the scouts of the valley- 第15部分

〃It　is　well　to　keep　a　good　watch　on　the　others；〃　said　Timmendiquas；　and　Thayendanegea　nodded。

That　day　the　chiefs　entered　the　Long　House　again；　and　held　a　great　war　council。　　A　string　of　white　wampum　about　a　foot　in　length　was　passed　to　every　chief；　who　held　it　a　moment　or　two　before　handing　it　to　his　neighbors。　　It　was　then　laid　on　a　table　in　the　center　of　the　room；　the　ends　touching。　　This　signified　harmony　among　the　Six　Nations。　　All　the　chiefs　had　been　summoned　to　this　place　by　belts　of　wampum　sent　to　the　different　tribes　by　runners　appointed　by　the　Onondagas；　to　whom　this　honor　belonged。　　All　treaties　had　to　be　ratified　by　the　exchange　of　belts；　and　now　this　was　done　by　the　assembled　chiefs。

Timmendiquas；　as　an　honorary　chief　of　the　Mohawks；　and　as　the　real　head　of　a　brave　and　allied　nation；　was　present　throughout　the　council。　　His　advice　was　asked　often；　and　when　he　gave　it　the　others　listened　with　gravity　and　deference。　　The　next　day　the　village　played　a　great　game　of　lacrosse；　which　was　invented　by　the　Indians；　and　which　had　been　played　by　them　for　centuries　before　the　arrival　of　the　white　man。　　In　this　case　the　match　was　on　a　grand　scale；　Mohawks　and　Cayugas　against　Onondagas　and　Senecas。

The　game　began　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　in　a　great　natural　meadow　surrounded　by　forest。　　The　rival　sides　assembled　opposite　each　other　and　bet　heavily。　　All　the　stakes；　under　the　law　of　the　game；　were　laid　upon　the　ground　in　heaps　here；　and　they　consisted　of　the　articles　most　precious　to　the　Iroquois。　　In　these　heaps　were　rifles；　tomahawks；　scalping　knives；　wampum；　strips　of　colored　beads；　blankets；　swords；　belts；　moccasins；　leggins；　and　a　great　many　things　taken　as　spoil　in　forays　on　the　white　settlements；　such　is　small　mirrors；　brushes　of　various　kinds；　boots；　shoes；　and　other　things；　the　whole　making　a　vast　assortment。

These　heaps　represented　great　wealth　to　the　Iroquois；　and　the　older　chiefs　sat　beside　them　in　the　capacity　of　stakeholders　and　judges。

The　combatants；　ranged　in　two　long　rows；　numbered　at　least　five　hundred　on　each　side；　and　already　they　began　to　show　an　excitement　approaching　that　which　animated　them　when　they　would　go　into　battle。　　Their　eyes　glowed；　and　the　muscles　on　their　naked　backs　and　chests　were　tense　for　the　spring。　　In　order　to　leave　their　limbs　perfectly　free　for　effort　they　wore　no　clothing　at　all；　except　a　little　apron　reaching　from　the　waist　to　the　knee。

The　extent　of　the　playground　was　marked　off　by　two　pair　of　〃byes〃　like　those　used　in　cricket；　planted　about　thirty　rods　apart。　　But　the　goals　of　each　side　were　only　about　thirty　feet　apart。

At　a　signal　from　the　oldest　of　the　chiefs　the　contestants　arranged　themselves　in　two　parallel　lines　facing　each　other；　inside　the　area　and　about　ten　rods　apart。　　Every　man　was　armed　with　a　strong　stick　three　and　a　half　to　four　feet　in　length；　and　curving　toward　the　end。　　Upon　this　curved　end　was　tightly　fastened　a　network　of　thongs　of　untanned　deerskin；　drawn　until　they　were　rigid　and　taut。　　The　ball　with　which　they　were　to　play　was　made　of　closely　wrapped　elastic　skins；　and　was　about　the　size　of　an　ordinary　apple。

At　the　end　of　the　lines；　but　about　midway　between　them；　sat　the　chiefs；　who；　besides　being　judges　and　stakeholders；　were　also　score　keepers。　　They　kept　tally　of　the　game　by　cutting　notches　upon　sticks。　　Every　time　one　side　put　the　ball　through　the　other's　goal　it　counted　one；　but　there　was　an　unusual　power　exercised　by　the　chiefs；　practically　unknown　to　the　games　of　white　men。　　If　one　side　got　too　far　ahead；　its　score　was　cut　down　at　the　discretion　of　the　chiefs　in　order　to　keep　the　game　more　even；　and　also　to　protract　it　sometimes　over　three　or　four　days。　　The　warriors　of　the　leading　side　might　grumble　among　one　another　at　the　amount　of　cutting　the　chiefs　did；　but　they　would　not　dare　to　make　any　protest。　　However；　the　chiefs　would　never　cut　the　leading　side　down　to　an　absolute　parity　with　the　other。　　It　was　always　allowed　to　retain　a　margin　of　the　superiority　it　had　won。

The　game　was　now　about　to　begin；　and　the　excitement　became　intense。　　Even　the　old　judges　leaned　forward　in　their　eagerness；　while　the　brown　bodies　of　the　warriors　shone　in　the　sun；　and　the　taut　muscles　leaped　up　under　the　skin。　　Fifty　players　on　each　side；　sticks　in　hand；　advanced　to　the　center　of　the　ground；　and　arranged　themselves　somewhat　after　the　fashion　of　football　players；　to　intercept　the　passage　of　the　ball　toward　their　goals。　　Now　they　awaited　the　coming　of　the　ball。

There　were　several　young　girls；　the　daughters　of　chiefs。　The　most　beautiful　of　these　appeared。　　She　was　not　more　than　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　of　age；　as　slender　and　graceful　as　a　young　deer；　and　she　was　dressed　in　the　finest　and　most　richly　embroidered　deerskin。　　Her　head　was　crowned　with　a　red　coronet；　crested　with　plumes；　made　of　the　feathers　of　the　eagle　and　heron。　　She　wore　silver　bracelets　and　a　silver　necklace。

The　girl；　bearing　in　her　hand　the　ball；　sprang　into　the　very　center　of　the　arena；　where；　amid　shouts　from　all　the　warriors；　she　placed　it　upon　the　ground。　　Then　she　sprang　back　and　joined　the　throng　of　spectators。　　Two　of　the　players；　one　from　each　side；　chosen　for　strength　and　dexterity；　advanced。　　They　hooked　the　ball　together　in　their　united　bats　and　thus　raised　it　aloft；　until　the　bats　were　absolutely　perpendicular。　　Then　with　a　quick；　jerking　motion　they　shot　it　upward。　　Much　might　be　gained　by　this　first　shot　or　stroke；　but　on　this　occasion　the　two　players　were　equal；　and　it　shot　almost　absolutely　straight　into　the　air。　　The　nearest　groups　made　a　rush　for　it；　and　the　fray　began。

Not　all　played　at　once；　as　the　crowd　was　so　great；　but　usually　twenty　or　thirty　on　each　side　struck　for　tile　ball；　and　when　they　became　exhausted　or　disabled　were　relieved　by　similar　groups。　　All　eventually　came　into　action。

The　game　was　played　with　the　greatest　fire　and　intensity；　assuming　sometimes　the　aspect　of　a　battle。　　Blows　with　the　formidable　sticks　were　given　and　received。　　Brown　skins　were　streaked　with　blood；　heads　were　cracked；　and　a　Cayuga　was　killed。　　Such　killings　were　not　unusual　in　these　games；　and　it　was　always　considered　the　fault　of　the　man　who　fell；　due　to　his　own　awkwardness　or　unwariness。　　The　body　of　the　dead　Cayuga　was　taken　away　in　disgrace。

All　day　long　the　contest　was　waged　with　undiminished　courage　and　zeal；　party　relieving　party。　　The　meadow　and　the　surrounding　forest　resounded　with　the　shouts　and　yells　of　combatants　and　spectators。　　The　old　squaws　were　in　a　perfect　frenzy　of　excitement；　and　their　shrill　screams　of　applause　or　condemnation　rose　above　every　other　sound。

On　this　occasion；　as　the　contest　did　not　last　longer　than　one　day；　the　chiefs　never　cut　down　the　score　of　the　leading　side。　　The　game　closed　at　sunset；　with　the　Senecas　and　Onondagas　triumphant；　and　richer　by　far　than　they　were　in　the　morning。　　The　Mohawks　and　Cayugas　retired；　stripped　of　their　goods　and　crestfallen。

Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea；　acting　as　umpires　watched　the　game　closely　to　its　finish；　but　not　so　the　renegades　Braxton　Wyatt　and　Blackstaffe。　　They　and　Quarles　had　wandered　eastward　with　some　Delawares；　and　had　afterward　joined　the　band　of　Wyandots；　though　Timmendiquas　gave　them　no　very　warm　welcome。　　Quarles　had　left　on　some　errand　a　few　days　before。　　They　had　rejoiced　greatly　at　the　trapping　of　the　four；　one　by　one；　in　the　deep　bush。　　But　they　had　felt　anger　and　disappointment　when　the　fifth　was　not　taken；　also。　　Now　both　were　concerned　and　alarmed　over　the　escape　of　Shif'less　Sol　in　the　night；　and　they　drew　apart　from　the　Indians　to　discuss　it。

〃I　think；〃　said　Wyatt；　〃that　Hyde　did　not　manage　it　himself；　all　alone。　　How　could　he？　　He　was　bound　both　hand　and　foot；　and　I've　learned；　too；　Blackstaffe；　that　four　of　the　best　Iroquois　rifles　have　been　taken。　　That　means　one　apiece　for　Hyde　and　the　three　prisoners　that　are　left。〃

The　two　exchanged　looks　of　meaning　and　understanding。

〃It　must　have　been　the　boy　Ware　who　helped　Hyde　to　get　away；〃　said　Blackstaffe；　〃and　their　taking　of　the　rifles　means　that　he　and　Hyde　expect　to　rescue　the　other　three　in　the　same　way。　　You　think　so；　too？〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Wyatt。　〃What　makes　the　Indians；　who　are　so　wonderfully　alert　and　watchful　most　of　the　time；　become　so　careless　when　they　have　a　great　feast？〃

Blackstaffe　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃It　is　their　way；〃　he　replied。　　〃You　cannot　change　it。　　Ware　must　have　noticed　what　they　were　about；　and　he　took　advantage　of　it。　　But　I　don't　think　any　of　the　others　will　go　that　way。〃

〃The　boy　Cotter　is　in　here；〃　said　Braxton　Wyatt；　tapping　the　side　of　a　small　hut。　　〃Let's　go　in　and　see　him。〃


〃Good　enough；〃　said　Blackstaffe。　　〃But　we　mustn't　let　him　know　that　Hyde　has　escaped。〃

Paul；　also　bound　hand　and　foot；　was　lying　on　an　old　wolfskin。　　He；　too；　was　pale　and　thin…the　strict　confinement　had　told　upon　him　heavily…but　Paul's　spirit　could　never　be　daunted。　　He　looked　at　the　two　renegades　with　hatred　and　contempt。

〃Well；　you're　in　a　fine　fix；〃　said　Wyatt　sneeringly。　　〃We　just　came　in　to　tell　you　that　we　took　Henry　Ware　last　night。〃

Paul　looked　him　straight　and　long　in　the　eye；　and　he　knew　that　the　renegade　was　lying。

〃I　know　better；〃　he　said。

〃Then　we　will　get　him；〃　said　Wyatt；　abandoning　the　lie；　〃and　all　of　you　will　die　at　the　stake。〃

〃You；　will　not　get　him；〃　said　Paul　defiantly；　〃and　as　for　the　rest　of　us　dying　at　the　stake；　that's　to　be　seen。　　I　know　this：　Timmendiquas　considers　us　of　value；　to　be　traded　or　exchanged；　and　he's　too　smart　a　man　to　destroy　what　be　regards　as　his　own　property。　　Besides；　we　may　escape。　　I　don't　want　to　boast；　Braxton　Wyatt；　but　you　know　that　we're　hard　to　hold。〃

Then　Paul　managed　to　turn　over　with　his　face　to　the　wall；　as　if　he　were　through　with　them。　　They　went　out；　and　Braxton　Wyatt　said　sulkily：

〃Nothing　to　be　got　out　of　him。〃

〃No；〃　said　Blackstaffe；　〃but　we　must　urge　that　the　strictest　kind　of　guard　be　kept　over　the　others。〃

The　Iroquois　were　to　remain　some　time　at　the　village；　because　all　their　forces　were　not　yet　gathered　for　the　great　foray　they　had　in　mind。　　The　Onondaga　runners　were　still　carrying　the　wampum　belts　of　purple　shells；　sign　of　war；　to　distant　villages　of　the　tribes；　and　parties　of　war