USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 52
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Mr. Croghan being obliged by his Instructions to send Sir Wil- liam Johnson an Account of all his Proceedings with the Indians, and having made out a fair Copy of his Minutes to be sent to Sir William, he laid it before the Governor in Council, and it was read and order'd to be entered as follows:
Mr. Croghan's Minutes of his Proceedings at Harris' & at Lan- caster.
From George Croghan, Esgr., to the Honourable Sir William Johnson, Baronet, His Majesty's Sole Agent and Superintendent of the Affairs of the Six Nations, their Allies and Dependents:
" May it please your Honour :
" In pursuance of your Instructions, as soon as I was informed of the Indians being come to John Harris' I set off from Philadelphia to meet them, and arrived at John Harris' the 29th of March, 1757, where I met about 160 Indians, Men, Women and Children ; Part of 8 Tribes.
" The 30th I examined Joseph Peepy and Lewis Montour, in regard to the Messages I had sent by them to the Sasquehannah Indians.
" They inform'd me that Teedyuscung was gone to the Seneca Country to get a Number of the Senccas to come down with him, and they delivered mne a Belt of Wampum sent me by Teedyus- cung, in Return of mine sent him by them, by wch. Belt he informs me that he will be down as soon as possible, with 200 Indians, but cou'd not tell whether he wou'd come in at Easton or at John Harris'.
"'The remaining part of this Day I spent in getting what Intel- ligence I cou'd of the Strength of the French on Ohio, and the Disposition of the Delawares and Shawonese; and by the best Ac- counts I can get, I find the French have not above 300 Men in Garrison at Ohio this Winter, and that the Delawares and Shawo- nese on Ohio were divided amongst themselves, One-half of each Tribe going down Ohio to where the Lower Shawonese are settled, and the other half were determined to go of to the 6 Nations.
" I am informed that all the Sasquahannah Indians are dispos'd for Peace, except the Munseys or Minisink Indians ; yet I under- stand that a Number of them will be down with Teedyuscung.
" I am informed by a 6 Nation Indian, one of Reputation among them, that resided at Diahogo, that as soon as Joseph Peepy and Lewis Montour had delivered there Message there, the Council that Night dispatch'd 2 Men to the Ohio, to inform the Delawares and Shawonese living there of this Meeting, desiring some of them to come to it; but if none of them shou'd choose to come, these Messengers were then to insist that none of the Delawares and Shawonese living on the Ohio shou'd come to War against the
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English till this Meeting was over, and they have Time, after re- turning home, to let them know how it ended.
" At a Meeting of the Six Nations and their Allies, and George Croghan, Esq'., Deputy Agent to the Honble. Sir William Johnson, Baronet, his Majesty's Sole Agent and Superintendent of the Af- fairs of the Six Nations, their Allies and Dependents, and by his special Order, at John Harris', the 1st day of April, 1757.
" PRESENT :
" The Reverend Mr. John Elder, Mr. Hugh Crawford,
" Captain Thomas McKee,
Mr. John Harris,
" Mr. James Armstrong, " Tuscaroras.
William Prentup, Interpreter. Oneidos.
" Rut King,
" With 26 others, Men, Women, Scarroyady, & Children. " Mohawks.
" Tiahansorea,
" Connadagaughia,
" Sogehoanna,
" Peter,
" With 31 others, Men, Women, & Children.
" Cayugas.
Senecas.
" Ogarawtawrea,
" Orrarroquare,
" Jenkasarone,
" Wth. 20 others, Men, Women, & Children.
" Nanticokes.
Joseph Peepy,
" Robert White,
Thomas Evans,
" Joshua,
Johathan,
" With 11 more Men, Women, & With 20 Men, Women, & Chil- Children.
dren.
" Connestogoes.
" Sahays, " Captain John, " With 29 Men, Women, & Children.
" Brethren :
"' I am sent here by the Honorable Sir William Johnson, to represent him at this Meeting ; and I desire you all to give Atten- tion to what I am going to say to You, in Behalf of your Brother Onas and the wise Men of this Government, who are truly sensible of your Affections, occasioned by the Death of many of your Coun- sellors and Warriors, since they had the Pleasure of seeing you in this Government ; and as they have ever looked upon your Mis- fortunes as their own, they mix their Tears with Your's, and have
· Onondagocs.
Ossaratonqua, And his two Brothers, with 18 others, Men, Women, & Chil- dren.
George, Wth. 8 more, Men, Women, & Children.
Delawares.
Samuel,
Tawnaquanagis, With 13 others, Men, Women, & Children.
Thomas King,
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desired me to condole with you, agreeable to the antient Custom of our Forefathers.'
" Gave a Belt.
"' Brethren :
"'With this Belt of Wampum, I wipe the Blood of the Seats round Your Council Fire, that your Old Men, at this Critical Junc- ture, when Convened in Council may sit with Comfort, and direct their Warriors with Wisdom.'
" Gave a Belt.
"'Brethren :
""' As I have wiped the Blood off the Seats round your Council Fire, I wth. these Strouds wrap up the Bodies of Your deceased Friends and bury them decently ; covering their Graves with these Blankets and half Thicks.'
" Gave the Goods.
"' Brethren :
"' As the Blood is wiped off the Seats of your Counsellors, the Dead decently buried, and their Graves covered, I with this Belt of Wampum wipe the Tears from your Eyes, and desire you may mourn no more.'
" Gave a Belt.
"' Brethren :
"' As you are now out of Mourning, I, with this Belt of Wam- pum, disperse the Dark Clouds which are gather'd over your Heads, that you may see the Sun clear, & shake Hands with your Brethren when you meet in Council.'
" Gave a Belt.
"' Brethren :
"'As we have now gone through the antient Customs used by our Forefathers upon their Meeting, I with this Belt of Wampum heal your Hearts, and free your Minds from Trouble, that we may meet each other in Council, and brighten the Chain of Friendship.'
" Gave a Belt.
" ' Brethren :
"'I now wipe the Sweat off your Bodies after your long Jour- ney, and bid you a hearty Welcome to this Government, in the Name of your Brother Onas.'
" Gave a String.
"' Sachems and Warriors of the Six united Nations, our Friends & Brethren :
" 'I embrace this Opportunity of acquainting you, that last year your Brother Onas held two Conferences at Easton, with your Nephews, the Delawares, and your Brethren, the Shawonese, that
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
live on Sasquehannah, in order to settle the Differences subsisting between them and us; but as that good Work cou'd not be accom- plished at that Time, they agreed to have a Meeting this Spring, finally to settle all Differences subsisting between them and us, their Brethren. And that this Meeting might be more general, I dis- patched Messengers up Sasquehannah, and to Ohio; and I wrote to your Brother, Sir William Johnson, desiring him to request a Number of you, our Brethren, the Six united Nations, to be present at this Meeting, who I am heartily glad to see here. And when your Nephews and Brothers arrive, I am in great Hopes, by your Assistance, to be able to accommodate Matters to the Mutual Satis- faction of both them and us their Brethren the English in the several Governments.
"' And by this Belt of Wampum I request you to make use of all your Interest with your Nephews, the Delawares, and Brothers, the Shawonese, to bring about an Accommodation between them and us, that the Sun may once more shine upon Us in Peace, and that the Peace may last as long as the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars give Light.'
" Gave a Belt." .
" At a Meeting with the Indians At John Harris', April 2nd, 1757.
"PRESENT ;
" The Reverend Mr. Elder.
" Captain Thomas McKee.
" Mr. James Armstrong.
" Mr. Hugh Crawford.
" Mr. John Harris.
" William Prentup, Interpreter.
" The Deputies of the Six united Nations.
" The Delawares and Nanticokes.
" Scarroyady, Speaker for the Indians. · " ' Brother :
.
" You and our Brother Onas wisely considered the antient Custom of our Forefathers in condoling with us, and mixing your Grief with Ours; And as we make no doubt but some of your wise Counsellors are dead since we were here, and many of our Brethren have been killed by the evil Spirit, we wipe the Blood off your Council Seats and put them in Order with this Belt of Wampum.' " Gave a Belt.
" ' Brother :
"' After wiping the Blood off your Council Seats, We, with these few
-
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MINUTES OF THE
Skins, wrap up the Bones of our Brethren that died or were killed by the evil Spirit, and cover their Graves.'
" Gave a small Bundle of Skins.
"'Brother :
"' We, by this Belt of Wampum, wipe the Tears from your Eyes, and desire you may mourn no more.'
" Gave a Belt.
"' Brother :
"' We, with this Belt of Wampum, disperse the dark Clouds, that the Sun may always shine upon us in Friendship; we heal your Heart and free your Mind from Trouble, that we may meet each other in Council and brighten the Chain of Friendship made by our Forefathers; and that the Council Fire may burn clear, we throw a few Chips on it.'
" Gave a Belt.
" This Evening I had a Meeting of the Sachems, and proposed the going to Philadelphia to hold the Treaty, but I cou'd prevail on none of them to go there except the Mohawks; the rest were afraid of Sickness.
" When I found they were not to be prevailed on to go there, I called a Council, and, with a Belt of Wampum, I removed the Council Fire to Lancaster, to which Place they all agreed to go and wait the Arrival of Teedyuscung with the Senecas, Delawares, and Shawnese.
"Gave a Belt to remove the Council Fire to Lancaster.
" April 7th. I arrived at Lancaster from John Harris', from whence Mr. Shippen, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Boude, and Captain Cane, with a Number of other Gentlemen, Inhabitants of that Borough, went out with me to meet the Indians (who I had left a few Miles behind), to bid them welcome to Lancaster.
" As soon as the Indians were settled at the Place taken for them by James Wright, Esqr., I then kindled a small Fire for them to sit by till they shou'd hear from their Brother Onas of the Arrival of Teedyuscung.
" April 10th. I received a Letter from his Honour the Governor, acquainting me of the Arrival of 50 Delawares and Shawonese at Fort Allen, and that they were ordered to wait the Arrival of Teedy- uscung with the rest of the Indians who were coming with him there.
" I immediately ordered a Meeting of the Indians, and acquainted them with what the Governor had wrote me about the Arrival of the Delawares and Shawonese at Fort Allen, which was very agreable to them.
"I then acquainted them, by a Belt of Wampum, that their Brother Onas had prepared a very convenient Place for them within
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
a Mile of Philadelphia, as Teedyuscung had, at the last Treaty at Easton, given his Honour the Governor a Promise to come to Phila- delphia this Spring.
" The Indians, after considering what had been said to them, re- turned the following Answer :
" ' Brother :
"' We have considered what you said to us from Our Brother Onas ; when you proposed to us, at John Harris', to go to Philadel- phia, we refused for the Reasons we then gave you.
"' By the Message you sent us by Joseph Peepy and Lewis Mon- tour, we understood that the Delawares and Shawanese were to fix the place of Meeting where they thought proper.
"'Brother :
""'We tell you we will sit where we are till they arrive and fix the Place of Meeting with our Brother Onas.'
" Returned the Belt of Wampum.
" April the 11th. I deliver'd the Goods purchased by James Wright, Esquire, for the Indians in the presence of Mr. James Webb, which was well receiv'd by 'cm.
" After the Goods were divided, the Chiefs of the several Tribes came in a Body and returned Thanks to the Government for the Cloathing they had received.
"The 13th. The several Chiefs came to me and told me they ob- served that I gave no Cloathing to our Brothers the Connestogoes, and desired that I wou'd give them some, else they shou'd be obliged to give them part of what had been given them.
" Gave a String.
"The 17th. I called a Meeting of all the Indians, and returned them Thanks for condoling with me at John Harris' for the Loss we, their Brethren, the English, had sustained by Death and the evil Spirit :
"' Brethren :
"'I return you thanks for mixing your Grief with Ours, and wiping the Blood off our Council Seats.'
" Gave a Belt.
""' Brethren :
"'I give you thanks for wrapping up the Bones of our deceased Brothers, and covering the Graves, and wiping the Tears from Our Eyes.'
"Gave a Belt.
"Brethren :
"' I return you thanks for dispersing the dark Clouds from over our Heads, for healing our Hearts, and freeing our Minds from
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Trouble, and for Brightening the Chain of Friendship made by our Forefathers.'
" Gave a Belt.
" April 20th. I received a Letter from his Honour, Governor Denny, inclosing Two Messages from Teedyuscung to the Governor, wch. were deliver'd to Major Parsons in Easton, and forwarded by him.
" As soon as I received his Honour's Letter I called a Meeting of the Indians, and repeated over to them the Messages, and let them know that Teedyuscung's being so long detained on the Way was the Scarcity of Provisions; and then acquainted them that his Honour the Governor had ordered a Supply to be sent to meet them, for wch. the Indians returned his Honour the Governor their Hearty Thanks, and said their Bro". Onas' sending l'rovisions to meet their Cousens on the Road was giving them the strongest Assurances of his Regard and Esteem for them.
" Gave a String of Wampum.
" April the 23d. Six Onondago Warriors applied to me for Liberty to go to Fort Cumberland to join the Southward Indians, who, they understood, were going to War against his Majesty's Enemies at Ohio ; I granted their Request, and fitted them out for their Journey.
" April the 26th. Scarroyady, with a Party of Mohawk Warriors, came and told me that they were apprehensive the French wou'd make some Attempt against Fort Augusta, and desired I would fit them out to go there ; to which I agreed, giving them Orders to reconnoitre the adjacent Woods for a few Days, then to proceed towards the Ohio, and to reconnoitre the Country well as they went, and if they discovered any Body of French or Parties of Indians coming towards Fort Augusta, or any part of this or the neighbour- ing Governments, they were immediately to return and give Notice to the Commanding Officer at Fort Augusta, or to the Commanding officer of the Fort nighest to that part of the Country where they shou'd come into.
" The 26th P. M., the Chiefs of the several Tribes called a Mect- ing and sent for Me, and desired to know what Time they might expect their Brother Onas up, and their Nephews, the Delawares, and Brothers, the Shawanese, to hold the Conference.
" To which I answer'd, I had not yet received any certain Ac- count of the Arrival of the Delawares and Shawanese, and until the Governor had fixed the Place and time of Meeting with Teedy- uscung, I cou'd not give them a full Answer.
" To which Little Abraham, a Mohawk Sachem, spoke as follows, in Behalf of the whole :
"''Brother :
" ' We have been here a great while, and the Spring is coming on fast. It is high Time for us to think of going home to plant.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
We have heard what you have said to us from our Brother Onas, both at John Harris' and here, that our Brother Onas proposed to hold the Treaty at Philadelphia. Every time you spoke to us upon that Head, we gave you our Objections against going so far down, which we expected wou'd have been considered before now; but as our Brother Onas has not yet agreed to come here, we have deter- mined in our own Minds to treat with our Brother Onas here, and go no further down the Country.
""" Brother :
"' We have appointed Three Men to go to Philadelphia to speak with our Brother Onas, and request of him to come up; and we de- sire you will find Horses for them to ride down, and a Man to go with them to the Governor.
"' And we have appointed Three more to go and meet our Nephews, the Delawares, and Brothers, the Shawanese, and bring them here, and we desire you will find them Horses and a Man to go and take Care of them, and provide Necessaries for them on the Road.'
" Gave a String.
" May the 5th, P. M. Captain Trent returned from Bethlehem with the Deputy that went from here to meet the Delawares and Shawanese, and brought with them Four Delaware Men and One Women.
" About two Hours afterwards, Captain McKee return'd from Philadelphia with the Deputies, who were sent down to the Gov- ernor to invite him here to hold the Conference.
" May the 6th. I called a Meeting of the Chiefs of the several Tribes, when William Logan, Esqr., a Member of his Honour the Governor's Council, returned the Governor's Answer to the Message sent him by Thomas King and Rut King.
""'Brethren, the Deputies of the Six United Nations, and your Cousins & Brethren, the Delawares :
""' I am sent to you by your Brother Onas from Philadelphia, as a Member of his Council, and your very good Friend, and I desire you will attend to what I am now going to say to you, and consider my words as if they were spoken by Onas himself.'
" Gave a String.
'' Brethren :
" ' A few days since, Thomas King and Rut King, accompanied by Thomas McKee as their Guide, came to me in Philadelphia, and informed me By this Belt of Wampum, that you held a Council Fire at Lancaster, and had sent for our Friend, George Croghan, to it, and had made a Speech to him, in which You acquainted him that on his Invitation you came to John Harris', understanding the Council Fire was to be kindled there; that after you had staid VOL. VII .- 33.
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there some time, you were desired to accompany him to Lancaster, and that I wou'd meet you there ; that, therefore, you had ap- pointed these two Indians to wait on me, and to take me by the Hand and invite me to your Council; that you had determined among yourselves to come no further, and wou'd be glad to see me, and that my coming wou'd rejoice your Hearts.
"'Brethren :
"'You must be very sensible, that in the Transacting publick Affairs in these Troublesome Times, many Difficulties and unfor- seen Accidents happen, which require my particular Attendance in Philadelphia ; this is my present Case. And as Teedyuscung, the Chief of the Delawares, our Countryman and Cousen, with some other Chiefs and Head Men of that Nation, has sent me lately, a Message, acquainting me that he was on his Way with a great Number of Indians coming to meet me, in order to finish the Treaty of Peace begun last Year by our late Governor and myself with the said Chiefs, and desired me to be ready with my Counsellors to as- sist in finishing the said Treaty, which was so happily begun, and that I wou'd be so kind as to send for Moses Tatamy and John Pumpshire (two Delaware Indian Interpreters), from the Jerseys, to be present; and that there was so great a Number of Indians who were coming with him, they wou'd want Provisions on the Way, and desired I wou'd send some to Wyomink for them, which I immediately complied with. These, Brethren, have been the Reasons for my delaying my Journey to meet you at Lancaster ; and for my desiring George Croghan wou'd endeavour to prevail on you, our Brethren, to come to the Council fire at Philada., where the Old wise People, who are your hearty Friends, wou'd have been exceeding glad to see you ; and as I have heard Nothing from Tee- dyuscung very lately, I am uneasy lest some Accident has happen'd to him. I thank you very kindly for your affectionate Invitation. I accept it, and will, with great pleasure, come and consult with you at your Council Fire at Lancaster.'
" Gave a Belt of Eight Rowes.
" May the 9th. Three of the Messengers I sent to the Ohio re- turned and make the following Report :
"That on their Arrival at Wenango (an old Indian Town) on Ohio, they found several of the Delawares there, One Named Casta- lago, their Chief. They immediately called a Meeting and deliver'd the Speeches sent by them, weh. were very well receiv'd by the Dela- wares, who told them, in Answer, that they wou'd'accept of the In- vitation and come down with them, but that they must first go and consult their Uncles, the Senecas, who lived further up the River. The next Day they set off to a little Town further the River Ohio, where they summon'd a Number of Delawares and Senecas together.
1
th be
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
After repeating the Messages over, One of the Senecas, named Garis- tagee, one of the Chiefs, said to the Delawares : "' Nephews :
""' You must not accept of that call, for the Belts which are sent you are not proper Belts on this Occasion. I know George Croghan very well, & wou'd be very glad to sce him, and if he will send a proper Belt with Men wrought in it for the several Tribes he wants to meet with (himself taking us by the Hand), made of old Council Wampum, which is the Custom of the Six Nations on these Occa- sions, I will go down with you and see him.' To which the Dela- wares agreed, and then returned the Belts.
" They say that one of the Messengers proceeded further, to where the Delawares that lived formerly at Kittanning were now settled, On Beaver Creek, with a View of finding out the Disposi- tions of them, and they expect he will be soon down if not killed. These Messengers say that there were but 15 Frenchmen at We- nango, and that the Fort there is very weak, and that the Indians in those parts are very much distressed for Provisions.
" They say that the Ohio Indians are much afraid of the Southern Indians, having been struck 3 Times by them this Spring-twice near Fort Du Quesne and once at the Logs Town, and that the In- dians are moving fast up the Ohio towards the Senecas.
" They heard from the Indians there that the French were de- feated at Fort William Henry, and that there was another Party defeated by Sir William Johnson at the German Flatts ; and the French were determined yet to make another Trial against the Eng- lish, but that they cou'd not tell where they intended to strike next.
" They say the two Men killed at Fort Augusta, were killed by the Delawares and French, which was the only Party of Delawares or Shawanese that has come against us this Spring; That the other Parties that have been on the Frontiers of this and the Neighbour- ing Provinces were Indians from over the Lakes ; that the Delawares made great Game of the Lake Indians, and told those Messengers that one Party of them, who had been down, had on their Return killed and eat 3 of the English Prisoners, for want of Food; that there was an Account came there whilst they were at Wenango, that the French Conewagas had differed with the French, because the French wou'd not supply Them with Provisions; the Difference rose so high at last that they came to blows; That 60 of the Conewagas were killed and a great Number of the French.
" I Quere the truth of this News, as the French undoubtedly know their Interest too well to differ with the Conewagas at this Time.
"These Messengers on their Return touched at Diahogo, where they met with Teedyuscung, who enquired of them what they had been doing at Ohio ; they repeated over to him the Messages that
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had been sent by them from this Goverment, and the answer They had received from the Ohio Indians; on which Teedyuscung sent the following Message by them to their Brother Onas and me. ""' Brothers:
"' You have been at a great deal of Trouble in sending Messages to Us, your Brothers, the Delawares and Shawanese. But the Persons you employed are Young Warriors and not Counsellors, therefore unfit for such Business ; likewise the Belts you have sent, in Comparison, are no more than Strings; but if you will send to call us together, and send proper Belts, and Wise Men to take us by the Hand, we will come down with them and give you a Meeting. In which Meeting I hope we shall settle all differences subsisting between us; and I assure you, by this Belt of Wampum, that our Minds are well disposed, and that our hearts are warm and true towards you, our Brothers, the English ; and we desire that you, as Messengers from our Brothers, may take this Belt to Captain Thomas McKee, & let him deliver it in Our Name to our Brother Onas, and George Croghan.'
" Gave the Belt.
""'Brothers :
"' There is one thing that gives us a great deal of concern, wch. is, Our Flesh and Blood that live among you at Bethlehem and in the Jerseys being kept as if they were Prisoners. We formerly applied to the Minister at Bethlehem to let our People come back at Times and hunt, which is the Chief Industry we follow to maintain our Families, but that Minister has not listened to what we have said to him, and it is very hard that our People have not the Liberty of coming back to the Woods, where Game is plenty, and to see their Friends.
""" They have complained to us that they cannot hunt where they are, and if they go into the Woods and cut down a Tree, they are abused for it, Notwithstanding that very Land we look upon to be Our own; and we hope, Brothers, that you will consider this Matter, and let our People come into the Woods and visit their Friends, and pass and repass, as Brothers ought to do.'
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