Thenaturalprincipleofwaristodothemostharmtoourenemy
withtheleastharmtoourselves；andthisofcourseistobeeffected
bystratagem。Thatchivalrouscouragewhichinducesustodespise
thesuggestionsofprudence，andtorushinthefaceofcertain
danger，istheoffspringofsociety，andproducedbyeducation。It
ishonorable，becauseitisinfactthetriumphofloftysentiment
overaninstinctiverepugnancetopain，andoverthoseyearningsafter
personaleaseandsecurity，whichsocietyhascondemnedasignoble。It
iskeptalivebyprideandthefearofshame；andthusthedreadof
realevilisovercomebythesuperiordreadofanevilwhichexists
butintheimagination。Ithasbeencherishedandstimulatedalsoby
variousmeans。Ithasbeenthethemeofspirit—stirringsongand
chivalrousstory。Thepoetandminstrelhavedelightedtoshedround
itthesplendorsoffiction；andeventhehistorianhasforgotten
thesobergravityofnarration，andbrokenforthintoenthusiasmand
rhapsodyinitspraise。Triumphsandgorgeouspageantshavebeenits
reward：monuments，onwhicharthasexhausteditsskill，and
opulenceitstreasures，havebeenerectedtoperpetuateanation’s
gratitudeandadmiration。Thusartificiallyexcited，couragehasrisen
toanextraordinaryandfactitiousdegreeofheroism：andarrayedin
alltheglorious\"pompandcircumstanceofwar，\"thisturbulent
qualityhasevenbeenabletoeclipsemanyofthosequiet，but
invaluablevirtues，whichsilentlyennoblethehumancharacter，and
swellthetideofhumanhappiness。
Butifcourageintrinsicallyconsistsinthedefianceofdanger
andpain，thelifeoftheIndianisacontinualexhibitionofit。He
livesinastateofperpetualhostilityandrisk。Periland
adventurearecongenialtohisnature；orratherseemnecessaryto
arousehisfacultiesandtogiveaninteresttohisexistence。
Surroundedbyhostiletribes，whosemodeofwarfareisbyambushand
surprisal，heisalwayspreparedforfight，andliveswithhisweapons
inhishands。Astheshipcareersinfearfulsinglenessthroughthe
solitudesofocean；—asthebirdminglesamongcloudsandstorms，
andwingsitsway，amerespeck，acrossthepathlessfieldsofair；—
sotheIndianholdshiscourse，silent，solitary，butundaunted，
throughtheboundlessbosomofthewilderness。Hisexpeditionsmayvie
indistanceanddangerwiththepilgrimageofthedevotee，orthe
crusadeoftheknight—errant。Hetraversesvastforests，exposedto
thehazardsoflonelysickness，oflurkingenemies，andpiningfamine。
Stormylakes，thosegreatinlandseas，arenoobstaclestohis
wanderings：inhislightcanoeofbarkhesports，likeafeather，on
theirwaves，anddarts，withtheswiftnessofanarrow，downthe
roaringrapidsoftherivers。Hisverysubsistenceissnatchedfrom
themidstoftoilandperil。Hegainshisfoodbythehardshipsand
dangersofthechase：hewrapshimselfinthespoilsofthebear，
thepanther，andthebuffalo，andsleepsamongthethundersofthe
cataract。
NoheroofancientormoderndayscansurpasstheIndianinhis
loftycontemptofdeath，andthefortitudewithwhichhesustains
itscruellestinfliction。Indeedweherebeholdhimrisingsuperiorto
thewhiteman，inconsequenceofhispeculiareducation。Thelatter
rushestogloriousdeathatthecannon’smouth；theformercalmly
contemplatesitsapproach，andtriumphantlyenduresit，amidstthe
variedtormentsofsurroundingfoesandtheprotractedagoniesof
fire。Heeventakesaprideintauntinghispersecutors，andprovoking
theiringenuityoftorture；andasthedevouringflamespreyonhis
veryvitals，andthefleshshrinksfromthesinews，heraiseshislast
songoftriumph，breathingthedefianceofanunconqueredheart，and
invokingthespiritsofhisfatherstowitnessthathedieswithout
agroan。
Notwithstandingtheobloquywithwhichtheearlyhistorianshave
overshadowedthecharactersoftheunfortunatenatives，somebright
gleamsoccasionallybreakthrough，whichthrowadegreeof
melancholylustreontheirmemories。Factsareoccasionallytobe
metwithintherudeannalsoftheeasternprovinces，which，though
recordedwiththecoloringofprejudiceandbigotry，yetspeakfor
themselves；andwillbedweltonwithapplauseandsympathy，when
prejudiceshallhavepassedaway。
InoneofthehomelynarrativesoftheIndianwarsinNewEngland，
thereisatouchingaccountofthedesolationcarriedintothetribe
ofthePequodIndians。Humanityshrinksfromthecold—bloodeddetail
ofindiscriminatebutchery。Inoneplacewereadofthesurprisalof
anIndianfortinthenight，whenthewigwamswerewrappedin
flames，andthemiserableinhabitantsshotdownandslainin
attemptingtoescape，\"allbeingdespatchedandendedinthecourseof
anhour。\"Afteraseriesofsimilartransactions，\"oursoldiers，\"as
thehistorianpiouslyobserves，\"beingresolvedbyGod’sassistanceto
makeafinaldestructionofthem，\"theunhappysavagesbeinghunted
fromtheirhomesandfortresses，andpursuedwithfireandsword，a
scanty，butgallantband，thesadremnantofthePequodwarriors，with
theirwivesandchildren，tookrefugeinaswamp。
Burningwithindignation，andrenderedsullenbydespair；with
heartsburstingwithgriefatthedestructionoftheirtribe，and
spiritsgalledandsoreatthefanciedignominyoftheirdefeat，
theyrefusedtoasktheirlivesatthehandsofaninsultingfoe，
andpreferreddeathtosubmission。
Asthenightdrewontheyweresurroundedintheirdismalretreat，
soastorenderescapeimpracticable。Thussituated，theirenemy
\"pliedthemwithshotallthetime，bywhichmeansmanywerekilled
andburiedinthemire。\"Inthedarknessandfogthatprecededthe
dawnofdaysomefewbrokethroughthebesiegersandescapedinto
thewoods：\"therestwerelefttotheconquerors，ofwhichmanywere
killedintheswamp，likesullendogswhowouldrather，intheir
self—willednessandmadness，sitstillandbeshotthrough，orcut
topieces，\"thanimploreformercy。Whenthedaybrokeuponthis
handfulofforlornbutdauntlessspirits，thesoldiers，wearetold，
enteringtheswamp，\"sawseveralheapsofthemsittingclosetogether，
uponwhomtheydischargedtheirpieces，ladenwithtenortwelve
pistolbulletsatatime，puttingthemuzzlesofthepiecesunder
theboughs，withinafewyardsofthem；soas，besidesthosethatwere
founddead，manymorewerekilledandsunkintothemire，andnever
weremindedmorebyfriendorfoe。
Cananyonereadthisplainunvarnishedtale，withoutadmiringthe
sternresolution，theunbendingpride，theloftinessofspirit，that
seemedtonervetheheartsoftheseself—taughtheroes，andtoraise
themabovetheinstinctivefeelingsofhumannature？WhentheGauls
laidwastethecityofRome，theyfoundthesenatorsclothedin
theirrobes，andseatedwithsterntranquillityintheircurule
chairs；inthismannertheysuffereddeathwithoutresistanceor
evensupplication。Suchconductwas，inthem，applaudedasnobleand
magnanimous；inthehaplessIndianitwasreviledasobstinateand
sullen！Howtrulyarewethedupesofshowandcircumstance！How
differentisvirtue，clothedinpurpleandenthronedinstate，from
virtue，nakedanddestitute，andperishingobscurelyinawilderness！
ButIforbeartodwellonthesegloomypictures。Theeastern
tribeshavelongsincedisappeared；theforeststhatshelteredthem
havebeenlaidlow，andscarceanytracesremainoftheminthe
thickly—settledstatesofNewEngland，exceptinghereandtherethe
Indiannameofavillageorastream。Andsuchmust，sooneror
later，bethefateofthoseothertribeswhichskirtthefrontiers，
andhaveoccasionallybeeninveigledfromtheirforeststominglein
thewarsofwhitemen。Inalittlewhile，andtheywillgotheway
thattheirbrethrenhavegonebefore。Thefewhordeswhichstill
lingerabouttheshoresofHuronandSuperior，andthetributary
streamsoftheMississippi，willsharethefateofthosetribesthat
oncespreadoverMassachusettsandConnecticut，andlordeditalong
theproudbanksoftheHudson；ofthatgiganticracesaidtohave
existedonthebordersoftheSusquehanna；andofthosevarious
nationsthatflourishedaboutthePotomacandtheRappahannock，and
thatpeopledtheforestsofthevastvalleyofShenandoah。Theywill
vanishlikeavaporfromthefaceoftheearth；theirveryhistory
willbelostinforgetfulness；and\"theplacesthatnowknowthemwill
knowthemnomoreforever。\"Orif，perchance，somedubiousmemorial
ofthemshouldsurvive，itmaybeintheromanticdreamsofthe
poet，topeopleinimaginationhisgladesandgroves，likethefauns
andsatyrsandsylvandeitiesofantiquity。Butshouldheventureupon
thedarkstoryoftheirwrongsandwretchedness；shouldhetellhow
theywereinvaded，corrupted，despoiled，drivenfromtheirnative
abodesandthesepulchresoftheirfathers，huntedlikewildbeasts
abouttheearth，andsentdownwithviolenceandbutcherytothe
grave，posteritywilleitherturnwithhorrorandincredulityfromthe
tale，orblushwithindignationattheinhumanityoftheir
forefathers。—\"Wearedrivenback，\"saidanoldwarrior，\"untilwecan
retreatnofarther—ourhatchetsarebroken，ourbowsaresnapped，our
firesarenearlyextinguished：—alittlelonger，andthewhiteman
willceasetopersecuteus—forweshallceasetoexist！\"
THEEND
