the scouts of the valley-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Swift　and　deep　impressions　were　left　upon　the　excited　brain。　　The　tall　figure　of　the　Mohawk　towered；　gigantic；　in　the　half　light；　and　the　spell　that　he　threw　over　all　was　complete。

He　spoke　about　half　an　hour；　but　when　he　stopped　he　did　not　sit　down。　　Henry　knew　by　the　deep　breath　that　ran　through　the　Long　House　that　something　more　was　coming　from　Thayendanegea。　　Suddenly　the　red　chief　began　to　sing　in　a　deep；　vibrant　voice；　and　this　was　the　song　that　he　sung：


　　This　was　the　roll　of　you；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！

　　You　that　joined　in　the　work；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　You　that　finished　the　task；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　The　Great　League；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！


There　was　the　same　incessant　repetition　of　〃Haih　haih！〃　that　Henry　had　noticed　in　the　chant　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　but　it　seemed　to　give　a　cumulative　effect；　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　at　every　slight　pause　that　deep　breath　of　approval　ran　through　the　crowd　in　the　Long　House。　　The　effect　of　the　song　was　indescribable。　　Fire　ran　in　the　veins　of　all；　men；　women；　and　children。　　The　great　pulses　in　their　throats　leaped　up。　　They　were　the　mighty　nation；　the　ever…victorious；　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee；　that　had　held　at　bay　both　the　French　and　the　English　since　first　a　white　man　was　seen　in　the　land；　and　that　would　keep　back　the　Americans　now。

Henry　glanced　at　Timmendiquas。　　The　nostrils　of　the　great　White　Lightning　were　twitching。　　The　song　reached　to　the　very　roots　of　his　being；　and　aroused　all　his　powers。　　Like　Thayendanegea；　he　was　a　statesman；　and　he　saw　that　the　Americans　were　far　more　formidable　to　his　race　than　English　or　French　had　ever　been。　　The　Americans　were　upon　the　ground；　and　incessantly　pressed　upon　the　red　man；　eye　to　eye。　　Only　powerful　leagues　like　those　of　the　Iroquois　could　withstand　them。

Thayendanegea　sat　down；　and　then　there　was　another　silence；　a　period　lasting　about　two　minutes。　　These　silences　seemed　to　be　a　necessary　part　of　all　Iroquois　rites。　　When　it　closed　two　young　warriors　stretched　an　elm　bark　rope　across　the　room　from　east　to　west　and　near　the　ceiling；　but　between　the　high　chiefs　and　the　minor　chiefs。　　Then　they　hung　dressed　skins　all　along　it；　until　the　two　grades　of　chiefs　were　hidden　from　the　view　of　each　other。　　This　was　the　sign　of　mourning；　and　was　followed　by　a　silence。　　The　fires　in　the　Long　House　had　died　down　somewhat；　and　little　was　to　be　seen　but　the　eyes　and　general　outline　of　the　people。　　Then　a　slender　man　of　middle　years；　the　best　singer　in　all　the　Iroquois　nation；　arose　and　sang：


　　To　the　great　chiefs　bring　we　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　To　the　dead　chiefs；　kindred　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　To　the　strong　men　'round　him　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！　　

　　To　the　mourning　women　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　There　our　grandsires'　words　repeating；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！

　　Graciously；　Oh；　grandsires；　hear；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！


The　singing　voice　was　sweet；　penetrating；　and　thrilling；　and　the　song　was　sad。　　At　the　pauses　deep　murmurs　of　sorrow　ran　through　the　crowd　in　the　Long　House。　　Grief　for　the　dead　held　them　all。　　When　he　finished；　Satekariwate；　the　Mohawk；　holding　in　his　hands　three　belts　of　wampum；　uttered　a　long　historical　chant　telling　of　their　glorious　deeds；　to　which　they　listened　patiently。　　The　chant　over；　he　handed　the　belts　to　an　attendant；　who　took　them　to　Thayendanegea；　who　held　them　for　a　few　moments　and　looked　at　them　gravely。

One　of　the　wampum　belts　was　black；　the　sign　of　mourning；　another　was　purple；　the　sign　of　war；　and　the　third　was　white；　the　sign　of　peace。　　They　were　beautiful　pieces　of　workmanship；　very　old。

When　Hiawatha　left　the　Onondagas　and　fled　to　the　Mohawks　he　crossed　a　lake　supposed　to　be　the　Oneida。　　While　paddling　along　he　noticed　that　man　tiny　black；　purple；　and　white　shells　clung　to　his　paddle。　　Reaching　the　shore　he　found　such　shells　in　long　rows　upon　the　beach；　and　it　occurred　to　him　to　use　them　for　the　depiction　of　thought　according　to　color。　　He　strung　them　on　threads　of　elm　bark；　and　afterward；　when　the　great　league　was　formed；　the　shells　were　made　to　represent　five　clasped　hands。　　For　four　hundred　years　the　wampum　belts　have　been　sacred　among　the　Iroquois。

Now　Thayendanegea　gave　the　wampum　belts　back　to　the　attendant；　who　returned　them　to　Satekariwate；　the　Mohawk。　　There　was　a　silence　once　more；　and　then　the　chosen　singer　began　the　Consoling　Song　again；　but　now　he　did　not　sing　it　alone。　　Two　hundred　male　voices　joined　him；　and　the　time　became　faster。　　Its　tone　changed　from　mourning　and　sorrow　to　exultation　and　menace。　　Everyone　thought　of　war；　the　tomahawk；　and　victory。　　The　song　sung　as　it　was　now　became　a　genuine　battle　song；　rousing　and　thrilling。　　The　Long　House　trembled　with　the　mighty　chorus；　and　its　volume　poured　forth　into　the　encircling　dark　woods。

All　the　time　the　song　was　going　on；　Satekariwate；　the　Mohawk；　stood　holding　the　belts　in　his　hand；　but　when　it　was　over　he　gave　them　to　an　attendant；　who　carried　them　to　another　head　chief。　　Thayendanegea　now　went　to　the　center　of　the　room　and；　standing　between　the　two　fires；　asked　who　were　the　candidates　for　the　places　of　the　dead　chiefs。

The　dead　chiefs　were　three；　and　three　tall　men；　already　chosen　among　their　own　tribes；　came　forward　to　succeed　them。　　Then　a　fourth　came；　and　Henry　was　startled。　　It　was　Timmendiquas；　who；　as　the　bravest　chief　of　the　brave　Wyandots；　was　about　to　become；　as　a　signal　tribute；　and　as　a　great　sign　of　friendship；　an　adopted　son　and　honorary　chief　of　the　Mohawks；　Keepers　of　the　Western　Gate；　and　most　warlike　of　all　the　Iroquois　tribes。

As　Timmendiquas　stood　before　Thayendanegea；　a　murmur　of　approval　deeper　than　any　that　had　gone　before　ran　through　all　the　crowd　in　the　Long　House；　and　it　was　deepest　on　the　women's　benches；　where　sat　many　matrons　of　the　Iroquois；　some　of　whom　were　chiefs…a　woman　could　be　a　chief　among　the　Iroquois。

The　candidates　were　adjudged　acceptable　by　the　other　chiefs；　and　Thayendanegea　addressed　them　on　their　duties；　while　they　listened　in　grave　silence。　　With　his　address　the　sacred　part　of　the　rite　was　concluded。　　Nothing　remained　now　but　the　great　banquet　outside　…　although　that　was　much　…　and　they　poured　forth　to　it　joyously；　Thayendanegea；　the　Mohawk；　and　Timmendiquas；　the　Wyandot；　walking　side　by　side；　the　finest　two　red　chiefs　on　all　the　American　continent。




CHAPTER　VI

THE　EVIL　SPIRIT'S　WORK


Henry　slipped　forth　with　the　crowd　from　the　Long　House；　stooping　somewhat　and　shrinking　into　the　smallest　possible　dimensions。　　But　there　was　little　danger　now　that　any　one　would　notice　him；　as　long　as　he　behaved　with　prudence；　because　all　grief　and　solemnity　were　thrown　aside；　and　a　thousand　red　souls　intended　to　rejoice。　　A　vast　banquet　was　arranged。　　Great　fires　leaped　up　all　through　the　village。　　At　every　fire　the　Indian　women；　both　young　and　old；　were　already　far　forward　with　the　cooking。　　Deer；　bear；　squirrel；　rabbit；　fish；　and　every　other　variety　of　game　with　which　the　woods　and　rivers　of　western　New　York　and　Pennsylvania　swarmed　were　frying　or　roasting　over　the　coals；　and　the　air　was　permeated　with　savory　odors。　　There　was　a　great　hum　of　voices　and　an　incessant　chattering。　　Here　in　the　forest；　among　themselves；　and　in　complete　security；　the　Indian　stoicism　was　relaxed。　　According　to　their　customs　everybody　fell　to　eating　at　a　prodigious　rate；　as　if　they　had　not　tasted　anything　for　a　month；　and　as　if　they　intended　to　eat　enough　now　to　last　another　month。

It　was　far　into　the　night；　because　the　ceremonies　had　lasted　a　long　time；　but　a　brilliant　moon　shone　down　upon　the　feasting　crowd；　and　the　flames　of　the　great　fires；　yellow　and　blue；　leaped　and　danced。　　This　was　an　oasis　of　light　and　life。　　Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea　sat　together　before　the　largest　fire；　and　they　ate　with　more　restraint　than　the　others。　　Even　at　the　banquet　they　would　not　relax　their　dignity　as　great　chiefs。　　Old　Skanawati；　the　Onondaga；　old　Atotarho；　Onondaga；　too；　Satekariwate；　the　Mohawk；　Kanokarih；　the　Seneca；　and　others；　head　chiefs　though　they　were　of　the　three　senior　tribes；　did　not　hesitate　to　eat　as　the　rich　Romans　of　the　Empire　ate；　swallowing　immense　quantities　of　all　kinds　of　meat；　and　drinking　a　sort　of　cider　that　the　women　made。　　Several　warriors　ate　and　drank　until　they　fell　down　in　a　stupor　by　the　fires。　　The　same　warriors　on　the　hunt　or　the　war　path　would　go　for　days　without　food；　enduring　every　manner　of　hardship。　　Now　and　then　a　warrior　would　leap　up　and　begin　a　chant　telling　of　some　glorious　deed　of　his。　　Those　at　his　own　fire　would　listen；　but　elsewhere　they　took　no　notice。

In　the　largest　open　space　a　middle…aged　Onondaga　with　a　fine　face　suddenly　uttered　a　sharp　cry：　〃　Hehmio！〃　which　he　rapidly　repeated　twice。　　Two　score　voices　instantly　replied；　〃Heh！〃　and　a　rush　was　made　for　him。　　At　least　a　hundred　gathered　around　him；　but　they　stood　in　a　respectful　circle；　no　one　nearer　than　ten　feet。　　He　waved　his　hand；　and　all　sat　down　on　the　ground。　　Then；　he；　too；　sat　down；　all　gazing　at　him　intently　and　with　expectancy。

He　was　a　professional　story…teller；　an　institution　great　and　honor