human
Well, Black Eagle, how fares it with my brother?
gpt
As with the tamarack in the autumn, answered the warrior;
human
This is a chief from the land of my white fathers, said Mr. Prevost, waving his hand gracefully towards Lord H----;
gpt
He is welcome to what was once the red man's land, said Black Eagle; and, bending his eyes upon the ground, but without any sign of emotion at the thoughts which seemed to lie beneath his words, he relapsed into silence for a minute or two. Then raising his head again, he asked,
human
Is he a great chief? Is he a warrior? or a man of council? or a medicine man?
gpt
He is a great chief and a warrior, answered Mr. Prevost;
human
He is welcome, repeated the chief;
gpt
Speak on, said Mr. Prevost, seeing that he paused;
human
Thou art too near the Caturqui; thou art too near to Corlear, said the warrior, meaning, the river St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain.
gpt
There is danger for our brother; and the wings of the Black Eagle droop when he is in his solitary place afar amidst the children of the Stone, to think that thou art not farther within the walls of the Long House.
human
What does he mean by the walls of the Long House?
gpt
Merely the territory of the Five Nations, or Iroquois, as the French call them,
human
I fear not, brother, replied Mr. Prevost;
gpt
But for the maiden's sake, pursued Black Eagle.
human
Is she not unto us as a daughter? Is she not the sister of Otaitsa? I pray thee, White Pine-tree, let her go with the Eagle and the Blossom into the land of the children of the Stone--but for a few moons--till thy people have triumphed over their enemies, and till the Five Nations have hewed down the tree of the Huron and the Alonquin; till the war-hatchet is buried, and the pipe of peace is smoked.
gpt
said Mr. Gore.
human
We have seen sights to-day would make the blood of the most bold and hardy man on earth turn cold and icy to behold, and know he had a daughter near such scenes of death.
gpt
What were they, my good friend? asked Mr. Prevost.
human
I have heard of nothing very new or near. The last was the capture of Fort William-Henry, some six weeks since, but as yet we have not heard the whole particulars; and surely, if we are far enough away for the tidings not to reach us in six weeks, it is not likely that hostile armies would approach us very soon.
gpt
Thou art deceived, my brother, answered the Black Eagle.
human
One short day's journey lies betwixt thee and the battle-field. This morning we crossed it when the sun wanted half an hour of noon, and we are here before he has gone down behind the forest. What we saw chilled the blood of my brother here, for he has not seen such things before. The children of the Stone slay not women and children when the battle is over.
gpt
Speak, speak, my good friend, Mr. Gore, said the master of the house;
human
We passed the ground between the one fort and the other, answered the missionary.
gpt
The distance is but seven or eight miles, and in that short space lay well nigh a thousand human bodies slain by every dark and terrible means of death. There were young and old; the grey-headed officer; the blooming youth fresh from his mother's side; women, and boys and girls, and little infants snatched from a mother's breast, to die by the hatchet, or the war-club. We heard that the tiger Montcalm, in violation of his given word, in defiance of humanity, Christianity, and the spirit of a gentleman, stood by and saw his own convention broken, and gallant enemies massacred by his savage allies. But what the chief says is very true, my friend. You are far too near this scene; and although, perhaps, no regular army could reach this place before you received timely warning, yet the Indian forerunners may be upon you at any moment; your house may be in flames and you and your children massacred ere any one could come to give you aid. The troops of our country are far away; and no force is between you and Horicon, but a small number of our Mohawk brethren, who are not as well pleased with England as they have been.
human
On one point you are mistaken, sir. Lord Loudon has returned, and there is now a strong force at Albany. I passed through that city lately, and I think that, by the facts which must have come to his knowledge, General Montcalm will be deterred from pushing his brutal incursions farther this year, at least. Before another morning shines upon us, he may receive some punishment for his faithless cruelty.
gpt
If not here, hereafter, said the missionary.
human
There is justice in heaven, sir, and often it visits the evil-doer upon earth. That man's end cannot be happy. But I fear you will not give us aid in persuading your friend here to abandon, for a time, his very dangerous position.
gpt
I know too little of Mr. Prevost's affairs, replied Lord H----,