Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-08-04


upon my lips. The air was SO hot and parching,
that our horses coats, which short time previ
ousy had been dripping with sweat, were now
perfectly dry, and the hair plnstered upon them
the animals tongues hung out of heir mouths,
ard they seemed painting for cooler air. Look !
yonder - cried Carleton and he pointed TO the
line Of the horizon, which had hitherto been OF
gray lead coIored vapor. 1t was now becoming
reddish in the southwest quarter, and the vapor
had taken the appearance of smoke Al the same
time we heard sort of distant cracking like
heavy running fire of musketry, and which was
repeated at short intervals. Each time II was
heard our horses appeared scared and trembling
The creek was getting rapidly wider, and the
ground so swainpy that II was Impossible 10 pro
coed further. Seeing This, VIC agreed to return to
the prairie, and to try If ii were no, cooler among
the palmeitos But when we came to tho place
where we had crossed The creek, our horses re-
fused to take the leap again, aud ii was wi the
greatest difficulty we at length forced them over.
All This time the rGduess OF the horizon was get
Ting IN tighter; and the atmosphere hotter aud dr.
er; the smoke had spread itself over prairie, for
e,t, uGd plantations We continued retracing our
steps us well us we could To the spot where we
, bad halted. "Sce there" sad Carleton; "no
half an hour ago those reeds were as fresh and
green if they had Just sprung ont Of the earth,
| aud now look at them the leaves are hanging
down parched aud curled by the heat"
| The whole horizon, TO the southwest, was now
one mass Of dense smoke, through which the suns
| disc looked scarcely brighter than puper lantern
| Behind the thick curtain which thus concealed
every thing from our view, we heard a loud his
| sing like that OF Il multitude OF snakes. The
! smoke was sitting and unbearahe our horses a
gain turned painting round, and tore mady toward
| the creek. On reaching it we dismouned, but
| had the greatest difficulty to prevent them from
eaping into the water. The streams Of red to
our right became brighter and brighter, and gleam
! ed through the huge trunks OF the cypress trees.
| The cracking and Kissing louder than ever. Sud-
denly the trghul truth flashed upon us, and at
the very same moment Carleton aud exclaimed,
"The prairie is on fire !"
As we uttered the words, there was loud rust.
| ling behind us, and herd Of deer broke head
long through thicket OF tall reeds and burusI-
es, and dashed up to their necks into the WATER
| There they remained, not fifty PAGES from us, lit
tie more than their heads above the surface, gaz
ing at us as though imploring our help and con-
passion. We iaucied we could see tears in the
| poor beasts eyes.
i We looked behind us. On came the pillars of
fame, Pickering and threatening through the
| smoke licking up all before them; and, nj times,
| gust of SO no, aud blasting n wind ms seemed to
| dry the very marrow Of our bones. The roaring
of the fire was now distinctly audible, mingled
with Kissing, whisling sounds, and cracking moi
ses, as of Wigiltyirees falling. Suddenly bright
flame shot up through the sitting smoke aud I'M
nedately afterwards u sea OF fire burst upon our
aching eyeballs. The palmetto field was IN flames.
The heat was so great that we every moment
expected TO see our clothes take fire. Our horses
dragged us still nearer 10 the creek, sprang into
4 the water, and drew us down the bank after them
Another rusng noise in The thicket OF reeds
A she. bear, with her cubs at her heels, came to-
wards us; and al the same time n second herd Of
deer rushed into the water not twenty yards from
where we were standing We pointed our gun:
at the BEARS they moved off toward the deer
who remained undsturbed ut their approach; ant
there they stood, bears and deer not five PAGES u
part, but taking no more notice oi each Ollle
} Than il they had been animals OF the same spe
cics. More beasts came now 1Ocking to the riV
er. Deer, wolves, foxes, horses all come ii
crowds to seek shelter in element from the ia
= ry of another. Most of them, however, went fur
lher up the creek, where it took norIheasterll
: direction, and wdened into II sort OF lake. Thos'
I that had first arrived began to follow the new
Corners, AM! we did TIE same.
Suddenly the baylng OF hounds was heard
llurra there ARE dogs; men must he near"
g vuey from u dozen rifles was the answer to on
II explanation The shots were fired not two hun
e dred yards from us, yet we saw nothing OF III
81 persons who irel them. The wild beasts aroun
0 us renhed and couched before This new danger
l. but did not attempt 10 move step. We ouraelve
were standing in the midst OF them up TO on
: waist in water. Who goes there? p we shout
& ed. Another volley, and this time not one hun
. and heard voices talking in n diuect compounde
Y, OF French aud Indian. We perceived that "
e had to do with Aradians. A third voey, aud th
bullets whistled about our ears. II was geltin
= past joke. "lia.t" shouted we, "SIop firm
n I'LL you what you are firing at. There was
l. dead silence for moment, then burst of saval
laughter SIRE! fire." cried Two or three yo
r ces
~ elf you fire." cried |, "look out for youfselve
ID for we shall do the same. Have Il caro- what yU
y are about"
Is "Morbleau! Sacre !" roarel hulf n score
u voices. "Who is that who dares TO give us o
10 ders. Fire on the dogs"
II elf YOU do, we return it,"
!; "Sacre" screamed The savages. "They al
n gentlemen from the towns, Their speech bnIral
u, them. Shoot ihem-lhe dogs the spies! VIII
u, do they want in he prairie =
III "Your blood be oil your heads" cried !. A;
ie with The feelings Of desperate men, we leYcIlt
" our guns IN The direction IN winch we han sec
IT,. the flashes of The last voley. At that moment
: Halt! What is herew shouted 4 stenloran vol
SO close 10 US.
IN Stop firing, or you are dead men," cried fl
III or six other voices,
Pl "Sacre! &c sont des .4mericans," muttered Il
~ Acadans
"Monsieur Careton!" cried a voice.
Here !" replied my friend A boat shot o
VII of the smoke, between us aud our antagonists
as Careton's servant was in it. The next nome
II we were surrounded by score OF Acadians al
re half dozen Americans.
IL 1t appeared that the Ac ldians so soon as IN
perceived the prairie TO be on fire, had got into
- boat aud descended a creek that flowed into I
re Chicot creek, on which we now were. L
up beasts OF the forest aud prairie, flying TO The wat
IN found themsev es incosed in the angle formed
s'r Tho two creeks and their retreat being cut Oft
he the fire, they fell an easy prey to the AcadaI
TO wild, half savage fellows, who slaughtered the
IRE in proluson and with brutality that excI
ed our disgust, feeling which the Americans seeI
III ed 10 share.
"Well, stranger!" said one Of the latter, an G
le- man, 10 Carleton "do you 60 with the Acadia
or come with us?'
"Who are YOU my lriends?"
"Friendsw repeated The yankee, shaking
m. head, your friendships are easy made. Fren'
ey indeed We ain'l that yet; but it you be mind
OF TO como with us, we'll and good"