Page:Extracts from the letters and journals of George Fletcher Moore.djvu/191

 Rh carpenter has been most busily idle in making a small pen for cattle—this, with two tables and three stools, are all that I have from him after a month's work! A good, handy rough kind of a carpenter, able and willing to work, is much wanted here.

I have now brought up my arrears to the present date (15th), and have to add that I was called this day to attend an inquest on the body of a man who was shot last night. It appeared that the natives had yesterday driven away some cattle, and had been tracked up the river by a party of ten colonists, who overtook them at night when asleep.

Although our people shouted out when they approached, none of the natives stirred, either from sleep or terror; at length, one of their dogs ran out of a hut, when guns were levelled at him, three of which only went off—the contents of one unfortunately struck a man of our own party in the head, and killed him.

Principles of humanity prevented the slaughter of all the natives there; of whom one, however, was shot in the confusion. The spears, knives, and other weapons, with bags and cloaks were taken as legitimate booty. Some of their spears and knives are barbed or serrated with bits of glass, which must wound severely. Robertson tells us, in his History of America, that the natives of that country used "lances," whose heads were armed with flint.