blankets, kettles, guns, gunpowder and shot, and large barrels of rum, such as the stoutest of the Indians will not be able to lift, and every man will return in safety to his family." To this the cry was sent up from the multitude, "I will go, I will go!"

Accordingly they set out on their journey for Niagara, to which point hundreds of savages were now traveling. Thus they gathered in from all quarters until around Fort Niagara the assembly increased to at least four thousand Indians. Among them were the Menomonies, Ottawas, Ojibwas, Mississaugas, Caughnawagas, Wyandots, Iroquois, Sacs, Foxes and Osages. With this large force of savages, many of whom were by no means friendly, it was necessary to observe the greatest caution to prevent a rupture.

Notwithstanding the tribes were fully represented, there still remained many hostile Indians, who were already moving towards the frontier settlements with uplifted hatchets. Among these were the Delawares and Shawanoes, against whom Bouquet was now marching. These were already moving against the settlements on the borders of Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Before the council could proceed Johnson sent for the Senecas, who, it would seem, were not disposed to put in an appearance. The messenger was told to inform them that unless they came to Niagara immediately, a strong army would march against them and destroy them utterly. This message had full effect. The Senecas sent a full deputation, accompanied by several prisoners. The council now began. A treaty was made with this nation in which they agreed never again to lift the hatchet against the English. They also, by this treaty ceded a strip of land between Lakes Ontario and Erie, bordering on the Niagara river. A treaty was next made with the Wyandots, from Detroit. They were to deliver up their prisoners, and for the future continue peaceful. Councils were now held with each tribe in turn and treaties made. This occupied several days, during which the ground around Fort Niagara presented a lively appearance.

During all this time Bradstreet's army had been detained at Niagara. It was feared that some of the warriors would

attack the fort, and that, shonld the troops leave, the vast number of savages in the neighborhood might form a design to slaughter the garrison. On the sixth of August, Johnson departed for Oswego, and, soon after, the Indians disappearing, Bradstreet proceeded on his way towards Detroit. About three hundred Canadians and as many Indians accompanied the army, in arms. It was believed that the Indians would be discouraged at seeing the French on the side of the English.

Alexander Henry, who accompanied the Ojibwa deputies from the Saut Ste. Marie, commanded the Indian forces. He had received the appointment on account of his extensive acquaintance among the savages to whose country Bradstreet was now marching.

Reaching Presque Isle, the command was met by a straggling band of warriors, who styled themselves deputies from the Delawares and Shawanoes. They said they had been sent to sue for peace in the name of these nations. They were suspected as spies by all but the commanding officer, who, not only foolishly entered into a treaty with them, but sent a messenger to Bouquet, informing him that the Delawares and Shawanoes had been reduced to submission without his assistance, and that he might discontinue his march towards Fort Pitt. Bouquet was indignant at this message, and took no notice of it. Everywhere on the border slaughter reigned almost undisputed.

Passing on to Sandusky, Bradstreet was met by a deputation from the Wyandots, Ottawas and Miamis dwelling in that neighborhood, and, although he had been instructed to destroy their villages, he now entered into a treaty with these Indians, promising not to injure them, on the conditions that they would never again lift the hatchet against the English. At this place Bradstreet dispatched Capt. Morris, with a few friendly Canadians and Indians, to persuade the Indians in the country of the Illinois to treat for peace with the English. The fate of Morris' detachment will be seen in the course of the narrative.

On the twenty-sixth of August, the army under Bradstreet's command arrived at Detroit, where it received a most hearty

welcome. At the earliest possible moment the garrison was relieved, and fresh troops substituted in their place. The Canadians who had aided Pontiac in the war were next tried, found guilty, and punished. Many of them, however, had fled to Illinois, and thus escaped punishment.

Bradstreet next summoned the surrounding tribes to a council, which was held in the open air, on the seventh of September, and at which a general peace was concluded. He next despatched Capt. Howard, with a strong detachment, to take possession of Michilimackinac. Howard performed this duty, meeting with no resistance whatever. He also sent

parties to garrison the posts at Green Bay and Saut Ste. Marie.

Let us now see what had become of Capt. Morris and his expedition. Soon after leaving the army at Sandusky, he arrived at the camp of Pontiac, on the Maumee. Here the Ottawa chief plundered the expedition of everything except their arms and clothing, and suffered them to depart. On every hand Morris was treated with contempt, and being menaced with death should he attempt to continue his journey towards Illinois, he set out for Detroit, hoping to find Bradstreet there. In this hope he was disappointed. Morris was informed that his commander had gone down to Sandusky, but he refused to follow him.

While at Sandusky, Bradstreet received a letter from Gen. Gage, disapproving of the course he had taken, and ordering him to march against the Indian village on the Scioto. This intelligence, together with the news of Capt. Morris' failure was too much for the temper of the commander. Refusing to obey the orders of his superior officer, on the pretext that the season was too far advanced, he returned home, with his broken and disheartened army.

CHAPTER XVIII.

BOUQUET'S ARMY IN THE INDIAN COUNTRY-HE SUBDUES THE DELAWARES AND SHAWANOES- SCENES AT THE ENGLISH CAMP-Two HUNDRED PRISONERS GIVEN UP-RETURN OF THE EXPEDITION.

TURNING our attention once more to the borders of Pennsylvania, we find Indian war-parties active in the work of desolating the settlements. So desperate had the savages now become that the English Governor of Pennsylvania issued a proclamation offering a high bounty for Indian scalps, whether of men or women. As might be supposed, this measure produced additional butcheries. Among these I will cite that perpetrated by David Owens. Several years previous he had deserted and joined the Indians. One day early in the spring of 1764 he came to the settlements, bringing with him a young man recently taken prisoner by the Delawares. While living among the Indians Owens had formed a connection with one of their women, who had borne him several children. He now resolved to return to the settlements, and to carry with him a number of scalps. One night he had been encamped on the Susquehanna with a party consisting of four Shawanoe warriors, a boy of the same tribe, his own wife and two children, and another Indian woman. The prisoner already mentioned was also present. In the middle of the night Owens arose, and finding all fast asleep he awakened the prisoner and told him his intentions, requesting him to go out a little way and lie quietly concealed until he had finished his bloody work. Owens then removed the weapons from the sides of the savages, and hid them in the woods. Returning he knelt on the ground between two of the unconscious warriors, and pointing a rifle at the head of each, touched the triggers and shot both dead The two surviving warriors sprang up and ran for

at once.

their lives, while the women and children, benumbed with terror, had no power to escape, and one and all died, shrieking beneath the tomahawk. Having completed the slaughter he sat down among the dead and waited patiently for the dawn. As soon as it was light he scalped the dead, excepting the two children, and left for the settlements, which he reached in safety, in company with the young man who had been held a prisoner in the camp.

Bouquet was now on the march with his army. On the fifth of August he reached Carlisle. His force consisted of five hundred regulars, most of whom had fought with him at the battle of Bushy Run, a thousand Pennsylvanians, and a corps of Virginia riflemen. The army now advanced to Fort Loudon, where Bouquet received a letter from Bradstreet, informing him that he could return with his army, as peace had already been concluded with the Delawares and Shawanoes. As before. mentioned, Bouquet took no notice of the communication, but pushed forward towards Fort Pitt, where he arrived on the seventeenth of September. Immediately after his arrival a party of Delawares appeared on the opposite bank of the river, professing to be sent as deputies from their nation to treat of peace with the English. After some hesitation three of them came to the fort, where they were held as spies. The remainder fled in haste to their villages. Bouquet, however, released one of the captives and sent him home with a message as follows: "I have received an account from Colonel Bradstreet that your nations had begged for peace, which he had consented to grant upon assurance that you had recalled all your warriors from our frontiers, and in consequence of this I would not have proceeded against your towns if I had not heard that in open violation of your engagement you have since murdered several of our people. I was therefore determined to have attacked you, as a people whose promise can no more be relied on; but I will place it once more in your power to save yourselves and your families from total destruction, by giving us satisfaction for the hostilities committed against us. And first you are to leave the path open for my expresses from hence to Detroit; and as I am now to send two men with dispatches to Col. Brad