USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 49
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V h th of yo tha it to th fit wi dr ( be t that that if you keep
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POST'S JOURNAL, 1748.
nor our children, nor grand children, hereafter. The hatchet was buried on both sides, and large belts of peace exchanged. Since we have cleared every thing from the heart, and taken every thing out of the way; now, brethren at Allegheny, every one that hears me, if you will join with us, in that brotherly love and friendship, which our grandfathers had, we assure you, that all past offences shall be forgotten, and never more talked of by us, our children and grand children hereafter. This belt assures you of our sincerity, and honest and upright heart towards you."-A belt of seven rows.
" Hearken, brethren at Allegheny ; I have told you that we really made peace with part of your nation, twelve months past ; I now, by this belt, open the road from Allegheny to our council fire, where your grandfathers kept good councils with us, that all may pass without mo- lestation or danger. You must be sensible, that unless a road be kept open, people at variance can never come together, to make up their dif- ferences. Messengers are free in all nations throughout the world, by a particular token. Now, brethren at Allegheny, I desire you will join with me in keeping the road open, and let us know in what manner we may come free to you, and what the token shall be. I join both my hands to yours, and will do all in my power to keep the road open."- A belt of seven rows.
"Now, brethren at Allegheny, hear what I say : Every one that lays hold of this belt of peace, I proclaim peace to them from the English nation, and let you know that the great king of England does not incline to have war with the Indians ; but he wants to live in peace and love with them, if they will lay down the hatchet, and leave off war against him."
" We love you farther; we let you know that the great king of Eng- land has sent a great number of warriors into this country, not to go to war against the Indians, in their towns, no, not at all ; these warriors are going against the French ; they are on the march to the Ohio, to re- venge the blood they have shed. And by this belt I take you by the hand, and lead you at a distance from the French, for your own safety, that your legs may not be stained with blood. Come away on this side of the mountain, where we may oftener converse together, and where your own flesh and blood lives. We look upon you as our countrymen, that sprung out of the same ground with us; we think, therefore, that it is our duty to take care of you, and we in brotherly love advise you to come away with your whole nation, and as many of your friends as you can get to follow you. We do not come to hurt you, we love you, therefore, we do not call you to war, that you may be slain ; what bene- fit will it be to you to go to war with your own flesh and blood ? We wish you may live without fear or danger with your women and chil- dren."-The large peace belt.
" Brethren, I have almost finished what I had to say, and hope it will be to your satisfaction ; my wish is, that we may join close together in that old brotherly love and friendship, which our grandfathers had : so that all the nations may hear and see us, and have the benefit of it ; and if you have any uneasiness, or complaint, in your heart and mind, do not keep it to yourself. We have opened the road to the council fire, there-
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fore, my brethren, come and acquaint the Governor with it; you will be readily heard, and full justice will be done you."-A belt.
" Brethren, one thing I must bring to your remembrance. You know, if any body loses a little child, or some body takes it from him, he can- not be easy, he will think on his child by day and night ; since our flesh and blood is in captivity, in the Indian towns, we desire you will re- joice the country's heart, and bring them to me ; I shall stretch out my arms to receive you kindly."-A string.
After I had done, I left my belts and strings still before them. The Delawares took them all up, and laid them before the Mingoes : upon which they rose up, and spoke as follows :
" Chau: what I have heard pleases me well ; I do not know why I go to war against the English. Noques, what do you think ? You must be strong. I did not begin the war, therefore, I have little to say ; but whatever you agree to, I will do the same." Then he addressed himself to the Shawanese, and said, " You brought the hatchet to us from the French, and persuaded us to strike our brothers the English ; you may consider (laying the belts, &c. before them,) wherefore you have done this."
The Shawanese acknowledged they received the hatchet from the French, who persuaded them to strike the English ; that they would now send the belts to all the Indians, and in twelve days would meet again.
Present at this council, three hundred French and Indians. They all took leave, and went over again to the fort, but my companions, who were about seventy in number.
Shamokin Daniel, who came with me, went over to the fort by him- self, (which my companions disapproved of,) and counselled with the Governor ; who presented him with a laced coat and hat, a blanket, shirts, ribbons, a new gun, powder, lead, &c. When he returned he was quite changed, and said, " See here, you fools, what the French have given me. I was in Philadelphia, and never received a farthing ;' and, directing himself to me, he said, " The English are fools, and so are you." In short, he behaved in a very proud, saucy and imperious manner. He further said, " The English never give the Indians any powder, and that the French would have given him a horseload, if he would have taken it ; see that young man there, he was in Philadelphia and never got any thing ; I will take him over to the French, and get some cloathing for him."
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Three Indians informed me, that as soon as the French got over, they called a council, with their own Indians, among whom there happened, accidently, to be a Delaware captain, who was privately invited by one of his acquaintance to hear what the French had to say ; and when they were assembled, the French spoke, as follows :
" My children, now we are alone, hearken to what I have to say ; I perceive the Delawares are wavering ; they incline to the English, and will be faithful to us no longer. Now all their chiefs are here, and but a handful, let us cut them off, and then we shall be troubled with them no longer." Then the Tawaas answered, " No, we cannot do this thing; for though there is but a handful here, the Delawares are a strong peo-
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ple, and are spread to a great distance, and whatever they agree to must be."
This afternoon, in council, on the other side of the river, the French insisted that I must be delivered up to them, and that it was not lawful for me to go away ; which occasioned a quarrel between them and the Indians, who immediately came away and crossed the river to me ; and some of them let me know that Daniel had received a string from the French, to leave me there ; but it was to no purpose, for they would not give their consent; and then agreed that I should set off before day the next morning.
27th-Accordingly I set out before day, with six Indians, and took another road, that we might not be seen ; the main body told me, they would stay behind, to know whether the French would make an attempt to take me by force ; that if they did, they, the Indians, would endeavor to prevent their crossing the river, and coming secretly upon me. Just as I set off the French fired all their great guns, it being Sunday, (L counted nineteen,) and concluded they did the same every Sabbath. We passed through three Shawanese towns ; the Indians appeared very proud to see me return, and we arrived about night at Sawkunk, where they were likewise very glad to see me return. Here I met with the two captains, who treated me so uncivilly before ; they now received me very kindly, and accepted of my hand, and apologized for their former rude behaviour. Their names are Kuckquetackton and Killbuck .- They said :
" Brother; we, in behalf of the people of Sawkunk, desire that you will hold fast what you have begun, and be strong. We are but little and poor, and therefore cannot do much. You are rich, and must go on and be strong. We have done all in our power towards bringing about a peace : we have had a great quarrel about you with the French; but we do not mind them. Do you make haste, and be strong, and let us see you again."
The said Killbuck is a great captain and conjurer; he desired me to mention him to the Governor, and ask him if he would be pleased to send him a good saddle by the next messenger; and that he would do all in his power for the service of the English.
28th-We set out from Sawkunk, in company with twenty, for Kushkushkee ; on the road Shingas addressed himself to me, and asked, if I did not think, that, if he came to the English, they would hang him, as they had offered a great reward for his head. He spoke in a very soft and easy manner. I told him that was a great while ago, it was all forgotten and wiped clean away ; that the English would receive him very kindly. Then Daniel interrupted me, and said to Shingas: "Do not believe kim, he tells nothing but idle lying stories. Wherefore did the English hire one thousand two hundred Indians to kill us." I pro- tested it was false ; he said, "G-d d-n you for a fool ; did you not see the woman lying in the road that was killed by the Indians, that the English hired ?" I said, " Brother, do consider how many thousand Indians the French have hired to kill the English, and how many they have killed along the frontiers." "Then Daniel said, "D-m you, why do not you and the French fight on the sea ? You come here only to
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cheat the poor Indians, and take their land from them."" Then Shingas told him to be still ; for he did not know what he said. We arrived at Kushkushkee before night, and I informed Pisquetumen of Daniel's be- haviour, at which he appeared sorry.
29th-I dined with Shingas. He told me, though the English had set a great price on his head, he had never thought to revenge himself, but was always very kind to any prisoners that were brought in ; and that he assured the governor, he would do all in his power to bring about an established peace, and wished he could be certain of the English being in earnest.
Then seven chiefs present said, when the Governor sends the next messenger, let him send two or three white men, at least, to confirm the thing, and not send such a man as Daniel ; they did not understand him; he always speaks, said they, as if he was drunk ; and if a great many of them had not known me, they should not know what to think ; for every thing I said he contradicted. I assured them I would faithfully inform the Governor of what they said, and they should see, as mes- sengers, otherguise Indians than Daniel, for the time to come ; and I farther informed them, that he was not sent by the Governor, but came on his own accord ; and I would endeavor to prevent his coming again. Daniel demanded of me his pay, and I gave him three dollars ; and he took as much wampum from me as he pleased, and would not suffer me to count it. I imagined there was about two thousand.
About night, nine Tawaas past by here, in their way to the French Fort.
30th and 31st-The Indians feasted greatly, during which time, I several times begged of them to consider and dispatch me.
September 1st-Shingas, King Beaver, Delaware George, and Pis- quetumen, with several other captains, said to me :
"Brother: We have thought a great deal since God has brought you to us; and this is a matter of great consequence, which we cannot readily answer; we think on it, and will answer you as soon as we can. Our feast hinders us; all our young men, women and children are glad to see you ; before you came, they all agreed together to go and join the French ; but since they have seen you, they all draw back; though we have great reason to believe you intend to drive us away, and settle the country ; or else, why do you come to fight in the land that God has given us ?"
I said, we did not intend to take the land from them, but only to drive the French away. They said, they knew better, for that they were informed so by our greatest traders ; and some justices of the peace had told them the same, and the French, said they, tell us much the same thing,-"that the English intend to destroy us, and take our lands from us ; but, that they are only come to defend us and our lands ;" but the land is ours, and not theirs ; therefore, we say, if you will be at peace with us, we will send the French home. It is you that have begun the war, and it is necessary that you hold fast, and be not discouraged, in the work of peace. We love you more than you love us ; for when we take any prisoners from you, we treat them as our own children. We are poor, and yet we clothe them as well as we can, though you see
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POST'S JOURNAL, 1758.
our children are as naked as at the first. By this you may see that our hearts are better than yours. It is plain that you white people are the cause of this war ; why do not you and the French fight in the old country, and on the sea ? Why do you come to fight on our land ?- This makes every body believe you want to take the land from us by force, and settle it.
I told them, " Brothers, as for my part, I have not one foot of land, nor do I desire to have any ; and if I had any land, I had rather give it to you, than take any from you. Yes, brothers, if I die, you will get a little more land from me; for I shall then no longer walk on that ground, which God has made. We told you that you should keep nothing in your heart, but bring it before the council fire, and before the Governor, and his council; they will readily hear you; and I promise you, what they answer they will stand to. I further read to you what agreements they made about Wyoming, and they stand to them."
They said, "Brother, your heart is good, you speak always sincerely, but we know there are always a great number of people that want to get rich ; they never have enough: look, we do not want to be rich, and take away that which others have. God has given you the tame creatures ; we do not want to take them away from you. God has given to us the deer, and other wild creatures, which we must feed on ; and we rejoice in that which springs out of the ground, and thank God for it. Look now, my brother, the white people think we have no brains in our heads ; but that they are great and big, and that makes them make war with us: we are but a little handful to what you are ; but remember, when you look for a wild turkey you cannot always find it, it is so little it hides itself under the bushes : and when you hunt for a rattlesnake, you cannot find it; and perhaps it will bite you before you see it. However, since you are so great and big, and we so little, do you use your greatness and strength in completing this work of peace. This is the first time that we saw or heard of you, since the war begun, and we have great reason to think about it, since such a great body of you comes into our lands. It is told us, that you and the French contrived the war, to waste the Indians between you ; and that you and the French intended to divide the land between you : this was told us by the chief of the Indian traders ; and they said further, bro- thers, this is the last time we shall come among you, for the French and English intend to kill all the Indians, and then divide the land among themselves."
Then they addressed themselves to me, and said, "Brother, I sup- pose you know something about it, or has the Governor stopped your mouth, that you cannot tell us ?"
Then I said, "Brothers, I am very sorry to see you so jealous. I am your own flesh and blood, and sooner than I would tell you any story that would be of hurt to you, or your children, I would suffer death. And if I did not know that it was the desire of the Governor,
* The agreement made with TEEDYUSCUNG, that he should enjoy the Wyom- ing lands, and have houses built there for him and his people.
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APPENDIX-NO. X.
that we should renew our brotherly love and friendship, that subsisted between our grandfathers, I would not have undertaken this journey .- I do assure you of mine and the people's honesty. If the French had not been here, the English would not have come ; and consider, brothers, whether, in such a case, we can always sit still."
Then they said, " It is a thousand pities we did not know this sooner; if we had, it would have been peace long before now."
Then I said, " My brothers, I know you have been wrongly per- suaded by many wicked people; for you must know, that there are a great many Papists in the country, in French interest, who appear like gentlemen, and have sent many runaway Irish papist servants* among you, who have put bad notions into your heads, and strengthened you against your brothers, the English.
" Brothers; I beg that you would not believe every idle and false story that ill-designing people may bring to you against us your brothers .- Let us not hearken to what lying and foolish people may bring to you, against us your brothers. Let us not hearken to what lying and foolish people say, but let us hear what wise and good people say ; they will tell us what is good for us and our children."
Mem. There are a great number of Irish traders now among the Indians, who have always endeavored to spirit up the Indians against the English ; which made some, that I was acquainted with from their infancy, desire the chiefs to enquire of me, for that they were certain I would speak the truth.
Pisquetumen now told me, we could not go to the General, that it was very dangerous, the French having sent out several scouts to wait for me on the road. And further, Pisquetumen told me it was a pity the Governor had no ear, to bring him intelligence ; that the French had three ears, whom they rewarded with great presents ; and signified that he and Shingiss would be ears, at the service of his honor, if he pleased.
2d-I bade Shingiss to make haste and dispatch me, and once more desired to know of them, if it was possible for them to guide me to the General. Of all which they told me they would consider ; and Shingiss gave me his hand, and said, " Brother, the next time you come, I will return with you to Philadelphia, and will do all in my power to prevent any body's coming to hurt the English more."
3d-To-day I found myself unwell, and made a little tea, which re- freshed me: had many very pretty discourses with George. In the afternoon they called a council together, and gave me the following answer in council ; the speaker addressing the Governor and people of Pennsylvania :
"Brethren, it is a great many days since we have seen and heard you. I now speak to you in behalf of all the nations, that have heard you heretofore.
" Brethren, it is the first message which we have seen or heard from
* The Indian traders used to buy the transported Irish, and other convicts, as servants, to be employed in carrying up the goods among the Indians ; many of these ran away from their masters, and joined the Indians. The ill behaviour of these people has always hurt the character of the English among the Indians.
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you. Brethren, you have talked of that peace and friendship which w had formerly with you. Brethren, we tell you to be strong, and always remember that friendship, which we had formerly. Brethren, we desire you would be strong, and let us once more hear of our good friendship and peace, we had formerly. Brethren, we desire that you make haste, and let us hear of you again ; for, as yet, we have not heard you rightly." Gave a string.
"Brethren, hear what I have to say : look, brethren, we, who have now seen and heard you; we, who are present, are part of all the several nations, that heard you some days ago; we see that you are sorry we have not that friendship we formerly had.
"Look, brethren, we at Allegheny are likewise sorry, we have not that friendship with you which we formerly had. Brethren, we long for that peace and friendship we had formerly. Brethren, it is good that you desire that friendship, that was formerly among our fathers and grandfathers. Brethren, we will tell you, you must not let that friend- ship be quite lost, which was formerly between us.
"Now, brethren, it is three years since we dropped that peace and friendship which we formerly had with you. Brethren, it was dropped and lay buried in the ground, where you and I stand, in the middle be- tween us both. Brethren, I see you have digged up, and revived that friendship which was buried in the ground ; and now you have it, hold it fast. Do be strong, brethren, and exert yourselves, that that friendship may be well established and finished between us. Brethren, if you will be strong, it is in your power to finish that peace and friendship well. Therefore, brethren, we desire you to be strong and establish it, and make known to all the English this peace and friendship, that it may embrace all and cover all. As you are of one nation and color, in all the English governments, so let the peace be the same with all. Brethren, when you have finished this peace which you have begun ; when it is known every where amongst your brethren, and you have every where agreed together on this peace and friendship, then you will be pleased to send the great peace belt to us at Allegheny.
"Brethren, when you have settled this peace and friendship, and finished it well, and you send the great peace-belt to me, I will send it to all the nations of my color, they will all join to it, and we all will hold it fast.
"Brethren, when all the nations join to this friendship, then the day will begin to shine clear over us. When we hear once more of you, and we join together, then the day will be still, and no wind, or storm, will come over us to disturb us.
"Now, brethren, you know our hearts, and what we have to say ; be strong ; if you do what we have now told you, and in this peace all the nations agree to join. Now, brethren, let the king of England know what our mind is as soon as possibly you can." Gave a belt of eight rows.
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I received the foregoing speech and belt from the underwritten, who are all captains and counsellors.
BEAVER, KING,
CAPTAIN PETER,
DELAWARE GEORGE,
MACOMAL,
PISQUETUMEN,
POPAUCE,
TASUCAMIN,
WASHAOCAUTAUT,
AWAKANOMIN,
COCHQUACAUKEHLTON,
CUSHAWMEKWY, KEYHEYNAPALIN,
JOHN HICKOMEN, KILL BUCK.
Delaware George spoke as follows :
"Look, brothers, we are here of three different nations. I am of the Unami nation : I have heard all the speeches that you have made to us with the many other nations.
"Brothers, you did let us know that every one that takes hold of this peace-belt, you would take them by the hand, and lead them to the council fire, where our grandfathers kept good councils. So soon as I heard this, I took hold of it.
" Brother, I now let you know that my heart never was parted from you. I am sorry that I should make friendship with the French against the English. I now assure you my heart sticks close to the English interest. One of our great captains, when he heard it, immediately took hold of it as well as myself. Now, brother, I let you know that you shall soon see me by your council fire, and then I shall hear from you myself, the plain truth, in every respect.
"I love that which is good, like as our grandfathers did : they chose to speak the sentiments of their mind : all the Five Nations know me, and know that I always spoke the truth ; and so you shall find, when I come to your council fire." Gave a string.
The above Delaware George had in company with him, CUSHAWMEKWY, JOHN PETER,
KEHKEHNOPATIN, STINFEOR,
CAPTAIN PETER.
4th-Present, Shingiss, King Beaver, Pisquetumen, and several others. I asked what they meant by saying, "They had not rightly heard me yet." They said :
" Brother: you very well know that you have collected all your young men about the country, which makes a large body ; and now they are standing before our doors ; you come with good news, and fine speeches. Brother, this is what makes us jealous, and we do not know what to think of it; if you had brought the news of peace before your army had begun to march, it would have caused a great deal more good. We do not so readily believe you, because a great many great men and traders have told us, long before the war, that you and the French intended to join and cut all the Indians off. These were people of your own color, and your own countrymen ; and some told us to join the French ; for that they would be our fathers ; besides, many runaways have told us the same story ; and some we took prisoners told us how you would use us, if you caught us ; therefore, brother, I say, we cannot conclude, at this time, but must see and hear you once more." And further they said :
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