"Your majesty, North America isn't worth the trouble." "Let Montcalm invade it, withdraw our forces... and concentrate our armies here in Europe, the main theater of war." "Newcastle wants to give the country back to the Indian, what do you propose, Mr. Pitt?" "To reinforce Colonel Munro at Albany, Sire." "Move General Webb in support... and drive the French out of North America..." " as we are doing in India." " For a wilderness?" "For the raw material of an empire, Sire." "And what is it the Duke says?" "I agree with Mr. Pitt entirely, Sire." "Is the war office prepared?" "Major Heyward is ready to take the next frigate to the Americas." "He will carry our dispatches, and remain there... as second in command to Colonel Munro." "Do you think you'll find any difficulty in adapting yourself... to a new country, Major?" "The British army has always adapted a new country to England, Sire." "You may proceed, Mr. Pitt." "You have carte blanche." "Thanks, your majesty." "Your majesty, Pitt's as mad as a hatter." "Mad, is he?" "I wish he'd fight some of my other ministers." "Ah, you, direct me to Colonel Munro." "Well, you'll likely find him at the platoon's house, a dancing." "Oh, thank you." "Are you in the habit of addressing officers with a pipe in your mouth?" "No, sometimes I chew snuff." "We'll give you a lift, soldier." "Your presence, Miss Cora, changes this Dutch village into paradise." "Sir, you're so impetuous, you frighten the wits out of me." "This is the first time I have seen your daughter Cora so gay, so carefree, Colonel." "Yes, mind her." "The girl had a sad experience." "Young lad she was to marry, lost at sea in a naval engagement." "I thought this trip might help her to forget." "Pardon me, there is an officer to see the Colonel." "Duncan Heyward, why, what wind blows you to America?" "Good to see you, Sir." "So, you bedeviled Munro to grant you fellow, after all." "No, sir, important dispatches." "Oh, excellent last, I'm in need of a thrush with the French." "It's still as ditch water here." "I suppose you know what this says." "Yes, well, you're looking very well yourself, Sir." "Oh, alright, I see, go and find Alice." " Report back to me in half an hour." " Thank you, Sir." "Last time I saw her, she was in the garden, with a very attractive young captain." "Well, I arrived in the nick of time, didn't I?" "Looking for someone, Major Heyward?" "Alice!" "Jove, I've looked forward to this." "You haven't changed a bit, Duncan." "Can you blame me?" "You've no right to look so beautiful." "And gallant as ever." "You're just as cruel." "After I've braved the wide Atlantic to be by your side." "Yes, I suppose you do deserve a reward, don't you?" "Well, that's a very small kiss after such a long journey." "You know, I had hoped you might have changed your mind about me." "I haven't, Duncan, I'm sorry." "There's no chance that someday it might be different?" "It isn't fair to ask you to wait." "See, a British officer never gives in without a struggle." "Spoken like a true Britain, Sir." "And, Miss Munro, you may consider yourself in a permanent state of siege." "I shall welcome it." "Come on, let's find Cora, she'll be delighted to see you." "Oh, yes, how is your sister?" "Oh, ever so much happier here." "Gentlemen of the regiment, attention." "Your Colonel has orders." "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry, but all arbiters must report to their quarters at once, we march tomorrow." "How are you, Colonel?" "How are you, Winthrop?" "This is Major Heyward." "Mr. Winthrop, Sir." "How do you do, Major?" "Colonel, I think you're going to be a little shorthanded." "My men seem to think this is all your fight and none of theirs." "Winthrop, my orders are to advance my entire command to Fort William Henry." "Engage Montcalm until we reinforce General Webb." "What I didn't realize was that half my command were colonials, however, we march today with or without you." "Whether we go or not is for my men to decide." "Sound the assembly, we'll talk to them." "Yes, Sir." "Howdy, Hawkeye, haven't seen you in a dunes age." "Hi, Hank." "Hello, Zeke." "What brings you to town?" "I've been traveling up on the border." "What have you boys turned out for?" "British want us to march up to Fort William Henry with them." "Yeah?" "What's the matter, haven't you enough trouble here at home?" "Men, Colonel Munro has asked me to say a few words." "Having just arrived from England, I can assure you that his majesty," "King George, is eager for your support." "I feel sure that as loyal subjects to the crown, you'll be glad to render this valuable service to your king." "Just how far from the settlement will this campaign take us, Major?" "To the main outpost, Fort William Henry." "Why, that's a good two days march, maybe more." "It should be enough to remind you that France is our enemy." "Your enemy, not ours." "Yeah, we ain't fighting France, you are." "We ain't fighting no one, except Indians." "I ain't fighting them if I can help it." "Wait a minute, this isn't war, this is merely a skirmish." "Then you'd better get ready to skirmish because I've just come... from trapping on Lake George, and a Huron war party... is a canoeing down from the border." "That's all the more reason then for you colonials to join us." "You can do what you want with your own scalps, Major, but don't start telling us what to do with ours." "Hey, where are you going, Indian?" "Me Magua scout, come to see big white chief Munro." "You colonials, by helping us to defeat Montcalm, are helping yourselves to defeat the Hurons, who are allies of the French." "Yeah, and while these men are cooped up at Fort William Henry, let the Indians burn their homes, butcher their families." "I come from Ticonderoga, see Montcalm." "Montcalm?" "Why that means the French are..." "Men, I've just learned the French are advancing on Fort William Henry." "You know what that means, if they break through, they and the Indians... will loot and pillage every settlement this side of Lake George." "Are you going to let that happen or are you going to help us... stop them at Fort William Henry?" "Wait a minute, boys." "I believe the men will enlist, Sir, on one condition, if the Hurons break through, they can come back and protect their homes." "How about it, boys?" "Alright, agreed." "What do you say, men?" "What do you say, Hawkeye?" "I had my say." "Well, you've learned your first lesson about the colonial." "You play the game, so long as you don't try to make rules for them." "We're lucky to get out of that." "Yes, you need a bit of luck in this country, my boy." "Who was that man talking back to Duncan?" "Oh, a fellow the Indians called Hawkeye, he's a scout, a pretty good one..." "I understand, why?" "I thought we hang traitors." "Yeah, so did I." "Well, this is a country of forests, but I doubt it there would be enough trees... to go around if we started hanging people for speaking their minds." "Well, go on and pack." "When you keep one man waiting it's coquetry, but a thousand, treason." "Oh, Magua." "Take this to the quartermaster, and give this to Dubago." "Southern beggar that." "He's the best scout I have." "He's a Mohawk, I had to give him a taste of the cane once, but it made a man out of him." "Yes, he probably deserved it." "Magua, I wonder what that weasel is doing here." "Him scout for Yangeze, Mohawks take him in tribe, make him blood brother." "More, he was born a Huron." "I bet a rifle against a powder horn, he's still a Huron." "Come on, we'd better warn Munro." "It's the petticoats that make it so full." "Nothing like a woman's modesty to take up space." "Well?" "I want to talk to the Colonel, they told me he was here." "Colonel Munro is not here." "It's awful important, ma'am." "You doubt my word?" "No, of course not, only I want to..." "I'm sure the Colonel would not be interested in anything... that you might have to say." "He'd be an awful fool then, ma'am." "I came here to be of service to him." "You of service?" "If you want to be of service, why aren't you in uniform?" "Maybe I've got too much sense to wear a red coat in the woods." "Perhaps you'd be interested to know that the Colonel is my father." "I'm not, ma'am, not a bit." "You see, I wanted to..." "I said the Colonel is not here." "You're sure of that?" "I'm positive." " Here come two." " Yes." "You think it's safe, Sir?" "Oh, they're seasoned campaigners, my boy." "Magua know short trail." "No good for army, good for small party." "Splendid, you hear that, Heyward?" "If you don't mind, Sir, I'd like to accompany the young ladies." "Oh, that's one way to enjoy a walk." "Come along." "♪ Father and I went down to camp ♪" "♪ Along with Captain Gooding ♪" "♪ And there we saw the men and boys ♪" "♪ As thick as hasty pudding ♪" "♪ Yankee doodle, keep it up ♪" "♪ Yankee doodle dandy ♪" "♪ Mind the music and the step ♪" "♪ And with the girls be handy ♪" "♪ Father and I went down to camp ♪" "♪ Along with Captain Gooding ♪" "♪ And there we saw the men and boys ♪" "♪ As thick as hasty pudding ♪" "♪ Yankee doodle, keep it up ♪" "♪ Yankee doodle dandy ♪" "♪ Mind the music and the step ♪" "♪ And with the girls be handy ♪" "Short trail here." " Goodbye, dear." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Give my regards to the Commodore." "You'll be there hours before we are." "Take good care of them, Major." "We'll take care of him." "We are the veterans here." "This fellow may be a very excellent guide, but cook, no." "Careful Duncan, you might hurt his feelings." "I don't think he's got any feelings." "Never mind, Duncan, we'll be at the fort tomorrow." "Yes, we're wasting time." "Hey, you, get these things packed up." "What's that for?" "You take them trail, me follow." "Why?" "I forget put out fire." "Alright, go ahead." "These Indians are terrified of forest fires." "They can burn up the whole country as far as I'm concerned." "Get down, water our horses." "Don't be a fool, man, never water a mount when he's sweating." "White chief right, we wait." "That fellow's taking long enough watering those horses." "Duncan, do stop grousing." "Oh, it's all nonsense." "Hey, you, hurry up." "Duncan!" "My people." "Oh, and what do they want?" "Want pale faced squaws." "What?" "No, leave him alone!" "Magua great warrior, big white chief Munro whip Magua like dog." "And you deserved it!" "Now Magua wipe out scars." "Pale faced squaws live, you die." "Let me go!" "No, let me go!" "Alice!" "Alice!" "Cora, get me a musket, quick." "Don't shoot." "Can't you see they're different from the others?" "I don't trust any of them." "If your aim's as bad as your judgment, Major," "I don't imagine there's much danger of you hitting them." "What are you trying to do?" "Among other things, trying to keep you from being burned at the stake, if you aren't too green to burn." "You, tell them to stop that!" "Too late to put them back." "And scalps to the Indians, Major, are like your medals, they've got the same meanings, killing." "Well, we better get back to the main track and join the Colonel." "You'll never get through, you better come with me." "I'm quite capable of taking care of these ladies." "So I noticed." "What's that?" "Wolves?" "On two legs and headed this way." "Follow me." "Our horses, where are they?" "I had them killed." "Killed, you fool?" "What for?" "Indians can hear a horse for miles in the woods." "Come on, grab a musket." "Go on, follow the Mohicans." "Wait a minute, give me that lace piece." " What?" " This thing." "Huh!" "Horse trail this way." "Cora, come on." "Come on, keep moving." "Rest now." "I hate running away like this," "I'll wager that fellow has exaggerated the danger." "Why should he?" "He hasn't impressed me as a man given to exaggeration." "Maybe Huron canoes in cove." "Yeah, maybe." "Chief daughter rest, Uncas watch." "I think I shall." "Magua, Magua." "No, Hawkeye make false trail." "I wonder if he can be trusted." "What makes you think he can't?" "I don't know, he's little more than a white savage himself." "Oh, Duncan, don't be such a bear." "Okay, Chingachgook." "Come on, into the canoes." "Wait a minute, where do you think you're taking her?" "Major, I'm not asking you to trust me, I'm taking the ladies, but if you'd rather wait for the Hurons, that's your affair." "Hear that, come on!" "Mohicans." "Take the left fork, to Bear Cave." "I'll lead them off." "Hawkeye, look!" "Keep on paddling, we'll turn to shore around at the next bend." "That was a bit close." "We're not out of it yet." "There is a cabin ahead where we can get shelter until sundown." "What happened?" "Got their haircut by Huron barbers." "How can you speak so unfeelingly?" "I'm feeling, Miss Munro." "I knew these folks and blazed the trail that brought them here." "This is how my parents died, a fire and scalping knife." "How terrible." "And this won't be all, with the men at Fort William Henry, no settlement will be safe." "Will you accept my apology for what I said when I first met you?" "That's alright, you didn't know any better." "I do now." "We'd better get back to the canoe." "We start now, when are we going on?" "Just as soon as I finish patching the canoe." "Now I keep thinking there's an Indian behind every tree." "And my scalp feels very uncertain." "You don't scare easy, do you?" "I'm with you and you seem to know your way around the woods." "I ought to, the Mohicans raised me after the massacre." "Never saw another settlement until I was ten." "And this has been your life, this forest?" "Yes." "Aren't you ever lonely?" "Lonely?" "Yes, I mean curious about the rest of the world, London for instance." "A man could spend a lifetime exploring this country... and never walk the same trail twice." "Men have only touched it." "Why, out beyond the Ohio is a land where no white man's ever been." "Every time I open up a new trail, I like to think that others will follow." "Maybe someday build a big city at its end." "I wonder if you can understand what it means to be first." "I think I can." "Something frightened that deer." "Or maybe we did." "No, we are down wind." "We'd better get out of here." "Fool, separating our parties like this." "Two party alive, good." "One party dead, no good." "What on earth are you doing?" "Listen to beaver, downstream." "Indian sentry, when canoe come, beaver flap tail." "Hawkeye bring sister soon." "Oh, I do hope so." "Hawkeye find way." "Like Indian, Hawkeye same as Uncas brother." "And the other one, is he your father?" "Chingachgook Sagamore, great chief of Mohican." "And you?" "Uncas, little chief." "This mean Mohican chief." "Mohican, are you taking us to your people?" "All my people gone, killed in Huron war." "Once many warrior in tribe." "For many summer this our hunting ground." "Now only Chingachgook and Uncas left." "You're all alone, so am I." "My warrior died at sea." "A chief?" "In your way of speaking, yes." "Then your son would be... a chief." "Makes a nice dream sometimes." "Here, you eat." "Mohican chief no wait on squaw." "Someone come." "Thank heavens you're safe." "Alice, we were so worried." " Cora, you weren't afraid?" " No, not at all." "We were perfectly safe." "Duncan, I think you owe this scout an apology." "Well, I apologize for mistrusting him but I shan't forget his insolence." "There's lots of time to settle our differences, Major." "In the meantime, we got to think of the ladies." "Agreed." "I suggest we get some sleep now, we leave at sunrise." "We leave now or we'll never see the sunrise, come on." " Any sign of the Heyward party yet?" " Not yet, Sir." "I wouldn't worry about that, Sir, one of the horses may have gone lame." "Look, there's a flicker in the woods." "Those are picket fires." " It's the French, sound the alarm!" " Yes, Sir." "Montcalm got us surrounded." "Call our allies, they'll never get through." "I hope your effort is to last, Captain." "Our British friends are not too hospitable." "We may be knocking at their door for months." "Wait, we brought you here to shoot redcoats, not floating logs." "Log float against wind." "My darlings, you're safe at last." "You're safe, come." "Oh, my poor dears, just look at you." "Take them to the quarters, get them dry clothes." "I'm alright." "I'm very grateful, I'll never forget this." "Well don't thank me, Sir, the credit belongs to this scout." "I hadn't suspected you as an ally." "I'm not, my only reason for helping the Major was because of the ladies." "Anyway accept my thanks." "Will you come to the Colonel's quarters later?" "I'd like to thank you also." "I'll tend to that, my dear." "I'll reward him personally." "Major, any reward I got coming from you I can do without." "Alice, need you be so familiar with that fellow?" "Duncan, you're talking like a fool." "On active service, discipline is an important thing." "I was only thanking him for saving our lives." "Well, need you be so effusive about it?" "After all you're the Colonel's daughter, you know?" "When you say things like that, Duncan," "I like to think that it's the army talking, not the man." "How many Yankees in the fort, Magua?" "Two thousand." "And their wagons?" "Fifteen wagons." "They'll be short of provisions soon." "We start pounding tonight, Monsieur." "Tonight, Sir." "We leave as soon as the moon sets." "I wonder if we'll ever meet again." "Some trail cross many times, some trails cross only once." "I shan't forget you, Uncas." "As many dawn are mine, so many shall I pray to the great spirits... and for the one with the moon in her hair." "Pale faced squaw no good Mohican." "Fair hair make heart of Uncas weak like water." "Can't blame him, Sagamore." "Hawkeye's heart weak like water." "You were going to leave without coming to see me." "I'm not much of a hand at saying goodbye." "But you'll never get through." "Sagamore and I will have to take our chances." "Tell me, why are you going?" "Well, I haven't changed my mind." "The colonials made a mistake when they came here, there's not much reason for me to stay." "Seems you have a healthy contempt for everything British, haven't you?" "I haven't noticed the British busting into cheers whenever they see me." "That's because they don't know you as I do." "Chances are you'll be court-martialed if they catch you talking to me." "I came to ask you to stay." "You know I don't belong here." "There's a fence between your world and mine." " And you have a trail to follow." " Hum..." "You know, it's a very sad trail that leads back to no one." "There's an old Indian saying:" "A trap awaits the otter who follows the same trail twice." "You know, it just doesn't make sense you and me being friends." "I don't care whether it makes sense or not, I'm asking you to forget logic... and reason, won't you please stay?" "Looks like Montcalm means business." "Yes, we're surrounded and badly outnumbered." "We need every rifle." "Sounds like the French have changed my mind." "For the colonies, shoot straight to two." "Put your faith in heaven and keep your powder dry." "Aim those guns to the right and fire rapidly." "It's a war, don't fall back!" "Double duty like this calls for full rations, not hard tack and water." "Courage, my boy, let us praise the lord... that he may bring safety to us as to the Israelite, his manor in this wilderness." "Even if it is made of plaster." "Attention!" "At ease." "No sign of reinforcements yet?" " None, Sir." " I can't understand it." "We are only 15 miles away." "Webb's had over 10 days to get here." "It's possible that his reinforcements from England haven't arrived yet." "The war office assured me they'd be sent at once." "War office!" "They don't know this wilderness." "I could lose an army between here and New York." "Poor devils." "Soldiers curse to suffer in silence." "Soldiers privilege, Sir, pity we don't have more men to fight." "Or less to die." "I'm sure the French couldn't have intercepted all our runners." "And what else?" "I've had no reply from General Webb." "At least I'm glad they carry verbal messages and not written ones." "Perhaps one did get through, Sir, but the message might not have seemed... as urgent to General Webb as a written dispatch." "Yes, he's right there, Sir." "You certainly wouldn't ignore a message in your own hand." "If he got it." "Well an Indian might get through, Sir." "Yes, you can try again." "Alright, let one start at dark." "Yes, Sir." "All clear, Heyward?" "All clear to the outer defenses, Sir." "Pity we couldn't hold them, we could have covered the land better." "Guard these dispatches with your life, we're depending on you." "Good luck, lad." "Get him up there, cover him." "Uncas, watch shore of lake, many Huron canoes in reeds." "Alright, Heyward." "Get in there." "Hawkeye, keep it coming." "Alright, go ahead." "Give me your rifle, hold this." "Is he badly hurt?" "No, no." "Good lad, take him to the fixing station." "Easy, lads." "Careful now." "He's my friend." "I..." "I'm grateful." "You can save your thanks." "I couldn't let this dispatch fall into enemy hands." " Is he alright?" " Right as rain." "Tomahawk wound." "Knocked him unconscious but did no permanent damage." "We'll have him around in no time." "You did your best, Uncas." "Chiefs mark my people." "Do marks speak?" "It says, "semper valor." Lt means always brave, like you." "Your warrior." "My warrior who died in the sea, far away." "How is he?" "Fair, has squaw fever." "Ottawa arrow." "Go through Uncas bullet pouch." "Ottawa like Huron, no good." "Run, kill pale face." "Slow death." "How many in their tribe?" "Many, like leaves in forest." "I think we ought to take a look at their camp." "We can get to them, through the swamp." "Alright, brothers, the Ottawa go to English village, take scalp." "Not all Hurons go to village, some stay here." "If French take Munro's fort, you take plenty English scalp." "Hey!" "Hey, hey!" "We saw them, heard them." "Magua stirred them into a frenzy." "If they and the Ottawa's raid the settlements, it'll be the bloodiest massacre the frontier's ever known." "And the blood, Colonel, will not be entirely on their hands." "But, my good man, I tell you, Montcalm's in command." "And I assure you he's a soldier, a gentleman, not a butcher." "And I assure you that he can't stop them." "We can handle the situation when General Webb arrives." "He never will arrive and anyway Montcalm outnumbers you and Webb combined." "You're short of food, supplies, munitions." "We'll defend our colors till the end, Sir." "And the end will be the massacre of women and children... left unprotected because of your stubborn pride." "You forget yourself, Sir." "Perhaps I do, but I didn't forget your promise, that the colonials would be released if the settlements were menaced." "My promise still holds good, but I must have more definite proof... than your word." "His word was good on this frontier long before you came here, Colonel." "There's no use continuing the argument, the situation demands a colonial stay." "If this is an example of British colonial policy, we'd do better to make our own peace with the French." "That's sedition, Sir!" "Well, whatever it is, it's the truth." "I'm under an obligation to you so I won't have you whipped... from the fort as you deserve, but get out of here." "Major, I think someday you and I are going to have a serious disagreement." "Quite probably." " Alright, boys?" " Alright, Captain." "Alright, Hawkeye, I'm ready to go." "Good, strike for the east side of the swamp... until you cleared the French picket lines." "The Hurons are holding a powwow so you don't have to worry about them." "Alright, boys, no noise, keep close to the man ahead of you." "Yeah, we should have skinned out of here long ago." "You fellows going?" "We ain't got no families, Captain." "Figured we'd stay here and give the redcoats a hand." "I too." "When you have no ammunition, you need prayer." "We'll keep an eye on the redcoat sentries." "So you aren't coming?" " No." " Wait, but..." "Don't talk, hurry, you got to clear the French outpost by dawn." "Good luck, Captain." "Well, what is it?" "Captain!" "Stop them!" "Sound the alarm!" "You men, get out to the colonial camp and see what's the matter." "Put these men in irons." "Sentries, get back to your post." "I want to see the prisoners, I'll only be a moment." "Certainly, Miss Munro." "Hawkeye." "Sorry, I can't ask you in." "Hawkeye, why did you do it?" "You saw the settlers' cabin after an Indian raid." "Oh, but this is different." "Why, it's mutiny, it's desertion." "Maybe it is, but what they're doing is murder." "I don't know the wrong or the right of it, all I know is that they hang traitors." "And they'll hang you." "Knowing redcoats, I bet they don't tie the knot right." "You should've gone when you had the chance." "Why did you stay?" "If the fort falls, we may have trouble with the Indians." "I thought your duty was with the settlements." "I guess now my only duty is here." "It was on my account that you stayed." "It can't make any difference, if you know it now." "Perhaps there's a chance I can make them understand." "Can't you see what he did was heroic?" "He knew the consequences and stayed to face them." "You're not hanging a man for mutiny, you're hanging a man for doing... what he felt was his duty." "Oh, father, can't you see how unjust it is?" "I'm sorry, Alice." "Duncan, can't something be done?" "No, he knew the regulations and knew the penalties for breaking them." "I can't understand a man sending a woman to plead for him." "He didn't send me, you know he wouldn't ask you for anything." "He hates you and so do I for saying such a thing." "I apologize, but why are you here?" "You know the army, its regulations." "I'm here because I love him." "Yes, I thought that was it." "Alice, you know I'd do anything I could to keep you from being hurt, even to saving this traitor, but the man's beyond pardon, it's the army, it's justice." "Justice." "Justice, you've got your idea of justice and the sooner the French guns... blow the English army out of America, the better it will be for the colonists." "Alice!" "You don't know what you're saying." "Oh, yes I do." "For once in my life I'm speaking from my heart, not out of an army book of regulations." "And if it's sedition, well, I'm proud of it." "Have you any idea where we are?" "About five miles from the fort, Sir." "We better hurry or we won't reach the French outpost before daylight." "You've done well, Magua." "Order a parley, Chevalier." "I'm sorry, Father, but Alice wants to be alone." "It's incredible, losing her head over this man." "I'm recommending clemency for the Indians, but the scout knew what he was doing." "Montcalm is asking for parley, Sir." "Parley?" "Well we needn't grant it, Sir." "I don't know." "Lt will give the men a rest." "Until Webb arrives, every hour counts." "Alright, if the Frenchman wants to talk, we'll oblige him." " Send out a guard of honor." " Yes, Sir." "Company, halt!" "Right face!" "Step side!" "Present arms!" "Colonel Munro, I have known you as a gallant antagonist." "I am happy to make your acquaintance as a friend." "And I to make yours, Mr. De Marquis." "I have long realized that even outnumbered as you are, it would be merely a waste of breath to invite your surrender." "You are correct in that assumption, Monsieur." "As a soldier, I know that one of your courage... does not surrender until his cause is proven hopeless." "Monsieur de Marquis, I am a soldier, not a diplomat." "You have called this parley for a better reason than an exchange of compliments." "What is it?" "My scouts intercepted a dispatch intended for you." "A dispatch, Monsieur?" "Read it." "Colonel Munro, Fort William Henry, no reinforcements available, transports delayed by storms at sea, if you cannot retreat, advise immediate surrender of Fort William Henry." "Signed, Webb." "This may be a trick, Sir." "No, it's Webb's signature." "You have no alternative, Colonel." "Your own general advises surrender." "I know the temper of our men, Sir." "I'm sure that rather than spend the rest of the war in a French prison, they'll fight till the end." "You've heard your answer, Monsieur de Marquis." "Good evening." "No, Colonel, I beg you not to sign the death warrant of so many brave men." "Listen to my terms." "Which are?" "The fort must be destroyed." "Your men must lay down their arms and return to England." "Further than that, ask what you will." "The honors of war?" "They are granted." "My colors." "Take them to England." "Carry them to your king." "I accept your terms, the fort is yours." "So ends a career boy." "You did all you could, Sir." "Four o'clock, it'll be daylight soon." "Transports ready?" "Yes, Sir." "The men will be ready to march in half an hour." "Have the girls been called yet?" "They're dressing now, Sir." "Should I have the assembly started?" "France say peace." "They say bury our hatchets." "Plenty Huron warrior dead." "Our hatchets should be red with the blood of our enemies, but they are bright." "We have no scalp, we are without honor." "There are plenty English scalps." "We'll get them!" "Close the door!" "General, the Indians have broken into the fort, they are massacring the garrison." "No!" "Reinforce the guards, Chevalier, summon the fifth regiment." "Alice, Cora, let me in!" "Hey, you!" "Oh, no, let me go!" "Stop, I command you!" "Stop!" "Colonel Munro." "The girls..." "Hey, you!" "Oh, no!" "No, no, no!" "Let me go!" "Ah!" "The young ladies, Magua took them." " Magua." " They'll head North to their own country." "Yes, yes, go." "Save them!" "Colonel Munro, I've come to beg your forgiveness." "Forgiveness?" "For a victory, General?" "I'd rather have defeat than a victory such as this." "As a soldier I've known both, but this is the first time..." "I've ever known disgrace." "The disgrace was not yours, General." "No one could stay the savagery of the Hurons." "I'm proud." "My last battle was lost to you, General." "There is no stigma to being vanquished by such an adversary." "I'm more grateful for those words than I shall be... for his majesty's decorations." "We've looked everywhere for your daughters, Sir." "We could find no trace of them." "But we shall continue to search, Colonel." "Every British officer shall be given his parole to look for them." "It is my turn to be grateful, General." "My men recovered your sword from the Hurons." "I beg to return it to you." "Thank you, General." "I shan't need it... again." "What you stalking, robin red breast, worms?" "Well, now that you've tracked me down I wish you'd get on with the shooting... and spare me your wit such as it is." "Tracked you down?" "Shoot you?" "No, Major, when I go hunting it's after mountain goat, not sheep." "I guess we're on the same mission." "I'm looking for the young ladies." "Well you're headed in the wrong direction, you better come along with us." "Yangeze warrior like white squaw in forest, no good." "It's his right to come." "I'll join you but I want you to understand that I still consider you... a mutineer, and if ever we are under British jurisdiction again..." "I shall enjoy pressing charges against you." "We understand each other, Major." "They took to the stream to keep us from knowing... whether they went up or down." "Uncas, try upstream with the Major, we'll go down." "We've gone over a mile, they must have gone the other way." "Look." "Stone turn." "It's Cora's ring, good girl." "Let's go and get the others." "No, wait." "No time, leave mark for them." "Magua bring squaw to council house." "Let Magua tell council what he wishes." "This one Magua take for squaw." "Take your hands off her." "What of this one?" "This one like warrior, she die in fire." "We'll die together." "This my squaw." "My son, she is unwilling." "I took these women, it is for me to say." "Malato has given us a law." "It is for law to say." "What kind of a law could you have?" "White squaw, listen." "Our fathers planted corn, hunted deer in these forests, many moons before white man's war canoe crossed great salt water." "Our law is good, it is squaw's right to choose between Magua and fire." "Magua wait till sunrise for answer." "Bring them my house." "Day come soon, must be quick." "You watch." "Squaws wait see you in fire." "Come." "Cora, they are offering you your life." "How can you even suggest such a thing, Alice?" " I want to talk to you." " Why you come out?" "Quick, come." "No, no don't go in there, please let her rest, will you?" "Hawkeye!" "Uncas got away with Cora, big war party after them." " Which way?" " Follow me." "Mohican!" "Go on Uncas, save yourself." "No, Uncas never leave you." "Mohican dog dead, now you Magua's squaw." "No, Hawkeye, I go." "Stay here." "You can't let him go alone." "They must settle it by their own tribal laws." "We can't interfere." "Magua, come down!" "Uncas." "Father in heaven, we ask you to receive them in your mercy and wisdom." "This girl who's died on an alien shore, and this boy who's perished to save her." "Amen." "Great spirit, a warrior goes to you swift, straight and unseeing like arrow shot into sun." "Let him sit at council fire of my tribe, for he is Uncas, my son." "My fire his ashes, your fire is bright." "Now all my tribe is there but one." "I, Chingachgook, last of Mohicans." "Go to the trail, Sagamore, and keep watch." "Uncas should have waited for us." "I'll never forgive myself for letting him go after Cora alone." "We still got Alice to think about." "I'll bet it's hopeless, they've got her under heavy guard." "We still have one chance." "What's that?" "The Hurons have a prisoner they prize more highly than Alice." "Alright, I'll go." "They wouldn't take you." "Why not?" "British officer." "They've had them by the bushel." "There's only one Hawkeye I suppose." "Well, they've waited a long time for a chance to burn me." "And supposing they took you and wouldn't release her." "They wouldn't do that, even they have a code of honor." "They'd shoot you on sight, you wouldn't get a chance to explain." "The wampum is the red man's flag of truce." "They'll respect it." "You know these Hurons well?" "Never spoken to any, except Magua." "We weren't exactly on speaking terms." "Do any of them know you?" "Only at shooting range." "So the British army is going to be cheated at the pleasure of hanging you." "I'm afraid they will." "Sorry, Yankee, had to be done." "You know me?" "Yangeze enemy." "I'm Hawkeye, tribe brother of the Mohicans." "My rifle has slain many of your warriors." "Hawkeye does not follow Huron trail without long gun." "The long gun brings death, I come to ask for life." "You speak with twisted tongue." "You have a pale faced woman prisoner here, what are you going to do with her?" "She die in fire." "Huron chief, it is no honor if a woman dies in your fire, but there is honor if a warrior dies so." "A warrior as great as Hawkeye." "Will Hawkeye go to stake if Huron set squaw free?" "I will." "But you must promise that when I'm dead... you'll guide her to a place of safety." "Hawkeye great warrior, his words are good." "Huron promise." "Duncan!" "I'm afraid you're a little mixed, I'm Hawkeye." "Now that's very interesting, Major." "Well, maybe I'm the Major." "Hey!" "Who are you?" "Hawkeye." "The man's lying, he's a crazy Englishman, got knocked on the head." "This one come to village, say him Hawkeye, want to go to fire for you." "Now this one come, one die, one live." "Squaw know." "What does it matter?" "I'm the prisoner, send them both away." "Hawkeye make bargain with Hurons, him die in fire." "Squaw tell truth." "I can't answer." "You don't need further proof than my clothes." "Many Yangeze wear cap of skin, robe of deer." "Hurons never see face of Hawkeye, but know Hawkeye long gun." " Bring rifle." " No, no!" "Wait a moment." " Take squaw away!" " No!" "Hm, fair weapons." "Major, let's see how the British army shoots." "There's your target." "You think you can hit that by firelight?" "We're not playing pitch penny, my dear." "This is a shooting match." "Hawkeye hit it." "Major, I bet that's the best shot you ever made in all your life." "Try and beat it." "Another jug." "No, jugs are scarce, that'll do." "You Hawkeye." "You creep into our village, take squaw." "Start, when sun come over hills my warriors go look for you." "I ignored your hand once, Yankee, can I shake it now?" "Bring squaw!" "Hawkeye." "Promise me something, you have till sunrise till they start after you." "Sagamore is watching, he'll find you and take you to safety." "My orders are he's not to come back for me." "My orders, Major, understand?" "I have your word?" "Yes." "Hawkeye brave warrior." "When sunrise my guns test his strength, find out how great." "What is it?" "Yangeze!" " What men are you?" " General Abercrombie's column." "Where's your leader?" "Captain Winthrop, Captain Winthrop!" "Yes, what?" " Miss Munro!" " Oh, Captain Winthrop, hurry!" "General Abercrombie, Colonel Munro's daughter is dead." "Hawkeye's been captured by the Indians." "Chingachgook, lead the way!" "Guards, bring in the prisoner." "You're charged with striking a superior officer." "You're cited to wholesale desertion and high treason to the crown." "A formidable list of charges, Sir." "Major Heyward, you prefer the charges, give me the details." "The charges, Sir, are correct." "Each of them is a capital offense." "Explain the charge of desertion, Major Heyward." "He did incite the men to leave the fort, however," "I might point out that if he hadn't done so, those colonials would never have met your command... to save them from an Ottawa ambush." "And you yourself mightn't be here in Albany to pass judgment on him." "May I ask, Sir, do you stand before this court... as his accuser or in his defense?" "Neither, Sir." "I'm merely telling you the whole truth." "Thank you." "Now regarding his seditious utterances." "Well, Sir, I don't remember the actual words... but it was the heat of the moment that made them seditious... and not the thought behind them." "He was concerned with the lives of the unprotected women... and children of the settlement." "I'm sure you'll agree that these are sentiments in accord... with our British ideals." "And British action." "Since you're so familiar with the case, Major, I welcome a recommendation." "Well, Sir, personally knowing the value of this man as a scout, and realizing our lack of them," "I would recommend that he be enlisted in the British army." "What do you say to that, Sir?" "Well, I guess after all, we're fighting for the same thing." "I'll join you, General." "Thank you, charges dismissed." "Court martial adjourned." "Thank you." "Oh, I've always promised him a taste of British justice." "Well, we march to Canada." "Goodbye, Alice." "Goodbye, Duncan." "You've got to fall in." "I always thought it was beautiful until now." "Well, this goodbye has been a little delayed." "Does it have to be goodbye?" "Aren't you going back to England?" "I have nothing to go back for now." "I want to stay here in America." "But this is no country for a girl like you, Alice." "We've got a job on our hands." "You know it takes more than rifles to make a new civilization, it takes spinning wheels too." "That's a woman's way of being first." "And attention!" "When you come back, I'll be waiting for you here in Albany." "March!"