314 THE SCOURGE OF CANADA. [1693. 



them gone. They had retreated unseen through 

 the snow-storm. He ordered his men to follow ; 

 but, as most of them had fasted for two days, they 

 refused to do so till an expected convoy of provi- 

 sions should arrive. They waited till the next 

 morning, when the convoy appeared : fixe biscuits 

 were served out to each man, and the pursuit be- 

 gan. By great efforts, they nearly overtook the 

 fugitives, who now sent them word that, if they 

 made an attack, all the prisoners should be put to 

 death. On this, Schuyler's Indians refused to con- 

 tinue the chase. The French, by this time, had 

 reached the Hudson, where to their dismay they 

 found the ice breaking up and drifting down the 

 stream. Happily for them, a large sheet of it had 

 become wedged at a turn of the river, and formed 

 a temporary bridge, by which they crossed, and 

 then pushed on to Lake George. Here the soft 

 and melting ice would not bear them ; and they 

 were forced to make their way along the shore, 

 over rocks and mountains, through sodden snow 

 and matted thickets. The provisions, of which they 

 had made a depot on Lake Cham plain, were all 

 spoiled. The}? boiled moccasons for food, and 

 scraped away the snow to find hickory and beech 

 nuts. Several died of famine, and many more, 

 unable to move, lay helpless by the lake ; while a 

 few of the strongest toiled on to Montreal to tell 

 Callieres of their plight. Men and food were sent 

 them ; and from time to time, as they were able, 

 they journeyed on again, straggling towards their 

 homes, singly or in small parties, feeble, emaciated, 



