The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-06-30


rite and Louis flew along the narrow foot
path, reached the shore and were in the
arms of - NIccumch and his fierce
companions. Entreaties and resistance were
alike vain. Resistance was made, with
manly spirit, by Young Louis, who drew
knife from the girlle Of one of the Indians,
and attempting to plunge it in the bosom Of
Mecumeh, who was roughly binding his
wampum belt over Marguerite's mouth, to
deaden the sound of her screams. The nn-
Gle wrested the knife from him, and smiled
proudly on him as if he recognized in the
brave boy, a scion of his own stock.
The Indians had two canoes; Marguerite
was conveyed to one, Louis to the Other
and both canoes were rowed into the OsWe-
gatchie, and up the stream as fast as 1t was
possible to impel them against the current
of the river
Nota word nor cry escaped the boy: he
seemed intent on some purpose, and when
the canoe approached near the shore, he
took off military cap he wore, and threw
it so skilfuly that it lodged, where he meant
It should on the branch of a tree which
projected over the water. There was a
long white feather in the cap. The Indians
had observed the boys movement, and seem
cd to consult whether they should return ana
remove the cap; but after a moment, they
again dashed their oars in the water and
proceeded forward. They continued row
ing for few miles, and then landed; hid
their canoe behind some trees on the rivers
bank and plunged into the woods with their
prisoners. 1t seems To have been their m
tention to have returned to their Canoes IN
the morning, and they had not proceeded
far from the shore, when they kindled q hre
md prepared some food and oferela share
r n,,5 puir Poor NJ
guerite as you may suppose, had no mind
20 eat. but Louis, saith tradition, ate as
heartily as If lie had been within the walls
of the fort. After the supper, the Indians
stretched themselves before the fire, but not
till they had taken tho precaution to bind
Marguerite to n tree, and to compell4ouis
70 lie down in the arms ofhis uncle Mccumeh
Neither os the prisoners, as you may ina
cine closed their eyes. Louis kept his f'Xcd
on his mother. Sac sat upright beside an
cal; tree; the cord was fastened around her
waist, and around the tree, which had been
blasted by lightning; the moon poured its
beams through the naked branches upon her
face convulsed with the agony Of despair ana
fear. With one hand she held crucltlX
to her lips the other was OH her rosary Inc
sight of his mother in such situation, STIR
red up daring thoughts in the bosom Of the
heroic bov-but he lay powcrless IN his IN
c,e's naked brawny arms. He tried TO dis
engage himself, but at the slightest move
nent, Mechumch, though still sleeping
seemed conscious and strained linn closer tC
him. At last the strong sleep, that IN The
night sleeps the senses in utter folSettui-
ness, ovcrpowerea him--his arms rclaxed
their hold and dropped beside him and lef
Louis free.
He rose cautiously, looked for one instant
on the Indians and assured himself they al
scpt profoundly. He then possessed him
self Of Mecumeh's knife, which lay at hi
feet and severed the cord that bound hi
mother to the tree. Neither Of them SPOKE
word--but with the least possible SCUM,
they resumed the way by which they hat
come from the shore; Louis in the conf
dence, and Marguerite with the faint hop
of reaching it before they were oycrtakcn.
You may imagine how often tine poo
neither, timid as a fawn, was startled b. th
evening breeze stirring the leaves, but tn
boy bounded forward as if there was neithc
fear nor danger in the world,
They had nearly attained tile margin {
the river where Louis meant to launch on
Of the canoes and drop down the curren
when tho Indian yell resoundcd through tn
woods struck on their ears. They wcr
missed pursued, and escape was impossible
Mq.guerite panc-struck, sunk to the grount
Nothing could check the career of l.oni
"On--on, mother" he cried, 'to the shore
to the shore'' She rose and instinctivel
followed her boy. The sound Of pu~su
came nearer and nearer. They reacht
the shore, and there behed three canoe
coming swiftly up the river, animated wit
hope, Louis screamed the watch word
the garrison, and was answered BY his {;
theirs voice.
The possibility Of escape, and the ccrta
approach Of her husband, infused new u
into Marguerite. "Your father cannot y
u.s." she said, "as we stand here in the siiut
of the trees; hide yourself i'll that thel1e
will plunge into the water" Louis trouCl
Ell under the bushes, and was comP.et2
hidden By an overhangna grapc-Vinc, win
his mother advanced 4 few steps iAta t.
water and stood erect. where She could
distinctly seen. A shout from the cano
apprsed her that she was recognised, III
at the same moment, the Indians who II
now reached the shore, rent the air wi
their cries a rage and defiance. They sto
for a moment, as if tleliberatlng what ne
to do; Mecumeh maintained an undannt
and resolved air--bnt with his followers t
aspect of armed men, and force thsi
their number, had its usual effect. Th
fed. He looked after them, cried, sham
and then with n desperate yell, leapcd IL
the water and stood beside Marguerite. L
c,noes were now within lew vauS-i