On the following day a party came within speaking distance,
and their leader, Turtle's Heart, a Delaware chief,
informed Ecuyer that all the western and northern forts
had been cut off, and that a host of warriors were coming
to destroy Fort Pitt and its garrison. He begged Ecuyer
to withdraw the inmates of the fort while there was yet
time. He would see to it that they were protected on
their way to the eastern settlements. He added that when
the Ottawas and their allies arrived, all hope for the
lives of the inhabitants of Fort Pitt would be at an end.
All this Turtle's Heart told Ecuyer out of 'love for the
British.' The British officer, with fine humour, thanked
him for his consideration for the garrison, but told him
that he could hold out against all the Indians in the
woods. He could be as generous as Turtle's Heart, and so
warned him that the British were coming to relieve Fort
Pitt with six thousand men; that an army of three thousand
was ascending the Great Lakes to punish the Ottawa
Confederacy; and that still another force of three thousand
had gone to the frontiers of Virginia. 'Therefore,' he
said, 'take pity on your women and children, and get out
of the way as soon as possible. We have told you this in
confidence, out of our great solicitude, lest any of you
should be hurt; and,' he added, 'we hope that you will
not tell the other Indians, lest they should escape from
our vengeance.
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