ADVENTUKES IN LOUISIANA. 211 



in their hands. They are active dangerous fellows 

 those Spaniards in a hand-to-hand tussle. One of 

 them sprang at me, and if it had not been 'for my 

 hunting-knife, I was done for, for I had no room to 

 swing my axe ; but as he came on I hit him a blow 

 with my fist, which knocked him down, and then 

 ran my knife into him, and jumping over his body 

 snatched a musket out of Rachel's hand, and began 

 laying about me with the butt-end of it. I was sorry 

 not to have my rifle, which was handier than those 

 heavy Spanish muskets. The women were now in 

 the way we hadn't room for so many so I called 

 out to them to get into the blockhouse and load 

 the rifles. There was still another Acadian alive, 

 and I knew that the fight wouldn't end till he was 

 done for. But while we were fighting, Godsend and 

 the women loaded the rifles, and brought them out, 

 and firing through the stockade, killed three or four, 

 and as luck would have it, the Acadian was amongst 

 them. So when the Spaniards, who are just like 

 hounds, and only come on if led and encouraged, saw 

 that their leader had fallen, they sprang off the 

 mound, with a ' Carajo I Malditos ! ' and ran away 

 as if a shell had burst amongst them." 



The old squatter paused and drew a deep breath. 

 He had forgotten his usual drawl and deliberation, 

 and had become animated and eager while describing 

 the stirring incidents in which he had borne so active 

 a part. When he had taken breath, he continued. 



