188 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



" How holy ground 1 " 



"There lies under it as brave a fellow as ever 

 handled axe or rifle. He it was built this blockhouse, 

 and christened it the Bloody Blockhouse and bloody 

 it proved to be to him. But you shall hear more 

 of it if you like. You shall hear how six American 

 rifles were too many for ninety French and Spanish 

 muskets." 



Carleton and I shook our heads incredulously. 

 The Yankee took us both by the arm, led us out of 

 the blockhouse, and through the stockade to a grassy 

 projection of the hillock. 



"Ninety French and Spanish muskets," repeated 

 he in a firm voice, and weighing on each word. 

 " Opposed to them were Asa Nolins, with his three 

 brothers, his brother-in-law, a cousin, and their wives. 

 He fell like a brave American as he was, but not 

 alone, for the dead bodies of thirty foes were lying 

 round the blockhouse when he died. They are 

 buried there," added he, pointing to a row of cotton- 

 trees a short distance off, that in the pale moonlight 

 might have been taken for the spectres of the de- 

 parted ; " under those cotton-trees they fell, and there 

 they are buried." 



The old squatter remained for a short space in his 

 favourite attitude, his hands crossed on his rifle, and 

 his chin resting on them. He seemed to be calling 

 together the recollections of a tune long gone by. 

 We did not care to interrupt him. The stillness of 



