14 The Winning of the West 



they did. Several canoes then came off from the 

 shore to the flotilla. The Indians who were in them 

 seemed friendly and were pleased with the presents 

 they received ; but while these were being distributed 

 the whites saw a number of other canoes putting 

 off, loaded with armed warriors, painted black and 

 red. The half-breed instantly told the Indians round 

 about to paddle to the shore, and warned the whites 

 to push off at once, at the same time giving them 

 some instructions about the river. The armed In 

 dians went down along the shore for some time as 

 if to intercept them ; but at last they were seemingly 

 left behind. 



In a short time another Indian village was 

 reached, where the warriors tried in vain to lure the 

 whites ashore; and as the boats were hugging the 

 opposite bank, they were suddenly fired at by a party 

 in ambush, and one man slain. Immediately after 

 ward a much more serious tragedy occurred. There 

 was with the flotilla a boat containing twenty-eight 

 men, women, and children, among whom small-pox 

 had broken out. To guard against infection, it was 

 agreed that it should keep well in the rear; being 

 warned each night by the sound of a horn when it 

 was time to go into camp. 



As this forlorn boat-load of unfortunates came 

 along, far behind the others, the Indians, seeing its 

 defenceless position, sallied out in their canoes, and 

 butchered or captured all who were aboard. Their 

 cries were distinctly heard by the rearmost of the 

 other craft, who could not stem the current and come 



