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Page 19
A few weeks elapsed without the arrival of any hunters, and we were
beginning to recover from the effects of our late fatigues, when a
numerous band arrived from a considerable distance, and encamped on
the same spot that had been occupied by those lately noticed, and the
same riotous scenes were again enacted, although these new comers were
fully aware of the misfortune that had already occurred in consequence
of similar disgusting intemperance.
Among this band was a son of the principal sachem of the Algonquins,
who was acknowledged heir apparent to his _dad's vermin_, and who
assumed the airs of a man of great consequence, in virtue of his
prospective dignity. The father bore a respectable character; the son
was a sot. In consideration of his furs, however, I paid him some
little attentions, though much against my inclination. He came one
evening reeling into our hut, more than "half-seas over," having been
thus far advanced on his voyage to Elysium through the insinuating
influences of my opponent's "fire-water;" and seating himself on a
three-legged stool, close to the fire-place, he soon began to nod;
then, losing his equilibrium, ultimately fell at full length on the
floor. I could not suppress a smile at sight of his copper highness's
prostrate position, when springing up in a furious passion, he seized
an axe, and proceeded to demolish the seat. I wrested the axe from his
grasp, and reprimanded him sharply for his insolence. This exasperated
him to the utmost: he swore I was in league with the stool to insult
him; but that he should be revenged on us both before morning.
Uttering these menaces, he set out for the camp.
It so happened that a strong party of men arrived on that evening from
Fort Coulonge with supplies, and were huddled together with myself and
my men, all under the same roof. The greater part of them lay down to
rest; but a few still continued the vigil, indulging in the favourite
luxury of smoking, and chatting about the enjoyments of
"Mont-rial,"--when, all of a sudden, the dread-inspiring war-whoop
echoed through our little hut; the next instant the door flew off its
wooden hinges, and fell with a crash on the floor, exhibiting to view
the person of the Indian, standing on the threshold, holding a
double-barrelled gun in his hand, with blackened face and his eyes
flashing fire.
The men had now all started to their feet, as well as myself. The
moment the eyes of the savage fell upon me, in the midst of the crowd,
he brought the piece to bear upon me, or at least attempted to do so;
but I sprang upon him with a bound, and beat the muzzle down;
instantly the discharge followed: we then struggled for the possession
of the gun, which I quickly wrested from his grasp; and, applying the
butt end of it "gently" to his ear, laid him sprawling at my feet.
On the discharge of the gun, I heard a voice calling out, "Mon Dieu!"
and another, in a plaintive tone, exclaiming, "Ah mon gar�on!" This
was all I heard distinctly, when every voice joined in one cry,
"Tueons le crapaud;" and presently the wretched Indian was kicked and
cuffed by as many as could press round him. I called on them to
desist--as well have spoken to the wind!--not a soul heeded my orders.
At length one of them observed, "What occasion is there for more
beating of him--the black dog is dead enough."
I looked about for the person whom I supposed to have been wounded, in
vain--the whole mass was in motion. As soon as the tumult had
subsided, however, I was glad to find that no one had received any
serious injury; the ball had grazed the thigh of a youth (who had
arrived from Montreal on a visit to his father), and lodged in a log
of the building.
The uproar occasioned by the men soon brought the Indians from the
camp about the hut; and perceiving the apparently lifeless body
stretched on the floor, they raised a yell that was reverberated by
the surrounding hills. "Revenge! revenge!" shouted every savage
present. We mustered too strong, however, to permit their threats
being put into execution without great hazard to themselves; which
fact pressed itself so powerfully on their minds, that for the present
they discreetly vented their rage in abuse, and returned to their
quarters. Satisfied by the feeble beating of the Indian's pulse that
the vital spark was not extinct, I would not allow his kinsmen to
remove him. Towards morning, recovering the use of speech, he
inquired, in a voice scarcely audible, if he "had shed the blood of a
white man?" I replied in the affirmative. "Then," said he, "it would
have been better had you despatched me at once, for I shall certainly
be hanged."
With the view of pacifying the natives, I deemed it advisable to
represent the young man's wound as very severe, and exercised my wits
to give my representation the semblance of truth. I caused the young
man's leg to be carefully bandaged; and, luckily, happening to have a
fresh beaver in the house, the bandage was speedily besmeared with its
blood, and the sound patient placed in bed, with instructions how to
act his part. The Indians returned early on the following morning to
inquire after their young chief, and being all perfectly sober, I
descanted on the calamity of the previous night, describing _my_ young
man's case to be of such a serious nature as to induce the
apprehension that death, or at least amputation of the limb, would be
the consequence. In confirmation of the veracity of this statement,
the afflicted leg was exposed to view, while the patient's groans,
which impressed on the minds of the bystanders the conviction of the
pain he endured, prevented too close a scrutiny.
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