436 DEMAND OF TOLL. Chap. XXI. 



excitement, they rushed into the water, and danced in our 

 rear, with drawn bows, taking aim, and making various 

 savage gesticulations. Their leader urged them to get behind 

 some snags, and then shoot at us. The party on the bank 

 in front had many muskets — and those of them, who had 

 bows, held them with arrows ready set in the bowstrings. 

 They had a mass of thick bush and trees behind them, into 

 which they could in a moment dart, after discharging their 

 muskets and arrows, and be completely hidden from our 

 sight; a circumstance that always gives people who use 

 bows and arrows the greatest confidence. Notwithstand- 

 ing these demonstrations, we were exceedingly loath to 

 come to blows. We spent a full half-hour exposed at any 

 moment to be struck by a bullet or poisoned arrow. We ex- 

 plained that we were better armed than they were, and had 

 plenty of ammunition, the suspected want of which often 

 inspires them with courage, but that we did not wish to shed 

 the blood of the children of the same Great Father with 

 ourselves; that if we must fight, the guilt would be all 

 theirs. 



This being a common mode of expostulation among them- 

 selves, we so far succeeded, that with great persuasion the 

 leader and others laid down their arms, and waded over from 

 the bank to the boats to talk the matter over. " This was 

 their river; they did not allow white men to use it. 

 We must pay toll for leave to pass." It was somewhat 

 humiliating to do so, but it was pay or fight; and, rather 

 than fight, we submitted to the humiliation of paying 

 for their friendship, and gave them thirty yards of cloth. 

 They pledged themselves to be our friends ever afterwards, 

 and said they would have food cooked for us on our return. 

 We then hoisted sail, and proceeded, glad that the affair 

 had been amicably settled. Those on shore walked up to 



