the pathfinder-第7部分

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round　the　portage；　at　any　rate；　but　you　and　I　can　try　this
Atlantic　oceaner；　and　then　all　parties　will　become　better
acquainted。　　We　shall　find　out　whether　his　flint　will　strike
fire；　and　he　may　come　to　know　something　of　frontier
tricks。〃

Young　Jasper　smiled；　for　he　was　not　averse　to　fun；　and
had　been　a　little　touched　by　Cap's　superciliousness；　but
Mabel's　fair　face；　light；　agile　form；　and　winning　smiles；
stood　like　a　shield　between　her　uncle　and　the　intended
experiment。

〃Perhaps　the　Sergeant's　daughter　will　be　frightened；〃
said　he。

〃Not　she；　if　she　has　any　of　the　Sergeant's　spirit　in　her。
She　doesn't　look　like　a　skeary　thing；　at　all。　　Leave　it　to
me；　then；　Eau…douce；　and　I　will　manage　the　affair　alone。〃

〃Not　you；　Pathfinder；　you　would　only　drown　both。　　If
the　canoe　goes　over；　I　must　go　in　it。〃

〃Well；　have　it　so；　then：　shall　we　smoke　the　pipe　of
agreement　on　the　bargain？〃

Jasper　laughed；　nodded　his　head　by　way　of　consent；　and
then　the　subject　was　dropped；　as　the　party　had　reached
the　canoe　so　often　mentioned；　and　fewer　words　had　de…
termined　much　greater　things　between　the　parties。



CHAPTER　III。

Before　these　fields　were　shorn　and　till'd；
　　　Full　to　the　brim　our　rivers　flow'd；
The　melody　of　waters　fill'd
　　　The　fresh　and　boundless　wood；
And　torrents　dash'd；　and　rivulets　play'd；
And　fountains　spouted　in　the　shade。
BRYANT。


It　is　generally　known　that　the　waters　which　flow　into
the　southern　side　of　Ontario　are；　in　general；　narrow；　slug…
gish；　and　deep。　　There　are　some　exceptions　to　this　rule；
for　many　of　the　rivers　have　rapids；　or；　as　they　are　termed
in　the　language　of　the　region；　〃rifts；〃　and　some　have　falls。
Among　the　latter　was　the　particular　stream　on　which　our
adventurers　were　now　journeying。　　The　Oswego　is　formed
by　the　junction　of　the　Oneida　and　the　Onondaga；　both　of
wbich　flow　from　lakes；　and　it　pursues　its　way；　through　a
gently　undulating　country；　some　eight　or　ten　miles；　until
it　reaches　the　margin　of　a　sort　of　natural　terrace；　down
which　it　tumbles　some　ten　or　fifteen　feet；　to　another　level；
across　which　it　glides　with　the　silent；　stealthy　progress　of
deep　water；　until　it　throws　its　tribute　into　the　broad　re…
ceptacle　of　the　Ontario。　　The　canoe　in　which　Cap　and　his
party　had　travelled　from　Fort　Stanwix；　the　last　military
station　of　the　Mohawk；　lay　by　the　side　of　this　river；　and
into　it　the　whole　party　now　entered；　with　the　exception　of
Pathfinder；　who　remained　on　the　land；　in　order　to　shove
the　light　vessel　off。

〃Let　her　starn　drift　down　stream；　Jasper；〃　said　the
man　of　the　woods　to　the　young　mariner　of　the　lake；　who
had　dispossessed　Arrowhead　of　his　paddle　and　taken　his
own　station　as　steersman；　〃let　it　go　down　with　the　cur…
rent。　　Should　any　of　these　infarnals；　the　Mingos；　strike
our　trail；　or　follow　it　to　this　point　they　will　not　fail　to
look　for　the　signs　in　the　mud；　and　if　they　discover
that　we　have　left　the　shore　with　the　nose　of　the　canoe
up　stream；　it　is　a　natural　belief　to　think　we　went　up
stream。〃

This　direction　was　followed；　and；　giving　a　vigorous
shove；　the　Pathfinder；　who　was　in　the　flower　of　his　strength
and　activity；　made　a　leap；　landing　lightly；　and　without
disturbing　its　equilibrium；　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe。　　As
soon　as　it　had　reached　the　centre　of　the　river　or　the
strength　of　the　current；　the　boat　was　turned；　and　it　began
to　glide　noiselessly　down　the　stream。

The　vessel　in　which　Cap　and　his　niece　had　embarked　for
their　long　and　adventurous　journey　was　one　of　the　canoes
of　bark　which　the　Indians　are　in　the　habit　of　constructing；
and　which；　by　their　exceeding　lightness　and　the　ease　with
which　they　are　propelled；　are　admirably　adapted　to　a
navigation　in　which　shoals；　flood…wood；　and　other　similar
obstructions　so　often　occur。　　The　two　men　who　composed
its　original　crew　had　several　times　carried　it；　when　emptied
of　its　luggage；　many　hundred　yards；　and　it　would　not　have
exceeded　the　strength　of　a　single　man　to　lift　its　weight。
Still　it　was　long；　and；　for　a　canoe；　wide；　a　want　of　steadi…
ness　being　its　principal　defect　in　the　eyes　of　the　unin…
itiated。　　A　few　hours　practice；　however；　in　a　great　measure
remedied　this　evil；　and　both　Mabel　and　her　uncle　had
learned　so　far　to　humor　its　movements；　that　they　now
maintained　their　places　with　perfect　composure；　nor　did
the　additional　weight　of　the　three　guides　tax　its　power　in
any　particular　degree；　the　breath　of　the　rounded　bottom
allowing　the　necessary　quantity　of　water　to　be　displaced
without　bringing　the　gunwale　very　sensibly　nearer　to　the
surface　of　the　stream。　　Its　workmanship　was　neat；　the
timbers　were　small；　and　secured　by　thongs；　and　the　whole
fabric；　though　it　was　so　slight　to　the　eye；　was　probably
capable　of　conveying　double　the　number　of　persons　which
it　now　contained。

Cap　was　seated　on　a　low　thwart；　in　the　centre　of　the
canoe；　the　Big　Serpent　knelt　near　him。　　Arrowhead　and
his　wife　occupied　places　forward　of　both；　the　former　hav…
ing　relinquished　his　post　aft。　　Mabel　was　half　reclining
behind　her　uncle；　while　the　Pathfinder　and　Eau…douce
stood　erect；　the　one　in　the　bow；　and　the　other　in　the　stern；
each　using　a　paddle；　with　a　long；　steady；　noiseless　sweep。
The　conversation　was　carried　on　in　low　tones；　all　the　party
beginning　to　feel　the　necessity　of　prudence；　as　they　drew
nearer　to　the　outskirts　of　the　fort；　and　had　no　longer　the
cover　of　the　woods。

The　Oswego；　just　at　that　place；　was　a　deep　dark　stream
of　no　great　width；　its　still；　gloomy…looking　current　wind…
ing　its　way　among　overhanging　trees；　which；　in　particular
spots；　almost　shut　out　the　light　of　the　heavens。　　Here　and
there　some　half…fallen　giant　of　the　forest　lay　nearly　across
its　surface；　rendering　care　necessary　to　avoid　the　limbs；
and　most　of　the　distance；　the　lower　branches　and　leaves　of
the　trees　of　smaller　growth　were　laved　by　its　waters。　　The
picture　so　beautifully　described　by　our　own　admirable
poet；　and　which　we　have　placed　at　the　head　of　this　chapter；
was　here　realized；　the　earth　fattened　by　the　decayed
vegetation　of　centuries；　and　black　with　loam；　the　stream
that　filled　the　banks　nearly　to　overflowing；　and　the　〃fresh
and　boundless　wood；〃　being　all　as　visible　to　the　eye　as　the
pen　of　Bryant　has　elsewhere　vividly　presented　them　to　the
imagination。　　In　short；　the　entire　scene　was　one　of　a　rich
and　benevolent　nature；　before　it　had　been　subjected　to　the
uses　and　desires　of　man；　luxuriant；　wild；　full　of　promiSe；
and　not　without　the　charm　of　the　picturesque；　even　in　its
rudest　state。　　It　will　be　remembered　that　this　was　in　the
year　175…；　or　long　before　even　speculation　had　brought　any
portion　of　western　New　York　within　the　bounds　of　civili…
zation。　　At　that　distant　day　there　were　two　great　channels
of　military　communication　between　the　inhabited　por…
tion　of　the　colony　of　New　York　and　the　frontiers　which
lay　adjacent　to　the　Canadas；　　that　by　Lakes　Champlain
and　George；　and　that　by　means　of　the　Mohawk；　Wood
Creek；　the　Oneida；　and　the　rivers　we　have　been　describ…
ing。　　Along　both　these　lines　of　communication　military
posts　had　been　established；　though　there　existed　a　blank
space　of　a　hundred　miles　between　the　last　fort　at　the　head
of　the　Mohawk　and　the　outlet　of　the　Oswego；　which　em…
braced　most　of　the　distance　that　Cap　and　Mabel　had　jour…
neyed　under　the　protection　of　Arrowhead。

〃I　sometimes　wish　for　peace　again；〃　said　the　Pathfinder；
〃when　one　can　range　the　forest　without　searching　for　any
other　enemy　than　the　beasts　and　fishes。　　Ah's　me！　many
is　the　day　that　the　Sarpent；　there；　and　I　have　passed　hap…
pily　among　the　streams；　living　on　venison；　salmon；　and
trout　without　thought　of　a　Mingo　or　a　scalp！　　I　some…
times　wish　that　them　blessed　days　might　come　back；　for
it　is　not　my　real　gift　to　slay　my　own　kind。　　I'm　sartain
the　Sergeant's　daughter　don't　think　me　a　wretch　that　takes
pleasure　in　preying　on　human　natur'？〃

As　this　remark；　a　sort　of　half　interrogatory；　was　made；
Pathfinder　looked　behind　him；　and；　though　the　most
partial　friend　could　scarcely　term　his　sunburnt　and　hard
features　handsome；　even　Mabel　thought　his　smile　attrac…
tive；　by　its　simple　ingenuousness　and　the　uprightness　that
beamed　in　every　lineament　of　his　honest　countenance。

〃I　do　not　think　my　father　would　have　sent　one　like
those　you　mention　to　see　his　daughter　through　the　wilder…
ness；〃　the　young　woman　answered；　returning　the　smile　as
frankly　as　it　was　given；　but　much　more　sweetly。

〃That　he　wouldn't；　the　Sergeant　is　a　man　of　feeling；　and
many　is　the　march　and　the　fight　that　we　have　had　　stood
shoulder　to　shoulder　in；　as　_he_　would　call　it　　though　I　always
keep　my　limbs　free　when　near　a　Frencher　or　a　Mingo。〃

〃You　are；　then；　the　young　friend　of　whom　my　father
has　spoken　so　often　in　his　letters？〃

〃His　_young_　friend　　the　Sergeant　has　the　advantage　of
me　by　thirty　years；　yes；　he　is　thirty　years　my　senior；　and
as　many　my　better。〃

〃Not　in　the　eyes　of　the　daughter；　perhaps；　friend　Path…
finder；〃　put　in　Cap；　whose　spirits　began　to　revive　when　he
found　the　water　once　more　flowing　around　him。　　〃The
thirty　years　that　you　mention　are　not　often　thought　to　be
an　advantage　in　the　eyes　of　girls　of　nineteen。〃

Mabel　colored；　and；　in　turning　aside　her　face　to　avoid
the　looks　of　those　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe；　she　encountered
the　admiring　gaze　of　the　young　man　in　the　stern。　　As　a
last　resource；　her　spirited　but　soft　blue　eyes　sought　refuge
in　the　water。　　Just　at　this　moment　a　dull；　heavy　sound
swept　up　the　avenue　formed　by　the　trees；　borne　along　by　a
light　air　that　hardly　produced　a　ripple　on　the　water。

〃That　sounds　pleasantly；〃　said　Cap；　pricking　up　his
ears　like　a　dog　that　hears　a　distant　baying；　〃it　is　the　surf
on　the　shores　of　your　lake；　I　suppose？〃

〃Not　so　　not　so；〃　answered　the　Pathfinder；　〃it　is
merely　this　river　tumbling　over　some　rocks　half　a　mile
below　us。〃

〃Is　there　a　fall　in　the　stream？〃　demanded　Mabel；　a　still
brighter　flush　glowing　in　her　face。

〃The　devil！　　Master　Pathfinder；　or　you；　Mr。　Eau…douce〃
（for　so　Cap　began　to　style　Jasper）；　〃had　you　not　better
give　the　canoe　a　sheer；　and　get　nearer　to　the　shore？　　These
waterfalls　have　generally　rapids　above　them；　and　one　might
as　well　get　into　the　Maelstrom　at　onc