Wacousta

Wacousta

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Title: Wacousta or The Prophecy
Author: John Richardson
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4912] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 25,

2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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WACOUSTA ***

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WACOUSTA; or, THE PROPHECY.

Volume One of Three
Preface
It is well known to every man conversant with the earlier history of this
country that, shortly subsequent to the cession of the Canadas to
England by France, Ponteac, the great head of the Indian race of that
period, had formed a federation of the various tribes, threatening
extermin ation to the British posts established along the Western
frontier. These were nine in number, and the following stratagem was
resorted to by the artful chief to effect their reduction. Investing one
fort with his warriors, so as to cut off all communication with the others,
and to leave no hope of succor, his practice was to offer terms of
surrender, which never were kept in the honorable spirit in which the
far more noble and generous Tecumseh always acted with his enemies,
and thus, in turn, seven of these outposts fell victims to their confidence
in his truth.

Detroit and Michilimaclcinac, or Mackinaw as it is now called,
remained, and all the ingenuity of the chieftain was directed to the
possession of these strongholds. The following plan, well worthy of his
invention, was at length determined upon. During a temporary truce,
and while Ponteac was holding forth proposals for an ultimate and
durable peace, a game of lacrosse was arranged by him to take place
simultaneously on the common or clearing on which rested the forts of
Michilimackinac and Detroit. The better to accomplish their object, the
guns of the warriors had been cut short and given to their women, who
were instructed to conceal them under their blankets, and during the
game, and seemingly without design, to approach the drawbridge of the
fort. This precaution taken, the players were to approach and throw
over their ball, permission to regain which they presumed would not be
denied. On approaching the drawbridge they were with fierce yells to
make a general rush, and, securing the arms concealed by the women,
to massacre the unprepared garrison.
The day was fixed; the game commenced, and was proceeded with in
the manner previously arranged. The ball was dexterously hurled into
the fort, and permission asked to recover it. It was granted. The
drawbridge was lowered, and the Indians dashed forward for the
accomplishment of their work of blood. How different the results in the
two garrisons! At Detroit, Ponteac and his warriors had scarcely
crossed the drawbridge when, to their astonishment and disappointment,
they beheld the guns of the ramparts depressed--the artillerymen with
lighted matches at their posts and covering the little garrison, composed
of a few companies of the 42nd Highlanders, who were also under arms,
and so distributed as to take the enemy most at an advantage. Suddenly
they withdrew and without other indication of their purpose than what
had been expressed in their manner, and carried off the missing ball.
Their design had been discovered and made known by means of
significant warnings to the Governor by an Indian woman who owed a
debt of gratitude to his family, and was resolved, at all hazards, to save
them.
On the same day the same artifice was resorted to at Michilimackinac,
and with the most complete success. There was no guardian angel there

to warn them of danger, and all fell beneath the rifle, the tomahawk, the
war-club, and the knife, one or two of the traders--a Mr. Henry among
the rest--alone excepted.
It was not