To us the partial armistice was of no advantage. We dared not stir from
the trees. Men were athirst, and water within sight--the pond
glittering in the centre of the glade. Better there had been none,
since they dared not approach it. It only served to tantalise them.
The Indians were seen to eat, without leaving their lines. A few waited
on the rest, and brought them food from the fires. Women were observed
passing backwards and forwards, almost within range of our guns.
We were, all of us, hungry as famished wolves. We had been twenty-four
hours without tasting food--even longer than that--and the sight of our
enemies, feasting before our very faces, gave a keen edge to our
appetites, at the same time rekindling our indignation. They even
taunted us on our starving condition.
Old Hickman had grown furious. He was heard to declare that he "war
hungry enough to eat a Indyen raw, if he could git his teeth upon one,"
and he looked as if he would have carried but the threat.
"The sight o' cussed red skins," continued he, "swallerin' hul collops
o' meat, while Christyian whites haint neery a bone to pick, are enough
to rile one to the last jeint in the eends o' the toes--by the tarnal
allygator, it ar!"
It is a bare place, indeed, where such men as Hickman and Weatherford
will not find resources; and the energies of both were now bent upon
discovery. They were seen scratching among the dead needles of the
pines, that, as already stated, formed a thick layer over the surface of
the ground.
Of what were they in search? worms?--grubs?--larvae or lizards? One
might have fancied so; but no--it had not come to that. Hungry as they
were, they were not yet ready to feed upon the _reptilia_. A better
resource had suggested itself to them; and shortly after, an exclamation
of joy announced that they had discovered the object of their search.
Hickman was seen holding up a brownish coloured mass, of conical form,
somewhat resembling a large pineapple. It was a cone of the broom pine,
easily recognisable by its size and shape.
"Now, fellers!" shouted he, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all
around the glade, "jest gather a wheen o' these hyar tree-eggs, and
break 'em open; ye'll find kurnels inside o' 'em that aint bad chawin'--
they aint equal to hog an' hominy; but we hant got hog an' hominy, and
these hyar'll sarve in a pinch, I reck'n. Ef ye'll only root among the
rubbage aroun' ye, ye'll scare up a wheen--jest try it."
The suggestion was eagerly adopted, and in an instant "all hands" were
seen scratching up the dead leaves in search of pine cones.
Some of these were found lying upon the surface, near at hand, and were
easily procured, while others, were jerked within reach by ramrods or
the barrels of rifles. Less or more, every one was enabled to obtain a
supply.
The cones were quickly cut open, and the kernels greedily devoured. It
was by no means an inferior food; for the seeds of the broom pine are
both nutritive and pleasant to the palate. Their quality gave universal
satisfaction--it was only in quantity they were deficient, for there was
not enough of them within reach to stay the cravings of fifty stomachs
hungry as ours were.
There was some joking over this dry breakfast, and the more reckless of
the party laughed while they ate, as though it had been a nutting
frolic. But the laughter was short-lived--our situation was too serious
to admit of much levity.
It was an interval while the firing of the enemy had slackened, almost
ceased; and we had ample time to consider the perils of our position.
Up to this time, it had not occurred to us that, in reality, we were
_besieged_. The hurried excitement of the conflict had left us no time
for reflection. We only looked upon the affair as a skirmish that must
soon come to an end, by one side or the other proving victorious.
The contest no longer wore that look; it had assumed the aspect of a
regular siege. We were encompassed on every side--shut up as if in a
fortress, but not half so secure. Our only stockade was the circle of
standing trees, and we had no blockhouse to retire to--no shelter in the
event of being wounded. Each man was a sentry, with a _tour_ of guard
duty that must be continual!
Our situation was indeed perilous in the extreme. There was no prospect
of escape. Our horses had all galloped off long since; one only
remained, lying dead by the side of the pond. It had been killed by a
bullet, but it was not from the enemy. Hickman had fired the shot; I
saw him, and wondered at the time what could be his object. The hunter
had his reasons, but it was only afterwards I learned them.
We could hold our ground against five times our number--almost any
odds--but how about food? Thirst we did not fear. At night we should
have relief. Under the cover of night we could approach the pond, one
after another.
We had no apprehension from want of water; but how about food? The
cones we had gathered were but a bite; there were no more within reach;
we must yield to hunger--to famine.
We conversed with one another freely, as if face to face. We canvassed
our prospects; they were gloomy enough.
How was the affair to end? How were we to be delivered from our
perilous situation? These were the questions that occupied the thoughts
of all.
We could think of only one plan that offered a plausible chance of
escape; and that was to hold our position until nightfall, make a sally
in the darkness, and fight our way through the lines of our foes. It
would be running the gauntlet; a few of us would certainly fall--perhaps
many--but some would escape. To stay where we were would be to expose
our whole party to certain sacrifice. There was no likelihood of our
being rescued by others; no one entertained such a hope. As soon as
hunger overcame us, we should be massacred to a man.
Rather than patiently abide such a fate, we resolved, while yet strong,
to risk all chances, and fight our way through the enemy's line.
Darkness would favour the attempt; and thus resolved, we awaited the
going down of the sun.