p in a steamboat. Our party became alarmed, expecting to meet
the soldiers at Rock river, to prevent us going up. On our arrival at
its mouth, we discovered that the steamboat had passed on.

I was fearful that the war chief had stationed his men on some
high bluff, or in some ravine, that we might be taken by surprise.
Consequently, on entering Rock river we commenced beating our drums and
singing, to show the Americans that we were not afraid.

Having met with no opposition, we moved up Rock river leisurely for some
distance, when we were overtaken by an express from White Beaver, with
an order for me to return with my band and recross the Mississippi
again. I sent him word that I would not, not recognizing his right to
make such a demand, is I was acting peaceably, and intended to go to the
prophet's village at his request, to make corn.

The express returned. We moved on and encamped some distance below the
prophet's village. Here another express came from the White Beaver,
threatening to pursue us and drive us back, if we did not return
peaceably. This message roused the spirit of my band, and all were
determined to remain with me and contest the ground with the war chief,
should he come and attempt to drive us. We therefore directed the
express to say to the war chief "if he wished to fight us he might come
on." We were determined never to be driven, and equally so, not to make
the first attack, our object being to act only on the defensive. This we
conceived to be our right.

Soon after the express returned, Mr. Gratiot, sub-agent for the
Winnebagoes, came to our encampment. He had no interpreter, and was
compelled to talk through his chiefs. They said the object of his
mission was to persuade us to return. But they advised us to go
on--assuring us that the further we went up Rock river the more friends
we would meet, and our situation would be bettered. They were on our
side and all of their people were our friends. We must not give up,
but continue to ascend Rock river, on which, in a short time, we would
receive reinforcements sufficiently strong to repulse any enemy. They
said they would go down with their agent, to ascertain the strength of
the enemy, and then return and give us the news. They had to use some
stratagem to deceive their agent in order to help us.

During this council several of my braves hoisted the British flag,
mounted their horses and surrounded the council lodge. I discovered that
th