I wish I had with me now my bow and arrows which I left at the lake, instead of Garay's rifle.

But Areskoui will provide." The day turned much colder, and the streams to which they came were frozen over.

By night, the ice was thick enough to sustain their weight and they traveled on it for a long time, their thick moosehide moccasins keeping their feet warm, and saving them from falling.
Before they returned to the land it began to snow again, and Tayoga rejoiced openly.
"Now a white blanket will lie over the trail we have left on the ice," he said, "hiding it from the keenest eyes that ever were in a man's head." Then they crossed a ridge and came upon a lake, by the side of which they saw through the snow and darkness a large fire burning.

Creeping nearer, they discerned dusky forms before the flames and made out a band of at least twenty warriors, many of them sound asleep, wrapped to the eyes in their blankets.
"Have they passed ahead of us and are they here meaning to guard the way against us ?" whispered Robert.
"No, it is not one of the bands that has been following us," replied the Onondaga.

"This is a war party going south, and not much stained as yet by time and travel.