The water communication with lake Erie, by means of the Wabash and Miami—­with lake Michigan and the Illinois, by the Tippecanoe, is a great convenience.  It is immediately in the centre of the back line of that fine country which he wishes to prevent us from settling—­and above all, he has immediately in his rear a country that has been but little explored, consisting principally of barren thickets, interspersed with swamps and lakes, into which our cavalry could not penetrate, and our infantry, only by slow, laborious efforts.”

The promised visit of Tecumseh took place in the latter part of July.  He reached Vincennes on the 27th, attended by about three hundred of his party, of whom thirty were women and children.  The council was opened on the 30th, in an arbor erected for the purpose, and at the appointed time the chief made his appearance, attended by about one hundred and seventy warriors, without guns, but all of them having knives and tomahawks, or war clubs, and some armed with bows and arrows.  The governor, in opening the council, made reference to the late murders in Illinois, and the alarm which the appearance of Tecumseh, with so large an armed force, had created among the people on the Wabash.  He further informed Tecumseh that, whilst he listened to whatever himself or any of the chiefs had to say in regard to the late purchase of land, he would enter into no negociation on that subject, as it was now in the hands of the President.  The governor, after telling Tecumseh that he was at liberty to visit the President, and hear his decision from his own mouth, adverted to the late seizure of the salt, and demanded an explanation of it.  In reply, the chief admitted the seizure, but said he was not at home, either this spring or the year before, when the salt boats arrived; that it seemed impossible to please the governor:  last year he was angry, because the salt was refused, and this year equally so, because it was taken.  The council was then adjourned until the following day.  When it was again opened, a Wea chief made a long speech, giving the history of all the treaties which had been made by the governor and the Indian tribes; and concluded with the remark, that he had been told that the Miami chiefs had been forced by the Potawatamies to accede to the treaty of fort Wayne; and that it would be proper to institute enquiries to find out the person who had held the tomahawk over their heads, and punish him.  This statement was immediately contradicted by the governor, and also by the Miami chiefs who were present.  Anxious to bring the conference to a close, the governor then told Tecumseh that by delivering up the two Potawatamies who had murdered the four white men on the Missouri, last fall, he would at once attest the sincerity of his professions of friendship to the United States, and his desire to preserve peace.  His reply was evasive, but developed very clearly his designs.  After much trouble and difficulty he had induced,