1891-92. ] AN EPISODE IN THE PONTIAC WAR. 941 
great hall in a Frenchman’s house, in the courtyard of which were about 
two hundred Indians of different nations. There was placed in the 
middle of the hall a small table and four chairs. A fifth chair was 
reserved for myself, though at that time I would gladly have dispensed 
with the honour. They then produced some English letters,and Pondiac 
the leading man of the four nations, told me by a French interpreter, 
that as I could speak French and read English, that they had pitched 
upon me to explain the meaning of these letters, which he ordered me to 
perform without concealing any part of them, threatening me with death 
if I did not translate the whole verbatim just as they were. Here one 
of the prisoners, a native of Virginia, who fond of an indolent life, 
had married and determined to stay among them, told me he could read 
English also, and would overlook the papers to detect any attempts at 
concealment, or misconstruction of the sense, adding that the conse- 
quences would be my being scalped on the spot. I accordingly set to 
work and read the letters in French, toa Frenchman who explained them 
to the chief. They were merely old letters which Captain Campbell had 
in his pocket when killed, and a few to him from his friends at Detroit 
during his imprisonment, which had been committed to the charge of a 
Frenchman, who instead of delivering them kept them. There were 
several French gentlemen in the room, who were as eager to read them 
as the Indians. What both French and English wanted to know in 
particular, was whether peace had been declared with France or not. It 
had been publicly declared at Detroit by Major Gladwin long before that 
time ; but the Canadians could never bring themselves to believe that 
the “Grand Monarque” could ever cede their country to Great Britain, 
and still flattered themselves that if they could excite the Indians 
to maintain the war against us for a little while, that a reinforce- 
ment would arrive from France and they would drive the English out 
of the country. They had therefore always assured the Indians that 
Major Gladwin had declared there was peace only to prevent them from 
attacking him. The epistle contained, however, nothing that I thought 
could favour their wishes or designs, nevertheless they thought fit to con- 
strue them differently, or at least to doubt the truth and sincerity of 
Major Gladwin’s proclamation of peace. When I had done with the 
interpretation, they all thanked me and appeared satisfied with my pro- 
ceedings, permitting me to return home with Perwash who said he was 
happy in having got me off so well. 
The most memorable circumstance which happened during my 
captivity was my being sold to Mr. Quilleim, with whom I was 
well acquainted before I was taken, and had since frequently visited 
with Perwash in order to procure a little bread and salt. In these 
