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Page 40
"Ugh!" ejaculated the sentinel, turning towards the speaker, as she
concluded her fierce tirade, at the same time placing his hand on the
tomahawk in his belt with an angry gesture: "Ugh! me squaw kill--she no
stop much talky!"
"You'd kill me, would ye? you mean, dirty, ripscallious looking varmint
of the woods you, that don't know a pin from a powder horn!" rejoined
the undaunted Mrs. Younker, in a vehement tone: "You'd kill me for using
the freedom of tongue, as these blessed Colonies is this moment fighting
for with the tarnal Britishers? You'd kill me, would ye? Well, it's jest
my first nateral come at opinion, as I tolled Ben here, not more'n a
quarter o' an hour ago, that you war jest mean enough for any thing, as
ever war invented, in the whole univarsal yarth o' creation--so ef you
do kill me, I won't be in the leastest grain disappinted, no how."
"Don't, Dorothy--don't irritate the savage for nothing at all!" said her
husband, who, raising his head at the first remark of the Indian, now
saw in his fierce, flashing eyes, angry gestures, and awful contortions
of visage, that which boded the sudden fulfillment of his threat: "Don't
irritate him, and git murdered for your pains, Dorothy! Why can't you be
more quiet?"
"Don't talk to me about being quiet, Benjamin Younker, away out here in
the woods, a captive to such imps an them thar, with our house all burnt
to nothing like, and our cows and sheeps and hosses destructed, and--"
Here the speech of the good woman was suddenly cut short by the whizzing
of a tomahawk past her head, which slightly grazed her cheek, and lodged
in the tree a few feet beyond. Whether it was aimed at her life and
missed its mark, or whether it was merely done to frighten her, does not
appear; though the manner of the savage, after the weapon was thrown,
inclines us to the latter supposition; for instead of rushing upon her
with his knife, he walked deliberately to the tree, withdrew the
tomahawk, and then turning to her, and brandishing it over her head,
said:
"Squaw, still be! Speak much, me killum!"
Be the design of the Indian what it might, the whole proceeding
certainly produced one result, which nothing had ever been known to do
before--it awed to silence the tongue of Mrs. Younker, just at a moment
when talking would have been such a relief to her overcharged spirit;
and merely muttering, in an under tone, "I do jest believe the
ripscallious varmint is in arnest, sure enough!" she held her speech for
the extraordinary space of half an hour.
Meantime the other savages finished their repast; and having offered a
portion of it to the prisoners, which the latter refused, they proceeded
to destroy their fire, by casting the burning brands into the rushing
waters of the stream below. This done, they extended their circle
somewhat--each placing himself by a tree or rock--and then in the most
profound silence stood like bronzed statuary, apparently awaiting the
arrival of another party. At last--and just as the sun was beginning to
peep over the brow of the steep above them, and let his rays struggle
with the matted foliage of the trees, for a glimpse of the roaring
waters underneath--one of the Indians started, looked cautiously around,
dropped flat upon the earth; and then rising, and motioning with his
hand for all to be silent, glided noiselessly away, like the shadow of
some evil spirit, into the surrounding thicket. He had scarcely been
absent three minutes, when a slight crackling among the brush was heard
near at hand; and immediately after he rejoined his companions, followed
by a party of eight Indian warriors, and two white prisoners, headed by
a low browed, sinister, blood-thirsty looking white man, in a garb
resembling that worn by a subordinate British officer. His coat was red,
with facings of another color, underneath which was partially displayed
a handsome vest and ruffled shirt. About his waist passed a broad wampum
belt, in which were confined a brace of silver mounted pistols, another
pair of less finish and value, a silver handled dirk, a scalping knife
and tomahawk, on whose blades could be seen traces of blood. Around his
neck was a neatly tied cravat, and dangling in front of his vest a gold
chain, which connected with a watch hid in a pocket of his breeches,
whence depended a larger chain of steel, supporting in turn three
splendid gold seals and two keys. His nether garments were breeches,
leggins, and moccasins, all of deer skin, and without ornament. His hat,
not unlike those of the present day, was on this occasion graced with a
red feather, which protruded above the crown, and corresponded well with
his general appearance.
The Indian companions of this individual were not remarkable for any
thing, unless it might be ferocity of expression. They were habited,
with but one exception, like those previously described, and evidently
belonged to the same tribe. This exception was a large, athletic,
powerful Indian, rather rising of six feet, around whose waist was a
finely worked wampum belt, over whose right shoulder, in a transverse
direction, extended a red scarf, carelessly tied under the left arm,
and in whose nose and ears were large, heavy rings, denoting him to be
either a chief or one in command. His age was about thirty; and his
features, though perhaps less ferocious than some of his companions,
were still enough so to make him an object of dread and fear. His
forehead was low, his eye black and piercing, and his nose rather flat
and widely distended at the nostrils. He was called Peshewa: Anglice,
Wild cat.
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