PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
39 
old man’s solicitude for peace, when contrasted with his former 
desire for war, I for a moment believed some treachery on foot; 
I had sent but a handful of men, and their arms, their ammunition, 
their provisions, and even their lives were in the hands of the In¬ 
dians. Gattanewa was in my power, and I determined to secure 
him as a hostage until their return. I directed him to send for 
his daughter, for the same purpose; but he informed me she was 
far advanced in pregnancy and unable to come to the camp. I 
told him that no harm was intended him, but that he must not 
leave the inclosure until the return of the party: that the Indians 
©f his tribes were in possession of many articles of value to us, 
and that when every thing was returned to us he should be at li¬ 
berty to proceed to his family. I told him that peace could not 
now take place until after a battle, when I should feel disposed to 
come to terms with the Happahs and would respect a messenger 
sent from them with a white flag. The old man appeared very 
uneasy at his detention, and repeatedly asked me if I would not 
kill him, should any of our people be injured by the Happahs; and 
my assurances to the contrary did not relieve his anxiety and 
fears for his safety. The party on shore at the camp now con¬ 
sisted only of about ten or twelve working men, and one centinel: 
they were all engaged in their usual occupations, when an Indian 
girl, who had been wandering in the bushes came running toward 
us the picture of fear, and with terror stongly marked in every fea¬ 
ture, exclaimed that the Happahs were but a short distance from 
the camp. I directed the alarm gun to be fired; every person 
was immediately armed with such weapons as presented them¬ 
selves, and we waited the expected attack behind our barrier, the 
water casks; but hearing no noise we sallied out to examine the 
bushes and supposed it a false alarm: but on returning to the 
Camp, Casting our eyes up the hills, we perceived a party skulking 
among the reeds and grass: we got the six pounder to bear on 
them, soon dislodged them, and had no other interruption or alarm 
during the day. 
About eleven o’clock we perceived that our people had gain¬ 
ed the mountains and were driving the Happahs from height to 
height, who fought as they retreated, and daring our men to fol¬ 
low them with threatening gesticulations, A native, who bore 
