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Chapter 31
Athirdcoloredthepostswithstripesofadarkredpaint;allwhichindicationsofahostiledesignintheleadersofthenationwerereceivedbythemenwithoutinagloomyandominoussilence.Finally,theMohicanhimselfreappeared,divestedofallhisattireexcepthisgirdleandleggings,andwithone-halfofhisfinefeatureshidunderacloudofthreateningblack.
Uncasmovedwithaslowanddignifiedtreadtowardsthepost,whichheimmediatelycommencedencirclingwithameasuredstep,notunlikeanancientdance,raisinghisvoice,atthesametime,inthewildandirregularchantofhiswar-song.Thenoteswereintheextremesofhumansounds;beingsometimesmelancholyandexquisitelyplaintive,evenrivallingthemelodyofbirds—andthen,bysuddenandstartlingtransitions,causingtheauditorstotremblebytheirdepthandenergy.Thewordswerefewandoftenrepeated,proceedinggraduallyfromasortofinvocation,orhymntotheDeity,toanintimationofthewarrior’sobject,andterminatingastheycommencedwithanacknowledgmentofhisowndependenceontheGreatSpirit.Ifitwerepossibletotranslatethecomprehensiveandmelodiouslanguageinwhichhespoke,theodemightreadsomethinglikethefollowing:
"Manitou!Manitou!Manitou!
Thouartgreat,thouartgood,thouartwise:
Manitou!Manitou!
Thouartjust.
"Intheheavens,intheclouds,O,Isee
Manyspots—manydark,manyred:
Intheheavens,O,Isee
Manyclouds.