“Listen! you told us at that time, to bring forward our families to this place, and we did so; and you promised to take care of them, and they should want for nothing, while the men would go and fight the enemy; that we need not trouble ourselves about the enemy’s garrisons; that we knew nothing about them, and that our father would attend to that part of the business.  You also told your red children that you would take good care of your garrison here, which made our hearts glad.

“Listen! when we were last at the Rapids, it is true we gave you little assistance.  It is hard to fight people who live like ground-hogs.

“Father, listen! our fleet has gone out; we know they have fought; we have heard the great guns; but we know nothing of what has happened to our father with one arm.[A] Our ships have gone one way, and we are much astonished to see our father tying up every thing and preparing to run away the other, without letting his red children know what his intentions are.  You always told us to remain here and take care of our lands; it made our hearts glad to hear that was your wish.  Our great father, the king, is the head, and you represent him.  You always told us you would never draw your foot off British ground; but now, father, we see that you are drawing back, and we are sorry to see our father doing so without seeing the enemy.  We must compare our father’s conduct to a fat dog, that carries his tail on its back, but when affrighted, drops it between its legs and runs off.

“Father, listen! the Americans have not yet defeated us by land; neither are we sure that they have done so by water; we, therefore, wish to remain here and fight our enemy, should they make their appearance. If they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father.

“At the battle of the Rapids, last war, the Americans certainly defeated us; and when we returned to our father’s fort at that place, the gates were shut against us.  We were afraid that it would now be the case; but instead of that, we now see our British father preparing to march out of his garrison.

“Father, you have got the arms and ammunition which our great father sent for his red children.  If you have an idea of going away, give them to us, and you may go and welcome, for us.  Our lives are in the hands of the Great Spirit.  We are determined to defend our lands, and if it be his will, we wish to leave our bones upon them.”

[Footnote A:  Commodore Barclay, who had lost an arm in some previous battle.]

General Proctor, in disregarding the advice of Tecumseh, lost his only opportunity of making an effective resistance to the American army.  Had the troops under general Harrison been attacked by the British and Indians at the moment of their landing on the Canada shore, the result might have been far different from that which was shortly afterwards witnessed on the banks of the Thames.  Of the authenticity of this able