156 Notes on Ohio. 
persons were killed, and five were taken prisoners. Amongst 
the slain was one woman and two children; the remainder 
were young men. The settlement was composed of young 
men, who had drawn their donation lots, and had just com- 
menced improvements upon them. They had built a block 
house, and two cabins, a few rods from the house, all of which 
were occupied. ‘They were in no apprehension of danger 
from Indians, as the war had not yet commenced; and they 
visited the settlements ina friendly manner frequently. The 
Indians, it seems, had been watching the settlement nearly 
all day, from the top of a neighbouring hill, and just at dusk 
in the eveniag, they commenced their attack; one party ap- 
proached the blockhouse, and at the same time another 
party approached one of the cabins, in a friendly manner. 
It was oceupied by four men of the name of Choat; they en- 
fered it without noise, beckoned to the men to be quiet, or 
they would tomahawk them; confined them with cords, and 
made them prisoners. By this time the other party had 
reached the blockhouse. The men had just come in from 
work, and were busily occupied in getting their suppers ; 
their arms were laid carelessly by in the corners of the room; 
a large Mohawk Indian led the van, pushed open the door, 
and held it in that position, until the other Indians had dis- 
eharged their rifles upon its astonished inhabitants. No re- 
sistance was made except by the woman, who seizing an axe, 
made a blow at the big Mohawk, which cleaved the flesh 
rom his scull to his shoulder; but before she could repeat 
the biow, the other Indians rushed in with their tomahawks, 
killed her, and all who survived the first fire. After the 
slaughter was over, the Indians proceeded to plundering, and 
under the beds, piled up in the corner of the room, they found 
a boy 14 or 15 years of age; him they saved alive, and took 
with their other prisoners to Detroit. The other cabin was 
occupied by two men by the name of Ballard, who hearing 
the firing at the blockhouse, rushed out, and made their es- 
éape just as the Indians were approaching, which they dis- 
covered by the cracking of the brush, as they were coming 
up in the dark. These two men reached the settlement at 
Wolf creek that night; by this timely notice, they were ena- 
bled to be in readiness for the Indians, who arrived early the 
next morning, but finding the settlers prepared to meet them, 
they retired without making any attempt. Had it not been 
for the Tottunate eseape of the two Ballards, this settlement 
