They jerked great quantities of venison on the trees on the cliff
side, and stored it in "The Alcove." They also cured some bear
meat, and, having added a further lining of skins, they felt
prepared for winter. They had also added to the comfort of the
place. They had taken the precaution of bringing with them two
axes, and with the heads of these they smoothed out more of the
rough places on the floor and sides of "The Alcove." They thought
it likely, too, that they would need the axes in other ways later
on.
Only once during these arrangements did they pass the trail of
Indians, and that was made by a party of about twenty, at least
ten miles from "The Alcove." They seemed to be traveling north,
and the five made no investigations. Somewhat later they met a
white runner in the forest, and he told them of the terrible
massacre of Cherry Valley. Walter Butler, emulating his father's
exploit at Wyoming, had come down with a mixed horde of Iroquois,
Tories, British, and Canadians. He had not been wholly
successful, but he had slaughtered half a hundred women and
children, and was now returning northward with prisoners. Some
said, according to the runner, that Thayendanegea had led the
Indians on this occasion, but, as the five learned later, he had
not come up until the massacre was over.
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