Chapter III.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　--Ho! who's here? If anything that's civil, speak; if savage, Take, or lend-- CymbelineNot another syllable did le Bourdon utter to the Chippewa, or theChippewa to him, in that sitting, touching the important event justcommunicated. Each carefully avoided manifesting any furtherinterest in the subject, but the smoking continued for some timeafter the sun had set. As the shades of evening began to gather, thePottawattamie arose, shook the ashes from his pipe, gave a grunt,and uttered a word or two, by way of announcing his disposition toretire. On this hint, Ben went into the cabin, spread his skins, andintimated to his guests that their beds were ready for them. Fewcompliments pass among border men on such occasions, and one afteranother dropped off, until all were stretched on the skins but themaster of the place. He remained up two hours later, ruminating onthe state of things; when, perceiving that the night was wearing on,he also found a nest, and sought his repose.

　　Nothing occurred to disturb the occupants of "Castle Meal," as leBourdon laughingly called his cabin, until the return of day. Ifthere were any bears scenting around the place, as often occurred atnight, their instinct must have apprised them that a largereinforcement was present, and caused them to defer their attack toa more favorable opportunity. The first afoot next morning was thebee-hunter himself, who arose and left his cabin just as theearliest streaks of day were appearing in the east. Althoughdwelling in a wilderness, the "openings" had not the character ofordinary forests. The air circulates freely beneath their oaks, thesun penetrates in a thousand places, and grass grows, wild butverdant. There was little of the dampness of the virgin woods; andthe morning air, though cool, as is ever the case, even inmidsummer, in regions still covered with trees, was balmy; and, atthat particular spot, it came to the senses of le Bourdon loadedwith the sweets of many a wide glade of his favorite white clover.Of course, he had placed his cabin near those spots where the insecthe sought most abounded; and a fragrant site it proved to be, infavorable conditions of the atmosphere. Ben had a taste for all thenatural advantages of his abode, and was standing in enjoyment ofits placid beauties when some one touched his elbow. Turning, quickas thought, he perceived the Chippewa at his side. That young Indianhad approached with the noiseless tread of his people, and was nowanxious to hold a private communication with him.

　　"Pottawattamie got long ear--come fudder--" said Pigeonswing; "gocook-house--t'ink we want breakfast."

　　Ben did as desired; and the two were soon side by side at thespring, in the outlet of which they made their ablutions--theredskin being totally without paint. When this agreeable office wasperformed, each felt in better condition for a conference.

　　"Elkfoot got belt from Canada fadder," commenced the Chippewa, witha sententious allusion to the British propensity to keep the savagesin pay. "Know he got him know he keep him."

　　"And you, Pigeonswing--by your manner of talking I had set you downfor a king's Injin, too."

　　"Talk so--no feel bit so. My heart Yankee."

　　"And have you not had a belt of wampum sent you, as well as the restof them?"

　　"Dat true--got him--don't keep him."

　　"What! did you dare to send it back?"

　　"Ain't fool, dough young. Keep him; no keep him. Keep him for Canadafadder; no keep him for Chippewa brave."

　　"What have you then done with your belt?"

　　"Bury him where nobody find him dis war. No--Waubkenewh no hole inheart to let king in."

　　Pigeonswing, as this young Indian was commonly called in his tribe,in consequence of the rapidity of his movement when employed as arunner, had a much more respectable name, and one that he had fairlyearned in some of the forays of his people, but which the commonaltyhad just the same indisposition to use as the French have to callMarshal Soult the Duc de Dalmatie. The last may be the mosthonorable title, but it is not that by which he is the best known tohis countrymen. Waubkenewh was an appellation, notwithstanding, ofwhich the young Chippewa was justly proud; and he often asserted hisright to use it, as sternly as the old hero of Toulouse asserted hisright to his duchy, when the Austrians wished to style him "leMarechal Duc Soult,"

　　"And you are friendly to the Yankees, and an enemy to the red-coats?"

　　Waubkenewh grasped the hand of le Bourdon, and squeezed it firmly.Then he said, warily:

　　"Take care--Elkfoot friend of Blackbird; like to look at Canadabelt. Got medal of king, too. Have Yankee scalp, bye'm by. Takecare--must speak low, when Elkfoot near."

　　"I begin to understand you, Chippewa; you wish me to believe thatyou are a friend to America, and that the Pottawatamie is not. Ifthis be so, why have you held the speech that you did last night,and seemed to be on a war-path against my countrymen?"

　　"Dat good way, eh? Elkfoot den t'ink me his friend dat very good inwar-time."

　　"But is it true, or false, that Mackinaw is taken by the British?"

　　"Dat true too--gone, and warrior all prisoner. Plenty Winnebago,plenty Pottawatamie, plenty Ottowa, plenty redskin, dere."

　　"And the Chippewas?"

　　"Some Ojebway, too"--answered Pigeonswing, after a reluctant pause."Can't all go on same path this war. Hatchets, somehow, got twohandle--one strike Yankee; one strike King George."

　　"But what is your business here, and where are you now going if youare friendly to the Americans? I make no secret of my feelings--I amfor my own people, and I wish proof that you are a friend, and notan enemy."

　　"Too many question, one time," returned the Chippewa, a littledistastefully. "No good have so long tongue. Ask one question, answerhim--ask anoder, answer him, too."

　　"Well, then, what is your business, here?"

　　"Go to Chicago, for gen'ral."

　　"Do you mean that you bear a message from some American general tothe commandant at Chicago?"

　　"Just so--dat my business. Guess him, right off; he, he, he!"

　　It is so seldom that an Indian laughs that the bee-hunter wasstartled.

　　"Where is the general who has sent you on this errand?" he demanded.

　　"He at Detroit--got whole army dere--warrior plenty as oak inopening."

　　All this was news to the bee-hunter, and it caused him to muse amoment, ere he proceeded.

　　"What is the name of the American general who has sent you on thispath?" he then demanded.

　　"Hell," answered the Ojebway, quietly.

　　"Hell! You mean to give his Indian title, I suppose, to show that hewill prove dangerous to the wicked. But how is he called in our owntongue?"

　　"Hell--dat he name--good name for so'ger, eh?"

　　"I believe I understand you, Chippewa--Hull is the name of thegovernor of the territory, and you must have mistaken the sound--'isit not so?"

　　"Hull--Hell--don't know--just same--one good as t'other."

　　"Yes, one will do as well as the other, if a body only understandsyou. So Governor Hull sent you here?"

　　"No gubbernor--general, tell you. Got big army--plenty warrior--eatBreesh up!"

　　"Now, Chippewa, answer me one thing to my likin', or I shall set youdown as a man with a forked tongue, though you do call yourself afriend of the Yankees. If you have been sent from Detroit toChicago, why are you so far north as this? Why are you here, on thebanks of the Kalamazoo, when your path ought to lead you more towardthe St. Joseph's?"

　　"Been to Mackinaw. Gen'ral says, first go to Mackinaw and see widown eye how garrison do--den go to Chicago, and tell warrior derewhat happen, and how he best manage. Understan' dat, Bourdon?"

　　"Aye, it all sounds well enough, I will acknowledge. You have beento Mackinaw to look about you, there, and having seen things withyour own eyes, have started for Chicago to give your knowledge tothe commandant at that place. Now, redskin, have you any proof ofwhat you say?"

　　For some reason that the bee-hunter could not yet fathom, theChippewa was particularly anxious either to obtain his confidence,or to deceive him. Which he was attempting, was not yet quiteapparent; but that one or other was uppermost in his mind, Benthought was beyond dispute. As soon as the question last named wasput, however, the Indian looked cautiously around him, as if to becertain there were no spectators. Then he carefully opened histobacco-pouch, and extricated from the centre of the cut weed aletter that was rolled into the smallest compass to admit of thismode of concealment, and which was encircled by a thread. The lastremoved, the letter was unrolled, and its superscription exposed.The address was to "Captain--Heald, U. S. Army, commanding atChicago." In one corner were the words "On public service, byPigeonswing." All this was submitted to the bee-hunter, who read itwith his own eyes.

　　"Dat good"-asked the Chippewa, pointedly-"dat tell trut'-b'lievehim?"

　　Le Bourdon grasped the hand of the Indian, and gave it a heartysqueeze. Then he said frankly, and like a man who no longerentertained any doubts:

　　"I put faith in all you say, Chippewa. That is an officer's letter,and I now see that you are on the right side. You play'd so deep agame, at first, hows'ever, that I didn't know exactly what to makeof you. Now, as for the Pottawattamie--do you set him down as friendor foe, in reality?"

　　"Enemy--take your scalp--take my scalp, in minute only can't catchhim. He got belt from Montreal, and it look handsome in his eye."

　　"Which way d'ye think he's travelling? As I understood you, he andyou fell into the same path within a mile of this very spot. Was themeeting altogether friendly?"

　　"Yes; friendly--but ask too many question--too much squaw--ask onequestion, den stop for answer."

　　"Very true--I will remember that an Indian likes to do one thing ata time. Which way, then, do you think he's travelling?"

　　"Don't know--on'y guess--guess he on path to Blackbird."

　　"And where is Blackbird, and what is he about?"

　　"Two question, dat!" returned the Chippewa, smiling, and holding uptwo of his fingers, at the same time, by way of rebuke. "Blackbirdon war-path;--when warrior on dat path, he take scalp if can gethim."

　　"But where is his enemy? There are no whites in this part of thecountry, but here and there a trader, or a trapper, or a bee-hunter,or a voyageur."

　　"Take his scalp--all scalp good, in war time. An't partic'lar, downat Montreal. What you call garrison at Chicago?"

　　"Blackbird, you then think, may be moving upon Chicago. In thatcase, Chippewa, you should outrun this Pottawatamie, and reach thepost in time to let its men know the danger."

　　"Start, as soon as eat breakfast. Can't go straight, nudder, orPottawatamie see print of moccasin. Must t'row him off trail."

　　"Very true; but I'll engage you're cunning enough to do that twiceover, should it be necessary."

　　Just then Gershom Waring came out of the cabin, gaping like a hound,and stretching his arms, as if fairly wearied with sleep. At thesight of this man the Indian made a gesture of caution, saying,however, in an undertone:

　　"How is heart--Yankee or Breesh--love Montreal, eh? Pretty goodscalp! Love King George, eh?"

　　"I rather think not, but am not certain. He is a poor pale-face,however, and it's of no great account how he stands. His scalp wouldhardly be worth the taking, whether by English or American."

　　"Sell, down at Montreal--better look out for Pottawatamie. Don'tlike that Injin."

　　"We'll be on our guard against him; and there he comes, looking asif his breakfast would be welcome, and as if he was already thinkingof a start."

　　Le Bourdon had been busy with his pots, during the whole time thisdiscourse was going on, and had warmed up a sufficiency of food tosupply the wants of all his guests. In a few minutes each was busyquietly eating his morning's meal, Gershom having taken his bittersaside, and, as he fancied, unobserved. This was not so much owing toniggardliness, as to a distrust of his having a sufficient supply ofthe liquor, that long indulgence had made, in a measure, necessaryto him, to last until he could get back to the barrels that werestill to be found in his cabin, down on the shore of the lake.

　　During the breakfast little was said, conversation forming nomaterial part of the entertainment, at the meals of any but thecultivated. When each had risen, however, and by certain preliminaryarrangements it was obvious that the two Indians intended to depart,the Pottawatamie advanced to le Bourdon, and thrust out a hand.

　　"Thankee"--he said, in the brief way in which he clipped hisEnglish--"good supper--good sleep--good breakfast. Now go. Thankee--when any friend come to Pottawatamie village, good wigwam dere, andno door."

　　"I thank you, Elksfoot--and should you pass this way, ag'in, soon, Ihope you'll just step into this chiente and help yourself it Ishould happen to be off on a hunt. Good luck to you, and a happysight of home."

　　The Pottawatamie then turned and thrust out a hand to each of theothers, who met his offered leave-taking with apparent friendship.The bee-hunter observed that neither of the Indians said anything tothe other touching the path he was about to travel, but that eachseemed ready to pursue his own way as if entirely independent, andwithout the expectation of having a companion.

　　Elksfoot left the spot the first. After completing his adieus, thePottawattamie threw his rifle into the hollow of his arm, felt athis belt, as if to settle it into its place, made some littledisposition of his light summer covering, and moved off in asouthwesterly direction, passing through the open glades, and almostequally unobstructed groves, as steady in his movements as if led byan instinct.

　　"There he goes, on a bee-line," said le Bourdon, as the straightform of the old savage disappeared at length, behind a thicket oftrees. "On a bee-line for the St. Joseph's river, where he willshortly be, among friends and neighbors, I do not doubt. What,Chippewa! are you in motion too?"

　　"Must go, now," returned Pigeonswing, in a friendly way. "Bye'm bycome back and eat more honey-bring sweet news, hope-no Canada here,"placing a finger on his heart-"all Yankee."

　　"God be with you, Chippewa-God be with you. We shall have a stirringsummer of it, and I expect to hear of your name in the wars, as of achief who knows no fear."

　　Pigeonswing waved his hand, cast a glance, half friendly halfcontemptuously, at Whiskey Centre, and glided away. The two whoremained standing near the smouldering fire remarked that thedirection taken by the Chippewa was toward the lake, and nearly atright angles to that taken by the Pottawattamie. They also fanciedthat the movement of the former was about half as fast again as thatof the latter. In less than three minutes the young Indian wasconcealed in the "openings," though he had to cross a glade ofconsiderable width in order to reach them.

　　The bee-hunter was now alone with the only one of his guests who wasof the color and race to which he himself belonged. Of the three, hewas the visitor he least respected; but the dues of hospitality areusually sacred in a wilderness, and among savages, so that he coulddo nothing to get rid of him. As Gershom manifested no intention toquit the place, le Bourdon set about the business of the hour, withas much method and coolness as if the other had not been present.The first thing was to bring home the honey discovered on theprevious day; a task of no light labor, the distance it was to betransported being so considerable, and the quantity so large. Butour bee-hunter was not without the means of accomplishing such anobject, and he now busied himself in getting ready. As Gershomvolunteered his assistance, together they toiled in apparent amityand confidence.

　　The Kalamazoo is a crooked stream; and it wound from the spot wherele Bourdon had built his cabin, to a point within a hundred yards ofthe fallen tree in which the bees had constructed their hive. As amatter of course, Ben profited by this circumstance to carry hiscanoe to the latter place, with a view to render it serviceable intransporting the honey. First securing everything in and around thechiente, he and Gershom embarked, taking with them no less thanfour pieces of fire-arms; one of which was, to use the language ofthe west, a double-barrelled "shot-gun." Before quitting the place,however, the bee-hunter went to a large kennel made of logs, and letout a mastiff of great power and size. Between this dog and himselfthere existed the best possible intelligence; the master having paidmany visits to the prisoner since his return, feeding and caressinghim. Glad, indeed, was this fine animal to be released, boundingback and forth, and leaping about le Bourdon in a way to manifesthis delight. He had been cared for in his kennel, and well caredfor, too; but there is no substitute for liberty, whether in man orbeast, individuals or communities.

　　When all Was ready, le Bourdon and Gershom got into the canoe,whither the former now called his dog, using the name of "Hive," anappellation that was doubtless derived from his own pursuit. As soonas the mastiff leaped into the canoe, Ben shoved off, and the lightcraft was pushed up the stream by himself and Gershom without muchdifficulty, and with considerable rapidity. But little driftwoodchoked the channel; and, after fifteen minutes of moderate labor,the two men came near to the point of low wooded land in which thebee-tree had stood. As they drew nigh, certain signs of uneasinessin the dog attracted his master's attention, and he pointed them outto Gershom.

　　"There's game in the wind," answered Whiskey Centre, who had a goodknowledge of most of the craft of border life, notwithstanding hisungovernable propensity to drink, and who, by nature, was bothshrewd and resolute. "I shouldn't wonder"-a common expression of hisclass--"if we found bears prowling about that honey!"

　　"Such things have happened in my time," answered the bee-hunter,"and twice in my experience I've been driven from the field, andforced to let the devils get my 'arnin's."

　　"That was when you had no comrade, stranger" returned Gershom,raising a rifle, and carefully examining its flint and its priming."It will be a large family on 'em that drives us from that tree; formy mind is made up to give Doll and Blossom a taste of the sweets."

　　If this was said imprudently, as respects ownership in the prize, itwas said heartily, so far as spirit and determination wereconcerned. It proved that Whiskey Centre had points about him which,if not absolutely redeeming, served in some measure to lessen thedisgust which one might other-wise have felt for his character. Thebee-hunter knew that there was a species of hardihood that belongedto border men as the fruits of their habits, and, apparently, he hadall necessary confidence in Gershom's disposition to sustain him,should there be occasion for a conflict with his old enemies.

　　The first measure of the bee-hunter, after landing and securing hisboat, was to quiet Hive. The animal being under excellent command,this was soon done; the mastiff maintaining the position assignedhim in the rear, though evidently impatient to be let loose. Had notle Bourdon known the precise position of the fallen tree, andthrough that the probable position of his enemies, he would haveplaced the mastiff in advance, as a pioneer or scout; but he deemedit necessary, under the actual circumstances, to hold him as areserve, or a force to be directed whither occasion might require.With this arrangement, then, le Bourdon and Whiskey Centre advanced,side by side, each carrying two pieces, from the margin of the rivertoward the open land that commanded a view of the tree. On reachingthe desired point, a halt was called, in order to reconnoitre.

　　The reader will remember that the bee-elm had stood on the edge of adense thicket, or swamp, in which the trees grew to a size severaltimes exceeding those of the oaks in the openings; and le Bourdonhad caused it to fall upon the open ground, in order to work at thehoney with greater ease to himself. Consequently, the fragments layin full view of the spot where the halt was made. A little toGershom's surprise, Ben now produced his spy-glass, which helevelled with much earnestness toward the tree. The bee-hunter,however, well knew his business, and was examining into the state ofthe insects whom he had so violently invaded the night before. Theair was filled with them, flying above and around the tree; aperfect cloud of the little creatures hovering directly over thehole, as if to guard its treasure.

　　"Waal," said Gershom, in his drawling way, when le Bourdon had takena long look with the glass, "I don't see much use in spy-glassin' inthat fashion. Spy-glassin' may do out on the lake, if a body hasonly the tools to do it with; but here, in the openin's, nature'seyes is about as good as them a body buys in the stores."

　　"Take a look at them bees, and see what a fret they're in," returnedBen, handing the glass to his companion. "As long as I've been inthe business, I've never seen a colony in such a fever. Commonly, afew hours after the bees find that their tree is down, and theirplans broken into, they give it up, and swarm; looking for a newhive, and setting about the making more food for the next winter;but here are all the bees yet, buzzing above the hole, as if theymeant to hold out for a siege."

　　"There's an onaccountable grist on 'em"--Gershom was never veryparticular in his figures of speech, usually terming anything inquantities a'grist"; and meaning in the present instance by"onaccountable," a number not to be counted--"an onaccountable griston 'em, I can tell you, and if you mean to charge upon sich enemies,you must look out for somebody besides Whiskey Centre for yourvanguard. What in natur' has got into the critters! They can'texpect to set that tree on its legs ag'in!"

　　"Do you see a flight of them just in the edge of the for-est--here,more to the southward?" demanded le Bourdon.

　　"Sure enough! There is a lot on 'em there, too, and they seem to becomin' and goin' to the tree, like folks"--Gershom would put hisnoun of multitude into the plural, Nova-Anglice--"comin' and goin'like folks carryin' water to a fire. A body would think, by the stiramong 'em, them critters' barrel was empty!"

　　"The bears are there," coolly returned the bee-hunter; "I've seensuch movements before, and know how to account for them. The bearsare in the thicket, but don't like to come out in the face of such acolony. I have heard of bears being chased miles by bees, when theiranger was up!"

　　"Mortality! They have a good deal of dander (dandruff) for sichlittle vipers! But what are we to do, Bourdon? for Doll and Blossommust taste that honey! Half's mine, you know, and I don't like togive it up."

　　The bee-hunter smiled at the coolness with which Gershom assigned tohimself so large a portion of his property; though he did not thinkit worth his while, just then, to "demur to his declaration," as thelawyers might have it. There was a sort of border rule, which gaveall present equal shares in any forest captures; just as vessels insight come in for prize-money, taken in time of war by publiccruisers. At any rate, the honey of a single tree was not ofsufficient value to induce a serious quarrel about it. If thereshould be any extra trouble or danger in securing the present prize,every craft in view might, fairly enough, come in for its share.

　　"Doll shall not be forgotten, if we can only house our honey,"answered the bee-hunter; "nor Blossom, neither. I've a fancy,already, for that blossom of the wilderness, and shall do all I canto make myself agreeable to her. A man cannot approach a maiden withanything sweeter than honey."

　　"Some gals like sugar'd words better; but, let me tell you onething, stranger-"

　　"You have eaten bread and salt with me, Whiskey, and both are scarcearticles in a wilderness; and you've slept under my roof: is it notalmost time to call me something else than stranger?"

　　"Well, Bourdon, if you prefer that name; though stranger is a name Ilike, it has sich an up and off sound to it. When a man calls all hesees strangers, it's a sign he don't let the grass grow in the roadfor want of movin'; and a movin' man for me, any day, before yourstationaries. I was born on the sea-shore, in the Bay State; andhere I am, up among the fresh-water lakes, as much nat'ralized asany muskelunge that was ever cotch'd in Huron, or about Mackinaw. IfI can believe my eyes, Bourdon, there is the muzzle of a bear to beseen, jist under that heavy hemlock--here, where the bees seemthickest!"

　　"No doubt in the world," answered le Bourdon, coolly; though he hadtaken the precaution to look to the priming of each of his pieces,as if he expected there would soon be occasion to use them. "Butwhat was that you were about to say concernin' Blossom? It would notbe civil to the young woman to overlook her, on account of a bear ortwo."

　　"You take it easy, stranger--Bourdon, I should say--you take iteasy! What I was about to say was this: that the whull lake country,and that's a wide stretch to foot it over, I know; but, big as itis, the whull lake country don't contain Blossom's equal. I'm herbrother, and perhaps ought to be a little modest in sich matters;but I an't a bit, and let out jist what I think. Blossom's adi'mond, if there be di'monds on 'arth."

　　"And yonder is a bear, if there be bears on earth!" exclaimed leBourdon, who was not a little amused with Gershom's account of hisfamily, but who saw that the moment was now arrived when it would benecessary to substitute deeds for words. "There they come, in adrove, and they seem in earnest."

　　This was true enough. No less than eight bears, half of which,however, were quite young, came tumbling over the logs, and boundingup toward the fallen tree, as if charging the citadel of the bees bypreconcert. Their appearance was the signal for a general rally ofthe insects, and by the time the foremost of the clumsy animals hadreached the tree, the air above and around him was absolutelydarkened by the cloud of bees that was collected to defend theirtreasures. Bruin trusted too much to the thickness of his hide andto the defences with which he was provided by nature, besides beingtoo much incited by the love of honey, to regard the little heroes,but thrust his nose in at the hole, doubtless hoping to plunge it atonce into the midst of a mass of the sweets. A growl, a startbackward, and a flourishing of the fore-paws, with sundry bites inthe air, at once announced that he had met with greater resistancethan he had anticipated. In a minute, all the bears were on theirhind-legs, beating the air with their fore-paws, and nipping rightand left with their jaws, in vigorous combat with their almostinvisible foes. Instinct supplied the place of science, and spite ofthe hides and the long hair that covered them, the bees found themeans of darting their stings into unprotected places, until thequadrupeds were fairly driven to rolling about on the grass in orderto crush their assailants. This last process had some effect, agreat many bees being destroyed by the energetic rollings andtumblings of the bears; but, as in the tide of battle, the places ofthose who fell were immediately supplied by fresh assailants, untilnumbers seemed likely to prevail over power, if not over discipline.At this critical instant, when the bears seemed fatigued with theirnearly frantic saltations, and violent blows upon nothing, leBourdon deemed it wise to bring his forces into the combat. Gershomhaving been apprised of the plan, both fired at the same instant.Each ball took effect; one killing the largest of all the bears,dead on the spot, while the other inflicted a grievous wound on asecond. This success was immediately followed by a second discharge,wounding two more of the enemy, while Ben held the second barrel ofhis "shot-gun" in reserve. While the hurt animals were hobbling off,the men reloaded their pieces; and by the time the last were readyto advance on the enemy, the ground was cleared of bears and beesalike, only two of the former remaining, of which one was alreadydead and the other dying. As for the bees, they followed theirretreating enemies in a body, making a mistake that sometimeshappens to still more intelligent beings; that of attributing tothemselves, and their own prowess, a success that had been gained byothers.

　　The bee-hunter and his friend now set themselves at work to providea reception for the insects, the return of which might shortly beexpected. The former lighted a fire, being always provided with themeans, while Gershom brought dry wood. In less than five minutes abright blaze was gleaming upward, and when the bees returned, asmost of them soon did, they found this new enemy intrenched, as itmight be, behind walls of flame. Thousands of the little creaturesperished by means of this new invention of man, and the rest soonafter were led away by their chiefs to seek some new deposit for thefruits of their industry.