Последний из Могикан
Chapter 1
Thenewshadbeenbrought,towardsthedeclineofadayinmidsummer,byanIndianrunner,whoalsoboreanurgentrequestfromMunro,thecommanderofaworkontheshoreofthe"holylake,"foraspeedyandpowerfulreinforcement.Ithasalreadybeenmentionedthatthedistancebetweenthesetwopostswaslessthanfiveleagues.Therudepath,whichoriginallyformedtheirlineofcommunication,hadbeenwidenedforthepassageofwagons;sothatthedistancewhichhadbeentravelledbythesonoftheforestintwohours,mighteasilybeeffectedbyadetachmentoftroops,withtheirnecessarybaggage,betweentherisingandsettingofasummersun.TheloyalservantsoftheBritishcrownhadgiventooneoftheseforestfastnessesthenameofWilliamHenry,andtotheotherthatofFortEdward;callingeachafterafavoriteprinceofthereigningfamily.TheveteranScotchmanjustnamedheldthefirst,witharegimentofregularsandafewprovincials;aforcereallybyfartoosmalltomakeheadagainsttheformidablepowerthatMontcalmwasleadingtothefootofhisearthenmounds.Atthelatter,however,layGeneralWebb,whocommandedthearmiesofthekinginthenorthernprovinces,withabodyofmorethanfivethousandmen.Byunitingtheseveraldetachmentsofhiscommand,thisofficermighthavearrayednearlydoublethatnumberofcombatantsagainsttheenterprisingFrenchman,whohadventuredsofarfromhisreinforcements,withanarmybutlittlesuperiorinnumbers.
