On the other hand, when circumstances required it, he faced danger and entered into combat, with as much resolution as his Kingsbridge comrade and with more coolness. From early life he was remarkable for sedateness, suavity of manners, and integrity, and throughout the contest for independence, he shielded from persecution, when it was in his power, such as were Royalists from principle, and never failed to discour-age that license with respect to the security and property of others which seems to be a natural and inevitable conse-quence of civil war, in which his friends and comrades some-times indulged. When first appointed a guide, he was presented by Lieuten-ant-Governor Van Cortland, with a pair of pistols, a sword, and a fine grey horse, which last he invariably rode when on duty. He was unusually expert in the use of the sabre, and in consequence of possessing great length of arm, had acquired an art peculiar to himself, of suddenly leaning far back in the saddle, so as to strike a pursuer at an extraordinary distance.

88 THE MCDONALD PAPERS This faculty was so well known, that when DeLancey's horse-men were in chase of patrolling parties to which he belonged, they always approached him cautiously. He was well acquainted with the celebrated commander of the Westchester refugees, who entertained for him the high-est regard. Sometime about the middle of the war, he was below with a flag of truce, upon which occasion Colonel DeLancey took him aside, and intimated to him the expedi-ency of withdrawing for a while, along with Michael Dyck-man, from his usual service upon the lines, as some of the Royalists, whose relatives had had their houses and barns destroyed, were much excited and determined to retaliate upon the Odells and Dyckmans, who, as influential Whigs, and persons engaged in all the important excursions below were supposed capable of controlling illegal operations, and were to be held responsible for the acts of marauders professing allegiance to the upper party.