All this time no one was seen in or about the fortified hut The gate
was closed, as were the doors and windows, manifesting preparations
for defence; but the garrison kept close. Nor was Peter to be seen.
He might be a prisoner, or he might not have come in this direction.
It was just possible that he might be stealing up to the building,
to get a nearer view, and a closer scout.
Indian warfare is always stealthy. It is seldom, indeed, that the
aboriginal Americans venture on an open assault of any fortified
place, however small and feeble it may be. Ignorant of the use of
artillery, and totally without that all-important arm, their
approaches to any cover, whence a bullet may be sent against them,
are ever wary, slow, and well concerted. They have no idea of
trenches--do not possess the means of making them, indeed--but they
have such substitutes of their own as usually meet all their wants,
more particularly in portions of the country that are wooded. In
cases like this before our present band, they had to exercise their
wits to invent new modes of effecting their purposes.
Bear's Meat collected his principal chiefs, and, after a
considerable amount of consultation, it was determined, in the
present instance, to try the virtue of fire.
Pages:
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665