The Project Gutenberg EBook of Marianson, by Mary Hartwell Catherwood

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Title: Marianson
From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899

Author: Mary Hartwell Catherwood

Release Date: October 30, 2007 [EBook #23251]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARIANSON ***

Produced by David Widger

MARIANSON

From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899

By Mary Hartwell Catherwood

When the British landed on the west side of Mackinac Island at three
o'clock in the morning of July 17,1812, Canadians were ordered to
transport the cannon. They had only a pair of six-pounders, but these
had to be dragged across the long alluvial stretch to heights which
would command the fortress, and sand, rock, bushes, trees, and fallen
logs made it a dreadful portage. Voyageurs, however, were men to
accomplish what regulars and Indians shirked.

All but one of the hundred and sixty Canadians hauled with a good
will on the cannon ropes. The dawn was glimmering. Paradise hid in the
untamed island, breathing dew and spice. The spell worked instantly upon
that one young voyageur whose mind was set against the secret
attack. All night his rage had been swelling. He despised the British
regulars-forty-two lords of them only being in this expedition-as they
in turn despised his class. They were his conquerors. He had no desire
to be used as means of pushing their conquest further. These islanders
he knew to be of his own race, perhaps crossed with Chippewa blood.

Seven hundred Indians, painted and horned for war, skulked along as
allies in the dim morning twilight. He thought of sleeping children
roused by tomahawk and scalping-knife in case the surprised fort did not
immediately surrender. Even then, how were a few hundred white men to
restrain nearly a thousand savages?

The young Canadian, as a rush was made with the ropes, stumbled over a
log and dropped behind a bush. His nearest companions scarcely noticed
the desertion in their strain, but the officer instantly detailed an
Indian.

"One of you Sioux bring that fellow back or bring his scalp."

A Sioux stretched forward and leaped eagerly into the woods. All t