The Day Shannon Left Us In The Canoe,
He And Willard Proceeded Till They Met A Party Of Twenty Indians,
Who, having never heard of us, did not know where they [our
men] came from; they, however, behaved with so
Much civility,
and seemed so anxious that the men should go with them toward the sea,
that their suspicions were excited, and they declined going on.
The Indians, however, would not leave them; the men being confirmed
in their suspicions, and fearful that if they went into the woods
to sleep they would be cut to pieces in the night, thought it best
to pass the night in the midst of the Indians. They therefore
made a fire, and after talking with them to a late hour, laid down
with their rifles under their heads. As they awoke that morning
they found that the Indians had stolen and concealed their guns.
Having demanded them in vain, Shannon seized a club, and was about
assaulting one of the Indians, whom he suspected as a thief, when another
Indian began to load a fowling-piece with the intention of shooting him.
He therefore stopped, and explained by signs that if they did not
give up the guns a large party would come down the river before
the sun rose to such a height, and put every one of them to death.
Fortunately, Captain Lewis and his party appeared at this time.
The terrified Indians immediately brought the guns, and five of them
came on with Shannon.
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