n we were
agreeably surprised at the sight of more than thirty Indians, coming
from war with only one scalp. We had some liquor with us, of which we
gave them a part. This, elevating their spirits, put them in the humor
of dancing. We then had a war dance. After clearing a large space, and
making a great fire in the middle, the men seated themselves around it,
and the speaker made a grand speech, telling them in what manner they
were to dance. After he had finished, the best dancer jumped up, as one
awakened from sleep, and ran and jumped about the ring in the most
comical manner. He was followed by the rest. Then began their music,
which was performed with a pot half full of water, and a deer skin
stretched tight over it, and a gourd with some shot in it to rattle, and
a piece of horse's tail tied to it to make it look fine. One person kept
rattling and another drumming all the while they were dancing."

George had never seen Indians in their wigwams until his surveying
expedition. He had never witnessed a war dance nor been brought face to
face with these red men until he engaged in this pursuit for Lord
Fairfax. The Indians were friendly, though it was known that they looked
upon the encroachments of the English colonists with suspicion, if not
with some bitterness. Occasionally a wandering band plundered defenceless
families and spread consternation abroad. But such hostile demonstrations
were exceptional.

"Strange must have been the emotions which at times agitated the bosom
of this pensive, reflective, heroic boy, as at midnight, far away from
the haunts of civilization, in the wigwam of the savage, he listened to
the wailings of the storm, interrupted only by the melancholy cry of the
night-bird, and the howl of wolves and other unknown beasts of prey. By
the flickering light of the wigwam fire, he saw, sharing his couch, the
dusky form of the Indian hunter, his squaw, and his pappooses."

Other entries in his journal show that George was compelled to submit to
privations that were new and strange to him.

"Travelled up to Solomon Hedges', Esquire, to-day, one of _His Majesty's
Justices of the Peace_, in the county of Frederick, where we camped.
When we came to supper there was neither a knife on the table nor a fork
to eat with; but as good luck would have it, we had knives of our own."

George put in italics the words indicated, evidently to call attention
to the poverty and degradation of some of "His Maj