rolf in the woods-第74章

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of　a　public　man；　and　his　life　grew　larger。　From　Albany　he　went

to　New　York；　in　the　world　of　business　and　men's　affairs；　and

at　last　in　Washington；　his　tall；　manly　figure　was　well　known；

and　his　good　common…sense　and　clean　business　ways　were　respected。

Yet　each　year　during　hunting　time　he　managed　to　spend　a　few　weeks

with　Quonab　in　the　woods。　Tramping　on　their　ancient　trapping

grounds；　living　over　the　days　of　their　early　hunts；　and　double

zest　was　added　when　Rolf　the　second　joined　them　and　lived　and

loved　it　all。



But　this　was　no　longer　Kittering's　life；　rather　the　rare

precarious　interval；　and　more　and　more　old　Quonab　realized　that

they　were　meeting　only　in　the　past。　When　the　big　house　went　up

on　the　river…bank；　he　indeed　had　felt　that　they　were　at　the

parting　of　the　ways。　His　respect　for　Nibowaka　had　grown　to　be

almost　a　worship；　and　yet　he　knew　that　their　trails　had　yearly

less　in　common。　Rolf　had　outgrown　him；　he　was　alone　again；　as

on　the　day　of　their　meeting。　His　years　had　brought　a　certain

insight；　and　this　he　grasped　　that　the　times　were　changed；

and　his　was　the　way　of　a　bygone　day。



〃Mine　is　the　wisdom　of　the　woods；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　woods　are

going　fast；　in　a　few　years　there　will　be　no　more　trees；　and　my

wisdom　will　be　foolishness。　There　is　in　this　land　now　a　big；

strong　thing　called　'trade；'　that　will　eat　up　all　things　and

the　people　themselves。　You　are　wise　enough；　Nibowaka；　to　paddle

with　the　stream；　you　have　turned　so　the　big　giant　is　on　your

side；　and　his　power　is　making　you　great。　But　this　is　not　for　me；

so　only　I　have　enough　to　eat；　and　comfort　to　sleep；　I　am　content

to　watch　for　the　light。〃



Across　the　valley　from　the　big　store　he　dwelt；　in　a　lodge　from

which　he　could　easily　see　the　sunrise。　Twenty…five　years　added

to　the　fifty　he　spent　in　the　land　of　Mayn　Mayano　had　dimmed　his

eye；　had　robbed　his　foot　of　its　spring；　and　sprinkled　his　brow

with　the　winter　rime；　but　they　had　not　changed　his　spirit；　nor

taught　him　less　to　love　the　pine　woods　and　the　sunrise。　Yes；

even　more　than　in　former　days　did　he　take　his　song…drum　to　the

rock　of　worship；　to　his　idaho　　as　the　western　red　man　would

have　called　it。　And　there；　because　it　was　high　and　the　wind

blew　cold；　he　made　a　little　eastward…　facing　lodge。



He　was　old　and　hunting　was　too　hard　for　him；　but　there　was　a

strong　arm　about　him　now；　he　dimly　thought　of　it　at　times　

the　arm　of　the　fifteen…year…old　boy　that　one　time　he　had　shielded。

There　was　no　lack　of　food　or　blankets　in　the　wigwam；　or　of　freedom

in　the　woods　under　the　sun…up　rock。　But　there　was　a　hunger　that

not　farseeing　Nibowaka　could　appease；　not　even　talk　about。　And

Quonab　built　another　medicine　lodge　to　watch　the　sun　go　down

over　the　hill。　Sitting　by　a　little　fire　to　tune　his　song…drum；

he　often　crooned　to　the　blazing　skies。　〃I　am　of　the　sunset　now；

I　and　my　people；〃　he　sang；　〃the　night　is　closing　over　us。〃



One　day　a　stranger　came　to　the　hills；　his　clothes　were　those　of

a　white　man；　but　his　head；　his　feet；　and　his　eyes　　his　blood；

his　walk；　and　his　soul　were　those　of　a　red　Indian　of　the　West。

He　came　from　the　unknown　with　a　message　to　those　who　knew　him

not：　〃The　Messiah　was　coming；　the　deliverer　that　Hiawatha　bade

them　look　for。　He　was　coming　in　power　to　deliver　the　red　race；

and　his　people　must　sing　the　song　of　the　ghost…dance　till　the

spirit　came；　and　in　a　vision　taught　them　wisdom　and　his　will！〃



Not　to　the　white　man；　but　to　the　lonely　Indian　in　the　hill　cleft

he　came；　and　the　song　that　he　brought　and　taught　him　was　of　a

sorrowing　people　seeking　their　father。



〃Father　have　pity　on　us！　Our　souls　are　hungry　for　Thee。　There

is　nothing　here　to　satisfy　us　Father　we　bow　to　Thy　will。〃



By　the　fire　that　night　they　sang；　and　prayed　as　the　Indian

prays　　〃Father　have　pity　and　guide　us。〃　So　Quonab　sang　the

new　song；　and　knew　its　message　was　for　him。



The　stranger　went　on；　for　he　was　a　messenger；　but　Quonab　sang

again　and　again；　and　then　the　vision　came；　as　it　must；　and

the　knowledge　that　he　sought。



None　saw　him　go；　but　ten　miles　southward　on　the　river　he　met　a

hunter　and　said：　〃Tell　the　wise　one　that　I　have　heard　the　new

song。　Tell　him　I　have　seen　the　vision。　We　are　of　the　sunset；

but　the　new　day　comes。　I　must　see　the　land　of　Mayn　Mayano；

the　dawn…land；　where　the　sun　rises　out　of　the　sea。〃



They　saw　no　more　of　him。　But　a　day　later；　Rolf　heard　of　it；

and　set　out　in　haste　next　morning　for　Albany。　Skookum　the

fourth　leaped　into　the　canoe　as　he　pushed　off。　Rolf　was　minded

to　send　him　back；　but　the　dog　begged　hard　with　his　eyes　and

tail。　It　seemed　he　ought　to　go；　when　it　was　the　old　man　they

sought。　At　Albany　they　got　news。　〃Yes；　the　Indian　went　on

the　steamboat　a　few　days　ago。〃　At　New　York；　Rolf　made　no

attempt　to　track　his　friend；　but　took　the　Stamford　boat　and

hurried　to　the　old　familiar　woods；　where　he　had　lived　and

suffered　and　wakened　as　a　boy。



There　was　a　house　now　near　the　rock　that　is　yet　called　〃Quonab's。〃

From　the　tenants　he　learned　that　in　the　stillest　hours　of　the

night　before；　they　had　heard　the　beating　of　an　Indian　drum；　and

the　cadence　of　a　chant　that　came　not　from　throat　of　white　man's

blood。



In　the　morning　when　it　was　light　Rolf　hastened　to　the　place；

expecting　to　find　at　least　an　Indian　camp；　where　once　had　stood

the　lodge。　There　was　no　camp；　and　as　he　climbed　for　a　higher

view；　the　Skookum　of　to…day　gave　bristling　proof　of　fear　at

some　strange　object　there　　a　man　that　moved　not。　His　long

straight　hair　was　nearly　white；　and　by　his　side；　forever　still；

lay　the　song…drum　of　his　people。



And　those　who　heard　the　mournful　strains　the　night　before　knew

now　from　Rolf　that　it　was　Ouonab　come　back　to　his　rest；　and　the

song　that　he　sang　was　the　song　of　the　ghost　dance。



〃Pity　me；　Wahkonda。　My　soul　is　ever　hungry。　There　is　nothing

here　to　satisfy　me；　I　walk　in　darkness；　Pity　me；　Wahkondal〃











End