med him that
it led to the garret where he might conceal himself. She then locked
the door and took away the key. Through a hole in the wall Henry could
have a complete view of the Fort. He beheld the heaps of the slain,
and heard the savage yells, until the last victim was dispatched.
Having finished the work of death in the Fort, the Indians went out to
search the houses. Some Indians entered Langlade's house and asked if
there were any Englishmen concealed in it. He replied that he did not
know, they might search for themselves. At length they opened the
garret door and ascended the stairs, but Henry had concealed himself
among a heap of birch-bark vessels, which had been used in making
maple sugar, and thus escaped. Fatigued and exhausted, he lay down on
a mat and went to sleep, and while in this condition he was surprised
by the wife of Langlade, who remarked that the Indians had killed all
the English, but she hoped he might escape. Fearing, however, that she
would fall a prey to their vengeance if it was found that an
Englishman was concealed in her house, she at length revealed the
place of Henry's concealment, giving as a reason therefor, that if he
should be found her children would be destroyed. Unlocking the door,
she was followed by several Indians, who were led by Wenniway, a noted
chief. At sight of him the chief seized him with one hand, and
brandishing a large carving knife, was about to plunge it into his
heart, when he dropped his arm, saying, "I won't kill you. My brother,
Musinigon, was slain by the English, and you shall take his place and
be called after him." He was carried to L'Arbre Croche as a prisoner,
where he was rescued by a band of three hundred Ottawas, by whom he
was returned to Mackinaw, and finally ransomed by his Indian friend
Wawatam. At the capture of the place only one trader, M. Tracy, lost
his life. Captain Etherington was carried away by some Indians from
the scene of slaughter. Seventy of the English troops were slain. An
Englishman, by the name of Solomon, saved himself by hiding under a
heap of corn, and his boy was saved by creeping up a chimney, where he
remained two days. A number of canoes, filled with English traders,
arriving soon after the massacre, they were seized, and the traders,
dragged through the water, were beaten and marched by the Indians to
the prison lodge. After they had completed the work of destruction,
the Indians, about four hundred in number, entertai