CHAPTER VI.

‘The woods—oh! solemn are the boundless woods;
Of the great western world, when day declines,
And louder sounds the roll of distant floods,
More deep the rustling of the ancient pines;
When dimness gathers on the stilly air,
And mystery seems o'er every leaf to brood,
Awful is it for human heart to bear
The might and burden of the solitude!' HEMANS.

Many weeks elapsed after the Nausett party had joined the friendly
Pequodees, ere any preparations were made for journeying to the west;
and these days were chiefly employed by Henrich in improving his
knowledge of the Indian language, and especially of the Nausett
dialect, by conversing with Oriana and her young companions, both male
and female. He also endeavored to learn as much as possible of the
habit and the ideas of the simple people among whom his lot was now
cast; for he hoped, at some future time, when he had succeeded in
returning to his own countrymen, that such a knowledge might prove
useful both to himself and them.

He was treated with much kindness by Tisquantum; and his favor with the
Chief ensured the respect and attention of all his dependants and
followers. From the day that the white boy had been spared from a cruel
and violent death, and established as a regular inmate of Tisquantum's
dwelling, it seemed as if he had regarded him as a son, and had adopted