USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 76
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A Belt of Eight Rows. " Brother Onas :
" I will also acquaint you of another trading place, which is the place they call Potowmack, in Maryland. One Daniel Cressap has sent me word by many Warriors this Spring, and he tells me that if the Governor would order him to keep a Store there, he would provide every thing for the Warriors ; for his Father used to main-
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tain all the Indian Warriors that passed and repassed that way ; He likewise tells me if the Governor would let him know what he should do, & if he should be allowed to do this, he would pro- vide for the Warriors. We now desire that he may be the person appointed to receive Messages, and that you would acquaint the Governor of Maryland with this, that the Warriors may pass and repass without any Molestation."
A Belt of Seven Rows.
" Brother Onas :
" We desire you to acquaint the Governor of Virginia, that we may pass and repass through his province when we go to War with the Cherokees, for our Warriors' road is stopped up in many places ; English people have settled on it; And now we desire that a road may be opened, that we may pass safely ; We desire nothing but Love and Friendship with our Brethren, the English, as we pass through. We desire you will send a Letter with this Belt to the Governor of Virginia, as from us, as soon as possible, for I do not know how soon my people may go that way ; Our Warriors have already the Hatchet in their hands, & perhaps they may go there before your Letter gets there ; for which reason I desire you will make haste in this Business."
A Belt of five Rows.
" Brother Onas :
"We now desire you to be strong, and that you will give us pow- der. I do not think that you will refuse to let me have powder, for you are able. Our Brother, General Johnson, though but a single man, supplies all our people with Powder; when we go to see him, he fills all our Powder horns with it. I see a great many of you here; I think you are more able than he. Our own people at home will have their Eyes upon us, & expect that we shall bring them some powder & presents. We, therefore, hope you will consider us in this, and make them larger than common, as we do not come to see you often."
A Belt of nine Rows.
"Brother Onas:
"I now speak in behalf of our Warriors. When we heard your words come to our Countries, they were very pleasing to us, that you would make presents to your Brethren, when they come to see you, and would give them any thing they may want. Now we de- sire you will give us some Vermillion, for you know that the eldest Brother has always pity and compassion on the Youngest Brother; we know you are able, as you make all these things in yourselves. We have all concluded peace now, but we have given our Young men liberty to go to War with the Southern Indians. This is the reason of our wanting the red paint; You see the Warriors always paint themselves when they go to War."
A String.
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"Brother Onas :
"I shall now speak a few words, without any Belt or String. Whenever the French were asked for paint or any thing else, they always gave it to the Indians readily; and it is no wonder that so many Indians liked the French, since they were so kind to them.
"You see several of our Indians here dressed in French Cloaths; and we desire the Governor will be strong, and supply us with every thing.
"Brother Onas:
" I have not left any thing in my heart. I have said every thing material I had to say, and now desire you will help me as far as Shamokin, and supply me with Provisions; for perhaps some of our people, if they are hungry, may hurt some of the Inhabitants' Corn or Fruit, and cause Differences to arise. When I came from Easton last, I had no provisions given me to eat, so that when I got home I was almost starved, & a mere Skeleton."
A String.
" Brother Onas :
"We want a little lad that lives among you ; he is Keishetas' Son. The old man ordered that he should live at Philadelphia, in order to learn English, to be an Interpreter. We think, by this time, he has learned it, & we now think it time for him to come home. His Relations, that are present, desire that he may now go home with them."
A string.
" Brother Onas :
" You may remember three Years ago, that this Man (pointing to Samuel Curtis) mentioned something to you about his Daughter, that was stolen from him in Dorset County, in Maryland, about fourteen Years ago. I spoke to you once before about it, & I have heard nothing from you concerning her."
A black and white String.
" Brother Onas :
" I am now going to speak to you in behalf of Tokahaion's two Daughters. They desire the Governor will give them a Horse ; they hear the Governor is very kind, and gives many people Horses ; they have two plantations, at which they plant Corn, and want Horses, to carry their Corn, to ease their backs, because, when at Home, their Corn Fields are at a considerable Distance from them."
A String.
Then Seneca George rose up, & spoke as follows, Viz' :
" Brother Onas, & all our Brethren with you :
"We all desire you to remember our Son, Robert White, who carries all our Messages ; he is old, and we desire you will give him
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a Horse ; you did give him a mare, before, but she is dead ; she was with Foal, and died."
A Belt of 8 Rows.
Thomas King then spoke as follows, Viz" :
" Brother Onas :
"This is all I have to say; I have nothing more in my mind ; I beg you will consider of all that I have said, & take time to do it ; it looks as if you were in haste to go home, but I desire you will be patient, & stay; I came a great way, and will contentedly stay as long as may be convenient."
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Tuesday, the Twenty-fourth of August.
Thomas King, in behalf of the Chiefs of the Six Nations, waited on the Governor, and acquainted him that, as their Speeches to him of Yesterday, were long, he suspected he might have forgot some- thing, & desired he would give him the Opportunity of hearing every thing he had said repeated to him.
On which the Governor appointed a Meeting at the Old Luthe- ran Church, at which were present :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Governor, &ca.
William Logan, Richard Peters, Esqrs., of the Council.
Joseph Fox, James Wright, Sam1. Rhoads, Esqrs., of the Assem. bly.
Thomas King, Tokahaion, Kinderuntie, & several other Chiefs of the Six Nations ; Andrew Montour, & Isaac Stille, Interpre- ters.
When the Indians were seated, the Governor, laying the several Belts and Strings in their Order, as delivered him Yesterday, di- rected the Secretary to read the Minutes, which were distinctly in- terpreted to them, paragraph by Paragraph, and declared by the Indians to be right.
After which Thomas King arose, and spoke as follows : " Brother Onas :
" I mistook when I told you Yesterday, that I would have you keep a Store at Bedford ; I meant that Sir William Johnson should have a Store there, and that you should have the care of the Stores at Shamokin, and John Harris's. As George Croghan is under Sir William Johnson, I wanted that he should appoint Mr. Croghan to keep the Store at Bedford."
Then Tokahaion, a Cayuga Chief, spoke to the Governor as fol- lows :
Brother Onas :
" My Cousins that live at Wighalousin, tell me, they went to the Easton Treaty to hear something about the Land Affair, be-
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tween the Governor and Teedyuscung; these, my Cousins went to the Governor to enquire about their own Lands. The Governor made answer to them and told them that he had bought their Land from their Uncles. What they wanted to know about their Land, is this, that if they found it was not sold by the Six Nations, they think they ought to be paid for it. And since my Cousins made this Complaint to the Governor, at Easton, they have asked me whether I had sold the Land or not, and I told them that I did not know that I had sold any Lands belonging to my Cousins ; but (speaking to the Governor,) said, you know it, because you have writings."
He further added :
"You can tell whether you have bought the Land, or not; if it is not sold to you by the Six Nations, it still belongs to them; but I do not want to sell Land that you have already bought."
" The Indians having finished what they had to say, the Gover- nor acquainted them, that Thomas King had promised him, the other Day, that they would deliver up all the Prisoners that were in their Camp, & that he understood some were there yet, & de- sired to know the reason of their not being delivered up."
Thomas King answered.
" Brother :
"I acknowledge to have said, I would deliver up all the Priso- ners, & I thought it had been done, and that all were delivered up that remained in the Camp, but we have gone too far, in engaging to deliver up all the prisoners in the Indian Country that belong to the absent Warriors ; However, we suppose they will be de- livered up, and we will do our Endeavours that it shall be so, and will consult with those that have the prisoners."
Then Kinderuntie, the Seneca Warrior, spoke.
" Brother :
" There are yet two White Men in the Camp; one of them, though he came with us, yet it was not by our consent ; he would follow us; he belongs to a Warrior that is gone to War against the Cherokees, and we had no right to bring him without the Warrior's consent ; you see him every day ; he is at liberty. The other is a Deserter; he came among us of his own Accord; we informed Sir William Johnson of it, and Sir William said, that perhaps he might have misbehaved, and that we might keep him ; perhaps he might learn the Language, and be of Service as an Interpreter, and that he might stay with us, if he would ; he did not come to us as a prisoner, and as he has his Liberty, you may talk with him, if you please."
The Governor made answer :
" Thatas to the Captive, he expected they would deliver him up; and desired that they would bring the Deserter to him to-morrow Morning, that he might speak with him."
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To which Kinderuntie replied :
" Brother :
" I cannot deliver up the Captive to you ; he does not belong to me ; he belongs, as I told you, to those that are gone to War ; he came here of his own accord ; he followed me down, and if I should deliver him now, the Warriors would say that I had sold him, & that will make me ashamed; I therefore desire my Brother will not force me to deliver him at this Time, to make me ashamed. As to the Deserter, I will bring him to you at any time."
The Governor concluded by saying to them, that he would have them consider of this matter in their Council again, & reflect seri- ously upon it, as he should have no Dependance on all they had already said, about restoring the Prisoners, unless they now deliver up this one to him.
The Indians then broke up, and went to their Camp.
At a Conference with the Northern Indians, held at Lancaster, on Thursday the 26th of August, 1762.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esq"., &ca., &ca., as before.
The Governor, first addressing himself to the Minisink Nation, spoke to them as follows :
" Brethren of the Minisink Nation :
" You have, since I saw you, lost a great Man. With this String I condole with you, and Share your Grief on the occasion, and with this Stroud I cover his Grave, & desire you may mourn for him no longer."
A String and Stroud.
" Brethren :
" By this String I desire you may consult among yourselves, & appoint a Man to sit in Council in his place, which will be agreea- ble to me."
A String.
The Governor, then addressing himself to the Six Nations, re turned the following answer to the several Speeches . made by Thomas King, the Oneida Chief :
" Brethren :
" You have, according to the ancient Custom of your Ancestors, upon my bidding you welcome, and cleaning you, performed the usual Ceremonies upon like occasions, with which I am well pleased, & return you thanks."
A large String.
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" Brethren :
(Holding up the Belts & Strings that they gave).
" By these Belts, you have made me several Speeches respecting my requesting you to use your Influence with your Nephews, and all other Indian Nations, to restore to us all our Flesh and Blood. I make no Doubt you have met with some Difficulties on that Head, as I am very well acquainted with the manner in which you carry on War against one another, and that what prisoners you take, you claim an absolute property in by adopting them into your own Na- tion, as Soon as they bring them home.
"But, Brethren, the case is quite different between you and us. We do not look upon you to have the same sort of right over our Flesh and Blood as over your own. As we are of a different Colour from you, so we have different Customs. It is a constant rule with us White people, that upon making a peace with those with whom we have been at War, the prisoners on both sides are faithfully de- livered up. Besides, you may remember, it was a positive Engage- ment between us, upon re-establishing the antient Chain of Friend- ship, that those Nations who had taken any of our people Prisoners, should deliver them all up; and this, Brethren, I must insist upon as the only means of burying every thing that has passed between
us. I thank you for the Influence you have used, & the trouble you have taken, upon this occasion ; but we are informed by such as have lately passed through the Indian Countries, that there yet remain a great many of our people, as prisoners, in some of your Towns, particularly among our Brothers, the Senecas; It is, I suppose, as you say, that some of them may belong to the Warriors, who are gone to War against the Southern Indians, with whom you are always at War; but whether they belong to them, or any other people, we expect that you will acquaint them with your repeated engagements, that they Shall all be delivered up, and therefore that they will no longer continue unwilling [to part with them.
" Brethren :
" As to what you say about our promises of paying you for our Flesh and Blood, You must have been mistaken ; for I never either told you so, or sent you any such message. If you have received any Messages to that Effect, they must have come from some other people. But I must be plain with you on this Subject, & tell you that it is never our Custom to purchase our Flesh and Blood of any Nation, whatsoever. But, Brethren, what I have told you, & what I now again tell you, is this, that for any Services you may have done with any of the Nations, on that account, or for any Trouble or Expence they may be at, in bringing them down to me, I will make you & them a suitable Satisfaction."
Here gives 3 Belts & a Bunch of Wampum. " Brethren :
" As to what you say about making Servants of our prisoners, we are entirely ignorant of it; we do no such thing; but as soon as
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we receive them from your hands, we deliver them up to their Pa- rents and relations, if they happen to be present, & if not, we cloath them and take care of them, 'till we can get an Opportunity of sending them to their Friends. They are our own Flesh and Blood, and we use them as tenderly as is in our power; if they have been treated otherwise, it is owing to your not delivering them to me. We have, indeed, at the instance of some of our people, put the pri- soners into the Court House 'till we could take their names, & be ' informed of the places of their abode, and as soon as we were told this, they were all Cloathed, and forthwith sent along with some good persons, to take care of them to their Habitations, therefore do not entertain any Notion that we make Servants or Slaves of them; and when you return home, let all your Nations know that this is truly the case, & that the prisoners are at Liberty to go to their relations as soon as they are delivered up to us; or, if they have no relations, they go into such places where they can best get Employment, in order to maintain themselves. " Brethren :
"I think it my Duty to tell you that such of our White Men who want to stay with you, are either Deserters from the Army, or have behaved ill amongst us, & were they to stay with you, they would be very apt to be very mischievous, and make ill Blood be- tween us; we desire, therefore, you will not encourage them, but deliver all such up as you have amongst you; and if you place any Dependance upon them, either in peace or War, they will certainly deceive you, as they have done us."
A String. " Brethren :
" It grieves me that any occasion should have been administered to you to observe to me, in so publick a manner, that there are others besides myself who concerns themselves in Affairs of Govern- ment. If it be as you say, I must tell you, Brethren, that it is as great presumption, and an high Infringement of the rights of Gov- ernment, for any person whatsoever, within this province, except by my special Order or Commission, to send or deliver Messages to you, or to any other nations of Indians, or to treat with you or them on any public matters. I am the only person entrusted by his majesty and the proprietaries with the administration of publick affairs within this Province, and I desire you to take notice, that in order to prevent any thing of this kind for the future, all Messen- gers I shall send to you shall be furnished with proper Credentials, and my Speeches in writing, under the usual Seal, and if any per- sons, Indians or others, should take upon them to deliver to you any Messages in my name, unless they bring with them such Cre- dentials as above mentioned, I desire you will pay no regard to them, and acquaint me therewith."
A Belt.
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MINUTES OF THE
" Brethren :
"You acquaint me that your Grandfathers advised you never to have any Difference with your Brethren the English. It had been well you had constantly taken their advise, but as you say, the evil Spirit got the better of your Understandings, & compel'd you to strike us. You, the other day, by this belt of Wampum, took the Hatchet out of my Head. It is possible, Brethren, that as you struck us, & obliged us to strike you, that you also have been hurt by us. I therefore, by this Belt, take the Hatchet out of your Heads."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" By this Belt I join with you in collecting all our and your Bones, wheresoever scattered, & in burying them with the Hatchet, and do heap up Earth about the roots of the great Tree in the Oneida Country, where they and the Hatchet are buried, so that the smell thereof may never offend us hereafter."
A Belt.
"Brethren :
" By this Belt you tell me that I am your elder Brother, & whenever you misbehave, you desire me to give you advice. Brethren, my real regard to your Welfare, as we are Brethren, will always induce me to take notice of any thing wrong that I shall observe in your Conduct, and by this Belt I stop your Ears against hearkening to any but myself."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
"I join with you in dispersing the dark Clouds that have gath- ered together during our differences, & hid the Light from us, that we may see the Sky clearly from Sun rising to Sun setting."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" By this String of Wampum you tell me that some foulness may have got into my heart, through my Throat, and that with a medicine left you by your Fathers you make it pass quite through my Body to the Ground, & bury it there. As you may have con- tracted the like foulness, by this String of Wampum I thoroughly purge your Body, & remove every Defilement."
A String.
" Brethren :
"You tell me by this Belt that there are only two Doors, the Mohocks and Senecas, to the Onondagoe Council, one to the West- ward, the other to the Eastward; through one of which all the Messages to that Council should properly come. As I under- stand, by this information, that you expect that this method should always be observed by me, I shall very readily conform to it; and think it a very prudent Establishment of yours for the Dispatch & regular Transaction of Business."
A Belt.
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" Brethren :
" By this Belt you take notice that the old Council Fire is almost out, and not good, and that you now put to it the same good dry Wood, such as your Ancestors used, and make it burn as bright as ever. You add further, that your Entertainment has not been as good here as at Easton.
" Brethren :
"I take it kind and friendly in you, that you have kindled up the old Fire; and by this Belt I heap up some good dry wood, and join with you in putting it on the Council Fire, that it may burn as bright as ever. I am very sorry there should be any cause of Complaint given you here with respect to your Accomodations. I took all the pains in my power that there should be none; and I hope now every thing is made agreeable to you with respect to your Accomodation."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
"By this Belt you acquaint me that your Warriors have assisted the Counsellors in making firm the good Work of peace, & that without their Concurrence & assistance the Counsellors can do nothing effectually.
" Brethren :
"It gives me pleasure to hear that your Warriors are united with you in Council, & are become unanimous in establishing the peace which has been so happily brought about. I am sensible of their Importance, and hope that the Harmony which now subsists may Jong continue ; and I shall be ready to serve them, as well as you, as long as their future conduct shall merit it."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" By this Belt you tell me that the English have a Longing Eye after your Land, and desire that we may not covet any more of your Lands ; and say further that we have got all the Land belonging to the Delawares, and shall serve you as we have done them. " Brethren :
" It is true the Delawares had a large Tract of Land in this Pro- vince, bordering on the river Delaware, which the Proprietaries of this province have, from Time to Time, fairly purchased of them, & have honestly paid them for it, which they have acknowledged in your presence.
" Brethren :
" By the same Belt you desire we will not think of making any more purchase of Land, or setling your Lands by Force; for if we do, we shall push you back, and leave you no Land to live or hunt upon, and desire we would confine ourselves to Nixhisaqua, or Mo- hony, and settle no higher up.
" Brethren :
" The Proprietaries of Pennsylvania have never forced a purchase of Lands from any of their Brethren, the Indians, since they have
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owned this Province. It is very well known that the native Indians very readily sold their Lands to the Proprietaries, as soon as he ar- rived here in their Country, about Eighty Years ago. And about Thirty Years ago the Six Nations, observing greater numbers of White People than those old purchases could accommodate, volun- tarily sold to the present Proprietaries some Lands lying further West; and their number still encreasing at Albany, in the year 1754, they sold them more Lands, as far as the Limits of the Pro- vince to the West, to be bounded by a Line agreed upon to the Northward.
" And let me remind you of their kindness to you in this respect; for no sooner were they informed that you repented of this last Sale, than they immediately gave Orders to their Agents here, to execute a Release to you for all the Lands over the Allegheny Hills, which was accordingly done at Easton, in the Year 1758, in Publick Coun- cil, when a Draught of the part of the Country which the Proprie- taries held by the Six Nations' Deed, on this side the Allegheny Hills, was shewn to and approved by the Six Nations, some of whom are now present; and the Draught and Copy of the Proprietary Release were delivered in open Council to them, who returned their hearty thanks to the Proprietaries for their goodness. I hear those Chiefs put the release and Draught into Sir William Johnston's hands, and desired him to keep it for them, together with many other Deeds and Papers at the same time. Now, Brethren, as no time has been fixed for the running of the North Line or Boundary of this last purchase, I desire you to apply to Sir William Johnson, & whenever you and he shall think it necessary to run that Line, I shall always be ready to join with you ; and until this be done, agree- able to your Deed, I shall not suffer any of my people to settle be- yond it. By your Speech, it appears to me that you think the Line is fixed at Mohony, but by the Deed, which I have not brought with me, and so cannot now produce it, to the best of my Remem- brance, the Line begins at a certain mountain by the River Side, about a Mile above the Mouth of Mohony. I must, therefore, de- sire that none of your people be permitted to disturb any persons within the Limits of that purchase till that Line be Settled."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" By this String you desire me to give some Guns, telling me that you had already made this request four times.
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