CHAPTER XXI.

The agony which Roland suffered from the thong so tightly secured upon
his wrists, was so far advantageous as it distracted his mind from the
subject which had been at first the chief source of his distress: for it
was impossible to think long even of his kinswoman, while enduring
tortures that were aggravated by every jerk of the rope, by which he
was dragged along; these growing more insupportable every moment. His
sufferings, however, seemed to engage little of the thoughts of his
conductors; who, leaving the buffalo road, and striking into the pathless
forest, pushed onward at a rapid pace, compelling him to keep up with
them; and it was not until he had twice fainted from pain and exhaustion,
that, after some discussion, they thought fit to loosen the thong, which
they afterwards removed altogether. Then, whether it was that they were
touched at last with compassion, or afraid that death might snatch the
prisoner from their hands, if too severely treated, they proceeded even
to take other measures of a seemingly friendly kind, to allay his pangs;
washing his lacerated wrists in a little brook, on whose banks they
paused to give him rest, and then binding them up, as well as the two or
three painful, though not dangerous, wounds he had received, with green
leaves, which one of the juniors plucked, bruised, and applied with every
appearance of the most brotherly interest; while the other, to equal, or
surpass him in benevolence, took the keg of whisky from the horse's back,
and filling a little wooden bowl that he drew from a pack, insisted that
the prisoner should swallow it. In this recommendation the old Piankeshaw
also concurred; but finding that Roland recoiled with disgust, after an
attempt to taste the fiery liquid, he took the bowl into his own hands,
and despatched its contents at a draught. "Good! great good!" he
muttered, smacking his lips with high gusto; "white man make good
drink!--Piankeshaw great friend white-man's liquor."

Having thus opened their hearts, nothing could be, to appearance, more
friendly and affectionate than the bearing of the savages, at least so
long as they remained at the brook; and even when the journey was
resumed, which it soon was, their deportment was but little less loving.
It is true, that the senior, before mounting his horse, proceeded very
coolly to clap the noose, which had previously been placed on Roland's
arms, around his neck, where it bade