TO THE LODGES OF THE WHITE MAN
Realizing that for some reason the all-powerful white man who had that
day given them a victory over their enemies was displeased, the Hurons
agreed after a long consultation that it must be because the only
one among the Iroquois who had dared attack him was still allowed to
live. So, although such pleasures were generally reserved for their
home-returning, they determined to sacrifice the audacious young
warrior on the spot with the hope of thus regaining the favor of their
allies. In order that he might thoroughly comprehend what was in store
for him, they decided that he should first witness the torture of one
of his companions. For this purpose a victim was selected at random
from among the captives, and the two young men, facing each other, were
securely bound to saplings standing but a few yards apart.
About the feet of each was piled a quantity of dry wood, and they were
ordered to chant their death-songs if they dared. The Maqua immediately
began in defiant tones to recount his own deeds of prowess on the
war-path, and tell how many Hurons he had slain. He hurled defiance at
his enemies, taunted them with their cowardice, and sought to so enrage
them that they would kill him at once; but Nahma remained dumb. He had
no deeds to tell of, nor was he in a humor to invent any.
Suddenly the Hurons made a rush at the one who thus defied them, and
for a few minutes a fierce struggle raged about the helpless form. When
next it appeared in view its scalp had been torn off, while the still
living body was gashed and mutilated almost beyond recognition; but
defiant words still issued chokingly from its trembling lips. The poor
mortal frame was nearly spent, but its brave spirit was undaunted. The
next act of torture was by fire. Blazing splinters of fat pine were
thrust into the mangled body and hot ashes were poured on its bleeding
head. Then a light was applied to the dry wood, and in another minute
the eager flames were leaping high about their victim.
The awful tragedy was accompanied by shrieks of laughter, mocking
yells, and a frantic dancing about the two young warriors, one of whom
was thus made to serve as a hideous object lesson to the other. When
the first was so nearly dead that his defiant utterances were reduced
to mere gaspings for breath, the dancing demons turned their attention
to the second victim, and prepared to inflict upon him a series of
still more devilish torments.
Nahma had witnessed everything with fascinated gaze; but though
sickened to the point of fainting, had made no movement nor uttered a
sound to betray the agony of his thoughts. He now knew what to expect,
and was nerving himself to endure to the end, as became a warrior.
Aeana would never know, of course; but if by any chance the story of
his last hour should reach her ear, she must have no excuse to call him
"squaw."
One of his tormentors approached with a bar of iron heated until it
glowed; for, through trading with the French, this metal was now known
to the Indians of the St. Lawrence valley.
"Put out his eyes," shouted a spectator. "He has seen enough."
As the glowing iron approached his face Nahma instinctively closed
his eyes; but a yell of derision from those near enough to note the
movement caused him to open them again quickly. But even in that brief
space something had happened, for the first thing on which they rested
was a gigantic figure bounding towards him. It uttered inarticulate
cries of rage and brandished a weapon. With a single blow from this
it dashed to earth the man bearing the red-hot iron. Falling on his
own instrument of torture, the wretch uttered a yell of pain as it
seared his flesh. At the same moment the terrible new-comer levelled
his weapon at the mutilated form bound to the opposite stake, and
with a flash of lightning accompanied by a stunning burst of thunder,
instantly freed the tortured spirit from its misery.
Before the smoke of the discharge cleared away the new-comer was beside
Nahma, cutting savagely at his bonds. As the last one dropped he
grasped the young warrior by an arm and led him a few paces from the
cruel stake. Then turning to the sullen Hurons, who shrank from the
indignant blaze of his eyes, he denounced them in bitter terms.
"You are worse than wolves," he cried. "You are scum and _canaille_.
You are devils, and should be made to dwell forever in a pit of fire.
Because you go forth to fight against a man and he meets you bravely,
is that a reason for torturing him when the fortune of war has placed
him helpless in your hands? This youth was the only one of all his
people who dared attack me face to face and hand to hand. Better still,
he was the only Iroquois brave enough to attempt the succor of their
wounded chieftain. He is fleet of foot and might easily have escaped,
but he would not go alone. So he fell into your inhuman hands, and as
a reward for his bravery you propose to torture him to death. Bah! You
make me so sick that I have a mind to sever all connection with you
from this hour, and order my men to beat you from my sight with sticks.
Now remember that this youth is _my_ captive, and whoever touches so
much as a hair of his head shall die, for I will not have him harmed.
"Come, lad, with me," added Champlain, turning to Nahma; "you shall eat
and rest, and after that if you desire to return to your own people
you shall be free to do so. Only it would please me to have you remain
a little for instruction in the ways of white men and the making of a
better acquaintance between us, for I have taken a fancy to you beyond
any that I have yet entertained for a native of this wilderness."
Although Nahma understood no word of what the marvellous stranger said,
he recognized the friendly tone and gesture, and was quite willing to
follow wherever the other might lead. As they were about to move away a
chief of the Hurons stood in the path and begged for a hearing.
"It is true," he said, "that we would have killed this young man; but
it is because we thought our white father angry that he still lived.
Also is it true that in any case we should have put him to death on
reaching the place of our own people. We must have done this, for if
we should let him live he would sooner or later make an escape, and
in escaping would surely kill some of our people. It is because he is
a brave warrior that we could not let him live to do us mischief. If
he were a coward, then could we make of him a slave to hoe corn with
the squaws; but with a brave man this might not be done. Also because
of his bravery would we have tested him by fire, that he might give
proof of his courage to the very end of his life. Any brave man, Huron
or Iroquois, would rather perish at the stake than live the life of
a slave. It is our way, and if it be not also the way of our white
father, let him not cover us with shame on account of it, for we have
not yet learned one that is better."
"You have spoken well," answered Champlain, "and already am I penitent
for my hasty words, since, as you say, you were only acting according
to your conception of what is right. Therefore I forgive you and will
continue to extend the hand of friendship. At the same time, see you to
it that no more atrocities are enacted in my presence. Also see to it
that this youth is accorded the respect due him over whom my protection
is extended."
So it came to pass that Nahma, son of Longfeather, now known as
Massasoit the Iroquois, was saved from a dreadful death to become the
companion of the first white man he had ever met, who was also one of
the foremost adventurers of his age.
Although Champlain had laid aside his steel armor, he was still so
utterly different in appearance from any person Nahma had ever seen
that the latter continued to regard him as a supernatural being, and
accompanied him with much trepidation. Also the youth was dazed by the
peril he had just escaped and the strangeness of his deliverance.
As they went towards Champlain's own camp-fire, Nahma noticed for the
first time that two more of the strange beings walked close beside
them; and, listening to their conversation, though of course without
understanding it, he all at once became convinced that they were indeed
human like himself. Moreover, it flashed into his mind that they must
be of that white race concerning which he had heard much talk in the
lodge of Kaweras. By that shrewd Indian the apparently meaningless
words repeated by Nahma during his illness had been conjectured to
belong to the vocabulary of white men, and he had said as much to his
young guest. Thinking of these things and acting upon a sudden impulse,
just as they reached Champlain's separate camp Nahma exclaimed,--
"Hillo!"
The three white men stared at him in amazement.
"Sacré!" added the young warrior.
"What have we here?" cried Champlain. "A savage from the interior
wilderness speaking both English and French. It is incredible.--My
young friend, who taught you the tongues of the Old World? Where have
you met white men?"
"Mass, I saw it," remarked Nahma. He was well pleased at the effect
of the words already used, but looked for a still greater exhibition
of amazement on the part of his hearers at this final utterance. To
his disappointment, they only gazed blankly and evidently without
understanding.
"That is evidently a native word, and must be his own name," said
Champlain. "Massasoit. It hath a pleasing sound and fits well his
aspect. Not only has he proved himself to be braver than any of his
fellows, but he hath a look of superior intelligence. For these
things I had thought to afford him opportunity of escaping during the
night, and so of making his way back to his own people. Now, however,
he has so aroused my interest and curiosity with his fluency in
foreign tongues that I cannot afford to loose him until we are better
acquainted. See to it, therefore, that he does not escape."
Thus Nahma, who if he had held his tongue would have been set free,
was still retained as a captive and borne northward by the victorious
Hurons. The journey down the lake, through the rapid Richelieu, and
over the broad flood of the mighty St. Lawrence was full of interest
and novel sensations to our lad. None of them was, however, to be
compared with the wonder and amazement that filled his soul on the
evening of the tenth day of travel, when they came to Quebec, and he
gazed for the first time on the lodges of white men.