[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
For many hours the travellers toiled on their laborious way, guided by a star,
or following the direction of some water-course, until the scout called a
halt, and holding a short consultation with the Indians, they lighted their
fire, and made the usual preparations to pass the remainder of the night where
they then were.
Imitating the example, and emulating the confidence of their more experienced
associates, Munro and Duncan slept without fear, if not without uneasiness.
The dews were suffered to exhale, and the sun had dispersed the mists, and was
shedding a strong and clear light in the forest, when the travellers resumed
their journey.
After proceeding a few miles, the progress of Hawk-eye, who led the advance,
became more deliberate and watchful. He often stopped to examine the tress;
nor did he cross a rivulet, without attentively considering the quantity, the
velocity, and the colour of its waters. Distrusting his own judgment, his
appeals to the opinion of Chingachgook were frequent and earnest. During one
of these conferences, Heyward observed that Uncas stood a patient and silent,
though, as he imagined, an interested listener. He was strongly tempted to
address the young chieftain, and demand his opinion of their progress; but the
calm and dignified demeanour of the native, induced him to believe, that, like
himself, the other was wholly dependent on the sagacity and intelligence of
the seniors of the party. At last, the scout spoke in English, and at once
explained the embarrassment of their situation.
When I found that the home path of the Hurons run north, he said, it did
not need the judgment of many long years to tell that they would follow the
valleys, and keep atween the waters of the Hudson and the Horican, until they
might strike the springs of the Canada streams, which would lead them into the
heart of the country of the Frenchers. Yet here are we, within a short range
of the Scaroon, and not a sign of a trail have we crossed! Human natur is
weak, and it is possible we may not have taken the proper scent.
Heaven protect us from such an error! exclaimed Duncan. Let us retrace our
steps, and examine as we go, with keener eyes. Has Uncas no counsel to offer
in such a strait?
The young Mohican cast a quick glance at his father, but instantly recovering
his quiet and reserved mien, he continued silent. Chingachgook had caught the
look, and motioning with his hand, he bade him speak. The moment this
permission was accorded, the countenance of Uncas changed from its grave
composure to a gleam of intelligence and joy. Bounding forward like a deer, he
sprang up the side of a little acclivity, a few rods in advance, and stood,
exultingly, over a spot of fresh earth, that looked as though it had been
recently upturned by the passage of some heavy animal. The eyes of the whole
party followed the unexpected movement, and read their success in the air of
triumph that the youth assumed.
Tis the trail! exclaimed the scout, advancing to the spot; the lad is
quick of sight and keen of wit, for his years.
Tis extraordinary, that he should have withheld his knowledge so long,
muttered Duncan, at his elbow.
It would have been more wonderful had he spoken, without a bidding! No, no;
your young white, who gathers his learning from books, and can measure what he
knows by the page, may conceit that his knowledge, like his legs, outruns that
of his father; but where experience is the master, the scholar is made to know
the value of years, and respects them accordingly.
Page 26
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
See! said Uncas, pointing north and south, at the evident marks of the
broad trail on either side of him; the dark-hair has gone towards the frost.
Hound never ran on a more beautiful scent, responded the scout, dashing
forward, at once, on the indicated route; we are favoured, greatly favoured,
and can follow with high noses. Ay, here are both your wadding beasts; this
Huron travels like a white general! The fellow is stricken with a judgment,
and is mad! Look sharp for wheels, Sagamore, he continued, looking back and
laughing, in his newly awakened satisfaction; we shall soon have the fool
journeying in a coach, and that with three of the best pair of eyes on the
borders in his rear.
The spirits of the scout, and the astonishing success of the chase, in which
a circuitous distance of more than forty miles had been passed, did not fail
to impart a portion of hope to the whole party. Their advance was rapid; and
made with as much confidence as a traveller would proceed along a wide
highway. If a rock, or a rivulet, or a bit of earth harder than common,
severed the links of the clue they followed, the true eye of the scout
recovered them at a distance, and seldom rendered the delay of a single moment
necessary. Their progress was much facilitated by the certainty that Magua had
found it necessary to journey through the valleys; a circumstance which
rendered the general direction of the route sure. Nor had the Huron entirely
neglected the arts uniformly practised by the natives, when retiring in front
of an enemy. False trails, and sudden turnings, were frequent, wherever a
brook, or the formation of the ground, rendered them feasible; but his
pursuers were rarely deceived, and never failed to detect their error, before
they had lost either time or distance on the deceptive track.
By the middle of the afternoon they had passed the Scaroon, and were
following the route of the declining sun. After descending an eminence to a
low bottom, through which a swift stream glided, they suddenly came to a place
where the party of le Renard had made a halt. Extinguished brands were lying
around a spring, the offals of a deer were scattered about the place, and the
trees bore evident marks of having been browsed long and closely by the
horses. At a little distance, Heyward discovered, and contemplated with tender
emotion, the small bower under which, he was fain to believe, that Cora and
Alice had reposed. But while the earth was trodden, and the footsteps of both
men and beasts were so plainly visible around the place, the trail appeared to
have suddenly ended.
It was easy to follow the tracks of the Narragansetts, but they seemed only
to have wandered without guides, or any other object than the pursuit of food.
At length Uncas, who, with his father, had endeavoured to trace the route of
the horses, came upon a sign of their presence, that was quite recent. Before
following the clue, he communicated his success to his companions, and while
the latter were consulting on the circumstance, the youth re-appeared, leading
the two fillies, with their saddles broken, and the housings soiled, as though
they had been permitted to run, at will, for several days.
What should this prove? said Duncan, turning pale, and glancing his eyes
around him, as if he feared the brush and leaves were about to give up some
horrid secret.
That our march is come to a quick end, and that we are in an enemy s
country, returned the scout. Had the knave been pressed, and the gentle ones [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
For many hours the travellers toiled on their laborious way, guided by a star,
or following the direction of some water-course, until the scout called a
halt, and holding a short consultation with the Indians, they lighted their
fire, and made the usual preparations to pass the remainder of the night where
they then were.
Imitating the example, and emulating the confidence of their more experienced
associates, Munro and Duncan slept without fear, if not without uneasiness.
The dews were suffered to exhale, and the sun had dispersed the mists, and was
shedding a strong and clear light in the forest, when the travellers resumed
their journey.
After proceeding a few miles, the progress of Hawk-eye, who led the advance,
became more deliberate and watchful. He often stopped to examine the tress;
nor did he cross a rivulet, without attentively considering the quantity, the
velocity, and the colour of its waters. Distrusting his own judgment, his
appeals to the opinion of Chingachgook were frequent and earnest. During one
of these conferences, Heyward observed that Uncas stood a patient and silent,
though, as he imagined, an interested listener. He was strongly tempted to
address the young chieftain, and demand his opinion of their progress; but the
calm and dignified demeanour of the native, induced him to believe, that, like
himself, the other was wholly dependent on the sagacity and intelligence of
the seniors of the party. At last, the scout spoke in English, and at once
explained the embarrassment of their situation.
When I found that the home path of the Hurons run north, he said, it did
not need the judgment of many long years to tell that they would follow the
valleys, and keep atween the waters of the Hudson and the Horican, until they
might strike the springs of the Canada streams, which would lead them into the
heart of the country of the Frenchers. Yet here are we, within a short range
of the Scaroon, and not a sign of a trail have we crossed! Human natur is
weak, and it is possible we may not have taken the proper scent.
Heaven protect us from such an error! exclaimed Duncan. Let us retrace our
steps, and examine as we go, with keener eyes. Has Uncas no counsel to offer
in such a strait?
The young Mohican cast a quick glance at his father, but instantly recovering
his quiet and reserved mien, he continued silent. Chingachgook had caught the
look, and motioning with his hand, he bade him speak. The moment this
permission was accorded, the countenance of Uncas changed from its grave
composure to a gleam of intelligence and joy. Bounding forward like a deer, he
sprang up the side of a little acclivity, a few rods in advance, and stood,
exultingly, over a spot of fresh earth, that looked as though it had been
recently upturned by the passage of some heavy animal. The eyes of the whole
party followed the unexpected movement, and read their success in the air of
triumph that the youth assumed.
Tis the trail! exclaimed the scout, advancing to the spot; the lad is
quick of sight and keen of wit, for his years.
Tis extraordinary, that he should have withheld his knowledge so long,
muttered Duncan, at his elbow.
It would have been more wonderful had he spoken, without a bidding! No, no;
your young white, who gathers his learning from books, and can measure what he
knows by the page, may conceit that his knowledge, like his legs, outruns that
of his father; but where experience is the master, the scholar is made to know
the value of years, and respects them accordingly.
Page 26
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
See! said Uncas, pointing north and south, at the evident marks of the
broad trail on either side of him; the dark-hair has gone towards the frost.
Hound never ran on a more beautiful scent, responded the scout, dashing
forward, at once, on the indicated route; we are favoured, greatly favoured,
and can follow with high noses. Ay, here are both your wadding beasts; this
Huron travels like a white general! The fellow is stricken with a judgment,
and is mad! Look sharp for wheels, Sagamore, he continued, looking back and
laughing, in his newly awakened satisfaction; we shall soon have the fool
journeying in a coach, and that with three of the best pair of eyes on the
borders in his rear.
The spirits of the scout, and the astonishing success of the chase, in which
a circuitous distance of more than forty miles had been passed, did not fail
to impart a portion of hope to the whole party. Their advance was rapid; and
made with as much confidence as a traveller would proceed along a wide
highway. If a rock, or a rivulet, or a bit of earth harder than common,
severed the links of the clue they followed, the true eye of the scout
recovered them at a distance, and seldom rendered the delay of a single moment
necessary. Their progress was much facilitated by the certainty that Magua had
found it necessary to journey through the valleys; a circumstance which
rendered the general direction of the route sure. Nor had the Huron entirely
neglected the arts uniformly practised by the natives, when retiring in front
of an enemy. False trails, and sudden turnings, were frequent, wherever a
brook, or the formation of the ground, rendered them feasible; but his
pursuers were rarely deceived, and never failed to detect their error, before
they had lost either time or distance on the deceptive track.
By the middle of the afternoon they had passed the Scaroon, and were
following the route of the declining sun. After descending an eminence to a
low bottom, through which a swift stream glided, they suddenly came to a place
where the party of le Renard had made a halt. Extinguished brands were lying
around a spring, the offals of a deer were scattered about the place, and the
trees bore evident marks of having been browsed long and closely by the
horses. At a little distance, Heyward discovered, and contemplated with tender
emotion, the small bower under which, he was fain to believe, that Cora and
Alice had reposed. But while the earth was trodden, and the footsteps of both
men and beasts were so plainly visible around the place, the trail appeared to
have suddenly ended.
It was easy to follow the tracks of the Narragansetts, but they seemed only
to have wandered without guides, or any other object than the pursuit of food.
At length Uncas, who, with his father, had endeavoured to trace the route of
the horses, came upon a sign of their presence, that was quite recent. Before
following the clue, he communicated his success to his companions, and while
the latter were consulting on the circumstance, the youth re-appeared, leading
the two fillies, with their saddles broken, and the housings soiled, as though
they had been permitted to run, at will, for several days.
What should this prove? said Duncan, turning pale, and glancing his eyes
around him, as if he feared the brush and leaves were about to give up some
horrid secret.
That our march is come to a quick end, and that we are in an enemy s
country, returned the scout. Had the knave been pressed, and the gentle ones [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]