with the open and avowed object of arresting the progress of the whites.

Agreeably to the direction of government, Governor Harrison purchased of the Delawares, Miamies, and Pottawatomies, a large tract of country on both sides of the Wabash, and extending up the river sixty miles above Vincennes. This was in 1809, about a year after the Prophet settled with his colony upon the Wabash, as before stated. Tecumseh was absent at this time, and his brother, the Prophet, was not considered as having any claim to the country, being there without the consent of the Miamies. Tecumseh did not view it in this light, and at his return was exceedingly vexed with those chiefs who had made the conveyance, many of whom, it is asserted, he threatened with death. Tecumseh's displeasure and dissatisfaction reached Governor Harrison, who despatched a messenger to him to state, "that any claims he might have to the lands which had been ceded were not affected by the treaty; that he might come to Vincennes and exhibit his pretensions, and if they were found to be solid, that the land would either be given up, or an ample compensation made for it." This, it must be confessed, was not in a strain calculated to soothe a mighty mind when once justly irritated, as was that of Tecumseh. However, upon the 12th of August, 1810, (a day which can. not fail to remind the reader of the fate of his great archetype, Philip, of Pokanoket,) he met the governor in council at Vincennes, with many of his warriors, at which time he spoke to him as follows:

"It is true I am a Shawanee. My forefathers were warriors. Their son is a warrior. From them I only take my existence; from my tribe I take nothing. I am the maker of my own fortune; and oh! that I could make that of my red people, and of my country, as great as the conceptions of my mind, when I think of the Spirit that rules the universe. I would not then come to Governor Harrison to ask him to tear the treaty, and to obliterate the landmark; but I would say to him, Sir, you have liberty to return to your own country. The being within, communing with past ages, tells me that once, nor until lately, there was no white man on this continent. That it then all belonged to red men, children of the same parents, placed on it by the Great Spirit that made them, to keep it, to traverse it, to enjoy its productions, and to fill it with the same race. Once a happy race, since made miserable by the white people, who are never contented, but always encroaching. The way, and the only way, to check and to stop this evil is, for all the red men to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land, as it was at first, and should be yet; for it never was divided, but belongs to all, for the use of each. That no part has a right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers,-those who want all, and will not do with less. The white people have no right to take the land from the Indians; because they had it first, it is theirs. They may sell, but all must join. Any sale not made by all is not valid. The late, sale is bad. It was made by a part only. Part do not know how to sell. It requires all to make a bar

gain for all. All red men have equal rights to the unoccupied land. The right of occupancy is as good in one place as in another. There cannot be two occupations in the same place. The first excludes all others. It is not so in hunting or travelling, for there the same ground will serve many, as they may follow each other all day; but the camp is stationary, and that is occupancy. It belongs to the first who sits down on his blanket or skins which he has thrown upon the ground, and till he leaves it no other has a right."

How near this is to the original is unknown to us, but it appears too much Americanised to correspond with our notions of Tecunisch; nevertheless it may give the true meaning. One important paragraph ought to be added, which we do not find in the author from which we have extracted the above, which was, "that the Americans had driven them from the sea-coasts, and that they would shortly push them into the lakes, and that they were determined to make a stand where they were." This language forcibly reminds us of what the ancient Britons said of their enemies, when they besought aid of the Romans: "The barbarians (said they) drive us to the sea, and the sea beats us back upon them; between these extremes we are exposed either to be slain with the sword or drowned in the waves."

Tecumseh, having thus explained his reasons against the validity of the purchase, took his seat amidst his warriors. Governor Harrison, in his reply, said, "that the white people, when they arrived upon this continent, had found the Miamies in possession of all the country on the Wabash, and at that time the Shawanese were residents of Georgia, from which they were driven by the Creeks. That the lands had been purchased from the Miamies, who were the true and original owners of it. That it was ridiculous to assert that all the Indians were one nation; for if such had been the intention of the Great Spirit, he would not have put six different tongues into their heads, but have taught them all to speak a language that all could understand. That the Miamies found it for their interest to sell a part of their lands, and receive for them a further annuity, the benefit of which they had long experienced, from the punctuality with which the seventeen fires (the seventeen United States) complied with their engage. inents; and that the Shawanese had no right to come from a distant country and control the Miamies in the disposal of their own property." The governor then took his seat, and the interpreter proceeded to explain to Tecumseh what he had said, who, when he had nearly finished, suddenly interrupted him, and exclaimed, "It is all false!" at the same time giving to his warriors a signal, they seized their war-clubs, and sprang upon their feet from the green grass on which they had been sitting. The governor now thought himself in imminent danger, and, freeing himself from his arm-chair, drew his sword, and prepared to defend himself. He was attended by some officers of his government, and many citizens, more numerous than the Indians, but all unarmed; most of whom, however, seized upon some weapon, such as stones and clubs. Tecumseh continued to make gestures and speak with great emotion, and a guard of twelve armed men stationed by the

governor in the rear were ordered up. For a few minutes it was expected blood would be shed. Major G. R. Floyde, who stood near the governor, drew his dirk, and Winnemack cocked his pistol, which he had ready primed; he said Tecumseh had threatened his life for having signed the treaty and sale of the disputed land. A Mr. Winas, the Methodist minister, ran to the governor's house, and taking a gun, stood in the door to defend the family.

On being informed what Tecumseh had said, the governor replied to him, that "he was a bad man-that he would have no further talk with him that he must return to his camp, and set out for his home immediately." Thus ended the conference. Tecumseh did not leave the neighborhood, but the next morning, having reflected on the impropriety of his conduct, sent to the governor to have the council renewed, and apologised for the affront offered; to which the governor after some time consented, having taken the precaution to have two additional companies of armed men in readiness in case of insult.

Having met a second time, Tecumseh was asked whether he had any other grounds than those he had stated, by which he could lay claim to the land in question; to which he replied, "No other.” Here, then, was an end to all argument. The indignant soul of Tecumseh could not but be enraged at the idea of an "equivalent for a country," or, what meant the same thing, a compensation for land, which, often repeated, as it had been, would soon amount to a country! "The behaviour of Tecumseh at this interview was very different from what it had been the day before. His deportment was dignified and collected, and he showed not the least disposition to be insolent. He denied having any intention of attacking the governor, but said he had been advised by white men" to do as he had done; that two white men had visited him at his place of residence, and told him that half the white people were opposed to Governor Harrison, and willing to relinquish the land, and told him to advise the tribes not to receive pay for it; for that the governor would be soon put out of office, and a "good man" sent in his place, who would give up the land to the Indians. The governor asked him whether he would prevent the survey of the land; he replied that he was determined to adhere to the old boundary. Then arose a Wyandot, a Kikkapoo, a Pottawatomie, an Ottowas, and a Winnebago chief, each declaring his determination to stand by Tecumseh, whom they had chosen their chief. After the governor had informed Tecumseh that his words should be truly reported to the president, alleging, at the same time, that he knew the land would not be relinquished, and that it would be maintained by the sword, the council closed.

The governor wished yet to prolong the interview, and thought that possibly Tecumseh might appear more submissive should he meet him in his own tent. Accordingly he took with him an interpreter, and visited the chief in his camp the next day. The governor was received with kindness and attention, and Tecumseh conversed with him a considerable time. On being asked by the governor if his determination really was as he had expressed himself in the

council, he said "Yes," and added, "that it was with great reluctance he would make war with the United States, against whom he had no other complaint but their purchasing the Indians' land; that he was extremely anxious to be their friend, and if he (the governor) would prevail upon the president to give up the lands lately purchased, and agree never to make another treaty without the consent of all the tribes, he would be their faithful ally, and assist them in all their wars with the English," whom he knew were always treating the Indians like dogs, clapping their hands and hallooing stu-boy; that he would much rather join the seventeen fires; but if they would not give up said lands, and comply with his request in other respects, he would join the English. When the governor told him there was no probability that the president would comply, he said, "Well, as the great chief is to determine the matter, I hope the Great Spirit will put sense enough into his head to induce him to direct you to give up this land. It is true, he is so far off he will not be injured by the war. He may sit still in his town, and drink his wine, whilst you and I will have to fight it out." He had said before, when asked if it were his determination to make war unless his terms were complied with, "It is my determination; nor will I give rest to my feet until I have united all the red men in the like resolution."

Thus is exhibited the determined character of Tecumseh, in which no duplicity appears, and whose resentment might have been expected, when questioned, again and again, upon the same subject. Most religiously did he prosecute this plan; and could his extraordinary and wonderful exertions be known, no fiction, it is believed, could scarcely surpass the reality. The tribes to the west of the Mississippi, and those about Lakes Superior and Huron, were visited and revisited by him previous to the year 1811. He had raised in these tribes the high expectation that they should be able to drive the Americans to the east of the Ohio. The famous Blue-Jacket was as sanguine as Tecumseh, and was his abettor in uniting distant tribes.

The following characteristic circumstance occurred at one of the meetings at Vincennes. After Tecumseh had made a speech to Governor Harrison, and was about to seat himself in a chair, he observed that none had been placed for him. One was immediately ordered by the governor, and, as the interpreter handed it to him, he said, "Your father requests you to take a chair." "My father?" says Tecumseh, with great indignity of expression; "the sun is my father, and the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will repose;" and immediately seated himself, in the Indian manner, upon the ground.

The fight at Tippecanoe followed soon after. This affair took place in the night of November 6, 1811, in which sixty-two Americans were killed and one hundred and twenty-six wounded. Tecumseh was not in this fight, but his brother, the Prophet, conducted or ordered the attack. During the action, he was performing conjurations on an eminence not far off, but out of danger. His men displayed great bravery, and the fight was long and bloody. Harrison lost some of his bravest officers. The late Colonel Snelling, of Boston, then a

captain, was in this fight, and took prisoner with his own hands an Indian chief, the only Indian taken by the Americans. The name of the captured chief we do not learn, but from his fear of being taken for a Shawanee, it is evident he was not of that tribe. When he was seized by Capt. Snelling, he ejaculated, with hurried accents, "Good man, me no Shawanee." The chiefs White-Lion (Wapamangwa,) Stone-Eater (Sanamahonga,) and Winnemack, were conspicuous at this time. The latter had been the pretended friend of the governor, but now appeared his enemy. He was killed the next year by the lamented Logan.

Just before hostilities commenced, in a talk Governor Harrison had with Tecumseh, the former expressed a wish, if war must follow, that cruelty to prisoners should not be allowed on either side. Tecumseh assured him that he would do all in his power to prevent it; and it is believed he strictly adhered to this resolution. Indeed, we have one example, which has never been called in question, and is worthy the great mind of this chief. When Colonel Dudley was cut off, and near four hundred of his men, not far from Fort Meigs, by falling into an ambush, Tecumseh arrived at the scene of action when the Americans could resist no longer. He exerted himself to put a stop to the massacre of the soldiers which was then going on, and meeting with a Chippewa chief who would not desist by persuasion nor threats, he buried his tomahawk in his head.

It is said that Tecumseh had been in almost every important battle with the Americans, from the destruction of General Harmer's army till his death upon the Thames. He was under the direction of General Proctor in this last great act of his life, but was greatly dissatisfied with his course of proceedings, and is said to have remonstrated against retreating before the Americans in very pointed terms. Perry's victory had just given the Americans the command of Lake Erie; and immediately after, Proctor abandoned Detroit, and marched his majesty's army up the river Thames, accompanied by General Tecumseh, with about fifteen hundred warriors. Harrison overtook them near the Moravian town, Oct. 5, 1813, and, after a bloody battle with the Indians, routed and took prisoners nearly the whole British army, Proctor saving himself only by flight. After withstanding almost the whole force of the Americans for some time, Tecumseh received a severe wound in the arm, but continued to fight with desperation, until a shot in the head from an unknown hand laid him prostrate in the thickest of the fight. Of his warriors one hundred and twenty were left upon the field of battle.

He was

Thus fell Tecumseh, in the forty-fourth year of his age. about five feet ten inches in height, of a noble appearance, and a perfectly symmetrical form. "His carriage was erect and lofty-his motions quick-his eyes penetrating--his visage stern, with an air of hauteur in his countenance which arose from an elevated pride of soul. It did not leave him even in death." He is thus spoken of by one who knew him.

At the battle of the Thames, a chief by the name of Shane served