h joy the rapid growth of warlike spirit
among the savages in consequence of Dorchester's speech, and of the
building of the British fort on the Miami. He wrote, "The face of the
Indian affairs in this country, I have the greatest satisfaction in
informing you, seems considerably altered for the better. His Excellency
Lord Dorchester's speech and the arrival here of speeches from the
Spaniards induce me to believe that a very extensive union of the Indian
Nations will be the immediate consequence. The Lieutenant Governor has
ordered a strong detachment of the 24th Regt. to take post a mile & a
half below this place, this step has given great spirits to the Indians
and impressed them with a hope of our ultimately acting with them and
affording a security for their families, should the enemy penetrate to
their villages." [Footnote: Canadian Archives, McKee to Chew, May 8,
1794.]

The British Furnish Them with Arms and Munitions.

Nor did the British confine their encouragement to words. The Canadian
authorities forwarded to the Miami tribes, through the agent McKee,
quantities of guns, rifles, and gunlocks, besides vermillion paint and
tobacco. [Footnote: Canadian Archives, Chew to Coffin, June 23, 1794.]
McKee was careful to get from the home authorities the best firearms he
could, explaining that his red proteges preferred the long to the short
rifles, and considered the common trade guns makeshifts, to be used only
until they could get better ones.

British Agents Greet the Scalping Parties.

The Indians made good use of the weapons thus furnished them by the
"neutral" British. A party of Delawares and Shawnees, after a successful
skirmish with the Americans, brought to McKee six of the scalps they had
taken; and part of the speech of presentation at the solemn council
where they were received by McKee, ran: "We had two actions with [some
of Wayne's troops who were guarding convoys] in which a great many of
our enemies were killed. Part of their flesh we have brought here with
us to convince our friend of the truth of their being now in great force
on their march against us; therefore, Father, [addressing McKee] we
desire you to be strong and bid your children make haste to our
assistance as was promised by them." The speaker, a Delaware chief,
afterwards handed the six scalps to a Huron chief, that he might
distribute them among the tribes. McKee sent to the home authorities a
full account of this council,