The armed Indians went down along the shore for some time as if to intercept them; but at last they were seemingly left behind.
In a short time another Indian village was reached, where the warriors tried in vain to lure the whites ashore; and as the boats were hugging the opposite bank, they were suddenly fired at by a party in ambush, and one man slain.

Immediately afterwards a much more serious tragedy occurred.

There was with the flotilla a boat containing twenty-eight men, women, and children, among whom small-pox had broken out.

To guard against infection, it was agreed that it should keep well in the rear; being warned each night by the sound of a horn when it was time to go into camp.

As this forlorn boat-load of unfortunates came along, far behind the others, the Indians, seeing its defenceless position, sallied out in their canoes, and butchered or captured all who were aboard.
Their cries were distinctly heard by the rearmost of the other craft, who could not stem the current and come to their rescue.