He said they
always marched until it was quite dark before encamping--that they
always returned by a different route from that on which they went out,
and that they circled on their trail at intervals so that they might
intercept any one coming on their rear. He told me not to gather up
close to other Rangers in a fight but to keep spread out, which gave the
Enemy less mark to fire upon and also deceived them as to your own
numbers. Then also he cautioned me not to fire on the Enemy when we were
in ambush till they have approached quite near, which will put them in
greater surprise and give your own people time to rush in on them with
hatchets or cutlasses. Shanks and I had finally a great fancy for each
other and passed most of our time in company. He was a slow man in his
movements albeit he could move fast enough on occassion, and was a great
hand to take note of things happening around him. No indian was better
able to discern a trail in the bush than he, nor could one be found his
equal at making snow shoes, carving a powder horn or fashioning any
knick-nack he was a mind to set his hand to.
The Rangers were accustomed to scout in small parties to keep the Canada
indians from coming close to Fort Edward. I had been out with Shanks on
minor occasions, but I must relate my first adventure.
A party . . . (here the writing is lost) . . . was desirous of taking a
captive or scalp.
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