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Show 288 struggled in the grasp of fh·c stuh\·art snvages, who hnd him down and were preparing to cut his throat. He bad been beguiled from the place which had been nssigncd l1im as a watch, nnd was about to pay the pcncll!y of l1is folly with l1is life. In an instant the g:lihlnt 1\ lphouso D'Eriach l1ad Sl)rung among them, his sword passing clear tl1rough the back of the most prominent in lhc group of :tSS.'lilants. Jlis body, falling upon that of the capti\·c, prevented the blows which the rest were showering upon him. They started in sudden terror at this interruption. Their own and the clamors of the l~rcncbman had kept them from nil knowledge of tl1c npproaching rescue. In an inst.'lnt they were gone. They waited for no second stroke from a \vcapou whose first address WtLS so sharp and sudden. 'l'bey left their captive, bruised and groaning, but without serious injury to life or limb. The warnings uud rumuranccs of the ParacouSI!i wore sufficiently enforced by tl1i.~ instance of the hostility of tho red-men. But the necessity of securing aU the supplies they might pos11ibly procure from the natives, either through lheirowu artifices or because of the apprehension for their chiefs, caused our Frenchmen to linger at the village of Utina. '!'hey were determined to wait the full period of four dn.ys which they hnd assigned themselves. In this period they saw the 11ameoussi more than once. At each interview his admonitions were delivered with incro{Ljjcd solenmity. 1'hcy found hi.~ chiefs les:J and less accommodating at every interview. 'fhc piles of grain o.t tho council-house incrcnscd slowly. Occn.sionally an Indian might be seen to enter n.nd cast tho contenta of his little bu.sket among the rest. The Ftcnchmcn endcnxorcd to persuade the chiefs to furni11h men to carry the grain to their vessel, but this was flatly denied. Hcsolvcd, fina!Jy, to depart, each. soldier was required to lot\d hiuu:~clf with. u. ~~ack CAPTI\'ITY OJ.' TIIB Glif:AT PARACOUSSI. 289 ns well filled ns it was consistent with his strength to bear. This Wll!:l slung across his shoulder, and, in this way, burdened with food for otiJCr moutl1s ns well as tlJCir own, and carrying their matcl1locks besides, the Frenchmen prepared to depart, on tho morning of the 27th July, 156[)1 from the village of Utina to the bark whicL they had left. It was a mcmomblo day for our ndl'enturcrs. In groups, scornfully smiling as they beheld the soldiers staggering beneath thcil' burdens, the chiefs assembled to sec tl10m depart from the village. Alphonse D'Erlach beheld the malignant triumph wl1ich sparkled in their eyes. "W c shall not be suffered to reach the bark in quiet;" was his remark to Ottigny. "Let me have the ad,'ancc, l\lons.icur,ifyou plctLSc; I have dealt with the dogs before." To this Ottigny consented; and leading one of tl1e divisons of tlw detachment, as at coming, D'Erlach prepared to tako the initiate in a progress, every part of which was destined to bo marked with strife. The immediate entrance to tho village of the Paracoussi, the only path, indeed, by which our Frenchmen C01dd emerge, l:1y1 for nearly half a mile, through a noble avenue, the sides of which were densely occupied by a most ample and umbrugeous forest. The trees were nt once great and lofty, and the space beneath was closcll up with a luxuriant undergrowth which spread away like a wnll of green on either hand. D'Erlach remembered this entrance. "Here," said he to Ottigny," Here, at the very opening of tho path, our trouble is likely to begin. Let your men be prepared with matches lighted, and sec that your fire is delivered only in squads, so tlmt, :lt no time, shall all of your pieces be entirely Clll pty." Ottiguy prepared to follow this counsel. His men were all 13 |