the lake gun-第2章

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Fuller　passed　most　of　the　nights　in　a　comfortable　bed；
leaving　Peter　in　the　boat；　sometimes　asking　for　lodgings　in
a　farm…house；　and；　at　others；　obtaining　them　in　an　inn。
Wherever　he　might　be；　he　inquired　about　the　〃Wandering
Jew〃　and　the　〃Lake　Gun；〃　bent　on　solving　these　two
difficult　problems；　if　possible；　and　always　with　the　same
success。　Most　persons　had　seen　the　former；　but　not　lately；
while　about　one　in　ten　had　heard　the　latter。　It　occurred　to
our　traveler　that　more　of　the　last　were　to　be　found　nearer
to　the　northern　than　to　the　southern　end　of　the　lake。

The　cruise　continued　a　fortnight　in　this　desultory　manner；
with　the　same　want　of　success。　One　morning；　as　Fuller　was
returning　to　the　boat；　after　passing　the　night　in　a　farm…
house；　he　was　struck　by　the　statue…like　appearance　of　a
figure　which　stood　on　the　extreme　point　of　a　low；　rocky
promontory；　that　was　considerably　aside　from　any　dwelling
or　building。　The　place　was　just　at　the　commencement　of
the　hill　country；　and　where　the　shores　of　the　Seneca　cease
to　offer　those　smiling　pictures　of　successful　husbandry　that
so　much　abound　farther　north。　A　somber；　or　it　might　be
better　to　say　a　sober；　aspect　gave　dignity　to　the
landscape；　which；　if　not　actually　grand；　had；　at　least；　most
of　the　elements　that　characterize　the　noble　in　nature。

But　Fuller；　at　the　moment；　was　less　struck　with　the
scenery；　charming　as　that　certainly　was；　than　with　the
statue…like　and　immovable　form　on　the　little　promontory。　A
single　tree　shaded　the　spot　where　the　stranger　stood；　but
it　cast　its　shadows　toward　the　west；　at　that　early　hour；
leaving　the　erect　and　chiseled　form　in　clear　sun…light。
Stimulated　by　curiosity；　and　hoping　to　learn　something
that　might　aid　him　in　his　search　from　one　as　curious　as
himself；　Fuller　turned　aside；　and；　instead　of　descending　to
the　spot　where　Peter　had　the　boat　ready　for　his　reception；
he　crossed　a　pleasant　meadow；　in　the　direction　of　the　tree。

Several　times　did　our　traveler　stop　to　gaze　on　that
immovable　form。　A　feeling　of　superstition　came　over　him
when　he　saw　that　not　the　smallest　motion；　nor　relief　of
limb　or　attitude；　was　made　for　the　ten　minutes　that　his　eye
had　rested　on　the　singular　and　strange　object。　At　he　drew
nearer；　however；　the　outlines　became　more　and　more
distinct；　and　he　fancied　that　the　form　was　actually　naked。
Then　the　truth　became　apparent：　it　was　a　native　of　the
forest；　in　his　summer　garb；　who　had　thrown　aside　his
blanket；　and　stood　in　his　leggings；　naked。　Phidias　could　not
have　cut　in　stone　a　more　faultless　form；　for　active；
healthful　youth　had　given　to　it　the　free　and　noble　air　of
manly　but　modest　independence。

｛Phidias　=　a　very　famous　Greek　sculptor　of　the　5th
century　B。C。｝

〃Sago；〃　said　Fuller；　drawing　near　to　the　young　Indian；　who
did　not　betray　surprise　or　emotion　of　any　sort；　as　the
stranger's　foot…fall　came　unexpectedly　on　his　ear；　using
the　salutation　of　convention；　as　it　is　so　generally　practiced
between　the　two　races。　The　Indian　threw　forward　an　arm
with　dignity；　but　maintained　his　erect　and　otherwise
immovable　attitude。

｛Sago　=　a　term　of　greeting；　as　Cooper　believed；　among
American　Indians｝

〃Oneida？〃　demanded　Fuller；　while　he　doubted　if　any　young
warrior　of　that　half…subdued　tribe　could　retain　so
completely　the　air　and　mien　of　the　great　forests　and
distant　prairies。

〃Seneca；〃　was　the　simple　answer。　The　word　was　uttered　in
a　tone　so　low　and　melancholy　that　it　sounded　like
saddened　music。　Nothing　that　Fuller　had　ever　before　heard
conveyed　so　much　meaning　so　simply；　and　in　so　few
syllables。　It　illuminated　the　long　vista　of　the　past；　and　cast
a　gloomy　shadow　into　that　of　the　future；　alluding　to　a
people　driven　from　their　haunts；　never　to　find　another
resting…place　on　earth。　That　this　young　warrior　so　meant　to
express　himselfnot　in　an　abject　attempt　to　extort
sympathy；　but　in　the　noble　simplicity　of　a　heart　depressed
by　the　fall　of　his　raceFuller　could　not　doubt；　and　every
generous　feeling　of　his　soul　was　enlisted　in　behalf　of　this
young　Indian。

〃Seneca；〃　he　repeated　slowly；　dropping　his　voice　to
something　like　the　soft；　deep　tones　of　the　other；　〃then　you
are　in　your　own　country；　here？〃

〃My　country；〃　answered　the　red　man；　coldly；　〃no；　my
FATHER'S　country；　yes。〃

His　English　was　good；　denoting　more　than　a　common
education；　though　it　had　a　slightly　foreign　or　peculiar
accent。　The　intonations　of　his　voice　were　decidedly　those　of
the　Indian。

〃You　have　come　to　visit　the　land　of　your　fathers？〃

A　slight　wave　of　the　hand　was　the　reply。　All　this　time　the
young　Seneca　kept　his　eye　fastened　in　one　direction；
apparently　regarding　some　object　in　the　lake。　Fuller　could
see　nothing　to　attract　this　nearly　riveted　gaze；　though
curiosity　induced　him　to　make　the　effort。

〃You　admire　this　sheet　of　water；　by　the　earnest　manner　in
which　you　look　upon　it？〃　observed　Fuller。

〃See！〃　exclaimed　the　Indian；　motioning　toward　a　point
near　a　mile　distant。　〃He　moves！　may　be　he　will　come
here。〃

〃Moves！　I　see　nothing　but　land；　water；　and　sky。　What
moves？〃

〃The　Swimming　Seneca。　For　a　thousand　winters　he　is　to
swim　in　the　waters　of　this　lake。　Such　is　the　tradition　of　my
people。　Five　hundred　winters　are　gone　by　since　he　was
thrown　into　the　lake；　five　hundred　more　must　come　before
he　will　sink。　The　curse　of　the　Manitou　is　on　him。　Fire　will
not　burn　him；　water　will　not　swallow　him　up；　the　fish　will
not　go　near　him；　even　the　accursed　axe　of　the　settler　can
not　cut　him　into　chips！　There　he　floats；　and　must　float；
until　his　time　is　finished！〃

｛Swimming　Seneca　=　though　I　have　been　unable　to
discover　any　genuine　Native　American　origin　for　this
legend；　a　detailed　variation　of　it　can　be　found　in　a　poem；
〃Outalissa〃；　by　Rev。　Ralph　Hoyt；　published　in　〃Sketches　by
Rev。　Hoyt；　Vol。　VIII〃　（New　York。　C。　Shepard；　n。d。　＇ca。
1848＇　（the　Geneva　College　library　copy　of　which　is
inscribed　〃DeLancey〃　and　may　have　belonged　to　the　family
of　Cooper's　brother…in…law；　Episcopal　Bishop　of　Western
New　York　William　Heathcote　De　Lancey　（1797…1865）；　who
lived　in　Geneva）a　somewhat　different　version　forms　the
Geneva　（Hobart）　College　student　legend　of　Chief
Agayentha　or　〃The　Floating　Chief。〃｝

〃You　must　mean　the　'Wandering。　Jew？'　〃

〃So　the　pale…faces　call　him；　but　he　was　never　a　Jew。　'Tis　a
chief　of　the　Senecas；　thrown　into　the　lake　by　the　Great
Spirit；　for　his　bad　conduct。　Whenever　he　tries　to　get　upon
the　land；　the　Spirit　speaks　to　him　from　the　caves　below；
and　he　obeys。〃

〃THAT　must　mean　the　'Lake　Gun？'　〃

〃So　the　pale…faces　call　it。　It　is　not　strange　that　the　names
of　the　red　man　and　of　the　pale…faces　should　differ。〃

〃The　races　are　not　the　same；　and　each　has　its　own
traditions。　I　wish　to　hear　what　the　Senecas　say　about　this
floating　tree；　but　first　have　the　goodness　to　point　it　out　to
me。〃

The　young　Indian　did　as　Fuller　requested。　Aided　by　the
keener　vision　of　the　red　man；　our　traveler　at　length　got　a
glimpse　of　a　distant　speck　on　the　water；　which　his
companion　assured　him　was　the　object　of　their　mutual
search。　He　himself　had　been　looking　for　the　〃Jew〃　a　week；
but　had　asked　no　assistance　from　others；　relying　on　the
keenness　of　his　sight　and　the　accuracy　of　his　traditions。
That　very　morning　he　had　first　discovered　the　speck　on　the
water；　which　he　now　pointed　out　to　his　companion。

〃You　think；　then；　that　yonder　object　is　the　'Wandering
Jew？'　〃　asked　Fuller。

〃It　is　the　Swimming　Seneca。　Five　hundred　winters　has　he
been　obliged　to　keep　in　the　chilled　waters　of　the　lake；　in
five　hundred　more　the　Manitou　will　let　him　rest　on　its
bottom。〃

〃What　was　the　offense　that　has　drawn　down　upon　this
chief　so　severe　a　punishment？〃

〃Listen　to　our　traditions；　and　you　shall　know。　When　the
Great　Spirit　created　man；　He　gave　him　laws　to　obey；　and
duties　to　perform〃

〃Excuse　me；　Seneca；　but　your　language　is　so　good　that　I
hardly　know　what　to　make　of　you。〃

An　almost　imperceptible　smile　played　about　the
compressed　lip　of　the　young　Indian；　who；　at　first；　seemed
disposed　to　evade　an　explanation；　but；　on　reflection；　he
changed　his　purpose；　and　communicated　to　Fuller　the
outlines　of　a　very　simple；　and；　by　no　means；　unusual
history。　He　was　a　ch