the spirit of the border-第21章

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on　the　lad。　Mebbe　he　followed　Wetzel；　mebbe　he　didn't；〃　answered　the　taciturn

guide；　and　he　spoke　no　more。



In　his　keen　expectation　and　wonder　as　to　what　the　village　would　be　like；　Jim

momentarily　forgot　his　brother's　disappearance；　and　when　he　arrived　at　the　top

of　the　bank　he　surveyed　the　scene　with　eagerness。　What　he　saw　was　more

imposing　than　the　Village　of　Peace　which　he　had　conjured　up　in　his

imagination。　Confronting　him　was　a　level　plain；　in　the　center　of　which　stood　a

wide；　low　structure　surrounded　by　log　cabins；　and　these　in　turn　encircled　by

Indian　teepees。　A　number　of　large　trees；　mostly　full…foliaged　maples；　shaded

the　clearing。　The　settlement　swarmed　with　Indians。　A　few　shrill　halloes

uttered　by　the　first　observers　of　the　newcomers　brought　braves；　maidens　and

children　trooping　toward　the　party　with　friendly　curiosity。



Jonathan　Zane　stepped　before　a　cabin　adjoining　the　large　structure；　and　called

in　at　the　open　door。　A　short；　stoop…shouldered　white　man；　clad　in　faded

linsey；　appeared　on　the　threshold。　His　serious；　lined　face　had　the

unmistakable　benevolent　aspect　peculiar　to　most　teachers　of　the　gospel。



〃Mr。　Zeisberger；　I've　fetched　a　party　from　Fort　Henry；〃　said　Zane；　indicating

those　he　had　guided。　Then；　without　another　word；　never　turning　his　dark　face

to　the　right　or　left；　he　hurried　down　the　lane　through　the　throng　of　Indians。



Jim　remembered；　as　he　saw　the　guide　vanish　over　the　bank　of　the　creek；　that　he

had　heard　Colonel　Zane　say　that　Jonathan；　as　well　as　Wetzel；　hated　the　sight

of　an　Indian。　No　doubt　long　years　of　war　and　bloodshed　had　rendered　these　two

great　hunters　callous。　To　them　there　could　be　no　discriminationan　Indian　was

an　Indian。



〃Mr。　Wells；　welcome　to　the　Village　of　Peace！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Zeisberger；

wringing　the　old　missionary's　hand。　〃The　years　have　not　been　so　long　but　that

I　remember　you。〃



〃Happy；　indeed；　am　I　to　get　here；　after　all　these　dark；　dangerous　journeys；〃

returned　Mr。　Wells。　〃I　have　brought　my　nieces；　Nell　and　Kate；　who　were

children　when　you　left　Williamsburg；　and　this　young　man；　James　Downs；　a

minister　of　God；　and　earnest　in　his　hope　for　our　work。〃



〃A　glorious　work　it　is！　Welcome；　young　ladies；　to　our　peaceful　village。　And；

young　man；　I　greet　you　with　heartfelt　thankfulness。　　We　need　young　men。　Come

in；　all　of　your；　and　share　my　cabin。　I'll　have　your　luggage　brought　up。　I　have

lived　in　this　hut　alone。　With　some　little　labor；　and　the　magic　touch　women

bring　to　the　making　of　a　home；　we　can　be　most　comfortable　here。〃



Mr。　Zeisberger　gave　his　own　room　to　the　girls；　assuring　them　with　a　smile　that

it　was　the　most　luxurious　in　the　village。　The　apartment　contained　a　chair；　a

table；　and　a　bed　of　Indian　blankets　and　buffalo　robes。　A　few　pegs　driven　in

the　chinks　between　the　logs　completed　the　furnishings。　Sparse　as　were　the

comforts；　they　appealed　warmly　to　the　girls；　who；　weary　from　their　voyage；　lay

down　to　rest。



〃I　am　not　fatigued；〃　said　Mr。　Wells；　to　his　old　friend。　〃I　want　to　hear　all

about　your　work；　what　you　have　done；　and　what　you　hope　to　do。〃



〃We　have　met　with　wonderful　success；　far　beyond　our　wildest　dreams；〃　responded

Mr。　Zeisberger。　〃Certainly　we　have　been　blessed　of　God。〃



Then　the　missionary　began　a　long；　detailed　account　of　the　Moravian　Mission's

efforts　among　the　western　tribes。　The　work　lay　chiefly　among　the　Delawares；　a

noble　nation　of　redmen；　intelligent；　and　wonderfully　susceptible　to　the

teaching　of　the　gospel。　Among　the　eastern　Delawares；　living　on　the　other　side

of　the　Allegheny　Mountains；　the　missionaries　had　succeeded　in　converting　many；

and　it　was　chiefly　through　the　western　explorations　of　Frederick　Post　that　his

Church　decided　the　Indians　of　the　west　could　as　well　be　taught　to　lead

Christian　lives。　The　first　attempt　to　convert　the　western　redmen　took　place

upon　the　upper　Allegheny；　where　many　Indians；　including　Allemewi；　a　blind

Delaware　chief；　accepted　the　faith。　The　mission　decided；　however；　it　would　be

best　to　move　farther　west；　where　the　Delawares　had　migrated　and　were　more

numerous。



In　April；　1770；　more　than　ten　years　before；　sixteen　canoes；　filled　with

converted　Indians　and　missionaries；　drifted　down　the　Allegheny　to　Fort　Pitt；

thence　down　the　Ohio　to　the　Big　Beaver；　up　that　stream　and　far　into　the　Ohio

wilderness。



Upon　a　tributary　of　the　Muskingong；　called　the　Tuscarwawas；　a　settlement　was

founded。　Near　and　far　the　news　was　circulated。　Redmen　from　all　tribes　came

flocking　to　the　new　colony。　Chiefs　and　warriors；　squaws　and　maidens；　were

attracted　by　the　new　doctrine　of　the　converted　Indians。　They　were　astonished

at　the　missionaries'　teachings。　Many　doubted；　some　were　converted；　all

listened。　Great　excitement　prevailed　when　old　Glickhican；　one　of　the　wisest

chiefs　of　the　Turtle　tribe　of　the　Delawares；　became　a　convert　to　the

palefaces'　religion。



The　interest　widened；　and　in　a　few　years　a　beautiful；　prosperous　town　arose；

which　was　called　Village　of　Peace。　The　Indians　of　the　warlike　tribes　bestowed

the　appropriate　name。　The　vast　forests　were　rich　in　every　variety　of　game；　the

deep；　swift　streams　were　teeming　with　fish。　Meat　and　grain　in　abundance；

buckskin　for　clothing；　and　soft　furs　for　winter　garments　were　to　be　had　for

little　labor。　At　first　only　a　few　wigwams　were　erected。　　Soon　a　large　log

structure　was　thrown　up　and　used　as　a　church。　Then　followed　a　school；　a　mill；

and　a　workshop。　The　verdant　fields　were　cultivated　and　surrounded　by　rail

fences。　Horses　and　cattle　grazed　with　the　timid　deer　on　the　grassy　plains。



The　Village　of　Peace　blossomed　as　a　rose。　The　reports　of　the　love　and

happiness　existing　in　this　converted　community　spread　from　mouth　to　mouth；

from　town　to　town；　with　the　result　that　inquisitive　savages　journeyed　from　all

points　to　see　this　haven。　Peaceful　and　hostile　Indians　were　alike　amazed　at

the　change　in　their　brethren。　The　good…fellowship　and　industry　of　the　converts

had　a　widespread　and　wonderful　influence。　More；　perhaps；　than　any　other　thing；

the　great　fields　of　waving　corn；　the　hills　covered　with　horses　and　cattle；

those　evidences　of　abundance；　impressed　the　visitors　with　the　well…being　of

the　Christians。　Bands　of　traveling　Indians；　whether　friendly　or　otherwise；

were　treated　with　hospitality；　and　never　sent　away　empty…handed。　They　were

asked　to　partake　of　the　abundance　and　solicited　to　come　again。



A　feature　by　no　means　insignificant　in　the　popularity　of　the　village　was　the

church　bell。　The　Indians　loved　music；　and　this　bell　charmed　them。　On　still

nights　the　savages　in　distant　towns　could　hear　at　dusk　the　deep…toned；　mellow

notes　of　the　bell　summoning　the　worshipers　to　the　evening　service。　Its　ringing

clang；　so　strange；　so　sweet；　so　solemn；　breaking　the　vast　dead　wilderness

quiet；　haunted　the　savage　ear　as　though　it　were　a　call　from　a　woodland　god。



〃You　have　arrived　most　opportunely；〃　continued　Mr。　Zeisberger。　〃Mr。　Edwards

and　Mr。　Young　are　working　to　establish　other　missionary　posts。　　Heckewelder　is

here　now　in　the　interest　of　this　branching　out。〃



〃How　long　will　it　take　me　to　learn　the　Delaware　language？〃　inquired　Jim。



〃Not　long。　You　do　not；　however；　need　to　speak　the　Indian　tongue；　for　we　have

excellent　interpreters。〃



〃We　heard　much　at　Fort　Pitt　and　Fort　Henry　about　the　danger；　as　well　as

uselessness；　of　our　venture；〃　Jim　continued。　〃The　frontiersmen　declared　that

every　rod　of　the　way　was　beset　with　savage　foes；　and　that；　even　in　the

unlikely　event　of　our　arriving　safely　at　the　Village　of　Peace；　we　would　then

be　hemmed　in　by　fierce；　vengeful　tribes。〃



〃Hostile　savages　abound　here；　of　course；　but　we　do　not　fear　them。　We　invite

them。　Our　work　is　to　convert　the　wicked；　to　teach　them　to　lead　good；　useful

lives。　We　will　succeed。〃



Jim　could　not　help　warming　to　the　minister　for　his　unswervable　faith；　his

earnest　belief　that　the　work　of　God　could　not　fail；　nevertheless；　while　he

felt　no　fear　and　intended　to　put　all　his　heart　in　the　work