276 TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA: 
His request was peremptorily refused,, for it 
was well known that, had it been granted, he 
would have at once killed them to avoid the 
trouble of bringing them back. Well/' 
says he, if you will not let me scalp both, 
f<r you won't be angry with me, I hope, if I 
“ scalp one/' He was told in answer, that he 
must bring them both back alive. This cir¬ 
cumstance appeared to mortify him extremely, 
and he was beginning to hesitate about going, 
when, sorry am I to say, the proprietor, fearful 
lest the fellows should escape from him, gave 
his assent to the Indian's request, but at the 
same time he begged that he would not de¬ 
stroy them if lie could possibly avoid it. What 
the result was I never learned; but from the 
apparent satisfaction with which the Indian set 
out after he had obtained this dreadful permis¬ 
sion, there was every reason to imagine that 
one of the negroes at least would be sacrificed. 
This indifference in the mind of the Indians 
about taking away the life of a fellow creature, 
makes them appear, it must be confessed, in a 
very unamiable point of view. I fear also, 
that in the opinion of many people, all the 
good qualities which they possess, would but 
ill atone for theis revengeful disposition, and 
for the cruelties which, it is well known, they 
.sometimes inflict upon the prisoners who have 
fallen into their power in battle. Great pains 
