1764, Sept.] EMBASSY OF MORRIS. 191 



"were sending another to rouse the tribes of the 

 Illinois to war.^ From Fort Miami, the deputa- 

 tion had proceeded westward, spreading the conta- 

 gion among all the tribes between the Mississippi 

 and the Ohio ; declaring that they would never 

 make peace with the English, but would fight them 

 as long as the sun should shine, and calling on 

 their brethren of the Illinois to follow their 

 example. 



They had been aware of the approach of Morris, 

 and had urged the Miamis to put him to death 

 when he arrived. Accordingly, he had not been 

 long at the fort when two warriors, with tomahawks 

 in their hands, entered, seized him by the arms, 

 and dragged him towards the river. Godefroy 

 stood by, pale and motionless. " Eh hie?i, vous 

 mahandonnez done!"' said Morris. '' JSfon, mon 

 ccqntaine^' the Canadian answered, '-je ne vous 

 ah andonnerai jamais ; " and he followed, as the two 

 savages dragged their captive into the water. Mor- 

 ris thought that they meant to drown and scalp 

 him, but soon saw his mistake ; for they led him 

 through the stream, which was fordable, and thence 

 towards the Miami village. As they drew near, 

 they stopped, and began to strip him, but grew 

 angry at the difficulty of the task ; till, in rage and 

 despair, he tore off his clothes himself. They then 

 bound his arms behind him with his own sash, 



1 " About the end of next month," said the deputies to the Miamis, 

 "we sliall send you the war-hatchet." "Doubtless," remarks Morris, 

 "their design was to amuse General Bradstreet with fair language, to cut 

 off his army at Sandusky when least expected, and then to send the 

 hatchet to the nations." 



