1763, July.] DETACHMENT FROM NIAGARA. 307 



lest it might have met the fate of the former 

 detachment ; but a salute from the fort was 

 answered by a swivel from the boats, and at 

 once all apprehension passed away. The convoy 

 soon reached a point in the river midway between 

 the villages of the Wyandots and the Pottawatta- 

 mies. About a fortnight before, as we have seen, 

 these capricious savages had made a treaty of 

 peace, which they now saw fit to break, opening a 

 hot fire upon the boats from either bank.^ It was 

 answered by swivels and musketry ; but before the 

 short engagement was over, fifteen of the English 

 were killed or wounded. This danger passed, 

 boat after boat came to shore, and landed its men 

 amid the cheers of the garrison. The detachment 

 was composed of soldiers from the 55th and 80th 

 Regiments, with twenty independent rangers, com- 

 manded by Major Rogers ; and as the barracks in 

 the place were too small to receive them, they 

 were all quartered upon the inhabitants. 



Scarcely were these arrangements made, when 

 a great smoke was seen rising from the Wyandot 

 village across the river, and the inhabitants, appar- 

 ently in much consternation, were observed pad- 

 dling down stream with their household utensils, 

 and even their dogs. It was supposed that they 

 had abandoned and burned their huts ; but in 

 truth, it was only an artifice of these Indians, who 

 had set fire to some old canoes and other refuse 

 piled in front of their village, after which the war- 

 riors, having concealed the women and children, 



1 MS. Letter — Major Rogers to , Aug. 5. 



