[RAYMOND] TRAVEL BETWEEN CANADA AND ACADIA 43 



and when they was tired of this exercise they would take us by the 

 hair and some by ye ears, and standing behind us, oblige us to keep 

 our necks strong so as to bear their weight hanging by our hair and 

 ears. 



"In this manner they thumped us in ye back and sides with 

 their knees and feet and twitched our hair and ears to such a degree 

 that I am incapable to express it, and ye others that was dancing 

 round, if they saw any man falter and did not hold up his neck, they 

 dached ye scalps in our faces with such violence that every man 

 endeavoured to bear them hanging by their hair in this manner 

 rather than to have a double punishment. After they had finished 

 their frolick, that lasted about two hours and a half, we was carried 

 to one of their camps where we saw some of the prisoners that came 

 in the "Montague." At this place we encamped that night with 

 hungry belleys." 



Unpleasant as was their experience, Pote and his fellows were 

 lucky to escape with their lives. The previous year Capt. Gorham 

 had brought to Annapolis Royal some Indian rangers, probably 

 Mohawks, as allies of the English. These Indian rangers had killed 

 some of the Malacites, and the tribe at Ekpahawk proposed to 

 retaliate by putting the prisoners to death. A council was held and 

 the St. John's Indians almost gained their point. The Hurons, 

 however, being very desirous to save the lives of their captiyes, 

 whom they probably wished to hold for ransom, prevailed on the 

 Malacites to accept a considerable quantity of their spoils and spare 

 the lives of the prisoners. 



Their unhappy experience at Ekpahawk caused the captives to 

 feel no regret when the Hurons took their departure up the river two 

 days later. They had now come to the beginning of the swift water 

 and their progress was more laborious. At the Meductic Rapids 

 they were obliged to land and carry their baggage over clefts of rocks, 

 fallen trees and other obstacles. Pote was informed that they would 

 ere long arrive at the Indian village of Medoctec. He asked if they 

 would be treated there as they had been at the last village. This 

 question led to an immediate consultation of the Hurons. "I ob- 

 served," writes Pote, "that they looked with a very serious counten- 

 ance on me." He seized the opportunity to address them in French 

 to the following effect: 



"Gentlemen, you are all very sensible of the ill usage we met at 

 the other village, which, I believe, was contrary to your inclination or 

 permission, and as you call yourselves Christians and men of honour, 

 I hope you'll use your prisoners accordingly, for I think it is contrary 



