6 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON

Everything seemed to breathe assurance of
peaceful relations between the red man and the
white; but if the newcomers did not at the moment
realize the nature of the Indians, their eyes were
opened to possibilities of treachery by the happen-
ings of the next day. John Colman and a boat's
crew were sent out to take further soundings before
the Half Moon should proceed on her journey.
As the boat was returning to report a safe course
ahead, the crew, only five in number, were set
upon by two war-canoes filled with Indians, whose
volley of arrows struck terror to their hearts.
Colman was mortally wounded in the throat by an
arrow, and two of his companions were seriously,
though not fatally, hurt. Keeping up a running
fight, the survivors escaped under cover of dark-
ness. During the night, as they crouched with
their dead comrade in the boat, the sailors must
have thought the minutes hours and the hours
days. To add to their discomfort rain was fall-
ing, and they drifted forlornly at the mercy of the
current. When at last dawn came, they could make
out the ship at a great distance; but it was ten o'clock
in the morning before they reached her safe shelter.
So ended the brief dream of ideal friendship and
confidence between the red men and the whites