Page:Aristopia (1895).pdf/80

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each other's way were put upon one house, to finish it as soon as possible.

Until the first house was finished, the women and children slept on board the vessel; afterward they slept in the houses. Until houses enough for all to sleep in were finished a guard of three men, assisted by three mastiffs, was kept at night. It was observed that the Indians were much afraid of these great dogs. Four small cannon were planted, one at each corner of the fort.

The sailors were kept at work while the vessel stayed. A good many of the Indians also assisted in such work as they could do. It has been supposed that Indian men cannot be induced to do manual labor, but this is not the case. They assisted in loading the ships of the first English traders with sassafras wood, on the Atlantic coast; in the far Northwest I have seen them working as lumbermen, and in the far Southwest as railroad graders; but they will not work continuously. Three consecutive days is the very longest time they will labor. Morton would riot trust the Indians in the village at night. He made them withdraw to their camp before dark. As the Indians learned the great value of hoes in cultivating their