at first refused to believe the tidings; and it appears
that he endeavoured to rouse the inhabitants and Indians
about Detroit to resist the approaching British, for on
November 20 several Wyandot sachems met the advancing
party and told Rogers that four hundred warriors were in
ambush at the entrance to the Detroit river to obstruct
his advance. The Wyandots wished to know the truth
regarding the conquest of Canada, and on being convinced
that it was no fabrication, they took their departure
'in good temper.' On the 23rd Indian messengers, among
whom was an Ottawa chief, [Footnote: In Rogers's journal
of this trip no mention is made of Pontiac's name. In _A
Concise Account of North America_, published in 1765,
with Rogers's name on the title-page, a detailed account
of a meeting with Pontiac at the Cuyahoga is given, but
this book seems to be of doubtful authenticity. It was,
however, accepted by Parkman.] arrived at the British
camp, at the western end of Lake Erie, reporting that
Beletre intended to fight and that he had arrested the
officer who bore Rogers's message. Beletre's chief reason
for doubting the truth of Rogers's statement appears to
have been that no French officers had accompanied the
British contingent from Montreal.

When the troops entered the Detroit river Rogers sent
Captain Donald Campbell to the fort with a copy of the
capitulation of Montreal and Vaudreuil's letter instructing
Beletre to hand over his fort to the British. These
documents were convincing, and Beletre [Footnote: Although
Beletre received Rogers and his men in no friendly spirit,