Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/276

 264 ^ n Account of the Mufkohge Nation.

them told me, that while a party of the favages were on a cprn-houfe fcaf- fold, painting themfelves red and black, to give the cowardly blow to him and his companions, an old woman overheard them concerting their bloody defign, and fpeedily informed him of the threatening danger : he mentioned the intended place of meeting to his friends, and they immediately fet off, one this way, and another that, to prevent a purfuit, and all met fafe, to the great regret of the Chriftian French and their red hirelings. I was in formed that another confiderable trader, who lived near a river, on the outfide of a town, where he ftood fecure in the affection of his favage brethren, received a vifit from two lufty ill-looking ftrangers, without being diicovered by any of the inhabitants. They were anointed with bear's oil, and quite naked, except a narrow flip of cloth for breeches, and a light blanket. When they came in, they looked around, wild and con- fufed, not knowing how to execute the French commiflion, confiftently with their own fafcty, as they brought no arms, left it fliould have difco- vered their intentions, and by that means expofed them to danger. But they feated themfelves near the door, both to prevent his efcape, and watch a favourable opportunity to perpetrate their murdering fcheme. His white domeflics were a little before gone into the woods ; and he and his Indian wife were in the ftorehoufe, where there chanced to be no arms of defence, which made his efcape the more hazardous. He was nearly in the fame light drefs, as that of his vifitants, according to the mode of their domeftic living : he was about to give them fome tobacco, when their countenances growing more gloomy and fierce, were obferved by his wife, as well as the mif- chievous direction of their eyes ; prefently therefore as they bounded up, the one to lay hold of the white man, and the other of an ax that lay on the floor, me feized it at the fame inftant, and cried, " hufband fight ftrong, and run off, as becomes a good warrior." The favage ftrove to lay hold of him, till the other could difengage himfelf from the Iharp ftrug- gle the woman held with htm ; but by a quick prefence of mind, the huf band decoyed his purfuer round a large ladder that joined the loft, and being ftrong and fwift-footed, he there took the advantage of his too eager adverfary, dalhed him to the ground, and ran out of the houfe, full fpeed to the river, bounded into it, foon made the oppofite more, and left them at the ftore-houfe, from whence the woman, as a trufty friend, drove them off, with the utmoft defpight, her family was her

protection.

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