Chapter 6

These, as they change, Almighty Father, these,
Are but the varied God.
THOMSON.

As the chief landed he was met by the Pathfinder, who addressed
him in the language of the warrior's people: "Was it well done,
Chingachgook," said he reproachfully, "to ambush a dozen Mingos
alone? Killdeer seldom fails me, it is true; but the Oswego makes a
distant mark, and that miscreant showed little more than his head
and shoulders above the bushes, and an onpractysed hand and eye
might have failed. You should have thought of this, chief -- you
should have thought of this!"

"The Great Serpent is a Mohican warrior -- he sees only his enemies
when he is on the war-path, and his fathers have struck the Mingos
from behind, since the waters began to run."

"I know your gifts, I know your gifts, and respect them too. No
man shall hear me complain that a red-skin obsarved red-skin natur'.
But prudence as much becomes a warrior as valor; and had not the
Iroquois devils been looking after their friends who were in the
water, a hot trail they would have made of yourn."

"What is the Delaware about to do?" exclaimed Jasper, who observed
at that moment that the chief had suddenly left the Pathfinder
and advanced to the water's edge, apparently with an intention of
again entering the river. "He will not be so mad as to return to
the other shore for any trifle he may have forgotten?"

"Not he, not he; he is as prudent as he is brave, in the main, though
so forgetful of himself in the late ambushment. Hark'e, Jasper,"
leading the other a little aside, just as they heard the Indian's
plunge into the water, --"hark'e, lad; Chingachgook is not a
Christian white man, like ourselves, but a Mohican chief, who has
his gifts and traditions to tell him what he ought to do; and he
who consorts with them that are not strictly and altogether of his
own kind had better leave natur' and use to govern his comrades.
A king's soldier will swear and he will drink, and it is of little
use to try to prevent him; a gentleman likes his delicacies, and
a lady her feathers and it does not avail much to struggle against
either; whereas an Indian's natur' and gifts are much stronger
than these, and no doubt were bestowed by the Lord for wise ends,
though neither you nor me can follow them in all their windings."

"What does this mean? See, the Delaware is swimming towards the
body that is lodged on the rock? Why does he risk this?"

"For honor and glory and renown, as great gentlemen quit their quiet
homes beyond seas -- where, as they tell me, heart has nothing left
to wish for; that is, such hearts as can be satisfied in a