On the Monday that succeeded the Sabbath mentioned, the corporal had
all his men at work, early, pinning together his palisades, making
them up into manageable bents, and then setting them up on their
legs. As the materials were all there, and quite ready to be put
together, the work advanced rapidly; and by the time the sun drew
near the western horizon once more, Castle Meal was surrounded by
its bristling defences. The whole was erect and stay-lathed, waiting
only for the earth to be shovelled back into the trench, and to be
pounded well down. As it was, the palisades offered a great increase
of security to those in the chiente, and both the females expressed
their obligations to their friends for having taken this important
step toward protecting them from the enemy. When they retired for
the night, everything was arranged, so that the different members of
the party might know where to assemble within the works. Among the
effects of Gershom, were a conch and a horn; the latter being one of
those common instruments of tin, which are so much used in and about
American farm-houses, to call the laborers from the field. The conch
was given to the men, that, in case of need, they might sound the
alarm from without, while the horn, or trumpet of tin, was suspended
by the door of the chiente, in order that the females might have
recourse to it, at need.
Pages:
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371