Once
more, at length, I prepared to execute the remainder of
my task; and I again applied the bandage to her eyes,
saying that, although the principal danger was over,
still there was another I could not bear she should look
upon. Again she smiled, and with a touching sweetness of
expression that fired my blood, observing at the same
time she feared no danger while she was with me, but that
if my object was to prevent her from looking at me, the
most efficient way certainly was to apply a bandage to
her eyes. Oh! woman, woman!" groaned Wacousta, in fierce
anguish of spirit, "who shall expound the complex riddle
of thy versatile nature?
"Disengaging the rope from the handles of the netting,
I now applied to these a broad leathern belt taken from
the pouches of two of my men, and stooping with my back
to the cherished burden with which I was about to charge
myself, passed the centre of the belt across my chest,
much in the manner in which, as you are aware, Indian
women carry their infant children. As an additional
precaution, I had secured the netting round my waist by
a strong lacing of cord, and then raising myself to my
full height, and satisfying myself of the perfect freedom
of action of my limbs, seized a long balancing pole I
had left suspended against the rock at my last visit,
and commenced my descent of the sloping ridge.
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