A hunter's life. 61 



near it. Something tripped up my father's feet, and in he 

 fell between the two trees ; and as he went down the white 

 Indian made a furious lunge at him. The spear, however, 

 glanced otf the log, turned its point upward, and stuck .so 

 fast in the standing tree that the white savage could not 

 withdraw it before my father slipped out of his position, 

 escaped unhurt, and reached the fort safely. 



" The man who culled to him for help had had his thigh 

 broken ; but he crawled on his hands until he found a hol- 

 low log, in which he hid himself till dark, when he crawled 

 to the fort. A short time after, in came another, with one 

 arm broken ; but the balance of the party fell a sacrifjco 

 to the savages. 



" Thus fell twcuty-one of the best and bravest men ol 

 Western Virginia, without even having had a chance to 

 defend themselves. Their death was a great loss to the 

 frontier settlements, as also to the strength of the fort ; 

 which in a few days was besieged by the same band. Their 

 previous success emboldening them, the fort was in danger 

 of being captured. Having intercepted a boat loaded 

 with cannon-balls, destined for the use of the garrison, the 

 savages procured a hollow tree, bound it round with ae 

 many chains as they could, drove wedges under the chains, 

 to tighten them as much as possible, loaded it like a can- 

 non, and at a favorable time let go a most tremendous 

 charge of ordnance — such as was never heard of before. 

 The gun bursted, killing several, wounding others, and 

 frightening the rest. 



"But in a little time they renewed their attack on 

 the fort. The ammunition had been divided between 

 tie garrison and Colonel Zane's house. The attack was 

 directed mainly against the latter place ; but the assailants 

 were driven back. The powder becoming scarce in the 

 house, it was proposed that some men should run to the 

 fort for -4 '='upply ; and among the volunteers for that dan- 

 6 



