within the bomb-proof, and speaking in the dialect of
the Ottawas. "His pale flag bespeaks the quailing of his
heart, and his attitude denotes the timidity of the hind.
His warriors are like himself, and even now upon their
knees they call upon their Manitou to preserve them from
the vengeance of the red-skins. But mercy is not for dogs
like these. Now is the time to make our tomahawks warm
in their blood; and every head that we count shall be a
scalp upon our war poles."

As he ceased, one universal and portentous yell burst
from the fiend-like band; and again the weapons of death
were fiercely brandished around the heads of the stupified
soldiers who had fallen into their power.

"What can they be about?" anxiously exclaimed Captain
Erskine, in the midst of this deafening clamour, to his
subaltern.--"Quiet, man; damn you, quiet, or I'll cut
you down," he pursued, addressing one of his soldiers,
whose impatience caused him to bring his musket half up
to the shoulder. And again he turned his head in the
direction of the fort:--"Thank God, here it comes at
last,--I feared my signal had not been noticed."

While he yet spoke, the loud roaring of a cannon from
the ramparts was heard, and a shower of grape-shot passed
over the heads of the detachment, and was seen tearing
up the earth around the bomb-proof, and scattering
fragments of stone and wood into the air. The men
simultaneously and unbidden gave three cheers.