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house was attacted by them. I flew to my cham- ber window, and perceived them to be twelve in number. They making several attempts to get in, I asked them what they wanted. They gave me no answer, but eontinued beating, and try- ing to get the door opened. Judge, then, the condition I must be in, knowing the cruelty and merciless disposition of those savages, should I fall into their hands. To escape which dreadful misfortune, having my gun loaded in my hand, I threatened them with death if they should not desist. But how vain and fruitless are the cfforts of one man against the united foree of so many, and of such mcrciless, undaunted, and blood- thirsty monsters as I had here to deal with. One of them that eould speak a little English, threat- ened me in return, that, if I did not come out, they would burn me alive in the house—telling me farther, that they were no fricnds to the Eng- lish ; but if I would come out and surrender my- self prisoner, they would not kill me. My ter- ror and distraction at hearing this is not to be expressed by words, nor easily imagined by any person, unless in the same condition. Little could I depend on the promises of such creature, and yet, if I did not, incvitablc death, by being burnt alive, must me my lot. Distracted as I was, in such deplorable cireumstances, I chose to rely on the uncertainty of their fallacious
