Rolf In The Woods | Page 3

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Preface
In this story I have endeavoured to realize some of the influences that
surrounded the youth of America a hundred years ago, and made of
them, first, good citizens, and, later, in the day of peril, heroes that won
the battles of Lake Erie, Plattsburg, and New Orleans, and the great sea
fights of Porter, Bainbridge, Decatur, Lawrence, Perry, and
MacDonough.
I have especially dwelt in detail on the woodland and peace scouting in
the hope that I may thus help other boys to follow the hard-climbing
trail that leads to the higher uplands.
For the historical events of 1812-14, I have consulted among books
chiefly, Theodore Roosevelt's "Naval War of 1812," Peter S. Palmer's
"History of Lake Champlain," and Walter Hill Crockett's "A History of
Lake Champlain," 1909. But I found another and more personal mine
of information. Through the kindness of my friend, Edmund Seymour,
a native of the Champlain region, now a resident of New York, I went
over all the historical ground with several unpublished manuscripts for
guides, and heard from the children of the sturdy frontiersmen new
tales of the war; and in getting more light and vivid personal memories,

I was glad, indeed, to realize that not only were there valour and
heroism on both sides, but also gentleness and courtesy. Histories
written by either party at the time should be laid aside. They breathe the
rancourous hate of the writers of the age --the fighters felt not so --and
the many incidents given here of chivalry and consideration were actual
happenings, related to me by the descendants of those who experienced
them; and all assure me that these were a true reflex of the feelings of
the day.
I am much indebted to Miss Katherine Palmer, of Plattsburg, for kindly
allowing me to see the unpublished manuscript memoir of her
grandfather, Peter Sailly, who was Collector of the Port of Plattsburg at
the time of the war.
Another purpose in this story was to picture the real Indian with his
message for good or for evil.
Those who know nothing of the race will scoff and say they never
heard of such a thing as a singing and religious red man. Those who
know him well will say, "Yes, but you have given to your eastern
Indian songs and ceremonies which belong to the western tribes, and
which are of different epochs. "To the latter I reply:
"You know that the western Inidians sang and prayed in this way. How
do you know that the eastern ones did not? We have no records, except
those by critics, savagely hostile, and contemptuous of all religious
observances but their own. The Ghost Dance Song belonged to a much
more recent time, no doubt, but it was purely Indian, and it is generally
admitted that the races of continental North America were of one stock,
and had no fundamentally different customs or modes of thought."
The Sunrise Song was given me by Frederick R. Burton, author of
"American Primitive Music." It is still in use among the Ojibwa.
The songs of the Wabanaki may be read in C. G. Le- land's " Kuloskap
the Master."
The Ghost Dance Song was fumished by Alice C. Fletcher, whose
"Indian Song and Story" will prove a revelation to those who wish to
follow further.
ERNEST THOMPSON SETON.

Chapter 1.

The Wigwam Under the Rock
The early springtime sunrise was near at hand as Quonab, the last of the
Myanos Sinawa, stepped from his sheltered wigwam under the cliff
that borders the Asamuk easterly, and, mounting to the lofty brow of
the great rock that is its highest pinnacle, he stood in silence, awaiting
the first ray of the sun over the sea water that stretches between
Connecticut and Seawanaky.
His silent prayer