Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:Satanstoe; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
.pdf
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
our encampment; which consisted of coverings made of
the branches of trees, with leaves and skins for our beds. Next
day, however, Traverse fi nding the position favourable for
his work, he determined to select the spot as head-quarters;
and we all set about the erection of a log-house, in which we
might seek a shelter in the event of a storm, and where we
might deposit our implements, spare ammunition, and such
stores as we had brought with us on our backs. As everybody
worked with good-will at the erection of this rude building,
and the labourers were very expert with the axe, we had it
nearly complete by the setting of the next day’s sun. Traverse
chose the place because the water was abundant, and good,
and because a small knoll was near the spring, that was covered with young pines that were about fourteen or fi fteen
inches in diameter, while they grew to the height of near
a hundred feet, with few branches, and straight as the Onondago. These trees were felled, cut into lengths of twenty
and thirty feet, notched at the ends, and rolled alternately on
each other, so as to enclose an area that was one-third longer than it was wide. The notches were deep, and brought
the logs within two or three inches of each other; and the interstices were fi lled with pieces of riven chestnut, a wood that
splits easily and in straight lines; which pieces were driven
hard into their beds, so as to exclude the winds and the rains.
As the weather was warm, and the building somewhat airy at
the best, we cut no windows, though we had a narrow door in
the centre of one of the longer sides. For a roof we used
the bark of the hemlock, which, at that season, came off in
431
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
large pieces, and which was laid on sticks, raised to the desired elevation by means of a ridge pole.
All this was making no more than one of the common loghouses of the new settlements, though in a more hurried and
a less artifi cial manner than was usual. We had no chimney,
for our cooking could be done in the open air; and less attention was paid to the general fi nish of the work, than might
have been the case had we expected to pass the winter there.
The fl oor was somewhat rude, but it had the effect of raising us
from the ground, and giving us perfectly dry lodgings; an advantage not always obtained in the woods. It was composed of
logs roughly squared on three sides, and placed on sleepers.
To my surprise, Traverse directed a door to be made of riven
logs, that were pinned together with cross-pieces, and which
was hung on the usual wooden hinges. When I spoke of this as
unnecessary labour, occupying two men an entire day to complete, he reminded me that we were much in advance from
the settlements; that an active war was being waged around
us, and that the agents of the French had been very busy
among our own tribes, while those in Canada often pushed
their war-parties far within our borders. He had always found
a great satisfaction, as well as security, in having a sort of citadel to retreat to, when on these exposed surveys; and he never
neglected the necessary precaution, when he fancied himself in the least danger.
We were quite a week in completing our house; though,
after the fi rst day, neither the surveyor nor his chain-bearers
troubled themselves with the labour, any further than to
make an occasional suggestion. Traverse and his men went to
432
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
work in their own pursuit, running lines to divide the patent
into its great lots, each of which was made to contain a thousand acres. It should be mentioned that all the surveys, in that
day, were made on the most liberal scale, our forty thousand
acres turning out, in the end, to amount to quite three thousand more. So it was with the subdivisions of the Patent, each of
which was found to be of more than the nominal dimensions.
Blazed trees, and records cut into the bark, served to indicate
the lines, while a map went on pari passu with the labour,
the fi eld-book containing a description of each lot, in order
that the proprietor of the estate might have some notions of
the nature of its soil and surface, as well as of the quality and
sizes of the trees it bore.
The original surveyors, those on whose labours the patent of the King was granted, had a comparatively trifl ing
duty to perform. So long as they gave a reasonably accurate
outline of an area that would contain forty thousand acres of
land, more or less, and did not trespass on any prior grant, no
material harm could be done, there being no scarcity of surface in the colony; but, Mr. Traverse had to descend to a little
more particularity. It is true, he ran out his hundreds of acres
daily, duly marking his corners and blazing his line trees, but
something very like a summer’s work lay before him. This he
understood, and his proceedings were as methodical and deliberate as the nature of his situation required.
In a very few days, things had gotten fairly in train, and
everybody was employed in some manner that was found to
be useful. The surveying party was making a very satisfactory
progress, running out their great lots between sun and sun,
433
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
while Dirck and myself made the notes concerning their quality, under the dictation of Mr. Traverse. Guert did little besides
shoot and fi sh, keeping our larder well supplied with trout,
pigeons, squirrels, and such other game as the season would
allow, occasionally knocking over something in the shape of
poor venison. The hunters brought us their share of eatables
also; and we did well enough, in this particular, more especially is trout proved to be very abundant. Yaap, or Jaap, as
I shall call him in future, and Pete, performed domestic duty,
acting as scullions and cooks, though the fi rst was much better fi tted to perform the service of a forester. The two Indians
did little else, for the fi rst fortnight, but come and go between
Ravensnest and Mooseridge, carrying missives and acting as
guides to the hunters, who went through once or twice within
that period, to bring us out supplies of fl our, groceries, and
other similar necessaries; no inducement being able to prevail on the Indians to carry anything that approached a burthen, either in weight or appearance.
The surveying party did not always return to the hut at
night, but it ‘camped out,’ as they called it, whenever the work
led them to a distance on the other side of the tract. Mr. Traverse had chosen his position for head-quarters more in reference to its proximity to the settlement at Ravensnest, than in
reference to its position on the Patent. It was suffi ciently central to the latter, as regarded a north and south line, but was
altogether on the western side of the property. As his surveys
extended east, therefore, he was often carried too far from
the building to return to it each night, though his absences
never extended beyond the evening of the third day. In conse-
434
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
quence of this arrangement, his people were enabled to carry
the food they required without inconvenience, for the periods
they were away, coming back for fresh supplies as the lines
brought them west again. Sundays were strictly observed by
us all, as days of rest; a respect to the day that is not always
observed in the forest; he who is in the solitude of the woods,
like him who roams athwart the wastes of the ocean, often
forgetting that the spirit of the Creator is abroad equally on
the ocean and on the land, ready to receive that homage of
his creatures, which is a tribute due to benefi cence without
bounds, a holiness that is spotless, and a truth that is inherent.
As Jumper, or the Trackless, returned from his constantly
recurring visits to our neighbours, we young men waited with
impatience for the letter that the messenger was certain to
bear. This letter was sometimes written by Herman Mordaunt
himself, but oftener by Anneke, or Mary Wallace. It was addressed to no one by name, but uniformly bore the superscription of ‘To the Hermits of Mooseridge;’ nor was there
anything in the language to betray any particular attention to
either of the party. We might have liked it better, perhaps,
could we have received epistles that were a little more pointed in this particular; but those we actually got were much too
precious to leave any serious grounds of complaint. One from
Herman Mordaunt reached us on the evening of the second
Saturday, when our whole party was at home, and assembled at
supper. It was brought in by the Trackless, and, among other
matters, contained this paragraph:
«We learn that things hourly assume a more serious aspect with the armies. Our troops are pushing north, in large
435
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
bodies, and the French are said to be reinforcing. Living as we
do, out of the direct line of march, and fully thirty miles in
the rear of the old battle-grounds, I should feel no apprehension, were it not for a report I hear, that the woods are full of
Indians. I very well know that such a report invariably accompanies the near approach of hostilities in the frontier settlements, and is to be received with many grains of allowance;
but it seems so probable the French should push their savages on this fl ank of our army, to annoy it on the advance, that,
I confess, the rumour has some infl uence on my feelings. We
have been fortifying still more; and I would advise you not to
neglect such a precaution altogether. The Canadian Indians
are said to be more subtle than our own; nor is government
altogether without the apprehension that our own have been
tampered with. It was said at Albany, that much French silver
had been seen in the hands of the people of the Six Nations;
and that even French blankets, knives, and tomahawks, were
more plentiful among them than might be accounted for by
the ordinary plunder of their warfare. One of your runners,
the man who is called the Trackless, is said to live out of his
own tribe; and such Indians are always to be suspected. Their
absence is sometimes owing to reasons that are creditable; but
far oftener to those that are not. It may be well to have an eye on
the conduct of this man. After all, we are in the hands of a benefi cent and gracious God, and we know how often his mercy
has saved us, on occasions more trying than this!»
This letter was read several times, among ourselves, including Mr. Traverse. As the oi polloi of our party were eating
out of ear-shot, and the Indians had left us, it naturally in-
436
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
duced a conversation that turned on the risks we ran, and on
the probability of Susquesus’s being false.
«As for the rumour that the woods are full of Indians»,
the surveyor quietly observed, «it is very much as Herman
Mordaunt says – there is never a blanket seen, but fame magnifi es it into a whole bale. There is danger to be apprehended
from savages, I will allow, but not one-half that the settlers
ordinarily imagine. As for the French, they are likely to need
all their savages at Ty; for, they tell me Gen. Abercrombie will
go against them with three men to their one».
«With that superiority, at least», I answered; «but, after all,
would not a sagacious offi cer be likely to annoy his fl ank, in
the manner here mentioned?»
«We are every mile of forty to the eastward of the line of
march; and why should parties keep so distant from their
enemies?»
«Even such a supposition would place our foes between us
and our friends; no very comfortable consideration, of itself.
But, what think you of this hint concerning the Onondago?»
«There may be truth in that – more than in the report
that the woods are full of savages. It is usually a bad sign
when an Indian quits his tribe; and this runner of ours is
certainly an Onondago; that I know, for the fellow has twice
refused rum. Bread he will take, as often as offered; but rum
has not wet his lips, since I have seen him, offered in fair
weather or foul».
«T’at is a bad sign» – put in Guert, a little dogmatically for
him. «T’e man t’at refuses his glass, in good company, has com-
437
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
monly something wrong in his morals. I always keep clear of
such chaps».
Poor Guert! – How true that was, and what an infl uence
the opinion had on his character and habits. As for the Indian,
I could not judge him so harshly. There was something in his
countenance that disposed me to put confi dence in him, at
the very moment his cold, abstracted manners – cold and abstracted even for a red-skin in pale-face company – created
doubts and distrust.
«Certainly, nothing is easier than for a man in his situation to sell us», I answered, after a short pause, «if he be so
disposed. But, what could the French gain by cutting off a party as peaceably employed as this? It can be of no moment to
them, whether Mooseridge be surveyed into lots this year, or
the next».
«Quite true; and I am of opinion that Mons. Montcalm is
very indifferent whether it be ever surveyed at all», returned
Traverse, who was an intelligent and tolerably educated man.
«You forget, however, Mr. Littlepage, that both parties offer
such things as premiums on scalps. A Huron may not care
about our lines, corners, and marked trees; but he does care,
a great deal, whether he is to go home with an empty string, or
with half-a-dozen human scalps at his girdle».
I observed that Dirck thrust his fi ngers through his bushy
hair, and that his usually placid countenance assumed an indignant and semi-ferocious appearance. A little amused at this,
I walked towards the log on which Susquesus was seated, having ended his meal, in silent thought.
438
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
«What news do you bring us from the red-coats, Trackless?»
I asked, with as much of an air of indifference as I could assume. «Are they out in suffi cient numbers to eat the French?»
«Look at leaves; count ‘em;» answered the Indian.
«Yes, I know they are in force; but, what are the red-skins
about? Is the hatchet buried, among the Six Nations, that you
are satisfi ed with being a runner, when scalps may be had near
Ticonderoga?»
«Susquesus Onondago» – the red-man replied, laying
a strong emphasis on the name of his tribe. «No Mohawk
blood run in him. His people no dig up hatchet, this summer».
«Why not, Trackless? You are allies of the Yengeese, and
ought to give us your aid, when it is wanted».
«Count leaves – count Yengeese. Too much for one army.
No want Onondago».
«That may be true, possibly, for we are certainly very strong.
But, how is it with the woods – are they altogether clear of
red-skins, in times as troublesome as these?»
Susquesus looked grave, but he made no answer. Still, he
did not endeavour to avoid the keen look I fastened on his
face, but sat composed, rigid, and gazing before him. Knowing
the uselessness of attempting to get anything out of an Indian,
when he was indisposed to be communicative, I thought it wisest to change the discourse. This I did by making a few general
inquiries as to the state of the streams, all of which were answered, when I walked away.
CHAPTER XXII
«Fear not, till Birnam Wood
Shall come to Dunsinane».
Macbeth.
I cannot say I was quite satisfi ed with the manner of Susquesus; nor, on the other hand, was I absolutely uneasy. All might
be well; and, if it were not, the power of this man to injure
us could not be very great. A new occurrence, however, raised
very unpleasant doubts of his honesty. Jumper being out on
a hunt, the Onondago was sent across to Ravensnest the next
trip, out of his turn; but, instead of returning, as had been
the practice of both, the next day, we saw no more of him for
near a fortnight. As we talked over this sudden and unexpected disappearance, we came to the conclusion, that, perceiving
he was distrusted, the fellow had deserted, and would be seen
no more. During his absence, we paid a visit to Ravensnest
ourselves, spending two or three happy days with the girls,
whom we found delighted with the wildness of their abode,
and as happy as innocence, health, and ceaseless interest in
the forest and its habits, could make them. Herman Mordaunt,
having fortifi ed his house suffi ciently, as he fancied, to remove all danger of an assault, returned with us to Mooseridge,
440
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]