Satanstoe, or, The Littlepage manuscripts : a tale of the colony |
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| 13. | CHAPTER XIII. |
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 | CHAPTER XIII. Satanstoe, or, The Littlepage manuscripts : |  |
13. CHAPTER XIII.
'Twixt night and morn, upon the horizon's verge:
How little do we know that which we are!
How less what we may be! The eternal surge
Of time and tide rolls on, and bears afar
Our bubbles: as the old burst, new emerge,
Lashed from the foam of ages; while the graves
Of empires heave but like some passing wave.
Byron.
It was now announced by Herman Mordaunt in person,
that the watch was set for the night, and that each man
might seek his rest. The crowded state of the Nest was
such, as to render it no easy matter to find a place in which
to sleep, straw being our only beds. At length we found our
pallets, such as they were; and, spite of all that had passed
that evening, truth compels me to admit that I was soon in
a profound sleep. There was no exception to this rule
among the Mooseridge party, I believe, fatigue proving to
to be more powerful, than either successful love, unsuccessful
love, or personal apprehension.
It was about three o'clock, when I felt a significant pressure
of the arm, such as one gives when he especially
wishes to attract attention. It was Jason Newcome, employed
in awakening the men of the house, without giving
such an alarm as might reach the ears without. In a few
minutes everybody was up and armed.
As the morning, just before the appearance of light, when
sleep is heaviest, is the hour when savages usually attack, no
one was surprised at these preparations, which were understood
to be ordered by Herman Mordaunt, who was afoot,
and on the look-out himself, at a place favourable to observation.
In the mean time, we men, three or four-and-twenty
in all, assembled in the court, in waiting for a summons to
the gate, or the loop. Jason had executed his trust so dexterously,
that neither female nor child knew anything of
our movement; all sleeping, or seeming to sleep in the security
of a peaceful home. I took an occasion to compliment
shown; and we fell into a low discourse, in consequence.
“I have been thinking that this warfare may put a new
face on these settlements, Corny,” continued Jason, after
we had conversed some little time, “more especially as to
the titles.”
“I cannot see how they are to be affected, Mr. Newcome,
unless the French should happen to conquer the colony, a
thing not very likely to happen.”
“That's just it; exactly what I mean, as to principle.
Have not these Hurons conquered this particular settlement?
I say they have. They are in possession of the whull of it,
this house excepted; and it appears to me that if we ever
get re-possession, it will be by another conquest. Now,
what I want to know is this—does not conquest give the
conquerors a right to the conquered territory? I have no
books here, yet; but I'm dreadful forgetful, or I have read
that such is the law.”
I may say that this was the first direct demonstration that
Jason ever made on the property of Herman Mordaunt. Since
that time he has made many more, some of which I, or he who
may be called on to continue this narrative, will probably
relate; but I wish to record, here, this as the first in a long
series of attempts which Jason Newcome has practised, in
order to transfer the fee-simple of the mill-lot at Ravensnest,
from the ownership of those in whom it is vested by
law, to that of his own humble, but meritorious person.
I had little time to answer this very singular sort of reasoning;
for, just then, Herman Mordaunt appeared among us,
and gave us serious duty to perform. The explanations with
which his orders were proceded, were these. As had been
anticipated, the Indians had adopted the only means that
could prove effective against such a fortress as the Nest,
without the aid of artillery. They were making their preparations
to set the building on fire, and had been busy all
night in collecting a large amount of pine-knots, roots, &c.,
which they had succeeded in piling against the outer logs,
at the point where one wing touched the cliff, and where the
formation of the ground enabled them to approach the building
without incurring much risk. Their mode of proceeding
is worthy of being related. One of the boldest and most
himself so close to the logs as to be safe from observation,
as well as reasonably safe from shot. His associates had
then extended to him one end of a long pole, they standing
below, some on a shelf of the cliff, and the rest on the
ground; all being safe from harm so long as they kept close
to their respective covers. Thus disposed, these children of
the forest passed hours in patient toil, in forwarding by
means of a basket, the knots, and other combustibles, up to
the warrior, who kept his position close under the building,
and who piled them in the way most favourable to his object.
Susquesus had the merit of discovering the projected attempt,
the arrangements for which had completely escaped
the vigilance of the sentinels. It would seem that the Onondago,
aware of the artifices of the red-man, and acquainted
in particular with the personal character of Jaap's friend,
Muss, did not believe the night would go by without some
serious attempt on the house. The side of the cliff was
much the weakest point of the fortress, having no other
protection than the natural obstacles of the rocks, which
were not inaccessible, though somewhat difficult of ascent,
and the low picketing, already mentioned. Under such
circumstances, the Indian felt certain the assault would be
made on that side. Placing himself on watch, therefore, he
discovered the first attempts of the Hurons, but did not let
them be known to Herman Mordaunt, until they were
nearly completed; his reason for the delay being the impatience
of the pale-faces, which would not have suffered the
enemy to accomplish his object, so far as preparations were
concerned; the thing of all others he himself thought to be
the most desirable. By allowing the Hurons to waste their
time and strength in making arrangements for an assault that
was foreseen, and which might be met and defeated, a great
advantage was obtained; whereas, by driving them prematurely
from an artifice they were known to be engaged in,
they would have recourse to another, and the difficulty of
discovery would be added to our other disadvantages. So
Susquesus reasoned, as was said at the time; and it is certain
that so he acted.
But, the time had come to meet these covert preparations.
Herman Mordaunt now held a consultation, on the subject
we ought to let the Hurons go any further; whether we
should shoot the adventurous savage who was known still
to be posted under the logs of the house, and scatter his pile
of knots, by a sortie; or, whether it were wiser to let the
enemy proceed to the extremity of actually lighting his fire,
before we unmasked. Something was to be said in favour
of each plan. By shooting the savage who had made a
lodgment under our walls, and scattering his pile, we should
unquestionably defeat the present attempt; but, in all probability,
another would be made the succeeding night;
whereas, by waiting to the last moment, such an effectual
repulse might be given to our foes, as would at once terminate
their expedition.
On consultation, and weighing all the points as they
offered, it was decided to adopt the latter policy. But one
spot commanded a view of the pile at all, and that was a
loop, that had been cut only the day before, and which
looked directly down on the place, from a projection that
existed in the second story, and which ran around the whole
building. These projections were common enough, in the
architecture of the provinces at that day, being often adopted
in exposed positions, purposely to afford the means of protecting
the inferior and external portions of the dwellings.
The Nest possessed this advantage, though the loops necessary
to complete the arrangement, had only quite recently
been cut. At this loop, then, I stationed myself, for a short
time, watching what was going on below. The night was
dark, but there was no difficulty in distinguishing the pile
of knots, which to me seemed several feet high, besides
being of some length, or in noting the movements of the
Indian who had built it. At the moment I took my stand
at the loop, this man was actually engaged in setting fire
to his combustibles.
For several minutes Guert and I watched our enemy
while he was thus employed, for the Huron was obliged to
proceed with the utmost caution, lest a light prematurely
shed around should betray him. He cautiously lighted his
knots quite within the pile, having left a place for that purpose;
and his combustibles were well in flames before the
latter began to throw their rays to any distance. We had a
all these movements, and might at any time have extinguished
the fire, by pouring a stream through our loop,
provided we did not wait too long. But Guert objected to
`spoiling the sport,' as he called it, insisting that the logs
of the house would be slow to ignite, and that we might at
any moment scatter the knots, by a rapid sortie. His wish
was to let the enemy proceed in his designs, as far as would
be at all safe, in order to render his defeat more overwhelming.
Owing to our position, directly over his head, we had no
chance to see the face of the incendiary while he was thus
engaged. At length he cast a glance upward, as if to note
the effect of the flames, which were beginning to throw their
forked tongues above the pile, when we both recognised
Jaap's prisoner Muss. The sight proved too much for
Guert's philosophy, and thrusting the muzzle of his rifle
through the loop, he blazed away at him, without much regard
to aim. This report was a sort of signal for action,
the whole house, and all the cuter world appearing to be in
a clamour in an instant. I had no means of seeing Muss,
but some of our look-outs, who had him in view most of the
time, told me, after all was over, that the fellow seemed
much astonished at the suddenness of this assault; that he
gazed up at the loop an instant, uttered a loud exclamation,
then yelled the war-whoop at the top of his voice, and went
bounding off into the darkness, like a buck put up unexpectedly
from his lair. The fields all around the Nest
seemed to be alive with whooping demons. Herman Mordaunt
had done little towards embellishing the place; and
stumps were standing in hundreds all about it, many having
been left within twenty yards of the buildings. It now
seemed as if every one of these stumps had an Indian warrior
lodged behind it, while bands of them appeared to be
leaping about in the gloom, under the rocks. At one time,
I fancied we must be surrounded by hundreds of these ruthless
foes, though I now suppose that their numbers were
magnified by their activity and their infernal yells. They
manifested no intention to attack, nevertheless, but kept
screaming around us in all directions, occasionally discharging
the flames should have done their work.
Considering the fearful circumstances in which he was
placed, Herman Mordaunt was wonderfully collected. For
myself, I felt as if I had fifty lives to lose, Anneke being
uppermost in my thoughts. The females, however, behaved
uncommonly well; making no noise, and using all the self-command
they could assume, in order not to distract the
exertions of their husbands and friends. Some of the wives
of the sturdy settlers, indeed, actually exhibited a species
of stern courage that would have done credit to soldiers;
appearing in the court, armed, and otherwise rendering
themselves useful. It often happened that women of this
class, by practising on deer, and wolves, and bears, got to
be reasonably expert with fire-arms, and did good service
in attacks on their dwellings. I remarked, in all the commoner
class of females, that night, a sort of fierce hostility
to their savage foes, in whom they doubtless saw only the
murderers of children, and wretches who made no distinction
of sex or age, in pursuing their heartless warfare.
Many of them appeared like the dams of the inferior animals
when their young were in danger.
An interval of ten or fifteen minutes must have occurred
between the moment when Guert discharged his rifle and
that in which the battle really began. All this time the fire
was gathering head, our tardy attempts to extinguish it
proving a complete failure. But little apprehension was felt
on this account, however, the flames proving an advantage,
by casting their light far into the fields, and even below the
rocks, while they did not reach the court at all; thus placing
a portion of the enemy, should they venture to attack, under
a bright light, while it left us in darkness. The only point,
however, at which we could fear a serious assault, was on
the side of the rocks, where the court had no other protection
than the low, but close and tolerably strong picket.
Fortunately, the formation of the ground on that side prevented
one who stood on the meadows below from firing into
the court from any point within the ordinary range of the
rifle. It was this circumstance that had determined the site
of the garrison.
Such was the state of things when Anneke's own girl
me to quit my station, were it only for a minute. Having
no particular duty to perform, there was no impropriety in
complying with a request which, in itself, was every way so
grateful to my feelings. Guert was near me at the time,
and heard what the young negress said; this induced him to
inquire if there was no message for himself; but, even at
that serious moment, Mary Wallace did not relent. She
had been kinder than common in manner, the previous
night, as the Albanian had admitted; but, at the same time,
she had appeared to distrust her own resolution so much, as
even to give less direct encouragement than had actually
escaped her on previous occasions.
I found Anneke expecting me in that little parlour where
I had so recently listened to her sweet confessions of tenderness
the evening before. She was alone, the instinct of her
sex teaching her the expediency of having no witness of the
feelings and language that might escape two hearts that
were united as were ours, under circumstances so trying.
The dear girl was pale as death when I entered; she had
doubtless been thinking of the approaching conflict, and of
what might be its frightful consequences; but, my presence
instantly caused her face to be suffused with blushes, it being
impossible for her sensitive mind not to revert to what
had so lately occurred. This truth to the instinctive principle
of her nature could hardly be extinguished in woman,
even at the stake itself. Notwithstanding the liveliness and
varying character of her feelings, Anneke was the first to
speak.
“I have sent for you, Corny,” she said, laying a hand on
her heart, as if to quiet its throbbings, “to say one word in
the way of caution—I hope it is not wrong.”
“You can do nothing wrong, beloved Anneke,” I answered;
“or, nothing that would seem so in my eyes. Be
not thus agitated. Your fears have increased the danger,
which we consider as trifling. The risks Guert, Dirck, and
myself have already run, are tenfold those which now beset
us.”
The dear girl submitted to have an arm of mine passed
around her waist, when her head dropped on my breast,
and she burst into tears. Enabled by this relief to command
from the endearing embrace I felt impelled to give her,
though still permitting me to hold both her hands; and she
looked up into my face, with the full confidence of affection,
renewing the discourse.
“I could not suffer you to engage in this terrible scene,
Corny,” she said, without one word, one look, one sign of
the interest I feel in you. My dear, dear father has heard
all; and, though disappointed, he does not disapprove. You
know how warmly he has wished Mr. Bulstrode for a son,
and can excuse that preference; but he desired me, not ten
minutes since, as he left me, after giving me a kiss and his
blessing, to send for you, and to say that he shall hereafter
look upon you as my and his choice. Heaven alone knows
whether we are to be permitted to meet again, dear Corny;
but, should that never be granted us, I feel it will relieve
your mind to know that we shall meet as the members of
one family.”
“We are the only children of our parents, Anneke, and
our union will gladden their hearts almost as much as it can
gladden our own.”
“I have thought of this, already. I shall have a mother,
now; a blessing I hardly ever knew!”
“And one that will dearly, dearly love you, as I know
by her own opinions, again and again expressed in my presence.”
“Thank you, Corny—and thanks to that respected parent,
too. Now, go, Corny; I am fearful this selfish gratification
only adds to the danger of the house—go; I will pray for
your safety.”
“One word, dearest;—poor Guert!—You cannot know
how disappointed he is, that I alone should be summoned
here, at such a moment.”
Anneke seemed thoughtful, and it struck me she was a
little distressed.
“What can I do to alter this?” she said, after a short
pause. “A woman's judgment and her feelings may not
impel her the same way; then Mary Wallace is a girl who
appreciates propriety so highly!”
“I understand you, Anneke. But, Guert is of so noble
a disposition, and acknowledges all his defects so meekly,
than he loves Mary Wallace. Her extreme prudence is
a virtue, in his eyes, even while he suffers by it.”
“I cannot change Mary Wallace's nature, Corny,” said
Anneke, smiling sadly, and, as I fancied, in a way that said
`were it I, the virtues of Guert should soon outweigh his
defects;' “but Mary will be Mary, and we must submit.
Perhaps to-morrow may bring her wavering mind to something
like decision; for these late events have proved greatly
Mr. Ten Eyck's friends. But Mary is an orphan, and prudence
has been taught her as her great protection. Now,
go, Corny, lest you be missed.”
The dear girl parted from me hurriedly, but not without
strong manifestation of feeling. I folded her to my heart;
that being no moment for affectations or conventional distance;
and I know I was, while I trusted Anneke might be,
none the less happy for remembering we had exchanged these
proofs of mutual attachment.
Just as I reached the court, I heard a yell without, which
my experience before Ty had taught me was the whoop the
Hurons give when they attack. A rattling fire succeeded,
and we were instantly engaged in a hot conflict. Our people
fought under one advantage, which more than counterbalanced
the disadvantage of their inferiority in numbers.
While two sides of the buildings, including that of the
meadows, or the one on which an assault could alone be
successful, were in bright light, the court still remained
sufficiently dark to answer all the purposes of defence. We
could see each other, but could not be distinguished at any
distance. Our persons, when seen from without, must
have been confounded, too, with the waving shadows of the
pickets.
As I approached the pickets, through the openings of
which our people were already keeping up a dropping fire
on the dark-looking demons who were leaping about on the
meadows below, I learned from Herman Mordaunt, himself,
who received me by an affectionate squeeze of the hand,
that a large body of the enemy was collected directly under
the rocks, and that Guert had assumed the duty of dislodging
them. He had taken with him, on this service, Dirck,
Jaap, and three or four more of the best men, including both
this object was bold, and like the character of the leader of
the party. As so much depended on it, and on its success,
I will explain a few of its more essential details.
The front of the house ranged north and south, facing
westward. The two wings, consequently, extended east
and west. The fire had been built at the verge of the cliff,
and at the north-east angle of the building. This placed the
north and east sides of the square in light, while it left the
west and south in deep darkness. The gate opening to the
west, it was not a very hopeless thing to believe it practicable
to lead a small party round the south-west angle of
the house, to the verge of the cliff, where the formation of
the ground would allow of a volley's being given upon those
savages who were believed to be making a lodgment directly
beneath our pickets, with a view of seizing a favourable
moment to scale them. On this errand, then, Herman Mordaunt
now gave me to understand my friends had gone.
“Who guards the gate, the while?” I asked, almost instinctively.
“Mr. Worden, and your old acquaintance and my new
tenant, Newcome. They are both armed, for a parson will
not only fight the battles of the spirit, but he will fight
those of the field, when concerned. Mr. Worden has shown
himself a man in all this business.”
Without replying, I left Herman Mordaunt, and proceeded
to the gate myself, since there was little to be done in the
court. There we were strong enough; stronger, perhaps,
than was necessary; but I greatly distrusted Guert's scheme,
the guard at the gate, and most of all the fire.
I was soon at Mr. Worden's side. There the reverend
gentleman was, sure enough, with Jason Newcome at his
elbow. Their duty was to keep the gate in that precise condition
in which it could be barred, or unbarred, at the shortest
notice, as friends or foes might seek admission. The
parties appeared to be fully aware of the importance of the
trust they filled, and I asked permission to pass out. My
first object was the fire, for it struck me Herman Mordaunt
felt too much confidence in his means of extinguishing it,
and that our security had been neglected in that quarter. I
was no sooner outside the buildings, therefore, than I turned
I could get a view of the dangerous pile.
The brightness of the glare that was gleaming over the
fields and stumps, that came within the compass of the light
from the fire, added to my security by the contrast, though
it did not tell well for that particular source of danger. The
dark stumps, many of which were charred by the fires of
the clearing, and were absolutely black, seemed to be dancing
about in the fields, under the waving light, and twice I
paused to meet imaginary savages ere I had gained the corner
of the house. Each alarm, however, was idle, and I succeeded
in obtaining the desired view. Not only were the
knots burning fiercely, but a large sheet of flame was clinging
to the logs of the house, menacing us with a speedy
conflagration. The danger would have been greater, but a
thunder-shower had passed over the settlement only an hour
before we were alarmed, and coming from the north, all
that side of the house had been well drenched with rain.
This occurred after `Muss' had commenced his pile, or he
might have chosen another side of the building. The deep
obscurity of that gust, however, was probably one of the
means of his success. He must have been at work during
the whole continuance of the storm.
I was not absent from the gate two minutes. That brief
space was sufficient for my first purpose. I now desired
Jason to enter the court, and to tell Herman Mordaunt not
to delay a moment in applying the means for extinguishing
the flames. There was greater danger from them than there
possibly could be from any other attack upon the pickets,
made in the darkness of the morning. Jason was cool by
temperament, and he was a good agent to be employed on
such a duty. Promising to be quick, he left us, and I turned
my face towards Guert and his party. As yet, nothing
had been heard of the last. This very silence was a source
of alarm, though it was difficult to imagine the adventurer
had met with an enemy, since such a collision must have
been somewhat noisy. A few scattering shot, all of which
came from the west side of the buildings, and the flickering
light of the fire, were the only interruptions to the otherwise
death-like calm of the hour.
The same success attended me in reaching the south-west
it seemed as if the savages had entirely abandoned the fields
in my vicinity. When I took my stand at this corner of the
building, I found all its southern side in obscurity, though
sufficient light was gleaming over the meadows to render the
ragged edges of the cliff visible in that direction. I looked
along the log walls to this streak of light, but could see no
signs of my friends. I was certain they were not under the
house, and began to apprehend some serious indiscretion on
the part of the bold Albanian. While engaged in endeavouring
to get a clue to Guert's movements, by devouring every
dark object I could perceive with my eyes, I felt an elbow
touched lightly, and saw a savage in his half-naked, fighting
attire, at my side. I could see enough to ascertain this, but
could not distinguish faces. I was feeling for my hunting-knife,
when the Trackless's voice stayed my hand.
“He wrong”—said the Onondago, with emphasis. “Head
too young—hand good—heart good—head very bad. Too
much fire—dark here—much better.”
This characteristic criticism on poor Guert's conduct,
served to tell the whole story. Guert had put himself in
a position in which the Onondago had refused to remain; in
other words, he had gone to the verge of the cliff, where he
was exposed to the light of the fire, and where he was necessarily
in danger of being seen. Still, no signs of him
were visible, and I was on the point of moving along the
south side of the building, to the margin of the rocks, when
the Trackless again touched my arm, and said “There!”
There our party was, sure enough! It had managed to
reach the verge of the rocks at a salient point, which placed
them in an admirable position for raking the enemy, who
were supposed to be climbing to the pickets, with a view to
a sudden spring, but at a dangerous distance from the buildings.
The darkness had been the means of their reaching
that point, which was about a hundred yards from the spot
where I had expected to find them, and admirably placed
for the intended object. The whole procedure was so much
like Guert's character, that I could not but admire its boldness,
while I condemned its imprudence. There was, however,
no time to join the party, or to warn its leader of the
risks he ran. We, who stood so far in the rear, could see
not. There the whole party of them stood, plainly though
darkly drawn in high relief, against the light beyond, each
poising his rifle and making his dispositions for the volley.
Guert was nearest to the verge of the rocks, actually bending
over them; Dirck was close at his side; Jaap just behind
Dirck; Jumper close at Jaap's elbow; and four of the
settlers, bold and hardy men, behind the Oneida.
I could scarcely breathe, for painful expectation, when I
saw Guert and his companions thus rising from the earth,
bringing their entire figures in front of the back-ground of
light. I could have called out to warn them of the danger
they ran; but it would have done no good, nor was there
time for remonstrances. Guert must have felt he occupied a
dangerous position, and what he did was done very promptly.
Ten seconds after I saw the dark forms, all their rifles were
discharged, as it might be at a single crack. One instant
passed, in death-like stillness, through all the fields, and in
the court; then came a volley from among the stumps at a
little distance from our side of the building, and the adventurers
on the rocks, or those that could, rushed towards the
gate. Two of the settlers, however, and the Oneida, I saw
fall, myself. The last actually leaped upward, into the air,
and went down the cliff. But Guert, Dirck, Jaap, and the
other two settlers, had moved away. It was at that moment
that my ears were filled with such yells as I had not supposed
the human throat could raise, and all the fields on our
side of the house seemed alive with savages. To render the
scene more appalling, that was the precise instant when the
water, previously provided by Herman Mordaunt, fell upon
the flames, and the light vanished, almost as one extinguishes
a candle. But for this providential coincidence,
there was scarce a chance for the escape of one of the adventurers.
As it was, rifle followed rifle, from among the
stumps, though it was no longer with any certain aim.
The battle had now become a mélée. The savages went
leaping and whooping forward in the darkness, and heavy
blows were given and taken. Guert's clear, manly voice
was heard, rising above the clamour, encouraging his companions
to press through the throng of their assailants, in
tones full of confidence. Both the Trackless and myself
each certainly brought down his man; but it was not easy
to see what we could do next. To stand aloof and see my
friends borne down by numbers was impossible, however,
and Susquesus and myself fell upon the enemy's rear. This
charge of ours had the appearance of a sortie, and it produced
a decided effect on the result, opening a passage by
which Dirck and the two settlers issued from the throng,
and joined us. This was no sooner done, than we all had
to stand at bay, retreating little by little, as we could. The
result would still have been doubtful, even after we had succeeded
in reaching the south-western angle of the building,
had it not been for a forward movement on the part of Herman
Mordaunt, at the head of half-a-dozen of his settlers.
This reinforcement came into the affair with loaded rifles,
and a single discharge, given as soon as we were in a line
with our friends, caused our assailants to vanish, as suddenly
as they had appeared. On reflecting on the circumstances
of that awful night, in after-life, I have thought that the
force in the rear of the Hurons began to melt away, even
before Herman Mordaunt's support was received, leaving
their front weak and unsustained. At any rate, the enemy
fled to their covers, as has just been related, and we entered
the gate in a body, closing and barring it, as soon as possible.
I can scarcely describe the change that had come over
the appearance of things in that eventful night. The fire
was extinguished, even to the embers, and deep darkness
had succeeded to the glimmering, waving red light of the
flames. The yells, and whoops, and screams, and shouts,
for our men had frequently thrown back the defiance of their
foes in cheers, were done; a stillness as profound as that of
the grave reigning over the whole place. The wounded
seemed ashamed even to groan; but our hurt, of whom
there were four, went into the house to be cared for, stern
and silent. No enemy was any longer to be apprehended
beneath the pickets, for the streak of morning was just appearing
above the forest, in the east, and Indians rarely
attack under the light of day. In a word, that night, at
least, was passed, and we were yet protected by Providence.
Herman Mordaunt now bethought him of ascertaining his
precise situation, the extent of his own loss, and, as far as
was called for, to aid in this inquiry, but no Guert was to
be found! Jaap, too, was absent. A muster was had, and
then it was found that Guert Ten Eyck, Jaap Satanstoe,
Gilbert Davis, and Moses Mudge were all wanting. The
Jumper, too, did not appear; but I accounted for him, and
for the two settlers named, having actually seen them fall.
Day returned to us slowly, while agitated by the effect of
these discoveries; but it brought no relief. We soon ventured
to re-open the gates, knowing no Indian would remain
very near the building, while it was light; and, having examined
all the dangerous covers, we passed outside the court
with confidence, in quest of the bodies of our friends. Not
an Indian was seen, Jumper excepted. The Oneida lay at
the foot of the rocks, dead, and scalped; as did Davis and
Mudge on the summit. Everything else human had disappeared.
Dirck was confident that six or seven of the
Hurons fell by the volley from the cliff, but the bodies had
been carried off. As to Guert and Jaap, no traces of them
remained, dead or alive.
| CHAPTER XIII. Satanstoe, or, The Littlepage manuscripts : | |