upon the injustice of their conduct were only answered by a blow of the tomahawk; and seeing there was no alternative, he crept in upon his hands, holding his scalping-knife between his teeth. The cave was so dark, that some minutes elapsed before he could distinguish the animal, which had retreated into a corner of the den in the agonies of death, having been mortally wounded by one of the Indians. My

uncle having advanced cautiously, drew his knife across the throat of the panther, and seizing him by the tail, dragged him out of the den, and with an air of indignation threw him down before the astonished savages, who, humbled and crestfallen, were convinced that he bore a charmed life, and that it was fruitless to endeavour to injure him.

'Three years were passed away by my uncle amongst the Indians; and having accumulated a considerable number of skins and other products of their country, John proposed that a party of the tribe should proceed to the United States, to exchange them for powder and shot, which they now stood much in need of. Accordingly, he with his adopted son, and seven of their followers, proceeded to Charleston. Here it was that my uncle recognised one of the officers of the 42d. Home and all its sweet associations rushed into his heart, and he went up directly and ad

dressed his old companion in arms, who, if possible, was more astonished at hearing a young Indian speak in his own language. It was some time before he could be brought to acknowledge his identity. His adopted father was all this while beside them, his anxious piercing looks full of anxiety, which was increased when he found that my uncle intended accompanying the officer to his quarters, where he followed them. A long and interesting conversation took place, and his friend represented in the strongest terms the folly of spending his life amidst a tribe of savages, and recalled to my uncle the duty he owed to his parent, his king, and his country; in return, my uncle pleaded all he owed his adopted father. His friend did not press the subject too keenly at the moment; but having written to the commanding officer the history of Charles's captivity, an order was despatched to Charles, claiming him as a British officer, and commanding him to join his regiment with as little delay as possible. There was no disputing this order, as he would be considered a deserter; and he had the painful duty of explaining this to Michigan John, who was overwhelmed with grief. He endeavoured by every means in his power to prevail on my uncle to go home with him. "Return, return, my son John, with your old father. Why should you seek again to become a white

six years. Afterwards, being sold to a Delaware, and by him put into the hands of a trader, I was carried among the Shawanees, with whom I continued six years; so that my whole time among these nations was twelve yearsthat is, from the eighth to the twentieth year of my age. At the treaty of Fort Pitt, in the fall preceding what is called Dunmore's war,-which, if I am right, was in the year 1773,-I came in with the Shawanees nation to the treaty; and meeting with some of my relations at that place, was by them solicited to relinquish the life of a savage, which I did with some reluctance, this manner of life having become natural to me, inasmuch as I had scarcely known any other. I enlisted as a soldier in the continental army at the commencement of the American War of Independence, and served fifteen months. Having been properly discharged, I have since married, have a family, and am in communion with the Church.

'Having been a prisoner among the Indians many years, and so being well acquainted with the country west of the Ohio, I was employed as a guide in the expedition under Colonel William Crawford against the Indian towns on or near the river Sandusky, in the year 1782. On Tuesday, the 4th of June, we fought the enemy near Sandusky, and lay that night in our camp. The next day we fired on each other at the distance of three

hundred yards, doing little or no execution.

'In the evening of that day, it was proposed by Colonel Crawford, as I have been since informed, to draw off with order; but at the moment of our retreat, the Indians-who had probably perceived that we were about to

retire-firing alarm guns, our men broke and rode off in confusion, treading down those who were on foot, and leaving the wounded men, who supplicated to be taken with them. I was with some others in the rear of our troops, feeding our horses in the glade, when our men began to break. The main body of our people had passed by me a considerable distance before I was ready to set out. I overtook them before I crossed the glade, and was advanced almost in front. The company of five or six men with whom I had been immediately connected, and who were at some distance to the right of the main body, had separated from me, and endeavoured to pass a morass; for, coming up, I found their horses had stuck fast in it, and in endeavouring to pass, mine also, like theirs, became a captive. Í tried a long time to disengage my horse, until I could hear the enemy just behind me and on each side, but in vain. Here then was I obliged to leave him. The morass was so unstable, that I was up to the middle in it, and it was with the greatest difficulty I got across it; but which having at length done,

I came up with the six men, who had left their horses in the same manner I had done, two of these, my companions, having lost their guns.

'We travelled that night, making our course towards Detroit, with a view to shun the enemy, whom we conceived to have taken the paths by which the main body of our people had retreated. Just before day we got into a second deep morass, and were under the necessity of stopping until it was light to see our way through it.

The whole of this day we travelled towards the Shawanees' towns, with a view of throwing ourselves still farther out of the search of the enemy. About ten o'clock this day we sat down to eat a little, having tasted nothing from Tuesday, the day of our engagement, until this time, which was on Thursday; and now the only thing we had to eat was a scrap of pork for each. We had sat down just by a warrior's path, which we had not suspected, when eight or nine warriors appeared. Running off hastily, we left our luggage and provisions, but were not discovered by the party; for, skulking some time in the grass and bushes, we returned to the place, and recovered our baggage. The warriors had hallooed as they passed, and were answered by others on our flank.

'We set off at break of day. About nine o'clock the third day, we fell in with a party of

the enemy, about 135 miles from Fort Pitt. They had come upon our track, or had been on our flank, and discovered us; and then, having got before, had waylaid us, and fired before we perceived them. At the first fire, one of my companions fell before me, and another just behind me; these two had guns. There were six men in company, and four guns; two of these had been rendered useless by the wet when coming through the swamp the first night; we had tried to discharge them, but could not. When the Indians fired, I ran to a tree; but an Indian presenting himself fifteen yards before me, desired me to deliver myself up, and I should not be hurt. My gun was in good order; but, apprehending the enemy might discharge their pieces at me, I did not risk firing, which I had afterwards reason to regret, when I found what was to be my fate, and that the Indian who was before me was one of those who had just fired. Two of my companions were taken with me in the same manner, the Indians assuring us we should not be hurt. One of these Indians knew me, and was of the party by whom I was taken in the last war. He came up and spoke to me, calling me by my Indian name, Mannuchcothee, and upbraiding me for coming to war against them.

"The party by whom we were made prisoners had taken some horses, but left them at the

glades we had passed the day before. From these glades they had followed on our track; on our return we found the horses, and each of us rode. We were carried to a town of the Mingoes and Shawanees. I think it was on the third day we reached the town; which as we were approaching, the Indians in whose custody we were began to look sour, having been kind to us before, and given us a little meat and flour to eat, which they had found or taken from some of our men on their retreat. This town is small, and, we were told, was about two miles distant from the main town, to which they meant to carry us. The inhabitants from this town came out with clubs and tomahawks, struck, beat, and abused us greatly. One of my two companions they seized, and having stripped him naked, blacked him with coal and water: this was the sign that he must be burnt. The man seemed to surmise it, and shed tears. He asked me the meaning of his being blacked; but I was forbid by the enemy, in their own language, to tell him what was intended. In English, which they spoke very easily, having been often at Fort Pitt, they assured him he was not to be hurt. I knew of no reason for making him the first object of their cruelty, unless it was that he was the oldest.

'A warrior had been to the greater town to acquaint them

with our coming, and prepare them for the frolic; for, on our coming to it, the inhabitants came out with guns, clubs, and tomahawks. We were told we had to run to the council-house, about 300 yards. The man that was black was about twenty yards before us in running the gauntlet; they made him their principal object, men, women, and children beating him, and those who had guns firing loads of powder on him as he ran naked, putting the muzzles of the guns to his body, shouting, hallooing,and beating their drums in the meantime. The unhappy man had reached the door of the council-house, beaten and wounded in a manner shocking to the sight; for, having arrived before him, we had it in our power to view the spectacle; it was indeed the most horrid that can be conceived. They had cut him with their tomahawks, shot his body black, burnt it into holes with loads of powder blown into him; a large wadding had made a hole in his shoulder, from whence the blood gushed.

'Agreeably to the declaration of the enemy when he first set out, he had reason to think himself secure when he had reached the door of the council-house; this seemed to be his hope; for, coming up with great struggling and endeavour, he laid hold on the door, but was pulled back and drawn away by them. Finding they intended no mercy but putting him to death, he at