Three
days were sufficient to enable an Indian warrior to
perform the journey by land; and it was chiefly on this
vague and uncertain ground they based whatever little of
hope was entertained on the subject.
It had been settled at the departure of the adventurers,
that the instant they effected a communication with the
schooner on Lake Huron, Francois should be immediately
sent back, with instructions so to contrive the period
of his return, that his canoe should make its appearance
soon after daybreak at the nearest extremity of Hog
Island, the position of which has been described in our
introductory chapter. From this point a certain signal,
that could be easily distinguished with the aid of a
telescope, was to be made from the canoe, which, without
being of a nature to attract the attention of the savages,
was yet to be such as could not well be mistaken by the
garrison. This was a precaution adopted, not only with
the view of giving the earliest intimation of the result
of the enterprise, but lest the Canadian should be
prevented, by any closer investment on the part of the
Indians, from communicating personally with the fort in
the way he had been accustomed.
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