for? The bullets of the Indians evidently could not reach
the fort, and they were too wily, and attached too much
value to their ammunition, to risk a shot that was not
certain of carrying a wound with it. For a moment the
fact itself flashed across his mind, and he attributed
the fire of small arms to the attack and defence of a
party that had been sent out for the purpose of securing
the body, supposed to be his own; yet, if so, again how
was he to account for his not hearing the report of a
single musket? His ear was too well practised not to know
the sharp crack of the rifle from the heavy dull discharge
of the musket, and as yet the former only had been
distinguishable, amid the intervals that ensued between
each sullen booming of the cannon. While this impression
continued on the mind of the anxious officer, he caught,
with the avidity of desperation, at the faint and improbable
idea that his companions might be able to penetrate to
his place of concealment, and procure his liberation;
but when he found the firing, instead of drawing nearer,
was confined to the same spot, and even more fiercely
kept up by the Indians towards the close, he again gave
way to his despair, and resigning himself to his fate,
no longer sought comfort in vain speculation as to its
cause. His ear now caught the report of the last shell
as it exploded, and then all was still and hushed, as if
what he had so recently heard was but a dream.

The first intimation given him of the return of the
savages was the death howl, set up by the women within
the encampment. Captain de Haldimar turned his eyes,