In the first boat, a large one for those waters, containing six paddles, sat no less a person than the great Ojibway chief himself, bare as usual to the waist and painted in many a hideous design.

Gigantic in reality, the gray night and the lurid light of the fires made him look larger, accentuating every wicked feature.
He seemed to Robert to be, in both spirit and body, the prince of darkness himself.
Just behind Tandakora sat two white men whom the three recognized as Auguste de Courcelles and Francois de Jumonville, the French officers with whom they had been compelled to reckon on other fields of battle and intrigue.

There was no longer any doubt that the French were present in this great encircling movement, and Robert was stronger than ever in his belief that St.Luc had the supreme command.
"I could reach Tandakora from here with a bullet," whispered Willet, "and almost I am tempted to do it." "But the Great Bear will not yield to his temptation," Tayoga whispered back.

"There are two reasons.

He knows that he could slay Tandakora, but it would mean the death of us all, and the price is too great.