be separated; and thither he went and found the other three. They immediately commenced their homeward march, and returned to Pittsburgh about half defeated. Three Indians had been seen to fall from the fire they gave them at breakfast.

SKETCH NO. 10.

The Indians did not return that season to do any injury to the whites, and early that fall moved off to their friends the British, who had to keep them all winter, their corn having been destroyed by Brodhead.

When the General found the Indians were gone, at the suggestion of Brady three companies were ordered out, with a sufficient number of pack-horses, to kill game for the supply of the garrison. These companies were respectively commanded by Captains Harrison, Springer and Brady. Game was very plenty, for neither whites nor Indians ventured to hunt and great quantities were put up.

In putting up his tent, Captain Brady's tomahawk had slipped and cut his knee, by which he was lamed for some time. This occasioned him to remain at the tents until he got well, which afforded him the opportunity of witnessing some of the peculiar superstitions of his Indian allies, for he had his Indians and their families along.

The

One of these Indians had assumed the name of Wilson. Captain was lying in his tent one afternoon, and observed his man Wilson coming home in a great hurry, and that as he met his squaw he gave her a kick, without saying a word, and began to unbreech his gun. The squaw went away, and returned soon after, with some roots which she had gathered; which, after washing them clean, she put into a kettle to boil. While boiling, Wilson corked

up the muzzle of his gun and stuck the breech into the kettle, and continued it there until the plug flew out of the muzzle. He then took it out and put it into the stock. Brady knowing the Indians were very superstitious as we call it, did not speak to him until he saw him wiping his gun. He then called to him, and asked what was the matter. Wilson came up to the Captain and said in reply, that his gun had been very sick, that she could not shoot; he had been just giving her a "vomit," and she was now well. Whether the "vomit" helped the gun or only strengthened Wilson's nerves, the Captain could not tell, but he averred that Wilson killed ten deer the next day.

FINIS

MR. LINCOLN'S FAVORITE POEM, AND ITS AUTHOR

(The late) Gen. James Grant Wilson

NEW YORK

REPRINTED

WILLIAM ABBATT

1914

Being Extra No. 34 of THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WITH NOTES AND QUERIES

RES ARDUA VETUSTIS NOVITATEM DARE; NOVIS AUCTORITATEM; OBSOLETIS, NITOREM;

OBSCURIS, LUCEM; FASTIDITIS, GRATICUM; DUBIIS, FIDEM; OMNIBUS VERO NATURAM, ET NATURAL SUA OMNIA.

ITAQUE ETIAM NON ASSECUTIS, VOLUISSE ABUNDE PULCHRUM UTQUE MAGNIFICUM EST.

(It is a difficult thing to give newness to old things, authority to new things, beauty to things out of use, fame to the obscure, favor to the hateful (or ugly), credit to the doubtful, nature to all and all to nature. To such, nevertheless as cannot attain to all these, it is greatly commendable and magnificial to have attempted the same.

PLINY,-preface to his Natural History.