[CRUIKSHANK] GENERAL HULL’S INVASION OF CANADA IN 1812 253 
of the western nations. Many of them were Christians and had 
attained a considerable degree of civilization. Colonel Elliott was now 
instructed to invite them to cross the river and place themselves under 
British protection, and with this object in view a chief named Warrow 
was sent over to propose a conference. By this time a deputation from 
the Six Nations had returned from the council at Piqua. They had 
also visited Richardville, an aged chief of the Miamis at Fort Wayne, 
and delivered to him a pipe of peace from General Hull, receiving in 
return pipes to be used in a council with Tecumseh and Roundhead. 
They were now accompanied to the Council House at Amherstburg 
by Walk-in-the-Water and most of the principal chiefs and warriors of 
the Wyandots of Brownstown. Tarhe, or the Crane, the Half-King 
of Sandusky, who was now very old and had become an obsequious pen- 
sioner of the American government, remained behind to await the 
result. Procter and Elliott with several officers of the garrison and 
Indian Department were assembled to meet them. Walk-in-the Water 
spoke at length, dwelling much upon the number and power of the 
Americans and reproaching the British for their conduct during the 
last war, when he said that the gates of their fort had been closed 
against the Indians in the hour of defeat, and declaring his intention 
to take no part in the contest. Roundhead replied with vigour, urging 
his brethren to join the British at once and he was warmly supported 
by Warrow and also by Splitlog, an influential chief of the Brownstown 
band. Finally the pipe of peace was formally lit by one of the Wyan- 
dots and presented to Tecumseh, who immediately broke the stem and, 
dashing the fragments upon the floor, left the room with every sign of 
violent indignation. When the council reassembled Tecumseh addressed 
it with tremendous energy, bitterly denouncing the Wyandots of Browns- 
town as cowards for refusing to join the British, and again broke the 
pipe of peace when it was tendered to him. This scene was re-enacted 
on the third day with evident effect, and upon the fourth a considerable 
number of Wyandots of Walk-in-the-Water’s band announced their in- 
tention of joining their Canadian brethren. Elliott then replied, 
expressing his pleasure at their decision, adding significantly that he 
must bring his friend, Walk-in-the-Water, to that side of the river 
where he would be under his own eye. The council then broke up, 
the Wyandots of Brownstown returning to their own village, and Tarhe 
hurriedly took his departure to Sandusky to avoid being made a 
prisoner.* 
1 Clarke, History of the Wyandots; North American Review, April, 1827, 
Article by Lewis Cass. 
