as to us a matter of little or no consideration, as we
were well prepared to receive them: yet we determined not to let them
know our strength within until the last moment, when we should be
certain with our firearms to bring down five of them at the first
discharge. Our Indians took their bows and selected only such arrows as
were used by their children when fishing, so that the hostile party
might attribute their wounds and the defence of their buildings to a few
bold and resolute boys.

At morn, the Umbiquas made their appearance with two ladders, each
carried by three men, while others were lingering about and giving
directions, more by sign than word. They often looked towards the
loop-holes, but the light of day was yet too faint for their glances to
detect us; and besides, they were lulled into perfect security by the
dead silence we had kept during the whole night. Indeed, they thought
the boat-house had been deserted, and the certain degree of caution with
which they proceeded was more the effect of savage cunning and nature
than the fear of being seen or of meeting with any kind of resistance.

The two ladders were fixed against one of the towers, and an Indian
ascended upon each; at first they cast an inquisitive glance through the
holes upon both sides of the door, but we concealed ourselves. Then all
the Umbiquas formed in a circle round the ladders, with their bows and
spears, watching the loop-holes. At the chiefs command, the first blows
were struck, and the Indians on the ladders began to batter both doors
with their tomahawks. While in the act of striking for the third time,
the Umbiqua on the eastern door staggered and fell down the ladder; his
breast had been pierced by an arrow. At the same moment, a loud scream
from the other tower showed that there also we had had the same success.

The Umbiquas retired precipitately with their dead, uttering a yell of
disappointment and rage, to which three of our boys, being ordered so to
do, responded with a shrill war-whoop of defiance. This made the
Umbiquas quite frantic, but they were now more prudent. The arrows that
had killed their comrades were children-arrows; still there could be no
doubt but that they had been shot by warriors. They retired behind a
projecting rock on the bank of the river, only thirty yards in our
front, but quite protected from our missiles. There they formed a
council of war, and waited for their men and canoes, which they expect