SCOUTING IN WHALEBOATS
It is often the unexpected that happens, and so it proved in this case,
for while the Major and his veterans were puzzled as to what to do, the
problem solved itself in an altogether different way from anything that
had been in their thoughts.
Out of the bosom of the night with scarce any warning now came a sudden
breeze of surprising strength which took hold of the raft, and despite
the utmost efforts of the sinewy paddlers blew it directly toward the
hostile camp!
Major Rogers stormed and swore, and even seized a paddle himself, and
plied it with frantic energy, but all to no purpose. The stubborn raft
moved steadily if slowly before the wind toward the fires, whose blaze
would ere long reveal its presence.
The excitement on board may be readily conceived. The men realized that
they were being borne into the jaws of death, and prepared to die like
heroes fighting to the last.
Nearer and nearer to the camp moved the raft. Seth and Reuben
standing together at one side grasped each other's hands in silent
understanding. It was no time for words, but for action, quick and
decisive.
"Now, Rangers," said the Major in a low, grave tone that showed how
deep was his feeling: "We're in a bad box, and there's small chance
of our getting out of it. But if we can't save ourselves we can make
a good fight of it, and sell our lives dearly. Don't be in a hurry to
fire. Don't waste a bullet. Club your muskets after they're empty, and
keep at it so long as you can stand."
"Ay, ay, sir!" was the subdued yet resolute response of the men as they
grasped the guns tightly, and gazed at the nearing shore.
A moment later the wind dropped as suddenly as it had risen, and a
brief period of calm followed, after which the wind rose again, but now
it blew from a different quarter; and the raft, instead of continuing
on the same course, began to move northward.
Major Rogers instantly saw his opportunity. Calling upon his men to
paddle with all their might, he directed their efforts so that the raft
veered toward the land at a point some distance above the camp, where
the trees came close to the water's edge.
"If we can only get there without being seen we'll give them the slip
after all," he said to Seth, and there was an accent of hope in his
tone.
Yard by yard the clumsy craft glided in the desired direction, and the
men's spirits revived as the shore drew nearer without any sign that
the enemy suspected their proximity.
At last the raft grounded, and one by one its passengers, moving as
silently as shadows, made their way to land and disappeared in the
dense obscurity of the woods with lightened hearts; for although they
were not yet out of danger, they had certainly bettered their chances
of seeing Fort William Henry again.
Following their leader in Indian file they glided noiselessly through
the forest, not knowing at what moment they might be discovered by some
outlying sentinel or vigilant scout.
But again fortune favored them, and, without being challenged or
opposed, they left the encampment a safe distance behind ere the Major
would call a halt that they might rest for the remainder of the night.
Two days later they reached the fort wellnigh spent with hunger and
fatigue, and quite content to take it easy for a while ere setting
forth on another expedition.
In the following June Major Rogers' heart was made glad by General
Shirley sending him six light whale-boats from Albany, accompanied by
instructions to proceed immediately to Lake Champlain and do what he
might in the way of intercepting the parties coming down from Canada by
water with supplies for Crown Point.
Seth was delighted when he heard the news. The idea of speeding over
the lake in the swift, strong boats instead of the frail canoes or
clumsy bateaux, appealed to his spirit of romance.
"That will be fine, won't it. Reuben?" he exclaimed enthusiastically
after telling his friend. "A lot of us can get into one boat, and make
it go faster than any canoe, and then we can take with us plenty of
provisions so that we won't need to starve nearly to death as we have
done before."
Major Rogers called his officers together to talk over the best ways
and means of utilizing the new equipment, and as the result of a
lengthy conference an original and daring plan of campaign was settled
upon, for the conception of which the Major himself was entitled
to the chief credit, and which he proceeded to carry out with his
characteristic promptitude.
Putting fifty of his men into five of the boats, he rowed up Lake
George to an island, on which the night was spent. The next day he went
on about five miles farther, and landed on the east shore of the lake,
where it rose rather steeply from the water's edge.
"So far it's been easy enough," he said to his men when they had drawn
the boats well up on the land, "but we've got hard work ahead now, and
it will try both our strength and patience to the utmost, but I know I
can depend upon you to go through with it."
He might well speak thus, for what they had before them was nothing
less than the transporting of the heavy boats over the high land which
separated the main body of Lake George from a long narrow projection
lying parallel to Lake George, a few miles to the east.
But they were not the men to be dismayed by even so difficult and
laborious a task. With their wonted spirit and energy they addressed
themselves to it, and ere long all five boats were being dragged up the
hillside over a hastily prepared portage path by which no canoe had
ever gone.
It was really tremendous work, and under the warm June sun the Rangers
stormed and sweated over the many difficulties of the undertaking.
Officers and men toiled alike, no one exerting himself more unsparingly
than Major Rogers, and bit by bit the way to the summit of the ridge,
and thence down again on the other side was won, until at last after
two whole days of strenuous labor the whale-boats floated gracefully in
the waters of South Bay, and Seth spoke for his comrades no less than
for himself when he exclaimed exultantly:
"There, you are now in your proper place, and may it be many a day
before you come out of it again to go climbing mountains!"
In the general laugh that greeted these words the Major, who overhead
them, joined heartily, adding:
"I'm quite of your mind, Seth."
After a good night's rest the Rangers embarked, and rowed northward to
within six miles of Fort Ticonderoga, where they landed, and having
carefully concealed their boats, lay in hiding themselves until evening.
As soon as night fell they were afloat again, and steering toward the
fort, which they approached so close under the cover of darkness that
they could hear distinctly the sentries exchanging the watch-words.
"Wouldn't they be surprised if we were to give them a volley, just to
let them know we're here?" whispered Seth to the man next to him in the
boat, as his hand patted the barrel of his gun significantly.
"Yes, no doubt, and wouldn't we be surprised to have a few hundred
Indians come after us in their canoes," was the shrewd response. "Just
try and count those camp fires. Why there must be a couple of thousand
men there at least."
It was certainly a big encampment that spread about the unfinished
fort, and Major Rogers had no idea of stirring up such a hornet's nest
even though his whale-boats could probably outstrip the fleetest
canoes. Accordingly, after pausing long enough to gain some idea of the
strength of the enemy, he pushed on several miles farther, and then ere
the break of day, went once more into hiding in the woods, where he
remained until the return of night with its favoring darkness enabled
him to resume his venturesome progress.
Twelve miles of steady rowing brought the party within gunshot of Crown
Point, and here Major Rogers called a halt, for the sky was so clear
and the stars were so bright that he deemed it imprudent to attempt to
pass the French stronghold.
At this many of the Rangers demurred. They were quite sure the boats
with muffled oars could slip by unperceived, and they were very anxious
to try, but their shrewd, sagacious leader would not be persuaded. He
knew better than to risk the destruction or capture of his entire party
for the sake of a daring dash, and the order to land and again take to
hiding was given.
"Bless my heart, but this is getting tiresome!" murmured Reuben with a
deep sigh after the boats had been snugly stowed away under the trees.
"When are we going to do something else, Seth?"
"I'm sure _I_ can't tell you," Seth replied diplomatically, for he
quite realized what the dignity of his position as officer required.
"Suppose you ask Major Rogers."
But Reuben knew better than to approach the great man with any such
question, and was fain to be content with hoping that they would soon
have something more exciting to occupy them.
As they lay hidden the next day they saw nearly a hundred boats laden
with materials and supplies for Ticonderoga go by them, whereat the
Major remarked with significant emphasis:
"If General Shirley could only see this with his own eyes he wouldn't
lose any time in bringing an army up here that would make short work
of Ticonderoga and Crown Point too; but the longer it's delayed, the
harder the job will be."
About noon half a dozen boats, carrying soldiers, seemed to be making
directly for the point on which the Rangers were concealed, and there
was every evidence of Reuben's desire for excitement being gratified in
an unlooked-for way.
The Rangers grasped their muskets, and made ready to receive the
Frenchmen with a volley that would come like a bolt out of the blue,
and be sure to produce at least a temporary panic among them; but a
whispered order from their leader bade them hold their fire until the
last moment.
So close came the boat that the talk of those on board could be
distinctly heard as they disputed with regard to where they should
land, some wanting to go right in, and others to proceed farther.
With throbbing pulses and bated breaths the Rangers, lying motionless
in the thicket, awaited the result of the discussion; and, brave men
as they were, it was an unspeakable relief to all of them when the
officer, who wished to go farther on, carried his point, and the boats
were rowed a couple of hundred yards southward, where their occupants
landed and had their dinner in full view of their hidden enemy, whose
proximity was happily unknown to them. Having dined and rested they
proceeded on their way, and the Rangers breathed freely again.
That night the conditions were favorable for slipping past Crown Point,
and the boats succeeded in doing so unseen, continuing northward along
the lake until the fort had been left many miles behind.
They were now in the very heart of the enemy's territory, and Major
Rogers deemed it wise for them all to go no farther, but ordered Seth
to take one of the boats, and having manned it with the best oarsmen,
to reconnoitre ahead.
Well pleased at this commission, Seth chose his crew and set forth in
high hopes of an adventure. It was drawing near to daybreak and not
a breath of wind stirred the glassy surface of the lake. In perfect
silence the men plied their muffled oars, and the boat glided swiftly
forward, while Seth in the bow swept the scene before him with keen
glance, which nothing escaped.
Presently he started and gave an exclamation of joy.
"Look over there!" he said to the man sitting next him. "Isn't that a
vessel in the cove? To be sure it is. Now, then, there's our chance.
Pull away with all your might, Rangers!"