savage trappings, converted them for the moment into seeming giants." The most hideously painted, and powerfully equipped North American Indian, would fail in a comparison[136] with one of these, as a fearful and majestic warrior. They rushed forward with shouts of exultation and joy, exclaiming, in tones of heart-felt triumph, as they went rapidly through the action of an onset,—throwing themselves in every wild and threatening attitude,—scowling with looks of deathly fierceness and revenge,—brandishing their spears and clubs in the air. "Cohapha, Cohapha, te hannah Muckey, Cohapha," or Death to the Cohaphas. We proceeded on the valley through which a small rivulet courses itself, which is thickly clustered "with trees, whose lofty tops so thickly interlace each other, as to completely embower the whole glen; and the rays of the torrid sun beneath which we had been marching, instead of striking us with a scorching glare, fell in such rich and grateful mellowness on the group below, as to seem but the moonlight of a fairy land; the illusion of which, the sound of water had but little tendency to break." Our army consisted of about three hundred able warriors, armed with clubs and spears, all with eager strides rushing on to meet the enemy. We at length reached the top of the mountain which separates the two tribes, and which also constituted the battle ground. Until we arrived there, no regular order was observed. The warriors were then divided into three companies, or divisions, leaving Noyce and myself to act for ourselves. Again we crawled unobserved down the hill, till we came within a few rods of the enemy. We loaded our gun as heavily as we dared do, putting seven slugs in it, meaning to do the principal work with the first shot, as they would probably retreat immediately, and not[137] give us an opportunity of firing again. All things in readiness, we softly crept a few rods nearer, and, as they were standing close together, (in consultation no doubt respecting an engagement, as our men were seen upon the field,) we discharged our battery upon them. Great was the havoc we made with a single shot, killing two and wounding three more. Among the wounded was the celebrated chief, Cappayoho, noted among all tribes for his great daring and cunningness in battle. We returned to the point occupied by our men, who had watched our movements and saw the execution of our only shot. Meanwhile our warriors had succeeded in taking the persons of three of the enemy. This to them was true revenge: to simply kill was no revenge at all; that alone consisted in disjointing the enemy, and tearing the flesh from his bones by the morsel. We were held in great estimation among them as warriors. We returned to the valley with shouts and songs of triumph; those who were infirm, and unable to join in the battle, with the women and children, met us as we came near home, and joined in the exclamation of joy.