University of Virginia Library

Conclusion

There is, on the East bank of the Kennebee about a third of a mile above
the toll-bridge a conical-shaped hill called `Cushnoc mount.' It rises about seventy
feet above the plateau or meadow. At the base of the mound, close at its
foot is a private cemetery, dark and funereal with fur and cypress, whose deep
shades cast at noon-day a tranquil twilight down upon its avenue a tomb! one
of those quiet spots on which the living gaze with a feeling of envy, when they
reflect how calmly the dead rest there.

It was on the summit of this mound, which then rose from the bosom of a
forest of noble oaks, scarce one of which has been left by the ruthless axe, that
the morning after the capture of Canassa, Natanis planted his council-lodge. It
commanded a view of the American army below, and of the river for a long
distance both north and south. The sun had been up two hours. The American
army was already in motion in its fleet of batteaux. Arnold and his suite
were awaiting the embarkation of the last division when a young Indian came
and presented himself before him as he stood in the north door of the timber
foot. It was Ayane. In his hand he carried a roll of scarlet wampum which
he presented to the American leader.

`It is an Abanaquis!' said Captain Morgan. `Send the interpreter here? He
has something to say.'

A half Indian of the Kennebis tribe dressed like a hunter came up and interpreted
the words of Ayane. They were as follows:

`Great War-Chief, Natanis the chief of the Abanaquis sends me to thee. He
encamps with twenty of his warriors not far hence. He would see the father
of the Bostonee braves, and hold council with him; for he has much in his heart
to say; and Natanis is the friend of the Bostonee.'

`That is true!' said General Arnold.

After a brief consultation with his officers, they mounted their horses and
galloped along the river shore towards the lodge of the Abanaquis. On seeing
them, Natanis went forth to meet them, descending the hill. They were struck
by the manly beauty of his person, and the dignity of his manner.

`Great war chief of the Bostonee, welcome. I have sought thy camp to hold
council with thee.'

`We know Natanis is our friend!' answered Arnold alighting and taking him
by the hand. `A youth came to us and spoke of thee as such and warmly to.'

Natanis felt his face glow at this speech, and a moment after said,

`Noble Bostonee, I and my braves are thy friends! I heard that Canassa the
powerful Nerijewec would have way-laid thee, and attempted to stop the progress
of thy army. I marched with my warriors to prevent him; but by stratagem
I have taken him prisoner! therefore, from his tribe you can fear nothing.'

`Canassa our prisoner!' exclaimed Arnold.

`Mine not thine, Bostonee! know that the daughter of Canassa is my betrothed
bride. For her sake I forebore engaging him in buttle, and plotted to defeat
his purpose against you by seizing his person.

`You have acted like a brave warrior and true friend, noble Natanis! where
is thy prisoner?'

`I have more to say. By chance I fell in with two spies, one of them the
chief Sabatis and his friend Sharp-Knife. They were, I discovered from their
words, hastening on their way to carry intelligence of your advance to the English
at Quebec. As I knew that such intelligence would materially affect your
expedition, I despatched seven of my warriors to arrest them. They pursued

them many hours, and at length came upon them, surprised, and took them prisoners.
Thus, with the two chiefs of the only tribes hostile to you, in your power,
you have no fear of molestation.'

`Thou art a true friend to us, as well as a brave warrior, Abanaquis! exclaimed
Arnold with admiration. `The service you have done us is incalculable.'

`Sabatis, I had my suspicions of from the first,' said Capt. Morgan after warmly
expressing to Natanis his sense of his services. `I knew he was a friend to
the English.'

`How can we reward such services as these, noble Chief?'

`I ask that Canassa and Sabatis and Sharp Knife be at my disposal after you
have seen them, and your eyes have told you that my words are true.'

`They are yours to do with as you list. Hast thou another favor?'

`I have, Chief,' answered Natanis coloring with modest embarrassment.

`Name it.'

`I have told thee that the daughter of Canassa is betrothed to me. I would
have you see him, and as he speaks English well, state to him my wish to marry
her. Make his freedom (as if he were your own captive) depend on his consent.
Show him the advantages of a union of our tribes; and use such other
arguments as you may deem wise and to the purpose.'

`Let me manage this affair, General,' said Capt. Morgan. `It is a love-matter,
and in such things I am quite at home. But, first, tell me, noble Natanis,
was not the messenger lad who came to us, the maiden in question? Nay, you
need not say yes, for I see it is so, in your confoundedly handsome eyes.'

Natanis smiled and conducted the American officers to one of the Lodges,
upon the mound in which sat Canassa stern and majestic in his bonds. He
haughtily and with a look of defiance, acknowledged the salutation of General
Arnold.

`If the great war-chiefs blue-eyed brave will talk with Canassa,' said Natanis
to Arnold, glancing his eyes earnestly towards Capt Morgan, I will now conduct
thee to Sabatis.'

`Sabatis should be given up to me, Natanis,' said Arnold as he quitted the
lodge, leaving Morgan alone with the captive chief of the Nerijewecs.

`Sabatis is the brother of Natanis,' answered the young warrior.

`Thy brother—dost thou mean sons of the same mother?'

`I do, chief of the Pale-faced warriors. In taking him prisoner I have thereby
shown my love for the Bostonee.'

`You have, indeed,' answered General Arnold, struck with this Roman greatness
of conduct. `Sabatis and thy other prisoners are thine to do with, as seems
good to you. I can confide in your honor and faith.'

`It shall be my endeavor to reconcile my brother to the Bostonee. If he refuses,
he shall remain my prisoner until you are safe through the wilderness.—
His person and that of Canassa I shall hold ash ostages for the good conduct o
their tribes.'

Some further conversation took place beyond hearing of the two captives,
who, silent and full of revenge against their chivalrous young captor stood, each
apart from the other, in a corner of the lodge, Sabatis walking backward and
forward, his arms pinioned behind him, looking like a native lion of the forest
chafing under his bonds.

While Natanis and Arnold were thus conversing outside of the lodge, Capt.
Morgan approached the former with a countenance animated with hope.

`Chief, Canassa would speak with thee.'

`Hast thou been successful, Morgan?' demanded Arnold.

`Come and see!' he replied smiling.

When Natanis entered the lodge in which Canassa was, the latter rose up and
said,

`Young warrior, chief of the Abanaquis, I have heard the white, blue-eyed
chief's words. They are good! Canassa will be at peace with the Bostonee.—
Canassa will also seek peace with the Abanaquis. Dost thou love the daughter
of Canassa?'

`As I love the light of the sun, great chief, answered Natanis.

`That she loves thee, I know. Be then united, and in your union bless our
tribes long hostile. United, when I am gone reign over the Abanaquis and
Nerijewecs; henceforth let us be at peace. We have sprung from one father,
let us be brethren Lest thou shouldst suppose I have yielded to bribery from
this blue-eyed chief, know Natanis that thou hast had an eloquent and successful
pleader for thee here. Come forth, my daughter?'

As he spoke he raised a curtain that divided the back part of the lodge from
an inner enclosure, and blushing and with downcast eyes, Willewa appeared before
them. She was dressed in her graceful female costume, which Neonah had
gone for to her lodge after she had left him in the boat to execute her stratagem
upon her father.

`Willewa,' said the chief, `I now fulfil my promise to thee, made last night,
that if Natanis asked thy hand of me in marriage it should be his; for thou lovest
him!'

The Chief then took her hand in his and looking at Natanis, said with dignity—`approach
Abanaquis!'

`First be thou made free, noble Canassa,' cried the surprised and happy young
chief, severing at a single blow the bonds which crossed the majestic chest of
the noble old warrior.

Canassa then placed her trembling hand in that of her lover, and said with solemnity
and tenderness,

`May the Great Spirit smile on you both, my children, and make you rulers
of a mighty nation!'

Natanis gracefully embraced his bride-elect, while Captain Morgan exclaimed
with warmth,

`Didn't I say that handsome Indian lad was a woman?'

`I will yield to you, Captain, after this in such matters,' said General Arnold,
smiling.

`But confound the old chief! I thought all the while I had brought this
happy thing about so nicely all by my own glibness of speech. And after
it all it is the work of this dark gazelle-eyed little nut-brown beauty, who
looks as happy as a robin on a sunny spring morning. Well, they are a noble
pair, and would grace any court in Europe. But where is our Chaplain?
Let us have them married on the spot!'

After some hesitation on the part of Willewa, when this was suggested to
her, her consent was blushingly given, and the Chaplain was sent for. The
ceremony took place on the level area upon the summit of the mound before
the lodge, in which Canassa had been captive. Ayane stood by the
side of his chief, and an Indian maid beside Willewa. Sabatis and Sharp
Knife, were surprised witnesses of this reconciliation between the two rival
chieftains, and the former felt that his power and influence were now gone
among the tribes of the East. When the ceremony was concluded, Ayane
took by the hand the Indian maiden who had stood up with Willewa, and
being conducted before the Chaplain by Natanis, they also were united in
marriage. Neonah was not present; and when Willewa looked for him to
receive his congratulations, she beheld him flying along the river path towards
the rapids with the wild speed of a deer. He paused an instant as he
reached a rock upon the verge, then turning towards his lovely mistress,
whom in the silence of his young heart he had deeply and purely loved, he
waved his hand in farewell, and plunged into the vortex of waters which
closed upon him forever.

In an hour after these events, the whole army commenced its ascent of
the river in batteaux, and after five weeks of the greatest hardship and perseverance
they at length reached and made an attack upon the citadel of
Quebec. The result is matter of history; upon which, as a novelist, we
shall not presume to intrude.[1] Sabatis, subsequently released, visited Governor
Carlton at Quebec; but not receiving that reward which his faithful

adherence to the British cause merited, he retired to his forests in grief and
disgust, and there died after having outlived nearly all his tribe, and seen
the once haughty power of the Abanaquies fall before the sweeping scythe
of civilization.

[We cannot take leave of our readers without acknowledging our obligations
to William B. Hartwell, Esq., of the Secretary of States' Office, Augusta,
Maine, for access to documents, and for many valuable facts and suggestions
bearing upon the events upon which our story is founded.]

[ILLUSTRATION]

Ayane severing the hand from a Nerijewic.

[See p.55.