the expedition of humphry clinker-第58章

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brother；　whether　the　captain　was　not　the　very　image　of　our　cousin
governor　Griffith。　She　discovered　a　surprising　eagerness　to　know
the　particulars　of　his　life；　and　asked　a　thousand　questions
concerning　his　atchievements　in　war；　all　which　Mr　Lismahago
answered　with　a　sort　of　jesuitical　reserve；　affecting　a
reluctance　to　satisfy　her　curiosity　on　a　subject　that　concerned
his　own　exploits。

By　dint　of　her　interrogations；　however；　we　learned；　that　he　and
ensign　Murphy　had　made　their　escape　from　the　French　hospital　at
Montreal；　and　taken　to　the　woods；　in　hope　of　reaching　some
English　settlement；　but　mistaking　their　route；　they　fell　in　with
a　party　of　Miamis；　who　carried　them　away　in　captivity。　The
intention　of　these　Indians　was　to　give　one　of　them　as　an　adopted
son　to　a　venerable　sachem；　who　had　lost　his　own　in　the　course　of
the　war；　and　to　sacrifice　the　other　according　to　the　custom　of
the　country。　Murphy；　as　being　the　younger　and　handsomer　of　the
two；　was　designed　to　fill　the　place　of　the　deceased；　not　only　as
the　son　of　the　sachem；　but　as　the　spouse　of　a　beautiful　squaw；　to
whom　his　predecessor　had　been　betrothed；　but　in　passing　through
the　different　whigwhams　or　villages　of　the　Miamis；　poor　Murphy
was　so　mangled　by　the　women　and　children；　who　have　the　privilege
of　torturing　all　prisoners　in　their　passage；　that；　by　the　time
they　arrived　at　the　place　of　the　sachem's　residence；　he　was
rendered　altogether　unfit　for　the　purposes　of　marriage：　it　was
determined　therefore；　in　the　assembly　of　the　warriors；　that
ensign　Murphy　should　be　brought　to　the　stake；　and　that　the　lady
should　be　given　to　lieutenant　Lismahago；　who　had　likewise
received　his　share　of　torments；　though　they　had　not　produced
emasculation。　　A　joint　of　one　finger　had　been　cut；　or　rather
sawed　off　with　a　rusty　knife；　one　of　his　great　toes　was　crushed
into　a　mash　betwixt　two　stones；　some　of　his　teeth　were　drawn；　or
dug　out　with　a　crooked　nail；　splintered　reeds　had　been　thrust　up
his　nostrils　and　other　tender　parts；　and　the　calves　of　his　legs
had　been　blown　up　with　mines　of　gunpowder　dug　in　the　flesh　with
the　sharp　point　of　the　tomahawk。

The　Indians　themselves　allowed　that　Murphy　died　with　great
heroism；　singing；　as　his　death　song；　the　Drimmendoo；　in　concert
with　Mr　Lismahago；　who　was　present　at　the　solemnity。　After　the
warriors　and　the　matrons　had　made　a　hearty　meal　upon　the　muscular
flesh　which　they　pared　from　the　victim；　and　had　applied　a　great
variety　of　tortures；　which　he　bore　without　flinching；　an　old
lady；　with　a　sharp　knife；　scooped　out　one　of　his　eyes；　and　put　a
burning　coal　in　the　socket。　The　pain　of　this　operation　was　so
exquisite　that　he　could　not　help　bellowing；　upon　which　the
audience　raised　a　shout　of　exultation；　and　one　of　the　warriors
stealing　behind　him；　gave　him　the　coup　de　grace　with　a　hatchet。

Lismahago's　bride；　the　squaw　Squinkinacoosta；　distinguished
herself　on　this　occasion。　　She　shewed　a　great　superiority　of
genius　in　the　tortures　which　she　contrived　and　executed　with　her
own　hands。　　She　vied　with　the　stoutest　warrior　in　eating　the
flesh　of　the　sacrifice；　and　after　all　the　other　females　were
fuddled　with　dram…drinking；　she　was　not　so　intoxicated　but　that
she　was　able　to　play　the　game　of　the　platter　with　the　conjuring
sachem；　and　afterwards　go　through　the　ceremony　of　her　own
wedding；　which　was　consummated　that　same　evening。　The　captain　had
lived　very　happily　with　this　accomplished　squaw　for　two　years；
during　which　she　bore　him　a　son；　who　is　now　the　representative　of
his　mother's　tribe；　but；　at　length；　to　his　unspeakable　grief；　she
had　died　of　a　fever；　occasioned　by　eating　too　much　raw　bear；
which　they　had　killed　in　a　hunting　excursion。

By　this　time；　Mr　Lismahago　was　elected　sachem；　acknowledged　first
warrior　of　the　Badger　tribe；　and　dignified　with　the　name　or
epithet　of　Occacanastaogarora；　which　signifies　nimble　as　a
weasel；　but　all　these　advantages　and　honours　he　was　obliged　to
resign；　in　consequence　of　being　exchanged　for　the　orator　of　the
community；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Indians　that　were
in　alliance　with　the　English。　At　the　peace；　he　had　sold　out　upon
half　pay；　and　was　returned　to　Britain；　with　a　view　to　pass　the
rest　of　his　life　in　his　own　country；　where　he　hoped　to　find　some
retreat　where　his　slender　finances　would　afford　him　a　decent
subsistence。　Such　are　the　outlines　of　Mr　Lismahago's　history；　to
which　Tabitha　did　seriously　incline　her　ear；　　indeed；　she　seemed
to　be　taken　with　the　same　charms　that　captivated　the　heart　of
Desdemona；　who　loved　the　Moor　for　the　dangers　he　had　past。

The　description　of　poor　Murphy's　sufferings；　which　threw　my
sister　Liddy　into　a　swoon；　extracted　some　sighs　from　the　breast
of　Mrs　Tabby：　when　she　understood　he　had　been　rendered　unfit　for
marriage；　she　began　to　spit；　and　ejaculated；　'Jesus；　what　cruel
barbarians！'　and　she　made　wry　faces　at　the　lady's　nuptial　repast；
but　she　was　eagerly　curious　to　know　the　particulars　of　her
marriage…dress；　whether　she　wore　high…breasted　stays　or　bodice；　a
robe　of　silk　or　velvet；　and　laces　of　Mechlin　or　minionette　　she
supposed；　as　they　were　connected　with　the　French；　she　used　rouge；
and　had　her　hair　dressed　in　the　Parisian　fashion。　The　captain
would　have　declined　giving　a　catagorical　explanation　of　all　these
particulars；　observing；　in　general；　that　the　Indians　were　too
tenacious　of　their　own　customs　to　adopt　the　modes　of　any　nation
whatsoever；　he　said；　moreover；　that　neither　the　simplicity　of
their　manners　nor　the　commerce　of　their　country；　would　admit　of
those　articles　of　luxury　which　are　deemed　magnificence　in　Europe；
and　that　they　were　too　virtuous　and　sensible　to　encourage　the
introduction　of　any　fashion　which　might　help　to　render　them
corrupt　and　effeminate。

These　observations　served　only　to　inflame　her　desire　of　knowing
the　particulars　about　which　she　had　enquired；　and；　with　all　his
evasion；　he　could　not　help　discovering　the　following
circumstances　　that　his　princess　had　neither　shoes；　stockings；
shift；　nor　any　kind　of　linen　　that　her　bridal　dress　consisted　of
a　petticoat　of　red　bays；　and　a　fringed　blanket；　fastened　about
her　shoulders　with　a　copper　skewer；　but　of　ornaments　she　had
great　plenty。　　Her　hair　was　curiously　plaited；　and　interwoven
with　bobbins　of　human　bone　　one　eye…lid　was　painted　green；　and
the　other　yellow；　the　cheeks　were　blue；　the　lips　white；　the　teeth
red；　and　there　was　a　black　list　drawn　down　the　middle　of　the
forehead　as　far　as　the　tip　of　the　nose　　a　couple　of　gaudy
parrot's　feathers　were　stuck　through　the　division　of　the
nostrils　　there　was　a　blue　stone　set　in　the　chin；　her　ear…rings
consisted　of　two　pieces　of　hickery；　of　the　size　and　shape　of
drum…sticks　　her　arms　and　legs　were　adorned　with　bracelets　of
wampum　　her　breast　glittered　with　numerous　strings　of　glass
beads　　she　wore　a　curious　pouch；　or　pocket　of　woven　grass；
elegantly　painted　with　various　colours　　about　her　neck　was　hung
the　fresh　scalp　of　a　Mohawk　warrior；　whom　her　deceased　lover　had
lately　slain　in　battle　　and；　finally；　she　was　anointed　from　head
to　foot　with　bear's　grease；　which　sent　forth　a　most　agreeable
odour。

One　would　imagine　that　these　paraphernalia　would　not　have　been
much　admired　by　a　modern　fine　lady；　but　Mrs　Tabitha　was　resolved
to　approve　of　all　the　captains　connexions。　　She　wished；　indeed；
the　squaw　had　been　better　provided　with　linen；　but　she　owned
there　was　much　taste　and　fancy　in　her　ornaments；　she　made　no
doubt；　therefore；　that　madam　Squinkinacoosta　was　a　young　lady　of
good　sense　and　rare　accomplishments；　and　a　good　christian　at
bottom。　Then　she　asked　whether　his　consort　had　been　high　church
or　low…church；　presbyterian　or　anabaptist；　or　had　been　favoured
with　any　glimmering　of　the　new　light　of　the　gospel？　When　he
confessed　that　she　and　her　whole　nation　were　utter　strangers　to
the　christian　faith；　she　gazed　at　him　with　signs　of　astonishment；
and　Humphry　Clinker；　who　chanced　to　be　in　the　room；　uttered　a
hollow　groan。

After　some　pause；　'In　the　name　of　God；　captain　Lismahago　（cried
she）；　what　religion　do　they　profess？'　'As　to　religion；　madam
（answered　the　lieutenant）；　it　is　among　those　Indians　a　matter　of
great　simplicity　　they　neve