rass?
Now, friend, were it not that this is a bloody spot that Peter
remembers well, because of the wicked deeds he saw performed, I would
know by his whining, as truly as if he were to open his mouth and say as
much in words, that there were evil Injuns nigh at hand, and that it
behooved me to be up and a-doing. Well, friend, as I was saying,--it was
with such words as these that little Peter told me that mischief was
nigh; and, truly, I had scarce time to hide me in the corn, which was
then in the ear, before I heard the direful yells with which the
bloodthirsty creatures, who were then round about the house, woke up its
frighted inmates. Verily, friend, I will not shock thee by telling thee
what I heard and saw. There was a fate on the family, and even on the
animals that looked to it for protection. Neither horse nor cow gave them
the alarm; and even the house-dog slept so soundly, that the enemies
dragged loose brush into the porch and fired it, before any one but
themselves dreamed of danger. It was when the flames burst out that the
warwhoop was sounded; and when the eyes of the sleepers opened, it was
only to see themselves surrounded by flames and raging Shawnees. Then,
friend," continued Nathan, speaking with a faltering and low voice,
graduated for the ears of Roland, for whom alone the story was intended,
though others caught here and there some of its dismal revealments,
"then, thee may think, there was rushing out of men, women, and children,
with the cracking of rifles, the crashing of hatchets, the plunge of
knives, with yells and shrieks such as would turn thee spirit into ice
and water to hear. It was a fearful massacre; but, friend, fearful as it
was, these eyes of mine had looked on one more dreadful before: thee
would not believe it, friend, but thee knows not what them see who have
spent their lives on the Injun border.--Well, friend," continued the
narrator, after this brief digression, "while they were murdering the
stronger, I saw the weakest of all,--the old grandam, with the youngest
babe in her arms, come flying into the corn; and she had reached this
very tree that has fallen but now, as if to remind me of the story, when
the pursuer,--for it was but a single man they sent in chase of the poor
feeble old woman, caught up with her, and struck her down with his
tomahawk. Then, friend,--for, truly, I saw it all in the light of the
fire, being scarce two rods off,--he snatched the poor babe from t