Buffaloes have, it is said, been known to fall down on their knees,
unable either to run or make any resistance; and the bear has been so
terror-stricken as to quit his hold, and fall from the tree in utter
amazement and helplessness.

Again that fearful war-whoop arose, piercing our very brains; though
neither Martin nor I had ever heard it before it did not intimidate us,
nor did it the rest of the garrison.

We waited, as ordered, till we heard Alick shout "Fire!" when each man
discharged his musket, and immediately, as directed, grasped another.

The Indians, supposing that some time would elapse before we had
reloaded; sprang forward; but ere they could reach the walls another
volley laid many of them low, and we were prepared to pour in a third
upon them before they had again moved forward.

The shrieks and cries of the wounded rang through the air, for they were
so completely taken by surprise that for the time they forgot their
usual stoicism, and gave way to the impulse of human nature to cry out
with pain.

"Reload!" cried Alick, who had watched all their movements. "Fire the
moment one of them advances." Instead of approaching nearer, however,
the whole band drew back, when several muskets were discharged from
among them--the bullets being accompanied by a cloud of arrows; but
striking the palisades or flying over our heads, they did no harm.

"Those are the very arms we sold to the Indian the other day, I
suspect," observed Martin. "Sandy at the time said he was sure Mr Pipe
had some sinister object in view. He has managed to hand them over to
these rascals."

As soon as the Indians began to fire, Alick ordered us to fire in
return, he himself setting the example. As we had managed to reload all
the pieces we had already fired, and had several others still unused,
our bullets produced a fearful effect among the Indians, who retreated
farther and farther from the fort, till darkness hid them from view.

We sent another volley after them, when Alick ordered us to cease
firing, hoping that the enemy would not again venture to approach.

Immediately silence reigned throughout the fort. Not a shout was
raised, not a word above a whisper uttered, except when Alick in a stern
voice exclaimed, "Fire!"

The Indians had discovered that they could have no hope of taking us by
surprise; but, at the same time, we knew that they might again venture
to attack the fort, and that we must keep as much on the