the scouts of the valley-第13节

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ard　the　great　pole　building；　which　was；　indeed；　the　Council　House。

But　little　attention　was　paid　to　Henry。　　He　would　have　drawn　none　at　all；　had　it　not　been　for　his　height；　and　when　a　warrior　or　two　glanced　at　him　he　uttered　some　words　in　Shawnee；　saying　that　he　had　wandered　far；　and　was　glad　to　come　to　the　hospitable　Iroquois。　　One　who　could　speak　a　little　Shawnee　bade　him　welcome；　and　they　went　on；　satisfied；　their　minds　more　intent　upon　the　ceremony　than　upon　a　visitor。

The　Council　House；　built　of　light　poles　and　covered　with　poles　and　thatch；　was　at　least　sixty　feet　long　and　about　thirty　feet　wide；　with　a　large　door　on　the　eastern　side；　and　one　or　two　smaller　ones　on　the　other　sides。　　As　Henry　arrived；　the　great　chiefs　and　sub…chiefs　of　the　Iroquois　were　entering　the　building；　and　about　it　were　grouped　many　warriors　and　women；　and　even　children。　　But　all　preserved　a　decorous　solemnity；　and；　knowing　the　customs　of　the　forest　people　so　well；　he　was　sure　that　the　ceremony；　whatever　it　might　be；　must　be　of　a　highly　sacred　nature。　　He　himself　drew　to　one　side；　keeping　as　much　as　possible　in　the　shadow；　but　he　was　using　to　its　utmost　power　every　faculty　of　observation　that　Nature　had　given　him。

Many　of　the　fires　were　still　burning；　but　the　moon　had　come　out　with　great　brightness；　throwing　a　silver　light　over　the　whole　village；　and　investing　with　attributes　that　savored　of　the　mystic　and　impressive　this　ceremony；　held　by　a　savage　but　great　race　here　in　the　depths　of　the　primeval　forest。　　Henry　was　about　to　witness　a　Condoling　Council；　which　was　at　once　a　mourning　for　chiefs　who　had　fallen　in　battle　farther　east　with　his　own　people　and　the　election　and　welcome　of　their　successors。

The　chiefs　presently　came　forth　from　the　Council　House　or；　as　it　was　more　generally　called；　the　Long　House；　and；　despite　the　greatness　of　Thayendanegea；　those　of　the　Onondaga　tribe；　in　virtue　of　their　ancient　and　undisputed　place　as　the　political　leaders　and　high　priests　of　the　Six　Nations；　led　the　way。　　Among　the　stately　Onondaga　chiefs　were：　Atotarho　（The　Entangled）；　Skanawati　（Beyond　the　River）；　Tehatkahtons　（Looking　Both　Ways）；　Tehayatkwarayen　（Red　Wings）；　and　Hahiron　（The　Scattered）。　　They　were　men　of　stature　and　fine　countenance；　proud　of　the　titular　primacy　that　belonged　to　them　because　it　was　the　Onondaga；　Hiawatha；　who　had　formed　the　great　confederacy　more　than　four　hundred　years　before　our　day；　or　just　about　the　time　Columbus　was　landing　on　the　shores　of　the　New　World。

Next　to　the　Onondagas　came　the　fierce　and　warlike　Mohawks；　who　lived　nearest　to　Albany；　who　were　called　Keepers　of　the　Eastern　Gate；　and　who　were　fully　worthy　of　their　trust。　　They　were　content　that　the　Onondagas　should　lead　in　council；　so　long　as　they　were　first　in　battle；　and　there　was　no　jealousy　between　them。　　Among　their　chiefs　were　Koswensiroutha　（Broad　Shoulders）　and　Satekariwate　（Two　Things　Equal）。

Third　in　rank　were　the　Senecas；　and　among　their　chiefs　were　Kanokarih　（The　Threatened）　and　Kanyadariyo　（Beautiful　Lake）。

These　three；　the　Onondagas；　Mohawks；　and　Senecas；　were　esteemed　the　three　senior　nations。　　After　them；　in　order　of　precedence；　came　the　chiefs　of　the　three　junior　nations；　the　Oneidas；　Cayugas；　and　Tuscaroras。　　All　of　the　great　chiefs　had　assistant　chiefs；　usually　relatives；　who；　in　case　of　death；　often　succeeded　to　their　places。　　But　these　assistants　now　remained　in　the　crowd　with　other　minor　chiefs　and　the　mass　of　the　warriors。　　A　little　apart　stood　Timmendiquas　and　his　Wyandots。　　He；　too；　was　absorbed　in　the　ceremony　so　sacred　to　him；　an　Indian；　and　he　did　not　notice　the　tall　figure　of　the　strange　Shawnee　lingering　in　the　deepest　of　the　shadows。

The　head　chiefs；　walking　solemnly　and　never　speaking；　marched　across　the　clearing；　and　then　through　the　woods　to　a　glen；　where　two　young　warriors　had　kindled　a　little　fire　of　sticks　as　a　signal　of　welcome。　　The　chiefs　gathered　around　the　fire　and　spoke　together　in　low　tones。　　This　was　Deyuhnyon　Kwarakda；　which　means　〃The　Reception　at　the　Edge　of　the　Wood。〃

Henry　and　some　others　followed；　as　it　was　not　forbidden　to　see；　and　his　interest　increased。　　He　shared　the　spiritual　feeling　which　was　impressed　upon　the　red　faces　about　him。　　The　bright　moonlight；　too；　added　to　the　effect；　giving　it　the　tinge　of　an　old　Druidical　ceremony。

The　chiefs　relapsed　into　silence　and　sat　thus　about　ten　minutes。　　Then　rose　the　sound　of　a　chant；　distant　and　measured；　and　a　procession　of　young　and　inferior　chiefs；　led　by　Oneidas；　appeared；　slowly　approaching　the　fire。　　Behind　them　were　warriors；　and　behind　the　warriors　were　many　women　and　children。　　All　the　women　were　in　their　brightest　attire；　gay　with　feather　headdresses　and　red；　blue；　or　green　blankets　from　the　British　posts。

The　procession　stopped　at　a　distance　of　about　a　dozen　yards　from　the　chiefs　about　the　council　fire；　and　the　Oneida；　Kathlahon；　formed　the　men　in　a　line　facing　the　head　chiefs；　with　the　women　and　children　grouped　in　an　irregular　mass　behind　them。　　The　singing　meanwhile　had　stopped。　　The　two　groups　stood　facing　each　other；　attentive　and　listening。

Then　Hahiron；　the　oldest　of　the　Onondagas；　walked　back　and　forth　in　the　space　between　the　two　groups；　chanting　a　welcome。　　Like　all　Indian　songs　it　was　monotonous。　　Every　line　he　uttered　with　emphasis　and　a　rising　inflection；　the　phrase　〃Haih…haih〃　which　may　be　translated　〃Hail　to　thee！〃　or　better；　〃All　hail！〃　　Nevertheless；　under　the　moonlight　in　the　wilderness　and　with　rapt　faces　about　him；　it　was　deeply　impressive。　　Henry　found　it　so。

Hahiron　finished　his　round　and　went　back　to　his　place　by　the　fire。　　Atotarho；　head　chief　of　the　Onondagas；　holding　in　his　hands　beautifully　beaded　strings　of　Iroquois　wampum；　came　forward　and　made　a　speech　of　condolence；　to　which　Kathlahon　responded。　　Then　the　head　chiefs　and　the　minor　chiefs　smoked　pipes　together；　after　which　the　head　chiefs；　followed　by　the　minor　chiefs；　and　these　in　turn　by　the　crowd；　led　the　way　back　to　the　village。

Many　hundreds　of　persons　were　in　this　procession；　which　was　still　very　grave　and　solemn；　every　one　in　it　impressed　by　tile　sacred　nature　of　this　ancient　rite。　　The　chief　entered　the　great　door　of　the　Long　House；　and　all　who　could　find　places　not　reserved　followed。　　Henry　went　in　with　the　others；　and　sat　in　a　corner；　making　himself　as　small　as　possible。　　Many　women；　the　place　of　whom　was　high　among　the　Iroquois；　were　also　in　the　Long　House。

The　head　chiefs　sat　on　raised　seats　at　the　north　end　of　the　great　room。　　In　front　of　them；　on　lower　seats；　were　the　minor　chiefs　of　the　three　older　nations　on　the　left；　and　of　the　three　younger　nations　on　the　right。　　In　front　of　these；　but　sitting　on　the　bark　floor；　was　a　group　of　warriors。　　At　the　east　end；　on　both　high　and　low　seats；　were　warriors；　and　facing　them　on　the　western　side　were　women；　also　on　both　high　and　low　seats。　　The　southern　side　facing　the　chiefs　was　divided　into　sections；　each　with　high　and　low　seats。　　The　one　on　the　left　was　occupied　by　men；　and　the　one　on　the　right　by　women。　　Two　small　fires　burned　in　the　center　of　the　Long　House　about　fifteen　feet　apart。

It　was　the　most　singular　and　one　of　the　most　impressive　scenes　that　Henry　had　ever　beheld。　　When　all　had　found　their　seats　there　was　a　deep　silence。　　Henry　could　hear　the　slight　crackling　made　by　the　two　fires　as　they　burned；　and　the　light　fell　faintly　across　the　multitude　of　dark；　eager　faces。　　　Not　less　than　five　hundred　people　were　in　the　Long　House；　and　here　was　the　red　man　at　his　best；　the　first　of　the　wild；　not　the　second　or　third　of　the　civilized；　a　drop　of　whose　blood　in　his　veins　brings　to　the　white　man　now　a　sense　of　pride；　and　not　of　shame；　as　it　does　when　that　blood　belongs　to　some　other　races。

The　effect　upon　Henry　was　singular。　　He　almost　forgot　that　he　was　a　foe　among　them　on　a　mission。　　For　the　moment　he　shared　in　their　feelings；　and　he　waited　with　eagerness　for　whatever　might　come。

Thayendanegea；　the　Mohawk；　stood　up　in　his　place　among　the　great　chiefs。　　The　role　he　was　about　to　assume　belonged　to　Atotarho；　the　Onondaga；　but　the　old　Onondaga　assigned　it　for　the　occasion　to　Thayendanegea；　and　there　was　no　objection。　　Thayendanegea　was　an　educated　man；　be　had　been　in　England；　he　was　a　member　of　a　Christian　church；　and　be　had　translated　a　part　of　the　Bible　from　English　into　his　own　tongue；　but　now　he　was　all　a　Mohawk；　a　son　of　the　forest。

He　spoke　to　the　listening　crowd　of　the　glories　of　the　Six　Nations；　how　Hah…gweh…di…yu　（The　Spirit　of　Good）　had　inspired　Hiawatha　to　form　the　Great　Confederacy　of　the　Five　Nations；　afterwards　the　Six；　how　they　had　held　their　hunting　grounds　for　nearly　two　centuries　against　both　English　and　French；　and　how　they　would　hold　them　against　the　Americans。　　He　stopped　at　moments；　and　deep　murmurs　of　approval　went　through　the　Long　House。　　The　eyes　of　both　men　and　women　flashed　as　the　orator　spoke　of　their　glory　and　greatness。　　Timmendiquas；　in　a　place　of　honor；　nodded　approval。　　If　he　could　he　would　form　such　another　league　in　the　west。

The　air　in　the　Long　House；　breathed　by　so　many；　became　heated。　　It　seemed　to　have　in　it　a　touch　of　fire。　　The　orator's　words　burned。　　Swift　and　deep　impressions　were　left　upon　the　excited　brain。　　The　tall　figure　of　the　Mohawk　towere