CHAPTER XLI.
The din of preparation was heard in the great castle of the Oneidas.With the first light of morning numerous small bands began to pour in,summoned secretly long before, to hold a war-council, and to marchagainst the enemy. Before noon, larger bands began to appear, led byseveral of the noted warriors of the nation; and one very numerousbody, coming across the lake in a little fleet of canoes, brought withthem a great quantity of baggage, in the shape of tents andprovisions, with women and even children.
The scene which took place when all were assembled, in number morethan a thousand, is perfectly indescribable. Nor shall I attempt togive a picture of it. A long period of peace seemed only to have giventhe western warriors a sort of thirst for war; and their joy at theunburying of the hatchet and the march against an enemy brought forthdemonstrations which, to any civilized eye, would have appearedperfectly frantic. Screaming, shouting, singing, dancing, striking thewar-posts with their tomahawks, and shaking their rifles in the air,they seemed like beings possessed by some evil spirit; the quiet andgrave demeanour was altogether cast aside; and the calmest and mostmoderate boasted outrageously of deeds done in the past, and whichought to be performed in the coming war.
About an hour after noon, however, a sudden and complete change cameover the scene. In an open space before the great lodge, all thechieftains of the different Totems or tribes assembled; and the usualcircle was formed around the great war-post of the Black Eagle. Theyounger warriors gathered in other rows, without the first; and theyouths, the women, and the children, beyond them again.
One exception to the usual order took place. The great chief had, oneither side of him, one of those both of whom he now called hischildren. Otaitsa, in her most brilliant apparel, stood upon his left;and Walter Prevost, armed and dressed like the Oneidas, with the soledifference that his head was not shaved like theirs, remained standingthroughout the ceremony on his right.
As soon as all movement had ceased, and the stillness of death fellover the whole multitude, Black Eagle, in a speech of powerfuleloquence, related all that had occurred on the preceding night, andjustified the act of himself and the other chiefs in the eyes of thepeople. He said that he, himself, and five of his brethren, had beenprepared to sacrifice the son of Prevost to atone for the blood of theSnake, and to satisfy the customs of the Oneidas, although each wouldrather have slain his own son; but that the Great Spirit had spoken bythe tongue of his sister, and they had forborne.
When he had done, the Old Cedar rose, but uttered only a few words.
"It was the voice of the Great Spirit," he said; and immediately amurmur of "Koue! Koue!" ran round the assembly in confirmation of theact.
The chief then explained to his warriors why he had that day calledthem around him; for, although the object was already well known toall, and the news had spread that the English were marching againstthe French upon Lake Champlain, the Indians never acted in masseswithout solemn deliberation; and a war-speech, as they called it, wasuniversally expected from their renowned leader. He dwelt at largeupon the alliance between the English and the Five Nations, and uponthe good faith with which the stipulations of their treaties had beenmaintained by the British provinces; he referred to "the talk" heldsome six months before, at the Castle of Sir William Johnson,skilfully mingling with his discourse the names of several personsmost popular with the tribes; and he ended by exhorting his hearers toshow their truth and friendship towards their English brethren, and topour down their fiercest wrath upon the French, whom he spoke ofcontemptuously, as the brethren of the Hurons and the Alonquin.
The same signs of approbation followed; and many another chief addedhis voice, raising the passions of the warriors to the highest pitch.One especially urged them to immediate action, telling them that theMohawks had already marched; that they were with the English army; andthat the faces of the children of the Stone would be red with shame ifa Mohawk brought home more scalps than an Oneida.
Some were for setting out on the instant; but this proposal wasoverruled, and the following morning was appointed for the march tobegin, as more war-parties were expected from different districts, andsome had not come fully prepared for the long journey and importantenterprise.
The council was succeeded by similar scenes to those with which theday began; and it must not be concealed that in many instances thedreadful "fire-water" was employed so far as even to produce beastlyintoxication. Small drums and wild instruments of music, songs ofevery character, from the wailing lament or the religious chant, tothe fierce and boastful war-song, rose from every part of the village;and it was not till the sun had completely set, that anything likequiet and order was restored.
Paint it in what colours we will, it was a barbarous and terrible,though exciting, scene; and Walter Prevost was well pleased to hearthe noise gradually die away into low murmurs, and silence begin toresume its reign.
Then came a very, very happy hour. He sat with Otaitsa alone in thegreat lodge while the Black Eagle wandered amongst his people without;and, for the first time since his deliverance from death, the two hadan opportunity of pouring forth to each other the many feelings whichhad accumulated in the last four-and-twenty hours.
"At this time last night," said the youth, "I was preparing to die."
"And at this time last night," returned the girl, gazing fondly uponhis face as he sat with his arm clasped fondly round her, and her headleaning on his shoulder--"and at this time last night Otaitsa wasready to die with you. I have since thought it very wrong of me,Walter; and, fearing what I did was sinful, I have prayed part of thenight to God for forgiveness; and another part I have spent in praiseand thanksgiving. But I believe I was mad, my beloved; for I hardlyknow what I did, and followed blindly what they told me to do torescue him for whom I would have sacrificed a thousand lives. Besides,I was surrounded by my countrywomen, and you know they do not think aswe have been taught to think."
"If it was an error, it was a blessed one, my own Blossom," answeredWalter; "for to it I owe my life; and life, when it is brightened byOtaitsa's love, is but too precious to me. The time will come, dearone, when we shall look back upon these days but as a painful dream;and the only bright reality that will last will be the memory of myBlossom's love, and all that she has done to save and bless me."
She gazed at him believingly; for hers was not a heart to doubt, andhis was not a heart to be doubted; and she then said, with a sigh--
"But you are now going to battle, to risk your life and all ourhappiness. Still, though it may be strange, I would not stay you,though all I have learned from good Mr. Gore should make me look uponsuch things with horror; and, though I would fain have you stay awayfrom danger, I suppose the habits of the people still cling about me,even though I hold a better faith than theirs."
"Fear not, dearest, fear not," answered Walter, boldly. "No harm willhappen to me, I do trust and believe; and I only leave you for a fewshort weeks."
"You will not leave me at all, Walter," she rejoined--"no, never more.I will go with you, if not to the battle, as near it as I can be. Ihave my father's leave; the warriors of my race will defend me, and Iwill not part with my recovered treasure any more."
"Go to my father's house," said Walter, joyfully. "It is very near thespot, and Edith will rejoice to have you with her."
Otaitsa fixed her eyes upon vacancy, and fell into a deep reverie; andan expression came into her face, which Walter had remarked more thanonce before.
"Do you know, my beloved," he said, "that sometimes you strike me asvery like our dear Edith--especially when you look thoughtful, as youdid just now."
"It is very natural," said Otaitsa, nestling closer to him. "You donot know she is my cousin. My mother was your father's sister. Hush!not a word, especially in the ears of any of the tribe. My fatherknows it--but he will not know it, because, among the elder people ofthe nation, it was held contrary to our customs that cousin shouldmarry cousin. I asked Mr. Gore, long ago, if it were against your la
w;but he said 'No,' that it was neither against law nor religion. Heinquired why I asked so earnestly," she added, laughing, "but I wouldnot tell him. Come with me into my chamber, and I will show you manythings belonging to my mother. Stay, I will light my lamp."
What a beautiful thing is innocence! how free, how untrammelled, howboundless! and what a sad thing is its loss, to man, and to society!Surely, that loss implies slavery of the worst kind--slavery to whichwe voluntarily submit--bonds that we rivet round our own hands. He whothinks no evil, because he knows of none, is the only freeman on theearth's face.
Otaitsa bent down, and lighted her lamp, and guided her lover up toher little chamber; and there they sat and turned over many along-stored treasure, and she showed him the picture of his ownfather, and of her mother, and of many of their mutual kin, anddrawings of fair scenes in Europe, some of which he remembered well,with others of the land in which they then were, but of spots which hehad never seen. There was one, also, which had been left unfinished,of a young, sweet child; and Walter gazed first upon the infant face,and then upon the bright, happy countenance beside him, and claspedhis Blossom warmly to his heart. The book, too, with the drop of bloodupon it, told its own tale to both their hearts.
"And where is Mr. Gore?" he asked, at length; "he seems to have leftaltogether his little flock; and I am sure I should have seen himduring my captivity."
"He is coming back now," said Otaitsa. "My father would not let himreturn before. He was afraid that the breath of the good man wouldmelt his icy purpose. He had a power over Black Eagle that none otherhad. I prayed and besought in vain. But had Mr. Gore been here, hewould have conquered. Black Eagle knew it, and feared; and thereforehe sent him hence, and would not let him return till the day waspast."
"Would that he were here now!" ejaculated Walter, earnestly.
Otaitsa asked him, why; and he answered, with a warm kiss--
"That he might unite us for ever."
A flush came upon her cheek; but the low sound of a step was heardbelow, and, looking down the stairs, she said--
"Is that you, my father?"
"I come," replied the chief.
And, slowly mounting the stairs, he entered the chamber where theywere. His eyes roved round the room in a manner which evidently showedthat it was strange to him; and then he fixed them on the pictureswhich lay upon the table, lighted but faintly by the lamp. At first,he seemed not to distinguish what they were; but the moment he sawthem clearly, he drew his mantle over his face, and turned towards thedoor. He uttered no word; he shed no tear; but he descended slowly,and Walter and Otaitsa followed.