University of Virginia Library

6. CHAPTER VI.

M. P. F.

The night previous to this departure, Julius Landino
and Frederic Belden had performed vigils together
in the same apartment, at the house of Hatch.

The trader and his Indian wife shared the same room.
But the one had taken such copious potations of his
own rum, that he snored most sonorously, beside his
spouse of the red skin. The one heard not a word,
and the other understood nothing of the language, if
she heard. The young men, fearlessly and without
reserve went into the history of their past, and their
purposes for the future.

Julius Landino was the only son of an opulent Portuguese
merchant of Macoa, by an English wife. This
son, talented, handsome, and probable heir to immense
wealth, had been educated in England.
Courted, equally on account of his wealth and his
extremely handsome person, and consigned to the
guardianship of unprincipled flatterers and panders,
he plunged into every species of dissipation and guilt.
His parents were finally aroused by reiterated reports
of his dissipation, to send peremptory orders for his
immediate return to Macoa, and they arrived just in
time, to break off a disgraceful intercourse, which he
was carrying on with an abandoned woman. He returned
to his own country, only to resume similar connexions
there. In Macoa, circumstances brought him
in contact with Frederic Belden, supercargo of an
American ship from Philadelphia. As unlike in mind
and character, as Baptiste and Elder Wood, similar
causes operated in this case, as in that, to produce a
particular intimacy between them. This intimacy
was heightened by the circumstance, that Frederic,
with great personal courage and exposure, had rescued
Julius from a perilous dilemma in the streets of
Macoa, in which his dissipation had involved him, as
he returned home late in the evening. The parents
became intimate with the preserver of their son. As
Frederic sustained a high reputation for sobriety and
good morals, and as Julius seemed not averse to the
proposition, they proposed, that their son should accompany

him to the north-west coast of America, in
the trade of which country his father was engaged,
and thence back to China. The contract was settled.
The penal banishment for the profligate son was arranged,
and they sailed together. It was expected,
that Julius would continue his studies, regain his
doubtful health; and more than all, his parents were
aware, that he would be restrained from dissipation,
by inability to follow it. He was, also, recommended
to the particular surveillance of a confidential
friend of his father, who was to sail on board. It
was optional with Frederic, to remain at Astoria, during
the absence of his ship, on her voyage to China,
to collect furs for her; or to return in her to China.
The confidant had orders, if he found Astoria free
from enticements to dissipation, to allow his ward to
remain with his friend, during the absence of the ship
on her China voyage, or to have him take passage in
her to China, according to circumstances. He had
consented, that Julius should be on this excursion to
the Shoshonee, and the question of their remaining
at Astoria, or taking passage in the ship to China, was
to be settled on their return.

Frederic Belden was from Pennsylvania, the son of
respectable parents, in straightened circumstances,
but rigidly orthodox presbyterians in religious opinions,
and under the guidance and almost absolute control
of a pastor, still more bigoted than themselves.
They were sincere in their opinions, and honest in
their bigotry. The pastor was an affected zealot,
from motives of interest and ambition. His orthodoxy
was of course more violent for being semblance,
and kept up for the occasion. Feeling, that he acted
a part, it was natural, that he should suffer continual
apprehensions, that his acting would be detected.
Frederic, from the circumstance of family connexions,
had been sent out of the state to a college, reputed

to be under the influence of heretical sentiments.
The pastor, by correspondents, exercised a constant
espionage upon the young student. His faults, and
he had faults, were magnified. Under such construction,
venial errors became crimes. Liberal enquiry
was considered, and represented to his parents, as the
buddings of infidelity and atheism. Every thing, that
he did, seen through this medium, was misconstrued.
His parents became suspicious and soured towards
him. When he came home, in his vacations, he was
preached at in church, and treated as an irreclaimable
reprobate and prodigal son. He first became dejected
and unhappy; then threw himself upon the good
feeling of his parents, and pointed out the injustice,
the minister had done him. But this only drew on
him a more aggravated condemnation, as a graceless
and hardened unbeliever, who wished to alienate the
hearts of his parents from their excellent pastor. His
filial piety was finally worn out in resentment of unrelenting
injustice. Detesting the minister, and miserable
at home, he left college, and through the kindness
of remote family connexions of a more liberal
mind, obtained the place of a kind of sinecure supercargo
in a China ship, that traded between Canton
and the North-West coast. His place on trial was
disagreeable. He left it at Macoa.

Such was the narrative of the two young men, at
mutual confession. At least such was the purport of
their story, when divested of circumlocution, foreign
matter, and the colorings of self flattery. They both
seemed to have steered thus far on the course of life,
without chart or compass. On board the ship was a
person placed over Julius, as a spy, who discharged an
office naturally odious, and the latter had preved himself
such a refractory and troublesome subject, that
provided only he could give a satisfactory account of
his stewardship, to his parents, he cared little what

became of his charge. The other had been abandoned
by his friends, as a hopeless outcast from grace,
and neither of them had any pole star, or fixed purpose
for the future. They were both of an age, discipline
and temperament to predispose them, to admire
the boundless range and the wild license of Indian
life and manners. They compared their sensations
from these few holidays, in the most beautiful
vale of the west, with the hackneyed, and commonplace
enjoyments in social life; and viewed the happy
dream of the few past days, with the beautiful daughter
of Yensi to make part of the picture, as a fair
sample of Indian life, and a steady residence among
them. In the discussion and the comparison, with the
different views resulting from their different temperament
and education, they agreed in declaring,
that they had seen more enjoyment here in a week,
than they had felt in cities in a year, and they sustained
William Weldon, in saying that Rosseau had
reason, when his eloquent pen portrayed the advantages
of savage over social life. They dwelt in terms
of enthusiasm upon the wild, sublime, and yet soft
landscape, the Sewasserna, the most devious and
beautiful of rivers, upon the fine old philosopher William
Weldon, and the striking physiognomy of his
pretty Chinese wife, the Kentucky minister, with his
orthodoxy, his broad back, and warm heart, the jolly
Dutch trader, the fine family of the chief, admitting
by way of parenthesis, that Josepha herself had not
ceased to be pretty, and drawing young men's inferences
in the case, the capering, mischievous and diverting
Frenchman—all these things were as they
should be. To crown all, there was the divine Jessy,
a thing of another world—an ethereal exhalation, an
angel, an image of beauty, to which there was no likeness
in heaven or earth or waters, or even the world
of imagination. Such, including the whole host of
superlatives and comparisons, were all put in requisition
by Frederic, as he spoke of her, and added with
a long sigh, `that he wished, he had never seen her,
or that, having seen her, he might never cease to
behold her.'

Julius went with him certain lengths, admiring the
valley, allowing that he had there got rid of ennui, and
expressing reluctance to return to the dull, drudging,
and money-getting world. But his friend's eloquent
and rather extravagant eulogy of the daughter
of Yensi drew him from a seeming reverie. `In truth,
my yankee friend,' he said, `Wakona, as they call her,
has in fact put you hors du combat; and I doubt not,
we shall have your silken chains done into most harmonious
verse. She is beautiful, I grant you; and
has a kind of piquant loveliness, which perplexes you
more, from not knowing to what class to refer it. I
suspect, though, that much of her fascination depends
upon the effect, it has upon the imagination, to find
such a singular production in so strange and savage a
place.'

`You will give us a new theory upon beauty and
taste,' said Frederic, `will you?' `No doubt Alison
and the rest will go into disuse, when your views appear.
I, for my part, made the same allowances; and
I endeavored critically to scrutinize the premises. I
found it, like an intense view of the mid-day sun,
rather an infliction upon the beholder, than a diminution
of the object contemplated.' `Better and better,
'pon honor, Frederic. But, sir, this sweet essence of
roses, this super angelic double-distilled, ethereal sublimate
of the spheres, oh, my dear friend! is—a little
squaw! Now redden, will you? Not exactly a squaw—
but destined to be the wife of an Indian. We, my good
fellow, are a kind of episode, a new dish, with a new
garnish of spice for the girl's curiosity. The young
chief is the standing article. As soon as her eye

becomes familiar with us, she will, unquestionably,
return to her Indian.' `Never! never, Julius! Areskoui
is a fine fellow, for an Indian, that we must allow.
But there is sacrilege and murder in the thought,
that Jessy should become the wife of a savage. Do
not desecrate your imagination by such a vile idea. I
have been tasking my poor brain to the utmost, to invent
some pretext to remain behind, and see the end
of this drama, to which we have been so strangely introduced!'

`My good fellow,' replied the other, `you have hit
my own fancy, and have anticipated my own thought.
What should we do at Astoria? What pleasure is
there in tumbling about upon the stormy sea, and
doing penance in sea sickness? What novelty is there
in the yellow frights at Macoa and Canton? Here
every thing is at least green and fresh, and one snuffs
with the mountain air a keen relish even for the comely
red skins. By heaven, the same thought has occurred
to me, to turn Shoshonee by way of variety. When
I am weary of playing that part, and return to the
pleasures of affluence, I shall have something in the
past, of which to think pleasantly. I should like to
operate upon the triumph and saucy defiance in the
eye of this little Indian witch. With what easy sang
froid she receives us, as though she had been perfectly
used to fine gentlemen, and felt all the consequence
of being a belle! Would it not be an achievement
worthy of a romance, to win her love, steal her
away, and carry her to London, as a show of the
American flower `of the wilderness.' `What would
you do with her?' asked the other impatiently. `My
good fellow, you ask the question with a very impertinent
look. What would I do with her? What
would you do with her? I am the only child of an
ancient and opulent family, and I conceive I have
some claims to amuse myself. What would I do with

her? I would render her as happy, as money and
love could make her, until we had both pursued the
partnership to satiety; and then I would put her in
the way of rendering some other person as happy, as
she had made me.'

`I will not be offended with you, Julius, for you can
only be jesting. It is impossible, that a gentleman of
your appearance can be really actuated by the principles
of'— `Of what? Speak out, my pious yankee
friend.' `The principles of a fiend, then! I would
be content, to spend my days in this valley, and hunt
buffaloes and deer, and never speak with any person
again, but an Indian, so that Jessy Weldon loved me,
and would share my fortunes with me. This would
crown all my wishes on this side the grave. Practise
seduction with Jessy Weldon, and abandon her!—
There is horror in the thought!' `Indeed,' replied
the other, laughing, `Sir moralist, we will not fight
about her yet. All in good time, after we have won
her love, we shall come to that point. It seems to me,
you had better join yourself to the baptist minister,
go under the water, turn missionary, and sing psalms
with Wakona! What charming alternate strains
you would sing! Would you really, Frederic, join
yourself to her in holy and everlasting wedlock?'—
`Indeed would I, and feel too happy in the bond.'
`Come on then, Frederic, Let us be good friends.
They will be glad to get rid of us at Astoria. We
may as well stay here, until the return of our ship
from Canton, as at that miserable place of sailors and
desperadoes. I will make love to Jessy on my principles.
You shall do the same on yours. Her natural
predilection for Areskoui shall have scope, and be
watched. That racy devil, Nelesho, shall make a
copper colored episode. We will turn Shoshonee,
and be adopted, until our ship returns to Astoria. If
we are sick of our country, or too impatient, to wait

for the winding up of the plot, we will be off in her
next voyage. There is my plan. I mean to remain,
whether you do, or not.'

`Then, Julius, I will remain too. I would not trust
such a flower, to be handled by such a personage
without witness. If you stay to plot, I will stay to
counter plot. I understand well your personal advantages.
It will be a study to me to mark how the gradual
development of such principles, in such a seductive
shape, will affect her. Although I was deemed,
in my own country, a recreant to grace and goodness,
comparison has taught me to discover in myself a half
formed saint. You will play before her the polished
and seductive Lothario. I, the plain, honest North-American,
will place before her the embodied truth
and sincerity of love. If she should not prefer either
Areskoui, or me, to a man with your principles, then
I shall be convinced, that I have adored an illusion.
I shall no longer believe the characters traced by
heaven itself.'

`Your humble servant, my yankee Mentor! You
are exceedingly complimentary, and you have piqued
me, to show you the fabric, of which a woman is made,
touching her regard to principles, as you call them.
I will cause you to feel the texture of the article in
general. I will exert myself to the utmost, I assure
you.' The other replied with eager vivacity, `if you
play tempter in this paradise, I will play Argus, and
be her good angel. I am aware, that her trial must
be a fearful one. At any rate, we must seem to be
friends, or our project, which smacks not a little of insanity,
will fail at the very outset. If Areskoui or
Nelesho were to divine our purpose, they would,
probably, mince us with their tomahawks, or roast us
for a supper for some of their fair red skins. It is
easy to see, that we have tortured them with jealousy
already. It would be a charming affair, I confess, to

steal this sweet girl away from these brutes. But
we must manage every thing cautiously, until our project,
whatever it may be, is ripe for effect.'

`Bravely said, my yankee moralist. You are now
discoursing to some purpose. It were pity, if we,
who have the adroitness and training of society, could
not play our part with a brood of savage cubs, and a
fair faced little rustic, who has no more experience
than a heath partridge. She is amply endowed with
the Scotch gift, I admit, as women naturally are. But
I have played my part with the most wily of the whole
of them, aided with all the trick and cunning of society
to boot. You will see, how easily I will manage this
matter.' `One thing I forewarn you, Julius, if we
are to act our parts in this affair in good temper, you
must learn always to speak with respect of Jessy Weldon.
There is another difficulty to be overcome. I
do not see under what pretext we can desert our companions,
and remain behind.'

`Sir, as to Miss Weldon, the divine, henceforward,
when I speak of her, I will always move my hat. I
will perform a genuflection, as thus, and do as is my
duty, my humble service to her shoe tie. As to
clearing out from the sea-monsters, leave all that to
me. In the first place they have found neither use
nor comfort in us, and will be glad to get rid of us.
In the next place, they have no control over us. In
the third place, my guardian will be rejoiced, to be
able to give such a clear account of his stewardship,
as I will put him in the way to prepare in this event;
and lastly, we had our option to remain at Astoria,
during the present voyage of our ship, if we chose.
As to getting off from our companions, hearken to my
plan. We are expected to go forward of them in our
periogue. When we have turned the wooded point,
below the town, we will spring on shore, among the
thick hemlocks, capsize our periogue, push it into the

stream, hide ourselves in the dark forest, and have the
pleasure of hearing our own funeral oration, and
dirge; and knowing what they think of us, and how
much sorrow they will feel at the supposed drowning
of two such hopeful youths. We will remain, in durance
vile, until the party descends the river. We
will then return to the village, and offer ourselves for
adoption. It is evident, they are delighted with the
coming of white people among them. Areskoui will
be jealous of us, and will wish us at the devil. But
he is evidently playing the magnanimous in the eye of
Jessy. We will kindly aid him with real torture, and
accommodate him with the poisonous shirt of Hercules,
and have the pleasure of seeing him writhe and
struggle, and attempt to conceal his agony. You can
easily see, that his mother governs him; and he governs
his father, and his father governs the tribe. If
we wish to manage him, observe, that his mother yet
retains a full Spanish eye, and a ripe cheek. I will
make love to her, by way of underplot. Do you
smoke me! What a pity, the young copper colored
fiend has such an admirable form! The young prince
has a fine face, too, it must be allowed. So much the
better. All will make the right sort of material, to
effervesce our cauldron of Hecate.'

`Upon my truth, Julius, I startle at you. I discover
neither tail nor cloven foot. It cannot be that one
of the dark spirits has taken such a form; neither can
I realize, that all this ready contrivance can be indigenous
in the brain of a mere son of the earth. You
are a perfect Machiavel at an intrigue. After all, we
may be too cunning for ourselves, and it is not at all
improbable, that we shall pay the penalty by being
roasted alive. Mark you, my chief motive, in consenting
to this hopeful plan, is, to guard your intercourse
with Jessy. You place before her the seduction
of a fascinating person and manners. I stand, as

a guardian angel, between her, and your libertine
principles. I rely upon truth, honor and love. If I
have rightly divined her character, I shall carry the
prize.'

`Agreed to all that,' replied the other. `You have
added another motive. A glorious mark and marplot!
We can hunt, spear salmon, and episode it with
the red skin damsels, by way of variety of divertisement.
My serious business shall be to make love in
my way, put the young savage on the gridiron of jealousy,
and circumvent a simple yankee, who thinks to
win a girl's heart by downright honesty, and love to
the point of marriage for life.'

Such was the momentary project of these idle
young men—a project, partaking of their character of
indolence and recklessness; but colored in each mind
by their peculiar temperament. In furtherance of
their plan, when the guests descended the Sewasserna,
they proposed to row, when the wind and current bore
them not with sufficient rapidity, and to move in advance
in their Indian periogue. It would require
little effort to keep forward of the squadron of heavily
laden boats. Their party consented to this arrangement,
giving them many cautions not to keep too far
ahead, nor to capsize their frail craft, and get drowned.

According to their arrangement, the first point,
which they turned, being nearly a mile in advance of
the other boats, and at a place where the river was
broad and deep, they paddled ashore, and overturning
their periogue, left their hats swimming in the water,
pushed the canoe into the river, and concealed themselves
among hemlocks, of an umbrageous compactness,
to make it dark at noon-day. Suppressing their
laughter as they might, they remained within hearing
of what might transpire. The other boats in a few
minutes floated on. The party exclaimed, as might
be expected in such a case, as they saw the capsized

periogues and the floating hats. `The lads have taken
the short cut to the lower country!' they cried, as
they sprang on shore. It struck them with surprize,
indeed, that both should have been drowned. But
there were eddies in this deep and wide space, which
would naturally whirl them from the shore. At any
rate, they were evidently both drowned, and all speculation,
as to the mode, was alike gratuitous and unavailing.
The water was deep, and there was little
chance, that their bodies would be found. But the
party humanely paused, came to land, and sent their
Indian rowers back to bring assistance from the town
to search for the bodies.

While the Indians were out on this errand, the party
fired funeral minute guns. The band played a dirge,
and different persons occasionally shouted, so that if
they had gained the shore any where below, they
might reply. No noise was heard in answer, but the
echoes. After satisfying themselves of the fruitlessness
of such efforts, they fell into a strain of moralizing
over the untimely fate of these young men, with
the indifferent tone of those who inwardly congratulated
themselves, that if others were dead, they were
alive. `A pretty fellow, and a rich,' said they, `that
Julius, and a great libertine to boot. He has lost a
fine estate, and the ladies a charming fellow. But
Frederic, though not the likeliest, was a thousand
times the cleverest lad. Neither of them, however,
will be much missed in the world. There is some
comfort in that.' In a hundred grave remarks, of
this general import, did these people discuss the premature
fate of the young men, who were so near at
hand, as to hear every word, and gain the practical
conviction of the depth and reality of that sorrow and
lamentation, they would have caused, had they been
really drowned.

A concourse of Indians soon arrived at the spot,

and with them all the resident whites. Each contemplated
the catastrophe with different emotions.
Areskoui looked intently on the countenance of Jessy,
to estimate how deeply her short acquaintance with
them had graven their remembrance in her thoughts.
He saw a distinct impress of sadness upon her face,
which served in no degree to increase his own regrets.
Elder Wood took up his own burden of thought, and
discoursed solemnly upon the uncertainty of life. `But
two hours since, and no hearts were more gay or glad
on this side of the grave; and now the Sewasserna,
a river unknown to geography or song, will roll over
their sleeping dust, till time shall be no more.' Hatch
scratched his bead, and talked about the immense estate,
to which Julius was heir. Baptiste insisted,
that they who would be drowned from such a periogue,
and in such a place, ought to be drowned for
fools. Josepha and Yensi spake with moistened eyes
of their beauty and youth, and pitied their mothers,
when they should hear of it. Nelesho whispered
half articulated curses upon the whole white race,
and wished they might all have thus perished together.
Ellswatta said, `they were noble young warriors, and
it was a pity, such brave and free spirits should so
early have taken the last journey to the land of souls.'
`Pale faces,' he continued, `sing your deepest death
song. Let their spirits enter into the land of shadows,
cheered by the pleasant sounds, in which they
delighted, while alive.' The place, meanwhile, was
dragged in every direction for the bodies, while dirges
were played on the shore.

The sun had past the meridian, before the exertions
were discontinued. The Astorian party, hopeless
of finding their bodies, concluded to resume their
descent of the river. The Shoshonee and the whites
returned, some in sadness, some joyful, and some indifferent,
retaining such impressions and discoursing

such reflections, touching the supposed catastrophe,
as would have been drawn forth, had a similar event
occurred in a civilized country.

The two sojourners in the hemlocks, meanwhile,
began to find the clamors of hunger no small drawback
from the amusement of listening to their own
funeral eulogy and obsequies. They were nothing
loth to leave their lurking place, and set forth towards
the town. They thought it expedient, not to appear
there until the shades of the evening would screen
them from observation. They then presented themselves
at the door of Hatch, who having very little faith
in ghosts, was startled indeed, but not much frightened,
when he saw, and recognized them. It was
not difficult, to make him comprehend their project;
nor, as they would be likely to be profitable customers,
to obtain his hearty consent to the plan, and his
promised aid, that they should remain incog, until it
should be ascertained, what reception they might expect
from the tribe.

Next day the project was known, and discussed in
the family of William Weldon. As might be expected,
he saw no harbingers of good in the event.
Yensi was clearly delighted, and not backward in expressing
it, that the young men had been so well
pleased with their excursion, as thus to choose to domesticate
themselves in this valley. If they could not
remove to civilization and society, she rejoiced, that it
was coming to them. Elder Wood protested against
the deception; but was too much a Kentuckian at heart
to be severe upon such clever management, to carry
into effect a project so natural to a hunter and backwoodsman.
Jessy thought something of the morality
of their project, as Elder Wood had done; but her
heart was relieved, when she learned, that they were
not drowned. Neither in truth was she sorry, when
advised, that their intent was to domesticate themselves

among the Shoshonee. The views of Areskoui
and his parents may be easily imagined.

On the morning of the third day a council was convened,
in the great council wigwam. The young
men announced, by their interpreter, that they had
voluntarily absconded from their friends, with a purpose
to dwell among the Shoshonee; and if on trial,
they should be found active hunters and trappers, and
brave warriors, they desired to be adopted into the
tribe.

Accustomed to the practice of self control, Areskoui
determined, that Jessy should see him neither showing
selfishness, nor wanting in magnanimity and forbearance
in this decisive trial. Nelesho, comprehending
the position of Areskoui, and anticipating the
tortures of jealousy he would suffer, was decided, in
expressing his wish to receive them. The whites
were as yet a novelty; and their arrival in the tribe
was associated with the pleasant ideas of ardent spirits.
All the influence of the squaws was in their favor.
On the whole, the two tribes were unequivocal,
in manifesting their wishes to welcome the young
strangers, and grant their request. Elder Wood,
whose influence among them was distinctly felt, had
been won to be favorable to their desire, by the intimation
on their part, that in the retirement of the valley
they intended to find time, to examine the claims
of religion, and to consult him on the concerns of
their salvation. Baptiste, who also exercised his appropriate
bearing upon the lower classes, was charmed
with the idea of such an addition to the gaiety of
the Shoshonee circle.

When in council it came the turn of Areskoui to
speak, after his father, no one but Jessy could have
divined from his thoughtful but composed visage, with
what feelings he regarded the measure. In a few significant
words he gave his assent to their request.

All, who had any claim to the expression of an opinion,
having spoken, the executive council chiefs smoked
awhile, as if in profound meditative deliberation.
A word or two, and a significant gesture passed between
them, when Ellswatta arose, and declared the
sense of the council in the usual Indian phrase, which
would import in English, `stay with us, and welcome.'

Certain ceremonies of admission to the tribe, in
the customary form, took place, and the council broke
up. The young men became boarders with Trader
Hatch, the publican of the tribe. They had now before
them a most perplexing task, to arrange their future
plan of operations in relation to their intercourse
with William Weldon's family. They needed not be
told, that the management required infinite policy,
prudence and forbearance. The head of this family
had both sense and dignity. The moment any step
on their part, that had the slightest aspect of indecorum,
or officiousness, or of such a character as would
affect the reputation of Jessy in the most scrupulous
circles in society, should be taken by them, they were
but too well forewarned, that a final interdict would
be put upon their intercourse. They were equally
well instructed, that the jealous eyes of Areskoui, and
the vindictive inspection of Nelesho, were upon them.
They covenanted, therefore, to be exceedingly cautious,
in soliciting, or indulging in the pleasure, or
hastily urging the effort, which was their chief object
in joining the Shoshonee. They laid down a
plan which, whether sagacious or not, was the result
of their severest studies, the issue of which will hereafter
appear.

At this time occurred an affecting incident, which,
though it does not necessarily belong to these annals,
ought, perhaps, to be related, as tending to throw
light upon the influence and character of the intercourse
of the American people, with the primitive

and unsophisticated Indians. Shortly after the adoption
of these young men into the tribe, and while they
were absent on a trapping expedition, to which it was
necessary for them at this early stage of their habitancy,
to join themselves to save appearances, the
New-York white wife of Hatch arrived at Shoshonee
town from Astoria, to reclaim her truant husband.
He had been forewarned of the prospect, that his first
spouse was coming to join him. But with the natural
disinclination to think of a disagreeable affair, no previous
arrangement had been made for this event. His
devoted and faithful red skin wife was first admonished
of the existence of this rival in claims upon her
husband, by seeing her actually land from a periogue.
It might have been supposed, that this daughter of a
chief, by whom he had two children, would have taken
deep umbrage, on learning this painful fact. But
the usages of the people regarded polygamy as no
crime, or as honorable, rather than otherwise. The
only limit fixed by opinion was inability to maintain
more than one wife. As Hatch was well known to be
rich, this arrival was considered by the father and
brother of the Indian wife an affair between the husband
and the wives. The incident, that follows, is
recorded in commemoration of the deep and heroic
attachment, of which Indian women are often seen
capable, and in consequent proof of the guilt of those
white sojourners among them, who trifle with such
attachment, and abuse such confidence.

As soon as the Shoshonee wife was told of the arrival
of the white claimant of her husband, she shed
some tears, assured him, that she was ready to offer
her the first place of love and authority, consented to
resign her charge as mistress, and only requested, that
she might remain, as a kind of servant, to take care of
her children, and share such transient marks of his
kindness, as he could spare from her favored rival.—

All this she stated in a subdued and quiet tone, that
won strongly on the heart of her husband, who, in truth,
liked his Indian wife best. But the new comer was
a small, brisk, sharp-faced woman, with red hair,
a curved nose, and thin lips, who had, in bygone days
in New York, drawn forth upon Hatch the famous
proverb, touching the superior points of the gray nag.
As the petition of the red skin wife and mother was
stated to her, the object of debate stood before her,
meekly holding one of her children in one hand and
the other at the breast, looking steadily in her face with
intense interest, to divine by her looks and tones, for
her language she understood not, what fate was in reserve
for her. The white wife required no time for
deliberation. She raised her shrill voice, and peremptorily
insisted, as a preliminary step in the new
domestic arrangement, that her red rival should be
discharged, in her phrase, bag and baggage. Perhaps,
it was the first time in his life, that Hatch blushed
in earnest, and his face glowed to the color of his
red whiskers, when he explained this hard necessity to
his Shoshonee wife, in her own speech. Obedience
in these usages is implicit and without reserve. She
once more shed silent tears, turned round, and wistfully
surveyed her late peaceful and happy empire, as if
taking a final leave. Wiping her eyes, with her long
black locks, she then sternly walked forth, leading one
child, and holding the other to her breast. As soon
as she was abroad, she began, in the deep, monotonous
Indian death wail, to sing, `The proud white skin has
come, and my poor babes and I go to the land of spirits.'
Such was the burden of her strain, as she walked
on with her charge to the Sewasserna. She paused
a moment on the bank. She kissed her little ones,
and the tears streamed down her cheeks, while she
looked alternately in their faces, and then towards her
late residence, the domestic smoke of which was
peacefully curling aloft. Her purpose for a moment
seemed to falter. But the lament arose strong and
full again. `We go to the land of spirits,' she said,
and threw herself into the stream, with both her
babes in her arms. Her husband and a number of
Indians had observed her departure, and divining her
purpose, had followed her at a distance. In a moment
some of the best swimmers plunged in after her.—
They drew her up by the locks, holding in the spasmodic
grasp of affection and death, fast to her babes.
The three were brought, though apparently lifeless,
to the bank. All soon gave proofs of resuscitation.
The first movement of returning life in the mother
was, to raise herself a little from her recumbent posture,
open the blue lips of her half expiring babe, and
give it the breast, imploring the husband not to drive
her from him. `See,' said she, `the pretty one looks
like its father. Why will you have me kill it? Only
let me remain in the house, and tend my little ones,
and I will be as a faithful slave to the proud white
skin.' It was a scene to move the hearts of the Shoshonee.
Tears even started under the red eye lashes
of Hatch. A harsh, but decisive murmur from all
the Indians present, the purport of which he but too
well understood, notified him, that, in this case, he no
longer had an alternative. He uttered an oath, `that
the white wife should know her driver for this once.'
He did more. He took the eldest child in his arms,
and gallantly led on his Shoshonee spouse, now gaily
holding the other to her bosom. The Indians followed,
murmuring applauses. He arrived at the
house, and saluted his white wife, who had come to
the door, to learn the object of this triumphal procession.
`Mein Gott and Saviour,' said he, `dey will
roast me alive. You take her in, madam, well and
good; you refuse, and by mein Gott and Saviour, I
trive you off, and keep mein good red skin.' The
New York madam saw the aspect of things, and well
understood the looks and gestures of the listening
Indians. Her terrified consent was prompt and ample.
The recovered mother and children re-entered the
house, and Baptiste observed with a knowing shrug,
`Ma foi, Hatch no need go to I'infer for his purgatory.
He get him between he's two vives.' At the joyful
termination of this affair, the Indians marched off with
acclamations.

The object, for which the young men had stationed
themselves in the valley, had not escaped the penetration
of the family of the chief. A private conclave
was held between the father and mother and son.
`What shall we do, how shall we conduct towards the
fair sons of the pale face?' Was the question of Ellswatta,
as he beheld the downcast countenance of his
son. `Thou canst not doubt, that they are watching
to gain the favor of Wakona, as the eagles scale aloft,
to survey their prey beneath them. Would, that the
Wahcondah had given thee a heart, my son, not to
be moved with the witching influence of the daughter
of Yensi. A warrior should have a heart too proud,
a chief should look too much towards the sun, to allow
his manhood to droop as thine. It is fit only for
squaws, and babbling men, like squaws, to prate about
beauty. Yet since the mischief has been wrought,
since thoughts of Wakona make thee always look sad,
what is to be done?' `Ellswatta, my husband, has
forgotten all, that he once said to me about my
charms,' drily said Josepha. `Have all thy fine words
passed away, as it had been a dream? Thou couldst
then talk about beauty, as fluently as a young Spaniard,
serenading his mistress beneath her lattice. No,
Areskoui—It is right, it is natural, and the pitying
Mother of God allows, that we should love what is
lovely. Thou shouldst rather, my husband, guide
our son on the way to win the love of Wakona, or put

forth thy power, to drive these deceitful though fair
young guests from our nation.'

`That I will never consent to have done,' replied
Areskoui. `From my parents I have inherited a nature
too noble, to wish the favor of Wakona upon any
other terms, than her voluntary consent. Neither my
father nor my mother could counsel me, to adopt other
measures, than those of kindness and honor. If she
be inclined already to love these young men of the
fair face, what would she think of me in comparison,
were my father, my mother, or myself to resort to violent
and cruel measures? The first movement of that
kind would forever incur for me the hate of Wakona.
All else I could endure. But her hate would be insupportable.
No. My purpose is fixed, as yonder
mountain. I will offer no hindrance, to their intercourse.
Let them exult in the light of her beauty.
Let her smile continually upon them, since the Master
of Life will have it so; and if it be necessary, let
Areskoui die. But counsel him not, my father and
mother, to put forth the strong arm against these happy
pale faces.'

Such were the thoughts of Areskoui, in reference
to the strangers; and from that time his conduct was
observed invariably to square with his magnanimous
purpose. But the smile, that had formerly played on
his noble countenance, wholly disappeared. A pensive
and subdued gloom was indelibly fixed there in
its stead. When he met Jessy by accident, there
was something difficult to describe in his manner. It
was not reproach; nor did it ask either love or pity.
But the conflict of different emotions, pride, forbearance
and magnanimity imparted the predominant
coloring. Jessy interpreted it, and was infinitely more
affected than she would have been either by entreaties
or complaints. It did not diminish her pity, to
learn, that he was often with Elder Wood; and conversed

much and seriously with him about the truths
and mysteries of the Christian religion. The minister
was himself affected, as he remarked the gloomy temperament
of his mind. He was often heard to declare,
that he found all empty and unsatisfactory on this side
the grave; and that if religion offered such infinite
satisfaction and joy beyond it, it became him, who was
compelled to renounce his hopes here, to enquire into
his chances in the land of souls. Elder Wood, with
the unconsciousness of perfect simplicity, proceeded
to express his surprize, what could have happened to
the young chief, in the pride of his youth and expectations,
to render him so dissatisfied with life. Whoever
had marked the countenance of Jessy, alternately
pale and scarlet, would have perceived the tenor of
her thoughts.

Meanwhile the adopted guests were tasking their
powers, to acquire the necessary semblance of Indian
habits. They trapped, and hunted, however involuntarily,
with the best. At the points in the dashing
and precipitous mountain streams, where they broadened
and slept in quietness, where the beavers built
their magic dams and cities, and expanded their little
lakes in the depths of the mountain forest, they
learned to watch these sagacious and happy animals,
to ambush their domestic paths and the highways of
their towns; and, as though fortune was disposed to
smile upon their freaks, or as if she were uniformly
disposed to dispense her favors to the young and the
happy, they were singularly successful, both in their
hunting and trapping. This ingratiated them with
the Indians at once; and disappointed the hopes of
Areskoui, that their awkwardness and indolence, in
the appropriate pursuits of his people, would leave
them no consideration with the tribe on that score.
But the young men were frank, jovial, in high health,
and in furtherance of their plan, took incessant pains

to be popular with the Indians, to caress their wives
and daughters, and to gain, as they eminently did gain,
the character of brave and free spirits.

Jessy and her mother exchanged words of gratified
surprise, to perceive that the young men were
wise, to divine the proper steps in their new line of
march. Elder Wood was equally astonished. `They
could not have promised better,' he said, `as hunters
and trappers, had they been raised in Kentucky. He
had thought, in coming there, that they were only
sowing wild oats most foolishly. They had redeemed
his good opinion, and he had no doubt, that they had
asked adoption from the honest love of Indian life.'

Relations of unquestioned intimacy being once established
with the family of William Weldon, it was
easy to draw them closer by imperceptible degrees.
To take tea with them, two or three times in a week,
was very natural. To have new books, engravings,
publications, journals and magazines brought, by every
arrival from Astoria, would be a compliment, and
give a pleasant variety to their intercourse. They
played duets most charmingly on the flute. Jessy
ordered a harp from Canton. Julius had learned but
one thing thoroughly, and that was music. He was
one of those nature taught musicians, who furnish to
phrenologists their soundest argument, that the strong
points of character and development are laid in the
unchangeable organization of the brain. He played
the harp admirably; and in teaching it to Jessy, when
he laid his own master hand upon the strings, he had
a very marked advantage over his companion, who
understood music but imperfectly, and only played
the flute. Both painted, and Jessy was, as has been
seen, an enthusiast in that pursuit. They philosophized,
and were misanthropic with William Weldon.
With him they found Rousseau in the right; and thus
extolled the free and independent life of the Shoshonee

valley, as infinitely more pleasant than any thing,
which social life could offer. And they extolled their
present mode of life as a kind of antepast of paradise.
William Weldon found them rapidly drawing upon
the untouched stores of confidence, in his bosom, `and
was astonished,' as he said, `to learn, that such handsome
young men, so spoiled in society, could thus early
become such sound and practical philosophers.' With
Yensi they held conversations upon the tea fields, the
cane patches, and the spice gardens, the pagodas and
pavillions, the cities, canals, and miracles of nature
and art, in her wonderful native country; and Yensi
allowed, in grateful return for their winning politeness,
`that she had admired the `red heads,' as the
Chinese call the European people, from her girlish
days.' With Elder Wood, they spake of the dignity
and the eternal obligations of the Christian religion,
and hoped soon to find a time at the foot of those
heaven-pointing and religion-inspiring mountains, to
investigate its claims, and study its duties. With
Baptiste they babbled bad French, and talked over
the everlasting chapter of the Shoshonee gossip.
With Hatch they debated the means and the mysteries
of money getting, and the profits and per cent. of
a continued voyage from Boston to China—from China
to the North-West coast—and thence with silks
and teas back to Boston. Josepha they gained, especially
Julius, by playing the guitar, talking of Spanish
romances, and canzonnettas, many of which Julius,
who was Portuguese on his father's side, could
both say, and sing.

Thus studying every character, and becoming all
things to each, they won universal favor. For variety,
they taught Jessy to dance; and oftentimes, while the
Indians held their war or rejoicing dance by moonlight
under the sycamores and pines of William Weldon's
grounds, did Josepha, Yensi, Jessy, the adopted

guests, and Baptiste, join in joyous accompaniment
under the shadow of the over-arching cliffs, making
the ancient valley glad with these sounds and movements
of interior and secluded joy. From beginning
with the occupancy of two days in a week, these parties
shortly extended to four, and imperceptibly to
every evening, save that of the sabbath. And, when
the sun began to bend his broad disk behind the mountains,
shedding a delicious coolness in his departure,
not only Jessy, but her mother, and even William
Weldon, from habit and the expected pleasure, turned
their eyes in the direction of the cascade; impatient,
without avowing it, to see the elastic bound of
the young men, as they cleared the pawpaw hedge,
and walked up the alleys of multiflora roses. Even
Josepha and Ellswatta felt the charm of their insinuating
manner subduing their jealousy, and would
have entered into the spirit of gladness in their society,
had they not too keenly felt, with what sorrow
for their son it was purchased. He too, sometimes
came generously with the rest, and strove in vain to
seem to take an interest in their pleasures.

`Well,' said the adopted guests, as they walked
alone one morning, `let us report progress in this
hopeful project of ours. We have had no chance of
being alone, and putting our scheme in operation,
with Wakona. `For my part,' said Frederic, `I find
myself sufficiently in danger, when we are surrounded
by inspection. I should not dare encounter the fascination
alone in these charming and love inspiring solitudes.
Did your fancy ever picture such a shading
of glossy curls? Have you ever conceived such an
expression, such a charm of manner, at once the endowment
of nature, and the highest reach of refinement?
Where did she obtain it, and how?'

`I grant you,' replied Julius, `it is a singular, what
do they call it, lusus naturæ. The enchantress, too,

has a certain pretty quaintness and rusticity, with
which she sometimes conceals her art. But the wicked
archness, with which she parries my compliments,
and causes me to doubt, whether she is making me a
study, or a mockery, absolutely provokes me.'

Frederic, in turn, proceeded to discuss the enraptured
glance of her eye. He expatiated on the air
of saintly innocence, with which she manifested her
glowing approval of whatever was generous and noble,
in the moral and intellectual scale. He lauded
her ever-changing versatility, in varying the shades
of her loveliness—and closed by affirming, that she
not only filled out his beau ideal, of whatever imagination
had associated with beauty and loveliness, but
infinitely transcended it.

The other, not to be outdone in this strain, with a
slight air of ridicule thrown over what he said, expatiated
on the same text in terms of the most extravagant
admiration.

They finally interrupted this series of alternate
eulogy, each by laughing at the other, and regretting
that they had no umpire to determine which of the
two, had sung her praises best. `But, au fait,' said
Julius, `what are her beauty and perfections to us?
Born among these Indians, among them she will die.
With all her seeming polish and high breeding, and
astonishing tact, touching what, it would be thought,
could have been only the forming and teaching of
society, she is clearly an Indian at heart. Did you
not observe what an infernally melting and pitying
look she gave that haughty looking Areskoui, last
evening, when he parted from us? I could have
knocked the teeth out of the brute's head. I admire,
if she thinks it civil treatment, to bestow such looks
upon another, and that other an Indian, in our presence.
Were we all three on our knees before the
beautiful rustic, and she compelled to select one of us,

I dare swear Areskoui would be the man. Who of
us, think you, Frederic, would be her second choice?'

`You,' replied the other, `clearly, if she chose by
the eye, at present. But me, pardon my presumption,
when she shall have been acquainted with us
longer, and known us better.' `Indeed, my very polite
and dear friend and Mentor, Mr. Frederic, I say
again, you are most soothingly flattering, and I feel
my spirit warmed to attempt my best efforts to bring
the alternative to experiment.'

`Is it fact, Julius, that we are verging from jest to
earnest in this talk? I should judge so, just now. If
it be, we had best drop the subject altogether. Allow
me to explain. You are too much a libertine, in principles
and conduct, to win the affections of such a
girl as Jessy Weldon. I generously forewarn you of
the advantage, you are giving me. Do you not remark
something about her of sanctity mingled with
her gaiety, that awes and perplexes one? When I
catch the calm sanctity of her eye, I despise myself
for ever having had a low, impure, or unworthy
thought. It strikes me, as a mystery, almost a fearful
one, that we should have found such an astonishing
girl in such a place. We have all read of such
personages in romance; but here we have found the
living model, that outruns all my imaginings; and we
have come from a remote and desert sea shore to the
barriers of nameless mountains, to contemplate this
marvel among an undescribed tribe of Indians. On
my conscience, Julius, as I have looked on this beautiful
vision, I have felt my own hands, to determine,
if I were not under the influence of enchantment.'

`In truth, most worthy and most pious Frederic, I
design to woo her for mere earthly love, and you may
play pipe and whistle to entertain us, if you choose.
Or you shall drive up the cattle and pen the flocks of
Areskoui, if he marries her, and you may undoubtedly

be privileged, to carry the quarteroon children for
them; and learn, the while, to sing psalms for Elder
Wood. This copper devil Areskoui, too, is a marvel
to me. If I were he, though, I would give my Indians
a wink, and deprive both of us of the honor of our
crowns. He is either an immeasurable blockhead, or
magnanimous beyond all my conceptions, to allow us
such opportunities with his idol. But suppose, Frederic,
she should be pleased with one of us, suppose it
were you, seriously, what would you do in the case?
How would you dispose of your conquest? Do you
remain of the same opinion, as formerly?'

`Sir, I will answer you in a moment, I love this
daughter of Yensi sincerely, and honorably. If she
would return my love, and share my humble condition,
I would be content to live with her in the gloomiest
spot on the globe, and earn my subsistence by my
daily toil. But this valley seems to me the pleasantest
spot on the whole earth. I would marry her, be a
son to her parents, and a peaceful and unambitious
hunter and trapper among the Shoshonee. Or perhaps,
on second thought, with such a wife, I would
persuade her parents to return with me to my own
dear country, and the possession of such a treasure
would give me faith and industry, to remove mountains.'

`Well done, Master Frederic Mentor, shall we not
sing a psalm, after such a collect? But we are both
of us wandering from the main point in hand. How
are we to bring about some interviews of greater privacy
with her?' This question led to a long discussion,
ending in a well devised plan, to obtain her society
with only the attendance of her half-breed girl,
who resided in her father's family, as a domestic, and
who, from her smartness, had been selected as a kind
of companion for her.

Another part of their project took hopeful effect. It

was to fit up the bower on the shore of the blue lake.
All the skill and industry of the Indians were silently
put in requisition for a number of days; during which
circumstances called her away from it. Under the
direction and taste of the two companions, aided by
the labor and money of Hatch, a neat pavillion, impervious
to the rain, and finely covered within with Chinese
hangings adorned with landscapes, was fitted up.
They then invited William Weldon's family to take
tea there. All their paintings and drawings and books
had been transported there, and all was charmingly
arranged with reference to the purposes of a reading,
painting and music room. It had been the work of a
week, and the progress had been kept wholly a secret.
The delighted surprize of Jessy, when she saw the magic
erection, may be imagined. The face of William
Weldon became once more animated with the sunny
smile of pleased astonishment. All the accustomed
inmates of the family, with the dark and frowning face
of Nelesho among them, were there; and a beautiful
summer evening passed away pleasantly. In the
course of the evening, it became the subject of remark,
how much more pleasant and convenient that place
would be for painting, than William Weldon's habitation,
where part of the valley prospect was bounded
by the arching bluff, that rose directly in the rear of
it. The father was in a mood of uncommon cheerfulness.
The countenance of Areskoui fell at the proposition.
But, may it be told, or forborne? The heart
of Jessy was in the plan. The bower, rude as it had
been, had always been her favorite spot for meditation
and painting. It was doubly so, when it was fitted up
with taste and magnificence, with all the books and
paintings and engravings, which the young men could
furnish. They informed her at the same time, that a
much larger collection had been ordered. It need
scarcely be added, that what Jessy wished, she so
arranged, that her fond parents consented. Thither,
then, her own drawing apparatus was removed; and
there she was, henceforward, to receive her lessons
from Julius on the harp.

Sometimes the parents, sometimes Areskoui and
his parents, and generally Elder Wood, accompanied
them. But, as they had planned, and as it happened,
they were frequently left to themselves, with no other
companion than the half breed domestic girl; and as
she understood little English, her presence had no effect,
to repress the confidential character of the conversation.

The first time that they were together there,in pursuit
of her plan of taking lessons, Elder Wood and
her father had walked with them to the bower. They
had commenced their several pursuits with a seriousness,
that left them no attention for the father or the
minister. They both alleged an engagement; and
remarking, that they were of no use there, charged
the girl to remain with her mistress, and be home at
early tea, and left them.

The hearts of the young men throbbed, until they
saw the father and the minister fairly out of sight.
Nor may it be presumed, that Jessy Weldon perceived
herself alone with these two fine young men
for the first time, without similar palpitations. Each
was silent, as might have been expected, for some
time. The half-breed girl busied herself in weaving
eglantines in the glossy locks of her mistress, and singing
wild snatches of Indian songs.

The three were painting, and two were stealing
looks from the landscape, the mountains and the sky,
upon the fair face of their pupil. Jessy threw down
her pencil, in seeming embarrassment. `Your labor
is lost, gentlemen,' she said, `in fitting up this charming
place. I cannot paint here. I look upon that beautiful
vale, its deep green, the wood-fringed and winding

river, the columns of smoke, the flocks and
herds, these hundred blue peaks, those eagles, seafowls,
and that sky, and so many thoughts rush upon
my mind, that I am unable to seize the right one. I
wish for new powers, of which I am thus taught the
need. I am obliged to throw down my pencil, and
give up my mind to the thousand mingled meditations,
that crowd, one upon the other. I see clearly, that
my own dear home is a better place for painting.—
The view indeed is more confined. But I have better
chances to collect my thoughts, and catch individual
features. Look now, gentlemen. Who could
think of fixing with the pencil, that mass of rolling
mist, that half wraps the dark peaks of yonder mountain?
Look at the enchanted world, that sleeps, as
if a thousand leagues below us, in those depths of the
lake! Mark the shades of the clouds, sailing off in
the distance, and, as they pass, scattering sunshine
behind them in the hollows of those far mountains!
The beautiful Sewasserna, too, see how it winds away,
seeking its devious channel among the mountains to
the sea, and bearing my thoughts on its bosom to the
great ocean! Hear the eagles scream, the heards low,
and the birds sing in mingled harmony. What a bass
in that deep hollow roar of the winds, rushing down
the defiles of the mountains! Who, that had ever
seen, and felt nature, would sigh for the poor contrivances
of art! Indeed I am sensible, that you will
never teach me to paint in this place.'

`For my part,' said Julius, throwing down an outline,
evidently intended to be the form and countenance
of Jessy, `I find myself just as unable to class,
and fill up my conceptions, as you do yours. Every
thing is beautiful—some parts of the view too much
so. But it is certainly a fine place for music, if not
for painting.' So saying, he laid his hand on the harp,
and swept its chords with his own appropriate inspiration,

while Frederic accompanied the strain with
his flute.

When the piece closed, Jessy evinced by the rapt
attention, which she had given to it, that she entered
sufficiently into the music, if not the painting, of the
afternoon. A silence of some length again ensued.
It was broken by Julius. `This precious time is passing
in silence. We two have been contriving laboriously,
and waiting patiently, for this interview; and
now we seem neither of us to know what to say.'—
`Indeed,' she answered Julius, `I am sorry for that.
You ought to have been perfectly aware, that nothing
may be uttered here, which might not as well have
been said at any time within the walls of my father's
dwelling.' `Certainly, Miss Weldon,' he replied,
`much as you seem of another order of being, you cannot
be so wholly devoid of human sympathies, as not
to admit, that we may innocently, and properly advance
much here, which we would not choose to say
in the presence, for instance, of Elder Wood, or Areskoui,
if he comprehended our language.' She answered,
`plain and simple thoughts and words only are
in keeping with this scenery and the humble personage
before you. I comprehend not what you mean,
by classing me with another order of beings. We
know only of two kinds here, the simple inhabitants
of this valley, and the little white men of the mountains,
deemed not a respectable rank of existences, in
the estimation of the Shoshonee. I hope you do not
class me in that order.' `I see, Miss Weldon,' said
Julius, `that we shall never reach our purpose in this
way. Have you not divined our object, in domesticating
ourselves in this valley?' `Indeed, Sir, I have not
felt it necessary to bring the sickly hue of thought
over my face, by entering into any deep or painful enquiries
on the subject. I have been willing to hold
the thing explained, as it is on the face of it. I thought

it probable, that you were two persons, who could be
spared without any particular inconvenience, from
your place in society—that your time hung heavy on
your hands—and that you came here, as the poet
makes a certain personage whistle, `for want of
thought.' `Miss Weldon is pleased to be merry at our
expense,' said Frederic, thoughtfully. `We can both
assure you, that, senseless and wanting in plan and
self-respect, as we may have seemed to you, we have
an object, and a serious one.' `Very probably, gentlemen.
I am surely inclined to a charitable interpretation.
I have not considered the matter deeply. I
think, you would not have come here, to see men and
cities, to study laws and modes of government, or the
professions of law, medicine or divinity, to obtain fame
or wealth; or to strike out any particular career. I
do not deem, that you will ever distinguish yourselves,
as trappers or hunters, the only professions, that it
would seem, you could have thought of fully acquiring
here. I am passionately fond of music. I should
be delighted to learn that of you. You can improve
my painting. I am selfish enough, to be pleased at
the prospect of such advantages. But allow me to be
frank, peremptory, and, I may add, final, upon the
terms, upon which we are to meet hereafter. You
must always speak to me, when alone, as you would,
were my parents present, and treat Areskoui with
undissembled consideration. We must not often meet
in this way; and then our conversation must be general.
Such are the terms. Will you ratify the treaty,
and conform to every tittle upon your honor? I am as
peremptory, as an empress, if you do not, and you never
meet me alone again.'

The young men yielded a kind of awkward consent,
as they exchanged glances, and felt in the necessity of
such a constant restraint imposed, what, perhaps, piqued
their interest and curiosity, more than the most

unrestrained intimacy. The afternoon passed in such
pursuits, as befitted the restraints prescribed. It
would be absurd to suppose, that such interviews had
not charms for her, as well as them; and under different
pretexts they were repeated, until the idea of danger,
or impropriety, was gradually obliterated from her
mind and that of her parents, according to their anticipations.
In fact, they marked the respectful forbearance
and rigidly decorous deportment of the
young men, noted nothing reprehensible in it, and perceived,
that it brought at once instruction and pleasure
to their daughter; and they rather encouraged,
than repressed it. The espionage of Areskoui and
Nelesho was a drawback only of occasional recurrence.
They were ready to endure the restraint, for
the sake of the pleasure of being at times free from
observation. Reserve was gradually banished; and
conversations were incidentally and naturally introduced,
which had verged to subjects and points, that
would have been interdicted at first. So certain it is,
that every where the natural order of things will
take place; the most rigid resolves against it notwithstanding.
The respective character of the two young
men was marked constantly with stronger development.
The good sense, native integrity and moral
dignity of the one gradually disclosed. The covert
advances of ingenious and seductive flattery, the insidious
approaches of licentious and unprincipled selfishness
in the other, stole upon her almost in imperceptible
progress. At first she had felt the natural
juvenile admiration of his perfect face and form; and
the high polish of his insinuating manners. The stern
and uncompromising decision, and the silent dignity
of the other, steadily acquired that preference with
her, which in a virtuous, instructed and regulated
mind, moral always obtains over mere corporeal
beauty.

If the young men had commenced this project in
play, it soon became to them a matter of sober and
absorbing interest. Constant and daily intercourse
with the daughter of Yensi, and deeper acquaintance
with the treasures of her mind and heart, kindled the
first impulses of admiration in the heart of Frederic
into deep and impassioned love. He painfully discovered,
too late, that his hopes and his happiness for
life had been rashly committed in this youthful freak
of folly. But with the insane calculation, generally
inspired in such cases, the deep draughts, he had already
drunk, only inspired an unnatural thirst for
more. One day after another wore slowly away in
the semblance of pursuit and employment, until the
usual time when he was again with Jessy; and then,
although interdicted, equally by her explicit words,
and by his own fears and humble estimates of his
standing in her good opinion from any, but general
conversation, he saw her, was satisfied, and respired
happily in her presence. The other, too, although he
might not be said to be capable of love, in the high
and proper sense of the term, for the first time in his
life imbibed a passion amounting to pain, constantly
accumulating power, which in a more principled mind
would have been called love. Without understanding
very definitely his own motives, or questioning
his own ends, he felt as restless a desire for her society,
as the other; at the same time mingled with infinitely
more of the bitterness of jealousy, and the
conflicts of wounded vanity.

When Areskoui came among the rest, he was uniformly
reserved; though he intermitted none of his former
courtesies, nor omitted any opportunities to perform
kind actions, for her family. He evidently acted
upon the presumption, that he was considered an unwelcome
guest. Jessy one day kindly inquired of him,
why they saw him more seldom than formerly? `Thou

smilest,' he replied, `thou smilest, Wakona, on thy
brother as formerly; but do not I know, that thy heart
is not in the smile? Thy brother understands too
well, that thy thoughts are with thy new fair faced
friends of a day. I neither blame thee, nor repine.
It is the misfortune of the red men, that they know not
to move pleasant sounds from instruments, nor the
flattering words, nor the polished and dissembling
ways of the pale face. But I will watch thee from
afar, Wakona. The time may come, when thou wilt
need the heart and the arm of thy brother, and then
thou shalt know, who loved thee best. Until that
time, thy brother will redouble his diligence, in discharging
his duties to his own people.'

Meanwhile the elements of all degrees of excitement,
that could have been called forth in the annals
of a polished and civilized community, were strongly
fermenting, and in constant action in the republic of
Ellswatta. While Julius, Frederic and Jessy, with
her gay and unconscious attendant girl, as a duenna,
had their long walks, in this secluded retreat, their
interesting conversation, their concerts, and trial of
skill at painting; while the young gentlemen recited,
or played duets on their flutes with her, Areskoui performed
his warrior-duties, at one time planning employment
and pursuit for the restless spirits of his own
tribe, and at another counteracting in secrecy and
silence the plottings and machinations of Nelesho.
He dwelt in fancy upon the enjoyments of Jessy and
her friends, and meditated within himself gloomy
thoughts, and suffered so much the more bitterly the
tortures of jealousy and hopeless love, as he said less,
and struggled more to conceal his feelings. The unhappy
young chief was precisely at that crisis of
thought and of suffering, which would have caused
him to pour his complaints to echo in song, had he
been trained to books, and the cunning and clerkship

of the white race. Such thoughts, as beseemed the
relation, he did indeed commit to the faithful and untiring
ear of his mother. Never mother more affectionately
loved a son. They talked over his prospects
and his despair together. She, too, had felt the charm
of the appearance and manners of the young men.
They had paid particular court to her. She could
point to no part of their conduct, that had not been
soothing and respectful. She admitted the natural
influence of their beauty, their complection, their advantages
of education, and the observances of the
whites. But they were humble, for aught that appeared,
and undistinguished. Had they the port of
command? Could they guide the storm of battle?
Were they born to authority? Had they the lofty
look and noble form of her dear son? Sometimes
Wakona seemed to have her share of ambition and
pride. Would it be nothing to be wife of a chief of
two nations? Such were the words of Josepha to
her son. She told him, that she could not longer endure,
to see him daily drinking the wormwood and
gall of jealousy and hopeless love. She spoke of
philtres and medicated drinks, that in her own country,
and in her young days, she had been taught by
women learned in the mystery of the art of love, were
of potency to inspire corresponding love in the man
or maiden, who should drink of them. She assured
him, that she had a thousand times fallen on her
knees, and implored the Virgin mother of God, by
all her own tenderness of heart, to have pity upon
the sorrows of the mother of an only son, and inspire
mutual love for that son in the bosom of Wakona.
Then waxing in wrath with her own theme, she counselled
him if nothing would influence her inflexible
bosom, either to destroy his rivals, or to fly with her
to the Blackfeet, compel her companionship, if not
her love, and forever leave his own tribe.

The son was deeply affected with the tender interest
of his mother; but he assured her, that since he
could not follow the noble counsels of his father, and
rise above this passion, he could not sink to listen for
a moment to such unworthy thoughts from his mother.

While they held earnest conversation together, the
young gentlemen, accompanied by Jessy and her attendant
girl, were seen gaily directing their steps for
the bower. Josepha turned pale at the sight. Her
son cast a glance upon her countenance. `My mother,'
he said, `I have heard speak of Him, whom I
know not, but whose name and religion I revere; of
Him who felt no revenge towards those, who caused
Him to hang bleeding on the tree.' The mother
looked upwards, crossed herself, and bowed her head
submissively. Her purposes of revenge were abandoned,
and she murmured to herself, as her son walked
silently away, `he is far more of a Christian than his
mother.'

In the mean time an incident occurred, which produced
laughter even among the stern and musing Indians,
for the most part not much addicted to merriment.
It operated to diversify a little the monotonous
tenor of present events among the Shoshonee.
The tribes had been for some time occupied in tilling
their grounds. Even the customary intercourse with
Astoria had been in a measure suspended; a single
periogue only, laden for the young men, having arrived
thence for some time. There had been no striking
amours terminating in quarrels; no news of their
enemies, the Blackfeet; and if Nelesho brooded revolt,
it was without any overt manifestations. They
were, therefore, in pressing want of the customary
materials for gossip. The festival of the corn dance,
when the first green corn was fit for eating, had taken
place, and had been celebrated with the usual splendor
and rejoicing. The wonted sounds of dancing

and feasting had been heard. The whole had been
concluded with a religious exercise by Elder Wood.
The first fruits of his ministry had been gathered.
An Indian girl, it was thought, had fostered designs
upon him, as a husband; but more intimate acquaintance
with him had ended in her conversion and baptism.
On an occasion so new, solemn and affecting,
he delivered a more eloquent and impressive discourse
than he had ever pronounced before. It was
free from sectarian views, pathetic and exciting, for
the reason, that the fountains of feeling in his own
heart were deeply moved. Both Julius and Frederic
had remarked, that Jessy and the young chief had
shown strong marks of being impressed; while Nelesho
arose at the close of the discourse, when the customary
permission had been given for any one to make remarks,
or enter objections, against what had been
said. `He was averse,' he said, `to these innovations.
He wished to see no new religion. The Wakondah
would look upon them in wrath, if the red men turned
away from him to the God of the pale face. The turning
seemed begun. He feared, the superstition would
spread. He had seen some of his young warriors shed
tears, like squaws. For his part, he should abstain
from these meetings in future; and he hoped, that all,
who were in favor of the good old ways, would follow
his example.'

The collection returned, as usual, some approving,
some blaming, some deeply affected, and some taking
part with Nelesho. Baptiste, always a standing lover
and gallant for all the undistinguished Indian girls of
the nation, had been observed, at the close of the services
to walk off, in earnest dialogue with T'selle'nee,
or the Piony, the pretty daughter of Mon-son-sah, or
the Spotted Panther a vindictive, proud and fierce Shienne
warrior, who doted on this, his only child. Whatever
injury or insult was offered the belle of round

and vermillion rouged cheek, does not appear. But
next morning, it was the current gossip among the
fair of the nation, that T'selle'nee had had a medicine
dream. At any rate, she was reported to be in
tears, shut up under the customary and severest interdiction
of Indian usage, and her cheeks painted
black. There was great trouble in the wigwam. The
fierce father ventured through the interdict, and
forced his daughter to confession. The story of the
wrongs and injuries of Baptiste proved to be a medicine
secret. But the smooth-tongued and voluble
Canadian had vague intimations, that this affair was
likely to bring no good to him. Truth was, as a general
lover, he had the reputation of being particularly
slippery and unworthy of confidence. Various girls
had made particular calculation upon him, for a husband.
But Baptiste had a manifest preference for
being a general lover, and a specific aversion to matrimony
in particular.

Whoever among this people has had a dream of
sufficient import, to cause the dreamer to wear black
paint, and to proclaim an interdict, becomes for the
time a subject of universal speculation and remark.
The general whisper, especially among the women,
was, what has Baptiste done, and what has caused the
interdict of T'selle'nee?

Mon-son-sah, meanwhile, was not idle. The deepest
indignation of his burning spirit was called forth.
The frequent amours and infidelities of Baptiste were
circulated, and generally not at all to his advantage,
by the Indian post office establishment, the female
tongues. A medicine outrage and infidelity of his,
touching a Shoshonee girl, was blazoned with many
a minute circumstance of wanton cruelty. `What
right,' they said `had the proud and babbling pale
face to conduct after this fashion towards the red
skin girls?' `They would learn him to repent such

courses.' The cunning young T'selle'nee, though
interdicted, and of course supposed to be unable to
see or converse with any one, was, in fact, at the bottom
of all this. The result of the long brooded mischief
for poor Baptiste was at length disclosed to the
day.

Hatch was the envoy of Mon-son-sah to Baptiste
Dettier, to make known to him the purposes, that
were settled in respect to his case. Hatch, Dutch
though he was, enjoyed a comfortable broad joke, to
a luxury. His internal enjoyment was concealed under
an elongated and tristful visage, which seemed
by its gravity to carry the fate of an empire. Baptiste,
in passing, heard him call him to stop, with a
pale face and palpitating heart. Baptiste seemed
disposed to walk on. `Will you stop, Mynheer Baptiste,'
said the Dutchman, with a visage of mysterious
importance? `Perhaps you will find it your interest,
to hear what I have to say to you.' `Vell, sare,' said
Baptiste, stopping, and squaring himself, `suppose
you tell me, vat for you stop me from mine promenade?
Is it von mighty dem big ting, dat you hab to
tell me?' `Oh no, Mynheer Baptiste, it is not great
matter. It only conzarns your life. Sacre! Monsieur
Dutchman,' cried Baptiste, shrugging and turning
pale; `Spose, you tink it von mighty dem leet ting,
to concern my life.' `Sacre! Monsieur Dutchman,
vat for make you look so dem big? I pray you, sare,
speak out vat for you stop me?' The Dutchman continued
to economize the luxury of his joke, as long as
possible; and proceeded in his customary dialect, and
with the most perfect sang froid, to ask him, if he had
ever known such an Indian demoiselle, as T'selle'nee?
`Sare, vat for you axe me dat? Tis mine own affair,
sare!' `Well, Baptiste, they say, she has had a dream,
and that her face is painted as black, as a thunder
cloud. It is common report, that the matter closely

concerns you. At any rate, the Spotted Panther is
not to be trifled with, and he takes a deep interest in
the business. You know the Spotted Panther?' `Yes,
Sare, dat garcon is one dem farouche villain, Sacre!'
`Perhaps you like his daughter, better?' `Sacre! no.
She is von dem—what you call him in Hinglees?'
`Never mind. She will make you the better wife for
that. I have an errand to you from the Spotted
Panther.' `You make me frissonne all over my body,'
said Baptiste, looking deadly pale. `I have it in
charge from the Spotted Panther, to ask you, Baptiste,
if you are disposed to marry T'selle'nee, as soon
as she is out of her black paint and her dream? They
say she loves you to distraction.' `Sez bien,' replied
Baptiste, giving his wonted shrug of self complacency;
`so do twentee oder demoiselles of dese dem sauvages.
Dat all for vat you stop me?' `No. I am
commissioned only to propose to you the simple question;
do you choose to marry T'selle'nee, or not? and
you are to let me report an immediate answer.' `Parbleu!
Monsieur Dutchman. Spose, I say no?' `You
will hear the consequences, and then I will say him
no, if you wish it.' `Vell, Sare, vat are de big consequence
if I say no? Tis von dem farouche affair, ca!'
`He proposes you one of two alternatives, to marry
his daughter, or be roasted alive at a slow fire. It is
no great matter,after all. The beautiful T'selle'nee,
or a roasting, that's the alternative.' `Tis von dem
what you call him, alternateeve. O mon Dieu! Mon
Dieu!' cried Baptiste, crossing himself, and seeming
in an agony—`You dem Dutchman have no heart on
your body, or you no tell me dat dem word, and half
grin your teeth all the time, sacre! You call him leet
matter to roast von Christian, like a pig, sacre!'
`Why, certainly, you don't think it so great a thing
to be roasted? You know, Baptiste, that an Indian
smokes his pipe, and sings songs, and tells stories, and
provokes his roasters, and thinks it little more than a
comfort to be roasted.' `O ciel!' cried Baptiste, apparently
feeling faint at the horror of the idea. `You
are von dem hard heart Dutchman, to make sport of
dis farouche affair.' `Still, Baptiste, something must
be done. You know the Spotted Panther is not a
personage to be trifled with. Have you made up
your mind for your answer?' `Tis von dem sommaire
business, ca! O mon Dieu, aidez moi. Oui, Oui.
I vill marree dis dem crapeau. Spose, how like dem
fool you talk, that it be von leet ting to be roast.—
Certainment, me no make experimong.' `Very good,'
answered Hatch, with the same unmoved calmness.
`Then we need not discuss the matter of roasting at
all. I thought you would prefer the wife. But you
will please tell me the very words, I am to report to
the Spotted Panther.' `O mon Dieu,' cried Baptiste,
wringing his hands. `Tis trop dur, a ting tres miserable.
Me love all de demoiselles. Dey all love me.
Tis ver hard affair, to tie me up to von dem crapeau,
like un chien in a string.' `Are these the words, you
wish me to carry back to the Spotted Panther?' `No,
certainment, no. You tell that sauvage gentilhomme,
vid my best complimens, that I am trop sensible of
de great honneur, which his belle fille hav don me.
Spose his belle fille no say that word to me fuss, den
I tell her, I offer my love and my devotions and my
heart wid von satisfaction infini, and dat I lead her
to the altare with great plaisir, sacre!'

Hatch omitted the last word, and reported all the
rest with great fidelity. The invincible solemnity of
the Dutchman's narrative gave greater zest to the enjoyment
of the Indians, who all knew, amidst these
forced compliments, what a bitter pill matrimony was
to such an indiscriminate gallant.

T'selle'nee came out of her interdict at once, on
learning which alternative Baptiste had chosen. Her

black paint was washed away, and she asked but a
short notice, to be ready for marriage. The wedding
was got up with great eclat, equally to gratify the
pride of Mon-son-sah, and the vanity of Baptiste. It
was a long struggle in the mind of the bride-groom,
whether the ceremony should be performed by a medicine
man of the Indians, or by his heretical companion
in hunting and trapping, for whom, in those
relations, he entertained a great esteem. But his
predilection for the modes of the whites finally carried
it over his orthodoxy. Elder Wood had acquired
considerable and growing influence among the Indians;
and they gave full consent, that he should perform
the ceremony, as near as might be, after the
American mode. That nothing might be wanting, in
point of state, Baptiste waited upon the young gentlemen,
with the `totem' of T'selle'nee, and his own
coat of arms, which they were requested to paint, and
have ready for inspection on the bridal occasion. The
Indians are as fond of shows and festivals, as the people
of Paris. A vast concourse of the two nations
assembled, to see Baptiste lead his red skin `crapeau,'
as he always called her, except in presence of the Indians,
to the altar. Buffalo tongues, fresh elk meat,
and smoked salmon graced the rustic table of Monson-sah's
marriage feast. As he was comparatively
rich, and of consideration, the appliances of artificial
joy were not wanting. The mingled glee and envy,
with which the Shoshonee girls regarded the result
of the fortunate dream of the bride, the solemn gravity,
with which the Indians regarded the forced politeness
and apparent satisfaction of Baptiste, the deep
seriousness and sacerdotal authority, with which Elder
Wood united them in holy wedlock, a la mode
Kentuckaise, and the awkward efforts of T'selle'nee to
fill up the outline of deportment, marked out for her
by her husband, gave the whole scene an air of ridiculous
gravity, which had the happiest power to create
that internal laughter of the mind, the only species
that is medicinal.

A circumstance, that deserves to be noted, was,
that as soon as Baptiste was married, he became at
once as distinguished for a disposition to lay up money,
and become snug and comfortable in circumstances,
as he had been indifferent and reckless about
property before. It did not appear, that T'selle'nee
was not happy in her husband, or that she ever evinced
jealousy. She had no interdicts afterwards, and
the salutary dread, which Baptiste had of his vindictive
and high spirited father-in-law, and of the unseemly
operation of being roasted alive, had a most moralizing
issue, in limiting the visible range of his amours.
When the white people wished to enjoy the utmost
luxury of his shrug, it was only to compliment him
upon his fair spouse, and his particular matrimonial
comforts.

The materials are wanting for a series of annals of
all, that passed within the green precincts of the valley
of the Shoshonee, during this era. The historian,
who should be able to delineate with fidelity the incidents
transpiring, and the passions and motives in operation
between these ridges of the Rocky Mountains,
would produce a picture of human thought and action,
as really interesting, as the history of all the
Russias, modern Europe, or the rise and decline of
the Roman empire. The Indian belles painted themselves
with the same beating bosom, the same proud
dreams of conquest, and the same complacent industry,
with which the city toast finishes her toilette in
her boudoir. The young warriors, albeit there are
philosophers who gravely assert that they have not a
temperament to love like the whites, planned their
amours, and pursued their objects with the keenest
sagacity, developed their ambition in caucus, and, in

their jealousy or their wrath, threatened the knife and
single combat, just like the same given number of idle
and useless dandies in civilized life. Elder Wood
rose in his unwalled temple, under the covert of the
rustling leaves of the white armed sycamores, to
preach to these simple people, with feelings of the
same general cast, with which the bishop of London
makes his inaugural address, or the pope of Rome
gives the annual benediction urbi et orbi. To them
this valley was the whole world, and the events of the
reign of Ellswatta as important, as the intrigues of the
court of Nicholas of Russia. Within these narrow
precincts were love and ambition and vanity and traccasserie,
and backbiting, and anecdote and scandal.—
Infants came wailing into life, and hoary warriors left
it with satiety of what it offers. Sickness and sorrow,
good fortune and joy, ambition, wars and rumors of
wars, Indian politics and projects, in short, the miniature
history of an empire, was here. Let not the favorites
of fortune, in the great world, exult as though
they were the people, and all, that concerned life,
would die with them. The short and simple annals
of the Shoshonee are those of a world.