seh
not only behaved with great courage, but even left in the back ground
some of the oldest and bravest warriors of the party. From this time
his reputation as a brave, and his influence over other minds, rose
rapidly among the tribe to which he belonged.

About the year 1787, Cheeseekau and Tecumseh, with a party of
Kiscopokes, one of the tribes of the Shawanoe nation, moved westward on
a hunting and predatory expedition. They made a stand for some months
on the waters of the Mississinnaway, and then crossed over to the
Mississippi, opposite the mouth of Apple creek, where they encamped and
remained for eight or nine months. From thence they proceeded towards
the Cherokee country. On their route, while opposite fort Massac, they
engaged in a buffalo chase, during which Tecumseh was thrown from his
horse, and had his thigh broken.[A] This accident detained them for
some months at the place where it occurred. So soon as he had
recovered, the party, headed by Cheeseekau, proceeded on their way to
the country of the Cherokees, who were then at hostilities with the
whites. With that fondness for adventure and love of war, which have
ever marked the Shawanoe character, they immediately offered assistance
to their brethren of the south, which being accepted, they joined in
the contest.

[Footnote A: Shane thinks both thighs were broken, Ruddell says but
one.]

The engagement in which they participated was an attack upon a fort,
the name and position of which were not known to our informant. The
Indians, it is well known are always superstitious, and from the fact
of Cheeseekau, having foretold his death, its occurrence disheartened
them, and in despite of the influence of Tecumseh and the Cherokee
leaders, who rose above the superstition of their comrades, the attack
was given up, and a sudden retreat followed.

Tecumseh, who had left the banks of the Miami in quest of adventures,
and for the purpose of winning renown as a warrior, told the party that
he was determined not to return to his native land, until he had
achieved some act worthy of being recounted. He accordingly selected
eight or ten men and proceeded to the nearest settlement, attacked a
house, killed all the men in it, and took the women and children
prisoners. He did not immediately retreat, but engaged in some other
similar adventures. During this expedition he was three times attacked
in the night in his encampment; but owing to his good judgment in the