accompanying his captors about half an hour, would go no " his last meal." further, and who was then taken aside and given Twenty Dutch prisoners were recovered, among whom was Mrs. DuBois and her children, around whose captivity tradition has thrown the story that at the time of the attack preparation was being made for her sacrifice at the stake, which was only delayed by the pleasure with which the Indians listened to the

Unfortunately for the tradition, death-song which she chanted. the Indians, at the time of the attack, were not constructing sacrificial fires or listening to

death songs, but were completing

"a

perfect square with one row of palisades set all around, being about fifteen feet above and " of stout three feet below ground," with angles palisades, all their fort, which is described as

of them almost as thick as a man's body, having two rows of Two of these angles were port-holes, one above the other."

Record of the family of Louis

Bois,

5 j

Du

Collections of the Ulster Hhtorical Society, vol.

i,

part i, 44.

OF HUDSON'S RIVER.

when surprised, the Indians " were busy at the The Dutch found plunder in abundance, such as

finished, and,

third angle."

bear skins, deer skins, blankets, elk hides, etc., sufficient indeed

have well filled a sloop. Twenty-five guns were found, about twenty pounds of powder, thirty-one belts and strings of wampum, and indeed, all the movable wealth of the fugitives.

to

Everything was destroyed except the ripening maize, and laden with spoil, and cheered by the gladness of the rescued captives,