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.' The howitzers and the story of the
approaching hosts had their effect, and the Indians
vanished into the surrounding forest. For another month
Fort Pitt had comparative peace, and the garrison patiently
but watchfully awaited a relieving force which Amherst
was sending. In the meantime news came of the destruction
of Presqu'isle, Le Boeuf, and Venango; and the fate of
the garrisons, particularly at the last post, warned the
inhabitants of Fort Pitt what they might expect if they
should fall into the hands of the Indians.

On July 26 some Indian ambassadors, among them Turtle's
Heart, came to the post with a flag of truce. They were
loud in their protestations of friendship, and once more
solicitous for the safety of the garrison. The Ottawas,
they said, were coming in a vast horde, to 'seize and
eat up everything' that came in their way. The garrison's
only hope of escape would be to vacate the fort speedily
and 'go home to their wives and children.' Ecuyer replied
that he would never abandon his position 'as long as a
white man live