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Updated: June 15, 2025
It was hopeless to seek for any place of concealment in the hollows; besides the dangers from animals, we were certain to be attacked by innumerable stinging insects, and to run the risk of being bitten by poisonous snakes. We therefore lighted our fire on the top of the ridge. Lejoillie, Carlos, and I went off with our guns in search of game, as we had exhausted our stock of provisions.
The judge, in the meantime, retained his calmness and presence of mind in a wonderful manner. My father, Lejoillie, Tim Flanagan, and two or three others, made preparations, under the superintendence of the second mate, for lowering a boat, every man of the crew being required to shorten sail. The helm was put down, the yards braced up, and the ship quickly brought to the wind.
Some thick bark, and a few branches and twigs projecting from the trunk, enabled him to make his way up the tree in a manner none of us could imitate. Lejoillie was engaged at the time in skinning a bird he had just before shot, and we were all busy in preparing the camp, when we heard Jup shriek out. He had ample reason for doing so.
"Not that it kills the older birds as well as the young," said Lejoillie, somewhat vexed at my proceeding. "It would have done so, depend upon it. Pray enter the fact in your note-book." He did so, fully satisfied, I believe, and really not sorry that I had saved the humming-birds, or, as he called them, the "fly-birds," from destruction.
We had passed the spot where Lejoillie and he had separated; and we felt convinced that unless we took a much wider range, we should have little chance of finding him. Several of the party now called out that they were getting hungry; and as we had reached a shady spot, we agreed to halt and dine.
Many of the party had unstrapped their wallets; some had thrown themselves on the ground; and others had gone to a green and unattractive pool to obtain water. Two of the scouts had come in, and assured us that they could discover no trace of the red men. "We may then venture to recruit our strength, my friends," said Lejoillie.
I'm an old soldier, and I wouldn't be afther sayin' `run' from an enemy if there was a chance of driving him back; but still the best thing we can do is to beat a retreat in time." "I believe that Tim's advice is good," observed Carlos. "I am sure it is," I added. "If we were to stop here and try to defend ourselves, the Indians would starve us out, at all events. What do you say, Lejoillie?"
We thought it possible that we might come upon the settlement to which the woodmen belonged; but we had, as yet, fallen on no trail which might lead to it, and as the mist still hung over the face of nature, we had nothing to guide us. Still we went on, both of us believing that our faces were directed eastward. Again Tim and I camped without having fallen in with Lejoillie and Carlos.
Out of the wood burst forth a concert of song-birds, amid which the notes of the sweet-toned mocking-bird could be especially distinguished. To Carlos it was no novelty, nor was it to most of our companions; but Lejoillie and I were delighted. We had as yet discovered no trace of our friend. The few woodmen we met had seen nothing of him.
"Do you advise that we should halt and face them, or continue our course?" I asked. "No use halting unless we are prepared to fight it out to the last," he answered; "better to keep moving on, while we can see our way. And maybe they don't intend to attack us at all until we have encamped, in the hope to find most of us asleep." Lejoillie and Carlos agreed with Tim.
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