1764, Aug.] EMBASSY OF MORRIS. 187 



more distant. As they drew near, they were met 

 by a rabble of several hundred Indians, called by 

 Morris " Pontiac's army." They surrounded him, 

 beat his horse, and crowded between him and his fol- 

 low^ers, apparently trying to separate them. At the 

 outskirts of the camp stood Pontiac himself, who 

 met the ambassador with a scowling brow, and 

 refused to offer his hand. Here, too, stood a man, 

 in the uniform of a French officer, holding his gun 

 with the butt resting on the ground, and assuming 

 an air of great importance ; while two Pawnee 

 slaves stood close behind him. He proved to be a 

 French drummer, calling himself St. Vincent, one 

 of those renegades of civilization to be found in 

 almost every Indian camp. He now took upon 

 himself the office of a master of ceremonies ; 

 desired Morris to dismount, and seated himself at 

 his side on a bearskin. Godefroy took his place 

 near them ; and the throng of savages, circle 

 within circle, stood crowded around. " Pres- 

 ently," says Morris, " came Pontiac, and squatted 

 himself, after his fashion, opposite to me." He 

 opened the interview by observing that the English 

 were liars, and demanding of the ambassador if he 

 had come to lie to them, like the rest. " This 

 Indian," pursues Morris, " has a more extensive 

 power than ever was known among that people, 

 for every chief used to command his own tribe ; 

 but eighteen nations, by French intrigue, had been 

 brousrht to unite and choose this man for their 

 commander." 



Pontiac now produced a letter directed to him- 



