themselves, they gave unlimited rein to a despondency
hourly acquiring strength, as the day fixed on for the
second council with the Indians drew near.

At length it came, that terrible and eventful day, and,
as if in mockery of those who saw no beauty in its golden
beams, arrayed in all the gorgeous softness of its autumnal
glory. Sad and heavy were the hearts of many within that
far distant and isolated fort, as they rose, at the first
glimmering of light above the horizon, to prepare for
the several duties assigned them. All felt the influence
of a feeling that laid prostrate the moral energies even
of the boldest: but there was one young officer in
particular, who exhibited a dejection, degenerating almost
into stupefaction; and more than once, when he received
an order from his superior, hesitated as one who either
heard not, or, in attempting to perform it, mistook the
purport of his instructions, and executed some entirely
different duty. The countenance of this officer, whose
attenuated person otherwise bore traces of languor and
debility, but too plainly marked the abstractedness and
terror of his mind, while the set stiff features and
contracted muscles of the face contributed to give an
expression of vacuity, that one who knew him not might
have interpreted unfavourably. Several times, during the
inspection of his company at the early parade, he was
seen to raise his head, and throw forward his ear, as if
expecting to catch the echo of some horrible and appalling
cry, until the men themselves remarked, and commented,
by interchange of looks, on the singular conduct of their