To their hatred and sense of being
wronged he had appealed, and he saw that every warrior
present was with him; but his strongest appeal was to
their superstition. In spite of the fact that French
missionaries had been among them for a century, they were
still pagan, and it was essential to the success of his
project that they should believe that the Master of Life
favoured their cause. He told them the story of a Wolf
(Delaware) Indian who had journeyed to heaven and talked
with the Master of Life, receiving instructions to tell
all the Indians that they were to 'drive out' and 'make
war upon' the 'dogs clothed in red who will do you nothing
but harm.' When he had finished, such chiefs as Ninevois
of the Chippewas and Takay of the Wyandots--'the bad
Hurons,' as the writer of the 'Pontiac Manuscript'
describes them to distinguish them from Father Potier's
flock--spoke in similar terms. Every warrior present
shouted his readiness to go to war, and before the council
broke up it was agreed that in four days Pontiac 'should
go to the fort with his young men for a peace dance' in
order to get information regarding the strength of the
place. The blow must be struck before the spring boats
arrived from the Niagara with supplies and additional
troops.
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