Chapter 6

"Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide; He wales a

portion with judicious care; And 'Let us worship God', he

says, with solemn air."--Burns

Heyward and his female companions witnessed this mysterious

movement with secret uneasiness; for, though the conduct of

the white man had hitherto been above reproach, his rude

equipments, blunt address, and strong antipathies, together

with the character of his silent associates, were all causes

for exciting distrust in minds that had been so recently

alarmed by Indian treachery.

The stranger alone disregarded the passing incidents. He

seated himself on a projection of the rocks, whence he gave

no other signs of consciousness than by the struggles of his

spirit, as manifested in frequent and heavy sighs.

Smothered voices were next heard, as though men called to

each other in the bowels of the earth, when a sudden light

flashed upon those without, and laid bare the much-prized

secret of the place.

At the further extremity of a narrow, deep cavern in the

rock, whose length appeared much extended by the perspective

and the nature of the light by which it was seen, was seated

the scout, holding a blazing knot of pine. The strong glare

of the fire fell full upon his sturdy, weather-beaten

countenance and forest attire, lending an air of romantic

wildness to the aspect of an individual, who, seen by the

sober light of day, would have exhibited the peculiarities

of a man remarkable for the strangeness of his dress, the

iron-like inflexibility of his frame, and the singular

compound of quick, vigilant sagacity, and of exquisite

simplicity, that by turns usurped the possession of his

muscular features. At a little distance in advance stood

Uncas, his whole person thrown powerfully into view. The

travelers anxiously regarded the upright, flexible figure of

the young Mohican, graceful and unrestrained in the

attitudes and movements of nature. Though his person was

more than usually screened by a green and fringed hunting-

shirt, like that of the white man, there was no concealment

to his dark, glancing, fearless eye, alike terrible and

calm; the bold outline of his high, haughty features, pure

in their native red; or to the dignified elevation of his

receding forehead, together with all the finest proportions

of a noble head, bared to the generous scalping tuft. It

was the first opportunity possessed by Duncan and his

companions to view the marked lineaments of either of their

Indian attendants, and each individual of the party felt

relieved from a burden of doubt, as the proud and

determined, though wild expression of the features of the

young warrior forced itself on their notice. They felt it

might be a being partially benighted in the vale of

ignorance, but it could not be one who would willingly

devote his rich natural gifts to the purposes of wanton

treachery. The ingenuous Alice gazed at his free air and

proud carriage, as she would have looked upon some precious

relic of the Grecian chisel, to which life had been imparted

by the intervention of a miracle; while Heyward, though

accustomed to see the perfection of form which abounds among

the uncorrupted natives, openly expressed his admiration at

such an unblemished specimen of the noblest proportions of

man.

"I could sleep in peace," whispered Alice, in reply, "with

such a fearless and generous-looking youth for my sentinel.

Surely, Duncan, those cruel murders, those terrific scenes

of torture, of which we read and hear so much, are never

acted in the presence of such as he!"

"This certainly is a rare and brilliant instance of those

natural qualities in which these peculiar people are said to

excel," he answered. "I agree with you, Alice, in thinking

that such a front and eye were formed rather to intimidate

than to deceive; but let us not practice a deception upon

ourselves, by expecting any other exhibition of what we

esteem virtue than according to the fashion of the savage.

As bright examples of great qualities are but too uncommon

among Christians, so are they singular and solitary with the

Indians; though, for the honor of our common nature, neither

are incapable of producing them. Let us then hope that this

Mohican may not disappoint our wishes, but prove what his

looks assert him to be, a brave and constant friend."

"Now Major Heyward speaks as Major Heyward should," said

Cora; "who that looks at this creature of nature, remembers

the shade of his skin?"

A short and apparently an embarrassed silence succeeded this

remark, which was interrupted by the scout calling to them,

aloud, to enter.

"This fire begins to show too bright a flame," he continued,

as they complied, "and might light the Mingoes to our

undoing. Uncas, drop the blanket, and show the knaves its

dark side. This is not such a supper as a major of the

Royal Americans has a right to expect, but I've known stout

detachments of the corps glad to eat their venison raw, and

without a relish, too*. Here, you see, we have plenty of

salt, and can make a quick broil. There's fresh sassafras

boughs for the ladies to sit on, which may not be as proud

as their my-hog-guinea chairs, but which sends up a sweeter

flavor, than the skin of any hog can do, be it of Guinea, or

be it of any other land. Come, friend, don't be mournful

for the colt; 'twas an innocent thing, and had not seen much

hardship. Its death will save the creature many a sore back

and weary foot!"

* In vulgar parlance the condiments of a repast are

called by the American "a relish," substituting the thing

for its effect. These provincial terms are frequently put

in the mouths of the speakers, according to their several

conditions in life. Most of them are of local use, and

others quite peculiar to the particular class of men to

which the character belongs. In the present instance, the

scout uses the word with immediate reference to the "salt,"

with which his own party was so fortunate as to be provided.

Uncas did as the other had directed, and when the voice of

Hawkeye ceased, the roar of the cataract sounded like the

rumbling of distant thunder.

"Are we quite safe in this cavern?" demanded Heyward. "Is

there no danger of surprise? A single armed man, at its

entrance, would hold us at his mercy."

A spectral-looking figure stalked from out of the darkness

behind the scout, and seizing a blazing brand, held it

toward the further extremity of their place of retreat.

Alice uttered a faint shriek, and even Cora rose to her

feet, as this appalling object moved into the light; but a

single word from Heyward calmed them, with the assurance it

was only their attendant, Chingachgook, who, lifting another

blanket, discovered that the cavern had two outlets. Then,

holding the brand, he crossed a deep, narrow chasm in the

rocks which ran at right angles with the passage they were

in, but which, unlike that, was open to the heavens, and

entered another cave, answering to the description of the

first, in every essential particular.

"Such old foxes as Chingachgook and myself are not often

caught in a barrow with one hole," said Hawkeye, laughing;

"you can easily see the cunning of the place--the rock is

black limestone, which everybody knows is soft; it makes no

uncomfortable pillow, where brush and pine wood is scarce;

well, the fall was once a few yards below us, and I dare to

say was, in its time, as regular and as handsome a sheet of

water as any along the Hudson. But old age is a great

injury to good looks, as these sweet young ladies have yet

to l'arn! The place is sadly changed! These rocks are full

of cracks, and in some places they are softer than at

othersome, and the water has worked out deep hollows for

itself, until it has fallen back, ay, some hundred feet,

breaking here and wearing there, until the falls have

neither shape nor consistency."

"In what part of them are we?" asked Heyward.

"Why, we are nigh the spot that Providence first placed them

at, but where, it seems, they were too rebellious to stay.

The rock proved softer on each side of us, and so they left

the center of the river bare and dry, first working out

these two little holes for us to hide in."

"We are then on an island!"

"Ay! there are the falls on two sides of us, and the river

above and below. If you had daylight, it would be worth the

trouble to step up on the height of this rock, and look at

the perversity of the water. It falls by no rule at all;

sometimes it leaps, sometimes it tumbles; there it skips;

here it shoots; in one place 'tis white as snow, and in

another 'tis green as grass; hereabouts, it pitches into

deep hollows, that rumble and crush the 'arth; and

thereaways, it ripples and sings like a brook, fashioning

whirlpools and gullies in the old stone, as if 'twas no

harder than trodden clay. The whole design of the river

seems disconcerted. First it runs smoothly, as if meaning

to go down the descent as things were ordered; then it

angles about and faces the shores; nor are there places

wanting where it looks backward, as if unwilling to leave

the wilderness, to mingle with the salt. Ay, lady, the fine

cobweb-looking cloth you wear at your throat is coarse, and

like a fishnet, to little spots I can show you, where the

river fabricates all sorts of images, as if having broke

loose from order, it would try its hand at everything. And

yet what does it amount to! After the water has been

suffered so to have its will, for a time, like a headstrong

man, it is gathered together by the hand that made it, and a

few rods below you may see it all, flowing on steadily

toward the sea, as was foreordained from the first

foundation of the 'arth!"

While his auditors received a cheering assurance of the

security of their place of concealment from this untutored

description of Glenn's,* they were much inclined to judge

differently from Hawkeye, of its wild beauties. But they

were not in a situation to suffer their thoughts to dwell on

the charms of natural objects; and, as the scout had not

found it necessary to cease his culinary labors while he

spoke, unless to point out, with a broken fork, the

direction of some particularly obnoxious point in the

rebellious stream, they now suffered their attention to be

drawn to the necessary though more vulgar consideration of

their supper.

* Glenn's Falls are on the Hudson, some forty or fifty

miles above the head of tide, or that place where the river

becomes navigable for sloops. The description of this

picturesque and remarkable little cataract, as given by the

scout, is sufficiently correct, though the application of

the water to uses of civilized life has materially injured

its beauties. The rocky island and the two caverns are

known to every traveler, since the former sustains the pier

of a bridge, which is now thrown across the river,

immediately above the fall. In explanation of the taste of

Hawkeye, it should be remembered that men always prize that

most which is least enjoyed. Thus, in a new country, the

woods and other objects, which in an old country would be

maintained at great cost, are got rid of, simply with a view

of "improving" as it is called.

The repast, which was greatly aided by the addition of a few

delicacies that Heyward had the precaution to bring with him

when they left their horses, was exceedingly refreshing to

the weary party. Uncas acted as attendant to the females,

performing all the little offices within his power, with a

mixture of dignity and anxious grace, that served to amuse

Heyward, who well knew that it was an utter innovation on

the Indian customs, which forbid their warriors to descend

to any menial employment, especially in favor of their

women. As the rights of hospitality were, however,

considered sacred among them, this little departure from the

dignity of manhood excited no audible comment. Had there

been one there sufficiently disengaged to become a close

observer, he might have fancied that the services of the

young chief were not entirely impartial. That while he

tendered to Alice the gourd of sweet water, and the venison

in a trencher, neatly carved from the knot of the

pepperidge, with sufficient courtesy, in performing the same

offices to her sister, his dark eye lingered on her rich,

speaking countenance. Once or twice he was compelled to

speak, to command her attention of those he served. In such

cases he made use of English, broken and imperfect, but

sufficiently intelligible, and which he rendered so mild and

musical, by his deep, guttural voice, that it never failed

to cause both ladies to look up in admiration and

astonishment. In the course of these civilities, a few

sentences were exchanged, that served to establish the

appearance of an amicable intercourse between the parties.

In the meanwhile, the gravity of Chingcachgook remained

immovable. He had seated himself more within the circle of

light, where the frequent, uneasy glances of his guests were

better enabled to separate the natural expression of his

face from the artificial terrors of the war paint. They

found a strong resemblance between father and son, with the

difference that might be expected from age and hardships.

The fierceness of his countenance now seemed to slumber, and

in its place was to be seen the quiet, vacant composure

which distinguishes an Indian warrior, when his faculties

are not required for any of the greater purposes of his

existence. It was, however, easy to be seen, by the

occasional gleams that shot across his swarthy visage, that

it was only necessary to arouse his passions, in order to

give full effect to the terrific device which he had adopted

to intimidate his enemies. On the other hand, the quick,

roving eye of the scout seldom rested. He ate and drank

with an appetite that no sense of danger could disturb, but

his vigilance seemed never to desert him. Twenty times the

gourd or the venison was suspended before his lips, while

his head was turned aside, as though he listened to some

distant and distrusted sounds--a movement that never

failed to recall his guests from regarding the novelties of

their situation, to a recollection of the alarming reasons

that had driven them to seek it. As these frequent pauses

were never followed by any remark, the momentary uneasiness

they created quickly passed away, and for a time was

forgotten.

"Come, friend," said Hawkeye, drawing out a keg from beneath

a cover of leaves, toward the close of the repast, and

addressing the stranger who sat at his elbow, doing great

justice to his culinary skill, "try a little spruce; 'twill

wash away all thoughts of the colt, and quicken the life in

your bosom. I drink to our better friendship, hoping that a

little horse-flesh may leave no heart-burnings atween us.

How do you name yourself?"

"Gamut--David Gamut," returned the singing master,

preparing to wash down his sorrows in a powerful draught of

the woodsman's high-flavored and well-laced compound.

"A very good name, and, I dare say, handed down from honest

forefathers. I'm an admirator of names, though the

Christian fashions fall far below savage customs in this

particular. The biggest coward I ever knew as called Lyon;

and his wife, Patience, would scold you out of hearing in

less time than a hunted deer would run a rod. With an

Indian 'tis a matter of conscience; what he calls himself,

he generally is--not that Chingachgook, which signifies

Big Sarpent, is really a snake, big or little; but that he

understands the windings and turnings of human natur', and

is silent, and strikes his enemies when they least expect

him. What may be your calling?"

"I am an unworthy instructor in the art of psalmody."

"Anan!"

"I teach singing to the youths of the Connecticut levy."

"You might be better employed. The young hounds go laughing

and singing too much already through the woods, when they

ought not to breathe louder than a fox in his cover. Can

you use the smoothbore, or handle the rifle?"

"Praised be God, I have never had occasion to meddle with

murderous implements!"

"Perhaps you understand the compass, and lay down the

watercourses and mountains of the wilderness on paper, in

order that they who follow may find places by their given

names?"

"I practice no such employment."

"You have a pair of legs that might make a long path seem

short! you journey sometimes, I fancy, with tidings for the

general."

"Never; I follow no other than my own high vocation, which

is instruction in sacred music!"

"'Tis a strange calling!" muttered Hawkeye, with an inward

laugh, "to go through life, like a catbird, mocking all the

ups and downs that may happen to come out of other men's

throats. Well, friend, I suppose it is your gift, and

mustn't be denied any more than if 'twas shooting, or some

other better inclination. Let us hear what you can do in

that way; 'twill be a friendly manner of saying good-night,

for 'tis time that these ladies should be getting strength

for a hard and a long push, in the pride of the morning,

afore the Maquas are stirring."

"With joyful pleasure do I consent', said David, adjusting

his iron-rimmed spectacles, and producing his beloved little

volume, which he immediately tendered to Alice. "What can

be more fitting and consolatory, than to offer up evening

praise, after a day of such exceeding jeopardy!"

Alice smiled; but, regarding Heyward, she blushed and

hesitated.

"Indulge yourself," he whispered; "ought not the suggestion

of the worthy namesake of the Psalmist to have its weight at

such a moment?"

Encouraged by his opinion, Alice did what her pious

inclinations, and her keen relish for gentle sounds, had

before so strongly urged. The book was open at a hymn not

ill adapted to their situation, and in which the poet, no

longer goaded by his desire to excel the inspired King of

Israel, had discovered some chastened and respectable

powers. Cora betrayed a disposition to support her sister,

and the sacred song proceeded, after the indispensable

preliminaries of the pitchpipe, and the tune had been duly

attended to by the methodical David.

The air was solemn and slow. At times it rose to the

fullest compass of the rich voices of the females, who hung

over their little book in holy excitement, and again it sank

so low, that the rushing of the waters ran through their

melody, like a hollow accompaniment. The natural taste and

true ear of David governed and modified the sounds to suit

the confined cavern, every crevice and cranny of which was

filled with the thrilling notes of their flexible voices.

The Indians riveted their eyes on the rocks, and listened

with an attention that seemed to turn them into stone. But

the scout, who had placed his chin in his hand, with an

expression of cold indifference, gradually suffered his

rigid features to relax, until, as verse succeeded verse, he

felt his iron nature subdued, while his recollection was

carried back to boyhood, when his ears had been accustomed

to listen to similar sounds of praise, in the settlements of

the colony. His roving eyes began to moisten, and before

the hymn was ended scalding tears rolled out of fountains

that had long seemed dry, and followed each other down those

cheeks, that had oftener felt the storms of heaven than any

testimonials of weakness. The singers were dwelling on one

of those low, dying chords, which the ear devours with such

greedy rapture, as if conscious that it is about to lose

them, when a cry, that seemed neither human nor earthly,

rose in the outward air, penetrating not only the recesses

of the cavern, but to the inmost hearts of all who heard it.

It was followed by a stillness apparently as deep as if the

waters had been checked in their furious progress, at such a

horrid and unusual interruption.

"What is it?" murmured Alice, after a few moments of

terrible suspense.

"What is it?" repeated Hewyard aloud.

Neither Hawkeye nor the Indians made any reply. They

listened, as if expecting the sound would be repeated, with

a manner that expressed their own astonishment. At length

they spoke together, earnestly, in the Delaware language,

when Uncas, passing by the inner and most concealed

aperture, cautiously left the cavern. When he had gone, the

scout first spoke in English.

"What it is, or what it is not, none here can tell, though

two of us have ranged the woods for more than thirty years.

I did believe there was no cry that Indian or beast could

make, that my ears had not heard; but this has proved that I

was only a vain and conceited mortal."

"Was it not, then, the shout the warriors make when they

wish to intimidate their enemies?" asked Cora who stood

drawing her veil about her person, with a calmness to which

her agitated sister was a stranger.

"No, no; this was bad, and shocking, and had a sort of

unhuman sound; but when you once hear the war-whoop, you

will never mistake it for anything else. Well, Uncas!"

speaking in Delaware to the young chief as he re-entered,

"what see you? do our lights shine through the blankets?"

The answer was short, and apparently decided, being given in

the same tongue.

"There is nothing to be seen without," continued Hawkeye,

shaking his head in discontent; "and our hiding-place is

still in darkness. Pass into the other cave, you that need

it, and seek for sleep; we must be afoot long before the

sun, and make the most of our time to get to Edward, while

the Mingoes are taking their morning nap."

Cora set the example of compliance, with a steadiness that

taught the more timid Alice the necessity of obedience.

Before leaving the place, however, she whispered a request

to Duncan, that he would follow. Uncas raised the blanket

for their passage, and as the sisters turned to thank him

for this act of attention, they saw the scout seated again

before the dying embers, with his face resting on his hands,

in a manner which showed how deeply he brooded on the

unaccountable interruption which had broken up their evening

devotions.

Heyward took with him a blazing knot, which threw a dim

light through the narrow vista of their new apartment.

Placing it in a favorable position, he joined the females,

who now found themselves alone with him for the first time

since they had left the friendly ramparts of Fort Edward.

"Leave us not, Duncan," said Alice: "we cannot sleep in such

a place as this, with that horrid cry still ringing in our

ears."

"First let us examine into the security of your fortress,"

he answered, "and then we will speak of rest."

He approached the further end of the cavern, to an outlet,

which, like the others, was concealed by blankets; and

removing the thick screen, breathed the fresh and reviving

air from the cataract. One arm of the river flowed through

a deep, narrow ravine, which its current had worn in the

soft rock, directly beneath his feet, forming an effectual

defense, as he believed, against any danger from that

quarter; the water, a few rods above them, plunging,

glancing, and sweeping along in its most violent and broken

manner.

"Nature has made an impenetrable barrier on this side," he

continued, pointing down the perpendicular declivity into

the dark current before he dropped the blanket; "and as you

know that good men and true are on guard in front I see no

reason why the advice of our honest host should be

disregarded. I am certain Cora will join me in saying that

sleep is necessary to you both."

"Cora may submit to the justice of your opinion though she

cannot put it in practice," returned the elder sister, who

had placed herself by the side of Alice, on a couch of

sassafras; "there would be other causes to chase away sleep,

though we had been spared the shock of this mysterious

noise. Ask yourself, Heyward, can daughters forget the

anxiety a father must endure, whose children lodge he knows

not where or how, in such a wilderness, and in the midst of

so many perils?"

"He is a soldier, and knows how to estimate the chances of

the woods."

"He is a father, and cannot deny his nature."

"How kind has he ever been to all my follies, how tender and

indulgent to all my wishes!" sobbed Alice. "We have been

selfish, sister, in urging our visit at such hazard."

"I may have been rash in pressing his consent in a moment of

much embarrassment, but I would have proved to him, that

however others might neglect him in his strait his children

at least were faithful."

"When he heard of your arrival at Edward," said Heyward,

kindly, "there was a powerful struggle in his bosom between

fear and love; though the latter, heightened, if possible,

by so long a separation, quickly prevailed. 'It is the

spirit of my noble- minded Cora that leads them, Duncan', he

said, 'and I will not balk it. Would to God, that he who

holds the honor of our royal master in his guardianship,

would show but half her firmness'!"

"And did he not speak of me, Heyward?" demanded Alice, with

jealous affection; "surely, he forgot not altogether his

little Elsie?"

"That were impossible," returned the young man; "he called

you by a thousand endearing epithets, that I may not presume

to use, but to the justice of which, I can warmly testify.

Once, indeed, he said--"

Duncan ceased speaking; for while his eyes were riveted on

those of Alice, who had turned toward him with the eagerness

of filial affection, to catch his words, the same strong,

horrid cry, as before, filled the air, and rendered him

mute. A long, breathless silence succeeded, during which

each looked at the others in fearful expectation of hearing

the sound repeated. At length, the blanket was slowly

raised, and the scout stood in the aperture with a

countenance whose firmness evidently began to give way

before a mystery that seemed to threaten some danger,

against which all his cunning and experience might prove of

no avail.

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