86 EXPEDITION TO THE 



Philip, Pontiac, and Tecumseh. The influence which he 

 appears to have possessed over the Indians was unbounded. 

 Under these circumstances, it is to be regretted that all the 

 facts connected with his life and character, have not been 

 collected with care. He is the same whom Volney 

 describes as having met with in Philadelphia in the year 

 1798. From the abstract furnished us by this able traveller 

 of the conversations which he had with Little Turtle and 

 with his interpreter, captain Wells, we are led to form a 

 very high opinion of the sound philosophy, and excellent 

 judgment possessed by this chief. Of his military talents 

 we can entertain no doubt, since it is well ascertained that 

 to him is chiefly to be ascribed the success which the In- 

 dians met with during the years 1791 and 1792. Like King 

 Philip, Tecumseh, &c. he is said to have entertained at 

 one time the hope of forming an extensive coalition among 

 the Indians, with a view to retrieve the soil of which they 

 had been so unjustly deprived ; but meeting with difficulties 

 which he probably foresaw would be invincible, he, with 

 more foresight than either of those chiefs, soon discovered 

 that the day for such measures had long since passed away, 

 and that the only advisable course, which remained for his 

 nation to adopt, would be to make peace with the invaders, 

 and endeavour to improve by their superior information. 

 In this manner he succeeded in rescuing them from 

 that destruction, to which King Philip and Tecumseh were 

 hurrying on their brethren, at the time that they themselves 

 became victims to the wars which they had been instru- 

 mental in producing. Doubtless his great spirit flattered 

 itself with the hope, that by an advancement in the arts of 

 civilized life, his brethren would regain that importance 

 which they seemed to be on the point of losing for ever. 

 His mind had predicted the awful consequences of the op- 



