Outina in war
against the two potentates of the mountains. Hereupon the sagacious
Mollua, well pleased, promised that each of Outina's vassal chiefs
should requite their French allies with a heap of gold and silver two
feet high. Thus, while Laudonniere stood pledged to Satouriona, Vasseur
made alliance with his mortal enemy.

Returning, he was met, near the fort, by one of Satouriona's chiefs, who
questioned him touching his dealings with the Thimagoa. Vasseur replied,
that he had set upon and routed them with incredible slaughter. But as
the chief, seeming as yet unsatisfied, continued his inquiries, the
sergeant, Francis la Caille, drew his sword, and, like Falstaff before
him, re-enacted his deeds of valor, pursuing and thrusting at the
imaginary Thimagoa as they fled before his fury. Whereat the chief, at
length convinced, led the party to his lodge, and entertained them with
a certain savory decoction with which the Indians were wont to regale
those whom they delighted to honor.

Elate at the promise of a French alliance, Satouriona had summoned his
vassal chiefs to war. From the St. Mary's and the Satilla and the
distant Altamaha, from every quarter of his woodland realm, they had
mustered at his call. By the margin of the St. John's, the forest was
alive with their bivouacs. Ten chiefs were here, and some five hundred
men. And now, when all was ready, Satouriona reminded Laudonniere of his
promise, and claimed its fulfilment; but the latter gave evasive answers
and a virtual refusal. Stifling his rage, the chief prepared to go
without him.

Near the bank of the river, a fire was kindled, and two large vessels of
water placed beside it. Here Satouriona took his stand. His chiefs
crouched on the grass around him, and the savage visages of his five
hundred warriors filled the outer circle, their long hair garnished with
feathers, or covered with the heads and skins of wolves, panthers,
bears, or eagles. Satouriona, looking towards the country of his enemy,
distorted his features to a wild expression of rage and hate; then
muttered to himself; then howled an invocation to his god, the sun; then
besprinkled the assembly with water from one of the vessels, and,
turning the other upon the fire, suddenly quenched it. "So," he cried,
"may the blood of our enemies be poured out, and their lives
extinguished!" and the concourse gave forth an explosion of responsive
yells, till the shores resounded with the wolfish din.