"It could have been nothing else. I think if we go still farther around
the curve we will find other bushes behind which other warriors kneeled
and fired, and maybe other leaves scorched by the flash of big muskets."

A hundred yards more and they saw that for which they looked. The signs
were just the same as at the other places.

"Now, it is quite clear to you and me, Great Bear," said the Onondaga,
"that these men, posted along a curving line, were firing at something.
They were here a long time, as the numerous and crowded footprints at
every place show. They could not have been firing at game, because there
were too many of them, and the game would not have stayed to be fired at
so long. Therefore, Great Bear, and you know it as well as I, they must
have been in battle. All the points of ambush to which we have come are
at an almost equal distance from some other point."

"Which, Tayoga, is that hill yonder, crowned with bushes, but with bare
slopes, a good place for a defense, and just about a long rifle or
musket shot from the forest here."

"So it is, Great Bear. It could be nothing else. The defenders lay among
the bushes on top of the hill, and the battle was fought in the night,
because those who attacked were not numerous enough to push a combat in
the day. The defenders must have been white men, as we know from the
footprints here that the assailants were warriors. Ah, here are other
traces, Great Bear, and here are more, all trodden about in the same
manner, indicating a long stay, and all at about an equal distance from
the hill! I think the warriors lay in the forest all night firing upon
the hill, and probably doing little damage. But they suffered more hurt