of a few yards only from the prison-lodge. My entrance appeared to give joy to the whole family; food was immediately prepared for me, and I now ate the first hearty meal which I had made since my capture. I found myself one of the family; and but that I had still my fears as to the other Indians, I felt as happy as the situation could allow.

"In the course of the next morning, I was alarmed by a noise in the prison-lodge; and looking through the openings of the lodge in which I was, I saw seven dead bodies of white men dragged forth. Upon my inquiry into the occasion, I was informed that a certain chief, called by the Canadians Le Grand Sable, had not long before arrived from his winter's hunt; and that he, having been absent when the war began, and being now desirous of manifesting to the Indians at large his hearty concurrence in what they had done, had gone into the prison-lodge, and there, with his knife, put the seven men, whose bodies I had seen, to death.

"Shortly after, two of the Indians took one of the dead bodies, which they chose as being the fattest, cut off the head, and divided the whole into five parts, one of which was put into each of five kettles, hung over as many fires, kindled for this purpose at the door of the prison-lodge. Soon after things were so far prepared, a message came to our lodge, with an invitation to Wawatam to assist at the feast.

"An invitation to a feast is given by him who is the master of it. Small cuttings of cedar-wood, of about four inches in length, supply the place of cards; and the bearer, by word of mouth, states the particulars. Wawatam obeyed the summons, taking with him, as is usual, to the place of entertainment, his dish and spoon. After an absence of about half an hour, he returned, bringing in his dish a human hand, and a large piece of flesh. the repast, but told me that it

He did not appear to relish was then, and always had

been, the custom among all the Indian nations, when returning from war, or on overcoming their enemies, to make a war-feast from among the slain. This, he said, inspired the warrior with courage in attack, and bred him to meet death with fearlessness.

"In the evening of the same day, a large canoe, such as those which come from Montreal, was seen advancing to the fort. It was full of men, and I distinguished several passengers. The Indian cry was made in the village, a general muster ordered, and, to the number of two hundred, they marched up to the fort, where the canoe was expected to land. The canoe, suspecting nothing, came boldly to the fort, where the passengers, as being English traders, were seized, dragged through the water, beaten, reviled, marched to the prison-lodge, and there stripped of their clothes, and confined.

"Of the English traders that fell into the hands of the Indians, at the capture of the fort, Mr. Tracy was the only one who lost his life. Mr. Ezekiel Solomons and Mr. Henry Bostwick were taken by the Ottawas, and, after the peace, carried down to Montreal, and there ransomed. Of ninety troops, about seventy were killed; the rest, together with those of the posts in the Bay des Puants, and at the river Saint Joseph, were also kept in safety by the Ottawas, till the peace, and then either freely restored, or ransomed at Montreal. The Ottawas never overcame their disgust at the neglect with which they had been treated, in the beginning of the war, by those who afterward desired their assistance as allies."

THE ESCAPE OF HENRY AND OTHERS.

The part the Ottawas played at Michilimackinac will readily explain Indian character. They had rescued Henry and his companions from their captors and, bore them back

to the fort, of which they took possession, with the other prisoners, to the dismay of the Chippewas. It was not for any good will to the prisoners, but out of revenge because the Chippewas made the attack without consulting or informing them. They held a council and gave up Henry and some of the prisoners, but the officers and several soldiers were retained and carried to L'Arbre Croche by the Ottawas. Here Father Janois influenced the Indians to treat them with kindness. From that place Etherington sent a letter by Father Janois to Major Gladwin at Detroit, and one to Lieut. Gorell at Green Bay by an Ottawa Indian. These letters both contained brief accounts of the massacre and an entreaty for assistance. The following was addressed to Gorell:

"MICHILIMACKINAC, June 11, 1763.

"DEAR SIR,-This place was taken by surprise on the 4th instant by the Chippewas (Ojibwas), at which time Lieutenant Jamette and twenty men were killed, and all the rest taken prisoners; but our good friends the Ottawas have taken Lieutenant Lesslie, me, and eleven men out of their hands, and have promised to reinstate us again. You'll therefore, on the receipt of this, which I send by a canoe of Ottawas, set out with all your garrison, and what English traders you have with you, and come with the Indian who gives you this, who will conduct you safe to me. You must be sure to follow the instruction you receive from the bearer of this, as you are by no means to come to this post before you see me at the village, twenty miles from this. I must once more beg you'll lose no time in coming to me; at the same time be very careful, and always be on your guard. I long much to see you and am, dear sir,

66 "Your most humble servant,

"GEO. ETHRINGTON.

"J. Gorell, Royal Americans."

The following is from Parkman: "The Conspiracy of

Pontiac," Vol. 2, p. 336, 337.

"A copy of the original was

procured from the State Paper Office of London."

"Michilimackinac, 12 June, 1763. "Sir:-Notwithstanding that I wrote you in my last that all the savages were arrived, and that every thing seemed in perfect tranquility, yet, on the 2nd instant, the Chippewas, who live in a place near this fort, assembled to play ball as they have done almost every day since their arrival. They played from morning; then throwing their ball close to the gate, and observing Lieut. Leslie and me a few paces out of it, they came behind us, seized and carried us into the woods.

“In the mean time the rest rushed into the Fort, where they found their squaws whom they had previously planted there, with their hatchets hid under their blankets, which they took, and in an instant killed Lieut. Jaunet and fifteen rank and file, and a trader named Tracy. They wounded two, and took the rest of the garrison, five (seven, Henry) of whom they have since killed.

66

'They made prisoners of all the English Traders, and robbed them of every thing they had; but they offered no violence to the persons or property of any of the Frenchmen.

"When the massacre was over, Messrs. Langdale and Farlé the interpreter, came down to the place where Lieut. Leslie and me were prisoners; and on their giving themselves as security to return us when demanded, they obtained leave for us to go to the Fort, under a guard of savages, which gave time, by the assistance of the gentlemen above mentioned, to send for the Outaways, who came down on the first notice, and were very much displeased at what the Chippeways had done. Since the arrival of the Outaways they have done everything in their power to serve us, and with what prisoners the Chippeways had given them, and what they have bought, I have now with me Lieut. Leslie and eleven privates; and the other four of the Garrison who are yet living, remain in the hands of the Chippeways.

"The Chippeways who were superior in number to the Ottaways, have declared in Council to them that if they do not remove us out of the Fort, they will cut off all communication to this Post, by which means all the Convoys of Merchants from Montreal, La Baye, St. Joseph, and the upper posts would perish. But if the news of your post being attacked (which they say was the reason why they took up the hatchet) be false, and you can send us a strong rein force

ment, with provisions, &c, accompanied by some of your savages, I believe the post might be re-established again.

"Since this affair happened, two canoes arrived from Montreal, which put in my power to make a present to the Ottaway nation, who very well deserve anything that can be done for them.

“I have been very much obliged to Messrs. Langdale and Farlé, the Interpreter, as likewise to the Jesuit, for the many good offices they have done us on this occasion. The Priest seems inclinable to go down to your post for a day or two, which I am very glad of, as he is a very good man, and had a great deal to say with the savages, hereabout, who will believe every thing he tells them on his return, which I hope will be soon. The Outaways say they will take Lieut. Leslie, me, and the eleven men which I mentioned before were in their hands, up to their village, and there keep us, till they hear what is doing at your Post. They have sent this court for that purpose.

"I refer you to the Priest for the particulars of this meloncholy affair and am, Dear Sir,

"To Major Gladwin.

Yours very sincerely, (Signed)

GEO. ETHERINGTON.

"P. S. The Indians that are to carry the Priest to Detroit will not undertake to land him at the Fort, but at some of the Indian villages near it, so you must not take it amiss that he does not pay you the first visit. And once more I beg that nothing may stop your sending of him back, the next day after his arrival, if possible, as we shall be at a great loss for the want of him, and I make no doubt that you will do all in your power to make peace as you see the situation we are in, and send up provision as soon as possible, and ammunition, as what we had was pillaged by the savages,

Van Fleet writes:

"Adieu, GEO. ETHERINGTON."

"When Father Janois reached Detroit he found the place closely besieged, and consequently no assistance could come from that quarter; but at Green Bay the case was otherwise. With seventeen men, Lieutenant Gorell had taken possession of that post in 1761, and, by a system of good management,