the spirit of the border-第24章

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



Gifts　were　presented　during　the　morning；　after　which　the　visitors　were

feasted。　In　the　afternoon　all　assembled　in　the　grove　to　hear　the　preaching。



The　maple　grove　wherein　the　service　was　to　be　conducted　might　have　been

intended　by　Nature　for　just　such　a　purpose　as　it　now　fulfilled。　These　trees

were　large；　spreading；　and　situated　far　apart。　Mossy　stones　and　the　thick

carpet　of　grass　afforded　seats　for　the　congregation。



Heckeweldera　tall；　spare；　and　kindly　appearing　mandirected　the　arranging

of　the　congregation。　He　placed　the　converted　Indians　just　behind　the　knoll

upon　which　the　presiding　minister　was　to　stand。　In　a　half　circle　facing　the

knoll　he　seated　the　chieftains　and　important　personages　of　the　various　tribes。

He　then　made　a　short　address　in　the　Indian　language；　speaking　of　the　work　of

the　mission；　what　wonders　it　had　accomplished；　what　more　good　work　it　hoped　to

do；　and　concluded　by　introducing　the　young　missionary。



While　Heckewelder　spoke；　Jim；　who　stood　just　behind；　employed　the　few　moments

in　running　his　eye　over　the　multitude。　The　sight　which　met　his　gaze　was　one　he

thought　he　would　never　forget。　An　involuntary　word　escaped　him。



〃Magnificent！〃　he　exclaimed。



The　shady　glade　had　been　transformed　into　a　theater；　from　which　gazed　a

thousand　dark；　still　faces。　A　thousand　eagle　plumes　waved；　and　ten　thousand

bright…hued　feathers　quivered　in　the　soft　breeze。　The　fantastically　dressed

scalps　presented　a　contrast　to　the　smooth；　unadorned　heads　of　the　converted

redmen。　These　proud　plumes　and　defiant　feathers　told　the　difference　between

savage　and　Christian。



In　front　of　the　knoll　sat　fifty　chiefs；　attentive　and　dignified。　

Representatives　of　every　tribe　as　far　west　as　the　Scioto　River　were　numbered

in　that　circle。　There　were　chiefs　renowned　for　war；　for　cunning；　for　valor；

for　wisdom。　Their　stately　presence　gave　the　meeting　tenfold　importance。　Could

these　chiefs　be　interested；　moved；　the　whole　western　world　of　Indians　might　be

civilized。



Hepote；　a　Maumee　chief；　of　whom　it　was　said　he　had　never　listened　to　words　of

the　paleface；　had　the　central　position　in　this　circle。　On　his　right　and　left；

respectively；　sat　Shaushoto　and　Pipe；　implacable　foes　of　all　white　men。　The

latter's　aspect　did　not　belie　his　reputation。　His　copper…colored；　repulsive

visage　compelled　fear；　it　breathed　vindictiveness　and　malignity。　A　singular

action　of　his　was　that　he　always；　in　what　must　have　been　his　arrogant　vanity；

turned　his　profile　to　those　who　watched　him；　and　it　was　a　remarkable　one；　it

sloped　in　an　oblique　line　from　the　top　of　his　forehead　to　his　protruding　chin；

resembling　somewhat　the　carved　bowl　of　his　pipe；　which　was　of　flint　and　a

famed　inheritance　from　his　ancestors。　　From　it　he　took　his　name。　One　solitary

eagle　plume；　its　tip　stained　vermilion；　stuck　from　his　scalp…lock。　It　slated

backward　on　a　line　with　his　profile。



Among　all　these　chiefs；　striking　as　they　were；　the　figure　of　Wingenund；　the

Delaware；　stood　out　alone。



His　position　was　at　the　extreme　left　of　the　circle；　where　he　leaned　against　a

maple。　A　long；　black　mantle；　trimmed　with　spotless　white；　enveloped　him。　　One

bronzed　arm；　circled　by　a　heavy　bracelet　of　gold；　held　the　mantle　close　about

his　lofty　form。　His　headdress；　which　trailed　to　the　ground；　was　exceedingly

beautiful。　The　eagle　plumes　were　of　uniform　length　and　pure　white；　except　the

black…pointed　tips。



At　his　feet　sat　his　daughter；　Whispering　Winds。　Her　maidens　were　gathered

round　her。　She　raised　her　soft；　black　eyes；　shining　with　a　wondrous　light　of

surprise　and　expectation；　to　the　young　missionary's　face。



Beyond　the　circle　the　Indians　were　massed　together；　even　beyond　the　limits　of

the　glade。　Under　the　trees　on　every　side　sat　warriors　astride　their　steeds；

some　lounged　on　the　green　turf；　many　reclined　in　the　branches　of　low…spreading

maples。



As　Jim　looked　out　over　the　sea　of　faces　he　started　in　surprise。　The　sudden

glance　of　fiery　eyes　had　impelled　his　gaze。　He　recognized　Silvertip；　the

Shawnee　chief。　The　Indian　sat　motionless　on　a　powerful　black　horse。　Jim

started　again；　for　the　horse　was　Joe's　thoroughbred；　Lance。　But　Jim　had　no

further　time　to　think　of　Joe's　enemy；　for　Heckewelder　stepped　back。



Jim　took　the　vacated　seat；　and；　with　a　far…reaching；　resonant　voice　began　his

discourse　to　the　Indians。



〃Chieftains；　warriors；　maidens；　children　of　the　forest；　listen；　and　your　ears

shall　hear　no　lie。　I　am　come　from　where　the　sun　rises　to　tell　you　of　the　Great

Spirit　of　the　white　man。



〃Many；　many　moons　ago；　as　many　as　blades　of　grass　grow　on　yonder　plain；　the

Great　Spirit　of　whom　I　shall　speak　created　the　world。　He　made　the　sparkling

lakes　and　swift　rivers；　the　boundless　plains　and　tangled　forests；　over　which

He　caused　the　sun　to　shine　and　the　rain　to　fall。　He　gave　life　to　the　kingly

elk；　the　graceful　deer；　the　rolling　bison；　the　bear；　the　foxall　the　beasts

and　birds　and　fishes。　But　He　was　not　content　for　nothing　He　made　was　perfect

in　His　sight。　He　created　the　white　man　in　His　own　image；　and　from　this　first

man's　rib　He　created　his　matea　woman。　　He　turned　them　free　in　a　beautiful

forest。



〃Life　was　fair　in　the　beautiful　forest。　The　sun　shone　always；　the　birds　sang；

the　waters　flowed　with　music；　the　flowers　cast　sweet　fragrance　on　the　air。　In

this　forest；　where　fruit　bloomed　always；　was　one　tree；　the　Tree　of　Life；　the

apple　of　which　they　must　not　eat。　In　all　this　beautiful　forest　of　abundance

this　apple　alone　was　forbidden　them。



〃Now　evil　was　born　with　woman。　A　serpent　tempted　her　to　eat　of　the　apple　of

Life；　and　she　tempted　the　man　to　eat。　For　their　sin　the　Great　Spirit　commanded

the　serpent　to　crawl　forever　on　his　belly；　and　He　drove　them　from　the

beautiful　forest。　The　punishment　for　their　sin　was　to　be　visited　on　their

children's　children；　always；　until　the　end　of　time。　The　two　went　afar　into　the

dark　forest；　to　learn　to　live　as　best　they　might。　From　them　all　tribes

descended。　The　world　is　wide。　A　warrior　might　run　all　his　days　and　not　reach

the　setting　sun；　where　tribes　of　yellow…skins　live。　He　might　travel　half　his

days　toward　the　south…wind；　where　tribes　of　black…skins　abound。　People　of　all

colors　inhabited　the　world。　They　lived　in　hatred　toward　one　another。　They　shed

each　other's　blood；　they　stole　each　other's　lands；　gold；　and　women。　They

sinned。



〃Many　moons　ago　the　Great　Spirit　sorrowed　to　see　His　chosen　tribe；　the

palefaces；　living　in　ignorance　and　sin。　He　sent　His　only　Son　to　redeem　them；

and　said　if　they　would　listen　and　believe；　and　teach　the　other　tribes；　He

would　forgive　their　sin　and　welcome　them　to　the　beautiful　forest。



〃That　was　moons　and　moons　ago；　when　the　paleface　killed　his　brother　for　gold

and　lands；　and　beat　his　women　slaves　to　make　them　plant　his　corn。　　The　Son　of

the　Great　Spirit　lifted　the　cloud　from　the　palefaces'　eyes；　and　they　saw　and

learned。　So　pleased　was　the　Great　Spirit　that　He　made　the　palefaces　wiser　and

wiser；　and　master　of　the　world。　He　bid　them　go　afar　to　teach　the　ignorant

tribes。



〃To　teach　you　is　why　the　young　paleface　journeyed　from　the　rising　sun。　He

wants　no　lands　or　power。　He　has　given　all　that　he　had。　He　walks　among　you

without　gun　or　knife。　He　can　gain　nothing　but　the　happiness　of　opening　the

redmen's　eyes。



〃The　Great　Spirit　of　whom　I　teach　and　the　Great　Manitou；　your　idol；　are　the

same；　the　happy　hunting　ground　of　the　Indian　and　the　beautiful　forest　of　the

paleface　are　the　same；　the　paleface　and　the　redman　are　the　same。　There　is　but

one　Great　Spirit；　that　is　God；　but　one　eternal　home；　that　is　heaven；　but　one

human　being；　that　is　man。



〃The　Indian　knows　the　habits　of　the　beaver；　he　can　follow　the　paths　of　the

forests；　he　can　guide　his　canoe　through　the　foaming　rapids；　he　is　honest；　he

is　brave；　he　is　great；　but　he　is　not　wise。　His　wisdom　is　clouded　with　the

original　sin。　He　lives　in　idleness；