' Campbell's fellow-prisoner
McDougall, along with two others, had escaped to the fort
some days before.
The investment continued, although the attacks became
less frequent. The schooners manoeuvring in the river
poured broadsides into the Indian villages, battering
down the flimsy wigwams. Pontiac moved his camp from the
mouth of Parent's Creek to a position nearer Lake St
Clair, out of range of their guns, and turned his thoughts
to contrive some means of destroying the troublesome
vessels. He had learned from the French of the attempt
with fire-ships against the British fleet at Quebec, and
made trial of a similar artifice. Bateaux were joined
together, loaded with inflammable material, ignited, and
sent on their mission but these 'fire-ships' floated
harmlessly past the schooners and burnt themselves out.
Then for a week the Indians worked on the construction of
a gigantic fire-raft, but nothing came of this ambitious
scheme.
It soon appeared that Pontiac was beginning to lose his
hold on the Indians. About the middle of July ambassadors
from the Wyandots and Potawatomis came to the fort with an
offer of peace, protesting, after the Indian manner, love
and friendship for the British. After much parleying they
surrendered their prisoners and plunder; but, soon after,
a temptation irresistible to their treacherous natures
offered itself, and they were again on the war-path.
Pages:
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66