were assembled here for that purpose, and other stories of that description, which the red coats had the disposition and capacity to invent. He would not condescend to controvert an imputation so foul and false. The conduct of the United States towards them they all knew, and he invited any person in the assembly to produce an instance, during their long intercourse with the United States, where they had once acted treacherously towards them. It was the wish of the commissioners (as none of the Shawanee chiefs were present) to make known to (the Prophet) and

all the Indians who were now with the British at Malden, &c., that they should be met with friendship at the council fire, but they forbade any entreaties on their part to be used. To them the path to the council fire should be open and safe; they might come or stay, at their option. If they came, they should be treated as friends. The citizens of Detroit had during the war been harassed and despoiled of their property. It would be too hard if the return of peace brought with it no security or protection to them or their property. They therefore most solemnly enjoined on them to respect the property of the inhabitants, and to abstain from

Tar-hee, (or the Crane,) chief of the Wyandots.—He would inform his brothers and friends of the result of the message sent to the other side of the river. The message was sent by his nephew, who was met by one of the Wyandots, who bore it to Walk-in-theWater. Walk-in-the-Water being sick, and unable to be the bearer himself, sent one of his tribe. The messenger went to the other side, and found the Indians in council with the British agents, and delivered the message to the Wyandots. He was answered by one of the British agents, saying that they had received a message from the other side of the great waters, commanding them to hold a council at the same time that the American council should be held; that the young men who were in the habit of passing from one side to the other might attend (if they chose) the American council, but they could not spare the chiefs until their council should be over; them they wanted near their

council fire, as they were convinced that their council would involve more of the interests, and be more to the advantage of the Indians than the American council. The agent further observed that they might attend the American council after they had attended theirs.

General Harrison. He discovered that the answers received were not the answers of the Indians, but of the British agents. Why they should prevent or procrastinate a treaty of peace with the Indians, he could not perceive, as it was expressly for the purpose of fulfilling a treaty with themselves; that treaty he held in his hand, an article of which expressly declared that peace should be offered to the Indians who had fought against either party.

General Harrison. He discovered the same reasons for adjourning the council which existed before—the non-attendance of many of the tribes.

The commissioners had received a communication from the other side of the river, in which they deny having interfered to prevent the Indians from attending this council, and that the object of assembling a council at Malden was precisely the same with this-to explain to the Indians the treaty of Ghent. It was to be regretted, as their object was the same, that they had fixed on the same time for holding their councils; but it was still probable that all the Indians who were now at Malden would so attend this council. He would explain to them again the object of the council.

When the United States, or Seventeen Fires, and Great Britain made peace, it was agreed and stipulated that both parties should offer peace to the Indian tribes who had raised the tomahawk against them; that the King of Great Britain should offer peace to those who had fought against his people on the side of the Americans; and that the President of the United States should offer peace to those who had fought against his people on the side of the British; that the Indians who were then at war should be restored to all their possessions and privileges which they enjoyed previous to the war. On these terms peace was to be offered and concluded, provided the Indians would accept peace on such terms:

on such terms the President of the United States now extended the hand of peace; if they did not take hold of it, that part of the treaty of Ghent was at an end.

If others should not come, the commissioners would make the treaty with those who were present, and forever exclude from its circle those who neglect or refuse to come and renew the chain which had united them to the American nation.

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SPRING WELLS, August 31, 1815.

General Harrison. This being the day appointed for lighting the council fire, the first ceremony to be performed would be to remove all difficulty and impediments to their sitting around our council fire.

The Seventeen Fires had committed the performance of the cercmonies of the day to their oldest son, (the Crane) Chief of the Wyandots. The people of the United States were accustomed to liken his fidelity to them to the fidelity of the great archangel to his Creator. In war, as in peace, he had ever stood by the Seventeen Fires; and they request their red children to consider whatsoever he should say as coming directly from themselves.

The Crane.-Brothers, I salute you all; I salute you from the bottom of my heart; I rejoice that I meet you here, and return thanks to the Great Spirit that we meet in peace.

Hearken to me, who am about addressing you on behalf of the Seventeen Fires, and four tribes, the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanees, and Senecas-tribes who have sided with the Seventeen Fires, and consider themselves as one with them. Listen to us, the four tribes; we speak in behalf of all the Seventeen Fires. You, brothers, who have been on the other side of the river, I address myself particularly to you. You appear to look dark, brothers, as you sit before me; your eyes are dimmed with tears, and you cannot see aright. We have had a quarrel-that quarrel has caused your sorrow. I must now proceed to clear your sight; I shall do so in the manner and language of our forefathers, in the language which the Great Spirit gave to them to heal their difficulties, and speak peace.

Younger brothers—you, too, Wyandots, who have seceded from your tribe, and all you who have come from the other side of the river: In viewing you, you look sorrowful; you look sorrowful, not

only from the operation of war, but also from sickness. This cause has not only operated on you, it has reached your women and children. This is the reason why your countenances are sad.

You, brothers, nephews, and Wyandots, who have come from the other side of the river; you who are sad of heart, and blinded by tears: I take this wampum into my hand; the Great Spirit gave it to his red children to speak with; it was the language of our forefathers; with it, as the emblem of the softest and whitest cloth, I wipe your eyes, and the eyes of your women and children, that you may all see clear again.

Brothers, listen on. Listen to the Seventeen Fires and the four nations, speaking with one voice. I speak the language which the Great Spirit permits. The same cause which prevented you from seeing, prevents you from hearing. I now take the emblem of the softest and finest feather, and clear your ears, that the words of your brothers, the Americans, may penetrate your ears, and sink deeply into your hearts.

Your throats, too, have been stopped; you could not speak the truth; you could not speak kindly to your brothers; with like affection, I will now clean your throat with the softest and whitest cloth.

Your hearts, also, in consequence of the disorganization of your senses, have been perverted; I now place them aright, that you may not only see, hear, and speak kindly to your brother Americans now, but in all times hereafter.

Brothers, &c. who have been hostile: Listen on to the Seventeen Fires and the four nations, speaking, &c.

In consequence of the war and sickness which have raged, the bones of your friends are scattered over the earth; I will now gather them together, and deposite them in one grave, that your minds may be at rest hereafter.

Brothers, listen on. I have said that I collect your bones; I now bury them, and smooth their graves, that posterity travelling over them may not, by observing the protuberance, remember their former animosities.

Brothers, listen. I hope you will still attend to my words. I have collected and buried the bones of your deceased friends, and I have smoothed their graves; I have done so by the emblematic language which the Great Spirit gave to his children. I now take into my hand (another wampum) a white board, and with it I cover the bones of your friends; this board the Great Spirit gave;

the sun will not warm through it, nor can the rain wet through it; it will preserve the remains of your friends dry and secure.

Brothers, listen-all listen to what we now speak. We speak in behalf of the Seventeen Fires, and of the four nations who have remained faithful to them; we have been addressing ourselves particularly to those who came from the other side of the river; but listen now all of you, that you may remember the ceremonies which now are performed.

One bunch of wampum was to clear the eyes, unstop the ears, cleanse the throat, and amend the heart; another to collect the bones, to bury them, to smooth the graves, and to secure them by a board, which the sun could not warm, nor the rain moisten.

These were all the ceremonies which would be performed, as the day was far advanced, and their father would have but little time to address them.

General Harrison.-He, on behalf of the commissioners, particularly addressed the Prophet and the Shawanese, and all those who had taken up arms against the United States. He saluted them all, and desired to speak to them of times past.

There was a time of dread and dismay, when darkness rested on the forest, when the warrior wandered in uncertainty and fear, often sleeping on the blood which covered his path, while his distant and anxious family (confined in their cabins) were looking frequently in vain for his return.

At this period you were unfriended and hopeless; he who had stood at your back, and promised to support you, had deserted you. At this period our great chief (Wayne) called you together, and took you by the hand; he and you, in the presence of all the white and red people, raised a great tree, under which you buried the tomahawk which had so long been raised between us, and had so often been stained with our blood. Under the shade of this tree, for a long period of revolving years, the white and red people enjoyed as much happiness as falls to the lot of humanity. But, unfortunately for us all, some young men, more devoted to amusements than to useful pursuits, as they were dancing around this tree, accidentally discovered the handle of this long-buried tomahawk.

The madness which resulted from this accident spread among all the tribes, and was increased by the circumstances of war having commenced about the same time between the Americans