of the skin, to the major, he admired them so much that he ordered her to make him a second pair of of the same skin, and added, that when she had done so she might keep what was left of the skin for herself. As soon as the woman had received this commission, she left the major's presence, but instead of going away from the fort, she lingered about so long that at last some one asked her why she did not go away. She answered that she wished to give back the remainder of the skin, because it was of very great value; and as this seemed rather strange, and she was farther questioned, she said that if she were now to carry away this skin with her she should never be able to bring it back again. The major then caused the woman to be brought again before him, in order to understand from her own mouth what she had said, and it was quite clear to him that nothing but fear prevented her telling him something of importance. At last, when she was very much pressed, and then encouraged, and assured of protection, she revealed to the major that the next morning Pontiac and his chiefs, under the pretence of a conference, would enter the fort, that they would have taken off, and concealed under their linen garments, the barrels of their short muskets, and that their intention was, on a signal from Pontiac, to kill the major and all the other officers present, whilst the other warriors, under the pretence of trading, should enter the fort with concealed weapons, and fall upon the remainder of the garrison.

As soon as the major had received all this in

formation, he exerted himself to put the fort into a defensible condition, and took every possible precaution. He acquainted his officers and soldiers with the design of the Indians, instructed the former how they were to behave at the meeting, and explained to the garrison how they should treat the pretended traders. At ten o'clock,

Pontiac, with six-and-thirty chiefs, and a great following of warriors, came to the conference in the fort. All were received with great civility. Pontiac began the parley, but just as he was about to hand to the major a present, which, according to the Indian woman's account, was to be the signal for the onslaught, the major and his officers drew their swords half from their sheaths, and the soldiers appeared on the outside of the hall with loaded muskets, and raised bayonets. Brave as Pontiac was, he turned pale when he saw that he was betrayed. However he made one more attempt to avert suspicion, by ending his speech with still stronger assurances of attachment and submission. Instead of answering him, the major declared his knowledge of his murderous intentions. Pontiac denied them; but the major went up to him, raised his mantle, pointed to the concealed barrels, and dismissed him and the other chiefs without saying another word. Pontiac tried to make excuses, but the major recommended him to leave the fort immediately, lest he should be unable to curb the anger of his soldiers, who wanted to attack him and his warriors on the spot. They did not wait then for a second warning, but rushed to the gates as fast as possible.

The present danger was warded off, but the Indians now began to besiege the fort, and to cut off all its communication with Canada. The governor several times attempted to send the major supplies both of men and ammunition, but could not succeed in doing so. At last he sent his own adjutant, with orders to throw himself into the fort, with two hundred and fifty men. The latter attacked the camp of the Indians many times, but Pontiac had always knowledge of his designs, and by laying an ambush, brought the English troops into such a position, that their leader himself was killed. Pontiac immediately cut off his head, put it upon a post, and planted it in front of the besieged fort.

"So much for the major's scruples of honour !" cried Alfred. "Had he made Pontiac a prisoner on his first arrival, all this would not have happened."

"I quite agree with you," replied Captain Sinclair. "It was indeed letting a wolf loose; but the major meant to do right, and therefore cannot be blamed. After the death of the adjutant, the condition of the fort was worse than ever, and the garrison suffered the most terrible scarcity. Several vessels which were sent to relieve it, fell into Pontiac's hands, and he treated the crews with the most horrible cruelty. The band of soldiers in the fort were dwindling away, from constant watching and want of food, and such of them as were still capable of service suffered the greatest privations. At last a schooner arrived with provisions, and Pontiac, as usual, attacked it in his canoes. The schooner attempted

flight, but the Indians followed her, and their incessant fire wounded nearly all the crew, until the vessel was finally taken, and boarded. But whilst the Indians in great numbers were clambering up the ship's sides, the captain, who was a brave man, and determined not to fall into the hands of the savages, ordered one of the gunners to set fire to the powder magazine, and blow up everything. One of Pontiac's chiefs, who understood English, heard this order, and calling to his followers, sprang from the vessel. The rest followed, hastening to their canoes, or swimming as fast as possible from the ship. The captain took advantage of a favourable wind, and reached the fort in safety. The garrison was thus supplied with provisions. The courage of this one man saved the fort from destruction. A few days afterwards the Indians were obliged themselves, from want of provisions, to raise the siege."

"It is said that Pontiac is now dead. Martin has told us so. What was the cause of his death, Captain Sinclair?" asked Mrs. Campbell.

"He was killed by an Indian, but it is difficult to tell for what reason. During the last years of his life, he concluded a peace with us, and received a pension from the Government. But it seems as if his hatred to the English broke out again at last, and at a counsel of the Indians he made a proposal to attack us again. After he had spoken, an Indian struck a knife through his heart, but it is difficult to decide whether the deed was caused by private hatred, or by the desire to prevent the repetition of a war, by which

the tribe had been already so much weakened and diminished. It is certain, that the animosity of the Indians towards the English was in a great measure buried with Pontiac."

(To be continued.)

THE SAILOR GRANDFATHER.

"My second messmate (in the voyage from New Zealand to Sydney), was an old whaling skipper with two very young grandchildren; little, fatherless, restless, helpless creatures, a boy and a girl, who clung together all day, and at night slept in each other's arms, and who could not bear to be for a moment out of sight of the old sailor, their grandfather. Looking from my berth of a morning through the venetians, I felt the moisture rise in my eyes, as I watched the bald and grey veteran taking his little charges one by one from their common crib, carefully washing and dressing them, combing their flaxen locks, and then folding away their bedding. During the day he would feed and tend them, and carve toys for them with his pocket-knife. And at night, after undressing his "little people," as he called them, he "coiled away and stored" their day-gear, and put on their night-clothes, his great rough hands fumbling the small tapes into all sorts of nautical knots, which cost him a world of trouble to undo in the morning. Then he placed them in their bed, side by side generally, but sometimes with their heads different ways, and having "shipped" the panel to prevent their falling out, he would sing them to sleep with a low hoarse lullaby, of which the words "Yo! heave oh!" and "Whack old England's foe," formed the burthen. Then he listened to their light breathing, and, assured that they slumbered, dropped his furrowed brow on the bed-panel for a time, as though he blessed and prayed for them, and, posting himself on a bench below, he opened a chest, and taking