the girls who were to
follow their sweethearts. At a signal each was grasped and hurried
forward toward the boats. The alarm was given, and in a moment the bows
of the warriors were strung, and they rushed yelling to the rescue;
overpowered, the French released the women and springing into their
boats were soon out of danger of the arrows which were sent in showers
after them--nor did they escape unscathed. Several of the men were
wounded, and some of them severely. When once away from the shore, the
French seized their guns and fired a volley, but were prevented from
further demonstrations by La Salle; not wishing to leave behind him an
enemy, who might be troublesome to him on his return up the river.

This adventure was the only hostile one of the entire trip. This was
provoked by the folly and crime of his men without the knowledge of La
Salle. How true it is that man in every condition and of every race
will fight for his woman as surely as the game cock for his hen! Long
years after, and when the last Natchez had been gone from the land of
his love many years, and when threatening war was disturbing the people
of the colonies, there came here a band of men, as had come to this
land of beauty and plenty, the oppressors of the Natchez, seeking to
make a peaceful home upon these hills, where grew in luxuriant
profusion the magnolia and great tulip-trees, and where the atmosphere
was redolent with the perfume of the wild flowers which clothed and
ornamented the trees and grounds so fruitful and rich with nature's
gifts.

The country was claimed as part of West Florida and dominated by the
Spanish Government. They were anxious to have the country populated,
and donated certain quantities or tracts of land to any one who came to
settle and remain in the country. These settlements at first were made
on the bluffs projecting through the alluvial swamp to the river's
brink, and at or near the mouths of the small streams debouching into
the river from the eastern shore. The west bank was deemed
uninhabitable in consequence of the spring floods sweeping over the
alluvial formation, extending from forty to seventy miles west of the
river; and there being no highlands or bluffs approaching the river
from the west, below what is now known as Helena, in Arkansas, this
vast territory was one interminable swamp, clothed with immense
forest-trees, gigantic vines, and jungle-bushes. It was interspersed
with lakes, and bayous as re