THE UNEXPECTED VISIT.
And how were the settlers getting on in the meantime? Had they
reconciled themselves to their new position? Had they forgiven Dame
Fortune for having cast their lot out in a woody desert?
No. They, of whom one would have least expected it, namely, the
women--were the most patient; the men, on the other hand, especially the
Oldenburghers, grumbled dreadfully, and declared often enough that they
were entitled to expect a better kind of life in return for the payment
of so large a capital. 'Tis true that they could no longer reproach the
Committee with pride or exclusiveness, for they lived in the midst of
them, ate the same food, and laboured at the same tasks; but that, in
fact, was one of their chief grievances, that they really had no
reasonable pretence for complaint.
Under Wolfgang's direction, and with his active help, sufficient
shanties were erected to protect the whole of the settlers from wind and
rain; and, indeed, to afford them as convenient a shelter as is usual in
those parts. They had also begun to clear the land--that is, to fell the
trees and to grub up the bushes, and the immediate necessaries of life
for the present were provided for, Wolfgang having bought a sufficient
quantity of flour and salt meat from a steamer which stopped at his
place to take in wood, and having sent up these stores by his negro.
What was it that they wanted, then?
Everything! How had the ideas which they had cherished in their old home
been verified? Where were those fertile plantations, where that
super-abundance of produce, that easy life of which they had dreamed?
Alas! it had, indeed, been but a dream! Such things look very different
in reality. Those aboriginal woods which we cannot picture to ourselves
grand and splendid enough, become an intolerable nuisance when we have
to live in them, and to combat their gigantesque vegetation. Every one
hears and reads with pleasure of the romantic life of a hunter, who
passes his nights in the open air, under the greenwood; but it is
anything but romantic when the rain falls through that greenwood, and
wets one to the skin. Thousands of such trifles there are, to which all,
especially Europeans, must first get accustomed; but that is not done in
three weeks, which was the period of time that had elapsed since the
passengers of the "Hoffnung" had taken possession of their land. Was it
surprising, then, that they were not yet satisfied with their life, that
they could not be satisfied?
They were occupied for the moment in splitting rails to fence in a large
cattle-yard, and Wolfgang had gone off into the hills, accompanied by
Siebert, senior, and Herbold, (the former as treasurer, the latter as an
adept in the business,) to purchase some horses and cows wherewith to
commence cattle rearing. But, as this branch of rural economy is
conducted very differently in the backwoods of the West, from the old
settled States and Europe; as the cattle are not tied up in sheds, but
roam freely about in the woods, and when wanted, have first to be sought
for and got together, such a piece of business is not done in a day, and
Wolfgang told the settlers beforehand that they were not to alarm
themselves, if he and his companions should stay away a week or even a
fortnight, as they probably should bring the cattle with them, and as
driving them would prove very tedious.
They had been gone three days, and Von Schwanthal, who, since the time
when Meier met him in the woods in such a state of alarm, had pretty
well abandoned his shooting, was just engaged with Pastor Hehrmann, Mr.
Becher, and some of the Oldenburghers, in splitting a huge red beech,
which, with combined efforts, they had felled on the previous day, when
the tailor, who had been piling brush in the neighbourhood of a little
thicket, suddenly came rushing towards them with good news depicted in
his countenance, uttering exclamations, and making signs, while yet afar
off.
The men paused in their work, looking at him as he came running towards
them. He arrived at last, almost out of breath, exclaiming----
"Mr. Von Schwanthal--Mr. Von Schwanthal, get your gun; there's a whole
'herd' of turkeys over yonder!"
"Where?" the latter hastily asked, throwing down the axe, and jumping up
in a great hurry. The old love of sport, which had only slumbered for a
week or two, awoke in all its vigour.
"Here, close by, where we're working--where the dead cow lies that
couldn't stand the climate!"
"Near the dead cow?" asked Von Schwanthal, surprised.
"Yes, it's a fact, I assure you; but make haste!" exclaimed the little
tailor, himself spurred on to irrepressible excitement by the sight of
the game. "You seem to think that they'll wait till you come."
Von Schwanthal ran quickly to the shanty, which was not far distant, put
a couple of dozen of cartridges in his game-pouch, seized the gun, and
followed Meier's active little form, which bounded over a fallen tree,
lying in his way, with gazelle like agility, and then dived into the
woods.
Siebert, junior, the shoemaker, brewer, and Schmidt, with some
Oldenburghers and Alsatians, who also had been in the neighbourhood,
drew back when they saw the game and heard the tailor's resolve to fetch
the hunter; but now they made signs from a distance that the birds were
still there, and exhorted the approaching men, by all kinds of
telegraphic movements, to walk carefully, so as not to scare away the
delicate roast.
Von Schwanthal requested his companions--for the whole company had
joined the sport--for Heaven's sake to be quiet, and to remain where
they where, whilst he crept forward by himself, in doing which he found
the game-bag a very great incumbrance, to see if he could not get a shot
right into the whole flock, (or herd, as the tailor called them,) and
perhaps kill three or four at once.
As said, so done; he first laid aside the cumbersome pouch, and then
crept on his knees and left arm, holding the fowling-piece in the right,
over stems and roots towards the designated spot.
One circumstance was unfortunate: there was a very disagreeable odour
there, for the body of the dead cow had already begun to pass into
putrefaction. Von Schwanthal wondered, too, what in the world the
turkeys could be about in such a noxious neighbourhood; but there was
not much time left for reflection, he had to advance quickly, so that
his booty might not escape; and, sure enough, actually, yonder, on and
beside the dead animal, there sat about twenty hens, large, strong
birds, some of which were looking carefully round, with their long
necks, and others--strange!--were pecking at the carrion.
"Thou hast never read about that in any natural history!" thought Von
Schwanthal, to himself. "Turkeys and carrion!--wonderful!" But he did
not waste the precious time in these hasty reflections, but slid, as
fast as he could go over such rough ground, towards a thick cypress,
from behind which he hoped to get a capital shot at the whole flock of
turkeys. And, lo! he actually succeeded to reach the wished-for position
without being observed, or, at all events, without being heeded,
although he made noise enough, and some of the birds must have heard
him, for they separated themselves from the rest, and looked very
attentively, with heads sagely inclined on one side, in the direction
where he stood, hidden by the tree.
But now the favourable moment appeared to him to have arrived to make
sure of his booty; without further delay, therefore, he raised the gun,
levelled, and fired the charge of shot right into the midst of the
flock.
The turkeys took wing--rose higher and higher--then flew in circles
round and round the place from whence they had been so suddenly and so
roughly scared. But one of them, which had received several grains of
shot, and just retained sufficient strength to raise himself to the
lower bough of a neighbouring oak, settled there, flapped his wings once
or twice, and then fell down again, from his elevated perch, dead.
Von Schwanthal shook his head. The turkey fell very light for so heavy a
bird. But his companions left him no time for reflection.
"Hurrah!" exclaimed Meier, as he sprang forward, and raised up one of
the slain; "hurrah! now we've got a roast!--Oh, geminy! what a stench
there is here!"
"But that _was_ a shot!" said the brewer. "Five at once!--and such
creatures! If one could get such a shot every day, I should go shooting
myself."
Von Schwanthal had lifted up the one which had fallen by its naked head,
and weighed it in his hand.
"Remarkably light!" said he.
"Why, that bird has the head of an eagle!" exclaimed Becher, who had now
also joined them. "Why, that's a singular creature!"
"But are they turkeys, after all?" asked Siebert, junior.
"Well, what else should they be!" opined the shoemaker. "They're
certainly not partridges!"
"But not turkeys, for all that," said, with a laugh, Pastor Hehrmann,
who had, in the meantime, examined them more narrowly. "My dear M. Von
Schwanthal, I am afraid that you have shot carrion vultures for
turkeys!"
"Well, what next, I should like to know!" said the tailor; who, as he
had been the first to give tongue, felt his dignity much hurt by this
remark. "If those are not turkeys, you may call me 'Donkey!'"
"Then we must set about christening you afresh," smiled Hehrmann; "for
these are buzzards--and probably of that kind which are called the
turkey-buzzard, from their resemblance to the turkey. Don't take hold of
them, M. Von Schwanthal, you won't be able to get rid of the smell!"
"Yes," declared the brewer, "they do stink--that's a fact!"
"It struck me as very strange," said Von Schwanthal, shaking his head,
"directly I saw the creatures seated on the carrion. But they're
strikingly like turkeys!--Good Heavens!"
As Von Schwanthal uttered this exclamation, he started back in surprise,
and had, in fact, cause for wonder; for before him, with the most
amiable smile upon his benevolent countenance, stood no other than Dr.
Normann! he who, ever since the settlement had been in existence, had
been abused and cursed a thousand times, by almost everybody, and to
whom the Oldenburghers, in particular, had vowed death, if he should
ever come within their clutches!--yes--whose fraud had even elicited
abuse from the little tailor, who, although not in general maliciously
disposed, yet had declared "that he would pass a hot goose over the
fellow's skin, if he could catch him!"
This Doctor Normann now stood before the astonished settlers, bowing and
smiling, as though he had the best-founded claims to the gratitude of
the emigrants; and said to those next him, with the most hearty
expression of voice, whilst he held out his hand towards them--
"Well, how are you, my friends?--all well and hearty?--that's the chief
thing! How d'ye do, Pastor Hehrmann?--and you, my dear M. Von
Schwanthal? Ah! Mr. Meier and Mr. Schmidt--Mr. Siebert--all hearty? I am
delighted--I am really delighted!"
"Sir," said Hehrmann, who had collected himself first, "it cannot be
concealed from you that we are all a little surprised at seeing you
here, after what has occurred!"
"You thought, perhaps, that I had run away from you!" said the Doctor,
laughing. "No, no; on the contrary, you ran off from me. The boat
started half an hour earlier than the captain had told me, and----"
"To what are we to attribute the honour of this visit?" asked Pastor
Hehrmann, somewhat coldly.
"My dear Pastor," said Normann, advancing towards him, looking him full
in the face, "I can guess the cause of your coolness--the land is not
what both of us expected. But should I have returned, if I had cheated
you?"
"Well, hark ye," said Schmidt, who had hitherto stood by in
astonishment, "we have no fault to find with the quality of the
land--that's good enough; but there's not the least shadow of all the
rest of what you talked about! You must excuse me, but it was all
humbug!"
"I really cannot understand you, Doctor!" Becher interrupted the last
speaker, who was getting rather excited; "how you can dare----"
"What's the use of all this palaver with the fellow!" exclaimed one of
the Oldenburghers. "Devil burn him! he has sent us into the wilderness
here, and now he shall see how it will fare with him, since he has been
fool enough to follow us!"
"Will you listen to me, or not?" cried Dr. Normann, starting back, and
shoving his right hand under his waistcoat. "Will you condemn a man
without having heard him?--without allowing him to defend himself!"
"What is there to defend?" exclaimed the tailor. "The evil is done, and
here we are in the midst of it!"
"Will you give me ten minutes' quiet audience," asked the Doctor, "and
not interrupt me?"
"Speak on!" said Hehrmann.
"Well, I'll convince you that you wrong me, if you for a moment consider
me capable of deceiving you!"
"To the point, if you please!" said Becher.
"You shall not have long to wait," the Doctor continued. "On the very
same day on which you quitted Cincinnati, I followed in another boat,
the 'Buck-eye Belle,' and went to New Orleans. It is true, that I had
intended to have got out at the Big-Halchee first, but the captain would
not land expressly for a single passenger. In New Orleans, I of course
immediately sought out the boat in which you came down here, and
inquired after you; but learnt, to my horror, from the pilot, whom I
knew very well, the true state of affairs, and what the land in this
neighbourhood was. The pilot happened to have been hunting near this
little river last year.
"At first, I refused to believe what he told me; but he soon adduced
such convincing proofs, that I was compelled to admit to myself that I
had been imposed upon, and that you would take me for a false, deceitful
person. I could not bear that; at the same time, I could not conceal
from myself that mere excuses were inadequate, that I must _prove_ to
you that I am an innocent and honest man. But, again, to do this it was
necessary that I should recover compensation, as far as that is
possible, for the damage suffered by you; and it is on that account
chiefly--and not only to clear myself of suspicion--that I am come
hither."
"But how can you----"
"Allow me, in the first place, to introduce a friend of mine, Mr.
Trevor."
He pointed, at the same time, behind him, and the man alluded to, whose
slim form, hitherto unnoticed by anybody, was leaning against an oak,
his hat pulled down rather low over his sunburnt forehead, now raised
himself, and bowed politely to the people.
"Mr. Trevor speaks German," continued Dr. Normann, "and has accompanied
me in order to give evidence in New York (whither both of us are bound)
of the state of things here--viz., as to how far and by what means you
have been cheated by that rascally land-jobber. In a month's time, I
hope to be enabled to send you not only the full amount of the purchase
money, but a considerable sum for damages besides!"
"Then the laws, or their administration, must be very different from all
that I have heard!" replied Mr. Becher.
"Mr. Becher," exclaimed Dr. Normann, while he placed his hand on his
breast, "why should I come back to you, if I had not the intention and
prospect of making good the damage which I have brought upon you? What
other motive could have impelled me to a place where I knew before hand
that I should (with reason) be ill received?"
Pastor Hehrmann looked hard at the doctor; for a moment the thought
again flashed across his mind of the declaration to his daughter, which
he had accidentally overheard; but Normann, who had no idea that
Hehrmann had heard a word of it, and well knew, or guessed, that Bertha
would be silent on the subject of such a conversation, met the eye of
the Pastor firmly, and thus (although unknown to himself) almost
entirely effaced the quickly-raised and passing suspicion of the other.
"And you really suppose that you will be able to make that person
answerable for the fraud?" asked Becher, still incredulous.
"I not only think so, but am sure of it," said Dr. Normann; "fortunately
I have in my hands his undertaking in writing; there are witnesses
enough to it in New York, and if I bring testimony by this gentleman
what the neighbourhood here really is like, no advocate _can_ get him
off from his deserved punishment."
The emigrants, unacquainted with the administration of the law in the
United States, really began to believe the words of the man who had
enticed them thither, but who now defended himself with so ready a
tongue--particularly as one circumstance told in his favour, viz., that
some such object alone could have made his visit probable--for what
possible benefit, thought they, could any further deceit be to him.
The men, therefore, became more and more friendly and confidential, and,
before he had passed an hour beside them, their acquaintance seemed
nearly re-established on its old footing of friendship. The honest folks
could not, and would not, believe a fellow-countryman capable of such
villany, for such treachery appeared impossible to their own hearts.
One thing more remained to be done; he had to be presented to the women,
and their prejudices had also to be removed; Becher and Hehrmann
undertook this office, and walked towards the houses with him and the
strange gentleman, while Von Schwanthal with the others remained behind.
The men had mechanically withdrawn themselves from the spot where the
carrion was lying, to escape from the offensive smell; but although the
American could only with difficulty suppress a loud laugh when he caught
sight of the slaughtered buzzards, and readily guessed how these useful
creatures had met with a premature death, yet Normann, on the other
hand, carefully avoided seeming so much as to notice the strange game.
It was not his cue to raise the slightest cloud of vexation on the brow
of any one of the people, whom he had to make friends of for the
present.
Pastor Hehrmann presented the returned one to the women; honest and just
himself, he was loth to believe any one else capable of such villany,
and therefore gladly gave ear to what the doctor now told him. And,
although Bertha, at least, started and turned pale at the arrival of the
certainly unexpected guest, yet, on the other hand, Normann's behaviour
was so hearty and frank, that all willingly absolved him, and listened
and gave credence to the explanation repeated by Hehrmann. Within a few
hours it seemed as if nothing unfriendly had ever occurred, as if the
doctor had solely and merely acted so as to be deserving of all the
settlers' warmest thanks. They now only looked forward with pleasure to
the return of Siebert and Herbold, in order that they, too, might be
made acquainted with the good news; and Mrs. Hehrmann, for her part,
declared that it was quite a relief to her that she was no longer
obliged to consider Dr. Normann guilty of such a breach of friendship
and good faith.
The American was also treated with attention and heartiness by the whole
of the settlers, and although the so-called Pennsylvanian German, which
he spoke, certainly sounded rather strange to their ears at first, and
was often incomprehensible, yet they did their best to chat with him, so
that he might not suffer too much ennui.
But Mr. Trevor appeared to be particularly partial to the conversation
of Miss Bertha, who spoke a little English, and he gave himself every
possible pains to teach her the pure accent of such words as she did not
pronounce or emphasize correctly.
Dr. Normann, it is true, several times endeavoured to give him
occupation elsewhere; but he always returned to the young lady, who
appeared to be pleased with his attentions, because she thereby hoped to
escape a tête-à-tête with Dr. Normann, of whom she had a complete dread,
since the scene on the deck of the steamer.
The doctor, in the evening, tried, as far as possible, to ascertain
everything which had occurred; of course, he had to inquire into
particulars, in order to be able to proceed right vigorously and
effectually against that cheating land-shark.[21] At the same time, he
managed to get at some general acquaintance with the state of the
finances; but he could only obtain the exact particulars from Siebert
senior, whose return he therefore resolved to await, before taking any
decided step.
On the following morning, Normann wandered with his companion backwards
and forwards in the woods, under the pretence of viewing the ground, in
order to convict the New York swindler, and here the following dialogue
occurred between these two worthies:--
"When, the devil, do you mean to be off, Normann? What's the use of
frittering away our precious time here?"
"We can't get away yet," objected the doctor; "how are we to get the
girls to the river quickly enough to be safe from pursuit?"
"Don't talk such stuff," said the American, with a laugh; "which of the
Dutchmen is to follow us through the woods without losing himself
directly, so that he won't be able to find his own track again? No, by
Jove, that matter would not give me the least uneasiness: I vote for
carrying off the girl, as soon as we can entice her a rifle-shot's range
from the shanties, and that, it is to be hoped, will be no difficult
matter; I shall think of something that will raise her curiosity."
"She appears to please you?"
"She's a glorious girl!"
"Turner, don't forget our agreement!" said Normann, with a voice of
grave exhortation, for a strange uncomfortable feeling now, for the
first time, crept over him: the suspicion that perhaps his accomplice
might deceive him at last.
"Why, of course, I recollect our agreement," laughed Turner; "but
perhaps you're jealous? Ha, ha, ha! that's a good one! Do you suppose
then that if _I_ had wanted a girl, I need have taken a journey of seven
hundred miles down the river for her? Nonsense! It amuses me to get
through the summer in this way, for in Cincinnati there is nothing more
for me."
"Had the Italian to pay his footing? Hang it, man, I shan't betray you,
at all events!--and yet I've put the question ten times to you already
in vain!"
"Why do you put it at all?--it must be all one to you," growled Turner,
angrily; "'tis always better not to talk too much about such things.
But, I don't care. Yes, I believe that he may probably remember me
awhile. But the journey down stream came very opportunely; I was only
afraid that the cursed sailing boat would have overtaken us. Confound
the fellows! the wind blew remarkably fresh--a few hours more, and----"
"The Ohio makes too many bends," said the worthy doctor, smiling; "a
sailing-boat never can overtake a steamer on it; but I really think it
would be better for us to await the return of the others, who, as Pastor
Hehrmann told us, are to bring horses and cattle with them. On
horseback, the affair could be much more easily managed, for, after all,
Turner, it would be rather too much of a good thing to carry the great
girls fifteen miles through the woods."
"We can take turns."
"I thought we were to carry off _both_?" said the doctor, on the watch.
Turner, who wished, at present to avoid everything which might arouse
the doctor's suspicions, immediately answered this question in the
affirmative, and exclaimed, laughing--"Well, of course, you are
right--we will wait for the horses, unless a favourable opportunity
should meanwhile occur to entice both girls towards the Mississippi,
which certainly might be difficult."
"If any body should find our boat yonder?" said the doctor, "that would
be a cursed go!"
"Indeed it would," said Turner, musingly; "that would be unlucky, and
might be attended with yet more unlucky consequences; but I can scarcely
think it likely; Scipio, you know, is beside it, and I have hid him
out-and-out well. Besides, it's a German, too, they say, who lives at
the mouth of the Big Halchee, and that being so, we need scarcely
apprehend discovery from that quarter."
"Well, well, don't think so ill of the Germans either," said Normann,
warningly; "there are some among them who are not behind a thorough
backwoodsman in tracking."
"I'll tell you what, Normann," exclaimed Turner, abruptly, as he stood
still, and looked at the rivulet, on whose banks they just then were; "I
really believe that we can get the boat up here; then the affair would
be child's play."
"Not so safe as you suppose, Turner; the Big Halchee makes innumerable
windings, and if they cut them off, they can get on faster on shore than
we on water."
"They must first know that we had gone by water; the Big Halchee has
only risen since the day before yesterday--since the dreadful rains--and
I don't think that up to that time it would have borne even a canoe.
I'll tell you what, Normann, it may be a week or a fortnight before they
return with the horses, and to wait till then will make the matter too
tedious; besides, I haven't time to wait so long; therefore you remain
here, say that I'm gone hunting, following a bear's track, if you like,
and meanwhile I'll return quickly to the Mississippi. If the Halchee is
navigable, why, I'll be back again by to-morrow evening, perhaps before,
and then nothing more will interrupt our flight; then cunning and force
must help us; if it is not navigable, why, I'll bring up the boat as far
as possible, and we may still, perhaps, save ourselves some miles of our
land journey."
Normann willingly agreed to this plan, for it not only facilitated the
execution of this shameful piece of scoundrelism, but also removed his
accomplice so long from the neighbourhood of the object of their
treachery.
It required only a little further confederacy, and, after a brief
farewell, Turner threw the rifle over his shoulder, and soon disappeared
in the bush; while Normann returned slowly and musingly to the settlers.
The excuse for Turner's absence was readily received by them, and Von
Schwanthal only lamented that he had not heard of it soon enough to
accompany him. Normann, meanwhile, who, according to his own assurance,
had also lived much in the woods, and consequently was acquainted with
agriculture as well as the management of cattle, gave himself every
conceivable pains to teach the men as well as the women a number of
little contrivances, which those only who live in the woods find out by
degrees.
The fever, too, had attacked several of them, although the general state
of health was, on the whole, still tolerable. Normann gave them
excellent instructions for this, too, and showed them several medicinal
herbs growing in the woods, whose uses he taught them. He behaved
himself so well, took such endless trouble, and was so civil and polite
to all, that even Bertha, towards whom, alone, he observed a rather
distant behaviour, began to feel herself more at ease in his society, as
she could not but think that he was cured of his love for her, and only
wished to do everything in his power to render those inconveniences into
which the settlers had been plunged, unfortunately, by his means, as
light as possible.
He was particularly friendly and attentive to Louisa, Bertha's sister,
and her junior by a few years, and two days thus passed with surprising
rapidity.
On the second evening after the conversation last detailed, the greater
part of the settlers were seated close together before the principal
dwelling, which, situated in the midst of several smaller
dwelling-places, and subdivided by partitions, had to serve as a
sleeping-place for most of them until they should have furnished the
remaining houses. Several small fires, lighted in a circle, and fed with
decayed wood, gave out a thick smoke, and served to keep off the
otherwise too troublesome mosquitoes, and the doctor had just concluded
a highly interesting story about the catching of wild horses on the
western prairies, when the bushes rustled, and the American stepped
towards them. He was heavily laden, and laid down the young stag which
he bore on his shoulders, at Bertha's feet, but declared that he had not
been able to overtake the bear whose tracks he had followed.
Normann watched his looks, to guess whether the attempt had been
successful or not, but the American was too wily to expose himself to
the possibility of a discovery, if any one of the persons present should
notice any sign, and therefore remained quite unconscious, answered Von
Schwanthal's questions in the most circumstantial manner, related a
number of hunting anecdotes, laughed and joked, and altogether did as
though there were no such person as Dr. Normann in existence.
It was not until they retired together to their sleeping-places, that he
whispered lowly to the latter--
"The boat lies scarcely five hundred yards from hence, safely hid; and
to-morrow they must be ours."
FOOTNOTE:
[21] Those persons, in the sea-port towns, who make it their business to
sell fraudulently bad land to the newly arrived, are usually styled
land-sharks.