The night that came on was one of bright moonlight, and in a short time he constructed out of some rails and his rope, a tolerable raft, upon which he secured his clothes and refreshments, and then pushed out into the stream; but when near the middle of the creek, his strength which had been much impaired by sickness while in confinement began to fail, in addition to which he was attacked by the cramp. Weary and discouraged, he relinquished for a while, all further efforts to get across. At length a large bird alighted upon his raft, and after sitting still a few moments, again took wing and flew to the Westchester shore. Regarding this as a good omen, Oakley summoned up all his remaining powers, and after struggling forward for a long time with his raft, at last gained a footing on the Morrisania shore. Although scarcely able to stand upright when he reached land, and in the midst of enemies, his exact knowledge of the country enabled him to reach the American lines soon afterward.

THE WESTCHESTER GUIDES 93 His coolness in danger and the prestige of his well known presence and prowess, were strikingly exemplified in one of the last excursions in which he is known to have been engaged. He had been below as guide to a scouting party, from which having led it back to a place of safety, he separated at Mamaroneck; himself pursuing the road through Rye. As he was passing Rye-Neck, he saw Benjamin Griffen, a farmer with whom he was well acquainted at the door of a house which stood about one hundred yards from the highway; upon which, he passed through the gate, approached his friend, and saying that he was nearly famished, asked for something to eat, but refused to dismount.