AT THE CROSSING OF THE SHATEMUC
The whole land to the very edge of the great salt water, and including
the islands of the sea, was covered with a forest that sheltered it
alike from summer heats and the deadly cold of winter. Stately pines
growing on hill-sides lifted their evergreen heads far above all
other trees, and stood as ever-watchful sentinels. Mighty oaks shaded
wide-spread areas, while graceful elms were mirrored in lake and river.
Everywhere the painted maples flaunted their brilliant colors, while
chestnut, beech, hickory, and walnut showered down bountiful stores
of food to those trusting in them for a winter's supply. Man, beast,
and bird, all children of the forest, dwelt within its safe protection
and were fed from its exhaustless abundance. Its rivers and smaller
streams, filled from brimming reservoirs and unobstructed by dams,
afforded highways of travel ever ready for use and always in the best
of repair. Besides these, the forest was threaded with trails worn
by countless generations of Indian runners, traders, hunters, and
fighters, and these were as familiar to the dwellers in the shade as
are the streets of a city to one born within its walls.
Along one of these devious trails, narrow and so dim that an
unpractised eye would quickly have lost it, sped a solitary runner. He
was young and goodly to look upon, while his movements were as graceful
as those of the deer, whose soft-tanned skins constituted his attire.
He was bareheaded, and in his hair was fastened a single feather from
the wing of an osprey or fishing eagle.
A noticeable feature of his costume was a broad belt of wampum,
worn diagonally across his breast so that it might readily be seen
and recognized. On it at short intervals were worked seven figures
representing birds, beasts, and fishes, for it was the Belt of Seven
Totems, indicating the authority of Longfeather the Peacemaker, and the
young runner now wearing it so conspicuously was none other than Nahma,
his only son.
While Longfeather awaited the return of his messenger to Canonicus and
made ready the presents intended for Sacandaga, chief sachem of the
Maquas, news came that the Narragansett embassy to that same powerful
chieftain had already set forth on its mission. Thus there was no time
to be lost if his own message was to reach Sacandaga first, an event
that he deemed to be of the utmost importance. The chiefs whom he
desired to send as ambassadors could not travel at greater speed than
could the Narragansetts, who had a two days' start, but it was possible
that a fleet-footed runner might even yet overtake and pass them. As
this thought flashed through Longfeather's mind he knew that if the
thing might be done it could only be accomplished by the swiftest of
all his runners, and he promptly caused Nahma to be summoned.
At that moment the young warrior was listening with eager interest
to the stories of white men and their great winged canoes, told by
Samoset, an Abenaki youth of his own age, who had accompanied his
chieftain to the council at Montaup.
"What do they call their tribe?" inquired Nahma, "and of what nature is
their speech? Doth it resemble ours so that one may comprehend their
words?"
"They appear to be of many tribes," replied Samoset, "though we call
them all 'Yengeese.' Also they speak with many tongues, strange and
unpleasant to the ear."
"What are they like, these tongues? Hast thou not caught some word that
we may hear?"
"Often they say 'Hillo' and 'Sacré,'" replied Samoset, "but what these
mean I know not. Also, once, where from hiding I watched them cooking
fish on a beach, a pebble rolled from me to them. As they sprang up in
alarm I slipped away, fearing lest they might take offence. As I did so
one of them cried out very loud, 'Mass i-sawit!'" (By the mass I saw
it.)
"Massasoit," repeated Nahma, thoughtfully. "It hath a familiar sound,
and might be a word of the Wampanoags, except that it is without
meaning. I long greatly to see these white-skinned fish-catchers and
their big canoes that resemble floating hill-tops with trees growing
in them. So if it may be arranged I will return with thee, Samoset, to
look upon these wonders. But you have said naught of the thunder-sticks
about which we hear so much. What of them? Are they indeed as terrible
as represented?"
Ere Samoset could answer, Nahma received word that Longfeather desired
his presence, and, promising shortly to rejoin his companions, he left
them. Ten minutes later, without their knowledge or that of any person
in all Montaup, save only his parents, the young runner had left his
father's lodge bound on a solitary mission, longer, more important, and
more dangerous than any he had heretofore undertaken. He was to make
his way with all speed and in utmost secrecy to Sacandaga, head sachem
of the Maquas, and urge him, in the name of Longfeather, not to treat
with the Narragansetts or any other single tribe before the arrival of
the Peacemaker's own embassy.
Longfeather had given his instructions hastily and in a few words. He
had invested the lad with his own superb belt as a badge of authority,
and had dismissed him with the peremptory orders of a sachem,
delivered in the loving tone of a father who sends his only son into
danger.
Besides the Belt of Seven Totems, Nahma carried only a bow and arrows
slung to his back, a wallet of parched corn bruised in a mortar until
it formed a coarse meal, a small fire-bag of flints and tinder, and a
copper knife, the precious gift of his father. Having taken but five
minutes for preparation, he tenderly embraced his mother and bade her
farewell. Filled with a presentiment of coming evil, Miantomet clung
to him as though she could not let him go; but, comforting her with
loving words, the lad gently disengaged her arms from about his neck
and sprang away. In another minute he had plunged into the forest and
was lost to sight amid its blackness.
For some hours the way was partially revealed by the light of a young
moon, and by the time of its setting Nahma had placed a score of miles
between him and Montaup. Then, as he could no longer make speed through
the darkness, he flung himself down at the foot of a great oak and was
almost instantly fast asleep.
By earliest dawn he was again on the trail, and all that day he sped
forward with hardly a pause. Occasionally he passed a group of bark
huts nestled beside some smooth-flowing stream and surrounded by rudely
tilled fields; but at none of these did he halt, save only now and
then for a few mouthfuls of food. The belt that he wore insured him
everywhere a glad welcome and instant service. He forded or swam the
smaller streams; while at points where his trail crossed rivers he
always found canoes that he did not hesitate to appropriate to his own
use if their owners were not at hand. He was on the king's business and
nothing might delay it.
Thus Nahma sped so swiftly on his errand that an hour before sunset
of the second day found him, very weary but exultant, on the eastern
bank of the Shatemuc and at the border of the country claimed by
the Iroquois, of whom the Maquas were the easternmost tribe. He was
farther from home than he had ever been before and in a region of
which he had no knowledge. At the same time he knew that the Maquas,
being now at peace with the New England tribes, were accustomed to
send hunting-parties east of their great river, and so he had hoped
to find one or more canoes at the crossing. In this, however, he was
disappointed, for, search as he might, he could discover none of the
desired craft, though he found a place where several had but recently
been concealed.
As there were no other traces of human presence in that vicinity,
Nahma concluded that the canoes had been taken by persons coming from
across the river. He did not suspect that it might have been done by
the Narragansetts whom he was striving to outstrip; for thus far he had
discovered no sign of them, and had reached a conclusion that they must
have taken some other trail. At any rate, there was no canoe to be had,
and, as he was determined to cross the river before dark, he must swim
it. This he did, keeping dry his scanty clothing and few belongings
by floating them on a small raft of bark that he pushed before
him. Arrived on the farther side our young runner made a startling
discovery. Not only were a number of canoes drawn out on the bank and
concealed beneath overhanging bushes, but on the soft ground beside
them he found the unmistakable imprint of Narragansett moccasins.
Also, a short distance back from the river, he came upon the still
smouldering remains of a small fire. At length, then, he was close upon
the heels of his rivals, and he must at all hazards pass them that
night in order to gain a first hearing from Sacandaga. At the same time
he was in immediate need of food and rest, for he was faint with hunger
and exhausted by his recent exertions. There was no sign of danger, his
rivals had gone on, and the fire they had so kindly provided invited
him to cook food that was to be had for the taking.
So abounding with fish were all the streams of that land that no one
possessed of even ordinary skill at catching them need go hungry. Nahma
was well aware of this, and, taking a pinch of his parched corn, he
stepped back to the river's bank and cast it upon the water. In another
moment he had transfixed with an unerring arrow one of the half-dozen
large fish that rushed greedily to the surface, and his supper was
provided. Having cooked it and satisfied his ravenous hunger, the lad
withdrew to a thicket well beyond the circle of firelight and flung
himself down for an hour of sleep before continuing his journey.
The young runner was lost to consciousness within a minute after
closing his eyes; but not until his heavy breathing gave notice of
the fact did a painted savage, who for more than an hour had watched
his every movement, drop to the ground from among the branches of a
thick-leaved oak. There he had crouched as motionless as a panther
awaiting its prey; and now, after stretching his cramped limbs, he
stole with catlike tread towards the sleeping youth.