table
material for ship-building was entered upon with the fierce energy of
men who believed they were working to save their lives.

So actively did this work proceed that in less than a month the hull of
the little vessel was completed, and she stood ready for launching.

At this time parties were out in several directions from the fort, some
securing pitch from the pine forests for use upon the vessel, others
searching the cypress swamps for suitable spars, and still others
making unskilled efforts to secure a supply of game and fish for
present use, and for salting down to provision their ship during her
proposed voyage. These last were the most unsuccessful of all who were
out, owing to their limited knowledge of wood-craft. They were at the
same time the most anxious to succeed in their quest; for the supply of
corn in the fort was now wholly exhausted, and the garrison was
subsisting almost entirely upon fish and the leaf buds of the cabbage
palm, which they had discovered how to prepare.

On the day that marked a month from the date of Rene de Veaux's
departure, the working parties whose duties took them into the forest
were suddenly attacked by great numbers of savages, and driven in the
greatest confusion back to the fort, after sustaining severe losses in
killed and wounded. The advance of the savages, who followed them
closely, even up to the very gates, was only checked by a heavy fire of
artillery, which so alarmed them that they fled in a panic to the
shelter of the forest, nor stopped until they had retreated to a most
respectful distance.

Towards evening a body of the enemy were seen gathered in plain view on
and about the great shell mound upon which the Feast of Ripe Corn had
been held some weeks before. The sight of them so enraged Simon, the
armorer, who was now generally recognized as commandant, that he
determined to sally forth at the head of a strong party and bring about
a decisive battle, which he had no doubt would result in a victory for
the whites.

Although he could muster but about fifty able-bodied men, so sadly had
fever and lack of proper food ravaged the garrison, the old soldier,
who held the fighting qualities of the savages in great contempt,
deemed this number amply sufficient for his purpose, and marched forth
confidently at their head. They met with no enemy until they had
nearly reached the shell mound, and were preparing to charge upon the
savages, who still remaine