the scouts of the valley-第15章

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Henry　and　some　others　followed；　as　it　was　not　forbidden　to　see；　and　his　interest　increased。　　He　shared　the　spiritual　feeling　which　was　impressed　upon　the　red　faces　about　him。　　The　bright　moonlight；　too；　added　to　the　effect；　giving　it　the　tinge　of　an　old　Druidical　ceremony。

The　chiefs　relapsed　into　silence　and　sat　thus　about　ten　minutes。　　Then　rose　the　sound　of　a　chant；　distant　and　measured；　and　a　procession　of　young　and　inferior　chiefs；　led　by　Oneidas；　appeared；　slowly　approaching　the　fire。　　Behind　them　were　warriors；　and　behind　the　warriors　were　many　women　and　children。　　All　the　women　were　in　their　brightest　attire；　gay　with　feather　headdresses　and　red；　blue；　or　green　blankets　from　the　British　posts。

The　procession　stopped　at　a　distance　of　about　a　dozen　yards　from　the　chiefs　about　the　council　fire；　and　the　Oneida；　Kathlahon；　formed　the　men　in　a　line　facing　the　head　chiefs；　with　the　women　and　children　grouped　in　an　irregular　mass　behind　them。　　The　singing　meanwhile　had　stopped。　　The　two　groups　stood　facing　each　other；　attentive　and　listening。

Then　Hahiron；　the　oldest　of　the　Onondagas；　walked　back　and　forth　in　the　space　between　the　two　groups；　chanting　a　welcome。　　Like　all　Indian　songs　it　was　monotonous。　　Every　line　he　uttered　with　emphasis　and　a　rising　inflection；　the　phrase　〃Haih…haih〃　which　may　be　translated　〃Hail　to　thee！〃　or　better；　〃All　hail！〃　　Nevertheless；　under　the　moonlight　in　the　wilderness　and　with　rapt　faces　about　him；　it　was　deeply　impressive。　　Henry　found　it　so。

Hahiron　finished　his　round　and　went　back　to　his　place　by　the　fire。　　Atotarho；　head　chief　of　the　Onondagas；　holding　in　his　hands　beautifully　beaded　strings　of　Iroquois　wampum；　came　forward　and　made　a　speech　of　condolence；　to　which　Kathlahon　responded。　　Then　the　head　chiefs　and　the　minor　chiefs　smoked　pipes　together；　after　which　the　head　chiefs；　followed　by　the　minor　chiefs；　and　these　in　turn　by　the　crowd；　led　the　way　back　to　the　village。

Many　hundreds　of　persons　were　in　this　procession；　which　was　still　very　grave　and　solemn；　every　one　in　it　impressed　by　tile　sacred　nature　of　this　ancient　rite。　　The　chief　entered　the　great　door　of　the　Long　House；　and　all　who　could　find　places　not　reserved　followed。　　Henry　went　in　with　the　others；　and　sat　in　a　corner；　making　himself　as　small　as　possible。　　Many　women；　the　place　of　whom　was　high　among　the　Iroquois；　were　also　in　the　Long　House。

The　head　chiefs　sat　on　raised　seats　at　the　north　end　of　the　great　room。　　In　front　of　them；　on　lower　seats；　were　the　minor　chiefs　of　the　three　older　nations　on　the　left；　and　of　the　three　younger　nations　on　the　right。　　In　front　of　these；　but　sitting　on　the　bark　floor；　was　a　group　of　warriors。　　At　the　east　end；　on　both　high　and　low　seats；　were　warriors；　and　facing　them　on　the　western　side　were　women；　also　on　both　high　and　low　seats。　　The　southern　side　facing　the　chiefs　was　divided　into　sections；　each　with　high　and　low　seats。　　The　one　on　the　left　was　occupied　by　men；　and　the　one　on　the　right　by　women。　　Two　small　fires　burned　in　the　center　of　the　Long　House　about　fifteen　feet　apart。

It　was　the　most　singular　and　one　of　the　most　impressive　scenes　that　Henry　had　ever　beheld。　　When　all　had　found　their　seats　there　was　a　deep　silence。　　Henry　could　hear　the　slight　crackling　made　by　the　two　fires　as　they　burned；　and　the　light　fell　faintly　across　the　multitude　of　dark；　eager　faces。　　　Not　less　than　five　hundred　people　were　in　the　Long　House；　and　here　was　the　red　man　at　his　best；　the　first　of　the　wild；　not　the　second　or　third　of　the　civilized；　a　drop　of　whose　blood　in　his　veins　brings　to　the　white　man　now　a　sense　of　pride；　and　not　of　shame；　as　it　does　when　that　blood　belongs　to　some　other　races。

The　effect　upon　Henry　was　singular。　　He　almost　forgot　that　he　was　a　foe　among　them　on　a　mission。　　For　the　moment　he　shared　in　their　feelings；　and　he　waited　with　eagerness　for　whatever　might　come。

Thayendanegea；　the　Mohawk；　stood　up　in　his　place　among　the　great　chiefs。　　The　role　he　was　about　to　assume　belonged　to　Atotarho；　the　Onondaga；　but　the　old　Onondaga　assigned　it　for　the　occasion　to　Thayendanegea；　and　there　was　no　objection。　　Thayendanegea　was　an　educated　man；　be　had　been　in　England；　he　was　a　member　of　a　Christian　church；　and　be　had　translated　a　part　of　the　Bible　from　English　into　his　own　tongue；　but　now　he　was　all　a　Mohawk；　a　son　of　the　forest。

He　spoke　to　the　listening　crowd　of　the　glories　of　the　Six　Nations；　how　Hah…gweh…di…yu　（The　Spirit　of　Good）　had　inspired　Hiawatha　to　form　the　Great　Confederacy　of　the　Five　Nations；　afterwards　the　Six；　how　they　had　held　their　hunting　grounds　for　nearly　two　centuries　against　both　English　and　French；　and　how　they　would　hold　them　against　the　Americans。　　He　stopped　at　moments；　and　deep　murmurs　of　approval　went　through　the　Long　House。　　The　eyes　of　both　men　and　women　flashed　as　the　orator　spoke　of　their　glory　and　greatness。　　Timmendiquas；　in　a　place　of　honor；　nodded　approval。　　If　he　could　he　would　form　such　another　league　in　the　west。

The　air　in　the　Long　House；　breathed　by　so　many；　became　heated。　　It　seemed　to　have　in　it　a　touch　of　fire。　　The　orator's　words　burned。　　Swift　and　deep　impressions　were　left　upon　the　excited　brain。　　The　tall　figure　of　the　Mohawk　towered；　gigantic；　in　the　half　light；　and　the　spell　that　he　threw　over　all　was　complete。

He　spoke　about　half　an　hour；　but　when　he　stopped　he　did　not　sit　down。　　Henry　knew　by　the　deep　breath　that　ran　through　the　Long　House　that　something　more　was　coming　from　Thayendanegea。　　Suddenly　the　red　chief　began　to　sing　in　a　deep；　vibrant　voice；　and　this　was　the　song　that　he　sung：


　　This　was　the　roll　of　you；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！

　　You　that　joined　in　the　work；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　You　that　finished　the　task；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　The　Great　League；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！


There　was　the　same　incessant　repetition　of　〃Haih　haih！〃　that　Henry　had　noticed　in　the　chant　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　but　it　seemed　to　give　a　cumulative　effect；　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　at　every　slight　pause　that　deep　breath　of　approval　ran　through　the　crowd　in　the　Long　House。　　The　effect　of　the　song　was　indescribable。　　Fire　ran　in　the　veins　of　all；　men；　women；　and　children。　　The　great　pulses　in　their　throats　leaped　up。　　They　were　the　mighty　nation；　the　ever…victorious；　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee；　that　had　held　at　bay　both　the　French　and　the　English　since　first　a　white　man　was　seen　in　the　land；　and　that　would　keep　back　the　Americans　now。

Henry　glanced　at　Timmendiquas。　　The　nostrils　of　the　great　White　Lightning　were　twitching。　　The　song　reached　to　the　very　roots　of　his　being；　and　aroused　all　his　powers。　　Like　Thayendanegea；　he　was　a　statesman；　and　he　saw　that　the　Americans　were　far　more　formidable　to　his　race　than　English　or　French　had　ever　been。　　The　Americans　were　upon　the　ground；　and　incessantly　pressed　upon　the　red　man；　eye　to　eye。　　Only　powerful　leagues　like　those　of　the　Iroquois　could　withstand　them。

Thayendanegea　sat　down；　and　then　there　was　another　silence；　a　period　lasting　about　two　minutes。　　These　silences　seemed　to　be　a　necessary　part　of　all　Iroquois　rites。　　When　it　closed　two　young　warriors　stretched　an　elm　bark　rope　across　the　room　from　east　to　west　and　near　the　ceiling；　but　between　the　high　chiefs　and　the　minor　chiefs。　　Then　they　hung　dressed　skins　all　along　it；　until　the　two　grades　of　chiefs　were　hidden　from　the　view　of　each　other。　　This　was　the　sign　of　mourning；　and　was　followed　by　a　silence。　　The　fires　in　the　Long　House　had　died　down　somewhat；　and　little　was　to　be　seen　but　the　eyes　and　general　outline　of　the　people。　　Then　a　slender　man　of　middle　years；　the　best　singer　in　all　the　Iroquois　nation；　arose　and　sang：


　　To　the　great　chiefs　bring　we　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　To　the　dead　chiefs；　kindred　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　To　the　strong　men　'round　him　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！　　

　　To　the　mourning　women　greeting；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　All　hail！

　　There　our　grandsires'　words　repeating；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！

　　Graciously；　Oh；　grandsires；　hear；　　　All　hail！　All　hail！　　All　hail！


The　singing　voice　was　sweet；　penetrating；　and　thrilling；　and　the　song　was　sad。　　At