The lost hunter: A tale of early timesAdams, John Turvill
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The lost hunter: A tale of early times
Adams, John Turvill
Adventure stories; Indians of North America -- Fiction; New England -- Fiction
A child of nature, cradled in her wild bosom and reared in her arms,
he, too, felt her awful charms. He could not listen to the voice of
the majestic torrent, or gaze upon the grey rocks without a reverent
admiration. And in proportion to this feeling was his awe of the
Manito who presided over the scene. How prodigious must be His power!
The irresistible sweep of the cataract resembled his strength; its
roar, his voice; and the hoary rocks were indicative of his age. Could
he obtain the favor of so mighty a Being--could he induce him to aid
his design, it could be easy of execution. He would make the trial. He
would approach him with offerings, and acquaint him with his wishes.
The Genius of the Fall ought not to love the white man. The pale faces
never offered him gifts, while the red men, long before the arrival of
the fatal stranger and since, had covered the shores with presents.
He would not be disregardful or turn a deaf ear to one of his children
who sought a just revenge.
Animated by these considerations and such hopes, Ohquamehud left the
hut of Esther on the afternoon of the following day, to propitiate the
Manito of the Falls. His way led through the wood, along the margin
of the Severn for a few miles and then crossed the high-road and some
open fields and another belt of woods, before he reached the Yaupaae.
Arrived at his destination, he looked with a solemn air around as if
half expecting to see the Genius of the place. But he beheld nothing,
save the wild features of nature, and the moss-grown roof of the old
mill, almost hid by the intervening trees: he heard no sound except
the uninterrupted roaring of the torrent. In the hot rays of that
June sun, not even the birds emitted a note, waiting under their leafy
shelters in the darkest recesses of the woods, until the pleasant
coolness of approaching evening should tempt them out and reawaken
their songs. The Indian, seeing that no one was in sight, commenced
collecting brush and sticks of dry wood that lay about, which he
heaped up into a pile upon a rock close to the water's edge. After he
had gathered together a quantity that appeared to him sufficient, he
selected from the stones lying around, a couple of flints which seemed
fittest for his purpose, and by striking them violently together,
soon succeeded in producing a shower of sparks, which falling on the
thoroughly dried and combustible matter, instantly set it on fire,
and shot a tongue of flame into the air. Reverently then inclining
his body towards the cataract, as in an attitude of supplication,
Ohquamehud addressed the Manito, and explained his wishes. He spoke
with dignity, as one who, though standing in the presence of a
superior, was not unmindful of his own worth. The sounds at first were
those of lamentation, so low as scarcely to be audible, and plaintive
and sweet as the sighs of the wind through the curled conch shell.
"Oh Manito," he said, "where are thy children, once as plenty as the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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