Page:Some account of the wars, extirpation, habits.djvu/90

82 kept an eye on the unarmed captain, whilst two or three only, but the most resolute of their number, marched on either side of his companion, of whom the most conspicuous were two named Mac-a-mee and Wow-ee, by whom the assault that followed was commenced; the former, unarmed, walking on the right, and the other, bearing a heavy waddy, on the left hand.

The party had moved forward about two miles when the assault commenced, by Mac-a-mee, as quick as thought, snatching the gun out of Parker's hand, which he did with such force as to turn him more than half round, and then running off as fast as he could with the prize. At this moment Parker's face was turned away from the other savage, who swinging his waddy aloft, dealt him such a blow on his temple, that he reeled and fell to the ground, apparently a lifeless man.

It is not in the power of language to describe the excitement of the men of the tribe at witnessing the fall of another of the enemies of their race, nor the scene that took place at this moment between them and their wives, such as no one would expect to read of as an usual incident in savage life, the men rushing up with yells of savage joy to finish the fallen man, and the women equally vociferous, interposing, by entreaty, to stay the wrath of their husbands, and to save him from death, but without effect in the case of either victim, and it is a fact that on finding themselves powerless to prevent murder they sullenly withdrew from the scene, neither threat nor persuasion availing to recall them; and without thought of the danger they ran in exposing themselves at such a moment to the whites, they marched in a body to Northdown, where, as will be presently seen they were made prisoners of, as well as some of the men, namely, Mac-a-mee, Wow-ee, and Calamarowenee, who followed them thither to force them to return, but which the poor creatures refused to do.

In the end, Parker was literally nailed to the ground by the spears of the blacks, twelve of which were driven through and through him, every wound, according to the testimony of Dr. Smith, being quite sufficient to cause death.

Captain Thomas, on seeing the fate of his friend, to whom he could give no assistance, ran off, screaming out murder as loudly as he could, which the natives, who were often capital mimics, afterwards told M'Kay of, without knowing what he meant by it. He was an uncommonly active man, and on fair ground ran with such speed that few could contend against. But swift footed as he was, he was no match here for the agile savage unencumbered by clothes; and several young fellows starting after him were at his heels by the time he had got sixty yards, which