they
would be no mean adversaries, but I had never hunted them or they me.

[Illustration: 31 NOT MUCH FITTED FOR BUSH-RANGING]

I talked at great length with this Shankland, or Shanks as he was called
on account of his name and his long legs, in course of which he
explained many useful points to me concerning Ranger ways. He said they
always marched until it was quite dark before encamping--that they
always returned by a different route from that on which they went out,
and that they circled on their trail at intervals so that they might
intercept any one coming on their rear. He told me not to gather up
close to other Rangers in a fight but to keep spread out, which gave the
Enemy less mark to fire upon and also deceived them as to your own
numbers. Then also he cautioned me not to fire on the Enemy when we were
in ambush till they have approached quite near, which will put them in
greater surprise and give your own people time to rush in on them with
hatchets or cutlasses. Shanks and I had finally a great fancy for each
other and passed most of our time in company. He was a slow man in his
movements albeit he could move fast enough on occassion, and was a great
hand to take note of things happening around him. No indian was better
able to discern a trail in the bush than he, nor could one be found his
equal at making snow shoes, carving a powder horn or fashioning any
knick-nack he was a mind to set his hand to.

The Rangers were accustomed to scout in small parties to keep the Canada
indians from coming close to Fort Edward. I had been out with Shanks on
minor occasions, but I must relate my first adventure.

A party... (here the writing is lost)... was desirous of taking a
captive or scalp. I misdoubted our going alone by ourselvs, but he said
we were as safe as with more. We went northwest slowly for two days, and
though we saw many old trails we found none which were fresh. We had
gone on until night when we lay bye near a small brook. I was awakened
by Shanks in the night and heard a great howling of wolves at some
distance off togther with a gun shot. We lay awake until daybreak and at
intervals heard a gun fired all though the night. We decided that the
firing could not come from a large party and so began to approach the
sound slowly and with the greatest caution. We could not understand why
the wolves should be so bold with the gun firing, but as we came neare
we smelled smoke and knew it was a camp-fire