It has been before obferved, that a maiden enjoys full liberty among the North-America Indians. St. Caftins, encouraged by Azakia, had divers conferences with Zifma, (which was the name of this young Huron lady), and in a few days he could read in her eyes that he would be lefs fevere than his friend. It is not known whether he profited by the difcovery: at least, it did not make him forget Azakia, who, on her fide, feemed to have no inclination to be forgotten. St. Caftin felt himfelf, notwithstanding all his interior struggles, more attracted towards her. An accident which every where else might have contributed to unite them, had like to have feparated them for ever. They were informed by fome runaways, who had made more fpeed than others, that Ouabi had fallen into an ambufcade of the Iroquois; that he had loft fome of his party; and that he himself was left on the field of battle. This news filled St. Caftins with true forrow. His generofity made him fet alde all views of intereft. He forgot, that in losing a friend, he found himfelf rid of a rival. Befides, that the death of his rival might alfo occafion that of Azakia. Her life from that moment depended on the caprice of a dream. Such was the force of a fuperftitious custom, facred from time immemorial among thefe people, If, in the fpace of forty Lays, a widow who has loft her hufband, fees and fpeaks to him twice fuccellively in a dream, fhe infers from thence, that he wants her in the region of fouls, and nothing can difpenfe with her putting herself to death. Azakia was refolved to obey this custom, if the double dream took place. She fincerely regretted Ouabi; and though Sr. Caftins gave her caufe for other forrows, it fe was to die, the prevalency of the custom had the afcendant over incli nation. It is not eafy to exprefs the inquietudes, the terrors, that tormented the lover of this beautiful and credulous Huron. Every night he fancied her a prey to those finister cofted her with fear and trembling. vifions; and every morning he acmortal draught: it was the juice of At length he found her preparing a a root of the citron-tree; a poison which, in that country, never fails lario," faid Azakia to him, “thou of fuccefs. "Thou feeft, dear Cefeeft the preparation for the long journey which Ouabi has ordered faid St. Caftins, interrupting her, me to make." "Oh heavens !" dream, a frivolous and deceitful illu"How can you believe in a foolish the Huron; "thou deceivest thyfion""Stop Celario," replied felf. night; he took me by the hand, Ouabi appeared to me laft and ordered me to follow him. The weight of my body oppofed this orful countenance. I called him back, der. Ouabi withdrew with a mournand the only anfwer he gave me, and he afterwards difappeared. He was to stretch out his arms to me, will return without doubt, dear Ce. lario; I must obey him, and after bewailing thy hard lot, I will fwallow this draught, which will lull my body into the fleep of death; and then I will go and rejoin Quabi in the abode of fouls." This dif courfe quite difmayed St. Caftins. He spoke against it every thing that to him moft convincing; nothing reafon, grief, or love could fuggest feemed to be fo to the young favage. She wept, but perfevered in her defign. All that the difconfolate Celario could obtain from her, was a appear to her a fecond time in a promife, that, though Ouabi should dieam, fhe would wait before the his; of which St. Caftins refolved put herself to death, to be affared of know the truth, as foon as poffible. ranfom their prifoners; contenting Azakia. A Canadian Story. 69 themselves to rescue them out of next village, and furprife the Iro the enemies hands whenever they quois affeinbled there. They were can. Sometimes the conqueror def-going to enjoy the fpectacle of feeing a Huron burnt; and already the Huron was beginning to fing his death fong. This, no favage, whom the enemy is ready to put to death, ever fails to do. Loud cries, and a fhower of mufket-balls, foon difperfed the multitude. Both, the fugitives and those that faced about to refift, were killed. All the favage feroci tines his captives to flavery; and he oftener puts them to death. Such are particularly the maxims of the Iroquois. There was, therefore, reafon to prefume, that Ouabi had died of his wounds, or was burnt by that barbarous nation. Azakia believed it to be fo more than any other: but St. Caftins would have her at least doubt it. On his fidety was fully displayed. In vain he re-animates the courage of the Hurons, and proposes a new enterprife against the enemy. It is approved of; they deliberate upon clecting a chief, and all voices unite in favour of St. Caftins, who had already given proofs of his valour and conduct. He departs with his troop, but not till after he had again Azakia's word, that, notwithfanding all the dreams the might yet have, fhe would defer, at leaft, till his return, the doleful journey The bad defigned. This expedition of the Huron warriors was attended with all imaginable fuccefs. The Iroquois believed them to be too much weakened or difcouraged to think of undertaking any thing, and were themfelves on their march to attack them; but they were no way cautious how they proceeded. It was not fo with St. Caftins' band of warriors. He had dispatched fome of his people to reconnoitre. They difcovered the enemy, without being feen by them, and returned to give advice of it to their chief. The ground was found very fit for lying in ambufcade; and the Hurons availed themselves fo well of in, that the Iroquois faw themselves hemmed in, when they believed they had no rifque to run. They were charged with a fury that left them no time to know where they were. Most of them were killed on the fpot, and the remainder maimed or grievously wounded. The Hurons march off directly to the St. Caftin endeavoured to ftop the carnage. With difficulty he faved a fmall number of women and children. He was apprehenfive, particularly, that in the midst of this horrid tumult, Ouabi himself was maffacred, fuppofing he was still living, and was in that habitation. Full of this notion, he ran inceffantly from one place to another. He perceived on a fpot, where the battle ftill continued, a prifoner tied to a stake, and having all about him the apparatus of death; that is, combuftibles for burning him by a flow fire. The chief of the Huron flies to this wretched captive, breaks his bonds-knows him—and embraces him with transports of joyIt was Ouabi. This brave favage had preferred the lofs of his life to that of his li berty. He was fcarcely cured of his wounds, when life was offered him, on condition of remaining a flave; but he had chofen death, determined to procure it, if refufed to him. The Iroquois were a people that would spare him that trouble and one moment later his companions could not have faved him. ; After having difperfed or made flaves of the Iroquois in that quarter, the Huron army marched home. St. Caftins wanted to give up the command of it to Ouabi, which he refufed. On the way, he informed him of Azakia's purpofe to die, perfuaded that he was not alive, and that he had required her to follow him; dead, it might, perhaps be expected that the would long hold against the To this fhe made not the leaft objection. She had hitherto complied only with her duty; and thought the was free to listen to her inclina tion, fince Ouabi required it of her. The pieces of rod of union were brought forth, put together, and burnt. Ouabi and Azakia embraced each other for the laft time, and, from that moment, the young and beautiful Huron was reinftated in all the rights of, a maiden. It is alfo faid, by the help of fome miffionaries, St. Caftins put her in a condition of becoming his wife, according to the rules prescribed to chriftianity. Ouabi, on his fide, broke the rod with the young Zifma; and thefe two marriages, fo different in their form, were equally happy. Each hufband, well affured that there were no competitors, forgot that there had been any predeceffors. him; he acquainted him alfo of the poifon fhe had prepared on that account, and of the delay he had obfeparation her hufband had propofed. tained from her with great difficulty. He spoke from a tenderness and emotion that greatly affected the good Ouabi, who called to mind fome things he had not much attended to at the time they happened: but he then let him know nothing of what he intended. They arrive: Azakia, who had another dream, fancied this return as the fignal of her fate. But how great was her furprife, to fee, among the number of the living, the hufband fhe was going to meet in the world of fpirits. At first the remained motionlefs and mute; but her joy foon expreffed itfelf by lively careffes and long difcourfes. Ouabi received the one, and interrupted the others. Afterwards addrefling himself to St. Caftins: "Celario," faid he, "thou haft faved my life, and what is fill dearer to me, thou haft twice preferved to me Azakia: he therefore belongs more to thee than to me. I belong to thee myself fee whether the be enough to acquit us both. I yield her to thee through gratitude, but would not have yielded ALEXIS; her to deliver myfelf from the fire, THE COTTAGE IN kindled by the Iroquois." What this difcourfe made St. Caftins feel, is hard to be expreffed; not that it seemed fo ridiculous and frange to him, as it might to many THE WOODS. An original Novel from the French. PART FOURTH. Europeans; he knew that divorces The Point of Re-union in the Cottage. CHAPTER V. Everal days had elapfed fince the departure of M. Du Monay, were very frequent among the savages. They feparate as cafily as they come together. But, perfuaded that Azakia could not be yielded up to him without a fupernatural effort he believed himself obliged to evince equal generofity. He refused the receiver. The marquis and what he defired most, and refufed marchioness had every regard and in vain. Ouabi's perfeverance in care for Clara, whom they flill behis refolution was not to be conquer-lieved to be the receiver's niece, and ed. As to the faithful Azakia, who cherished her from this confiderahad been feen to refift all St. Caflins' tion. attacks, and to refufe furviving the husband, whom he believed to be The marquis, marchionefs, and Clara, took one day an airing in the delightful delightful gardens of Luxemburgh, more knowledge of the whole affair; a place of fashionable refort. Having we fhall beg of her for information: made feveral turns, they, in imita--Knowledge of Alexis, madam, I tion of other strangers, fat down have indeed!-Good God! my huf apon a chair to reft themselves from band and I are much concerned for the fatigues of their walk. him; pray explain yourself.-Madam, neither time nor place are fuitable. I keg it as a favour, let us return to the hotel, and there I wil give you a moft faithful account of what you may wish to know, though I have the frictect injunctions to the contrary from my uncle: forgive that expreffion; I mean to fay trom. my worthy benefactor. A perfon who appeared to be an abbé, was fitting by Clara, and had gazed at her for a long time, fo as to put her to the blush, and could not help expreffing his curiofity in these words: Mifs, I beg you a thousand pardons for my indifcretion; pray had I not the honour of feeing you fomewhere ?-Clara looks in his face, and feems to know him-she blushes. The abbé perceived it.-I fee you recolle me, faid he. Pray was it not at Lyons? no, -you are however, much like a certain Alexis-Alexis! cried the marquis and marchioness both at once-Alexis! cried a woman in her turn, who was fitting a little farther! Yes, replied the abbé, you are that Alexis whom I faw at the baronefs d'Yrace! Father Stephen, whispered the trembling Clara, pray have done. What do you wish to fay of Alexis? asked the woman-I have feen a young man of that name at Marfeilles.-At Marseilles! madam, faid the intimidated Clara. Have you known Alexis at Marfeilles Alas, mifs, don't revive that dearest remembrance. Dearest, you fay madam? Should you be the young lady from M. Du Monay's? Who told you my tyrant's name? Yes, I am the unfortunate Sophia, who loved fo much the young Alexis! Let us not be under a mistake, ladies, faid the ex-capuchin. -I fpeak of the lovely Clara here before us; and you, madam, of that Alexis, who runs all over the world to feck a father whom he has never known? A father he has never known! replied the marquis with great emotion., Ah! what do you tell me? -what name have you uttered? -Softly my dear, faid the mar. chionels; methinks our Clara has Clara and the noble pair rife from their feats: Clara di covering her rival in Sophia, cafts a glance of indignation upon her, which the latter endeavours to interpret. By this time, father Stephen feeing he must lofe his prey, attempts to whisper to Clara, and he will not hear him; the ex-capuchin, awed by the prefence of the marquis and his fpoufe, proceeds no farther; he retires quite defperately, and our three friends return to the hotel, where the marchionefs, who had violently restrained her feelings, let fall a torrent of tears. You will not be furprifed, my lovely Clara, faid the fobbing, at the impreffion which the adventure of the gardens makes upon me, when you fhall come to know. From the defcription given of his perfon, it can be no other than your fon, my dear lord !-Your fon! cried Clara with an exaltation of mind, your fon !-What, my lord, fhould Alexis be your fon? Yes, anfwered the marquis, fetching a deep figh, and bere is his mother! Oh Alexis, Alexis! where art thou?-Come, fly to their arms! Clara you augment our anguifh; fpeak, fpeak, have pity on a father's pain! Clara, in a tranfport of joy, is unable to collect her ideas; he lifts her eyes up to heaven, and uters vague exclamations: fpon after, the makes an apology for having, on account of Du Monay's instructions, con concealed her hiftory from her bene- | Marcellin, ah the perfidious Alex is perhaps he confoles himself in fome other quarter of the world, with fome new conqueft.-My daughter, believe a mother's heart! Your own was too intimately connected with his !-you was born for one another-he will return to the cottage he will surely return.-Oh! fullied with my father's blood!What a baneful fufpicion!-can a youth of fo fweet and timid a temper, fully himself with that atrocious murder? he is incapable of doing it, to be bleft with his father's feelings. So he is graced with your virtues, my dearest Arzelia, he must fhrink at the very name of crime. factors. They all fit down, and Clara relates her own hiftory, and that of Alexis, his refidence and flight from the cottage; and concludes with owning that the knew not what had become of her lover. He was at Marseilles, added the ; there he turned faithlefs! there he got acquainted with that Sophia whom we have just left; but as he has not accompanied her, I know not where he can be. Oh, my God! why does thy power not lead him to this houfe?-Alas! how happy would he be !-and we how happy! Arzelia and her lord could hardly refpire during the long narrative of Clara; the marquis efpecially, who remembered his cruelties, his wrongs to fo amiable a fon, and the vexa. tions he had caufed him through the malice of his enemies, could not for give himself. It is I, exclaimed he; I am that unnatural father, who involved him into the abyss of wretch-habited will at least be some confolaedness! Where is he? innocent tion for us. Clara knew not whe youth: What is his fate?O God, ther to accept or decline the journey thou art witness to the fearches and purfuits I have made fince the bleffed inftant which re-united me with my fpoufe !-I fent emiffaries, and went myself to a thousand places, to feek a fon who cofts me fo many tears! O Clara! if ever we find him, he fhall be thy confort !-Be both our children. Ah, how worthy art thou of his heart and affections! During thefe fentimental emanations, the marchionefs became very penfive. All on a fudden fhe breaks in on her husband's difcourfe. My friend-my dear friend-an idea takes my fancy!-Yes, hope in fluences my mind, and fills my foul with confolation!-Perhaps he has returned to the cottage; we may find him there! Madam, he certainly knows not that I have left it-he might-but no; he has forgot me; there was no place I paffed through in my journey, but gave me the fad news of his broken faith. At St. 1 The marquis and marchionefs, after having teftified a thousand tender concerns for the fate of their fon, determined to fet out inftantly for the cottage. If he is not there, faid they, we fhall wait for him. To live in a place which our fon has in piqued at her lover's infidelity, eager to fee again the hermitage, her Germain, and the beneficent Candor, of whom he had no occafion to be afraid of, while under the aufpices of the parents of Alexis ; her mind was divided between a thousand different thoughts; yet the fweet defire of again feeing the cottage, and perhaps her lover too, overcame all her fcruples. In less than a day every thing was prepared for the intended journey. They fet off, arrive at St. Marcellin, alight from their carriage, commit it to the care of a valet, and take the pleafant road of the foreft de Chamboran, under an escort of four vigorous domestics armed with pistols and cutlaffes. After a long walk of two hours and upwards, they defery before them the walls of the cottage, the draw-bridge being still let down, and the door open, taufed Clara to be much |