CHAPTER XLVI.
The day was intensely hot, the wind nearly south-west, the sky deepblue towards the horizon, but waning to a hazy gold colour in thezenith, when, at an early hour on the Saturday morning, the greatflotilla of General Abercrombie got under way. One large boat,modelled like a whale-boat, and so designated in contemporaryaccounts, led the way with the active and energetic second in command,accompanied by a portion of his own regiment. The rest followed,spreading out in the shape of an irregular wedge over the face of thelake, and the whole steered at once directly towards the Narrows.
Fresh, and peaceful, and beautiful was the scene upon that loveliestof lakes, with the wild mountains and sweeping forests round, andmyriads of graceful islands studding the golden waters like gems. LordH---- sat somewhat reclining on his cloak, in the stern of the leadingboat, with a telescope in his hand, which, however, he did not use.The scene presented to his eye had sufficient in its general featuresto afford pleasant occupation to the thoughts; and he strove to turnthem as much as possible towards objects unconnected with his ownfate, or with the fate of the expedition.
Had he misgivings? it may be asked. I cannot tell. His mind wasrelieved in regard to Walter's fate, and he knew nothing of thepainful circumstances in which Edith was placed. On those points hismind was at rest. Nay; with a kindly heart like his, there was groundfor rejoicing; yet a certain degree of melancholy mingled with all histhoughts, which he could not altogether cast off. He strove, then, tooccupy his mind with the contemplation of the ever-changing picturepresented by the mountain, lake, and islands, as, with a gentle,pleasant breeze, the boat sailed on--to forget the bloody business ofthe coming hours, the contest for which he thought he had provided asfar as human foresight could reach, and to fancy himself a wanderingtraveller enjoying a summer's sail on holy waters. Diamond Island wassoon passed, Long Island left to the eastward, and the rich narrowstrip of low land extending far into the lake, and known as LongPoint, was rounded by the boat in which he sat.
He gazed back to see how near the others were following, and thenlooked forward again. Trench Mountain, Deer-pasture Mountain, Harris'sBay, Dunham's Bay, were left behind; and the Dome Island, rising up inthe midst of the waters, like the cupola of some large submergedcathedral, was right in front. Many another little islet was seenscattered round, with that peculiar and magical effect of the hazymidsummer light, making them look hardly real.
At length, the high, precipitous cliff, known as Shelving Bock, on theone hand, and the Tongue Mountain on the other, were seen in front,announcing the approach to the Narrows: while the top of the BlackMountain appeared dark and grim over the lower land in the foreground.
More caution now became necessary, for hitherto no fear had beenentertained that the sailing of the flotilla would be discovered bythe enemy's scouts; but that part of the lake most frequently swept bythe French boats was near at hand, and it became necessary to keep asfar in shore as possible and take advantage of every headland andisland as a means of concealment in order to hide the approach andnumber of the armament till the last moment.
The general orders having been given, Lord H---- again lay quiet, andmeditated. On an active and energetic spirit, the saddest thoughts aremost apt to obtrude in moments of forced tranquillity. He could notcast them off; he tried to think of everything that was happy--ofEdith--of his speedy union with her who had become the brightness ofhis life--of pleasant days beyond the sea, far away in their peacefulnative land. Still, still, through all the visions he conjured up, ofhope, and happiness, and long cheerful hours, came chiming, like thetolling of a bell, the sad prophetic words of question, "Shall I eversee her more?" and he longed for the moment of landing, to shake offthought in exertion.
At length it came. The wild, strange scenery of the Buck Mountain andthe Rattlesnake Dens was seen upon the left, with, stretching out infront, the low fertile sweep of land known from that day forward asSabbath-day Point. Here, in the evening, the troops landed forrefreshment; and the boats were drawn up to the southward, under coverof the banks and woods, with but a few miles further sail on thefollowing day, ere they reached the point of attack.
Happy are the thoughtless; for, though perhaps they enjoy not sohighly, and their pleasure is of a lower kind, they can take delightin each sunshiny hour that God grants them in their course throughlife. The brief repose, the pleasant meal, the fair and the strangethings around, afforded matter for much happiness to many a lightheart there during the halt of the army; but it was not so with LordH----. He knew that the next day was to be one of great fatigue,difficulty, and exertion; and, in order that his corporeal powersmight be in full activity, he lay down and tried to sleep; but sleepwould not come, and he had not closed an eye, when, towards midnight,the order was given to form upon the beach and re-embark.
Every one, as well as the young nobleman, felt that to be a solemnmoment. The sky was clear and bright; the stars were shining out largeand lustrous; not a breeze was felt; the clear waters of the lake weresmooth as a sheet of glass; the only sound that stirred the air wasthe tramp of the troops towards the boats, the whirring insects in thetrees, and the wailing voice of the whip-poor-will.
All was conducted as silently as possible; the oars of the boats weremuffled; and once more Lord H---- led the way with a few bodies ofrangers in several _bateaux_. The regular troops followed in thecentre of the line, and the volunteers of the provinces formed wingson either side. Stilly and silently, the flight of boats skimmed overthe waters, till, after a few hours of solemn darkness, day dawnedupon them, revealing to the scouts of Montcalm, upon the rockyeminences near the shore, the full blaze of the English uniforms inthe innumerable boats sweeping down as if to certain conquest.
Somewhat less than an hour after, the first boat neared what is calledPrisoner's Island, bore away a little to the westward, where theground was open, touched the shore, and the young nobleman instantlysprang to land. From that day, it has borne the name of Howe'sLanding. Regiment after regiment followed. The debarkation wasperfectly orderly and uninterrupted, and it was evident that theFrench garrison of Ticonderoga, if not actually taken by surprise, wasattacked much sooner than had been expected.
The number of the Indians with the army was actually small; but it wasknown that large parties of Mohawks, Oneidas, and even Onondagas, werehovering on the flanks, sweeping, in fact, in a crescent round thatwhich was then considered the key of Lake Champlain.
It was nearly noon before the disembarkation was completed, and themen formed into three columns, ready for advance. The first column,however, then plunged into the woods, headed by Lord H---- in person,and pushed on for some little way unopposed, except by thedifficulties of the road, which at every step became greater andgreater, from the thick juniper bushes and tangled brushwood whichencumbered the ground under the larger trees. The men's strength wasspent in contending with these natural obstacles; and, to give themtime to breathe, Lord H---- halted his corps for a moment at the firstopen space in the woods which they reached. He himself leaned upon theshort ranger's musket which he carried in his hand, his fine,expressive countenance glowing with exercise and eagerness, andbeaming encouragement upon the gallant men who followed him on whatthey fully believed to be the road to victory.
At that moment something was heard plunging through the thickbrushwood on the left, and an Indian in his full war-costume, paintedand armed, burst out into the open space, holding up a piece of paperin his hand. He darted instantly towards the commander of the column,lifting the paper high; and Lord H----, who was just upon the point ofgiving the order to advance again, paused and stretched forth hishand. What the man gave him was not a letter, but apparently merely aleaf torn out of a pocket-book; and the moment it was delivered, theIndian, whose eyes had been gleaming with eagerness, dropped his armsby his side, and stood as still as a statue.
Lord H---- gazed upon the paper, and beheld, written in pencil,apparently in great haste, the following words:--
"There is a ma
sked redoubt in front, as far as I can discover, alittle to the east of the brook. It is concealed by low bushes, andthe gaps in the under-wood are filled up with boughs of pine. Edith iswithin, a prisoner. Beware! we are marching forward rapidly to take itin reverse--I mean the Oneidas.
"WALTER PREVOST."
Several of the superior officers had gathered round, and, amongst therest, a man deservedly famous in those and succeeding times, thensimply known as Major Putnam.
"We have been seen by friend, if not by enemies, Putnam," said LordH----, handing to him the paper.
"What do you advise to be done? You are more skilled in wood warfarethan I am."
"Send back the Indian," answered Major Putnam. "Let him tell hisbrethren to advance as speedily as possible, and help to clear thewoods. Then give me a hundred rangers and a handful of Indians, and Iwill push on myself, and make a way for you."
"Good," said Lord H----. "Call out your men, Putnam, while I send awaythe Indian."
Beckoning up an interpreter, the nobleman gave their savage alliesdirections, telling him particularly to report the exact spot whichthe column had reached; and by the time this was done, and the mangone, Major Putnam had placed himself at the head of his little party,ready to dash on.
"Stay, Putnam," said Lord H----. "You command; but I go with you."
Putnam paused, and dropped the point of his sword, looking almostaghast.
"My Lord," he said, "I beg you will forbear. If I am killed, the lossof my life will be of little consequence to any one; but thepreservation of your life is of infinite importance to this army."
Lord H---- laid his hand upon his arm, saying,--
"Putnam, your life is as dear to you as mine is to me. I am determinedto go. Lead on."
The next moment, they dashed on at quick time along a trail whichopened before them. The few Indians who accompanied the party,scattered as usual to the right and left; and, for some little way,they made good progress through the tangled wood. At length, however,all, even to the natives, became puzzled by the number of trailscrossing each other, and the thick and intricate nature of the wood;still they forced their way forward, judging the direction they oughtto take by the way the shadows of the trees were thrown by thesunshine. Thus, for four or five hundred yards, they pushed on withoutseeing an enemy, when Putnam, suddenly pointing with his sword,exclaimed,--
"There goes a Frenchman's cap--more of them--more of them! Now,gallant rangers, down with your pieces, and make your barrels ring!"
In an instant, every gun was levelled; but, at the same moment, asharp flash ran along the trees and bushes beyond; the loud report offirearms rattled through the forest, and one of the young officers ofthe rangers dropped at once. Several privates fell before they coulddraw the trigger; and while the rest were sending a fatal volley intothe wood--
"On, on!" cried Putnam; "clear the copse of them! My lord, what is thematter?"
Lord H---- stood for a moment longer without answering; then waveredfor an instant on his feet, and fell back into the arms of a sergeantof the rangers.
"I knew it!" cried Putnam. "Forward, my men! Forward, forward! andavenge this noble fellow!"
The Black Eagle; or, Ticonderoga Page 46