DENOUNCED
Yet the explanation or meaning, when it came, was simple indeed. Many
years before, nay, more than fifty, when my grandfather, Mark
Bampfyld, owned and ruled at Pomfret Manor, his wife strolling in the
woods had met and succoured a wounded Indian who had been shot at by
some other colonist and had dragged himself to where she found him.
Now, at that time the Indian was hated in all Virginia more, perhaps,
than he had ever been before or since, for the memory of how he and
his had been our firm allies was still fresh in all men's memories, so
that their new enmity to us was even more bitterly felt than at any
other period. To succour an Indian, therefore, at this period, was to
do a thing almost incredible, a thing not to be believed of one
colonist by another, and, by the Indian himself, to be regarded as
something that could never by any chance occur. Yet this thing my
grandmother, Rebecca, had done; she had tended and nursed that
savage, who was none other than the father of Anuza now without our
tent--himself, also Anuza the Bear--she had sent him forth a well man
to return to his own people, and, ere going, he had vowed to her,
placing his fingers on the scars of his wounds to give his vows
emphasis, that none of his blood or race should ever again injure
those of hers.
Yet now was I--who had never heard aught of this before--a captive in
his son's hands.
"But, oh! white maiden," said Anuza the younger, while the old,
sightless man nodded his head gravely, "had I known aught of this, I
would have smitten off my hands or slain myself ere harm should have
come to you or yours; yea, even before a tree on your lands should
have been hurt or so much as a dog injured. And neither you nor these
others are captives to me longer, though I doubt if, even now,
Senamee, who is chief over us all, will let you go in peace. For he is
as the puma who has the lamb within its jaws when an enemy is in his
hands, and he hearkens to the medicine man, who your sister says is
but a cheat, and who hates you all."
"But," said Mr. Kinchella and Mary together, "that cheat can be
exposed; surely if he is proved no medicine man but only a poor
trickster, the chief will not hearken to him."
"Senamee loves much the blood of his enemies," Anuza repeated; "I know
not if that exposure will save you. It is more to be feared that he
will sacrifice both him and you."
"And can he, this chief, Senamee, do this even when you, a chief, and
your father a chief also, desire to save us?"
"He can do it in one way only," the Bear replied. "He can only do it
if I refuse my sanction, since I of all the tribe stand next to him,
by slaying me in fight."
"And can he slay you?" exclaimed Mary, as her eyes fell on his
splendid proportions. "Is there any of your tribe who can overthrow
you?"
The Indian is but human after all, and on Anuza's usually calm and
impassive face there came, it seemed to me, a look of gratification at
the praise of his great form from a handsome woman.
"I know not," he replied, "whether he can slay me, but this I know,
that he must do so ere harm comes to those who are of the tribe of her
who succoured him," pointing to his father. "That must he do, for
already I am accursed of the god of my tribe in that I have lifted my
hand against one who draws her life through another who pitied and
cared for my father. To remove that curse, I must hold you and yours
free from further harm."
The old Anuza, sitting there in the sun, nodded his head and whispered
some words to himself in Indian, which we thought to mean agreement
with his son, wherefore I said:
"But why, Anuza, why, if this is so, did you take part in and
encourage this attack upon our village, upon our houses and our lives;
why, if thus you felt towards us?"
"My father knew not our war trail," replied the chief, "he knew not
which way we took our course; he knew not where that false priest, the
medicine man, led us. And, oh! white woman," he said casting himself
at my feet, "oh! you, who rule over your tribe and these your kin and
servants, give your pardon to me who sinned unknowing what I did, and
believe--believe, I say, that while I can shelter you harm shall not
come near to you. I, the Bear, who has never lied, promise that."
I bade him rise, telling him that we would believe in him and trust to
him for safety, when in our ears there arose the most horrid din, the
clanging of spears on shields, the firing of matchlocks--with which
the Indians were well armed, and which they had been taught to use in
the days when they dwelt at peace with us--the howling of the swarms
of dogs that were in the encampment, and many other noises.
"Hark," exclaimed Anuza, "'tis Senamee who goes to take his seat and
to commence the tortures"--we started--"but fear not. To you harm
shall not come. But you must go before him now. It is best so. Come,
and fear not."
Thus we went forth escorted by the Bear and those of his guards with
him, and so we reached the plantation of pines that grew upon the
mountain slope. Senamee, the chief of all the tribe, was already
seated on a great stone rudely carved into the shape of a chair,
while, by his side, we noticed similar ones made of wood, over all of
which were thrown skins and blankets. He it was, we learnt afterwards,
who had directed the principal attack upon the village, and who had
stormed the homes of the Pringles, Clibornes, and Byrds. These were
standing before him, bound, but looking defiant and gallant as they
cast their eyes round on all the Indian warriors as well as the women
and children, and, even from their servants and some of the rough
backwoodsmen who were also captured, no sign of fear was forthcoming.
Indeed, fierce and dreaded as the Indian was by the colonist and his
dependants, there was always in the minds of the latter a tinge of
contempt mixed with that dread. That contempt was born, perhaps, of
the feeling that, in the end, our race invariably overbore theirs;
that gradually their lands had become ours, even if by just and fair
bargain. Also that, subtle, crafty, and cruel as the savage might be
and dreadful when attacking from his ambush, in all open encounter he
was no match for the men in whose veins ran the good, brave blood of
their old English ancestors.
"You come late, Anuza," exclaimed Senamee as, striding through the
assembled crowd, the Bear made his way to a seat opposite the chief
and motioned to us to follow him, while to Mary and to me he signed
that we should seat ourselves on the fur-covered bench beside him.
"You come late." Then, observing the other's action to us and our
taking the indicated seat, he said, "What means this, and why are the
pale face women honoured in the presence of their conquerors? They are
prisoners here, not guests to sit by our sides."
"At this moment, oh! Senamee, seek to know nothing," replied Anuza,
"nor ask why the pale face women are seated by my side. Later on all
shall be told you." We saw a look of astonishment appear on the face
of all the other captives at this answer, though it but confirmed in
part that which we had told them overnight, and we saw also a dark
scowl come on the painted face of Senamee, while he muttered to
himself, "'Twill not please the Child of the Sun who is on his way
here," but he said no more.
That the person so termed, the wretched impostor, Roderick St. Amande,
was now on his way we soon learnt. Slowly through the assembled crowd
of warriors, women and others, there came now a dozen or more young
Indian girls habited in fawn-skin tunics reaching to their knees,
with, rudely embroidered on them, golden and silver suns. These were
the priestesses who assisted at whatever rites and ceremonies their
master chose to perform, and were always in attendance on him, as we
learnt hereafter. Then, next to them--who, as they passed, sang or
crooned a most dismal dirge, though doubtless 'twas meant as a hymn of
praise---there came his guards, picked braves whose duty it was to be
always near him. Behind them, came he himself, walking slowly but with
his head erect and casting on all the white captives a look at once
triumphant and scornful. Yet, as he passed by Anuza to enter the
circle, he started with surprise, a surprise bred doubtless of seeing
us seated by that chief's side and also from noticing that, amongst
all the Indians who were now prostrating themselves reverently before
him, the Bear alone did not do so but sat calm and unmoved.
For a moment only he stopped to gaze on us all seated and standing
there, yet 'twas long enough for him to see the contempt on the faces
of Mary and myself and Mr. Kinchella, the look of cold indifference on
that of the Bear, and the mocking grins on the faces of Buck and his
companions. Then, going on to the seat reserved for him by the side of
Senamee, he sat himself in it and whispered a few words to that chief.
But the warrior only shook his head and seemed unable to find any
answer to the questions the other was undoubtedly asking him. Next, he
spake to one of his guards, who a moment afterwards ordered that all
in that place kept silence while the great medicine man, the true
Child of the Sun, addressed them, and on that silence being observed
he spake as follows:
"Dogs and slaves of the Shawnee race and Doegs," such being his
gracious form of addressing them, "dogs and slaves whom the Great
Spirit has so favoured as to send me, the only true Child of the Sun,
to be your medicine man, chief orator, prophet, and civil ruler, hear
me. Owing to my counsel, inspired by my father, the Sun, you have
within the last few days achieved a great victory over the white
slaves who dwell to the east of these mountains. You have destroyed
their town and brought hither as prisoners those whom you have not
slain. This, since you are but red dogs and slaves, whom I account but
little better than the pale faces, you could never have done but for
my assistance, both in putting spells on your enemies and in seeking
the assistance of my father, the Sun."
Here Buck burst into so strident a roar of laughter that Senamee
sprang to his feet and grasped his tomahawk, while he made as though
about to rush at the scoffer and slay him. But the impostor stopped
him, saying, "Heed him not; he is mad. And he is but the slave of the
white woman." Then, continuing, "This victory, I say, you could never
have obtained but for me, and therefore I call on you all, Shawnees
and Doegs, to fall down and prostrate yourselves at my feet and
worship me in this our day of triumph."
All, with the exception of the Bear, rose to do so, but as they were
about to cast themselves to the earth the wretch suddenly stayed them
by a motion of his hand, and exclaimed, "But, hold. Ere you do so let
the white women who I have set apart as my own prize come hither to
me. They are mine, I have chosen them; let them come hither and kneel
at my feet as my handmaidens. Come, I say."
As we, Mary and I, made no motion to do his bidding but only turned
our eyes in appeal towards Anuza, Roderick St. Amande said some words
to two of his guards, who at once crossed the open circle to where we
sat, evidently with the view of seizing us and carrying us to him.
But as they approached near to us, Anuza, still sitting calmly, said:
"Hold! Come no nearer. These pale faces are my captives, and shall
remain by me."
The two warriors turned in astonishment towards the impostor, as
though asking for further commands, but ere he could give any--and we
now saw on his face a look that seemed born half of rage and half of
terror--the Bear rose from his seat and striding forth to them, while
he grasped his tomahawk, said:
"Back to your places at once, or I will slay you here before me. Back,
I say, and obey my orders, not his."
His appearance was so terrible that these two men, although themselves
splendid savages of great size and build, shrank away from him and
retreated towards their master. As for that master, his face was
strange to see. He screamed at Anuza, calling him "Indian dog,"
"accursed one," and many other names, and stamped his foot and waved
his arms in the air, as though invoking something dreadful on his
head. Yet was it plain to see that, through all his assumed power of
superiority, he was indeed alarmed at Anuza's conduct and knew not
what to make of it.
But now Senamee interfered, saying, while he directed fierce glances
at the other:
"Anuza, son of the Bear, what means this conduct? Has madness entered
into your brain that thus you revolt against him whom the Sun God has
sent to succour us and to give us power over all our enemies, or has
your heart turned black with ingratitude towards the great medicine
man who has so long ruled over our destinies, who has made our crops
to thrive and our cattle to increase tenfold? And have you forgotten
that to him we owe blessings for the victory over the pale faces in
the first great attack we have made on them for now many moons?"
"For that," replied the other, still standing before the assembled
crowd, "I owe him curses more than blessings; for it was in this pale
face woman's house--a house now almost destroyed by me and my
followers--that, many moons ago, my father was succoured and healed of
the wounds he had received, and so brought back to life and to his
tribe. And for that I have raised my hand to destroy her dwelling and
to slay those who serve her! Shall I, therefore, not rather curse than
bless him?"
There was a murmur among the crowd--a murmur almost of dismay and
horror. For to the Indian, no matter of what tribe or race, and no
matter what other wicked or evil passions may abide in his heart, one
evil sin stands out as ever to be abhorred by them--the sin of
ingratitude; and he who boasts that he never forgives a wrong boasts
also that he never forgets a kindness. So it was not strange that
those assembled should be much stirred by the words of the Bear. The
villain heard the muttering of the rest, as he could not help but hear
it; but, assuming still a defiant and overbearing air, he addressed
them, saying:
"Granted that you speak truth, what is that to me? How should I know
that many moons ago this woman's people were good to your father?" and
his horrid sneering face looked more evil than before.
"How should you know--you who call yourself the Child of the Sun?"
said Anuza, advancing some paces nearer to him and with his arm
outstretched. "How should you know? Have you not then told us often,
us 'the poor dogs of the Shawnee tribe,' that you know all that has
ever passed or happened, and that there is nought on the land, nor in
the skies, nor in the waters that you know not of? 'Tis strange that
this you should not know."
"'Fore Gad!" whispered Buck, "the Injin's hit him fair."
So, indeed, it appeared the others around thought; and even Senamee,
who hated Anuza for being so near him in power, turned towards
Roderick with a glance that seemed to bid him answer this question.
But ere he could do so the Bear went on again, while the villain
writhed at his words.
"Yet, oh! my kinsmen and brother warriors, if I have done this thing
unwittingly, and with no knowledge of goodness shown to my father by
those of her race in far-off days, what shall be thought of one who,
also having dwelt under the white woman's roof, has yet turned and
rent her? What be thought of one who, coming as a slave to her
father's house, was yet well tended; who sat at meat in that house,
ay, ate of their food and was clothed with their garments, and, in
repayment, assailed first the woman's honour and next, after nursing
warm his hate for many moons, sought to destroy her and hers, even to
taking from her her house, and her life, and the life of those she
loved?"
The impassable Indian blood was roused at last; like the mountain
snow, that stirs not till the sun fires it and causes it to burst
forth a torrent overwhelming all, it burst forth now and, with many
cries, all in that assembly, excepting Senamee and those of his
following, demanded to know what man, what snake, had done this thing?
"What snake!" exclaimed Anuza, "what snake! I will tell you, my
brethren. The snake that has also warmed itself by our fires too long,
and who, as it has turned and stung the white woman, will in time to
come turn and sting us if we guard not against it. The snake who has
cheated us and made us believe in him as a god when he himself was but
a pale face and a slave of pale faces; the snake who has dwelt among
us; the cheat and false medicine man--the Child of the Sun!"