The Deerslayer

ou prodigal

r than thy fro

rom all her t

at thy

hat comes d

ep joy, the l

e Firmament

nt smile, that is best described in the beautiful lines we have placed at the head of this chapter. As the banks, with few exceptions, rose abruptly from the water, even where the mountain did not immediately bound the view, there was a nearly unbroken fringe of leaves overhanging the placid lake, the trees starting out of the acclivities, inclining to the light, until, in many instances they extended their long limbs and straight trunks some forty or fifty feet beyond the line of the perpendicular. In these cases we allude only to the giants of the forest, pines of a hund

ge down the river, and which had obtained its shape from the action of the elements, during the slow progress of centuries. The height of this rock could scarcely equal six feet, and, as has been said, its shape was not unlike that which is usually given to beehives, or to a hay-cock. The latter, indeed, gives the best idea not only of its form, but of its dimensions. It stood, and still stands, for we are writing of real scenes, within fifty feet of the bank, and in water that was only two feet in depth, though there were seasons in which its rounded apex

he scow was then checked, when it was brought head to wind, by the action of the breeze. As soon as this was done, Deerslayer "paid out line," and suffered the vessel to "set down" upon the rock, as fast as the light air

had betrayed him; a chance so improbable in itself, as to give him no concern. Notwithstanding the celerity and decision his movements, he did not, however, venture so near the shore without taking due precautions to effect a retreat, in the event of its becoming necessary. He held the line in his hand, and Judith was stationed at a loop, on the side o

surrounded by enemies as he was known to be, he had escaped their toils. The occurrences of the last twenty-four hours must be a secret to him, and like himself, Chingachgook was yet young on a path. It was true, he came prepared to encounter the party that withheld his promi

hecked the drift of the Ark, deeming it imprudent to venture unnecess

ck, shore, trees, nor lake seems

, and a desperate fatal tongue. Keep close then, but keep up actyve looks, and be

ful look on the young man -"do you 'keep close', and have a proper care that the savages do not catch a glimpse

t look this-a-way, although you look so pleasant and comel

in obedience to his hurried gestures, as much as in obedience to his

dith?" he hastily demanded

ock!- An Indian warrior,

g his hold of the line, in readiness to drift nearer to the place of rende

left ear; he smiles, too, an

in, again, under the assurance that his object was effected. At that moment the door of the cabin was opened hastily, and, a warrior, darting through the little room, stood at Deerslayer's side, simply uttering the exclamation

event an inroad by the passage through which the Delaware had just entered

elves to their task in a way that showed how urgent they deemed the occasion. The great difficulty was in suddenly overcoming t

sh into the water like hounds following their prey! Ah - the scow moves! and now, the wate

; the scow, which had now got fairly in motion gliding ahead into deep water, with a velocity that set the designs of their enemies at nought. As the tw

he present," demanded Deerslayer, when he felt the rope yielding as if the scow was goin

n the bushes of the bank - There, he has disappeared in the shad

s way, they let the anchor drop again. Then, for the first time since their meeting, they ceased their efforts. As the floating house now lay several

examined his rifle with care, opening the pan to make sure that the priming was not wet, and, assured of this important fact, he next cast furtive but observant glance

Chingachgook as he is called; which signifies Big Sarpent; so named for his wisdom and prudence, and cunning, and my 'arliest an

is merriment was not accompanied by any noise. Although Chingachgook both understood and spoke English, he was unwilling to communicate his thoughts in it, like most Indians, and when he had met Judith's cordial shake of the hand, and Hetty's milder salute, in the courteous manner that became a chief, he tu

it will either be a flat calm, or the air will come off from the south shore, when we will begin our journey back ag'in to the castle; in th

he language of the Delawares. As that dialect, however, is but little understood, even by the learned; we shall not only on this, but on all subsequent occasions render such parts as it may be necessary to giv

h. On reaching the latter, which was at a point only half a mile south of the outlet, he had soon struck a trail, which gave him notice of the probable vicinity of enemies. Being prepared for such an occurrence, the object of the expedition calling him directly into the neighborhood of the party of Iroquois that was known to be out, he considered the discovery as fortunate, rather than the reverse, and took the usual precautions to turn it to account. First following the river to its source, and ascertaining the position of the rock, he met another trail, and had actually been hovering for hours on the flanks of his enemies, watching equally for an opportunity to meet his mistress, and to take a scalp; and it may be questioned which he most ardently desired. He kept near the lake,

for it by the fact of their being more numerous than he had at first supposed, and by their having out parties of the existence of which he was ignorant. Their regular, and permanent encampment, if the word permanent can b

reader's convenience only we render into the peculiar vernacular of the speaker -"Well, Sarpent, as you've been scouting around these Mingos, have

d man, and a young warrior - the f

ut of his trunk yet, and, as for Hurry Harry, so far as height and strength and comeliness go, he may be called the pride of the human fore

e. Some watch; some sleep; some scout; some hunt. The pale-faces are

elaware telling me that neither your father nor Hurry Harry is in suffering, but, bating the loss of liberty,

find an opportunity to ransom the prisoners. If there are any women in the camp, I have articles of dress that will catch their eyes, and

the growing obscurity did not escape the watchful looks of the girl, "can you find it in your heart, to part with your

he good opinion of the youth who questioned her, than to that of any other person. Suppressing the angry sensation, with instinctive quickness, she answered with a readiness and truth, that caused her sister to draw

he dearest thing on earth; but I begin to feel differently. Though Hurry Harry is nought to me nor ever can be, I would give all I own to set him free. If

n of the Delawares. I've known 'em, often and often, sacrifice their vanity to their hearts. Tis as it should be -'ti

h and I give them all our best things?" de

fere with such an ind in view. But, tell me, Sarpent, how is it as to

had sat with averted face, seemingly inattentive to a discourse in which he had no direct c

other, "besides this." The last number denoted his betrothed, whom, with the

her pleasant countenance, or come close enough to

dark face towards his friend, with a smile on it that illuminated its fierce-looking paint and naturally stern lineaments with a bright gleam of human feeli

young women, too - but when they get to have kind feelin's towards each other, it's wonderful how pleasant the laugh, or the speech becomes, to the other person. I've seen grim warriors listening to the ch

than marked her usually light and thoughtless manner,-"have you neve

he wind in the tree tops, and the rippling of a stream from a full, sparkling, natyve fountain of pure forest water - unless, indeed," he continued, dropping his head for an instant in a thoughtful manner -"unless in

ough it struck her simple mind as singular that the young man should prefer the melody of the woods, to the songs of girls, or even to the laugh of innocence and joy. Accustomed, however, to defer in most things to her sister, she soon

this lake?" demanded the Delaware, after cour

ed to mock the gathering darkness of the night. As the other furtively returned his look, he saw the two black eyes glistening on him, like the balls of the panther,

t that-a-way. I have fell in with the inimy, and

Indian, and then laying his hand eagerly on the arm o

reat Uncas, as well as the rest, is ag'in white gifts! My scalp is on my head, as you can see, Sarpe

id not get his name by being slow o

earer reason, and therefore nearer b

d the other with s

may well have gained popularity enough with his people to be named to that rank. The man fou't wel

nd friend str

ke a man of red gifts, and I fou't like a man with gifts of my own colour. God gave me the victory; I coul'n't fly

ok for the scalp, and hang it on a pole, and sing a song in his honour, when

body is in the hands of his fri'nds and, no doubt, is hid in some

hing on every thing modestly and with a careful attention to avoid the Indian habit of boasting. Chingachgook again expressed his satisfactio

ely and quite perceptibly began to drift more into the lake. The sail was set, when the motion of the craft increased to a rate not much less than two miles in the hour. As this superseded the necessity of rowing, an occupation that an Indian would not be likely to desire, De

fidence that had never been awakened by any other man. Hitherto she had been compelled to stand on the defensive in her intercourse with men, with what success was best known to herself, but here had she been suddenly thrown into the society and under the protection of a youth, who evidently as little contemplated evil towards herself as if he had been her brother. The freshness of his integrity, the poetry and truth of his feelings, and even the quaintness of his forms of speech, all had their influence, and aided in awakening an interest that she found as pure as it was sudden and deep. Hurry's fine face and manly form had never compensated for his boisterous and vulgar tone, and her intercourse with the officers had prepared her to make comparisons under which even his great natural advantages suffered. But this very intercourse with the officers who occasionally came upon the lake to fish a

hed from the heavens, fell upon its surface in a line extending north and south; and along this faint track, a sort of inverted milky way, in which the obscurity was not quite as dense as in other places, the scow held her course, he who steered well knowing that it led in the direction he wished to go. The reader is not to suppose, however, that any difficulty could exist as to the course. This would have been determined by that of the air, had it not been possible t

l, after a pause of several minutes -"I

e of the lake," returned the young man. "Natur' has made us a road

yer?- It seemed as if the wat

land; one has leaped into the air and fallen hard, back into his own element. 'Tis of little use Judith, for any to strive to get out of thei

ame instant. The glimpse of this startling neighbor was dim, and to eyes less practised it might have been uncertain, though to those in the Ark the object was evidently a canoe with a single individual in it; the latter standing erect and paddlin

arrn'd." Then raising his voice, he continued in a solemn manner -"hold! If ye come nearer, I must

soft tremulous female voice. "And God will never forg

dling, and remained dimly visible, resembling a spectral outline of a human form, standing on the water. At the next moment the sail was lowered, to prevent the Ark from passing the spot where the canoe lay. This last expedient, however, was not taken in time,

nded Deerslayer -"Why has your sis

r own ideas of what ought to be done. She loves her father

a trying moment; one in wh

she spoke again. But once more urged by Deerslayer, and conscious herself of all the ri

and rudeness and folly, that lie hid behind the handsome face and fine form of Hurry Harry.

cheme to serve her father and Hurry, which will, in all likeli

fact, Deerslayer. Poor Hetty has hardly

hould altogether disappear. The rifles were now laid aside as useless, the two men seizing the oars and sweeping the head of the scow round in the direction of the canoe. Judith, accustomed to the office, flew to the other end of the

apture of the fugitive, had not the girl made several short and unlooked-for deviations in her course. These turnings gave her time, and they had also the effect of gradually bringing both canoe and Ark within the deeper gloo

sing their senses differently, in order to detect the position of the canoe. Judith bent forward to listen, in the hope of catching some sound that might betray the direction in which her sister was stealing away, while her two companions brought their eyes as near as possible to a level with the water, in order to detect any object that might be floating on its surface. All was vain, however, for neither sound nor sight rewarded their efforts. All this time Hetty, who had not the cunning to s

nd where the obscurity was intense on account of the proximity of the land, it lay there near an hour, in waiting for the expected approach of Hetty, who, it was thought, would make the best of her way to that spot as soon as she believed herself released from the danger of pursuit. No success rewarded this little blockade, however, neither appearance nor sound denoting the