The advantage of the position we had gained was apparent at a single glance. Fortunate it was, that our sentries had been so tardily relieved. Had these been called in a moment sooner, the surprise would have been complete. The Indians would have advanced to the very edge of the glade, before uttering their war-cry or firing a shot, and we should have been at their mercy. They would have been under cover of the timber, and perfectly protected from our guns, while we in the open ground must have fallen before their fire.
But for the well-timed alarm, they might have ma.s.sacred us at will.
Disposed as we now were, our antagonists had not much advantage. The trunks of the trees entrenched us both. Only the concave side of our line was exposed, and the enemy might fire at it across the opening.
But as the glade was fifty yards in diameter, and at no point had we permitted the Indians to get up to its edge, we knew that their bullets could not carry across; and were under no apprehension on this score.
The manoeuvre, improvised though it was, had proved our salvation. We now saw it was the only thing we could have done to save ourselves from immediate destruction. Fortunate it was that the voice of Hickman had hurried us so quickly to our posts.
Our men were not slow in returning the enemy"s fire. Already their pieces were at play; and every now and then was heard the sharp whip-like "spang" of the rifles around the circle of the glade. At intervals, too, came a triumphant cheer, as some savage, who had too rashly exposed his red body, was known to have fallen to the shot.
Again the voice of the old hunter rang over the glade. Cool, calm, and clear, it was heard by every one.
"Mind yer hind sights, boys! an" shoot sure. Don"t waste neer a grain o" yer powder. Ye"ll need the hul on"t, afore we"ve done wi" the cussed n.i.g.g.e.rs. Don"t a one o" ye pull trigger till ye"ve drawed a bead on a red skin."
These injunctions were full of significance. Hitherto the younger "hands" had been firing somewhat recklessly--discharging their pieces as soon as loaded, and only wounding the trunks of the trees. It was to stay this proceeding that Hickman had spoken.
His words produced the desired effect. The reports became less frequent, but the triumphant cheer that betokened a "hit," was heard as often as ever. In a few minutes after the first burst of the battle, the conflict had a.s.sumed altogether a new aspect. The wild yells uttered by the Indians in their first onslaught--intended to frighten us into confusion--were no longer heard; and the shouts of the white men had also ceased. Only now and then were heard the deep "hurrah" of triumph, or a word spoken by some of our party to give encouragement to his comrades. At long intervals only rang out the "yo-ho-ehee," uttered by some warrior chief to stimulate his braves to the attack.
The shots were no longer in volleys, but single, or two or three at a time. Every shot was fired with an aim; and it was only when that aim proved true, or he who fired it believed it so, that voices broke out on either side. Each individual was too much occupied in looking for an object for his aim, to waste time in idle words or shouts. Perhaps in the whole history of war, there is no account of a conflict so quietly carried on--no battle so silently fought. In the interludes between the shots there were moments when the stillness was intense--moments of perfect but ominous silence.
Neither was battle ever fought, in which both sides were so oddly arrayed against each other. We were disposed in two concentric circles--the outer one formed by the enemy, the inner, by the men of our party, deployed almost regularly around the glade. These circles were scarce forty paces apart--at some points perhaps a little less, where a few of the more daring warriors, sheltered by the trees, had worked themselves closer to our line. Never was battle fought where the contending parties were so near each other without closing in hand-to-hand conflict. We could have conversed with our antagonists, without raising our voices above the ordinary tone; and were enabled to aim, literally, at the "whites of their eyes."
Under such circ.u.mstances was the contest carried on.
CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR.
A DEAD SHOT BY JAKE.
For fall two hours this singular conflict was continued, without any material change in the disposition of the combatants. Now and then an odd man might be seen darting from tree to tree, with a velocity as if projected from a howitzer--his object either to find a trunk that would afford better cover to his own body, or a point that would uncover the body--or a portion of it--of some marked antagonist.
The trunks were barely thick enough to screen us; some kept on their feet, taking the precaution to make themselves as "small" as possible, by standing rigidly erect, and keeping their bodies carefully aligned.
Others, perceiving that the pines "bulged" a little at the roots, had thrown themselves flat upon their faces, and in this att.i.tude continued to load and fire.
The sun was long since ascending the heavens--for it had been near sunrise when the conflict began. There was no obscurity to hide either party from the view of the other, though in this the Indians had a slight advantage on account of the opening in our rear. But even in the depth of the forest there was light enough for our purpose. Many of the dead fascicles had fallen--the ground was deeply bedded with them--and those that still drooped overhead formed but a gauzy screen against the brilliant beams of the sun. There was light sufficient to enable our marksmen to "sight" any object as large as a dollar piece, that chanced to be within range of their rifles. A hand--a portion of an arm--a leg badly aligned--a jaw bone projecting outside the bark--a pair of shoulders too brawny for the trunk that should have concealed them--even the outstanding skirt of a dress, was sure to draw a shot--perhaps two-- from one side or the other. A man to have exposed his full face for ten seconds would have been almost certain of receiving a bullet through his skull, for on both sides there were sharpshooters.
Thus two hours had pa.s.sed, and without any great injury received or inflicted by either party. There were some "casualties," however, and every now and then a fresh incident added to the number, and kept up the hostile excitement. We had several wounded--one or two severely--and one man killed. The latter was a favourite with our men, and his death strengthened their desire for vengeance.
The Indian loss must have been greater. We had seen several fall to our shots. In our party were some of the best marksmen in Florida. Hickman was heard to declare he "had drawed a bead upon three, and wherever he drawed his bead he was dog-goned sartin to put his bullet." Weatherford had shot his man, killing him on the spot. This was beyond conjecture, for the dead body of the savage could be seen lying between two trees where it had fallen. His comrades feared that in dragging it away, they might expose themselves to that terrible rifle.
The Indians had not yet learned that refinement of civilised warriors, who seek from their opponents a temporary truce in which to pay an empty compliment to the dead, while with cunning eye and wary step they seize the opportunity to scrutinise where to make the most effectual onslaught upon the living.
After a time, the Indians began to practise a chapter of tactics, which proved that in this mode of warfare they were our superiors. Instead of one, two of them would place themselves behind a tree, or two trees that stood close together, and as soon as one fired, the other was ready to take aim. Of course, the man at whom the first shot had been discharged, fancying his _vis-a-vis_ now carried an empty gun, would be less careful about his person, and likely enough to expose it.
This proved to be the case, for before the bit of craft was discovered, several of our men received wounds, and one man of our number was shot dead by his tree. This ruse freshly exasperated our men--the more so that they could not reciprocate the strategy, since our numbers were not sufficient to have taken post by "twos." It would have thinned our line so that we could not have defended the position.
We were compelled, therefore, to remain as we were--more careful not to expose ourselves to the cunning "fence" of our enemies.
There was one case, however, in which the savages were paid back in their own coin. Black Jake and I were partners in this _revanche_.
We occupied two trees almost close together; and had for antagonists no less than three savages, who had been all the morning most active in firing at us. I had received one of their bullets through the sleeve of my coat, and Jake had the dandruff driven out of his wool, but neither of us had been wounded.
During the contest I had got "sight" upon one, and fancied I had spilled his blood. I could not be certain, however, as the three were well sheltered behind a clump of trees, and covered, also, by a thicket of dwarf palmettoes.
One of these Indians, Jake wished particularly to kill. He was a huge savage--much larger than either of the others. He wore a head-dress of king vulture plumes, and was otherwise distinguished by his costume. In all probability, a chief. What was most peculiar in this man"s appearance was his face, for we could see it at intervals, though only for an instant at a time. It was covered all over with a scarlet pigment--vermilion it was--and shone through the trees like a counterpart of the sun.
It was not this, however, that had rendered the Indian an object of Jake"s vengeance. The cause was different. The savage had noticed Jake"s peculiar colour, and had taunted him with it several times during the fray. He spoke in his native tongue, but Jake comprehended it well enough. He was spited--exasperated--and vowed vengeance against the scarlet chief.
I contrived at length to give him an opportunity. Cunningly adjusting my cap, so that it appeared to contain my head, I caused it to protrude a little around the trunk of the tree. It was an old and well-known ruse, but for all that, in Jake"s phraseology, it "fooled" the Indian.
The red countenance appeared above the palmettoes. A puff of smoke rose from below it. The cap was jerked out of my hand as I heard the report of the shot that had done it.
A little after, I heard another crack, louder and nearer--the report of the negro"s piece. I peeped around the tree to witness the effect. A spot of darker red dappled the bright disk of the Indian"s face--the vermilion seemed suddenly encrimsoned. It was but a glance I had, for in the next instant the painted savage doubled back among the bushes.
During all the time we had been engaged, the Indians did not appear desirous of advancing upon us--although, certainly, they were superior to us in point of numbers. The party we had been pursuing must have been joined by another one as numerous as itself. Not less than a hundred were now upon the ground, and had been so from the beginning of the fight. But for this accession they would hardly have dared to attack us, and but for it we should have charged them at once, and tried the chances of a hand-to-hand conflict. We had seen, however, that they far outnumbered us, and were content to hold our position.
They appeared satisfied with theirs, though by closing rapidly inwards they might have overpowered us. After all, their ranks would have been smartly thinned before reaching our line, and some of their best men would have fallen. No men calculate such chances more carefully than Indians; and perhaps none are inferior to them in charging a foe that is entrenched. The weakest fort--even the most flimsy stockade--can be easily defended against the red warriors of the West.
Their intention having been foiled by the failure of their first charge, they appeared not to contemplate another--contented to hold us in siege--for to that situation were we, in reality, reduced. After a time, their firing became less frequent, until it nearly ceased altogether, but we knew that this did not indicate any intention to retreat; on the contrary, we saw some of them kindling fires afar off in the woods, no doubt with the design of cooking their breakfasts.
There was not a man among us who did not envy them their occupation.
CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE.
A MEAGRE MEAL.
To us the partial armistice was of no advantage. We dared not stir from the trees. Men were athirst, and water within sight--the pond glittering in the centre of the glade. Better there had been none, since they dared not approach it. It only served to tantalise them.
The Indians were seen to eat, without leaving their lines. A few waited on the rest, and brought them food from the fires. Women were observed pa.s.sing backwards and forwards, almost within range of our guns.
We were, all of us, hungry as famished wolves. We had been twenty-four hours without tasting food--even longer than that--and the sight of our enemies, feasting before our very faces, gave a keen edge to our appet.i.tes, at the same time rekindling our indignation. They even taunted us on our starving condition.
Old Hickman had grown furious. He was heard to declare that he "war hungry enough to eat a Indyen raw, if he could git his teeth upon one,"
and he looked as if he would have carried but the threat.
"The sight o" cussed red skins," continued he, "swallerin" hul collops o" meat, while Christyian whites haint neery a bone to pick, are enough to rile one to the last jeint in the eends o" the toes--by the tarnal allygator, it ar!"
It is a bare place, indeed, where such men as Hickman and Weatherford will not find resources; and the energies of both were now bent upon discovery. They were seen scratching among the dead needles of the pines, that, as already stated, formed a thick layer over the surface of the ground.
Of what were they in search? worms?--grubs?--larvae or lizards? One might have fancied so; but no--it had not come to that. Hungry as they were, they were not yet ready to feed upon the _reptilia_. A better resource had suggested itself to them; and shortly after, an exclamation of joy announced that they had discovered the object of their search.
Hickman was seen holding up a brownish coloured ma.s.s, of conical form, somewhat resembling a large pineapple. It was a cone of the broom pine, easily recognisable by its size and shape.
"Now, fellers!" shouted he, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all around the glade, "jest gather a wheen o" these hyar tree-eggs, and break "em open; ye"ll find kurnels inside o" "em that aint bad chawin"-- they aint equal to hog an" hominy; but we hant got hog an" hominy, and these hyar"ll sarve in a pinch, I reck"n. Ef ye"ll only root among the rubbage aroun" ye, ye"ll scare up a wheen--jest try it."
The suggestion was eagerly adopted, and in an instant "all hands" were seen scratching up the dead leaves in search of pine cones.