"Zane Grey - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

CHAPTER II.

Fort Henry stood on a bluff overlooking the river and commanded a fine view of
the surrounding country. In shape it was a parallelogram, being about three
hundred and fifty-six feet in length, and one hundred and fifty in width.
Surrounded by a stockade fence twelve feet high, with a yard wide walk running
around the inside, and with bastions at each corner large enough to contain
six defenders, the fort presented an almost impregnable defense. The
blockhouse was two stories in height, the second story projecting out several
feet over the first. The thick white oak walls bristled with portholes.
Besides the blockhouse, there were a number of cabins located within the
stockade. Wells had been sunk inside the inclosure, so that if the spring
happened to go dry, an abundance of good water could be had at all times.

In all the histories of frontier life mention is made of the forts and the
protection they offered in time of savage warfare. These forts were used as
homes for the settlers, who often lived for weeks inside the walls.

Forts constructed entirely of wood without the aid of a nail or spike (for the
good reason that these things could not be had) may seem insignificant in
these days of great nasal and military garrisons. However, they answered the
purpose at that time and served to protect many an infant settlement from the
savage attacks of Indian tribes. During a siege of Fort Henry, which had
occurred about a year previous, the settlers would have lost scarcely a man
had they kept to the fort. But Captain Ogle, at that time in charge of the
garrison, had led a company out in search of the Indians. Nearly all of his
men were killed, several only making their way to the fort.

On the day following Major McColloch's arrival at Fort Henry, the settlers had
been called in from their spring plowing and other labors, and were now busily
engaged in moving their stock and the things they wished to save from the
destructive torch of the redskin. The women had their hands full with the
children, the cleaning of rifles and moulding of bullets, and the thousand and
one things the sterner tasks of their husbands had left them. Major McColloch,
Jonathan and Silas Zane, early in the day, had taken different directions
along the river to keep a sharp lookout for signs of the enemy. Colonel Zane
intended to stay in his oven house and defend it, so he had not moved anything
to the fort excepting his horses and cattle. Old Sam, the negro, was hauling
loads of hay inside the stockade. Captain Boggs had detailed several scouts to
watch the roads and one of these was the young man, Clarke, who had
accompanied the Major from Fort Pitt.

The appearance of Alfred Clarke, despite the fact that he wore the regulation
hunting garb, indicated a young man to whom the hard work and privation of the
settler were unaccustomed things. So thought the pioneers who noticed his
graceful walk, his fair skin and smooth hands. Yet those who carefully studied
his clearcut features were favorably impressed; the women, by the direct,
honest gaze of his blue eyes and the absence of ungentle lines in his face;
the men, by the good nature, and that indefinable something by which a man
marks another as true steel.