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Show XIV. THE SEDITION AT LA CAROLINE.-CnAP. I. THERE was bustle of no common sort in the fortress of La Caro4 lin~. The breezes of September l•ad purged and relieved of its evil influences the stagnant atmosphere of summer. The sick of the garrison had crawled forth bcnenlh the pleasant shadows of the palms, that grew between the fortress and the river banks, and there were signs of life and nnimation in the scene and nmong Hs occupants, which testified to the fa,·orablc change which healthier breezes and more encouraging moral influences, were about to produce among the sluggish inhabitants of our little colony. There were particular occasions for movement apart from the cheering aspects of the season. Enterprise was afoot with all its eagerness and hope. l\fcn were to be soon, in armor, hurrying to and fro, busy in the work of preparation, wlJilc ~Jonsieur Laudonnicrc himself, just recovered from a severe illness, conspicuous in the scene, appeared to have cast aside no small portion of his wonted apatl1y and inactivity. He was in the full enjoyment of his authority. He had baffied the disease which preyed upon him, and had d.::fca.t.od the conspiracy by which hie lifo and power had boon TilE 8£n1TION AT LA CAROLINE. 167 tbrcntencd. lie was now disposed to think lightly of the dangers be had passed, though his having passed them, in safety, had tended greatly to cncourago his hope and to stimulate his adventure. lie now stood, in full uniform, at the great gate of the forlrcs.~, reading at intervals from a paper in his grasp, while extending his orders to lli.s lieutenants. lie was c\·idently preparing to make considerable usc of his authority. It is, perhaps, permitted to a Gascon to do so, at all seasons, e\·en when he owes his security to better wits than his own, and has achieved his successes in his own despite. Our worthy captain of the Huguenot garrison •ron the rh·erof )Jay, wn.s not the Jess disposed to insist upon his autJwrity, because it ha.d been .sa.ved to him without l1is own pa~ticipation. It might have been difficult, under any circumstances, to persuad::l him of that, and certainly, the conviction, even if he had cntcrtuiu~d it, would, at tl1is juncture, have done nothing to dissipate or lessen the confid~nt hope wl1ich prompted his present purposes. The present w.ns no ordinary occasion. H was as an ally of sovereigns that L audonnicrc was extending his orders. lie had, already, on scvcml occasions, pcm1ittcd his lieutenants to take part in the warfare between the domestic chicftuilu, and he was now preparing to engage in a contest which threatened to be of more than common magnitude and duration. A warfare that seldom knew remission had been long waged betu·een the riml warriors, wlwsc several dorninious embraced the western line of the great Apalachian chain. Already had the Huguenots fough t on the sic!c of dte great potentate Olata. Utioa, commonly called Utina, against another formidable prince called Potanou. He was aow prcpariog to second with arms the ambition of Kings IJoshqua and Ona.thaqua, '"'ho were preparing for the utter annihilat: on of the power of l.be formidable Pota.nou. Of tho two former |
