the scouts of the valley-第14章

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　the　Indian　camp。　　So　eager　was　he；　and　so　full　of　his　plan；　that　he　did　not　feel　any　repulsion　as　he　opened　the　warrior's　deerskin　shirt　and　took　his　totem　from　a　place　near　his　heart。　　It　was　a　little　deerskin　bag　containing　a　bunch　of　red　feathers。　　This　was　his　charm；　his　magic　spell；　his　bringer　of　good　luck；　which　had　failed　him　so　woefully　this　time。　　Henry；　not　without　a　touch　of　the　forest　belief；　put　it　inside　his　own　hunting　shirt；　wishing；　although　he　laughed　at　himself；　that　if　the　red　man's　medicine　had　any　potency　it　should　be　on　his　own　side。

Then　he　found　also　the　little　bag　in　which　the　Indian　carried　his　war　paint　and　the　feather　brush　with　which　he　put　it　on。　　The　next　hour　witnessed　a　singular　transformation。　　A　white　youth　was　turned　into　a　red　warrior。　　He　cut　his　own　hair　closely；　all　except　a　tuft　in　the　center；　with　his　sharp　hunting　knife。　　The　tuft　and　the　close　crop　he　stained　black　with　the　Indian's　paint。　　It　was　a　poor　black；　but　he　hoped　that　it　would　pass　in　the　night。　　He　drew　the　tuft　into　a　scalplock；　and　intertwined　it　with　a　feather　from　the　Indian's　own　tuft。　　Then　he　stained　his　face；　neck；　hands；　and　arms　with　the　red　paint；　and　stood　forth　a　powerful　young　warrior　of　a　western　nation。

He　hid　the　Indian's　weapons　and　his　own　raccoon…skin　cap　in　the　brush。　　Then　he　took　the　body　of　the　fallen　warrior　to　the　edge　of　the　swamp　and　dropped　it　in。　　His　object　was　not　alone　concealment；　but　burial　as　well。　　He　still　felt　sorry　for　the　unfortunate　Wyandot；　and　he　watched　him　until　he　sank　completely　from　sight　in　the　mire。　　Then　he　turned　away　and　traveled　a　straight　course　toward　the　great　Indian　camp。

He　stopped　once　on　the　way　at　a　clear　pool　irradiated　by　the　bright　moonlight；　and　looked　attentively　at　his　reflection。　　By　night；　at　least；　it　was　certainly　that　of　an　Indian；　and；　summoning　all　his　confidence；　he　continued　upon　his　chosen　and　desperate　task。

Henry　knew　that　the　chances　were　against　him；　even　with　his　disguise；　but　he　was　bound　to　enter　the　Indian　camp；　and　he　was　prepared　to　incur　all　risks　and　to　endure　all　penalties。　　He　even　felt　a　certain　lightness　of　heart　as　he　hurried　on　his　way；　and　at　length　saw　through　the　forest　the　flare　of　light　from　the　Indian　camp。

He　approached　cautiously　at　first　in　order　that　he　might　take　a　good　look　into　the　camp；　and　he　was　surprised　at　what　he　saw。　　In　a　single　day　the　village　had　been　enlarged　much　more。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　it　contained　at　least　twice　as　many　warriors。　　Women　and　children；　too；　had　come；　and　he　heard　a　stray　dog　barking　here　and　there。　　Many　more　fires　than　usual　were　burning；　and　there　was　a　great　murmur　of　voices。

Henry　was　much　taken　aback　at　first。　　It　seemed　that　he　was　about　to　plunge　into　the　midst　of　the　whole　Iroquois　nation；　and　at　a　time；　too；　when　something　of　extreme　importance　was　going　on；　but　a　little　reflection　showed　that　he　was　fortunate。　　Amid　so　many　people；　and　so　much　ferment　it　was　not　at　all　likely　that　he　would　be　noticed　closely。　　It　was　his　intention；　if　the　necessity　came；　to　pass　himself　off　as　a　warrior　of　the　Shawnee　tribe　who　had　wandered　far　eastward；　but　he　meant　to　avoid　sedulously　the　eye　of　Timmendiquas；　who　might；　through　his　size　and　stature；　divine　his　identity。

As　Henry　lingered　at　the　edge　of　the　camp；　in　indecision　whether　to　wait　a　little　or　plunge　boldly　into　the　light　of　the　fires；　he　became　aware　that　all　sounds　in　the　village…for　such　it　was　instead　of　a　camp…had　ceased　suddenly；　except　the　light　tread　of　feet　and　the　sound　of　many　people　talking　low。　　He　saw　through　the　bushes　that　all　the　Iroquois；　and　with　them　the　detachment　of　Wyandots　under　White　Lightning；　were　going　toward　a　large　structure　in　the　center；　which　he　surmised　to　be　the　Council　House。　　He　knew　from　his　experience　with　the　Indians　farther　west　that　the　Iroquois　built　such　structures。

He　could　no　longer　doubt　that　some　ceremony　of　the　greatest　importance　was　about　to　begin；　and；　dismissing　indecision；　he　left　the　bushes　and　entered　the　village；　going　with　the　crowd　toward　the　great　pole　building；　which　was；　indeed；　the　Council　House。

But　little　attention　was　paid　to　Henry。　　He　would　have　drawn　none　at　all；　had　it　not　been　for　his　height；　and　when　a　warrior　or　two　glanced　at　him　he　uttered　some　words　in　Shawnee；　saying　that　he　had　wandered　far；　and　was　glad　to　come　to　the　hospitable　Iroquois。　　One　who　could　speak　a　little　Shawnee　bade　him　welcome；　and　they　went　on；　satisfied；　their　minds　more　intent　upon　the　ceremony　than　upon　a　visitor。

The　Council　House；　built　of　light　poles　and　covered　with　poles　and　thatch；　was　at　least　sixty　feet　long　and　about　thirty　feet　wide；　with　a　large　door　on　the　eastern　side；　and　one　or　two　smaller　ones　on　the　other　sides。　　As　Henry　arrived；　the　great　chiefs　and　sub…chiefs　of　the　Iroquois　were　entering　the　building；　and　about　it　were　grouped　many　warriors　and　women；　and　even　children。　　But　all　preserved　a　decorous　solemnity；　and；　knowing　the　customs　of　the　forest　people　so　well；　he　was　sure　that　the　ceremony；　whatever　it　might　be；　must　be　of　a　highly　sacred　nature。　　He　himself　drew　to　one　side；　keeping　as　much　as　possible　in　the　shadow；　but　he　was　using　to　its　utmost　power　every　faculty　of　observation　that　Nature　had　given　him。

Many　of　the　fires　were　still　burning；　but　the　moon　had　come　out　with　great　brightness；　throwing　a　silver　light　over　the　whole　village；　and　investing　with　attributes　that　savored　of　the　mystic　and　impressive　this　ceremony；　held　by　a　savage　but　great　race　here　in　the　depths　of　the　primeval　forest。　　Henry　was　about　to　witness　a　Condoling　Council；　which　was　at　once　a　mourning　for　chiefs　who　had　fallen　in　battle　farther　east　with　his　own　people　and　the　election　and　welcome　of　their　successors。

The　chiefs　presently　came　forth　from　the　Council　House　or；　as　it　was　more　generally　called；　the　Long　House；　and；　despite　the　greatness　of　Thayendanegea；　those　of　the　Onondaga　tribe；　in　virtue　of　their　ancient　and　undisputed　place　as　the　political　leaders　and　high　priests　of　the　Six　Nations；　led　the　way。　　Among　the　stately　Onondaga　chiefs　were：　Atotarho　（The　Entangled）；　Skanawati　（Beyond　the　River）；　Tehatkahtons　（Looking　Both　Ways）；　Tehayatkwarayen　（Red　Wings）；　and　Hahiron　（The　Scattered）。　　They　were　men　of　stature　and　fine　countenance；　proud　of　the　titular　primacy　that　belonged　to　them　because　it　was　the　Onondaga；　Hiawatha；　who　had　formed　the　great　confederacy　more　than　four　hundred　years　before　our　day；　or　just　about　the　time　Columbus　was　landing　on　the　shores　of　the　New　World。

Next　to　the　Onondagas　came　the　fierce　and　warlike　Mohawks；　who　lived　nearest　to　Albany；　who　were　called　Keepers　of　the　Eastern　Gate；　and　who　were　fully　worthy　of　their　trust。　　They　were　content　that　the　Onondagas　should　lead　in　council；　so　long　as　they　were　first　in　battle；　and　there　was　no　jealousy　between　them。　　Among　their　chiefs　were　Koswensiroutha　（Broad　Shoulders）　and　Satekariwate　（Two　Things　Equal）。

Third　in　rank　were　the　Senecas；　and　among　their　chiefs　were　Kanokarih　（The　Threatened）　and　Kanyadariyo　（Beautiful　Lake）。

These　three；　the　Onondagas；　Mohawks；　and　Senecas；　were　esteemed　the　three　senior　nations。　　After　them；　in　order　of　precedence；　came　the　chiefs　of　the　three　junior　nations；　the　Oneidas；　Cayugas；　and　Tuscaroras。　　All　of　the　great　chiefs　had　assistant　chiefs；　usually　relatives；　who；　in　case　of　death；　often　succeeded　to　their　places。　　But　these　assistants　now　remained　in　the　crowd　with　other　minor　chiefs　and　the　mass　of　the　warriors。　　A　little　apart　stood　Timmendiquas　and　his　Wyandots。　　He；　too；　was　absorbed　in　the　ceremony　so　sacred　to　him；　an　Indian；　and　he　did　not　notice　the　tall　figure　of　the　strange　Shawnee　lingering　in　the　deepest　of　the　shadows。

The　head　chiefs；　walking　solemnly　and　never　speaking；　marched　across　the　clearing；　and　then　through　the　woods　to　a　glen；　where　two　young　warriors　had　kindled　a　little　fire　of　sticks　as　a　signal　of　welcome。　　The　chiefs　gathered　around　the　fire　and　spoke　together　in　low　tones。　　This　was　Deyuhnyon　Kwarakda；　which　means　〃The　Reception　at　the　Edge　of　the　Wood。〃

Henry　and　some　others　followed；　as　it　was　not　forbidden　to　see；　and　his　interest　increased。　　He　shared　the　spiritual　feeling　w