Captain Erskine
undertook the disagreeable office of communicating these
distressing events to the governor; and the remainder of
the officers once more hastened to join or linger near
their respective companies, in readiness for the order
which it was expected would be given to despatch a numerous
party of the garrison to secure the body of Captain de
Haldimar.
CHAPTER V.
The sun was just rising above the horizon, in all that
peculiar softness of splendour which characterises the
early days of autumn in America, as Captain Erskine led
his company across the drawbridge that communicated with
the fort. It was the first time it had been lowered since
the investment of the garrison by the Indians; and as
the dull and rusty chains performed their service with
a harsh and grating sound, it seemed as if an earnest
were given of melancholy boding. Although the distance
to be traversed was small, the risk the party incurred
was great; for it was probable the savages, ever on the
alert, would not suffer them to effect their object
unmolested. It was perhaps singular, and certainly
contradictory, that an officer of the acknowledged prudence
and forethought ascribed to the governor--qualities
which in a great degree neutralised his excessive severity
in the eyes of his troops--should have hazarded the
chance of having his garrison enfeebled by the destruction
of a part, if not of the whole, of the company appointed
to this dangerous duty; but with all his severity, Colonel
de Haldimar was not without strong affection for his
children.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104