THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 375 



The Indian seemed to understand, and stopped 

 accordingly, at the same time assuming an attitude 

 indicative of a firm resolution to defend himself. He 

 grasped his knife, and boldly confronted his pursuers, 

 who on their part examined him with looks of curi- 

 osity and of some suspicion. The appearance of an In- 

 dian in this neighbourhood was nothing very unusual, 

 seeing that they had a village scarcely a hundred 

 miles off to the north-west, and that they continually 

 made excursions of several hundred miles into the 

 States in all directions, and even to the capital. For 

 a long time past their diminished numbers had not 

 allowed them to attempt anything hostile against their 

 white neighbours, who each year drew nearer to them ; 

 and their increasing wants, particularly their insatiable 

 greed after the precious fire-water, had reduced them 

 to be, de facto, little better than slaves to fur-dealers 

 and storekeepers, for whom they hunted, and who 

 paid the poor wretches in whisky scarcely the tenth 

 part of the value of their skins. 



In the present instance the two backwoodsmen had 

 no evil intention against the Indian ; all they wanted 

 was to give him a glass of Monongahela, and to amuse 

 themselves a little at his expense. So at least it ap- 

 peared from the words of the one who had been 

 knocked down, and who, without taking his tumble 

 at all in ill part, now roared out, that " he must drink 

 a half-pint of whisky with him, or he would put him 

 in his pocket." 



