USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 21
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A Belt.
" Brethren :
" At this Treaty you justly demanded to see your Flesh and Blood. We have pressed this on our Cousins, the Minisinks, and they, by this String, desired us to assure you, the Governors, that they would make strict search in their Towns, and Sincerely Comply with your Request, and return all the Prisoners in their Power."
Two Strings of black and white Wampum.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Then directing his discourse to the Governor of the Jersey he proceeded :
"Brother, the Governor of Jersey :
"Our Cousins, the Minisinks, tell us they were wronged out of a great deal of Land, and the English settling so fast they were pushed back, and could not tell what Lands belonged to them. If we have been drunk tell us so. We may have forgot what we sold, but we trust to you, the Governor of Jersey, to take our Cause in Hand, and see that we have Justice done us. We say that we have here and there Tracts of Land that have never been sold. You deal hardly with; you claim all the Wild Creatures, and will not let us come on your Land to hunt for them. You will not so much as let us peel a Single Tree. This is hard, and has given us great offence. The Cattle you raise are your own; but those which are Wild are still ours, and should be common to both ; for our Nephews, when they sold the Land, did not propose to deprive themselves of hunting the Wild Deer or using a Stick of Wood when they should have Occasion. We desire the Governor to take this Matter into his Care, and see Justice done in it."
Two Strings of White Wampum.
" Brethren :
" All that has been said has been of one Nature, that is, of mat- ters that are Subjects of Dispute ; this that I am going to speak upon now is of another nature."
Then directing himself to the Governor of Pennsylvania, said :
" We must put you in mind that, four years ago, you bought at Albany a large Tract of Land over Susquehannah, extending from the Mouth of John Penn's Creek to the Ohio. The Proprietaries" Agents then paid One Thousand Pieces of Eight for the part which was settled by your People, that have since been driven off and killed. We acknowledge to have received Payment for those Parts. which were settled, but for the other Part that we have not received Payment for, that we re-claim. Our Warriors or Hunters, when they heard that we had sold such a Large Tract of Land, disap- proved our Conduct in Council, so now we acquaint you, that we are determined not to confirm any more, than such of the Lands as the Consideration was paid for, and were settled, tho' included in the Deed ; they are our hunting Grounds, and we desire the request may be granted, and Notice taken that it was made in open Con -. ference."
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Three White Strings.
Then Thomas King sat down.
The Six Nation Chiefs being asked if they had any thing to say, answered, that they had done; and having eased their minds of all that lay heavy upon them, they would return home.
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The Governor promised attentively to Consider what was said, and give them an Answer.
Teedyuscung then arose and spoke :
" Brethren :
" I should have said Something at the Time our Uncles laid be- fore you their Grievances, or Causes of Complaint, in Behalf of my Countrymen who lived near Goshen. About three years ago Nine of their People were killed at Goshen, when they were in Peace. I will not take upon me to say that the Land had never been sold, but there was no Dispute about this at that time. I very believe that they killed those nine Indians, for no other Reason than be- cause they were hunting on that Land. I speak to all the English when I mention this, as what was very wrong."
Three White Strings.
" Brethren :
" One of the Waping Tribes, or Goshen Indians, tells me, that as soon as those Nine Men were killed, he went, with three Belts and Tears in his Eyes, to George Freeland's, in order to have the matter made up, but he never received an Answer to this Day, tho' he told him that he would send the Bets to the Governor, and as soon as he should receive his Answer he would send for him and let him know it, but he has never yet received an Answer.
" Brethren :
"I give you this String to enquire what became of the thres Belts, and what answer was made to them."
Three Strings of White Wampum.
" Brethren : ,
" You may remember we made Peace last year, and a Peace Belt was made, a Fathom long, and of Fifteen Rows. Mr. Croghan was present ; so were some of my Uncles, and the Minisinks. They all saw it. You have asked me what is become of that Belt, and how far it went. I will tell you : I sent it up the Susquehannah to Dia- hogo ; from thenee it went to Assintzin ; thence to Secaughkung. The Chief men there got together to Consider what was best to be done with it. They all concluded that it should be sent to our Uncle. He is a Man, and often told us he ought to see Things first, and Consider what is to be donc. The Senecas had the Belt first, and then all the United Nations afterwards ; they had it almost a Year. Now it is come back, and in Lapackpeton's Hands, who is one of the Delawares, and lives at Secaughkung. How far the Peace Belt went, I don't know, but I suppose it went through all my Uncles, and I assure you I will do as my Uncles does. He has promised you he will deliver up all your Captives, and I assure I will do so, wheresoever I find them in all my Towns. Four Tribes now present have agreed to this, Vizt., Delawares, Unamies, Mohic-
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cons, and Wappings, who are settled as far as Secaughkung. This Belt confirms my Words."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
"I did let you know formerly what my Grievance was. I told you that from Tohiccon, as far as the Delawares owned, the Proprie- taries had wronged me. Then you and I agreed that it should be laid before the King of England, and Likewise you told me you would let me know as soon as ever he saw it. You would lay the Matter before the King, for you said he was our Father, that he might see what was our Differences, for as you and I could not decide it, let him do it. Now let us not alter what you and I have agreed. Now, let me know if King George has decided the Matter between you and me. I don't pretend to mention any of my Uncles' Lands. I only mention what we, the Delawares, own, as far as the Heads of Delaware. All the Lands lying on the Waters that fall into the Susquehannah belong to our Uncles."
A Belt.
Teedyuscung then took up another Belt, designing to speak to his Uncles, the United Nations, but whilst he was delivering the above, their Chiefs had one after another left the Council, seemingly much displeased ; he, therefore, declined speaking it.
October the 19th, 1758.
The Governors having prepared their Answers, desired the In- dians to meet, but they continued holding private Councils among themselves all that day till late in the afternoon ; and as the Gov- ernors were going to the Place of Conference, the Indians sent Mr. Weiser out of Council to desire they would defer meeting till the next morning, their own private Business not being finished.
At a private Conference with the Indians held at Easton, Octo- ber the 19th, 1758, P. M.
PRESENT :
His Excellency, Governor BERNARD.
The Commissioners of New Jersey.
The Chiefs of the United Nations, and of the Minisinks and Wapings.
George Croghan, Deputy to Sir William Johnson.
Andrew Montour, His Majesty's Interpreter.
Stephen Calvin, Interpreter of the Minisink and Waping Lan- guage.
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His Excellency, reciting the Request of the United Nations to him, to do Justice to their Nephews, the Minisinks, concerning their Claims to Lands in New Jersey, said, he would make diligent En- quiry what Lands were remaining unsold by them; but as that would be a Work of Time and Expence, he wished that some means could be found to give them Satisfaction at this Meeting. The People of New Jersey said they had bought all, or the greatest part of the Minisink Lands, and the Minisinks said they had a great deal of Land unsold.
He could not tell who was in the right, but would suppose there were some lands unsold; and upon that Supposition, would give them some Money by way of consideration for them, if they would propose a reasonable Sum, and desired they would advise about it, and give an Answer.
The United Nations said it was a very kind Proposal, and recom- mended it to the Consideration of the Minisinks.
The same Day, Teedyuscung waited on Governor Denny at his House, bringing with him Isaac Still for his Interpreter, and his Grandson; and in the presence of Governor Bernard, Mr. Andrew Johnson, and Mr. Peters, acquainted the Governor that the Dela- wares did not Claim Lands high up on Delaware River ; those belonged to their Uncles ; and he thought proper to let the Gover- nor know this, that there might be no Misunderstanding of what he had said in the Publick Conference.
At a Conference with the Indians, held at Easton, October the 20th, 1758.
PRESENT :
The Governors, Council, Gentlemen, and Indians, with the In- terpreters as before.
Governor Denny desired to know of Teedyuscung if he pro- posed to speak, as the abrupt departure of the Six Nation Chiefs from the Conference yesterday had prevented him from finishing what he had to say.
Then Teedyuscung arose, and addressing himself to the Six Na- tions, said :
" Uncles :
"According to our Old Custom, we used to speak to one another at Home ; but we are now met upon Business; I must speak to you in the presence of the English Governors, and what I shall say I desire both you, the English, and my Uncles who are here, will attend to."
A Belt.
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" Uncles :
" I take this opportunity of speaking to you in the Presence of our Brethren, the English, and two of their Governors : please to take notice what I am going to say.
" Uncles :
" You may remember that you have placed us at Wioming and Shamokin, places where Indians have lived before. Now I hear since, that you have sold that Land to our Brethren, the English. Let the matter now be cleared up in the Presence of our Brethren, the English.
" I sit here as a Bird on a Bow ; I look about and do not know where to go ; let me therefore come down upon the Ground, and make that my own by a good Deed, and I shall then have a Home for Ever; for if you, my Uncles, or I die, our Brethren, the Eng- lish, will say they have bought it from you, & so wrong my Pos- terity out of it."
A Belt.
Governor Denny then requested the attention of the Indians, and Spoke :
" Brethren, Chiefs and Warriors of the Six United Nations, and 'your Nephews, here assembled :
" I am much obliged to you for the Account you gave me the Day before Yesterday of the True Cause of the Bitterness of your Hearts towards us, and the Reasons which induced some of your Young Men first to strike us, and others to side with the French on the Ohio.
" The Advice you gave us to take better care, and guard against any Breach of Friendship between us for the future, is very kind and wholesome ; we will join with you, and Endeavour to prevent the like Evils for the time to come.
" I promise you that I will immediately send to the Governor of Virginia to enquire after the Seneca Boy, Squissatego, who you say was left a Prisoner in his Country, and if he is alive, you may depend on his being returned to you."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" By these Strings you put me in mind that the Proprietaries, Four Years ago, bought of you, at Albany, a large Tract of Land over Susquehannah, from the Mouth of a Creek called Kayarondin- hagh or John Penn's Creek to the Ohio, and were paid by the Pro- prietaries' Agents One Thousand Pieces of Eight, as the Considera- tion Money, for such Parts as were settled by our People ; but that as your Warriors disapproved of your Conduct in Council for making that Sale, you now reclaimed such of the Lands contained in that Grant as you have not received a Consideration for.
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"Brethren :
" The Proprietaries of this Province have on all Occasions mani- fested their particular Regard for you. They prefer your Friend- ship and the Publick good to their own Private Interest. Their former Conduct gives you no Room to doubt the Truth of this. What I am about to tell you is a further Confirmation of it. There- fore give me your Attention, and listen to what I shall say. You may remember that at a Treaty you held with your good Friend, Sir William Johnson, three Years ago, some of your wise men told him that there were some among them who were dissatisfied with the sale of the above Lands made by them at Albany, and were desirous that part of it should be reserved for them, though the Proprietaries had purchased it fairly of them and paid One Thou- sand Pieces of Eight, which was all they were to receive till our People settled to the Westward of the Allegheny or Appalaccin Hills. Sir William Johnson represented this matter to the Pro- prietaries in your Behalf, whereupon they chearfully agreed to re- lease to you all that part of the Purchase you have reclaimed ; and, by a Letter of Attorney, empowered Richard Peters and Conrad Weiser to execute a Deed to you for those Lands, on your Confirm- ing to them the Residue of that Purchase. On this Subject, there- fore, you will please to Confer with them and Settle the Boundaries between you, that they may release the Lands to you accordingly before you leave this Place, and set your Minds at Ease."
A String.
" Brethren :
"I thank you for the Pains you have taken with your Nephews to prevail with them to return us such of our Brethren as are Pris- oners among them, and we depend on the Speedy Performance of their Promise.
" Brethren :
" I have something to say to you which is of the Utmost Impor- tance to us all. It requires your particular Attention and Consid- eration. Providence has brought you and your Nephews together at this Meeting, Face to Face with us, that every thing may be set- tled ; and nothing remains, not so much as a doubt, to create any uneasiness in our Hearts hereafter. You know, Brethren, that there is an Old Agreement between the Proprietaries and you, that you will not sell any of the Lands lying within this Province to any but them, and they never take Possession of Lands till they have bought them of the Indians. You know, also, that the United Nations have sold Lands to the Proprietaries which your Nephews, the Delawares, now claim as their Right. This is the Case with Regard to some Part of the Lands lying between Tohiccon Creek and the Head of the River Delaware, which Teedyuscung, in your hearing, the Day before Yesterday, said the Proprietaries had de-
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frauded him of. The Proprietaries are desirous to do Strict Justice to all Indians; but it cannot be supposed they can know in which of you the Right was vested. It is a matter that must be settled among yourselves; till this is done there will probably remain some Jealousy and Discontent among you that may interrupt both your and our future Quiet, which we should guard against by all means in our Power."
A String.
" Brethren :
"I now acquaint you that a Store of all Sorts of Goods for your use is opened at Shamokin, where the Indians may be Supplied at the most reasonable Rates with any goods they may want; and the best Prices will be given to you for such Skins, Furs, and Peltry as you shall bring them. Another Store is intended to be opened at Fort Allen, and you may depend upon it that such Persons will be placed there who shall use you with the Strictest Justice in all their Dealings."
A String. .
" Brother Teedyuscung :
" As I understood at our last Meeting that you were prevented at that Time by the absence of some of the Six Nation Chiefs, from finishing what you then had to say, I defer answering, for the present, such parts of your speech as relate to me. But I shall soon take an Opportunity of doing it."
This was interpreted to the Delawares by Isaac Still.
After the Governor had done speaking, Tagashata and Nichas arose and said they did not Rightly understand that Paragraph relating to the Lands, and requiring them to Settle Matters among themselves ; they said the Governor had left Matters in the Dark, they did not know what lands he meant. If he meant the Lands on the other side of the Mountain he knew the Proprietaries had. their Deeds for them, which ought to be produced and shewn to them. Their Deeds had their marks, and when they should see them they would know their marks again.
And then Conrad Weiser being desired to bring the Deed, Gov- ernor Bernard informed the Indians he was going to speak to them, on which they acquainted him, that they chose to be spoke to by one Governor only at a Conference; for that when they both spoke their Belts were mixed, and they were thereby confused in their Councils; Whereupon he deferred his Speech to another Time.
The Deed was then produced to the Indians, and Nichas said, . "this Deed we well remember; we know our Chiefs who Signed it, some of them are present now ; we sold the Land, and were hon- estly paid for it; the Land was ours, and we will justify it." They
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were desired to take it with them into their Council room and Con- fer on it, and settle the matter among themselves.
The Conference then broke up.
Teedyuscung having yesterday requested of the Governor, that two Belts, which he then presented to him, might be sent as their joint Belts to the Ohio Indians.
This Day the Chiefs of the United Nations, and Teedyuscung, had a meeting with two Members of Governor Denny's Council, at which the following intended Answer from Governor Denny to the Ohio Indians, being first Interpreted to the Indians, was considered, settled, and approved by all present :
Governor Denny's Answer to the Message of the Ohio Indians, brought by Frederick Post, Pisquitomen, and Thomas Hick- man.
" By this String, my Indian Brethren of the United Nations and Delawares join with me in requiring of the Indian Councils, to which these following Messages shall be presented, to keep every thing private from the Eyes and Ears of the French."
A String.
" Brethren :
" We received your Message by Pisquitomen, and Frederick Post, and thank you for the Care you have taken of our Messenger of Peace, and that you have put him in your Bosom, and protected him against our Enemy Onontio, and his Children, and sent him safe back to our Council Fire, by the same Man that received him from us."
A String.
" Brethren :
"I only sent Post to peep into your Cabbins, and to know the Sentiments of your Old Men, and to look at your Faces, to see how you look. And I am glad to hear from him that you look Friendly, and that there still remains some sparks of Love towards us. It is what we believed beforehand, and therefore we never let Slip the Chain of Friendship, but held it fast on our Side, and it has never dropped out of our Hands; by this Belt we desire you will dig up your end of the Chain of Friendship that you suffered, by the Subtilty of the French, to be buried."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" It happened that the Governor of Jersey was with me, and a great many Indian Brethren, sitting in Council at Easton when your Messengers arrived, and it gave Pleasure to every one that heard it; and it will afford the same Satisfaction to our Neighbour- ing Governors and their People, when they come to hear it; I
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shall send Messengers to them & acquaint them with what you have said.
" Your requesting to let the King of England know your good Disposition, we took to Heart, and shall let him know it, and we will speak in your Favour to His Majesty, who has for some time past looked upon you as his lost Children; And we can assure you that as a Tender Father over all his Children, he will forgive what is past, and receive you again into his Arms."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" If you are in earnest to be reconciled to us, you will keep your Young Men from attacking our Country, and killing and carrying Captive our Back Inhabitants; And will likewise give orders that your People may be kept at a Distance from Fort Duquesne, that they may not be hurt by our Warriors, who are sent by our King to Chastise the French, and not to hurt you; Consider the Com- manding Officer of that Army treads heavy, and would be very sorry to hurt any of his Indian Brethren."
A Large Belt.
" And Brethren :
"The Chiefs of the United Nations, with their Cousins, our Brethren, the Delawares, and others now here, jointly with me send this Belt, which has upon it two figures that represent all the Eng- lish and all the Indians now present taking Hands and delivering it to Pisquitomen, and we desire it may be likewise sent to the In- dians who are named at the End of these Messages,* as they have all been formerly our very good Friends and Allies, and we desire they will go from among the French to their own Towns, and no Longer help the French.
" Brethren on the Ohio :
" If you take the Belts we just now gave you, in which all here join, English and Indians, as we don't doubt you will, then by this Belt I make a Road for you, and invite you to come to Philadel- phia to your first Old Council Fire, which was kindled when we first saw one another, which fire we will kindle up a gain and re- move all disputes, and renew the Old and first Treaties of Friend- ship; This is a Clear and open Road for you; fear, therefore, noth- ing, and come to us with as many as can be of the Delawares, Shawanese, or of the Six Nation Indians ; We will be glad to see You ; we desire all Tribes and Nations of Indians who are in Alli- ance with you may come ; As soon as we hear of your coming, of which you will give us timely Notice, we will lay up Provisions for you along the Road."
* Sastaghretsy, Anigh Kalichon, Atowayteany, Towigh Towighraano, Geghdageghroanno, Oyaghtanont, Sisaghroano.
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A Large White Belt, with the Figure of a Man at Each End, and Streaks of Black, representing the Road from the Ohio to Phila- delphia.
" Brethren :
The Six Nation and Delaware Chiefs join with me in those Belts which are tied together, to Signify our Union and Friendship for each other ; with them we jointly take the Tomahawks out of your Heads and bury them under Ground.
" We Speak loud, so as you may hear us; you see we all stand together, joined Hand in Hand."
Two Belts tied together.
The Indian Chiefs being asked if it would not be proper to insert in the Message an Account of the Situation of our Army to the Westward, and to desire them to join the General against the French, they replied that they would by no means advise this Government so soon to press them to take up the Hatchet, because the Wounds were not yet healed, nor Peace made, which must be done first. They said further, that as the French had many Indians fighting for them, and they, by Intermarriages, were related to the Indians who sent the Messages, it could not be expected they would easily be perswaded to join the English, lest they should kill their own Flesh and Blood, adding, that the only proper Measure that could now be taken was to advise them to sit still and keep out of the Way, and this Advice they believed would be hearkened to.
Then they desired that at least two of our Inhabitants might accompany Pisquitomen and Thomas Hickman, the Two Messengers, to Ohio. The Six Nation Chiefs promised to send Two of their own People with them, and Teedyuscung said he would send one, if not two, Delawares.
At a private Conference with the Indians held at Easton, October the 21st, 1758.
PRESENT :
His Excellency, Governor BERNARD, and the Jersey Commis- sioners.
Thomas King, Chief of the Oneidoes.
'Tagashata, Chief of the Senecas.
'Tokaaio, Chief of the Cayugas.
Egohohowen, Chief of the Minisinks.
Nimham, Chief of the Wapings, with other Indians of the Several Nations.
George Croghan, Deputy to Sir William Johnson.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Andrew Montour, His Majesty's Interpreter to the United Na- tions.
Stephen Calvin, Interpreter of the Delaware and Minisink Lan- guages.
His Excellency informed them that he met them to agree about the Price of the uncertain Claims of the Minisinks, Wapings, and other Indians, Claimants of Land in the northern parts of the Pro- vince of New Jersey, and desired that it might be considered, that they knew not what they sold, and he know not what he brought ; therefore the Price ought not to be large.
That they might propose a Sum to him, or he would make au offer to them ; or it should be left to their Uncles to consider a Price as would please them best.
The Mingoes, or Six United Nations, by Thomas King, said that the United Nations had no claims to the Lands of the Minisink, or others, their Nephews, on the East Side of Delaware, and should therefore leave the fixing a Price to them.
Then the Minisinks and Wapings withdrew to consult upon it ; and being returned, Egohohowen, the Minisink Chief, said they would chuse the Governor should make an Offer, as they might perhaps demand too much.
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