The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-02


ming ,1tth their heads bent
had best have all ready to retire to the
house if they carry the stockade. We
can scarce hope to hold it when they
are twenty to one"
''All is ready"
"And with our cannon we can keep
their canoes from passing, SO we might
send our women away tonight"
II had intended to do 50. Will you
take charge of the north side? You
might come across to me with ten of
your men now"
The firing came in one continuous
rattle now from the edge of the wood,
and the air was fun Of bullets. The
assailants were all trained shots, men
who had lived by their guns and to
whom a shaking hand or a dim eye
meant poverty and hunger. On the
other hand, the defenders were also
skilled in Indian fighting and wise in
every trick and lure which could pro-
tect themselves or tempt their enemies
to show. They kept well to the sides
of the loopholes, watching through lit
tie crevices of the wood and firing
swiftly when chance offered. A red
leg sticking straight up into the air
from behind a log showed where one
bullet at least had gone home, but
there was little to aim at save puff
and flash from among the leaves or the
shadowy figure of a warrior seen for
an instant as he darted from one tree
trunk to the other. Seven of the Cana
slians had already been hit, but only
three We're MORALLY wounded. The
other four still kept manfully to their
1oopholes. The women sat in a line
upon the ground, beneath the level of
the holes, each with q saucerful of bull |
lets and a canister of powder, passing |
up the loaded guns to the fighting men. |
At first the attack had been all upon |
the south face, but as fresh bodies of |
the Iroquois came up their line spread |
and heightened until the whole east |
face was girt with fire. which gradual |
ly enveloped the north also The fort |
was hinged in by great loop of smoke |
save only where the broad river flowed |
past them. Over near the farther bank |
the canoes were lurking, and one, man
ned by ten warriors, attempted TO pass
up the stream, but a good shot from
the brass gun dashed in her side and
sank her. while a second of grape left
only four of the swimmers, whose high
scalp locks stood out above the water
like the back fins of some strange fish.
On the inland side. however, the seign-
eur had ordered the cannon to be
served no more. for the broad embra-
sures drew the enemy's fire, and of the
men who had been struck half were
among those who worked the guns
The old nobleman strutted about
with his white ruflies and his clouded
cane behind the line of parched, smoke
Grimed men. tapping his snuffbox and
shooting out his little jests.
"What do you think of it, Du Lhut?"
he asked.
..They seem TO be drawing closer
upon the east face, aud 1 think. that
they will make a rush there before
long," said Du Lhut.
The fire had indeed grown much
fiercer upon the side which was de-
Tended by De Catinat. and it was plain
that the main force of the Iroquois
was gathered at that point From
every log and trunk and cleft and
bush came the red flash with the gray
halo. and the bullets sang in a contin-
Cous stream through the loopholes.
Amos had whitfield a little hole for
himself about foot above the ground
and lay upon his face. loading and
firing in his own quiet. methodical
fashion. Beside him stood Ephraim
Savage. his mouth set grimly, his eyes
flashing from under his down drawn
brows and his whole soul absorbed in
the shifting of the Amalekites. De
Catinat was bearing himself like an
experienced soldier, walking UP and
down among his men with short words
Of praise or precept-those fire words,
rough and blunt, which bring a glow
10 the heart and a flush to the cheek.
Seven of his men were down. but as
The attack grew Hsrcar unan hia side