Page:Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison Vol. 1.djvu/120

82 people is so easily excited that a single artful observation is frequently sufficient to defeat the best concerted plans even when on the point of conclusion.

I was not present when the Miamis recognized the Title of the Delawares to the country between the White River and the Ohio but I have no doubt of the fact; it came to my knowledge in the following manner. I did myself the honor to inform you after my return from Fort Wayne in the year 1803 that the Owl or Long Beard had with very considerable address prevented the great body of the Miamis from attending my summons to meet me at Fort Wayne for the purpose of receiving their annuities and concluding the Treaty the preliminaries of which had been fixed at this place the preceding fall and that after waiting for them a considerable time I was forced to content myself with the signatures of Richardville, the Sachem of the Nation, and the Turtle. Two days after the Treaty had been signed and at the very moment of my departure, the Owl arrived with a principal chief called Peccom [Pecan] a number of minor Chiefs and 100 or 150 Warriors. It was a matter of importance to expose to the Miamis the arts of the Owl and to explain to them the conditions of the Treaty. A council was then appointed for the next day and all the chiefs of the other tribes who were still within reach (for some of them had returned) were requested to attend—the time for the meeting of the council arrived but neither the Miamis nor the Delawares appeared. After waiting for them a considerable time I was informed that those two Tribes were in council together and soon time after the Delawares arrived—there were then with me General Gibson Wm. Wells, The Turtle and a few of his followers and some Potawatomie Chiefs. Tetohoscke the Delaware Sachem produced a belt of Wampum and addressing himself to me through Genl. Gibson observed that the Miami Chiefs had that morning with the consent of all their warriors acknowledged their right to the lands between the White River and the Ohio and had given them that wampum to commemorate the transaction. The Miamis joined in immediately after and as soon as I had reproached them with their 