But his warning challenge had been heard by others of the guard, and they hurried out to investigate. Realizing that further concealment3 of their design was not possible, Colonel Frye, who was in command, called upon his men to fire, and they poured a volley into the French encampment that wakened every sleeper4, and for the moment created lively confusion.
The well-disciplined soldiers soon regained5 order, however, and rushed to repel6 the attack in such numbers that Colonel Frye at once saw the hopelessness of withstanding them, and gave the command to retreat.
Reluctantly enough his men obeyed, for, although they could see for themselves how they were outnumbered, they did want to inflict8 some loss upon the enemy before retreating to the fort.
They accordingly gave back as slowly as possible, firing and reloading their muskets9 with such celerity that the French conceived their numbers to be much greater than they really were, and were more cautious in their pursuit than they would have been if they had known the truth.
Seth was one of the last to retreat, and his slowness nearly cost him his life, as an Iroquois scout10, creeping serpent-like through the long grass, got near enough to hurl11 his tomahawk at him with deadly aim. But by a happy chance Seth at that moment threw up his gun, and the hatchet12 struck it instead of his head, glancing harmlessly off to one side.
In his rage at having missed, the Iroquois sprang upon Seth, and throwing his arms about him, strove to fasten his teeth in the Ranger's throat as though he were a wolf.
Now did Seth's skill in wrestling serve him in good stead. The redskin's onset13 was so sudden and unexpected that he had almost succeeded in his brutal14 purpose ere his intended victim could defend himself; but the next instant by a dexterous15 movement he evaded16 the cruel teeth, and then, dropping his gun, gripped his assailant around the neck, and flung him backward with such force that the savage17's senses were knocked out of him, and he lay limp and harmless.
"It would serve you right if I put my knife into you," growled18 Seth, as he groped about for his gun. But he forebore to do it, and having picked up the gun, hurried after the others, who of course had not waited for him, and with them regained the protection of the fort.
The sortie having accomplished19 nothing, the situation seemed hopeless; and after again consulting with his subordinates, Colonel Monro with a heavy heart came to the conclusion that there was no alternative but to capitulate on the best terms obtainable.
Accordingly on the 9th of August a white flag was raised, a drum was beat, and Lieutenant-Colonel Young, mounted upon horseback, accompanied by a few soldiers, went to the tent of Montcalm.
As the result of his negotiations20 with the French commander it was agreed that the English troops should march out with the honors of war, and be escorted to Fort Edward by a detachment of French troops; all French prisoners captured in America since the war began should be given up within three months; and that all the stores, munitions21, and artillery22 were to be the prize of the victors, with the exception of one field-piece which the garrison23 were to be permitted to retain in recognition of their brave defence.
These terms were fair and honorable to both parties; and if only Montcalm had taken such measures as would have insured their being carried out, the horrible proceedings24 of the following days, whereby what might otherwise have been considered a creditable achievement was turned into an appalling25 scandal, might have been prevented.
It is true that before signing the capitulation Montcalm held a council with the Indian chiefs and asked them to consent to the conditions and to promise to restrain their warriors27 from disorder28, and that the chiefs approved of everything and promised everything.
But he should not have been content with this. Knowing the nature of his allies as he did, he ought to have used his regular troops upon whom he could depend as a guard for the English, who were in no position to defend themselves.
When the garrison evacuated29 Fort William Henry they marched over to join their comrades in the entrenched30 camp which was included in the surrender; and no sooner had they gone than a horde31 of yelling savages32 climbed through the enclosures in search of rum and plunder33.
They found very little of either, and at once proceeded to vent26 their disappointment upon the unfortunate men, who, having been too sick to leave their beds, were awaiting removal later on.
These they butchered without remorse34, and even cut off their heads, which they paraded proudly from the casements35. It was a terrible scene, yet no attempt to check the fiends was made by the French, who seemed afraid to interfere36 with their savage allies.
Having looted the fort of what little there was in it, the Indians then turned their attention to the entrenched camp, where all the English were now collected. The French guard stationed there either could not or would not keep out the bloodthirsty rabble37, and they roamed among the tents intrusive38 and insolent39, their painted visages marked with sinister40 grins as they twitched41 the long hair of the terrified women in anticipation42 of the scalping knife.
Seth saw it all, and the witnessing of such indignities43 so filled him with fury that again and again he could scarce restrain himself from striking down one of the dusky demons44. But of course any such act would have been utter folly45, as it would certainly have precipitated46 the general massacre47 for which the Indians hankered.
At length through the earnest efforts of Montcalm and his officers something like order was obtained and the most of the Indians were persuaded to return to their own encampment for the night.
But there was little rest in the English camp, and as soon as day broke they made haste to set out for Fort Edward. They had their muskets, but they were without ammunition48; and no sooner had they begun to move than the Indians, in spite of the presence of the French escort, began to plunder them of their little baggage, demanding rum, of which there was only a little in the soldiers' canteen.
When after much difficulty the column at last got started along the road, the redskins crowded in upon them, impeding49 their progress, snatching caps, coats, and weapons from the men, tomahawking those that resisted, and seizing upon women and children, dragged them shrieking50 away, or murdered them on the spot.
Suddenly arose the awful sound of the war-whoop, and at this signal for butchery the whole mob of savages rushed upon the rear of the columns where the New Hampshire men were, and proceeded to slaughter51 them wholesale52.
A frightful53 tumult54 ensued. Montcalm, Levis, Bourlamaque, and other French officers who had hastened to the scene, threw themselves among the Indians, and by promises and threats sought to stop their murderous frenzy55.
"Kill me, but spare the English who are under my protection!" exclaimed Montcalm in the dramatic fashion characteristic of his race, and he himself tore a young officer from the grasp of a Huron who was about to tomahawk him.
Yet the dreadful work went on until many hundreds of the unfortunate English had been either killed or carried off by the ruthless savages, before at last the survivors56 were got back to the entrenched camp, and there protected from further massacre by an adequate guard of French regulars.
Seth had a marvellous escape, or rather series of escapes. His chivalrous57 instinct had impelled58 him to keep near the women and children in the hope of in some manner being helpful to them; but, although he had possessed59 the strength of Samson, he could not have accomplished anything, for the Indians crowded in upon them from all sides, and it was impossible to ward2 off their assaults.
Yet he kept his place until at the raising of the war-whoop the general attack was made; and then in the wild confusion that followed he was jostled and hustled60 this way and that until he found himself separated from the main body and with the way clear to the forest.
"I can do nothing for the others," he muttered. "I may as well try and save myself." And after a quick glance to right and left to make sure there were no Indians near, he started to run for the shelter of the trees.
He had not gone many yards when the cry of a child fell on his ears. He checked himself for an instant, and looking in the direction from which the cry came, saw a little boy half hidden in the grass, who was calling to him:
"Take me with you, oh, take me with you too!"
At first Seth hesitated. Where delay probably meant death, to attempt to save the boy might merely imperil himself without benefiting the boy.
But the hesitation61 was only for an instant, and then, carried away by a generous impulse, Seth changed his course so as to take hold of the little fellow's hand, and together they fled toward the forest.
Half way thither62 they were met by an Indian who barred the way with a bloody63 tomahawk, and yelled at them in a frenzied64 fashion. He was a giant in size, and at sight of him the boy shrieked65 and cowered66 close to Seth, who came to a full stop as though he had no thought of resistance.
Misled by this apparent submission67, the Indian, his eyes gleaming with the lust68 of blood, made a grab at the boy's hair with the intention of scalping him. Seth then saw his opportunity, and with a quick spring threw himself upon the wretch69, who, not expecting this sudden onset, went down headlong, while the boy dodged70 out of his reach unhurt.
Holding him fast despite his violent struggles to get free, Seth tore the tomahawk from his grasp, and despatched him with the weapon already stained with the blood of his victims.
Then exclaiming: "One more devil done for!" he caught the boy by the hand, and resumed the race for the forest, which they reached, all spent but scathless.
Knowing his way thoroughly71, he pushed on as rapidly as the strength of his little companion permitted, keeping a sharp lookout72 lest there should be any scouts73 hunting for fugitives74.
By the end of an hour the poor boy was so exhausted75 that Seth had either to let him have a rest, or desert him. He of course chose the first alternative, and they hid in a hollow where no one could have found them save by coming right upon them.
The boy was full of gratitude76 to his preserver, and as the little chap curled up beside him, seeming to feel quite secure, Seth took some comfort from having been the means of saving his young life.
All that night and the following day they were in the woods with nothing to stay their hunger save the few berries they could find, but ere the return of night they reached Fort Edward, being the first of the fugitives to do so.
Seth's account of the atrocities77 perpetrated by the enemy filled those at Fort Edward with horror and indignation; and if the men had been left to themselves, they would have rushed to the scene to avenge78 their brethren.
But the saner79 councils of their officers prevailed. They were not in sufficient force to cope with the French and their allies, and, however daring and impetuous their attack might be, it could only result in their own discomfiture80. There was nothing to be done but to keep within the fort until the invaders81 had finished their work of destruction.
During the days that followed cannon82 were fired at intervals83 from the fort to guide those who had fled to the woods, whence they came dropping in half dead with hunger; but it was not until more than a week after the surrender that the main body of the garrison appeared under the escort of a strong French guard.
Meanwhile the victors were busy demolishing84 the English stronghold. First the barracks were torn down, and then the huge pine logs of the ramparts were got together in a heap, upon which were thrown the bodies of the butchered men and women, and the whole was set on fire. "The mighty85 funereal86 pyre blazed all night. On the following day the army re-embarked for Canada. The din7 of ten thousand combatants, the rage, the terror, the agony were gone; and no living thing was left but the wolves that gathered from the mountains to feast upon the dead."
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1
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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8
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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18
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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19
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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21
munitions
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| n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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24
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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27
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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entrenched
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| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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33
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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casements
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| n.窗扉( casement的名词复数 ) | |
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36
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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intrusive
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| adj.打搅的；侵扰的 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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41
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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43
indignities
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| n.侮辱，轻蔑( indignity的名词复数 ) | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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45
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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46
precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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47
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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48
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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49
impeding
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| a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的 | |
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50
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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51
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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52
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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53
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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54
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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56
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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57
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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saner
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| adj.心智健全的( sane的比较级 )；神志正常的；明智的；稳健的 | |
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80
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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82
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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83
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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84
demolishing
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| v.摧毁( demolish的现在分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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85
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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86
funereal
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| adj.悲哀的；送葬的 | |
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