try. They made fair promises but never fulfilled
them, while the British made but few, and we could always rely
implicitly on their word.

One of our people having killed a Frenchman at Prairie du Chien, the
British took him prisoner and said they would shoot him next day. His
family were encamped a short distance below the mouth of the Wisconsin.
He begged for permission to go and see them that night, as he was to
die the next day. They permitted him to go after he had promised them to
return by sunrise the next morning.

He visited his family, which consisted of his wife and six children. I
can not describe their meeting and parting so as to be understood by
the whites, as it appears that their feelings are acted upon by certain
rules laid down by their preachers, while ours are governed by the
monitor within us. He bade his loved ones the last sad farewell and
hurried across the prairie to the fort and arrived in time. The soldiers
were ready and immediately marched out and shot him down. I visited the
stricken family, and by hunting and fishing provided for them until they
reached their relations.

Why did the Great Spirit ever send the whites to this island to drive
us from our homes and introduce among us poisonous liquors, disease and
death? They should have remained in the land the Great Spirit allotted
them. But I will proceed with my story. My memory, however, is not very
good since my late visit to the white people. I have still a buzzing
noise in my ear from the noise and bustle incident to travel. I may give
some parts of my story out of place, but will make my best endeavors to
be correct.

Several of our chiefs were called upon to go to Washington to see our
Great Father. They started and during their absence I went to Peoria,
on the Illinois river, to see an old friend and get his advice. He was a
man who always told u the truth, sad knew everything that was going on.
When I arrived at Peoria he had gone to Chicago, and was not at home. I
visited the Pottawattomie villages and then returned to Rock river. Soon
after which our friends returned from their visit to the Great Father
and reported what had been said and done. Their Great Father told them
that in the event of a war taking place with England, not to interfere
on either side, but remain neutral. He did not want our help, but wished
us to hunt and supply our families, and remain in peace. He said that
British traders would not be allowed to co