The Flamingo Feather by Kirk Munroe

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Very cautiously the two boys paddled their canoe out from the lagoon,
and headed it down the narrow river towards the place where they hoped
to find friends.

Having reached the stream in safety, they were about to congratulate
each other on their good-fortune, when suddenly a wild scream, such as
is made by an enraged panther, came ringing down through the dark
forest glade behind them.

"It is the yell of Cat-sha the Tiger, chief of the Seminoles!" cried
Has-se. "For the Snake, with the Tiger to aid him, we are no match.
If those white arms of thine have strength in them, now is the time to
prove it, Ta-lah-lo-ko."

With this the two boys bent over their paddles, and plied them with
such energy that their light craft fairly hissed through the water, and
flew past the gray, motionless columns of the cypresses. Not far
behind came their pursuers, also straining every muscle, and already
exulting over the prize that was so nearly within their grasp.

Cat-sha and Chitta had become impatient of waiting in their ambush for
those who failed to come, but who they knew had been following them,
and they finally decided to cautiously retrace their course in order to
learn, what had become of them. At the mouth of the lagoon in which
Rene had awaited Has-se's return they paused, undecided, for a moment.
From the very trail taken by Has-se there branched another, which led
to the distant Seminole fastness in the heart of the great swamp.
Cat-sha at first thought they would do well to examine this trail; for
if it should prove to be some of his own band of whose canoe he had
caught a glimpse, he would surely discover traces of them here.
Chitta, however, said that those who had followed them might chance to
pass on unnoticed while they were in the lagoon. It would be time
enough to examine the trail after they had been back as far as the
bayou, and made certain that nobody was between them and it. Happily
for Rene de Veaux, this counsel had prevailed, and they had gone on up
the stream.

It was while on their return from the bayou that they had caught sight
of the two boys just leaving the lagoon, and that Cat-sha had uttered
his war-cry with such startling effect.

Even at the distance they were, both he and Chitta had seen the
Flamingo Feather braided in Has-se's hair, and had also recognized the
peculiar costume worn by him whom they knew as the son of the great
white chief.

Faster and faster flew the two canoes in their race of life or death
down the narrow stream. That of the two boys was the lighter, but the
other, impelled by the powerful strokes of the gigantic Cat-sha, kept
pace with it from the outset, and at length began slowly to gain upon
it. Foot by foot, closer and closer, it came, and as the labored
breath of the panting boys came shorter and quicker, while the
perspiration rolled in great beads from their faces, it seemed as
though they were moving at a snail's pace, and they knew that the
unequal struggle could not last much longer.

Suddenly Has-se paused from his labor for an instant, and placing a
hand to his mouth, uttered a long, tremulous cry, so wild and shrill
that it roused the forest echoes for miles around.

He had hardly resumed his paddle, after a quick backward glance that
showed the other canoe to be fearfully near them, when his cry was
answered by one precisely similar, uttered only a short distance ahead
of them.

In another minute an arrow from behind whizzed so close to Has-se's
head that it cut the red feather from his hair, and passing on, it
buried itself in Rene's shoulder. At the same instant a canoe filled
with Micco's warriors appeared around a point ahead of them, and the
two hunted and exhausted boys, seeing it, knew they were saved.

CHAPTER X

MUTINY AT FORT CAROLINE

During the progress of the exciting events related in the preceding
chapters, troublous times had come to Fort Caroline, on the banks of
the Great River of May. Above it hung the three black clouds of
starvation, mutiny, and war.

Before the sudden departure of Rene de Veaux on his journey in search
of food, a party of ten men had been sent out by Laudonniere to explore
the country to the south of the fort, and discover, if possible, the
mountains of gold that were supposed to exist there. For more than a
month they had traversed broad sand barrens, crossed deep rivers, and
been lost in the mazes of dark swamps. They had discovered rare birds
of gorgeous plumage, strange and beautiful flowers, and many wild
animals whose nature was unknown to them, but no trace of the gold of
which they were in search.

Keenly disappointed, ragged, sick, and hungry, they at length came to a
village of Indians who had never seen nor heard of white men, and who
fled at their approach. The famished soldiers rushed into the lodges,
took whatever they could find to eat, and, building a fire, proceeded
to cook for themselves a feast. While they were thus busy, their
carelessly tended fire crept to one of the tinder-like palmetto lodges,
and in a few minutes more the whole village was in flames.

From their hiding-places in the surrounding forest, the savages,
witnessing what they supposed to be a wanton destruction of their
property, discharged a cloud of arrows at the white men, by which one
was killed and several were wounded. Flying from the place, the
wretched soldiers started for Fort Caroline, followed by their unseen
foes, from whom they did not escape until four more had paid with their
lives for their carelessness. When, some days later, the five
miserable survivors of this unfortunate expedition dragged themselves
into Fort Caroline, it was only to bring the news of their failure to
find gold, of the death of their comrades, and of the fact that they
had stirred up all the Southern Indians to war upon the whites.

Laudonniere, who had taken Rene's departure keenly to heart, and who
had grieved over the lad as though he were lost to him, had also
suffered great anxiety on account of the scarcity of provisions within
the fort. Now, added to these troubles, came these latest tidings of
ill, and, as a result, the fever against which he was struggling
overcame him, and he was confined to his bed.

To many within Fort Caroline the serious illness of their chief brought
great sorrow; but others, seeing in it an opportunity for the carrying
out of their own plans, rejoiced accordingly. These others were those
who were dissatisfied with the present aspect of affairs, and
despairing of a change for the better while remaining at Fort Caroline,
were secretly planning a mutiny. Its object was to compel Laudonniere
to abandon the fort and the New World, and to lead them back to France
in a ship which they proposed to build from such materials as they had
at hand.

The mutineers were headed by no less a person than Rene's old friend
Simon, the armorer. He had always been inclined to grumble and growl,
and his feelings had been deeply wounded by being arrested, confined in
the guard-house for one day, and finally discharged (because of the
necessity for his services), with a sharp reprimand from Laudonniere
for having, though unconsciously, aided Rene's departure. The old
growler had always secretly sided with the mutineers, and after this he
openly took part with them, and soon became their leader.

It thus happened that as the good Le Moyne, who, during the illness of
Laudonniere and most of the other officers, was acting as lieutenant in
command of the fort, sat writing one morning, there came to him Simon,
the armorer, followed by most of the garrison. The old soldier gave a
military salute, which Le Moyne returned, and then he said,

"We have come, Master Le Moyne, these good men here and I, to make
certain propositions that we desire should be laid before his
Excellency the commandant."

"Well," said Le Moyne, in a tone of mild surprise, "have to them
without further delay, and return quickly to thy duties."

"It may be," replied Simon, "that we will return not to them at all; at
least not in the wise meant by thy use of the word. We are starving."

"Ye have not overmuch to eat, tis true," said Le Moyne; "but we hope
for better things."

"We are dying of the fever."

"To a certain extent this is also true."

"We are threatened by an enemy."

"And have stout walls behind which to defend ourselves."

"We are abandoned and forgotten, and our bodies will rot in this place
ere succor is sent us."

"Admiral Jean Ribault is never the man to abandon or forget those to
whom he has promised succor," replied the artist, with a flush of color
in his pale cheeks.

"This country yields no gold, and is unfitted for human residence."

"Yet Micco's people live and thrive here, and have a plenty of the best
raised from its soil. As for gold, the mere fact that it has not yet
been discovered proves nothing against its existence."

Without replying to this, Simon continued:

"These be our grievances, and to remedy them we pray his Excellency to
allow us to construct here as speedily as may be a vessel such as will
suffice to carry us back whence we came. We also pray that he will in
person lead us from this evil place back to our own country, always
supposing that his health permits."

The good Le Moyne was much disturbed by this bold proposal, and
attempted to persuade the men to abandon their wild scheme and return
to their duties, awaiting patiently meantime the arrival of the
promised reinforcements from France. They insisted, however, that they
would not take their leave of him without hearing from the commandant
himself, and Le Moyne was finally forced to comply with their request,
and deliver their message to Laudonniere.

Upon receiving a report of what had occurred, the chevalier was highly
indignant; and but for the extreme weakness which the fever had laid
upon him, he would have arisen and gone out to the mutineers. As this
was impossible, he sent answer to them that he could not for a moment
consider their proposal. He and they had been sent to take and hold
possession of that country by their King, and here he should remain
until he received other instructions from the same source. As for
them, his orders were that they instantly resume their duties, and use
all diligence in strengthening the fort, and preparing for an attack
which might at any moment be made upon it by the savages from the south.

When Le Moyne returned to the soldiers with this answer, Simon, still
acting as spokesman for the rest, said,

"Thy message from the commandant is much as we expected it would be,
Master Le Moyne, and in return thou wilt kindly take to him word again
that for the preservation of our lives we shall certainly exert
ourselves to repel any attack that may be made against the fort. At
the same time we shall as certainly take active measures to insure our
own and his speedy departure from this unhappy country, in which we
have thus far gained naught but ill."

With this speech, and once more giving Le Moyne a stiff military
salute, the old soldier turned and marched away, followed by the rest
of the mutineers.

As soon as he was once more alone, Le Moyne made his report to
Laudonniere, and so excited did the sick man become on hearing it that
his fever took a sudden turn for the worse, and he was soon raving
deliriously, and calling upon Rene de Veaux not to desert him for his
enemies the Indians.

Meantime matters proceeded so rapidly outside that the keel of a small
vessel in which the mutineers hoped to cross the ocean to their own
country was laid that very day, and the labor of collecting suitable
material for ship-building was entered upon with the fierce energy of
men who believed they were working to save their lives.

So actively did this work proceed that in less than a month the hull of
the little vessel was completed, and she stood ready for launching.

At this time parties were out in several directions from the fort, some
securing pitch from the pine forests for use upon the vessel, others
searching the cypress swamps for suitable spars, and still others
making unskilled efforts to secure a supply of game and fish for
present use, and for salting down to provision their ship during her
proposed voyage. These last were the most unsuccessful of all who were
out, owing to their limited knowledge of wood-craft. They were at the
same time the most anxious to succeed in their quest; for the supply of
corn in the fort was now wholly exhausted, and the garrison was
subsisting almost entirely upon fish and the leaf buds of the cabbage
palm, which they had discovered how to prepare.

On the day that marked a month from the date of Rene de Veaux's
departure, the working parties whose duties took them into the forest
were suddenly attacked by great numbers of savages, and driven in the
greatest confusion back to the fort, after sustaining severe losses in
killed and wounded. The advance of the savages, who followed them
closely, even up to the very gates, was only checked by a heavy fire of
artillery, which so alarmed them that they fled in a panic to the
shelter of the forest, nor stopped until they had retreated to a most
respectful distance.

Towards evening a body of the enemy were seen gathered in plain view on
and about the great shell mound upon which the Feast of Ripe Corn had
been held some weeks before. The sight of them so enraged Simon, the
armorer, who was now generally recognized as commandant, that he
determined to sally forth at the head of a strong party and bring about
a decisive battle, which he had no doubt would result in a victory for
the whites.

Although he could muster but about fifty able-bodied men, so sadly had
fever and lack of proper food ravaged the garrison, the old soldier,
who held the fighting qualities of the savages in great contempt,
deemed this number amply sufficient for his purpose, and marched forth
confidently at their head. They met with no enemy until they had
nearly reached the shell mound, and were preparing to charge upon the
savages, who still remained gathered about it.

Suddenly the whites found themselves completely surrounded by a great
number of Indians, who seemed to spring, as though by magic, from every
bush and from behind every tree. So secretly had their approach been
made that the first notice Simon and those with him had of the ambush
into which they had fallen, was a vast discharge of arrows and spears
into their ranks. These were accompanied by such blood-curdling yells
that they affected the white men almost as fearfully as the roar of
their own artillery had terrified the savages in the morning.

Rallying from their first panic, they made a desperate attempt to force
their way back to the fort, and struggled like men who knew their lives
were at stake. In spite, however, of their bravery and the terrible
execution of their swords, they were being overpowered by numbers, and
it seemed impossible that a single one of them should escape with his
life.

As, completely exhausted by the terrible and unequal struggle, they
were about giving way to despair, a most welcome and unexpected
diversion was made in their favor. A great cry arose beyond the line
of savages, and they were so suddenly and fiercely attacked in the rear
by an unseen foe that they fled in the utmost terror in all directions.

Not even waiting to learn who had lent them this most timely aid, the
soldiers hastened to regain the fort and seek shelter behind its
ponderous gates.

As they did so, they heard, or thought they heard, from the depths of
the forest, a clear voice crying, "France to the Rescue! France to the
Rescue!" and they marvelled greatly thereat.

CHAPTER XI

RENE'S RETURN

When Rene de Veaux sank down in the bottom of the canoe, completely
exhausted by his labors at the paddle, and by the pain of Chitta's
arrow that quivered in his shoulder, he became almost unconscious, and
only dimly realized that they had escaped from their cruel pursuers.
Then he had a vague knowledge of being lifted from the canoe and borne
away, very gently, he knew nor cared not whither, and then he seemed to
fall asleep. When he again awoke to an interest in his surroundings,
he felt that a soft hand was smoothing his brow, and the air was cooled
by a delicious sweet-scented breeze. Opening his eyes, he saw bending
over him, and fanning him with a fan woven of fragrant grasses,
Has-se's beautiful sister Nethla.

As he attempted to rise she gently restrained him, and bidding him lie
still for a moment, she left the lodge. Directly afterwards she
returned, accompanied by Has-se, whose face was radiant with joy at
seeing his friend once more, and finding him so much better than he had
dared hope.

The Indian lad told Rene that those who came so promptly to their
rescue upon hearing his call had stopped for a minute upon reaching
them to learn who their pursuers were, and how many there were of them.
Cat-sha and Chitta had taken instant advantage of this delay to paddle
swiftly up-stream and disappear in the depths of the great swamp, where
it was impossible to track them, and so had escaped.

The fortunate meeting between the boys and their friends was owing to a
scarcity of provisions among Micco's followers, which had obliged them
to remain in camp for two days, while the hunters went in pursuit of
game to replenish the larder.

The next evening, thanks to the wonderful healing properties of the
herbs applied by Nethla to his wound, Rene was able to recline on a
soft couch of furs in front of the chief's lodge, near a great fire,
and enjoy with the rest the feast of venison, wild turkey, and bear's
meat that had been prepared to celebrate the successful return of the
hunters.

As he lay there, thoroughly enjoying the feast and the novelty of the
scene, Has-se came to him and placed in his hand the Flamingo Feather
that had been cut from his hair on the day before by Chitta's arrow.
As he did so he said, "This I give to thee, Ta-lah-lo-ko, as a token of
friendship forever between us, and for thee to keep in memory of this
day. It is a token such as may only be exchanged between chiefs or the
sons of chiefs; and if at any time it shall be sent to me or any of my
people in thy name, whatever request comes with it from thee must be
granted even at the cost of life. Keep the emblem hidden, and wear it
not, for that may only be done by the chiefs of my tribe, or those who
are sons of chiefs."

As he took the precious feather, and thanked Has-se warmly for the gift
and its assurance of friendship, Rene noted with surprise that attached
to it was a slender gold chain fastening a golden pin of strange and
exquisite make. It was by these that the feather had been confined in
Has-se's hair, and it was the cutting of this chain by Chitta's arrow
that had loosened it.

In answer to Rene's inquiries Has-se explained that these ornaments
came from a distant country in the direction of the setting sun, where
gold was like the sands on the shores of the great salt waters, and
whence they had reached his tribe through the hands of many traders.[1]

At sunrise on the following morning the journey towards the land of the
Alachuas was resumed, and Rene occupied with Nethla a canoe that was
paddled by Has-se and Yah-chi-la-ne (the Eagle), Nethla's young warrior
husband. The stream down which they floated soon left the great swamp
and widened into a broad river, the high banks of which were covered
with the most luxuriant vegetation and beautiful flowers. The Indians
called it Withlacoochee, but the Spaniards afterwards changed its name
to San Juanita (pronounced San Wawneeta), or Little St. John, from
which in these days it has come to be known as the Suwanee.

The river contained great numbers of alligators, of which, when they
went into camp, the Indians killed many, for the sake of the valuable
oil that was to be extracted from the fat embedded in the joints of
their tails.

On the second day after Rene and Has-se joined them the tribe reached
the land of the Alachuas, a people speaking the same language with
themselves, and bound to them by closest ties of friendship. It was a
land of broad savannas, studded with groves of magnolia and oak trees,
and abounding in springs of the purest water. The clear streams
running from these great springs teemed with the finest fish, and the
country watered by them was overrun with game of every variety. It was
indeed a land of plenty, and from its peace-loving and hospitable
dwellers the visitors from the far East received a warm welcome.

On the very day of their arrival they selected the site for the camp,
which they expected to occupy for some months. It was in the midst of
a grand oak grove, surrounding a crystal spring; and before sunset the
slightly built lodges had sprung up as though by magic among its trees,
the sparks from the camp-fires gleamed like myriads of fire-flies among
the moss-hung branches, and the tribe was at home.

Rene de Veaux, as became his rank, was invited to occupy the lodge of
Micco the chief, in which he shared the bear-skin couch of his friend
the chief's son and Bow-bearer. Here, during the week that his wound
took to heal completely, he rested as happily as though the world
contained no cares or anxieties. He spent most of this time in adding
to his knowledge of the Indian language, with which, with Has-se and
the beautiful Nethla as teachers, he quickly became familiar. Thanks
to the glowing descriptions of the power and glory of the white men
given by his friends, Rene found himself treated with distinguished
consideration by the Alachuas, who regarded him with the greatest
interest and curiosity. He was always spoken of by them as the young
white chief, and his slightest wishes were gratified as soon as he made
them known.

At the end of a week Rene felt sufficiently strong and well to set
about accomplishing the mission that had brought him to this pleasant
country. Accordingly he sought an interview with the Alachua chief,
and displayed before him the trinkets contained in the package that he
had so carefully brought with him from Fort Caroline. As the chief
gazed with delight and amazement at what he regarded as a most
wonderful treasure, but what in reality was only a lot of knives,
hatchets, mirrors, and fish-hooks, Rene explained to him the distress
of the white men in Fort Caroline, caused by the destruction of their
winter's supply of provisions. He then said that if the chief would,
out of the abundance of the Alachuas, give him twelve canoe-loads of
corn, and send warriors enough to conduct them in safety to the white
man's fort on the great river of the East, he would give him the
package of trinkets there displayed, and would promise, in the name of
his uncle the great white chief, a package of equal size and value for
each canoe-load of provisions delivered at the fort. He also pledged
his word that the Alachua warriors who should escort the provisions
should be kindly treated by the white men in Fort Caroline, and should
be allowed to return at once to their own country.

After taking a day to consider this proposal, and to consult with his
wise men concerning it, the Alachua chief agreed to accept it, and
greatly to Rene's delight the gathering together of the twelve
canoe-loads of corn was at once begun. No difficulty was experienced
in procuring an escort for them, for all the young Alachua warriors who
had not attended the Feast of Ripe Corn were anxious to visit Fort
Caroline, and see for themselves the white men, and the great
"thunder-bows," as the Indians named the cannon that stood in its
embrasures.

Thus, within two weeks of the time of his arrival in the land of the
Alachuas, Rene was ready to set forth on his return to Fort Caroline.
With him were to go his friend Has-se, who had obtained a reluctant
consent from Micco his father to take the journey, and fifty young
Alachua warriors, under command of Yah-chi-la-ne, Has-se's
brother-in-law.

The white lad had made many pleasant friendships among these simple
people, and it was with feelings of sadness that he bade farewell to
the beautiful Nethla, the grave and stately Micco, the good chief of
the Alachuas, and many others who had been kind to him, and whom he
feared he might never see again.

The little fleet of twenty canoes, twelve of which were heavily laden
with corn, started on their long journey at daybreak of a still, cool
morning, in the presence of the entire population of Micco's camp, and
a great number of the Alachuas who had collected to see them off. In
the leading canoe were Rene, Has-se, Yah-chi-la-ne, and a young warrior
named Oli-catara (the Bear's Paw). As it shot from the bank, the
entire assembly of Indians on shore shouted,

"Farewell, Ta-lah-lo-ko!"

[Illustration: "Farewell, Ta-lah-lo-ko!"]

"Farewell to the young white chief!"

"Do not forget us, Ta-lah-lo-ko."

These shouts sounded very pleasantly to Rene, for they showed that he
had succeeded in gaining not only the respect but the affection of
these kindly people, and he stood up and waved his cap to them until
they were hidden from his sight by a bend in the river.

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