1763, July.] FINAL EFFORT OF PONTIAC. 291 



that a great French army was even then ascending 

 the St. Lawrence, while another was approaching 

 from the country of the Illinois.^ This oft-repeated 

 falsehood was implicitly believed by the Indians, 

 who continued firm in the faith that their Great 

 Father was about to awake from his sleep, and 

 wreak his vengeance upon the insolent English, 

 who had intruded on his domain. 



Pontiac himself clung fast to this delusive hope ; 

 yet he was greatly vexed at the safe arrival of the 

 vessel, and the assistance she had brought to the 

 obstinate defenders of Detroit. He exerted him- 

 self with fresh zeal to gain possession of the place, 

 and attempted to terrify Gladwyn into submission. 

 He sent a message, in which he strongly urged him 

 to surrender, adding, by way of stimulus, that eight 

 hundred more Ojibwas were every day expected, 

 and that, on their arrival, all his influence could 

 not prevent them from taking the scalp of every 

 Englishman in the fort. To this friendly advice 

 Gladwyn returned a brief and contemptuous an- 

 swer. 



Pontiac, having long been anxious to gain the 

 Canadians as auxiliaries in the war, now deter- 

 mined on a final effort to effect his object. For 

 this purpose, he sent messages to the principal 

 inhabitants, inviting them to meet him in council. 

 In the Ottawa camp, there was a vacant spot, quite 

 level, and encircled by the huts of the Indians. 

 Here mats were spread for the reception of the 

 deputies, who soon convened, and took their seats 



1 MS. Letter — Gladwyn to Amherst, July 8. 



