"I agree with you, Mr. Alfred," replied Captain Sinclair, "it was
letting loose a wolf; but Major Gladwin thought he was doing what was
right, and therefore can not be well blamed. After this defeat, the
investment was more strict than ever, and the garrison suffered
dreadfully. Several vessels which were sent out to supply the garrison
fell into the hands of Pontiac, who treated the men very cruelly. What
with the loss of men and constant watching, as well as the want of
provisions, the garrison was reduced to the greatest privations. At last
a schooner came off with supplies, which Pontiac, as usual, attacked
with his warriors in their canoes. The schooner was obliged to stand out
again, but the Indians followed, and by their incessant fire killed or
wounded almost every man on board her, and at length boarded and took
possession. As they were climbing up the shrouds and over the gunnel of
the vessel, the captain of the vessel, who was a most determined man,
and resolved not to fall into the hands of the Indians, called out to
the gunner to set fire to the magazine, and blow them all up together.
This order was heard by one of Pontiac's chiefs acquainted with English;
he cried out to one of the other Indians, and sprang away from the
vessel; the other Indians followed him, and hurried away in their
canoes, or by swimming as fast as they could from the vessel. The
captain took advantage of the wind and arrived safe at the fort; and
thus was the garrison relieved and those in the fort saved from
destruction by the courage of this one man."
"You say that Pontiac is now dead, at least Martin Super told us so. How
did he die, Captain Sinclair?" inquired Mrs. Campbell.
"He was killed by an Indian, but it is difficult to say why. For many
years he had made friends with us and he had received a liberal pension
from the Government; but it appears that his hatred against the English
had again broken out, and in a council held by the Indians, he proposed
assailing us anew. After he had spoken, an Indian buried his knife in
his heart, but whether to gratify a private animosity or to avoid a
further warfare with those who had always thinned their tribes, it is
difficult to ascertain. One thing is certain, that most of the Indian
animosity against the English is buried with him."
"Thank you, Captain Sinclair," said Mary Percival, "for taking so much
trouble. I think Pontiac's history is a very interesting one."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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