In the Wilds of Florida: A Tale of Warfare and Hunting
Page 16
probably oftener missed than struck an enemy. Itwas evident, however, that his fire had at length become too hot forthem, as the blows on the door ceased, and he told us that they hadthrown down the log, and were retreating.
"Hand me up another rifle," he cried; "I'll give them a few partingshots."
"Oh, let them escape without further punishment, my friend," saidLejoillie. "We should not wish to take their lives. They only actedaccording to their instincts, and considered that we were trespassing ontheir property."
Tim did not seem to understand this idea; nor did Carlos, who, havinghis musket ready, sprang to the window and fired. The act nearly costhim his life for at that moment an arrow flew in, and, grazing his head,struck the wall behind him. This showed us that the Indians were on thewatch, and that we must be careful how we exposed ourselves.
In the meantime, Dixie, our guide, had gone down to examine the door,and came back to report that it still stood firm, although the Indians'weapons had made some impression on it, having formed a slit in theupper part, two or three splinters being actually driven in. It wasthus evident that had they persevered they might in time have cutthrough the door; though the aperture would have enabled us to fire atthem, and would probably have given us an advantage which they littleexpected. As it would have been difficult to stop up the hole, weallowed it to remain.
Doubting, however, that the Indians had gone off altogether, we kept avigilant watch for their return. We soon found, indeed, that they werenot so easily defeated as we had hoped. Again looking out of thewindow, I saw them coming back, each man loaded with a mass ofbrushwood. Their object was evidently to kindle a fire round the door;and having burned it down, to rush in and capture us while we weresmothered with smoke. It was of the greatest importance to prevent themfrom placing the fagots as they intended; and Tim once more resumed hispost at the window to fire at them as they approached. The wood theycarried served as shields, which they held over their heads, andtrusting to this protection they rushed forward, each man throwing downhis load as he got near the door; but the bullets from Tim's riflestruck several of them before they got as close as they intended.Notwithstanding this, however, a heap of firewood was piled up, in ashort time, close to one side of the building. The Indians must,however, have known that the moment the flames burst forth, they wouldbe brought into sight, and be more exposed than heretofore to our shots,and they therefore seemed very unwilling to set fire to it. At lengththe last fagot was thrown down, and Tim told us that he saw an Indianapproaching with a flaming torch, which he had kindled at a distance.
"The fellow keeps leaping about like a regular Jack-o'-lantern; but I'llsoon put a stop to his dancing," he added.
The Indians, however, must have foreseen that the torch-bearer would bespecially exposed, and to cover his advance they began shooting theirarrows with a rapidity which compelled Tim to keep under shelter.Several came through the window, while others struck the stones oneither side. Still undaunted, Tim stood ready to fire. It must beremembered that we were in comparative darkness, the faint light whichcame through the windows alone enabling us to load our rifles, and seeour way about the little rooms in which we were stationed. Again Timstepped forward; the crack of his rifle was heard.
"I'm mightily afraid that I missed him," he cried, as he sprang backunder shelter. "Hand me up another rifle."
Once more he fired.
"I've hit him this time," he cried out; "but sure the fellow has thrownhis torch among the fagots."
The thick smoke which in another minute came curling up around us provedtoo truly that the Indian had effected his purpose; while the arrowswhich flew in at the window prevented us from firing. We could heartheir shrieks and cries of triumph, as they believed that in a shorttime we should become their victims. None of us, however, thought ofyielding. To avoid the smoke we went down to the lower story. Althougha small quantity made its way through the crack, we could breathefreely, and we calculated that it would take some time before the outerdoor was burned through. We held a consultation as to how we should actwhen that should happen. Carlos was for rushing out, firing a volley atour assailants, and endeavouring to drive them back with ourhunting-knives. Tim advised that we should hold the fort to the last.
"Sure, a little smoke won't do us any harm," he exclaimed. "TheRedskins will have to clear away the ashes before they can get in, an'we shall then have an opportunity of shooting down not a few of themwhen they do that."
Lejoillie proposed that we should retire to the upper story, to whichthe Indians would not probably venture to ascend, as it could only bereached by a trap-door.
I, however, pointed out that they might fill the interior of thebuilding with fagots, and setting them on fire, literally roast us. Itherefore thought our safest plan would be to remain on theground-floor, as Tim had proposed. Our guide also thought Tim wasright, and we soon won Carlos and Lejoillie over to our opinion.
We spent, as may be supposed, a very anxious time. The fagots, beingcomposed chiefly of green wood, though they caused a great smokeoutside, did not burn as rapidly as we expected, and as yet the door,when we felt it, was not even hot. This satisfied us that hours mightelapse before it was burned through. I again ran upstairs, and in spiteof the smoke which came through the window, on looking out as thewreaths were occasionally blown aside, I saw that the Indians werekeeping under cover to avoid our bullets, and waiting until the fire haddone its work. They, of course, knew that the glare of the flames wouldexpose them to view should they venture into the open. Finding that thetop of the tower was tolerably free from smoke, I climbed up to thelantern whence I could obtain a view over the sea. I looked out eagerlyfor the schooner. She must have come up to the spot where we had lefther, but she was nowhere visible. One thing I observed, however, was,that the tide, having already risen, was washing round the mangrovetrees at the base of the tower; and it appeared to me that in a fewminutes it would be surrounded.
As our distance from the schooner could not be great, I hoped those onboard had heard the firing, and, guessing that we were attacked, wouldcome to our rescue. On that point, however, I was uncertain, as theskipper would be unwilling to leave his vessel, and the few hands hecould bring with him would, he might think, be insufficient to driveback the Indians. I was, therefore, not very sanguine that we shouldreceive assistance from him.
I did not remain long in my exposed position, as, should I be seen bythe Indians, I thought that some of them might steal up and make me atarget for their arrows. I therefore hurried down again, to report mymovements to my companions. That I was right in my conjecture as to therising of the tide we soon had proof, for the water was already bubblingup under the door, loosened somewhat by the blows of the Indians'battering-ram; and to avoid wetting our feet, we had to retreat from thelower steps of the stair. A hissing sound soon after showed us that thewater, rushing in, was extinguishing the fire burning nearest theground, though the upper part of the pile of brushwood still crackledand smoked as before. We now hoped that it might be an unusuallyhigh-tide, so that the tower would be completely surrounded.
Our hopes were not disappointed; the hissing sound increased, while thesmoke decreased. In a short time the floor of the tower was a foot deepin water, and the smoke ceased to come through the slit in the door. Iran upstairs, though I could see the glare of fire. On looking out, Idiscovered that it was produced by portions of the burning brushwood,which were being carried away by the water as it swept in a broad sheetround the base of the tower. I uttered a silent prayer of gratitude.We were safe for the present. The attempt of the Indians to burn us outhad failed; and after the reception they had met with from ourfire-arms, they were not likely to venture again up to the tower bywading through the water. I called down to my companions, who soonjoined me.
"We must not trust too much to them, though," observed Carlos. "I knowthe cunning of the Redskins; they'll wait until the tide falls, and thenagain attack us."
As we
watched the water, it seemed as if about to cover the whole levelground, leaving only a rock here and there above the surface.
"At all events, we shall be safe till daylight, as the tide won't godown for some hours after then," observed Dixie; "and by that time itwill be curious if Captain Crump doesn't send to look for us."
On hearing this, I proposed that we should fire off our rifles from thesummit of the tower, when probably the sound would reach him. Just aswe were about to do so, Carlos exclaimed--
"Can that be a boat coming round the point there?"
I looked in the direction he pointed. I had little doubt about thematter. In a short time we clearly made out a boat pulling towards us.I fired off my rifle, and we all shouted at the top of our voices. Shecame on quickly, and we now saw her directing her course to the