St. Landry democrat., 1888-07-28

He took careful aim eaad fired and the
savage sprang up and then pitched for.
ward on his face and lay still.
He is down. cried Maxwell, "and
now for the rest, boys
The Indians had opened and the fir,
ing soon became general. For two
hours it went on without intermission,
The Indians worked up nearer anG
nearer to the fort despite of all the re,
sistance of the little garrison. Fol
three hours nothing could be heard
but the noise of the guns, the yelling
of the white men and Indians, and the
cries of the women. Maxwell and his
men fought like lions. Mrs. Maxwell
loaded and cooled the guns and May
went about among the men, helping
her mother and carrying the men
water and food. After five hours hard
fighting the Indians drew off, held a
council, and then went into camp.
They divided into two parties, one party
encamping on each side of the fort,
sc as to prevent the garrison from
escaping during the night Several OF
the Indians came down quite close to
the fort in the evening and wanted to
| talk, but the white men called out: go
away! Go away! Old Maxwell is
getting mad. One bold fellow rode
up quite near, when Maxwell seized a
gun and shot him. sending him back to
the a bowling with pain.
~Lie close. boys, and shoot every one
that approaches, said Maxwell. Night
shut down on the b~esieged, and it was
as still as death again. The fires of the
Indians could be seen on the hill. but
none of them came near. Two of the
men slept while the others kept watch,
but the night passed without event.
Early in the morning the Indians
wanted to talk.
Come! come on" cried Maxwell.
Il I'm spelling for a fight. [ don't
want talk. Why don't you fight, you
cowardly red rascals? Here goes for
you?" and he fired his piece at
the nearest warrior. The In
dams fell back in haste, no
doubt thinking the very devil was
in old Maxwell. But they soon rallied
and came on and the battle became
general again. The white men were
surrounded OF every side, and it was
with the utmost difficulty they could
keep the Indians out of the fort.
Charge after charge was made, but the
brave garrison stood true. After an
hour and a half's fighting the Indians
fell back for a rest and smoke. They
next commenced throwing arrows from
their bows, shooting them up in the
air and letting them descend point
foremost into the fort. AS the men
had no protection for their backs and
heads this proved a most formidable
mode of attack. One of the men was
soon severely wounded, and May Max
well got an arrow through her foot.
About noon an Indian who had been
observed smoking all forenoon on a
hill lear the fort suddenly rose up and
walked down toward it. He kept on
until within sixty yards of the brest-
works when he suddenly fell dead,
pierced by a bullet from old Maxwell's
gun. He was probably a medicine
man who had lied so long and so much
to the Indians that he came to believe
his own lies and thought that the
white men could not hit him with a
bullet.
As soon as the mediterranean fell the
Indians drew off and held a council.
They seemed to think the only way
now was to watch the garrison and
starve it out. Creeping up close to the
works and picketing the stream they
began their patient siege. Not a head
Or hand in the garrison could be raised
without a bullet being fired at it. The
besieged had to lay close; but old
Maxwell raised the devil about mid
night by making a sudden attack, and
the Indians, thinking he was coming
sure enough, ran off a little. Next
morning Maxwell surprised the saw
ages by building a large fire, showing
them he had wood and water. Mrs.
Maxwell had also had a tent put up,
and the Indians observed the condition
of the garrison al much improved, as
they liked it and were going to stay
there and fight it out if it took all sum-
mer. Dashing down ON the fort, they
fired over a hundred shots at the tent,
but Mrs. Maxwell bravely stood her
ground and quietly went on with her
cooking. The Indians circled around
Designed for nearly an hour, but
it was observed that they did not fire
much.
''They are getting out of ammuni-
said Maxwell. sLet us give
Them a bluff" and, jumping up, all the
men poured in a steady and rapid FIRE
for a few minutes, The reds fell back
and counseled again, and then one of
hem came down and called out:
''Good-bye; we are going now"
Don't" cried Maxwell. Give us
0 good fight before you go; do"
Then the Indian could be heard laugh
ng as he called back:
High! high! You are heap much
200 brave!n
WHO are you people?" asked Max