rolf in the woods-第1章

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Rolf　In　The　Woods



Ernest　Thompson　Seton










Preface



In　this　story　I　have　endeavoured　to　realize　some　of　the

influences　that　surrounded　the　youth　of　America　a　hundred　years

ago；　and　made　of　them；　first；　good　citizens；　and；　later；　in　the

day　of　peril；　heroes　that　won　the　battles　of　Lake　Erie；

Plattsburg；　and　New　Orleans；　and　the　great　sea　fights　of　Porter；

Bainbridge；　Decatur；　Lawrence；　Perry；　and　MacDonough。



I　have　especially　dwelt　in　detail　on　the　woodland　and　peace

scouting　in　the　hope　that　I　may　thus　help　other　boys　to　follow

the　hard…climbing　trail　that　leads　to　the　higher　uplands。



For　the　historical　events　of　1812…14；　I　have　consulted　among

books　chiefly；　Theodore　Roosevelt's　〃Naval　War　of　1812；〃　Peter　S。

Palmer's　〃History　of　Lake　Champlain；〃　and　Walter　Hill　Crockett's

〃A　History　of　Lake　Champlain；〃　1909。　　But　I　found　another　and

more　personal　mine　of　information。　　Through　the　kindness　of　my

friend；　Edmund　Seymour；　a　native　of　the　Champlain　region；　now　a

resident　of　New　York；　I　went　over　all　the　historical　ground　with

several　unpublished　manuscripts　for　guides；　and　heard　from　the

children　of　the　sturdy　frontiersmen　new　tales　of　the　war；　and　in

getting　more　light　and　vivid　personal　memories；　I　was　glad；

indeed；　to　realize　that　not　only　were　there　valour　and　heroism　on

both　sides；　but　also　gentleness　and　courtesy。　　Histories　written

by　either　party　at　the　time　should　be　laid　aside。　　They　breathe

the　rancourous　hate　of　the　writers　of　the　age　the　fighters　felt

not　so　and　the　many　incidents　given　here　of　chivalry　and

consideration　were　actual　happenings；　related　to　me　by　the

descendants　of　those　who　experienced　them；　and　all　assure　me　that

these　were　a　true　reflex　of　the　feelings　of　the　day。



I　am　much　indebted　to　Miss　Katherine　Palmer；　of　Plattsburg；　for

kindly　allowing　me　to　see　the　unpublished　manuscript　memoir　of

her　grandfather；　Peter　Sailly；　who　was　Collector　of　the　Port　of

Plattsburg　at　the　time　of　the　war。



Another　purpose　in　this　story　was　to　picture　the　real　Indian　with

his　message　for　good　or　for　evil。



Those　who　know　nothing　of　the　race　will　scoff　and　say　they　never

heard　of　such　a　thing　as　a　singing　and　religious　red　man。　Those

who　know　him　well　will　say；　〃Yes；　but　you　have　given　to　your

eastern　Indian　songs　and　ceremonies　which　belong　to　the　western

tribes；　and　which　are　of　different　epochs。　　〃To　the　latter　I

reply：



〃You　know　that　the　western　Inidians　sang　and　prayed　in　this　way。

How　do　you　know　that　the　eastern　ones　did　not？　　We　have　no

records；　except　those　by　critics；　savagely　hostile；　and

contemptuous　of　all　religious　observances　but　their　own。　　The

Ghost　Dance　Song　belonged　to　a　much　more　recent　time；　no　doubt；

but　it　was　purely　Indian；　and　it　is　generally　admitted　that　the

races　of　continental　North　America　were　of　one　stock；　and　had　no

fundamentally　different　customs　or　modes　of　thought。〃



The　Sunrise　Song　was　given　me　by　Frederick　R。　Burton；　author　of

〃American　Primitive　Music。〃　It　is　still　in　use　among　the　Ojibwa。



The　songs　of　the　Wabanaki　may　be　read　in　C。　G。　Le…　land's　〃

Kuloskap　the　Master。〃



The　Ghost　Dance　Song　was　fumished　by　Alice　C。　Fletcher；　whose

〃Indian　Song　and　Story〃　will　prove　a　revelation　to　those　who　wish

to　follow　further。



ERNEST　THOMPSON　SETON。







Chapter　1。　　The　Wigwam　Under　the　Rock



The　early　springtime　sunrise　was　near　at　hand　as

Quonab；　the　last　of　the　Myanos　Sinawa；　stepped

from　his　sheltered　wigwam　under　the　cliff　that

borders　the　Asamuk　easterly；　and；　mounting　to　the　lofty

brow　of　the　great　rock　that　is　its　highest　pinnacle；　he

stood　in　silence；　awaiting　the　first　ray　of　the　sun　over

the　sea　water　that　stretches　between　Connecticut　and

Seawanaky。



His　silent　prayer　to　the　Great　Spirit　was　ended　as　a

golden　beam　shot　from　a　long；　low　cloud…bank　over　the

sea；　and　Quonab　sang　a　weird　Indian　song　for　the　rising

sun；　an　invocation　to　the　Day　God：



〃O　thou　that　risest　from　the　low　cloud

To　burn　in　the　all　above；

I　greet　thee！　　I　adore　thee！〃



Again　and　again　he　sang　to　the　tumming　of　a　small

tom…tom；　till　the　great　refulgent　one　had　cleared　the　cloud；

and　the　red　miracle　of　the　sunrise　was　complete。

Back　to　his　wigwam　went　the　red　man；　down　to　his　home

tucked　dosed　under　the　sheltering　rock；　and；　after　washing

his　hands　in　a　basswood　bowl；　began　to　prepare　his　simple

meal。



A　tin…lined　copper　pot　hanging　over　the　fire　was　partly

filled　with　water；　then；　when　it　was　boiling；　some　samp　or

powdered　corn　and　some　clams　were　stirred　in。　　While

these　were　cooking；　he　took　his　smooth…bore　flint…lock；

crawled　gently　over　the　ridge　that　screened　his　wigwam

from　the　northwest　wind；　and　peered　with　hawk…like

eyes　across　the　broad　sheet　of　water　that；　held　by　a　high

beaver…dam；　filled　the　little　valley　of　Asamuk　Brook。



The　winter　ice　was　still　on　the　pond；　but　in　all　the　warming

shallows　there　was　open　water；　on　which　were　likely

to　be　ducks。　　None　were　to　be　seen；　but　by　the　edge　of　the

ice　was　a　round　object　which；　although　so　far　away；　he

knew　at　a　glance　for　a　muskrat。



By　crawling　around　the　pond；　the　Indian　could　easily

have　come　within　shot；　but　he　returned　at　once　to　his

wigwam；　where　he　exchanged　his　gun　for　the　weapons　of

his　fathers；　a　bow　and　arrows；　and　a　long　fish…line。　　A

short；　quick　stalk；　and　the　muskrat；　still　eating　a　flagroot；

was　within　thirty　feet。　　The　fish…line　was　coiled　on　the

ground　and　then　attached　to　an　arrow；　the　bow　bent　　zip

　the　arrow　picked　up　the　line；　coil　after　coil；　and　trans…

fixed　the　muskrat。　　Splash！　and　the　animal　was　gone　under

the　ice。



But　the　cord　was　in　the　hands　of　the　hunter；　a　little

gentle　pulling　and　the　rat　came　to　view；　to　be　despatched

with　a　stick　and　secured。　　Had　he　shot　it　with　a　gun；　it

had　surely　been　lost。



He　returned　to　his　camp；　ate　his　frugal　breakfast；　and　fed　a

small；　wolfish…looking　yellow　dog　that　was　tied　in　the　lodge。



He　skinned　the　muskrat　carefully；　first　cutting　a

slit　across　the　rear　and　then　turning　the　skin　back　like　a

glove；　till　it　was　off　to　the　snout；　a　bent　stick　thrust　into

this　held　it　stretched；　till　in　a　day；　it　was　dry　and　ready　for

market。　　The　body；　carefully　cleaned；　he　hung　in　the

shade　to　furnish　another　meal。



As　he　worked；　there　were　sounds　of　trampling　in　the

woods；　and　presently　a　tall；　rough…looking　man；　with　a

red　nose　and　a　curling　white　moustache；　came　striding

through　brush　and　leaves。　　He　stopped　when　he　saw　the

Indian；　stared　contemptuously　at　the　quarry　of　the　morning

chase；　made　a　scornful　remark　about　〃rat…eater；〃　and　went

on　toward　the　wigwam；　probably　to　peer　in；　but　the

Indian's　slow；　clear；　〃keep　away！〃　changed　his　plan。　　He

grumbled　something　about　〃copper…coloured　tramp；〃

and　started　away　in　the　direction　of　the　nearest　farmhouse。







Chapter　2。　　Rolf　Kittering　and　the　Soldier　Uncle



A　feller　that　chatters　all　the　time　is　bound　to　talk　a　certain

amount　of　drivel。　　The　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne



This　was　the　Crow　Moon；　the　white　man's　March。

The　Grass　Moon　was　at　hand；　and　already　the

arrow　bands　of　black…necked　honkers　were　passing

northward　from　the　coast；　sending　down　as　they　flew

the　glad　tidings　that　the　Hunger　Moon　was　gone；　that

spring　was　come；　yea；　even　now　was　in　the　land。　　And　the

flicker　clucked　from　a　high；　dry　bough；　the　spotted

woodwale　drummed　on　his　chosen　branch；　the　partridge

drummed　in　the　pine　woods；　and　in　the　sky　the　wild

ducks；　winging；　drummed　their　way。　　What　wonder　that

the　soul　of　the　Indian　should　seek　expression　in　the　drum

and　the　drum　song　of　his　race？



Presently；　as　though　remembering　something；　he　went

quietly　to　the　southward　under　the　ridge；　just　where　it

breaks　to　let　the　brook　go　by；　along　the　edge　of　Strickland's

Plain；　and　on　that　hill　of　sliding　stone　he　found；　as

he　always　had；　the　blue…eyed　liver…leaf　s