The National tribune., 1902-10-16


happiness Of peaceful homes, and now
they were being borne to f3tes too horri-
BILE to contemplate.
As they were carried swiftly along the
dark passage, not q word was spoken. not
a sound broke the silence Of the lonely
passage, save the steady swish Of the
water. The long arms of the forest trees
interlocking made natural archway under
which they were carried with the cur
rent of the stream In utter darkness. How
the dusky oarsmen managed to keep from
running into the matted fringes of bushes
Overhanging the banks showed that they
must have been extremely familiar with
the course of the river.
In the midst of this primeval darkness
swift fash of light cutting the cimmerian
space like a two-edged sword. for a mo-
and illuminating the scene with midday
brilliancy, showed for an instant the glim-
mering waterway, the dropping foliage
bordering the banks with deep green
bands and the ancient trees beyond loom
ing in the lurid, glare like the massive
pillars upholding the mighty roof of the
tented wilderness. Then report follow
ed so heavy and close at hand that the
women uttered involuntary cries Of fright.
The peal of thunder was quickly succeeded
by a deluge of rain, other bolts of light
ming. and a rending and tearing in twain.
it seemed of the very heavens. The fleet
ing flashes of dazzling light, fairly setting
the forest and the river aflame for mo
ment and left them the next enveloped IN
such blackness that it could not be pene-
trated by the eye.
Undisturbed by this furious elemental
strife the Indians continued their journey
down the stream, no articulation coming
from them, until suddenly coming without
any warning to the captives and immedl-
ately following a terrific clap of thunder
they sent forth two, wild yells, one sue
between them. The two captives indicat-
ed by these cries had barely recovered
from the shock, given them by this outburst
when a reply SO loud and vehement that
it outdid the very thunder rang on the
night scene: The frightened women held
their breath with horror until the last
echoes of the awful alarm were drowned
by the roll of distant thunder and the
downpotfring of-the train.' In the midst
of such scene as this, their surroundings
lightened> only at rare intervals now by
the lurid bolts of electricity, the red man
ran the canoe close to the north bank OF
the river.
Had the little party been favored with
the light Of day, or even that of the stars,
they might have seen a well-worn path
coming down to the waters edge, while
above them and below lay Mt their fasten-
ingS half q score or more canoes. Ihe
cr1es had now died away, and there was
nothing to denote life in the scene about
them.
The captives were lifted bodily from the
canoes, and the thongs about their ankles
removed, were ordered to march between
two warriors. Swift Bear was leading
the way, and the little file had not gone
far before the black wall Of night was
pierced by the blaze of a campfire, and a
few yards further ON brought them into
full sight of several of these beacons OF
the forest settlement known as st. Fran
els. BY the aid of these fiickering lights
the captives saw that they were in the
midst of the rude dwellings making up
this strange town of fugitive Indians fos-
tered by the French From these. in
spite of the rain, came trOOping crowd
| of dusky warriors, women and children OIL
the race. UnmindfuI of these. who fell in
| behind as they advanced, the captOrs Kept
straight ahead, looking to the right nor
| left.
| On their way they passed little chapel,
which seemed so strangely out of place
| here in this primitive picture of aboriginal
| life At the moment, his attention no
doubt drawn hither by the cries of the In
dians, appeared in the open door tall
| figure clothed in black cassock reaching
| from head to foot. This sOlemn-lOokins
person, who now held in his right hand
a welI-thumbed prayer book and in his
| other a candle, was Mt that time the only
white man at the place. and he presented
a most striking sight as he peered out into
the gloom and storm, typical of his sur
roundings. Though he spake not word
that reached their ears the hapless couple
| fancied his lips were moving with prayer,
| and he was still standing there when the
| leaders of the train halted before one OF
| the three most prominent buildings at st.
Francis.
This was q stone structure, and though
| not bailt for the purposes of fort, 1t con-
| tained one unmounted gun.5 There were
two other guns similar to this, as well as
two buildings like the prison house where
the captives were left for the night under
guard.
Left alone after a few minutes, for the
| first time since their disastrous attempt to
escape, they improved the opportunity tG
talk together concerning their prospects
The hight of the storm had passed
though sullen peals of thunder reached
their ears. and bolts of lightning family
streaketi the distance The Indians had
seemed to retire to their wigwams to gel
ont of the rain, and within half an houl
after their arrival all was quiet about the
village. Still very little sleep came to the
prisoners. s.---i
The following morning proved clear, anc
with the first light of the new day two
squaws visited the captives, bringing with
them generous supplies of food. The In
dian women did not stay while the prison
ers ate their simple fare, for the notes OF
the little bell on the chapel called then
to the religious exercises of the morning
listened to by all the inhabitants of the
settlement. Again, at the close of the
day. were they called together by the SANG
musical notes. while the French friar re
peated the simple rites OF his church. This
sedate. modest.appearing man, looked
upon by the red men as their father
though not so in name, was really the
civil as well as the religious head of the
town. When not at prayers this devOu,
man might be seen for hours at n time
standing in the doorway of his little
church. looking out over the homes of his
primitive followers with Il watchfulness
tempered with religious zeal. Could the
history of these devOut pioneers of the
Catholic church in New France be writ
ten we should have some of the strongest
examples of faith unto death to be found
in the written pages of history. II Their
courage in the work they had undertaken
sometimes overshadOwed their wisdom the
charge of insincerity cannot be placed or
the debit side of their account.
The Indian village of st. Francis, con
sisting of about 80 wigwams and build
ings, located without any regard to order
with the chapel for the common center
stood upon slight eminence of land Oh
the north bank of the river by the same
. name. This land had been set apart fol
their occupancy by the French, wherein
the latter showed better tact than the