who were wedded to his heart by the dearer ties of
affection and kindred? As Ponteac had justly observed,
the English garrisons, strong in their own defences, were
little likely to be speedily reduced, while their enemies
confined themselves to overt acts of hostility; but,
against their insidious professions of amity who could
oppose a sufficient caution? His father, the young officer
was aware, had all along manifested a spirit of conciliation
towards the Indians, which, if followed up by the government
generally, must have had the effect of preventing the
cruel and sanguinary war that had so recently desolated
this remote part of the British possessions. How likely,
therefore, was it, having this object always in view, he
should give in to the present wily stratagem, where such
plausible motives for the abandonment of their hostile
purpose were urged by the perfidious chiefs! From the
few hasty hints already given him by his guide,--that
kind being, who evidently sought to be the saviour of
the devoted garrisons,--he had gathered that a deep and
artful plan was to be submitted to the chiefs by their
leader; but little did he imagine it was of the finished
nature it now proved to be. Any other than the present
attempt, the vigilance and prudence of his experienced
father, he felt, would have rendered abortive; but there
was so much speciousness in the pleas that were to be
advanced in furtherance of their assumed object, he could
not but admit the almost certainty of their influence,
even on him.

Sick and discouraged as he was at the horrible perspective