the scouts of the valley-第20节

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Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol　shuddered。　　They　had　looked　upon　terrible　human　figures；　but　nothing　so　frightful　as　this；　a　woman　with　the　strength　of　a　man　and　twice　his　rage　and　cruelty。　　There　was　something　weird　and　awful　in　the　look　of　that　set；　savage　face；　and　the　tone　of　that　Indian　chant。　　Brave　as　they　were；　Henry　and　the　shiftless　one　felt　fear；　as　perhaps　they　had　never　felt　it　before　in　their　lives。　　Well　they　might！　　They　were　destined　to　behold　this　woman　again；　under　conditions　the　most　awful　of　which　the　human　mind　can　conceive；　and　to　witness　savagery　almost　unbelievable　in　either　man　or　woman。　　The　two　did　not　yet　know　it；　but　they　were　looking　upon　Catharine　Montour；　daughter　of　a　French　Governor　General　of　Canada　and　an　Indian　woman；　a　chieftainess　of　the　Iroquois；　and　of　a　memory　infamous　forever　on　the　border；　where　she　was　known　as　〃Queen　Esther。〃

Shif'less　Sol　shuddered　again；　and　whispered　to　Henry：

〃I　didn't　think　such　women　ever　lived；　even　among　the　Indians。〃

A　dozen　warriors　followed　Queen　Esther；　stepping　in　single　file；　and　their　manner　showed　that　they　acknowledged　her　their　leader　in　every　sense。　　She　was　truly　an　extraordinary　woman。　　Not　even　the　great　Thayendanegea　himself　wielded　a　stronger　influence　among　the　Iroquois。　　In　her　youth　she　had　been　treated　as　a　white　woman；　educated　and　dressed　as　a　white　woman；　and　she　had　played　a　part　in　colonial　society　at　Albany；　New　York；　and　Philadelphia。　　But　of　her　own　accord　she　had　turned　toward　the　savage　half　of　herself；　had　become　wholly　a　savage；　had　married　a　savage　chief；　bad　been　the　mother　of　savage　children；　and　here　she　was；　at　midnight；　striding　into　an　Iroquois　camp　in　the　wilderness；　her　head　aflame　with　visions　of　blood；　death；　and　scalps。

The　procession　passed　with　the　terrifying　female　figure　still　leading；　still　singing　her　chant；　and　the　curiosity　of　Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol　was　so　intense　that；　taking　all　risks；　they　slipped　along　in　the　rear　to　see　her　entry。

Queen　Esther　strode　into　the　lighted　area　of　the　camp；　ceased　her　chant；　and　looked　around；　as　if　a　queen　had　truly　come　and　was　waiting　to　be　welcomed　by　her　subjects。　　Thayendanegea；　who　evidently　expected　her；　stepped　forward　and　gave　her　the　Indian　salute。　　It　may　be　that　he　received　her　with　mild　enthusiasm。　　Timmendiquas；　a　Wyandot　and　a　guest；　though　an　ally；　would　not　dispute　with　him　his　place　as　real　head　of　the　Six　Nations；　but　this　terrible　woman　was　his　match　'　and　could　inflame　the　Iroquois　to　almost　anything　that　she　wished。

After　the　arrival　of　Queen　Esther　the　lights　in　the　Iroquois　village　died　down。　　It　was　evident　to　both　Henry　and　the　shiftless　one　that　they　had　been　kept　burning　solely　in　the　expectation　of　the　coming　of　this　formidable　woman　and　her　escort。　　It　was　obvious　that　nothing　more　was　to　be　seen　that　night；　and　they　withdrew　swiftly　through　the　forest　toward　their　islet。　　They　stopped　once　in　an　oak　opening；　and　Shif'less　Sol　shivered　slightly。

〃Henry；〃　he　said；　〃I　feel　all　through　me　that　somethin'　terrible　is　comin'。　　That　woman　back　thar　has　clean　give　me　the　shivers。　　I'm　more　afraid　of　her　than　I　am　of　Timmendiquas　or　Thayendanegea。　　Do　you　think　she　is　a　witch？〃

〃There　are　no　such　things　as　witches；　but　she　was　uncanny。　　I'm　afraid；　Sol；　that　your　feeling　about　something　terrible　going　to　happen　is　right。〃

It　was　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　they　reached　the　islet。　　Tom　Ross　was　awake；　but　the　other　two　slumbered　peacefully　on。　　They　told　Tom　what　they　had　seen；　and　he　told　them　the　identity　of　the　terrible　woman。

〃I　heard　about　her　at　Pittsburgh；　an'　I've　heard　tell；　too；　about　her　afore　I　went　to　Kentucky　to　live。　　She's　got　a　tre…men…jeous　power　over　the　Iroquois。　　They　think　she　ken　throw　spells；　an'　all　that　sort　of　thing…an'　mebbe　she　kin。〃

Two　nights　later　it　was　Henry　and　Tom　who　lay　in　the　thickets；　and　then　they　saw　other　formidable　arrivals　in　the　Indian　camp。　　Now　they　were　white　men；　an　entire　company　in　green　uniforms；　Sir　John　Johnson's　Royal　Greens；　as　Henry　afterward　learned；　and　with　them　was　the　infamous　John　Butler；　or　〃　Indian〃　Butler；　as　he　was　generally　known　on　the　New　York　and　Pennsylvania　frontier；　middle…aged；　short　and　fat；　and　insignificant　of　appearance；　but　energetic；　savage　and　cruel　in　nature。　　He　was　a　descendant　of　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　and　had　commanded　the　Indians　at　the　terrible　battle　of　the　Oriskany；　preceding　Burgoyne's　capture　the　year　before。

Henry　and　Tom　were　distant　spectators　at　an　extraordinary　council　around　one　of　the　fires。　　In　this　group　were　Timmendiquas；　Thayendanegea；　Queen　Esther；　high　chiefs　of　the　distant　nations；　and　the　white　men；　John　Butler；　Moses　Blackstaffe；　and　the　boy；　Braxton　Wyatt。　　It　seemed　to　Henry　that　Timmendiquas；　King　of　the　Wyandots；　was　superior　to　all　the　other　chiefs　present；　even　to　Thayendanegea。　　His　expression　was　nobler　than　that　of　the　great　Mohawk；　and　it　had　less　of　the　Indian　cruelty。

Henry　and　Tom　could　not　hear　'anything　that　was　said；　but　they　felt　sure　the　Iroquois　were　about　to　break　up　their　village　and　march　on　the　great　campaign　they　had　planned。　　The　two　and　their　comrades　could　render　no　greater　service　than　to　watch　their　march；　and　then　warn　those　upon　whom　the　blow　was　to　fall。

The　five　left　their　hut　on　the　islet　early　the　next　morning；　well　equipped　with　provisions；　and　that　day　they　saw　the　Iroquois　dismantle　their　village；　all　except　the　Long　House　and　two　or　three　other　of　the　more　solid　structures；　and　begin　the　march。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　went　parallel　with　them；　watching　their　movements　as　closely　as　possible。




CHAPTER　VIII

A　CHANGE　OF　TENANTS


The　five　were　engaged　upon　one　of　their　most　dangerous　tasks；　to　keep　with　the　Indian　army；　and　yet　to　keep　out　of　its　hands；　to　observe　what　was　going　on；　and　to　divine　what　was　intended　from　what　they　observed。　　Fortunately　it；　was　early　summer；　and　the　weather　being　very　beautiful　they　could　sleep　without　shelter。　　Hence　they　found　it　convenient　to　sleep　sometimes　by　daylight；　posting　a　watch　always；　and　to　spy　upon　the　Indian　camp　at　night。　　They　saw　other　reinforcements　come　for　the　Indian　army；　particularly　a　strong　division　of　Senecas；　under　two　great　war　chiefs　of　theirs；　Sangerachte　and　Hiokatoo；　and　also　a　body　of　Tories。

Then　they　saw　them　go　into　their　last　great　camp　at　Tioga；　preparatory　to　their　swift　descent　upon　the　Wyoming　Valley。　　About　four　hundred　white　men；　English　Canadians　and　Tories；　were　present；　and　eight　hundred　picked　warriors　of　the　Six　Nations　under　Thayendanegea；　besides　the　little　band　of　Wyandots　led　by　the　resolute　Timmendiquas。　　〃Indian〃　Butler　was　in　general　command　of　the　whole；　and　Queen　Esther　was　the　high　priestess　of　the　Indians；　continually　making　fiery　speeches　and　chanting　songs　that　made　the　warriors　see　red。　　Upon　the　rear　of　this　extraordinary　army　hung　a　band　of　fierce　old　squaws；　from　whom　every　remnant　of　mercy　and　Gentleness　had　departed。

From　a　high　rock　overlooking　a　valley　the　five　saw　〃Indian〃　Butler's　force　start　for　its　final　march　upon　Wyoming。　　It　was　composed　of　many　diverse　elements；　and　perhaps　none　more　bloodthirsty　ever　trod　the　soil　of　America。　　In　some　preliminary　skirmish　a　son　of　Queen　Esther　had　been　slain；　and　now　her　fury　knew　no　limits。　　She　took　her　place　at　the　very　head　of　the　army；　whirling　her　great　tomahawk　about　her　head；　and　neither　〃Indian〃　Butler　nor　Thayendanegea　dared　to　interfere　with　her　in　anything　great　or　small。

Henry　and　his　comrades；　as　they　left　their　rock　and　hastened　toward　the　valley　of　Wyoming；　felt　that　now　they　were　coming　into　contact　with　the　great　war　itself。　　They　had　looked　upon　a　uniformed　enemy　for　the　first　time；　and　they　might　soon　see　the　colonial　buff　and　blue　of　the　eastern　army。　　Their　hearts　thrilled　high　at　new　scenes　and　new　dangers。

They　had　gathered　at　Pittsburgh；　and；　through　the　captivity　of　the　four　in　the　Iroquois　camp；　they　had　some　general　idea　of　the　Wyoming　Valley　and　the　direction　in　which　it　lay；　and；　taking　one　last　look　at　the　savage　army；　they　sped　toward　it。　　The　time　was　the　close；　of　June；　and　the　foliage　was　still　dark　green。　　It　was　a　land　of　low　mountain；　hill；　rich　valley；　and　clear　stream；　and　it　was　beautiful　to　every　one　of　the　five。　　Much　of　their　course　lay　along　the　Susquehanna；　and　soon　they　saw　signs　of　a　more　extended　cultivation　than　any　that　was　yet　to　be　witnessed　in　Kentucky。　　From　the　brow　of　a　little　hill　they　beheld　a　field　of　green；　and　in　another　field　a　man　plowing。

〃That's　wheat；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃But　we　can't　leave　the　man　to　plow；〃　said　Henry；　〃or　he'll　never　harvest　that　wheat。　　We'll　warn　him。〃

The　man　uttered　a　cry　of　alarm　as　five　wild　figures　burst　into　his　field。　　He　stopped　abruptly；　and　snatched　up　a　rifle　that　lay　across　the　plow　handles。　　Neither　Henry　nor　his　companions　realized　that　their　forest　garb　and　long　life　in　the　wilderness　made　them　look　more　like　Indians　than　white　men。　　But　Henry　threw　up　a　hand　as　a　sign　of　peace。

〃We're　white　like　yourselves；〃　he　cried；　〃and　we've　come　to　warn　you！　　The　Iroquois　and　the　Tories　are　marching　into　the　valley！〃

The　man's　face　blanched；　and　he　cast　a　hasty　look　toward　a　little　wood；　where　stood　a　cabin　fr