Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-26

wards the place where great fall of water obi
ged us to transport by land to Lake St. Sacra
ment* the stores necessary for the scige. While
making preparations for departure, they were
stopped by sight which fixed all eyes.
We there saw, in an arm of the river, little
fleet of savage canoes, by their arrangements
and their ornaments, proelaiming victory 1t
was M. Maricau, Canadian officer of great
merit, who had returned glorious and triumph
ant from the expedition of which he had the
charge. At the head of about two hundred
savages he had been detached to go against fort
Lydis.f lie had the courage with little flying
camp to attack the advanced intrenchment, and
the good fortune to carry away principal quar-
ter. The sayages had only time to carry away
shlrty i've scalps of the two hundred men they
had killed, without their victory being stained
by a drop Of their own blood, and it costing
them only single man. The enemy, to the
number of five hundred men, in vain sought to
revenge themselves by pursuing them in their
retrcat but it was made without any loss. We
counted the number of barbarous trophies, that
is to say, the number of English scalps, which
adorned the canoes, when we perceived, on
the other sido Of the river, French barque,
which brought as five of the English bound and
conducted by the Outaouacks, of whom they
were the prisoners.
The sight of these unfortunate captives spread
joy and rejoicing in the hearts of all present.
but it was, for the most part, a barbarous and
ferocious joy, which showed itself by frightful
cries and inhuman proceedings A thousand of
savagcs, drawn from the thirty-six nations and
united under the French colors, were present,
standing on the bank. In an instant without
aay appaoent concert, we saw them asif by con-
cert ruu with the greatest precipitation towards
the neighboring woods. knew not to what q
retreat so rude and unexpected was designed,
but was soon fully apprised saw, moment
after, these furies come back armed with sticks,
which they had prepared to give these unfortu-
nate Englishmen the most cruel reception. |
was not able to restrain myself at the sight of
these cruel preparations. The tears ran down
my cheeks. My sorrow, however, was not idle.
l went, without deliberation, to meet these wild
beasts, but, alas what could | do but raise
cry which the tumult, diversity of language,
and more than all the ferocity of their hearts,
rendered unintelligible did not spare the
most bitter rcproaches to some Abuakis whom |
found in my way The spirited air which ami
mated my words, brought them to sentiments of
humanity. Confused and ashamed, they scpa-
rated themselves from the murdcrous troops and
threw away the cruel instruments Of which they
had intended to make USE But this was small
proportion of the two thousand determined to
strike without pity. Seeing the inutility of my
movements, determined to retire and not wit
ness the bloody tragedy, which was to take
place. | had not gone many steps, when sem
timent of compassion recalled mo to the shore,
where cast my eyes on these unfortunate vic
tins preparing for the sacrifice Their state re-
newcd my sensibility-the terror which had
seized them, scarce left strength enough to sus-
tain them, and their dismayedand detected coun-
tcnances were a true image of death their end
had come. In fact they would have expired
under shower of blows, if their preservation
had not come, from the slvag,s themselves, and
if the sentence of death had not been revoked
by those even who seemed to be the first to pro
nounce it. The French officer who commanded
the bark, perceived the movements which were
made on the bank. Touched by the commisser
alton SO natural to an honest man at the sight
of the unfortunate, he tried to inspire a SIMILAR
masters of the prisoners lie managed these
men SO adroitly as in the end to awaken theil
scnsibilities, and interest them in the cause O
the miserable men. They undertook it with {
zeal which could not but succeed. Hardly wa'
the barge near enough to the shore for thu
voice to be heard, than an Outaouack, speaking
haughtily, in a nenacing tone, exclaimed -
"Thesc prisoners are mine. | recognize as re
spect to me, respect to that which belongs Il
me. A truce to all bad treatment, the odiun
of which would rebound on my own head"
A hundred French officers might have spoker
in this manner, bat their words would only have
tended to draw contempt on themselves and re
doubled blows on the captives, for the savag
fears none but savage. Their least dispute
end in death, but it seldom comes to that Th
wishes of the Outaouack were respected a
as soon as expressed. The prisoners were LANDED
and conducted without tumult to the fort
without even the least shouting accompanying
them. They were at first separated, and under
went an examination. But it was not necessar,
to resort to artifce to draw from them all tn
light that some wished The terror from whicl
they had not yet fully recovered, loosened thei
tongues, and gave them volubility which, az
parently, they would not have had without it
| visited one in an apartment of the fort occu
pied by one of my friends. gave him by sign
the assurances most calculated to tranquiliz
him, and caused some refreshments 10 De give
him, which he appeared to receive with graf
tude.
After having thus satisfied my compassion, o
well as the wants of an unfortunate man, hal
tened the time of our embarkation. 1t wa
made that very hour. The passage was nj
long-two hours suficied to carry us to our de-
tination. The tent of the Chevalier de Le
was placed at the entrance of tho camp. ] toe
the liberty of presenting my respects to tn
Lord, whose name announces his merit, ar
whose name is less respectable than his persol
The conversation turned on the action whit
had decided the fate of the five Englishme
whose perilous adventure have just related.