me on the Mississippi to
furnish us with goods, but that we would be well supplied by an American
trader. Our chiefs then told him that the British traders always gave us
credit in the fall for guns, powder and goods, to enable us to hunt and
clothe our families. He replied that the trader at Fort Madison would
have plenty of goods, and if we should go there in the autumn of the
year, he would supply us on credit, as the British traders had done. The
party gave a good account of what they had seen and the kind treatment
they had received. This information pleased us all very much. We all
agreed to follow our Great Father's advice and not interfere in the
war. Our women were much pleased at the good news. Everything went on
cheerfully in our village. We resumed our pastimes of playing ball,
horse-racing and dancing, which had been laid aside when this great war
was first talked about. We had fine crops of corn which were now ripe,
and our women were busily engaged in gathering it and making caches to
contain it.

In a short time we were ready to start to Fort Madison to get our
supply of goods, that we might proceed to our hunting grounds. We passed
merrily down the river, all in high spirits. I had determined to spend
the winter at my old favorite hunting ground on Skunk river. I left
part of my corn and mats at its mouth to take up as we returned and many
others did the same.

The next morning we arrived at the fort and made our encampment. Myself
and principal men paid a visit to the war chief at the fort. He received
us kindly and gave us some tobacco, pipes and provisions.

The trader came in and we all shook hands with him, for on him all our
dependence was placed, to enable us to hunt and thereby support our
families. We waited a long time, expecting the trader would tell us that
he had orders from our Great Father to supply us with goods, but he said
nothing on the subject. I got up and told him in a short speech what we
had come for, and hoped he had plenty of goods to supply us. I told him
that he should be well paid in the spring, and concluded by informing
him that we had decided to follow our Great Father's advice and not go
to war.

He said that he was happy to hear that we had concluded to remain in
peace. That he had a large quantity of goods, and that if we had made
a good hunt we should be well supplied, but he remarked that he had
received no instructions to furnish us anything on credit, nor could