Останній з Могікан

           While,inthepursuitoftheirdaringplansofannoyance,therestlessenterpriseoftheFrenchevenattemptedthedistantanddifficultgorgesoftheAlleghany,itmayeasilybeimaginedthattheirproverbialacutenesswouldnotoverlookthenaturaladvantagesofthedistrictwehavejustdescribed.Itbecame,emphatically,thebloodyarena,inwhichmostofthebattlesforthemasteryofthecolonieswerecontested.Fortswereerectedatthedifferentpointsthatcommandedthefacilitiesoftheroute,andweretakenandretaken,razedandrebuilt,asvictoryalightedonthehostilebanners.Whilethehusbandmanshrankbackfromthedangerouspasses,withinthesaferboundariesofthemoreancientsettlements,armieslargerthanthosethathadoftendisposedofthesceptresofthemothercountries,wereseentoburythemselvesintheseforests,whencetheyrarelyreturnedbutinskeletonbands,thatwerehaggardwithcare,ordejectedbydefeat.Thoughtheartsofpeacewereunknowntothisfatalregion,itsforestswerealivewithmen;itsshadesandglensrangwiththesoundsofmartialmusic,andtheechoesofitsmountainsthrewbackthelaugh,orrepeatedthewantoncry,ofmanyagallantandrecklessyouth,ashehurriedbythem,inthenoontideofhisspirits,toslumberinalongnightofforgetfulness.

           Itwasinthissceneofstrifeandbloodshedthattheincidentsweshallattempttorelateoccurred,duringthethirdyearofthewarwhichEnglandandFrancelastwagedforthepossessionofacountrythatneitherwasdestinedtoretain.