After giving these instructions, Joseph started for the plates; which were secreted about 3 miles from home; about as follows: Finding an old birch log much decayed, excepting the bark, which was in a measure sound, Joseph took his pocket knife and cut the bark; then turned it back and made a hole of sufficient size to receive the plates; and laying them in the cavity thus formed, he replaced the bark, after which he laid old stuff across the log in several places, that happened to lay near, in order to conceal, as much as possible, the place in which they were deposited. Joseph, on coming to them, took them, and wrapped them in his linen frock, and placing them under his arm, started for home. After proceeding a short distance, he thought it would be <​more​> safe to leave the road and go through the woods.” Travelling some distance after he left the road, he came to a large windfall; and, as he was jumpping [sic] over a log, a man sprang up from behind it, and gave him a heavy blow with a gun. Joseph turned round and knocked him down, then ran at the top of his speed: about half a mile farther he was attacked again in the same manner as before: he knocked this man down in like manner as the former, and ran on again, and before he reached home, he was assaulted the third time. In striking the last one he dislocated his thumb; which, however, he did not notice until he came within sight of the house, where he threw himself down in the corner of the fence in order to recover his breath. As soon as he was able, he arose and came to the house; and he was still altogether speechless from fright and the fatigue of running.