Whilst at our present place of abode, I sat in As it was only an address to their brethren, the Indians of other nations, agreeably to their ancient custom when they meet at a council fire, it was not publicly interpreted; but we understood it was in the way of condolence, on account of the loss of many chiefs of the Six Nations by death, since they last met at a council fire. They expressed their desire to wipe the tears from their brethren's eyes, to brighten their countenances and to unstop their throats, that they might speak clearly in the present council fire. The Fish Carrier, Clear Sky and Red Jacket, returned a brotherly salutation, handing the eastern Indians belts and strings of wampum, to unite each to the other, and thus to open the council as with the heart of one man. They then informed colonel Pickering, that the Six Nations were now embodied in council. He made them a complimentary and congratulatory address, informing them that he should hold a council of condolence to-morrow at four o'clock in the afternoon, to wipe away the tears from the eyes of the Delawares, who had lost a young brother murdered by a white man at Venango last summer; he would then take the hatchet out of the head of the deceased, and bury it in the earth, preparatory to the treaty. Several kettles of rum and glasses were brought and the conference closed. "19th, First-day. Held a meeting for wor ship; a considerable number attended, who "In the afternoon, Obeal, son of Corn-lived generally from two to ten miles distant. planter, came with a message from the Indians inviting us to council. We found a large body of them collected, colonel Pickering, general Chapin and three interpreters being in the centre, and the surrounding assemblage presenting a very striking aspect; the chiefs appeared solid and thoughtful. Captain John and another of the Oneidas spoke, addressing themselves to their brothers the Senecas, Tuscaroras and Delawares, who lived westward, holding in their hands as they spoke one after the other, several strings of wampum and belts; which they handed to the Seneca chiefs one by one at certain periods of their address, till they delivered all they had. * Some members of the Society of Friends had purchased and settled upon lands about Hopewell, and there was reason to believe that the Indian title had not been extinguished by a fair and honourable purchase of the natives, by those occupants who had sold to Friends. The Society, consonant with its known principles, was desirous, that notwithstanding the Indians had left or been driven to remote parts, yet that if the original proprietors could be found, however feeble and insignificant they might now be, they should be fully compensated, in order that its members might hold those possessions on such a firm and justly acquired fee, as true Christian principles would dictate. Many of them came on foot, there being but few horses in this country and fewer wheelcarriages of any kind. One family came a considerable distance upon a sled drawn by four stout oxen. The people were solid, and through Divine favour it proved a good meeting, many were very tender and parted with us lovingly. It does our hearts good to see the gratitude some of the poor frontier people manifest, and the pains they take to be at a religious meeting. O Philadelphians, how abundant ought your gratitude to be for the enjoyment of your multiplied blessings. "Tenth month 20th. Attended a very large Indian council, at which the commissioner condoled with the Delawares for the loss of one of their people, and by his speech and gestures performed the ceremony of burying him after the Indian custom, and covering the grave with leaves, so that when they passed by they should not see it any more. He took the hatchet out of his head, and in words tore up a large pine tree and buried the hatchet in the hole, then covered it thick with stones and planted the pine tree on the top of it again, so that it should never more be taken up. He wiped the blood from their beds and the tears from their eyes, and opened the path of peace, which the Indians were requested to keep open at one end and the United States at the other, as long as the sun shone. Many other things of the like nature he said to them, after the figurative style of the natives, that all might be cleared out of the way before the business of the treaty commenced. In the course of his speaking on different subjects, he gave them as many strings of wampum as were thought to be worth near one hundred dollars. "The Farmer's Brother then spoke with great energy to his Indian brethren, and they not being ready to answer colonel Pickering's speech, the council fire was covered and the rum brought in as usual. pected that they will give us a more full answer before the treaty is over. Immediately after we had read our speech, Jemima and all her company kneeled down and she uttered something in the form of prayer, after which she desired to speak, and liberty not being refused, she used many texts of Scripture, without much similarity or connection. The Indians having prepared belts as records of the death of several of their noted chiefs, intended to preserve the memory of their usefulness to the nation; a short speech was made on each of them to their brethren, and they were then delivered to the care of an ancient chief, whereupon the council fire was covered. "23d. Captain John, an Indian chief, visited us, and had much to say about the many deceptions which had been practised upon them by the white people; observing, that however good and honest white men might be in other matters, they were all deceivers when they wanted to buy Indian lands; and that the advantages of learning which they possessed, made them capable of doing much good and much evil. "Third-day, 21st. Jemima Wilkinson being come to this place last evening, sent a message by two of her flock to James Emlen and myself, desiring our company; but as it snowed very fast and was a stormy time, we did not immediately obey the summons. After an early dinner, David Bacon being with us, we went and found her at Thomas Morris's, by invitation of colonel Pickering to dine with him; D. Waggoner, and Enoch and Rachel Malin were also there. The colonel paid great Colonel Pickering requesting our attendattention to Jemima, and seemed to be glad of ance at a council; we went about eleven having an opportunity to gratify his curiosity, o'clock. Nearly forty chiefs being assembled, as he had never seen her before. She was captain John in a humorous manner, informed placed at the head of the table, and the con- the commissioner of a council they were called versation being on a variety of subjects, she to attend, but when the chiefs had collected, bore a considerable part therein. A message they were invited up stairs to take a dram bewas received informing that the Indians were fore they began. Perceiving that Berry was collected. We went to council, whither Jemima to be the commissioner, they concluded it was and her disciples followed us, and were placed no good council fire, so he came off and drew in the centre. Fish Carrier spoke in answer the rest of the Indians with him; it appearing to the commissioner's address yesterday, till he that it was a design to get the chiefs to convey had passed through his hands one by one, all to him some Indian lands after he should have the strings that were given them, and made a filled them with liquor. The colonel highly full reply: then with assurances of the deter-approved of the Indians conduct, and said he mination of the Six Nations to keep hold of would have Berry removed off those lands. the chain of friendship with the fifteen fires, An account was brought to the council of the he delivered fifteen strings of chequered wam- death of an ancient Oneida, upon which cappum as a seal to it. Colonel Pickering intro-tain John made a speech to their brothers of duced himself as sole commissioner on the the other nations. They agreed that as the part of the United States, whom the Six Na- Great Spirit had brought them together to tions had requested might be appointed on the promote the work of peace, it could not be present occasion; gave them assurances of unacceptable to Him if they went on with the his desire to promote the happiness and peace council, though it was contrary to their comof their nations, and told them that they might mon custom. Being about to proceed to busidepend upon one thing at least, which was, ness, a request was made from three Indian that he never would deceive them. He also women to be admitted to the council and deintroduced us, their old friends the Quakers, liver their sentiments, which being granted, as having come forward at their (the Indians') they were introduced by Red Jacket. He adrequest, and with the approbation of the Presi- dressed himself to the sachems and warriors, dent. We then read the address from Friends, desiring their indulgence of the women, and Jasper Parrish interpreting, which they re- also to the commissioner, enforcing their received with frequent expressions of entaw or quest by observing, that the other day one of approbation; and afterwards Clear-Sky said, our women had liberty to speak in council. they were glad to see us among them, and He was then desired to act as orator for the thanked us for our speech. It is however ex-women, and deliver to the council what they 355 pected that the wire were requested to keep open at one end 12 "Third-day, 21st. Jemima Wilkinson being 25. Cantan oca, an Indian chief, visited had to say. The substance of this was, that they felt a deep interest in the affairs of their nation, and having heard the opinions of their sachems, they fully concurred in them, that the white people had been the cause of all the Indians' distresses; that they had pressed and squeezed them together, until it gave them great pain at their hearts, and that the whites ought to give them back the lands they had taken from them. That one of the white women had yesterday told the Indians to repent; and they now called on the white people to repent, for they had as much need as the Indians, and that they should wrong the Indians no more. "This morning, the 25th, snow was seven or eight inches deep, and having been out in it yesterday, I was unwell. Abundance of deer are killed by the Indians, perhaps not less than one hundred to-day, within a few miles of this place, some in sight; one man killed three in a short time. A man named Johnson, having arrived two days ago from fort Erie, with a message from captain Brandt, a Mohawk chief, to the Six Nations; assembled some chiefs yesterday and delivered it to them. Being in the character of a British interpreter, he appeared at the council with the Indians to-day, and seemed very intimate with them. Cornplanter rose to vindicate his com"The colonel thanked them for the speech, ing, being privy to the great uneasiness it had and replied, that it was far from him to think given colonel Pickering: he expressed his surmeanly of women: he should always be wil-prise, that ever since the conclusion of the ling to hear them when they had anything of importance to say, but as they had mentioned as a precedent, the woman who spoke the other day, he must assure them, that it was not with his approbation; she had forced herself into council contrary to his advice; but as she was a woman, he was tender of her. "The commissioner gave us some information of the speech of the Indians yesterday, when we were not present. They said, when the white people first came on this island, they saw that they were men and must have something to subsist upon, they therefore pitied them and gave them some land, and when they complained that the land became too small for them, they gave them more from time to time, for they pitied them. At length a great council fire was kindled at Albany, where a silver chain was made, which was kept bright for many years, till the United States and the great king over the water differed; then their brothers in Canada talked with them, and they let the chain fall out of their hands, yet it was not their fault, it was the white people's. They then repeated how things went at the end of the war, the substance of the treaty at fort Stanwix, and several grievances which they had suffered. The commissioner spoke perhaps two hours respecting the ancient boundaries of the Six Nation's land, and inquired what was the extent of it. They told him, all the land from a point on lake Erie to Muskingum was theirs, and that the council at the Miami last summer, acknowledged it. This takes in a great part of what the Western Indians are fighting for. The commissioner told them, he did not approve of the conduct of the commissioners at fort Stanwix-that they had just then become conquerors, and the Indians must make some allowances if they spoke harshly and proudly to them. This council held five hours, and much was said on both sides. peace with the British nation, such an antipathy had existed, that the United States and the British could not bear to sit side by side in treaties held with the Indians. He said, Johnson had the care of the Senecas at Buffalocreek, and had brought a message to the Six Nations assembled at this council fire, from Brandt, whom he left with governor Simcoe at fort Erie; they having just returned together from Detroit: that when he went some time ago to see the Western Indians, he sat in council with the Delawares, Shawnese, Wyandots and Miamies, and the Western Indians expressed great joy at seeing the Six Nations represented by him among them; they told him he recollected that the business of the treaty last year did not go on, but the fault was not theirs, it was that of other people, and the Indians were led astray, for which they were sorry. The misfortunes that had fallen upon them were very heavy, and our brothers the British, who were sitting by gave us no relief. We allow you who are listening to us, to be the greatest, we will therefore hear what you say. We desire a council fire may be kindled next spring at Sandusky, for all nations of Indians. Captain Brandt sends his compliments to the chiefs at Canandaigua, and says, you remember what we agreed on last year, and the line we then marked out: If this line is complied with, peace will take place; and he desires us to mention this at Canandaigua; after the council at Canada is over, it is my earnest desire you will immediately come to Buffalo-creek, and bring general Chapin with you—I will wait here till you return. "Colonel Pickering rose and said, he was sorry that anything should happen to interrupt this council fire: but it is now interrupted by the coming of Johnson, whom he considered as a British spy, and that his being here was an insult to him, to their Friends the Quakers |