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Page 7.
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the Report of the Lords of Trade of Sept. 2, 17485 very properly expressed it, they proposed to build a Fort without which or some such work for their defence, it would be dangerous for them to venture out so far.
Here I am obliged to stop for want of time. If another opportunity offers I will supply the remainder.
INSTRUCTIONS given Mr Christopher Gist by the Committee of the Ohio Company the 11th Day of September 1750.59
You are to go out as soon as possible to the Westward of the great Mountains, and carry with you such a Number of Men, as You think necessary, in Order to search out and discover the Lands upon the River Ohio, & other adjoining Branches of the Mississippi down as low as the great Falls42 thereof: You are particularly to observe the Ways & Passes thro all the Mountains you cross, & take an exact Account of the Soil, Quality, & Product of the Land, and the Wideness and Deepness of the Rivers, & the several Falls belonging to them, together with the Courses & Bearings of the Rivers & Mountains as near as you conveniently can: You are also to observe what Nations of Indians inhabit there, their Strength & Numbers, who they trade with & in what Com'odities they deal.
When you find a large Quantity of good level Land, such as you think will suit the Company, You are to measure the Breadth of it, in three or four different Places, & take the Courses of the River and Mountains on which it binds in order to judge the Quantity: You are to fix the Beginning & Bounds in such a Manner that they may be easily found again by your Description; the nearer in the Land
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George Mercer Papers
Page 19.
In the Darlington Memorial Library
Traders that were there, came and welcomed Us to the Twigtwee Town- This Town is situate on the NW Side of the Big Miamee River about 150 M from the Mouth thereof; it consists of about 400 Families, & daily encreasing, it is accounted one of the strongest Indian Towns upon this Part of the Continent- The Twigtwees are a very numerous People consisting of many different Tribes128 under the same Form of Government. Each Tribe has a particular Chief or King, one of which is chosen indifferently out of any Tribe to rule the whole Nation, and is vested with greater Authorities than any of the others- They are accounted the most powerful People to the Westward of the English Settlements, & much superior to the six Nations with whom they are now in Amity; their Strength and Numbers are not thoroughly known, as they have but lately traded with the English, and indeed have very little Trade among them: they deal in much the same Com'odities with the Northern Indians. There are other Nations or Tribes129 still further to the Westward daily coming in to them, & 'tis thought their Power and Interest reaches to the Westward of the Mississippi, if not across the Continent, they are at present very well affected to the English, and seem fond of an Alliance with them130- they formerly lived on the farther Side of the Obache, and were in the French Interest, who supplied them with some few Trifles at a most exorbitant Price- they were called by the French Miamees; but they have now revolted98 from them, and left their former Habitations for the Sake of trading with the English; and notwithstanding all their Artifices the French have used, they have not been able to recall them.
After We had been some Time in the King's127 House Mr Montour told Him that We wanted to speak with Him and the Chiefs of this Nations this Evening upon which We were invited into the long House, and having taken our Places Mr Montour began as follows- "Brothers the Twigtwees as We have been hindered by the high Waters and some other Business with our Indian Brothers, no Doubt our long Stay has caused some Trouble among our Brethren here, Therefore We now present You with two Strings of Wampum to remove all the Trouble of your Hearts, & clear your Eyes, that You may see the Sun shine clear, for We have a great Deal to say to You, & We woud have You send for one of Your Friends that can speak the Mohickon131 or the Mingoe Tongues well, that We may understand each other thoroughly, for We have a great Deal of Business to do"- The Mohickons132 are a small Tribe who most of them speak English, and are also well acquainted with the Language of the Twigtwees, and they with theirs- Mr Montour then proceeded to
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Indians, and was seen to cry and lament (as he said for the Loss of that Nation.)
Monday Feby 25 This Day We received a Speech from the Wawaughtanneys and Pyankeshees (two Tribes of the Twigtwees) "One of the Chiefs139 of the former spoke Brothers, We have heard what You have said to Us by the Interpreter and We see You take Pity upon our poor Wives and Children, and have taken Us by the Hand into the great Chain of Friendship, therefore We present You with these two Bundles of Skins to make Shoes for your People, and this Pipe to smoak in, to assure You that our Hearts are good and true towards You our Brothers; and We hope that We shall all continue in the Love and Friendship with one another, as People with one Head and one Heart ought to do; You have pityed Us as You always did the rest of our Indian Brothers, We hope that Pity You have always shewn, will remain as long as the Sun gives Light, and on our Side you may depend upon sincere and true Friendship towards You as long as we have Strength"- This Person stood up and spoke with the Air and Gesture of an Orator.
Tuesday 26 The Twigtwees98 delivered the following Answer to the four Indians sent by the French- The Captain of the Warriors stood up and taking some Strings of black and white Wampum in his Hand he spoke with a fierce Tone and very warlike Air- "Brothers the Ottaways,89 You are always differing with the French Yourselves, and yet You listen to what they say, but We will let You know by these four Strings of Wampum, that We will not hear any Thing they say to Us, nor do any Thing they bid Us"- Then the same Speaker with six Strouds two Match-Coats, and a String of black Wampum (I understood the Goods were in Return for the Milk and Tobacco) and directing his Speech to the French said, "Fathers, You desire that We may speak our Minds from our Hearts, which I am going to do; You have often desired We shoud go Home to You, but I tell You it is not our Home, for We have made a Road as far as the Sea to the Sun-rising, and have been taken by the Hand140 by our Brothers the English, and the six Nations, and the Delawares Shannoahs and Wyendotts, and We assure You it is the Road We will go; and as You threaten Us with War in the Spring,141 We tell You if You are angry We are ready to receive You, and resolve to die here before We will go to You; And that You may know that this our Mind, We send You this String of black Wampum." After a Short Pause the same Speaker spoke again thus- "Brothers the Ottaways, You hear what I say, tell that to your Fathers the French, for that is our Mind, and We speak it from our Hearts.
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Page 23.
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Wednesday 27 This Day they took down their French Colours, and dismissed the four French Indians, so they took their Leave of the Town and set off for the French Fort.142
Thursday 28 The Crier of the Town came by the King's Order and invited Us to the long House to see the Warriors Feather Dance;143 it was performed by three Dancing-Masters, who were painted all over with various Colours, with long Sticks in their Hands, upon the Ends of which were fastened long Feathers of Swans, and other Birds, neatly woven in the Shape of a Fowls Wing: in this Disguise they performed many antick Tricks, waving their Sticks and Feathers about with great Skill to imitate the flying and fluttering of Birds, keeping exact Time with their Musick; while they are dancing some of the Warriors strike a Post, upon which the Musick and Dancer's cease, and the Warrior gives an Account of his Achievements in War, and when he has done, throws down some Goods as a Recompence to the Performers and Musicians; after which they proceed in their Dance as before till another Warrior strikes ye Post, and so on as long as the Company think fit
Friday March 1 We received the following Speech from the Twigtwees98 The Speaker stood up and addressing himself as to the Governor of Pennsylvania with two Strings of Wampum in his Hand, He said- "Brothers our Hearts are glad that You have taken Notice of Us, and surely Brothers We hope that You will order a Smith101 to settle here to mend our Guns and Hatchets, Your Kindness makes Us so bold to ask this Request. You told Us our Friendship should last as long, and be as the greatest Mountain, We have considered well, and all our great Kings & Warriors are come to a Resolution never to give Heed to what the French say to Us, but always to hear & believe what You our Brothers say to Us- Brothers We are obliged to You for your kind Invitation80 to receive a Present at the Loggs Town, but as our foreign Tribes are not yet come, We must wait for them but You may depend We will come as soon as our Women have planted Corn to hear what our Brothers will say to Us- Brothers We present You with this Bundle of Skins, as We are but poor to be for Shoes for You on the Road, and We return You our hearty Thanks for the Clothes which You have put upon our Wives and Children"- We then took our Leave of the Kings and Chiefs, and they ordered that a small Party of Indians should go with Us as far as Hockhockin;110 but as I had left my Boy & Horses at the lower Shannoah Town,116 I was obliged to go by myself or to go sixty or seventy Miles out of my Way, which I did not care to do; so we all came over the Miamee River together this Evening, but Mr Croghan78
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Page 25.
In the Darlington Memorial Library
with Him, and I had Plenty of Meat, so We fared very well.
Friday 8 Travelled146 about 30 M, and arrived at Night at the Shannoah Town- All the Indians, as well as the white Men came out to welcome my Return to their Town, being very glad that all Things were rightly settled in the Miamee Country, they fired upwards of 150 Guns in the Town,116 and made an Entertainment in Honour of the late Peace with the western Indians134- In my Return from the Twigtwee to the Shannoah Town, I did not keep an exact Account of Course or Distance; for as the Land thereabouts was every where much the same, and the Situation of the Country was sufficiently described in my Journey to the Twigtwee Town, I thought it unneccessary, but have notwithstanding laid down my Tract pretty nearly in my Plat.
Saturday March 9 In the Shannoah Town, I met with one of the Mingoe Chiefs,147 who had been down at the Falls of Ohio, so that We did not see Hime as We went up; I informed Him of the King's Present,105 and the Invitation81 down to Virginia- He told that there was a Party of French Indians hunting at the Falls,42 and if I went there they would certainly kill Me or carry Me away Prisoner to the French; For it is certain they would not let Me pass: However as I had a great Inclination to see the Falls, and the Land on the E Side the Ohio, I resolved to venture as far as possible.
Sunday 10 & Monday 11 Stayed in the Town, and prepared for my Departure.
Tuesday 12 I got my Horses over the River and after Breakfast my Boy and I got ferryed over148- The Ohio is near 3/4 of a Mile wide at Shannoah Town, & is very deep and smooth.
Wednesday 13 We set out S 45 W, down the said River on the S E Side 8 M, then S 10 M, here I met two men belonging to Robert Smith144 at whose House I lodged on this Side the Miamee River, and one Hugh Crawford, the said Robert Smith had given Me an Order upon these Men, for two of the Teeth of a large Beast149 which they were bringing from towards the Falls of Ohio,42 one of which I brought in and delivered to the Ohio Company- Robert Smith informed Me that about seven Years ago these Teeth and Bones of three large Beasts (one of which was somewhat smaller than the other two) were found in a salt Lick150 or Spring upon a small Creek which runs into the S Side of the Ohio, about 15 M, below the Mouth of the great Miamee River, and 20 above the Falls of Ohio- He assured Me that the Rib Bones of the largest of these Beasts were eleven Feet long, and the Skull Bone six feet wide, across the Forehead, & the other Bones in Proportion; and that there were several Teeth there, some
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of which he called Horns, and said they were upwards of five Feet long, and as much as a Man coud well carry; that he had hid one in a Branch at some Distance from the Place, lest the French Indians shoud carry it away- The Tooth which I brought in for the Ohio Company, was a Jaw Tooth of better than four Pounds Weight; it appeared to be the furthest Tooth in the Jaw, and looked like fine Ivory when the outside was scraped off- I also met with four Shannoah Indians coming up the River in their Canoes, who informed Me that there were about sixty French Indians encamped at the Falls.
Thursday 14 I went down the River S 15 M, the Land upon this Side the Ohio chiefly broken, and the Bottoms but narrow.
Friday 15 S 5 M, SW 10 M, to a Creek151 that was so high, that We coud not get over that Night.
Saturday 16 S 45 W about 35 M.
Sunday 17 The same Course 15 M, then N 45 W 5 M.
Monday 18 N 25 W 5 M then SW 20 M, to the lower Salt Lick Creek,152 which Robert Smith and the Indians told Us was about 15 M above the Falls of Ohio; the Land still hilly, the Salt Lick here much the same with those before described- this Day We heard several Guns which made Me imagine the French Indians were not moved, but were still hunting, and firing thereabouts: We also saw some Traps newly set, and the Footsteps of some Indians plain on the Grounds as if they had been there the Day before- I was now much troubled that I coud not comply with my Instructions, & was once resolved to leave the Boy and Horses, and to go privately on Foot to view the Falls; but the Boy being a poor Hunter, was afraid he woud starve if I was long from him, and there was also great Danger lest the French Indians shoud come upon our Horses tracts, or hear their Bells, and as I had seen good Land enough, I thought perhaps I might be blamed for venturing so far, in such dangerous Times, so I concluded not to go to the Falls; but travell'd away to the Southward till We were over the little Cuttaway River153- The Falls of Ohio42 by the best Information I coud get are not very steep, on the SE Side there is a Bar of Land at some Distance from the Shore, the Water between the Bar and the Shore is not above 3 feet deep, and the Stream moderately strong, the Indians frequently pass safely in their Canoes thro this Passage, but are obliged to take great Care as they go down lest the Current which is much the strongest on the No W Side shoud draw them that Way; which woud be very dangerous as the Water on that Side runs with great Rapidity over several Ledges of Rocks; the Water below the Falls they say is about six Fathoms deep, and the River continues without any Obstructions till
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used the Indians then wholly ignorant of fire arms; and we know the actions of the French against you and others. There are many other benefits arising from a good education, which would be too tedious to be mentioned, but the greatest of all is, that by it we are acquainted with the will of the great God, the Creator of the world, and the Father of us all, who inhabits the skies, by which the better people among us regulate their lives, and hope after death to live with him forever. Gave a string of wampum.
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Wawiagta and |
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The following is the Copy of the Treaty533 with the Wawiagtas and Piankashas mentioned in Gi[st's] Journal folio. |
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Whereas at an Indian Treaty held at the Tawightwis Town on the Big Mineamis creek being a branch of the River Ohio, on Friday the 22d day of February, Before George Croghan and Andrew Montour, Twenty men of the Wawiagtas and Piankashas two of their Indian Chiefs ViztTakintoa Molsinoughko, and Nynickonowca, appeared in behalf of themselves and their nations, and prayed that as their Indian Brothers the Tawightwis had been lately admitted into the Friendship and Alliance of the King of Great Britain and his Subjects and as they are Tribes of the said Tawightwis earnestly desire to be admitted into the said chain of Friendship and Alliance of the King of Great Britain and his Subjects professing on their parts to become true and faithful Allies to the English and so forever to continue, Mishikinoughwee and Nemesgua and all of them Nations in friendship and Alliance with the English becoming earnest Intercessors with the said Chiefs on their behalfs the Prayer of the said Chiefs of the Wawiaghtas and Piankashas, was granted, a firm treaty and Alliance of Friendship was then Stipulated and agreed on between the said George Croghan and Andrew Montour in behalf of the Government of Pensylvania and the said Cheifs [or deputies of the Wawiaghtas and Piankasha] nations as by the Records of that Council held will more fully appear. Now these Presents Witness, and it is hereby declared that the said Nations of Indians called the Wawiaghtas and Piankashas are accepted by George Croghan and Andrew Montour as good friends and Allies of the English Nation and they the said Nations and Subjects of the King of Great Britain shall forever after be as one Head and one Heart and live in true friendship as one people, In Consideration whereof the said Tokintoa Molsinoughko and Nynickonowca, Cheifs of the said Wawiaghtas and Piankashas Nations do hereby in behalf of said Nations covenant promise and declare that the several people of the said Wawiaghtas and Piankashas Nations or any of them shall not at any time hurt injure or defraud or suffer to be hurt injured or defrauded |
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Page 139.
In the Darlington Memorial Library
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any of the Subjects of the King of Great Britain either in their person or Estates but shall at all times readily do Justice and perform to them all the Acts and Offices of friendship and good Will. Item. that the said Wawiaghtas and Piankashas Nations by the Alliance aforesaid becoming entitled to the Priviledge and protection of the English Laws [they shall at all times] behave themselves regularly [and soberly, according to the laws] of the Government of Pensylvania [whilst] they live or be amongst or near the Christian Inhabitants thereof, Item [That none] of the said Nations shall at any time be aiding assisting or abetting to or with any other nation whether of Indians or others that shall not at such time be in Amity with the Crown of England and the said Government of Pensylvania, Item That if at any time any of the Wawiagtas and Piankashas Nations by means of evil minded Persons and Sowers of Sedition should hear of any unkind or disadvantageous Report of the English as if they had evil Designs against any of the said Indians in such Cases such Indians shall send Notice thereof to the Governor of the aforesaid province for the time being and shall not give Credit to the said Reports till by that means they shall be fully satisfied of the truth thereof. And it is agreed that the English shall in such Cases do the same by them. In Testimony whereof as well the said George Croghan and Andrew Montour as the Cheifs of the Wawiagtas and Piankashas Nations have Smoaked the Calumet Pipe, made mutual Presents to each other and hereunto set their hands and Seals the 22d day of February in the year of our Lord 1750 and in the 24th Year of the Reign of George the second King [of] Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. |
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agree to submit to English Law[s, while] amongst the white People, [and]
to assist them in War |
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Signed Sealed &
Delivered in the presences of |
Geo Croghan Seal
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(For the marks of two of the Indians present, both in the form of a bird, see the original.)
exd
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Page 556.
Annotations
by the Pennsylvanians. The governor did not authorize the treaty between Pennsylvania and the Weas and Piankashaws at Pickawillany (printed pp. 138-39). Although "the Governor had reproved Mr. Croghan for acting in publick matters without his order." he accepted the treaty as valid and ordered it to be entered in the Council's minutes. The second reprimand was occasioned by the Six Nations' request for Pennsylvania to "build a strong House on the River Ohio." The proprietors in England had recommended to the Pennsylvania government that a strong house- "that tho' very small it may look Fort like"- be built on the Ohio. They were willing to contribute £400 toward building and £100 annually for its maintenance. When Conrad Weiser was unable to manage the Pennsylvania conference at Logstown in May, 1751, the governor appointed Croghan and Montour to distribute the present. Croghan's "private Instruction" was appended to the general instructions for the treaty. Privately Hamilton forbad him "to make any publick mention of building a Fort, but only desiring him to sound the Indians on this Point when by themselves in private Conversation."- "An Extract from the Proprietarie's Letter [1749]"; Weiser to Hamilton, April 22, 1751; Hamilton's instructions to Croghan and Montour, printed in Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, V, 515, 517-518, 518-22, respectively.
In addition, trading firms with which Croghan was affiliated had been the victims of French aggression. From 1749, during three years marauding Indians in the French interest had captured many traders and plundered their trade goods and effects. Croghan was fast approaching the brink of bankruptcy. Also, he was accused by Richard Peters of deserting Pennsylvania's interest in favor of the Ohio Company. Thomas Penn, writing to Peters on Mach 18, 1752, expressed displeasure with Croghan's behavior in regard to the Wea, Piankashaw treaty; showed great concern over Peters' "acct of the withdrawing of Mr. Croghan and the likelihood that Mr. Hockley would be a great sufferer by him"; and informed Mr. Peters that "the Gentlemen concerned in the Ohio Company here [London] know nothing of Mr. Croghan yet so that there may not be any foundation for the story you tell me."- Fragment of letter in Penn MSS, Saunders-Coates, p. 55. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
320. James Glen, governor of South Carolina, in a letter to Governor Hamilton, gave the following explanation of the Shawnee's imprisonment in his province:
Upon their invasion of Catawba territory, the Six Nations who were constantly at war with the southern Indians had been accom-
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Page 616.
Annotations
529. For variants and complete text printed in this work see Chronology.
530. The remainder of the journal, from Saturday, February 22, 1752, to March 29, 1753, on pages 19 and 20 of this manuscript is missing. For complete text see Chronology.
531. The first minutes of the Logstown Conference, page 20 of this document, are missing. For complete text and variants as printed in this work see Chronology, June 13, 1752; for discussion see notes 77, 105, 294, and Commentary, pp. 398-403.
532. "insert the deed" is in John Mercer's handwriting, and, according to this instruction, the deed was inserted in the printed copy. See facs., pp. 21-22.
533. Although Gist's entry in his journal for February 22, 1751, does not mention this Indian conference, he witnessed the signing of the pact. Also, John Mercer stated that Gist, who was present, "took a copy of it." In 1748 Conrad Weiser, a Pennsylvanian, kindled a separate Council Fire for the Ohio Indians, at Logstown; yet the Colony's Indian policy was one of strict respect for Iroquois authority over tribes said to have been subjugated by them. The Iroquois claimed control over all the western Indians east of the Illionis. Therefore, they feared that entrance into a pact with these separate western nations might offend the Six Nations. Croghan was reprimanded severely by Governor Hamilton, who in turn had been interrogated by the General Assembly when he presented the treaty to that body.- Pennsylvania, General Assembly, Votes and Proceedings, IV, 186. See also note 319.
534. Six and one-fourth folio pages in Richard Rogers' handwriting, with marginalia by John Mercer. This copy of the minutes of the Ohio Company and the committee of the Company omits all records of meetings held on September 25, 1749; January 29, September 11, and December 3, 1750; December 21-22, 1757; July 6, 1759; also the special instructions issued to Christopher Gist on April 28, 1752. For the minutes of those meetings see Chronology. Since the last record in this document is dated September 9, 1761, and the George Mercer collection contains no record of any meetings held between this last date and March, 1763, the editor considered this document, the enclosure mentioned in John Mercer's letter to Charlton Palmer, July 27, 1762.
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