Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/38

30 AN OLD TIME TRIP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. one had been killed in the fort and only two wounded.

The French commander, reluctantly giving up all hopes of carrying the fortification, returned toward Canada. The cool intrepidity of the rangers saved Number Four, and the news caused great rejoicing throughout the New England colonies. Sir Charles Knowles, then in command of the fleet at Boston, sent Capt. Stevens an elegant sword, and a letter of commendation to the intrepid soldiers. Subsequently, in compliment to the English Commodore, Number Four was called Charlestown. But while no further attacks were made upon the fort that year, the Indians continued to hover around this and the adjacent settlements of Brattleboro and Westmoreland. In August three men were killed and one captured in going from the fort down the river. Only a few weeks before the arrival of Lovewell and his companion several settlers were captured while harvesting and carried away to Canada.

Tarrying several days with the garrison, during which the weather continued clear and mild, the two explorers were ready to return homeward. In a direct line Dunstable was less than ninety miles distant. With the needed supply of salt pork and corn bread, Lovewell and Gilson left Number Four at sunrise on the 16th of November. The fallen leaves were crisp with frost as they entered the deep maple forests which skirted the hills lying east of the Connecticut intervales. The days being short it was necessary to lose no time between sunrise and sunset. The air was cool and stimulated them to vigorously hurry forward. Coming to a clear spring soon after midday, Gilson struck a fire, and resting for a half an hour, they sat down to a marvelously good feast of broiled salt pork and brown bread. One who has never eaten a dinner under like conditions can have no idea of its keen relish and appreciation.

It was now evident that a change of the weather was at hand. The air was growing colder and the sky was overcast with a thick haze. In returning it had been their purpose to cross the water-shed between the two valleys at a more northern point, so as to reach the Merrimack near the mouth of the Piscataquog. Their course was to be only a few degrees south ef east. Before night the sleet began to fall, which was soon changed to a cold, cheerless rain. Darkness came on early and the two men hurried to secure the best shelter possible. With an ax this might have been made comfortable; at least fuel could have been procured for a comfortable fire. As it was, no retreat could be found from the chilling rain which now began to fall in torrents. It was with difficulty that a smouldering fire, more prolific of smoke than heat could be kindled. India rubber blankets, such as now keep the scout and the sentry dry in the fiercest storm, would have been a rich luxury to these solitary pioneers. The owls, attracted by the dim light, perched themselves overhead and hooted incessantly. Before midnight the fire was extinguished, and the two men could only keep from a thorough drenching by sitting upright with their backs against a large tree, and with their half-saturated blankets drawn closely around them.

Daylight brought no relief, as the rain and cold rather increased, and the sleet and ice began to encrust the ground. After ineffectual attempts to build a fire they eat a cold lunch of bread. A dark mist succeeded the heavy rain and continued through the day. Both felt uncertain of the direction they were traveling, and every hour the uncertainty become more perplexing. All day long they hurried forward through the dripping underbrush which was wetting them to the skin. Night again set in, and although the rain and wind had somewhat abated, still it was impossible to build and keep a fire sufficient to dry their clothing, which was now saturated with water.

The third morning came with a dense fog still shrouding the hillsides and settling into valleys. Stiff with the effects of cold and fatigue, Lovewell and his