250 PONTIAC AT DETROIT. [1763, May, June. 



When Pontiac saw the deputation approaching 

 along the river road, he was seized with an exceed- 

 ing eagerness to know the purpose of their visit ; 

 for having long desired to gain the Canadians as 

 allies against the English, and made several advan- 

 ces to that effect, he hoped that their present errand 

 might relate to the object next his heart. So 

 strong was his curiosity, that, forgetting the ordi- 

 nary rule of Indian dignity and decorum, he asked 

 the business on which they had come before they 

 themselves had communicated it. The Canadians 

 replied, that they wished the chiefs to be convened, 

 for they were about to speak upon a matter of 

 much importance. Pontiac instantly despatched 

 messengers to the different camps and villages. 

 The chiefs, soon arriving at his summons, entered 

 the apartment, where they seated themselves upon 

 the floor, having first gone through the necessary 

 formality of shaking hands with the Canadian depu- 

 ties. After a suitable pause, the eldest of the 

 French rose, and heavily complained of the out- 

 rages which they had committed. " You pretend," 

 he said, ''to be friends of the French, and yet you 

 plunder us of our hogs and cattle, you trample 

 upon our fields of young corn, and when you enter 

 our houses, you enter with tomahawk raised. When 

 your French father comes from Montreal with his 

 great army, he will hear of what you have done, 

 and, instead of shaking hands with you as brethren, 

 he will punish you as enemies." 



Pontiac sat with his eyes riveted upon the 

 ground, listening to every word that was spoken. 



