1763, June.] SPEECH OF WAWATAM. 355 



Henry and the other traders escaped this ngorous 

 treatment. The spacious lodge was soon filled 

 with Indians, who came to look at their captives, 

 and gratify themselves by deriding and jeering at 

 them. At the head of the lodge sat the great war- 

 chief Minavavana, side by side with Henry's master, 

 Wenniway. Things had remained for some time 

 in this position, when Henry observed an Indian 

 stooping to enter at the low aperture which served 

 for a door, and, to his great joy, recognized his 

 friend and brother, Wawatam, whom he had last 

 seen on the day before the massacre. Wawatam 

 said nothing ; but, as he passed the trader, he 

 shook him by the hand, m token of encouragement, 

 and, proceeding to the head of the lodge, sat down 

 with Wenniway and the war-chief iVfter he had 

 smoked with them for a while in silence, he rose 

 and went out again. Very soon he came back, 

 followed by his squaw, who brought in her hands 

 a valuable present, which she laid at the feet of 

 the two chiefs. Wawatam then addressed them 

 in the following speech : — 



'' Friends and relations, what is it that I shall 

 say? You know what I feel. You all have 

 friends, and brothers, and children, whom as your- 

 selves you love ; and you, — what would you ex- 

 perience, did you, like me, behold your dearest 

 friend — your brother — in the condition of a slave ; 

 a slave, exposed every moment to insult, and to 

 menaces of death 1 This case, as you all know, is 

 mine. See there, [pointing to Henry,] my friend 

 and brother among slaves, — himself a slave ! 



