Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-06-20


with its swelling foliage obscured by rich
shade, and the cool dark waters sleeping in
IFS shadows. Endicott was not in poeiical
mood indeed, he seldom was but he could
not help gazing on scene so quiet and yet
so picturesque. He was startled suddenly
into life aud action. A female voice, in
hasiy and terrified accents, came from the
woods. 4 am here dear Endicott keep
away keep away !--they are going 10
Ii bu, here il was abruptly stihed. The
men instinctively ceased padding, aud then
pushed the canoes farther into the lake.
The matter required no explanation all
saw at once that nothing had saved them
from falling into an ambush of the enemy
they were in pursuit of, but the heroic self
devotion Of the prisoner. Most OF the party
were men made reckless by misery, with ev-
cry feeling and instinct overwhelmed by a
burning hatred of the Indians, aud keen
thirst for vengeance upon the accursed race.
Only two or three of them hesitated as to
the course to be pursued Neither regard
for their own lives nor that of the poor cap
tive had much weight with them. Endicott,
on his part, was as eager as the rest, and
longed to rush to the rescue of Sarah, with
out thinking of the peril 20 which his RASH
ness would expose her, if indeed she had
not already been made victim to the fury
OF her captors. The canoes drew back and
retraced their course along the island, which
effectually protected them and concealed
their motions, till they rounded its farther
extremity, and made directly for the shore.
Then il was a matter of doubt whether a sa-
Lutte of bullets from the woods would not re-
ward their tcmerity The very hardihood
of the attempt alone saved them for the
savages, who were of twice their number
did not dream that they would venture 10
land in the teeth Of such peril. The canoes
Iploughed the water into burrows. My an
ccs,or's blood was up. lie jumped from the
foremost canoe, and waded 10 the beach;
but as he reached it, a sinewy hand griped
his shoulder, aud a stern voice admonished
him that that was no place nor time to yield
to frantic impulses
1t would be hard TO imagine situation
more perilous than that into which these
men had placed themselves, or one in which
danger appeared under a more horrid and
insidious aspect. Nothing of the enemy
was visible after they had entered the woods,
though they might be concealed behind ev-
cry rock or tree. They listened awhile,
then began cautiously to advance toward that
part Of the shore whence the voice had pro-
ceeded In few minutes they came upon
the manifest traces of large body Of sava
ges and here again they stopped to listen
1t was close by large brook that descend
cd from the upland forests to the lake, urg
ing its way over great piles of moss-growr
rocks; plunging with sullcn, heavy roa
into obscure ravines, or pouring itself into
deep basins and holows along the rocks, be
fore it streamed glancing out through thu
foliage into the gay sunshine of the lake
The forest was dismal contrast 10 th
bright landscape they had just left. TIL
chill confined air was of that heavy natur
that Expresses the spirit, and brings con
sumption to the lungs. Not ray of sun
ligh; could penetrate the dense foliage above
all around breathed cold and dampness III
black columns of the standing trees lha
seemed sweating a clammy moisture tn
moss-grown carcasses of those that lay pro:
trate and decayng piled in masses together
and the slippery green rocks themselves
There was no underground but the sti
spreading shoots of the hardy spruce an
balsam FIR, which covered the rough an
broken ground, affording abundant lurkin
places for an enemy All was quiet as deaf
except the stream with its dull plunging.
They stood still for some minutes, whe
} a man at length offered himself to go TO
ward and search for the enemy. Crouchin
! from tree to tree, he began slowly to pic
his way over the distractions Of the DANCE
; Gus ground. gancing watchfully in every d
rection, and gradually approaching ride
! of rocks overgrown with fringe and piles {
: dripping moss, that was discerna5Ie throug
t the trees, several rods higher up. Here
h paused aud listened long before he venture
I 10 ascend. When he had got to the top, an
d clnging to some projecting roots, peer'
n cautiously over the heap of logs and refu
i that lay there, a tawny, braceleited arr
g and little Ratchet, waved for an insta
d above this ambush, aud the man fell baC
d doubled to a ball. Then the Indian ye
u burst forth. In moment, the woods abo
were filled with dark, demon-like figure
i that came leaping down over the ridge al
J, darling among the rocks and shrubber
!. while the air vibrated with their shrilI erie
l. and was clogged with the smoke of the
:, rapid firing Not voice was raised in
i ply, except the shout Of the man in col
h mand In spite of this furious and chara
g teristic attempt to strike them with a PAM
y the white men held their ground. or OIL
h drew back yard or two. Indeed, tn
" could not have retreated father, as the La
e was close behind, and their only aftermath
i was to maintain their position or be kill
d on the spot so each sheltered himself behi
u a tree, and stubbotnly refused to yield