SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 1? 



But even in such a case, they must have lost some of their 

 number, and this consideration, all-powerful witli Indians, 

 probably induced them to defer their attack until night, 

 when their advantages would be still greater; and hence 

 their anxiety that we should encamp in their vicinity. Had 

 Major Long been perfectly free to act as he pleased, he 

 would have avoided all further conversation, and have 

 proceeded the whole night without stopping at all that eve- 

 ning 5 but this he could not do as long as some of the gentle- 

 men were separated, for in such a case they would have been 

 easily cutoff by the Indians. It was with a view to give them 

 a chance to overtake us, that he had continued the conference 

 so long, and that he finally decided upon encamping at a 

 point of wood then in sight, but further than that which 

 had been proposed by the Indians, With this view, the 

 Major ordered the men to march ; when one of the In- 

 dians advanced up to the head of the line, stopped the 

 horse of the leader, and cocked his gun. The soldier who 

 was there, and whose name was George Bunker, immedi- 

 ately imitated this action, determined to be prepared for a 

 shot as soon as his antagonist ; at this moment Major Long 

 marched up to the head of the line, and led oflf the party. 

 There can be no doubt that the resolution thus manifested 

 had a great influence in preventing the Indians from mak- 

 ing an immediate attack. It was night before we reached 

 the place where we intended to halt. The tents were not 

 pitched. The position was selected at a distance from the 

 river, as the banks of the stream are skirted with woods in 

 which a number of Indians were distinctly seen. Our 

 horses were staked with very short ropes, the arms were 

 all examined and loaded afresh, six centinels placed on 

 duty, and the rest of the party remained up ready to re- 

 sist any attack ; a large fire was kindled in order to ap- 



