Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/90

 66 HISTORY or dianf^ At the close of this dialogue^ Brant turned and gave the signal to his warriors^ who gave a terrific whoop, and fled precipitately to their quarters, but immediately reap- peared in hostile array, and discharged a volley of musketry into the air, the booming report of which echoed and reechoed among the surrounding hills. Herkimer now renewed his de- claration, that he had come on a peaceful mission ; that they had met as friends, and he desired that they should part as such 'y but as either party were too highly excited to proceed farther with the business, the preliminaries of a meeting the following morning at nine o'clock were arranged, when the parties fell back to their respective encampments for the night. Herkimer knew enough of Indian character to appreciate to the fullest extent, the exposed situation in which his person would be placed on the morrow's interview, and being too accomplished a soldier to proceed without any precaution to guard against surprise^ in the morning, a short time pre- ceding the appointed time for the interview, he called one of his most fearless and trusty men, Joseph Waggoner, and enjoining upon him secresy, he informed him that he wished him to select three other persons whom he could rely upon, and that the four armed with rifles, should secrete themselves in a conspicuous position, where, concealed from observation, they could overlook the interview between himself and Brant, which, should the interview not end amicably, as he hoped it would, they were to sacrifice Brant and his three companions, rather than that he, Herkimer, should be detained a prisoner.f But although we think Herkimer was perfectly justifiable in This dialogue is given on the authority of Simms' Histo'y of Schoharie County. t Stone, and I think rather unjustly, stigmatises this act of precau- tion in Herkimer, but certainly I think the times justified, if not de- manded it.