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Show 290 'filE l.II.Y ANO nn: "fOT£M. apprised of what they had to expect; and were told, at the first sign of danger, to cast down their corn bags, and betake themselves to their \l"Capons wholly. The grain might be lost-probably would be-but better this, than, in a vain endeavor to preserve it, lose life and grain together. Thus prcpnrcd, D'Erlach began the march. lie was followed, at a ~hort intcn•al, by Ottigny, with tho rest of tllc detachment j a small force of eight arqucbusicrs excepted, who, under charge of a sergeant, were sent to the left. of tl1c thicket which bounded tho avenue on one hand, with instructions to scour the woods in that quarter, yet without passing beyond reach of help from the main body. All fell out as had been anticipated. D'Erlach was en· countered as be emerged from the avenue, by a force of three hundred Indians. They poured in a cloud of arrows, Out fortu· nately at such o. distance as to do little mischief. With the first assa.ult the Frenchmen di~p~sesscd themselves of their burdens, and prepared thcmrielves for fight. Tho savages came on more boldly 1 throwing in fresh flights of arrowli as they pushed forward, and rending the forests \Vith their cries. D'Erlach preserved all his steadiness and coolness. He saw that the arrows were yet comparatively ineffectual. "Do not answer them yet, my good fellows," he cried, u but stoop ye, every uum, and break the arrowl41 as many as ye can, that fall about yc." He had seen that the savages, having delivered a few fires, were wont tQ rush fonvard and gather up the spent. shafts, which, thus recovered, afforded them an inexhaustible armory, upon which it is their cwtom to rely. When his assailants beheld how his men were engaged, they rushed forward with loud shouts of fury, and delivering another storm of darts, they made demonstrations of a CAPTIVITY OF TJIE GOEAT P.AOACOUSSf. 291 desire for close conflict, with their stone hatchets and macanas. At this show, D'E rlach spoke to his men in subdued accents. " Make yc still as if ye would stoop for tho fallen arrows, yc of tho first rank ; but blow yc your matches even as yc do so, nod falling upon your knees deliver then your fire; while the second rank will cover you a.<~ yo do so, and while ye ohnrgo noew your pieces. 11 The command was obeyed with coolness; nod, as the Indians darted forward, coming in close packed squadrons into the gorge of the avenue, the soldiers delivered their fire with great precision. Dreadful was the howl which followed it, for more than thirteen of the savages had fullcn, mortally hurt, and two of their chief warriors had been made to bite tho dust. Seizing tho boJies of their slain and \VOundod comrades, the suni,·ors immediately hurried into cover, and D'Erlnch at once pushed forward with his command, Dut he had not advanced more than four hundred paces, when the nssault was renewed, the air suddenly being darkened with the flight of bearded shafts, while the forest rang with the yells of savage fury. They were stiU too far for serious mischief, and were besides covered with the woods . so, giving the assailants little heed, except to observe that the; came not too nigh, or too suddenly upon him, D'Erlacb continued to push forward, doing as he bad done before with tho hostile arrows whenever they lay in the pathway. But the courage of the rcd·mco increased as they warmed in the struggle, and they grc'v bolder because of the very forbearance of the Frcnelunen Besides, their forces bad been increased by other bodies, each approaching in turn to the n.saault, so as to keep their enemies constantly busy. In parties of two or throe hundred, they darted from their several ambushes, and having discharged their arrows, |