|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 29
"Farewell, Ta-lah-lo-ko!"
[Illustration: "Farewell, Ta-lah-lo-ko!"]
"Farewell to the young white chief!"
"Do not forget us, Ta-lah-lo-ko."
These shouts sounded very pleasantly to R�n�, for they showed that he
had succeeded in gaining not only the respect but the affection of
these kindly people, and he stood up and waved his cap to them until
they were hidden from his sight by a bend in the river.
On this journey nothing worthy of note happened until the party had
nearly passed through the great swamp, when some of the warriors
detected signs that led them to suspect that another party, eastward
bound, had passed that way shortly before. The greatest vigilance was
now exercised, and every effort made to discover the nature of this
party. For some time no further trace of them was found; but among the
vast salt-marshes of the coast these efforts were crowned with success.
Here two warriors who had been sent to the main-land to examine the
vicinity of a fine spring of fresh water returned, and reported that
they had found a recently abandoned camp. From unmistakable signs they
knew that it had been occupied by a war-party of those Indian outlaws
whom they called Seminoles.
This gave R�n� great uneasiness, for he feared that since they had
received Chitta into their ranks, he had told them of the distress of
the garrison of Fort Caroline, and induced them to attempt an attack
upon it.
Even as R�n� had supposed, and only a day before he and the Alachuas
reached that point, Chitta, together with the gigantic Cat-sha, and the
band of outlaws whom they had joined in the great swamp, had passed
that way. Their object was to surround Fort Caroline, and harass its
weakened garrison by cutting off any stragglers who might venture
beyond its walls, until they should have so reduced the number of its
defenders that it would fall an easy prey into their hands.
Upon arriving in the vicinity of the fort, the Seminoles found there a
strong war-party of angry savages from the South, who were also
watching for an opportunity to make a successful attack upon it, and
thus obtain satisfaction for the destruction of one of their villages
by the white gold-hunters. With these savages the Seminoles joined
forces, and Cat-sha, whose fame as a bold warrior had spread over the
entire land, was given command of the little army thus formed.
When they made their attack and were driven back from the walls of the
fort by the terrifying roar of its great guns, it was Cat-sha who
planned the ambush that so nearly proved fatal to Simon, the armorer,
and his men. So well had he contrived the movements of his savage
forces that but for a sudden and unexpected attack from behind he would
certainly have captured the fort.
R�n�'s anxiety for the safety of his countrymen, when he discovered
that the Seminoles were moving towards the fort, caused him to urge
upon Yah-chi-la-ne the need of all possible haste in the hope of
overtaking them. The Alachuas were as anxious as he to come into
contact with their Seminole enemies, and so rapidly did they travel
that they finally entered the River of May in time to hear the thunder
of guns from the fort when the first attack of the savages was repulsed.
Landing some distance below the fort, and leaving only a few warriors
in charge of the canoes, the rest of the little band proceeded with the
utmost caution up the river bank until they came in sight of the tall
shell mound. Here they remained concealed, while scouts were sent out
to discover the exact condition of affairs. Gliding with wonderful
ease and silence amid the dense underbrush, these went, and, at the end
of two hours returned. They had discovered Cat-sha's plan of an
ambush, and reported that the white men were even then leaving the fort
to attack the shell mound.
Then Yah-chi-la-ne ordered an advance, and dashed forward, with R�n�
and Has-se close beside him, and followed by his eager warriors. They
reached the scene of the conflict just as the white soldiers were about
to be overwhelmed by the swarming savages, and in time to pounce upon
the rear of the astonished Seminoles; and scatter them like the forest
leaves before a whirlwind.
It was while charging by Has-se's side in this, his first battle, that
R�n� de Veaux gave utterance to the cry of "France to the Rescue!" that
had so amazed Simon, the armorer, and those with him who heard it.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|