Останній з Могікан
Chapter 14
Thelandhadbeenclearedofwoodforareasonabledistancearoundthework,buteveryotherpartofthescenelayinthegreenliveryofnature,exceptwherethelimpidwatermellowedtheview,ortheboldrocksthrusttheirblackandnakedheadsabovetheundulatingoutlineofthemountainranges.Initsfrontmightbeseenthescatteredsentinels,whoheldawearywatchagainsttheirnumerousfoes;andwithinthewallsthemselves,thetravellerslookeddownuponmenstilldrowsywithanightofvigilance.Towardsthesoutheast,butinimmediatecontactwiththefort,wasanentrenchedcamp,postedonarockyeminence,thatwouldhavebeenfarmoreeligiblefortheworkitself,inwhichHawkeyepointedoutthepresenceofthoseauxiliaryregimentsthathadsorecentlylefttheHudsonintheircompany.Fromthewoods,alittlefarthertothesouth,rosenumerousdarkandluridsmokes,thatwereeasilytobedistinguishedfromthepurerexhalationsofthesprings,andwhichthescoutalsoshowedtoHeyward,asevidencesthattheenemylayinforceinthatdirection.
Butthespectaclewhichmostconcernedtheyoungsoldierwasonthewesternbankofthelake,thoughquiteneartoitssoutherntermination.Onastripofland,whichappeared,fromhisstand,toonarrowtocontainsuchanarmy,butwhich,intruth,extendedmanyhundredsofyardsfromtheshoresoftheHoricantothebaseofthemountain,weretobeseenthewhitetentsandmilitaryenginesofanencampmentoftenthousandmen.
