At a CONFERENCE with the Indians at Eaſton, on Monday the Third of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR; RICHARD PETERS, and BENJAMIN CHEW, Eſquires, of the Council of the Province; JOSEPH FOX, Eſq one of the Provincial Commiſſioners, and ſeveral other Gentlemen from Philadelphia and other Parts of the Province; The Deputies of the ONONDAGOES, CAYUGAS, ONEIDAS, MOHICKONS, NANTICOKES, DELAWARES, TUTELOES, CONOYS; 〈…〉 about Four Hundred 〈…〉 , which increaſed afterwards 〈…〉 Five Hundred. SENECA GEORGE, Speaker. SAMUEL WEISER, Interpreter. JAMES SHERLOCK, Interpreter. JOSEPH PEFY, Interpreter.

THE Governor opened the Conference with the uſual Ceremonies of giving them a String, to bid them heartily welcome, and another to wipe the Sweat from their Bodies, to take the Thorns and Briars out of their Legs and Feet, to clear their Throats, and to open their Hearts; after which he acquainted them, that be then was, or would at any Time be ready, upon their giving him Notice, to attend to any Thing they had to ſay to him.

Then Seneca George ſtood up, and ſpoke as follows, viz.

Brother Onas,

I am very glad to meet you here at this Time, and to find that the Sky is clear, and that the Road is open and ſafe to travel in: I ſpeak this in Behalf of Seven Nations, and all their Couſins, Captains and Warriors, and thank the Almighty that he has once more brought us all together, to ſhake Hands.

A String.

Brother Onas,

We ſuppoſe, that during the late Troubles, you may have loſt many of your People, either by Sickneſs or War, ſince we were laſt together; by this String, therefore, we wipe away the Tears from your Eyes, clear your Throats, waſh away the Blood from your Bodies, ſweep the Council Chamber, and throw the Dirt out of Doors, that you may ſee and ſpeak to us clearly at the preſent Conference.

A String.

Brother Onas,

We the Seven Nations1761., and all our Couſins, are ſorry, from the Bottom of our Hearts, for the Death of your Men, Women and Children; and by this Belt we collect all their Bones together, bury them in one Grave, and cover them up.

A black Belt of eight Rows, ſtreaked with White.

Brother Onas,

We the Seven Nations, and our Couſins, are at a great Loſs, and ſit in Darkneſs, as well as you, by the Death of Conrad Weiſer, as ſince his Death we cannot ſo well underſtand one another: By this Belt we cover his Body with Bark.

A white Belt of ſeven Rows, with four black Streaks.

Brother Onas,

By the laſt Belt I mentioned to you that we both ſat in Darkneſs, now by this Belt I remove the Clouds from before the Sun, that we may ſee it riſe and ſet, and that your Hearts may be eaſed from Sorrow, on Account of what I mentioned before.

A white Belt of five Rows, with three black Bars.

After the Delivery of the Belt, he added (having forgot it before) We pray the Great God above, who can enlighten our Hearts, that we may live in Love and Peace until Death.

Brother Onas,

Having taken Notice of the Death of Conrad Weiſer, and the Darkneſs it has occaſioned amongſt us, I now, by this Belt (taking Hold of the Belt in the Middle) raiſe up another Interpreter, by whoſe Aſſiſtance we may underſtand one another clearly.

Brother Onas,

(Speaking with the other Part of the Belt) You know that in former Times, when great Men grew 〈◊〉 and died, we uſed to put others in their Places; now as Conrad Weiſer (who was a 〈◊〉 Man, and one Half a Seven Nation Indian, and one Half an Engliſhman) is dead, we recommend it to the Governor to appoint his Son (pointing to Samuel Weiſer, then preſent) to ſucceed him as an Interpreter, and to take Care of the Seven Nations and their Couſins. We take Hold of this Belt, and claſp our Hands together in Friendſhip, and deſire you will not neglect our Requeſt.

A black and white Belt of eight Rows.

Brother Onas,

Jenochiaada, the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 ſends this String by Aſhenoch, to his Brother the Governor, ſaying,

Brother,

When I receive a Letter from you, I cannot underſtand it, which I think very hard, and we ought to have ſome body living among us, who can underſtand and interpret your Meſſages, and the Letters you ſend to us; wherefore I take my Child, James Sherlock, by the Hand, and preſent him to you, that with your Leave he may live amongſt us, and ſerve us as an Interpreter on all Occaſions.

Three Strings.

Brother Onas,

Having by the laſt String recommended James Sherlock to you, as an Interpreter, we have no more to ſay to you at preſent, but to inform you that we have ſufficiently reſted ourſelves, after the Fatigue of our Journey, eaſed our Hearts of all Sorrow, and are ready to hear any Thing you have to ſay to us.

Three Strings.

The Governor then informed them, that he thanked them for what they had ſaid, and would return them an Anſwer at another Time, and in a more convenient Place, of which he would give them timely Notice.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, on Wedneſday the 5th of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq Lieutenant-Governor; RICHARD PETERS, BENJAMIN CHEW, Eſquires, of the Council of the Province, &c. &c. &c. as before; SAMUEL WEISER, ISAAC STILLE; DAVID SEISBERGER, Interpreters.

Tokahaio, the Cayuga Chief, ſtood up and ſpoke.

Brother Onas,

BY this Belt, three Years ago, at a Treaty held here at Eaſton, the Governor invited us to come down in greater Numbers, as we were not all then preſent; and now that we do all appear, we return you the Belt, that had been given us at the making the Peace, and are glad to ſee you here Face to Face.

A very large white Belt of eighteen Rows.

Brother Onas,

You told us by this Belt, three Years ago, that you removed this, which is but a little Fire, to Philadelphia, where our Anceſtors formerly kindled their great Fire, and made all their Alliances and Treaties.

Brother Onas,

By this other Belt, you at the ſame Time cleared the Road to the Great Council Fire, at Philadelphia, and removed all Obſtructions out of it, that it might be open for us to paſs in Safety.

Two Belts joined together.

Brother Onas,

By this Belt, you at the ſame Time told us, that you cleared our Ears, that all the Nations might hear what you had to ſay to us.

A white Belt of ſeven Rows, ſtriped.

Brother Onas,

At the ſame Time you told us, that our Eyes were bad, and that by this String you cleared them, that we might be able to ſee a great Ways, and every Thing that paſſed.

Six white Strings.

Brother Onas,

You alſo gave us this String, and told us we ſeemed a little ſhy; but deſired we would lay aſide all ſuch Thoughts, for you had no ill Intentions againſt us.

Three white Strings.

Brother Onas,

This String was ſent to us, the Six Nations, by Seven Nations of Indians over the Lakes, who have formerly been in the French Intereſt, but have lately entered into an Alliance with us, deſiring that they might lay Hold, with us, of one End of the Chain of Friendſhip, that ſubſiſts between us and the Engliſh; and we deſire the Governor, that they may be accepted as Friends.

The Names of the Seven Nations, abovementioned, are as follow, viz.

Warontas, Scheiquoucchrona. Scheſova, 〈◊〉 Cochnawagechrona 〈◊〉 Neoquechta.

Ten white Strings.

Brother Onas,

When we came as far as Fort-Allen, you ſent us this String by Mr. Horſefield, inviting us to come down to Eaſton; and now that we are come, we return it you again.

Four white Strings.

Brother Onas,

By this String you told us, on Monday laſt, that you were very glad to ſee us all well here; we are likewiſe glad to ſee you, and return it you again.

Three white Strings.

Brother Onas,

By this String you wiped the Sweat from our Bodies, took the Thorns from our Legs and Feet, cleared our Throats, and opened our Hearts; we thank you, and return it you again.

Four Strings, chequered.

Brother Onas,

Theſe three Belts were brought to us, the Onondagoes, by the Oneidas, but they brought no Speeches with them; we therefore return them to you again, for, as they are your own Belts, you may know their Meaning;—we do not.

One Belt of eleven, one of eight, and one of ſeven Rows, black and white.

Being aſked whether they were brought all together, or at different Times, they anſwered, that they were all brought by one Meſſenger, about a Year ago, which Meſſenger was an Oneida, but that they do not know his Name.—Being aſked how the Oneida came by them, and what he ſaid, they anſwered, that he ſaid no more, but that they were about the Governor's Buſineſs.

Papounan, by one of his Indians, called Tougachena, living at Wighalouſin, then ſpoke to the Governor as follows.

Agreeable to your Requeſt, when I was at Philadelphia laſt Summer, I carried your Meſſage to Achoan, the Chief of the Miniſinks, reſpecting his ſending the Engliſh Priſoners, and I now deliver to you Achoan's Anſwer.

Brother Onas,

You deſired me laſt Year that I ſhould clear myſelf, as your Brothers that live at Wighalouſin did, by which you would have a Proof of my Friendſhip. After I received your Meſſage, I took it away to my Uncles, the Senecas, and delivered to them what you had ſaid to me, upon which they adviſed me to deliver up all the Captives: Now Brother, I would have you not be impatient, and I will come as ſoon as poſſible. I will hunt up all the Captives that are amongſt us, and will not leave one, but will bring them all;—but I have not found them all. I expect to come when the Corn is ripe; but if I ſhould fail then, I will certainly come by the Spring.

〈◊〉 white Strings.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, the ſame Day, in the Afternoon.

PRESENT, as before.

Teedyuſcung, the Chief of the Delawares, ſtood up and ſpoke.

Brother, and all the reſt of my Brethren and Uncles, attend.

I INTEND to take no other Method, than what I have already agreed with the Governor. Brother, now I take the ſoft Feather to clear your Ears, which our Grandfathers uſed for the ſame Purpoſe, that you may hear diſtinctly whatever I may ſay.

Four chequered Strings.

Brother,

I deſire you would now hear me; I beg you would frame that good Heart God has given you in a right Way, that you may ſenſibly feel, and have a right Underſtanding, of what I am going to ſay to you.

Four chequered Strings.

Brother,

I am come here to this Place, where we met about three Years ago. I then told you, I would take that Medicine which our Maker has ordered for us, to apply to any Wounds we may have. I likewiſe told you, that I do not apply it any where but where the Wound is—I have now come to ſee whether the Wound is healed, or no.

A Belt of eight Rows.

Brother,

You then told me, when you looked on the Road our Grandfathers laid out, that you obſerved many Buſhes and much Graſs grown there, ſo that you could not ſee me. You then took me by the Hand.

Brother,

All my young Men, as far as the Tweteeway Nations, have let me know, that they intend firmly to join in and ſtand to whatever you and I have agreed on; and alſo thoſe young Men I have with me, Mohickons, Opies, and Delawares, ſay they will not take Notice of what few drops of Blood have ſtained our Road, but will look ſteady to our Agreement.

A black Belt of ſeven Rows, and five chequered Strings.

Brother,

Obſerve what I am going to ſay, and I will let you know we have cleared ourſelves, as far as Makahelouſink, Papounan's Houſe. I will aſſure you, that I want to make a Peace between us as laſting as the World. I call the Almighty to witneſs, that I have no Captives in my Poſſeſſion, as far as Makahelouſink.

Seven chequered Strings.

Brother,

I have one Thing more to ſay: I would not have you look to me any more for any Thing, for I believe nothing will ever make us differ again, except it is your Fault, for I am ſure nothing on my Part ſhall cauſe it; therefore, if any Thing ſhould fall out, examine your own Hearts, for it muſt ſpring from you, becauſe all our young Men have put it into the Care of their Chiefs to manage Affairs.

Three chequered Strings.

Brother,

Our Grandfathers uſed to hold great Treaties of Peace and good Friendſhip, now we that ſucceed them will do the ſame; they uſed to agree that we ſhould have one Ear and one Eye, now you ſit at Philadelphia, and I am away in the Country, and whatever one hears or ſees, the other ſhould hear it and ſee it alſo, becauſe we are Brothers.

Thirteen chequered Strings.

Brother,

As I told you juſt now that we have one Ear, I deſire you would hear me: My Uncles, the Seven Nations, that ſit here now, deſire me to leave Wyoming, for Fear; I anſwered, I will not leave it ſo ſuddenly; but, if I ſhould ſee any Danger, I will endeavour to jump out of the Way of that Danger.

A black and white Belt of ſix Rows.

Brother,

My Uncles have now put ſome Tobacco in my Pouch; they tell me, I muſt ſteadily look towards the Mountains, and if you ſee Engliſh Brethren coming over the Mountains, you muſt light your Pipe, and come to us (the Mingoes) and we will receive you.

A white Belt of ſix Rows, ſtriped.

Brother,

It is about three Years ago that I deſired my Uncles would give me a Deed for the Lands at Wyoming, but as they have not done it, I believe I ſhall get up and leave it; for you know, according to your Cuſtom, you hold all Lands by Deeds, and if our Uncles had given us a Deed, our Children would enjoy them after us: If they had given me a Deed, my Children and Grandchildren would live there as long as the World laſts; but as that is not done, I believe I ſhall leave it.

A white Belt of twelve Rows.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians at Eaſton, on Friday the Seventh of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Pennſylvania; RICHARD PETERS, and BENJAMIN CHEW, Eſquires, of the Council of the Province; JOSEPH FOX, Eſq one of the Provincial Commiſſioners, and ſeveral other Gentlemen from Philadelphia and other Parts of the Province; The Deputies of the ONONDAGOES, CAYUGAS, ONEIDAS, NANTICOKES, MOHICKONS, DELAWARES, TUTELOES, CONOYS; Men, Women and Children, about Four Hundred in Number.

The Governor, addreſſing himſelf to the Indians preſent, ſpoke as follows, viz.

Brethren of the Six Nations, and of all the other Indian Nations now preſent,

HEARKEN to me, while I return an Anſwer to your Speeches of Monday and Wedneſday laſt.

Brethren,

It gives me Pleaſure to hear that you have found the Sky clear, and the Road to this Council Fire open and ſafe, and I join with you in returning Thanks to the Almighty, that he has once more brought us all together, to ſpeak to one another, as Brethren and Friends, Face to Face.

A String.

Brethren,

We thank you for remembering thoſe whom we have loſt, during the late Troubles, either by Sickneſs or War, and for wiping away the Tears from our Eyes, clearing our Throats, waſhing away the Blood from our Bodies, and ſweeping clean the Council Chamber; in return, we moſt heartily condole with you, the Seven Nations, and all your Couſins and Warriors, for the Death of all our Indian Brethren, who have died or been killed ſince we laſt met in Council, and with this String we wipe away the Tears from your Eyes, clean your Throats, waſh away the Blood from your Bodies, ſweep the Council Chamber, and throw the Dirt out of Doors, that there may be nothing to interrupt our preſent friendly Conference.

A String.

Brethren,

With this Belt we collect together the Bones of all your Men, Women and Children, and moſt affectionately bury them in one Grave, that they may reſt in Peace for ever.

A Belt.

Brethren,

We are very ſenſible, with you, that both of us have ſuſtained a very heavy Loſs, by the Death of our old and good Friend Conrad Weiſer, who was an able, experienced and faithful Interpreter, and one of the Council of the Seven Nations, and that ſince his Death we, as well as you, have ſat in Darkneſs, and are at a great Loſs for Want of well underſtanding what we ſay to one another: We mourn, with you, for his Death, and heartily join in covering his Body with Bark.

A Belt.

Brethren,

By this belt we diſpel the dark Clouds, which you have juſtly obſerved the Death of our good Friend has occaſioned, and make the Sky perfectly clear again, that we may behold the Light all the Day long: We eaſe your Hearts from the Grief you were under, on this mournful Account, and we pray God that we may for ever live together in Peace and Love.

A Belt.

Brethren,

Having thus paid our Regards to our deceaſed Friend, we cannot but obſerve, with you, that there is a Neceſſity of appointing ſome other Perſon to ſucceed him, by whoſe Aſſiſtance we may be enabled to find the true Senſe and Meaning of what there may be Occaſion to ſay to one another, either in Council, or by Letters, or Meſſages.

Brethren,

In Conformity to the ancient Cuſtom of taking from among the Relations of any great Man who dies, ſome fit Perſon to ſupply his Place (as Mr. Weiſer was by Adoption one of the Six Nations, though by birth one of us) we think you did well to caſt your Eyes upon one of his Children, and, inaſmuch as Samuel Weiſer is the only one amongſt them who has any Knowledge of the Indian Language, and has lived among you, we ſhall be glad to make Trial of him for the preſent, and if we find him capable of ſerving in the Office of an Interpreter, and in the Management of Indian Affairs (in both which Capacities his Father ſo well acquitted himſelf) we ſhall appoint him to that Service. We look upon this Choice of yours as a Mark of your grateful Affection for Conrad Weiſer, who was always your ſincere Friend; and we join this Belt to yours, as Token of our Concurrence, ſo far as to make Trial of him.

Their Belt, and another.

Brethren,

I have now anſwered every Thing that you, of the Seven United Nations, ſaid to me at our laſt Meeting. I now addreſs myſelf to Jenochryada, the Onondagoe Chief, to anſwer the Meſſage he ſent to me by Ashenoch.

Brother Jenochryada.

You tell me that James Sherlock has for ſome Time paſt lived with you. I am glad to hear he has behaved in ſuch a Manner as to obtain your good Opinion of him, and I hope he will continue to prove himſelf worthy of your Confidence: I have no Objection to his living among you, or to your employing him in any Buſineſs you may have to tranſact with us, which you think him capable of executing; but as he is a young Man, and quite a Stranger to me. I cannot conſent to employ him as an Interpreter for this Government until I have as full an Experience of his Abilities and good Diſpoſition as you have had. In the mean Time, if I ſhould have any Occaſion of ſending Meſſages or Letters to your Nation, I ſhall commit the Care of them to Meſſengers of my own; and deſire you will obſerve the ſame Method, as the likelieſt Means to our right underſtanding of one another, and preventing Miſtakes, which might otherwiſe happen.

A String.

Brethren of the Seven United Nations,

You told me, that three Years ago, at a Treaty held here. I invited you, by this Belt, to come down in great Numbers as you were not then all preſent, and that, as you all were now here, you returned me this Belt, and were glad to ſee as here Face to Face.

Brethren,

My Counſellors well remember, that this Belt was given you by the late Governor of this Province, at the laſt Treaty, but you ſeem to have miſtaken the End and Purpoſe for which it was given: I muſt therefore inform you, that it was given to you as a Peace Belt, by which we then renewed our old Treaties, brightened the Chain of Friendſhip, confirmed our former Union, and put freſh Earth to the Roots of the Tree of Peace, that it might bear up againſt every Storm, and live and flouriſh to the End of Time, whilſt the Sun ſhould ſhine, and the Rivers run; and we then further deſired you would publiſh this good News among your own and all other Indian Nations, who were your Friends and Allies, and engage them to join with you in a firm Peace with our great King, and all his People. All this appears by the Minutes of that Treaty, taken down to Writing at that Time; you ought therefore to preſerve this Belt, as a Blood or Earneſt of the Engagements are then made to one another, and keep it ſafe in your Boſoms, and I now return it year for that Purpoſe

The Peace Belt returned.

Brethren,

You informed us that this String was ſent from Seven Nations of Indians over the Lakes, who have formerly been in the French Intereſt, but have lately entered into your Alliance, deſiring they might lay Hold with you, of one End of the Chain of Friendſhip, that ſuſiſts between you and the Engliſh.

Brethren,

It gaves me great Pleaſure to hear that you have ſtrengthened your Intereſt by entering into to an Alliance with theſe Seven Nations of Indians, who have been formerly in the Intereſt of the French. You and I are one Fleſh and Blood, and I ſhall love and eſteem all Indians whatſoever, who are in your Friendſhip; I will take this String, and ſend it to the Kings Commander in Chief, and Sir William Johnſon, and let them know the Deſire thoſe Indians have of entering into Friendſhip and Alliance with the Engliſh, and I make to Doubt but they with receive them with open Arms. To confirm my Words, I give you this String.

A String.

Brethren,

I am very much ſurprized to hear from you, that theſe three Belt were brought to the Onondagoe Council by an Oneida Indian, about a Year ago, without any Speeches or Meſſages to attend them. I can aſſure you, I did not ſend theſe Belts to the Onondagoe Council, and therefore I am at a loſſ to know the Meaning of them, or from whom they came. I have frequently ſent Meſſages into the Indian Country, to put them in Mind of their Promiſe to return to us our Fleſh and Blood, who are priſoners among them, and to preſs them to fulfil that Promiſe; and it is poſſible, that the Belt ſent with the Meſſengers for that Purpoſe may have been forwarded to the Six Nation Council by miſtake; I therefore now return you the Belt, that you may make further Enquiry of the Oneidas about them.

The Belts returned.

Brethren,

You acquainted me, by theſe three Belts, firſt, that you were coming to ſee me, and were got as far as Wyoming; by the ſecond, you deſired me to meet you at Eaſton; by the third, you deſired me to ſtop ſtrong Drink, and ſend you Waggons, Proviſions, and Paint. As I have complied with theſe ſeveral Requeſt, I now return you the Belts.

The three Belts returned.

The ſeveral other Belts and Strings which you received from us at the laſt Treaty, and were returned by you to me the Day before Yeſterday, I have accepted, and put into the Council Bag.

Brethren,

Whatever may be the Occaſion of your coming down at this Time, I can truly ſay, I am glad to ſee my old Friends and Brethren once more, and take them by the Hand, and will make you as welcome and eaſy, while you ſtay among us, as I poſſibly can. I have only further to ſay to you at preſent, that as we are now Face to Face, we ſhould open our Hearts to one another, and let nothing remain upon our Minds; if you, on your Part, have any Thing to offer or communicate to me, that relates to the private Intereſt or Concerns of this Province, or that can tend to promote and confirm our Friendſhip, and prevent all future Cauſes of Jealouſy and Diſcontent, I ſhall be glad to hear it.

A Belt.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, on Saturday the Eighth of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honorable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq &c. as before.

Joſeph Pepy ſtand up, and ſpeake as follows: viz.

Brother Onas,

I AM to ſpeak a few Words to you. We had a great Council Fire at Albany, when a Friendſhip was firſt made with our Grandfathers; after which, about ſeven Years ago, our Brother General Johnſon moved the Council Fire from Albany to his own Houſe, where he ſaid to us. I am one Half Indian, and one Half Engliſh: What I ſay to my dear Brethren, the Seven Nations, ſhall be true.—The Seven Nations were accordingly all aſſembled to the Place where he had kindled the Fire, at which Time he took up a Tomahawk, gave it them, and told them, he was going to War againſt the French, and deſired them to join with him, and promiſed them, that after the French were all conquered and removed, Trade ſhould be made open and free to them, and all Kinds of Goods ſhould become more cheap, and that their Furs and Skins ſhould bear a good Price.—

Laſt Year General Johnſon appointed his Brethren, the Seven Nations, to meet him at Oſwego, upon which they did aſſemble there; at which Time General Johnſon obſerving that their Chiefs and Warriors were not all come, he ſent a ſecond Meſſage, deſiring them all to attend him there, and when they did come he ſaid,

Brethren,

I am very glad to ſee you here. I ſee many of your Chiefs are dead. I am now going againſt the French, and out of the Priſoners that I ſhall take from them, I will put as many in their Room.—Now, Brother Onas, as General Johnſon has not performed his Promiſe to us, we ſee Death coming upon us, and the God above knows he has wronged us.

Brother Onas,

We give no Belt or String upon this Occaſion, and only relate it as Matter of Information to you.

Brother Onas,

Liſten to what your Brethren of the Seven Nations ſay, in Anſwer to what you told us Yeſterday.

You deſired us to open our Hearts, that nothing unknown might lay hid there, but that every Thing may come out: We deſire, by this Belt, that you may do the ſame.

A white Belt of eight Rows, with three black Bars.

Brother Onas,

We ſee, Brethren, on each Side of us: On the one Side, the Governor of Virginia, who does not ſpeak or do right to us; on the other Side, General Johnſon, who does the ſame. We have often heard you ſpeak, and you always do and ſpeak right and juſtly to us; every Time you ſpeak it does our Hearts good. When we look towards you, General Johnſon and the Governor of Virginia, we eſteem you all as One; how comes it then that you do not all ſpeak alike. We, your Brethren of the Seven Nations, are penned up like Hogs. There are Forts all around us, and therefore we are apprehenſive that Death is coming upon us. We want nothing but Friendſhip with you, ſo long as the Sun ſhall ſhine, and the Waters run.

A white Belt of nine Rows, and four black Bars.

Brother Onas,

Hearken to what your Brethren, the Seven Nations, are going to ſay to you. When our Grandfathers firſt made a Friendſhip together, God ſaw it: Now we, and all the Nations, would ſtand to the Agreement they made, and when any Nations ſmile upon us, we will join with them. Now, dear Brother, may God Almighty give us Strength and Knowledge, to continue our Friendſhip. We look at no other, but to you, to hold faſt the Chain of Friendſhip. We are cruſhed on all Sides, ſo that we cannot ſtir ourſelves, nor look any Way but to you.—Now, dear Brother, that we ſee you Face to Face, we deſire that you would not ſlack your Friendſhip, but hold it faſt.

A black and white Belt of ſeven Rows.

Brother Onas,

I would only let you know, in a few Words, how our Brother General Johnſon ſerved us.—When we come to him for Ammunition, and bring our Skins, he does not give us the Worth of our Skins, but only a Handful of Powder; and for that Reaſon we think there is certain Death coming upon us.—

He ſhuts up his Powder from us, and will not give us more than will ſerve us two or three Days. We only mention this to you, but if you will continue to ſmile on us, we will look to you.

A white Belt of ſix Rows, and three black Bars.

Brother Onas,

We are now ſenſible, that we were under a Miſtake with Reſpect to the Meaning of this Belt (holding up the large Peace Belt) We ſhould not have brought it back to you again, if we had known what it meant: We are very glad that you have explained it to us: We look upon it as the Belt of Peace, and will ſhew it to all the Nations over the Lake, and will lodge it in the Onondagoe Council, where the only General Council Fire is kept, and where it ought to remain.

Brother Onas,

This is all your Brethren of the Seven Nations have to ſay.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, on Monday the Tenth of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq &c, &c, as before.

Tokahaio ſtood up and ſpoke as follows, viz.

Brother Onas,

YOU will pleaſe to hear what the Six Nations are going to ſay to you. Some of the Engliſh have ſettled upon our Lands, but we don't know from whence they came. We hope that as you are ſtrong, you will aſſiſt us in preventing them from ſettling upon our Lands, that we may not be wronged out of them.

A Belt of ſeven Rows, with ſix Diamonds and a Bar.

Brother Onas,

We have heard that this Land has been ſold, but we do not know for certain by whom. The Six Nations have not ſold it, and never intended it as yet. Whoever has ſold the Land, ſtole it from us, and only did it to fill their Pockets with Money; but we have heard that two Tuſcaroras, one Oneida, and one Mohawk, have ſold it, unknown to the Six Nations.

A String of four Rows.

Brother Onas,

Hear what we are going to ſay to you.—You know there is a Line made between you and us, and we deſire that none of the Engliſh would ſettle on the other Side of that Line. [Being aſked what they meant by that Line, they anſwered, the Line of the Purchaſe laſt made by this Province from the Six Nations.] Some People have already ſettled over that Line, which People we do not like, and hope you will be ſtrong, and aſſiſt us in having them removed.

A Belt of ſeven Rows, with three black Diamonds.

Brother Onas,

We are very poorly off, as we have no Trade ſtirring among us, and as we have mentioned to you that the Things we buy from General Johnſon are very dear, we hope you will have Pity on us, and erect a Trading-houſe at Diahoga, that we may be to buy our Goods cheaper. We are in great Want of all Kinds of Goods, but eſpecially of Powder and Lead, and hope you will ſupply us plentifully with them. We deſire you would not allow any ſtrong Liquor to be ſent among us, as we ſhall fetch that ourſelves, whenever we ſhall want it. As ſoon as we ſee your People come with Goods, we will acquaint all our young Men with it, both far and near, and if your Goods are ſold reaſonable, we ſuppoſe that General Johnſon will alſo ſell his Goods cheaper than he now does.—We deſire that you would ſend a good and honeſt Man to trade with us.

A Belt of ſeven Rows and four black Bars.

Brother Onas,

You have frequently ſent us Meſſages by ſtraggling Indians, Delawares, and others, upon whom there is no Dependance: They ſometimes loſe the Belts and Meſſages, and ſometimes drink them away; but if they do happen to reach as, they are nothing but Nonſenſe. We deſire you, therefore, that whenever you have Meſſages to ſend, you will ſend them by truſty Perſons to our Great Council Fire at Onondagoe, that we may be able to underſtand them rightly; and as we have choſen Samuel Weiſer for that Purpoſe, you can always ſend your Meſſages by him.

A chequered String of four Rows.

Brother Onas,

You have often made Mention of your Fleſh and Blood, who are Priſoners among us. 'Tis true, Brother, there was ſome of your Blood among us; there were Ten among the Cayugas, but our Brother General Johnſon has alſo often ſpoke of them to us, and we have delivered them all up to him; there is none amongſt us at preſent—You muſt now look for then amongſt the Delawares, our Couſins.

A Belt of four Rows, with three black Bars.

Brother Onas,

We have nothing further to ſay, and as we have been here a great While, we deſire the Governor to make Haſte to diſmiſs us.

(James Sherlock reports, that he had a Belt from the Onondagoes to the Delawares, at Chugnot, above Diahoga, demanding the Engliſh Priſoners they had; that he received one Woman from them, and was coming off with her in a Canoe, but that Mechtochraway, the Delaware King, followed him, and took her from him, telling him that the Delawares would not deliver up their Priſoners, till they heard what their Brother, the Engliſh ſhould ſay.)

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, on Tueſday the Eleventh of Auguſt.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq &c. as before.

The Governor, addreſſing himſelf to the Seven United Nations, ſpoke as follows, viz.

Brethren of the Seven United Nations, and all our Indian Brethren now preſent,

YOU deſire me to open my Heart, and conceal nothing from you. I give you this String, to aſſure you that I will always communicate to you every Thing that comes to my Knowledge, or that riſes up in my Mind, which concerns our common Intereſt, and keep nothing ſecret, but will agree that you and I ſhall have but one Eye, one Ear, and one Heart.

A String.

Brethren,

I am very ſorry to hear that you apprehend General Johnſon has been unkind to you. I am afraid the Evil Spirit is again endeavouring to blind your Eyes, and miſlead you. You well know that General Johnſon has, for a great Number of Years paſt, manifeſted his Love and Friendſhip for the Indians, on many Occaſions, and you have as often given Proofs of your Eſteem and good Opinion of him. You ſhould not therefore ſuffer the Confidence and Truſt you have repoſed in him, to be interrupted by any Jealouſies or Suſpicions; but you ſhould open your Hearts to him, and tell him your Minds freely. I am perſuaded he is a very worthy Gentleman, and your good Friend, and if you will lay your Grievances before him, I am ſure be will do you Juſtice, if you have been injured, and remove all your Uneaſineſs.

A Belt.

Brethren,

You ſay that you are afraid Death is coming upon you, and ſeem to apprehend yourſelves to be in great Danger; I am much ſurprized to hear this, nor can I find out what has given Riſe to your Fears, as there is now a perfect Peace and Friendſhip betwixt you and all your Brethren the Engliſh: you muſt not therefore make yourſelves uneaſy without any juſt Grounds or Foundation. I ſpeak to you from the 〈◊〉 of my Heart, and do aſſure you that I never heard, nor do I believe that there are any ill Deſigns forming againſt you.

A Belt.

Brethren,

I thank you for the particular Affection you expreſs for the People of this Province. We have always made it a Rule to ſpeak to you plainly, and from the Bottom of our Hearts, and to treat you not only juſtly, but with Brotherly Love, and Kindneſs. And it now gives us great Satisfaction to hear that you think ſo well of us. I aſſure you we deſire nothing more, than to live in perfect Peace and Friendſhip with you, as long as the Sun and Moon endures. We will always hold the Chain of Friendſhip in our Hands, and keep it Bright and Free from Ruſt, and in all our future Conduct to, and Dealings with you, continue to uſe you well, and give you every Proof of our Affection and Regard for you.

A Belt.

Brethren,

I have carefully conſidered that Part of the Speech you made Yeſterday, wherein you ſay that ſome Lands have been ſtole from you, and ſold by ſome Indians, who have no Right to them, to the Engliſh, who have ſettled upon them. I know of no Lands lying within this Province, which have not been purchaſed of you, that have been ſettled by the Engliſh, except a Tract lying on or near the River Delaware, about Fifty Miles above the Blue Mountains. Brethren, I am glad to have this Opportunity of ſpeaking to you on this Head: It is a Matter of great Conſequence, and has given me much Concern; liſten attentively, therefore, to what I ſhall ſay to you about this Matter. — You know that an Agreement was made, a great While ago, between your Anceſtors and your Brother Onas (which has been often renewed and confirmed by many of your Chiefs now living) that your Brother Onas would never ſettle any Lands in this Province, till he had fairly purchaſed them of the Indians, who engaged that they would never ſell any Lands in this Province to any other Perſon than their Brother Onas. That you may refreſh your Memories, and call to Mind this Agreement. I give you this Belt.

A Belt.

Brethren,

A great Number of People who lived in Connecticut Government, came about a Year ago and ſettled near this River, beyond the Line of the Lands purchaſed of you, at a Place called Cuſhietunck and claimed all the Lands from thence quite up to Wyoming. As ſoon as heard of it I ſent Meſſengers to them, informing them theſe Lands had never been purchaſed of the Indians, and deſiring them to remove away. They ſent me back, for Anſwer, that they had purchaſed all thoſe Lands of you, and under that Pretence had a Right to them, and would hold them. Now, Brethren, as you have told me you will hide nothing from me, I deſire you will tell me truly, whether you have ſold theſe Lands to theſe Strangers, who have ſettled them, againſt my Will and Conſent? — (To which Queſtion the Six Nations made Anſwer, That thoſe were the Lands which they mentioned Yeſterday to have been ſold by four ſtraggling Indians, without the Knowledge or Conſent of their General Council, and that they underſtood Thomas King, an Oneida Indian, was one of thoſe who had ſold thoſe Lands.)

Upon which Anſwer the Governor ſaid,

Brethren,

You know all ſuch private Sales are of no Force. I therefore join this String to the Belt, and deſire you will ſend for thoſe Indians into the Great Council at Onondagoe, and reprove them for their Conduct, and cancel their Deeds.

A Belt and a large String.

Brethren,

I have already, by the Conſent of my Wiſe Men, ſet up two great Stores, or Trading-houſes, to furniſh the Indians with all Sorts of Goods, at a cheap Rate, one at Pittſburgh, and the other at Shamokin; at the laſt of which Places you may eaſily ſupply yourſelves with whatever you want. The Expences, Loſſes, and many Difficulties which attend our ſending Goods to theſe two Places, are ſo great, that I cannot ſet up another Store-houſe at ſo great a Diſtance as Diahoga, according to your Deſire. — I am ſorry to refuſe you any Thing; but if I ſhould agree with you, to do more than I can perform, you would have juſt Reaſon to charge me with deceiving you. You muſt not therefore take it amiſs, that I always ſpeak plainly to you, and tell you my Mind.

A Belt.

Brethren,

I told you before, that if I ſhould have Occaſion to ſend you any Meſſages, I would commit the care of them to Meſſengers of my own; and as Samuel Weiſer is a Perſon recommended by you for that Purpoſe, I will uſe him for the future.

A String.

Brethren,

I am pleaſed to hear you ſent to General Johnſon our Fleſh and Blood, who were Priſoners among the Cayugas. We eſteem it as the ſtrongeſt Proof of your Friendſhip that you can poſſibly give us. — You all agreed, at the Treaty held here three Years ago, that you would ſearch all the Towns and Places in the Indian Countries for them, and deliver them up to us, without leaving one behind; and that if they had gone down your Throats, you would heave them up again. I am ſorry that but very few have yet been brought back, though I know there are a great many ſcattered up and down among the Indians. We cannot help thinking that you ſpeak only from your Lips, and not from your Hearts, whatever Profeſſions of Regard you make for us, till this Promiſe is performed, and we ſee our Fathers, Mothers and Children, who have been carried into Captivity, reſtored to us, this Promiſe was the Condition on which the Peace Belt was exchanged between us. — Some among you have been faithful, and ſent back all the Priſoners they had; I do not therefore addreſs this Part of my Speech to them, but take them to my Heart; it is intended only for ſuch of the Indians as have deceived us, and ſtill detain our Fleſh and Blood. I ſincerely wiſh to be Friends with you all, and therefore once more put you in Mind of your Engagements, and inſist on your immediately complying with them, by reſtoring the Priſoners, that nothing may remain to make any Difference between us to the End of Time.

A Belt.

The Governor, addreſſing himſelf to Teedyuſcung, ſpoke as follows, viz.

Brother,

Agreeable to your Requeſt, I have taken into ſerious Conſideration what you ſaid to me on Wedneſday laſt, and ſhall anſwer you with the ſame good Will and Sincerity that true Friends always uſe to one another.

A String.

Brother,

I readily acknowledge that you have been a great Inſtrument in bringing about the great Work of Peace; and, according to the Promiſes you made us at this Place three Years ago, the Peace Belt has been ſent to ſeveral Nations of Indians, who have ſince joined their Hands to it; ſo that, by the Bleſſing of the Moſt High, the Wound, by the Means of the Medicine you have applied, is intirely healed. And it ſhall be my Endeavour, as you ſay it ſhall be yours, to keep the Wound from ever opening again.

A Belt.

Brother,

You tell me that all your young Men as far as the Twightwees, and thoſe now with you, Mohickons, Opies and Delawares, intend to join in, and ſtand to, whatever you and I have agreed to; and that they will not take Notice of whatever Drops of Blood may have ſtained the Road, but will look ſteadily to our Agreement.

Brother,

I very much commend this Reſolution; — it is a Mark of Prudence and real Love for Peace; conſidering how many wicked Men there are in the World, it muſt be expected that private Miſchiefs, and even Murders, will now and then be committed: When this happens, we ſhall do well to let one another know of it, and join in taking all proper Meaſures to detect and puniſh the evil Doers. This being done, the public Peace can never be affected or hart. — By this Belt I aſſure you that this is my Diſpoſition and Reſolution, as well as it is yours.

A Belt and String.

Brother,

I take ſpecial Notice of your declaring that you have cleared yourſelf as far as 〈◊〉 , Papounan's Town, as far as that Place, you ſay you have no Priſoners, but they are all delivered up, and you want to make a Peace as laſting as the World; Brother, I take this public Declaration of yours very kindly; I believe you ſay true; if all like you would do the ſame Thing, — and they are engaged, and have often promiſed, to do it, — the Peace would laſt for ever. On the Part of this Government all Engagements ſhall be punctually obſerved▪ this String confirms my Words.

A String.

Brother,

You ſay you would not have me look to you for any Thing further, for nothing will ever make a Difference betwixt you and me, and therefore if any Thing happens, it muſt ſpring from me, as your young Men have put all their Affairs into the Hands of their Chief. Brother, aſſure yourſelf that my Heart is good towards you, and that I ſhall take all the Pains in my Power to prevent any Breach of the Peace; keep but your young Men sober, and in Order, and let them do no Miſchief to the Inhabitants, and I am well aſſured we ſhall always remain on good Terms, and enjoy all the Benefits of Peace.

A String.

Brother,

I agree with you that friendly Conferences between us are of great Uſe, as they give us an Opportunity of ſetting Matters that may ariſe from time to time, which might otherwiſe breed Miſunderſtandings between us. — I ſhall be your Ear, and inform you conſtantly of any Thing that may concern you.

A String.

Brother,

I thank you for your Information reſpecting what you told me was ſaid to you by the Seven Nations. You are 〈◊〉 all together; ſpeak your Minds to one another freely and affectionately, as Friends and Relations ſhould do, and agree now on all Points. If you really mean to continue at Wyoming, let your Uncles know it, and they will, I doubt not, content to it. They ſeem to apprehend that Danger is nigh to you as well as themſelves, but I hope what I have ſaid to them of the good Diſpoſition of General Johnſon, will quiet both their and your Fears. By this Belt I aſſure you that I will give you the earlieſt Notice in my Power if any Harm ſhould ever be intended againſt you. At preſent I know of none; I am aſſured that there is none.

A Belt.

Brother,

I ſhall be very ſorry if you remove from Wyoming; this Province has chearfully, and at a conſiderable Expence, aſſiſted you to build Houſe, and make your Settlement there commodious to you as long as you live; there you will always find us diſpoſed to aſſist you, if you go away, if will not be ſo much in our Power. Conſider this well; your Uncles, who now hear me ſpeak to you, will not, I hope, after placing you there, and after the Expence that has been laid out by us in building Houſes for you, deſire you to go to live at another Place, without your giving them ſome Cauſe of Complaint; and that I hope you never with do. In Confirmation of the Truth of what I now ſay to you, I give you this Belt.

A Belt.

The Governor then addreſſing himſelf to the Papounan, ſpoke as follows.

Brother Papounan,

I thank you for your Care in ſending my Meſſage to Achoan, and for delivering his Anſwer. I ſhall give you no more Trouble in this Matter, nor ſend him any more Meſſages; but expect his Uncles, the Seven Nations, will acquaint him with what I have ſo ſtrongly urged upon them, during theſe Conferences, with Reſpect to the Delivery of the Priſoners.

At a CONFERENCE with the Indians, the ſame Day, in the Afternoon.

PRESENT, as before.

IN Conſequence of the Governor's preſſing Demand for the Indians to deliver up all the Engliſh Priſoners they had now with them, they produced one Girl, and delivered her up to the Governor in Form.

The Governor then ſpoke to the Indians.

Brethren,

I am now to inform you, that ſince our laſt Meeting at this Place, three Years ago, the Road has been ſtained with a few Drops of Blood. The firſt Thing of this Kind happened over Suſquehanna, where one Indian Man, his Wife, and two Children were found dead, having been either murdered or drowned in the River Conedogwainet. It no ſooner came to my Knowledge, but I iſſued a Proclamation, offering Two Hundred and Sixty-ſix Dollars, as a Reward for detecting and apprehending all ſuch as ſhould be concerned in this Murder: but, notwithſtanding all my Endeavours, nothing certain has yet been diſcovered.

About two Months ago, our very good Friend Thomas Hickman was found ſhot in the Tuſcarora Path Valley. One Perſon is now in Goal, on Suſpicion; two others were put into Priſon, but ſet at Liberty again, at the Inſtance of the Indians, it appearing to them that they were innocent. All poſſible Endeavours are now 〈◊〉 to find out who did this wicked Act; a Reward has been offered, by publick Proclamation, for their Apprehenſion, and I hope we ſhall find them.

There may have been ſome few more of ſuch Inſtances, which I may not have been particularly informed of; but theſe are all that have reached my Ears.

Brethren,

Theſe are Accidents, which ought not to affect the Peace made between us; It is as grievous to me as to you to hear of theſe wicked Acts, and let them be who they will that have been guilty of theſe Murders, they ſhall die themſelves, as ſoon as convicted thereof, by a lawful Tryal. With this Belt I collect their Bones, and put them all into one Grave.

A Belt.

I fill up their Graves, and cover their Bodies with theſe Strouds.

Strouds.

With theſe Handkerchiefs I waſh off the Blood from your Bodies, and wipe away the Tears from your Eyes.

Handkerchiefs.

With this Belt I take all Sorrow out of your Hearts, I clear your Throats, Eyes, and Ears, and deſire you will no more mourn for them.

A Belt.

Teedyuſcung then informed the Governor, that he deſired to ſpeak a few Words to him, and to his Uncles the Six Nations; whereupon the Governor deſired him to begin, and he ſpoke as follows.

Uncles,

I beg you will hearken to what I am going to ſay. You may remember, ſome Years ago, at our Council Fire, you took me by the Hairs of my Head, and ſhook me, and told me to go and live at Wyoming, for you gave me the Land there, where I might raiſe my Bread, and get my Living; now again you deſire me to move off from thence, and would place me ſomewhere elſe. The 〈◊〉 why I complied with your firſt Requeſt was, becauſe I thought you would give 〈…〉 Lands at Wyoming, in the Room of ſome of our Lands you had ſold the Engliſh 〈…〉 you now, that if I move from thence, ſome Engliſh will come and ſettle 〈…〉 Midſt of our Road, ſo that we cannot paſs from thence to this Province; and we 〈…〉 the Land, ſo that neither you nor me will have any Benefit from it.

Addreſſ 〈…〉 to the Governor, he ſaid,

Brother,

I am really very glad to hear 〈…〉 the Wound is healed up; we are all pleaſed at it ſince this is the Caſe we expect 〈…〉 pay us for the Lands we have been complaining about. It was left to King GEORGE. You told me as ſoon as ever you heard from the King, you would let me know of it; but I have not heard you ſay any thing about it ſince: Now, Brother, as there are ſome here preſent, who have never been paid for ſome of their Lands, we deſire you would pay them now: but as for the Munſies, and ſome others at Allegheny, who alſo claim Lands near this Place, they will agree with you when they ſee you.

The Governor replied, that he would take into Conſideration what he had ſaid, and would anſwer him in the Morning.

Being aſked what Lands he deſired to be paid for; he anſwered, that the Lands are where we now ſtand, betwixt the Mountains and Tohicon Creek, but acknowledged that ſome Lands about Durbam, four Miles ſquare, were paid for.

Tokahaio then ſtood up and ſpoke.

Brother Onas,

We the Seven Nations, eſpecially the Nanticokes and Conoys, ſpeak to you. — About ſeven Years ago we went down to Maryland, with a Belt of Wampum, to fetch our Fleſh and Blood, which we ſhewed to ſome Engliſhmen there, who told us they did not underſtand Belts, but if we had brought any Order in Writing from the Governor of Pennſylvania, they would let our Fleſh and Blood then come away with us; but as this was not done, they would not let them come: — Now we deſire you would give us an Order for that Purpoſe.

A white Spring of five Rows.

Brother Onas,

We would have you make ſome Satisfaction to our Couſins here, the Delawares, for their Lands, as we ſuppoſe they deſire it. — Some of them are now preſent, who claim ſome Lands here, and are often thinking of it, particularly one (pointing to Joſeph Pepy)

At a private CONFERENCE, on Wedneſday the Twelfth of Auguſt, 1761.

PRESENT, The Honorable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq, Lieutenant-Governor, &c. &c. RICHARD PETERS, Eſquire; LEWIS GORDON, Eſquire; The Chief of the Onondagoes, ASHENOCH, Speaker. JAMES SHERLOCK, Interpreter.

Brother Onas,

IT is a long Time ſince we laſt met together, and we are now glad to ſee you. Brother, we requeſt it of you that you would give us a Duplicate of this Deed (ſhewing a Deed of Releaſe from Richard Peters, and Conrad Weiſer. Eſquires, Proprietary Attornies to them at the laſt Treaty), becauſe it is the Deſire of Jenochryada, and in Order that the Mohawks may have the Original, and we keep the Copy.

A chequered String of three Rows.

To which Requeſt the Governor aſſented, and deſired Lewis Gordon, Eſq to prepare an exemplified Copy of the above-mentioned Releaſe for them.

Jeoquanta then Spoke to the Governor.

Brother Onas,

My old Mother and Children, who are here at preſent, are not able to walk, I deſire therefore that my Brother would help me to a Horſe, as I have a great Way to go Home, and cannot make a Canoe at this Time of the Year.

A black Belt of ſeven Rows.

Brother Onas,

I have come a great Way, and have brought with me a Pack of Beaver. Our Brother General Johnſon, and thoſe who live near him, ſell their Goods very dear, and give us nothing for our Skins, but as I heard our Brothers of this Province gave better Prices for our Skins, I have brought them here, and hope my Brother will ſee Juſtice done me in the Sale of them. And if my Brother thinks I can get a better Price for them by carrying them to Philadelphia, I ſhould be obliged to him for his Information.

A chequered String of three Rows.

At a public CONFERENCE on the ſame Day.

PRESENT, The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Eſq &c. &c. as at the former public Conferences.

The Governor, addreſſing himſelf to Teedyuſcung, ſpoke as follows.

Brother,

AS to the Lands lying between the Kittochtinny Hills and Touhickon Creek, which you ſay you have never been paid for, you know the Proprietaries of this Province have always inſiſted that they were fairly purchaſed of the Delawares, before you were born, who received the Conſideration Money for them; you know alſo that the Diſpute between you and the Proprietaries about theſe Lands was, by your own particular Deſire, referred to our Great King over the Water, who, from his Love of Juſtice, and Regard to you, has taken upon himſelf to ſettle it, and has ordered General Johnſon to hear your Complaint, and enquire into the Truth of it, and make Report to him, that he may direct what is right to be done; of this General Johnſon gave you Notice, by a Letter, above a Year and an Half ago, and deſired you to appoint a proper Time and Place to meet him on this Occaſion, that the Affair might be ſpeedily ſettled. I have waited ever ſince in Expectation that you would comply with General Johnſon's Requeſt; and I now inform you that I am, and at all Times ſhall be, ready, on my Part, to ſend the Proprietary Commiſſioners to ſupport their Claim, whenever you ſhall appoint the Time and Place of Meeting; it is therefore your own Fault if the Matter is delayed any longer.

Addreſſing himſelf to the Seven Nations, be ſaid,

Brothren of the Seven United Nations,

I have conſidered what you ſaid to me on Behalf of the Conoys and the Nanticokes, who have ſome of their Brethren ſtill remaining in the Province of Maryland: As I am not Governor of that Province, I have no Power to order the People there to ſuffer their Relations to come away; I will, however, afford them all the Aſſiſtance I can, and will not only give the Meſſenger they ſend to Maryland a Paſſport, or ſafe Conduct, but will write to the Governor, and requeſt him to permit their Brethren to come away, without Interruption.

Brethren,

You deſire me to make Satisfaction to your Couſins the Delawares for theſe Lands which they claim, as they often think of it; had you known, as well as I do, how groundleſs and unjuſt this Claim of theirs was, I am ſure you would not have taken any Notice of it. Your old Men muſt remember, that at a full Council held with the Six Nations, at Philadelphia, in the Year 1742, the Claim the Delawares now make for theſe very Lands was laid before them, and the Deeds from them to the Proprietaries peruſed and conſidered by the Six Nations; who, upon a full Hearing of the Matter, then were convinced that the Proprietaries had fairly purchaſed them of the Delawares, and paid for them. Whereupon the Six Nations ordered the Delawares to remove off from them, and go to Wyoming, which they accordingly did. Teedyuſcung, ſome Time ago, referred his Complaint about theſe Lands to our Great King, who has ordered General Johnſon to enquire into the whole Matter, and let him know how it is circumſtanced, that Juſtice may be done as well to the Delawares as to us; and I am ready to ſend my Commiſſioners to General Johnſon, to lay before him the Proprietaries Deeds for, and Right to, theſe Lands, whenever Teedyuſcung will appoint a Time and Place for this Purpoſe.

Tokahaio addreſſed the Governor, in Behalf of the Tuteloes, as follows.

Brother Onas,

We deſire our Brother will be ſo good as to furniſh us with three Waggons, to carry home our Sick, who are not able to walk, as we intend to go home as ſoon as we can; — which Requeſt the Governor granted, and left the Number of Waggons to be provided for them, to the Direction of Joſeph Fox, Eſq

Tokahaio then added,

Brother Onas,

We have been here at this Council Fire, and heard what good Word you have ſpoke to We have no more to ſay at preſent, and we ſee likewiſe that you have nothing more to ſay to us; we are therefore going to part. When we return home, we will acquaint all our People with what we have heard. We heartily thank you for the good Uſage we have received from you.

The Governor informed them that he had brought up with him a Preſent from the Government to them, which Mr. Fox would diſtribute amongſt them To-morrow; and then concluded the Treaty, by ſhaking Hands with the Chiefs of the Indians.

In the Afternoon the Governor and his Company ſet out for Philadelphia.

THE END