daring to breathe, and though he saw nothing he
stopped once and seemed undecided as to going on, but suspecting nothing
he continued and was captured by our people below, for prisoners were
wanted at Headquarters to give information of the French forces and
intentions. A man taken in this way was threatened with Death if he did
not tell the whole truth, which under the circumstancs he mostly did to
save his life.

The French did not come out of the Fort after us, though Rogers tried to
entice them by firing guns and showing small parties of men which
feigned to retreat. We were ordered to destroy what we could of the
supplies, so Shanks and I killed a small cow which we found in the edge
of the clearing and took off some fresh beef of which food we were sadly
in need, for on these scouts the Rangers were not permitted to fire guns
at game though it was found in thir path, as it often was in fact. I can
remember on one occassion that I stood by a tree in a snow storm, with
my gun depressed under my frock the better to keep it dry, when I was
minded to glance quickly around and there saw a large wolf just ready to
spring upon me. I cautiously presented my fusee but did not dare to fire
against the orders. An other Ranger came shortly into view and the wolf
took himself off. We burned some large wood piles, which no doubt made
winter work for to keep some Frenchers at home. They only fired some
cannon at us, which beyond a great deal of noise did no harm. We then
marched back to Fort Edward and were glad enough to get there, since it
was time for snow-shoes, which we had not with us.

The Canada indians were coming down to our Forts and even behind them to
intercept our convoys or any parties out on the road, so that the
Rangers were kept out, to head them when they could, or get knowledge of
their whereabouts. Shanks and I went out with two Mohegon indians on a
scout. It was exceedingly stormy weather and very heavy travelling
except on the River. I had got a bearskin blanket from the indians which
is necessary to keep out the cold at this season. We had ten days of
bread, pork and rum with a little salt with us, and followed the indians
in a direction North-and-bye-East towards the lower end of Lake
Champlain, always keeping to the high-ground with the falling snow to
fill our tracks behind us. For four days we travelled when we were well
up the west side. We had crossed numbers of trails but they were all
full of old