on, and yet so near as to enable him to strike us, when the
water is high, in twenty-four hours, and even when it is low, their
light canoes will come fully as fast as the journey could be performed
on horseback. The situation is in other respects admirable for the
purposes for which he has chosen it. It is nearly central with regard
to the tribes which he wishes to unite. The water communication with
lake Erie, by means of the Wabash and Miami--with lake Michigan and the
Illinois, by the Tippecanoe, is a great convenience. It is immediately
in the centre of the back line of that fine country which he wishes to
prevent us from settling--and above all, he has immediately in his rear
a country that has been but little explored, consisting principally of
barren thickets, interspersed with swamps and lakes, into which our
cavalry could not penetrate, and our infantry, only by slow, laborious
efforts."

The promised visit of Tecumseh took place in the latter part of July.
He reached Vincennes on the 27th, attended by about three hundred of
his party, of whom thirty were women and children. The council was
opened on the 30th, in an arbor erected for the purpose, and at the
appointed time the chief made his appearance, attended by about one
hundred and seventy warriors, without guns, but all of them having
knives and tomahawks, or war clubs, and some armed with bows and
arrows. The governor, in opening the council, made reference to the
late murders in Illinois, and the alarm which the appearance of
Tecumseh, with so large an armed force, had created among the people on
the Wabash. He further informed Tecumseh that, whilst he listened to
whatever himself or any of the chiefs had to say in regard to the late
purchase of land, he would enter into no negociation on that subject,
as it was now in the hands of the President. The governor, after
telling Tecumseh that he was at liberty to visit the President, and
hear his decision from his own mouth, adverted to the late seizure of
the salt, and demanded an explanation of it. In reply, the chief
admitted the seizure, but said he was not at home, either this spring
or the year before, when the salt boats arrived; that it seemed
impossible to please the governor: last year he was angry, because the
salt was refused, and this year equally so, because it was taken. The
council was then adjourned until the following day. When it was again
opened, a Wea chief made a long speech, giving the