It was well
known to him, that much pains had been taken to instil
into the minds of the Indians the belief that the English
were resolved on their final extirpation; and as certain
slights, offered to them at various periods, had given
a colouring of truth to this assertion, the formidable
league which had already accomplished the downfall of so
many of the forts had been the consequence of these artful
representations. Although well aware that the French had
numerous emissaries distributed among the fierce tribes,
it was not until after the disclosure made by the haughty
Ponteac, at the close of the first council scene, that
he became apprised of the alarming influence exercised
over the mind of that warrior himself by his own terrible
and vindictive enemy. The necessity of counteracting that
influence was obvious; and he felt this was only to be
done (if at all) by some marked and extraordinary evidence
of the peaceful disposition of the English. Hence his
determination to suffer the faithless chiefs and their
followers to depart unharmed from the fort, even at the
moment when the attitude assumed by the prepared garrison
fully proved to the assailants their designs had been
penetrated and their schemes rendered abortive.
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