282 RUIN OF THE INDIAN CAUSE. [1765. 



autumn, to Colonel Bouquet, to yield up their 

 remaining prisoners, and send deputies to treat of 

 peace with Sir William Johnson ; engagements 

 which, when Croghan arrived at the fort, were as 

 yet unfulfilled, though, as already mentioned, they 

 were soon after complied with. 



Immediately on his arrival, he had despatched 

 messengers inviting the chiefs to a council ; a sum- 

 mons which they obeyed with their usual reluctance 

 and delay, dropping in, band after band, with such 

 tardiness that a month was consumed before a suffi- 

 cient number were assembled. Croghan then ad- 

 dressed them, showing the advantages of peace, and 

 the peril which they would bring on their own heads 

 by a renewal of the war ; and urging them to stand 

 true to their engagements, and send their deputies 

 to Johnson as soon as the melting of the snows 

 should leave the forest pathways open. Several 

 replies, all of a pacific nature, were made by the 

 principal chiefs ; but the most remarkable person- 

 age who appeared at the council was the Delaware 

 prophet mentioned in an early portion of the nar- 

 rative, as having been strongly instrumental in 

 urging the tribes to war by means of pretended or 

 imaginary revelations from the Great Spirit.^ He 

 now delivered a speech by no means remarkable 

 for eloquence, yet of most beneficial consequence ; 

 for he intimated that the Great Spirit had not only 

 revoked his sanguinary mandates, but had com- 

 manded the Indians to lay down the hatchet, and 



1 See ante, Vol. I. p. 179. 



