Tecumseh - Act 4, Scene 7
SCENE SEVENTH. — The HIGHWAY THROUGH THE F OREST LEADING TO F ORT D ETROIT — The F ORT IN THE DISTANCE; CANNON AND GUNNERS AT THE GATE .
Enter T ECUMSEH , S TAYETA , and other Chiefs and Warriors .
T ECUMSEH . There is the Long-Knive's fort, within whose walls
We lose our lives or find our lands to-day.
Fight for that little space — 'tis wide domain!
That small enclosure shuts us from our homes.
There are the victors in the Prophet's strife —
Within that fort they lie — those bloody men
Who burnt your town to light their triumph up,
And drove your women to the withered woods
To shudder through the cold slow-creeping night,
And help their infants to out-howl the wolf.
Oh, the base Long-Knife grows to head, noTheart —
A pitiless and murdering minister
To his desires! But let us now be strong,
And, if we conquer, merciful as strong!
Swoop like the eagles on their prey, but turn
In victory your taste to that of doves;
For ever it has been reproach to us
That we have stained our deeds with cruelty,
And dyed our axes in our captives' blood.
So, here, retort not on a vanquished foe,
But teach him lessons in humanity.
Now let the big heart, swelling in each breast,
Strain every rib for lodgment! Warriors!
Bend to your sacred task, and follow me.
S TAYETA . Lead on! We follow you!
K ICKAPOO C HIEF . Advance, ye braves!
T ECUMSEH . Stay! make a circuit in the open woods —
Cross, and recross, and double on the path —
So shall the Long-Knives overcount our strength.
Do this, Stayeta, whilst I meet my friend —
My brave white brother, and confer with him.
Enter G ENERAL B ROCK , P ROCTOR , N ICHOL , M ACDONELL and other Officers and Forces, on the highway . T
ECUMSEH goes down to meet them .
B ROCK . Now by God's providence we face Detroit,
Either to sleep within its walls to-night
Or in deep beds dug by exulting foes.
Go, Nichol, make a swift reconnoissance —
We'll follow on.
N ICHOL . I shall, but ere I go
I do entreat you, General, take the rear;
Those guns are shrewdly placed without the gate —
One raking fire might rob us of your life,
And, this lost, all is lost!
B ROCK . Well meant, my friend!
But I am here to lead, not follow, men
Whose confidence has come with me thus far!
Go, Nichol, to your task!
Tecumseh, hail!
Brave chieftain, you have made your promise good.
T ECUMSEH . My brother stands to his! and I but wait
His orders to advance — my warriors
Are ripe for the assault.
B ROCK . Deploy them, then,
Upon our landward flank, and skirt the woods,
Whilst we advance in column to attack.
Signal our batteries on the farther shore
To play upon the Fort! Be steady, friends —
Be steady! Now upon your country turn
Your multiplying thoughts, and strike for her!
Strike for your distant and inviolate homes,
Perfumed with holy prayer at this hour!
Strike! with your fathers' virtue in your veins
You must prevail — on, on, to the attack!
Re-enter N ICHOL hastily .
N ICHOL . Stay, General! I saw a flag of truce
Cross from the Fort to the Canadian shore.
B ROCK . Halt! There's another from yon bastion flung;
And, see! another waves adown the road —
Borne by an officer! What think you, Nichol?
N ICHOL . Your threats are conquerors! The Fort is ours!
G LEGG . Yes, look! the gunners have been all withdrawn
Who manned the cannon at yon western gate.
P ROCTOR . So many men to yield without a blow!
Why, this is wonderful! It cannot be!
B ROCK . Say, rather, should not be, and yet it is!
'Tis plainly written on this captain's face.
O FFICER . This letter from our General contains
Proposals to capitulate — pray send
An officer to ratify the terms.
B ROCK . You have a wise and politic commander!
O FFICER . Our General, knowing your superior force —
N ICHOL . ( Aside .) Oh, this is good! 'tis barely half his own!
O FFICER . And, noting your demand of yesterday,
With clearer judgment, doth accede to it,
To bar effusion of much precious blood
By reasonable treaty of surrender.
B ROCK . Why, this is excellent, and rare discretion!
O FFICER . He fears your Indians could not be restrained.
Our women's prayers — red visions of the knife —
We know not what — have melted his stouTheart,
And brought him to this pass.
B ROCK . Ay, ay, how good!
Great judgment and humanity combined.
Glegg and Macdonell, go at once and sign
Those happy stipulations which restore
Fair Michigan to empire and the crown.
We shall await our officers' return —
But now prepare to occupy the Fort!
With colours flying we shall enter it,
And martial music, as befits the scene.
No Sunday ever saw a finer sight —
Three cheers for Canada and England's right!
Enter T ECUMSEH , S TAYETA , and other Chiefs and Warriors .
T ECUMSEH . There is the Long-Knive's fort, within whose walls
We lose our lives or find our lands to-day.
Fight for that little space — 'tis wide domain!
That small enclosure shuts us from our homes.
There are the victors in the Prophet's strife —
Within that fort they lie — those bloody men
Who burnt your town to light their triumph up,
And drove your women to the withered woods
To shudder through the cold slow-creeping night,
And help their infants to out-howl the wolf.
Oh, the base Long-Knife grows to head, noTheart —
A pitiless and murdering minister
To his desires! But let us now be strong,
And, if we conquer, merciful as strong!
Swoop like the eagles on their prey, but turn
In victory your taste to that of doves;
For ever it has been reproach to us
That we have stained our deeds with cruelty,
And dyed our axes in our captives' blood.
So, here, retort not on a vanquished foe,
But teach him lessons in humanity.
Now let the big heart, swelling in each breast,
Strain every rib for lodgment! Warriors!
Bend to your sacred task, and follow me.
S TAYETA . Lead on! We follow you!
K ICKAPOO C HIEF . Advance, ye braves!
T ECUMSEH . Stay! make a circuit in the open woods —
Cross, and recross, and double on the path —
So shall the Long-Knives overcount our strength.
Do this, Stayeta, whilst I meet my friend —
My brave white brother, and confer with him.
Enter G ENERAL B ROCK , P ROCTOR , N ICHOL , M ACDONELL and other Officers and Forces, on the highway . T
ECUMSEH goes down to meet them .
B ROCK . Now by God's providence we face Detroit,
Either to sleep within its walls to-night
Or in deep beds dug by exulting foes.
Go, Nichol, make a swift reconnoissance —
We'll follow on.
N ICHOL . I shall, but ere I go
I do entreat you, General, take the rear;
Those guns are shrewdly placed without the gate —
One raking fire might rob us of your life,
And, this lost, all is lost!
B ROCK . Well meant, my friend!
But I am here to lead, not follow, men
Whose confidence has come with me thus far!
Go, Nichol, to your task!
Tecumseh, hail!
Brave chieftain, you have made your promise good.
T ECUMSEH . My brother stands to his! and I but wait
His orders to advance — my warriors
Are ripe for the assault.
B ROCK . Deploy them, then,
Upon our landward flank, and skirt the woods,
Whilst we advance in column to attack.
Signal our batteries on the farther shore
To play upon the Fort! Be steady, friends —
Be steady! Now upon your country turn
Your multiplying thoughts, and strike for her!
Strike for your distant and inviolate homes,
Perfumed with holy prayer at this hour!
Strike! with your fathers' virtue in your veins
You must prevail — on, on, to the attack!
Re-enter N ICHOL hastily .
N ICHOL . Stay, General! I saw a flag of truce
Cross from the Fort to the Canadian shore.
B ROCK . Halt! There's another from yon bastion flung;
And, see! another waves adown the road —
Borne by an officer! What think you, Nichol?
N ICHOL . Your threats are conquerors! The Fort is ours!
G LEGG . Yes, look! the gunners have been all withdrawn
Who manned the cannon at yon western gate.
P ROCTOR . So many men to yield without a blow!
Why, this is wonderful! It cannot be!
B ROCK . Say, rather, should not be, and yet it is!
'Tis plainly written on this captain's face.
O FFICER . This letter from our General contains
Proposals to capitulate — pray send
An officer to ratify the terms.
B ROCK . You have a wise and politic commander!
O FFICER . Our General, knowing your superior force —
N ICHOL . ( Aside .) Oh, this is good! 'tis barely half his own!
O FFICER . And, noting your demand of yesterday,
With clearer judgment, doth accede to it,
To bar effusion of much precious blood
By reasonable treaty of surrender.
B ROCK . Why, this is excellent, and rare discretion!
O FFICER . He fears your Indians could not be restrained.
Our women's prayers — red visions of the knife —
We know not what — have melted his stouTheart,
And brought him to this pass.
B ROCK . Ay, ay, how good!
Great judgment and humanity combined.
Glegg and Macdonell, go at once and sign
Those happy stipulations which restore
Fair Michigan to empire and the crown.
We shall await our officers' return —
But now prepare to occupy the Fort!
With colours flying we shall enter it,
And martial music, as befits the scene.
No Sunday ever saw a finer sight —
Three cheers for Canada and England's right!
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