ned to the scene of action with Ben Jones, and seven others of the
men. When he arrived, Reed was weltering in his blood, and an Indian
standing over him and about to despatch him with a tomahawk. Stuart gave
the word, when Ben Jones leveled his rifle, and shot the miscreant on
the spot. The men then gave a cheer, and charged upon the main body of
the savages, who took to instant flight. Reed was now raised from
the ground, and borne senseless and bleeding to the upper end of the
portage. Preparations were made to launch the canoes and embark in
all haste, when it was found that they were too leaky to be put in the
water, and that the oars had been left at the foot of the falls. A scene
of confusion now ensued. The Indians were whooping and yelling, and
running about like fiends. A panic seized upon the men, at being thus
suddenly checked, the hearts of some of the Canadians died within them,
and two young men actually fainted away. The moment they recovered their
senses, Mr. Stuart ordered that they should be deprived of their arms,
their under garments taken off, and that a piece of cloth should be tied
round their waists, in imitation of a squaw; an Indian punishment for
cowardice. Thus equipped, they were stowed away among the goods in one
of the canoes. This ludicrous affair excited the mirth of the bolder
spirits, even in the midst of their perils, and roused the pride of the
wavering. The Indians having crossed back again to the north side, order
was restored, some of the hands were sent back for the oars, others set
to work to calk and launch the canoes, and in a little while all were
embarked and were continuing their voyage along the southern shore.

No sooner had they departed, than the Indians returned to the scene of
action, bore off their two comrades who had been shot, one of whom
was still living, and returned to their village. Here they killed two
horses; and drank the hot blood to give fierceness to their courage.
They painted and arrayed themselves hideously for battle; performed the
dead dance round the slain, and raised the war song of vengeance. Then
mounting their horses to the number of four hundred and fifty men, and
brandishing their weapons, they set off along the northern bank of the
river, to get ahead of the canoes, lie in wait for them, and take a
terrible revenge on the white men.

They succeeded in getting some distance above the canoes without being
discovered, and were crossing the riv