savages in the region. Seeing that Cuyler's men were
panic-stricken, they broke from their cover, with unusual
boldness for Indians, and made a mad charge. The soldiers,
completely unnerved by the savage yells and hurtling
tomahawks, threw down their arms and dashed in confusion
to the boats. Five they succeeded in pushing off, and
into these they tumbled without weapons of defence. Cuyler
himself was left behind wounded; but he waded out, and
was taken aboard under a brisk fire from the shore. The
Indians then launched two of the abandoned boats, rushed
in pursuit of the fleeing soldiers, speedily captured
three of the boats, and brought them ashore in triumph.
The two others, in one of which was Cuyler, hoisted sail
and escaped. The Indians, as we have seen, brought the
captured boats and their prisoners to Detroit. Cuyler
had directed his course to Sandusky, but finding the
blockhouse there burnt to the ground, he had rowed eastward
to Presqu'isle, and then hastened to Niagara to report
the disaster.

The siege of Detroit went on. Towards the middle of June,
Jacques Baby brought word to the commandant that the
_Gladwyn_ was returning from the Niagara with supplies
and men, and that the Indians were making preparations
to capture her. A few miles below Detroit lay Fighting
Island; between it and the east shore, Turkey Island.
Here the savages had erected a breastwork, so carefully
concealed that it would be difficult even for the keenest
eyes to detect its presence. The vessel would have to
pass within easy range of this barricade; and it was the
plan of the Indians to dart out in their canoes as the
schooner worked up-stream, seize her, and slay her crew.
On learning this news Gladwyn ordered cannon to be fired
to notify the captain that the fort still held out, and
sent a messenger to meet the vessel with word of the
plot. It happened that the _Gladwyn_ was well manned and
prepared for battle. On board was Cuyler with twenty-two
survivors of the ill-starred convoy, besides twenty-eight
men of Captain Hopkins's company. To deceive the Indians
as to the number of men, all the crew and soldiers, save
ten or twelve, were concealed in the hold; to invite
attack, the vessel advanced boldly up-stream, and at
nightfall cast anchor in the narrow channel in front of
Turkey Island. About midnight the Indians stealthily
boarded their canoes and cautiously, but confidently,
swept towards her with muffled paddles. The _G