Several succeeding days were occupied by the Indians in holding councils. Those from Green Bay requested the Ottawas to set their prisoners at liberty, and they at length assented. A difficulty still remained, as the Ojibwas had declared that they would prevent the English from passing down to Montreal. Their chiefs were therefore summoned; and being at this time, as we have seen, in a state of much alarm, they at length reluctantly yielded the point. On the eighteenth of July, the English, escorted by a fleet of Indian canoes, left L’Arbre Croche, and reaching, without interruption, the portage of the River Ottawa, descended to Montreal, where they all arrived in safety, on the thirteenth of August.[270] Except the garrison of Detroit, not a British soldier now remained in the region of the lakes. END OF VOL. I. THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC AND THE INDIAN WAR AFTER THE CONQUEST OF CANADA VOL. II. Contents of Vol. II. CHAPTER XVIII. 1763. FRONTIER FORTS AND SETTLEMENTS. _Extent of British Settlements in 1763._——_Forts and Military Routes._——_Fort Pitt._——_The Pennsylvania Frontier._——_Alarms at Fort Pitt._——_Escape of Calhoun._——_Slaughter of Traders._——_Fort Ligonier. Fort Bedford._——_Situation of Fort Pitt._——_Indian Advice._——_Reply of Ecuyer._——_News from Presqu’ Isle._——_Fate of Le Bœuf._——_Fate of Venango._——_Danger of Fort Pitt._——_Council with the Delawares._—— _Threats of the Commandant._——_General Attack._ 277 CHAPTER XIX. 1763. THE WAR ON THE BORDERS. _Panic among the Settlers._——_Embarrassments of Amherst._——_Colonel Bouquet._——_His Correspondence with the Commander-in-Chief._—— _Proposal to infect the hostile Indians with Small-pox._——_Captain Ourry._——_Lieutenant Blane._——_Frontier War._——_Alarm at Carlisle._—— _Scouting Parties._——_Ambuscade on the Tuscarora._——_The Dying Borderer._——_Scenes at Carlisle._ 296 CHAPTER XX. 1763. THE BATTLE OF BUSHY RUN. _The Army of Bouquet._——_Dangers of his Enterprise._——_Fort Ligonier relieved._——_Bouquet at Fort Bedford._——_March of his Troops._—— _Unexpected Attack._——_The Night Encampment._——_The Fight resumed._—— _Conflict of the second Day._——_Successful Stratagem._——_Rout of the Indians._——_Bouquet reaches Fort Pitt._——_Effects of the Victory._ 315 CHAPTER XXI. 1763.