63 
diverted. Payne now put such confi¬ 
dence in the natives, that he dispensed 
with having a watch kept during the 
night, and slept as secure as though he 
had been in his native country, 
Payne, on awaking near morning, found 
the woman that he had brought to live 
with him was missing. After searching 
the tent, and finding nothing of her, con* 
eluded she had fled. He accordingly 
armed himself, together with John Oli- 
ver and Thomas Lilliston, (with mus¬ 
kets,) and set out for the nearest vil¬ 
lage, for the purpose of searching her 
out. They arrived at the village before 
it was light, and secreted themselves 
hear an Indian hut. where thev awaited 
the approach of day, in hopes of seeing 
her. Accordingly at the approach of 
day-light, they discovered the hut liter¬ 
ally thronged with natives, and among 
the number, they discovered the woman 
they were in search of. At this mo¬ 
ment one of them fired a blank cartridge 
over their heads, and then presented 
themselves to their view, which fright- 
#■ 
