266 PONTIAC IN THE WEST. [1764. 



ber, still leagued together in his alliance.* He 

 consigned it to an embassy of chosen warriors, 

 directing them to carry it down the Mississippi, 

 displaying it, in turn, at every Indian village along 

 its banks ; and exhorting the inhabitants, in his 

 name, to watch the movements of the English, and 

 repel any attempt they might make to ascend the 

 river. This done, they were to repair to New 

 Orleans, and demand from the governor, M. D'Ab- 

 badie, the aid which St. Ange had refused. The 

 bark canoes of the embassy put out from the shore, 

 and whirled down the current like floating leaves 

 in autumn. 



Soon after their departure, tidings came to Fort 

 Chartres, which caused a joyous excitement among 

 the Indians, and relieved the French garrison from 

 any danger of an immediate rupture. In our own 

 day, the vast distance between the great city of 

 N" ew Orleans and the populous state of Illinois has 

 dwindled into insignificance beneath the magic of 

 science ; but at the date of this history, three or 

 four months were often consumed in the upward 

 passage, and the settlers of the lonely forest colony 

 were sometimes cut off" from all communication 

 with the world for half a year together. The above- 

 mentioned tidings, interesting as they were, had 

 occupied no less time in their passage. Their 

 import was as follows : — 



Very early in the preceding spring, an English 

 officer. Major Loftus, having arrived at New Or- 

 leans with four hundred regulars, had attempted 



1 MS. Letter — St. Ange to D'Abbadie, Sept. 9. 



