1760.] VIEWS OF PONTIAC. 167 



was on the wane, and he knew his own interest 

 too well to prop a falling cause. By making 

 friends of the English, he hoped to gain powerful 

 allies, who would aid his ambitious projects, and 

 give him an increased influence over the tribes ; 

 and he flattered himself that the new-comers would 

 treat him with the same respect which the French 

 had always observed. In this, and all his other 

 expectations of advantage from the English, he 

 was doomed to disappointment. 



A cold storm of rain set in, and the rangers 

 were detained several days in their encampment. 

 During this time, Rogers had several interviews 

 with Pontiac, and was constrained to admire the 

 native vigor of- his intellect, no less than the sin- 

 gular control which he exercised over those around 

 him. 



On the twelfth of November, the detachment was 

 again in motion, and within a few days they had 

 reached the western end of Lake Erie. Here they 

 heard that the Indians of Detroit were in arms 

 against them, and that four hundred warriors lay 

 in ambush at the entrance of the river to cut them 

 05". But the powerful influence of Pontiac was 

 exerted in behalf of his new friends. The warriors 

 abandoned their design, and the rangers continued 

 their progress towards Detroit, now within a short 

 distance. 



In the mean time. Lieutenant Brehm had been 

 sent forward with a letter to Captain Beletre, the 

 commandant at Detroit, informing him that Canada 

 had capitulated, that his garrison was included in 



