Read The Incredible Escape. The Adventures of Radisson 3 for Free Online

powers. His companions had been telling the truth: they wished him no harm.
    Radisson nonetheless mulled over the strange coincidence. What were the chances of this man shooting an eagle at that very moment, with a single shot? Might Ononta have magical powers? Might he be a shaman?
    Aside from a sarcastic comment or two, the day went well. Sorense left him alone as they paddled at a steady pace. At twilight, Ononta again went off by himself, taking the dead eagle with him. Radisson couldn’t see what he was doing, but he did hear him chanting, although the words were just as incomprehensible as the previous night. Mahatari again had the Frenchman sleep in the same tent as she and her family. She asked him where he had learned to speak Iroquois. Radisson told her how Katari and Garagonké had adopted him to replace their son Orinha. She listened as he told her about his life in the Bear clan longhouse, the expedition he had gone on to Erie territory, and the honours he had received upon his return, until sleep overcame them.
    For the next few days, Radisson travelled with Mahatari and Ononta. Sorense and Tehagonra took the other canoe together.
    At last they emerged onto a huge lake and made easy progress to the mouth of a fast-flowing river on the south shore. After three days of hard work travelling upriver, Radisson at last caught sight of the French fort. He was so moved that he could not speak.
    â€œGannentaha,” Mahatari said to him, pointing to the fort. “You have arrived.”
    Radisson had tears in his eyes as he saw men dressed in
Canadien
style bustle around the fort. After the previous summer’s dashed hopes, Pierre Godefroy’s doubts, the Huron massacre, and Radisson’s own fear that he would be next to lose his life, he had finally reached his goal in Iroquois country.
    â€œThere he is!” shouted a man on the shore. “It’s Radisson! Here he comes!”
    All the Frenchmen working outside the fort hurried to him. Others emerged from inside through the large open gate. They gathered on the shore, shouting with joy as they watched the last missing Frenchman arrive. Radisson was excited by the boisterous welcome. Clambering out of the canoe, he embraced everyone in turn, happy to again be with his own people and speaking his language. Father Ragueneau arrived and held out his arms to him.
    â€œWhat a relief!” he exclaimed. “I was so worried! Whatever happened to you, for the love of God?”
    â€œNothing serious, Father. Ononta was ill and slowed us down. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
    Mahatari, Ononta, and their son were waiting in silence in the canoe on the shore. Radisson went back to them to unload the bags. He carried his trading goods himself, giving the other parcels to the men from the fort. Then he thanked Ononta and Mahatari for their help and asked where they lived so that he could visit them.
    â€œIn the village of Onondaga, less than a day from here,” Mahatari replied. “You’ll always be welcome in our home. It’s your home, too: the home of the Bear clan. Farewell, Orinha.”
    Their canoe moved out to meet Sorense and Tehagonra’s in the middle of the river. They left for their village.
    Father Ragueneau showed Radisson around the impressive fort. The fifty Frenchmen from the first expedition had built an impenetrable fortress in just a few months. A fifteen-foot-high palisade made out of broad tree trunks surrounded the buildings. The huge area inside that separated the enclosure from the homes was for the time being used only to farm pigs, sheltered as it was from thieves and wild animals, but dozens of people would be able to camp there. There would also be lots of room to store furs. Ladders led up to a parapet that ran along the enclosure, allowing the French to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding area and defend the fort if attacked. A projecting bastion reinforced each of the four corners.