第29章 THE SKETCH BOOK(6)

At length, in dashing through the river, his foot slipped upon astone, and he fell so deep as to wet his gun. This accident sostruck him with despair, that, as he afterwards confessed, "hisheart and his bowels turned within him, and he became like a rottenstick, void of strength."To such a degree was he unnerved, that, being seized by a PequodIndian within a short distance of the river, he made no resistance,though a man of great vigor of body and boldness of heart. But onbeing made prisoner the whole pride of his spirit arose within him;and from that moment, we find, in the anecdotes given by hisenemies, nothing but repeated flashes of elevated and prince-likeheroism. Being questioned by one of the English who first came up withhim, and who had not attained his twenty-second year, theproud-hearted warrior, looking with lofty contempt upon his youthfulcountenance, replied, "You are a child- you cannot understandmatters of war- let your brother or your chief come- him will Ianswer."Though repeated offers were made to him of his life, on condition ofsubmitting with his nation to the English, yet he rejected them withdisdain, and refused to send any proposals of the kind to the greatbody of his subjects; saying, that he knew none of them wouldcomply. Being reproached with his breach of faith towards thewhites; his boast that he would not deliver up a Wampanoag nor theparing of a Wampanoag's nail; and his threat that he would burn theEnglish alive in their houses; he disdained to justify himself,haughtily answering that others were as forward for the war ashimself, and "he desired to hear no more thereof."So noble and unshaken a spirit, so true a fidelity to his causeand his friend, might have touched the feelings of the generous andthe brave; but Canonchet was an Indian; a being towards whom war hadno courtesy, humanity no law, religion no compassion- he was condemnedto die. The last words of him that are recorded, are worthy thegreatness of his soul. When sentence of death was passed upon him,he observed "that he liked it well, for he should die before his heartwas soft, or he had spoken any thing unworthy of himself." His enemiesgave him the death of a soldier, for he was shot at Stoningham, bythree young Sachems of his own rank.