satanstoe; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
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CHAPTER XXI
“And long shall timorous fancy see
The painted chief and pointed spear;
And Reason’s self shall bow the knee
To shadows and delusions here.”
FRENEAU.
It is not necessary to dwell on the manner in which Herman Mordaunt and his companions became established at
Ravensnest. Two or three days suffi ced to render them as
comfortable as circumstances would permit; then Dirck and
I bethought us of proceeding in quest of the lands of Mooseridge. Mr. Worden and Jason both declined going any further;
the mill-seat, of which the last was in quest, being, as I now
learned, on the estate of Herman Mordaunt, and having been
for some time the subject of a negotiation between the pedagogue and its owner. As for the divine, he declared that he saw
a suitable ‘fi eld’ for his missionary labour where he was; while,
it was easy to see, that he questioned if there were fi elds of any
sort, where we were going.
Our party, on quitting Ravensnest, consisted of Dirck and
myself, Guert, Mr. Traverse, the surveyor, three chain-bearers,
421
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
Jaap or Yaap, Guert’s man, Pete, and one woodsman or hunter.
This would have given us ten vigorous and well-armed men,
for our whole force. It was thought best, however, to add two
Indians to our number, in the double character of hunters
and runners, or messengers. One of these red-skins was called
Jumper, in the language of the settlement where we found
them; and the other Trackless; the latter sobriquet having been
given him on account of a faculty he possessed of leaving little
or no trail in his journeys and marches. This Indian was about
six-and-twenty years of age, and was called a Mohawk, living
with the people of that tribe; though, I subsequently ascertained that he was, in fact, an Onondago
name was Susquesus, or Crooked Turns; an appellation that
might or might not speak well of his character, as the Turns’
were regarded in a moral, or in a physical sense.
«Take that man, Mr. Littlepage, by all means», said Herman Mordaunt’s agent, when the matter was under discussion.
«You will fi nd him as useful, in the woods, as your pocketcompass, besides being a reasonably good hunter. He left here,
as a runner, during the heaviest of the snows, last winter, and
a trial was made to fi nd his trail, within half an hour after he
had quitted the clearing, but without success. He had not gone
34
by birth. His true
34
Pronounced On-on-daw-ger, the latter syllable hard; or, like
ga, as it is sometimes spelled. This is the name of one of the midland counties of New York. The tribe from which it is derived, in
these later times, has over borne a better name for morals, than its
neighbours, the Oneidas, the Mohawks, &c., &c. The Onondagoes
belonged to the Six Nations. – Editor.
422
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
a mile in the woods, before all traces of him were lost, as completely as if he had made the journey in the air».
As Susquesus had a reputation for sobriety, as was apt to be
the case with the Onondagoes, the man was engaged, though
one Indian would have been suffi cient for our purpose. But
Jumper had been previously hired; and it would have been
dangerous, under our circumstances, to offend a red-man, by
putting him aside for another, even after compensating him
fully for the disappointment. By Mr. Traverse’s advice, therefore, we took both. The Indian or Mohawk name of Jumper,
was Quissquiss, a term that, I fancy, signifi ed nothing very
honourable or illustrious.
The girls betrayed deep interest in us, on our taking leave;
more, I thought, than either had ever before manifested.
Guert had told me, privately, of an intention, on his part, to
make another offer to Mary Wallace; and I saw the traces of
it in the tearful eyes and fl ushed cheeks of his mistress.
But, at such a moment, one does not stop to think much of
such things; there being tears in Anneke’s eyes, as well as in
those of her friend. We had a thousand good wishes to exchange; and we promised to keep open; the communication
between the two parties, by means of our runners semiweekly. The distance, which would vary from fi fteen to thirty
miles, would readily admit of this, since either of the Indians would pass over it, with the greatest ease to himself, in
a day, at that season of the year.
After all, the separation was to be short, for we had promised to come over and dine with Herman Mordaunt on his
fi ftieth birth-day, which would occur within three weeks. This
423
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
arrangement made the parting tolerable to us young men,
and our constitutional gaiety did the rest. Half an hour after
the last breakfast at Ravensnest saw us all on our road, cheerful, if not absolutely happy. Herman Mordaunt accompanied
us three miles; which led him to the end of his own settlements, and to the edge of the virgin forest. There he took his
leave, and we pursued our way with the utmost diligence,
for hours, with the compass for our guide, until we reached
the banks of a small river that was supposed to lie some three
or four miles from the southern boundaries of the patent we
sought. I say, ‘supposed to lie,’ for there existed then, and, I believe, there still exists much uncertainty concerning the landmarks of different estates in the woods. On the banks of this
stream, which was deep but not broad, the surveyor called
a halt, and we made our dispositions for dinner. Men who had
walked as far and as fast as we had done, made but little ceremony and for twenty minutes every one was busy in appeasing
his hunger. This was no sooner accomplished, however than
Mr. Traverse summoned the Indians to the side of the fallen
tree on which we had taken our seats, when the fi rst occasion
occurred for putting the comparative intelligence of the two
runners to the proof. At the same time the principal chainbearer, a man whose life had been passed in his present occupation, was brought into the consultation, as follows.
«We are now on the banks of this stream, and about this
bend in it», commenced the surveyor, pointing to the precise
curvature of the river on a map he had spread before him, at
which he supposed we were actually situated; «and the next
thing is to fi nd that ridge on which the moose was killed, and
424
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
across which the line of the patent we seek is known to run.
This abstract of the title tells us to look for a corner somewhere off here, about a mile or a mile and a half from this
bend in the river – a black oak, with its top broken off by
the wind, and standing in the centre of a triangle made by
three chestnuts. I think you told me, David that you had never
borne a chain on any of these ridges?»
«No, sir, never;» answered David, the old chain-bearer
already mentioned; «my business never having brought me
out so far east. – A black oak, with corner blazes on it, and
its top broken down by the wind, and standing atween three
chestnuts, howsomedever, can be nothing so very hard to fi nd,
for a person that’s the least acquainted. These Injins will be
the likeliest bodies to know that tree, if they’ve any nat’ral
knowledge of the country».
Know a tree! There we were, and had been for many
hours, in the bosom of the forest, with trees in thousands
ranged around us; trees had risen on our march, as horizon
extends beyond horizon on the ocean, and this chain-bearer fancied it might be in the power of one who often passed
through these dark and untenanted mazes, to recognise any
single member of those countless oaks, and beeches, and pines!
Nevertheless, Mr. Traverse did not seem to regard David’s suggestion as so very extravagant, for he turned towards the Indians and addressed himself to them.
«How’s this?» he asked; «Jumper, do you know anything of
the sort of tree I have described?»
«No», was the short, sententious answer.
425
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«Then, I fear, there is little hope that Trackless is any wiser,
as you are Mohawk born, and he, they tell me, is at bottom
an Onondago. What say you, Trackless? can you help us to fi nd
the tree?»
My eyes were fastened on Susquesus, as soon as the Indians were mentioned. There he stood, straight as the trunk of
a pine, light and agile in person, with nothing but his breechcloth, moccasins, and a blue calico shirt belted to his loins
with a scarlet band, through which was thrust the handle of
his tomahawk, and to which were attached his shot-pouch and
horn, while his rifl e rested against his body, butt downward.
Trackless was a singularly handsome Indian, the unpleasant
peculiarities of his people being but faintly portrayed in his
face and form; while their nobler and fi ner qualities came
out in strong relief. His nose was almost aquiline; his eye, dark
as night, was restless and piercing; his limbs Apollo-like; and
his front and bearing had all the fearless dignity of a warrior,
blended with the grace of nature. The only obvious defects
were in his walk, which was Indian, or in-toed and bending at
the knee; but, to counterbalance these, his movements were
light, springy and swift. I fancied him, in fi gure, the very beau-
idéal of a runner.
During the time the surveyor was speaking, the eye of
Susquesus was seemingly fastened on vacancy, and I would
have defi ed the nicest observer to detect any consciousness of
what was in hand, in the countenance of this forest stoic. It was
not his business to speak, while an older runner and an older
warrior was present – for Jumper was both – and he waited
for others, who might know more, to reveal their knowledge
426
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
ere he produced his own. Thus directly addressed, however,
all reserve vanished, and he advanced two or three steps, cast
a curious glance at the map, even put a fi nger on the river,
the devious course of which it followed across the map, much
as a child would trace any similar object that attracted his
attention. Susquesus knew but little of maps, it was clear
enough; but the result showed that he knew a great deal about
the woods, his native fi eld of action.
«Well, what do you make of my map, Trackless», repeated
the surveyor. «Is it not drawn to suit your fancy?»
«Good» – returned the Onondago, with emphasis. «Now
show Susquesus your oak tree».
«Here it is, Trackless. You see it is a tree drawn in ink, with
a broken top, and here are the three chestnuts, in a sort of triangle, around it».
The Indian examined the tree with some interest, and
a slight smile illumined his handsome, though dark countenance. He was evidently pleased at this proof of accuracy in
the colony surveyors, and, no doubt, thought the better of
them for the fi delity of their work.
«Good», he repeated, in his low, guttural, almost feminine
voice, so soft and mild in its tone. «Very good. The pale-faces
know everything! Now, let my brother fi nd the tree».
«That is easier said than done, Susquesus», answered Traverse, laughing. «It is one thing to sketch a tree on a map, and
another to go to its root, as it stands in the forest, surrounded by thousands of other trees».
«Pale-face must fi rst see him, or how paint him?
Where painter?»
427
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«Ay, the surveyor saw the tree once, and marked it once,
but that is not fi nding it again. Can you tell me where the oak
stands? Mr. Littlepage will give the man who fi nds that corner
a French crown. Put me anywhere on the line of the old survey, and I will ask favours of no one».
«Painted tree there», said Susquesus, pointing a little scornfully at the map, as it seemed to me. «Pale-face can’t fi nd him in
wood. Live tree out younder; Injin know».
Trackless pointed with great dignity towards the north
east, standing motionless as a statue the while, as if inviting the closest possible scrutiny into the correctness of his
assertion.
«Can you lead us to the tree?» demanded Traverse, eagerly.
«Do it, and the money is yours».
Susquesus made a signifi cant gesture of assent; then he set
about collecting the scanty remains of his dinner, a precaution in which we imitated him, as a supper would be equally
agreeable as the meal just taken, a few hours later. When everything was put away, and the packs were on our shoulders –
not on those of the Indians, for they seldom condescended to
carry burthens, which was an occupation for women – Trackless led the way, in the direction he had already pointed out.
Well did the Onondago deserve his name, as it seemed to
me, while he threaded his way through that gloomy forest,
without path, mark or sign of any sort, that was intelligible to
others. His pace was between a walk and a gentle trot, and it
required all our muscles to keep near him. He looked to neither the right nor the left, but appeared to pursue his course
guided by an instinct, or as the keen-scented hound follows
428
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
the viewless traces of his game. This lasted for ten minutes,
when Traverse called another halt, and we clustered together in council.
«How much further do you think it may be to the tree, Onondago?» demanded the surveyor, as soon as the whole party
was collected in a circle. «I have a reason for asking».
«So many minutes», answered the Indian, holding up fi ve
fi ngers, or the four fi ngers and thumb of his right hand. «Oak
with broken top, and pale-face marks, there».
The precision and confi dence with which the Trackless
pointed, not a little surprised me, for I could not imagine how
any human being could pretend to be minutely certain of such
a fact, under the circumstances in which we were placed. So it
was, however; and so it proved in the end. In the mean time,
Traverse proceeded to carry out his own plans.
«As we are so near to the tree», he said, for the surveyor
had no doubt of the red-man’s accuracy, «we must also be
near the line. The last runs north and south, on this part of
the patent, and we shall shortly cross it. Spread yourselves,
therefore, chain-bearers, and look for blazed trees; for, put me
anywhere on the boundaries, and I’ll answer for fi nding any
oak, beech, or maple, that is mentioned in the corners».
As soon as this order was received, all the surveyor’s men
obeyed, opening the order of their march, and spreading themselves in a way to extend their means of observing materially.
When all was ready, a sign was made to the Indian to proceed.
Susquesus obeyed, and we were all soon in quick motion again.
Guert’s activity enabled him to keep nearest to the Onondago, and a shout from his clear, full throat, fi rst announced
429
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
the complete success of the search. In a moment the rest of
us pressed forward, and were soon at the end of our journey.
There was Susquesus, quietly leaning against the trunk of
the broken oak, without the smallest expression of triumph in
either his manner or his countenance. That which he had
done, he had done naturally, and without any apparent effort
or hesitation. To him the forest had its signs, and metes, and
marks – as the inhabitant of the vast capital has his means of
threading its mazes with the readiness of familiarity and
habit. As for Traverse, he fi rst examined the top of the tree,
where he found the indicated fracture; then he looked round
for the three chestnuts, each of which was in its place; after
which he drew near to look into the more particular signs of
his craft. There they were, three of the inner sides of the oak
being blazed, the proof it was a corner; while that which had
no scar on its surface looked outward, or from the Patent of
Mooseridge. Just as all these agreeable facts were ascertained,
shouts from the chain-bearers south of us, announced that
they had discovered the line – men of their stamp being quite
as quick-sighted, in ascertaining their own peculiar traces, as
the native of the forest is in fi nding his way to any object in
it which he has once seen, and may desire to revisit. By following the line, these men soon joined us, when they gave us
the additional information that they had also actually found
the skeleton of the moose that had given its name to the estate.
Thus far, all was well, our success much exceeding our
hopes. The hunters were sent to look for a spring; and, one
being found at no great distance, we all repaired to the spot,
and hutted for the night. Nothing could be more simple than
430
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