it with a coat of clay in the parts which were most exposed.

We were now ten men, seven of us armed with firearms and pretty certain
of our aim: we had also sixteen women and nine children, boys and girls,
to whom various posts were assigned, in case of a night attack. The six
warriors who had gone to the settlement for firearms would return in a
short time, and till then we had nothing to do but to be cautious, to
wait for the enemy, and even bear their first attack without using our
firearms, that they might not suspect our strength inside. One of the
old men, a cunning fellow, who had served his time as a. brave warrior,
hit upon a plan which we followed. He proposed that another man should
accompany him to the neighbourhood of the place where the canoes had
been concealed, and keep up the fires, so that the smoke should lull all
suspicion. The Umbiquas, on their arrival before the post, would
indubitably send one of their men to call the canoe-keepers; this one
they would endeavour to take alive, and bring him to the post. One of
the canoes was consequently launched in the river, and late in the
evening the two Indians, well armed with fusils, started on this
expedition.




CHAPTER VIII.


The Umbiquas came at last; their want of precaution showed their
certainty of success. At all events, they did not suspect there were any
firearms in the block-house, for they halted within fifty yards from
the eastern tower, and it required more than persuasion to prevent Roche