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American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
154 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1792. |
12th.- At 9 o'clock at night, Capt. O'Beel, the Delaware chiefs, and
Senecas, called me into council, when Captain Snake's interpreter gave his
speech, as follows: "Uncle, (for that is the term given by the Delawares
to the Senecas) God has been good to us this day: for we have each heard the
good talk sent from the Great Chief of the Thirteen Fires; and we have ever
said, that we would advise each other of every thing that we heard that was
bad; or that was like to befall either of our nations. Now, uncle, we have
determined to go with you, and our brother, who brings to us these good
tidings, to Buffalo, and there meet our nations at the great council fire.
Blood may fall upon us while we are going, but now we give you our hands as we
promised, and we will lie down and will rise together." [Here a belt of
wampum was given, consisting of five strings, which Capt. O'Beel viewed in his
hand a short time, and then presented it to me.] Captain Snake again repeated:
"Uncle, in three days we move our women and children, and all that we
have, to your towns; they are to remain with your women until our return."
In the course of his speech he also mentioned, that their people expected to
receive a stroke from the Messasagoes, a part of that nation who were led to
war by their brothers.
13th.- Our fleet set out from Hickory town, and reached Log-trap creek, 10 miles distant, and encamped. Rained the whole night, and not a dry thread of clothes on myself or companions.
14th.- Proceeded up the river this day, took up our encampment near the mouth of Casyoudang creek, it being the place where Colonel Broadhead, in the year 1779, had fought against the savages; and, in which action, Joseph Nicholson, his interpreter, was wounded.
15th.- Being very unwell this morning, and overtaken with rhuematism pains, and to such a degree that I was obliged to have assistance to convey me from my canoe to the fire; same time being cold and rainy, I informed Cornplanter that I should leave his fleet and proceed to his lower town, to procure some assistance, and I arrived there, some time in the night, after a very laborious day's work to the Indians: the current of the river being so very much against us, at this place, I applied to an Indian doctor, who prepared poultices of roots and herbage, and applied it to my foot, the power of which, over the parts affected, threw it into my knee, which produced the most exquisite pain; and I perceptibly felt that it shortened the sinews under my ham, upon which I applied it no more; fearing the consequences might be fatal to me for life. About eight miles above the encampment, where I left O'Beel, I came to a large river, called the Conawango: and, at its emptying into the Alleghany, is said to contain as much water as flows in the other river, above it. At the confluence of those two rivers, the government of Pennsylvania have laid out a manor of 3,000 acres, and up the said river (Conawango) to an Indian town called Cayantha, or the Corn-fields, are extraordinary rich lands, of which a survey was made, by David Rittenhouse, Esq. of the city of Philadelphia, some time since. The Indians whom I hired at Venango, to bring me to O'Beel's town, (there being two called by this name) drew so nice a distinction, that they chose the first, or lower town, and insisted that this was the town they intended to come to, and not the other; and should I require their assistance to go to the upper town, I must pay to each one dollar (fifteen shillings.) The terms being agreed upon, we proceeded to the upper town aforesaid, by some called the New Arrow's town, being the name of the head sachem of that place. At this town I left Captain Houdin, Indian Peter, the guide which I brought from near Tioga Point, also, our horses, when I departed from thence to Venango, on the 7th of April, and found the Captain in an enfeebled state of health, owing entirely to the hardships he underwent before his arrival at this place.
16th.- At this town I met, in company with Capt. Houdin, a French gentleman from Montreal, by the name of Dominick de Barge, who had followed the Indian trade, in this country, for six years past, and who lost by the same, a considerable fortune, by the credits he had given to some of the Indians, &c.; with them I found, also, a Mr. Culbertson, a trader from Genesee; and it gave me pleasure to find that the Captain was not altogether alone, he seeming to have an aversion, in general, to the company of Indians.
17th.- This day the canoes, which I left on the 15th, arrived here, and brought news which they had received from an Indian runner, that, on Wednesday last, the 13th, the New-Arrow, and his associates, with the garrison boat, arrived at Fort Franklin; having suffered no damage in their persons, nor loss of their merchandise, as was reported, which belonged to Cornplanter, and other Indians, but two or more cases of gin, taken by the militia, for which Squire Wilkins, of Pittsburg, caused restitution to be made them. Settled with Mr. James Culbertson, for supplies for my people and horses, during my absence, 44 shillings York, Pennsylvania, 41 3/4.
18th.- An express arrived here from the New-Arrow, advising that they must send down to him, at fort Franklin, a certain number of canoes, sufficient to carry the goods brought forward by Cornplanter, from Philadelphia. Finding, from experience, that the Indians were exceeding slow in putting matters in motion, which I held to be important, and slothful to the last degree, I wrote immediately by the return of the canoes to Franklin, to request that the commanding officer would lend them every assistance necessary to their being forwarded to this place; as I was well informed, by a person that I employed upon the occasion, to know the general intentions of the chiefs, that not one of them would go for Buffalo, with me, until they should see his safe return. This afternoon the canoes, which had loitered on the way, arrived; and by which I was informed, that the Delaware and Munsee Indians, at Hickory town, were moving with their stock, &c. to Cattaragus.
19th.- O'Beel and chiefs arrived here from the lower town, and ordered their conch shell to be sounded through the village, to summon their head-men into council. After some time spent therein, the whole of them adjourned to my hut, being confined, to pay me and my friend Capt. Houdin their compliments, as having come to visit them in their settlements, under such friendly intentions. Nothing more material this day. But dancing was carried on the major part of the night, assisted by drumming, songs, &c.
20th.- An express arrived from Buffalo creek, informing, that the fire of the Six Nations had been lighted, by a number of chiefs and warriors; and that they had been stirring it long, to keep it alive, waiting for the sachems of the Senecas, and their brothers, who were sent by the Great Chief of the Thirteen Fires, whom we want to hear speak with us. It is, likewise, our desire, that all writings received at Philadelphia, from the great chief, Honondaganius, (General Washington) may be brought forward with them, so that the great council may hear the contents. On receiving this public message, I was requested by O'Beel, and the other chiefs, to write an answer to this message, on their behalf, as hearing that Colonels Butler and Brandt were at Buffalo, waiting our coming. I complied, agreeable to their request, and directed the same to the Farmer's Brother, Kuyasutta, and Red Jacket, chiefs of the Six Nations, at Buffalo creek.
21st.- This morning, the whole of the town were preparing to have a grand feast, to return thanks to the Great Keeper of all men, for their being spared to meet once more together; several of the chiefs called upon us to give us the invitation to be present, while they should perform divine worship in their way; adding, that Indians worshipped one Supreme head, the Preserver of all, both white and red men. Their speaker advised us, also, to be prudent while they worshipped, and not to be guilty of laughing, or gestures, though the manner of it might differ, widely, from our own mode of worship; he likewise told us, that we must bring with us our ear, (the interpreter) to testify that they taught the true principles, by moral precept, and that their teachers, both men and women, admonished their hearers against thieving, lying, and speaking lightly of one another.
The manner of their preparing for worship is, that, in every house, they provide large quantities of such provisions as they think proper to bring with them, and the more varied the better, so that they may have a little of every sort, and none of the same returns to that house again, their method being to exchange their victuals on the ground, eating that which was brought by their neighbor; thus prepared, they proceed to the statue, which was erected in the centre of the village, bearing some proportion to a man, and justly painted, as the Indians are in common, but having no weapon of war about him; intimating that he was the maintainer of peace. This figure is about nine feet in height, and stood on a pedestal of about twelve feet, having on breech-clout, leggings, and a sash over its shoulders, and a very terrible appearance. Under this statue were placed two chiefs, termed the women's speakers; each of these held in their hands the shell of a large tortoise, the belly part covered, with a thin skin, stretched on very tight, having, in the inside, several small stones, which shells being struck upon a deer skin, which is stretched between them, beating time together, accompanying the same with their voices, they made such melody that the whole of the assembly were delighted. The old and the young women danced round in a circle, the image in the centre, the men following them, using gestures that would have made a saint laugh, had he forgotten that he was
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1792.] |
155 |
in a place of worship; but the women looked meek and humble, while they moved
in concert in the dance, sliding their feet sideways, and folding their hands
before them, in a half circle, looking, at the same time, steadfastly on the
ground, inclining their head to the left. The last of worship was performed to
what they call a brag dance; the young warriors retire to a house adjacent,
where are paints, feathers, and red clay; with the two former they ornament
their head with feathers, and their faces with paint, and their bodies with
reddish clay, that give their skins all the same cast; some with one half their
face black, and the other red, in order to look the more terrible: for in this
manner they go to war. When all matters are thus adjusted, and ready to sally
from their showbox, their leader gives a long yell, such as when a scalp is
taken; and on the third being given, it is re-echoed by the whole, rushing
forward, at the same time, to the place of worship, while they dance round the
statue, throwing their bodies and heads in every curious attitude, and brag,
alternately, of all the cruelties they had exercised in war, of prisoners
taken, and of thefts committed on their enemies, and of many other exploits
never performed. In the evening of the day, Captain O'Beel, and other chiefs,
told me that they would be ready to go with me to Buffalo Creek in the morning,
if I thought proper; the information gave me the most heartfelt satisfaction;
and I acquainted him, that I was ready to depart at any hour they should agree
to go, as much precious time had been wasted since my arrival at this place
from the Genesee country.
22d.- I closed my letters this day for his Excellency the Secretary of War, and a second letter for Governor St. Clair, (having wrote him the first from Venango) and forwarded the same by a white prisoner named Nicholas Deamhout, and for which I drew on the commandant at fort Franklin to pay him to the value of 37s. 6d. in such articles as could be spared from the garrison; paid Indian Peter for services from Newtown Point to O'Beel's town, 22s. 6d.; to mess expense from the 16th to the 23d, including horse feed, £6 18s. 3d.; to cash paid Francis Slocum, a white prisoner, 7s. 6d.; do, a white prisoner at Cattaragus, 1s. 3d.; she informs me that she is a sister to Henry Kepple, in Market street, born in Germany; her husband, a Lieutenant Groves of the Royal Americans, was killed at Venango in the year 1761; had been prisoner ever since, but too old and enfeebled to leave them; she informed me that she was truly poor, which I had apparent reason to believe, and I mean to inform her friends of the same, which is the cause of my making this minute, as knowing her brother was under wealthy circumstances. Hire of a horse for my servant to Buffalo, and loss of a bell, 15s.; to house and fire wood expense, at New Arrow's town, 15s.; Indian doctor's bill, 11s. 3d.; one pair old shoes and buckles, 11s. 3d.; cash for an Indian kettle taken away by some of the Indians, 7s. 6d.
23d.- We left O'Beel's town about 12 o'clock, and proceeded with a few chiefs and warriors, (the whole not being ready to depart with us) taking the route for Buffalo, through a village called Cattaragus, which we did not reach before the 25th, in the evening; and on our way thither passed through a settlement of the Delaware or Munsee Indians, in which was about twenty houses. In this place I saw a number of active young men; they being playing the game of bandy wicket, gave me the fairer opportunity of judging. The town of Cattaragus contains in or near about fifty tolerable houses, bordering on a beautiful river, and about two and a half miles from Lake Erie, surrounded by a most beautiful country and excellent land; but the water they have to drink, taken from a pond, is very indifferent. We had arrived but a short time when I caused the chiefs to be summoned into council, and, as in other instances, I made them fully acquainted with the business that led me into their country; and in answer thereto, a sentimental speech was delivered by Thyogachee. [See subsequent page.] While we remained in this town, they were preparing to bury the daughter of a great chief, and in the house that I was placed, there was a number of the mourners, who appeared under the greatest distress, by their cries; during which time, all their head were covered with their shrouds, but when they had uncovered themselves I did not discover that they had shed one tear. This brought to my recollection the manner of attending wakes in the old country, with the native Irish, where the rich hire old women to lament the loss of the deceased, and to recount all the valuable actions of their past life.
26th.- We took up our journey towards Buffalo, and in about five miles going from thence, we came in upon the verge of Lake Erie, which had a beautiful appearance, it being a pleasant morning, and the waters were very serene, and looking over the lake we could just perceive the land at the other side. We travelled along the sandy beach for some miles, but were obliged, at three or four different places, to leave the shore and take to the woods, the rocks having come bluff up to the deep water; from small springs that appeared upon the face of the rocks, it shewed that it passed over bodies of mineral, from the hue that it gave; but the greatest curiosity that I had seen was alum lying on the surface of the rocks, off which we might have gathered a pound in a quarter of an hour.
27th.- We arrived at Buffalo creek, having travelled through a country of exceeding rich land, from our last encampment, the extent of which I had not been able to ascertain. The pre-emptive right to this valuable country was vested in the State of Massachusetts, but at present the property of the Hon. Robert Morris, of the city of Philadelphia, by a late purchase. The principal village of Buffalo belongs to the Seneca nation, and in it the young king, the Farmer's brother, resides, as also Red Jacket, the great speaker, and prince of the Turtle tribe. On my entering the town, there were numbers of Indians collected at the hut where we alighted from our horses, and on taking a general view of them, I found that they were far better clothed than those Indians were in the towns at a greater distance, owing entirely to the immediate intercourse they have with the British, being but about thirty-five miles distance from Niagara, and but six miles from fort Erie, situate on the north side of the lake; from which places they are supplied yearly with almost every necessary they require, so much so as to make them indifferent in their huntings. And the chiefs, who are poor in general, have to look up to them for almost their daily subsistence, not only of provisions, but for apparel: for the Farmer's Brother, the Young King, was fully regimented as a colonel, red faced with blue, as belonging to some royal regiment, and equipped with a pair of the best epauletts. So that, from his after conduct, it may not appear extraordinary, where the king has thrown in his opposition to my errand, he being paid so well for his influence over the Indian nations as to carry his favorite point in question. I had not been long in the village before I was invited to the great council house, with my companion, attended by Red Jacket, O'Beel, and other chiefs. Just as we approached the porch of the council house, they had a two pounder swivel gun, which they had loaded very high, having put into her an uncommon charge, which the acting gunner being sensible of, stood within the door, and fired it from the end of a long stick, which he passed between the logs; which being done, the explosion upset the gun and its fixture. This, they said, was done as a treat for our safe arrival through the dangers that we had encountered, and for which they were thankful to the Great Keeper. The speech, as an introduction, given by Red Jacket, being ended, he came forward to me to the seat I had been ushered to in the centre of the council, and presented me with four strings of wampum, which he had held in his hands while speaking: for the particulars of which see another page. Capt. O'Beel having been particularly named by Red Jacket, he rose and returned the compliment, in behalf of us that were strangers. Being at this time just sun setting, I apprised the council, through my interpreter, that I had messages from General Washington, the great chief of the Thirteen Fires, which were particularly addressed to the notice of the Six Nations, the representatives of which nations I presumed were principally present; but, as it was drawing late, I requested leave to postpone the introduction till the morning, which was consented to. Upon this, Red Jacket rose to remark, that many persons had occasionally come into their country, who said that they had also come in by the authority of the Thirteen Fires, but of the truth of which they were not always convinced. This information opened the door that I expected; being informed by a French gentleman, a trader amongst them, that these sentiments had fallen from Colonels Brandt and Butler, about seven days previous to our arrival at this place, who desired of the chiefs, in private council, to pay no attention to what should be said to them by me; and, as they knew the purport of my mission, from the chiefs whom I had held council with at the Genesee river, the Colonels advised them not to assist me in going to the Miamies, as the consequence would be fatal to those that should attend me, and consequent death to me and my companion. From these suggestions, which had fallen from Red Jacket, I mentioned, in open council, that I was desirous that they might call forward any gentleman of veracity, whom they had confidence in, to be present while I should deliver myself to them, and overlook any writings that I was directed to lay before the Six Nations, as by that means proof would be made that my commission was founded on the authority of the United States of America. They then agreed upon sending for the commanding officer of fort Erie, and despatched a runner for the purpose. Soon after
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