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 3 86 General 0-bfervations on.

thickets and fwamps in the manner of wolves now and then they climb trees, and run to the top of hills, to- difcover the fmoke of fire, or hear the report of guns : and when they crofs through the open woods, one of them ftands behind a tree, till the reft advance about a hundred yards, looking out iharply on all quarters. In this manner, they will proceed, and on tiptoe,, peeping every where around 5, they love to walk on trees which have been^ blown down, and take an oblique courfe, till they infwamp themfelves again, in order to conceal their tracks, and avoid a purfuit. As we can gain nothing by blows,, with fuch warriors,, it is certainly our intereft, as a trading people, to ufe proper meafures to conciliate their affections ; for whether we: are conquerors, or conquered, we are always great lofers in an Indian war.

When, the invaders extend themfelves crofs the woods, in queft of their prey, if they make a plain difcovery, either of frelh tracks, or of the enemy, they immediately pafs the war-fignal to each other, and draw their wings toward the centre. If the former, they give chaee, and com monly by their wild-cat-method of crawling, they furround,. and furprife the purfued, if unguarded however, I have known them to fail in fuch attempts ; for the Indians generally are fo extremely cautious, that if three of them are in the woods, their firft object is a proper place for defence, and they always fit down in a triangle, to prevent a furprife. When enemies difcover one another, and find they can take no advantage, they make them- ielves known to each other; and by way of infulting bravado, they fpeak aloud, all the barbarities they ever committed againft them; that they are now, to vindicate thofe actions, and make the wound for ever incurable, that they are their moft- bitter enemies, and equally, contemn their friendfhip and enmity. In the mean while, they throw down their packs, ftrip them felves naked, and paint their faces and breads red as blood, intermingled with black ftreaks. Every one at the fignal of the mrill-founding war-cry, inftantly covers himfelf behind a tree or in fome cavity of the ground where it admits of the beft fafety. The lea'der, on each fide, immediately blows, the fmall whiftle he carries for the occafion, in imitation of the ancient trumpet, as the laft fignal of engagement. Now hot work begins ^ The guns are firing -, the chewed bullets flying ; the ftrong hiccory bows a twanging ; the dangerous barbed arrows whizzing as they fly ; the fure- fliafted javelin ftriking death wherever it reaches; and the well-aimed to- mohawk killing, or difabling its enemy. Nothing fcarcely can be heard

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