Historical Papers: Part 3 from Volume VI of The Works of John Greenleaf WhittierWhittier, John Greenleaf
History
Historical Papers: Part 3 from Volume VI of The Works of John Greenleaf Whittier
Whittier, John Greenleaf
History
small quantity of dry moose-meat and cornbread. He then carefully
awakened his companion, who, starting up, forgetful of the cause of his
disturbance, asked aloud, "What do you want?" The savages began to stir;
and Isaac, trembling with fear of detection, lay down again and pretended
to be asleep. After waiting a while he again rose, satisfied, from the
heavy breathing of the Indians, that they were all sleeping; and fearing
to awaken Joseph a second time, lest he should again hazard all by his
thoughtlessness, he crept softly out of the wigwam. He had proceeded but
a few rods when he heard footsteps behind him; and, supposing himself
pursued, he hurried into the woods, casting a glance backward. What was
his joy to see his young companion running after him! They hastened on
in a southerly direction as nearly as they could determine, hoping to
reach their distant home. When daylight appeared they found a large
hollow log, into which they crept for concealment, wisely judging that
they would be hotly pursued by their Indian captors.
Their sagacity was by no means at fault. The Indians, missing their
prisoners in the morning, started off in pursuit with their dogs. As the
young boys lay in the log they could hear the whistle of the Indians and
the barking of dogs upon their track. It was a trying moment; and even
the stout heart of the elder boy sank within him as the dogs came up to
the log and set up a loud bark of discovery. But his presence of mind
saved him. He spoke in a low tone to the dogs, who, recognizing his
familiar voice, wagged their tails with delight and ceased barking. He
then threw to them the morsel of moose-meat he had taken from the wigwam.
While the dogs were thus diverted the Indians made their appearance. The
boys heard the light, stealthy sound of their moccasins on the leaves.
They passed close to the log; and the dogs, having devoured their moose-
meat, trotted after their masters. Through a crevice in the log the boys
looked after them and saw them disappear in the thick woods. They
remained in their covert until night, when they started again on their
long journey, taking a new route to avoid the Indians. At daybreak they
again concealed themselves, but travelled the next night and day without
resting. By this time they had consumed all the bread which they had
taken, and were fainting from hunger and weariness. Just at the close of
the third day they were providentially enabled to kill a pigeon and a
small tortoise, a part of which they ate raw, not daring to make a fire,
which might attract the watchful eyes of savages. On the sixth day they
struck upon an old Indian path, and, following it until night, came
suddenly upon a camp of the enemy. Deep in the heart of the forest,
under the shelter of a ridge of land heavily timbered, a great fire of
logs and brushwood was burning; and around it the Indians sat, eating
their moose-meat and smoking their pipes.
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