choice of his camping ground, and his habitual watchfulness when in an
enemy's country, no advantage was gained over him. On one occasion,
while encamped in the edge of a cane-brake on the waters of the
Tennessee, he was assaulted by a party of whites, about thirty in
number. Tecumseh had not lain down, but was engaged at the moment of
the attack, in dressing some meat. He instantly sprang to his feet, and
ordering his small party to follow him, rushed upon his foes with
perfect fearlessness; and, having killed two, put the whole party to
flight, he losing none of his own men.

Tecumseh and his party remained at the south nearly two years,
traversing that region of country, visiting the different tribes of
Indians, and engaging in the border forays which at that period were
constantly occurring between the whites and the native possessors of
the soil. He now determined to return home, and accordingly set out
with eight of his party. They passed through western Virginia, crossed
the Ohio near the mouth of the Scioto, and visiting the Machichac towns
on the head waters of Mad River, from thence proceeded to the Auglaize,
which they reached in the fall of 1790, shortly after the defeat of
general Harmar, having been absent from Ohio upwards of three years.

CHAPTER III.

Tecumseh attacked near Big Rock by some whites under Robert
M'Clelland--severe battle with some Kentuckians on the East Fork of
the Little Miami--attack upon Tecumseh in 1793, on the waters of
Paint creek--Tecumseh present at the attack on fort Recovery in
1794--participates in the battle of the Rapids of the Maumee, in
1794.

From the period of his return, until August of the following year,
1791, Tecumseh spent his time in hunting. In the autumn of this year,
when information reached the Indians, that general St. Clair and his
army were preparing to march from fort Washington, into their country,
this chief headed a small party of spies, who went out for the purpose
of watching the movements of the invading force.[A] While lying on
Nettle creek, a small stream which empties into the Great Miami,
general St. Clair and his army passed out through Greenville to the
head waters of the Wabash, where he was defeated. Tecumseh, of course,
had no personal participation in this engagement, so creditable to the
valor of the Indians, and so disastrous to the arms and renown of the
United States.

[Footnote A: Stephen Ruddell.]

In Dece