University of Virginia Library

6. CHAPTER VI.
THE MASSACRE.

While the Bald-Eagle was speaking, Father Borromeè never
withdrew his searching eyes for one instant from his face, and
when he had ended he subjected him to a close cross-examination,
for he very grievously suspected him, but he succeeded
in eliciting nothing, and it was not to be doubted that an enemy
was at hand, since he could have no possible object in the
invention of a falsehood which must be discovered within a
few hours. By this time, the whole tribe of the Iroquois were
at the gates imploring admittance for themselves, their children,
their wives, and their baggage, and as the good faith of
the tribe in general was not to be doubted any more than the fact
that they were engaged in deadly hostilities with the Ojibwas,
they were of course instantly admitted, the women and children
as guests, and in some degree as hostages, the men as
trusty and valorous allies.

The father Borromeè took advantage of this diversion to
dismiss the chiefs under the care of the refectioner and the
brother who acted as chirurgeon, desiring the latter in the Iroquois
tongue to attend carefully to the hurts of the Bald-Eagle,
and adding a few words in Spanish directing him to delay his

operations as much as possible, and by no means to permit
him to get abroad within an hour. When they were once
gone he proceeded to take counsel with the president, and
though he did not hesitate to express his belief that the Bald-Eagle
was a traitor, and in collusion with the enemy, and that
the advice given was for his own advantage, he still believed
it the best to be taken. “Doubtless, he expected,” the Jesuit
said, “to be employed himself in the matter, in which case he
would have at once given the spoil up to the Ojibwas, and
after disclosing to them our line of defence, betrayed us by
some cunning treason. But we will frustrate him,” he added.
“If you will suffer me to go forth, father, on this mission, I
will take with me only the `Little Bear,' whom I know for a
trusty and faithful Indian, and the girl Ahsahgunushk Numamahtahseng,
who can converse with me in Italian, and by
whom I may communicate with the Ojibwas if need be. The
plate and treasures I will bury below the water-mark on the
east end of the giant's grave, on a due east line from the largest
pine I can find, and a white stone which I will set up on the
shore. So shall you find it if aught of evil befall me. If God
grant me to return in life, I will enter by the secret passage
into the stone-tower to-morrow night at half an hour before
moon-rise; so that three or four of the trustiest of the brothers
to hold the door in hand and admit me at the signal. For the
rest, resist stoutly, put no trust in the Bald-Eagle, let him not
stir a yard without one of the brethren at his elbow, and shoot
him dead on the instant if he attempt to communicate with the
enemy, or do aught savoring in the least of treason. By God's
grace, we will frustrate this knave's treachery, until by means
of the maiden we may make firm peace with the enemy,
which I by no means despair of. Now give me thy blessing,
father, and speed me on my way, for by Heaven's aid, right
sure am I that this will be the better way.”

Some little opposition was made, on the pretended score of
unwillingness to expose so eminent and valuable a life to such
cruel risk, but in reality, because, knowing him to be the best,
the bravest, and the ablest leader of the whole order, they
wanted his presence within so sorely that they held themselves
barely able to dispense with it. His urgency, however, and
the necessity of the case prevailed, and he received the permission
he required, and the persons he had selected as his
companions. To the girl alone was the object of their expedition
intrusted, and she was appointed the bearer, with the
Jesuit's aid, of the coffer in which the relies and plate of the
order were secured. The young chief was content to follow
a leader whom he loved and revered so deeply as the father
Borromee, in blind obedience to his will, without inquiring
wherefore or whither, and had he doubted, the present which
he received before setting forth of a beautifully-finished Spanish-barrelled
carabine, with horn and pouch to correspond, and
a fine German hunting-knife with a buck-horn hilt, would have
hired him to follow any leader even to the gates of the tomb.

The Jesuit himself laid aside his robes, and appeared clad
from head to foot in a suit of fine buckskin accurately fitting
his fine form, and displaying a port and stature certainly better
fitted for a warrior than for a monk, to its best advantage. His
arms were superb, and by the way he handled them it was
clear that he well knew how to use them. They consisted of
a long Spanish-barrelled gun, with the newly-invented wheel-lock,
two brace of ten-inch German pistols, a curved yataghan
of Damascus steel swinging on his left thigh, a stout Toledo
dagger in his belt, and an axe swung by the belt which supported
the horn and bullet-pouch across his shoulders. Even
Ahsahgunushk Numamahtahseng, proud to be selected from
all her tribe for such a duty, carried her bow and quiver, and
thus equipped, bearing the heavy coffer between them, they

issued from a secret wicket in the back of the palisades,
opening upon the brook and ravine, along the course of which
they crept stealthily to its outlet into the river, whither the
girl soon paddled down a canoe from the wharf, unseen and
unsuspected, when they all embarked and dropped so silently
down the current, that they had been gone an hour before their
departure was discovered by any one, and then it was only detected
on the Bald-Eagle's coming forth from the refectory,
when he perceived the absence of the Little-Bear, and soon
after found that the father Borromeè was not to be seen that
evening, whence he at once suspected what had occurred,
though even then he overlooked the departure of the Reed-shaken-by-the-wind,
whom he believed to be somewhere within
the buildings of the Mission. His first impulse was to
leave the fort and follow on their trail, but egress being peremptorily
refused to him, he saw at once that he was himself
suspected, and resigned himself with Indian stoicism to
what he knew must be, exulting inwardly in the sure triumph
of his iniquitous and treasonable schemes.

Before they had been missed within the fort, their canoe
had passed the mouth of the river, and entered the labyrinth of
shoals and shallows, overgrown with a luxuriant crop of wild-rice,
rising to a height of at least six feet above the surface,
and intersected with many narrow navigable channels, which
are one of the peculiar features of the streams which debouch
into the lower end of the great Georgian bay. Here their
peril may be said to have commenced fairly, for from this
point onward they might at any moment fall upon the fleet of
their enemies, but they had concluded, and as it fell out, concluded
wisely, that the Ojibwas being in such overwhelming
force, would scarcely hurry or attempt any forced surprise,
when they were assured, as the Jesuit never doubted that they
were assured, of treacherous aid from within the fort. He

judged, therefore, that they would encamp for the night, on
the western side of some of the many islets where their fires
would not be visible at the mouth of the Wye. He caused his
boat on this principle to be kept away into a deep bight of the
mainland on the left of the mouth of the river as you come
down, and running close along the coast within the shadows
of shore, until he reached and doubled a bold headland opening
a deep bay indenting the land to the southward, from
which point of view he soon discovered no less than five
watch-fires, burning on the southwestern point of what is now
known as Present island, and by the aid of a small perspective-glass,
which he had brought with him, easily discerned the figures
of many savages moving and sitting around the blaze, and
interposing their dusky forms between his eye and the light.

His plan was now taken on the instant, or rather was decided,
for it was that on which he had from the first determined;
paddling as rapidly as he could into the deep bay, he
soon reached the rice-swamp which filled the bottom along the
shores, and after a little examination, struck the mouth of a
deep, narrow, sluggish stream which fell into it; up this with
some labor they forced the canoe, until they reached the land,
which was overspread with a gigantic forest of tall hemlocks,
mingled with deciduous trees, and traversed by an Indian trace,
for there was a portage hence to the neighboring bay, now the
harbor of Penetanguishine, by which several miles of distance
can be saved in rounding the northern headland and working
their way southwardly. Here the canoe was taken out of
water, and the Indian balancing it easily upon his shoulder,
walked off through the woods at his usual swinging trot, followed
by the priest, who, besides being encumbered with his
own arms and those of the Indian, was almost overloaded with
the ponderous coffer, and by the girl, who bore the paddles, a
shovel or two which had been brought along in the canoe.

Abour half an hour's walking brought them to the farther end
of the portage, upon the narrow and limpid basin of Penetanguishine,
now the site of a flourishing village, with British
barracks and a naval station, but then the desolate and unfrequented
wilderness.

Here they lighted a small fire, in a deep hollow, surrounded
with underwood, which sheltered them entirely from view, and
eating a scanty meal of cooked provisions which they had
brought along with them, wrapped themselves in their blankets
and slept, or seemed to sleep through the night unmolested.
But the Jesuit slept not, but lay pondering on the perils of his
comrades, now almost fearing that his advice had not been the
wisest, and that their true policy would have been to have deserted
the fort for the moment after caching their valuables, and
to have run up northwardly along the shores, where the Ojibwas
would not dare to follow them. It was, however, obviously
too late to repent, and though he could not sleep, he lay
and rested himself until the stars paled in the sky to the eastward,
and a faint dappling of the heavens announced the coming
of another day. Then he arose, and bidding his companions
prepare the canoe and get everything aboard, while he
himself hurried back to the other end of the portage to take one
final observation of the Indians, and when there he perceived
them, as he expected, with their barks already afloat and steering
directly across the bay for the embouchure of the Wye, a
fact which confirmed him fully of the treason of the Bald-Eagle,
since but for his information, it was impossible that the
strange savages could have so speedily discovered the mouth
of the river they sought. Filled with grievous and sad forebodings
he now hastened back to his companions, and telling
them nothing of his fears, for he was resolved at all risks after
burying the treasure to return to his brethren, and if necessary
die with them, and feared some opposition from the Little-Bear,

entered the birch canoe, steered down the placid inlet of Peneetanguishine,
and thence re-entering the main waters of the
great Georgian bay, laid her course to the south-westward for
the truncated cone, shaped much like a steeple-crowned hat,
of the puritanic form, which was then and is to this day known
as the Giant's Grave. This conspicuous islet they reached long
before noon, and mooring the canoe to a paddle driven into the
extremity of a gravelly shoal at the eastern end of the island,
they laid aside their arms, and taking the shovels, the coffer,
and a white bowlder-stone which they had brought with them
from the last landing-place, and ascertaining the exact place
designated by the Jesuit, soon effected the concealment of the
treasure, beneath the gravel and beneath the water itself, and
that done, carefully and effectually removing all traces of their
temporary visit to the island mound, they betook themselves
homeward by the same way that they had come, reached the
shelter of the woods of Penetanguishine at an early hour of
the afternoon, and there reposed and finished their small stock
of provisions, until the gathering gloom of evening should render
it safe for them to return safely to the camp, and seek to
re-enter it. In those short days evening soon came, and it
had hardly spread its dark mantle over the earth, calling the
nocturnal tribes of birds and insects into life and motion, before
they were again upon the waters, steering toward the well-known
mouth of the familiar river.

One thing, however, had greatly shaken the confidence of the
priest; for some hours of the time during which they had lain
perdu in the woods nigh to Penetanguishine, the roar of the
artillery from the fort had been almost continuous, telling of a
sharp attack and stout resistance, and at times even the rolling
rattle of the volleyed musketry had been distinctly audible.
On a sudden the roar and rattle had sunk at once, and all was
hushed and still — alas, his foreboding heart! — was hushed

and still for ever — all save the groans of agony, all save the
yells of the frantic torturers, all save the booming of the terrible
death-drums, and the appalling cadences of the scalp-whoop
and the death-halloo. By the time the moon was within a
little space of rising, the priest had landed on the northern
headland of the Wye, obedient to his promise, and after dismissing
the Indian, and bidding him look to his own safety for
he feared the worst was already over, he took his way accompanied
by the girl, who refused to leave him, maintaining that
she was in no danger from her own tribesmen, to the familiar
fort through the lone woodlands.

When he reached the spot, his worst fears were indeed realized.
The mouth of the secret passage was forced violently
open, and it was evident that through it, detected of course by
the Bald-Eagle before his departure, the entrance of the enemies
had been affected. A few steps more brought him to a
full view of the hideous scene of massacre and torture, but the
last act save one of the dread tragedy was completed. The
last save one of the brethren had sealed the testimony of his
faith with his innocent and pious blood; a scathed pile and a
heap of ashes, interspersed with a few human bones, were the
sole monuments of their dreadful doom; and long stood there
erect and grisly, mute evidences of the spot where the Jesuits
endured all the protracted horrors of the Indian torture, and
died invoking not vengeance, but peace and pardon on their
persecutors.

“Domine nunc dimittis,” groaned the Jesuit, as he looked
on the dreadful sight. “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant to
depart in peace;” and with a loud, clear voice he exclaimed,
“Fratres benedicite,” his wonted salutation to his tribes-men,
and strode forward with uplifted arms from the shadows of the
forest into the open area, which was still lighted by the embers
of the death-fires, around which the Indians were sitting,

wearied and worn out with the exhaustion of the past excitement.
At this strange apparition many of them started to their
feet in wonder nigh akin to fear. But the Bald-Eagle recognised
him at once, and leaping forward with a wild whoop of
triumph, seized him unresisting by the collar and dragged him
rudely forward. “This is the chief,” he cried, “this is
the chief-medicine — the evil-spirit of them all. Away with
him, brothers, to the stake. He is the seducer, too, of your
tribes woman, Ahsahgunushk Numamahtahseng. To the stake
with him.”

But as he spoke the girl herself glided forward and stood at
his elbow.

“It is a lie,” she said. “It is a lie of the Iroquois. The
daughter of Chingwauk, the sister of Chingwaukonce, is no
castaway — never seduced. It is a lie, cowardly Huron Buzzard,
Ahsahgunushk Numamahtahseng is white as the snow in
winter. That for your lie, foul traitor Huron!” and as she
spoke, she plunged a small knife at a single blow into the heart
of the traitor, that he dropped dead at her feet without a word
or sign. Then she flung the bloody knife into the circle, and
cried in her clear silver tones. “Blood for the honor of the
Ojibwa girl. Death to the liar and the traitor. Father, brother,
has the Reed-shaken-by-the-wind done well?”

A loud acclamation carried an assent to her words, and she
was instantly greeted by the kinsmen, and installed in her lost
station, as the daughter of the great chief, worthy of all distinction
and respect; but no prayers, no arguments, no entreaties
of hers could win the pardon of the Jesuit. He was tortured
so felly, that the very manner of his death has come
down to these days by direct oral tradition of the perpetrators.
Necklaces of red-hot axe-heads were hung about his neck, girdles
about his loins, till when his body was literally well nigh
burnt in twain, his living heart was ripped out of his bosom,

and flung palpitating in his face, while his agonized lips still
quivered with the last notes of the “De Profundis clamavi.”
He died in his middle age, a true and undaunted soldier of the
church; as he had battled in his youth true and undaunted
soldier of his king. His race was run, his duty done. Honor
to his memory, peace to his ashes!

From that day never more did the Reed-shaken-by-the-wind
lift her gentle head, but faded like a flower withered by the
fierce noonday sun. Like Iago, word she never spoke more,
but wandered mute and almost bereaved of reason around the
pile at which her teacher, her friend, and her savior, had died
in anguish intolerable, yet endured with the triumphant faith
and fortitude of a Christian martyr, and a French cavalier, until
death relieved her, too, of the burthen and the weariness of too
long life.

On the following day the Little-Bear was captured and slain,
and with him perished the secret of the concealed treasures.
They are sought for often by both the Indians and the whites,
but never have been found, nor is it probable ever will be, since
the sole record of them exists in this veracious legend, and
even so the bowlder has been swept away, the pine-tree has
perished with age, and the place of the interment may be held
lost for ever.

Before the springtime returned with its flowers, the “Reed-shaken-by-the-wind”
slept by the banks of that fair river which
had so long afforded her a happy home among the good French
Jesuits. Myself, I have sat oftentimes on the low mound
which marks her resting-place, and have fancied as I heard
the wild wind mournfully rustling through the wild-rice beds,
that it murmured the soft accents of her name — Ahsahgunushk
Numamahtahseng.

The race of the Iroquois has vanished from the earth, their
memory preserved alone by the pits which contain their bones

scattered through the wild woods. Their language is no more
heard in their old places, for the Ojibwas dwell where they
dwelt of yore, and all that remains to give evidence concerning
the fall of the old French fort, is this humble record, and the
holy Christian creed which they professed, and which in after-days
their very murderers adopted. Magna est veritas et
prævalebit.

The life of man is grass, and is cut down in a day and perisheth
before the evening star; the Truth of God is eternal,
and endureth for ever and ever.