Art, stryving to compare With nature, did an arber greene dispred, Fram'd of wanton yvie flowing fayre, Through which the fragrant eglantines did spred.
SPENSER.
The Oswego, below the falls, is a more rapid, unequal stream than it is above them.There are places where the river flows in the quiet stillness of deep water, but many shoals and rapids occur; and at that distant day, when everything was in its natural state, some of the passes were not altogether without hazard.Very little exertion was required on the part of those who managed the canoes, except in those places where the swiftness of the current and the presence of the rocks required care; then, indeed, not only vigilance, but great coolness, readiness, and strength of arm became necessary, in order to avoid the dangers.Of all this the Mohican was aware, and he had judiciously selected a spot where the river flowed tran-quilly to intercept the canoes, in order to make his communication without hazard to those he wished to speak.
The Pathfinder had no sooner recognized the form of his red friend, than, with a strong sweep of his paddle, he threw the head of his own canoe towards the shore, mo-tioning for Jasper to follow.In a minute both boats were silently drifting down the stream, within reach of the bushes that overhung the water, all observing a profound silence; some from alarm, and others from habitual cau-tion.As the travellers drew nearer the Indian, he made a sign for them to stop; and then he and Pathfinder had a short but earnest conference.
"The Chief is not apt to see enemies in a dead log," ob-served the white man to his red associate; "why does he tell us to stop?""Mingos are in the woods."
"That we have believed these two days: does the chief know it?"The Mohican quietly held up the head of a pipe formed of stone.
"It lay on a fresh trail that led towards the garrison,"- for so it was the usage of that frontier to term a mili-tary work, whether it was occupied or not.
"That may be the bowl of a pipe belonging to a soldier.
Many use the red-skin pipes."
"See," said the Big Serpent, again holding the thing he had found up to the view of his friend.
The bowl of the pipe was of soap-stone, and was carved with great care and with a very respectable degree of skill;in its centre was a small Latin cross, made with an accuracy which permitted no doubt of its meaning.
"That does foretell devilry and wickedness," said the Pathfinder, who had all the provincial horror of the holy symbol in question which then pervaded the country, and which became so incorporated with its prejudices, by con-founding men with tings, as to have left its traces strong enough on the mroal feeling of the community to be dis-covered even at the present hour; "no Indian who had not been parvarted by the cunning priests of the Canadas would dream of carving a thing like that on his pipe.I'll warrant ye, the knave prays to the image every time he wishes to sarcumvent the innocent, and work his fearful wickedness.It looks fresh, too, Chingachgook?""The tobacco was burning when I found it.""That is close work, chief.Where was the trail?"The Mohican pointed to a spot not a hundred yards from that where they stood.
The matter now began to look very serious, and the two principal guides conferred apart for several minutes, when both ascended the bank, approached the indicated spot, and examined the trail with the utmost care.After this investigation had lasted a quarter of an hour, the white man returned alone, his red friend having disappeared in the forest.
The ordinary expression of the countenance of the Pathfinder was that of simplicity, integrity, and sincerity, blended in an air of self-reliance which usually gave great confidence to those who found themselves under his care;but now a look of concern cast a shade over his honest face, that struck the whole party.
"What cheer, Master Pathfinder?" demanded Cap, per-mitting a voice that was usually deep, loud, and confident to sink into the cautious tones that better suited the dan-gers of the wilderness."Has the enemy got between us and our port?""Anan?"
"Have any of these painted scaramouches anchored off the harbor towards which we are running, with the hope of cutting us off in entering?""It may be all as you say, friend Cap, but I am none the wiser for your words; and in ticklish times the plainer a man makes his English the easier he is understood.Iknow nothing of ports and anchors; but there is a direful Mingo trail within a hundred yards of this very spot, and as fresh as venison without salt.If one of the fiery devils has passed, so have a dozen; and, what is worse, they have gone down towards the garrison, and not a soul crosses the clearing around it that some of their piercing eyes will not discover, when sartain bullets will follow.""Cannot this said fort deliver a broadside, and clear everything within the sweep of its hawse?""Nay, the forts this-a-way are not like forts in the set-tlements, and two or three light cannon are all they have down at the mouth of the river; and then, broadsides fired at a dozen outlying Mingoes, lying behind logs and in a forest, would be powder spent in vain.We have but one course, and that is a very nice one.We are judgmatically placed here, both canoes being hid by the high bank and the bushes, from all eyes, except those of any lurker di-rectly opposite.Here, then, we may stay without much present fear; but how to get the bloodthirsty devils up the stream again? Ha! I have it, I have it! if it does no good, it can do no harm.Do you see the wide-topped chestnut here, Jasper, at the last turn in the river -- on our own side of the stream, I mean?""That near the fallen pine?"
