Chapter 11

           "Cursedbymytribe

           IfIforgivehim."

           Shylock.

           TheIndianhadselected,forthisdesirablepurpose,oneofthosesteep,pyramidalhills,whichbearastrongresemblancetoartificialmounds,andwhichsofrequentlyoccurinthevalleysofAmerica.Theoneinquestionwashighandprecipitous;itstopflattened,asusual;butwithoneofitssidesmorethanordinarilyirregular.Itpossessednootherapparentadvantageforaresting-placethaninitselevationandform,whichmightrenderdefenceeasy,andsurprisenearlyimpossible.AsHeyward,however,nolongerexpectedthatrescuewhichtimeanddistancenowrenderedsoimprobable,heregardedtheselittlepeculiaritieswithaneyedevoidofinterest,devotinghimselfentirelytothecomfortandcondolenceofhisfeeblercompanions.TheNarragansettsweresufferedtobrowseonthebranchesofthetreesandshrubsthatwerethinlyscatteredoverthesummitofthehill,whiletheremainsoftheirprovisionswerespreadundertheshadeofabeech,thatstretcheditshorizontallimbslikeacanopyabovethem.

           Notwithstandingtheswiftnessoftheirflight,oneoftheIndianshadfoundanopportunitytostrikeastragglingfawnwithanarrow,andhadbornethemorepreferablefragmentsofthevictimpatientlyonhisshoulders,tothestopping-place.Withoutanyaidfromthescienceofcookery,hewasimmediatelyemployed,incommonwithhisfellows,ingorginghimselfwiththisdigestiblesustenance.Maguaalonesatapart,withoutparticipationintherevoltingmeal,andapparentlyburiedinthedeepestthought.