arm. But it happened that towards the
end of May news reached the Indians at Michilimackinac
of the situation at Detroit, and with the news came a
war-belt signifying that they were to destroy the British
garrison. A crowd of Indians, chiefly Chippewas and Sacs,
presently assembled at the post. This was a usual thing
in spring, and would cause no suspicion. The savages,
however, had planned to attack the fort on June 4, the
birthday of George III. The British were to celebrate
the day by sports and feasting, and the Chippewas and
Sacs asked to be allowed to entertain the officers with
a game of lacrosse. Etherington expressed pleasure at
the suggestion, and told the chiefs who waited on him
that he would back his friends the Chippewas against
their Sac opponents. On the morning of the 4th posts were
set up on the wide plain behind the fort, and tribe was
soon opposed to tribe. The warriors appeared on the field
with moccasined feet, and otherwise naked save for
breech-cloths. Hither and thither the ball was batted,
thrown, and carried. Player pursued player, tripping,
slashing, shouldering each other, and shouting in their
excitement as command of the ball passed with the fortunes
of the game from Chippewa to Sac and from Sac to Chippewa.
Etherington and Lieutenant Leslie were standing near the
gate, interested spectators of the game; and all about,
and scattered throughout the fort, were squaws with
stoical faces, each holding tight about her a gaudily
coloured blanket. The game was at its height, when a
player threw the ball to a spot near the gate of the
fort. There was a wild rush for it; and, as the gate was
reached, lacrosse sticks were cast aside, the squaws
threw open their blankets, and the players seized the
tomahawks and knives held out in readiness to them. The
shouts of play were changed to war-whoops. Instantly
Etherington and Leslie were seized and hurried to a
near-by wood. Into the fort the horde dashed. Here stood
more squaws with weapons; and before the garrison had
time to seize their arms, Lieutenant Jamette and fifteen
soldiers were slain and scalped, and the rest made
prisoners, while the French inhabitants stood by, viewing
the tragedy with apparent indifference.

Etherington, Leslie, and the soldiers were held close
prisoners. A day or two after the capture of the fort a
Chippewa chief, _Le Grand Sable_, who had not been present
at the massacre, returned from his wintering-ground. He
en