Ms., Moravian Archives
Heckewelder, John
Journey to the Wabash, 1792
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graze, and in the autumn are hunted down by the Indians.
Sunday Sept. 23rd. The Indians begged to begin the treaty negotiations because they were to start their fall hunt. They were told that tomorrow a beginning would be made, and that every day at 10 o'clock in the morning a cannon was to be fired off as a signal; and this really took place.
Sept. 24. The treaty negotiations started and were opened by a speech from General Putnam. He assured the assembled tribes namely, the Eel Creek Wiachtenoos from the source of the Wabash, the Wiachtenoos from the lower part of the Wabash, the Piankishaws between the Wabash and Illinois, the Potawattamos of Lake Michigan and St. Joseph, the Kikapoos from Cahokia, the Kaskaskias and Musquetons from Kaskaskias, that the United States desire to live in peace with all the Indians, and to that end an opportunity is given to them to discuss with the United States all that had happened, to clear away all difficulties and to begin a new treaty. The answer was postponed until the following day.
On the 25th, by a unanimous agreement, all the tribes expressed their views and gave their final answer through a speaker. A large pipe of peace with a fine broad belt of Wampum were handed over to Gen. Putnam, and a desire was expressed that he would accept these as a sign of peace and present both to Gen. Washington, so that he too might smoke this pipe. Afterwards, the chiefs of these tribes rose and spoke in succession, after offering their belts of Wampum. The sum and substance of their discourse was that the white people should not take away their land, but should remain on the other side of the Ohio and regard this river as the frontier line. However, because there were some unclear points in their mode of expression, they were requested by Gen. Putnam on the 26th. to explain themselves more clearly, which they did in the afternoon meeting. They expressed the wish that they and the white people might never live in too close proximity, because among the white people and among the Indians there were some very bad people. They desired, and asked us, to trade with them, and that the Congress take away the land from the French who live here, because that land was given to them the Indians by their fathers. On the 27th. peace-terms were read to the council of the assembled tribes.
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