Останній з Могікан
Chapter 18
Amidtheunnaturalshower,afewhungryravensstruggledwiththegale;butnosoonerwasthegreenoceanofwoods,whichstretchedbeneaththem,passed,thantheygladlystopped,atrandom,totheirhideousbanquet.
Inshort,itwasthesceneofwildnessanddesolation;anditappearedasifallwhohadprofanelyenteredithadbeenstricken,atablow,bytherelentlessarmofdeath.Buttheprohibitionhadceased;andforthefirsttimesincetheperpetratorsofthosefouldeedswhichhadassistedtodisfigurethesceneweregone,livinghumanbeingshadnowpresumedtoapproachtheplace.
Aboutanhourbeforethesettingofthesun,onthedayalreadymentioned,theformsoffivemenmighthavebeenseenissuingfromthenarrowvistaoftrees,wherethepathtotheHudsonenteredtheforest,andadvancinginthedirectionoftheruinedworks.Atfirsttheirprogresswasslowandguarded,asthoughtheyenteredwithreluctanceamidthehorrorsofthespot,ordreadedtherenewalofitsfrightfulincidents.Alightfigureprecededtherestoftheparty,withthecautionandactivityofanative;ascendingeveryhillocktoreconnoitre,andindicating,bygestures,tohiscompanions,theroutehedeemeditmostprudenttopursue.Norwerethoseintherearwantingineverycautionandforesightknowntoforestwarfare.Oneamongthem,healsowasanIndian,movedalittleononeflank,andwatchedthemarginofthewoods,witheyeslongaccustomedtoreadthesmallestsignofdanger.
