〃this is like a view of the ocean you so much love！〃
〃So much for ignorance； and a girl's fancy； Magnet；〃 …
a term of affection the sailor often used in allusion to his
niece's personal attractions； 〃no one but a child would
think of likening this handful of leaves to a look at the
real Atlantic。 You might seize all these tree…tops to
Neptune's jacket； and they would make no more than a
nosegay for his bosom。〃
〃More fanciful than true； I think； uncle。 Look thither；
it must be miles on miles； and yet we see nothing but
leaves！ what could one behold； if looking at the
ocean？〃
〃More！〃 returned the uncle； giving an impatient
gesture with the elbow the other touched； for his arms
were crossed； and the hands were thrust into the bosom of
a vest of red cloth； a fashion of the times； 〃more； Mag…
net！ say； rather； what less？ Where are your combing seas；
your blue water； your rollers； your breakers； your whales；
or your waterspouts； and your endless motion； in this bit
of a forest； child？〃
〃And where are your tree…tops； your solemn silence；
your fragrant leaves； and your beautiful green； uncle； on
the ocean？〃
〃Tut； Magnet！ if your understood the thing； you would
know that green water is a sailor's bane。 He scarcely
relishes a greenhorn less。〃
〃But green trees are a different thing。 Hist！ that
sound is the air breathing among the leaves！〃
〃You should hear a nor…wester breathe； girl； if you
fancy wind aloft。 Now； where are your gales； and hurri…
canes； and trades； and levanters； and such like incidents；
in this bit of a forest？ and what fishes have you swim…
ming beneath yonder tame surface？〃
〃That there have been tempests here； these signs around
us plainly show； and beasts； if not fishes； are beneath those
leaves。〃
〃I do not know that；〃 returned the uncle； with a sailor's
dogmatism。 〃They told us many stories at Albany of the
wild animals we should fall in with； and yet we have seen
nothing to frighten a seal。 I doubt if any of your inland
animals will compare with a low latitude shark。〃
〃See！〃 exclaimed the niece； who was more occupied
with the sublimity and beauty of the 〃boundless wood〃
than with her uncle's arguments； 〃yonder is a smoke
curling over the tops of the trees can it come from a
house？〃
〃Ay； ay； there is a look of humanity in that smoke；〃
returned the old seaman； 〃which is worth a thousand trees。
I must show it to Arrowhead； who may be running past
a port without knowing it。 It is probable there is a
caboose where there is a smoke。〃
As he concluded； the uncle drew a hand from his bosom；
touched the male Indian； who was standing near him；
lightly on the shoulder； and pointed out at thin line of
vapor which was stealing slowly out of the wilderness of
leaves； at a distance of about a mile； and was diffusing
itself in almost imperceptible threads of humidity in the
quivering atmosphere。 The Tuscarora was one of those
noble…looking warriors oftener met with among the abo…
rigines of this continent a century since than to…day； and；
while he had mingled sufficiently with the colonists to be
familiar with their habits and even with their language；
he had lost little； if any； of the wild grandeur and simple
dignity of a chief。 Between him and the old seaman the
intercourse had been friendly； but distant； for the Indian
had been too much accustomed to mingle with the officers
of the different military posts he had frequented not to
understand that his present companion was only a subor…
dinate。 So imposing； indeed； had been the quiet superior…
ity of the Tuscarora's reserve； that Charles Cap； for so was
the seaman named； in his most dogmatical or facetious
moments； had not ventured on familiarity in an inter…
course which had now lasted more than a week。 The sight
of the curling smoke； however； had struck the latter like
the sudden appearance of a sail at sea； and； for the first
time since they met； he ventured to touch the warrior； as
has been related。
The quick eye of the Tuscarora instantly caught a sight
of the smoke； and for full a minute he stood； slightly
raised on tiptoe； with distended nostrils； like the buck that
scents a taint in the air； and a gaze as riveted as that of
the trained pointer while he waits his master's aim。 Then；
falling back on his feet； a low exclamation； in the soft
tones that form so singular a contrast to its harsher cries
in the Indian warrior's voice； was barely audible； other…
wise； he was undisturbed。 His countenance was calm； and
his quick； dark； eagle eye moved over the leafy panorama；
as if to take in at a glance every circumstance that might
enlighten his mind。 That the long journey they had at…
tempted to make through a broad belt of wilderness was
necessarily attended with danger； both uncle and niece
well knew； though neither could at once determine
whether the sign that others were in their vicinity was the
harbinger of good or evil。
〃There must be Oneidas or Tuscaroras near us； Arrow…
head；〃 said Cap； addressing his Indian companion by his
conventional English name； 〃will it not be well to join
company with them； and get a comfortable berth for the
night in their wigwam？〃
〃No wigwam there；〃 Arrowhead answered in his un…
moved manner 〃too much tree。〃
〃But Indians must be there； perhaps some old mess…
mates of your own； Master Arrowhead。〃
〃No Tuscarora no Oneida no Mohawk pale…face
fire。〃
〃The devil it is？ Well； Magnet； this surpasses a seaman's
philosophy： we old sea…dogs can tell a lubber's nest from
a mate's hammock； but I do not think the oldest admiral
in his Majesty's fleet can tell a king's smoke from a
collier's。〃
The idea that human beings were in their vicinity； in
that ocean of wilderness； had deepened the flush on the
blooming cheek and brightened the eye of the fair crea…
ture at his side； but she soon turned with a look of sur…
prise to her relative； and said hesitatingly； for both had
often admired the Tuscarora's knowledge； or； we might
almost say； instinct；
〃A pale…face's fire！ Surely； uncle； he cannot know _that_？〃
〃Ten days since； child； I would have sworn to it； but
now I hardly know what to believe。 May I take the lib…
erty of asking； Arrowhead； why you fancy that smoke；
now； a pale…face's smoke； and not a red…skin's？〃
〃Wet wood；〃 returned the warrior； with the calmness
with which the pedagogue might point out an arithmetical
demonstration to his puzzled pupil。 〃Much wet much
smoke； much water black smoke。〃
〃But； begging your pardon； Master Arrowhead； the
smoke is not black； nor is there much of it。 To my eye；
now； it is as light and fanciful a smoke as ever rose from
a captain's tea…kettle； when nothing was left to make the
fire but a few chips from the dunnage。〃
〃Too much water；〃 returned Arrowhead； with a slight
nod of the head； 〃Tuscarora too cunning to make fire
with water！ pale…face too much book； and burn anything；
much book； little know。〃
〃Well； that's reasonable； I allow；〃 said Cap； who was no
devotee of learning： 〃he means that as a hit at your read…
ing； Magnet； for the chief has sensible notions of things
in his own way。 How far； now； Arrowhead； do you make
us； by your calculation； from the bit of a pond that you
call the Great Lake； and towards which we have been so
many days shaping our course？〃
The Tuscarora looked at the seaman with quiet superi…
ority as he answered； 〃Ontario； like heaven； one sun； and
the great traveller will know it。〃
〃Well； I have been a great traveller； I cannot deny；
but of all my v'y'ges this has been the longest； the least
profitable； and the farthest inland。 If this body of fresh
water is so nigh； Arrowhead； and so large； one might think
a pair of good eyes would find it out； for apparently every…
thing within thirty miles is to be seen from this look…
out。〃
〃Look；〃 said Arrowhead； stretching an arm before him
with quiet grace； 〃Ontario！〃
〃Uncle； you are accustomed to cry 'Land ho！' but not
'Water ho！' and you do not see it；〃 cried the niece； laugh…
ing； as girls will laugh at their own idle conceits。
〃How now； Magnet！ dost suppose that I shouldn't know
my native element if it were in sight？〃
〃But Ontario is not your native element； dear uncle；
for you come from the salt water； while this is fresh。〃
〃That might make some difference to your young mar…
iner； but none to the old one。 I should know water； child；
were I to see it in China。〃
〃Ontario；〃 repeated Arrowhead； with emphasis； again
stretching his hand towards the north…west。
Cap looked at the Tuscarora； for the first time since
their acquaintance； with something like an air of contempt；
though he did not fail to follow the direction of the chief's
eye and arm； both of which were directed towards a vacant
point in the heavens； a short distance above the plain of
leaves。
〃Ay； ay； this is much as I expected； when I left the
coast in search of a fresh…water pond；〃 resumed Cap；
shrugging his shoulders like one whose mind was made up；
and who thought no more need be said。 〃Ontario may be
there； or； for that matter； it may be in my pocket。 Well；
I suppose there will be room enough； when we reach it；
to work our