James Fenimore Cooper

The Deerslayer James Fenimore Cooper

Our two adventurers had not far to go. Hurry knew the direction, as soon as he had found theopen spot and the spring, and he now led on with the confident step of a man assured of his object. The forest was dark, as a matter of course, but it was no longer obstructed by underbrush, and thefooting was firm and dry. After proceeding near a mile, March stopped, and began to cast about himwith an inquiring look, examining the different objects with care, and occasionally turning his eyeson the trunks of the fallen trees, with which the ground was well sprinkled, as is usually the case inan American wood, especially in those parts of the country where timber has not yet becomevaluable."This must be the place, Deerslayer," March at length observed; "here is a beech by the side of ahemlock, with three pines at hand, and yonder is a white birch with a broken top; and yet I see norock, nor any of the branches bent down, as I told you would be the case.""Broken branches are onskilful landmarks, as the least exper'enced know that branches don'toften break of themselves," returned the other; "and they also lead to suspicion and discoveries. TheDelawares never trust to broken branches, unless it is in friendly times, and on an open trail. As forthe beeches, and pines, and hemlocks, why, they are to be seen on all sides of us, not only by twosand threes, but by forties, and fifties, and hundreds.""Very true, Deerslayer, but you never calculate on position. Here is a beech and a hemlock-""Yes, and there is another beech and a hemlock, as loving as two brothers, or, for that matter, more loving than some brothers; and yonder are others, for neither tree is a rarity in these woods. Ifear me, Hurry, you are better at trapping beaver and shooting bears, than at leading on a blindishsort of a trail. Ha! there's what you wish to find, a'ter all!""Now, Deerslayer, this is one of your Delaware pretensions, for hang me if I see anything butthese trees, which do seem to start up around us in a most onaccountable and perplexing manner.""Look this-a-way, Hurry-here, in a line with the black oak-don't you see the crooked saplingthat is hooked up in the branches of the bass-wood, near it? Now, that sapling was once snowridden, and got the bend by its weight; but it never straightened itself, and fastened itself in amongthe bass-wood branches in the way you see. The hand of man did that act of kindness for it.