' ( 3&> ) 

 have got within a bow-mot of the enemy. Then 

 they all ft art up, the chief gives the fignal by a 

 fmall cry, to which the whole body makes anfwer 

 by hideous howiings, and at the fame time make 

 their difcharge. Then without giving them time to 

 recover from their confufion they pour upon them 

 with hatchet in hand. Since the Indian have fub- 

 ftituted iron hatchets to their old wooden ones, 

 their battles have become more bloody. The com- 

 bat ended, they fcalp the dead and dying, and ne- 

 ver think of making prifoners, till all refiftance is 

 over. 



But when they find the enemy on his guard, or 

 too ft ro ugly intrenched they retire, provided they 

 have ftill time to do it. If not, they boldly re- 

 folve on fighting to the laft drop, and there is fome- 

 times abundance of blood-Hied on both fides. A 

 camp which has been forced is the very picture of 

 fury itfelf, the barbarous fiercenefs of the conquer* 

 ors, the defpair of the conquered, who know what 

 they have to ex peel fhould they fall alive into the 

 hands of the enemy, occafion prodigious efforts on 

 both fides, which furpafs all that can be related of 

 them. The figure of the combatants all befmeared 

 with black and red, ftill augments the horror of 

 the conflict, and a very good picture of hell might 

 be drawn from this model. When the victory is 

 no longer doubtful, the conquerors firft difpatch all 

 inch as they defpair of being able to carry with 

 them, without trouble, and then try only to tire 

 the reft whom they are defirous of making pri- 

 foners. 



X The Indians are naturally intrepid, and in fpite of 

 their brutal nercenels always retain abundance of 

 / cold 



