You also told your red children
that you should take good care of your garrison here, which made our
hearts glad. Listen! when we were last at the rapids, it is true, we
gave you little assistance. It is hard to fight people who live like
ground-hogs. Father, listen! Our fleet has gone out; we know they have
fought; we have heard their great guns; but we know nothing of what has
happened to our father (Commodore Barclay) with one arm.
"Our ships have gone one way, and we are much astonished to see our
father tying up everything and preparing to run away the other, without
letting his red children know what his intentions are. You always told
us to remain here and take care of our lands; it made our hearts glad to
hear that was your wish. Our great father, the king, is the head, and
you represent him. You always told us you would never draw your foot off
British ground; but now, father, we see that you are drawing back, and
we are sorry to see our father doing so without seeing the enemy. We
must compare your conduct to a fat dog, that carries its tail on its
back, but when affrighted, drops it between its legs and runs off.
Father, listen! the Americans have not yet defeated us by land, neither
are we sure that they have done so by water; we, therefore, wish to
remain here and fight our enemy, should they make their appearance. If
they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father.
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