1763.] ATTACK ON GREENBRIER. 87 



ascended the Kenawha, and pursued its desolating 

 course among the settlements about the sources of 

 that river. They passed valley after valley, some- 

 times attacking the inhabitants by surprise, and 

 sometimes murdering them under the mask of 

 friendship, until they came to the little settlement 

 of Greenbrier, where nearly a hundred of the 

 people were assembled at the fortified house of 

 Archibald Glendenning. Seeing two or three In- 

 dians approach, whom they recognized as former 

 acquaintances, they suffered them to enter without 

 distrust ; but the new-comers were soon joined by 

 others, until the entire party were gathered in and 

 around the buildings. Some suspicion was now 

 awakened ; and, in order to propitiate the danger- 

 ous guests, they were presented with the carcass of 

 an elk lately brought in by the hunters. They 

 immediately cut it up, and began to feast upon 

 it. The backwoodsmen, with their families, were 

 assembled in one large room ; and finding them- 

 selves mingled among the Indians, and embarrassed 

 by the presence of the women and children, they 

 remained indecisive and irresolute. Meanwhile, an 

 old woman, who sat in a corner of the room, and who 

 had lately received some slight accidental injury, 

 asked one of the warriors if he could cure the 

 wound. He replied that he thought he could, and, 

 to make good his words, killed her with his toma- 

 hawk. 'This was the signal for a scene of general 

 butchery. A few persons made their escape ; 

 the rest were killed or captured. Glendenning 

 snatched up one of his children, and rushed from 



