the lake gun-第3节

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one　which　tradition　tells　us　came　direct　from　the　Great
Spirit；　that　the　fish　should　be　taken　only　in　certain
seasons；　and　for　so　many　moons。　Some　thought　this　law
was　for　the　health　of　the　people；　others；　that　it　was　to
enable　the　fish　to　multiply　for　the　future。　All　believed　it
wise；　because　it　came　from　the　Manitou；　and　had
descended　to　the　tribe　through　so　many　generations：　all
but　See…wise。　He　said　that　an　Indian　ought　to　fish　when
and　where　he　pleased；　that　a　warrior　was　not　a　woman；
that　the　spear　and　the　hook　had　been　given　to　him　to　be
used；　like　the　bow　and　arrow；　and　that　none　but　cowardly
Indians　would　scruple　to　take　the　fish　when　they　wished。
Such　opinions　pleased　the　common　Indians；　who　love　to
believe　themselves　greater　than　they　are。　See…wise　grew
bolder　by　success；　until　he　dared　to　say　in　council；　that　the
red　men　made　the　world　themselves；　and　for　themselves；
and　that　they　could　do　with　it　what　they　pleased。　He　saw
no　use　in　any　night；　it　was　inconvenient；　an　Indian　could
sleep　in　the　light　as　well　as　in　the　darkness；　there　was　to
be　eternal　day；　then　the　hunt　could　go　on　until　the　deer
was　killed；　or　the　bear　treed。　The　young　Indians　liked　such
talk。　They　loved　to　be　told　they　were　the　equals　of　the
Great　Spirit。　They　declared　that　See…wise　should　be　their
principal　chief。　See…wise　opened　his　ears　wide　to　this　talk；
and　the　young　men　listened　to　his　words　as　they　listened
to　the　song　of　the　mocking…bird。　They　liked　each　other；
because　they　praised　each　other。　It　is　sweet　to　be　told　that
we　are　better　and　wiser　than　all　around　us。　It　is　sweet　to
the　red　man；　the　pale…faces　may　have　more　sober　minds
〃

The　Seneca　paused　an　instant；　and　Fuller　fancied　that　a
smile　of　irony　again　struggled　about　his　compressed　lip。　As
the　traveler　made　no　remark；　however；　the　youthful
warrior　resumed　his　tale。

〃I　hear　a　great　deal　of　what　demagogues　are　doing　among
your　people；　and　of　the　evil　they　produce。　They　begin　by
flattering；　and　end　by　ruling。　He　carries　a　strong　hand；　who
makes　all　near　him　help　to　uphold　it。　In　the　crowd　few
perceive　its　weight　until　it　crushes　them。

〃Thus　was　it　with　See…wise。　Half　the　young　men　listened　to
him；　and　followed　in　his　trail。　The　aged　chiefs　took　counsel
together。　They　saw　that　all　the　ancient　traditions　were
despised；　and　that　new　conduct　was　likely　to　come　in　with
new　opinions。　They　were　too　old　to　change。　What　was　done
has　never　been　said；　but　See…wise　disappeared。　It　was
whispered　that　he　had　gone　down　among　the　fish　he　loved
to　take　out　of　season。　There　is　one　tradition；　that　he
speared　an　enormous　salmon；　and　the　fish；　in　its　struggles；
drew　him　out　of　his　canoe；　and　that　his　hands　could　not　let
go　of　the　handle　of　his　spear。　Let　this　be　as　it　may；　no　one
ever　saw　See…wise　any　more；　in　the　form　in　which　he　had
been　known　to　his　people。　At　length　the　trunk　of　a　tree
was　seen　floating　about　the　Seneca；　and　one　of　the　oldest
of　the　chiefs；　pointing　to　it；　pronounced　the　name　of　'See…
wise。'　He　would　fish　out　of　season；　and　his　spirit　is
condemned；　they　say；　to　float　among　the　salmon；　and
trout；　and　eels；　for　a　thousand　winters。　It　was　not　long
after　this　that　the　lake　began　to　speak；　in　a　voice　loud　as
the　thunder　from　the　clouds。　The　Seneca　traditions　say　this
is　the　Manitou　calling　to　See…wise；　when　he　goes　down
after　the　fish；　out　of　season。〃

〃And　do　you；　an　educated　man；　believe　in　this　tale？〃　asked
Fuller。

〃I　can　not　say。　The　things　learned　in　childhood　remain　the
longest　on　the　memory。　They　make　the　deepest　marks。　I
have　seen　the　evil　that　a　demagogue　can　do　among　the
pale…faces；　why　should　I　not　believe　the　same　among　my
own　people？〃

〃This　is　well　enough；　as　respects　the　curse　on　the
demagogue；　but　lakes　do　not　usually〃

Fuller　had　got　thus　far；　when　the　Seneca；　as　if　in　mockery；
emitted　the　sound　that　has　obtained　the　name　of　the　〃Lake
Gun〃　among　those　who　have　lived　on　its　banks　in　these
later　times。　Perhaps　it　was；　in　part；　the　influence　of　the
Seneca's　legend；　united　to　the　opinions　and　statements　of
the　inhabitants　of　that　region；　which　conspired　to　make　our
traveler　start；　in　awe　and　surprise；　for；　certainly；　the　deep…
mouthed　cannon　never　gave　forth　a　more　impressive　and
sudden　concussion　on　the　ear。

〃It　does；　indeed；　sound　very　like　a　gun！〃　said　Fuller；　after　a
long　pause　had　enabled　him　to　speak。

〃It　is　the　voice　of　the　Great　Spirit；　forbidding　See…wise　to
fish；〃　answered　the　Seneca。　〃For　a　time　the　demagogue
has　all　the　talking　to　himself；　but；　sooner　or　later；　the
voice　of　truth　is　heard；　which　is　the　voice　of　the　Manitou。
But　I　must　go　nearer　to　the　treeha！　what　has　become　of
it？〃

Fuller　looked；　and；　sure　enough；　the　speck　on　the　water
had　vanished。　This　might　have　been　by　an　unobserved
movement　in　a　current；　or　it　might　have　been　owing　to　a
sudden　variation　in　the　light；　certain　it　was；　no　tree　could
now　be　seen。　Fuller　then　proposed　to　use　his　boat；　in
endeavoring　to　get　nearer　to　the　〃Jew。〃　The　Seneca　gave　a
very　cheerful　assent；　and；　throwing　his　light　summer
blanket；　with　an　air　of　manly　grace；　over　a　shoulder；　he
followed　to　the　water…side。

〃Most　red　men；〃　resumed　the　young　warrior；　as　he　took
his　place　in　the　boat；　〃would　see　something　marvelous　in
this　appearance　and　disappearance　of　the　swimming
Seneca；　and　would　hesitate　about　going　any　nearer　to　him；
but　this　is　not　my　feelingerror　is　strengthened　by
neglecting　to　look　into　truth。　I　hope　yet　to　go　near　See…
wise。〃

Fuller　hardly　knew　what　to　think　of　his　companion's
credulity。　At　times　he　appeared　to　defer　to　the　marvelous
and　the　traditions　of　his　tribe；　then；　again；　the　lights　of
education　would　seem　to　gleam　upon　the　darkness　of　his
superstition；　and　leave　him　a　man　of　inductive　reason。　As
for　himself；　he　was　probably　not　altogether　as　much　of　the
last　as　his　pride　of　race　would　have　led　him　to　hope。

Peter　had　seen　nothing；　but　he　had　heard　the　〃Gun。〃

〃　'T　was　a　mere　flash　in　the　pan　to　what　I　have　heard；
when　the　lake　is　in　'arnest；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　with　the
love　of　exaggeration　so　common　with　the　vulgar。　〃Still；　it
was　a　gun。〃

〃A　signal　that　the　'Wandering　Jew'　is　near　by；　so；　haul　aft
the　sheets；　and　let　us　depart。〃

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　boat　was　lying　with　her
foresheet　hauled　over；　and　her　helm　down；　within　a
hundred　yards　of　the　object　of　the　long　search　of　the　whole
party。　It　was　deep　water；　and　a　slight　ripple　under　what
might　be　termed　the　cutwater　of　the　tree　indicated　a
movement。　Perhaps　a　lower　current　forced　forward　the
roots；　which；　in　their　turn；　urged　the　trunk　ahead。　As　often
happens　in　such　cases；　the　accidental　formation　of　the
original　fracture；　aided　by　the　action　of　the　weather；　had
given　to　the　end　of　the　trunk　a　certain　resemblance　to　a
human　countenance。　Peter　was　the　first　to　point　out　the
peculiarity；　which　he　looked　upon　uneasily。　Fuller　soon
observed　it；　and　said　the　aspect　was；　in　sooth；　that　of　a
demagogue。　The　forehead　retreated；　the　face　was　hatchet…
shaped；　while　the　entire　expression　was　selfish；　yet
undecided。　As　for　the　Seneca；　he　gazed　on　these　signs
with　wonder；　mingled　with　awe。

｛hatchet　shaped　=　William　Henry　Seward　was　famous　for
his　angular；　hatchet…shaped　nose｝

〃We　see　here　the　wicked　See…wise。　The　Great　Spiritcall
him　Manitou；　or　call　him　Goddoes　not　forget　what　is
wrong；　or　what　is　right。　The　wicked　may　flourish　for　a
while；　but　there　is　a　law　that　is　certain　to　bring　him　within
the　power　of　punishment。　Evil　spirits　go　up　and　down
among　us；　but　there　is　a　limit　they　can　not　pass。　But
Indians　like　this　Swimming　Seneca　do　much　harm。　They
mislead　the　ignorant；　arouse　evil　passions；　and　raise
themselves　into　authority　by　their　dupes。　The　man　who
tells　the　people　their　faults　is　a　truer　friend　than　he　who
harps　only　on　their　good　qualities。　Be　that　only　a　tree；　or
be　it　a　man　bound　in　this　form；　for　a　thousand　winters；　by
the　hand　of　the　Great　Spirit；　it　tells　the　same　story。　See…
wise　did　once　live。　His　career　comes　to　us　in　traditions；　and
we　believe　all　that　our　fathers　told　us。　Accursed　be　the
man　who　deceives；　and　who　opens　his　mouth　only　to　lie！
Accursed；　too；　is　the　land　that　neglects　the　counsels　of　the
fathers　to　follow　those　of　the　sons！〃

〃There　is　a　remarkable　resemblance　between　this　little
incident　in　the　history　of　the　Senecas　and　events　that　are
passing　among　our　pale…faced　race　of　the　present　age。
Men　who；　in　their　hearts；　really　care　no　more　for　mankind
than　See…wise　cared　for　the　fish；　lift　their　voices　in　shouts
of　a　spurious　humanity；　in　order　to　raise　themselves　to
power；　on　the　shoulders　of　an　excited　populace。
Bloodshed；　domestic　violence；　impracticable　efforts　to
attain　an　impossible　perfection；　and　all　the　evils　of　a　civil
conflict　are　forgotten　or　blindly　attempted；　in　order　to　raise
themselves　in　the　arms　of　those　they　call　the　people。〃

〃I　know　your　present　condition；〃　answered　the　young
Seneca；　openly　smiling。　〃The　Manitou　may　have　ordered　it
for　your　good。　Trust　to　HIM。　There　are　days　in　which　the
sun　is　not　seenwhen　a　lurid　darkness　brings　a　second
night　over　the　earth。　It　matters　not。　The　great　luminary　is
always　there。　There　ma