A/N: Diary entry kept by Duncan Heyward throughout The Last of the Mohicans. Written as a school project (got an A!) Enjoy.
Entry 1
I have been given an assignment of the utmost importance. It is my task to successfully convey the Munro sisters, the ladies Cora and Alice, to their father's station Fort William Henry. I am honored that Colonel Munro has trusted me with his only children and can only hope I live up to his expectations and keep his daughters safe in the wilderness. I have met the ladies in question, and have concerns about how they shall fare on this journey. They are ladies of the highest caliber, unsuited to the harshness of the wild North. Their delicacy is undeniable. I would not risk the fragile health of such delicate creatures in the hostile environment of the wild. But, it would do their heart well to see their respected father. They are eager to rejoin him and have only the greatest love for their father. I only worry for the delicate institution of their health. Our guide, the Indian Magua, seems to be a trustworthy sort, but with his kind, you can never be certain.
Entry 2
I have let down my superiors in a most shameful way. I trusted the Indian Magua when I should have remained suspicious. My lack of foresight has led to the shocking capture of two refined ladies of character by the savage Hurons. It is something such noble ladies should never endure. The untamed ways of the wild redskins must shock the poor girls to the depths of their souls. I could not comprehend being of such a delicate disposition and enduring the same hardships at the hands of those wild men. My blood boils at the thought of those heathens causing such distress in so beautiful and noble creatures as the Munro sisters. They should pay for their indiscretions ten-fold and repent their sins against such tender maidens. But, I digress. One must be thankful for the safe delivery of the ladies to their father by the scout Hawkeye and his Mohican companions, Chingachgook and Uncas. For all their roughness, I am indebted to them for their rescue.
Entry 3
The younger Munro sister, Alice, has enraptured me with her maidenly charm. Her feminine talents in the realm of music and singing, combined with her jovial disposition would make her an ideal wife. Her fair beauty is most lovely. Her love of family would make her a most capable mother and caregiver. Her resiliency in dealing with the recent indiscretions as inflicted upon her by her savage captors is most admirable; although, no lady with such a refined, gentle upbringing should have been subjected to such undue stress and crudeness. Her poise and grace after this traumatic event are also commendable. Recent events have made me aware to her suitability as a wife and mother. I plan on approaching her esteemed father soon in regards to her hand. As expected, I am most anxious as to her father's answer. The lady should be amendable to such a union and I pray she shall have no objections. Surely her father will recognize my appropriateness as a suitor and the lady will follow his advice on the matter. I will ask Colonel Munro for Alice's hand tomorrow.
Entry 4
The shameless massacre of so many innocents, women and children, who had done no wrong, is evidence of a soul whose depths of cruelty no true gentleman could fathom. That such a horrendous crime was committed in front of my beloved must have caused great distress to her fragile being. Savage heathens capable of mass murder could be committing any number of unspeakable tortures upon the gentle Munro sisters. I pray to God to comfort Alice through the trials before her. I am even more thankful for the scout and his red companions and their invaluable assistance in the search for the missing Alice and Cora. I worry for their fragile mental state after witnessing such a violent massacre, so soon after being subjected to the harsh wild and their reintroduction to life spent as a captive of the vile natives. The wilderness combined with the cruelty of their captors must be a shock to their gentle natures. I only hope we can recover the sisters soon. Finding Alice would becalm my nerves and I would do my best to comfort her fragile spirit after so horrendous an ordeal. Hawkeye, Uncas and Chingachgook have been invaluable in the tracking of the sisters. I only pray we find them before they are witness to further things no gentle maiden should ever have to bear.
Entry 5
The events of the last weeks have been at times horrendous and joyful. I was reunited with the lovely Alice and her sister Cora in the very camp of their captors, only to have Cora torn away by that devil redskin, Magua. Alice was clearly distraught and utterly dependent upon her elder sibling, and Cora's abrupt departure further weakened poor Alice. I lie forever in the debt of the Delawares, who spilled their own blood to protect the Munro sisters. Although Cora has been murdered, relief comes in the knowledge she is free from the vile Magua and in a better place with our heavenly father. We shall all mourn her death. Alice remains in mourning and hopefully she will eventually return to good spirits. The death of her beloved sister has wrought a serious blow to her delicate nerves; I shall endeavor to help her find solace.