ADVENTURES IX LOUISIANA. 201 



we recognised three of the rascally Creoles who had 

 brought all this trouble upon us. He they called 

 Croupier was among them. The other four were 

 also Creoles, Acadians or Canadians, a race whom we 

 had already met with on the Upper Mississippi, fine 

 hunters, but wild, drunken, debauched barbarians. 



" The Acadians were coming on in front, and they 

 set up a whoop when they saw the blockhouse and 

 stockade; but finding that we were prepared to receive 

 them, they retreated upon the main body. AVe saw 

 them speaking to the officers as if advising them ; but 

 the latter shook their heads, and the soldiers con- 

 tinued moving on. They were in uniforms of all 

 colours, blue, white, and brown, but each man dirtier 

 than his neighbour. They marched in good order, 

 nevertheless, the captain and officers coming on in 

 front, and the Acadians keeping on the flanks. The 

 latter, however, edged gradually off towards the cotton- 

 trees, and presently disappeared amongst them. 



" ' Those are the first men to frick off/ said Asa, 

 when he saw this manoeuvre of the Creoles. ' They 

 have steady hands and sharp eyes ; but if we once 

 get rid of them we need not mind the others.' 



" The Spaniards were now within a hundred yards 

 of us. 



"'Shall I let fly at the thieving incendiaries?' 

 said Righteous. 



"'God forbid!' replied Asa. 'We will defend 

 ourselves like men ; but let us wait till we are at- 



