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Chapter 3
Whileoneoftheseloiterersshowedtheredskinandwildaccoutrementsofanativeofthewoods,theotherexhibited,throughthemaskofhisrudeandnearlysavageequipments,thebrighter,thoughsunburntandlong-fadedcomplexionofonewhomightclaimdescentfromaEuropeanparentage.Theformerwasseatedontheendofamossylog,inaposturethatpermittedhimtoheightentheeffectofhisearnestlanguage,bythecalmbutexpressivegesturesofanIndianengagedindebate.Hisbody,whichwasnearlynaked,presentedaterrificemblemofdeath,drawninintermingledcolorsofwhiteandblack.Hiscloselyshavedhead,onwhichnootherhairthanthewellknownandchivalrousscalpingtuftwaspreserved,waswithoutornamentofanykind,withtheexceptionofasolitaryeagle’splume,thatcrossedhiscrown,anddependedovertheleftshoulder.Atomahawkandscalping-knife,ofEnglishmanufacture,wereinhisgirdle;whileashortmilitaryrifle,ofthatsortwithwhichthepolicyofthewhitesarmedtheirsavageallies,laycarelesslyacrosshisbareandsinewyknee.Theexpandedchest,fullformedlimbs,andgravecountenanceofthiswarrior,woulddenotethathehadreachedthevigorofhisdays,thoughnosymptomsofdecayappearedtohaveyetweakenedhismanhood.
Theframeofthewhiteman,judgingbysuchpartsaswerenotconcealedbyhisclothes,waslikethatofonewhohadknownhardshipsandexertionfromhisearliestyouth.
