ed lay in the neighboring river. He used only an habitual form of speech when he threatened the 'yard-arm,' instead of the tree. Major James gave him no time to make the correction. He was entirely weaponless, and Ardesoif wore a sword; but the inequality, in the moment of his anger, was unfelt by the high-spirited citizen. Suddenly rising, he seized upon the chair on which he had been sitting, and floored the insolent subordinate at a blow; then hurrying forth without giving his enemy time to recover, he mounted his horse, and made his escape to the woods before pursuit could be attempted.

"His people were soon assembled to hear his story. The exactions of the British, and the spirit which James had displayed, in resenting the insolence of Ardesoif, at once aroused their own. Required to take the field, it did not need a moment to decide 'under which king.'

A NOVEL SITUATION.

In the fall of 1781 a man was captured in the vicinity of Fort Plain, by seven Indians and hurried off into the wilderness. At night the party halted at a deserted log tenement. The Indians built a fire, and after supper gathered around it discussing the misfortunes of their expedition which thus far had resulted in but a few scalps, and only one prisoner. They therefore resolved to kill and scalp their captive in the morning, and return toward the Mohawk with the hope of better success. Upon this conclusion they stretched themselves upon the floor for sleep, with their prisoner between two of them, who was bound by cords which were also fastened to the bodies of his keepers. The whole of the dis

cussion carried on by the savages was understood by the captive, who, in the greatest alarm at his approaching fate, began to tax his ingenuity for some way to escape. The Indians were soon in a sound slumber, but their white companion kept wide awake, vainly striving to devise a plan for his escape, and beginning to despair and to yield himself to his doom, when, as he accidentally moved his hand upon the floor, it rested upon a fragment of broken window glass.

"No sooner did the prisoner seize the glass, than a ray of hope entered his bosom, and with this frail assistant he instantly set about regaining his liberty. He commenced severing the rope across his breast, and soon it was stranded. The moment was one of intense excitement; he knew that it was the usual custom for one or more of an Indian party to keep watch and prevent the escape of their prisoners. Was he then watched? Should he go on, with the possibility of hastening his own doom, or wait and see if some remarkable interposition of Providence might save him? A monitor within whispered, "Faith without works is dead," and after a little pause in his efforts, he resumed them, and soon had parted another strand; and as no movement was made, he tremblingly cut another; it was the last, and as it yielded he sat up. He was then enabled to take a midnight view of the group around him, in the feeble light reflected from the moon through a small window of a single sash. The enemy appeared to sleep, and he soon separated the cords across his limbs. He then advanced to the fire and raked open the coals, which reflected their partial rays upon the painted visages of those misguided heathen, whom British gold had bribed to deeds of damning darkness; and being fully satisfied that all were sound asleep, he approached the door.

The Indians had a large watch-dog outside the house. He cautiously opened the door, sprang out and ran, and as he had anticipated, the dog was yelling at his heels. He had about twenty rods to run across a cleared field before he could reach the woods and as he neared them, he looked back, and in the clear light of the moon, saw the Indians all in pursuit. As he neared the forest, they all drew up their rifles and fired upon him, at which instant a strong vine caught his foot and he fell to the ground. The volley of balls passed over him, and bounding to his feet, he gained the beechen shade. Not far from where he entered, he had noticed the preceding evening, a large hollow log, and on coming to it, he sought safety within it. The dog, at first ran several rods past the log, which served to mislead the party, but soon returned near it, and ceased barking, without a visit to the entrance of the captive's retreat.

"The Indians sat down over him, and talked about their prisoner's escape. They finally came to the conclusion, that he had either ascended a tree near, or that the devil had aided him in his escape, which to them appeared the most reasonable conclusion. As morning was approaching, they determined on taking an early breakfast, and returning to the river settlements, leaving one of their number to keep a vigilant watch in that neighborhood, for their captive, until afternoon of the following day, when he was to join his fellows at a designated place. This plan settled, an Indian proceeded to an adjoining field, where a small flock of sheep had not escaped their notice, and shot one of them. While enough of the mutton was dressing to satisfy their immediate wants, others of the party struck up a fire, which they chanced, most unfortunately for his comfort, to build against the log directly opposite their lost prisoner. The heat became almost intolerable

to the tenant of the fallen basswood, before the meat was cooked -besides, the smoke and steam which found their way through the small worm-holes and cracks, had nearly suffocated him, ere he could sufficiently stop their ingress, which was done by thrusting a quantity of leaves and part of his own clothing into the orannies. A cough, which he knew would insure his death, he found it most difficult to avoid: to back out of his hiding place would also seal his fate, while to remain in it much longer, he felt conscious, would render his situation, to say the least, not enviable.

"After suffering most acutely in body and mind for a time, the prisoner (who was again such by accident), found his miseries alleviated when the Indians began to eat, as they then let the fire burn down, and did not again replenish it. After they had dispatched their breakfast of mutton, the prisoner heard the leader caution the one left to watch in that vicinity, to be wary, and soon heard the retiring footsteps of the rest of the party. Often during the morning, the watchman was seated or standing over him. Not having heard the Indian for some time, and believing the hour of his espionage past, he cautiously crept out of the log; and finding himself alone, being prepared by fasting and steaming for a good race, he drew a bee-line for Fort Plain, which he reached in safety, believing, as he afterwards stated, that all the Indians in the state could not have overtaken him in his flight."*

Simms' "History of Schoharie Co"

THE DEATH OF MAJOR HENLEY.

AFTER the retreat from Long Island, and while the American army was stationed at Harlem Heights, the English had possession of a small island at the mouth of the Harlem river, near Hurl Gate in the East river, which was covered by one of their ships of war. From this ship, on the twenty-second day of September 1776, two seamen deserted and went to the quarters of General Heath. Upon being examined, they stated that the cannon had been removed from the island to the frigate, and that but a few men, with a number of officers, and a large quantity of provisions and stores, remained there at this time. On receiving this information a surprise of the island was determined upon, and three flat-bottomed boats were at once prepared for the purpose, each boat to carry two hundred and forty men. They were under the command of Colonel Jackson, Major Logan, and a Major whose name is not known. At the favorable opportunity, they floated down the Harlem river, at night, and with the tide, with the hope of arriving to their destination about the break of day.

Major Henly who was mortified at being excluded from the enterprise, applied to General Heath for the privilege of accom panying the expedition as a volunteer, which with some reluctance was granted. Says the biographer of Major Henley, "Perhaps of the many young and gallant spirits, who then crowded to fight beneath the banners of liberty, none were more ardent in her cause, or more amiable and better loved by his cotemporaries than was Major Henley. Young, courageous, aspiring and sanguine in the cause of his native country, he considered no duty too arduous, no deprivation too great, no suffering too severe, in assisting her advancement to independence."