A man in a passion seldom acts wisely.

With calm persistence he said, "I can listen to no overtures of peace, until our horses are restored." Still the Indians hesitated to provoke a battle in which some of their warriors would undoubtedly fall.
At length they sent out and brought in five of the poorest and most exhausted of the horses, saying that these were all that they could or would restore.
The trappers accepted this as a declaration of war.

In a body they retired to seize their rifles and to submit the question to the arbitrament of battle.

The savages also, with tumultuous howlings, rushed to grasp their guns.

The battle immediately commenced, each party seeking the shelter of trees.