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Файл:Satanstoe; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
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SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
without the slightest manifestation of triumph or discontent. It required nothing less than a thunderbolt to disturb
the composure of that Onondago!
From that moment our progress was as swift as it had been
previously to the halt; while our course was seemingly as
unerring as the fl ight of the pigeon. Susquesus did not steer
exactly north-west, as before, however, but he inclined more
northerly. At length, it was just as the sun approached the summits of the western mountains, an opening appeared in our
front, beneath the arches of the woods, and we knew that
a lake was near us, and that we were on the summit of high
land, though at what precise elevation could not yet be told.
Our route had lain across hills, and through valleys, and along
small streams; though, as I afterwards ascertained, the Hudson
did not run far enough north to intercept our march; or rather, by a sudden turn to the west, it left our course clear. Had
we inclined westwardly ourselves, we might have almost done
that which Col. Follock had once laughingly recommended to
my mother, in order to avoid the dangers of the Powles Hook
Ferry, gone round the river.
A clearing now showed itself a little on our right; and
thither the Indian held his way. This clearing was not the result of the labours of man, but was the fruit of one of those
forest accidents that sometimes let in the light of the sun
upon the mysteries of the woods. This clearing was on
the bald cap of a rocky mountain, where Indians had doubtless often encamped; the vestiges of their fi res proving that
the winds had been assisted by the sister element, in clearing
away the few stunted trees that had once grown in the fi ssures of the rocks. As it was, there might have been an open
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
space of some two or three acres, that was now as naked as
if it had never known any vegetation more ambitious than
the bush of the whortleberry or the honeysuckle. Delicious
water was spouting from a higher ridge of the rocks, that led
away northerly, forming the summit of an extensive range in
that direction. At this spring Susquesus stooped to drink; then
he announced that our day’s work was done.
Until this announcement, I do not believe that one of
us all had taken the time to look about him, so earnest and
rapid had been our march. Now, however, each man threw
aside his pack, laid down his rifl e, and, thus disencumbered,
we turned to gaze on one of the most surprisingly beautiful
scenes eye of mine had ever beheld.
From what I have read and heard, I am now fully aware,
that the grandest of our American scenery falls far behind
that which is to be found among the lakes and precipices of
the Alps, and along the almost miraculous coast of the Mediterranean; and I shall not pretend that the view I now beheld
approached many, in magnifi cence, that are to be met with in
those magic regions. Nevertheless, it was both grand and soft;
and it had one element of vastness, in the green mantle of its
interminable woods, that is not often to be met with in countries that have long submitted to the sway of man. Such as it
was, I shall endeavour to describe it.
Beneath us, at the distance of near a thousand feet, lay
a lake of the most limpid and placid water, that was beautifully
diversifi ed in shape, by means of bluffs, bays, and curvatures of
the shores, and which had an extent of near forty miles, We
were on its eastern margin, and about one-third of the distance
from its southern to its northern end. Countless islands lay
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SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
almost under our feet, rendering the mixture of land and water, at that particular point, as various and fanciful as the human imagination could desire. To the north, the placid sheet
extended a great distance, bounded by rocky precipices, passing by a narrow gorge into a wider and larger estuary beyond.
To the south, the water lay expanded to its oval termination,
with here and there an island to relieve the surface. In that
direction only, were any of the results of human industry to
be traced. Everywhere else, the gorges, the receding valleys,
the long ranges of hills, and the bald caps of granite, presented
nothing to the eye but the unwearying charms of nature. Far
as the eye could reach, mountain behind mountain, the earth
was covered with its green mantle of luxuriant leaves; such as
vegetation bestows on a virgin soil beneath a benefi cent sun.
The rolling and variegated carpet of the earth resembled a fi rmament reversed, with clouds composed of foliage.
At the southern termination of the lake, however, there
was an opening in the forest of considerable extent; and one
that had been so thoroughly made as to leave few or no trees.
From this point we were distant several miles, and that distance necessarily rendered objects indistinct; though we had
little diffi culty in perceiving the ruins of extensive fortifi cations. A thousand white specks, we now ascertained to be
tents, for the works were all that remained of Fort William
Henry, and there lay encamped the army of Abercrombie;
much the largest force that had then ever collected in America, under the colours of England. History has since informed
us that this army contained the formidable number of sixteen
thousand men. Hundreds of boats, large batteaux, that were
capable of carrying forty or fi fty men, were moving about in
453
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
front of the encampment, and, remote as we were, it was not
impossible to discover the signs of preparation, and of an early
movement. The Indian had not deceived us thus far, at least,
but had shown himself an intelligent judge of what was going
on, as well as a faithful guide.
We were to pass the night on the mountain. Our beds were
none of the best, as the reader may suppose, and our cover
slight; yet I do not remember to have opened my eyes from
the moment they were closed, until I awoke in the morning.
The fatigue of a forced march did that for us which down cannot obtain for the voluptuary, and we all slept as profoundly
as children. Consciousness returned to me, by means of a gentle shake of the shoulder, which proceeded from Susquesus.
On arising, I found the Indian still near me, his countenance, for the fi rst time since I had known him, expressing
something like an animated pleasure. He had awoke none of
the others, and he signed for me to follow him, without arousing either of my companions. Why I had been thus particularly selected for the scene that succeeded, I cannot say, unless
the Onondago’s native sagacity had taught him to distinguish
between the educations and feelings of us three young men.
So it was, however, and I left the rude shelter we had prepared
for the night, alone.
A glorious sight awaited me! The sun had just tipped
the mountain-tops with gold, while the lake and the valleys, the hill-sides even, and the entire world beneath, still
reposed in shadow. It appeared to me like the awakening of
created things from the sleep of nature. For a moment or
more, I could only gaze on the wonderful picture presented by
the strong contrast between the golden hill-tops and their
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SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
shadowed sides – the promises of day and the vestiges of night.
But the Onondago was too much engrossed with his own feelings, to suffer me long to disregard what he conceived to be
the principal point of interest. Directed by his fi nger, and eye,
for he spoke not, I turned my look towards the distant shore of
William Henry, and at once perceived the cause of his unusual excitement. As soon as the Indian was certain that I saw
the objects that attracted himself so strongly, he exclaimed
with a strong, guttural, emphatic cadence –
«Good!»
Abercrombie’s army was actually in motion! Sixteen thousand men had embarked in boats, and were moving towards
the northern end of the lake, with imposing force, and a most
beautiful accuracy. The unruffl ed surface of the lake was dotted
with the fl otilla, boats in hundreds stretching across it in long,
dark lines, moving on towards their point of destination with
the method and concert of an army with its wings displayed.
The last brigade of boats had just left the shore when I fi rst saw
this striking spectacle, and the whole picture lay spread before me at a single glance. America had never before witnessed
such a sight; and it may be long before she will again witness
such another. For several minutes I stood entranced; nor did
I speak until the rays of the sun had penetrated the dusky light
that lay on the inferior world, as low as the bases of the western mountains.
«What are we to do, Susquesus?» I then asked, feeling how
much right the Indian now might justly claim to govern our
movements.
«Eat breakfast, fi rst» – the Onondago quietly replied; «then
go down mountain».
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«Neither of which will place us in the midst of that gallant
army, as it is our wish to be».
«See, bye’m by. Injin know – no hurry, now. Hurry come,
when Frenchman shoot».
I did not like this speech, nor the manner in which it
was uttered; but there were too many things to think of, just
then, to be long occupied by vague conjectures touching
the Onondago’s evasive allusions. Guert and Dirck were called,
and made to share in the pleasure that such a sight could not
fail to communicate. Then it was I got the fi rst notion of what
I should call the truly martial character of Ten Eyck. His fi ne,
manly fi gure appeared to me to enlarge, his countenance actually became illuminated, and the expression of his eye, usually
so full of good-nature and fun, seemed to change its character
entirely, to one of sternness and seventy.
«This is a noble sight, Mr. Littlepage», Guert remarked, after gazing at the measured but quick movement of the fl otilla,
for some time, in silence –» a truly noble sight, and it is a reproach to us three for having lost so much time in the woods,
when we ought to have been there, ready to aid in driving
the French from the province».
«We are not too late, my good friend, as the fi rst blow yet
remains to be struck».
«You say true, and I shall join that army, if I have to swim to
reach the boats. It will be no diffi cult thing for us to swim
from one of these islands to another, and the troops must pass
through the midst of them, ‘n order to get into the lower lake.
Any reasonable man would stop to pick us up».
«No need», said the Onondago, in his quiet way. «Eat breakfast; then go. Got canoe – that ‘nough».
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SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
«A canoe! By St. Nicholas! Mr. Susquesus, I’ll tell you what
it is – you shall never want a friend as long as Guert Ten Eyek
is living, and able to assist you. That idea of the canoe is a most
thoughtful one, and shows that a reasoning man has had
the care of us. We can now join the troops, with the rifl es in
our hand, as becomes gentlemen and volunteers».
By this time Jaap was up, and looking at the scene, with all
his eyes. It is scarcely necessary to describe the effect on a negro. He laughed in fi ts, shook his head like the Chinese fi gure of a mandarin, rolled over on the rocks, arose, shook himself like a dog that quits the water, laughed again, and fi nally
shouted. As we were all accustomed to these displays of negro
sensibility, they only excited a smile among us, and not even
that from Dirck. As for the Indian, he took no more notice of
these natural, but undignifi ed signs of pleasure, in Jaap, than if
the latter had been a dog, or any other unintellectual animal.
Perhaps no weakness would be so likely to excite his contempt,
as to be a witness of so complete an absence of self-command,
as the untutored negro manifested on this occasion.
As soon as our fi rst curiosity and interest were a little abated, we applied ourselves to the necessary duty of breaking our
fasts. The meal was soon despatched; and, to say the truth, it was
not of a quality to detain one long from anything of interest.
The moment we had fi nished, the whole party left the cap of
the mountain, following our guide as usual.
The Onondago had purposely brought us to that look-out,
a spot known to him, in order that we might get the view of
its panorama. It was impossible to descend to the lake-shore at
that spot, however, and we were obliged to make a detour of
three or four miles, in order to reach a ravine, by means of
457
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
which, and not without diffi culty either, that important object
was obtained. Here we found a bark canoe of a size suffi cient to
hold all fi ve of us, and we embarked without a moment’s delay.
The wind had sprung up from the south, as the day advanced, and the fl otilla of boats was coming on, at a greatly increased rate, as to speed. By the time we had threaded our way
through the islands, and reached the main channel, if indeed
any one passage could be so termed, among such a variety,
the leading boat of the army was within hail. The Indian paddled, and, waving his hand in sign of amity, he soon brought us
alongside of the batteau. As we approached it, however, I observed the fi ne, large form of the Viscount Howe, standing
erect in its bows, dressed in his Light Infantry Forest Uniform,
as if eager to be literally the foremost man of a movement, in
the success of which, the honour of the British empire, itself,
was felt to be concerned.
CHAPTER XXIII
“My sons? It may
Unman my heart, and the poor boys will weep;
And what can I reply, to comfort them,
Save with some hollow hopes, and ill-worn smiles?”
Sardanapalus.
My Lord Howe did not at fi rst recognise us, in our hunting-shirts. With Guert Ten Eyck, however, he had formed such
an acquaintance, while at Albany, as caused him to remember his voice, and our welcome was both frank and cordial.
We inquired for the –th, declaring our intention to join that
corps, from the commander of which all three of us had reiterated and pressing invitations to join his mess. The intention of
seeking our friend immediately, nevertheless, was changed by
a remark of our present host if one may use such a term as applied to the commander of a brigade of boats.
«Bulstrode’s regiment is in the centre, and will be early in
the fi eld», he said; «but not as early as the advanced guard.
If you desire good living, gentlemen, I am far from wishing to
dissuade you from seeking the fl esh-pots of the –th; there
being a certain Mr. Billings, in that corps, who has an ex-
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
traordinary faculty, they tell me, in getting up a good dinner
out of nothing; but, if you want service, we shall certainly be
the fi rst brigade in action; and, to such fare as I can command,
you will be most acceptable guests. As for anything else, time
must show».
After this, no more was said about looking for Bulstrode;
though we let our noble commander understand, that we
should tax his hospitality no longer than to see him fairly in
the fi eld, after driving away the party that it was expected
the enemy would send to oppose our landing.
Susquesus no sooner learned our decision, than he took his
departure, quietly paddling away towards the eastern shore;
no one attempting to intercept a canoe that was seen to quit
the batteau that was known to carry the commander of the advanced brigade.
The wind freshened, as the day advanced, and most of
the boats having something or other in the shape of a sail, our
progress now became quite rapid. By nine o’clock we were fairly in the Lower Lake, and there was every prospect of our reaching our point of destination by mid-day. I confess, the business
we were on, the novelty of my situation, and the certainty that
we should meet in Montcalm an experienced as well as a most
gallant foe, conspired to render me thoughtful, though I trust
not timid, during the few hours we were in the batteau. Perfectly inactive, it is not surprising that so young a soldier should
feel sobered by the solemn refl ections that are apt to get possession of the mind, at the probable approach of death – if
not to myself, at least to many of those who were around me.
Nor was there anything boastful or infl ated in the manner or
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