esperately with the Indian line beyond. The British troops paused, and
looked after them; and the sympathy that brave men feel for each other
prevented any of them from attempting to pursue or molest them. On the
contrary, all now wished them success.

With breathless anxiety Rodolph gazed after them, and watched the
towering plumes that adorned the noble head of the Sachem, as he bore
onward through the opposing crowd of Indians. He passed, and gained the
plain beyond, attended by his followers; and, from the elevated
position at which the fort was erected, Rodolph could still watch the
little band retiring, until the Indian heroes were hidden from view by
a thicket.

So fiercely had the fire seconded the efforts of the English that the
whole conflict only lasted one hour. In that brief space of time,
between five and six hundred Indians--young and old, men and women--
were destroyed by fire and sword; and the small remainder were made
prisoners of war by the English, or carried off as prizes by the
hostile natives. Only two of the British soldiers were slain, but many
were wounded; and the arrows remaining some time in the wounds, and the
want of necessary medicine and refreshment, added greatly to their
sufferings The medical attendants attached to the expedition, and the
provisions, had all been left in the boats, and a march of more than
six miles through their enemies' land was necessary, in order to reach
them.

Litters were therefore constructed and, in these, the wounded were sent
off under the charge of the Mohicans, while the able-bodied men, whose
number was reduced to little more than forty, prepared to follow as a
rear-guard. The whole party were still near the smoking ruins of the
fort, when they were startled by perceiving a large body of armed
natives approaching. These were a band of more than three hundred
Pequodees, sent by Sassacus to aid the garrison of Fort Mystic.
Happily, they did not discover the small number of the English who were
in a condition to oppose them, and they turned aside, and avoided a
re-encounter. The white men took advantage of this mistake on the part
of their enemies, and hastened forward with all the speed that
circumstances would allow.

But they had not proceeded far when their ears were assailed by the
most discordant yells from the Pequodees. They had reached the scene of
devastation; and, when they beheld the ruined fort, and the ground
strewn with hundreds of mang