stributed the whites saw a number of other
canoes putting off, loaded with armed warriors, painted black and red.
The half-breed instantly told the Indians round about to paddle to the
shore, and warned the whites to push off at once, at the same time
giving them some instructions about the river. The armed Indians went
down along the shore for some time as if to intercept them; but at last
they were seemingly left behind.

In a short time another Indian village was reached, where the warriors
tried in vain to lure the whites ashore; and as the boats were hugging
the opposite bank, they were suddenly fired at by a party in ambush, and
one man slain. Immediately afterwards a much more serious tragedy
occurred. There was with the flotilla a boat containing twenty-eight
men, women, and children, among whom small-pox had broken out. To guard
against infection, it was agreed that it should keep well in the rear;
being warned each night by the sound of a horn when it was time to go
into camp. As this forlorn boat-load of unfortunates came along, far
behind the others, the Indians, seeing its defenceless position, sallied
out in their canoes, and butchered or captured all who were aboard.
Their cries were distinctly heard by the rearmost of the other craft,
who could not stem the current and come to their rescue. But a dreadful
retribution fell on the Indians; for they were infected with the disease
of their victims, and for some months virulent small-pox raged among
many of the bands of Creeks and Cherokees. When stricken by the disease,
the savages first went into the sweat-houses, and when heated to
madness, plunged into the cool streams, and so perished in multitudes.

When the boats entered the Narrows they had lost sight of the Indians on
shore, and thought they had left them behind. A man, who was in a canoe,
had gone aboard one of the larger boats with his family, for the sake of
safety while passing through the rough water. His canoe was towed
alongside, and in the rapids it was overturned, and the cargo lost. The
rest of the company, pitying his distress over the loss of all his
worldly goods, landed, to see if they could not help him recover some of
his property. Just as they got out on the shore to walk back, the
Indians suddenly appeared almost over them, on the high cliffs opposite,
and began to fire, causing a hurried retreat to the boats. For some
distance the Indians lined the bluffs, firing from the heights i