the spirit of the border-第23章

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advertised　a　special　meeting；　there　were　assembled　in　the　shady　maple　grove　as

many　as　five　hundred　savages。　Jim　had；　therefore；　opportunities　to　practice

his　offices　of　friendliness。



Fortunately　for　him；　he　at　once　succeeded　in　establishing　himself　in　the　good

graces　of　Glickhican；　the　converted　Delaware　chief。　The　wise　old　Indian　was　of

inestimable　value　to　Jim。　Early　in　their　acquaintance　he　evinced　an　earnest

regard　for　the　young　minister；　and　talked　with　him　for　hours。



From　Glickhican　Jim　learned　the　real　nature　of　the　redmen。　The　Indian's　love

of　freedom　and　honor；　his　hatred　of　subjection　and　deceit；　as　explained　by　the

good　old　man；　recalled　to　Jim　Colonel　Zane's　estimate　of　the　savage　character。

Surely；　as　the　colonel　had　said；　the　Indians　had　reason　for　their　hatred　of

the　pioneers。　Truly；　they　were　a　blighted　race。



Seldom　had　the　rights　of　the　redmen　been　thought　of。　The　settler　pushed

onward；　plodding；　as　it　were；　behind　his　plow　with　a　rifle。　　He　regarded　the

Indian　as　little　better　than　a　beast；　he　was　easier　to　kill　than　to　tame。　How

little　the　settler　knew　the　proud　independence；　the　wisdom；　the　stainless

chastity　of　honor；　which　belonged　so　truly　to　many　Indian　chiefs！



The　redmen　were　driven　like　hounded　deer　into　the　untrodden　wilds。　From

freemen　of　the　forests；　from　owners　of　the　great　boundless　plains；　they　passed

to　stern；　enduring　fugitives　on　their　own　lands。　Small　wonder　that　they　became

cruel　where　once　they　had　been　gentle！　Stratagem　and　cunning；　the　night

assault；　the　daylight　ambush　took　the　place　of　their　one…time　open　warfare。

Their　chivalrous　courage；　that　sublime　inheritance　from　ancestors　who　had

never　known　the　paleface　foe；　degenerated　into　a　savage　ferocity。



Interesting　as　was　this　history　to　Jim；　he　cared　more　for　Glickhican's　rich

portrayal　of　the　redmen's　domestic　life；　for　the　beautiful　poetry　of　his

tradition　and　legends。　He　heard　with　delight　the　exquisite　fanciful　Indian

lore。　From　these　romantic　legends；　beautiful　poems；　and　marvelous　myths　he

hoped　to　get　ideas　of　the　Indian's　religion。　Sweet　and　simple　as　childless

dreams　were　these　quaint　talestales　of　how　the　woodland　fairies　dwelt　in

fern…carpeted　dells；　how　at　sunrise　they　came　out　to　kiss　open　the　flowers；

how　the　forest　walks　were　spirit…haunted　paths；　how　the　leaves　whispered

poetry　to　the　winds；　how　the　rocks　harbored　Indian　gods　and　masters　who

watched　over　their　chosen　ones。



Glickhican　wound　up　his　long　discourses　by　declaring　he　had　never　lied　in　the

whole　course　of　his　seventy　years；　had　never　stolen；　never　betrayed；　never

murdered；　never　killed；　save　in　self…defence。　Gazing　at　the　chief's　fine

features；　now　calm；　yet　showing　traces　of　past　storms；　Jim　believed　he　spoke

the　truth。



When　the　young　minister　came；　however；　to　study　the　hostile　Indians　that

flocked　to　the　village；　any　conclusive　delineation　of　character；　or　any

satisfactory　analysis　of　their　mental　state　in　regard　to　the　paleface

religion；　eluded　him。　Their　passive；　silent；　sphinx…like　secretiveness　was

baffling。　Glickhican　had　taught　him　how　to　propitiate　the　friendly　braves；　and

with　these　he　was　successful。　Little　he　learned；　however；　from　the　unfriendly

ones。　When　making　gifts　to　these　redmen　he　could　never　be　certain　that　his

offerings　were　appreciated。　The　jewels　and　gold　he　had　brought　west　with　him

went　to　the　French　traders；　who　in　exchange　gave　him　trinkets；　baubles；

bracelets　and　weapons。　Jim　made　hundreds　of　presents。　Boldly　going　up　to

befeathered　and　befringed　chieftains；　he　offered　them　knives；　hatchets；　or

strings　of　silvery　beads。　Sometimes　his　kindly　offerings　were　repelled　with　a

haughty　stare；　at　other　times　they　would　be　accepted　coldly；　suspiciously；　as

if　the　gifts　brought　some　unknown　obligation。



For　a　white　man　it　was　a　never…to…be…forgotten　experience　to　see　eight　or　ten

of　these　grim；　slowly　stepping　forest　kings；　arrayed　in　all　the　rich　splendor

of　their　costume；　stalking　among　the　teepees　of　the　Village　of　Peace。　Somehow；

such　a　procession　always　made　Jim　shiver。　The　singing；　praying　and　preaching

they　heard　unmoved。　No　emotion　was　visible　on　their　bronzed　faces；　nothing

changed　their　unalterable　mien。　Had　they　not　moved；　or　gazed　with　burning

eyes；　they　would　have　been　statues。　When　these　chieftains　looked　at　the

converted　Indians；　some　of　whom　were　braves　of　their　nations；　the　contempt　in

their　glances　betrayed　that　they　now　regarded　these　Christian　Indians　as

belonging　to　an　alien　race。



Among　the　chiefs　Glickhican　pointed　out　to　Jim　were　Wingenund；　the　Delaware；

Tellane；　the　Half…King；　Shingiss　and　Kotoxenall　of　the　Wolf　tribe　of　the

Delawares。



Glickhican　was　careful　to　explain　that　the　Delaware　nation　had　been　divided

into　the　Wolf　and　Turtle　tribes；　the　former　warlike　people；　and　the　latter

peaceable。　Few　of　the　Wolf　tribe　had　gone　over　to　the　new　faith；　and　those　who

had　were　scorned。　Wingenund；　the　great　power　of　the　Delawaresindeed；　the

greatest　of　all　the　western　tribesmaintained　a　neutral　attitude　toward　the

Village　of　Peace。　But　it　was　well　known　that　his　right…hand　war…chiefs；　Pipe

and　Wishtonah；　remained　coldly　opposed。



Jim　turned　all　he　had　learned　over　and　over　in　his　mind；　trying　to　construct

part　of　it　to　fit　into　a　sermon　that　would　be　different　from　any　the　Indians

had　ever　heard。　He　did　not　want　to　preach　far　over　their　heads。　If　possible；

he　desired　to　keep　to　their　idealsfor　he　deemed　them　more　beautiful　than　his

ownand　to　conduct　his　teaching　along　the　simple　lines　of　their　belief；　so

that　when　he　stimulated　and　developed　their　minds　he　could　pass　from　what　they

knew　to　the　unknown　Christianity　of　the　white　man。



His　first　address　to　the　Indians　was　made　one　day　during　the　indisposition　of

Mr。　Wellswho　had　been　over…working　himself…and　the　absence　of　the　other

missionaries。　He　did　not　consider　himself　at　all　ready　for　preaching；　and

confined　his　efforts　to　simple；　earnest　talk；　a　recital　of　the　thoughts　he　had

assimilated　while　living　here　among　the　Indians。



Amazement　would　not　have　described　the　state　of　his　feelings　when　he　learned

that　he　had　made　a　powerful　impression。　The　converts　were　loud　in　his　praise；

the　unbelievers　silent　and　thoughtful。　In　spite　of　himself；　long　before　he　had

been　prepared；　he　was　launched　on　his　teaching。　Every　day　he　was　called　upon

to　speak；　every　day　one　savage；　at　least；　was　convinced；　every　day　the　throng

of　interested　Indians　was　augmented。　　The　elder　missionaries　were　quite

overcome　with　joy；　they　pressed　him　day　after　day　to　speak；　until　at　length　he

alone　preached　during　the　afternoon　service。



The　news　flew　apace；　the　Village　of　Peace　entertained　more　redmen　than　ever

before。　Day　by　day　the　faith　gained　a　stronger　foothold。　A　kind　of　religious

trance　affected　some　of　the　converted　Indians；　and　this　greatly　influenced　the

doubting　ones。　Many　of　them　half　believed　the　Great　Manitou　had　come。



Heckewelder；　the　acknowledged　leader　of　the　western　Moravian　Mission；　visited

the　village　at　this　time；　and；　struck　by　the　young　missionary's　success；

arranged　a　three　days'　religious　festival。　Indian　runners　were　employed　to

carry　invitations　to　all　the　tribes。　The　Wyandots　in　the　west；　the　Shawnees　in

the　south；　and　the　Delawares　in　the　north　were　especially　requested　to　come。

No　deception　was　practiced　to　lure　the　distant　savages　to　the　Village　of

Peace。　They　were　asked　to　come；　partake　of　the　feasts；　and　listen　to　the　white

man's　teaching。







Chapter　XII。



〃The　Groves　Were　God's　First　Temples。〃



From　dawn　until　noon　on　Sunday　bands　of　Indians　arrived　at　the　Village　of

Peace。　Hundreds　of　canoes　glided　down　the　swift　stream　and　bumped　their　prows

into　the　pebbly　beach。　Groups　of　mounted　warriors　rode　out　of　the　forests　into

the　clearing；　squaws　with　papooses；　maidens　carrying　wicker　baskets；　and

children　playing　with　rude　toys；　came　trooping　along　the　bridle…paths。



Gifts　were　prese