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Show lOS THE LILY .AND THE TOTEM. both beside me. You arc the feeblest. You nrc dying fast. You tllirst; another day and you perish! You have a mother, Genet-a dear l'! ister, Lafourche-why will you not live for them? Lo! you, now,-whcn I strike the blow,--do you both clup your mouths upon the wound. Drink frocly--driuk deep-that you may have strength-and let the rest drink after you. 1'hcro !my braves !-there." With each of these last words, the brave fellow-thence culled " Lachnne, the Dclivcrcr"-struck two fatal blows, one upon his heart, and one upon his throat. lie leaned back between the two fiuuishcd persons whom he bad especially addressed, and, while tho consciousness wns yet in the eyes of the dying man, they sprang like thirsting tigers, and fastened their mouths upon each streaming orifice. Tho victim, smarting and conscious to the last, sunk in a few seconds, into tho sa.crcd slumber of death. 1'his heroism saved tho rest. He had struck with a firm hand and n resolute spirit. In his death they lived. Slow to accept his proffered sacrifice, he was scnrcly cold, ere the survivors fastened upon his body; and, ere the last morsel of the victim was consumed, they had as.~uranecs of safety.• It seemed as if expiation had been done; as if the sacrifice had purged their offences and mad~ them acceptable to heaven. The land rose upon their vision,-a glimpse like that of salvation to • Lt>st we should be suspoctel of exag>l"eration we quote a single teD· tencefrom the condensed account in ChKrlel·oix;-"laebau, colui ta mol me, que b. CaJlitaine AllJert avoit exiU, apr~• l'avolr d.!grad6 dC!I armes, d6clara qu'il vouloit bien avancer sa mort, qu'il croyoit in6vitnble, pour reculer de quelquu jouu celle de scs compagnon1. ll fut pri1 au mot, et on l'egorgta 1ur le champ, sans qu'il rit l<t moindre r61isranc~. R 11tfutpru p~rdu vnt Stmlt de I(Jit ~anq, tOfU ~n Olirtlll OlltC a"irJiti, It torplfut mit tnpitcu,tt chacun tn ~Ill 10 part." 109 the doomed onc,-a sight " whereof they were so exceeding glad, that the pleasure caused them to remain a long time as men without sense ; whereby they let the pinncssc floatc this and that way without holding any right way or course." While thus wandering, in sight of France, but still at the mercy of the winds and waves, they were boarded by an English vessel. llerc they were recognized by a )frenchman who happened to be one of the crew that had accompanied Ribault in his voyage. The most feeble were put upon the coast of France ; the rest were taken to England, with tl1e design that Queen Eliz.abcth, who meditated sending an expedition to Florida, might have the benefit of their report. |
