72 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



^caution must be obsei-ved in dealing with tliem before hostilities actually 

 began. ^ 



in his reply a month later, Gore replied that little could be dione 

 for the defence of Up|X?r Canada except as far as repelling incursions 

 by small panties might be concerned. The inhabitants from Kingston 

 ^downward could be depended upon, but he ent^ertained grave doubts as 

 to the loyalty of many persons residing near Niagara and Long Point. 

 If the American posts at Mackinac and Detroit could be taken, he be- 

 lieved that many of the western Indians would declare for the British 

 and agreed that tliey would certainly side with one party or the otlifCr. 

 The prophet of the Shawanese, who was supposed to be able to influence 

 about a thousand Indians, appeared to be well disposed. Thomas McKee, 

 the Deputy Superintendent at Amherstburg, reported that the Ameri- 

 cans were making great efforts ro win over the Indians, who were loa\'ing 

 that place daily in consequence; and he complained that he had been 

 compelled to biuy ammunition with his own monev to supply them as 

 the government store contained none.- 



Craig soon after cautioned Gore to do nothing to irritate tlie Ameri- 

 cans in his efforts to preserve the attachment of the Indians as any pub- 

 lic communication with them would furnish the war party in the United 

 States with a fresh subject of complaint. He was able to report that tlie 

 utmost good feeling prevailed in Lower Canada and that great cordiality 

 Jiad marked the proceedings of the House of Assembly which met in 

 February, 1808. The ISTon-Intercourse Act passed by Congress had been 

 openly set at defiance by the people of Veraiont and New^ York all along 

 the frontier of Lower Canada. A mammoth raft, said to cover ten 

 acres of water had been built by the smugglers on Lake Champlain, on 

 which an immense quantity of potaf^h, provisions and staves was stored, 

 and it was then towed' near the boundary line where it was moored for 

 s^everal days, in sight of an United States Revenue cutter stationed there 

 to enforce'the law. A high gale finally forced it into British waters 



' Canadian Archives, Craig to Gk)re, Q., 107, p. 209. 



= On January 16th, 1808, JjC Canadien published an extract from a letter 

 from the captain of a merchant vessel on Lake Erie, dated Fort Erie Roads, 

 3rd October, 1807: "The British have armed all their vessels on this lake, 

 that Is to say, the Camden, brigantine, of 18 guns, the General Hunter, of 10 

 guns, and all their merchant vessels. On Lake Ontario, as I am informed, 

 they have the liuhe of Kent, brigantine, of 18 guns, a ship, the Toronto, of 

 24 guns, and the Governor's Yacht. The last a (ew days ago exorcised its 

 seamen and guns alongside the brig Adams. If hostilities begin immediately, 

 the posta of Mackinac and Chicago will be the first attacked by the English 

 to expose a more extensive frontier to the savages with whom they are 

 negotiating for an alliance." 



