dark in the
forest and we hoped they might not discover our back track for some
time, thus giving us a longer start. This ruse was successful. After
some hours travel I became so exhausted that I stopped to rest, whereat
the Mohigans left us, but Shanks bided with me, though urging me to move
forward. After a time I got strength to move on. Shanks said the
Canadians would come up with us if we did not make fast going of it, and
that they would disembowel us or tie us to a tree and burn us as was
their usual way, for we could in no wise hope to make head against so
large a party. Thus we walked steadily till high noon, when my wretched
strength gave out so that I fell down saying I had as leave die there as
elsewhere. Shanks followed back on our trail, while I fell into a drouse
but was so sore I could not sleep. After a time I heard a shot, and
shortly two more, when Shanks came running back to me. He had killed an
advancing indian and stopped them for a moment. He kicked me vigorously,
telling me to come on, as the Indians would soon come on again. I got
up, and though I could scarcely move I was minded diligently to
persevere after Shanks. Thus we staggered on until near night time, when
we again stopped and I fell into a deep sleep, but the enemy did not
again come up. On the following day we got into Fort Edward, where I was
taken with a distemper, was seized with very grevious pains in the head
and back and a fever. They let blood and gave me a physic, but I did not
get well around for some time. For this sickness I have always been
thankful, otherwise I should have been with Major Rogers in his
unfortunate battle, which has become notable enough, where he was
defeated by the Canadians and Indians and lost nigh all his private men,
only escaping himself by a miracle. We mourned the loss of many friends
who were our comrades, though it was not the fault of any one, since the
Enemy had three times the number of the Rangers and hemmed them in. Some
of the Rangers had surrendered under promise of Quarter, but we
afterwards heard that they were tied to trees and hacked to death
because the indians had found a scalp in the breast of a man's hunting
frock, thus showing that we could never expect such bloody minded
villiains to keep their promises of Quarter.

I was on several scouts against them that winter but encountered nothing
worthy to relate excepting the hardships which fell to a Ranger's lot.
In June the Army hav