betty zane-第25节

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ite　men。　Think　of　the　beautiful　poetry　and　legends　left　by　these　silent　men：　men　who　were　a　part　of　the　woods；　men　whose　music　was　the　sighing　of　the　wind；　the　rustling　of　the　leaf；　the　murmur　of　the　brook；　men　whose　simple　joys　were　the　chase　of　the　stag；　and　the　light　in　the　dark　eye　of　a　maiden。

If　we　wish　to　find　the　highest　type　of　the　American　Indian　we　must　look　for　him　before　he　was　driven　west　by　the　land…seeking　pioneer　and　before　he　was　degraded　by　the　rum…selling　French　trader。

The　French　claimed　all　the　land　watered　by　the　Mississippi　River　and　its　tributaries。　The　French　Canadian　was　a　restless；　roaming　adventurer　and　he　found　his　vocation　in　the　fur…trade。　This　fur…trade　engendered　a　strange　class　of　menbush…rangers　they　were　calledwhose　work　was　to　paddle　the　canoe　along　the　lakes　and　streams　and　exchange　their　cheap　rum　for　the　valuable　furs　of　the　Indians。　To　these　men　the　Indians　of　the　west　owe　their　degradation。　These　bush…rangers　or　coureurs…des…bois；　perverted　the　Indians　and　sank　into　barbarism　with　them。

The　few　travellers　there　in　those　days　were　often　surprised　to　find　in　the　wigwams　of　the　Indians　men　who　acknowledged　the　blood　of　France；　yet　who　had　lost　all　semblance　to　the　white　man。　They　lived　in　their　tepee　with　their　Indian　squaws　and　lolled　on　their　blankets　while　the　squaws　cooked　their　venison　and　did　all　the　work。　They　let　their　hair　grow　long　and　wore　feathers　in　it；　they　painted　their　faces　hideously　with　ochre　and　vermilion。

These　were　the　worthless　traders　and　adventurers　who；　from　the　year　1748　to　1783；　encroached　on　the　hunting　grounds　of　the　Indians　and　explored　the　wilderness；　seeking　out　the　remote　tribes　and　trading　the　villainous　rum　for　the　rare　pelts。　In　1784　the　French　authorities；　realizing　that　these　vagrants　were　demoralizing　the　Indians；　warned　them　to　get　off　the　soil。　Finding　this　course　ineffectual　they　arrested　those　that　could　be　apprehended　and　sent　them　to　Canada。　But　it　was　too　late：　the　harm　had　been　done：　the　poor；　ignorant　savage　had　tasted　of　the　terrible　〃fire…water；〃　as　he　called　the　rum　and　his　ruin　was　inevitable。

It　was　a　singular　fact　that　almost　every　Indian　who　had　once　tasted　strong　drink；　was　unable　to　resist　the　desire　for　more。　When　a　trader　came　to　one　of　the　Indian　hamlets　the　braves　purchased　a　keg　of　rum　and　then　they　held　a　council　to　see　who　was　to　get　drunk　and　who　was　to　keep　sober。　It　was　necessary　to　have　some　sober　Indians　in　camp；　otherwise　the　drunken　braves　would　kill　one　another。　The　weapons　would　have　to　be　concealed。　When　the　Indians　had　finished　one　keg　of　rum　they　would　buy　another；　and　so　on　until　not　a　beaver…skin　was　left。　Then　the　trader　would　move　or　when　the　Indians　sobered　up　they　would　be　much　dejected；　for　invariably　they　would　find　that　some　had　been　wounded；　others　crippled；　and　often　several　had　been　killed。

Logan；　using　all　his　eloquence；　travelled　from　village　to　village　visiting　the　different　tribes　and　making　speeches。　He　urged　the　Indians　to　shun　the　dreaded　〃fire…water。〃　He　exclaimed　against　the　whites　for　introducing　liquor　to　the　Indians　and　thus　debasing　them。　At　the　same　time　Logan　admitted　his　own　fondness　for　rum。　This　intelligent　and　noble　Indian　was　murdered　in　a　drunken　fight　shortly　after　sending　his　address　to　Lord　Dunmore。

Thus　it　was　that　the　poor　Indians　had　no　chance　to　avert　their　downfall；　the　steadily　increasing　tide　of　land…stealing　settlers　rolling　westward；　and　the　insiduous；　debasing；　soul…destroying　liquor　were　the　noble　redman's　doom。

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Isaac　Zane　dropped　back　not　altogether　unhappily　into　his　old　place　in　the　wigwam；　in　the　hunting　parties；　and　in　the　Indian　games。

When　the　braves　were　in　camp；　the　greatest　part　of　the　day　was　spent　in　shooting　and　running　matches；　in　canoe　races；　in　wrestling；　and　in　the　game　of　ball。　The　chiefs　and　the　older　braves　who　had　won　their　laurels　and　the　maidens　of　the　tribe　looked　on　and　applauded。

Isaac　entered　into　all　these　pastimes；　partly　because　he　had　a　natural　love　for　them；　and　partly　because　he　wished　to　win　the　regard　of　the　Indians。　In　wrestling；　and　in　those　sports　which　required　weight　and　endurance；　he　usually　suffered　defeat。　In　a　foot　race　there　was　not　a　brave　in　the　entire　tribe　who　could　keep　even　with　him。　But　it　was　with　the　rifle　that　Isaac　won　his　greatest　distinction。　The　Indians　never　learned　the　finer　shooting　with　the　ride。　Some　few　of　them　could　shoot　well；　but　for　the　most　part　they　were　poor　marksmen。

Accordingly；　Isaac　was　always　taken　on　the　fall　hunt。　Every　autumn　there　were　three　parties　sent　out　to　bring　in　the　supply　of　meat　for　the　winter。　Because　of　Isaac's　fine　marksmanship　he　was　always　taken　with　the　bear　hunters。　Bear　hunting　was　exciting　and　dangerous　work。　Before　the　weather　got　very　cold　and　winter　actually　set　in　the　bears　crawled　into　a　hole　in　a　tree　or　a　cave　in　the　rocks；　where　they　hibernated。　A　favorite　place　for　them　was　in　hollow　trees。　When　the　Indians　found　a　tree　with　the　scratches　of　a　bear　on　it　and　a　hole　large　enough　to　admit　the　body　of　a　bear；　an　Indian　climbed　up　the　tree　and　with　a　long　pole　tried　to　punch　Bruin　out　of　his　den。　Often　this　was　a　hazardous　undertaking；　for　the　bear　would　get　angry　on　being　disturbed　in　his　winter　sleep　and　would　rush　out　before　the　Indian　could　reach　a　place　of　safety。　At　times　there　were　even　two　or　three　bears　in　one　den。　Sometimes　the　bear　would　refuse　to　come　out；　and　on　these　occasions；　which　were　rare；　the　hunters　would　resort　to　fire。　A　piece　of　dry；　rotten　wood　was　fastened　to　a　long　pole　and　was　set　on　fire。　When　this　was　pushed　in　on　the　bear　he　would　give　a　sniff　and　a　growl　and　come　out　in　a　hurry。

The　buffalo　and　elk　were　hunted　with　the　bow　and　arrow。　This　effective　weapon　did　not　make　a　noise　and　frighten　the　game。　The　wary　Indian　crawled　through　the　high　grass　until　within　easy　range　and　sometimes　killed　several　buffalo　or　elk　before　the　herd　became　alarmed。　The　meat　was　then　jerked。　This　consisted　in　cutting　it　into　thin　strips　and　drying　it　in　the　sun。　Afterwards　it　was　hung　up　in　the　lodges。　The　skins　were　stretched　on　poles　to　dry；　and　when　cured　they　served　as　robes；　clothing　and　wigwam…coverings。

The　Indians　were　fond　of　honey　and　maple　sugar。　The　finding　of　a　hive　of　bees；　or　a　good　run　of　maple　syrup　was　an　occasion　for　general　rejoicing。　They　found　the　honey　in　hollow　trees；　and　they　obtained　the　maple　sugar　in　two　ways。　When　the　sap　came　up　in　the　maple　trees　a　hole　was　bored　in　the　trees　about　a　foot　from　the　ground　and　a　small　tube；　usually　made　from　a　piece　of　alder；　was　inserted　in　the　hole。　Through　this　the　sap　was　carried　into　a　vessel　which　was　placed　under　the　tree。　This　sap　was　boiled　down　in　kettles。　If　the　Indians　had　no　kettles　they　made　the　frost　take　the　place　of　heat　in　preparing　the　sugar。　They　used　shallow　vessels　made　of　bark；　and　these　were　filled　with　water　and　the　maple　sap。　It　was　left　to　freeze　over　night　and　in　the　morning　the　ice　was　broken　and　thrown　away。　The　sugar　did　not　freeze。　When　this　process　had　been　repeated　several　times　the　residue　was　very　good　maple　sugar。

Isaac　did　more　than　his　share　toward　the　work　of　provisioning　the　village　for　the　winter。　But　he　enjoyed　it。　He　was　particularly　fond　of　fishing　by　moonlight。　Early　November　was　the　best　season　for　this　sport；　and　the　Indians　caught　large　numbers　of　fish。　They　placed　a　torch　in　the　bow　of　a　canoe　and　paddled　noiselessly　over　the　stream。　In　the　clear　water　a　bright　light　would　so　attract　and　fascinate　the　fish　that　they　would　lie　motionless　near　the　bottom　of　the　shallow　stream。

One　cold　night　Isaac　was　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe。　Seeing　a　large　fish　he　whispered　to　the　Indians　with　him　to　exercise　caution。　His　guides　paddled　noiselessly　through　the　water。　Isaac　stood　up　and　raised　the　spear；　ready　to　strike。　In　another　second　Isaac　had　cast　the　iron；　but　in　his　eagerness　he　overbalanced　himself　and　plunged　head　first　into　the　icy　current；　making　a　great　splash　and　spoiling　any　further　fishing。　Incidents　like　this　were　a　source　of　infinite　amusement　to　the　Indians。

Before　the　autumn　evenings　grew　too　cold　the　Indian　held　their　courting　dances。　All　unmarried　maidens　and　braves　in　the　village　were　expected　to　take　part　in　these　dances。　In　the　bright　light　of　huge　fires；　and　watched　by　the　chiefs；　the　old　men；　the　squaws；　and　the　children；　the　maidens　and　the　braves；　arrayed　in　their　gaudiest　apparel；　marched　into　the　circle。　They　formed　two　lines　a　few　paces　apart。　Each　held　in　the　right　hand　a　dry　gourd　which　contained　pebbles。　Advancing　toward　one　another　they　sang　the　courting　song；　keeping　time　to　the　tune　with　the　rattling　of　the　pebbles。　When　they　met　in　the　center　the　braves　bent　forward　and　whispered　a　word　to　the　maidens。　At　a　certain　point　in　the　song；　which　was　indicated　by　a　louder　note；　the　maidens　would　change　their　positions；　and　this　was　continued　until　every　brave　had　whispered　to　every　maiden；　when　the　dance　ended。

Isaac　took　part　in　all　these　pleasures；　he　entered　into　every　phase　of　the　Indian's　life；　he　hunted；　worked；　played；　danced；　and　sang　with　faithfulness。　But　when　the　long；　dreary　winter　days　came　with　their　ice…laden　breezes；　enforcing　idleness　on