feasible, and the dangerous duty of conducting the expedition was entrusted to Croghan.

Croghan having been delayed, owing to the convoy containing his presents for the Indians having been plundered by a party of the Pennsylvanian borderers on the route to fort Ligonier, his assistant Fraser, a lieutenant of the 77th, volunteered to proceed to the Illinois to prepare the French commandant for Croghan's arrival. The navigation was open, and the voyage itself, though long, was free from privation. Fraser was accompanied by a trader named Sinnott. He reached Kaskaskia by the middle of May. His presence was by no means welcome, and he describes himself as having surrendered as a prisoner. A party of Illinois shortly afterwards arrived, with the determination to avenge the death of some of their tribe, who they declared had been killed and scalped by some Cherokees. They took steps to kill Fraser, but owing to the intervention of Pontiac his life was saved. It was, however, considered advisable that he should not remain to awaken the enmity which daily became more threatening. He consequently left the Illinois on the 29th of May, to descend the Mississippi, and arrived at New Orleans on the 16th of June. Johnson speaks of Fraser as being too zealous, and it was long feared that he and those who had accompanied him had been put to death. Gage also speaks of Fraser's "precipitancy," and no good of any kind resulted from his attempt.

Croghan left fort Pitt on the 15th of May with some deputies of the Shawances, and he sent a message by land to their tribe, to conduct the French traders among them to the mouth of the Scioto, in order that they might return with. Croghan to their own country, for they would not be permitted to continue to trade where they were, without a permit signed by Gage and Johnson. On his arrival, seven French traders were delivered to him. He heard that there were six among the Delawares, and the Shawanees undertook in like manner to obtain them, for they sincerely desired to preserve the peace. On arriving at the mouth of the Wabash, Croghan

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saw that a breastwork had been thrown up, and from tracks leading to it, he formed the opinion that there might be a design to attack him; he, however, proceeded six miles lower down the Ohio, and finding the spot convenient encamped there.

On the following morning, the 8th of June, at daybreak, Croghan was attacked by eighty Kikapoos and Musquetomys. Three of the Shawanees' deputies were killed, a fourth wounded. Two of the white men were killed, and the canoes were plundered of all they contained. Croghan was himself wounded. After the affair, the assailants expressed their great sorrow for what had happened. They explained that they had been employed by the French, their fathers, who told them Croghan was to be accompanied by Cherokees, and that no peace had been made by the Shawanees and Delawares and Six Nations. *

Accordingly, they released the Indian prisoners, and carried. away Croghan and his party to Vincennes, the French post on the Wabash in connection with New Orleans. There were at this spot some eighty houses clustered around the fort and an Indian village of the Pyankiskas. Croghan met many Indians whom he knew; they loudly disapproved of the attack, and requested that he should be well cared for until the return of the chiefs from the Illinois, many of whom had proceeded to fort Chartres in expectation of meeting him. He now, for the first time, heard of the treatment which Fraser, Sinnott and Lagauterie had received. He was permitted to write to de Saint Ange, but not to Sinnott. Indeed, he could obtain neither paper, pen nor ink from the

Croghan immediately saw the political blunder of this attack and the benefits to result from it. He wrote to Murray, of the 42nd, at fort Pitt. [Can. Arch., A. & W. I., 121.2, p. 672] 12th July, 1765. It was the best thing that could have happened. The French, for three years, with great pains and at great expense, had been endeavouring to make a confederacy against the English taking possession of the country. They had felt "cock sure" the Shawanees and Delawares would never make peace; killing their deputies had thrown them into confusion, for they dreaded a war with the Shawanees, Delawares and Six Nations.

French settlers without the consent of the Indians. The party shortly afterwards ascended the Wabash to Ouatanon, higher up the river. Here Croghan again met many old acquaintances, and was treated by them with kindness. In a few days the chiefs returned from the Illinois, and expressed concern for what had happened. On the 1st of July a Frenchman arrived, bearing a pipe and a message, said to have been sent by a Shawanee attached to the French interests. It was addressed to the Kikapoos and others of the party, with the request that Croghan should be burned. The Indians in council not only contemptuously rejected the message, but informed Croghan that he and his men were free. They engaged to return the pipe, and to ask how such a message could have been sent, and they requested Croghan to remain with them until the arrival of deputies from the Six Nations, Shawanees and Delawares with Pontiac, when matters would be satisfactorily settled.

During the following days Croghan exerted himself to create friendly feelings towards the British; he also succeeded in obtaining their consent to the occupation of the posts formerly held by the French, with the offer of service on their part in the event of any armed opposition against possession being taken.

In a few days a messenger arrived from de Saint Ange to the Indians, requesting them to conduct Croghan to the Illinois; it was in answer to the letter written nearly a month previously. Croghan lost no time in communicating to New York, fort Pitt, and Detroit, the turn affairs had taken. He was further gratified by a visit from the Miami Indians, pledging their fidelity to him. Croghan started for the Illinois. When on the road he met Pontiac, in company with deputies from the Six Nations, the Delawares and Shawanees, also from the four Illinois nations, on their way to wait upon him, and the Shawanees. Accordingly they all returned to Ouatanon, where a conference was held and everything settled. All that had been done previously was agreed to. Pontiac, on this occasion, explained the reason of his former

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enmity. The French, he said, had declared that it was the intention of the English to drive the present tribes from the country and place the Cherokees in possession, and that then they would all be made slaves. Now, as he learned that peace was made with the Delawares and Shawances, the remaining tribes were willing to comply with its conditions, and receive the English with open arms.

Consequently Croghan started for Detroit accompanied by several chiefs proceeding thither as they said, to meet Bradstreet. As he passed by the Twightee and Ottawa village on the Miami, the white prisoners were delivered up to him. He arrived at Detroit on the 17th of August, where he found several tribes waiting for Bradstreet in consequence of his invitation of the previous year. A conference was held by colonel Campbell then in command, and Croghan. In the first place the chiefs addressed the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanees, and asked “in the most abject manner, that they would forgive them for the ill conduct of their Young Men, to take Pity on their Women and Children, and grant ym peace."

After affirming the peace, and expressing their satisfaction that the heavy clouds which hung over their heads were dispersed, and the sun was shining clear and bright, they called on the British to have pity on their women and children, and make up their difference with the Shawances and Delawares. On all sides the desire was expressed that the tribes would behave well to their fathers the English. The conference continued with some interruption until the 25th of September, all present promising to become children of the king of Great Britain. They were dismissed with presents, and a caution to "stop their ears against the Storys or idle reports of evil minded People."

On the 27th there was a meeting with Pontiac, the Ottawas, Pottawatamies, Chippewas, and Wyandots. A belt dispersing the black cloud was given, so that the sun might clearly shine and the blessings of peace be enjoyed. The bones of the dead were sunk deep in the ground, in order that sweet herbs

and flowers might grow over them, the hatchet was buried, the tree of peace planted, and a road opened to the rising sun pleasant to travel upon.

On the 28th Pontiac spoke. He declared that he had settled peace before he came thither. He explained why he did not live at Detroit, and was now established on the Miami. His reasons may be given in his own words, we love liquor and did we live here as formerly our people would be always drunk, which might occasion some quarrels between the soldiers and them." He asked for some credit for powder and lead, that they might obtain support for their families. The concluding words of Pontiac do not tend to establish the remarkable character in all respects claimed for him; they were, “Father, you stopped up the Rum Barrel when we came here till the Business of that meeting was over; as it is now finished we request that you may open the barrel that your Children may drink and be merry."

*

The several tribes gave their full adherence to the peace, and with all of them there was the demand that trade should be re-opened, otherwise they would be forced to seek their requirements from the French. Pontiac, with other tribes, complained that the French had taken possession of a large part of their country, for which no consideration had been given, and they trusted that satisfaction would be made on this point. Their territory was large; they were willing to cede to their fathers, the English, what was necessary to carry on trade, provided they were paid for it, and a sufficient hunting ground left them.

On the 19th of September Croghan received a letter by express from fort Pitt that captain Stirling, in command of a detachment of one hundred men of the 42nd, had descended the Ohio and proceeded to fort Chartres to receive the place from the French, and take possession of the Illinois country. The fort was ceded to the British on the 10th of October, 1765. The flag of France thus disappeared for ever from the western continent, on which during the last three years it * N.Y. Doc., VIII., p. 784.