betty zane-第38部分

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He　asked　the　big　savage　who　led　him　what　camp　it　was；　and　learned　that　he　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　Cornplanter。

While　being　marched　through　the　large　Indian　village　Isaac　saw　unmistakable　indications　of　war。　There　was　a　busy　hum　on　all　sides；　the　squaws　were　preparing　large　quantities　of　buffalo　meat；　cutting　it　in　long；　thin　strips；　and　were　parching　corn　in　stone　vessels。　The　braves　were　cleaning　rifles；　sharpening　tomahawks；　and　mixing　war　paints。　All　these　things　Isaac　knew　to　be　preparations　for　long　marches　and　for　battle。　That　night　he　heard　speech　after　speech　in　the　lodge　next　to　the　one　in　which　he　lay；　but　they　were　in　an　unknown　tongue。　Later　he　heard　the　yelling　of　the　Indians　and　the　dull　thud　of　their　feet　as　they　stamped　on　the　ground。　He　heard　the　ring　of　the　tomahawks　as　they　were　struck　into　hard　wood。　The　Indians　were　dancing　the　war…dance　round　the　war…post。　This　continued　with　some　little　intermission　all　the　four　days　that　Isaac　lay　in　the　lodge　rapidly　recovering　his　strength。　The　fifth　day　a　man　came　into　the　lodge。　He　was　tall　and　powerful；　his　fair　fell　over　his　shoulders　and　he　wore　the　scanty　buckskin　dress　of　the　Indian。　But　Isaac　knew　at　once　he　was　a　white　man；　perhaps　one　of　the　many　French　traders　who　passed　through　the　Indian　village。

〃Your　name　is　Zane；〃　said　the　man　in　English；　looking　sharply　at　Isaac。

〃That　is　my　name。　Who　are　you？〃　asked　Isaac　in　great　surprise。

〃I　am　Girty。　I've　never　seen　you；　but　I　knew　Col。　Zane　and　Jonathan　well。　I've　seen　your　sister；　you　all　favor　one　another。〃

〃Are　you　Simon　Girty？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　your　influence　with　the　Indians。　Can　you　do　anything　to　get　me　out　of　this？〃

〃How　did　you　happen　to　git　over　here？　Yon　are　not　many　miles　from　Wingenund's　Camp；〃　said　Girty；　giving　Isaac　another　sharp　look　from　his　small　black　eyes。

〃Girty；　I　assure　you　I　am　not　a　spy。　I　escaped　from　the　Wyandot　village　on　Mad　River　and　after　traveling　three　days　I　lost　my　way。　I　went　to　sleep　in　a　thicket　and　when　I　awoke　an　Indian　dog　had　found　me。　I　heard　voices　and　saw　three　Indians。　I　got　up　and　ran；　but　they　easily　caught　me。〃

〃I　know　about　you。　Old　Tarhe　has　a　daughter　who　kept　you　from　bein'　ransomed。〃

〃Yes；　and　I　wish　I　were　back　there。　I　don't　like　the　look　of　things。〃

〃You　are　right；　Zane。　You　got　ketched　at　a　bad　time。　The　Indians　are　mad。　I　suppose　you　don't　know　that　Col。　Crawford　massacred　a　lot　of　Indians　a　few　days　ago。　It'll　go　hard　with　any　white　man　that　gits　captured。　I'm　afraid　I　can't　do　nothin'　for　you。〃

A　few　words　concerning　Simon　Girty；　the　White　Savage。　He　had　two　brothers；　James　and　George；　who　had　been　desperadoes　before　they　were　adopted　by　the　Delawares；　and　who　eventually　became　fierce　and　relentless　savages。　Simon　had　been　captured　at　the　same　time　as　his　brothers；　but　he　did　not　at　once　fall　under　the　influence　of　the　unsettled；　free…and…easy　life　of　the　Indians。　It　is　probable　that　while　in　captivity　he　acquired　the　power　of　commanding　the　Indians'　interest　and　learned　the　secret　of　ruling　themtwo　capabilities　few　white　men　ever　possessed。　It　is　certain　that　he；　like　the　noted　French…Canadian　Joucaire；　delighted　to　sit　round　the　camp　fires　and　to　go　into　the　council…lodge　and　talk　to　the　assembled　Indians。

At　the　outbreak　of　the　revolution　Girty　was　a　commissioned　officer　of　militia　at　Ft。　Pitt。　He　deserted　from　the　Fort；　taking　with　him　the　Tories　McKee　and　Elliott；　and　twelve　soldiers；　and　these　traitors　spread　as　much　terror　among　the　Delaware　Indians　as　they　did　among　the　whites。　The　Delawares　had　been　one　of　the　few　peacefully　disposed　tribes。　In　order　to　get　them　to　join　their　forces　with　Governor　Hamilton；　the　British　commander；　Girty　declared　that　Gen。　Washington　had　been　killed；　that　Congress　had　been　dispersed；　and　that　the　British　were　winning　all　the　battles。

Girty　spoke　most　of　the　Indian　languages；　and　Hamilton　employed　him　to　go　among　the　different　Indian　tribes　and　incite　them　to　greater　hatred　of　the　pioneers。　This　proved　to　be　just　the　life　that　suited　him。　He　soon　rose　to　have　a　great　and　bad　influence　on　all　the　tribes。　He　became　noted　for　his　assisting　the　Indians　in　marauds；　for　his　midnight　forays；　for　his　scalpings；　and　his　efforts　to　capture　white　women；　and　for　his　devilish　cunning　and　cruelty。

For　many　years　Girty　was　the　Deathshead　of　the　frontier。　The　mention　of　his　name　alone　created　terror　in　any　houses　hold；　in　every　pioneer's　cabin　it　made　the　children　cry　out　in　fear　and　paled　the　cheeks　of　the　stoutest…hearted　wife。

It　is　difficult　to　conceive　of　a　white　man's　being　such　a　fiend　in　human　guise。　The　only　explanation　that　can　be　given　is　that　renegades　rage　against　the　cause　of　their　own　blood　with　the　fury　of　insanity　rather　than　with　the　malignity　of　a　naturally　ferocious　temper。　In　justice　to　Simon　Girty　it　must　be　said　that　facts　not　known　until　his　death　showed　he　was　not　so　cruel　and　base　as　believed；　that　some　deeds　of　kindness　were　attributed　to　him；　that　he　risked　his　life　to　save　Kenton　from　the　stake；　and　that　many　of　the　terrible　crimes　laid　at　his　door　were　really　committed　by　his　savage　brothers。

Isaac　Zane　suffered　no　annoyance　at　the　hands　of　Cornplanter's　braves　until　the　seventh　day　of　his　imprisonment。　He　saw　no　one　except　the　squaw　who　brought　him　corn　and　meat。　On　that　day　two　savages　came　for　him　and　led　him　into　the　immense　council…lodge　of　the　Five　Nations。　Cornplanter　sat　between　his　right…hand　chiefs；　Big　Tree　and　Half　Town；　and　surrounded　by　the　other　chiefs　of　the　tribes。　An　aged　Indian　stood　in　the　center　of　the　lodge　and　addressed　the　others。　The　listening　savages　sat　immovable；　their　faces　as　cold　and　stern　as　stone　masks。　Apparently　they　did　not　heed　the　entrance　of　the　prisoner。

〃Zane；　they're　havin'　a　council；〃　whispered　a　voice　in　Isaac's　ear。　Isaac　turned　and　recognized　Girty。　〃I　want　to　prepare　you　for　the　worst。〃

〃Is　there；　then；　no　hope　for　me？〃　asked　Isaac。

〃I'm　afraid　not；〃　continued　the　renegade；　speaking　in　a　low　whisper。　〃They　wouldn't　let　me　speak　at　the　council。　I　told　Cornplanter　that　killin'　you　might　bring　the　Hurons　down　on　him；　but　he　wouldn't　listen。　Yesterday；　in　the　camp　of　the　Delawares；　I　saw　Col。　Crawford　burnt　at　the　stake。　He　was　a　friend　of　mine　at　Pitt；　and　I　didn't　dare　to　say　one　word　to　the　frenzied　Indians。　I　had　to　watch　the　torture。　Pipe　and　Wingenund；　both　old　friends　of　Crawford；　stood　by　and　watched　him　walk　round　the　stake　on　the　red…hot　coals　five　hours。〃

Isaac　shuddered　at　the　words　of　the　renegade；　but　did　not　answer。　He　had　felt　from　the　first　that　his　case　was　hopeless；　and　that　no　opportunity　for　escape　could　possibly　present　itself　in　such　a　large　encampment。　He　set　his　teeth　hard　and　resolved　to　show　the　red　devils　how　a　white　man　could　die。

Several　speeches　were　made　by　different　chiefs　and　then　an　impressive　oration　by　Big　Tree。　At　the　conclusion　of　the　speeches；　which　were　in　an　unknown　tongue　to　Isaac；　Cornplanter　handed　a　war…club　to　Half　Town。　This　chief　got　up；　walked　to　the　end　of　the　circle；　and　there　brought　the　club　down　on　the　ground　with　a　resounding　thud。　Then　he　passed　the　club　to　Big　Tree。　In　a　solemn　and　dignified　manner　every　chief　duplicated　Half　Town's　performance　with　the　club。

Isaac　watched　the　ceremony　as　if　fascinated。　He　had　seen　a　war…club　used　in　the　councils　of　the　Hurons　and　knew　that　striking　it　on　the　ground　signified　war　and　death。

〃White　man；　you　are　a　killer　of　Indians；〃　said　Cornplanter　in　good　English。　〃When　the　sun　shines　again　you　die。〃

A　brave　came　forward　and　painted　Isaac's　face　black。　This　Isaac　knew　to　indicate　that　death　awaited　him　on　the　morrow。　On　his　way　back　to　his　prison…lodge　he　saw　that　a　war…dance　was　in　progress。

A　hundred　braves　with　tomahawks；　knives；　and　mallets　in　their　hands　revere　circling　round　a　post　and　keeping　time　to　the　low　music　of　a　muffled　drum。　Close　together；　with　heads　bowed；　they　marched。　At　certain　moments；　which　they　led　up　to　with　a　dancing　on　rigid　legs　and　a　stamping　with　their　feet；　they　wheeled；　and　uttering　hideous　yells；　started　to　march　in　the　other　direction。　When　this　had　been　repeated　three　times　a　brave　stepped　from　the　line；　advanced；　and　struck　his　knife　or　tomahawk　into　the　post。　Then　with　a　loud　voice　he　proclaimed　his　past　exploits　and　great　deeds　in　war。　The　other　Indians　greeted　this　with　loud　yells　of　applause　and　a　flourishing　of　weapons。　Then　the　whole　ceremony　was　gone　through　again。

That　afternoon　many　of　the　Indians　visited　Isaac　in　his　lodge　and　shook　their　fists　at　him　and　pointed　their　knives　at　him。　They　hissed　and　groaned　at　him。　Their　vindictive　faces　expressed　the　malignant　joy　they　felt　at　the　expectation　of　putting　him　to　the　torture。

When　night　came　Isaac's　guards　laced　up　the　lodge…door　and　shut　him　from　the　sight　of　the　maddened　Indians。　The　darkness　that　gradually　enveloped　him　was　a　relief。　By　and　by　all　was　silent　except　for　the　occasional　yell　of　a　drunken　savage。　To　Isaac　it　sounded　like　a　long；　rolling　death…cry　echoing　throughout　the　encampment　and　murdering　his　sleep。　Its　horrible　meaning　made　him　shiver　and　his　flesh　creep。　At　length　even　that　yell　ceased。　The　watch…dogs　quieted　down　and　the　perfect　stillness　which　ensued　could　almost　b