the scouts of the valley-第61节

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rmured　to　himself。　　〃Brave　boys；　to　stay　here　and　help。　　May　they　go　through　all　our　battles　and　take　no　harm。　　The　goot　and　great　God　often　watches　over　the　brave。〃

Mynheer　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　native　of　Holland；　but　devoted　to　the　new　nation　of　which　he　had　made　himself　a　part；　was　a　devout　man；　despite　a　life　of　danger　and　hardship。　　The　people　of　the　woods　do　not　lose　faith；　and　he　looked　up　at　the　dark　skies　as　if　he　found　encouragement　there。　　Then　he　resumed　his　circle　about　the　camp。　　He　heard　various　noises…the　hoot　of　an　owl；　the　long　whine　of　a　wolf；　and　twice　the　footsteps　of　deer　going　down　to　the　river　to　drink。　　But　the　sounds　were　all　natural；　made　by　the　animals　to　which　they　belonged；　and　Heemskerk　knew　it。　　Once　or　twice　he　went　farther　into　the　forest；　but　he　found　nothing　to　indicate　the　presence　of　a　foe；　and　while　he　watched　thus；　and　beat　up　the　woods；　the　night　passed；　eventless；　away。

They　went　the　next　day　much　nearer　to　the　Seneca　Castle；　and　saw　sure　indications　that　it　was　still　inhabited；　as　the　Iroquois　evidently　were　not　aware　of　the　swift　advance　of　the　riflemen。　　Henry　had　learned　that　this　was　one　of　the　largest　and　strongest　of　all　the　Iroquois　towns；　containing　between　a　hundred　and　two　hundred　wooden　houses；　and　with　a　population　likely　to　be　swollen　greatly　by　fugitives　from　the　Iroquois　towns　already　destroyed。　　The　need　of　caution…great　caution…was　borne　in　upon　him；　and　he　paid　good　heed。

The　riflemen　sought　another　covert　in　the　deep　forest；　now　about　three　miles　from　Little　Beard's　Town；　and　lay　there；　while　Henry；　according　to　his　plan；　went　forth　at　night　with　Shif'less　Sol　and　Tom　Ross。　　He　was　resolved　to　find　out　more　about　this　important　town；　and　his　enterprise　was　in　full　accord　with　his　duties；　chief　among　which　was　to　save　the　vanguard　of　the　army　from　ambush。

When　the　complete　darkness　of　night　had　come；　the　three　left　the　covert；　and；　after　traveling　a　short　distance　through　the　forest；　turned　in　toward　the　river。　　As　the　town　lay　on　or　near　the　river；　Henry　thought　they　might　see　some　signs　of　Indian　life　on　the　stream；　and　from　this　they　could　proceed　to　discoveries。

But　when　they　first　saw　the　river　it　was　desolate。　　Not　a　canoe　was　moving　on　its　surface；　and　the　three；　keeping　well　in　the　undergrowth；　followed　the　bank　toward　the　town。　　But　the　forest　soon　ceased；　and　they　came　upon　a　great　field；　where　the　Senecas　had　raised　corn；　and　where　stalks；　stripped　of　their　ears　and　browned　by　the　autumn　cold；　were　still　standing。　　But　all　the　work　of　planting；　tending；　and　reaping　this　great　field；　like　all　the　other　work　in　all　the　Iroquois　fields；　had　been　done　by　the　Iroquois　women；　not　by　the　warriors。

Beyond　the　field　they　saw　fruit　trees；　and　beyond　these；　faint　lines　of　smoke；　indicating　the　position　of　the　great　Seneca　Castle。　　The　dry　cornstalks　rustled　mournfully　as　the　wind　blew　across　the　field。

〃The　stalks　will　make　a　little　shelter；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　we　must　cross　the　field。　　We　want　to　keep　near　the　river。〃

〃Lead　on；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

They　took　a　diagonal　course；　walking　swiftly　among　the　stalks　and　bearing　back　toward　the　river。　　They　crossed　the　field　without　being　observed；　and　came　into　a　thick　fringe　of　trees　and　undergrowth　along　the　river。　　They　moved　cautiously　in　this　shelter　for　a　rod　or　two；　and　then　the　three；　without　word　from　any　one　of　them；　stopped　simultaneously。　　They　heard　in　the　water　the　unmistakable　ripple　made　by　a　paddle；　and　then　the　sound　of　several　more。　　They　crept　to　the　edge　of　the　bank　and　crouched　down　among　the　bushes。　　Then　they　saw　a　singular　procession。

A　half…dozen　Iroquois　canoes　were　moving　slowly　up　the　stream。　　They　were　in　single　file；　and　the　first　canoe　was　the　largest。　　But　the　aspect　of　the　little　fleet　was　wholly　different　from　that　of　an　ordinary　group　of　Iroquois　war　canoes。　　It　was　dark；　somber；　and　funereal；　and　in　every　canoe；　between　the　feet　of　the　paddlers；　lay　a　figure；　stiff　and　impassive；　the　body　of　a　chief　slain　in　battle。　　It　had　all　the　appearance　of　a　funeral　procession；　but　the　eyes　of　the　three；　as　they　roved　over　it；　fastened　on　a　figure　in　the　first　canoe；　and；　used　as　they　were　to　the　strange　and　curious；　every　one　of　them　gave　a　start。

The　figure　was　that　of　a　woman；　a　wild　and　terrible　creature；　who　half　sat；　half　crouched　in　the　canoe；　looking　steadily　downward。　　Her　long　black　hair　fell　in　disordered　masses　from　her　uncovered　head。　　She　wore　a　brilliant　red　dress　with　savage　adornments；　but　it　was　stained　and　torn。　　The　woman's　whole　attitude　expressed　grief；　anger；　and　despair。

〃Queen　Esther！〃　whispered　Henry。　　The　other　two　nodded。

So　horrifying　had　been　the　impression　made　upon　him　by　this　woman　at　Wyoming　that　he　could　not　feel　any　pity　for　her　now。　　The　picture　of　the　great　war　tomahawk　cleaving　the　heads　of　bound　prisoners　was　still　too　vivid。　　She　had　several　sons；　one　or　two　of　whom　were　slain　in　battle　with　the　colonists；　and　the　body　that　lay　in　the　boat　may　have　been　one　of　them。　　Henry　always　believed　that　it　was…but　he　still　felt　no　pity。

As　the　file　came　nearer　they　heard　her　chanting　a　low　song；　and　now　she　raised　her　face　and　tore　at　her　black　hair。

〃They're　goin'　to　land；〃　whispered　Shif'less　Sol。

The　head　of　the　file　was　turned　toward　the　shore；　and；　as　it　approached；　a　group　of　warriors；　led　by　Little　Beard；　the　Seneca　chief；　appeared　among　the　trees；　coming　forward　to　meet　them。　　The　three　in　their　covert　crouched　closer；　interested　so　intensely　that　they　were　prepared　to　brave　the　danger　in　order　to　remain。　　But　the　absorption　of　the　Iroquois　in　what　they　were　about　to　do　favored　the　three　scouts。

As　the　canoes　touched　the　bank；　Catharine　Montour　rose　from　her　crouching　position　and　uttered　a　long；　piercing　wail；　so　full　of　grief；　rage；　and　despair　that　the　three　in　the　bushes　shuddered。　　It　was　fiercer　than　the　cry　of　a　wolf；　and　it　came　back　from　the　dark　forest　in　terrifying　echoes。

〃It's　not　a　woman；　but　a　fiend；〃　whispered　Henry；　and；　as　before；　his　comrades　nodded　in　assent。

The　woman　stood　erect；　a　tall　and　stalwart　figure；　but　the　beauty　that　had　once　caused　her　to　be　received　in　colonial　capitals　was　long　since　gone。　　Her　white　half　of　blood　had　been　submerged　years　ago　in　her　Indian　half；　and　there　was　nothing　now　about　her　to　remind　one　of　civilization　or　of　the　French　Governor　General　of　Canada　who　was　said　to　have　been　her　father。

The　Iroquois　stood　respectfully　before　her。　　It　was　evident　that　she　had　lost　none　of　her　power　among　the　Six　Nations；　a　power　proceeding　partly　from　her　force　and　partly　from　superstition。　　As　the　bodies　were　brought　ashore；　one　by　one；　and　laid　upon　the　ground；　she　uttered　the　long　wailing　cry　again　and　again；　and　the　others　repeated　it　in　a　sort　of　chorus。

When　the　bodies…and　Henry　was　sure　that　they　must　all　be　those　of　chiefs…were　laid　out；　she　tore　her　hair；　sank　down　upon　the　ground；　and　began　a　chant；　which　Tom　Ross　was　afterwards　able　to　interpret　roughly　to　the　others。　　She　sang：

　　The　white　men　have　come　with　the　cannon　and　bayonet；　　　Numerous　as　forest　leaves　the　army　has　come。　　　Our　warriors　are　driven　like　deer　by　the　hunter；　　　Fallen　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee！

　　Our　towns　are　burned　and　our　fields　uprooted；　　　Our　people　flee　through　the　forest　for　their　lives；　　　The　king　who　promised　to　help　us　comes　not。　　　Fallen　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee！

　　The　great　chiefs　are　slain　and　their　bodies　lie　here。　　　No　longer　will　they　lead　the　warriors　in　battle；　　　No　more　will　they　drive　the　foe　from　the　thicket。　　　Fallen　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee！

　　Scalps　we　have　taken　from　all　who　hated　us；　　　None；　but　feared　us　in　the　days　of　our　glory。　　　　But　the　cannon　and　bayonet　have　taken　our　country；　　　Fallen　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee！

She　chanted　many　verses；　but　these　were　all　that　Tom　Ross　could　ever　remember　or　translate。　　But　every　verse　ended　with　the　melancholy　refrain：　〃Fallen　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee！〃　which　the　others　also　repeated　in　chorus。　　Then　the　warriors　lifted　up　the　bodies；　and　they　moved　in　procession　toward　the　town。　　The　three　watched　them；　but　they　did　not　rise　until　the　funeral　train　had　reached　the　fruit　trees。　　Then　they　stood　up；　looked　at　one　another；　and　breathed　sighs　of　relief。

〃I　don't　care　ef　I　never　see　that　woman　ag'in；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃She　gives　me　the　creeps。　　She　must　be　a　witch　huntin'　for　blood。　　She　is　shore　to　stir　up　the　Iroquois　in　this　town。〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　I　mean　to　go　nearer。〃

〃Wa'al；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　〃I　reckon　that　if　you　mean　it　we　mean　it；　too。〃

〃There　are　certainly　Tories　in　the　town；〃　said　Henry；　and　if　we　are　seen　we　can　probably　pass　for　them。　　I'm　bound　to　find　out　what's　here。〃

〃Still　huntin'　fur　Braxton　Wyatt；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

〃I　mean　to　know　if　he's　here；〃　said　Henry。

〃Lead　on；〃　said　the　shiftless　one。

They　followed　in　the　path　of　the　procession；　which　was　now　out　of　sight；　and　entered　the　orchard。　　From　that　point　they　saw　the　houses　and　great　numbers　of　Indians；　including　squaws　and　children；　gathered　in　the　open　spaces；　where　the　funeral　train　was　passing。　　Queen　Esther　still　stalked　at　its　head；　but