At the grand council in the Miami Long House Captain Montour wore his tall hat and his reddish coat and his spangled neckerchief. Sitting in a circle the chiefs and old men and the messengers from the English each took one puff of the great calumet or peace pipe. Then there were speeches. Then the Miami delegates, two from each tribe, signed a treaty with the Governor of Pennsylvania. Old Britain promised Christopher Gist that the Miami should come to the Logstown council and get their presents from the Governor of Virginia.
Then a herald hurried in to say that peace messengers from the French of Onontio were waiting outside.
The Miami shouted in anger; but King Britain stood up beside the English flag and called:
“Silence! This is no way in which to receive messengers. Let those men be admitted and we will hear what they have to say. Then we shall know what to answer.”
The messengers came in. They were four Ottawas from the north. The head Ottawa strode proudly through, with the French flag.
“Brothers the Miami,” he said, “we are come with the flag of Onontio and with words to strengthen the chain of friendship between the Miami and their French brothers. Onontio wishes to speak through our lips.”
“The messenger from Onontio may speak,” answered King Britain; so he took the flag and planted it beside the English flag.
“Your father, the French King,” the Ottawa said, “remembers his children in the Ohio country, and sends them two kegs of milk and this tobacco for their pipes.” The other Ottawas laid down two kegs of brandy and the roll of tobacco. “Your father has, by these, made a clean road for you to come and see him and his officers,” the head Ottawa went on; “and he urges you to come, assuring you that all past differences will be forgotten.”
But King Britain replied sternly: