14 FRONTIER FOUTS AND SETTLEMENTS. [1763, June. 



humor perceptible in it may serve to indicate that 

 he was under no great apprehension for the safety 

 of his garrison : — 



" My Brothers, we are very grateful for your 

 kindness, though we are convinced that you must 

 be mistaken in what you have told us about the 

 forts being captured. As for ourselves, we have 

 plenty of provisions, and are able to keep the fort 

 against all the nations of Indians that may dare to 

 attack it. We are very well off in this place, and 

 we mean to stay here. 



" My Brothers, as you have shown yourselves 

 such true friends, we feel bound in gratitude to 

 inform you that an army of six thousand English 

 will shortly arrive here, and that another army of 

 three thousand is gone up the lakes, to punish the 

 Ottawas and Ojibwas. A third has gone to the 

 frontiers of Virginia, where they will be joined by 

 your enemies, the Cherokees and Catawbas, who are 

 coming here to destroy you. Therefore take pity 

 on your women and children, and get out of the 

 way as soon as possible. We have told you this 

 in confidence, out of our great solicitude lest any 

 of you should be hurt ; and we hope that you will 

 not tell the other Indians, lest they should escape 

 from our vengeance." ^ 



This politic invention of the three armies had 

 an excellent effect, and so startled the Indians, that, 

 on the next day, most of them withdrew from the 

 neighborhood, and went to meet a great body of 



1 MS. Report of Alexander M'Kee, deputy agent for Indian affairs at Fort 

 Pitt. 



