The door of the Great Hall closed on the last of the turbulent group.
"But, your Excellency," I protested, "why do you permit Murray to
make such charges without bringing up against him the information we
gathered at La Vierge du Bois? Sure, 'tis some measure of offense to
apply torture to a fellow-countryman; and for the rest, there is the
testimony of Ta-wan-ne-ars to corroborate me."
Governor Burnet shook his head sadly.
"Naught would have pleased that clever rascal more than to have me
confront him with you, Master Ormerod. You forget that unfortunately
your own past is somewhat clouded in the eyes of the law. Did I
charge him with anything on your evidence, he would assail you for a
known Jacobite and outlaw, and whatever counter-charges we might make
he would dismiss as mere efforts to offset your guilt."
"But----"
"No, sir, it may not be. Do you not agree with me, Colden?"
"I fear you are right, sir," replied the surveyor-general. "Murray
hath worked up an intrigue which can not lightly be exposed. He hath
set the entire province awry."
"'Tis that very state which concerns me most!" exclaimed the
governor. "In my own Council I can not feel sure of a vote of
approval upon any measure which would go contrary to the fancied
interests of these mad merchants. So rabid have they grown that I
dared bring with me from New York only Master Surveyor-General, here.
And of those from this neighborhood I might rely upon none others
than Master Livingston and Captain Schuyler. The officers of the
troops would obey my commands, and in all probability endorse my
policy; but frankly I dare not force the issue."
"Why, 'tis incredible, your Excellency," I cried with heat. "Here we
have, beside myself, Peter Corlaer, who is surely known for
trustworthy, if I am not. And Ta-wan-ne-ars is a chief as well as a
man of education, even according to white men's standards. Must we
suffer this self-confessed traitor to escape scot-free?"
The governor abandoned his chair and paced the length of the hall,
his hands clasped behind him. Five times he traversed it from the
rough fireplace to the double doors hewn out of shaggy oak-slabs.
Then he shook his head again.
"I dare not, Master Ormerod. Unfortunately, as I have said, and
through no fault of your own, you are discredited in advance as a
witness. Peter is known for a sturdy hater of the French and devoted
to me and to those who think as I do, notably your friend Master
Juggins in London.
"Ta-wan-ne-ars is an Indian. He will acquit me of intent to offend
if I say openly that my enemies will refuse to accept his word
against that of a great merchant like Murray."
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go is the friend of Ta-wan-ne-ars," said the Seneca.
"He speaks with a straight tongue. It is better to hear what is
unpleasant than to listen to smooth speeches which deceive."
The governor turned swiftly upon him.
"I thank you, chief," he answered. "You make it plain to me that I
can speak to you without concealment."
"That is true," said Ta-wan-ne-ars gravely.
Governor Burnet hesitated a moment, deep in thought.
"There is no other way," he decided suddenly. "Draw up your chairs.
I have much to ask of you, and 'tis no more than fair that I should
present for you all the facts in the case.
"As I conceive the situation, the fate of this province and its
neighbor colonies, as well as the sovereignty and prosperity of Great
Britain, are at stake. And the future of the People of the Long
House is intimately bound up with that of our people, as I think
Ta-wan-ne-ars will concede."
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go speaks always with a straight tongue," replied the
Seneca sententiously.
"Advices from Paris," continued the governor, "state that the
Pretender has been called to the Louvre on two occasions for secret
conferences. The Duke of Berwick is gone to Spain--'tis reported to
arrange for contingents of troops. Master Ormerod will understand
the seriousness of such news.
"I need not acquaint you with the preparations the French are making
upon this continent, but it may interest you to know that the Duke of
Newcastle has been pleased to write me, remonstrating over my
inability to get along better with the prominent men of the province.
This I deem most significant, for it is no more than the voice of
Murray speaking through the medium of his Grace's pen.
"'Tis for this reason as much as any other that I do not care to lock
horns with Murray. To do so might very well secure my own recall,
and that would leave the way open for Murray to prosecute his designs
without any check whatsoever.
"I am in an impasse, gentlemen. In London a corrupt ministry is more
interested in the spoils of office than in intelligent rule. In New
York a powerful coterie of merchants, who have discovered a way by
which, they are persuaded, they can all grow rich in a few years,
have permitted themselves to become the active tools of an ingenious
mind which would purchase the return of the Stuarts at the price of
handing over to French rule the British domain in North America.
"My sole reliance today is upon a few personal friends like
yourselves--and the political keenness and military energy of the
Iroquois."
Master Burnet bent his gaze upon Ta-wan-ne-ars, sitting erect in a
plain wooden chair, the natural dignity of the Seneca offsetting the
incongruity of his half-naked figure, the wolf's-head of his clan
sprawled across his chest, with the civilized furnishings of the
Great Hall.
"Ta-wan-ne-ars is listening," said the Indian.
"That is well," answered the governor. "For what I am about to say
is of the utmost importance to Ta-wan-ne-ars and his race. You have
heard me admit my impotence. You know that the rule of the English
is in danger. Will you go with my ambassadors, Master Ormerod and
Peter Corlaer, to the Ho-yar-na-go-war, the Council of the
_roy-an-ehs_, and support them in asking for the intervention of the
Long House to smash the Doom Trail and Murray's conspiracy to win
control of the fur-trade from our hands?"
Ta-wan-ne-ars rose and his right arm went up in the Iroquois salute.
"Ta-wan-ne-ars will do as Ga-en-gwa-ra-go asks," his deep voice
boomed.
Governor Burnet drew a deep breath of relief.
"I thank you, my brother," he said. "You have relieved the load of
sorrows I have carried. I ask you this, you understand, not alone as
a favor, an act of friendship, but because, as I think, your people
will come to believe when they consider it that the success of
Murray's plot will mean the crushing of the Long House by the French."
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go need not argue with Ta-wan-ne-ars," the Seneca
responded. "Ta-wan-ne-ars believes as he does. Moreover, Murray and
his friends are not the friends of the Long House, and we have old
scores to wipe out in their blood. If my brothers, Ormerod and
Corlaer, are ready, we will leave at once."
Colden, who had been looking out of the window upon the fort parade,
came quickly across the room.
"It will be best to await darkness," he advised. "The town is full
of people, and amongst them may be some of Murray's desperadoes. His
tools were not exhausted with the deaths of Tom and Bolling."
"That is so," approved the governor. "And it serves to remind me
that you have further details of your adventures to acquaint me with.
Do you stay and dine with me, and whilst we eat we may discuss
affairs and take account of how to combat our enemies. By the way,
Colden, where is the Belt of the Covenant Chain?"
The surveyor-general drew from a traveling-trunk in a corner a band
of wampum about three feet long and eight inches wide. Crudely woven
into it in different colored beads were the figures of an Indian and
a white man with hands joined. The governor examined it curiously.
"This belt was given to me by To-do-da-ho," he said, turning to me.
"He bade me, at any time I required speech with him or desired his
friendship and assistance, to send it to him as a reminder of his
pledge of alliance. I entrust it in your hands, Master Ormerod."
Several hours later, when the lights of Albany were gleaming through
the night, the governor said good-by to us at a sally-port. He
offered no parting advice, indulged in no rounded homilies. That was
not his way. He had laid all his cards before us on the table; he
had taken us completely into his confidence; he had told us how much
depended upon our effort. He was content with that.
"A safe journey," he called cheerily, "and whatever William Burnet
may do for you, doubt not he will attempt."
That was all.
We set our feet to the Great Trail and made camp toward morning in
the woods beyond Schenectady, deeming it best not to show ourselves
in the settlements.
Our journey was uneventful. We rapidly traversed the Mohawk and
Oneida countries, and came presently to Ka-na-ta-go-wa, the seat of
the Council-Fire of the Great League, where To-do-da-ho dwelt.
Ta-wan-ne-ars' brothers of the Wolf Clan made us welcome and sent a
messenger to the venerable _roy-an-eh_, announcing the arrival of a
party of ambassadors from Ga-en-gwa-ra-go. The following morning we
were invited to the Council-House.
In the oblong, high-roofed bark building, with the undying fire
burning in its center, To-do-da-ho sat amongst his brother
_roy-an-ehs_, the chiefs and Keepers of the Faith. Ta-wan-ne-ars
pointed them out to me: To-nes-sa-ah of the Beaver Clan;
Da-at-ga-dose and Sa-da-kwa-ha of the Bear; Ga-nea-da-je-wake of the
Snipe; and so on. To-do-ha-ho himself was a wrinkled wisp of a man
who would have seemed a corpse as he crouched down, burdened with
heavy robes, but for the warm brightness of his eyes that glowed from
under beetling brows.
He made me welcome in a speech of high-sounding phrases, which
Ta-wan-ne-ars translated; and I replied as best I could through the
same medium, confining my remarks to expressions of the honor I felt
in being so received and the affection in which the _roy-an-eh_ and
his people were held by the governor. We smoked the ceremonial pipe
as usual, and the council broke up.
The real business was transacted the next day when we three had
speech privately with To-do-da-ho, and I gave him the Belt of the
Covenant Chain and the message of the governor. He heard me out in
silence, and sat for a while smoking, his eyes fixed on vacancy.
This was his answer:
"I have heard your words, O white man whose name I can not say.
Ta-wan-ne-ars, whom I have known since he was a boy, says that you
speak with a straight tongue, but I did not need his endorsement of
you. I am a very old man, and the one thing I have learned in life
has been to tell true talk from false. I hope that you will soon
given an Indian name, so that we can speak to you more politely.
"Moreover, I know, too, that Ga-en-gwa-ra-go would not have sent to
me a messenger with a belt who could not be trusted. Therefore I
answer you with a straight tongue.
"What Ga-en-gwa-ra-go says by your mouth is so. I have watched with
uneasiness the efforts of the French to control the fur-trade. So
have many of our wise men, but most of our people are busy with their
hunting and other affairs and they do not consider such matters. In
this they are much like the white people.
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go says that it is to the interest of the People of the
Long House to break down the Doom Trail. I agree with him. But
Ga-en-gwa-ra-go is a ruler of men, and he knows it is always
difficult to induce a people to take a difficult course of action
unless the suggestion comes from their midst. My counsel to you is
that you continue on along the Great Trail to the country of the
Senecas, and give the message of Ga-en-gwa-ra-go to Do-ne-ho-ga-weh,
the Guardian of the Western Door.
"The Frenchman de Veulle has taken away the daughter of
Do-ne-ho-ga-weh, and you tell me that he has used her to set up a
foul religion amongst the renegade Keepers of the Doom Trail. Murray
is equally guilty with de Veulle in this matter. Do-ne-ho-ga-weh has
a just cause for vengeance against them.
"Let him, as Guardian of the Western Door, send out belts for a
meeting of the Ho-yar-na-go-war, giving warning that the French are
building a fort at Jagara to be a menace against us and that they are
encouraging Murray in his disregard of the rights of the Long House.
So he will arouse the resentment of our people much better than could
be done if I acted solely on the suggestion of Ga-en-gwa-ra-go."
"Will you support Do-ne-ho-ga-weh in a demand for an expedition
against the Doom Trail?" I asked.
"I will," he replied.
There was no more to be said, and we resumed our journey that day.
Peter and Ta-wan-ne-ars both approved of To-do-da-ho's suggestion.
And indeed, as I thought it over, its sagacity became more and more
apparent. 'Tis the instinct of any people to be suspicious of
requests for assistance from outside their own ranks.
We sent messengers on ahead of us, and traveled leisurely, arriving
at De-o-nun-da-ga-a on the sixth day after starting from
Ka-na-ta-go-wa. Outside the village we encountered a party of young
warriors of the Wolf Clan, who strung the scalps of Bolling, Tom and
their Cahnuagas on a lance and marched before us in a kind of
triumphal procession.
The splendid old Guardian of the Western Door, attended by his
counselors and retainers, met us at the village limits and escorted
us to the Council-House, where there was high feasting and a
rendition of the Trotting Dance which is used to open councils or
welcome ambassadors.
"_Ya-ha-we-ya-ha!_" chanted the leader.
"_Ha-ha!_" replied the dancers.
"_Ga-no-ok-he-yo!_" yelled the leader.
"_Wa-ha-ah-he-yo!_" howled the dancers.
"_Ya-wa-na-he-yo!_" sang the leader.
"_Wo-ha-ah-ha!_" came the rumbling response.
As on our former visit 'twas late at night when Do-ne-ho-ga-weh
slipped back to our quarters, and we were able to talk freely of our
mission. First, however, Ta-wan-ne-ars must recount our adventures
at La Vierge du Bois and the scouting of the Doom Trail.
The _roy-an-eh's_ face became convulsed with passion as Ta-wan-ne-ars
described, in words I did not need to understand, the part which
Ga-ha-no played in the evil life of the Keepers of the Trail. His
hand played with the hilt of his scalping-knife as Ta-wan-ne-ars
narrated how Peter and I had slain Red Death and Black Death.
Then Ta-wan-ne-ars translated my message from the governor and the
advice of To-do-da-ho. I stressed the fort at Jagara, repeating
excerpts of the conversation of Joncaire and de Lery. I told him of
the increase in the price of furs at Montreal, and vast quantities of
trade-goods which were passing over the Doom Trail and the
unwillingness of the New York merchants to understand the political
aspects of the French policy in permitting them to reap such golden
profits. I emphasized the attitude toward the People of Long House
which the French would take once they fastened their grip on the
fur-trade and were safely entrenched at Jagara.
"Two things may be done, O _roy-an-eh_," I concluded.
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go might take up the hatchet against the French on
behalf of Go-weh-go-wa and destroy the new fort at Jagara, or the
People of the Long House might descend upon the Keepers of the Trail
and destroy La Vierge du Bois and its wickedness. For
Ga-en-gwa-ra-go to take up the hatchet would mean a long war, with
much bloodshed, even if his people would obey him. For the People of
the Long House to smash the Doom Trail would mean the use of one
large war-party and at most a few weeks on the war-path. If the Doom
Trail is smashed you need not worry over the fort at Jagara, for with
Murray gone Ga-en-gwa-ra-go can soon control his own people, and we
will dispose of Joncaire in due time. 'Tis for you to choose."
"_Yo-hay!_"[1] answered Do-ne-ho-ga-weh. "Your words have entered my
ears, friend of my nephew. They are pleasant to me. I like to hear
them. They arouse thoughts of the pain I wish to visit upon my
enemies.
[1] "I have heard--I have understood."
"I am much pleased that To-do-da-ho suggested you should come to me.
It is true, as he says, that the People of the Long House will be
more eager to fight if the appeal is made to them by one of their own
leaders. I will make such an appeal.
"We will summon a council of the Senecas to meet tomorrow. I will
present what you have told me to them. We will send out belts to the
Cayugas, the Onondagas, the Oneidas, the Tuscaroras, the Mohawks.
You shall come with me to the Ho-yar-na-go-war and hear me make good
my promises.
"_Na-ho!_"
He knocked the ashes from his pipe, and rose to go; but in the
doorway he tarried strangely.
"Has Do-ne-ho-ga-weh more to say to me?" I asked him through
Ta-wan-ne-ars.
"Have you a father, white man?" he answered.
"My father is dead."
"My son is dead also. He died many years ago. I have a nephew--" a
stern smile lighted his austere face--"but I would not have him
otherwise.
"White man, your enemy is my enemy. You are a brave warrior. You
are the friend of Ta-wan-ne-ars. Will you become my son?"
"_Ja, ja_," muttered Peter in my ear as Ta-wan-ne-ars translated with
impartial accuracy. "Idt is a greadt honor."
"If Do-ne-ho-ga-weh thinks that I am worthy to be his son I shall
accept his offer with pride," I replied.
"Good," he said phlegmatically, and his arm lifted in the gesture of
salutation. "Tomorrow the Keepers of the Faith shall raise you up
and find you a vacant name on the roll of the Wolf Clan."