1763, May.] A DISAPPOINTED GARRISON. 263 



approaching friends. But suddenly every cheek 

 grew pale with horror. Dark naked figures were 

 seen rising, with wild gesture, in the boats, while, 

 in place of the answering salute, the distant yell 

 of the war-whoop fell faintly on their ears. The 

 convoy was in the hands of the enemy. The 

 boats had all been taken, and the troops of the de- 

 tachment slain or made captive. Officers and 

 men stood gazing in mournful silence, when an 

 incident occurred which caused them to forget the 

 general calamity in the absorbing interest of the 

 moment. 



Leaving the disappointed garrison, we will pass 

 over to the principal victims of this deplorable 

 misfortune. In each of the boats, of which there 

 were eighteen, two or more of the captured soldiers, 

 deprived of their weapons, were compelled to act 

 as rowers, guarded by several armed savages, while 

 many other Indians, for the sake of farther security, 

 followed the boats along the shore. ^ In the fore- 

 most, as it happened, there were four soldiers and 

 only three Indians. The larger of the two vessels 

 still lay anchored in the stream, about a bow-shot 

 from the fort, while her companion, as we have 

 seen, had gone down to Niagara to hasten up this 

 very re-enforcement. As the boat came opposite this 

 vessel, the soldier who acted as steersman conceived 

 a daring plan of escape. The principal Indian sat 

 immediately in front of another of the soldiers. The 

 steersman called, in English, to his comrade to seize 



1 Pontiac MS. 



