onfederacy.
British interests required that the confederacy should
not be weakened by premature outbreaks. Gifts of clothing,
food, and weapons were lavishly bestowed upon Tecumseh,
who was encouraged to unite the tribes, but not to declare
war until word came from Canada. 'My son,' said a British
agent, 'keep your eyes fixed on me; my tomahawk is now up;
be you ready, but do not strike until I give the signal.'

The governor of Indiana, desiring to learn the Prophet's
strength and, if possible, to avert war, sent the following
message to Tippecanoe:

There is yet but little harm done, which may be easily
repaired. The chain of friendship, which united the
whites with the Indians, may be renewed and be as
strong as ever. A great deal of that work depends on
you--the destiny of those who are under your direction
depends upon the choice you may make of the two roads
which are before you. The one is large, open and
pleasant, and leads to peace, security, and happiness;
the other, on the contrary, is narrow and crooked,
and leads to misery and ruin. Do not deceive yourselves;
do not believe that all the nations of Indians united
are able to resist the force of the Seventeen Fires.
I know your warriors are brave, but ours are not less
so; and what can a few brave warriors do against the
innumerable warriors of the Seventeen Fires? Our blue
coats are more numerous than you can count; our hunters
are like the leaves of the forest, or the grains of
sand on the Wabash.

Do not think the red coats can protect you; they are
not able to protect themselves. They do not think of
going to war with us. If they did, you would in a few
moons see our flag wave over all the forts of Canada.

To this the Prophet made no direct reply, but said
that Tecumseh, as his representative, would visit the
governor shortly.

True to this promise, early in August 1810, Tecumseh,
with four hundred warriors grotesquely painted for the
occasion, swept down the Wabash in canoes. Captain Lloyd,
then at Fort Knox, writes of their passing:

The Shawanoe Indians have come; they passed this
garrison, which is three miles above Vincennes, on
Sunday last, in eighty canoes. They were all painted
in the most terrific manner. They were stopped at the
garrison by me, for a short time. I examined their
canoes and found them well prepared for war, in case
of an attack.