The Last Of The Mohicans

summary In July 1757 Montcalm ascended Lake Champlain and marched with soldiers "as numerous as the leaves of the forest" towards Fort William Henry, held by Colonel Monro, who had weak defenses. This is the moment chosen by Cora and Alice, the daughters of Monro, to go to join their father.

They are accompanied by David La Gamme, master in psalmody, Major Duncan Heyward and an Indian guide, Magua, who soon led them astray. Fortunately the travelers meet the white hunter Eye-of-Falcon and his two mohican friends: Chingachgook and his son, Uncas. The guide, Magua, is subject to suspicion. He runs away.

Refugee for the night in a cave of the rock of Glen, the small troop is assaulted by Hurons led by Magua. Eye-of-Falcon and the two Mohicans manage to flee. The two girls and their two companions are captured and taken away. Magua, or Renard Subtil, is a Huron chief who seeks revenge on Monro.

He proposes to Cora to marry him, because he needs someone to draw his water, to cultivate his corn and to cook his game. Cora refuses. At the moment when the captives are about to be executed, they are delivered by Eye-of-Falcon and the two Mohicans. All of them won Fort William Henry besieged. Putting the fog to good use, they managed to slip into it.

A few days later, a courier from the English general Webb was intercepted by Montcalm. Webb announces to Monro that he will not send him reinforcements and that he advises him to surrender. Montcalm shows the mail to Monro and proposes an acceptable surrender: all the occupants can leave the fort with military honors, keeping weapons and flags.

A French escort will hold the Huron allies at a distance, until arriving at Fort Edward, five leagues to the south. Monro agrees. Magua informed Montcalm that he was not satisfied with such an outcome: the French general had promised the scalps of the English to the Hurons.

Scarcely had the defenders left the fort than they were massacred by the Hurons, while the intended escort did not app