Today in History – 13 October 1815

Peguis arrived this morning with his Band consisting of 65 men,- when they doubled point Douglas and were in sight of the Fort, they fired a volley- which we returned by a three pounder- we then hoisted our flag- Peguis immediately returned the compliment by mounting his colours at the end of his Canoe,- and when the whole Squadron came in sight consisting of nearly 150 Canoes, including those of the Women and Children– it had a wild but a grand appearance,- their Bodies painted in various Colours,- their heads decorated some with branches and others with feathers,- and every time we fired the Canon- the woods reechoed with that wild whoop of joy, which they gave to denote the satisfaction they received,- when they came in front of the fort- the Women and Children paddled past the mens Canoes to a spot where they mounted their lodges.-the men accompanied by their Chief, as soon as the families had passed debarked under a volley from my men; they then entered the hall with three hearty Cheers from our people- the room was rather small but they managed to seat themselves in tolerable good order- I then ordered the large peace Callimate to be lighted and after taking two or three Whiffs our of it, I presented it to Peguis who after smoking about a minute passed it to the next in respectability to himself, and in this manner it went round the band- during the ceremony not a single word or even a whisper was heard- [speeches of Robertson and Peguis follow].