The Eyes of the Woods: A Story of the Ancient WildernessAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
General
The Eyes of the Woods: A Story of the Ancient Wilderness
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Fiction
Believing that the invasion of the valley would yet be delayed some
time, he dared to go to sleep, though he awoke at frequent intervals.
All these awakenings told him that the warriors had not yet come nor was
their vanguard even at hand. The bear was not the only wild animal to
inhabit the valley and now and then he saw their dim figures moving in
the leisurely manner that betokened no alarm brought by sight, scent or
sound. He silently made them his sentinels, his watchers, the bear, the
rabbit, the squirrel, the wildcat and even the tawny yellow panther.
Morning broke, the air heavy and clouds betokening rain. He strengthened
his banks of leaves with some dead wood, and, after eating half the
remaining portion of wild turkey, crouched again in the lair. In an hour
it began to rain, not to the accompaniment of wind, but came down
steadily, as if it meant to fall all day long.
Having a good shelter Henry was glad of the rain, as he knew that it
would cause the warriors further delay in the search. The wilderness,
cold and dripping with water, is a funereal sight, full of discomforts,
and savage man himself avoids it if he can. The warriors, feeling that
they had the fugitive within the inescapable circle, would wait. Henry
would willingly wait with them. He had but one problem that troubled him
greatly, and it was food. But perhaps the ravens would provide, as they
had provided for the holy man in the olden time.
As he had foreseen, the chilling rain fell all day long, and no sign
came from his pursuers. The valley grew sodden. He saw pools standing in
low places, and cold vapors arose. At night he ate the last of the
turkey, and, resolutely dismissing the question of more food from his
mind for the time, fell asleep again and slept well.
The second dawn came, clear and cool, and the foliage and the earth
dried rapidly under the bright sun. Henry's powerful frame craved
breakfast but there was none, and, from necessity, he made up his mind
to do without, as long as he could. But the cravings became so strong by
noon that he stole out to the blackberry briars and ate his fill of the
berries. He also found some ripening wild plums and ate those, too.
Fruit alone was not very staying and he also saw the risk of disclosing
his trail, but he felt that he must have it. One might talk lightly of
enduring hunger, but to endure it was much harder. If he only had two or
three more wild turkeys he felt that he might defy the siege.
That afternoon he heard the signals of Indians, showing that they were
in the maze, looking for him. They imitated the cries of birds and
animals, but they did not deceive him a single time. None was nearer
than a quarter of a mile, and he was sure that they had a long hunt
before them. Then he resolved upon a daring venture. If the coming night
was dark he would make the Indians themselves provide him with food. It
was tremendously risky, but the kind of life he lived was full of such
risks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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