Acting on the hint, the warriors went up the stairs, and who shall picture the feelings of the poor man, when he heard their footsteps and the next moment their hands trying the door? The absence of the key caused delay, which he quickly turned to account. In the corner of the room was a heap of birch vessels used in making maple sugar. He crawled under these, covering himself as best he could.
He had barely time to do so, when four Indians, covered with the blood of their victims, stalked into the room. They walked about the garret, peering here and there, one of them coming so close that the trembling white man could have touched his moccasin. But the twilight of the room (it had no windows) and the dark clothing of Henry helped him, and the Indians went down stairs without finding him. In the end, he made his escape, as has been stated, and we are indebted to him for the story of the fall of Mackinaw.
CHAPTER VII
A BESIEGED GARRISON
THE ATTACK ON DETROIT
ET us now return to Detroit. Its experience is without a parallel in the history of our country. Never before was a town of importance held in a state of siege for more than a year by Indians. That such a remarkable thing took place was due to the genius of the master mind, who held the turbulent savages to their work, when the task of waiting is the most distasteful that can befall their race. Pontiac had to foresee the means of providing his forces with food, and he did it. He was the first American savage—so far as we have been able to learn—who gave promissory notes for the supplies he had to take from the neutral French residents outside of Detroit. Whenever he did this, he handed a memorandum of what had been taken, marked on the inside of a piece of bark, to which was added his totum, the sign of an otter. Moreover, this aboriginal financier redeemed every one of those notes, thereby setting a good example to his white brethren.
The Ottawa, upon being refused admittance within the stockade, had thrown aside all pretence of friendship or neutrality, and pressed his designs with a skill that even the defenders admired. The red skins crouched behind outbuildings, stumps and earth, and opened a hot fire which lasted for several hours. The garrison replied as best they could, but little injury was done on either side. Finally, a cannon was loaded to the muzzle with red hot slugs, and the bits of iron when discharged, set fire to the principal outbuildings. As the savages scampered for cover, the garrison picked off a number of the most conspicuous.