Pratt was heard to yell.

"By God! there's no wood about that gun." After this the besiegers withdrew for a breathing spell.

At this early stage of the siege the Indians were seen to board Sullivan's pirogue, and it was soon discovered they were carrying the cannon balls from the boat to the top of the bluff.

In their simple minds they had conceived a happy thought.

They procured a white-oak log probably a foot in diameter, split it through the middle and hollowed out the inside with their tomahawks.