ften pointed at a prominent warrior or
chieftain, or some member of their household. The Prophet's mere
denunciation was proof enough. The victim went to the torture of death
by fire, or some other fate equally revolting. Among the Delawares,
especially, the most shocking cruelty ensued, and finally these things
came to the ears of the Governor at Vincennes. He immediately sent a
"speech" by special messenger to the headmen and chiefs of the Delaware
tribe beseeching them to cast aside all fallacious doctrines, to
denounce the Prophet and to drive him out of their midst. In the course
of this "speech" he said: "Demand of him some proof at least, of his
being the messenger of the Deity. If God has really employed him, He has
doubtless authorized him to perform miracles that he may be known and
received as a prophet. If he is really a prophet, ask of him to cause
the sun to stand still, the moon to alter its course, the rivers to
cease to flow, or the dead to rise from their graves."

The language of the Governor proved to be unfortunate. On June sixteen,
1806, there was a total eclipse of the sun in northern latitudes for a
period of about five minutes, at about a half an hour before midday, and
this event had long been heralded by the astronomers of that time, and
had come to the ears of the Prophet through intercourse with some white
friends. The crafty savage was not slow to act. He told his followers
that on a certain fixed day, and at a time when the sun was at the
height of its power, he would place the same under his feet, and cause
darkness to come over the face of the earth. On the day announced, the
Prophet stood among his fearful band, awaiting the hour. The day was
wholly clear and without clouds, but at the appointed time the terrified
savages saw a disc of blackness gradually pass over the face of the sun;
the birds became agitated and flew to cover; the skulking dogs drew near
their masters; almost absolute darkness fell on all about; the stars of
heaven appeared in the zenith, and in the midst of it all, the Prophet
exclaimed: "Did I not testify truly? Behold! Darkness has shrouded the
sun!" The account of that day, faithfully set forth by J. Fennimore
Cooper, then a youth, is filled with strange relations of the unnatural
appearance of all earthly things; of the sudden awe and fear that came
into the minds of all; how women stood near their husbands in silence
and children clung to their mothers in terror