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retinue of upwards of an hundred persons, men, women, and children. His behavior was courteous, and he showed a particular friendship for the missionary Jacob Schmick, to whom he addressed the following speech through his inter- preter, an old mulatto, who had lived twenty years among the Shawanese: "I greatly rejoice to see you and your wife. I shall never forget the kindness you have shown me during my last visit. Therefore, I consider you and your wife as my parents and declare and own you anew as such." Brother Schmick answered: "This is doing us too much honor. We shall be satisfied if you will consider me as your brother, and my wife as your sister." He seemed pleased, and taking the missionary by the hand, thanked them, and said: "I will acquaint all my friends that we have estab- lished this bond of friendship." The next spring, the mag- nanimous chief was murdered : but the foregoing circumstan- ces are sufficient to indicate that his well known inclination to preserve the neutrality of his tribe during the revolu- tionary war, was, in a great degree, attributable to Mora- vian influence.
Very soon, indeed, after the erection of this chapel in the wilderness, the happy effects of the Muskingum mission were apparent among the Ohio Delawares. A chief called Ech- palawehund, having announced his resolution to renounce heathenism and live with the brethren, much confusion pre- vailed at Gekelemukpechink. He was prominent and influ- ential, and a party arose among the Indians demanding that the missionaries should be banished from the country, as disturbers of the peace and hostile to their customs and sac- rifices. Another party held a council of three days and resolved that they would change their manner of living; prohibit drunkenness ; exclude rum traders ; appoint six men
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to preserve good order ; and thus give no one a pretext for leaving the town. A year afterward, however, these good resolutions were so completely forgotten that Echpalawehund abandoned the tribe for the communion of Gnadenhutten.
Another prominent Delaware chief, known to the whites as Captain John-the same detained by Col. Bouquet at Fort Pitt, in 1764-joined the brethren in 1776. He was from Achsinink, or Assiningk, (" solid rock,") on the Hockhock- ing River,2 and his wife was a white woman, born in Virginia, but from childhood a captive among the Indians. He resigned his station as chief and became a zealous Christian. Among the converts were also a son and nephew of the old and venerable chief, Netawatwes.
Netawatwes, or Nettowhatways, was the chief of the Turtle Tribe of Delawares, who absented himself at the general submission of the Delawares and Shawanese, in 1764, and whose recusancy Col. Bouquet sought to punish by deposing him from his chieftainship. Although the Indians seemed to acquiesce in this deposition, and even proceeded to appoint a successor, yet Netawatwes regained his former position and influence immediately on the retirement of the invaders, and in 1772 and afterwards resided at Gekelemukpechink.3 He had warmly concurred in the original invitation to Zeisberger, and welcomed the subsequent emigration under Heckewelder and Rothe, but when it was proposed that the missionary, Schmick, should take charge of the settlement at Gnaden-
2) Doubtless the well known "standing stone," now called Mt. Pleasant, near Lancaster, Fairfield county. It is a sandstone formation. The base is a mile and a half in circumference; the apex about thirty by one hundred yards, resembling, at a distance, a huge pyramid.
3) He was called King Newcomer by the whites; and the village of his residence was probably on the site of Newcomers Town, in Tuscarawas county. For further particulars of this chief, and other prominent Dela- wares, see Appendix No. VIII.
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hutten, Loskiel reports that " Netawatwes was of opinion that they had teachers enough, for the new one would teach nothing . but the same doctrine," although he afterwards agreed to his coming.
Towards the close of 1774, a warm debate sprung up among the Delawares. Although the believing Indians had been hospitably received, yet there had been no act of adop- tion or guaranty by the tribe. Glikhikan, whose former rank as a warrior and an orator was not forgotten, often attended the Indian council at Gekelemukpechink, by the invitation of its leading members. Here he often enforced the doc- trines and duties of the gospel, but was not unmindful of the material interests of his brethren. At first he encountered the opposition of old Netawatwes, whose jealousy of the whites had now overcome his prepossessions in favor of the missionaries ; but, on the other hand, was powerfully sup- ported by the eloquence of Captain White Eyes, who " de- manded (in the words of Loskiel) that the Christian Indians should enjoy perfect liberty of conscience, and their teachers safety and protection ; adding, that it was but right that the believers should live separate from the rest, and be protected by the chiefs and council against every intruder. But find- ing that his remonstrances would not avail, he separated himself entirely from the chiefs and council. This occa- sioned great and general surprise, and his presence being considered, both by the chiefs and people, as indispensable, a negotiation commenced, and some Indian brethren were appointed arbitrators (Glikhikan among them, doubtless). The event was beyond expectation successful, for chief Neta- watwes not only acknowledged the injustice done to Captain White Eyes, but changed his mind with respect to the believ- ing Indians and their teachers, and remained their constant
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friend to his death. He likewise published this change of sentiment to the whole council, in presence of the deputies from Shoenbrun and Gnadenhutten. Captain White Eyes . then repeated the proposal which they had formerly rejected ; and the council agreeing to it, an act was made in the name of the whole Delaware nation to the following effect : "From this time forward we solemnly declare that we will receive the word of God, and that the believing Indians and their teachers shall enjoy perfect liberty throughout the Indian country, with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by other Indians. The country shall be free to all, and the believers shall have their right and share in it, as well as the unbe- lievers. Whoever wishes to go to the brethren, and to receive the gospel, shall be at liberty to join them, and none shall hinder him.
" Netawatwes expressed great joy at this act and declara- tion, and concluded his speech with these words : 'I am an old man, and know not how long I may live in this world. I therefore rejoice that I have been able to make this act of which our children and grandchildren will reap the benefit ; and now I am ready to go out of the world whenever God pleases.' He sent, moreover, the following message to chief Pakanke, in Kaskaskunk, (on the Beaver River, in Pennsyl- vania, to whom Glikhikan had been a favorite counsellor.) 'You and I are both old, and know not how long we shall live. Therefore let us do a good work before we depart, and leave a testimony to our children and posterity, that we have received the word of God. Let this be our last will and testament.' Pakanke accepted the proposal, and he and other chiefs made it known by solemn embassies in all places where it was necessary. For a still greater security, a treaty was set on foot with the Delamattenoos, (Wyandots) who
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had given this part of the country to the Delawares about thirty years before, by which a grant was procured insuring to the believing Indians an equal right with the other Dela- wares to possess land in it. And that this transaction might be duly ratified in the Indian manner, and the act remain unrepealed, the Christian Indians sent a formal embassy to the chiefs and council of the Delaware nation, to return their humble thanks for it. The deputies repeated the whole declaration of the council concerning the believing Indians and their teachers, and Netawatwes confirmed it to be their own act and deed in presence of all the people ; adding that they had called the Indian congregation and their missionaries into this country, and that all the words now repeated by the deputies had been spoken and ratified by this council. Then the deputies proceeded to return thanks in the name of both congregations, delivering several belts of wampum, which were forwarded to the neighboring nations. They were made without ornaments, and immediately known by their plainness to be the belts of the Christian Indians. Thus this important business was concluded and confirmed in due form."
We regard this transaction as corroborating so fully our opinions of the prominence of the Moravian mission, at the outbreak of the American Revolution, and the corresponding influence of the missionaries, not only among the Delawares but with the other Ohio tribes-an influence which was po- tently exercised to preserve their relation of neutrality be- tween the parties to that struggle-that we shall cite Hecke- welder in reiteration and confirmation of the European annalist :
" In other respects," he says, "this year (1774) had been remarkable to the Christian Indians. First, the chiefs of the
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nation, both on the Muskingum and at Cushcushkee,4 had unitedly agreed and declared that the brethren should have full liberty to preach the gospel to the nation wherever they chose ; and this resolution they also made publicly known. And secondly, these seeing that their friends and relations pursued agriculture, and kept much cattle, they enlarged the tract of land first set apart to them by moving their people off to a greater distance. And consulting their uncles, the Wyandots, on the subject, (they being the nation from whom the Delawares had originally received the land) these set apart, granted and confirmed, all that country lying between Tuscaroras (old town) and the great bend below Newcom- erstown,5 a distance of upwards of thirty miles on the river, and including the same, to the Christian Indians. Two large belts of wampum were on this occasion delivered by the Wyandots, and the chiefs of the Delaware nation, to the Christian Indians, who, in return, thanked them for the gift, both verbally and by belts and strings of wampum."
" Meanwhile," says Loskiel, " Gekelemukpechink was for- saken by its inhabitants, and a new town built on the east side of the Muskingum, opposite to the influx of the Wal- handing. This town was called Goschhocking, and chief Netawatwes chose it for his future residence."
Under these auspicious circumstances, the year 1775 com- inenced, and proved a season of external repose and internal prosperity to the mission. "The rest enjoyed by the Indian congregation, in the year 1775, was peculiarly pleasing,"
4) A town on the Beaver River.
5) In a communication by John Heckewelder, in 1822, to the Secretary of War, the limits of this grant are thus described-"to extend from the mouth of One Legged creek to the great bend in the river below Gakala- mukpeking, old town, a distance of about thirty miles on the river, and from which tract two small Indian villages were removed, besides single families, so as to open the country at once to the Christian Indians entirely."
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says Loskiel, "and much favored the visits of strangers, who came in such numbers that the chapel at Schoenbrun, which might contain about five hundred hearers, was too small." At the close of this year their number amounted to four hundred and fourteen persons. All were in the enjoyment of the comforts, almost the luxuries, of civilization ; the lives and deaths of the aboriginal converts, as reported to us, were very exemplary ; while the children were zealously taught in schools, into which the missionary Zeisberger had introduced a spelling-book, published in the Delaware language.
In April, 1776, Zeisberger and Heckewelder founded another settlement within two miles of Goschocking, and called it Lichtenau. This spot had been selected by the chiefs themselves, according to Heckewelder, "that they, as well as their children, might have an opportunity of hearing the gospel preached-a wish which the old and principal chief, Netawatwes, had repeatedly informed them of, both by public and private messages."
The external relations of the mission, (to adopt a favorite expression of the Moravian historians) have been incidentally included in our narrative of the efforts of the Delaware peace-chiefs to preserve the neutrality of the nation. As Netawatwes and the other chiefs at the forks of the Mus- kingum, were the protectors of the missionaries, and concur- red in the pacific dispositions of the Christian Indians, their interests and sympathies in that respect were identical ; and the American people unquestionably owe to the locality and labors of the Moravian teachers at this critical period, that a general combination of the western Indians was postponed until 1780-a date when the French alliance and the increase of population on the southern bank of the Ohio, concurred to arrest its most disastrous consequences.
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Netawatwes died at Pittsburgh towards the close of 1776. "Ever since his sentiments had changed in favor of the gospel, he was a faithful friend of the brethren, and being one of the most experienced chiefs in his time, his council proved often most serviceable to the mission. The wish he uttered as his last will and testament, that the Delaware nation might hear and believe the word of God, preached by the brethren, was frequently repeated in the council by his successor, and then they renewed their covenant to use their utmost exertions to fulfill this last wish of their old worthy and honored chief. Upon such an occasion, Captain White Eyes, holding the Bible and some spelling-books in his hand, addressed the council with great emotion, and even with tears: ' My friends,' said he, 'you now have heard the last will and testament of our departed chief. I will therefore gather together my young men and their children, and kneeling down before that God who created them, will pray unto him, that he may have mercy upon us, and reveal his will unto us. And as we cannot declare it unto those who are yet unborn, we will pray unto the Lord our God, to make it known to our children and children's children.' "'6
The year 1777, already noticed as the period when the Shawanese joined the Indians of the lakes against the Amer- icans, brought severe trials to the Moravian colony. The inhabitants of Shoenbrun were mostly Delawares, and were constantly tempted by the Muncie, or war party of the nation, to abandon the missionaries. Newallike, a Muncie chief hitherto belonging to the congregation at Schoenbrun, and who had accompanied the emigration from the Susquehanna,
6) Loskiel's North American Missions, part iii., 116. The quotations from Loskiel, in the present chapter, are numerous, and often made without spe- cial reference to the author, except by inverted commas. Heckewelder's Narrative will be specially alluded to.
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was the first to apostatize, and his example was followed by so many that finally Zeisberger gathered the faithful remnant together and abandoned Schoenbrun-thus increasing the population of Gnadenhutten and Lichtenau. Soon after- wards, the missionaries Heckewelder and Youngman returned to Bethlehem.
Thenceforth the efforts of the Wyandots and Shawanese to involve the Delawares at Goschocking in the warfare against the colonies, were urgent and incessant. The mes- sages of the Wyandots, and the deference with which they were received, confirm the impression that the Delawares recognized the Wyandots as the original lords of the soil, and that they were denizens of Ohio by the grace of their northern neighbors. Still, this tradition was not offensively suggested, nor did it impair the independence of the Delawares. In July, 1777, Loskiel informs us that an embassy of twenty deputies from the Hurons arrived in Goschocking. They offered the war-belt three times successively, demanding the assistance of the Delawares to make war against the colonies, and declaring that all the nations on Lake Erie were united as one man to fight against the Americans; but the Dela- ware chiefs returned the war-belt and answered that they could not comply with their demand, having promised at the treaty of peace made after the last war, that as long as the sun should shine and the rivers flow, they would not fight against the white people ; that therefore they had no hand left to take up the war-belt. The ambassadors returned, greatly displeased with the answer, and the Moravians anti- cipated nothing less than an attack by the Indian allies of the English.
Early in August, they were alarmed by intelligence, that a body of two hundred Wyandots led by Pomoacan, the
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Half King of Upper Sandusky, were on the way to Lich- tenau. "After mature consideration," to resume the narra- tive of Loskiel, "the brethren resolved to show no signs of fear, but to gain these savages, by giving them a kind recep- tion. Oxen and pigs were killed, and other food provided, and the liberality of the Indian Brethren and Sisters in con- tributing to these preparations, was truly remarkable, for they considered it as the only means of saving the lives of their beloved teachers. August the 8th, the warriors ar- rived in Goschocking, and upon their meeting a number of the Christian Indians from Lichtenau, carrying provisions for them, their surprise and pleasure were equally great. The good humor which this occasioned, was improved by the assistants, who soon after sent a solemn embassy to the Half King and other chiefs of the Hurons. Isaac Glikhikan thus addressed them :
"""Uncle ! we, your cousins, the congregation of believing Indians at Lichtenau and Gnadenhutten, rejoice at the opportunity to see and speak with you. We cleanse your eyes from all the dust, and whatever the wind may have carried into them, that you may see your cousin with clear eyes and a serene countenance. We cleanse your ears and hearts from all evil reports which an evil wind may have conveyed into your ears, and even into your hearts on the journey, that our words may find entrance into your ears and a place in your hearts.' Here he delivered a string of wampum and proceeded: 'Uncle! hear the words of the believing Indians, your cousins, at Lichtenau and Gnaden- hutten. We would have you know, that we have received and believed in the word of God for thirty years and up- wards, and meet daily to hear it, morning and evening. You must also know, that we have our teachers dwelling
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among us, who instruct us and our children. By this word of God, preached to us by our teachers, we are taught to keep peace with all men, and to consider them as friends; for thus God has commanded us, and therefore we are lovers of peace. These our teachers are not only our friends, but we consider and love them as our own flesh and blood. Now, as we are your cousin, we most earnestly beg of you, Uncle, that you also would consider them as your own body, and as your cousin. We and they make but one body, and therefore cannot be separated, and whatever you do unto them, you do unto us, whether it be good or evil.' Here- upon, another string of wampum, several fathoms in length, was delivered. The Half King replied, that these words had penetrated his heart, and that he would immediately consult with his warriors about them. This being done, he returned the following answer to the deputies: 'Cousins! I am very glad, and feel great satisfaction that you have cleansed my eyes, ears, and heart from all evil, conveyed into me by the wind on this journey. I am upon an expedi- tion of an unusual kind; for I am a warrior, and am going to war, and therefore many evil things and evil thoughts enter into my head, and even into my heart. But thanks to my cousin, my eyes are now clear, so that I can behold my cousin with a serene countenance. I rejoice, that I can hear my cousins with open ears, and take their words to heart.' He then delivered a string of wampum, and re- peating all the words of the deputies relating to the mission- aries, he expressed his approbation of them, and added : ' Go on as hitherto, and suffer no one to molest you. Obey your teachers, who speak nothing but good unto you, and instruct you in the ways of God, and be not afraid that any harm shall be done unto them. No creature shall hurt
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them. Attend to your worship, and never mind other affairs. Indeed you see us going to war; but you may remain easy and quiet, and need not think much about it,' &c.
"During these transactions, the brethren at Lichtenau were under great apprehensions, fearing the event. The deputies had therefore agreed, that as soon as they should perceive that the Half King spoke in an angry tone, they would send a messenger full speed to Lichtenau, before he concluded his speech, that the whole congregation might take flight. So much the greater was the joy of all, when the affair took so favorable a turn, and every one felt him- self excited to thank and praise the Almighty Saviour of his people, for having heard the numberless sighs and prayers offered up to him at this critical juncture. The word of Scripture for the day was: 'Sing aloud unto God our strength : make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.'-Ps. lxxxi, 1. This was done with one accord, and with a full heart.
" The same day, Half King, the chief captain, and eighty- two warriors came to Lichtenau. They were first shown into the school-house, where the missionaries Zeisberger and William Edwards received them. They shook hands with all they met, and the Half King spoke as follows : 'We rejoice to see our father, and to take him by the hand : from this time forth we will consider you as our father, and you shall own and consider us as your children, nor shall any thing ever disturb your minds in this respect, but our covenant shall remain firm forever. We will also acquaint the other nations with the proceedings of this day, and they will doubtless rejoice.' Zeisberger answered this friendly compliment in a proper manner, after which the missionaries and some Indian brethren dined with the Half King and his officers, under a
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hut made of green boughs : the other warriors seated them- selves in the shade in front of the place, and were so richly provided with food, that after having made a hearty meal, each could carry a large portion with him to Goschocking, to which place they all returned in the evening. "The Half King then sent messengers to the English governor in Detroit, and to the chiefs in the Huron country, to give them an account of the covenant made with the believing Indians, adding that he and his warriors had acknowledged the white brethren to be their father and would ever own them as such."
During the first alarm, the missionary Schmick and his wife were persuaded by the Indians to fly to Pittsburgh, whence they returned to Bethlehem, leaving Zeisberger and William Edwards in charge of the congregations. The band of Indians under Half King increased to two hundred, com- posed, according to Loskiel, of " Hurons, Iroquois, Ottawas, Chippeways, Shawanose, Wampanos, and Potawontakas," besides some Canadian French. It was a full fortnight before the inhabitants of Lichtenau were relieved of their presence in the vicinity.
For a period of four years, the mission experienced no serious annoyance from the Ohio savages: but the friendship of the Hurons, and the fact that their war-parties usually traversed the Moravian villages on their march to Pennsyl- vania and Virginia, exposed Gnadenhutten and Lichtenau to the danger of attack by the American borderers. On one occasion these villages were deserted, and the inhabitants fled up the Walhonding, alarmed by a false report, that an armed band of Virginians were marching against the Delaware towns : while in October, 1777, a party which had actually started upon such an expedition, was cut off by the Half King of the Hurons.
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As long as the Delaware chiefs at Goschocking were de- termined to preserve their neutrality, Lichtenau, only two miles distant, was the principal seat of the mission. Indeed, in April, 1778, Gnadenhutten was abandoned on account of the annoyances of " freebooters belonging to the whites," and the whole community concentrated at Lichtenau. But in 1779, the neighborhood of Goschocking became less desira- ble. After the death of Captain White Eyes, in the autumn of 1778, the English party among the Delawares rapidly increased-with the evacuation of Fort Laurens by the Amer- icans, the peace-chiefs and their few adherents were compelled to retire to the vicinity of Pittsburgh ; and thus, late in the summer of 1779, the Christian Indians stood alone, within the present limits of Ohio, in the resolution to observe a neu- trality between the contending whites. The inhabitants of Goschocking thenceforth sought to molest their peace-loving neighbors in various ways; and their robberies, drunkenness and other outrages became so insupportable to the congrega- tion, that Gnadenhutten was at length reoccupied; Shoen- brun rebuilt, although on the opposite side or west side of the Muskingum, and Lichtenau itself, on the 30th of March, 1780, was, in turn abandoned, and a new settlement, called Salem, established about five miles below Gnadenhutten.
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