, and who still preserved much of the language,
and many of the usages, of the French of that period. They spoke
then, as now, only the language of their fathers.
The bee-hunter left the cottage of these simple and hospitable
people, as soon as the night was fairly set in; or, rather, as soon
as a young moon had gone down. Peter now took the command, steering
the canoe of le Bourdon, while Gershom followed so close as to keep
the bow of his little craft within reach of the Indian's arm. In
less than an hour the fugitives reached the opening of the river,
which is here divided into two channels by a large island. On that
very island, and at that precise moment, was Bear's Meat lying in
wait for their appearance, provided with three canoes, each having a
crew of six men. It would have been easy for this chief to go to
Detroit, and give the alarm to the savages who were then collected
there in a large force, and to have made such a disposition of the
canoes as would have rendered escape by water impossible; but this
would have been robbing himself and his friends of all the credit of
taking the scalps, and throwing away what is termed "honor" among
others as well as among savages.
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