Here, on the borders, he learned that he "was come too late;
and a difficult choice was thus presented to a man (upon the
whole) not any more bold than prudent. His standing with
the painted braves may be compared to that of my Lord
President CuUoden among the chiefs of our own High-
landers at the 'forty-five ; that is as much as to say, he was,
to these men, reason's only speaking trumpet, and counsels
of peace and moderation, if they were to prevail at aU, must
prevail singly through his influence. If, then, he should
return, the province must he open to all the abominable
tragedies of Indian war — the houses blaze, the wayfarer be
cut off, and the men of the woods collect their usual disgust-
ing spoil of human scalps. On the other side, to go further
forth, to risk so small a party deeper in the desert, to carry
words of peace among warlike savages already rejoicing to
return to war: here was an extremity from which it was
easy to perceive his mind revolted.
"I have come too late," he said more than once, and
would fall into a deep consideration, his head bowed in his
hands, his foot patting the ground.
At length he raised his face and looked upon us, that is
to say, upon my lord. Mountain, and myself, sitting close
round a small fire, which had been made for privacy in one
comer of the camp.
