In this he pursued a line of policy happily adapted to
the delicate nature of his position. Unwilling to excite
the anger or wound the pride of the chiefs, by any outward
manifestation of distrust, he affected to confide in the
sincerity of their professions, and, by inducing his
officers to mix occasionally in their councils, and his
men in the amusements of the inferior warriors, contrived
to impress the conviction that he reposed altogether on
their faith. But, although these acts were in some degree
coerced by the necessity of the times, and a perfect
knowledge of all the misery that must accrue to them in
the event of their provoking the Indians into acts of
open hostility, the prudent governor took such precautions
as were deemed efficient to defeat any treacherous attempt
at violation of the tacit treaty on the part of the
natives. The officers never ventured out, unless escorted
by a portion of their men, who, although appearing to be
dispersed among the warriors, still kept sufficiently
together to be enabled, in a moment of emergency, to
afford succour not only to each other but to their
superiors. On these occasions, as a further security
against surprise, the troops left within were instructed
to be in readiness, at a moment's warning, to render
assistance, if necessary, to their companions, who seldom,
on any occasion, ventured out of reach of the cannon of
the fort, the gate of which was hermetically closed,
while numerous supernumerary sentinels were posted along
the ramparts, with a view to give the alarm if any thing
extraordinary was observed to occur without.