of men, all the crew and soldiers, save ten or twelve, were concealed in the hold; to invite attack, the vessel advanced boldly up-stream, and at nightfall cast anchor in the narrow channel in front of Turkey Island.  About midnight the Indians stealthily boarded their canoes and cautiously, but confidently, swept towards her with muffled paddles.  The Gladwyn was ready for them.  Not a sound broke the silence of the night as the Indians approached the schooner; when suddenly the clang of a hammer against the mast echoed over the calm waters, the signal to the soldiers in the hold.  The Indians were almost on their prey; but before they had time to utter the war-whoop, the soldiers had come up and had attacked the savages with bullets and cannon shot.  Shrieks of death arose amid the din of the firing and the splash of swimmers hurriedly making for the shore from the sinking canoes.  In a moment fourteen Indians were killed and as many more wounded.  From behind the barricade the survivors began a harmless musketry fire against the schooner, which simply weighed anchor and drifted down-stream to safety.  A day or two later she cleared Turkey Island and reached the fort, pouring a shattering broadside into the Wyandot village as she passed it.  Besides the troops, the Gladwyn had on board a precious cargo of a hundred and fifty barrels of provisions and some ammunition.  She had not run the blockade unscathed, for in passing Turkey Island one sergeant and four men had been wounded.  There was rejoicing in the fort when the reinforcement marched in.  This additional strength in men and provisions, it was expected, would enable the garrison to hold out for at least another month, within which time soldiers would arrive in sufficient force to drive the Indians away.

In the meantime Pontiac was becoming alarmed.  He had expected an easy victory, and was not prepared for a protracted siege.  He had drawn on the French settlers for supplies; his warriors had slain cattle and taken provisions without the consent of the owners.  Leaders in the settlement now waited on Pontiac, making complaint.  He professed to be fighting for French rule, and expressed sorrow at the action of his young men, promising that in future the French should be paid.  Acting, no doubt, on the suggestion of some of his French allies, he made a list of the inhabitants, drew on each for a definite quantity of supplies, and had these deposited at Meloche’s house near his camp on Parent’s Creek.  A commissary was appointed to distribute the provisions as required.  In payment he issued letters of credit, signed with his totem, the otter.  It is said that all of them were afterwards redeemed; but this is almost past belief in the face of what actually happened.