Simcoe--Celebration of the King's Birth-day--The Commissioners start for the West--Their progress interrupted--Conduct of General Wayne--Brant suddenly returns from the West with a Deputation--Council held at Fort Erie--Commissioners return to Niagara--Council there--Speech of Captain Brant--Reply of the Commissioners--Speech of Cat's-Eyes--Rejoinder of Brant--Arrival of the Seven Nations--Brant proceeds to the Miami Rapids--Followed by the Commissioners--Arrival at the Detroit River--Their progress interrupted--Unexpected turn of affairs--Explanations with Deputies from the Great Council--Long Debates in the Indian Council--Brant speaks strongly for peace--Governor Simcoe declines advising the Indians--The negotiations suddenly terminated by the Indians--Their address--And sine qua non. 318 CHAPTER XII. Suspected duplicity of the British authorities--Conduct of Simon Girty--Disclosures upon the subject by Captain Brant--Council at Buffalo, and Indian report of the doings of the Great Congress--Speech of Captain Brant respecting the Miami council--Mission of General Chapin to Philadelphia, with the speech--Answer unsatisfactory to the Indians--Red Jacket--Indian council--Speech of Captain Brant in reply to the answer of the United States--Troubles thickening between the United States and Great Britain--Inflammatory speech of Lord Dorchester--Question of its authenticity settled--Conduct of Governor Simcoe--Indignation of President Washington--His letter to Mr. Jay--Speech of Captain Brant against holding a council at Venango--The design frustrated--Affairs farther in the West--Singular message from the distant Indians under the Spanish and French influence--Their speech--Operations of General Wayne--Encroachments of Pennsylvania upon the Indian lands--Indian council upon the subject--Address to General Washington--Important letter of Brant to Colonel Smith--Pennsylvania relinquishes Presque Isle--Defeat of Major McMahon near Fort Recovery--Indians repulsed in their attack upon the fort--Letter to Brant giving an account of the battle--Advance of Wayne to the Au Glaize and Miamis of the Lakes--Little Turtle apprised of his movements and strength by a deserter--The Chief determines to give battle--Wayne makes one more effort for peace--Failure of the attempt--Advance of Wayne to the Rapids--Position of the Indians--Battle and defeat of the Indians--Little Turtle opposed to the hazard of a battle--Opposed by Blue-Jacket and overruled--Tart correspondence between Wayne and Major Campbell--Destruction of Indian property by fire, and burning of Colonel McKee's establishment--Disappointment of the Indians that Major Campbell did not assist them--Letter of Governor Simcoe to Brant--Aggression at Sodus Bay--Simcoe and Brant repair to the West--Interfere to prevent a