flames burst forth from the deserted house of the commandant, which stood near to the blockhouse. The flames ascended high and became hotter and hotter. The corner of the blockhouse grew black, and, at length, burst into a sheet of flame. With this a hundred Indian yells pealed forth in triumph, and the naked warriors stood ready to tomahawk the wretched soldiers as fast as they were driven forth. But still the garrison held out. Passing up water from the well which now held an ample supply, they poured it down upon the flames, and soon extinguished them. By this time the burning house, from which the fire had caught, settled into smouldering embers, so that nothing further was apprehended from that source.

The soldiers were now quite exhausted, but still they continued their defense, "toiling and fighting without pause, where the close and heated atmosphere was clogged with the smoke of gunpowder." The contest was continued throughout the second day and extended into midnight. It was a long and hopeless struggle. At about twelve o'clock on the second night, the garrison heard a voice call out in French from the enemy's entrenchments, warning the garrison that further resistance would be useless since full preparations had been made for setting fire to the blockhouse, both above and below at the same time. Christie, the commandant, then inquired if there was any one among them who could speak English, whereupon a man in Indian dress, appeared from behind the breastworks, and said that if the garrison gave themselves up their lives should be spared, but if they continued, they would all be burned alive. Christie, having resolved to hold out as long as a shadow of resistance could be maintained, told him to persuade the Indians to wait till the following morning for his answer. They assented, and suspended their fire, and while some of the garrison watched, the rest sank exhausted into a deep sleep. On the following morning the commandant sent out two of his soldiers under pretext of treating with the Indians, but, in truth, to learn the real situation. On reaching the breastwork, the soldiers made a signal by which Christie knew that the representations of the Englishman were correct. The soldiers told the chiefs that their commandant desired two

of their principal men to meet him midway between the blockhouse and the breastwork. They appeared as requested, and Christie went out and delivered them formal possession of the little fort, which he had so ably defended, on the conditions, however, that he and his garrison should be allowed to depart unmolested. Notwithstanding this stipulation, the fort was no sooner surrendered, than the whole garrison were surrounded, seized and made prisoners. They were sent as such to the Ottawa village near Detroit, when Christie soon after made his escape in safety to the fort.

The next to share this horrifying fate were the neighboring forts of Le Boeuf and Venango. These posts were poorly garrisoned, and fell an easy prey to the savages in their vicinity. But still farther south, around Fort Pitt, and along the whole frontier, clouds of warriors were animating the forests with their restless forms and hideous yells, preparing to burst forth in an indiscriminate slaughter upon the English settlements. In the course of the narrative these points will receive proper attention. Leaving the the fort of Detroit and the camp of Pontiac, for a little season, let us turn onr attention to Michilimackinac, and observe the events that were transpiring there.

CHAPTER VIII.

DESCRIPTION OF FORT MICHILIMACKINAC

THE INDIANS IN THE VICINITY-PREPARATIONS FOR THE MASSACRE-THE WARNING – ADVENTURES OF ENGLISH TRADERS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SLAUGHTER.

BEFORE giving an account of the terrible massacre at Fort Michilimackinac, I will briefly run through a description of that distant outpost. It was situated on the northern extremity of the southern peninsula of Michigan, standing upon the margin of the lake at the eastern end of the Strait of Mackinaw. A little beyond the fort was a cluster of white Canadian. houses, roofed with bark and protected by fences of strong, round pickets. As one entered the gate of this fort he would see beyond him an extensive square area, surrounded by high palisades. Numerous houses, barracks, and other buildings formed a smaller square within, and in the vacant space which they inclosed, appeared the red uniforms of the British soldiers, the gray coats of the Canadians and the gaudy Indian blankets, mingled in confusion. Such was Fort Michilimackinac in 1763. Although buried in a dense wilderness, it was one of the oldest outposts in the lake region. The Jesuits had established a mission there as early as 1671, and in the following year the French established a military post in the same place. Besides this fort there were two others in the vicinity called Green Bay and the Saut Ste. Marie. These were also founded at an early day, and, although considerably smaller, were, in general characteristics, similar to Michilimackinac. The latter contained thirty families within the palisade enclosure, and about as many more without. This post was important chiefly for being the centre of the fur trade. During the greater part of the year, the garrison and the settlers were completely iso

lated-cut off from all connection with the outer world; and, indeed, the three posts last mentioned were so remote from each other, and the journey from one to the other attended with so many dangers, that often, through the whole winter all intercourse between them was entirely cut off. The Indians in this section were the Ojibwas and Ottawas, between whom the territory was nearly equally divided. The principal village of the Ojibwas contained over a hundred warriors, and was located upon the picturesque Island of Mackinaw, which has, in late years, become a favorite summer resort. The same nation had another large settlement at Thunder Bay. The largest northern village of their brethren, the Ottawas, was situated at L'Arbre Croche, at the eastern end of the strait on the margin of Lake Michigan. This place, at the period of which I am writing, was the seat of the old Jesuit mission of St. Ignace, originally established by the great and good Marquette, on the northern side of the Straits. It is said of the Ottawas that they had become partially civilized, while on the other hand, their neighbors, the Ojibwas, "were not, in the least degree, removed from their primitive barbarism." These tribes, as also all of the neighboring Indians, were hostile towards the English. Most of their warriors had fought on the side of France in the late war, and now, being goaded to fury by the indignant Canadians, they were ready to raise the tomahawk against any Englishman who might venture within their territory. At this period Fort Michilimackinac was in the hands of the French settlers, the French garrison having been withdrawn in accordance with the capitulation of Montreal, and the English garrison having not yet arrived. I will here cite an incident or two, illustrating the state of feeling which prevailed among the Indians and French at this place soon after the close of the war between the English and French colonies. In the autumn of 1761, an Englishman named Alexander Henry, in company with one or two others, came to Michilimackinac for the purpose of trading with the Indians. On the way these Englishmen were more than once warned to turn back, and told that they they would meet certain death if they pursued their journey. At length, to insure safety, Mr.

At

Henry assumed the disguise of a Canadian voyageur. length his canoes, laden with goods, reached the distant forest fort, but he received a cold greeting from the French inhabitants. They said everything they could calculated to alarm and discourage him. Soon after his arrival, he was notified that a band of Ojibwas were on their way from their village to pay him a visit. But this did not disturb him. It was an Indian custom to pay such visits to a new-comer with a view of receiving presents, and Henry believed that by distributing a few articles among them, they would depart in peace. Following is an account of the affair in Mr. Henry's own language: "At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Ojibwas came to the house, about sixty in number, and headed by Minavavana, their chief. They walked in single file, each with his tomahawk in one hand and scalping knife in the other. Their bodies were naked from the waist upward, except in a few examples, where blankets were thrown loosely over their shoulders. Their faces were painted with charcoal, worked up with grease; their bodies with white clay, in patterns of various fancies. Some had feathers thrust through their noses, and their heads decorated with the same. It is unnecessary to dwell on the sensations with which I beheld the approach of this uncouth, if not frightful assemblage. The chief entered first and the rest fol lowed without noise. On receiving a sign from the former, the latter seated themselves on the floor. Minavavana appeared to be about fifty years of age. He was six feet in height, and had in his countenance an indiscribable mixture of good and evil. Looking steadfastly at me, where I sat in ceremony, with an interpreter on either hand, and several Canadians behind me, he entered at the same time into conversation with Campion, inquiring how long it was since I left Montreal, and observing that the English, as it would seem, were brave men, and not afraid of death, since they dared to come, as I had done, fearlessly among their enemies. The Indians now gravely smoked their pipes, while I inwardly endured the tortures of suspense. At length the pipes being finished, as well as a long pause, by which they were succeeded, Minavavana, taking a few strings of wampum in his hand began the following