stroying all his pleasing fancies, and restoring him at once to a
consciousness of the true history of his nation. "Our wise men have
often said that two warriors of the unchanged race were in the hills of
the Yengeese; why have their seats at the council-fires of the Delawares
been so long empty?"

At these words the young man raised his head, which he had still kept
bowed a little, in reverence; and lifting his voice so as to be heard
by the multitude, as if to explain at once and forever the policy of his
family, he said aloud:

"Once we slept where we could hear the salt lake speak in its anger.
Then we were rulers and Sagamores over the land. But when a pale face
was seen on every brook, we followed the deer back to the river of our
nation. The Delawares were gone. Few warriors of them all stayed to
drink of the stream they loved. Then said my fathers, 'Here will we
hunt. The waters of the river go into the salt lake. If we go toward
the setting sun, we shall find streams that run into the great lakes of
sweet water; there would a Mohican die, like fishes of the sea, in the
clear springs. When the Manitou is ready and shall say "Come," we will
follow the river to the sea, and take our own again.' Such, Delawares,
is the belief of the children of the Turtle. Our eyes are on the rising
and not toward the setting sun. We know whence he comes, but we know not
whither he goes. It is enough."

The men of the Lenape listened to his words with all the respect that
superstition could lend, finding a secret charm even in the figurative
language with which the young Sagamore imparted his ideas. Uncas himself
watched the effect of his brief explanation with intelligent eyes, and
gradually dropped the air of authority he had assumed, as he perceived
that his auditors were content. Then, permitting his looks to wander
over the silent throng that crowded around the elevated seat of
Tamenund, he first perceived Hawkeye in his bonds. Stepping eagerly
from his stand, he made way for himself to the side of his friend; and
cutting his thongs with a quick and angry stroke of his own knife, he
motioned to the crowd to divide. The Indians silently obeyed, and once
more they stood ranged in their circle, as before his appearance among
them. Uncas took the scout by the hand, and led him to the feet of the
patriarch.

"Father," he said, "look at this pale face; a just man, and the friend
of the Delawares."

"Is he a son of Minquon?"