Chapter XXX.
"So deem'st thou--so each mortal deems Of that which is from that which seems; But other harvest here Than that which peasant's scythe demands, Was gather'd in by sterner hands, With bayonet, blade, and spear."
Scott, "The Field of Waterloo," V.i-6.
It exceeded Deerslayer's power to ascertain what had produced the suddenpause in the movements of his enemies, until the fact was revealed inthe due course of events. He perceived that much agitation prevailedamong the women in particular, while the warriors rested on their armsin a sort of dignified expectation. It was plain no alarm was excited,though it was not equally apparent that a friendly occurrence producedthe delay. Rivenoak was evidently apprised of all, and by a gesture ofhis arm he appeared to direct the circle to remain unbroken, and foreach person to await the issue in the situation he or she then occupied.It required but a minute or two to bring an explanation of this singularand mysterious pause, which was soon terminated by the appearance ofJudith on the exterior of the line of bodies, and her ready admissionwithin its circle.
If Deerslayer was startled by this unexpected arrival, well knowingthat the quick witted girl could claim none of that exemption from thepenalties of captivity that was so cheerfully accorded to her feeblerminded sister, he was equally astonished at the guise in which she came.All her ordinary forest attire, neat and becoming as this usually was,had been laid aside for the brocade that has been already mentioned,and which had once before wrought so great and magical an effect inher appearance. Nor was this all. Accustomed to see the ladies of thegarrison in the formal, gala attire of the day, and familiar withthe more critical niceties of these matters, the girl had managed tocomplete her dress in a way to leave nothing strikingly defective in itsdetails, or even to betray an incongruity that would have been detectedby one practised in the mysteries of the toilet. Head, feet, arms,hands, bust, and drapery, were all in harmony, as female attire wasthen deemed attractive and harmonious, and the end she aimed at, that ofimposing on the uninstructed senses of the savages, by causing them tobelieve their guest was a woman of rank and importance, might wellhave succeeded with those whose habits had taught them to discriminatebetween persons. Judith, in addition to her rare native beauty, had asingular grace of person, and her mother had imparted enough of her owndeportment to prevent any striking or offensive vulgarity of manner; sothat, sooth to say, the gorgeous dress might have been worse bestowed innearly every particular. Had it been displayed in a capital, a thousandmight have worn it, before one could have been found to do more creditto its gay colours, glossy satins, and rich laces, than the beautifulcreature whose person it now aided to adorn. The effect of such anapparition had not been miscalculated. The instant Judith found herselfwithin the circle, she was, in a degree, compensated for the fearfulpersonal risk she ran, by the unequivocal sensation of surprise andadmiration produced by her appearance. The grim old warriors utteredtheir favorite exclamation "hugh!" The younger men were still moresensibly overcome, and even the women were not backward in lettingopen manifestations of pleasure escape them. It was seldom that theseuntutored children of the forest had ever seen any white female abovethe commonest sort, and, as to dress, never before had so much splendorshone before their eyes. The gayest uniforms of both French and Englishseemed dull compared with the lustre of the brocade, and while the rarepersonal beauty of the wearer added to the effect produced by its hues,the attire did not fail to adorn that beauty in a way which surpassedeven the hopes of its wearer. Deerslayer himself was astounded, and thisquite as much by the brilliant picture the girl presented, as at theindifference to consequences with which she had braved the danger of thestep she had taken. Under such circumstances, all waited for thevisitor to explain her object, which to most of the spectators seemed asinexplicable as her appearance.
"Which of these warriors is the principal chief?" demanded Judith ofDeerslayer, as soon as she found it was expected that she should openthe communications; "my errand is too important to be delivered to anyof inferior rank. First explain to the Hurons what I say; then give ananswer to the question I have put."
Deerslayer quietly complied, his auditors greedily listening to theinterpretation of the first words that fell from so extraordinary avision. The demand seemed perfectly in character for one who had everyappearance of an exalted rank, herself. Rivenoak gave an appropriatereply, by presenting himself before his fair visitor in a way to leaveno doubt that he was entitled to all the consideration he claimed.
"I can believe this, Huron," resumed Judith, enacting her assumedpart with a steadiness and dignity that did credit to her powers ofimitation, for she strove to impart to her manner the condescendingcourtesy she had once observed in the wife of a general officer, ata similar though a more amicable scene: "I can believe you to be theprincipal person of this party; I see in your countenance the marks ofthought and reflection. To you, then, I must make my communication."
"Let the Flower of the Woods speak," returned the old chief courteously,as soon as her address had been translated so that all might understandit--"If her words are as pleasant as her looks, they will never quit myears; I shall hear them long after the winter of Canada has killed allthe flowers, and frozen all the speeches of summer."
This admiration was grateful to one constituted like Judith, andcontributed to aid her self-possession, quite as much as it fed hervanity. Smiling involuntarily, or in spite of her wish to seem reserved,she proceeded in her plot.
"Now, Huron," she continued, "listen to my words. Your eyes tell youthat I am no common woman. I will not say I am queen of this country;she is afar off, in a distant land; but under our gracious monarchs,there are many degrees of rank; one of these I fill. What that rankis precisely, it is unnecessary for me to say, since you would notunderstand it. For that information you must trust your eyes. You seewhat I am; you must feel that in listening to my words, you listen toone who can be your friend, or your enemy, as you treat her."
This was well uttered, with a due attention to manner and a steadinessof tone that was really surprising, considering all the circumstancesof the case. It was well, though simply rendered into the Indiandialect too, and it was received with a respect and gravity that auguredfavourably for the girl's success. But Indian thought is not easilytraced to its sources. Judith waited with anxiety to hear the answer,filled with hope even while she doubted. Rivenoak was a ready speaker,and he answered as promptly as comported with the notions of Indiandecorum; that peculiar people seeming to think a short delay respectful,inasmuch as it manifests that the words already heard have been dulyweighed.
"My daughter is handsomer than the wild roses of Ontario; her voice ispleasant to the ear as the song of the wren," answered the cautious andwily chief, who of all the band stood alone in not being fully imposedon by the magnificent and unusual appearance of Judith; but whodistrusted even while he wondered: "the humming bird is not much largerthan the bee; yet, its feathers are as gay as the tail of the peacock.The Great Spirit sometimes puts very bright clothes on very littleanimals. Still He covers the Moose with coarse hair. These things arebeyond the understanding of poor Indians, who can only comprehendwhat they see and hear. No doubt my daughter has a very large wigwamsomewhere about the lake; the Hurons have not found it, on account oftheir ignorance?"
"I have told you, chief, that it would be useless to state my rank andresidence, in as much as you would not comprehend them. You must trustto your eyes for this knowledge; what red man is there who cannot see?This blanket that I wear is not the blanket of a common squaw; theseornaments are such as the wives and daughters of chiefs only appearin. Now, listen and hear why I have come alone among your people, andhearken to the errand that has brought me here. The Yengeese have youngmen, as well as the Hurons; and plenty of them, too; this you wellknow."
"The Yengeese are as plenty as the leaves on the trees! This every Huronknows, and feels."
"I understand you, chief. Had I brought a party with me, it m
ighthave caused trouble. My young men and your young men would have lookedangrily at each other; especially had my young men seen that pale-facebound for the torture. He is a great hunter, and is much loved by allthe garrisons, far and near. There would have been blows about him, andthe trail of the Iroquois back to the Canadas would have been markedwith blood."
"There is so much blood on it, now," returned the chief, gloomily, "thatit blinds our eyes. My young men see that it is all Huron."
"No doubt; and more Huron blood would be spilt had I come surroundedwith pale-faces. I have heard of Rivenoak, and have thought it would bebetter to send him back in peace to his village, that he might leave hiswomen and children behind him; if he then wished to come for our scalps,we would meet him. He loves animals made of ivory, and little rifles.See; I have brought some with me to show him. I am his friend. Whenhe has packed up these things among his goods, he will start for hisvillage, before any of my young men can overtake him, and then he willshow his people in Canada what riches they can come to seek, now thatour great fathers, across the Salt Lake, have sent each other the warhatchet. I will lead back with me this great hunter, of whom I have needto keep my house in venison."
Judith, who was sufficiently familiar with Indian phraseology,endeavored to express her ideas in the sententious manner common tothose people, and she succeeded even beyond her own expectations.Deerslayer did her full justice in the translation, and this so muchthe more readily, since the girl carefully abstained from uttering anydirect untruth; a homage she paid to the young man's known aversion tofalsehood, which he deemed a meanness altogether unworthy of a whiteman's gifts. The offering of the two remaining elephants, and of thepistols already mentioned, one of which was all the worse for the recentaccident, produced a lively sensation among the Hurons, generally,though Rivenoak received it coldly, notwithstanding the delight withwhich he had first discovered the probable existence of a creature withtwo tails. In a word, this cool and sagacious savage was not so easilyimposed on as his followers, and with a sentiment of honor that halfthe civilized world would have deemed supererogatory, he declinedthe acceptance of a bribe that he felt no disposition to earn by acompliance with the donor's wishes.
"Let my daughter keep her two-tailed hog, to eat when venison isscarce," he drily answered, "and the little gun, which has two muzzles.The Hurons will kill deer when they are hungry, and they have longrifles to fight with. This hunter cannot quit my young men now; theywish to know if he is as stouthearted as he boasts himself to be."
"That I deny, Huron--" interrupted Deerslayer, with warmth--"Yes, thatI downright deny, as ag'in truth and reason. No man has heard me boast,and no man shall, though ye flay me alive, and then roast the quiveringflesh, with your own infarnal devices and cruelties! I may be humble,and misfortunate, and your prisoner; but I'm no boaster, by my verygifts."
"My young pale-face boasts he is no boaster," returned the crafty chief:"he must be right. I hear a strange bird singing. It has very richfeathers. No Huron ever before saw such feathers! They will be ashamedto go back to their village, and tell their people that they let theirprisoner go on account of the song of this strange bird and not be ableto give the name of the bird. They do not know how to say whether itis a wren, or a cat bird. This would be a great disgrace; my young menwould not be allowed to travel in the woods without taking their motherswith them, to tell them the names of the birds!"
"You can ask my name of your prisoner," returned the girl. "It isJudith; and there is a great deal of the history of Judith in thepale-face's best book, the Bible. If I am a bird of fine feathers, Ihave also my name."
"No," answered the wily Huron, betraying the artifice he had so longpractised, by speaking in English with tolerable accuracy, "I not askprisoner. He tired; he want rest. I ask my daughter, with feeble mind.She speak truth. Come here, daughter; you answer. Your name, Hetty?"
"Yes, that's what they call me," returned the girl, "though it's writtenEsther in the Bible."
"He write him in bible, too! All write in bible. No matter--what hername?"
"That's Judith, and it's so written in the Bible, though fathersometimes called her Jude. That's my sister Judith. Thomas Hutter'sdaughter--Thomas Hutter, whom you called the Muskrat; though he was nomuskrat, but a man like yourselves--he lived in a house on the water,and that was enough for you."
A smile of triumph gleamed on the hard wrinkled countenance of thechief, when he found how completely his appeal to the truth-lovingHetty had succeeded. As for Judith, herself, the moment her sister wasquestioned, she saw that all was lost; for no sign, or even intreatycould have induced the right feeling girl to utter a falsehood.To attempt to impose a daughter of the Muskrat on the savages as aprincess, or a great lady, she knew would be idle, and she saw her boldand ingenious expedient for liberating the captive fail, through one ofthe simplest and most natural causes that could be imagined. She turnedher eye on Deerslayer, therefore, as if imploring him to interfere tosave them both.
"It will not do, Judith," said the young man, in answer to this appeal,which he understood, though he saw its uselessness; "it will not do.'Twas a bold idea, and fit for a general's lady, but yonderMingo" Rivenoak had withdrawn to a little distance, and was out ofearshot--"but yonder Mingo is an oncommon man, and not to be deceived byany unnat'ral sarcumvention. Things must come afore him in their rightorder, to draw a cloud afore his eyes! 'Twas too much to attempt makinghim fancy that a queen, or a great lady, lived in these mountains, andno doubt he thinks the fine clothes you wear is some of the plunder ofyour own father--or, at least, of him who once passed for your father;as quite likely it was, if all they say is true."
"At all events, Deerslayer, my presence here will save you for a time.They will hardly attempt torturing you before my face!"
"Why not, Judith? Do you think they will treat a woman of the pale facesmore tenderly than they treat their own? It's true that your sex willmost likely save you from the torments, but it will not save yourliberty, and may not save your scalp. I wish you had not come, mygood Judith; it can do no good to me, while it may do great harm toyourself."
"I can share your fate," the girl answered with generous enthusiasm."They shall not injure you while I stand by, if in my power to preventit--besides--"
"Besides, what, Judith? What means have you to stop Injin cruelties, orto avart Injin deviltries?"
"None, perhaps, Deerslayer," answered the girl, with firmness, "but Ican suffer with my friends--die with them if necessary."
"Ah! Judith--suffer you may; but die you will not, until the Lord's timeshall come. It's little likely that one of your sex and beauty will meetwith a harder fate than to become the wife of a chief, if, indeed yourwhite inclinations can stoop to match with an Injin. 'Twould have beenbetter had you staid in the Ark, or the castle, but what has been done,is done. You was about to say something, when you stopped at 'besides'?"
"It might not be safe to mention it here, Deerslayer," the girlhurriedly answered, moving past him carelessly, that she might speak ina lower tone; "half an hour is all in all to us. None of your friendsare idle."
The hunter replied merely by a grateful look. Then he turned towards hisenemies, as if ready again to face their torments. A short consultationhad passed among the elders of the band, and by this time they also wereprepared with their decision. The merciful purpose of Rivenoak had beenmuch weakened by the artifice of Judith, which, failing of its realobject, was likely to produce results the very opposite of those she hadanticipated. This was natural; the feeling being aided by the resentmentof an Indian who found how near he had been to becoming the dupe ofan inexperienced girl. By this time, Judith's real character was fullyunderstood, the wide spread reputation of her beauty contributing to theexposure. As for the unusual attire, it was confounded with the profoundmystery of the animals with two tails, and for the moment lost itsinfluence.
When Rivenoak, therefore, faced the captive again, it was with analtered countenance. He had abandoned the wish of saving
him, and wasno longer disposed to retard the more serious part of the torture. Thischange of sentiment was, in effect, communicated to the young men,who were already eagerly engaged in making their preparations for thecontemplated scene. Fragments of dried wood were rapidly collected nearthe sapling, the splinters which it was intended to thrust into theflesh of the victim, previously to lighting, were all collected, and thethongs were already produced that were again to bind him to the tree.All this was done in profound silence, Judith watching every movementwith breathless expectation, while Deerslayer himself stood seemingly asunmoved as one of the pines of the hills. When the warriors advancedto bind him, however, the young man glanced at Judith, as if to enquirewhether resistance or submission were most advisable. By a significantgesture she counselled the last, and, in a minute, he was once morefastened to the tree, a helpless object of any insult, or wrong, thatmight be offered. So eagerly did every one now act, that nothing wassaid. The fire was immediately lighted in the pile, and the end of allwas anxiously expected.
It was not the intention of the Hurons absolutely to destroy the life oftheir victim by means of fire. They designed merely to put his physicalfortitude to the severest proofs it could endure, short of thatextremity. In the end, they fully intended to carry his scalp withthem into their village, but it was their wish first to break down hisresolution, and to reduce him to the level of a complaining sufferer.With this view, the pile of brush and branches had been placed at aproper distance, or, one at which it was thought the heat would soonbecome intolerable, though it might not be immediately dangerous. Asoften happened, however, on these occasions, this distance had beenmiscalculated, and the flames began to wave their forked tongues in aproximity to the face of the victim, that would have proved fatal, inanother instant, had not Hetty rushed through the crowd, armed with astick, and scattered the blazing pile in a dozen directions. More thanone hand was raised to strike this presumptuous intruder to the earth,but the chiefs prevented the blows, by reminding their irritatedfollowers of the state of her mind. Hetty, herself, was insensible tothe risk she ran, but, as soon as she had performed this bold act, shestood looking about her, in frowning resentment, as if to rebuke thecrowd of attentive savages for their cruelty.
"God bless you, dearest sister, for that brave and ready act!"murmured Judith, herself unnerved so much as to be incapable ofexertion--"Heaven, itself, has sent you on its holy errand."
"'Twas well meant, Judith--" rejoined the victim--"'twas excellentlymeant, and 'twas timely; though it may prove ontimely in the ind! Whatis to come to pass, must come to pass soon, or 'twill quickly be toolate. Had I drawn in one mouthful of that flame in breathing, the powerof man could not save my life, and you see that, this time, they've sobound my forehead, as not to leave my head the smallest chance. 'Twaswell meant, but it might have been more marciful to let the flames acttheir part."
"Cruel, heartless Hurons!" exclaimed the still indignant Hetty--"Wouldyou burn a man and a Christian, as you would burn a log of wood! Do younever read your Bibles? Or do you think God will forget such things?"
A gesture from Rivenoak caused the scattered brands to be collected.Fresh wood was brought, even the women and children busying themselveseagerly, in the gathering of dried sticks. The flame was just kindlinga second time, when an Indian female pushed through the circle, advancedto the heap, and with her foot dashed aside the lighted twigs in time toprevent the conflagration. A yell followed this second disappointment,but when the offender turned towards the circle, and presented thecountenance of Hist, it was succeeded by a common exclamation ofpleasure and surprise. For a minute, all thought of pursuing thebusiness in hand was forgotten. Young and old crowded around the girl,in haste to demand an explanation of her sudden and unlooked-for return.It was at this critical instant that Hist spoke to Judith in a lowvoice, placed some small object unseen in her hand, and then turned tomeet the salutations of the Huron girls, with whom she was personallya great favorite. Judith recovered her self possession, and actedpromptly. The small, keen edged knife that Hist had given to the other,was passed by the latter into the hands of Hetty, as the safest andleast suspected medium of transferring it to Deerslayer. But the feebleintellect of the last defeated the well-grounded hopes of all three.Instead of first cutting loose the hands of the victim, and thenconcealing the knife in his clothes, in readiness for action at themost available instant, she went to work herself, with earnestness andsimplicity, to cut the thongs that bound his head, that he mightnot again be in danger of inhaling flames. Of course this deliberateprocedure was seen, and the hands of Hetty were arrested, ere shehad more than liberated the upper portion of the captive's body, notincluding his arms below the elbows. This discovery at once pointeddistrust towards Hist, and to Judith's surprise, when questioned on thesubject, that spirited girl was not disposed to deny her agency in whathad passed.
"Why should I not help the Deerslayer?" the girl demanded, in the tonesof a firm minded woman. "He is the brother of a Delaware chief; my heartis all Delaware. Come forth, miserable Briarthorn, and wash the Iroquoispaint from your face; stand before the Hurons the crow that you are. Youwould eat the carrion of your own dead, rather than starve. Put him faceto face with Deerslayer, chiefs and warriors; I will show you how greata knave you have been keeping in your tribe."
This bold language, uttered in their own dialect and with a manner fullof confidence, produced a deep sensation among the Hurons. Treacheryis always liable to distrust, and though the recreant Briarthorn hadendeavoured to serve the enemy well, his exertions and assiduities hadgained for him little more than toleration. His wish to obtain Histfor a wife had first induced him to betray her, and his own people, butserious rivals to his first project had risen up among his newfriends, weakening still more their sympathies with treason. In a word,Briarthorn had been barely permitted to remain in the Huron encampment,where he was as closely and as jealously watched as Hist, herself,seldom appearing before the chiefs, and sedulously keeping out ofview of Deerslayer, who, until this moment, was ignorant even of hispresence. Thus summoned, however, it was impossible to remain in theback ground. "Wash the Iroquois paint from his face," he did not, forwhen he stood in the centre of the circle, he was so disguised in thesenew colours, that at first, the hunter did not recognise him. He assumedan air of defiance, notwithstanding, and haughtily demanded what anycould say against "Briarthorn."
"Ask yourself that," continued Hist with spirit, though her manner grewless concentrated, and there was a slight air of abstraction that becameobservable to Deerslayer and Judith, if to no others--"Ask that of yourown heart, sneaking woodchuck of the Delawares; come not here with theface of an innocent man. Go look into the spring; see the colours ofyour enemies on your lying skin; then come back and boast how you runfrom your tribe and took the blanket of the French for your covering!Paint yourself as bright as the humming bird, you will still be black asthe crow!"
Hist had been so uniformly gentle, while living with the Hurons, thatthey now listened to her language with surprise. As for the delinquent,his blood boiled in his veins, and it was well for the pretty speakerthat it was not in his power to execute the revenge he burned to inflicton her, in spite of his pretended love.
"Who wishes Briarthorn?" he sternly asked--"If this pale-face is tiredof life, if afraid of Indian torments, speak, Rivenoak; I will send himafter the warriors we have lost."
"No, chiefs--no, Rivenoak--" eagerly interrupted Hist--"Deerslayer fearsnothing; least of all a crow! Unbind him--cut his withes, place him faceto face with this cawing bird; then let us see which is tired of life!"
Hist made a forward movement, as if to take a knife from a young man,and perform the office she had mentioned in person, but an aged warriorinterposed, at a sign from Rivenoak. This chief watched all the girl didwith distrust, for, even while speaking in her most boastful language,and in the steadiest manner, there was an air of uncertainty andexpectation about her, that could not escape so close an observer. Sheacted well; but two
or three of the old men were equally satisfied thatit was merely acting. Her proposal to release Deerslayer, therefore, wasrejected, and the disappointed Hist found herself driven back from thesapling, at the very moment she fancied herself about to be successful.At the same time, the circle, which had got to be crowded and confused,was enlarged, and brought once more into order. Rivenoak now announcedthe intention of the old men again to proceed, the delay havingcontinued long enough, and leading to no result.
"Stop Huron--stay chiefs!--" exclaimed Judith, scarce knowing what shesaid, or why she interposed, unless to obtain time. "For God's sake, asingle minute longer--"
The words were cut short, by another and a still more extraordinaryinterruption. A young Indian came bounding through the Huron ranks,leaping into the very centre of the circle, in a way to denote theutmost confidence, or a temerity bordering on foolhardiness. Five or sixsentinels were still watching the lake at different and distant points,and it was the first impression of Rivenoak that one of these had comein, with tidings of import. Still the movements of the stranger were sorapid, and his war dress, which scarcely left him more drapery thanan antique statue, had so little distinguishing about it, that, at thefirst moment, it was impossible to ascertain whether he were friend orfoe. Three leaps carried this warrior to the side of Deerslayer,whose withes were cut in the twinkling of an eye, with a quickness andprecision that left the prisoner perfect master of his limbs. Not tillthis was effected did the stranger bestow a glance on any other object;then he turned and showed the astonished Hurons the noble brow, fineperson, and eagle eye, of a young warrior, in the paint and panoply of aDelaware. He held a rifle in each hand, the butts of both resting onthe earth, while from one dangled its proper pouch and horn. This wasKilldeer which, even as he looked boldly and in defiance at the crowdaround him, he suffered to fall back into the hands of its proper owner.The presence of two armed men, though it was in their midst, startledthe Hurons. Their rifles were scattered about against the differenttrees, and their only weapons were their knives and tomahawks. Stillthey had too much self-possession to betray fear. It was little likelythat so small a force would assail so strong a band, and each manexpected some extraordinary proposition to succeed so decisive a step.The stranger did not seem disposed to disappoint them; he prepared tospeak.
"Hurons," he said, "this earth is very big. The Great Lakes are big,too; there is room beyond them for the Iroquois; there is room for theDelawares on this side. I am Chingachgook the Son of Uncas; the kinsmanof Tamenund. This is my betrothed; that pale-face is my friend. My heartwas heavy, when I missed him; I followed him to your camp, to see thatno harm happened to him. All the Delaware girls are waiting for Wah;they wonder that she stays away so long. Come, let us say farewell, andgo on our path."
"Hurons, this is your mortal enemy, the Great Serpent of them you hate!"cried Briarthorn. "If he escape, blood will be in your moccasin prints,from this spot to the Canadas. I am all Huron!" As the last words wereuttered, the traitor cast his knife at the naked breast of the Delaware.A quick movement of the arm, on the part of Hist, who stood near, turnedaside the blow, the dangerous weapon burying its point in a pine. At thenext instant, a similar weapon glanced from the hand of the Serpent, andquivered in the recreant's heart. A minute had scarcely elapsed from themoment in which Chingachgook bounded into the circle, and that in whichBriarthorn fell, like a log, dead in his tracks. The rapidity of eventshad prevented the Hurons from acting; but this catastrophe permitted nofarther delay. A common exclamation followed, and the whole party wasin motion. At this instant a sound unusual to the woods was heard, andevery Huron, male and female, paused to listen, with ears erect andfaces filled with expectation. The sound was regular and heavy, as ifthe earth were struck with beetles. Objects became visible among thetrees of the background, and a body of troops was seen advancing withmeasured tread. They came upon the charge, the scarlet of the King'slivery shining among the bright green foliage of the forest.
The scene that followed is not easily described. It was one in whichwild confusion, despair, and frenzied efforts, were so blended as todestroy the unity and distinctness of the action. A general yell burstfrom the enclosed Hurons; it was succeeded by the hearty cheers ofEngland. Still not a musket or rifle was fired, though that steady,measured tramp continued, and the bayonet was seen gleaming in advanceof a line that counted nearly sixty men. The Hurons were taken ata fearful disadvantage. On three sides was the water, while theirformidable and trained foes cut them off from flight on the fourth. Eachwarrior rushed for his arms, and then all on the point, man, woman andchild, eagerly sought the covers. In this scene of confusion anddismay, however, nothing could surpass the discretion and coolness ofDeerslayer. His first care was to place Judith and Hist behind trees,and he looked for Hetty; but she had been hurried away in the crowd ofHuron women. This effected, he threw himself on a flank of the retiringHurons, who were inclining off towards the southern margin of thepoint, in the hope of escaping through the water. Deerslayer watched hisopportunity, and finding two of his recent tormentors in a range, hisrifle first broke the silence of the terrific scene. The bullet broughtdown both at one discharge. This drew a general fire from the Hurons,and the rifle and war cry of the Serpent were heard in the clamor. Stillthe trained men returned no answering volley, the whoop and piece ofHurry alone being heard on their side, if we except the short, promptword of authority, and that heavy, measured and menacing tread.Presently, however, the shrieks, groans, and denunciations that usuallyaccompany the use of the bayonet followed. That terrible and deadlyweapon was glutted in vengeance. The scene that succeeded was one ofthose of which so many have occurred in our own times, in which neitherage nor sex forms an exemption to the lot of a savage warfare.