Penny Dreadfuls, 1916 · page 33 of 400
Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose from a penny dreadful titled "Unaka" (page 17). The text describes a Cherokee boy named Unaka possessing seemingly supernatural abilities to communicate with animals. Tom, a white boy, witnesses Unaka use a leaf-whistle to summon various birds—a great horned owl, waxwings, bluebirds, a nighthawk, and a logcock—which gather around the Indian in an apparently magical display. The narrator emphasizes the extraordinary nature of what Tom observes, asserting "That he actually saw what is here set down, I aver."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
UNAKA 17 It was the Cherokee boy. Greasy and smoky as an Es- kimo, Unaka was handsomer than many a prince and haughty as any. His movements were as stealthy and full of purpose as the creep of the sap in a tree. And he could see through the pores of his skin, or how else could he be aware of things that never came within the scope of Saxon senses? [hat’s the question! For the rest, the rents in his deerskin shirt and breeches were tied up with leather thongs, but his moccasins and belt were handsome; his hunting-knife had belonged to Going Snake and befitted a chief’s son. [Tom wrung the red hand. ‘Came out here to knock over an old owl, — tootin’ round the house like the Devil’s own fox-horn. Oh, I say, redskin, was it your” Unaka nodded. ‘How you do fool a fellow!”’ And then, there it was again, “Hoot, hoot, hoot !’’ — and yonder the hen-hunter, alighting on one of thechimneys. “Oh, ho! you fooled him too. You called him up, Unaka. Now watch!”’ But Unaka shook his head. Tom lowered his rifle. ‘he Cherokee twisted a leaf into a sort of whistle. [he sound produced was rather feeble, a mournful, monotonous note. It made the white boy’s jaws ache, and his eyes fill. Just as he discovered this queer fact, some- thing shot by him on windy wings. Lo! the great horned owl was whirring about the Cherokee. He circled clumsily, clutched at the Indian’s shoulder, and there folded his wings. 5o he sat! every feather on end with excitement. And now Tom saw a sight he never forgot. That he actually saw what is here set down, I aver. [he savage breathed into the leaf; the tuneless, poignant notes went on. Came a rushing noise,,and through that strange dew in his eyes, Tom saw dozens of beautiful waxwings burst from a cedar tree, to swarm about the conjurer. Now, with liquid, heart-breaking notes, came bluebirds from the eaves. A nighthawk, whining like the lost soul of a hypocrite, made abrupt, sword-thrust flights, through the moonlight. A coal-black logcock dropped out of his bunk in a dead pine, with one prolonged, barbaric cry, to alight on the Indian’s outstretched arm. Out of the privet hedge CORNICMOOO eS (CO) m