“His captors, however, seemed to be a merry, good-natured set of fellows, and permitted him to accompany them unbound; and, what was rather extraordinary, allowed him to retain his gun and hunting accoutrements.  He accompanied them with great apparent cheerfulness through the day, and displayed his dexterity in shooting deer for the use of the company, until they began to regard him with great partiality.  Having traveled with them in this manner for several days, they at length reached the banks of the Ohio River.  Heretofore the Indians had taken the precaution to bind him at night, although not very securely; but, on that evening, he remonstrated with them on the subject, and complained so strongly of the pain which the cords gave him, that they merely wrapped the buffalo tug loosely around his wrists, and having tied it in an easy knot, and attached the extremities of the rope to their own bodies in order to prevent his moving without awakening them, they very composedly went to sleep, leaving the prisoner to follow their example or not, as he pleased.

“McConnel determined to effect his escape that night if possible, as on the following night they would cross the river, which would render it much more difficult.  He therefore lay quietly until near midnight, anxiously ruminating upon the best means of effecting his object.  Accidentally casting his eyes in the direction of his feet, they fell upon the glittering blade of a knife, which had escaped its sheath, and was now lying near the feet of one of the Indians.  To reach it with his hands, without disturbing the two Indians to whom he was fastened, was impossible, and it was very hazardous to attempt to draw it up with his feet.  This, however, he attempted.  With much difficulty he grasped the blade between his toes, and, after repeated and long-continued efforts, succeeded at length in bringing it within reach of his hands.

“To cut his cords was then but the work of a moment, and gradually and silently extricating his person from the arms of the Indians, he walked to the fire and sat down.  He saw that his work was but half done.  That if he should attempt to return home without destroying his enemies, he would assuredly be pursued and probably overtaken, when his fate would be certain.  On the other hand, it seemed almost impossible for a single man to succeed in a conflict with five Indians, even although unarmed and asleep.  He could not hope to deal a blow with his knife so silently and fatally as to destroy each one of his enemies in turn without awakening the rest.  Their slumbers were proverbially light and restless; and, if he failed with a single one, he must instantly be overpowered by the survivors.  The knife, therefore, was out of the question.