306 DEMAND OF TOLL. CffAP. XI. 



that always gives people who use bows and arrows the 

 greatest confidence. Notwithstanding these demonstra- 

 tions, 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 explained 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 

 themselves, 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 some- 

 what 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 the bend above to look at the boat, as we 

 supposed ; but the moment she was abreast of them, they 

 gave us a volley of musket-balls and poisoned arrows, 

 without a word of warning. Fortunately we were so 

 near, that all the arrows passed clear over us, but four 

 musket-balls went through the sail just above our heads. 

 All our assailants bolted into the bushes and long grass 

 the instant after firing, save two, one of whom was about 

 to discharge a musket and the other an arrow, when 

 arrested by the fire of the second boat. Not one of them 

 showed their faces again, till we were a thousand yards 



