272 AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES. [CH. VI. 



to the sound of musquetry was curious, and as they had not 

 yet communicated with those to whom they were visitors, I 

 believed they were really ignorant then of what was going on. 

 The river extended along our front from west to north-east, 

 at an average distance of three-quarters of a mile ; and this 

 tribe was now about that distance to the eastward of the scene 

 of action: soft and hollow ground, thickly set with polygonum, 

 intervened. I had previously sent a man to amuse and 

 turn back their messenger, Avhen I saw him going towards 

 the fishing tribe ; and now this strange tribe having arrived, 

 as I concluded, hungry and expecting the fish, seemed dis- 

 appointed, and came to ask food from us. I was most 

 anxious to know, what was going on at the river, where all 

 our horses and cattle were seen running about, but the de- 

 fence of our camp required all my attention. As soon as 

 the firing was heard, several men rushed forward as volun- 

 teers to support the party on the river, and take them more 

 ammunition. Those, whose services I accepted, were Wil- 

 liam Woods, Charles King, and John Johnston (the black- 

 smith), who all ran through the polygonum bushes with a 

 speed, that seemed to astonish, even the two natives, still 

 sitting before our camp. In the mean time we made every 

 possible preparation for defence. Robert Whiting, who 

 was very ill and weak, crawled to a wheel ; and he said that 

 though unable to stand, he had yet strength enough to load 

 and fire. The shots at the river seemed renewed almost as 

 soon as the reinforcement left us, but we were obliged to 

 remain in ignorance of the nature and result of the attack, 

 for at least an hour, after the firing had ceased. At length 

 a man was seen emerging from the scrub near the river 

 bank, whose slow progress almost exhausted our patience, 

 until, as he drew near, we saw that he was wounded and 

 bheding. This was Joseph Jones, who had been sent for 

 water, and who, altliough much hurt, brought a pot and 

 a tea-kettle full, driving the sheep before him, according 



