Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/423

 the North American Indians. 411

I fliall mention one inftance, which will confirm what I have faid of their furprifing ikill and ability of living in defarts, inhabited only by wild beads. In the winter of -the year 1747, one of the Chikkafah traders went from home, about ten miles, accompanied only by a negro ; fix of the miles was an old wafte field, which the Chikkafah formerly had fettled, when they were more numerous. On their return home, within two miles of the outer-houfes, while riding carelefly near two deep gullies, there flood a couple of Canada Indians behind a tree, (befide two others a little way off) within a few yards of the path, with their trunk guns, watching two boys then in fight. when the trader and his fer- vant came abreaft of them, the negro*s horfe received a mortal (hot, and after carrying him about a quarter of a mile, on leaping a difficult pafs, he fell dead on the fpot ; the rider's heels carried him the reft of the way fafe: but, unluckily, it did not fare fo well with the gentleman, for as he rode a young Choktah horfe, which had been ufed only to a rope round his neck, the reining him with a bridle, checked him, and the French favages had an opportunity to give the gentleman two mortal wounds, with brafs-barbed arrows, the one in his belly, and the other a little below the heart ; beiide two others in his left fhoulder. His horfe being frightened, fprung off at full fpeed, and brought him home. The gentleman in his rapid courfe twifted the murdering arrows out of his bowels, but could not reach thofe that were deeply lodged in his moul der. He lived two nights and a day after this in moft exquifite tor tures, but fenfible to the laft-, when he had been forcibly kept down, a confiderable time on the bed, he entreated in the moft importunate manner, to be helped to lean his back againft the wall, and it would give him eafe. At my requeft it was allowed him he immediately ex pired, and it is to be hoped, that, according to his defire, he immedi ately entered into eternal reft. While he lay a corpfe, and till we the next day buried him, the Indians were filent, and almoft invifible. The ne gro and his matter, as foon as they difcovered the Canadians, put up the ihrill whoop, both to warn the Chikkafah, and draw them againft the ene my -, this made the two boys to ftretch home, which they did a little be fore fun-fet. But the latenefs of the day, prevented our friends purfuing, till next morning. By the diftance the enemy ran in the night, they for that time evaded their eager purfuers. Some went to the place of ambufcade, and found that the enemy being difappointed of the prey falling into their hands, had purfued till they came up with the negro's

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