by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VI.
SCOUTING.
A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest whichcovered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spothad been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing downseveral others in its course, and opening a vista through which aview could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The partyconsisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another oldfrontiersman, and two Indians.
The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St.Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. Theyhad been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot andsuch fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course theyfollowed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and therethey found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars andabout 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged.
It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to theconnection with England as were those of the other colonies, thelittle force at the disposal of the English general could do nothingto defend the colony against the strong force which the Americanswere collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case.Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province hadbeen wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferredbeing under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They hadbeen in no way oppressed by England, their property had beenrespected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made tointerfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hardPuritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail.Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had beenintolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. Theconsequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to anyidea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over thepeople was great, and although these still objected to the Englishrule and would have readily taken up arms against it under othercircumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englandersto join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placedCanada under the rule of the United States instead of that ofEngland.
The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to theEnglish connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greaterstate of independence than had been the case under French rule.Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old Frenchfamilies, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popularinsurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reachedMontreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troopsunder the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad ashad been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeedprobable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of theAmericans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unlessthe people joined the Americans the success of the latter would bebut temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would beopen and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaderswould then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tractof forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty intransporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as anarmy in invasion, they would be placed in a very different positionto that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. Itwas probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed.
The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the Britishfrontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services tothe general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and CrownPoint, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the warinto the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane andkind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare wouldentail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians asfar as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused toallow them to cross the frontier.
On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was orderedto march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a partyof regular troops.
On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down towardLake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold hadobtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake hadbeen permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled alittle at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affectionfor his young master, and the great strength of the negro would haverendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogetherunaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits oflaughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race,enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left thefort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro.
"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, thesooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. Whenyou were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as ajackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won'tdo in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer wereto make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles ofyer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such aventure as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap'slife thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I ainta-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make upyer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight oryer've got to tramp back to the fort."
Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he oftenraised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by thehunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savagegrowl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold,that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spokeabove a loud whisper.
At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the twoIndians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their ownaccount. They had previously been well known both to Peter andEphraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the FiveNations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of LakeChamplain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deerwhich had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seennothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler andMontgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonistshad been sending proclamations across the frontier to theinhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free themfrom the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strikefor freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs ofthe Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to joinwith them.
"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lightedhis pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tailhere tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and mewill go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait heretill we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to theother Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what heintended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances--you can see along way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think thatwe're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you.It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef,as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignantat the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gonedown and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affairaltogether."
The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. Ina few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake lookeddowncast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, butas he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed withoutquestioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered noremonstrance.
A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed hisexample, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in theirsteps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter havingbeen settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of theIndian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitatedtheir example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started.
Half an hour's
tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here theyhalted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality.With the wonderful power of making their way straight through theforest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinctamong Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yardsof the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore untilhe came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; herehe turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clumpof bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which waslying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boatout, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. Therewere three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place inthe stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and puttheir paddles in the water.
"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yardsfrom the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near thisend."
The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the waterunder the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoonwhen they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness hadfallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in theshadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskinand Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sentthe canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instantcaught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake.
"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if thelake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats upthe Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it wouldhave given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It'slucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. Whathad we best do, Deer Tail?"
For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indiantongue.
"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there areInjuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here tillnightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should havethem canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect theexpedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sureof it."
The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by thebank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating somecooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared topass the day.
"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'llwake you if we want ye."
Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of thewoods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn atwatching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon soundasleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scouttouching him.
"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper."They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready."
Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently,heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of atwig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a fewyards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at hiscompanions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directedtoward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any ofthe passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through thebushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that therewere any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed onwithout examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until itwas perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of thejourney. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe wassteered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and thenseveral lights were seen from ahead.
"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motteand they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort ofpicnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't gonear the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yardsround. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clocknow."
The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in thewater and the canoe approached the island.
"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's anyredskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without beingseen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet;at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll landand find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how longthey're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards fromshore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close theinstant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. Theinstant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears anyshouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon thebest of yer judgment."
The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, theencampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, redand white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed thecanoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeingclose to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into thewater, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat withoutmovement, listening almost breathlessly.
Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along theshore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passedwithout the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones whichthe speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctlyaudible in the canoe:
"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here ona fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likelythat the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there'sa score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead."
"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of theisland and then coming along here."
"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was oneof the canoes of your people."
"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would havecome straight to fires."
"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don'tbelieve yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a manswear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortablefor the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at thegeneral's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to goround the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; sowe'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep beforemorning."
Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him.Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of thewater, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that atthis point the men had to make a slight _detour_ inland. Harold feltthankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoeamong the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it wouldhave been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of thelake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, butthe eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if atall, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying.
Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still someredskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one hehad heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely thatothers of the tribe were also there.
After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the islandto the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along,they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which theAmericans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peterthought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way towardthe spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low,but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioningto the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on tothe clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear ofdetection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded noindex to the party to which he was attached.
A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire,it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a numberof men as had been suddenly called to arms
throughout the colonies.
From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions,he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island.But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and pickinghis way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a shortdistance from one of the fires by which three or four men weresitting.
For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, andwant of provisions.
"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we moveforward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army,and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, andI suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. Thereare only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall makeshort work of them."
"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am readyenough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to getback to my farm again."
"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose weare going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if theCanadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all,we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. Iknow the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and thewinter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tellyou."
"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other onegrumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quicklyenough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting nowsince the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec bythis time."
"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came;but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblee to deal with, and theymay hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job thesooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow."
Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising tohis feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of theground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left theIndian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor closeby. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was atall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at oncethat he was in the presence of the colonial leader.
"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, Isuppose?"
"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and soI thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying sotarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treadingon 'em."
"Which regiment do you belong to?"
"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that aregiment from this province formed part of the expedition.
"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their onlyfault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy."
"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wastingour time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months,and the sooner the time's up the better, say I."
"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of theChippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here heis."
At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from thewood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but hestepped aside a pace or two as the party approached.
"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked.
"No find," the Chippewa said shortly.
"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man whofollowed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's."
"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find."
"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in aconciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no onehas landed it matters not either way."
"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said."However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as hiseye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here?Why, I thought as how----General," he exclaimed, sharply turning toMontgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist,he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!"
"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late.
As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into thewood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of thecolonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering hiswar-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonistsinstantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who hadbeen lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into thewood.
The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order forpursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work atonce followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done thesame, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they wouldonly be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two orthree spies on the island.
After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space ofa minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with anotherIndian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the bodyof the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and thescalp was gone.
As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ranup. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and withthe rest took up the pursuit.
Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as theirpursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where theyhad left the canoe unmolested.
On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Nota word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake.Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objectswhich they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose fromthe shore.
"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy."The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says,"he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the islandthey have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyondthat hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake.It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injunsprowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to useour wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minuteslater as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from themshot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far asthey can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake.Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyesand your ears open for sights and sounds."
Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe spedrapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge ofthe hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns offire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three milesastern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfwaybetween them and it.
"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes,"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for theother varmint ahead."
He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake.
"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said.
"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?"
"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore therebut has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straightback to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a fewhours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would notgive us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddleon again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmintsbehind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When thedanger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength."
For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes werenow less than a mile behind them.
"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black cloudsover the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It wi
ll begetting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly asthe chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cutus off."
Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at thestern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off fromits former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curvingstill more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. Thecanoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of eachother. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but theyhad been gradually drawing together, although still some distanceapart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turnedto head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely differentposition in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half amile nearer to them than the other.
"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we'vegot to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before theother comes up."
The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised tobring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. Whenwithin two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing.
"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off.It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first."
Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that hehad missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and aball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired.
"There's one down!" he exclaimed.
The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indiansin the canoe--for it had contained four men--replied with a volley.
Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across hisarm.
"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation.
"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied.
"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddlestraight at 'em."
The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet theircompanions, who were fast approaching.
"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line--a steady aim thistime."
The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat andthe paddle of another was struck from his grasp.
"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairlybehind us."
Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoewas following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind,while the one with which they had been engaged had made for theshore.
"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter.
"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, andthen make for the place where they must have embarked on themainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will notknow what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave theothers as far behind as possible."
For the first time since they started the three paddlers exertedthemselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were anymore canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would havejoined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from theend of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire.Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short asthe canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroketaking it further from its nearest pursuer.
At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a halfbehind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed inorder to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the resultof the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had notbeen of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handedcontest with them.