CHAPTER XVII.
"If he were with me, King of Tuscarora, Gazing as I upon thy portrait now, In all its medalled, fringed, and bearded glory, Its eyes' dark beauty, and its thoughtful brow--
"Its brow, half martial, half diplomatic; Its eye, upsoaring, like an eagle's wings; Well might he boast that we, the democratic, Outrival Europe--even in our kings."--_Red Jacket._
My uncle Ro said nothing when the two tenants left us; though I saw, byhis countenance, that he felt all the absurdity of the stuff we had justbeen listening to. We had got within half a mile of the woods, wheneight Injins came galloping up to a wagon that was directly behind us,which contained another of my tenants, with his eldest son, a lad ofsixteen, whom he had brought with him as a scholar, in having his senseof right unsettled by the selfish mystification that was going on in theland; a species of fatherly care that was of very questionable merit. Isaid there were eight of these Injins, but there were only four horses,each beast carrying double. No sooner did the leaders of the party reachthe wagon I have mentioned, than it was stopped, and its owner wascommanded to alight. The man was a decided down-renter, but he obeyedthe order with a very ill-grace; and did not obey at all, indeed, untilhe was helped out of the wagon, by a little gentle violence of thisfragment of his own _corps d'armee_. The boy was soon put into thehighway, when two of the "disguised and armed" leaped into the vacantplaces, and drove on, passing us at a furious pace, making a parting nodto the owner of the vehicle, and consoling him for its temporary loss bycalling out, "Injin want him--Injin good fellow, you know."
Whether the discomfited farmer _knew_ or not, we could not tell; but he_looked_ as if he wished the Injins anywhere but in their "happy huntinggrounds." We drove on laughing, for it was in human nature to be amusedat such an exhibition of the compulsory system, or of "liberty andequality carried out;" and more particularly so, when I was certain thatthe "honest, hard-working, horny-handed tiller of the soil," wanted tocheat me out of a farm; or to put his case in the most favorable pointof view, wanted to compel me to sell him one at his own price. Nor didour amusement stop here. Before we reached the woods, we found Holmesand Tubbs in the highway, too; the other two worthies who had beenmounted _en croupe_ having dispossessed them of their wagon also, andtold them to "charge it to Injin." We afterward learned that thispractice was very general; the owner recovering his horse and team, inthe course of a few days, by hearing it had been left secretly at sometavern within a few miles of his residence. As for old Holmes, he was inan honest indignation, when we came up with him, while even Tubbs lookedsoured and discontented, or as if he thought friends were entitled tobetter treatment.
"Vhat ist der matter?" cried out uncle Ro, who could hardly keep fromlaughing the whole time; "vhat ist der matter now? Vhere might be yourhantsome vaggin and your gay horse?"
"It's too bad!--yes, it's eeny most too bad!" grunted Holmes. "Here amI, past threescore-and-ten, which is the full time of man, the Biblesays--and what the Bible says _must_ be true, you know?--here have theytrundled me into the highway, as they would a sack of potatoes, and leftme to walk every step of four miles to reach my own door! It's toobad--it's eeny most too bad!"
"Oh! dat might be a trifle, compared to vhat it vould be to haf peendrundelled out of your farm."
"I know't!--I know't!--I understand it!--it's all meant for the goodcause--to put down aristocracy, and make men raa'ly equal as the lawintends them to be--but this I say is eeny most too bad!"
"Und you so olt!"
"Seventy-six, if I'm a day. My time can't be long, and my legs is weak,they be. Yes, the Bible says a man's time is limited pretty much tothreescore-and-ten--and I'll never stand out ag'in the Bible."
"Und vhat might der Piple say apout vanting to haf your neighpors'goots?"
"It cries that down dreadfully! Yes, there's plenty of that in the goodbook, I know from havin' heard it read--ay, and havin' read it myself,these threescore years; it _doos_ cry it down, the most awfully. I shalltell the Injins this, the next time they want my wagon. There's Bibleag'in all sich practices."
"Der Piple ist a good pook."
"That it is--that it is--and great is the consolation and hope that Ihave known drawn from its pages. I'm glad to find that they set store bythe Bible in Jarmany. I was pretty much of the notion, we had most ofthe religion that's goin', in Ameriky, and it's pleasant to find there_is_ some in Jarmany."
All this time old Holmes was puffing along on foot, my uncle Ro walkinghis horse, in order to enjoy his discourse.
"Oh! ja--ja, ja--dere might be _some_ religion left in der olt worlt--dePuritans, as you might call dem, did not pring it all away."
"Desp'rate good people them! We got all our best sarcumstances from ourPuritan forefathers. Some folks say that all America has got, is owingto them very saints!"
"Ja--und if it bees not so, nefer mind; for dey will be sartain to getall Ameriky."
Holmes was mystified, but he kept tugging on, casting wistful glances atour wagon, as he endeavored to keep up with it. Fearful we might trot onand leave him, the old man continued the discourse. "Yes," he said, "ourauthority for everything must come from the Bible, a'ter all. It tellsus we hadn't ought to bear malice, and that's a rule I endivor to act upto; for an old man, you see, can't indulge his sinful natur' if hewould. Now I've been down to Little Neest to attend a Down-Rentmeetin',--but I bear no more malice ag'in Hugh Littlepage, not I, nomore than if he weren't a bit of my landlord! All I want of him is myfarm, on such a lay as I can live by, and the b'ys a'ter me. I look onit as dreadful hard and oppressive that the Littlepages should refuse tolet us have the place, seein' that I have worked it now for the tarm ofthree whull lives."
"Und dey agreet dat dey might sell you de farm, when dem dree lifes wastup?"
"No, not in downright language they didn't, as I must allow. In the wayof bargain, I must own the advantage is altogether on the side ofLittlepage. That was his grand'ther's act; and if you wun't drive quiteso fast, as I'm getting a little out of wind, I'll tell you all aboutit. That is just what we complain on; the bargain being so much in hisfavor. Now my lives _have_ hung on desp'rately, haven't they,Shabbakuk?" appealing to Tubbs. "It's every hour of forty-five yearssin' I tuck that lease, and one life, that of my old woman, is still inbein', as they call it, though it's a sort of bein' that a body might aswell not have as have. She can't stand it a great while longer, and thenthat farm that I set so much store by, out of which I've made mylivelihood most of my life, and on which I've brought up fourteenchildren, will go out of my hands to enrich Hugh Littlepage, who's gotso much now he can't spend it at hum like honest folks, but must goabroad, to waste it in riotous living, as they tell us. Yes, onless theGovernor and the Legislature helps me out of my difficulty, I don't seebut Hugh Littlepage must get it all, making the 'rich richer, and thepoor poorer.'"
"Und vhy must dis cruel ding come to pass? Vhy might not mans keep hisown in Ameriky?"
"That's jest it, you see. It isn't my own, in law, only by natur', like,and the 'speret of the institutions,' as they call it. I'm sure I don'tkear much how I get it, so it only comes. If the Governor can only makethe landlords sell, or even give away, he may sartainly count on mysupport providin' they don't put the prices too high. I hate highprices, which is onsuitable to a free country."
"Fery drue. I sooppose your lease might gif you dat farm quitereasonaple, as it might be mate so long ago?"
"Only two shillings the acre," answered the old fellow, with a knowinglook, which as much as boasted of the capital bargain he had in theaffair, "or twenty-five dollars a year for a hundred acres. That's nogreat matter, I'm ready to allow; but my lives havin' held on sodesp'rately, until land's got up to forty dollars an acre about here, Ican't no more expect sich another lay than I can expect to go toCongress. I can rent that place, to-morrow mornin', for $150 of as goodmoney as any man can pay."
"Und how much might you expect 'Squire Littlepage woult ask on a newlease?"
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br /> "Some think as much as $62.50; though other some think he would let itgo to _me_ for $50, for three lives longer. The old gin'ral told me whenhe signed the lease that I was gettin' a bargain, 'but, niver mind,'said he, 'if I give you good tarms, you'll make the better tenant, and Ilook to posterity and their benefit as much as I do to my own. If Idon't get the advantage I might,' says he, 'my children, or mychildren's children, will. A man musn't altogether live for himself inthis world, especially if he has children.' Them was good idees, wasn'tthey?"
"You might not dink differently. Und, how moch woult you love to bay fora deet of de farm?"
"Wa-a-l, there's differences of opinion on that subject. The mostapproved notion is, that Hugh Littlepage ought to be made to givewarrantees, with full covenants, as it's called; and covenants is all inall, in a deed, you know----"
"But might not be in a lease?" put in uncle Ro, somewhat dryly.
"That depinds--but some say them deeds ought to be given, if the tenantsallow the landlords the worth of the land when the patentee got it, andinterest down to the present day. It does not seem a desp'rate price topay for land, to give principal and interest, and to throw in all thathas been paid beside?"
"Haf you made a calculation, to see vhat it might come to?"
"Shabbakuk has; tell the gentleman, Shabbakuk, how much you made it cometo, the acre."
Shabbakuk was a far deeper rogue than his neighbor, Holmes. The last wasmerely a man of selfish and narrow views, who, from passing a long lifewith no other object before him than that of scraping together property,had got his mind completely ensnared in the meshes of this world's net;whereas, his companion took the _initiative_, as the French have it, inknavery, and not only carried out, but invented the schemes of thewicked. He clearly did not like this appeal to his arithmetic, buthaving no suspicion to whom he was talking, and fancying every man inthe lower conditions of life must be an ally in a plan to make the "richpoorer, and the poor richer," he was a little more communicative thanmight otherwise have been the case. After reflecting a moment, he gaveus his answer, reading from a paper in his hand, on which the whole sumhad been elaborately worked for the occasion of the late meeting.
"The land was worth ten cents an acre, maybe, when the first Littlepagegot it, and that is a liberal price. Now that was eighty years since,for we don't count old Herman Mordaunt's time as anything; seeing thatthe land was worth next to nothin' in his time. The interest on tencents at seven per cent, is seven mills a year, or five hundred andsixty mills for eighty years. This is without compound; compound beingunlawful, and nothin' agin law should be taken into the account. Add theten cents to the five hundred and sixty mills, and you get six hundredand sixty mills, or sixty-six cents. Now this sum, or a sum calculatedon the same principles, all the tenants are willing to pay for theirfarms,[27] and if justice prevails they will get 'em."
[Footnote 27: In order that the reader may understand Mr. HughLittlepage is not inventing, I will add that propositions still moreextravagant than these, have been openly circulated among theanti-renters, up and down the country.--EDITOR.]
"Dat seems but little to bay for landt dat might now rent for a dollaran acre each year."
"You forgit that the Littlepages have had the rent these eighty years,the whull time."
"Und de denants haf hat de farms dese eighty years, de whole time, too."
"Oh! we put the land ag'in the work. If my neighbor, Holmes, here, hashad his farm forty-five years, so the farm has had his work forty-fiveyears, as an offset. You may depind on't, the Governor and theLegislature understand all that."
"If dey does," answered Uncle Ro, whipping his horse into a trot, "deymust be fit for deir high stations. It is goot for a country to hafgreat governors, and great legisladors. _Guten Tag._"
Away he went, leaving neighbor Holmes, Shabbakuk Tubbs, the Governor andLegislature, with their joint morals, wisdom, logic, and philosophy, inthe highway together. My uncle Ro shook his head, and then he laughed,as the absurdity of what had just passed forced itself on hisimagination.
I dare say many may be found, who have openly professed principles andopinions identical, in substance, with what has just been related here,who will be disposed to deny them, when they are thrown into theirfaces. There is nothing unusual in men's refusing to recognize their ownchildren, when they are ashamed of the circumstances that brought theminto being. But, in the course of this controversy, I have often heardarguments in discourse, and have often read them in the journals, asthey have been put into the mouths of men in authority, and that, too,in their public communications, which, stripped of their very thincoverings, are pretty much on the level with those of Holmes and Tubbs.I am aware that no governor has, _as yet_; alluded to the _hardships_ ofthe tenants, under the limited leases, but it would be idle to deny thatthe door has been opened to principles, or want of principles, that mustsweep away all such property in the current of reckless popular clamor,unless the evil be soon arrested. I say _evil_, for it must prove acurse to any community to break down the securities of property, as itis held in what has hitherto been thought its most secure form, and,what is of still more importance in a moral point of view, all toappease the cravings of cupidity, as they are exhibited in the masses.
We were soon out of sight of Holmes and Tubbs, and in the woods. Iconfess that I expected each instant to overtake Hall in the hands ofthe Injins; for the movement among that class of persons had appeared tome as one directed particularly against him. We saw nothing of the sort,however, and had nearly reached the northern limits of the bit offorest, when we came in sight of the two wagons which had been socavalierly taken possession of, and of the two horses ridden by themounted men. The whole were drawn up on one side of the highway, underthe charge of a single Injin, in a manner to announce that we wereapproaching a point of some interest.
My uncle and myself fully expected to be again stopped, as we drove upto the place just mentioned; not only was the track of the road leftclear, however, but we were suffered to pass without a question. All thehorses had been in a lather, as if driven very hard; though, otherwise,there was nothing to indicate trouble, if we except the presence of thesolitary sentinel. From this fellow neither signs nor order molested us;but on we went at Tom Miller's horse's favorite amble, until we were sonear the verge of the wood, as to get a view into the open fieldsbeyond. Here, indeed, we obtained a sight of certain movements that, Iconfess, gave me some little concern.
Among the bushes that lined the highway, and which have been alreadymentioned, I got a glimpse of several of the "disguised and armed," whowere evidently lying in ambush. Their number might have been twenty inall, and it was now sufficiently apparent that those who had pressed thewagons had been hurrying forward to re-enforce their party. At thispoint, I felt quite certain we should be stopped; but we were not. Wewere suffered to pass without question, as we had just passed the wagonsand horses, though it must have been known to the party that we werefully aware of their presence at that particular spot. But on we went,and were soon, unmolested, in the open country.
It was not long, however, before the mystery was explained. A roaddescended from the higher ground, which lay to the westward of us, alittle on our left, and a party of men was coming down it, at a quickwalk, which, at the first glance, I mistook for a detachment of theInjins, but which, at a second look, I ascertained to be composed ofIndians, or real red men. The difference between the two is very great,as every American will at once admit, though many who read thismanuscript will be obliged to me for an explanation. There is "Indian"and "Injin." The Injin is a white man, who, bent on an unworthy andillegal purpose, is obliged to hide his face, and to perform his task indisguise. The Indian is a red man, who is neither afraid nor ashamed toshow his countenance, equally to friend or enemy. The first is the agentof designing demagogues, the hireling of a discontented and graspingspirit, who mocks at truth and right by calling himself one who laborsto carry out "the spirit of those institutions" which he dishonors and
is afraid to trust; while the other serves himself only, and is afraidof nothing. One is skulking from, and shirking the duties ofcivilization, while the other, though a savage, is, at least, true tohis own professions.
There they were, sure enough, a party of some sixteen or eighteen of thereal aborigines. It is not an uncommon thing to meet with an Indian ortwo, strolling about the country selling baskets--formerly it was broomsof birch, but the march of improvement has nearly banished so rude amanufacture from the country--with a squaw or two in company; but it isnow very unusual to meet a true Indian warrior in the heart of theState, carrying his rifle and tomahawk, as was the case with all thosewho were so swiftly descending the road. My uncle Ro was quite as muchastonished as I was myself; and he pulled up at the junction of the twohighways, in order to await the arrival of the strangers.
"These are real redskins, Hugh--and of a noble tribe," cried my uncle,as a still nearer approach gave him a better and better view. "Warriorsof the West, out of all question, with one white man in attendance--whatcan such a party possibly want at Ravensnest!"
"Perhaps the anti-renters intend to enlarge their plans, and have ascheme to come out upon us, with an alliance formed with the true sonsof the forest--may they not intend intimidation?"
"Whom could they thus intimidate, but their own wives and children? But,here they come, in a noble body, and we can speak to them."
There they did come, indeed; seventeen of the finer specimens of theRedskins, as they are now sometimes seen passing among us in bodies,moving to or from their distant prairies; for the white man has alreadyforced the Indian, with the bears, and the elk, and the moose, out ofthe forests of America, upon those vast plains.
What is to be the end of the increase of this nation is one of themysteries of Divine Providence. If faithful to the right, if _just_, notin the sense of yielding to the clamors of the many, but in the sense ofgood laws, if true to themselves, the people of this republic may laughat European interference and European power, when brought to bear ontheir home interests, as so much of the lumbering policy of ages nolonger suited to the facts and feelings of our own times, and push on tothe fulfilment of a destiny, which, if carried out on the apparentdesigns of the Ruler of the earth, will leave that of all other stateswhich have preceded us, as much in the shade, as the mountain leaves thevalley. But, it must not be forgotten that the brightest dawns oftenusher in the darkest days; that the most brilliant youths frequentlyprecede manhoods of disappointment and baffled wishes; that even theprofessed man of God can fall away from his vows and his faith, andfinish a career that was commenced in virtue and hope, in profligacy andsin. Nations are no more safe from the influence of temptation thanindividuals, and this has a weakness peculiarly its own. Instead offalling back on its popular principle, in extremities, as its infalliblesafeguard, it is precisely in the irresponsible and grasping characterof that principle that its danger is to be apprehended. That principle,which, kept within the limits of right, is so admirably adapted torestraining the ordinary workings of cupidity and selfishness, as theyare familiarly seen in narrow governments, when permitted to overrun theboundaries placed for its control, becomes a torrent that has broken outof its icy bed, in the spring, and completely defaces all that isbeneficial or lovely, in either nature or art, that may happen to lie inits course. As yet, the experience of two centuries has offered nothingso menacing to the future prosperity of this country, as the socialfermentation which is at this moment at work in the State of New York.On the result of this depends the solution of the all-importantquestion, whether principles are to rule this republic, or men; andthese last, too, viewed in their most vulgar and repulsive qualities, oras the mere creatures of self, instead of being the guardians and agentsof that which ought to be. It is owing to this state of things, that wehave already seen a Legislature occupied with discussing the modes ofevading the provisions of its own laws, and men who ought to standbefore the world, stern and uncompromising in their public morals,manifesting a most pernicious ingenuity in endeavoring to master andoverreach each other in wielding the arts of the demagogue.
As the Indians entered the north and south road, or that in which we hadstopped, the whole party came to a halt, with characteristic courtesy,as if to meet our wish to speak to them. The foremost of the band, whowas also the oldest, being a man of sixty, if not older, nodded hishead, and uttered the usual conventional salutation of "Sago, sago."
"Sago," said my uncle, and "Sago" put in I.
"How do?" continued the Indian, who we now discovered spoke English."What call this country?"
"This is Ravensnest. The village of Little Nest is about a mile and ahalf on the other side of that wood."
The Indian now turned, and in his deep guttural tones communicated thisintelligence to his fellows. The information obviously was wellreceived, which was as much as saying that they had reached the end oftheir journey. Some conversation next succeeded, delivered in brief,sententious remarks, when the old chief again turned to us. I call himchief, though it was evident that the whole party was composed ofchiefs. This was apparent by their medals, their fine appearancegenerally, and by their quiet, dignified, not so say lofty bearing. Eachof them was in a light summer attire, wearing the moccason and leggings,etc.; the calico shirt, or a thin blanket, that was cast around theupper part of the person, much as the Roman may be supposed to have wornhis toga; all carrying the rifle, the bright, well-scoured tomahawk, andthe sheathed knife. Each, too, had his horn and his bullet-pouch, andsome of the more youthful were a little elaborate in their ornaments, inthe way of feathers, and such presents as they had received on theirlong journey. Not one of them all, however, was painted.
"This Raven-nest, eh?" continued the old chief, speaking directly, butwith sufficient courtesy.
"As I have said. The village lies on the other side of that wood; thehouse from which the name is taken is a mile and a half in the otherdirection."
This, too, was translated, and a low, but general expression of pleasurewas given.
"Any Injins 'bout here, eh?" demanded the chief, looking so earnestly atthe same time as to surprise us both.
"Yes," answered my uncle. "There _are_ Injins--a party is in the edge ofthe woods, there, within thirty rods of you at this moment."
With great rapidity this fact was communicated to the eager listeners,and there was a sensation in the party, though it was a sensationbetrayed as such feelings are only betrayed among the aborigines of thispart of the world; quietly, reservedly, and with a coldness amountingnearly to indifference. We were amused, however, at noting how much moreinterest this news awakened than would probably have been excited hadthese red-men been told a town like London was on the other side of thewood. As children are known to feel most interest in children, so didthese children of the forest seem to be most alive to an interest inthese unexpected neighbors, brethren of the same habits and race, asthey unquestionably imagined. After some earnest discourse amongthemselves, the old chief, whose named turned out to be Prairiefire,once more addressed himself to us.
"What tribe, eh? Know tribe?"
"They are called Anti rent Injins--a new tribe in this part of thecountry, and are not much esteemed."
"Bad Injin, eh?"
"I am afraid so. They are not honest enough to go in paint, but wearshirts over their faces."
Another long and wondering conference succeeded. It is to be supposedthat such a _tribe_ as that of the Anti-renters was hitherto unknownamong the American savages. The first intelligence of the existence ofsuch a people would naturally awaken great interest, and we were soonrequested to show them the way to the spot where this unheard of tribemight be found. This was going somewhat further than my uncle hadanticipated, but he was not a man to beat a retreat when he had onceundertaken an enterprise. After a short deliberation with himself, hesignified his assent; and alighting from our wagon, we fastened TomMiller's horse to a stake of one of the fences, and set off, on foot, asguides to our new brethren, in seeking
the great tribe of theAnti-renters! We had not gone half the distance to the woods before wemet Holmes and Tubbs, who, getting a cast in another wagon, until theyreached the place where their own vehicle was stationed, had recoveredthat, and were now on their way home, apprehensive that some new freakof their great allies might throw them out into the highway again. Thiswagon, our own excepted, was the only one that had yet emerged from thewood, the owners of some twenty others preferring to remain in thebackground until the development of the meeting between the tribesshould occur.
"What, in natur', does all this mean?" exclaimed old Holmes, as weapproached him, reining in his horse, for the purposes of a conference."Is the governor sending out ra-al Injins ag'in' us, in order to favorthe landlords?"
This was taking a harsh and most uncharitable view of the course of thegovernor, for an anti-renter; but that functionary having made thecapital blunder of serving, altogether, neither "God nor Mammon" in thisgreat question, must expect to take it right and left, as neither Godnor Mammon will be very likely to approve of his course.
"Vell, I don't know," was my uncle's answer. "Dese ist ra-al red-men,und dem younder ist ra-al Injins, dat's all. Vhat might bring desewarriors here, joost now, you must ask of demselves, if you wants tol'arn."
"There can be no harm in asking; I'm no way skeary about redskins,having seen 'em often, and my father fit 'em in his day, as I've heernhim tell. Sago, sago."
"Sago," answered Prairiefire, with his customary courtesy.
"Where, in natur', do you red-men all come _from_, and where _can_ ye begoin'?"
It was apparent that Holmes belonged to a school that never hesitatedabout putting any question; and that would have an answer, if an answerwas to be got. The old chief had probably met with such pale-facesbefore, the untrained American being certainly among the most diligentof all the human beings of that class. But, on the other hand, thered-man regards the indulgence of a too eager curiosity as womanish, andunworthy of the self-command and dignity of a warrior. The betraying ofsurprise, and the indulgence of a curiosity fit only for squaws, weretwo things that Prairiefire had doubtless been early told were unworthyof his sex; for to some such in-and-in breeding alone could be referredthe explanation of the circumstance that neither Holmes's manner,address, nor language, caused in him the least expression of emotion. Heanswered the questions, however, and that with a coldness that seemed ofproof.
"Come from setting sun--been to see Great Father, at Washington--gohome," was the sententious reply.
"But how come ye to pass by Ravensnest?--I'm afeared the governor, andthem chaps at Albany, must have a hand in this, Shabbakuk."
What Shabbakuk thought of the "governor, and them chaps at Albany" isnot known, as he did not see fit to make any reply. His ordinarypropensity to meddle was probably awed by the appearance of these realredskins.
"I say, _why_ do ye come this-a-way?" Holmes continued, repeating hisquestion. "If you've been to Washington, and found him to hum (Anglice,'at home'), why didn't ye go back by the way ye come?"
"Come here to find Injin; got no Injin here, eh?"
"Injin? why, of one sort we've got more of the critturs than a body canvery well git along with. Of what color be the Injins you want to find?Be they of the pale-face natur', or be they red like yourselves?"
"Want to find red-man. He ole, now; like top of dead hemlock, wind blowt'rough his branches till leaf all fall off."
"By George, Hugh," whispered my uncle, "these redskins are in search ofold Susquesus!" Then entirely forgetting the necessity of maintaininghis broken English in the presence of his two Ravensnest listeners,Shabbakuk Tubbs in particular, he turned, somewhat inconsiderately forone of his years, to the Prairiefire, and hastily remarked--
"I can help you in your search. You are looking for a warrior of theOnondagoes; one who left his tribe a hundred summers ago, a red-man ofgreat renown for finding his path in the forest, and who would nevertaste fire-water. His name is Susquesus."
Until this moment, the only white man who was in company with thisstrange party--strange at least in our portion of the State of New York,though common enough, perhaps, on the great thoroughfares of thecountry--broke silence. This man was an ordinary interpreter, who hadbeen sent with the party in case of necessity; but being little moreacquainted with the ways of civilization than those whom he was toguide, he had prudently held his tongue until he saw that he might be ofsome use. We afterward learned that the subagent who had accompanied thechiefs to Washington, had profited by the wish of the Indians to paytheir passing homage to the "Withered Hemlock, that still stands," asthey poetically called Susquesus in their own dialects--for Indians ofseveral tribes were present--to pay a visit to his own relatives inMassachusetts, his presence not being deemed necessary in such a purelypious pilgrimage.
"You're right," observed the interpreter. "These chiefs have not come tolook up any _tribe_, but there are two of the ancient Onondagoes amongthem, and their traditions tell of a chief, called Susquesus, that hasoutlived everything but tradition; who left his own people long, longago, and who left a great name behind him for vartue, and that is athing a redskin never forgets."
"And all these warriors have come fifty miles out of their way, to paythis homage to Susquesus?"
"Such has been their wish, and I asked permission of the Bureau atWashington, to permit them to come. It costs Uncle Sam $50 or a $100more than it otherwise might, but such a visit will do all the warriorsof the West a million of dollars of good; no men honor right and justicemore than redskins, though it's in their own fashion."
"I am sure Uncle Sam has acted no more than righteously, as I hope healways may act as respects these people. Susquesus is an old friend ofmine, and I will lead you to him."
"And who in natur' be _you_?" demanded Holmes, his curiosity startingoff on a new track.
"Who am I?--You shall know who I am," answered uncle Ro, removing hiswig, an action that I imitated on the spot--"I am Roger Littlepage, thelate trustee of this estate, and this is Hugh Littlepage, its owner."Old Holmes was good pluck in most matters; of far better stuff at thebottom, than the sneaking, snivelling, prating demagogue at his side;but by this discovery he was dumfounded! He looked at my uncle, then helooked at me; after which, he fastened a distressed and inquiring gazeon Shabbakuk. As for the Indians, notwithstanding their habitualself-command, a common "hugh!" was uttered among them, when they saw twomen, as it might be, thus scalping themselves. Uncle Ro was excited, andhis manner was, in the last degree, theatrical, as with one hand heremoved his cap, and with the other his wig; holding the last, with anextended arm, in the direction of the Indians. As a red-man is rarelyguilty of any act of rudeness, unless he means to play the brute in goodearnest, it is possible that the Chippewa toward whom the hand whichheld the wig was extended, mistook the attitude for an invitation toexamine that curious article, for himself. It is certain he gentlyforced it from my uncle's grasp, and, in the twinkling of an eye, allthe savages were gathered round it, uttering many but low and guardedexpressions of surprise. Those men were all chiefs, and they restrainedtheir astonishment at this point. Had there been any of the ignoblevulgar among them, there is little doubt that the wig would have passedfrom hand to hand, and been fitted to a dozen heads, already shaved toreceive it.