| OCR Text |
Show 128 TilE LILY AND THE TOTE:\f. thus despoiled, withdrew promJJily from the dangerous ncigHorhood, :md,but for a fortuna!(', :md seemingly pro,·iJcntial circumstance, wl1ich nffordcd them succor for awllilc, the di,trcs<o. of tho garrison migl1t ha\'c rcaliz.-d anew the misfortunes of the pcoplo of Fort Charles. We must let Laudonnicrc himself record the event, which Lad such beneficial cons:lqucnccs, in his own language: "Thus," said he, "things passed oll in this mnnJlcr, and tho hatred of Pa_racoussi Satourio1·a against mcc did sti!l continue, untill that, on the nine nnd t1vcnticth of Au;ust, a lig!Jtning from heaven fell within halfc a league of our fort, more 1vorthy, I believe, t~ be wondered at, and to be put in writing, than all tl1c strange signcs wbich have bccnc scene in times past. For, nlthough tlJC meadows were at that season all greene, nod lmlfc covered O\"Cr with water, neverthelessc the lightning, in 0110 instant, consumed abo,,e five hundred acres thereof, and burned, with the ardent heate thereof, all t!Jc foules which took tiJCir pastime in tl1e mendowcs-which thus continued for three daycs spnce-which caused us not a little to mul'!c 1 not being able to judge whence this fire proceeded. One w!Jilo we thourrht that the Indians had burnt their houses and abandoned the~ pl:tces for fcaro of us. Another while we tl10ught that they had discovered some shippcs in the sea, nnd that, according to the ir customo, thoy had kiudlod many fires here and thoro • • • I determined to scndc to Paracoussi Scrranay to knowc the trutl1. Dut, even as I was about to sendc one by boate, sixo Jndiuns came unto me from Paracoussi Allimicany, which, at their first cntric, made unto me:c a long discourse, and a very large and ample oration (after they hnd presented mee with (l('rtain ba~kcts full of maiz, of pompions, and of grapes), of the loving amity 11!STORICAL SU~BIARY. 129 which Allimicany desired to continue with moe, and that ho looked, from lby to day, when it would please moe to employ him in my service. Therefore, consitlering the serviceable affection tlmt bee bare unto moe, he found it very strange that I thus disduugtd mine ordnMICt against his dwtlling, which had burnt up an infinite sight of greene mcadowes, and consumed even dowoc unto the bottom of the water." The simple message of tho Paracoussi, suggested some advantages to Laudonnicrc, who did not now scruple to admit that all the mischief had been done by his wanton ordnance. He had shot, not really to injure his neighbor, but to let him form a proper idea of what he might do, in tho way of mischief, should he hM·c the provocation at any time. Since, however, the Paraeoussi ho.d come to the recollection of his duties, he, Laudonuicre, ,vould protcrt him hereafter. The rod-man had only to continuo faithful, and tho wl1ite man would stifle his ordnance. The sequel of this strange fire from heaven, may be given in few words. For three days it remained unextinguished, and, for two more days, the heat in the atmosphere was insupportable. The river suffered from a sympathetic heat, and seemed ready to seethe. T he fish in it died in ~uch abundance, of all sorts, that tnougk 1ctrt Joundt io ha'Ct latltn fifiit carts. The air became putrid with the effluvia; the greater number of the garrison fbll sick, and suffered nearly to death ; while tho poor sa,·agcs removed to a distance from tho region, which, since the settlement of the colonists, had been productive of lillie but mischief unto them. The distress of Laudonnicrc, under these events, was increased by discontents and mutinies among his people. T hey were not of a class so docile as their predecessors under Albert. These, certainly, would not have borne so patiently with such a. 6• |
