pots in the interior and on the
lakes, all of which, when they gave up the country, were garrisoned by
our troops, to keep the Indians under control.

"All these forts are isolated, and communication between them is rare.
It was in 1763 that Pontiac first showed his hostility against us, and
his determination, if possible, to drive us from the lakes. He was as
cunning as he was brave; and, as an Indian, showed more generalship than
might be expected--that is, according to their system of war, which is
always based upon stratagem. His plan of operation was, to surprise all
our forts at the same time, if he possibly could; and so excellent were
his arrangements, that it was only fifteen days after the plan was first
laid, that he succeeded in gaining possession of all but three; that is,
he surprised ten out of thirteen forts. Of course, the attacks were
made by other chiefs, under his directions, as Pontiac could not be at
all the simultaneous assaults."

"Did he murder the garrisons, Captain Sinclair?" said Alfred.

"The major portion of them: some were spared, and afterwards ransomed at
high prices. I ought to have mentioned, as a singular instance of the
advance of this chief in comparison with the other Indians, that at this
time he issued bills of credit on slips of bark, signed with his totem,
the otter; and that these bills, unlike many of more civilised society,
were all taken up and paid."

"That is very remarkable in a savage," observed Mrs Campbell; "but how
did Pontiac contrive to surprise all the forts?"

"Almost the whole of them were taken by a singular stratagem. The
Indians are very partial to, and exceedingly dexterous at, a game called
the `Baggatiway': it is played with a ball and a long-handled sort of
racket. They divide into two parties, and the object of each party is
to drive the hall to their own goal. It is something like hurly in
England, or golf in Scotland. Many hundreds are sometimes engaged on
both sides; and the Europeans are so fond of seeing the activity and
dexterity shown by the Indians at this game, that it was very common to
request them to play it, when they happened to be near the forts. Upon
this, Pontiac arranged his plan, which was that his Indians should
commence the game of ball under the forts, and after playing a short
time, strike the ball into the fort: of course, some of them would go in
for it; and having done this two or three times, and recommenced the
p