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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"


Henry and his comrades went parallel with them, watching their
movements as closely as possible.


CHAPTER VIII
A CHANGE OF TENANTS

The five were engaged upon one of their most dangerous tasks, to
keep with the Indian army, and yet to keep out of its hands, to
observe what was going on, and to divine what was intended from
what they observed. Fortunately it, was early summer, and the
weather being very beautiful they could sleep without shelter.
Hence they found it convenient to sleep sometimes by daylight,
posting a watch always, and to spy upon the Indian camp at night.
They saw other reinforcements come for the Indian army,
particularly a strong division of Senecas, under two great war
chiefs of theirs, Sangerachte and Hiokatoo, and also a body of
Tories.
Then they saw them go into their last great camp at Tioga,
preparatory to their swift descent upon the Wyoming Valley.
About four hundred white men, English Canadians and Tories, were
present, and eight hundred picked warriors of the Six Nations
under Thayendanegea, besides the little band of Wyandots led by
the resolute Timmendiquas. "Indian" Butler was in general
command of the whole, and Queen Esther was the high priestess of
the Indians, continually making fiery speeches and chanting songs
that made the warriors see red.


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