Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-04-07

Well need this night.
In fact, all through the night tho
Iroquois tried every stratagem of their
savage warfare. With ear-splitting
yells they came close up to the stock
AIDE. and in one such charge two or
three of their young men even man
aged to climb to the tops of the point
ed stakes, though but to meet their
death at the muzzles of the muskets
within. Then there arose curving lines
of fire from without the walls, half cir
cles which terminated at last in little
Earring thuds, where blazing arrows
fell and stood in log, or earth, or UNI
protected roof These projectiles,
wrapped with lighted birch bark,
served as fire brands, and danger
enough they carried Yet, after some
fashion, the little garrison kept down
these incipient blazes, held together
the terrified Illini. repulsed each re-
peated charge of the Iroquois, and 50
at last wore through the long and
fearful night.
The sun was just rising across the
tops of the distant groves when the
Iroquois made their next advance. It
came not in the form of a concerted
attack, but of an appeal for peace. A
party of the sayages left their cover
and approached the fortress. waving
their hands above their heads One
of them presently advanced alone
What is it, Pierre?n asked Law
What does the fellow want2"
Il care not what he wants said
/ Pierre Noir. carefully adjusting the
lock of his piece and steadily regard
ing the savage as he approached but
I'll wager you "a years pay he never
gets alive past yonder stump"
sStay!" cried Pembroke, catching
at the barrel of the leveled gun. Il
believe he would talk with us.
What does he say, Pierce asked
Law. Speak to him, if you can.
He wants to know said Pierre, as
the messenger at length stopped and
began harangue, whether we are
English or French. He says something
about there being a big peace between
Corlaer and Onontio; by which he
means, gentlemen, the governor al
New York and the governor at Que
bee
Tell him, cried Pembroke, with a
sudden thought, that / am an officer
of Corlaer, and that Corlaer bids the
Iroquois to bring in all the prisoners
they have taken. Tell him that the
French are going to give up all their
I
must leave the war path, or my Lord
Bellomont will take the war trail and
wipe their villages off the earth.
Something in this speech as con-
veyed to the savage seemed to give
him certain concern He retired.
and presently his place was taken by
a tall and stately figure, dressed in
the full habiliments of an Iroquois
chieftain. He came on calmly and
proudly, his head erect. and in his ex-
4 tended hand the long-stemmed pipe of
4 peace. Pierre Noir heayed a deep sigh
I of relief
Unless my eyes deceive me" said
he. It's old Teganisoris himself, one
of the head men of the Onondagos. II
so, there is some hope, for Teganisoris
| is wise enough to know when peace is
best. =
1t was, indeed, that noted chieftain
of the Iroquois who now advanced
close up to the wall. Law and Penn
/ broke stepped out to meet him beyond
the pa1isade, the old voyageur still
serving as Interpreter from the plat
form at their back.
"He says-listen, messieurs! he
says he knows there is going to be a
/ big peace; that the Iroquois are tired
of fighting and that their hearts are
sore. He says-a most manifest lie,
4 I beg you to observe. messieurs that
he loves the English and that, al
though he ought to kill the French
men of our garrison. he will, since
some of lis are English. and hence his
friends, spare us all if we will cease
j to fight
Pembroke turned to Law with ques-
ton in his eye.
There must be something done,
said the latter in a low tone. We
were short enough Of ammunition here
Il even before Du MeSne leIt Tor the set
Elements, and your own men have none
too much left.
" Reflect! Bethink yourselves. Eng
] lishmen!' he says to us, continued
+ Pierre Noir. We came to make wal
upon the Illini. Our work here is
done It's time now that we went
back TO our villages. II there is to be
/ a big peace. the Iroqnois must be
there; for unless the Iroquois demand
it, there can be no peace at all. And
4 gentlemen, I beg you to remember it is
an Troquois who is talking, and that
the truth is not in the tongue of ain
Iroquois.
'Tis a desperate chance. Mr.. Law,
said Pembroke. yet il we keep ur
the fight here. there can be but one
end. /"
IT'S true, said Law; and there
/ are others 10 he consiCered.'