"

I made no remark, though I was thinking all the time of various plans.
I was anxious to hear what Pierre would say.

"Better tell them we English pale-faces," he observed at last; "dey kill
us if dey like; but if dey do, our great Queen hunt up every man jack of
dem, and hang dem."

I was very much inclined to agree with Pierre that our best chance of
escaping was to make the savages understand that we belonged to the
palefaces over the frontier, of whom they might possibly have heard, and
that our Sovereign always punished those who injured her subjects.

The savages, however, at present, gave us no opportunity of addressing
them; but we could see them unpacking our valises, pulling to pieces out
well-made-up packs, overhauling our cooking utensils, apparently
appropriating various articles, not, however, without a considerable
amount of talking and gesticulation. They then put on our buffalo meat
and venison to cook, and began laughing and jeering at us as they ate
it. At length they discovered several packages which had before escaped
their notice, having been hidden in the grass. Among them was a case
containing brandy; but as we kept it locked, it was some time before
they managed to break it open with their axes. On finding that it
contained bottles, they raised a shout of joy; and one being forthwith
opened by knocking off the neck, the savage who had performed the
operation poured some of the contents down his throat. Uttering a howl
of satisfaction, he was about to take a second draught, when another
seized it, and it was rapidly passed on, until it was empty. Another
and another bottle was treated in the same way, although the chief of
the party appeared to be urging his followers to take no more for the
present; but to this they evidently did not agree; and while his back
was turned, two more bottles were abstracted. On seeing this, he seized
one of them, and poured no small part of the contents down his own
throat, apparently fearing that his companions would drink it up and
leave him none. The result which was to be expected followed; but they
had swallowed the liquor too rapidly to render them immediately
helpless, though it excited their fiercest passions; and to our horror,
getting on their legs, they drew their tomahawks and approached us with
the evident intention of taking our lives. Before, however, they had
made many steps towards us, they sank to the ground; while others--with
the b