[8] But the French would hardly have been human if they had
not assured their own safety by drugging the feasters. It was a common
thing for the fur traders of a later period to prevent massacre and
quell riot by administering a quietus to Indians with a few drops of
laudanum.
The French now retired to the inner court. The main gate was bolted
and chained. Through the loophole of this gate ran a rope attached to
a bell that was used to summon the sentry. To this rope the
mischievous Radisson tied the only remaining pig, so that when the
Indians would pull the rope for admission, the noise of the disturbed
pig would give the impression of a sentry's tramp-tramp on parade.
Stuffed effigies of soldiers were then stuck about the barracks. If a
spy climbed up to look over the palisades, he would see Frenchmen still
in the fort. While Radisson was busy with these precautions to delay
pursuit, the soldiers and priests, led by Major Dupuis, had broken open
the sally-port, forced the boats through sideways, and launched out on
the river. Speaking in whispers, they stowed the baggage in the
flat-boats, then brought out skiffs--dugouts to withstand the ice
jam--for the rest of the company. The night was raw and cold. A skim
of ice had formed on the margins of the river. Through the pitchy
darkness fell a sleet of rain and snow that washed out the footsteps of
the fugitives. The current of mid-river ran a noisy mill-race of ice
and log drift; and the _voyageurs_ could not see one boat length ahead.
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