“Between two worlds life hovers like a star,
'Twixt night and morn, upon the horizon's verge:
How little do we know that which we are!
How less what we may be! The eternal surge
Of time and tide rolls on, and bears afar
Our bubbles: as the old burst, new emerge,
Lashed from the foam of ages; while the graves
Of empires heave but like some passing wave.”
BYRON.
It was now announced by Herman Mordaunt in person, that the watch was set
for the night, and that each man might seek his rest. The crowded state of
the Nest was such, as to render it no easy matter to find a place in which
to sleep, straw being our only beds. At length we found our pallets, such
as they were; and, spite of all that had passed that evening, truth compels
me to admit that I was soon in a profound sleep. There was no exception to
this rule among the Mooseridge party, I believe, fatigue proving to to be
more powerful, than either successful love, unsuccessful love, or personal
apprehension.
It was about three o'clock, when I felt a significant pressure of the arm,
such as one gives when he especially wishes to attract attention. It was
Jason Newcome, employed in awakening the men of the house, without giving
such an alarm as might reach the ears without. In a few minutes everybody
was up and armed.
As the morning, just before the appearance of light, when sleep is
heaviest, is the hour when savages usually attack, no one was surprised at
these preparations, which were understood to be ordered by Herman Mordaunt,
who was a-foot, and on the look-out himself, at a place favourable to
observation. In the mean time, we men, three or four-and-twenty in all,
assembled in the court, in waiting for a summons to the gate, or the loop.
Jason had executed his trust so dexterously, that neither female nor child
knew anything of our movement; all sleeping, or seeming to sleep in
the security of a peaceful home. I took an occasion to compliment the
ex-pedagogue and new miller, on the skill he had shown; and we fell into a
low discourse, in consequence.
“I have been thinking that this warfare may put a new face on these
settlements, Corny,” continued Jason, after we had conversed some little
time, “more especially as to the titles.”
“I cannot see how they are to be affected, Mr. Newcome, unless the French
should happen to conquer the colony, a thing not very likely to happen.”
“That's just it; exactly what I mean, as to principle. Have not these
Hurons conquered this particular settlement? I say they have. They are in
possession of the whull of it, this house excepted; and it appears to me
that if we ever get re-possession, it will be by another conquest. Now,
what I want to know is this--does not conquest give the conquerors a right
to the conquered territory? I have no books here, yet; but I'm dreadful
forgetful, or I _have_ read that such is the law.”
I may say that this was the first direct demonstration that Jason ever made
on the property of Herman Mordaunt. Since that time he has made many more,
some of which I, or he who may be called on to continue this narrative,
will probably relate; but I wish to record, here, this as the first in a
long series of attempts which Jason Newcome has practised, in order to
transfer the fee-simple of the mill-lot at Ravensnest, from the ownership
of those in whom it is vested by law, to that of his own humble, but
meritorious person.
I had little time to answer this very singular sort of reasoning; for,
just then, Herman Mordaunt appeared among us, and gave us serious duty to
perform. The explanations with which his orders were preceded, were these.
As had been anticipated, the Indians had adopted the only means that could
prove effective against such a fortress as the Nest without the aid of
artillery. They were making their preparations to set the building on fire,
and had been busy all night in collecting a large amount of pine-knots,
roots, &c., which they had succeeded in piling against the outer logs, at
the point where one wing touched the cliff, and where the formation of the
ground enabled them to approach the building without incurring much risk.
Their mode of proceeding is worthy of being related. One of the boldest and
most skilful of their number had crept to the spot, and posted himself so
close to the logs as to be safe from observation, as well as reasonably
safe from shot. His associates had then extended to him one end of a long
pole, they standing below, some on a shelf of the cliff, and the rest on
the ground; all being safe from harm so long as they kept close to their
respective covers. Thus disposed, these children of the forest passed hours
in patient toil, in forwarding by means of a basket, the knots, and 'other
combustibles, up to the warrior, who kept his position close under the
building, and who piled them in the way most favourable to his object.
Susquesus had the merit of discovering the projected attempt, the
arrangements for which had completely escaped the vigilance of the
sentinels. It would seem that the Onondago, aware of the artifices of the
red-man, and acquainted in particular with the personal character of Jaap's
friend. Muss, did not believe the night would go by without some serious
attempt on the house. The side of the cliff was much the weakest point of
the fortress, having no other protection than the natural obstacles of the
rocks, which were not inaccessible, though somewhat difficult of ascent,
and the low picketing, already mentioned. Under such circumstances, the
Indian felt certain the assault would be made on that side. Placing himself
on watch, therefore, he discovered the first attempts of the Hurons, but
did not let them be known to Herman Mordaunt, until they were nearly
completed; his reason for the delay being the impatience of the pale-faces,
which would not have suffered the enemy to accomplish his object, so far as
preparations were concerned; the thing of all others he himself thought
to be the most desirable. By allowing the Hurons to waste their time and
strength in making arrangements for an assault that was foreseen, and which
might be met and defeated, a great advantage was obtained; whereas, by
driving them prematurely from an artifice they were known to be engaged in,
they would have recourse to another, and the difficulty of discovery would
be added to our other disadvantages. So Susquesus reasoned, as was said at
the time; and it is certain that so he acted.
But, the time had come to meet these covert preparations Herman Mordaunt
now held a consultation, on the subject of our proceedings. The question
submitted was, whether we ought to let the Hurons go any further; whether
we should shoot the adventurous savage who was known still to be posted
under the logs of the house, and scatter his pile of knots, by a sortie;
or, whether it were wiser to let the enemy proceed to the extremity of
actually lighting his fire, before we unmasked. Something was to be said in
favour of each plan. By shooting the savage who had made a lodgment under
our walls, and scattering his pile, we should unquestionably defeat the
present attempt; but, in all probability, another would be made the
succeeding night; whereas, by waiting to the last moment, such an effectual
repulse might be given to our foes, as would at once terminate their
expedition.
On consultation, and weighing all the points as they offered, it was
decided to adopt the latter policy. But one spot commanded a view of the
pile at all, and that was a loop, that had been cut only the day before,
and which looked directly down on the place, from a projection that existed
in the second story, and which ran around the whole building. These
projections were common enough, in the architecture of the provinces at
that day, being often adopted in exposed positions, purposely to afford the
means of protecting the inferior and external portions of the dwellings.
The Nest possessed this advantage, though the loops necessary to complete
the arrangement, had only quite recently been cut. At this loop, then, I
stationed myself, for a short time, watching what was going on below. The
night was dark, but there was no difficulty, in distinguishing the pile of
knots, which to me seemed several feet high, besides being of some length,
or in noting the movements of the Indian who had built it. At the moment I
took my stand at the loop, this man was actually engaged in setting fire to
his combustibles.
For several minutes Guert and I watched our enemy while he was thus
employed, for the Huron was obliged to proceed with the utmost caution,
lest a light prematurely shed around should betray him. He cautiously
lighted his knots quite within the pile, having left a place for that
purpose; and his combustibles were well in flames before the latter began
to throw their rays to any distance. We had a quantity of water provided in
the room from which we beheld all these movements, and might at any time
have extinguished the fire, by pouring a stream through our loop, provided
we did not wait too long. But Guert objected to 'spoiling the sport,' as he
called it, insisting that the logs of the house would be slow to ignite,
and that we might at any moment scatter the knots, by a rapid sortie. His
wish was to let the enemy proceed in his designs, as far as would be at all
safe, in order to render his defeat more overwhelming.
Owing to our position, directly over his head, we had no chance to see
the face of the incendiary while he was thus engaged. At length he cast a
glance upward, as if to note the effect of the flames, which were beginning
to throw their forked tongues above the pile, when we both recognised
Jaap's prisoner, Muss. The sight proved too much for Guert's philosophy,
and thrusting the muzzle of his rifle through the loop, he blazed away
at him, without much regard to aim. This report was a sort of signal for
action, the whole house, and all the outer, world appearing to be in a
clamour in an instant. I had no means of seeing Muss, but some of our
look-outs, who had him in view most of the time, told me, after all was
over, that the fellow seemed much astonished at the suddenness of
this assault; that he gazed up at the loop an instant, uttered a loud
exclamation, then yelled the war-whoop at the top of his voice, and went
bounding off into the darkness, like a buck put up unexpectedly from his
lair. The fields all around the Nest seemed to be alive with whooping
demons. Herman Mordaunt had done little towards embellishing the place; and
stumps were standing in hundreds all about it, many having been left within
twenty yards of the buildings. It now seemed as if every one of these
stumps had an Indian warrior lodged behind it, while bands of them appeared
to be leaping about in the gloom, under the rocks. At one time, I fancied
we must be surrounded by hundreds of these ruthless foes, though I now
suppose that their numbers were magnified by their activity and their
infernal yells. They manifested no intention to attack, nevertheless, but
kept screaming around us in all directions, occasionally discharging a
rifle, but, as a whole, waiting the moment when the flames should have done
their work.
Considering the fearful circumstances in which he was placed, Herman
Mordaunt was wonderfully collected. For myself, I felt as if I had fifty
lives to lose, Anneke being, uppermost in my thoughts. The females,
however, behaved uncommonly well; making no noise, and using all the
self-command they could assume, in order not to distract the exertions
of their husbands and friends. Some of the wives of the sturdy settlers,
indeed, actually exhibited a species of stern courage that would have done
credit to soldiers; appearing in the court, armed, and otherwise rendering
themselves useful. It often happened that women of this class, by
practising on deer, and wolves, and bears, got to be reasonably expert with
fire-arms, and did good service in attacks on their dwellings. I remarked,
in all the commoner class of females, that night, a sort of fierce
hostility to their savage foes, in whom they doubtless saw only the
murderers of children, and wretches who made no distinction of sex or age,
in pursuing their heartless warfare. Many of them appeared like the dams of
the inferior animals when their young were in danger.
An interval of ten or fifteen minutes must have occurred between the moment
when Guert discharged his rifle and that in which the battle really began.
All this time the fire was gathering head, our tardy attempts to extinguish
it proving a complete failure. But little apprehension was felt on this
account, however, the flames proving an advantage, by casting their light
far into the fields, and even below the rocks, while they did not reach the
court at all; thus placing a portion of the enemy, should they venture to
attack, under a bright light, while it left us in darkness. The only point,
however, at which we could fear a serious assault, was on the side of the
rocks, where the court had no other protection than the low, but close and
tolerably strong picket. Fortunately, the formation of the ground on that
side prevented one who stood on the meadows below from firing into the
court from any point within the ordinary range of the rifle. It was this
circumstance that had determined the site of the garrison.
Such was the state of things when Anneke's own girl came to ask me to go to
her mistress, if it were possible for me to quit my station, were it
only for a minute. Having no particular duty to perform, there was no
impropriety in complying with a request which, in itself, was every way so
grateful to my feelings. Guert was near me at the time, and heard what the
young negress said; this induced him to inquire if there was no message for
himself; but, even at that serious moment, Mary Wallace did not relent. She
had been kinder than common in manner, the previous night, as the Albanian
had admitted; but, at the same time, she had appeared to distrust her own
resolution so much, as even to give less direct encouragement than had
actually escaped her on previous occasions.
I found Anneke expecting me in that little parlour where I had so recently
listened to her sweet confessions of tenderness the evening before. She was
alone, the instinct of her sex teaching her the expediency of having no
witness of the feelings and language that might escape two hearts that were
united as were ours, under circumstances so trying. The dear girl was pale
as death when I entered; she had doubtless been thinking of the approaching
conflict, and of what might be its frightful consequences; but, my presence
instantly caused her face to be suffused with blushes, it being impossible
for her sensitive mind not to revert to what had so lately occurred.
This truth to the instinctive principle of her nature could hardly be
extinguished in woman, even at the stake itself. Notwithstanding the
liveliness and varying character of her feelings, Anneke was the first to
speak.
“I have sent for you, Corny,” she said, laying a hand on her heart, as if
to quiet its throbbings, “to say one word in the way of caution--I hope it
is not wrong.”
“You _can_ do nothing wrong, beloved Anneke,” I answered; “or, nothing that
would seem so in my eyes. Be not thus agitated. Your fears have increased
the danger, which we consider as trifling. The risks Guert, Dirck, and
myself have already run, are tenfold those which now beset us.”
The dear girl submitted to have an arm of mine passed around her waist,
when her head dropped on my breast, and she burst into tears. Enabled by
this relief to command her feelings a little, it was not long ere Anneke
raised herself from the endearing embrace I felt impelled to give her,
though still permitting me to hold both her hands; and she looked up into
my face, with the full confidence of affection, renewing the discourse.
“I could not suffer you to engage in this terrible scene, Corny,” she said,
“without one word, one look, one sign of the interest I feel in you. My
dear, dear father has heard all; and, though disappointed, he does not
disapprove. You know how warmly he has wished Mr. Bulstrode for a son, and
can excuse that preference; but he desired me, not ten minutes since, as he
left me, after giving me a kiss and his blessing, to send for you, and to
say that he shall hereafter look upon you as my and his choice. Heaven
alone knows whether we are to be permitted to meet again, dear Corny; but,
should that never be granted us, I feel it will relieve your mind to know
that we shall meet as the members of one family.”
“We are the only children of our parents, Anneke, and our union will
gladden their hearts almost as much as it can gladden our own.”
“I have thought of this, already. I shall have a mother, now; a blessing I
hardly ever knew!”
“And one that will dearly, dearly love you, as I know by her own opinions,
again and again expressed in my presence.”
“Thank you, Corny--and thanks to that respected parent, too. Now, go,
Corny; I am fearful this selfish gratification only adds to the danger of
the house--go; I will pray for your safety.”
“One word, dearest;--poor Guert!--You cannot know how disappointed he is,
that I alone should be summoned here, at such a moment.”
Anneke seemed thoughtful, and it struck me she was a little distressed.
“What can I do to alter this?” she said, after a short pause. “A woman's
judgment and her feelings may not impel her the same way; then Mary Wallace
is a girl who appreciates propriety so highly!”
“I understand you, Anneke. But, Guert is of so noble a disposition, and
acknowledges all his defects so meekly, and with so much candour! Man
cannot love woman better than he loves Mary Wallace. Her extreme prudence
is a virtue, in his eyes, even while he suffers by it.”
“I cannot change Mary Wallace's nature, Corny,” said Anneke, smiling sadly,
and, as I fancied, in a way that said 'were it I, the virtues of Guert
should soon outweigh his defects;' “but Mary will be Mary, and we must
submit. Perhaps to-morrow may bring her wavering mind to something like
decision; for these late events have proved greatly Mr. Ten Eyck's friends.
But Mary is an orphan, and prudence has been taught her as her great
protection. Now, go, Corny, lest you be missed.”
The dear girl parted from me hurriedly, but not without strong
manifestation of feeling. I folded her to my heart; that being no moment
for affectations or conventional distance; and I know _I_ was, while
I trusted Anneke might be, none the less happy for remembering we had
exchanged these proofs of mutual attachment.
Just as I reached the court, I heard a yell without, which my experience
before Ty had taught me was the whoop the Hurons give when they attack. A
rattling fire succeeded, and we were instantly engaged in a hot conflict.
Our people fought under one advantage, which more than counter-balanced
the disadvantage of their inferiority in numbers. While two sides of the
buildings, including that of the meadows, or the one on which an assault
could alone be successful, were in bright light, the court still remained
sufficiently dark to answer all the purposes of defence. We could see each
other, but could not be distinguished at any distance. Our persons, when
seen from without, must have been confounded, too, with the waving shadows
of the pickets.
As I approached the pickets, through the openings of which our people were
already keeping up a dropping fire on the dark-looking demons who were
leaping about on the meadows below, I learned from Herman Mordaunt,
himself, who received me by an affectionate squeeze of the hand, that a
large body of the enemy was collected directly under the rocks, and that
Guert had assumed the duty of dislodging them. He had taken with him,
on this service, Dirck, Jaap, and three or four more of the best men,
including both of our Indians. The manner in which he proposed to effect
this object was bold, and like the character of the leader of the party.
As so much depended on it, and on its success, I will explain a few of its
more essential details.
The front of the house ranged north and south, facing westward. The two
wings, consequently, extended east and west. The fire had been built at
the verge of the cliff, and at the north-east angle of the building. This
placed the north and east sides of the square in light, while it left the
west and south in deep darkness. The gate opening to the west, it was not a
very hopeless thing to believe it practicable to lead a small party round
the south-west angle of the house, to the verge of the cliff, where the
formation of the ground would allow of a volley's being given upon those
savages who were believed to be making a lodgment directly beneath our
pickets, with a view of seizing a favourable moment to scale them. On this
errand, then, Herman Mordaunt now gave me to understand my friends had
gone.
“Who guards the gate, the while?” I asked, almost instinctively.
“Mr. Worden, and your old acquaintance and my new tenant, Newcome. They are
both armed, for a parson will not only fight the battles of the spirit,
but he will fight those of the field, when concerned. Mr. Worden has shown
himself a man in all this business.”
Without replying, I left Herman Mordaunt, and proceeded to the gate myself,
since there was little to be done in the court. _There_ we were strong
enough; stronger, perhaps, than was necessary; but I greatly distrusted
Guert's scheme, the guard at the gate, and most of all the fire.
I was soon at Mr. Worden's side. There the reverend gentleman was, sure
enough, with Jason Newcome at his elbow. Their duty was to keep the gate
in that precise condition in which it could be barred, or unbarred, at
the shortest notice, as friends or foes might seek admission. The parties
appeared to be fully aware of the importance of the trust they filled, and
I asked permission to pass out. My first object was the fire, for it struck
me Herman Mordaunt felt too much confidence in his means of extinguishing
it, and that our security had been neglected in that quarter. I was no
sooner outside the buildings, therefore, than I turned to steal along
the wall to the north-west corner, where alone I could get a view of the
dangerous pile.
The brightness of the glare that was gleaming over the fields and stumps,
that came within the compass of the light from the fire, added to my
security by the contrast, though it did not tell well for that particular
source of danger. The dark stumps, many of which were charred by the fires
of the clearing, and were absolutely black, seemed to be dancing about in
the fields, under the waving light, and twice I paused to meet imaginary
savages ere I had gained the corner of the house. Each alarm, however, was
idle, and I succeeded in obtaining the desired view. Not only were the
knots burning fiercely, but a large sheet of flame was clinging to the logs
of the house, menacing us with a speedy conflagration. The danger would
have been greater, but a thunder-shower had passed over the settlement only
an hour before we were alarmed, and coming from the north, all that side of
the house had been well drenched with rain. This occurred after 'Muss' had
commenced his pile, or he might have chosen another side of the building.
The deep obscurity of that gust, however, was probably one of the means of
his success. He must have been at work during the whole continuance of the
storm.
I was not absent from the gate two minutes. That brief space was sufficient
for my first purpose. I now desired Jason to enter the court, and to
tell Herman Mordaunt not to delay a moment in applying the means for
extinguishing the flames. There was greater danger from them than there
possibly could be from any other attack upon the pickets, made in the
darkness of the morning. Jason was cool by temperament, and he was a good
agent to be employed on such a duty. Promising to be quick, he left us,
and I turned my face towards Guert and his party. As yet, nothing had been
heard of the last. This very silence was a source of alarm, though it was
difficult to imagine the adventurer had met with an enemy, since such a
collision must have been somewhat noisy. A few spattering shot, all of
which came from the west side of the buildings, and the flickering light of
the fire, were the only interruptions to the otherwise death-like calm of
the hour.
The same success attended me in reaching the south-west as in reaching
the north-west angle of the house. To me, it seemed as if the savages had
entirely abandoned the fields in my vicinity. When I took my stand at this
corner of the building, I found all its southern side in obscurity, though
sufficient light was gleaming over the meadows to render the ragged edges
of the cliff visible in that direction. I looked along the log walls to
this streak of light, but could see no signs of my friends. I was certain
they were not under the house, and began to apprehend some serious
indiscretion on the part of the bold Albanian. While engaged in
endeavouring to get a clue to Guert's movements, by devouring every dark
object I could perceive with my eyes, I felt an elbow touched lightly, and
saw a savage in his half-naked, fighting attire, at my side. I could see
enough to ascertain this, but could not distinguish faces. I was feeling
for my hunting-knife, when the Trackless's voice stayed my hand.
“He wrong”--said the Onondago, with emphasis. “Head too young--hand
good--heart good--head very bad. Too much fire--dark here--much better.”
This characteristic criticism on poor Guert's conduct, served to tell the
whole story. Guert had put himself in a position in which the Onondago had
refused to remain; in other words, he had gone to the verge of the cliff,
where he was exposed to the light of the fire, and where he was necessarily
in danger of being seen. Still, no signs of him were visible, and I was on
the point of moving along the south side of the building, to the margin of
the rocks, when the Trackless again touched my arm, and said “There!”
There our party was, sure enough! It had managed to reach the verge of the
rocks at a salient point, which placed them in an admirable position for
raking the enemy, who were supposed to be climbing to the pickets, with a
view to a sudden spring, but at a dangerous distance from the buildings.
The darkness had been the means of their reaching that point, which was
about a hundred yards from the spot where I had expected to find them, and
admirably placed for the intended object. The whole procedure was so much
like Guert's character, that I could not but admire its boldness, while I
condemned its imprudence. There was, however, no time to join the party, or
to warn its leader of the risks he ran. We, who stood so far in the rear,
could see and fully appreciate all the danger, while he probably did not.
There the whole party of them stood, plainly though darkly drawn in high
relief, against the light beyond, each poising his rifle and making his
dispositions for the volley. Guert was nearest to the verge of the rocks,
actually bending over them; Dirck was close at his side; Jaap just behind
Dirck; Jumper close at Jaap's elbow; and four of the settlers, bold and
hardy men, behind the Oneida.
I could scarcely breathe, for painful expectation, when I saw Guert and his
companions thus rising from the earth, bringing their entire figures in
front of the back-ground of light. I could have called out to warn them of
the danger they ran; but it would have done no good, nor was there time for
remonstrances. Guert must have felt he occupied a dangerous position, and
what he did was done very promptly. Ten seconds after I saw the dark forms,
all their rifles were discharged, as it might be at a single crack. One
instant passed, in death-like stillness, through all the fields, and in the
court; then came a volley from among the stumps at a little distance from
our side of the building, and the adventurers on the rocks, or those that
could, rushed towards the gate. Two of the settlers, however, and the
Oneida, I saw fall, myself. The last actually leaped upward, into the
air, and went down the cliff. But Guert, Dirck, Jaap, and the other two
settlers, had moved away. It was at that moment that my ears were filled
with such yells as I had not supposed the human throat could raise, and all
the fields on our side of the house seemed alive with savages. To render
the scene more appalling, that was the precise instant when the water,
previously provided by Herman Mordaunt, fell upon the flames, and the light
vanished, almost as one extinguishes a candle. But for this providential
coincidence, there was scarce a chance for the escape of one of the
adventurers. As it was, rifle followed rifle, from among the stumps, though
it was no longer with any certain aim.
The battle had now become a _mélée_. The savages went leaping and whooping
forward in the darkness, and heavy blows were given and taken. Guert's
clear, manly voice was heard, rising above the clamour, encouraging his
companions to press through the throng of their assailants, in tones full
of confidence. Both the Trackless and myself discharged our rifles at the
foremost of the Hurons, and each certainly brought down his man; but it was
not easy to see what we could do next. To stand aloof and see my friends
borne down by numbers was impossible, however, and Susquesus and myself
fell upon the enemy's rear. This charge of ours had the appearance of a
sortie, and it produced a decided effect on the result, opening a passage
by which Dirck and the two settlers issued from the throng, and joined us.
This was no sooner done, than we all had to stand at bay, retreating little
by little, as we could. The result would still have been doubtful, even
after we had succeeded in reaching the south-western angle of the building,
had it not been for a forward movement on the part of Herman Mordaunt, at
the head of half-a-dozen of his settlers. This reinforcement came into the
affair with loaded rifles, and a single discharge, given as soon as we were
in a line with our friends, caused our assailants to vanish, as suddenly as
they had appeared. On reflecting on the circumstances of that awful night,
in after-life, I have thought that the force in the rear of the Hurons
began to melt away, even before Herman Mordaunts support was received,
leaving their front weak and unsustained. At any rate, the enemy fled to
their covers, as has just been related, and we entered the gate in a body,
closing and barring it, as soon as possible.
I can scarcely describe the change that had come over the appearance of
things in that eventful night. The fire was extinguished, even to the
embers, and deep darkness had succeeded to the glimmering, waving red light
of the flames. The yells, and whoops, and screams, and shouts, for our men
had frequently thrown back the defiance of their foes in cheers, were done;
a stillness as profound as that of the grave reigning over the whole place.
The wounded seemed ashamed even to groan; but our hurt, of whom there were
four, went into the house to be cared for, stern and silent. No enemy was
any longer to be apprehended beneath the pickets, for the streak of morning
was just appearing above the forest, in the east, and Indians rarely attack
under the light of day. In a word, _that_ night, at least, was passed, and
we were yet protected by Providence.
Herman Mordaunt now bethought him of ascertaining his precise situation,
the extent of his own loss, and, as far as possible, of that which we had
inflicted on the enemy. Guert was called for, to aid in this inquiry, but
no Guert was to be found! Jaap, too, was absent. A muster was had, and then
it was found that Guert Ten Eyck, Jaap Satanstoe, Gilbert Davis, and Moses
Mudge were all wanting. The Jumper, too, did not appear; but I accounted
for him, and for the two settlers named, having actually seen them
fall. Day returned to us slowly, while agitated by the effect of these
discoveries; but it brought no relief. We soon ventured to re-open the
gates, knowing no Indian would remain very near the building, while it was
light; and, having examined all the dangerous covers, we passed outside the
court with confidence, in quest of the bodies of our friends. Not an Indian
was seen, Jumper excepted. The Oneida lay at the foot of the rocks, dead,
and scalped; as did Davis and Mudge on the summit. Everything else human
had disappeared. Dirck was confident that six or seven of the Hurons fell
by the volley from the cliff, but the bodies had been carried off. As to
Guert and Jaap, no traces of them remained, dead or alive.