248 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ Vou. 10UL 
upon a new method, and quitting the woods for the river which was hard 
by, I waded with the water up to my chin, so that the Indians on the 
road could not see me. This plan would have succeeded had I had 
more time, but there were yet four miles to go before I could reach the 
rendezvous, and was in danger of being surprised in daylight. I there- 
fore determined to take again to the woods, but was within an ace of 
being prevented, for just as I was going back to the bank I saw two 
Indians with guns, in close conference. They passed by on the road 
within twenty yards of me. Fortunately there was an old tree which 
had fallen into the river, behind which I immediately squatted, but could 
not completely conceal myself, so that they must have discovered me had 
they looked that way. If they had, I should never have got out of that 
place alive. This I knew and was in great apprehension, as several 
soldiers who had attempted to escape were caught and tomahawked on 
the spot. But these Indians, fortunately for me, were in close conversa- 
tion, and being on a return from a feast were somewhat intoxicated. I 
saw them enter a little French house about one hundred yards distant. 
Then I immediately darted into the thicket making as little noise as 
possible, and to prevent the whiteness of my skin discovering me to the 
savages, I rubbed myself over with black moss and mire. Then pursuing 
my course in fear and hope, starting at every rustling of the trees, and 
mistaking the trunks for Indians, I at last arrived at the place appointed, 
and where I thought the Frenchman ought to have been waiting with his 
canoe, but he was not there. I ventured to call in a low voice, but 
nobody answered. I then began to exclaim against the perfidy of the 
Frenchman, who, in my desperate situation had, I thought, deceived me. 
Being much fatigued and exhausted I sat me down to rest, scarcely 
knowing what I did. My thoughts were occupied by the Frenchman’s 
conduct, who, I endeavoured to persuade myself, would not be such a 
coward’ as to abandon me to my fate, when he knew I had to undergo 
the most perilous part of the enterprise. I considered too, that it was 
his profit also to carry the affair to a conclusion. At last, recollecting 
myself a little, and looking around me I discovered that my anxiety and 
fears had made me overlook that I was about a quarter of a mile farther 
up the river than the place appointed. This discovery gave me fresh 
vigour and spirit. I soon reached the right place, and to my inex- 
pressible joy found the Frenchman asleep in his canoe. Having awoke 
him, we embarked and pushed out to the middle of the river, where we 
would have the advantage of the current to carry us down. We passed 
through the enemy’s camp, making as little noise as possible with our 
paddles. We could plainly hear them talking, and observed a party 
dancing and singing round a fire. About an hour before day break we 
