X 



280 WILD 8POET8 IN THE SOUTH. 



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back to the boats, and in a few minutes were speed- 

 ing down the river. N"o song of oarsmen now ; no 

 laugh or jest ; it was the hurried exodus from impending 

 fate, " and the boldest held his breath for a tune." 



Tustenuggee the Mickasukie chief, now commanding a 

 band of the Seminoles, at the tune of the return of Jack- 

 son's family, was lying with his men in one of the little 

 elevations that raise themselves from the swamps, on the 

 upper shore of the Ouithlacouchee, where he had retired 

 after the sack of the plantation house, to wait for the 

 return of those whose unexpected absence had deprived 

 him of half his revenge. Among the spoils he had car- 

 ried away from the last night's sacking was a case of 

 spirits that had created a debauch in the savage band, 

 and from the chief to the youngest warrior, they had all 

 succumbed to its influence, and passed the day in alter- 

 nate riot and stupor. But when the scout who had been 

 sent down the river to watch the hunters, and whose 

 fleetness of foot had saved him from Jackson's vengeance, 

 arrived and told of the return of the party, the chief was 

 immediately aroused, and shaking off his sluggishness, 

 hastened to take such steps as were necessary to secure 

 his prey. Runners were sent out, some to the site of the 

 despoiled house, some to the river, and some to the 

 country lying north of the river, and through which the 

 settler's family would necessarily have to travel, if it 

 sought to escape by land to the upper settlements, that 

 at this time were but sparsely settled, in the direction of 

 Pensacola. 



