304 THE SCOURGE OF CANADA. [1692. 



here I found the two soldiers, one hiding in a 

 corner, and the other with a lighted match in his 

 hand. ' What are you going to do with that 

 match ? ' I asked. He answered, ' Light the 

 powder, and blow us all up.' ' You are a mis- 

 erable coward,' said I, ' go out of this place.' I 

 spoke so resolutely that he obeyed. I then threw 

 off my bonnet; and, after putting on a hat and 

 taking a gun, I said to my two brothers : ' Let us 

 fight to the death. We are fighting for our country 

 and our religion. Remember that our father has 

 taught you that gentlemen are born to shed their 

 blood for the service of God and the king.' " 



The boys, who were twelve and ten years old, 

 aided by the soldiers, whom her words had in- 

 spired with some little courage, began to fire from 

 the loopholes upon the Iroquois, who, ignorant of 

 the weakness of the garrison, showed their usual 

 reluctance to attack a fortified place, and occupied 

 themselves with chasing and butchering the peo- 

 ple in the neighboring fields. Madeleine ordered a 

 cannon to be fired, partly to deter the enemy from 

 an assault, and partly to warn some of the soldiers, 

 who were hunting at a distance. The women and 

 children in the fort cried and screamed without 

 ceasing. She ordered them to stop, lest their 

 terror should encourage the Indians. A canoe was 

 presently seen approaching the landing-place. It 

 was a settler named Fontaine, trying to reach the 

 fort with his family. The Iroquois were still near ; 

 and Madeleine feared that the new comers would 

 be killed, if something were not done to aid them. 



