itish posts.

Such a spot was the site of the old French and Indian trading post on
the right bank of the Wabash and about ten miles above the present city
of Lafayette. To the west about one and one-quarter miles is the marble
shaft of the Battleground, and going from thence east across the fields
and open woodlands you come to the fringe of woods that still lines the
river. You have walked over the old Indian corn fields and are now
standing on the exact location of the old Prophets's Town. The scene is
one of great beauty even at this day, when the forest has been despoiled
and nature ravished of her choicest charms. Here, the river extends in
an almost unbroken line for three or four miles, bordered by sycamores
and maples, and with a wealth of clinging vines, crab-apple blossoms and
blooming flowers on either bank. The old trading post of Petit Piconne
was located on a series of high cliffs, crowned with huge forest trees,
and commanding the river through vistas of foliage. The face of these
cliffs is frequently broken by sharp ravines, that extend on back among
the hills with many devious windings. At the foot of the steep slopes,
extends a long, narrow tableland of forest bordering directly upon the
river; this is interspersed with springs of fresh water that burst from
the hillsides. On the cliffs stood the camps and cabins of the warriors
and their followers; below, and on the tableland and next to the water,
the horses were tethered, and canoes were drawn up out of the river.

Thither the Prophet and his brother now turned their eyes. The whole
upper valley, including the basins of the Tippecanoe and the Wildcat,
was the rightful possession of the Miamis and the Weas, but the brothers
now secured a pretended right or license from the Kickapoos and the
Potawatomi to establish a camp. The Miamis of the north, and the
Delawares of the south, were alike alarmed. The Delawares in particular
had been the friends of the white people and adherents of the Governor.
They divined, and divined truly, that the Prophet's plans ultimately
involved mischief. To avoid a possible war they sent a deputation of
chiefs to the Prophet, who refused to see them, but deputed Tecumseh to
answer their remonstrances. On this mission he was entirely successful.
By threats and persuasion he turned them back, although they had
received strict instructions from their tribe to oppose a new
settlement. On a visit shortly afterwards by John Con