They had found two small loopholes near a corner of the fort, and from these points of vantage were firing on the enemy with good effect. But not far away, a large number of red men were secreted behind a set of outbuildings and could not be reached.
"We'll give them some hot shot," ordered Major Gladwyn, and had a cannon brought into proper range. After the cannon was loaded with powder it was filled with red-hot spikes and touched off. The spikes fell all around the buildings, setting them on fire, and then the Indians had to retire from that neighborhoood, the English firing on them as they ran.
CHAPTER XXIII
IN THE WILDERNESS ONCE MORE
For six hours the attack upon Fort Detroit continued with unabated fury. From every side arose blood-curdling war cries, and these were returned by the old-time hunters and trappers inside the stronghold. Time and again it looked as if the red men would do their best to storm the palisade, and the guard was urged to be on the alert against every new move the enemy made.
At last the Indians saw that further firing upon the fort would be useless, and one after another the various chiefs and their warriors withdrew. Inside the fort five men had been wounded, and the red enemy had suffered perhaps a slightly greater loss.
Major Gladwyn had not been caught napping so far as the attack was concerned, but he had been caught in another direction. He was short of provisions, and scarcely knew what to do in case the Indians should besiege the fort for any length of time.
"We must get more provisions in," he said to Major Campbell, his second in command. "Let us open negotiations with the Indians. That will give us time in which to fill up our storehouse."
Accordingly negotiating were opened and lasted several days. After conferring with La Butte and others, Pontiac said he wanted to talk to Major Campbell.
"Very well, I'll see him," said Major Campbell, and without hesitation departed on his dangerous mission, taking several others with him. He was received by Pontiac with scant ceremony and when he started to return to the fort, was told that he must remain a prisoner of the Indians.