Adventure Books

29 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper

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Duration:: 39m
Broadcast on:: 14 Aug 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

save on a Riley break parts cleaner get two cans of a Riley break parts cleaner for just eight dollars valid in store only at O'Reilly auto parts hey there it's Solomon from Sal good media a lot of our listeners have asked how to get ad-free access to our podcast you asked and we answered we're offering an exclusive one-month free trial to our ad-free streaming platform packed with over 500 audiobooks meditation sounds and engaging podcasts no strings attached just pure listening pleasure sign up today at Sal good media calm and dive into a world of stories and sounds that inspire and relax don't miss out on this limited time offer it's your gateway to unlimited audio enjoyment that's Sal good media calm so well g-o-o-d-m-e-d-i-a.com check it out we hope to see over there chapter 29 quote the assembly seated rising or the rest Achilles thus the king of men addressed unquote from Pope's Iliad Cora stood foremost among the prisoners in twining her arms and those of Alice in the tenderness of sisterly love not withstanding the fearful and menacing array of savages on every side of her no apprehension on her own account could prevent the nobler-minded maiden from keeping her eyes fastened on the pale and anxious features of the trembling Alice close at their side stood Hayward with an interest in both that at such a moment of intense uncertainty scarcely knew a preponderance in favor of her whom he most loved Hawkeye had placed himself a little in the rear with a deference to the superior rank of his companions that no similarity in the state of their present fortunes could induce him to forget uncles was not there when perfect silence was again restored and after the usual long impressive pause one of the two aged a chief who sat at the side of the patriarch arose and demanded a loud in very intelligible English which of my prisoners is lay long Caribbean neither Duncan nor the scout answered the former however glanced his eyes around the dark and silent assembly and recoiled a pace when they fell on the malignant visage of Magua he saw at once that this wily savage had some secret agency in their present arraignment before the nation and determined to throw every possible impediment in the way of execution of his sinister plans he had witnessed one instance of the summary punishments of the Indians and now dreaded that his companion was to be selected for a second in this dilemma with little or no time for reflection he suddenly determined to cloak his invaluable friend at every and every hazard to himself before he had time however to speak the question was repeated in a louder voice and with a clearer utterance give us arms the young man huddly replied and place us in yonder woods our deeds shall speak for us this is the warrior whose name has filled our ears returned the chief regarding Heyward with that sort of curious interest which seems inseparable for man when first beholding one of his fellows to whom merit or accident virtue or crime has given notoriety what has brought the white man into the camp of the Delaware's my necessities I come for food shelter and friends it cannot be the woods are full of game the head of a warrior needs no other shelter than a sky without clouds and the Delaware's are the enemies and not the friends of the Yankees go the mouth has spoken while the heart said nothing Duncan a little at a loss in whatever manner to proceed remain silent but the scout who had listened attentively to all that passed now advanced steadily to the front that I did not answer to the call for la long caribbean was not owning either to shame or fear he said for neither one nor the other is the gift of an honest man but I do not admit to the right of the Mingos to bestow a name on one whose friends have been mindful of his gifts in this particular especially as their title is a lie killed here being a grooved barrel and no caribbean I am the man however that got the name of Nathaniel from my kin the complement of Hawkeye from the Delaware's who live on their own river and whom the Iroquois have presumed to style the long rifle without any warranty from him who is most concerned in the matter the eyes of all present which had hitherto been gravely scanning the person of Duncan were now turned on the instant toward the upright iron frame of this new pretender to the distinguished appellation it was in no degree remarkable that there should be found to who were willing to claim so great at honor for imposters though rare were not unknown among the natives but it was altogether material to the just and severe intentions of the Delaware that there should be no mistake in the matter some of their old men consulted together in private and then as it would seem they determined to interrogate their visitor on the subject my brother has said that a snake crept into my camp said the chief Tamakwa which is he the heroine pointed to the scout will wise Delaware believe the barking of a wolf exclaimed Duncan still more confirmed than the evil intentions of his ancient enemy a dog never lies that when was a wolf known to speak the truth the eyes of Mark with flashed fire but suddenly recollecting the necessity of maintaining his presence of mine he turned away in silent disdain well assured that the sagacity of the Indians would not fail to extract the real merits of the point in controversy he was not deceived for after another short consultation the wary Delaware turned to him again and expressed the determination of the chiefs though in the most considerate language my brother has been called a liar he said and his friends are angry they will show that he has spoken the truth give my prisoners guns and let them prove which is the man mark what affected to consider the expedient which he well knew proceeded from distrust of himself as a compliment and made a gesture of acquiescence well content that his veracity should be supported by so skillful a marksman as the scout the weapons were instantly placed in the hands of the friendly opponents and they were bid to fire over the heads of the seated multitude at an earthen vessel which lay by accident on a stump some 50 yards from the place where they stood Hayward smiled to himself at the idea of a competition with the scout though he determined to persevere in the deception until a prize to the real designs of Marquis raising his rifle with the utmost care and renewing his aim three several times he fired the bullet cut the wood within a few inches of the vessel and a general exclamation of satisfaction announced that the shot was considered a proof of great skill in the use of a weapon even Hawkeye nodded his head as if he would say it was better than he expected but instead of manifesting an intention to contend with the successful marksman he stood leaning on his rifle for more than a minute like a man who was completely buried in thought from his reverie he was however awakened by one of the young Indians who had furnished the arms and who now touched his shoulder saying in exceedingly broken English can the pale face beat it yes you're on exclaimed the scout raising the short rifle in his right hand and shaking it at magua with as much apparent ease as if it were a read yes you're on I could strike you now and no power on earth could prevent the deed the soaring hawk is no more certain of the dove that I am this moment of you did I choose to send a bullet to your heart why should I not why because the gifts of my color forbid it and I might draw down evil on tender and innocent heads if you know such a being as God thank him therefore in your inward soul for you have reason the flush countenance angry eye and swelling figure of the scout produced a sensation of secret all in all that heard him the Delaware's held their breath in expectation but mark what himself even while he distrusted the forbearance of his enemy remained immovable and calm where he stood wedged in by the crowd as one who grew to the spot beat it repeated the young Delaware at the elbow of the scout beat what fool what exclaimed Hawkeye still flourishing the weapon angry above his head though his eye no longer sought the person of makua if the white man is the lawyer he pretends said the age of chief let him strike mire to the mark the scout laughed aloud a noise that produced the startling effect of an unnatural sound on Hayward then dropping the piece heavily into the extended left hand it was discharged apparently by the shock driving the fragments of the vessel into the air and scattering them on every side almost at the same instant the rattling sound of the rifle was heard as he suffered it to fall contemptuously to the earth the first impression of so strange a scene was engrossing admiration then a low but increasing murmur ran through the multitude and finally swelled into sounds that denoted a lively opposition in the sentiments of the spectators while some openly testify their satisfaction at so unexampled dexterity by far the larger portion of the tribe were inclined to believe the success of the shot was the result of accident Hayward was not slow to confirm an opinion that was so favorable to his own pretensions it was chance he exclaimed none can shoot without an aim chance echoed the excited woodsman who is now stubbornly bent on maintaining his identity at every hazard and on whom the secret hints of Hayward to acquiesce in the deception were entirely lost does yonder lying here on to think a chance give him another gun and place us face to face with out cover or dodge and let providence and our own eyes decide the matter of tween us I do not make the offer to you major for our blood is of a color and we serve the same master that the Iran is a liar is very evident returned Hayward Cooley you have yourself heard him assert you to be the long caribbean it were impossible to say what violent assertion the stubborn Hawkeye would have next made in his head long wish to vindicate his identity had not the aged Delaware once more interposed the hawk which comes from the clouds can return when he will he said give them the guns this time the scout sees the rifle with a vidity nor had mock with though he watched the movements of the marksman with jealous eyes any further cause for apprehension now let it be proved in the face of this tribe of Delaware's which is the better man cried the scout tapping the butt of his piece with that finger which had pulled so many fatal triggers you see that gourd hanging against yonder tree major if you are a marksman fit for the borders let me see you break its shell Duncan noted the object and prepared himself to renew the trial the gourd was one of the usual little vessels used by the Indians and it was suspended from a dead branch of a small pine by a thong of deer skin at the full distance of a hundred yards so strangely compounded is the feeling of self-love that the young soldier while he knew the utter worthlessness of the suffrages of his savage umpires forgot the sudden motives of the contest in which to excel it had been seen already that his skill was far from being contemptible and he now resolved to put forth its nicest qualities had his life depended on the issue the aim of Duncan could not have been more deliberate or guarded he fired and three or four young Indians who sprang forward at the report announced with a shout that the ball was in the tree a very little on one side of the proper object the Warriors uttered a common ejaculation of pleasure and then turned their eyes inquiringly on the movements of his rival it may do for the royal Americans said Hawkeye laughing once more in his own silent heartfelt manner but had my gun often turned so much from the true line many a Martin whose skin is now in a ladies muff would still be in the woods I and many a bloody Mingo who is departed to his final account would be acting his devil trees at this very day between the provinces I hope the squall who owns the gourd has more of them in her wigwam for this will never hold water again the scout had shook his priming and cocked his piece while speaking and has he ended he threw back a foot and slowly raised the muzzle from the earth the motion was steady uniform and in one direction when on a perfect level it remained for a single moment without tremor or variation as though both man and the rifle were carved in stone during that station instant it poured forth its contents in a bright glancing sheet of flame again the young Indians bounded forward but their hurried search and disappointed looks announced that no traces of the bullet were to be seen "Go!" said the old chief to the scout in a tone of strong distrust. "Thou are a wolf in the skin of a dog I will talk to the long rifle of the Yankees." "Ah!" had I that piece which furnished the name you use I would obligate myself to cut the thong and drop the gourd without breaking it returned Hawkeye perfectly undisturbed by the other's manner fools if you would find the bullet of a sharp shooter in these woods you must look in the object and not around it the Indian youth instantly comprehended his meaning for this time he spoke in the Delaware tongue and tearing the gourd from the tree they held it on hive with an exalting shell displaying a hole in its bottom which had been cut by the bullet after passing through the usual orifice in the center of its upper side at this unexpected exhibition allowed in vehement expression of pleasure burst from the mouth of every warrior present it decided the question in defectually established Hawkeye in the possession of his dangerous reputation those curious and admiring eyes which had been turned again on Hayward were finally directed to the weather beaten form of the scout who immediately became the principal object of attention to the simple and unsophisticated beings by whom he was surrounded when the sudden and noisy commotion had a little subsided the age of chief resumed his examination why did you wish to stop my ears he said addressing Duncan are the Delaware's fools that they could not know the young panther from the cat they will yet find the Huron a singing bird said Duncan endeavoring to adopt the figurative language of the natives it is good we will know who can shut the ears of men brother and the chief turning his eyes on makwa the Delaware's listen thus singled and directly called on to declare his object the Huron arose and advancing with great deliberation and dignity into the very center of the circle where he stood confronted by the prisoners he placed himself in an attitude to speak before opening his mouth however he bent his eyes slowly among the whole living boundary of Ernest faces as if to temper his expressions to the capabilities of his audience on Hawkeye he cast a glance of respectful enmity on Duncan a look of in extinguishable hatred the shrinking figure of Alice he scarcely dained to notice but when his glance met the firm commanding and yet lovely form of Quora his eye lingered a moment with an expression that might have been difficult to define then filled with his own dark detentions he spoke in the language of the candidates a tongue that he knew well was comprehended by most of his auditors the spirit that made men colored them differently convinced the subtle Huron some are blacker than the sluggish bear these he said should be slaves and he ordered them to work forever like the beaver you may hear them grow when the South wind blows louder than the lowing buffaloes along the shores of the Great Lake where the big canoes come and go with them in droves some he made with faces paler than the ermin of the forest and these he ordered to be traders dogs to their woman and wolves to their slaves he gave this people the nature of the pigeon wings that never tire young more plentiful than the leaves of the trees and appetites to devour the earth he gave them tongues like the false call of the wildcat hearts like rabbits the cunning of the hog but none of the fox and arms longer than the legs of the moose with his tongue he stops the ears of the Indians his heart teaches him to pay warriors to fight his battles his cunning tells him how to get together the goods of the earth and his arms enclose the land from the shores of the saltwater to the islands of the Great Lake his gluttony makes him sick God gave him enough and yet he wants all such are the pale faces some the great spirit made with skins brighter and redder than yonder son continued mochua pointing impressively upward to the lurid luminary which was struggling through the misty atmosphere of the horizon and these did he fashion to his own mind he gave them his island as he had made it covered with trees and filled with game the wind made their clearings the sun and rain ripened their fruits and the snows came to tell them to be thankful what need had they have roads to journey by they saw through the hills when the beavers work they lay in shade and looked on the winds cold them in summer in winter skins kept them warm if they fought among themselves it was to prove that they were men they were brave they were just they were happy here the speaker paused and again looked around him to discover if his legend had touched the sympathy of his listeners he met everywhere with eyes riveted on his own heads erect and nostrils expanded as if each individual present felt himself able and willing singly to redress the wrongs of his race if the great spirit gave different tongues to his red children he continued in a low still melancholy voice it was that all animals might understand them some he placed among the snows with their cousin the bear some he placed near the setting sun on the road to the happy hunting grounds some on the lands around the great fresh waters but to his greatest and most beloved he gave the sands of the Salt Lake do my brothers know the name of this favored people it was the Lenapey exclaimed 20 eager voices in a breath it was the Leni Lenapey returned makwa affecting to bend his head in reverence to their former greatness it was the tribes of the Lenapey the sun rose from water that was salt and set in water that was sweet and never hid himself from their eyes but why should I a Huron of the Woods tell a wise people their own traditions why remind them of their injuries their ancient greatness their deeds their glory their happiness their losses their defeats their misery is there not one among them who has seen it all and knows it to be true I have done my tongue is still for my heart is of lead I listen as the voice of the speaker suddenly ceased every face and all eyes turned by a common movement toward the venerable tenement from the moment that he took his seat until the present instant the lips of the patriarch had not severed and scarcely a sign of life had escaped him he sat bent in feebleness and apparently unconscious of the presence he was in during the whole of that opening scene in which the skill of the scout had been so clearly established at the nicely graduated sound of makwa's voice however he betrayed some evidence of consciousness and once or twice he even raised his head as if to listen but when the crafty Huron spoke of his nation by name the islands of the old man raised themselves and he looked out upon the multitude with that sort of dull unmeaning expression which might be supposed to belong to the countenance of a specter then he made an effort to rise and being upheld by his supporters he gained his feet in a posture commanding by its dignity while he tottered with weakness who call upon the children of the Lenape he said in a deep guttural voice that was rendered awfully audible by the breathless silence of the multitude who speaks of things gone does not the egg become a worm the worm a fly and perish why tell the Delaware's of good that is passed better thank the manito for that which remains it is a lion dot said makwa stepping nier to the rude platform on which the other stood a friend of Tom Anand a friend repeated the sage on whose brow a dark frown settled imparting a portion of that severity which had rendered his eyes so terrible in middle age are the Mingos rollers of the earth what brings a Iran here justice his prisoners are with his brothers and he comes for his own Tom Anand turned his head toward one of his supporters and listened to this short explanation the man gave then facing the applicant he regarded him for a moment with deep attention after which he said in a low and reluctant voice just this is the law of the great manito my children give the stranger food then Iran take thine own and depart on the delivery of this solemn judgment the patriarch seated himself and closed his eyes again as if better pleased with the images of his own ripened experience then with the visible objects of the world against such a decree there was no Delaware sufficiently hardy to murmur much less oppose himself the words were barely uttered when four or five the younger warriors stepping behind Hayward and the scout passed thong so dexterously and rapidly around their arms as to hold them both in instant bondage the former was too much engrossed with his precious and nearly insensible burden to be aware of their intentions before they were executed and the latter who considered even the hostile tribes of the Delaware a superior race of beings submitted without resistance perhaps however the manner of the scout would not have been so passive had he fully comprehended the language in which the preceding dialogue had been conducted mark what cast the look of triumph around the whole assembly before he proceeded to the execution of his purpose perceiving that the men were unable to offer any resistance he turned his look on her he valued most quora met his gaze with an eye so calm and firm that his resolution wavered then recollecting his former artifice he raised Alice from the arms of the warrior against whom she leaned and beckoning Hayward to follow he motioned for the encircling crowd to open but quora instead of obeying the impulse he had expected rushed to the feet of the patriarch and raising her voice exclaimed out loud just and venerable Delaware on thy wisdom and power we lean for mercy be deaf to yonder artful and remorseless monster who poisons thy ears with falsehoods to feed his thirst for blood now that has lived long and that has seen the evil the world should know how to temper its calamities to the miserable the eyes of the old man open heavily and he once more looked upward at the multitude as the piercing tones of the supply and swelled on his ears they move slowly in the direction of her person and finally settled there on a steady gaze Quora had cast herself to her knees and with hands clenched in each other and pressed upon her bosom she remained like a butious and breathing model of her sex looking up in his faded but majestic countenance with a species of holy reverence gradually the expression of feminine features changed and losing their vacancy in admiration they lighted with a portion of that intelligence which is century before have been want to communicate his youthful fire to the extensive bands of the Delaware's rising without assistance and seemingly without an effort he demanded in a voice that startled its auditors by its firmness what art thou a woman one of a hated race if thou will a yengie but one who has never harmed thee and who cannot harm thy people if she would who asked for succor tell me my children continued the patriarch hoarsely motioning to those around him though his eyes still dwelt upon the kneeling form of Quora where have the Delaware's camped in the mountains of the Iroquois beyond the clear springs of the hurricane many parching summers are come and gone continued the sage since I drank the water on my own rivers the children of minquan are the justice white men but they are thirsty and took it to themselves do they follow us so far footnote William Penn was termed minquan by the Delaware's and as he never used violence or injustice in his dealings with them his reputation for probity passed into a proverb the American is justly proud of the origin of his nation which is perhaps an equaled in the history of the world but the Pennsylvania and Jersey men have more reason to value themselves in their ancestors than the natives of any other state since no wrong was done the original owners of the soil and footnote we follow none we covet nothing answered Quora captives against our wills we have been brought amongst you and we ask but permission to be part to our own in peace art thou not Tom Anand the father the judge I'd almost said the prophet of his people I am Tom Anand of many days till now some seven years that one of thy people was at the mercy of a white chief on the borders of this province he claimed to be of the blood of the good and just Tom Anand go said the white man for thy parents sake thou art free thus thou remember the name of that English warrior I remember that when a laughing boy returned to patriarch with the peculiar recollection of vast age I stood upon the sands of the seashore and saw a big canoe with wings whiter than the swans and wider than many eagles come from the rising sun nay nay I speak not of a time so very distance but a favor shown to thy kindred by one of mine within the memory of thy youngest warrior was it when the yangies and the Dutch man fought for the hunting grounds of the Delaware's then Tom Anand was chief and first laid aside the bow for the lightning of the pale faces not yet then interrupted Quora by many ages I speak of the thing of yesterday surely surely you forgot it not it was but yesterday we joined the agent man with touching pathus that the children of the lannopy were masters of the world the fishes of the salt lake the birds the beast and the mangy of the woods owned them for sagamores Quora bowed her head in disappointment and for a better moment struggled with her chagrin then elevating her rich features and beaming eyes she continued in tone scarcely less penetrating than the unearthly voice of the patriarch himself tell me is Tom Anand a father the old man looked down upon her from his elevated stand with a benign smile on his wasted confidence and then casting his eyes slowly over the whole assembly she answered of a nation for myself I asked nothing like me and mine better but chief she continued pressing her hands convulsively on her heart and suffering her head to droop until her burning cheeks were nearly concealed in the maze of dark glossy tresses that fell in disorder on her shoulders the curse of my ancestors has fallen heavily on their child but yonder is one who has never known the weight of heaven's displeasure until now she is the daughter of an old and failing man whose days are near their clothes she has many very many to love her and delight in her and she is too good much too precious to become the victim of that villain I know that the pale faces are a proud and hungry race I know that they claim not only to have the earth but that the meanest of their color is better than the suchms of the red man the dogs and crows of their tribes continued the earnest old chieftain without heating the wounded spirit of his listener whose head was nearly crushed to the earth in shame as he proceeded would bark and call before they would take a woman to their wig wams whose blood was not the color of snow but let them not boast before the face of the manatotu loud they entered the land of the rising and may yet go off at the setting sun I have often seen the locus strip the leaves from the trees but the season of blossoms has always come again it is so said Cora drawing a long breath as if reviving from a trance raising her face and shaking back her shining veil with a kindling eye that contradicted the death-like paleness of her countenance but why is it not permitted us to inquire there is yet one of nine old people who has not been brought before the before the lettuce the year on depart and try of hear him speak observing Tom Anand to look about him doubtfully one of his companions said it is a snake a red skin in the pay of the Yankees we keep him for the torture let him come return the sage then Tom Anand once more sank into his seat and a silence so deep prevailed while the young man prepared to obey his simple mandate that the leaves which fluttered in the draft of the light morning air were distinctly heard rustling in the surrounding forest and of chapter 29 hey there listeners are you ready to unlock a world of captivating stories soothing sounds and enlightening lectures at Sal good media we 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