17G3, May, Juni:.] DEL^UTATION TO PONTIAC. 249 



ried from his farm to the fort in boats, the Indians 

 long remaining ignorant of what was going for- 

 ward.^ 



They, on their part, began to suffer from hunger. 

 Thinking to have taken Detroit at a single stroke, 

 they had neglected, with their usual improvidence, 

 to provide against the exigencies of a siege ; and 

 now, in small parties, they would visit the Cana- 

 dian families along the river shore, passing from 

 house to house, demanding provisions, and threat- 

 ening violence in case of refusal. This was the 

 more annoying, since the food thus obtained was 

 wasted with characteristic recklessness. Unable to 

 endure it longer, the Canadians appointed a depu- 

 tation of fifteen of the eldest among them to wait 

 upon Pontiac, and complain of his followers' con- 

 duct. The meeting took place at a Canadian 

 house, probably that of M. Meloche, where the 

 great chief had made his headquarters, and where 

 the prisoners, Campbell and M'Dougal, were con- 

 fined. 



1 Extract from a MS. Letter — Major Gladwyn to Sir J. Amherst. 



"Detroit, July 8th, 1763. 



" Since the Commencement of this Extraordinary Aifair, I have been 

 Informed, that many of the Inhabitants of this Place, seconded by some 

 French Traders from Montreal, have made the Indians Believe that a 

 French Army & Fleet were in the River St. Lawrence, and that Another 

 Army would come from the Illinois ; And that when I Published the 

 cessation of Arms, they said it was a mere Invention of Mine, purposely 

 Calculated to Keep the Indians Quiet, as We were Affraid of them ; but 

 they were not such Fools as to Believe me ; Which, with a thousand 

 other Lies, calculated to Stir up Mischief, have Induced the Indians to 

 take up Arms ; And I dare say it will Appear ere long, that One Half of 

 the Settlement merit a Gibbet, and the Other Half ought to be Deci- 

 mated ; Nevertheless, there is some Honest Men among them, to whom I 

 am Infinitely ObUged ; I mean, Sir, Monsieur Navarre, the two Babys, & 

 ray Interpreters, St. Martin & La Bute." 



