an immediate
surprise of Detroit, Fort Wayne, the post at Chicago, St. Louis and
Vincennes, and a junction with the tribes of the Mississippi, but the
"forcible representations" of the Delaware deputies, who were looked
upon as "grandfathers," prevented the adoption of his plans. It seems
that the younger men and some of the war lords of the smaller bands were
ready to go to war, but the sachems and older village chieftains who had
participated in the treaty of the year before held aloof. The Chippewas,
Ottawas and Potawatomi refused to take up arms, the council broke up
without any concerted action, and Winamac and the Potawatomi were sent
to the Governor to make report of the proceedings. When Winamac arrived
at Vincennes in the latter part of June, he reported that as he passed
through the Prophet's Town an attempt was made to assassinate him--so
enraged was the Prophet at his failure on the St. Joseph. Winamac
further told the Governor that about the time of the council the Prophet
had proposed to the younger warriors that the principal chiefs of all
the tribes should be murdered; that they were the ones who had brought
about a sale of the Indian lands, and that their, the warriors' hands,
would never be untied until they were rid of them. The brothers were
baffled in another mission. Tecumseh urged the Shawnees at Wapakoneta,
Ohio, to join the league. A letter of John Johnston, Indian agent at
Fort Wayne, informed the Governor that, the Shawnees refused even to
enter into council with him.

The ugly temper into which the Indians had now worked themselves is well
illustrated by the episode of the salt. Shortly prior to the fifteenth
of June, a boat came up the Wabash to the Prophet's Town laden with salt
for the use of the tribes, according to the terms of a former treaty.
The men in charge of the boat reported that the Prophet, and some
Kickapoos with him at the time, refused to receive it, and he was
directed to leave the salt on the bank of the river until Tecumseh
should return; Tecumseh being reported as at Detroit. On his return trip
home the master of the boat was directed to re-load the salt; that the
Indians would have nothing to do with it. "Whilst the hands were rolling
in the barrels, the brother of the Prophet seized the master and several
others by the hair, and shaking them violently, asked them if they were
Americans. They, however, were all young Frenchmen. They also insulted
Mr. Brouillette, and c