the scouts of the valley-第60节

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istible。　　Nothing　could　check　it　for　a　moment；　however　much　the　Indian　and　Tory　chiefs　might　plan。

They　camped　again　that　night　in　the　forest；　with　a　thorough　ring　of　sentinels　posted　against　surprise；　although　there　was　little　danger　of　the　latter；　as　the　enemy　could　not；　for　the　present　at　least；　bring　a　sufficient　force　into　the　field。　　But　after　the　moon　had　risen；　the　five；　with　Heemskerk；　went　ahead　through　the　forest。　　The　Iroquois　town　of　Kanawaholla　lay　just　ahead；　and　the　army　would　reach　it　on　the　morrow。　It　was　the　intention　of　the　scouts　to　see　if　it　was　still　occupied。

It　was　near　midnight　when　the　little　party　drew　near　to　Kanawaholla　and　watched　it　from　the　shelter　of　the　forest。　　Like　most　other　Iroquois　towns；　it　contained　wooden　houses；　and　cultivated　fields　were　about　it。　　No　smoke　rose　from　any　of　the　chimneys；　but　the　sharp　eyes　of　the　scouts　saw　loaded　figures　departing　through　a　great　field　of　ripe　and　waving　corn。　　It　was　the　last　of　the　inhabitants；　fleeing　with　what　they　could　carry。　　Two　or　three　warriors　might　have　been　in　that　group　of　fugitives；　but　the　scouts　made　no　attempt　to　pursue。　　They　could　not　restrain　a　little　feeling　of　sympathy　and　pity；　although　a　just　retribution　was　coming。

〃If　the　Iroquois　had　only　stood　neutral　at　the　beginning　of　the　war；　as　we　asked　them；〃　said　Heemskerk；　〃how　much　might　have　been　spared　to　both　sides！　　Look！　　Those　people　are　stopping　for　a　moment。〃

The　burdened　figures；　perhaps　a　dozen；　halted　at　the　far　edge　of　the　corn　field。　　Henry　and　Paul　readily　imagined　that　they　were　taking　a　last　look　at　their　town；　and　the　feeling　of　pity　and　sympathy　deepened；　despite　Wyoming；　Cherry　Valley；　and　all　the　rest。　　But　that　feeling　never　extended　to　the　white　allies　of　the　Iroquois；　whom　Thayendanegea　characterized　in　word　and　in　writing　as　〃more　savage　than　the　savages　themselves。〃

The　scouts　waited　an　hour；　and　then　entered　the　town。　　Not　a　soul　was　in　Kanawaholla。　　Some　of　the　lighter　things　had　been　taken　away；　but　that　was　all。　　Most　of　the　houses　were　in　disorder；　showing　the　signs　of　hasty　flight；　but　the　town　lay　wholly　at　the　mercy　of　the　advancing　army。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　withdrew　with　the　news；　and　the　next　day；　when　the　troops　advanced；　Kanawaholla　was　put　to　the　torch。　　In　an　hour　it　was　smoking　ruins；　and　then　the　crops　and　fruit　trees　were　destroyed。

Leaving　ruin　behind；　the　army　continued　its　march；　treading　the　Iroquois　power　under　foot　and　laying　waste　the　country。　　One　after　another　the　Indian　towns　were　destroyed；　Catherinetown；　Kendaia；　Kanadesaga；　Shenanwaga；　Skoiyase；　Kanandaigua；　Honeyoye；　Kanaghsawa；　Gathtsewarohare；　and　others；　forming　a　long　roll；　bearing　the　sounding　Iroquois　names。　　Villages　around　Cayuga　and　other　lakes　were　burned　by　detachments。　　The　smoke　of　perishing　towns　arose　everywhere　in　the　Iroquois　country；　while　the　Iroquois　themselves　fled　before　the　advancing　army。　　They　sent　appeal　after　appeal　for　help　from　those　to　whom　they　had　given　so　much　help；　but　none　came。

It　was　now　deep　autumn；　and　the　nights　grew　cold。　　The　forests　blazed　with　brilliant　colors。　　The　winds　blew；　leaves　rustled　and　fell。　　The　winter　would　soon　be　at　hand；　and　the　Iroquois；　so　proud　of　what　they　had　achieved；　would　have　to　find　what　shelter　they　could　in　the　forests　or　at　the　British　posts　on　the　Canadian　frontier。　　Thayendanegea　was　destined　to　come　again　with　bands　of　red　men　and　white　and　inflict　great　loss；　but　the　power　of　the　Six　Nations　was　overthrown　forever；　after　four　centuries　of　victory　and　glory。　　Henry；　Paul；　and　the　rest　were　all　the　time　in　the　thick　of　it。　　The　army；　as　the　autumn　advanced；　marched　into　the　Genesee　Valley；　destroying　everything。　　Henry　and　Paul；　as　they　lay　on　their　blankets　one　night；　counted　fires　in　three　different　directions；　and　every　one　of　the　three　marked　a　perishing　Indian　village。　　It　was　not　a　work　in　which　they　took　any　delight；　on　the　contrary；　it　often　saddened　them；　but　they　felt　that　it　had　to　be　done；　and　they　could　not　shirk　the　task。

In　October；　Henry；　despite　his　youth；　took　command　of　a　body　of　scouts　and　riflemen　which　beat　up　the　ways；　and　skirmished　in　advance　of　the　army。　　It　was　a　democratic　little　band；　everyone　saying　what　he　pleased；　but　yielding　in　the　end　to　the　authority　of　the　leader。　　They　were　now　far　up　the　Genesee　toward　the　Great　Lakes；　and　Henry　formed　the　plan　of　advancing　ahead　of　the　army　on　the　great　Seneca　village　known　variously　as　the　Seneca　Castle　and　Little　Beard's　Town；　after　its　chief；　a　full　match　in　cruelty　for　the　older　Seneca　chief；　Hiokatoo。　　Several　causes　led　to　this　decision。　　It　was　reported　that　Thayendanegea；　Timmendiquas；　all　the　Butlers　and　Johnsons；　and　Braxton　Wyatt　were　there。　　While　not　likely　to　be　true　about　all；　it　was　probably　true　about　some　of　them；　and　a　bold　stroke　might　effect　much。

It　is　probable　that　Henry　had　Braxton　Wyatt　most　in　mind。　　The　renegade　was　in　his　element　among　the　Indians　and　Tories；　and　he　had　developed　great　abilities　as　a　partisan；　being　skillfully　seconded　by　the　squat　Tory；　Coleman。　　His　reputation　now　was　equal　at　least　to　that　of　Walter　Butler；　and　he　had　skirmished　more　than　once　with　the　vanguard　of　the　army。　　Growing　in　Henry's　heart　was　a　strong　desire　to　match　forces　with　him；　and　it　was　quite　probable　that　a　swift　advance　might　find　him　at　the　Seneca　Castle。

The　riflemen　took　up　their　march　on　a　brisk　morning　in　late　autumn。　　The　night　had　been　clear　and　cold；　with　a　touch　of　winter　in　it；　and　the　brilliant　colors　of　the　foliage　had　now　turned　to　a　solid　brown。　　Whenever　the　wind　blew；　the　leaves　fell　in　showers。　　The　sky　was　a　fleecy　blue；　but　over　hills；　valley；　and　forest　hung　a　fine　misty　veil　that　is　the　mark　of　Indian　summer。　　The　land　was　nowhere　inhabited。　　They　saw　the　cabin　of　neither　white　man　nor　Indian。　　A　desolation　and　a　silence；　brought　by　the　great　struggle；　hung　over　everything。　　Many　discerning　eyes　among　the　riflemen　noted　the　beauty　and　fertility　of　the　country；　with　its　noble　forests　and　rich　meadows。　　At　times　they　caught　glimpses　of　the　river；　a　clear　stream　sparkling　under　the　sun。

〃Makes　me　think　o'　some　o'　the　country　'way　down　thar　in　Kentucky；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃an'　it　seems　to　me　I　like　one　about　ez　well　ez　t'other。　　Say；　Henry；　do　you　think　we'll　ever　go　back　home？　　'Pears　to　me　that　we're　always　goin'　farther　an'　farther　away。〃

Henry　laughed。

〃It's　because　circumstances　have　taken　us　by　the　hand　and　led　us　away；　Sol；〃　he　replied。

〃Then；〃　said　the　shiftless　one　with　a　resigned　air；　〃I　hope　them　same　circumstances　will　take　me　by　both　hands；　an'　lead　me　gently；　but　strongly；　back　to　a　place　whar　thar　is　peace　an'　rest　fur　a　lazy　an'　tired　man　like　me。〃

〃I　think　you'll　have　to　endure　a　lot；　until　next　spring　at　least；〃　said　Henry。

The　shiftless　one　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　but　his　next　words　were　wholly　irrelevant。

〃S'pose　we'll　light　on　that　thar　Seneca　Castle　by　tomorrow　night？〃　he　asked。

〃It　seems　to　me　that　for　a　lazy　and　tired　man　you're　extremely　anxious　for　a　fight；〃　Henry　replied。

〃I　try　to　be　resigned；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　But　his　eyes　were　sparkling　with　the　light　of　battle。

They　went　into　camp　that　night　in　a　dense　forest；　with　the　Seneca　Castle　about　ten　miles　ahead。　　Henry　was　quite　sure　that　the　Senecas　to　whom　it　belonged　had　not　yet　abandoned　it；　and　with　the　aid　of　the　other　tribes　might　make　a　stand　there。　　It　was　more　than　likely；　too；　that　the　Senecas　had　sharpshooters　and　sentinels　well　to　the　south　of　their　town；　and　it　behooved　the　riflemen　to　be　extremely　careful　lest　they　run　into　a　hornet's　nest。　　Hence　they　lighted　no　fires；　despite　a　cold　night　wind　that　searched　them　through　until　they　wrapped　themselves　in　their　blankets。

The　night　settled　down　thick　and　dark；　and　the　band　lay　close　in　the　thickets。　　Shif'less　Sol　was　within　a　yard　of　Henry。　　He　had　observed　his　young　leader's　face　closely　that　day；　and　he　had　a　mind　of　uncommon　penetration。

〃Henry；〃　he　whispered；　〃you're　hopin'　that　you'll　find　Braxton　Wyatt　an'　his　band　at　Little　Beard's　town？〃

〃That　among　other　things；〃　replied　Henry　in　a　similar　whisper。

〃That　first；　and　the　others　afterwards；〃　persisted　the　shiftless　one。

〃It　may　be　so；〃　admitted　Henry。

〃I　feel　the　same　way　you　do；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃You　see；　we've　knowed　Braxton　Wyatt　a　long　time；　an'　it　seems　strange　that　one　who　started　out　a　boy　with　you　an'　Paul　could　turn　so　black。　　An'　think　uv　all　the　cruel　things　that　he's　done　an'　helped　to　do。　　I　ain't　hidin'　my　feelin's。　　I'm　jest　itchin'　to　git　at　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Henry；　〃I'd　like　for　our　band　to　have　it　out　with　his。〃

Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol；　and　in　fact　all　of　the　five；　slept　that　night；　because　Henry　wished　to　be　strong　and　vigorous　for　the　following　night；　in　view　of　an　enterprise　that　he　had　in　mind。　　The　rosy　Dutchman；　Heemskerk；　was　in　command　of　the　guard；　and　he　revolved　continually　about　the　camp　with　amazing　ease；　and　with　a　footstep　so　light　that　it　made　no　sound　whatever。　　Now　and　then　he　came　back　in　the　thicket　and　looked　down　at　the　faces　of　the　sleeping　five　from　Kentucky。　　〃Goot　boys；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　　〃Brave　boys；　to　stay　here　and　help。　　May　they　go　through　all　our　battles　and　tak