246 BAT OF UHALEUB. 



been " portaged " from the St. Lawrence into the St. John, 

 from thence into the Restigouche ; and now thirsting for 

 blood and plunder the Mohawk nears his foe. He sees 

 the camp fires, and the canoes are noiselessly beached in a 

 secluded inlet. Four hundred warriors, with mocassined 

 tread and ready tomahawk, creep stealthily towards the 

 wigwams. Then the quiet night is startled by the shrieks 

 and groans of the dying, and the dreaded war-cry of the 

 Mohawk rings through the forest. But the surprise is 

 not always so successful, and then the denoument of 

 the tragedy is somewhat different. Perhaps a Micmac 

 scout has discovered the invader, while yet he is far 

 off, and paddling down the river for love of life and 

 tribe has given the alarm. The sturdy Micmac does not 

 quail ; the women and children are packed off to the 

 woods; sentries are posted to give timely notice of the 

 approach of the enemy. The fires are kept burning, but 

 the wigwams are deserted. The good spirit of the 

 Micmac is invoked with hurried rites, knives are 

 sharpened, tomahawks ground, and arrow-heads fitted. 

 The foe lands and steals on the village. He sees the 

 ruse, but too late; a shower of flint-headed arrows are 

 poured into his ranks, and on all sides the Micmac war- 

 whoop resounds. Many an invader falls, but the remnant 

 cut their way to their fleet. Woe ! The canoes are gone, 

 and far off in the darkness is heard the mocking laughter 

 of the Micmac squaws. So with back to the river which 

 is to be his grave, and with face to the foe, the gallant 

 Mohawk sells his scalp as dearly as he may. 



Before their conversion by the Jesuits, the Micmacs had 

 much the same beliefs and superstitions as the other tribes 



