nor) had been listening to evil birds."

VII. THE PROPHET'S TOWN

In 1808 Tecumseh and the Prophet moved with their followers to the
Wabash Valley, and established on the Tippecanoe River a village known
as the Prophet's Town.

Several advantages were to be gained by moving from Greenville to
Tippecanoe, all of which probably had their weight in influencing the
brothers to make this change. In the first place, there seems to be
little doubt that Tecumseh wanted peace, at least until he had built up
a confederacy strong enough to fight the Americans with some hope of
success. At Greenville the Indians were so near the settlers that there
was constant danger of trouble between them. And Tecumseh realized that
any wrong done by his people might be made an excuse for the government
to take more lands from the Indians.

Then, too, this redskinned statesman realized in his way that the best
way to prevent war was to be ready for it. He wished his people to be
independent of the whites for their livelihood. The Wabash Valley
offered the richest hunting grounds between the Lakes and the Ohio. Here
they need not starve should they be denied aid by the United States
government.

The location of the new village had further political value. It was in
the center of a district where many tribes camped, over which the
brothers wished to extend their influence. From the new town
communication with the British could be more easily carried on. This was
important in view of the troubled relations existing between the United
States and Great Britain. Tecumseh was shrewd enough to see that though
under ordinary circumstances the Indians were not sufficiently strong to
be very formidable to the United States government, their friendship or
enmity would be an important consideration in the war that threatened.
And he hoped that the Long Knives' anxiety lest they should join the
British would prevent their doing anything to gain the ill will of the
Indians.

The brothers wished Governor Harrison to understand that their desire
was for peace, and that they did not intend to make war unless driven to
do so. Accordingly, in August, Tenskwatawa, with a band of followers,
made the Governor a visit. The Indians stayed at Vincennes for about two
weeks. Harrison was surprised to find the Prophet an intelligent and
gifted man. He tested the sincerity of the Prophet's followers by
questions as to their belief and by putting in their way o