American fiction -- 19th century; Historical fiction; Indians of North America -- Fiction
This communication excited a tremendous feeling among the savages, when
its purport came to be explained to the whole party. Apart from the
extraordinary, miraculous nature of such a spring, which in itself was
sufficient to keep alive expectation and gratify curiosity, it was so
comfortable to have an inexhaustible supply of the liquor running out of
the bowels of the earth, that it is no wonder the news spread infinite
delight among the listeners. Even the two or three of the chiefs who
had so shrewdly divined the manner in which the liquor had been spilled,
were staggered by the solemnity and steadiness of the bee-hunter's
manner, and perhaps a little carried away by sympathy with those around
them. This yielding of the human mind to the influence of numbers is
so common an occurrence as scarcely to require explanation, and is
the source of half the evils that popular associations inflict on
themselves. It is not that men capable of SEEING the truth are ever
wanting; but men capable of MAINTAINING it, in the face of clamor and
collected power.
It will be readily conceived that a medicine-man who is supposed to
possess the means of discovering a spring that should overflow with pure
whiskey, would not be left without urgent demands for a speedy exercise
of this art. This was now the case with le Bourdon, who was called on
from all sides to point out the precise spot where the young men were
to commence digging in order to open on the treasure. Our hero knew that
his only hope of escape was connected with his steadily maintaining his
assumed character; or of maintaining this assumed character, with
his going on, at once, to do something that might have the effect,
temporarily at least, of satisfying the impatience of his now attentive
listeners. Accordingly, when the demand was made on him to give some
evidence of his power, he set about the task, not only with composure,
but with a good deal of ingenuity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account