the pathfinder-第60部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


is　old　Niagara　that　you　hear；　or　this　noble　stream　tum…
bling　down　a　mountain。〃

〃No　one　will　have　the　impudence　to　pretend　that　this
fine　broad　river　falls　over　yonder　hills？〃

〃It　does；　Master　Cap；　it　does；　and　all　for　the　want　of
stairs；　or　a　road　to　come　down　by。　　This　is　natur'；　as　we
have　it　up　hereaway；　though　I　daresay　you　beat　us　down
on　the　ocean。　　Ah's　me；　Mabel！　a　pleasant　hour　it　would
be　if　we　could　walk　on　the　shore　some　ten　or　fifteen　miles
up　this　stream；　and　gaze　on　all　that　God　has　done　there。〃

〃You　have；　then；　seen　these　renowned　falls；　Path…
finder？〃　the　girl　eagerly　inquired。

〃I　have　　yes；　I　have；　and　an　awful　sight　I　witnessed　at
that　same　time。　　The　Sarpent　and　I　were　out　scouting
about　the　garrison　there；　when　he　told　me　that　the　tradi…
tions　of　his　people　gave　an　account　of　a　mighty　cataract　in
this　neighborhood；　and　he　asked　me　to　vary　from　the　line
of　march　a　little　to　look　at　the　wonder。　　I　had　heard　some
marvels　consarning　the　spot　from　the　soldiers　of　the　60th；
which　is　my　nat'ral　corps　like；　and　not　the　55th；　with
which　I　have　sojourned　so　much　of　late；　but　there　are　so
many　terrible　liars　in　all　rijiments　that　I　hardly　believed
half　they　had　told　me。　　Well；　we　went；　and　though　we
expected　to　be　led　by　our　ears；　and　to　hear　some　of　that
awful　roaring　that　we　hear　to…day；　we　were　disappointed；
for　natur'　was　not　then　speaking　in　thunder；　as　she　is　this
morning。　　Thus　it　is　in　the　forest；　Master　Cap；　there
being　moments　when　God　seems　to　be　walking　abroad　in
power；　and　then；　again；　there　is　a　calm　over　all；　as　if　His
spirit　lay　in　quiet　along　the　'arth。　　Well；　we　came　sud…
denly　upon　the　stream；　a　short　distance　above　the　fall；　and
a　young　Delaware；　who　was　in　our　company；　found　a　bark
canoe；　and　he　would　push　into　the　current　to　reach　an
island　that　lies　in　the　very　centre　of　the　confusion　and
strife。　　We　told　him　of　his　folly；　we　did；　and　we　reasoned
with　him　on　the　wickedness　of　tempting　Providence　by
seeking　danger　that　led　to　no　ind；　but　the　youth　among
the　Delawares　are　very　much　the　same　as　the　youth　among
the　soldiers；　risky　and　vain。　　All　we　could　say　did　not
change　his　mind；　and　the　lad　had　his　way。　　To　me　it　seems；
Mabel；　that　whenever　a　thing　is　really　grand　and　potent；
it　has　a　quiet　majesty　about　it；　altogether　unlike　the　frothy
and　flustering　manner　of　smaller　matters；　and　so　it　was
with　them　rapids。　　The　canoe　was　no　sooner　fairly　in
them；　than　down　it　went；　as　it　might　be；　as　one　sails
through　the　air　on　the　'arth；　and　no　skill　of　the　young
Delaware　could　resist　the　stream。　　And　yet　he　struggled
manfully　for　life；　using　the　paddle　to　the　last；　like　the　deer
that　is　swimming　to　cast　the　hounds。　　At　first　he　shot
across　the　current　so　swiftly；　that　we　thought　he　would
prevail；　but　he　had　miscalculated　his　distance；　and　when
the　truth　really　struck　him；　he　turned　the　head　up…stream；
and　struggled　in　a　way　that　was　fearful　to　look　at。　　I　could
have　pitied　him　even　had　he　been　a　Mingo。　　For　a　few
moments　his　efforts　were　so　frantic　that　he　actually　pre…
vailed　over　the　power　of　the　cataract；　but　natur'　has　its
limits；　and　one　faltering　stroke　of　the　paddle　set　him　back；
and　then　he　lost　ground；　foot　by　foot；　inch　by　inch；　until
he　got　near　the　spot　where　the　river　looked　even　and
green；　and　as　if　it　were　made　of　millions　of　threads　of
water；　all　bent　over　some　huge　rock；　when　he　shot　back…
wards　like　an　arrow　and　disappeared；　the　bow　of　the　canoe
tipping　just　enough　to　let　us　see　what　had　become　of　him。
I　met　a　Mohawk　some　years　later　who　had　witnessed　the
whole　affair　from　the　bed　of　the　stream　below；　and　he　told
me　that　the　Delaware　continued　to　paddle　in　the　air　until
he　was　lost　in　the　mists　of　the　falls。〃

〃And　what　became　of　the　poor　wretch？〃　demanded
Mabel；　who　had　been　strongly　interested　by　the　natural
eloquence　of　the　speaker。

〃He　went　to　the　happy　hunting…grounds　of　his　people；
no　doubt；　for　though　he　was　risky　and　vain；　he　was　also
just　and　brave。　　Yes；　he　died　foolishly；　but　the　Manitou
of　the　red…skins　has　compassion　on　his　creaturs　as　well　as
the　God　of　a　Christian。〃

A　gun　at　this　moment　was　discharged　from　a　blockhouse
near　the　fort；　and　the　shot；　one　of　light　weight；　came
whistling　over　the　cutter's　mast；　an　admonition　to　ap…
proach　no　nearer。　　Jasper　was　at　the　helm；　and　he　kept
away；　smiling　at　the　same　time　as　if　he　felt　no　anger　at
the　rudeness　of　the　salutation。　　The　_Scud_　was　now　in　the
current；　and　her　outward　set　soon　carried　her　far　enough
to　leeward　to　avoid　the　danger　of　a　repetition　of　the　shot；
and　then　she　quietly　continued　her　course　along　the　land。
As　soon　as　the　river　was　fairly　opened；　Jasper　ascertained
that　the　_Montcalm_　was　not　at　anchor　in　it；　and　a　man
sent　aloft　came　down　with　the　report　that　the　horizon
showed　no　sail。　　The　hope　was　now　strong　that　the　artifice
of　Jasper　had　succeeded；　and　that　the　French　commander
had　missed　them　by　keeping　the　middle　of　the　lake　as　he
steered　towards　its　head。

All　that　day　the　wind　hung　to　the　southward；　and　the
cutter　continued　her　course　about　a　league　from　the　land；
running　six　or　eight　knots　the　hour　in　perfectly　smooth
water。　　Although　the　scene　had　one　feature　of　monotony；
the　outline　of　unbroken　forest；　it　was　not　without　its　in…
terest　and　pleasures。　　Various　headlands　presented　them…
selves；　and　the　cutter；　in　running　from　one　to　another；
stretched　across　bays　so　deep　as　almost　to　deserve　the
name　of　gulfs。　　But　nowhere　did　the　eye　meet　with　the
evidences　of　civilization；　rivers　occasionally　poured　their
tribute　into　the　great　reservoir　of　the　lake；　but　their　banks
could　be　traced　inland　for　miles　by　the　same　outlines　of
trees；　and　even　large　bays；　that　lay　embosomed　in　woods；
communicating　with　Ontario　only　by　narrow　outlets；　ap…
peared　and　disappeared；　without　bringing　with　them　a　sin…
gle　trace　of　a　human　habitation。

Of　all　on　board；　the　Pathfinder　viewed　the　scene　with
the　most　unmingled　delight。　　His　eyes　feasted　on　the　end…
less　line　of　forest；　and　more　than　once　that　day；　notwith…
standing　he　found　it　so　grateful　to　be　near　Mabel；　listen…
ing　to　her　pleasant　voice；　and　echoing；　in　feelings　at　least；
her　joyous　laugh；　did　his　soul　pine　to　be　wandering　be…
neath　the　high　arches　of　the　maples；　oaks；　and　lindens；
where　his　habits　had　induced　him　to　fancy　lasting　and
true　joys　were　only　to　be　found。　　Cap　viewed　the　prospect
differently；　more　than　once　he　expressed　his　disgust　at
there　being　no　lighthouses；　church…towers；　beacons；　or　road…
steads　with　their　shipping。　　Such　another　coast；　he　pro…
tested；　the　world　did　not　contain；　and；　taking　the　Ser…
geant　aside；　he　gravely　assured　him　that　the　region　could
never　come　to　anything；　as　the　havens　were　neglected；　the
rivers　had　a　deserted　and　useless　look；　and　that　even　the
breeze　had　a　smell　of　the　forest　about　it；　which　spoke　ill
of　its　properties。

But　the　humors　of　the　different　individuals　in　her　did
not　stay　the　speed　of　the　_Scud：_　when　the　sun　was　setting；
she　was　already　a　hundred　miles　on　her　route　towards
Oswego；　into　which　river　Sergeant　Dunham　now　thought
it　his　duty　to　go；　in　order　to　receive　any　communications
that　Major　Duncan　might　please　to　make。　　With　a　view
to　effect　this　purpose；　Jasper　continued　to　hug　the　shore
all　night；　and　though　the　wind　began　to　fail　him　towards
morning；　it　lasted　long　enough　to　carry　the　cutter　up　to　a
point　that　was　known　to　be　but　a　league　or　two　from　the
fort。　　Here　the　breeze　came　out　light　at　the　northward；
and　the　cutter　hauled　a　little　from　the　land；　in　order　to
obtain　a　safe　offing　should　it　come　on　to　blow；　or　should
the　weather　again　get　to　be　easterly。

When　the　day　dawned；　the　cutter　had　the　mouth　of　the
Oswego　well　under　the　lee；　distant　about　two　miles；　and
just　as　the　morning　gun　from　the　fort　was　fired；　Jasper
gave　the　order　to　ease　off　the　sheets；　and　to　bear　up　for
his　port。　　At　that　moment　a　cry　from　the　forecastle　drew
all　eyes　towards　the　point　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　outlet；
and　there；　just　without　the　range　of　shot　from　the　light
guns　of　the　works；　with　her　canvas　reduced　to　barely
enough　to　keep　her　stationary；　lay　the　_Montcalm_；　evidently
in　waiting　for　their　appearance。

To　pass　her　was　impossible；　for　by　filling　her　sails　the
French　ship　could　have　intercepted　them　in　a　few　min…
utes；　and　the　circumstances　called　for　a　prompt　decision。
After　a　short　consultation；　the　Sergeant　again　changed　his
plan；　determining　to　make　the　best　of　his　way　towards　the
station　for　which　he　had　been　originally　destined；　trusting
to　the　speed　of　the　_Scud_　to　throw　the　enemy　so　far　astern
as　to　leave　no　clue　to　her　movements。

The　cutter　accordingly　hauled　upon　a　wind　with　the
least　possible　delay；　with　everything　set　that　would　draw。
Guns　were　fired　from　the　fort；　ensigns　shown；　and　the
ramparts　were　again　crowded。　　But　sympathy　was　all　the
aid　that　Lundie　could　lend　to　his　party；　and　the　_Mont…
calm_；　also　firing　four　or　five　guns　of　defiance；　and　throwing
abroad　several　of　the　banners　of　France；　was　soon　in　chase
under　a　cloud　of　canvas。

For　several　hours　the　two　vessels　were　pressing　through
the　water　as　fast　as　possible；　making　short　stretches　to
windward；　apparently　with　a　view　to　keep　the　port　under
their　lee；　the　one　to　enter　it　if　possible；　and　the　other　to
intercept　it　in　the　attempt。

At　meridian　the　French　ship　was　hull　down；　dead　to
leeward；　the　disparity　of　sailing　on　a　wind　being　very
great；　and　some　islands　were　near　by；　behind　which　Jas…
per　said　it　would　be　possible　for　the　cutter　to　conceal　her
future　movements。　　Although　Cap　and　the　Sergeant；　and
particularly　Lieutenant　Muir；　to　judge　by　his　language；
still　felt　a　good　deal　of　distrust　of　the　young　man；　and
Frontenac　was　not　distant；　this　advice　was　followed；　for
time　pressed；　and　the　Quartermaster　discreetly　observed
that　Jasper　could　not　well　betray　them　without　running
openly　into　the　enemy's　harbor；　a　step　they　could　at　any
time　prevent；　since　the　only　cruiser　of　force　the　French
possessed　at　the　moment　was　under　their　lee　and　not　in　a
situation　to　do　them　any　immediate　injury。

Left　to　himself；　Jasper　Western　soon　proved　how　much
wa