eight o'clock in the evening
If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after leaving the camp , it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should hurry at once with them to the main body , while the other two Indians should draw off their pursuers in another direction . In the event of anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main body , they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp , as they had nothing to fear from the Indians . Peter and the Seneca were then to work round by a circuitous route to the boat , where they were to be joined by the main body , and to draw off until another opportunity offered for repeating the attempt . It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca approached the village . The fires were burning high , and seated round them were all the warriors of the tribe . A party were engaged in a dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy . The women were standing in an outer circle , clapping their hands and raising their voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became faster and faster .