"That depends on your inimy. As for scalping, or even skinning a
savage, I look upon them pretty much the same as cutting off the
ears of wolves for the bounty, or stripping a bear of its hide.
And then you're out significantly, as to taking the poll of a
red-skin in hand, seeing that the very colony has offered a bounty
for the job; all the same as it pays for wolves' ears and crows'
heads."

"Ay, and a bad business it is, Hurry. Even the Indians themselves
cry shame on it, seeing it's ag'in a white man's gifts. I do not
pretend that all that white men do, is properly Christianized, and
according to the lights given them, for then they would be what
they ought to be; which we know they are not; but I will maintain
that tradition, and use, and color, and laws, make such a difference in
races as to amount to gifts. I do not deny that there are tribes
among the Indians that are nat'rally pervarse and wicked, as
there are nations among the whites. Now, I account the Mingos as
belonging to the first, and the Frenchers, in the Canadas, to the
last. In a state of lawful warfare, such as we have lately got
into, it is a duty to keep down all compassionate feelin's, so far
as life goes, ag'in either; but when it comes to scalps, it's a
very different matter."

"Just hearken to reason, if you please, Deerslayer, and tell me if
the colony can make an onlawful law? Isn't an onlawful law more
ag'in natur' than scalpin' a savage? A law can no more be onlawful,
than truth can be a lie."

"That sounds reasonable; but it has a most onreasonable bearing,