arger ransom. These demands were
refused, and a conflict ensued of the most frightful and terrific
character. Tomahawks, knives, and arrows, were used indiscriminately,
and many an Indian fell in that bloody contest. The tomahawks were
thrown with the swiftness of arrows, and were generally buried in the
skull or the breast; and whenever two came in contact, with the famous
"Indian hug," the strife was soon over with either one or the other, by
one plunging the deadly knife up to the hilt in the body of his
opponent; nor were the poisoned arrows of less swift execution, for,
wherever they struck, the wretched victim was quickly in eternity. I
shall never forget the frightful barbarity of that hour; although years
have elapsed since its occurrence, still the whole scene in imagination
is before me, the savage yell of the warwhoop, and the direful screams
of the squaws, still ring afresh in my ears. In the height of this
conflict, a tall Indian chief, who, I knew, belonged to the same tribe
with the young squaw who gave me the drink, came down to the beach where
I was. The boat had been discharged, and was lying with her head off. At
a signal given by the squaw to the chief, he caught me up in his arms,
with as much ease as if I had been a child, waded to the boat, threw me
in, and then, with a most expressive gesture, urged us off. Fortunately,
there were two oars in the boat, and, feeble as I was, I threw all the
remaining strength I had to the oar. It was the last effort, as life or
death hung upon the next fifteen minutes. Disappointed of a share of the
booty, the savages were frantic with rage, especially when they saw I
had eluded their grasp. Rushing to the beach, about a dozen threw
themselves into the other boat, which had been captured, and pulled
after us; but, fortunately, in their hurry, they had forgotten the
muskets, and being unacquainted with the method of rowing, of course
they made but little progress, which enabled us to increase
our distance.

The privateer having narrowly watched all these movements, and seeing
our imminent danger, stood boldly on toward the beach, and in the next
five minutes she lay between us and the Indians, discharging a heavy
fire of musketry among them. Such was the high excitement of my
feelings, that I scarcely recollected how I gained the privateer's deck.
But I was saved, nevertheless, though I was weak with the loss of blood,
and savage treatment,--my limbs benumbed, and